Dormez-vous?

It feels like I've been sleeping, yes. I admit I've been very slack lately in my food writing. I have to confess that I've been eating a lot of junk food lately and have been too embarrassed to write. For example, last night I ate fried chicken. Lots of it. And I washed it down with a couple beers and finished the meal with a slice of chocolate silk pie. As nutritionists say, "The are no bad foods, only bad choices." As I say, "There are no bad choices, only easy ones."

That is, I haven't touched an organic this or that in a while and I'm feeling the consequences and they're not pretty. I feel fat. I feel sluggish. I have trouble buttoning my pants. I'm cranky and irregular. TMI, I know. But I'm just laying all on the line here. Yes, we're still getting bi-weekly deliveries of fresh delicious veggies at the house and yes, I've eaten some of them, but I've also given in to sodas, beer, and sugary snacks. Oh god, I'm drinking Dr Pepper right now. Sigh.

But I know the power of food is purely psychological. I have the ability to make choices that are not only good for me, but tasty and filling as well. I've made these choices before. Intellectually I know what choice to make. Emotionally, I ignore that choice in favor of a quick sugar buzz or a fix of salty snakins.

Leunz lent me her copy of YOU: on a diet and I've been reading it for a week now. It's full of factual biological processes that really illustrate exactly how/why we eat. It's quite fascinating to see how food goes through your system, where it stops, what gets taken out, what hangs around as fat, and what leaves through your poop chute.

It's also interesting to read up on what triggers hunger and why we crave certain foods. Overall it's a postitive book that avoids preaching and dieting scams. It gives you the info you need to plan meals so you're never in starvation mode, and plan exercises so you're fit and healthy, not sluggish and reaching for a coke.

I did NOT make a new year's resolution to lose weight. I don't believe in resolutions. Nor did I set out to do this simply because it's January. I have been feeling physically off-track for months now. It's just time I woke up and took the reins back in my hands. It may be winter, but dammit, it will not be the winter of my discontent.

Organics vs. Locals vs. Engineered foods

Ideal Bite provides a daily newsletter that gives tips and hawks products for the greenie in all of us. I like some of the tips which I keep in an "Ideal Bite Keepers" folder in my email. The rest are tossed in the trash. It's a daily dose of greenery that keeps me informed and on my toes. And sometimes I get a nice eye roll when I read about buying organic *insert product here* that I don't use anyway. But some of the time, they hit the nail on the head. Errr...the organic nail?
Anyway, today's Ideal Bite tip was all about genetically engineered food that suspiciously finds their way into our pantries, fridges, and freezers. A list of these foods, along with their non-engineered alternative, is available here.
I enjoyed, and was disturbed, by reading the list. But my main question, and I have to admit that I did not read the other information on the True Food website very fully*, is this: about five Weight Watchers meals are listed as genetically engineered. Does that mean only those five are GE'ed (how funny!) or does it mean that they all are?? If all of them are GE'ed, why not list them all?? Just curious.
Disturbing as the list is, and I have to admit that I have quite a lot of the GE'ed foods, I was also skeptical about their meaning of organic. For example, the beef and chicken we get from the local farm, just a bike ride away, is not organic. I don't remember exactly why but they don't use hormones in their meat. They are free-range animals (and very cute, I might add) but they are still not organic. I have also listened/read from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle that some farmers can't afford to purchase the permit that makes them organic. Small farms especially.
So that launches into the debate of buy locally or buy organically. Personally: I'm all about the local people. Here's why:
I develop a relationship with them. They see me, I can tell them that there food is freakin' awesome, we develop a relationship. Honestly, have you ever intentionally poisoned your friends? Lied to them? Plus I got really good fertility advice from the farmstand lady, advice on cooking shallots (which are excellent!) from another, and I got to pick up a very hefty chicken! What's there to lose?

*I sure am a great librarian, right?? :)

Who is Theresa?

I love food, eating it more than cooking it, although I have a sizable cookbook collection. I even read Fast Food Nation a couple years ago, saw the movie, and I still eat meat. Hey, you only live once!

I've made a pact with three pals to dine at a gourmet fancy-schmancy restaurant once a month and then post a review of the food, the service, and the ambiance. You can see my most recent review (Wink) if you like. I also plan to review a variety of not-so-pretentious eateries as well. (Dog Almighty, anyone? Yum!)

I've also been reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and am learning so much about growing food, how disconnected I am from what I eat (physically, geographically, and spiritually), and how hard it is to maintain a locally-grown diet. I freely admit I've been in a food rut. I'm ready to claw my way out and really start taking advantage of all the wonderful food that's out there.