One of my readers (yeah! I have readers!!!), commented that my posts may be wee bit on the “long” side. I completely agree. Unlike me, you probably have very busy lives with very little time to read through my superfluous rantings and ravings about food – or rather my LOVE of food but my struggle with keeping it off my  waistline.

Keeping this in mind, I will hence forth try to edit down my long winded posts and instead try to keep them “short and sweet”. This famous phrase, made proverbial in 1539 by Dutch scholar Erasmus, made me realize that our relationship with food should be just that – “short and sweet”(or savory, salty, etc). Instead of “piggie sizing” your extra value meal for an additional dollar at your local fast-food joint, just keep it to the “regular size” or better yet, order the small size.

Instead of polishing off an entire salad for two like I almost did last night (from previous post, “if you’re gonna eat it anyway, eat it early”), eat what you want and then take the rest of it “to go”

When confronted with an overflowing plate of not so great food at your local eating establishment, eat what you feel like eating and then cover the rest with your napkin and push away your plate. You may think that this is very wasteful but I always say, “it’s not a waste, if it ends up on your waist“. How many of us have just picked at and absently consumed large quantities of food not because we were hungry, nor because it tasted really good but only because it was in sitting right in front of us.

I suggest putting a napkin over the half eaten leftovers on your plate and pushing it away from under your chin (or chins). Give that overcooked mushy pasta, burnt overcooked burger or that dried up piece of cardboard disguised as grilled chicken breast,  a quick burial with your napkin. Not only does this practice remove the excessive calories and carbs away from your line of vision but also signals to the brain that enough is enough, this food is dead.

Imagine that you are a detective in one of those crime-drama shows with all the letters – CSI, NCIS, CSI Miami, Law&Order-SVU, NYPD or AARP. Pretend that those leftovers on your plate is a newly discovered cadaver and you  are respectfully “putting a sheet” over the remains.

Now I am not suggesting that you throw away perfectly good food that tastes good. Au contraire, I am a HUGE proponent for re-hashing the previous nights leftovers and eating them at a later time. Gimme cold pizza any day. Left over chinese takeout – love it! Half eaten burger – bring it on! I am the first one to take leftover bones, chicken or meat throw them in a pot, add water, a few onions, celery and carrots transforming those few humble ingredients into rich and savory soups or stews. I HATE to waste food. What I am merely suggesting is that we give the quick burial to the food that does not taste good. Food that has already been killed by an inch of its life by an inexperienced or just plain lousy cook. There is no point in eating something bland, tasteless or downright nasty if you don’t have too. Remember it’s not a waste if it ends up on your waist. Eating “short and sweet” may be the solution  to our expanding waistlines. It’s just a thought.

Chow for now!