Striped Elephant

Posted on by

Patterns are amazing. That’s why I love them. Plus, you can style them in many ways.

Quite a few concepts about nutrition agree on the fact that a healthy diet should be comprised of lots of plant-based components. The recommended amounts differ, but all in all, we are roughly talking about two thirds, you could say.

If we get to the “bottom of the pot”, however, things become a little bit shady. “What exactly does that mean? Should I eat …? I don’t know ….” So, when you look up your favorite dairy products, fish, and the like, you are most certainly in for an uncomfortable truth. “I am supposed to eat only 2 servings of fish per week, each about 70 grams? That can’t be right!” Well, maybe if you’re not too upset, you’ll rethink the whole thing and realize that you’re eating 50 grams fish three times a week, so all is fine.

But, the thing is – and this is not just about ham and eggs – when someone tells you that you cannot have something, it immediately feels like a loss. Having lots of experience with dietary restrictions in the family and circle of friends, I know, what that’s like. And you just can’t stop thinking about what you cannot have. It’s just like being told not to think about a striped elephant.

So, some time back I decided to turn all of that around. If there are good options available, why not try to make the most of them? Consequently, plant-based meals are at the center of our food preparations, and therefore also the core of my recipes. Make the main part delicious and fun, right? And whatever serves you well, comes as an additional option. I usually call those ‚Protein Source‘ in my recipes.

Meaning, you get to decide, what you want to add to the basic pattern. Which already works as a dish, independently of the protein source added. I find that strategy much more rewarding than leaving out parts of a whole that was originally based on the now missing pieces.

As it turns out, there are already quite a few dietary approaches around the world that work this way. In these culinary concepts, fish is served merely as a side dish, while meat is used primarily as a condiment. A popular example is the island Okinawa. Which happens to be one of the “Blue Zones”, where people live exceptionally long ………………………….

Anyhow, next time you are wondering why you do not see a recipe called ‘Poultry, Potatoes and Sauce with Some Greens on the Side’ on the Parsley-Lane Blog — that’s the reason why.

Also, the focus on mainly plant-based cuisine with a moderate amount of dairy products and eggs makes food more of a common cultural denominator. I learned that from a fascinating Table Talk with Sophie Tebbetts, CEO of FoodCycle, a British soup kitchen project (see post “Bold Kitchen”). Many cultures share a plant-based core of eating habits, whereas the consumption of animal products often gives cause to fundamental differences across the globe. Amazing, if you think about it.

Yeah, I know: That’s a lot not to think about. Still, don’t forget to enjoy your food. That’s what really matters.

Side Notes:

  • I know, I could just set it all up as “vegetarian”, but labeling to me feels like an exclusion just the same. I already mentioned that in the post, “Parsley-Lane Blog 101 x 2”. Also, by the way: Another striped elephant.
  • You love eggs, but need to reduce the amount you are eating per week? Well, how about you leave out the eggs, where you do not need them? See the post: “NoegkX – no fun?” Yeah, and that’s a little more fair to the chickens — and the planet — as well. 😉
  • If you take a look at the InfoByteSized page, there is more information, for example, under:
    • ‘H’, as in ‘Helping of Happiness’ (to accompany the post under that title, on the connection between food and longevity).
    • ‘T’, as in ‘Think Oval’ (to accompany the post under that title, also info on Planetary Health Diet).
    • ‘N’, as in ‘Nutrition’ (various links and fact sheets from Sweden, Australia, Great Britain and the Netherlands).