Real Food Happens Here

"It's not food if it arrived through
the window of your car."

I have been reading Michaels Pollan's "Food Rules: an eater's manual". It is a small, no-nonsense guide to wholesome dining that a person could flip through in one read. What I like about Pollan the most is how he considers worrying about your diet to be almost as harmful as a bad diet. He eats a variety of whole foods, and tries to let common sense guide his choices.

I have been learning more about a whole food diet as my sous-chef and I try to do what is best for our bodies, and our planet. Pollan's manual has excellent suggestions for the cooking curious.

"Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."

My tiny home has a small galley kitchen. I appreciate the simplicity, the compact efficiency with everything close at hand. It is also easy to keep clean.

"Eat foods made from ingredients that you can picture in their raw state or growing in nature."

I like to clean as I cook. Ideally, by the time I am finished cooking the cleaning is almost done. A constantly clean kitchen is a kitchen that is easy to go into, and when convenient processed foods aren't part of your diet, the kitchen had better be an attractive place to be.

"Don't ingest foods made in places where everyone is required to wear a surgical cap."

In my little kitchen I cook with mostly vegetable ingredients, whole grains, and limited sodium and sugar. The majority of the food I make is prepared from scratch. I bake all our bread products, and use only 100% whole wheat flour.

"Eat only foods that will eventually rot."

For the most part we only eat food we have prepared ourselves, so no eating out, no sugary, salty snacks, no packaged or pre-made meals. Just basic ingredients that could be found in any kitchen 50 years ago. Great-grandma would recognize all the foods in my tiny space. This removes many harmful things from our diet with just one rule.

"Avoid foods you see advertised on TV."

The rule of eating only what we have made ourselve limits our intake of tempting, harmful foods, and also saves us money. Many processed foods are so nutritionally deficient that they are no more than minor mouth entertainment. This wouldn't be so bad except that these foods also harm our health.

"Avoid foods that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top three ingredients."

Sweets are everywhere, and are hard to resist. It is no wonder many of us are unhappy with our weight. From sugary soda to snacks to desserts, there is no shortage of tasty temptations. Over the years we have found that the intense sugar craving can be overcome. Once you do pass through sugar withdrawal, the craving is diminished and is easily satisfied with a piece of fruit.

"Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it."

I am one of the slowest eaters in the known universe. I do not like to be rushed, especially when it comes time for cooking and eating. It turns out that a relaxed pace, and major mastication and are healthy ways to prepare, and consume our food. You savour the ingredients more, honour the cook that prepared them, experience the total joy of eating and sharing with your companions, and aid digestion.

I love cooking food that is good for me, and does the least amount of harm to other living things. It is one of the greatest pleasures in my simple life.

Bon Appetit!

(All quotes from Michael Pollan, Food Rules)