Saturday delights--all about food

My life has been a whirlwind lately. Poor Josh has had to suffer the effects of my chaotic life by bearing the weight of my irritability, crying breakdowns, and babbling outburts of confusion. But today... today, all is calm and quiet, and I can take a break.

Somebody once said to always give a book at least 50 pages. You can't judge a book by its cover, and I would argue, even its first chapter. I've adopted the 50 page philosophy, and it thus far, it really works. "In Defense of Food" has won my heart in 50 pages. It combines scientific research, history, and plain common sense to make a case for REAL food--as opposed to what he calls "fake food," being diet foods and adulterated foods. (Example: butter is a real food. oleomargarine is a fake food.) So far, his conversation has been in showing that the more diet obsessed we've become, the sicker and fatter America has gotten. He also shows how fast and easily nutritionists flip flop between what "nutrients" are best, what to stay away from, etc. and we're constantly changing and modifying food to become what we think it should be. He makes a case for staying away from adulterated food and to pair common sense with eating "real" food.

And truly, thus far, I feel as though I have give testimony to back up his claims. I've eaten the "lean cuisine" diet foods. (There's a bunch in my freezer) And not only does it not taste GOOD, but I don't feel any better for eating it. Not only that, but a secondary component of the author's conversation also rings true: Diet foods strip us of the social, cultural, and communal aspect of food. Food is not just about sustaining our body or keeping us healthy--food is just as much a social vehicle as it is a health vehicle.

I've always loved food. I've abused it and loved it in the wrong ways and for the wrong reasons in the past, and now my body and I must do some damage control! But I've now developed an increasing love for the sociology of food, the cultural and family significance of food, and creativity and expression that comes out of the culinary world, and even just the science of it. I'm not a fantastic cook, but food has truly become a passion of mine.

For breakfast I had some natural vanilla yogurt and I put some ground milled flax seed in it (I loooove flax), and I also cut up half of a nectarine and put it into the yogurt. It was delicious, and very filling. Now for a "dessert," I have some dark, fair trade, Rwandan coffee in front of me with a teaspoon of sugar in it. Mmmm.... it's been a blissful morning.