Let's be honest, in America today when you talk about healthy food, the majority of people think about bland, boring food like dry veggie burgers and grilled tofu. Healthy food is often viewed as a terrible, yet necessary alternative to "good food" or better "real food," the food "real man and woman" want to eat, the food we were meant to eat.
Unfortunately in America the concept of "real food" is often a terrible one. Stuffed crust pizzas (what a stupid invention: I'd like to meet the genius behind that), tacos wrapped in extra tortillas and fried, chili French fries with melted processed cheese, heart attack burgers, and never ending soda fountains.
I consider myself a "Real Man" and I want "real food" myself, but I want food that is fresh and tasty, food made with real ingredients.
I want pasta with a fresh tomato sauce and basil, I want a risotto with zucchini and a caprese salad with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
I want fish wrapped in parchment paper and baked in fresh vegetables and a fruit salad with lime and salt.
I want to eat a fresh apple, squeeze an orange recently picked. I want fresh fruit, all of it: melons and kiwis, pineapples and tangerines -- but only when they are in season.
And I want this "real food" in small portions please! I'd like a couple of sliders with roasted potatoes, a small cheese plate with pears and walnuts, a strawberry dipped in zabaione, a nice ice tea with a little lemonade in it.
I want to load my BBQ in the long summer nights with chicken breasts and grilled vegetables sprinkled with pesto sauce, followed by a grilled watermelon salad with goat cheese and dried cranberries.
I want little snacks throughout the day: little crostini with olive pate', pizzette with zucchini and potatoes, frozen grapes that slowly thaw in your mouth as you eat them. I want lemon, almond, coffee granitas that are smooth and silky and served in a shot glass.
I want a lamb chop over a bed of whole wheat cous cous with steamed vegetables and a homemade frozen yogurt stick. I want to dip wholegrain tortillas in fresh mango salsa.
I want to make crepes in the morning with fresh raspberries, and scramble eggs with a tear drop of truffle oil on multigrain Toscan bread.
I want the food that comes in many colors. I want to taste new flavors. I want tomatoes that smell like tomatoes and fresh lettuce that is buttery and crunchy.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good burger and fries myself. But there's so much great food out there waiting to be discovered! Variety is what makes the world interesting .
So remember, if we keep our portions under control there's nothing wrong with the Healthy food I just described... OOOPS did I say healthy? My bad! I meant "REAL FOOD"!