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In Praise of the Humble Salad
If there is a cuisine that America can truly call its own, then this has to be it.
So much so, that I'm going to make no attempt to replicate the many and varied recipes that make up that country's version of "salad".
Hopefully, one of my...
Knowledge and creativity
The other day I was watching a taped cooking show on TV, something I do for relaxation believe it or not, and the talking toque from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America, not the Central Intelligence Agency) was assembling a fish dish containing...
The Best Way To Fight Poor Health Is To Make Home Cooking Fast And Easy!
Obesity and related health problems are epidemic in North
America. Not only are most of us eating way too much and getting
little exercise, but we're also eating very fatty foods. Even if
you shun fast food restaurants and buy your food...
The Essential EatingWell Cookbook
When chefs from your favourite cooking magazine get together to create a cookbook, you know it will be good. When they call it Essential, you know that this is truly one for the shelf next to the stove (for really easy access). This one is a keeper...
Why Culinary Education
If you are thinking about a career in culinary arts then studying in a culinary school is a must. You may be a great cook but you will never become expert learning culinary arts yourself. Farther taking up a job as a chef in a good restaurant...
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Better Food
Are you starving?
Before you say "No", think and read on.
Do you ever wonder WHY you have food cravings and overeat? We
all love to eat. But how much of what we eat is really worth
eating? How much is being over weight compromising your health?
Fat kills. So does poor nutrition.
Country kids used to eat constantly, but few were fat.
The wild plums might be ready to eat, requiring a trip down the
gravel road to where they grew.
Everyone would gather and eat straight from the tree. Finally
they would fill a bucket to take back to the kitchen.
When blackberries came in they would pick them and get covered
with chigger bites in the process.
Eggs had to be gathered. Chickens were plucked before church on
Sunday and fried after, often in lard.
The garden had to be picked, and, yes everyone had a garden.
You see the difference? Everyone worked really hard for the
bounty of food.
But the difference was that it was so fresh that few modern
people have ever experienced the goodness.
You won't find a truly good SC peach or GA pecan in most grocery
stores. A good peach is too soft and sweet to be shipped. The
ones you get from the grocery are a hard, truck-ripened variety
that ships better, NOT the real thing. A lot of GA pecans are
eaten right in GA, leaving the rest of us without their
exquisite flavor.
Any chicken that has yellow tinted skin IS NOT FRESH. The flavor
will be off.
Corn gathered from the garden twenty minutes before it's served
is very different from what the grocer has.
Do you like fish? Maybe you would if it was fresh. Farmed fish
is a poor compromise.
It's very likely that Mad Cow Disease is caused by animal based
feed. Cows are supposed to eat
grass. Some accountant thought it was a good idea to feed cows,
COWS (!?). Dumb idea for the sake of profit. Additionally
they're fed hormones for bigger, fatter cows. The hormones make
us, you and I, fatter, too. Ever wonder why some young boys have
breasts? Look to those hormones.
Then there are the antibiotics. They cause more problems than
they prevent. No organic farmer would do any of
it.
The kicker is that much of the food we consume is not only old
and flavorless, it also lacks nutrients. Organic farmers in my
area tell me that just six hours after a fruit or vegetable is
picked 50% of the vitamins and dietary enzymes ARE GONE!
If a food has been irradiated to kill germs, ALL vitamins and
enzymes are gone. It will fill your belly, but that's the only
benefit you'll get from it. Why bother?
Each incident of travel, canning, freezing and cooking reduces
nutrients in food. Even minerals leach out in cooking and
canning. No wonder we have uncontrollable cravings! We really
ARE STARVING!
So how do you insure that you and your family gets good
nutrition from food they eat?
There are three effective strategies for good nutrition.
1. Grow some of your own food. A few herbs make an easy starting
point and require little room and no fertilizer. They can grow
on a sunny windowsill. Some, like chives can grow for years with
an occasional period of dormancy. Other annuals like basil, need
to be planted every few months to insure a dependable supply.
These plants add both nutrients and incredible flavor to our
diets.
2. Contact your local agricultural county extension office to
find local organic farmers. Some will let you do your own
picking. It's good exercise and a fun family activity. Each
season of the year, even winter has special treats and flavors.
Lettuce is a cool weather crop. Asparagus spears peek out in the
spring. Tomatoes like summer heat. Root vegetables sweeten after
frost.
3. Garden a little. It's good exercise, but the big payoff is
the food. Start small and expand your interest and knowledge.
The health benefits of better nutrition are incalculable. If you
are not starving for nutrients, you will feel more satisfied
with less food if it has good nutrition. Losing weight, alone,
could give you a better quality of life and reduce your need for
expensive medications.
But the best part is great food!
About the author:
To learn more about food nutrition and how slight changes in the
food you buy can help you feel better and drop those unwanted
pounds. Visit us at www.my-weight-loss-success-story.com
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