The Dilemma

I recently finished reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollen, and I need to write about it because I didn't want to return it until I posted here and it is now (very) overdue. That's the story of my life...

Anyway, it is an enlightening and interesting read about "the natural history of four meals". This might not sound like a particularly exciting topic, but it is. In the book, Pollen discusses the dilemma that us omnivores are faced with when we walk into the market: we are bombarded with food choices that can not only be overwhelming, but that are also really, really unhealthy for us.

A rather large portion of the book is dedicated to corn - a grain that is found in nearly 30% of everything in the grocery store: from the wax that makes a cucumber attractive and shiny, to the soda that contains high fructose corn syrup. HFCS is an extremely unhealthy sweetener that is found in too many products these days (it's hiding in many juices, yogurts, breakfast cereals and even ketchup).

Pollen also spends a considerable amount of time discussing the meat industry today and the problems that are lurking on many farms and slaughter houses. One of the major issues being that the majority of cattle are currently fed a diet mainly of corn- something that their stomachs were not intended to digest. One veterinarian that Pollen interviewed commented on the fact that most cows are slaughtered before they have been at a feedlot for 150 days, which is actually good, because the diet they are fed would destroy their livers in around that same time span.

I was also surprised to learn that mad cow disease is a result of cattle being fed parts from already slaughtered cattle. Pollen discovered that the even though the FDA has banned this practice because of the illnesses it caused, they have made an exception for blood products and fat.

So I discovered many interesting things, even more than I mentioned here, but the quote that I've been thinking the most about is on page 136: "...farmers who get the message that consumers care only about price will themselves care only about yield".

I'm a bargain hunter by nature. I love saving money. I'm that person who gets in your way in the aisle because I am frantically searching through my coupon book (which has a snap that conveniently hangs from the grocery cart). Sometimes I save so much money in stores I tell Jay to hurry and start driving because they may figure me out, they may realize that my coupon already expired or that I used more than one coupon on one product (by mistake of course). I've even been to a store where I saved more money than I spent. I always look for the lowest price, and so in the past I have sometimes chosen not to buy organic, cage free, or grass fed products because they are often more expensive. But I'm learning that it's not always about price. Sometimes the healthiest choice is the more expensive one. HFCS is cheap, but not worth the negative health effects.

I have definitely seen a change in my shopping habits since finishing the book. I haven't joined a local meat or vegetable co-op yet (although I've thought about it), but I've been choosing more organic foods and making sure not to purchase items with HFCS. I've been reading labels closely, and thinking more about where the food I am purchasing came from. I'm still saving money though. I'll always check my receipt twice to make sure they didn't overcharge (which they often do, so check your receipt!). I'm still cutting those coupons, reading those fliers, and comparing prices to make sure I get the best (healthiest) deal possible.

honey lover

I should admit that there are many instances where I prefer to remain ignorant about the food that I am eating, so I had never really given the process of honey making much thought until recently.

I am a honey lover. I like it on my chicken, french fries, some vegetables, in tea, and I became a huge fan of the honey latte from Starbucks this spring. I'm not sure if I could give honey up, but the following snippet is making it a little easier.

"Bees suck nectar from flowers with their proboscis (mouth). The nectar mixes with saliva and is swallowed into the honey sac where enzymes from the saliva break down the nectar into honey. The nectar is never "digested," it is only transformed into honey by the saliva. Upon the bee's return to the hive, the honey is regurgitated, dried, and placed into the honeycomb. Beekeepers then extract millions of drops of honey from the cavities of the honeycomb by using a machine that applies centrifugal force to the comb." (http://www.star-k.org/kashrus/kk-palate-honey.htm)

secret

Have you ever seen one of those blogs about cooking? There are several out there that speak fondly and cleverly about food while boasting recipes with step by step directions and pictures. I am always impressed by these blogs and I have often wished I had a blog about food, and so tonight I do.

I think that everyone out there needs to know about this recipe. I thought about keeping it a secret and not sharing it with anyone. That way, I could make it when guests come over and dazzle them with my culinary expertise. They would have no idea how easy it is. But this recipe was shared with me, so I suppose I should stop thinking selfishly and share it with you.

So hesitantly, I am about to teach you how to make sweet potato fries.

Begin with either one or two large sweet potatoes. This will make enough fries to feed 2-4 people.

Note: These vegetables are loaded with vitamins A and C. Clearly, they have never been known for their appearance.

Peel potato(s) and cut into strips. They are rather difficult to cut because they are so hard and oddly shaped. They will also dull your knife. However, the gastronomical results are worth it.


Coat lightly with olive oil (extra virgin, cold pressed is the best). Sprinkle with kosher salt and ground pepper and spread out on cookie sheet.


Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or so and you will be rewarded with the best kept secret out there. So easy, so healthy, sooooo yummy! Paired below with spinach and feta turkey burgers on whole wheat english muffins.



¡Buen Provecho!