I registered for the Kitchen Cure, on thekitchn.com, despite the fact that my kitchen is mostly organized. I wanted advice that will enable me to maximize that little space. So far, assignments have included taking photos of the entire room, de-junking the junk drawer (or in my case, the utensil drawer) and tossing expired food. (I was surprised that my cilantro had expired—and that my unopened jar of cilantro expires in six weeks. I’m also surprised that I have jars of cilantro. I’ve been buying fresh bunches of it, never using the jarred stuff.)
But the most interesting task so far was to eliminate processed foods, plus anything with MSG or high fructose corn syrup. I was startled by how much I found with those ingredients, but more surprising still: I almost never use any of those products.
The way I eat has changed radically, even though it’s been unintentional. I’ve always teased friends who filled their cabinets with health food. So much of it is bland, a pale imitation of the fatty snacks it emulates. When looking for a quick meal, I preferred staples like fish sticks.
But now my fridge is filled with green—broccoli, lettuce, spinach, zucchini and bell peppers all wait to be used. I found two jars of pasta sauce to give away. High fructose corn syrup was the culprit, but I must admit I wasn’t bothered by the waste. I can’t recall when I last used premade sauce instead of preparing my own.
I don’t know how to explain it. My taste buds have matured, sure. But this time last year, I lived with my grandparents and ate heavy Southern food at every meal. (It was good, too!) When I moved out, my diet quickly evolved into one filled with produce. I bought ingredients at the grocery store, skipping over shortcuts like pre-prepared chicken and steak. I’ve always had a high metabolism, and I do wonder if this is my body’s way of accounting for its inevitable slowing as I age. (I have no idea if my weight has been affected, positively or negatively, by my produce and heavy cream diet.) I can’t even claim to feel better or more energetic than when Friday night supper was frozen popcorn chicken and French fries. It was such an unconscious change that I don’t know the difference.
All I can tell you is I enjoy what I eat. It turns out that eating well doesn’t mean depriving yourself after all.
3 comments:
Here here! I feel the same way (although I sometimes crave crappy food, like really, really crave it). It is fun to eat this way. However, it is taking a lot more of it to fill me up...do you find this to be true as well?
Nope... but I have always found that when I cook, I eat less. I don't know why that is, but by the time the meal is ready I'm never as hungry as when I started out.
And I have no intention of eliminating crappy food altogether... I was starving this morning (allergies throwing off my appetite, didn't eat dinner last night) so I grabbed breakfast at Chick-Fil-A. :)
Elisa, I'm with you. Arby's cheese sticks are what I crave mostly these days.
Also, can I come relearn how to cook from y'all? I made marinara with Grandmom once, but it was such a process that I've never done it again. You girls with jobs are kicking my organic hiney over here. Can you at least post recipes? Otherwise I may be forced to camp out on someone's doorstep :D Seriously, I am a one pot gal. Beef I can do, but whole chickens utterly confound me. Gourmet escapes me. Read my blog. I cook like Allen's brother's ate with us weekly.
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