Coconut Maple Walnut Granola

*I’m going to preface this post with a little disclaimer.  I think of myself as a strong, independent woman and always will.  However, I also have a very nurturing side.  I love to take care of people, namely Vishnu.  And one of the ways I take care of him is by cooking healthy and (hopefully) tasty meals.  After reading this post, you may be inclined to think that after June my life will revolve around cooking for my husband, but that is not true at all.  In fact, he is more than capable of doing this himself, but I genuinely love to cook, and he doesn’t. I love planning healthy meals, while he’d rather just eat the healthy meal. And this works for us.

A topic that has been frequently making its way into recent conversation is how marriage is going to change mine and Vishnu’s eating habits.  The short answer is that marriage is not going to change anything.  I’ll still be a vegetarian, and he’ll continue to eat white meat and fish.  I’ll still be somewhat of a health nut, and he’ll take on some of my healthy habits while still eating the things he wants.

I think one of the reasons why people ask me about this is because I have been an on again off again vegetarian for years.  However, back in August 2010, I made the decision to give up meat…forever.  Trust be told, it grosses me out – more then ever.  And thinking about it makes me sad.

When we first got engaged, Vishnu stubbornly stated that no meat would be cooked at home.  He wanted to respect my way of eating.  Instead, he would resort to eating non-veg things when dining out.  Over time, as we talked more about this, I convinced him that having meat in the house won’t bother me.  I don’t want him to change his way because of me.  I even offered to cook him meat dishes, as long as he prepped everything beforehand.  For example, if I was making an Indian vegetable curry, we could very easily add chicken to his portion.  No big deal!  I honestly have no intention of converting Vishnu into a vegetarian, and I know with 100% certainty that it will never happen. 

Story of our lives!

I think another reason the question comes up often is because of my focus on eating clean and healthy.  People who know me understand that about me, and again, while I don’t want to lure Vishnu over to my sometimes crazy ways, I do want to introduce him to a healthier way of eating.  Luckily, he’s already made some awesome changes to his diet this past year.  He and his roommate make dinner at home most nights of the week – lasagna, sandwiches, stir-frys, grilled chicken and veggies, etc.  He’s a fruit fiend – blueberries, bananas, and apples are his favorite.  And he now prefers wheat pasta over white (this is HUGE because a couple of years ago he absolutely hated wheat anything).

As far as changes go, I’d like for us to pay more attention to the quality of the meat we purchase.  If he’s going to eat it, might as well make sure it’s coming from a good source.  I also want to make sure Vishnu eats a good, filling breakfast.  I know, I know – he’s not a child, but with his busy class schedule, breakfast often goes to the wayside.  He loves green protein smoothies and protein cereal and has said himself that he’s very much looking forward to breakfast after the wedding!  Having a variety of healthy snacks around will also be key for us.  We both love granola, Greek yogurt, hummus + veggies, peanut butter, cheese, etc.  We’ll just have to make sure these things are readily available.

Vishnu’s not the only one that’s going to have to be adaptable.  I too am going to have to be more thoughtful about our meals.  For example, there are days every now and then where I don’t feel like cooking, and when that happens, I eat a couple of bowls of cereal and call it a night.  However, I know that cereal would never satisfy my hubby-to-be.  And me being me, I know I would feel guilty if he went to bed on an “empty stomach.”  Also, I could honestly eat the same dinner three to four times a week.  It’s easy and convenient.  Vishnu, on the other hand, likes variety.  So, I think we’re both going to have to compromise a little and be a bit more flexible.  Finally, I know I’m going to have to kick it up a notch when it comes to making Indian meals.  Vishnu and I both grew up in families where our moms made Indian food for dinner five to six times a week.  And by no means is Vishnu demanding I cook certain kinds of food, but I do want to continue with that tradition, but it’ll probably be a three times week thing for us.

It’s funny how food is one of my major marriage “concerns.”  It’s just that Vishnu and I have different views on food and what we like and don’t like.  I know this isn’t abnormal for a couple, but it’ll be interesting to see how we adjust over time. 

Do you find yourself adjusting to the eating habits of those around you, or do you use your influencing skills to get others to adapt to you?