Friday, February 22, 2008

changing our ways

...I have read 2 books recently that have changed the way I think about food. It has changed the way I want to eat my food and it has changed the way I want to fix food for my family.

The first book is In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan. Basically he says what the typical Westerner eats is not even considered food and that we should go back to eating food that our grandparents and great-grandparents ate and fixed. By the way, his manifesto is: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. I loved this book. I learned that eating healthy means not trusting what it says on the front of a package: Low-fat! Lots of vitamins! Low Sugar! But it means making thoughtful food choices that are healthy because of what they actually are, not what they say they are. I would recommend it to anyone with one small warning: don't read this if you don't want to change the way you shop or eat. You will never look at grocery store bread the same.

The second book is Raw Food Life Force Energy by Natalia Rose. Don't worry, Seth and I aren't going to become vegans and raw foodies! (Much to Seth's relief!) But I bought this book because it is going to help Seth and I make better choices and better ways to eat our food. Ironically, I am going to need a juicer. Ha! Ha! (I had wanted a smoothie maker aka high-powered blender for Christmas and told my mom to get a juicer, not a blender. A small mistake. So when I opened the box and saw a juicer, I knew that wasn't it. So I returned it and bought the blender.) I honestly never thought I would need a juicer. I mean, you can buy juice at the store, right? Well, yes, but it is not the same. I'm not going to preach to anyone so I won't say anything else except that I'm very excited about it (Seth is too, right honey? Hee!) and can't wait to start it. We are starting very slowly but I'll let you know how it goes.

And along these same lines, I fixed a kale pesto the other night and put it on some fish and also sauteed swiss chard and mixed it with pasta and can I say that I can't believe I haven't tried kale and swiss chard before now? I loved both! They were so great.

So here is to a healthier us. Have a great weekend!

3 comments:

Krista said...

I've heard good things about both of those books. We just bought a share in a CSA co-op (Community Supported Agriculture), so every week this spring/summer we're going to get a box of organic, locally grown produce. I'm mostly looking forward to the strawberries and cantaloupes, but I'm sure we're going to end up with some kale and other greens...at which point I'll give you a call because I don't know what to do with them!

H Noble said...

I'm so proud of you Aimee! You are trying to make your lives better and take care of your children the best way you know how, and its wonderful! I still haven't tried any of Jessica Seinfeld's stuff, but I am going to, someday, when I have time to think past my need for sleep! :)
H

Cheryl Wray said...

I got a new blender for Christmas and have been making a ton of smoothies. But now I'm thinking I want a juicer too. I know that homemade juices would be great for all of us!!