An Unlikely Friend

I feel like if I compared myself to most North Americans, or South Americans for that matter... I eat quite healthy. I try to incorporate vegetables and protein into my meals, I cut down on extra sugars/salts when I can, and I try not to eat too many desserts. But I feel like if I compared myself to the Canadian Health Guide of healthy eating (you know those charts we used to get in school?) I fail miserably.

I think those charts are only there to make you feel like a failure. Who actually eats like that?!

The other problem is availability. It's not so much that I don't WANT to eat healthy... but I find there's a lack of the healthy foods here that I would normally go to at home. And also the amount of time it takes to prepare the healthy foods (like how frozen veggies don't exist, so if I want to make stir fry for example... I have to go to a specialty market that has cauliflower, broccoli etc. as most groceries don't carry it - and it's expensive, and then cut it all up. I know I know, it's not THAT big of a deal but... I'm lazy). 

Or even if I wanted to snack on fresh veggies, I have to wait until Deison has time to take me to the specialty market as it's way too far to go (and I don't always trust the moto taxi's now that I'm preggers...)

Or easy things like hummus, wraps, chedder cheese, pita chips, salad dressings... :( 

So the other day I was hungry for something healthy, and crunchy. And lettuce just wasn't cutting it. And I saw some cabbage at the market... so I went for it. I'm not sure if you're like me, and when you think of cabbage you think of old people or borscht... but it's super common here in salads. So I decided to give it a go. 

So I chopped up some cabbage, 

Toasted some almonds and chopped them to add to the crunch factor,

Some shredded carrots, and voila! I also made a vinaigrette dressing with fresh lime juice, soy sauce and a bit of sweet chili. It was delightful! Hm, it seems I have found an unlikely friend in cabbage..