MIREILLE’S MUSINGS: A Week’s Food Journal

In response to the numerous questions I receive about how I eat in a normal week, I decided to keep my own food journal a few weeks ago. Here it is below. As most of my readers know, I also drink lots of water all day, as well as green tea.

MONDAY
Breakfast: Yogurt, half a grapefruit, a piece of buttered whole wheat toast and an espresso
Lunch: Steamed veggies and a can of sardines, followed by an apple
Dinner: Roasted chicken with potatoes and carrots, and a pear for dessert

TUESDAY
Breakfast: Buttered toast with an egg, a couple of prunes and an espresso
Lunch: Squash soup with focaccia bread and a piece of cheese, followed by half a banana
Dinner: Salmon, leeks & carrots and a glass of red wine, then rice pudding for dessert

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries, a slice of buttered toast and an espresso
Lunch: Greens with leftover chicken from Monday night, and a kiwi fruit
Dinner: Take-out sushi and sashimi, with ice cream for dessert

THURSDAY
Breakfast: Yogurt, half a banana, a slice of buttered toast and an espresso
Lunch: Miso soup from last night’s take-out, leftover salmon from Tuesday’s dinner with raw fennel, and an apple
Dinner: Duck breast à la Gasconne with roasted winter veggies and a glass of red wine, followed by figs

FRIDAY
Breakfast: Ricotta with a drizzle of honey, a slice of buttered toast and an espresso
Lunch: Mixed green salad with prosciutto and manchego cheese, followed by a pear
Dinner (at an Italian restaurant): Beet salad with nuts, pici with lamb ragu and a glass of red wine; for dessert: 3 bites of cassata

SATURDAY
Breakfast: Grandma Louise’s oatmeal with grated apple, a cranberry muffin and an espresso
Lunch: Duck breast (leftover from Thursday) on salad greens with dressing, and a grapefruit
Dinner: Vegetable soup with bread and a piece of cheese, followed by pear-apple compote

SUNDAY
Brunch (with friends): Small portions of several things—frittata, a croissant, a muffin, granola with mixed berries and an espresso
Dinner (again with friends): Oysters, then we shared risotto with seafood and a veal chop with spinach; for dessert: a few bites of pumpkin parfait and bread pudding, plus a chocolate petit four. I began the meal with a bubbly glass of champagne and as the fare became heavier moved on to a glass of red wine.

The general pattern, as you can see, is that I eat three balanced meals a day with plenty of vegetables and fruit, and always foods (and drinks) that bring me lots of pleasure.