I've been wanting to go to this place for years, because it just looks like it would be good from the outside, and my hunches are usually right on. This place went beyond any expectations I had, and blew me away! The food was delectable and everything was perfect. The staff were friendly and professional, and enjoyed bantering with us over our impressions of each dish - which to me is the mark of a consistently great restaurant.
First off, the bread was served warm, and was quite similar to the Italian batard from Acme, with a nice crunchy crust and soft insides (why doesn't every restaurant serve their bread warm? Even crappy bread tastes pretty good warmed up with some butter...)
We began with the Onion, Nicoise Olive & Goat Cheese Tart with Parsley Salad: the caramelized onions melted in my mouth, marrying ever so nicely with the tart shell, whose pastry on the crust was flakey and slightly sweet, with a buttery finish - but not too rich. The goat cheese and olives were mild enough so that the whole dish was in a perfect balance. The Italian parsley salad, with a few slices of radish, cut the richness of the tart and added a bit of zest. What a delicate pleasure of the senses for the beginning of our meal!
Now for the mains: I had the Grilled Niman Ranch Flat Iron Steak aux Frites with Anchovy-Mustard Butter. The steak, which I ordered medium-rare, was exactly that - and so tender and flavorful, complimented and spiced up with the subtle but hearty anchovy-mustard butter, which doubled as a sauce. This special "butter" was the key to the dish that took it beyond simply perfectly prepared steak aux frites, and gave it some serious character. It was light on the anchovy flavor (as the anchovy was fresh and not tinned), and the mustard was not overwhelming in the slightest; the overall effect was a unique and robust flavor that cut the richness of the steak, but allowed the beef's excellent flavor to fully unfold. The frites were among of the best I've ever had, not greasy at all, and cut in the nice-and-thick style, with crispy outsides and soft insides. The oil they were fried in was clearly fresh, as is not often the case with fries!
My mom had the yellowtail jack with haricots verts, mashed potato and cherry tomatoes - a dish that sounded simple to me but was executed so exquisitely and flawlessly that at first I wished I had ordered it for myself! The fish was cooked, as promised, rare, so that the middle was soft and meaty and the outer parts flakey, and the fish was still hot and juicy through and through. The cherry tomatoes were small, tender, and their flavor packed a punch that colored the meal gustatorily as well as visually. The bright green haricots verts had a nice crunch to them but remained tender, complimented perfectly by the mildly acidic and buttery vinaigrette that bathed the whole affair.
I can't believe we packed in more food after this, but after such success we couldn't quit without sampling the desserts: we shared the special vanilla custard bread pudding with baked apricots and cherries, and the lemon verbena custard with chantilly and fresh fruit. The warm bread pudding was more custardy than bread pudding-y, reminiscent of the "undergarments" of the best creme brulees I've had - it melted in my mouth in a seamless and tantalizing way. The bread part was on the top and provided a more robust texture to ground the ethereal custard. The cherries, my mom and I agreed, were not the best part - but I enjoyed them quite a bit, and the apricots were prepared in a way that I have had only on rare occasions in my life, whereby they acquire a slightly caramel character, and a bit brown sugary mixed with butter flavor - balanced by tartness that leaves no aftershock. It's actually a struggle for me to describe - and one of my favorite flavors ever. YUM. The lemon verbena custard nearly brought me to tears, particularly when melded together with the thankfully unsweetened, fluffy but substantial chantilly. Oh lordy. The lemon verbena was exquisitely fresh, and permeated the custard so that I had the impression that I must have been nibbling on a corner of a lemon verbena leaf simultaneously. The fresh fruit was a lovely addition of flavor that balanced the richness of the custard.
So all in all....what could they possibly have done better? Nothing. The meal was a masterpiece. Coincidentally I'll be going again with my husband tomorrow night...
--
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Healthy Eating Series - 2: The Slow Eater Tiny Bite Taker Cure
Did anyone get that? The title is a bit of Betty MacDonald wisdom from the classic "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle". Though written back in the '40's, such timeless advice has never been more apropos. These days, our entire atmosphere is saturated with Super-sized, Speedy, and Short. For some reason, America is all about big, big is better, and biggest is even bettery bestest of all. And the whole world is getting dragged into our rat race for the fastest everything, so that people everywhere get seriously aggravated if internet pages take more than a few seconds to load!
Now, how are we s'posed to squeeze a comforting, relaxed meal in between all the chaos and excitement? Can we make up for our lack of quality time by making all the portions bigger? I don't know who tricked us into thinking that bigger is better in the first place, but I'm here to tell the snickety b*st*rd, GO HOME! You are not welcome here anymore.
This brings me to the next lesson in the fundamentals of healthy eating. In this lesson you will learn about the importance of, and get some tips on:
1) Scheduling time for relaxed eating
2) Learning to focus on the meal and to give up all the multi-tasking or extra activities that you might try to do at the same time as eating
3) As Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle taught us, taking small bites and chewing them thoroughly before engaging in the next bite
#1: Scheduling time for relaxed eating
Once you've made the decision to change your habits in the direction of healthy eating, the subsequent step you need to take is to take out your organizer, your iCal, your wall calendar, or, a scrap of scratch paper will do. The idea is to write out everything you do in your day so that you have a realistic picture of time. The more detail, the better. I first tried this last year when I was studying for my Master's in Australia, and really needed to kick a bad habit of chronic lateness. I knew that I was often a bit delusional about how much time a given activity takes for me, hoping that somehow a few extra minutes would magically turn up just when I needed them.
If you share this proclivity, try writing down every little thing you want to do, including things like fussing over your outfit or finding your keys, and estimate how much time each activity takes. The next day, carry a stopwatch and time each one, recording your results. Leave extra time than you had estimated for everything so that you have time to NOT RUSH. Act like there is no pressure to do anything on time. To keep from getting distracted, stick to the activities you have predetermined, for the most part, even if you have extra time.
At the end of the day, you should have a good idea of how much time you actually need for your present lifestyle. Now is the time to determine when you want to have meals and how long each will last. This kind of planning ahead will allow you to have that lovely relaxed mealtime from days of yore. The time you allot for meals will depend on your particular schedule, and what you are eating, but I do have some general guidelines for your plan.
Breakfast and lunch are the most important meals of the day as far as what your body needs. Typically, people don't want to spend much time eating breakfast, because they are in a rush to get to work, or perhaps aren't so hungry at the time they must eat before leaving in the morning. However, it is very important to have a satisfying meal to start your day - and it feels so good! If you must rise earlier than you care to eat, don't eat when you're not hungry, please. Prepare a breakfast you can take with you, or eat out if you must, but find a relaxed place to sit down and eat it peacefully.
To enjoy your meal and reap the myriad of benefits from good digestion, take the time to sit down at a table. Eating on the run, in your car, at your desk, or while you get ready, is not going to help you in any way. I can't stress this enough! Eating in a relaxed fashion is more important than what you actually eat. If you can schedule breakfast with your loved ones, housemate, or cat, all the better: sharing meals together is also extremely beneficial for healthy eating (and plenty of other reasons). Make sure to allow for time after finishing that last bite to sit for at least 5 minutes, while you breathe and set your intention for how you want the rest of your day to be. Go on, take the reins! And take your stopwatch so you can add whatever time you need into your daily schedule. I'd say 15 minutes is the minimum time to eat a healthy breakfast.
The guidelines for breakfast can be applied to lunch as well. Instead of eating at your desk, bring your bag lunch outside and eat in the sunshine. Bring some co-workers with you. If the weather stinks, find a place indoors BESIDES your desk where you can comfortably eat. A short walk after lunch can do wonders for your digestion, and for the rest of your day. Even 5 minutes is better than absolutely nothing! For me, a half hour is the minimum time for a healthy lunch, and if you share your lunchtime with others, allow at least 45 minutes.
Dinner is the least important meal circadian rhythm-wise, however, it is the most important meal for social reasons. Dinner is the most common time in which people can come together to share a meal, especially families, couples, and friends. The timing is rather unfortunate, as eating the biggest meal of the day shortly before retiring for the evening makes no sense for our metabolisms and can compete during sleep with restorative functions that refresh our organs for the following day. Ideally, finish eating before 7pm, or 8pm daylight savings time, and you will feel so much better, I guarantee it. If this isn't possible, just remember, the earlier, the better. If you must eat later, make it a smaller meal with less protein and fat (as those take longer to break down). Make sure to sit for 10 minutes or so after eating. I'd say to allow for a minimum of 45 minutes for a relaxed dinner, but if you eat with someone else, make it an hour.
A general guideline for timing meals: eat each meal at about the same time (differing between days no more than a half hour) every day. The spleen, which is in charge of digestion, LOVES regularity (I'm referring to the spleen as it is conceived of in Chinese Medicine theory).
#2: Learning to focus on the meal and to give up all the multi-tasking or extra activities that you might try to do at the same time as eating
Many people try to do any number of things other than eating during a "meal". My suggestion is, focus on what you are eating, and your enjoyment of it instead. Or compliment your meal with pleasing conversation with a friend, co-worker, date, or loved one. Before you eat, think about each part of the meal that you are lucky enough to take in as nourishment: say thanks to the spinach, the olive oil, the garlic, the cow, the people who picked the strawberries, the ocean for the salt. It feels good! You don't have to say anything out loud if you're embarrassed. I like to hold hands with my eating partners silently for a few seconds before diving in. It sets the tone. While you're eating, take in the different tastes and textures that so pleasingly rub against your tastebuds and land lovingly in your tummy. Breathe into your belly between bites, and exhale. If you're tempted to read, watch T.V., do work, or any other cerebral activity, remember that the attention you give these activities competes with your body for digestion power, and also prevents you from truly relaxing and enjoying your meal.
Another kind of activity that may completely destroy your appetite is arguing, or talking about anything that upsets you emotionally. Save this kind of talk for later, or eat later if needs be. Eating while upset will just make you feel sick, and you won't digest properly.
#3: Taking small bites and chewing them thoroughly before engaging in the next bite
Since most of us have gotten used to rushing, we rush the mechanics of eating as well. When we do this, big hunks of food find their way into our stomachs, and require a hell of a lot more work to break down! This work is an unnecessary and significant drain. Our spleens do not like this. We also forget to breathe, and by the time we feel full, we're well past full because our stomachs didn't have time to register all that was being thrown unceremoniously into them.
"Chestnut, the American hope in the annual Fourth of July competition, broke his own world record by swallowing 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes - a staggering one every 10.9 seconds before a screaming crowd in Coney Island. 'If I needed to eat another one right now, I could,' the 23-year-old Californian boasted after receiving the mustard yellow belt emblematic of hot dog eating supremacy." - from metro.co.uk
Hmm, will you eat another bite just because ya can? Maybe so. We are incredibly privileged, those of us in modern, technologically developed and wealthy countries. Even those of us who are poor probably eat more than folks in places where you can't go to the store (because there is no store). This guy, while impressive in his ability to not throw up, shows us a valuable image of what not to aspire to. Though we can stuff another bite in, it really won't do us a lick of good. Overconsumption is just gross, let's be real. Makes me feel like I may make up for what old Chestnut couldn't do.
As you can see, Chestnut took enormous bites, and lots of them, in a very short amount of time. Let's do the opposite: let's take small bites, even tiny if that helps you to shift your habits, and chew them completely so that each bite is pretty well pulverized before making the trip down to kingdom come. When you have eaten enough, your body will send you a signal, and you can then choose whether or not to overeat and feel uncomfortable. Eating too fast robs you of this choice. Overeating continually, over time, has a detrimental effect on the body: the spleen is overtaxed, and it follows that every other organ system pays the price. Often, indigestion and acid reflux greet us as our prize. Shitty prize if you ask me.
*****************
I hope these first steps have given you all a good place to start in heading towards healthy eating. I"ll be getting more specific about particular foods in the coming articles, and will include some of my delicious recipes. Before you endeavor to change what you eat, please make time for and learn relaxed eating: your digestion, energy, and outlook will improve dramatically!
Now, how are we s'posed to squeeze a comforting, relaxed meal in between all the chaos and excitement? Can we make up for our lack of quality time by making all the portions bigger? I don't know who tricked us into thinking that bigger is better in the first place, but I'm here to tell the snickety b*st*rd, GO HOME! You are not welcome here anymore.
This brings me to the next lesson in the fundamentals of healthy eating. In this lesson you will learn about the importance of, and get some tips on:
1) Scheduling time for relaxed eating
2) Learning to focus on the meal and to give up all the multi-tasking or extra activities that you might try to do at the same time as eating
3) As Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle taught us, taking small bites and chewing them thoroughly before engaging in the next bite
#1: Scheduling time for relaxed eating
Once you've made the decision to change your habits in the direction of healthy eating, the subsequent step you need to take is to take out your organizer, your iCal, your wall calendar, or, a scrap of scratch paper will do. The idea is to write out everything you do in your day so that you have a realistic picture of time. The more detail, the better. I first tried this last year when I was studying for my Master's in Australia, and really needed to kick a bad habit of chronic lateness. I knew that I was often a bit delusional about how much time a given activity takes for me, hoping that somehow a few extra minutes would magically turn up just when I needed them.
If you share this proclivity, try writing down every little thing you want to do, including things like fussing over your outfit or finding your keys, and estimate how much time each activity takes. The next day, carry a stopwatch and time each one, recording your results. Leave extra time than you had estimated for everything so that you have time to NOT RUSH. Act like there is no pressure to do anything on time. To keep from getting distracted, stick to the activities you have predetermined, for the most part, even if you have extra time.
At the end of the day, you should have a good idea of how much time you actually need for your present lifestyle. Now is the time to determine when you want to have meals and how long each will last. This kind of planning ahead will allow you to have that lovely relaxed mealtime from days of yore. The time you allot for meals will depend on your particular schedule, and what you are eating, but I do have some general guidelines for your plan.
Breakfast and lunch are the most important meals of the day as far as what your body needs. Typically, people don't want to spend much time eating breakfast, because they are in a rush to get to work, or perhaps aren't so hungry at the time they must eat before leaving in the morning. However, it is very important to have a satisfying meal to start your day - and it feels so good! If you must rise earlier than you care to eat, don't eat when you're not hungry, please. Prepare a breakfast you can take with you, or eat out if you must, but find a relaxed place to sit down and eat it peacefully.
To enjoy your meal and reap the myriad of benefits from good digestion, take the time to sit down at a table. Eating on the run, in your car, at your desk, or while you get ready, is not going to help you in any way. I can't stress this enough! Eating in a relaxed fashion is more important than what you actually eat. If you can schedule breakfast with your loved ones, housemate, or cat, all the better: sharing meals together is also extremely beneficial for healthy eating (and plenty of other reasons). Make sure to allow for time after finishing that last bite to sit for at least 5 minutes, while you breathe and set your intention for how you want the rest of your day to be. Go on, take the reins! And take your stopwatch so you can add whatever time you need into your daily schedule. I'd say 15 minutes is the minimum time to eat a healthy breakfast.
The guidelines for breakfast can be applied to lunch as well. Instead of eating at your desk, bring your bag lunch outside and eat in the sunshine. Bring some co-workers with you. If the weather stinks, find a place indoors BESIDES your desk where you can comfortably eat. A short walk after lunch can do wonders for your digestion, and for the rest of your day. Even 5 minutes is better than absolutely nothing! For me, a half hour is the minimum time for a healthy lunch, and if you share your lunchtime with others, allow at least 45 minutes.
Dinner is the least important meal circadian rhythm-wise, however, it is the most important meal for social reasons. Dinner is the most common time in which people can come together to share a meal, especially families, couples, and friends. The timing is rather unfortunate, as eating the biggest meal of the day shortly before retiring for the evening makes no sense for our metabolisms and can compete during sleep with restorative functions that refresh our organs for the following day. Ideally, finish eating before 7pm, or 8pm daylight savings time, and you will feel so much better, I guarantee it. If this isn't possible, just remember, the earlier, the better. If you must eat later, make it a smaller meal with less protein and fat (as those take longer to break down). Make sure to sit for 10 minutes or so after eating. I'd say to allow for a minimum of 45 minutes for a relaxed dinner, but if you eat with someone else, make it an hour.
A general guideline for timing meals: eat each meal at about the same time (differing between days no more than a half hour) every day. The spleen, which is in charge of digestion, LOVES regularity (I'm referring to the spleen as it is conceived of in Chinese Medicine theory).
#2: Learning to focus on the meal and to give up all the multi-tasking or extra activities that you might try to do at the same time as eating
Many people try to do any number of things other than eating during a "meal". My suggestion is, focus on what you are eating, and your enjoyment of it instead. Or compliment your meal with pleasing conversation with a friend, co-worker, date, or loved one. Before you eat, think about each part of the meal that you are lucky enough to take in as nourishment: say thanks to the spinach, the olive oil, the garlic, the cow, the people who picked the strawberries, the ocean for the salt. It feels good! You don't have to say anything out loud if you're embarrassed. I like to hold hands with my eating partners silently for a few seconds before diving in. It sets the tone. While you're eating, take in the different tastes and textures that so pleasingly rub against your tastebuds and land lovingly in your tummy. Breathe into your belly between bites, and exhale. If you're tempted to read, watch T.V., do work, or any other cerebral activity, remember that the attention you give these activities competes with your body for digestion power, and also prevents you from truly relaxing and enjoying your meal.
Another kind of activity that may completely destroy your appetite is arguing, or talking about anything that upsets you emotionally. Save this kind of talk for later, or eat later if needs be. Eating while upset will just make you feel sick, and you won't digest properly.
#3: Taking small bites and chewing them thoroughly before engaging in the next bite
Since most of us have gotten used to rushing, we rush the mechanics of eating as well. When we do this, big hunks of food find their way into our stomachs, and require a hell of a lot more work to break down! This work is an unnecessary and significant drain. Our spleens do not like this. We also forget to breathe, and by the time we feel full, we're well past full because our stomachs didn't have time to register all that was being thrown unceremoniously into them.
"Chestnut, the American hope in the annual Fourth of July competition, broke his own world record by swallowing 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes - a staggering one every 10.9 seconds before a screaming crowd in Coney Island. 'If I needed to eat another one right now, I could,' the 23-year-old Californian boasted after receiving the mustard yellow belt emblematic of hot dog eating supremacy." - from metro.co.ukHmm, will you eat another bite just because ya can? Maybe so. We are incredibly privileged, those of us in modern, technologically developed and wealthy countries. Even those of us who are poor probably eat more than folks in places where you can't go to the store (because there is no store). This guy, while impressive in his ability to not throw up, shows us a valuable image of what not to aspire to. Though we can stuff another bite in, it really won't do us a lick of good. Overconsumption is just gross, let's be real. Makes me feel like I may make up for what old Chestnut couldn't do.
As you can see, Chestnut took enormous bites, and lots of them, in a very short amount of time. Let's do the opposite: let's take small bites, even tiny if that helps you to shift your habits, and chew them completely so that each bite is pretty well pulverized before making the trip down to kingdom come. When you have eaten enough, your body will send you a signal, and you can then choose whether or not to overeat and feel uncomfortable. Eating too fast robs you of this choice. Overeating continually, over time, has a detrimental effect on the body: the spleen is overtaxed, and it follows that every other organ system pays the price. Often, indigestion and acid reflux greet us as our prize. Shitty prize if you ask me.
*****************
I hope these first steps have given you all a good place to start in heading towards healthy eating. I"ll be getting more specific about particular foods in the coming articles, and will include some of my delicious recipes. Before you endeavor to change what you eat, please make time for and learn relaxed eating: your digestion, energy, and outlook will improve dramatically!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Healthy Eating Series - 1: Why change?
I had the thought yesterday as I Tai Chi'd along to start a series on healthy eating. So here we go!
I'll start with the most fundamental part of healthy eating: wanting to. I'm assuming you, my readers, have not reached the pinnacle of healthy eating for yourselves, but why would you want to change your eating habits at all? We all have our addictions and habits that require effort and discipline to change. Why bother? Won't it just add to our stress load and take precious time away from more important activities?
Well, if you really think...logically about eating, WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT?? Of course, if you just don't care about your well-being, maybe this doesn't apply to you - you'll need to check out an even more basic part of healthy eating which I'm not going to cover in this series: giving a rat's ass about yourself. I might get to that at some point. Anyhoo, you all know the adage, 'you are what you eat'. It's not just a saying, folks - think logically - your body is in a constant state of renewal: new cells are popping up everywhere, all the time. And where do you think they get the raw material? No, not from the internet, guess again! The materials come from what you put into your mouth and swallow. This introduction may seem needlessly elementary, but stay with me - remember another saying, 'the most important things i learned, i learned in kindergarten'. Or something like that. Think, Tabula Rasa, the Beginner's Mind.
Now, what's all this fuss about bodies anyway? Can't we just stuff some magic dinner pills from Willy Wonka in, wash it down with a Sam Smith Nut Brown Ale, and be on our way? Mmmmm, no. Do you ever feel satisfied after eating any of those meal or 'energy' bars? Puh-lease, only if you're starving. Compare this experience with a tasty, balanced, home-cooked meal from ingredients that don't come from a box or can.
What about eating out all the time? Saves a lot of trouble, eh? After awhile, eating out isn't such a treat. It feels empty. Where's the LOVE? When you cook for yourself, what you get inside isn't just a bunch of 'nutrients', whatever those really are anyway. You may be ingesting delight, pride, nurture, creation, and love. Of course, frustration might go in there as well - hence, my series: I want to help people who have the desire and will to change their eating. When you eat out, you really don't know what you're getting. You have NO IDEA what kind of crap is making it's way into your food - it's too small! You can't see it! You just *feel* it later on. Of course, there are some restaurants where the food is actually healthful, but normally there's a high price for such stuff, and most budgets do not support splurging on a regular basis.
So you may be on the fence at this point: 'eating healthy sounds great and all, but is it for me?' Or, 'I'm not a health nut, and I like to eat what I want and not worry about it.'...or, 'I don't have time to make changes, I'm way to stressed with my schedule!'. As for point 1, eating healthy is for EVERYONE. No one is left out! Eating healthy is not a one-size-fits-all sort of thing, because - duh! - there are many sizes and kinds of people!! However, there are basic guidelines that are beneficial for most if not for everyone in the quest for healthy eating. I will do my best to address these in the coming articles for this series.
As for point 2, there's no need to be a health nut or afficionado...this series is more about stepping back into a time when people knew healthy eating from their families and culture, without it being an issue dissected constantly in the latest studies, magazines, self-help books, you name it. I aim to merge some traditional ideas and methods with the modern world we are born into, taking into account new ideas and methods that result from real innovation. So, you don't have to be a hippy, granola-head, new-agey, jockish fitness chick or dude to adopt and enjoy healthy eating. Plus, one of Aimsta-b's rules for healthy eating is to enjoy what you are eating! How else are you going to secrete those mysterious digestive enzymes that break food down so you can use it properly? Food must be tasty. Since we have to eat all the time to keep our bodies happy, we might as well bask in the joy that food can bring to us, all the time. If this idea sounds just way to good to be true, you may be limiting yourself uneccessarily (throw away that self-flagellation whip, NOW!).
Point 3: Too stressed out? This one is tricky. All I can say is, if you really want to make the change, you'll make time for it and give up something else while you make the transition. For those of you who must work constantly to provide for your families and then have child-rearing on top of that, you've got it toughest of all. I think the change to healthy eating can be done, but you may need to wait to make big changes until your life feels managable with whatever you have to do to make ends meet. In the meantime, there are many ways to move towards healthy eating that don't require much time, effort, or money, and I will highlight these methods. Keep in mind that once you've altered your habits and learn the new ways, cooking and providing food for yourself isn't that difficult or time-consuming. Hopefully one day, eating organic vegetables will be cheaper than Mickey D's or KFC, too. We may see this in our lifetimes.
That's all for now - think about making a change. Try it on and see how it feels. If it feels scary, just think: baby steps. Even one tiny step in the right direction can make all the difference in the world! Just be patient with yourselves, it can't all be done at once, and there's no need. I"ll be sharing loads of tips in the coming articles....
-Aimsta B
I'll start with the most fundamental part of healthy eating: wanting to. I'm assuming you, my readers, have not reached the pinnacle of healthy eating for yourselves, but why would you want to change your eating habits at all? We all have our addictions and habits that require effort and discipline to change. Why bother? Won't it just add to our stress load and take precious time away from more important activities?
Well, if you really think...logically about eating, WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT?? Of course, if you just don't care about your well-being, maybe this doesn't apply to you - you'll need to check out an even more basic part of healthy eating which I'm not going to cover in this series: giving a rat's ass about yourself. I might get to that at some point. Anyhoo, you all know the adage, 'you are what you eat'. It's not just a saying, folks - think logically - your body is in a constant state of renewal: new cells are popping up everywhere, all the time. And where do you think they get the raw material? No, not from the internet, guess again! The materials come from what you put into your mouth and swallow. This introduction may seem needlessly elementary, but stay with me - remember another saying, 'the most important things i learned, i learned in kindergarten'. Or something like that. Think, Tabula Rasa, the Beginner's Mind.
Now, what's all this fuss about bodies anyway? Can't we just stuff some magic dinner pills from Willy Wonka in, wash it down with a Sam Smith Nut Brown Ale, and be on our way? Mmmmm, no. Do you ever feel satisfied after eating any of those meal or 'energy' bars? Puh-lease, only if you're starving. Compare this experience with a tasty, balanced, home-cooked meal from ingredients that don't come from a box or can.
What about eating out all the time? Saves a lot of trouble, eh? After awhile, eating out isn't such a treat. It feels empty. Where's the LOVE? When you cook for yourself, what you get inside isn't just a bunch of 'nutrients', whatever those really are anyway. You may be ingesting delight, pride, nurture, creation, and love. Of course, frustration might go in there as well - hence, my series: I want to help people who have the desire and will to change their eating. When you eat out, you really don't know what you're getting. You have NO IDEA what kind of crap is making it's way into your food - it's too small! You can't see it! You just *feel* it later on. Of course, there are some restaurants where the food is actually healthful, but normally there's a high price for such stuff, and most budgets do not support splurging on a regular basis.
So you may be on the fence at this point: 'eating healthy sounds great and all, but is it for me?' Or, 'I'm not a health nut, and I like to eat what I want and not worry about it.'...or, 'I don't have time to make changes, I'm way to stressed with my schedule!'. As for point 1, eating healthy is for EVERYONE. No one is left out! Eating healthy is not a one-size-fits-all sort of thing, because - duh! - there are many sizes and kinds of people!! However, there are basic guidelines that are beneficial for most if not for everyone in the quest for healthy eating. I will do my best to address these in the coming articles for this series.
As for point 2, there's no need to be a health nut or afficionado...this series is more about stepping back into a time when people knew healthy eating from their families and culture, without it being an issue dissected constantly in the latest studies, magazines, self-help books, you name it. I aim to merge some traditional ideas and methods with the modern world we are born into, taking into account new ideas and methods that result from real innovation. So, you don't have to be a hippy, granola-head, new-agey, jockish fitness chick or dude to adopt and enjoy healthy eating. Plus, one of Aimsta-b's rules for healthy eating is to enjoy what you are eating! How else are you going to secrete those mysterious digestive enzymes that break food down so you can use it properly? Food must be tasty. Since we have to eat all the time to keep our bodies happy, we might as well bask in the joy that food can bring to us, all the time. If this idea sounds just way to good to be true, you may be limiting yourself uneccessarily (throw away that self-flagellation whip, NOW!).
Point 3: Too stressed out? This one is tricky. All I can say is, if you really want to make the change, you'll make time for it and give up something else while you make the transition. For those of you who must work constantly to provide for your families and then have child-rearing on top of that, you've got it toughest of all. I think the change to healthy eating can be done, but you may need to wait to make big changes until your life feels managable with whatever you have to do to make ends meet. In the meantime, there are many ways to move towards healthy eating that don't require much time, effort, or money, and I will highlight these methods. Keep in mind that once you've altered your habits and learn the new ways, cooking and providing food for yourself isn't that difficult or time-consuming. Hopefully one day, eating organic vegetables will be cheaper than Mickey D's or KFC, too. We may see this in our lifetimes.
That's all for now - think about making a change. Try it on and see how it feels. If it feels scary, just think: baby steps. Even one tiny step in the right direction can make all the difference in the world! Just be patient with yourselves, it can't all be done at once, and there's no need. I"ll be sharing loads of tips in the coming articles....
-Aimsta B
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Not dead yet
Well, my inspiration for blogging seemed to have ended as swiftly as it began, with little fanfare...what a sad, sad day for all my fans around the world...but...yo ho ho, not so fast! I feel some kicking...yes...a head, and thar me blows!! Guess I'm Not Dead Yet.
So, anyway, I'm preparing for my big interview tomorrow. Last night I almost succumbed to my inner struggle between the me putting myself under way too much pressure to come up with this killer website, and the me that is sick and tired to death of being forced to put on a mask and to live someone else's life. I'm not sure whose, but certainly not mine, I know that. Having this interview is my challenge to stay true to myself, no matter how much I want to knock the socks off my interviewers and land this sweet, killer job. Hey, me's, can't we just hug and hold hands and dance around singing "I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table"....? Puh-lease Hard-Ass Me, take a freakin' chilly-willy-pill, like, for the rest of our life. But I love you too, promise.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Newsflash on Mason jars
You smarties probably already thought of this, but here's a way to keep using Mason jars without the PVC lined lid piece: double some 'eco-friendly' non-plasticized plastic wrap or non-bleached waxed paper over jar, and screw on the lid rim over this. Of course this approach won't work for canning, but at least for storage purposes it should be adequate.
I'm still on the lookout for jars with non-PVC'd lids.
This post and the last bring me to the subject of storage of food in general, and how to do it in the safest way. Stay tuned for my first Enviro-Freak Special: "Innocuous Storage Techniques and Materials"
I'm still on the lookout for jars with non-PVC'd lids.
This post and the last bring me to the subject of storage of food in general, and how to do it in the safest way. Stay tuned for my first Enviro-Freak Special: "Innocuous Storage Techniques and Materials"
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
PVC rant and Mason jar lids
I'm going to go off on the invasion of PVC and toxic plasticizer chemicals into the most innocent nooks and crannies of our lives. And on the general bullshit that this represents...ie, a lack of concern in industry for any repercussions from the processes and materials used. It seems to me that this lack of concern was more excusable in the 50's when brand-new technological advances were popping up left and right. But in this day and age, with the general knowledge and awareness of the hazards of man-made, untested chemicals, and considering the expanding societal awareness of the interrelatedness of all beings and matter -C'MON FOLKS!!!!! Where's da thinkin' hat? Oh, woops, left that in the microwave with my cup o'noodles last night. Actually, my friends, cup o'noodles IS your thinking cap. Just empty it out, and stick it on your head - after it smashes a bit and outgasses god knows what, take a few deep sniffs and you'll be feelin' dandy.
So I just bought a flat of Mason jars to put my newly made date spread in. I was trying to use a storage device that was not involving plastic, to protect my food and myself from possible outgassing of tiny molecules I'd rather NOT be ingesting. Is that too much to ask? I don't give a crap if there isn't enough "scientific evidence" to implicate dangers of such practices. Really, if you just apply common sense, it should be clear enough. We have enough exposure to toxins in our lives that we cannot mitigate, therefore, even something that may have a small effect merits dealing with if it's not too much trouble. After opening a Mason jar, a delightful aroma of - NASTY PVC goodness wafted out and sunk me right in the nose. To confirm my suspicion, I took a big whiff from the lid - and yes, my unsuspecting friends, the lids are now lined with PVC. To back up this confirmation, I did a little net research, and found two studies on the toxic plastizers often used with the PVC lining of glass jars that have airtight seals: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/afc/afc_opinions/1399.html and http://www.springerlink.com/content/75036l48h0108j80/
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Juuuust fuuuuucking great. My husband already filled two jars with the yummiferous date spread, and the freakin' spread stinks too. Now, I do have a very sensitive sniffer, but I think that's a gift to use wisely. I'm now on a mission to find storage jars without the goddamn PVC lining...so stay tuned, I'll let you know what I find.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Procrastination and cravings
These two seem to go hand in hand. I'm trying this anti-candida diet at the moment, which means no sugar or carbs of any sort...so to satisfy my craving for a really nice, moist, not-too-sweet, buttery, chocolatey hunk of goodness, I just ate some coconut butter mixed with walnuts and cocoa nibs. Hah! You can have chocolate without sugar, and for all you nay-sayers, chocolate does NOT have caffeine: I learned this in my O-chem class years ago. There is a molecule similar to caffeine in cocoa, but it has a much milder effect on the body.
-Okay, I just checked wikipedia to make sure I didn't make this one up, and it turns out cocoa does have a very small amount of caffeine...but the molecule responsible for chocolate's mood-enhancing effects is theobromine, caffeine's mellower Santa Cruz cousin. Check it out for yourselves if you're a nerd like me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine
So what about procrastination? I seem to be really excellent at procrastinating around the same time that I have cravings for bomb desserts and other unmentionables. I haven't figured this relationship out yet, it could be me avoiding my responsibilities, or it could be my freakin' low blood sugar because of this diet. I know it's all worth it if my poor digestive system starts running like the smooth, well-oiled, brilliant piece of machinary it was meant to be.
I'm going to end this and get to work, my volunteer work for this internship I'm doing. Maybe that's another reason I'm putting off work (the not-getting-paid bit)...but I do really like the organization I'm working for and the people I'm working with. The Ecological Landscaping Association, a grass-roots non-profit that helps "green" landscapers network and learn new techniques/develop new technologies, materials, etc.
-Okay, I just checked wikipedia to make sure I didn't make this one up, and it turns out cocoa does have a very small amount of caffeine...but the molecule responsible for chocolate's mood-enhancing effects is theobromine, caffeine's mellower Santa Cruz cousin. Check it out for yourselves if you're a nerd like me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine
So what about procrastination? I seem to be really excellent at procrastinating around the same time that I have cravings for bomb desserts and other unmentionables. I haven't figured this relationship out yet, it could be me avoiding my responsibilities, or it could be my freakin' low blood sugar because of this diet. I know it's all worth it if my poor digestive system starts running like the smooth, well-oiled, brilliant piece of machinary it was meant to be.
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| From Photo Library |
I'm going to end this and get to work, my volunteer work for this internship I'm doing. Maybe that's another reason I'm putting off work (the not-getting-paid bit)...but I do really like the organization I'm working for and the people I'm working with. The Ecological Landscaping Association, a grass-roots non-profit that helps "green" landscapers network and learn new techniques/develop new technologies, materials, etc.
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