My roomies eat like little kids. While they’re diet/food choices aren’t the most nutritious, I envy their eating style. They remind me of the way I used to eat before I started caring. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Furthermore, they seem to have absolutely no second thoughts when it comes to what they are eating.
No planning. No guilt. No analysis. Totally spontaneous.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I know what I know about nutrition. But sometimes, just sometimes, I wish I could eat JUST to eat and forget everything I know for 20 minutes….not think about which food groups I’m eating, or how long the meal/snack will keep me satiated, or if it’s ‘nutritious’ enough….
Ya know!?
I’m working on eating more intuitively but I feel like once you know a certain amount about nutrition (and care), it’s difficult to ignore. It’s as if there’s a little nutrition birdie in my head, chirping all day long. *I have the book Intuitive Eating and have read a couple chapters. I like it but I think it takes a certain readiness that I am lacking while I’m at school.
***
Last night my roomies were starvin’ but they didn’t have anything ready to eat except leftover pasta. They’re take-out and delivery options were out of the picture because of the snow 
. So out of the blue I suggested I make them a pasta bake. They jumped at the idea…so I got crackin’.
I was nervous making something COMPLETELY improvised because it was my first time really cooking for them….and my first time making a pasta bake!!! Since my roommates eat like kids I knew the only rule that applied was: the tastier the better. It just had to be delicious.
I totally winged it–adding a little bit of this and then a little bit of that and then more of this and more of that. This dish is quick to prepare and you can just pop it in the oven while doing other stuff. It’s perfect for kids…and even adults!
Spontaneous Pasta Bake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of skimmed milk
- 4 eggs
- pinch of salt
- 5 cups of cooked pasta (I used angel hair)
- 1 cup of marinara sauce (I used a creamy tomato vodka sauce)
- ~2 cups of shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
Directions:
1) Whisk together milk, eggs, and salt.
2) Pour mixture into a casserole dish and combine with ~5 cups of cooked pasta
3) Stir in marinara sauce and ~1.5 cups of shredded cheese (leave 1/2 cup for topping).
4) Top the dish with remaining shredded cheese and parmesan cheese.
5) Bake at 375 F (covered in tin foil) for 30-35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes so the cheese can brown.
***
I made this dish specifically for my roommates. If I were to healthify it, I would have used whole wheat pasta and added veggies such as mushrooms, spinach, or tempeh (maybe?).
It tasted heavenly!! I was so scared it would completely flop and they would be disappointed. I ended up having a few bites myself (at 11pm!!!!) to try out my own creation, of course.
***
In true kiddie form my roommates gobbled it down while watching Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Cute.
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
I completely understand—my roomie is the same. I know I’m much “healthier” than she is, but it’d be nice not to analyze every decision.
I’ve read the book and it was very helpful. I’m still a work in progress.
I’m so with you on this. I love the way eating healthy makes me feel, but sometimes I wish I didn’t know the things that I could just eat crap once in awhile without thinking about all the healthier-but-just-as-tasty alternatives I should be eating instead. It’s so funny, because as I was reading the recipe for that yummy pasta, I was thinking in my head “Oh- sub half the cheese for veggies and use Ezekiel pasta…yum!” And while that combination would be just as tasty, I’m sure, the original looks delicious in its own right!
Oh, to be 10 again and not care what was in a candy bar!
Thanks for bringing this up…great post!
I know what you mean about eating. Sometimes I wish I could just let myself really go nuts and enjoy a few things I wouldn’t even look at normally.
I totally know what you mean about eating….I’m walking through the supermarket (every Sunday, everything is so routine) and I’ll see something that looks good but I won’t stop to get a better look at it, I’ll just keep on going. I understand the importance of being mindful but its just too much to ALWAYS be mindful it seems. I’ve started allowing myself a cheat day or meal once a week to keep me, I guess you could say more centered, or focused on my eating habits. I don’t want what I eat and when I eat, how many fat grams and calories to run my life, however I don’t want to forget all my knowledge about living healthy trying to balance it all.
Also, I always plan my hardest workout for the day after a cheat day/meal so that when I go to the gym and kick my butt I don’t feel bad for having had something with more than 9g of fat…etc.
That was so nice of you to make them dinner. I sometimes, just sometimes, wish I was able to eat more intuitively. My roommates eat whatever, whenever also. I know for I fact I will never be able to live/eat like that again.
Totally know what you mean about eating spontaneously. I think it’s because we’re planners! I plan everything – my clothes, directions, and thus, food too. The good thing is we never go hungry for long!
Oh girl, I completely understand where you’re coming from. Even if I give myself free will to eat something “unhealthy”, I’ll still have that thought in the back of my head that it’s really not good for me or tons of calories. I can’t just eat a cookie to enjoy a cookie. It’s sad. But something to definitely work on!
Oh I feel EXACTLY the same re nutrition! I’m amazed at how my sister eats sometimes, cos she has no clue, and I wish for just ONE day I could be like that..but not for any longer than a day cos I love knowing so much
it makes me proud! And I love being healthy!! But yeh, I totally know where you’re coming from 
Have a good evening!
Those pictures are all so pretty with the snow
And I agree 100% on wanting to eat more intuitively. I have done better with it lately and it is so much more satisfying to not be anxious if a meal is perfectly balanced, nutritious, etc. As long as it is the majority of the time is what matters to me.
PS – I love Harry too
that sounds like such a delicious recipe! eating intuitively is a great goal.
Ah…you echo so many of my own thoughts. I was reading something yesterday on Facebook about “I remember when…” referring to the 90’s, and in my head I was like, “I remember when I ate a bowl of cereal without caring what was in it/when I ate what looked and sounded good and didn’t CARE”. Somewhere along the line of growing up, we lose that. I’d love to hang out with your roommates- I don’t think I know a single person who isn’t overly-concerned with food/what they eat
Allie, I think I used to feel this way, but now that I eat high raw, I don’t worry about it as much. I feed myself when I am hungry and I eat what I crave. Sometimes, though, that’s not a good thing because I LOVE sweets. I am also stuck on nut butters a lot. Tehe.
There are times when I have to remind myself to eat my greens and other veggies!
I know what you mean 100%!! Sometimes I feel like it would be great to go back to those days!
I’m with you on this. I watch my collegues eat all kinds of, pardon my french, crap, and they just enjoy it. I mean, I know I’m eating healthier, and I wouldn’t change that, but if I could just from time to time, eat something not so healthy, and enjoy it. For me, it’s even difficult to eat white pasta or bread. Or have some butter on my whole wheat bread. Stupid.
I completely understand this I like to indulge and try not to care for sure but I still like to be balanced! When I was home at Christmas my sister said to me “would you STOP saying you want more vegetables!?” And my roommate- oh don’t get me started
. We’ve lived together a year but I’ve never seen him buy a veggie!
I hear you– I think one of the biggest downsides to being a healthy eater is that little voice that makes it so hard to just let go occasionally. It’s a strange combination, for sure.
I would be very impressed with that pasta bake if I were your roommies!!! Looks great!
I know exactly how you feel. I wish I could eat and not worry about nutrition sometimes.
My roommate used to eat crap all the time and not really worry about it, but now that she’s lived with me a few months, she’s started worrying about the nutrition of her diet I think because she sees me do it. I feel sort of bad because I feel like I’ve brought her into the world of reading every nutritional label but at the same time I know it’s good for her health!
“Eat Like a Kid” is something I’ve been working on for years now — I try to model after my husband, who never really lost those internal cues. It’s not easy! And I totally agree with you about the wanting to not always be thinking about food groups. It’s part of my job (well, eventually
), and sometimes I feel like I can’t escape it! I feel better knowing I’m not alone, though.
That pasta dish looks super savory — yum.
Good job on the spontaneous recipe! I’m too nervous to cook for my roommates…and I think they’re too nervous to try anything haha
Allie, I know exactly what you mean! I just was thinking this while I was with my friends yesterday. This exact same thought!
I totally understand my work colleagues just eat whatever not thinking about the filthy ingredients, I do sometimes wish I could just pick up anything and eat it but most of the time I’m glad I know what I do because what they’re eating really isn’t good and what I’m eating really is! x x
Obviously, I’m not the first one to say I totally understand what you mean. Being knowledgeable about food and health is a gift and a passion, but I do not like to be overly concerned about it that it takes up way to much of my thoughts or time that could be devoted to much more important things. Also, it kind of boggles me how I when I never cared about food that way I was naturally thin, yet the more I’ve learned, the more I’ve struggle with putting on and taking off pounds. Life is too short-balance is so key! I’m working on that with ya girl!
That is sweet of you to cook for the roomies. Good improvising. I agree, it’s not allified unless it has veggies or greek yogurt!
I totally know what you mean! Two of my roomies just split an entire box of corn dogs and had no signs of guilt whatsoever! And here I am feeling bad for having a couple bites of cookie dough! Sometimes I too wish that I simply didn’t care.
I think this every day. Sometimes, I think food is really quite boring and it takes up a lot of my time. What could I be doing with this time I’m devoting to reaading about food, thinking about food, etc? But then again, I do enjoy reading blogs and I enjoy cooking and I enjoy reading/reviewing restaurants, so it’s a mixed bag. The key is to find balance, of course, and as long as our interest in food/eating right isn’t interfering with our lives in any way, I think that can be considered balance!
I have lost 50 lbs eating intuitively and engaging in more physical activity,but only activity I enjoy! I try to keep more variety available to me, and therefore over time have increased my intake of whole foods, but I do eat whatever I want.
I actually have interviewed both of the authors of that book. It’s great when dietitians tell you that diets are bad for you. It’s true too. Diets are one of the leading causes of obesity, I believe.
Look – my body knows what is right for it. If I rely on someone else telling me what to eat and when, I lose touch with my true hunger signals – making it easy to overeat.
Nice blog, Allie. I love your domain name. It would make a nice kitchen sign.
I’m never convinced that I eat that healthy (I do eat candy daily..) until I see OTHER people eat. Like take out for dinner every night. Burgers and fries. I eat all of these things, but NOT on a daily basis. I feel gross if I eat out all the time and I’m definitely jealous of people who don’t think, “I didn’t eat any fruit today!” But I do feel kind of gross if I don’t!
How was the movie?? I remember reading that book and wanting to see the movie!
I often wish I could eat like my kids…and my hubby for that matter. They sound just like your roommates. Totally care free when it comes to food.
Your pasta bake woulda rocked it at my place, too!
I know EXACTLY what you mean. It’s really funny when I babysit, I literally have caught myself “marveling” at the kids when they eat meals and snacks…not only do they listen to satiety cues, but also they would rather play than eat. I love being healthy and fueling my body appropriately, but it would be really nice to not worry about when and where and what I’m going to eat sometimes.
i think about this ALL THE TIME. 99% of my friends eat like kids. they just eat when they want, what they want, and maintain their weight just fine. they don’t work out, they drink alcohol, they don’t even think about what is for their next meal nor how many calories/protein grams/carbs etc are in it. i always wonder when it was that i went from being like them to being like how i am now. thanks for voicing this issue~ i ALWAYS think about it!!!
i love love loved your snow adventure photos
I totally feel you with the eating like kids deal. I find that on days that i’m super busy, I eat more like a kid…intuitively. And I don’t stop to think what i wanna eat in my next meal (what i SHOULD eat) like…3 hours before I actually get hungry. *sigh*
eating intuitively is definitely journey back to childhood, and it has its rough patches! i still get frustrated with people who have no care about what they put in and do to their body, but look great, on the outside. But i suppose they remind me that even if you don’t have a day were you eat “perfectly” it’s going to be totally ok. Its important to allow yourself a little treat every day.
how’s that food writing class going?