After reading Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, what struck me most was not her listlessness or her morbid desires, but her love of food. I have always loved food. I live for silky avocados tossed in lemony dressing, plump sweet kernels of corn, jewel purple roasted beets, buttery flaky crusts with vanilla scented lemon curd, warm crusty bread dipped in fruity olive oil, bright salmon atop of chewy rice. I love cooking and baking and going out to eat. Food has also turned into my weakness.

I think it is this love of food that makes it so hard for me to stick to a diet. For a few weeks, I’ll be convinced to do paleo or clean eating or some other diet fad and survive on over night oats, salads, and greek yogurt. But then I’ll see a beautiful piece of pecan pie with its perfectly golden crust and its syrupy nutty topping, and give up. So, if I am going to try and lose weight and live a healthier life, the food I make has to be gorgeous and delicious. It has to be able to rival my favorite restaurants and still be cost efficient and freezer friendly. It’s a tall order, but I am determined to fulfill it.