Most of my doctors are all under one clinic. Different buildings but they are all connected by computer so they know what is going on with you. Apparently they must have all decided to adopt a new phrase, a new phrase that drives me crazy…Person of size. They are now using this instead of calling someone fat or obese. I find this odd, as everyone technically is a person of size. We all have size. Some just smaller or larger than others.
I think I threw my last doctor for a loop. He is kind of on the serious side (read no fun and has personality of a rice cake) and so when he busted out the person of size phrase on me I said back to him, “If my Wii Fit can call me obese, you can too”. The man had no idea what to say and stood there with a blank look. I don’t know if it was because he was in shock that I would call myself obese (by BMI standards) or if he had no idea what a Wii Fit was.
Then he was asking me general questions and we came to exercise. He asked me how many times a week do you exercise. I told him 7. He said, “no, really”. I said, “yes, really, 7 days a week”. He went on about he was not talking about a walk down to the mailbox (if you were in the office you might have seen smoke coming out of my ears) but real exercise. I explained that I do his definition of real exercise 7 days a week, plus ice hockey and yoga. I know he still doesn’t believe me. Because ladies and gentlemen, if you are fat all you do is sit around and do nothing but eat bags and bags of chips, ice cream by the gallons and boxes of Oreos. You can’t possibly exercise.
A reader turned me on to another blog. One about being fat. It’s called Shapely Prose. They have a great section that shows what people look like and what they are according to their BMI. It’s very interesting and you will laugh at some of the people who are overweight.
When I am pissed I bake or cook something. I came home pissed from the doctors office. So I pulled out the left over Snickerdoodle tart dough and thumbed through some cookbooks to figure out what to put in it. I settled on a pine nut and pecan crostata, which I made be a tart since I already had the dough. What can I say, we fat girls are lazy. 😉 Though, when I was skinnier I was still that lazy. 😀
Super easy to make and would be great to throw together for any people stopping by unannounced or with short notice (if you already had the dough made). I really like the flavor the pine nuts give this, just gives it a little something more.
Pine Nut and Pecan Tart
1 egg
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup pecans
1 TBSP melted butter
1 prepared tart shell (or this will make two 4 1/2 inch tarts)
Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix egg, sugar, nuts, salt, and butter in a medium bowl.
Pour filling into prepared tart shell. Even out the filling with a knife or off set spatula.
Decorate with pecans and pine nuts if desired.
Bake 20-23 minutes, or 15 minutes if making the smaller tarts.
Remove from oven and let sit for 20 mintues.
Adapted from Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker
Pastry Tart Shell
Makes 1 (10 ½-inch) tart shell
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
½ tsp cream of tarter
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
½ cup plus 2 TBSP powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
cinnamon sugar
Using a food processor, combine the flour, cream of tarter, nutmeg, and salt and pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
Add sugar and egg yolks and pulse again, just until the mixture comes together and pulls aways from the sides of the bowl.
Transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a disc ans wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hours or overnight.
Prepare fluted tart pan by buttering pan and then sprinkling cinnamon sugar into the pan. Get both the bottom and sides of the pan.
Roll pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle. Fit dough into prepared tart pan, pressing evenly over the bottom and up the sides. Line tart shell with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake tart shell for 20 minutes (at 350F), or until edges are very light brown. Remove parchment paper and weights.
Bake tart shell for 5-10 minutes more, or until lightly golden throughout.. Cool on a rack before filling.
Adapted from Taste of the South February/March 2009
Rosa says
These are cute little tarts! I’m drooling…
Cheers,
Rosa
Laura Rebecca says
I love Shapely Prose. And I think they’d be delighted with your post.
chocolatechic says
Being a person of enormous size, I need to get back to exercising.
I haven’t done any since December.
deeba says
What sweet tarts of size for persons of all sizes! What a phrase to adopt…for heavens sake, can’t they get real!! Bow to you for exercising 7 times a week!! YOU GO GIRL!!!
VeggieGirl says
I bake when I’m pissed off too, haha!! Great stress reliever 🙂
Joelen says
Thanks for sharing that site, Shapely Prose. You’re right about how very few of those women are considered normal… and many are considered overweight, which I disagree! However this tart looks delicious… and I have 2 egg yolks sitting around that are begging to be used in something. I may have to make this tart soon!!
Carmen says
Ugh! I would have been pissed too. And yes, thanks so much for sharing that site!
Candace says
Person of size. Political correctness at its best (and worst.) Lovely tart!
Ginny says
Yummy!!!! BMI is so silly… my really skinny marathon running friend was obese…
Niki Theo says
Thank you for sharing the site and your doc drama!!! I seem to have the same problem every time I go to the doc office. They always tell me that simply walking 30 mins a day will keep me healthy and help me w/ my weight “issues” The last doc who said that was a 350 lb male whose fingers were fatter than the Italian sausage I get from the butcher! But what is funny is that (1) I already walk 30 mins a day on my treadmill, in addition to the running up and down three flights of stairs a few times during lunch for the extra little bit of calorie burning. And (2) I’m happy w/ who I am, it’s everyone else that had an issue w/ my weight!!!
And I bake when I am mad or frustrated too and heck, sometimes just cuz I want to!!!
Here is to you and the rest of us “persons of size” who love to bake and eat!!!
Elyse says
Grrr…what a jerk! I’d like to give that doctor a good talking-to…that, or punch him in the nose. He’s got some nerve. Annnnywayyy, I’m glad that you have the awesome ability to channel anger into productivity (I sorely lack this skill): your tart looks DIVINE. The perfect cure for a bad day!!
Debbie says
This recipe is a keeper! I love the addition of nutmeg in the shell and adore pine nuts. It is really, really hard to keep weight off when you have a sweet tooth like I do….
aleta says
You are so on target here, and I think that Shapely Prose has it right too . . . everyone is most comfortable with themselves (lookswise and feelingwise) at a certain weight. The key is figuring out if your weight is comfortable for you or not. When it’s not any more, you owe it to yourself to gain or lose accordingly.
On a side note, as someone who’s lost a lot of weight without really exercising, I have a feeling you are FAR healthier than I. Just sayin is all.
Culinarywannabe says
I would have clocked that dr. There was a study on the news (I’ll rack my brain and try to remember which station) not long ago about how many people who are considered overweight by BMI standards, but lead healthy lifestyles, are much healthier than their counterparts who are skinny but eat whatever they want and don’t exercise. I do like your copping mechanism though!
Maria says
I love the little tarts!! Glad you made them, you for sure deserved them after a visit like that! Don’t worry about the weight number or BMI..it is all about how you feel! If you are working out every day, good for you! That is awesome!! Being thin is not everything…it is more important to be fit and happy with yourself, no matter what the scale says…or even your Dr.!!!
laura says
what a quack! I love that you threw him off with your wii fit comment, although he was probably more thrown off by your confidence. Just keep on loving who you are!
Amanda says
I am a flight attendant and when we have passengers who need to buy two seats because they won’t fit into one with the armrest down, they are called COS’s (customers of size). I have always thought it kind of degrading that we have an acronym for obese people.
Linda says
I totally agree with you. That attitude makes me want to lay around and eat bon bons all day!
Looks like a lovely tart. I might have to try it.
Alisa - Frugal Foodie says
Now I’m angry at your doctor … I think I better make this tart to make me feel better 🙂
Thanks for the link, I am going to check that out now.
Suzy says
Love the little tarts! Coming from the medical field myself I know that we are not immune to making assumptions! But it’s not a good practice 🙂 You may not have a huge choice but I really suggest you hook up with a different doc. I have had some like yours in the past and now I have a gal that is so open and willing to listen to everything I have to say and actually helpful! She’s young..not sure that would always make a difference but it does with her. She’s down to earth. My big downer this time at the docs was getting the I see you turned 40 since I last saw you and I think now’s a great time to talk about menopause speech. Oy…I just wasn’t ready to go there lol.
Monet says
I agree with everyone else who is mad at your doctor…I’ve read lots of articles about how some doctors don’t consider BMI an accurate way to measure healthy weight, especially if you work out (since muscle weighs more than fat). By BMI standards, some athletes are considered overweight or obese, even though their extra weight is from muscle, not fat.
As to “person of size,” the first thing I thought when I read that was the same thing that you mentioned immediately after: everyone is a person of size, because we all have mass, volume, etc….that sounds like over-the-edge political correctness.
The tart is fabulous! It’s neat that you used snickerdoodle crust for the pastry. It looks delicious. 🙂
Foodess says
Great post – I’m still laughing out loud. Especially at the wii fit thing. You are fabulous. I’m emailing this to my mother.
And I LOVE your tart of size.
Manggy says
Wow, it looks like he also had the tact of a rice cake! Sorry you had such an awful experience. I mean, what’s the point of being so strangely and unnecessarily PC (with “person of size”) if you’re just going to be rude anyway?
Screw ’em, let’s have some tart!
Irene says
I’d like to punch him in the nose too.
Just out of solidarity, I just ate a piece of chocolate cake (of size). Because I felt like it. Ha!
Estie says
The mailbox line was just too much! Seriously!
nina says
Please do not take this the wrong way, because I am also obese, but if I had to paint a picture of you just from what I read here on your site, I would also have thought that you are this skinny super fit person. Darn, those doctors!!!
Lynn says
How much baking is it going to take to deal with idiot doctors like that? The tart looks divine. Definitely better than rice cakes!
HeartofGlass says
I’ve just started riding again, and one stable I went to was run by a woman who was ‘larger’ and could gallop a horse, muck out an entire stable, throw bales of hay, and then teach a lesson of wimpy people like myself how to ride. Any glance at many construction workers, farmers, or people who work with their bodies for a living will show that many people don’t just work out, but work sometimes for 10+ hour stretches and lack a willowy physique.
cindy says
apparently i am obese at best…awesome. anyway, i would probably have given that doctor the death stare until he spontaneously combusted…
the chiropractor told me that i lived a largely sedentary lifestyle which probably led to the back pain i was feeling…before even asking what sort of activities and work i did. i am aware of the chunkiness around my middle thank you…i live in my body all day every day. he said sitting all day will lead to back probs…funny that i stand all 8 hours of my shift and chase 3 year olds around…very sedentary. oh, and funny that my sedentary lifestyle was not the cause of the back pain, but poor arch support. in your face chiropractor guy…in your face.
and the tart…yum. love anything with nuts.
Katie says
That doctor is a huge jerk. I can’t believe the way he treated you. Whatever “size” you might be you are a beautiful woman and that’s all that matters. Don’t let that doctor bring you down!
snooky doodle says
oh these look divine! I was just searching a recipe for pecan tart 🙂 love this variation though.
Ps if you re fit and fat its better than being skinny and unfit 🙂
Kate says
“person of size” is the stupidest phrase I’ve ever heard.
Melinda says
Well Peabody, if you bake when you get angry/pissed, please carry on! You do the best pissed off desserts I can think of!
Whitney says
What an ass of a doctor!
Dana says
Wow that doctor sounds like quite the jerk. I agree with everyone, it wasn’t nice of him to treat you that way. Maybe he’s never heard of the word ‘tact’ lol. Don’t let him bring you down, even if it means you keep making these beautiful mouth-watering desserts that we so much enjoy 😀
Thanks for the post and the tart recipe, looks heavenly!!
Jen Yu says
I’m sure if you had kicked him in the shins, he would have been able to deduce that you have fantastic muscle development!
elly says
This looks really good. I love nutty desserts and I use pine nuts in a lot of things, but rarely in sweets. Plus I need an excuse to use my mini tart pans more! Your doctor sounds like a douche extraordinaire. 😛
cheffresco says
So pretty! I love all of your decorative backdrops!
megan says
I’m afraid your doctor would look at me and just shake his head! ;)Love the tarts and the additions of pinenuts.
Elle says
Damn, you are so active! No way I could exercise seven times a week. You mentioned Wii Fit,but did you mention your blog? Couda really thrown him for a loop! This tart should cheer anyone up. Pine nuts are a great edition to almost anything.
Patricia Scarpin says
Pea, I checked the link out and I’m in shock. How pathetic is that? Perfectly healthy and beautiful women being called obese?? WTF??
Don’t mind your stupid doctor – he should know better.
As for baking when stressed, it works wonders for me. And these tarts are so pretty!
dawn says
I don’t like your doctor. Hate me if you will, but he has a horrid bedside manner. He should be told as such en masse.
I bake when stressed too…
Jenny says
What a jerk. No tarts for him then!
Mrs. L says
I HATE that little Wii girl and her “obeeese”. Drives my husband and I insane.
As for the “person of size” thing, I have to use that at work. Folks just weren’t taking the “I’m sorry, you’re loved one who just died was too fat to fit into the state required container” comment.
pigpigscorner says
They look gorgeous! I cook/bake when I’m stressed too.
MyKitchenInHalfCups says
Some people (docs too) just don’t get it.
Beautiful tart!!
Ed "Dad" Gould says
I can’t believe you’ve gone over to biscuits.
Hannah says
How beautifully arranged and presented- these little tarts look wonderful!
The Food Hunter says
Those tarts look great. I have some extra dough on hand right now. I think I’ll give these a try.
Y says
What a lovely tart! When I’m angry, I clean. When I’m happy, I bake. Lucky for me (but not the house), I don’t seem to be much of an angry person!
CottageGirl says
Yummy looking tart! I think I’ll make that his weekend! Thanks for the idea!
On the other topic…I think that we as a society are fed a line of bull-ony!
Everyone is going to die…And there are no guarantees that ANY life style will lead to a happy, healthy productive long-life!
My mom was always around 120 pounds at 5’5″. She ate several servings of fruits and veggies every day…she walked every day, played tennis, rode her bike. She lived long enough to suffer from a very bad form of cancer and suffered greatly. Most of her friends were surprised that she died as early in life as she did because she was always thin.
On Oprah’s new weight loss attempt, she sighted the fact that she was embarrassed when she was with Cher and Tina Turner because they both looked so great for their age (Can you say PLASTIC SURGERY?) and that she (Oprah) had gained her weight back claiming that she was a failure!
Oprah completely overlooked the little tiny little fact that she has helped so very many people through her philanthropic endeavors than Cher or Tina could ever possibly do together! What a shame she feels as insecure as she does!
Thanks for a most thought provoking forum and letting me get that weight thing off my chest,no pun intended!
Laura C says
I think you need to find a new doctor.
I have Flo Braker’s Sweet Miniatures and have never used it. Maybe I’ll make some mini tarts.
BTW, kudos to you and the 7 day a week exercise regimen.
Julie says
They should sell “person of size” t shirts in their office. Your doctor sounds like a fun one. I always have to contain the laughter when they ask me how often I exercise.
The little tarts like yummy!
Stephanie says
Yummy!!!!
Claire says
Oh, my! Can I just say that as an almost doctor I find that ridiculous…I just don’t know what to even say…I’d probably go home and bake too if MY doctor told me that! And doctors of all people should know that you can exercise diligently and not be a toothpick. Okay, enough of my small rant…the tarts look interesting. I’ve never had pine nuts, so I can’t comment on that but I bet it’s FANTASTIC!!!
Maggie says
Don’t even get me started on the randomness of BMI categories! And what about the studies that show that “overweight” people can live longer? Delicious looking tart, the pine nuts sound fantastic!
Plume says
In Europe, “normal” BMI begins at 18, not 20…
Another proof of the doctors and medias toying with us.
Sara says
I love your the look of your tart. At Christmas, our family is to make tea time tassies which are similar. The filling is walnut and we bake them in mini-muffin tins.
I can’t believe your dr said ‘real’ exercise…Not someone I would feel comfortable talking to at all.
Janna from Honeyed Hashette says
“as much personality as a rice cake” bwahahaha!
Loved this post. 🙂
Madam Chow says
Oh, boy, did you hit a sore spot with this one. I get the same thing: “how often do you exercise?” Five days a week. “No, really?” I can’t stand it. My husband is in great shape, very muscular, and he recently had a phone consult with a doc just before he met him. The doc told him he was 30 pounds overweight. Then, he met my husband, and felt compelled to compare biceps size. I almost told my husband to compare the size of something else with that quack, but I held my tongue. 😉
Christina says
OMG!!! Love your recipes and your insights are priceless! I adore anything with nuts in it, especially pecans – but pinenuts are yummy too. I’m Hungarian and our recipes are loaded with nuts and butter and sugar….and you get the idea! My doctors always gave me the same wonderful treatment that you got from yours about the size thing and dismissively attributing every ache and pain that I had to weight. I finally got REALLY sick, to the tune of blood transfusions every 2-3 days, and finally the removal of my spleen (to stop my blood from “disappearing”) with the grand total of transfusions at 36 and several infusions of IVIG (the immune part of blood). THAT was fun (not). So, the entire time the docs were calling me obese and making dismissive comments (while I was sick!). I got so tired and down about it, that I got a gastric bypass. It worked out well for me and I was even featured on the TV show 48 Hours for the surgery. But you’re healthy, so hang in there, enjoy your life, get a new doctor and keep on baking and sharing your recipes with us!