Ravioli Sandwich
I don’t know what it is that I love so much about those lil’ pasta squares stuffed with all different kinds of goodness.
Today I had a ravioli sandwich, made on a whole wheat Nature’s Own sandwich round with the leftover ravioli from Sunday night’s dinner and a Laughing Cow light original Swiss cheese wedge.
Lunch Time!
On the side I enjoyed steamed broccoli, sprinkled with garlic salt.
Broc
Dessert was a cup of Mott’s natural applesauce.
Applesauce
I love when my lunch includes whole grains, veggies and fruit. The trifecta! 😉
A Deeper Look into My Ravioli Obsession
I know my obsession with ravioli may seem a little strange, but to be honest, it’s something I’m a little proud of because it took me a while to feel comfortable eating certain foods, especially those rich in carbohydrates.
When I first graduated college and entered the “real world,” I had the desire to eat healthy, mainly because I did not want to gain weight. I thought that avoiding carb-heavy foods like pasta and bread was the best way to prevent unwanted gains.
Now, my mindset has changed. I eat healthy for my health (imagine that!), not for my weight.
I eat carbs like there’s no tomorrow and I love every doughy bite. With my new approach, my weight has not increased. Eating foods rich in whole grains, like whole wheat pasta, honey wheat bread, barley, and oatmeal in place of Lean Cuisines and Lean Pockets did not cause me to gain weight.
When I started eating for my health, and began incorporating healthy carbohydrates, more fruits and vegetables and healthy fats into my daily diet, I actually unintentionally dropped a couple of pounds. I must say losing weight was not my goal when I began waving goodbye to packaged so-called “health food” and began welcoming fresh produce and whole grains into my diet. I wanted to fuel my body with real food and feel happy eating all different kinds of foods… carbs, fats, and more!
In my opinion, no food should be completely off limits. Sure, some foods should be reserved for a special treat every now and then, but banished forever? Nah.
So, while my obsession with ravioli may seem a little odd on the surface, know that with each bite of a cheese-filled pasta poof, I’m waving goodbye to my old, misguided mindset.
Question of the Afternoon
Have you ever viewed certain foods or food groups as “off limits?”
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i’ve tried to make things off limits, but i’ve never been successful with that mindset. i love all foods, and therefore i shall eat all foods 🙂
I definitely tried to restrict my eating in college and still had a skewed mindset until a little bit ago (when I started reading healthy living blogs!) For a while, I tried to limit my carbs and even once I got over that, I pretty much tried to limit fats. Now, I know how important it is to have a filling breakfast (usually with a scoop of nut butter!) and I really enjoy adding fats, like avocado, to meals. I feel so much more satisfied – mentally and physically – and I definitely think I’m looking my best! Such a great feeling!
YES! More so then ever. And let me tell you it’s really becoming a bad habit. I don’t seem to enjoy my weekends like most others do by occasionaly “indulging” in certain foods (IE) cookies, froyo, ice cream, cake, etc. I just recently discovered Red Mango and absolutely love it!
i think it’s wonderful that you’re conscious of it. if you have the desire to enjoy these “off limits foods,” maybe introducing them into your diet slowly and reasonably would help you see that a little treat every now and then definitely won’t derail your healthy eating efforts – it might actually help you feel more satisfied! 🙂
Hey! I love your ravioli love! 🙂 Im so glad to see how far you’ve come in terms of eating for health! Youve come a long way in a year! :).
Nothing is off limits to me anymore either!
I definitely followed one too many “health trends” in my younger years, which were all fads. I now eat like you, nothing is off limits and I don’t fear any food..I enjoy it! 🙂
some of us were just talking about this the other day. and most definitely yes.
for me its: biscuits and gravy. nor will i ever eat another chicken fried steak again. its been about 15 years on the CFS and not sure on the B&G…
Great post! I used to avoid pasta unless it was in a Lean Cuisine box. I was in college and trying to be “skinny.” Little did I know that those Lean Cuisines were more harmful to my health than any pasta dish!
I am having a really difficult time allowing all foods into my diet. I get into the mind set that I have to be healthy ALL the time and it is exhausting!!! Like you had mentioned I still restrict good carbs because of my fear of carbs…how did you convince yourself to start eating for health? I really want to but it is a difficult habit to break!
to be completely honest, a lot of it started after my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.
i did a lot of reading and research and found that a person can help prevent many diseases and cancers by maintaining a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. when my mom learned of her diagnosis, it really put things into perspective for me. being skinny is NOT what matters. your body doesn’t care how thin you are. your body cares about using vitamins, minerals and nutrients to function and fight off infection and sickness.
it’s not an easy mindset to change and saying goodbye to lean cuisines wasn’t easy, but i can say with all honesty i feel SO much more satisfied eating the way i do now. i eat MORE because i am eating voluminous foods like veggies and fruits and i don’t feel like pasta or other carb-heavy food is off limits because my diet is comprised mostly of nutritious foods.
i hope this helps! probably a lot more than you cared to know… 😉
Thanks for sharing =) it was definitely motivational to read that.
I used to share the same views on carbs – cereal, pasta, bagels, muffins, etc. I avoided them like the plague thinking that I would gain at least a pound for every pasta dish I ate! It took a long time for me to change that way of thinking, but I’m so glad I did! I feel so much happier and satisfied having bread and pasta incorporated into my meals. My mom is trying to lose weight right now and is on a low carb diet. I’m trying to change her mind about it and tell how that she can still be successful while eating the foods she likes. Hopefully she will learn!
Okay, I LOVE your idea for a ravioli sandwich! Um, definitely trying that.
I completely agree about foods not being off limits – that makes me want them *even* more, too! Though there are still some foods I’m not as comfortable with, I’m SO much better than I used to be. I don’t want to be that person who “can’t” have chocolate or “can’t” have icre cream. Because, you know, those are the best foods out there! 🙂
truth: ice cream is the best food on the planet. 😀
I’ll second THAT one! 😉
The only “food” that I avoid is soda. I’ll eat anything else in moderation of course 🙂
I used to view peanut butter as off limits…so high in fat for so little amount! But now I LOVE it, and eat it every day!
Unfortunately I can relate way too much. I severely restricted my carb and fat intake to the point that I was terrified to eat some of my favorite things and developed an ED. Its been a really long process but I have been working everyday at becoming more comfortable with fear foods and regaining my health. I definitely love the sandwich thins because they are an easy/safer way to reintroduce carbs into my diet again. Your blog and ability to eat a wide range of foods and maintain a healthy/happy life has definitely been a huge inspiration. Thank you for loving life and ravioli!
Making foods off limits just makes me want them that much more. I think you need to bread and bake your ravioli to dip in sauce–kinda like a healthier fried ravioli. Mmm.
Well said! 😀
I tried very hard not to view certain foods as “off limits” because that would just make me crave them more. But I was definitely in a place once where I kept high-fat & high-carb foods to a bare minimum.
For example- my breakfast this morning – bagel with PB & banana. I used to think bagel – EEK!, too many carbs…and PB – YIKES, not on BOTH halves?!?
Luckily, I finally got myself to a place where I now know that these foods are ok and healthy to eat, and I’m much happier with my eating habits now! That bagel this morning was DELISH 😉
i saw that bagel & it DID look delish. 😉
I think that’s great and it’s important to remember to eat balanced meals. I have definitely had “off limits” foods that I have started incorporating back into my life. Enter a dairy queen blizzard I shared with my sister this weekend! 😀 It’s nice to be able to eat what you want, when you want..
However… 2 small “poofs” isn’t really a serving :/
Good for you!!! I once avoided some of my favorite foods – like peanut butter and avocado – because of the fat content. Even when I learned that it was the heart-healthy kind of fat, I still steered clear b/c of the high calorie count. Obviously, I was very focused on weight. Now that I’ve changed my mindset from weight to health, I realize that these foods can and should be enjoyed!
That is awesome, Julie!! Doesn’t it feel so liberating to let go of those silly food rules? 🙂 I used to only buy reduced fat PB. Now I realize how silly that was. And I too have been fearful of carbs before, but they definitely do not cause weight gain if eaten moderately like most of us in the blog world do.
Anything with more than 200 calories in a serving used to be strictly off-limits for me! Luckily, I’ve realized that in a wholesome food, more calories = more satiety. I’m loving my avocadoes, tempeh and other heavier foods!
I’ve always lived by the “all in moderation” rule. My food blog, definitely has some “not so good for you” meal ideas…but it’s not like I eat the whole pan! I have a small portion and I am done.
It’s very sad that many limit themselves to foods, that otherwise can be very rewarding!
there are def foods that I dont eat bceause I just do not like them, Like anything deep fried…not interested BUT nothing is off limits EVER…life is too short to not eat something that you REALLY want! and if I really want something deep fried one day…no worries, I will dig right in 🙂
I think ravioli is just about the only pasta that I do like. Oh and gnocchi. I’m not a pasta person unless its stuffed with something good! 🙂
What a great story. I honestly can understand the sense of empowerment you feel when eating ravioli….I feel the same way when I eat supposed “unhealthy” foods that I avoided for so long.
Oh, and ravioli was my favorite food as a kid. Just thought I’d throw that in there 😛
you bet i have! when i started trying to eat healthier, i really restricted my intake of chocolate. but now that i learned that dark chocolate (and not those sugary chocolate candy bars) are good for you in moderation, i enjoy a little piece of 70% or more dark chocolate after every meal! perfect way to end a perfect dinner 🙂
No foods are off limits here! 🙂 Everything in moderation is my motto. It’s amazing how much better you feel when you eat REAL food!!
I totally lost weight too when I ditched “diet food”! I now cook with butter and cheese and feel the fittest I ever have! (Plus tons of veggies and protein too!)
Great post and thanks for bringing up the great question about limiting foods.
I had been avoiding pasta/carbs for a while, not completely, but trying to not to eat as much as I would have liked, but then..I was diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). After researching what diet is best, it says that soluble fiber (pasta, bread, oatmeal) are good for it. So…I started eating them again and like you, I feel healthier than ever and haven’t gained any weight. I am really focused on healthy, nutrient-dense meals and feel sooo much happier. Besides…I’m spending 3 months in Malta (just south of Italy)…there is no way I am staying away from their awesome pizzas, pasta and homemade bread! Enjoying life 🙂
I LOVE pasta… You should try making it from scratch! Fun, and easier than you’d think! 😉
thanks for the great post! i just started reading your blog recently, but i love it.
i am so glad i let go of my crazy diet ideas–low fat and low carb and all that. and like you, i haven’t seen any unpleasant changes in my weight by allowing myself to eat avocadoes and peanut butter and using oil and butter instead of always just pam.
i used to be scared to make my own salad dressings bc i knew i wouldn’t get them as low-calorie as kraft free dressings–until i REALLY read the label on those dressings. eek! now i make my own and love every bite. and i also am enjoying the fact that i can choose what i want at restaurants even if i can’t figure out the calorie count in my head. i used to avoid anything i couldn’t mentally add to my calorie count–and i missed out on a lot of delicious food!
“Nature” has made some foods completely off limits for me. Boo for gluten and dairy intolerance!! It’s extremely hard to have certain foods be off limits, even when it’s for a medical reason. I try not to get too depressed about it but boy do I miss ravioli 😉 On the plus side, I have discovered a lot of new foods that I would have never eaten otherwise (Quinoa! Polenta!). There is always a bright side to everything 🙂