Yesterday Michelle Obama took it upon herself to tell us that "splurging is the key to life," but warn that the price of the “key to life” is eating healthily at home most of the time. The Associated Press reports on her question and answer session with a group of props “children reporters”:

"How would you appreciate vegetables if you never had chocolate?" she asked. "You couldn't live without a little chocolate, a little French fries."

The first lady took questions from children reporters Monday after appearing at the White House Easter Egg Roll. She told the children that if they eat right the majority of the time, then a splurge or snack is not going to hurt them.

"I still splurge when I can, but that's why I try to exercise almost every day," she said.

I find this a fascinating glimpse of a tortured soul, one obsessed with food, and with the practice of letting go of restraint when it comes to consumption. Might this offer some insight on her bahvior regarding luxury vacations, clothing, and other such living large behavior for which she has become known.

Meanwhile, also yesterday, the first lady instructed the nation on how to dress salad (no kidding!):

“I mean, dressing is supposed to be an enhancement, it's not supposed to be the meal. You know, so you're not supposed to have like, extra dressing on the bottom of your -- that means you've had too much dressing. And that also makes the vegetables -- it wilts them, and it takes the excitement out of it. So you notice when you get professional salads out at a restaurant, one of the reasons that they taste so good is that they don't over dress it. So try that, where it's just coating the vegetables and it's not swimming in the vegetables."

Paraphrasing Homer Simpson: Michelle Obama: Is there anything she doesn’t know?