The Undertaking

I apologize about the delay in posting; I have several bad excuses which you may or may not want to hear. One is that between getting ready for Christmas, family, harassing financial aid to do their job, and various other things...I've been hesitant to post.

But, excuses aside, we have an undertaking in front of us. I'm sure this has been done before, and better. And my ideas may not be comprehensive, nor canon.  Nonetheless, the Big Cat requires it. So it must be.

What I'm talking about is a semi-General theory of Foodstuffs. Why oh why, dear Demeter, do your carrots go with your peas? What makes something Greek or Italian? And what is this curious thought of balance so important?

This is going to take some time, so bear with me. I'll begin..in the middle (not as David Copperfield...).

Foods come in three categories: Grains (and starchy things), Protein, and veggies/fruits.

Grains are often the blank canvas of your meal; They provide something to pull the other aspects together, and they can provide some fiber. There is a large scope here: anywhere from bland oatmeal to more processed forms, such as bread or pasta. I will certainly go into more detail about this and our other groupings in future posts. There are going to be crossovers between categories, which we will discuss. Overall, I'd suggest these being about 1/4 to 1/3 of the meal if possible.

Protein is sometimes the filling element, sometimes the garnish. Beans, cheeses, and meats do fall into this category, as well as some other mysterious items. In the scope of a meal, this should be one fourth or so of the total meal. I'm making a distinction between protein "foods" like beans, and grams of protein per meal. So  remember other foods do contain protein, and it's important to consider it from a nutritional standpoint as well.

And lastly, but certainly equal in my mind..are veggies! (And fruits). These should be about half your plate, and you will feel full if you do. They're great sources of fiber and nutrients, and can add a lot of diversity to your diet. Starchy veggies will sometimes cross over and fill the role of grains when you're planning a meal (think: potatoes in a frittata or corn in polenta.).  On the other end of the spectrum, fruits can make fantastic deserts.

 Hopefully, keeping these three categories in mind will bring the "balance" into perspective, and simplify it a bit.