Though last weekend was my sister’s birthday, my parents arrived at our apartment with packages that I could benefit from as well, mostly in the form of fresh, fun produce. [Figs! Bok choy! Acorn squash! Scallops!] I was most excited by the pure white eggplant, harvested from their neighbor’s garden. Can’t get much more local than that.
My family knows me well: my heart can always be won over by good food. There is a flip side, though: my disdain can be achieved relatively quickly by not-so-good food . For instance, the person last night who told me to go eat a Big Mac.
I wanted to comment right then, but I didn’t.
I try not to be judgmental of my peers’ eating choices, as I hope they can be respectful of mine. But, sometimes, I wish I could find a way to impart the beauty of true, real food on everyone. I ate some of that neighborhood eggplant raw, and it had the strongest, most delicious flavor I’ve ever experienced from that vegetable. The joy I receive from something so pure, fresh, and beautiful to look at is certainly a very positive element of my life. I’m not sure why that is a difficult concept for others to accept, but at least I know my ideals, and I know they bring me happiness.
Earlier this week, I combined select items of the new produce with another new acquisition to my pantry: coconut oil, which I put off purchasing for far, far too long.
Is this a recipe? It has four ingredients.
coconut ginger veggies
- 1 T coconut oil
- 2 bok choy, leaves and stems separated
- 1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2″ cubes
- 1/2″ cube ginger, minced
Chop bok choy stems into 1″ pieces. Chop leaves coarsely and set aside.
Heat oil over medium heat; when melted, add bok choy stems. Sauté about five minutes; add eggplant and ginger and sauté about 10 more minutes, until vegetables have browned. Add bok choy leaves; toss until wilted.
Smelled so good while cooking.
I had this with a creation I entitled stir-fried bulgur, which consisted of an egg scrambled into cooked bulgur. It was surprisingly awesome.
This meal brought me a lot of joy. It was quick. It was simple. It was made with local produce and an organic egg. It had six ingredients that were very familiar. I should never have to defend that – the image, the recipe, and the way this food made me feel all speak for themselves.
Did a meal this week bring you joy? And what do you say when someone criticizes your eating choices?
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That bok choy looks so good! I just had some at Whole Foods the other day and remembered how much I love it.
I made a cassoulet for my boyfriend the other night (and later enjoyed the leftovers with his sister) and it was just so nice to enjoy a (laborious) home-cooked meal with the people I love.
ah, people criticizing healthy eating. As if their Big Mac is so wonderful and great!
I just want to scream at people when they do that!!!!
Instead I look at them and smile really nicely and then say ‘Well, I haven’t said anything about your eating habits, so I’d appreciate it if you showed the same respect for mine.’
Usually the person is so dumbfounded in light of their own rudeness that they don’t really know what to say, or they apologize.
What can I say? It highly irks me when people do that.
A Big Mac really? I mean, couldn’t suggest a more delicious piece of meat? Like a prime rib steak or something? Geez.
I understand why you might not want to provide some context to that comment but all I can say is wow. Sometimes I have a dining companion who chows down on steak or something and says how delicious it is and wishes I could taste it. It’s funny, because they make it sound like I HAVE to be a vegetarian. I don’t, it’s a choice, and I explain that and go into as much detail as they’d like me to. If they’d rather not know my rationale, I won’t divulge.
Mmm I’ve been wanting coconut oil lately,too, glad to hear it’s worth it.
I second Maya’s words.
People make it seem like: “oh… you CAN’T eat meat.. that sucks.”
!?!?!?
As if I don’t enjoy the way I eat or something? I love my food choices!
I usually comment back the same way she does too, other times I am more quiet and just roll my eyes. haha.
But I think it is very rude the way people don’t respect other’s way of eating.
*sigh*
Your meal looks very yum :)
that’s a very chinese dish except for the coconut oil! :) I haven’t tried white eggplant yet… how does it differ to the standard ones?
how do I react when someone criticizes my eats? ignore them and show them how much I enjoy it! :)
I love white eggplant so much more than regular eggplant, yet I can’t quite explain it.
I’m constantly defending my food choices. Since I’m not thin, many people assume I eat the way I do for weight loss, and then comment on that. My old co-workers used to say, “wow, I guess I should eat big salads if I want to drop a few pounds!” and I would just smile and say that big salads with fun produce were good. At restaurants, people tell me to “live a little” when I don’t indulge in fried things. It’s sad that people think it’s acceptable to comment on other people’s choices and tell them what they should or should not eat.
I tend to just ignore those types of comments. I am happy with my choices and feel great, hopefully other people will be able to have the same without being rude.
I had lots of joy in the kitchen this week! Heirloom tomatoes, fresh prawns, good bread, yum!
who was this person that told you that?? people have made comments to me just like that one (in my case it was “eat a steak”) in the past but i’ve learned to laugh it off — even if it’s hurtful, it’s the best way for me to deal with it. i used to take a lot of criticism from people (especially at work, since i’m around them all the time) but everyone has just kind of adjusted to my eating habits and lifestyle — i’m the girl who runs and eats homemade sandwiches on whole wheat bread, and that’s just how it is. :)
People constantly criticize me (mostly at work). They do it in a teasing way so I just joke back with them. Like when someone mocks me for not eating meat I just say “Oh Big Macs are good…. if you like ground up, seared flesh.”
-A
I made a warm almond cheese polenta cake with curry chickpeas on top and a side of broiled tomatoes. It made me really happy that I used simple ingredients but made something unique to my liking. I really love your style of cooking Leslie! Its simple but tells a story!
xoxo
Maggie
I love how your posts are all of my favorite foods. Bok choy is delectable. The white eggplant looks like a work of art.
I really miss my green grocer’s box that I received each week in Washington, DC. I was talking to my friend who works at a fruit and vegetable stand today, and she mentioned that beets, chard, and spinach are in season and cheap right now in B.A. I’m going to start making a concerted effort to start buying in-season.
That stir fried egg and bulgur! Yum.
i can understnad that you were a bit upsad about the comment from your friends. i get this too all the time. i think the reason why some people think this way is because they dont really know about nutrition and the importance of good food. for them its just having that burger because it takes them less than a min to buy one. whereas we might have to go and search or make our food from scratch. which is not a bad thing for us but might seem annoying to them.
but most importantly you should eat what you want and what you feel is good. its your life!
Dear, I enjoy every single meal I eat! :-) And those who disagree can go screw themselves.
Haha, I kid. In all seriousness, unless you’re eating really disordered-ly or unhealthily, I see no reason why anyone should criticize you. How rude! People should just mind their own business. How can real, whole food compare to a Big Mac?
How fun to open your blog to get my daily “fix” and have one of our eggplants looking back at me! Our plant is quite productive, so if you’re going to see your Mom let me know and I’ll bring her some more “Big Macs” (might be my new name for those white beauties!)
Love your blog (and your mom…she’s the best!)
Beth
[...] 3) Craving vegetables is something of which to be proud, not ashamed, even if it makes you different. [...]