Feel good, French style

Sunday morning blueberry pancakes, a picnic of baguettes and brie at the Philharmonic in the Park, family reunions over bagels and lox…What would life be without our daily bread and its rituals? Alas, in the era of “no white foods,” bun-less burgers and low-carb muffins, bread and its cohorts have become the objects of guilty frustration. To indulge or not to indulge?

My days in France taught me the principle of indulging in good measure. A week-end croissant, a hot crèpe after a long winter’s walk, a few bites of bread but lots of veggies and protein. Good measure makes sense and works a lot of the time, but it leaves us in a perpetual state of policing. Whether they live in Paris or New York, my friends still struggle over their baguettes.

Luckily, a third way has emerged. Here’s how you can have your cake, and eat it too!

• Go back to basics with true whole grains.

We’re right to shy away from the refined, industrialized carbs which abound these days the world over. They bring our bodies little nutritional or energetic value, encourage weight gain, and cause cravings for more of the same.
Instead, turn the clocks back a couple generations, before Wonder Bread and Special K.
Incorporate real whole grains into your daily routine. These include steel-cut or old-fashioned rolled oats, no-sugar added mueslis, sprouted grain dry cereals (Food for Life’s Ezekiel 4:9, for example) and grains like brown rice, kasha, millet and quinoa.
These provide long-lasting energy, satiate our natural need for carbs and keep us happy and skinny.
Grains may seem a bit esoteric at first, but are increasingly easy to find, and great for kids. If you can boil pasta, you can make whole grains.
While these aren’t traditional components of French diets, even classic French chefs like Alain Ducasse are rediscovering the flavor and ease of céréales complètes.

• Bank on high-quality breads.

There is quite a difference in how your body reacts to whole grains versus bread. Since breads are made from flour, there is naturally some processing involved. Hence, our blood-sugar balance is disrupted, with a more likely impact on our waistlines.
Enter a modern-day miracle (actually based on centuries-old savoir faire) flourless, sprouted grain bread (Food for Life, Manna Organics). This has become a staple for sandwiches and morning toast, not only because it keeps me fuller longer than regular bread, but also because it tastes heartier (and goes so well with melting butter!)
If there’s no sprouted grain around, I look for interesting breads made by people who are passionate about quality (spelt is a favorite, with no added sugars or oils).

• Relax.

When whole grains are your staple, you gain a new appreciation for natural, whole foods. They feel different, and they taste good. Your palate begins to change too, trending towards a reduced sweet-tooth. When you eat the real thing, the refined stuff doesn’t hold as much appeal.
Incorporating lots of whole grains into my diet has made carbs a non-issue. Instead of counting calories, I’m diving right in – to my kasha, quinoa and organic bakery’s lovingly-crafted croissants!

Live épanoui*!

Elisa

* in full bloom