How to be a Foodie and still zip em up - Part 1 of Series 2 - start from scratch

Ok so I've got to enter this realm in order to properly cover the point/title of 'how to be a foodie and still zip em up' series. Lets get it over with - and more to the point of going local in your life. Throw out and I'm mean throw out most items that are in a box - or processed sitting in your kitchen. 
 

Found a great article really laying out the 'big business' in getting Americans to buy off the shelf. ' Regrettably, the processed food industry wastes over $33 billion per year in advertising to lure people to consume sugar-laden, fast, junk foods. These processed foods are overloaded with hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats. While lacking in necessary nutrition, processed foods' main ingredients are nutrient empty sugar, water, fat, flour, starch, artificial colorings and flavors. In 2002 alone, the processed food industry sold over $174 billion worth of this adulterated combination by fabricating thousands of cookies, crackers, puddings, cakes, soft drinks, and other concoctions.' Click for entire article - a good read. 

Now with that said, its hard, and I mean really hard to eat well in this country. Take it from someone who grew up with all meats coming from my uncle's butcher shop and my brothers hunting every season - so we ate a lot of venison and game meats. Both parents of mine worked, and I have to say its a lot harder to eat well when mom's at work and not in the kitchen. No doubt a big reason why Rachael Ray and her '30 Minute Meals' really took off in this country.  Both parents have to work today in order to keep up with the American lifestyle two generations ago. And we all know the subject is complicated, but lets also face it, the average American watches about 5 hours of tv a day, with the average home having more tv's than people. 

So we're tired overworked, and burned out on tv, isolation and bad industry food. The point is, we have time, to cook a ten minute meal and rediscover the kitchen and what it means to be in it. Firstly, its amazing to be in a kitchen. Without question even if you walk into an amazing home with state of the art appliances that the family has used once, there is a soul there waiting to be explored. Second, when you leave or explore most/all countries outside of the U.S. the home/family is the kitchen and the preparation of daily meals. Its probably the thing I most love about traveling, because I so adore food, and what it means to each culture and person family I come across. 

Here's what I find tip wise to feeling great, and can bring a little order and soul back to your closet and household:

1. Call your Mom, Grandmother, or any family matriarch/ patriarch that cooks or used to cook when avocado decor kitchens were still in (coming back by the way?!) and ask for one family recipe that he/she/they used to cook

2. Go to the store and buy the items for that recipe. Again don't overload on 4 or 5 start with one recipe a week esp. if the kitchen is new territory or its just not your thing. 

3. When I mean go to the store, try and find a more local/organic store or farmer's market in your area that supports a lot of local products from your region. It might cost a couple bucks extra, but in the end when you eat well and nutritionally, you eat less because your body doesn't need to make up for all the lost nutrients its searching for when downing the usual #3 at Carl's Jr. 

4. Go home turn off the TV, turn on the ipod or a good CD, something - anything without commercials so you can just go away for an hour or so. If you have a family, find the time when the kids are on the computer/homework/sports that sort of thing, and just find that 30 minutes - hour for you. I know its hard to get out of a daily rut or routine, but believe me, it feels so good when you do. 

5. Once that CD/ipod is on, call that person in your family who gave you the recipe and just recap how to make it - esp if you need certain cooking-ware etc to do it right. Who knows you might get a new family drama story out of it, which you can talk about once dinner is served. 

6. Prepare it and enjoy that time alone. Don't let anybody in the kitchen until its time to set the table. When its that time whoever is joining you unless you're cooking for yourself, have the kids help set the table, and I mean the old school way. Here's the link if you really want to go all out  but basically forks to the left of the plate setting knives, followed be spoons to the right, and glasses to the upper right of the setting. Napkins/rings are the fun part, do what you like in my book. I love setting a table - hated it when I was young, but was something my mom always made me do before guests came. Its now something I treasure. 

7. Remember make the kids do one thing they hate each day which helps the house - table setting is a good start, because they will no doubt pick up the habit when they have their own home/friends/family to impress and entertain. Its like spinach - hated it when I was young. Now its something I eat all the time. A big thing of mine is doing things we initially hate, we often learn to love and can really lead to a great evolution. 

8. Once the meal is prepared, (you might have problems, but deal, just like with anything else). Get the family, or loved ones at the table and just start talking. And no cells phones permitted. People are plugged in all day, and its amazing how many dinner parties/restaurants I go to where people are texting across from one another and not even talking. Its not classy or respectful and that trend needs to come to and end. If you think you're so important to text during a 30 min dinner with your loved ones- than you have a problem... Period. 

9. Rule - whoever cooks doesn't have to clean the dishes. So its time to rest and everyone else can put on some gloves and help clean. They will bitch but that's part of hanging with the family. Believe me, its better than watching all the reality shows. 

10. Sit back relax in your little corner nook that's yours because you should feel proud. You went against the grain and literally and figuratively fed your family and yourself for the evening. And no doubt the person/family member you called for the recipe is going to want the scoop the next day - and we're ready for recipe #2.