the whole plate

…navigating twentysomething life one meal at a time.

the whole plate is a blog about balance.  

I believe that balance begins on our plates.  I eat – and love – simple food from the ground, and most of the time, I choose foods in their most whole state.   Vegetables are my favorite food group, and I find groceries easier to buy and far more enticing at a farmer’s market than in a supermarket’s middle aisles.

I truly love food.  While I lean heavily towards vegetarianism, and veganism quite often, I don’t believe in categorizing my lifestyle.  I see food as one of life’s great pleasures and adventures, and I will gladly expand those experiences through the newness of taste.  I’ve eaten frog’s legs and pigeon; I’ve tasted edible flowers and clover; I’ve helped myself to goulash in a stone Czech cellar and the thickest coffee while overlooking Istanbul’s streets.  

Part of the balance I seek means leaving room for all this exploration, savoring the delights of flavor from star chefs or ethnic mothers right alongside the simplicity I often bring to my own kitchen.

I  also believe strongly that while food is the foundation of our lives, true balance encompasses a great deal more.  We have to feed our minds – for me, this means a life full of art, from theater to film to literature to dance to fashion to all that falls inbetween.  We have to test our limits – for me, this means travel.  We have to move our bodies a healthy amount – for me, this mean urban walks and sunrise yoga.

Of course, I’m no expert.  I’ve been as unbalanced and unhealthy as they come.  But as time goes on, I’m slowly learning how my life pieces fit together, and that’s where this blog comes in.

the whole plate is the place where I explore all the elements that bring me balance, often through the food that keeps my feet on the ground.  I hope by visiting that you might discover the ingredients that build your unique definition of balance .

If you do, I hope you won’t be too shy to share them with me.