Nutrition Matters

Since the knee’s still in repair mode and the thought of doing some physical therapy is laughable right now, my mind is focused on food. Go figure. For the past five days, I’ve eaten a mix of takeout (Panera and more Panera) and thrown-together meals because my husband’s too tired from catering to my every whim to cook for real. But tonight, gradual healing has made it easier for me to sit on the counter—I know, I know, eww—and help with the cooking.

Back when my knee was a non-issue, nutrition was only partially a conscious thought. I’ve always been pretty good at eating a healthy dinner (never been a fan of fast food or greasy, fried meals), but dessert is a weakness that only seems to make me stronger. A couple years ago, when I was working long hours at a regional magazine, dinner was mainly sandwiches—cereal if it was a particularly rough day.

All of this taught me a hard lesson I don’t hope to repeat: Take your health for granted now, and pay later. Sounds like a good idea when you’re 21 years old and durable; sounds stupid in hindsight. The rules are a little different nowadays. I eat a healthy diet not to lose weight—though I don’t hope to gain any more weight; my knees are already calling it quits for goodness’ sake—but to keep this body working and functioning in as many ways as I possibly can.

The way I see it, this equation could be really bad: Immobility + Fatty Foods = Heart Attack. And that’s my longwinded way of telling you I consider maintaining good nutrition as integral a part of my recovery as physical therapy.

Confession: Preparing healthy meals is also my feeble attempt at getting my Big Mac-loving, fries-and-beer kind of husband to accept a good-for-you diet. Heart disease runs in his family, but burgers are in his blood. Or so he says.

So, in that spirit, here’s a very unprofessional recipe for a super simple meal I’m eating now. It’s a modified version of a recipe I cribbed from the TV show 5 Ingredient Fix. You should know, I hate onions and garlic and wish there was no such thing as mayonnaise. Feel free to add those ingredients to your version. I’ve left them out because, well, it’s my recipe…

Chicken and yogurt caper dip

Ingredients
Chicken breast or strips
Nonfat Greek yogurt
Capers
Feta cheese
Salt and pepper

Prep
Sautée or bake the chicken—whatever you feel like. I cut mine into strips, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and sautéed it hot pepper-infused oil. Mix together a heaping spoonful or two of the Greek yogurt, a liberal amount of capers, crumbled feta, and salt and pepper. Dip chicken in yogurt dip. Enjoy.

There’s no need to be scientific here. (What, were you expecting measurements?) If you make too much, pop it in the fridge. Like more capers? Spoon ’em in. Wish these were chicken fingers? Coat the chicken in bread crumbs before baking.