Still at a loss for what to eat for lunch in the office? Sick of having the same bowl of yogurt and granola every day for breakfast? We hear you. In Preen Food Diaries, we take a closer look at the eating habits that keep people fit, healthy, and satisfied, while taking note of the treats they indulge in.
My life can be cleanly divided into two epochs: pre- and post-lifestyle change. Pre-lifestyle change meant hoarding chocolates, binging on pasta and eating at really odd hours. (Dinner at 3:30 a.m., pass out at 4:30 a.m., a bag of half-eaten Keebler cookies clutched to my chest.)
Now, I focus on whole, plant-based foods, with protein. And fat. Fat is good, people.
For Holy Week, I chose to eliminate anger from my diet, but I wasn’t successful. So, I avoided the usual things: refined sugar, red meat, and carbs.
Breakfast
Marcel Proust reputedly dined on opium and croissants every morning, with some coffee for sustenance. I like to save my opiates for weekends, so every morning I eat two scrambled eggs, cooked in butter with a splash of whole milk and a sprinkle of sea salt. I also like it runny. A dry scrambled egg is a wasted egg, I always say to my dog, George.
Post-Breakfast Snack
These Coconut Bliss Balls from The Little Spatula are dense and delicious. And keep the cravings away. Made from unsweetened cocoa and dates, with almonds and cashews for heft, they’re easy to take with you when you just want to snack on something, and you don’t want to resort to a Snickers bar.
Lunch
I often eat lunch at my desk if I’m at work. But I’m not at work, so I can eat anywhere I want. Like the couch. Or an actual dining table. Thank God for Holy Week. Like, literally, thank God.
Today, I’m eating these zucchini noodles with a rustic tomato sauce. The raisins add sweetness to the savory punch of tomato and anchovy. You can find the recipe here.
Post-Lunch Snack
Pretty healthy so far, right? I then set out to ruin my entire day of healthy eating by devoting myself with an almost religious fervor to Kushikatsu Daruma.
The Japanese franchise from Osaka is essentially a fry joint. You order from a not-so-extensive menu that ranges from chicken to veggies to camembert to seafood (there’s only a couple: shrimp and oyster) which are breaded, deep fried and served on a skewer. It’s terrible, yet addicting—and I debated internally whether I should share this but I figured IT’S HOLY WEEK. I never go to confession so might as well do it here.
FYI: I ordered the shrimp, garlic, asparagus, shitake, camembert, and aubergine.
Dinner
Repentance time. Just kidding. I never repent.
Dinner is soy-glazed cod with steamed Chinese broccoli. Made the glaze with Bragg liquid aminos and some agave.
Post-Dinner Snack
Leftover homemade guacamole, which I eat with cucumber sticks, instead of nachos. It tastes like a spa. But in a good way.
Photos by Bea J. Ledesma
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