Flourless Banana Muffins

By definition, I am a foodie. I try new foods, invent recipes, photograph dishes, and post them on the internet. The problem is I dislike that term.

Ironic? Yeah, it is.

I don’t like the word ‘belly’ or ‘bae’ either. The sound of ‘foodie’ just feels off to me. It sounds like a fan name, like Beliebers, Whovians, or Trekkies.

“I’m a Potterhead; I love Harry Potter.”

“I’m a foodie; I love food.” Does that sound weird to anyone but me?

Technically, everyone is a foodie. We are also breathies and sleepies. Yet the latter are not official terms because unlike food, breathing and sleeping are not considered artistic. Chefs, bakers, and stylists, creative people in the food industry, do deserve the title foodie if they want it. Yet for the most part, foodies are just individuals obsessed with food. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Everyone likes a good meal, but sometimes people take their love of food out of proportion.

“One does not simply refuse free food.”

“When you want to work on your summer body but you can’t because you can’t stop eating and you love food.”

“So much of my day is just keeping myself distracted until it’s time to eat food again.”

“Diet rule #1. If no one sees you eating it, it doesn’t contain calories.”

These are actual quotes and memes floating around the internet, the type of post that will invoke comments like, “lol same,” “#relatable,” and “nailed it.” Many people struggle with weight and overeating issues, but that’s not something to post as a relatable joke. To me, these posts sound like they are encouraging food addiction. Someone struggling with food can read these and assume if others behave this way, it must be normal.

Maybe I’me being overly sensitive. Maybe seeing eating disorders up close makes these jokes fall flat for me.

A significant part of healthy eating is good habits and mental health. Without them, a plate of broccoli and carrots can become unhealthy. Imagine a person eating from this plate. He is not hungry but he wants to snack. But he doesn’t want to gain weight so he picks vegetables. He knows he’s full. He hates himself for eating and for how he looks. When the plate is finished, he sits moodily, wishing there was more to munch on, his stomach painfully stuffed, and he feels depressed and out of control.

It’s not always what you eat. It’s how you eat it.

I’m not an expert or a doctor, but I thought this was a topic I should mention on this blog where I try to promote healthy recipes. It’s not always about the food. Mental health should take precedence over food choices, whether it’s by allowing yourself to guiltlessly enjoy a “forbidden food” or engaging in a more fulfilling activity than snacking after meals.

I apologize that this post is heavier than usual, but this has been something that has been bothering me for a while. Food addiction is not a meme, it’s a real problem. Just like drugs and other kinds of substance abuse, food is addictive, releases feel-good hormones, and can hurt physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s not cute. It’s not funny. Food is a necessity for life, something that should be enjoyed. It should not become a source of stress or relief or a mixture of both.

Comment below about your thoughts on those internet memes or what ‘foodie’ means to you.

I’m not quite sure how to transition to the recipe, which is the main part of this blog, believe it or not. So… I’ll just switch abruptly.

I brought these muffins to Australia (for more about my trip, click here.) Traveling with food intolerances can be tough; the trick is to bring snacks. These muffins are snap to make, which is useful during the last minute packing scramble. Throw the ingredients in a blender, bake, and voila! Best of all, they didn’t crumble all over my suitcase. They stayed soft, intact, and delicious.