Looking your best

Did you ever watch the show What Not to Wear? I loved it because the hosts did not care what size or shape a participant was, instead they would work with her to find the best clothes to fit her body and style. The women chosen to be on the show usually fell into two categories: they either dressed sloppy and wore clothes that were too big or they dressed in clothes too small and too revealing. They almost always stated they did not care what other people thought of their clothes and that they preferred comfort to fashion. It was often revealed that the main force behind their clothing choices was a poor self image stemming from their perception of what they thought their body should look like. Stacy and Clinton, the hosts, would always say “dress for the body you have not for the body you want.” They would demonstrate some basic rules and then go shopping. By the end of the show each women would look in the mirror and be grinning from ear to ear because she had not realized she could look so amazing. Turns out they did care, they just didn't have the tools and information they needed to pick the best outfits. 

A recent posting on Facebook made me think about that show. I am sorry I do not have the exact link but it was about a woman who had made herself miserable in order to be a size 0. When she finally realized how unhappy she was she stopped her self destruction and emerged a happy size 10. What caught my attention were the comments people were making. She was taken to task for saying being a size zero was unhealthy and undesirable. What these nasty comment writers were missing was that she never said anything about anyone else being so small, just that being a 0 was not the right choice for her. She understood her body was not designed to be so tiny and was able to find the weight that made her happy and healthy. Just like the women on What Not To Wear, after she got past all the noise about how she was SUPPOSED to look, she found the right tools and information to look her best.

It never ceases to amaze me that so many people hide behind their keyboards and will write malicious and hurtful things about others. No one knows what another person has gone through and therefore does not have the right to sit in judgement. Jennifer Aniston recently revealed her weight. I was watching a morning news(!) program hosted by two women who felt a need to mock Ms. Aniston about her disclosure of what they thought of as a low number. Yes, she is a celebrity who has the means and the necessity to maintain a certain image. However, her statement was about at what weight she feels her best. Don’t we all want that? Let’s stop worrying about other people’s numbers and start giving each other props! Let’s help each other look our best, like Stacy and Clinton, by passing out compliments. Try this experiment: next time you are out somewhere, find a stranger and tell her she looks great in the color she is wearing. Or that you love her haircut. Or that her outfit looks amazing on her. It will make you both feel awesome!

This week’s recipe is for vegetarian meatballs. I don't want to call them meatballs, but if I called them veggie balls, well I think you know why that wouldn’t work! They are awesome served over pasta with sauce, in a sandwich or in lasagna. I also add them to greens and beans or pop them into vegetable soup. The original recipe uses eggplant, but we are not fans of that vegetable, so I subbed in portabellas. Shredded zucchini would also work (just make sure you salt it and let it drain before cooking or you will end up with mush). You can also use whatever nut you love! I have used sunflower seeds and I could definitely see pecans working as well. You can use dried herbs in place of fresh, just reduce amount by about one third. Or try your own blend! These can be frozen before cooking. Just defrost before cooking or add an extra 15 minutes to cooking time.

Vegetable (Meat)balls

Ingredients:

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion chopped finely (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon salt

4 medium portabellas, coarsely shredded (about 3-4 cups)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped toasted walnuts

3 garlic cloves, minced or grated or pressed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or lightly spray with non-stick spray.
2. Mix first six ingredients (through basil) together in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Add mushrooms, stirring occasionally, and cook until liquid is gone, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and add walnuts, garlic and tomato paste. Transfer half of mixture to food processor and blend until smooth. Stir into remaining half.
4. Mix mushroom mixture with bread crumb mix and stir in egg. Blend well. Oil hands and form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on baking sheet 1/2 inch apart. Bake 25-30 minutes, until cooked through. 
5. Enjoy!