It's rough that we have to eat.  Food can be a problem for many of us.  Raise your hand if you ever tell yourself that if you just ate or drank                   , you would feel better about your day right now.  (Come on, put it up.)  It's a comfort to us, such that a smell or taste can take us back to a childhood moment in grandma's kitchen or make us feel warm and cozy on a cold day.  What we eat has a powerful effect on us, and we know it.  That's why we often use food as our reward, pity prize, pick-me-up, or drown-my-sorrows-in-chocolate options.  We know it changes how we feel.

And we wonder why health can be such a struggle.

Then again, those same facts about food make it worthwhile.  It's not just gassing up our tanks to get through the day.  It's a joy.  We can be having an awful day, and just sitting down to a lunch that hits the spot can give us a renewed energy to redeem the remainder of that day.  It reinforces our sense of self, that some experiences do not rely on outside factors to come out right, so that no matter what else is going on, peanut butter and chocolate together will always taste this good.  Maybe no one is paying attention to what you have to say, but that perfect cup of coffee exists for the sole purpose of warming your core, invigorating your body, and relaxing your mind.  Our food experiences can nurture us beyond mere nutrition.  What a blessing¡

Feeding ourselves is a required selfish pleasure.  We have to eat.  We might as well figure out how to maximize it.

My joy in cooking comes from finding a balance between foods that just downright taste good and that nourish the body.  I don't gain the same satisfaction from pure junk food or sweets as I used to (thank you, Peru and all your fresh food!), simply because my body doesn't feel as good.  When I nail the combination of health and flavor, I find a special place where indulging doesn't equal damaging, and I can enjoy the knowledge that both my palate and body are fulfilled.  

So...let's eat!

-Larissa