My Favorite Five

The grandkids and I played a "game" today. It was called "If you were stranded on a deserted island and could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?" I know ... long name for a game. It took about as long to play it as it takes to say it. Then there's the reality that food would be very sparse on a deserted island, but, hey ... it was a game. My 12 year old granddaughter's one food was burritos. My 10 year old grandson's was tacos. My youngest granddaughter wasn't present at this "play date," but I'm pretty sure her choice would have been macaroni and cheese. She is, after all, five years old.

What I realized as we were "playing" and talking about all kinds of different foods was that I really haven't been thinking about food much at all lately. Not as I have previously obsessed ... ummm ... thought ... about it on past diets. Though, to call this a diet is really not accurate. Well ... it is in the sense that whatever you eat, that is your diet, but I think you get my drift.

There is something so empowering about knowing what foods are good for your body (whole, plant-based, calorie light, but nutritionally dense, unprocessed--or as close to that as possible) and just keeping to those foods. Eating whenever you are hungry. Filling yourself, but not overfilling. I have definitely settled in to a rhythm.

Air-fried (no oil added) potatoes.

But going back to my one food, which, by the way, would be rice and beans, I decided to expand on the idea and come up with five favorite foods (because I love alliteration!), and guess what?! No meat, dairy, nor dessert made the list! Go figure! It's like a switch has been flipped and there's no going back ... no desire to return to the standard American diet. So here's my five favorite (not to mention fantastically flavorful and frugal) foods, in no particular order:

• Air fried potatoes
• Oatmeal Bars
• Beans and Rice (brown)
• Potato Corn Chowder
• Chips and dip (hummus/salsa, spinach, etc.)

Creamy cauliflower and veggie soup w/ sweet corn tomalito.

If you were to look in my refrigerator on any given day you would find that I always have a few cold, steamed potatoes ready to cut into wedges and pop in the air fryer. Or, when I deviate from my favorite five, I might dice them up and make a potato salad with some fresh veggies or fry up a skillet of hash with some peppers and onions. 

You will also most likely find some sort of baked oatmeal bars. I make a batch of these at least once a week. Sometimes twice a week. This is my newest favorite way of eating oatmeal. They are great for a quick breakfast or a grab and go meal or snack.

Low fat vegan spinach dip w/ whole wheat tortilla chips.

I pretty much cook a pound (at least) of beans every week. The crock pot makes this an easy task with no soaking necessary. So you'll also find a bowl of some pinto, black or mayacoba beans ready to serve on top of rice, or a potato, or on a bed of greens for a burrito bowl. Another favorite way to eat them is mashed with spices for "refried" beans that I can wrap up in a whole wheat flour tortilla or use as a dip with fat free tortilla chips. 

I also try to make a pot of soup once a week and have single servings ready to go in the fridge or freezer for a quick lunch or a first course. If it's not potato corn chowder, it's a lentil and vegetable soup or a creamy cauliflower and vegetable soup.

Triple oat bars made with oat flour, oat bran and quick oats,

sweetened with just fruit and a little stevia.

The last (but definitely not the least) thing you will find in my fridge from my favorite five file is dip. My favorite this past week has been spinach dip. It is so versatile! You can use it to dip raw veggies, whole grain crackers and pretzels, or pile it on top of rice cakes or baked potatoes and even use it as a sandwich spread! I found a low fat recipe online that is to live for! I used the vegan option with my own homemade vegan mayonnaise, so mine is probably lower fat, but just as awesome. In fact, I had a friend taste test it yesterday and she said she couldn't even tell the difference from the fat and dairy laden recipe that used to make its appearance at every holiday or family gathering. Spinach dip is a big thing in my family!

These are all foods that I can eat with no reservations and no moderation necessary. Of course no healthy diet is complete without a variety of fruits and veggies, both of which I am getting plenty of. They're just not as exciting to write about! What is exciting ... very exciting indeed ... is that I know that this is sustainable ... something I can do for the rest of my life. I'm in my sixth week now with no straying. It's a habit. And oh ... by the way ... I've lost 18 pounds, and lowered my blood sugar, and lowered my cholesterol, and stopped two medications (Glipizide for diabetes and Pravastatin for cholesterol)... yup ... exciting stuff!