Comfort in a Bowl

For me, just about every kind of comfort food I can think of is best served in a bowl. Ice cream, soups, stews, homemade granola with fruit over Greek yogurt. Hearty oatmeal, especially steel cut oats, just seem to nourish as it fills you up with warmth. Leftover casseroles always seem to taste better reheated in a bowl. Even a bowl of cereal eaten late in the afternoon has its comforting merits.

My favorite testament to the powers of food in a bowl is the inarguable truth that nothing brings a roomful of people together and even onto one couch like a big, family-style bowl of freshly popped corn. I think what I like most about bowls is the coziness in which they present their contents. It is a lot easier to be content with a portioned amount of ice cream when it is in a chic little bowl. And stew just tastes better in an earthenware bowl.

Early in my twenties, my food obsession mushroomed into something of a glutinous nature. Young and excited by a world of tastes, smells and new inspiration, I often ate too much and drank even more. We entertained often with the stars of the show being rich, fattening foods that were spooned out in great portions.

These days I try to follow more of a clean eating lifestyle with room for most foods in moderation. For me, this means journaling my food and eating a nutritionally balanced diet. This blog was not started to sell anyone on my lifestyle whatsoever; I just wanted to share some history of the journey of the Country Tart. As this page grows, there will be many health conscious recipes here and some not so nutritionally mindful. I like to think of it as food in balance. Health, nourishment, community, good food, history, family and sustainability will be among the ongoing themes of the Country Tart.

Eating seems to be something that begins even before we open our mouths to accept a forkful. It all begins with the eyes. Who hasn't reached for the cupcake with the prettiest swirl of icing on the top? A beautiful dish can make the food about to be eaten even more appetizing. The stack of rice bowls pictured above are some of my favorite food carrying vessels. Their just the right size and shape to hug the food that’s about to hug my tummy.

It is with some country hospitality and a ladle in hand that I say thanks for stopping by. Comfort served up here, with or without a bowl. ~

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For more information on food journaling, food in balance, or to look into your own nutritional logging, please see the link to the left, Food in Balance. For more information on my personal weight loss and nutritional journey, go to: My NutriMirror Profile