Does healthy eating = low-calorie eating?
It can… but it depends a great deal on the individual person. In many cases, I’d argue that a low-calorie diet is not ideal for optimum health (such as the case of an athlete, a growing child or teen, an underweight or healthy-weight adult, etc.).
Today’s post is going to be a little different.
It’s a topic about which I’ve been meaning to write for quite a while; ever since there was a bit of drama and confusion over it in the comment section of this post.
You see, I don’t want to send out the wrong message or give people the impression that I only eat low-calorie foods… or that anyone else should only eat low-calorie foods if he/she doesn’t medically need to do so. My website is not a “this is what I ate today” food blog, and the photos you see on this site are usually just of the recipes (as opposed to the entire meal I might’ve eaten along with the recipe. I can tell you I hardly ever eat just a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast!).
Due to the fact that healthier foods are often lower in calories, and because I know a large number of my blog’s readers are watching their weights, many of the recipes on this blog are—or can be—quite low in calories.
In the photo above: Low-Calorie Peanut Butter Ice Cream
To help the large percentage of my readership that doesn’t want the extra calories, I try to always point out when lower-calorie options exist in my recipes (such as when one can sub applesauce, how to make a recipe lower in fat, etc.).
However, the cool thing is that many of my recipes are easily adaptable to almost any diet. Perhaps I need to pay better attention to the other portion of my readers; those who do not have weight to lose?
It’s a common (and dangerous) misconception that a person who needs to gain weight or eat a high-calorie diet must consume exorbitant amounts of junk food in order to meet this goal. You can meet your nutritional needs without downing milkshakes at every meal, and you’ll probably feel much less sluggish.
Today, I thought I’d highlight a few of the tricks I use to calorically bulk up my food while still being healthy.
In the above picture: Chocolate-Strawberry Truffle Pie.
1. Focus on calorie-dense foods.
Eat these first at a meal, so you don’t feel too full before you’ve gotten in enough calories. Here are some calorie-dense, yet healthy, foods:
- all nuts and nut butters
- oils (such as olive, sesame, or coconut) in their pure form (not the hydrogenated stuff they put in packaged goods!)
- avocados
- Thai coconut meat (really good in smoothies, pies, or puddings)
- dried fruit
- canned coconut milk
- giant bowls of pasta (my favorite!)
- dark chocolate (oh wait, that’s my favorite!)
Raw recipes are often calorie-dense. Here are my favorites.
2. Don’t skip the veggies
…because you’re afraid they’re too low-cal. But do be sure to not just eat them plain and steamed. Try sautéing or roasting with a generous drizzle of olive or coconut oil (so so good).
3. Bigger portions.
For example, I post oatmeal recipes that are for one serving. But when I make them for myself, I always times the recipe by 1.5. Try it sometime… you probably won’t even notice you’re taking in more calories!
4. And eating more often.
Instead of three huge meals per day, space it out with 5-6 smaller meals and snacks throughout the day, giving your stomach a chance to digest. Personally, my job as a recipe developer means I never stop snacking! Chocolate is always close to my heart greedy fingers.
5. Non-healthy treats… sometimes.
I’d say I probably eat healthy foods 80% of the time. But does that mean I’ll turn down a friend’s cookies that she veganized just for me? Or Hangawi’s incredible cheesecake in NYC? No, it does not. (I probably should get a post up about this topic, too… but not today. I think I’ve already talked your ears off enough for one day!)
Do you eat a high-calorie diet? A low-calorie diet?
Or maybe you have absolutely no idea how many calories you consume! Please take an introspective look at your life and make responsible food decisions for you. If that means eating a low-calorie diet, my recipes are here to help. But if that means not eating a low-calorie diet, please take advantage of some of the higher-calorie options listed both in this post and in my recipe posts!
For more, see the following: High Calorie Recipes.
Great post, Katie! Have you heard of Maximized Living? A lot of what you posts lines up with their nutrition philosophy. It isn’t calories that cause weight gain or loss- it is what you are putting into your body that greatly influences weight. Being healthy is a lifestyle, not a causation of the amount of calories one consumes. My nutritionist says, “it isn’t fat that makes you fat, it is sugar!” GOOD fats actually help you burn fat….I love the multitude of recipes you post that incorporate so many good fats…I know that I consume more than 2,000 calories a day by eating this way, but I am the healthiest I have ever been and weigh less now after my pregnancy than I did before I got married…crazy!
I haven’t heard of it, but I definitely do agree that healthy living is a lifestyle… it encompasses so much more than calories. I think stress is also one of the biggest contributers to physical health. Stressing about calories = no way to live :(.
Your recipes are about being healthy AND chocolate. That’s why I love you. 🙂
Whoa, I had to go back and look at that post and the comments. And that reminds me- I never got around to making that oatmeal AND i still have a whole box of that tea left! Score!
I love your recipes- ALL OF THEM. I love that you have all kinds of options too!
I eat a 1500 cal a day diet. With all my exercise, I could eat more, but I’m trying to lose about 10 lbs.
I’ve struggled with an eating disorder for a long time and even though I’ve come a long way I still have a hard time eating my “forbidden foods” aka cookies, brownies, pancakes, etc. Katie’s blog has really helped me see how natural and healthy these foods can be! Thank you, thank you thank you for helping get to the point where its not all about calories or good food vs bad food.
Maybe it’s just my personality but I’ve never even been able to conceive of the idea of counting calories. That just seems like too much work when I want to put food in my mouth!
It gets very frustrating when people ask me about how much I eat just because I’m thin. I eat a lot more than most people I know, and sometimes it’s really hard not to feel defensive when people accuse me of not eating when I spend half of my day fantasizing about what I’m going to eat next. It’s very indicative of the preconceived notions of health based on all the misinformation that pervades our cultural strata, but I have to hope that if we just keep on truckin and fighting the good fight for health and health knowledge, things will change.
Awesome comment, Ilana, I’m with you!!
Cheers for saying that,
Sam xx
Interesting post, glad that you set the record straight. I don’t think it’s right for anyone to suggest you have an ED based on your food and appearance.
This said, its NOT normal to make everything “healthy” which your blog does. I’d love to see recipes using butter, eggs, and real sugar. In moderation, anything is FINE. I also don’t understand why you typically post recipes with ingredients that are either 1. Not readily available unless you search for them and 2. More expensive
Finally, I don’t think that you should use this blog to encourage people to eat dessert because eating a vegan sugar free cupcake isn’t a real dessert. Your recipes are certainly practical for people trying to lose weight (and I”m sure appreciated) but anyone who is gaining or maintaining can certainly eat a damn full-fat cupcake if she wants. Posting the calorie content on your blog also just encourages the ED readers. I understand that calorie counting can be used for weight loss, but if your readers are eating a balanced diet as you suggest, they shouldn’t need to know the nutritional content of every.single.bite. If people eat moderately and exercise/ follow a meal plan/ diet plan they don’t need to use calories.
I think that it is okay that you want to see more butter, eggs, real sugar… but if that is what you are wanting it seems like you should look elsewhere. That is not what this blog is about, and the reason soooooooo many readers love it is because of that. There are PLENTY and I mean PLENTY of blogs, recipe books, etc with those kind of recipes and that is fine. But, please do not criticize Katie because her blog may not appeal to you. A LOT of readers are looking for these desserts as an alternative to higher calorie desserts in order to still enjoy some sort of sweet treat while wanting to lose or even maintain weight. If you aren’t happy with the recipes, then substitute things to your needs or look elsewhere.
K –
I totally disagree with you about sugar-free desserts not being desserts. This is an amazing website regardless of allergies or personal eating choices. Maybe for you it isn’t “normal” for desserts to be healthy, but for me, it is. Having numerous and affordable options to choose from for desserts that cater to not only my allergies, but my daughter’s as well is a huge blessing. Also, A LOT of Katie’s recipes include full-fats….not really sure if you’ve looked at the fat content in coconut oil, but it is pretty high.
Secondly, have you researched the typical vegan, gluten-free, or sugar-free recipe? It is usually laden with expensive & hard to find ingredients. If my family can afford these recipes with my husband being in graduate school & with me only working part time, anyone who budgets accordingly should be able to as well. Also, I have most of these ingredients in my cupboard…chickpeas, oatmeal, cocoa powder, honey/agave nectar, fruit, rice crispies, peanut butter….they really aren’t that uncommon or expensive.
Thirdly, Ashley hit it on the nail- if you want recipes that include dairy and real sugar, this isn’t the website for you. I also think it shows a lack of research on your part to insinuate that including calorie counts for recipes only encourages those struggling with an ED. Many people recovering from an ED have a caloric goal to meet every day. What a wonderful resource to have if you need to reach a certain amount of calories every day.
Definition of dessert from the dictionary:
1. (Cookery) the sweet, usually last course of a meal
2. (Cookery) Chiefly Brit (esp formerly) fruit, dates, nuts, etc., served at the end of a meal
These recipes are sweet. The level of sweetness is up to you. Many of Katies recipes involve dates, nuts, raisins etc. So how can you say these are not *real* desserts or *normal*? Katie says in her recipes to use sweetener of choice. That also includes white sugar, brown, powdered, evaporated cane juice etc. I am not Vegan but I still enjoy these recipes. I have even used real egg in place of an egg substitute. Theres hardly a recipe on this blog that I don’t have an ingredient for on hand at all times.
I don’t look at this blog for my own recipes, I just try to find ones that might possibly be appealing to me/ feasible. I agree that there’s a lot of “great” options but honestly no one can tell me that it is normal to eat chickpeas in your brownies (idk if that’s on this blog but its just an example) My point is moderation- that unless you have a food allergy (whoever mentioned that, good point) there’s no reason that you need to use these recipes all the time. I’m guessing that not all blog readers do, but it seems like the creator does. Let’s face it guys, cookies made with butter taste better
Hi K!
I understand that many people prefer real eggs & butter in their desserts. But coming from an ethical perspective, many of the readers using Katie’s blog for recipes are vegans themselves (like me!). I don’t ‘fear’ the calories in butter & eggs (as they are always on par with my substitutes), but rather I choose not to participate in animal suffering. I know that’s why Katie is vegan, too. No bitter feelings toward other people’s eating habits, but many of us eat this way for different reasons. Coming to Katie’s blog for recipes means I don’t have to make substitutions 🙂
K,
Did you even read Katie’s post? 🙁
If you did, you need to go back and re-read her point #5.
Hi- I am definitely NOT criticizing people who are vegans or follow a certain diet for ethical reasons. I totally understand how you feel about animal suffering. I want to eventually give up meat all together (I don’t eat much as it is), but want to be sure that its from a healthy mindset and not just ED. Check out Farm Sanctuary’s website, its really a great place 🙂
K
1) One of the reasons Katie puts mainly healthy desserts on her blog is that she wants to eat dessert everyday, sometimes several times a day, and I really appreciate that these desserts are everyday desserts. She does not always post super-healthy desserts, because sometimes you do deserve a treat, and she does realize that.
2) It’s perfectly fine that you want to eat butter, eggs, and whatnot, but you need to look elsewhere. You can’t expect to find everything you want in one blog; that’s just not realistic. Just because Katie doesn’t put many full fat/sugar recipes on her blog, doesn’t mean she doesn’t eat them; it’s just that the theme of this blog is healthy desserts.
3) If you want “normal” desserts, you really shouldn’t be here.
4) Some people do need to count calories, and Katie has mentioned that it is not a good idea for the average person to count calories. She does it for the people who do, to be nice.
K–
Katie is a VEGAN. That means that ethically, she does not believe in eating animal by-products, including eggs, milk, butter, etc. So obviously, if she wouldn’t eat it, why would she make it? The fact that many of the substitutions for things like eggs and butter also happen to generally be healthier for you is merely a happy coincidence. Sure, eggs can be good for you–but ground flax can replace an egg if you don’t believe in eating eggs, and that’s good for you, too. Yes, butter is delicious, but if you have an ethical reason that you do not want to eat butter, then coconut oil and the like can be delicious substitutions, and just so happen to be filled with good-for-you health benefits. As someone who struggled for years with an ED, I found the best way to combat it was by caring about my health–not my skinnyness, my health. If I strive to get enough nutrients in a day, I don’t have time to obsess over calories, and I feel AMAZING. I seldom check the nutrition facts she includes–if ever–but they were requested by other readers, so why nitpick? It doesn’t bother or “encourage” me, especially because educating oneself on health reveals that a good dose of healthy, unrefined fats and sugars actually can be GOOD for you–so I don’t finish eating and feel like throwing up. I know my body can turn that food into fuel, rather than fat. I’d agree that cookies made with butter taste better–but there are literally thousands of recipes for those. There are fewer recipes that substitute good-for-you fats! So it’s much more helpful for me to have this blog to find a good-for-you recipe that I can eat without beating myself up over it. If I want the full-fat version for a party or something, I’ve got six cookbooks in my kitchen full of those recipes!
Wow, I love you guys!!! I’m with you wholeheartedly- yeah for Katie and her desserts!! I can actually EAT those- I couldn’t do full-fat ones but I can so do these!!! Baby steps!
K-
I just have to put this out there–knowing the calorie content of your food IS a good thing if you are at a healthy weight and trying to maintain. not all of us can simply look at our food and guesstimate, even if we do, often times what we *think* is in a serving is not what is actually there.
also, not everything in moderation is “fine”–i don’t put amphetamines in my kids food in any amount–it’s not good for you. and for myself, i don’t eat the slightest bit of any gluten containing substance because i will be sick for days–clearly not all food choices are good for everyone.
last, there are loads of food blogs out there–why come to this one if it doesn’t have the kind of recipes you are looking for?
Katie, I LOVE your blog and have told so many people about it! I am the ultimate sweets lover, and when I found your blog I was looking for healthier alternatives. I would think that the average reader on your blog is looking to eat healthier and [yes] watch calories. Please don’t let this change the way you blog because I think most people are looking for healthier, lower calorie dessert options! Your recipes have literally kept me sane on my quest for a healthier lifestyle!! Of course people need to take their own needs into consideration and use common sense. If they need more calories, they can add certain things to increase their caloric intake in a healthy matter (by eating some of the food you suggested). I think the beautiful thing about recipes is that you can substitute things for your specific needs. 🙂 Someone is always going to find a way to criticize something, and maybe they need to look elsewhere for a blog that better suits their needs? However, in my opinion, you have a very well rounded library of recipes for any dessert lover! Thank you for sharing them with the world & keep em’ coming!! 🙂 🙂
I think you should just keep doing what you are doing. I’m not sure why people don’t get where your blog is coming from….I got it the first look. You like desserts but want healthy tasty options but you are not into super sugary sweet. If someone were to take the time to READ your blog I feel that is very clear. I do like having the nutritional stats since I do somewhat watch my calories.
I am guessing that many people don’t realize how much work you put into this blog and what goes into making your own recipes. You don’t just dream something up then make it and be done! There’s trials and errors and many taste testing! I love that you have so many single servings even though I am a Mother of three and run an in home daycare, I still use many of your recipes several (and I mean SEVERAL) times a week.
I also think its very clear in your recipes about substitutions. In most you state how you use oil but a person could sub with applesauce. You plainly say 1-2T of PB or nut butter of choice. You are just always going to have people too close minded to think for themselves that if you don’t have almond milk handy, you can sub another milk/liquid.
I hope your blog stays more towards the dessert/breakfast end. I don’t think you should have to list how many servings of something you actually eat, although I do snicker when you say how many cookies you think a recipe makes since you eat half the batter first! People have minds of their own and should adjust recipes to their needs and not sit here waiting for someone to cater specifically to their needs and tell them what to do.
Did I mention how much I love you?
Thank you so much, Jenny. Your comment really meant a lot to me. Sometimes it IS frustrating that people don’t realize how much time this takes, and they expect immediate answers to their questions… and I’m just one person trying to make & photograph (and blog about!) recipes, deal with the technical side of keeping this blog up, and respond to 100s of emails and comments and tweets from people asking specific questions about a recipe (often when the questions was already answered right above them!). I do try to post as often as I can, but you’re right: most recipes do NOT come out perfect the first time! I’d rather take my time and perfect it than post something sub-par just for the sake of posting something. You guys are worth more than that!!
I just read the rude exchanges of comments from last year. Made me think of that saying: “haters gonna hate”. You just can’t make everyone happy.
What I love about your blog is that your focus seems to be on making healthy food taste delicious. I am currently trying to lose weight (a lot of it) and since I am allergic to artificial sweeteners, I really struggle finding any sweet options other than fruit. Your cookie dough dip was just what I was looking for! I portioned it out and made it last a week.
My best friend, however, who is thin, made the same thing and hers didn’t last the day!
I appreciate that you offer the nutritional information as it helps with portions for those of us who are looking to lose weight. Those who aren’t, simply have a healthier dessert (or breakfast) option and can eat to their hearts content.
You certainly don’t come across as someone who has an eating disorder. In fact, to the contrary, it seems you have a very healthy relationship with food. If it were all about calories, there would be aspartame and other garbage in your recipes that have fewer calories than things like organic sugar or even agave.
I hope you continue doing what you do and can shrug off the rude people. Thanks for all of the wonderful recipes and easy to understand nutritional info!
Wonderful wonderful post Katie!
I also am naturally thin, live an active lifestyle, and love to eat healthy foods and often deal with not so nice accusations about the caloric content of my food and reasons for my food choices. I just try to remember that 95% of the time, the reasons for those comments have NOTHING to do with me and EVERYTHING to do with the insecurities of their speaker/writer.
P.S. I HATE that a milkshake a day is always the doctor’s advice of how to gain weight!!!!!!!! How about 1/2 a cup of peanut butter a day? Much more my style 🙂
Same here! I’ve had family members say to me, “Oh Ann, you’re so SKINNY” (in a disdainful tone of voice), as if I look gross or something. Meanwhile, I eat healthy and exercise 3 times a week (most of the time for only 30 minutes).
As for counting calories – I don’t. The only time I’ve ever counted calories is during my twin pregnancy, to make sure I was eating enough for my babies, and when I was competing in Olympic style weight lifting. To gain muscle, you need to be in a caloric surplus.
Keep the awesome recipes coming, Katie!