To Kale...Or Not to Kale

Recently, I decided to do a “cleanse” which involved eating only really healthy foods for three days and drinking a lot of water (think carrots and kale). Now don’t get me wrong, I like healthy foods. In fact, I love getting my box of organic veggies every two weeks from the co-op and making all sorts of savory, healthy, organic soups, salads and entrees. I get excited over yellow beets! I adore broccoli and swiss chard. I am totally smitten with collard greens, especially when paired with black-eyed peas.

            So it was rather a surprise to discover that when forced to eat only a prescribed diet of extremely healthful, cleansing items for three days ("forced," I might add, by myself and my own stubbornness), I have found it exceedingly difficult. In fact, I’m learning that although I am quite good at eating healthfully most of the time, I am also quite prone to cheating. Now that I am absolutely forbidden to eat a french fry, a slice of pizza, or drink a cup of decaf with half & half, I am really not pleased. Not pleased at all.

            This evening, while I was munching on kale with shitake mushrooms and a beet and carrot salad (which tasted quite good) all I could think about was a cannoli and a bowl of chips. I am missing my nightly decaf cappuccino as if it were a lover I’ll never see again. And the thought of going to bed tonight without a handful of nuts (which though healthy, aren’t allowed on this plan in the evening), or popcorn (the jury is still out on the health benefits of this one) makes me very irritable indeed.

            So, what is to be learned from this? I could just decide that life is too short to spend even three days without my beloved food items. Or, I could realize that three days is really nothing in the grand scheme of things. The most interesting aspect of this whole experience, however, may be my realization that without the freedom to choose, life just isn’t as much fun, which is why although I detest soda with all my taste buds and never serve it in my home, I still won’t vote for it to be outlawed. Kale, anyone?