Unlike yesterday, today was a pretty routine day.
I was:
Up by 5:30.
More than ready to eat 😀
Craving ooey-gooey chocolatey goodness…
… and sweet snacks…
[Deep Chocolate Vitamuffin. Greek yogurt. Almond butter frosting]
Rockin’ my workout (NROLFW, Stage 2, Workout B).
Stockin’ my kitchen…
[Brown rice tortillas – Steel cut oats]
[Cottage cheese – Blueberry jam – Grape kombucha]
[Salsa – Almond butter – Pumpkin – Sucanat]
[Bananas]
And eating my veggies…
… while picking out the weeds…
[“I don’t know what” and grass. Neither of which I particularly like to eat]
I don’t know about you guys, but my day simply isn’t complete without a huge salad beast in it, and my salad beast isn’t complete without a delicious dressing.
I like my salads to be light and fresh, which is why I tend to steer clear of heavy, oil-based dressings, and opt for lighter, yogurt-based dressings instead. And unlike my [non-existent] attempts at making my own hummus, laziness doesn’t seem to get my way when it comes to salad dressing (probably because it takes all of 10 seconds and doesn’t involve cleaning a food processor), so I always make my own…
. – . – . – .
. simple salad dressing .
Ingredients (serves 1)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (regular yogurt works too)
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Mix well and allow to sit for ~10 min before serving.
A cupful of dressing helps the veggies go down 😀
. – . – . – .
And before anyone gets on my case, yes, I’m well aware of the fact that salads and light dressings just scream diet food, butttt… I don’t really care. I’m not on a diet. I’m not trying to lose weight. Does that mean I’m also not allowed to enjoy foods that are eaten by people who are? I like the crunch of a rice cake. The taste of puffed wheat. The flavor of unsweetened almond milk. Not alone, of course, but those things make regular appearances in my daily eats. What’s wrong with that?
I guess I’m kind of fed up with feeling like I’m not supposed to eat typical “diet foods” just because I suffered from an eating disorder in the past. Like it somehow automatically means that I’m reverting back to my old ways. Like I’m supposed to gorge myself on cheesecake and french fries just to prove a point. Gah! Just thinking about it is making my left eye twitch…
*deep breath*
I like salads, and I like light dressings. Never as a meal, but always as a side.
I also like love dessert…
… which I’ll go into more detail about tomorrow 😀
. – . – . – .
What’s your take on typical “diet foods”?
Are there any that you enjoy regularly?
I love this post!
It really does annoy me when people look at me weird when I choose a “lighter” food just because I prefer the taste over the full fat version. Or if I don’t like something that everyone else does (like cheesecake) people assume it’s because it’s “higher calorie”.
But maybe I just genuinly don’t like it? Put a bowl of ice-cream in front of me and the reaction will be different. I don’t think it’s fair to force yourself to like something, just because someone else thinks you should.
If you’re getting a suffitient amount of calories from things you genuinly enjoy I think it’s perfectly ok to have a “diet product” once in a while.
Oh, and I’m totally with you on the dressing thing – not much of a fan of the oily stuff either.
I feel like lots of times when I eat with people who know I had an eating disorder in the past, if I don’t get the cheesecake and fries, they think I’m starving myself – when I’m genuinely just not a fan of either.
I like salad without dressing. Genuinely, for taste-bud reasons: I like my veggies to taste the way they would straight off the plant. But I’ll make sure to have some other fat with my meal to make up for it. And, I like my coffee straight-up black – this isn’t because I’m avoiding cream or sweetener (at least not the vegan varieties), it’s because that’s just how I roll. I think a lot of people assume that because *they* like a certain food, they think you must be “denying yourself” if you don’t go for it, too.
Amen! If someone saw my lunch today (salad with hummus followed by cottage cheese with melon+granola) they would likely accuse me of eating diet food…no not at all! I just love the taste of those foods!!
artificial & fake “light” & engineered diet foods = bad. good, pure, light ‘diet’ foods are delicious – these things make great simple flavors, which I take no shame in loving!
I find this alot when being offered food.
Like say if someone was to offer me a piece of chocolate or even a soft drink, if I decline then people immediately assume ‘oh cherie must be on a diet’ or.. you know. Even when I bring my lunch to work, I now like to wrap it foil as well before putting it in the fridge, or another bag so people cant see what Im eating, because I constantly having people saying ‘oh whats for lunch’ ‘how come you always eat so healthy’ etc.
I feel that there is alot of pressure to eat bad food when your around other, because if you dont your going to look like the boring, lettuce choping rabbit. (which I have no problem with being a bunny :D)
Anyway I know thats a little off topic from what you were talking about and I kind of went off on my own little rant there haha.
Your reuglar routine day looks actually pretty fabulous Amanda! 🙂 I also need a huge salad every day (sometimes even twice a day), “Funny” thing is I never think of salads as of a diet food. I always fill my plate with so many things that it is hard to get the whole thing into my tummy and I think that my salads can be as nutrient dense as “normal” meals…so no problem with this for me 🙂 Also I think that “diet” food is totally ok as long as you don´t go overboard with it and don´t eat only diet things only to lose weight. For example when I was still eating dairy, I always used to eat only non-fat, light yogurts, because whenever I had a full fat, greek-type yogurt they sold here, my tummy was terribly aching for the whole day. And I have always loved fruit and veggies and that´s not because I want to lose weight, but because I love the taste.
Oh no, I just posted my comment, but it now I cant see it :O
Anyway, Ill try again 🙂
I think there is a big differense between “diet food” and “healthy food”, but I have a feeling most people see them as the same. Everyone should eat they salad and veggies. NOT because they are on a diet, but because its good for our health, body, and they taste yummyyy too!
If you like yohurt dressing, I cant see anything wrong in eating it! We should all just go for what we enjoy, and what our body tells us.
And i think there is huge different on eating healthy, like you do, and eating diet foods. If you lived on diet soda, 100-cal-snack-pack-things etc.. THAT is diet food, and not real food, and it would not do your body good. If you (not You, but some one 😉 ) enjoy the diet-food, its alright to eat it, but most of our diet should be made of healthy food!
Enjoy your Saturday Sweetie <3
Hi Sweetie :**
I think there is a huge differense between “diet food” and “healthy food”, but I guess most people see them as the same. Maybe. Everyone should eat their salad and veggies- dietting or not. And if you want yoghurt dressing instead of oil dressing, there is nothing wrong with that, at all!
I think it is another story if you (not You, but someone 😉 ) live of diet-foods, like diet soda, 100 cal snack-pack-things etc.. If you enjoy them, there is nothing wrong in having them as a part of you diet. But living on it, wont do any body good!
Saying that people who have suffered from an ED should not eat “diet-foods” (which in reality is plain healthy food), is like saying they are not allowed to be healthy and free!
Enjoy you Saturday <3
I love the flavor of unsweetened almond milk too! I find that the sweetened kind has an aftertaste and I just don’t like it! It’s sad that “healthy” foods are usually considered “diet” food. I would say that instead of a salad being a “diet,” I would say it is “diet-essential” kind of thing — a part of a healthy lifestyle kind of thing, just like how you described. What makes me really sad is how the word “diet” has had it’s meaning changed so much. Really, it just means what food you eat every day, but now, it is associated with weight loss.
TOTALLY agree with you! I hate when people judge me or others for enjoying exercise and “healthy” food. I live and eat this way because it makes me feel good and I genuinely enjoy the food I eat. But even more importantly is, as you said, that these foods are only a PART of my diet. yeah, I eat rice cakes (usually slathered in nut butter though, so it’s not like I’m not getting calories in haha)…but I also eat bread! And I may eat tons of veggies and I don’t care for traditional salad dressings (even as a kid I was this way!), but I also eat plenty of protein, carbs, and fats in other forms. I also agree with other posters that “diet” food shouldn’t be considered things like rice cakes, puffed kamut, oatmeal, veggies, yogurt, etc., because these are still real, whole, minimally processed foods. so long as a person is eating with a healthy mindset (and hopefully a healthy weight to match), it’s really no one else’s business. and honestly, even if someone isn’t all that healthy, it’s something best left to them, their closest loved ones, and their doctor.
bottom line: people need to stop judging other people’s food choices! live and let live, right?
Amen 😀
Ugh I hate when people nag when I eat a salad or a veggie mess or something healthy. Eating healthy is not equivalent to being on a diet. No, I will not eat cheesecake and fries because it’s not good for my body and I don’t enjoy them as much as I do my veggies. Why why why do people not understand that?!
Your dressing is fabuloussss, anything with dijon mustard in it grabs ahold of my heart and doesn’t let go. Trying this ASAP!
I’m like you and CRAVE “healthy food” which to me is “normal food.” I’m not trying to lose weight– i just eat what I like and it so happens to be food that isn’t going to clog my arteries and lead to an untimely death..just sayin’. 🙂
YOUR RANT IS EXACTLY WHAT IVE BEEN TRYING TO SAY! dang you have such a way with words!!!!!!!!!! BTW 5:30.. im so impressed!
I COMPLETELY AGREE! I hate when people start to criticize my eats just because some of the foods I ENJOY are low calorie….who cares!!?! As long as i eat a variety of foods, it shouldn’t matter if some of them are high fat and some are a bit ‘lighter’! I liked that rant girl! Took the words right out of my mouth 🙂
okay, strange questions and I don’t even know why I am curious, but are you sitting on the floor next to your table? I’m a floor sitter all the times and people think I’m weird. Okay well not ALL the time, I do sit in chairs, but when I’m by myself I always just pop a squat. And now I sound like a loser for going into such detail, ooops 😉 PS I heart salad too!
Haha yep! That’s the floor by the table 😀 Mainly because it’s right by the patio door so the light is the best and I can look outside.
I’m a floor sitter, too! 😉
Dealing with the “diet food police” was an everyday source of stress when I lived at home. In my mom’s eyes “recovering” or “recovered” meant no low calorie foods allowed. If I wanted low fat ice cream or salad dressing, she’d question why. If I ate air-popped popcorn, she’d ask why I didn’t want butter. Any food that I’d eaten or enjoyed while battling an ED was a food of the past, in her opinion. Moving away was the best thing that happened to me because I was able to eat and enjoy ALL foods without judgment. I was better able to listen to my body because I knew nobody was watching to see whether or not I’d cleaned my plate. I felt okay going back for seconds because I knew I wouldn’t be congratulated for doing so (which always made me anxious). Thank goodness those days are over! My mom is much more easy going about it all now (save for a few random comments from time to time…But I’m more able to deal with them because I know I’m leaving soon), and she more or less respects my decisions. But more importantly, I no longer really care what others think! Living and eating on my own provided the space I needed to gain that confidence. 🙂
Your yogurt dressing sounds delicious–can’t wait to try it. And even though the pumpkin chili scramble didn’t happen today, it’s bookmarked. I can’t stop thinking about how delicious it looked!
Happy weekend, Amanda! I’m looking forward to seeing that scrumptious dessert recipe! xoxo
I just realized that if I mouse over your pictures, they have cool captions. I’m absolutely delighted by this discovery.
Anyway, moving on — I am totally with you here. Just because I eat fat free yogurt doesn’t mean I’m on a diet — I just like it better. I wouldn’t dare touch fat free cheese though. I also love me some rice cakes and almond milk. Oh and don’t get me started on eggs vs. egg whites. I practically consider them different foods. If I’m craving the yolky flavor, I’ll have the yolk. Sometimes I just want the whites, and sometimes i’ll just have the whites because I want the protein, but not the yolky flavor, ya know what I mean? Oh and I can’t stand salad dressing. I tried to prove to myself i wasn’t still disordered by not ordering it on the side — it was terrible. I hate how people are so quick to judge on things like this! I say we all just eat what we want. You’re happy, you’re healthy, and you’re clearly eating enough to support yourself, so who cares whether it’s diet or not?!
I definitely hear you on the eggs bit. I actually like the taste/texture of the white a lot more than the yolk, but sometimes nothing hits the spot better than a whole fried egg 😀
LOL they do have cool captions! How amusing 😀
i try not to think of anything as “diet food,” just food that makes me look good and feel even better! have a great weekend.
Ahhhh you got me excited for your post tomorrow!!
Your breakfast looks amazinggggg (as usual) and I love that u make ur own dressing! I like diet foods sometimes too…but just because they taste good! I totally relate to having them as sides
I completely agree- as long as “diet” foods are eaten with “normal” ones, its fine for someone in recovery (or even just who enjoys rice cakes, almond milk, ect) to have them. In fact, I think they get a bad rap because when you mix them with the right (typically non-diet) things, they taste great. Like almond milk and cereal…duh! You go girl! I love your intuitive eating and your salad looks delicious (as always)
Yessss – gotta mix the light stuff with the good stuff. Almond butter and jam tastes amazing on rice cakes 😀
I eat some things that people would classify as ‘diet food’, but I’ve never seen it that way. I eat what I want and they just happen to be healthy.
I got burned out on salads, but I love having them as a side or somehow mixing them in with the main meal. Plus with as many veggies as I put on a salad versus bread, its basically a salad between bread. I don’t know that I would really consider a salad a diet food personally, I see it as healthy, versatile and sophisticated.
My take on typical diet foods is that they’re really expensive. But I think of diet foods as bars, meals, and SlimFast stuff like that. They’re really helpful when on the go, but too much to spend! Especially when I could make bars and what not myself for much less.
But, as for salads..they’re much better! I don’t consider salads or light dressings “diet food” anyway. They’re simply healthier than the full-fat, sugar-laden versions. No shame there.
hey love!!!!!!!
I eat foods that some people classify as diet foods, but I really do not care, I know Im not dieting and I eat what I want, its my body I feed ; )
Rice Cakes, I love them, and some peeps just scream “diet food” at them, but I just love them!
Love you! Hope you have a great night! You look beautiful with your salad ; )
I don’t think your salad dressing would be considered as “light” or “diet”. It’s just an easy salad dressing that you make because you find it delicious and it’s your preference. As long as the salad isn’t all you eat as a meal, then it hardly screams “diet food”. 🙂
I think certain diet foods are so that certain companies (*cough* weight watchers *cough*) can make a quick buck. But I actually once compared a weight watchers product to a standard product and weight watchers actually had more calories and more additives and nasties. Ick!
I guess it really depends on what you classify as a diet food. Is 0% yoghurt diet food? To me it is but others may think that it isn’t. Are artificial sweeteners diet food? Well, yes. Anything that has replaced normal sugar with that crap is a diet food. I don’t really eat all that much diet food come to think of it. I eat light spread but that’s because my Dad eats that stuff. It’s not too bad. I just prefer to eat as natural as possible. I don’t really like uber processed foods anymore. In my recovery I went through a phase of going crazy over processed food because it tasted so amazing to me and now I’m starting to lose my taste for it but in a good way. Now I think I’ve found a balance between the two 😛
Tangent much?
xxx
I’m all for eating what you want! I love kamut puffs. So what if they’re only 50cal a cup? They add the perfect nutty crunch to my overnight oats or, well, anything really. So long as I’m not eating them on their own and calling them a meal, or something, eh? And I love love love the taste of unsweetened original almond milk. Way better than regular milk. Good thing considering my intolerance, eh? I’m not too picky when it comes to non-dairy’s mixed into other drinks (soy, etc. in my chai latte or the like), but I much prefer the taste of almond when I can. When it comes to a glass of something milky on it’s own, in my oatmeal, on my cereal- almond all the way! It has an indescribable nutty, rich taste. Nomnomnom.
Salad = YUM! I love me some salad. If you love it, great! I’ve also noticed you never really eat salad on its own or as your entire meal. If you ate a salad for every meal every day, I’d be a bit worried you were trying to cut back on calories or something. But- we all need veggies! What’s it matter if your veggie-ful side is a salad or an eggplant-tomato gratin (so yummy, by the way)?
Especially trying to gain weight- I steer clear of things like light nut butter, sandwich thins, etc. It always kind of irks me when I see people who eat sandwich thins with every sandwich. I’ve been known to eat them on occasion because they’re crazy good toasted (they’re thin, of course, so they get extra crispy and toasty), but I get a little sad face when that’s the only type of bread bloggers eat.
By they way- this salad dressing sounds amazing! I’m all for yogurt-based dressings. Now to find an unsweetened plain soy yogurt…. hm.
Love ya, girlie! <3
Ever consider moving to Canada, eh? 😉 We’re a pretty decent bunch up here.
Love you <3
I eat diet foods all the time. It doesn’t mean we are – or I am – disordered still.
Can we make a facebook page for this —> Fed up with feeling like I’m not supposed to eat typical “diet foods” just because I suffered from an eating disorder in the past.
Overcoming and eating disorder is not about eating pop tarts and applauding yourself, you know? Some people need that. Some don’t.
I hope the rant was not bought on by a comment left here because I get those and I kind of deserve them because I don’t post much variety but for a girl like you who shares many daily menus there should be no cause for anyone to get their panties bunched.
B-Love you.
Mmm no nasty comments, no. I think sometimes I just get a bit over defensive because of issues I’ve had with this kind of thing in the past, and I’d rather not have to deal with it anymore.
I wish I could eat salads but I’m allergic to lettuce 🙁 So odd, right? I actually enjoy many “typical” diet foods…as long as I’m eating enough (and balanced meals), why is there even a problem?
I don’t have too many diet foods, but my friends/family can always tell when I am dieting due to the absence of baked goods in my life 🙂
No baked goodies?! Say it ain’t so!
Your salad dressing recipe soinds delicious – i love light, yogurt dressings and esoecially homemade! Thanks for sharing!
I totally agree – eat what you ENJOY!
Okay, why have I never made a salad dressing that simple before? it looks so good – definitely trying that tomorrow on my salad beast. You’re right, a day isn’t complete without one!
ACKK I know what you mean–I actually enjoy some diet foods a lot, like fruits, veggies, egg whites, light salad dressings, cottage cheese etc. I hate it when people point it out when I eat them, I want to say “I eat this because it’s delicious, not because I think I’m fat.” I just wish society would stop already and let people eat what they want in peace without being labeled. Ultimately, I’ve decided society’s status quo is poop! 😀
This is what I love love love about ALL your recipes- simplicity- I can easily get the ingredients or already have them on hand. You are a majah tease holding out on the deets of your dessert!
I very much relate to your rant. If I want to eat a fat free yoghurt ill frickin do it ,& I don’t have to explain myself! Its not like I subsist on weight watchers meals and 100 cal packs for snacks, geez
Xxx
My mom makes a similar dressing- I love yogurt or tahini based dressings in general. My take on diet foods: If it’s made of a bunch of chemicals/unpronounceable/unnatural ingredients I tend to avoid them (mostly because they make me feel funny)- but in terms of “lighter” foods that aren’t crazy processed and loaded with gums and artificial sweeteners, that’s all good.
I suppose the closest things to “diet food” I eat are: Dreyers/Edy’s slow & churned ice cream/yogurt (i think it has less fat than regular ones) and if ordering a drink with milk i usually get skim…other than that I make my own dressings/buy gourmet ones and I don’t buy any sugarfree or fatfree foods, besides most of the stuff I eat doesn’t come in a package anyways
Eeee yeah I guess I should have been more specific. I meant diet foods, as in lighter whole foods, not the stuff loaded with chemicals and artificial sweeteners. That stuff doesn’t appeal to me at all.
Dang if salads and light dressing are diet food, then I must be on a diet I was unaware of…. I think the people who are bothered by others eating salads are the people who aren’t getting enough fruits and veg themselves. Those who have unsolicited advice about other people’s food generally are dissatisfied with their own choices.
Screw the terms – even if it’s a “diet food,” I say just enjoy the food if you like it.
You need to come visit – I’ve decided this 😀
I was gonna go on vacation this summer… and then I bought a condo 😀 😀 😀
I think that as long as those ‘diet’ foods are part if a varied and healthy diet, then no problem. I love to add greens to my smoothies, eat cottage cheese and rice cakes (not together), and eat lots of veggies, but not to be wary I’d what I eat.
By the way, I am definitely going to try this dressing. We always have yogurt and mustard in the fridge, and I need some easy homemade dressings.
Exactly 😀 As long as it’s PART of a healthy diet, and not an entire diet then I don’t see anything wrong with it.
I totally get where you’re coming from…I even mentioned it recently on my blog! I hate how society has inflicted such negative connotations to go along with typical diet food. I just want to scream “no, I’m not trying to lose weight” sometimes. I don’t choose what I eat out of fear, I choose it because it tastes good and makes me feel good, too!
I enjoy typical “diet foods” as well, this seems to be a problem with other people. I love having a refreshing salad on a hot day, lots of fruits and veggies, light salad dressings, the occasional low fat ice cream, non fat greek yogurt.. the list goes on. They make me feel good and happy so why not eat them. It just means I can have more of it 🙂
This is what I tell my parents all.the.time.
I’m glad someone else understands! 🙂
I completely relate to your rant Amanda. It was so hard to convince my parents of that in the beginning but I think they now finally understand that I eat what I enjoy, and so what if I enjoy some ‘typically’ diet foods. For instance peanut flour paste…I love how I can make it any consistency I want and add how much salt/sweetener I want. So I have it because that’s what I want 🙂
You look great in your picture by the way 🙂