Why Justify?

I don't ask people to justify things to me often.  In fact I am pretty tolerant of most things (barring violence etc., let's call that a given and move on).  I feel that people are basically deserving of living their lives the way they would like to live them, given that they are doing so without harm to those around them.  Okay, this is not a preachy session so moving on.  The point is.  Live and let live.  And its really worked.  I try to be as accepting of other's ways of life as possible in the hope that in return I will be given some leeway when they see me in line at the video store with some cheesy sci-fi for flick I have seen a bazillion times or if I'm caught redhanded listening to Madonna (you know you do it too).  But lately I have found myself justifying to every person I meet my eating habits.  This baffles me.  For years and years I ate the JCG diet.  Junk, crap and garbage.  I wallowed in fast food, eating out most nights and going to the store with a list that often included more food manufactured in a plant than food manufactued on plants.  I got "chunky" and have always been pudgy and no one said anything.  Nobody raised an eyelid if I bought Lean Cuisines by the dozen or if my cart was filled with chips, ice cream and soda. 

Lately I find that everytime I start to load my groceries onto the conveyer belt I am met with raised eyebrows by those around me and soemtimes by the cashiers themselves. I raise up my chin, prepared for the questions and answer session as I remain pinned between a stranger buying Corn Nuts and Mentos to soak up his Red Bull and mom buying organic milk to wash down her Ding Dongs and the questions, it seems, are always there.  "What's up with all the Gluten-free stuff?" Really none of your business but, "We have some intolerance going around."  Which is usually met with rounds of sympathy, disdain or that shared look amongst the group that says "Yea, right, crazy lady on a bandwagon." 

Why?  I have lost almost 15 pounds.  I am not taking medication for my ADD.  My daughter eats better than I ever did.  My husband does not complain of chronic mouth pain or stomach problems.  Why should these people judge me now that I have made a health choice for my family?  Where were they when I was in line at 2 in the morning for Dick's cheeseburgers and fries after work?  Or when I couldn't decide between yellow and chocolate Zingers when I was pregnant so I ate both and washed them down with a Slurpee that could have drowned a small colony of rats?  Now that I have health and wellness why do they look at me like I'm a freak?  And don't even get me started on teh looks I get when they find out about the meatlessness!! You'd think I was announcing plans to terrorize school children with bowls full of peeled grapes calling them eyeballs. 

I mean, is it really so bad?  That I want to feel good and be around to see my daughter grow up and this works for me?  There are people who are out there killing other people with guns and you have to judge me becuase I don't want to eat wheat? Really. Come on.  Let's get over it.  And if you are really feeling sorry for me, pick up some flourless truffle brownies, the ones in the blue and white striped box and whip up a batch.  Heck, splurge on some organic butter and make 'em really naughty.  I dare you to feel sorry for me after you've tasted those bad boys.  Believe me, Zingers? Peeshaw. 

Lightning over the Tri Cities

Beautiful!

We can't be so negative when we focus on what goes into our bodies. When we think about food, which we do almost all day, we need to restructure the way we think about food. It has become so distorted, more about the product before it gets to us and less about what it does for us. I look at Romilly and she is so unadulterated when it comes to her diet. She gets zero junk food, except when she goes to Christina's and has a nibble of homeade chocolate frosting (thanks cuz) but she is still drawn to the cookie packaging and candy aisle. That's marketing. And this from a kid who watches (almost) no television. But look at her. She eats better than we do. No vegetable turned down, no fruit unbegged for, no food uneaten. That's because she doesn't know any different.

What did we do wrong. We gave into the negative feedback from the food industry. Dirt on your food is bad. You need your food pure, clean, fast, easy. You shouldn't have to slave all day in teh kitchen over a hot stove, you deserve a microwaved, easy dinner. Ha, easy to get fat.

Okay, so there I go, sucked into the negative. What do I love about what we are doing with our feeding habits right now? I love that last night we ate a pizza with homemade crust (well sorta homemade, I mean, it was still out of a package, but it wasn't frozen). I love that I made Pesto for the first time in my life and that it turned out and that I did not need a recipe. I love that I used Basil from OUR garden to make that Pesto and I love how Romilly went "mmmm" and said more with her little hands when she licked some of the spoon. I love that every Saturday we are getting up and supporting the Farmer's Market and eating fruit fresh from the vine/tree/dirty ground and that Romilly love berries and tomatoes more than she loves cheese and cookies. I love how you won't eat cheese with veal gut in it or marshmallows anymore becuase you keep thinking about the evil "PIG SKINS" even though marshmallows are soooooo yummy. And I love that we are cooking again and that the only thing that we are microwaving lately is leftovers. We are doing a great job. This was so hard for me in the beginning; I felt lost and confused reading cookbooks full of unfamiliar recipes, and now I feel like we are starting over, the Adam and Eve of culinary gardening, discovering new tastes, and new ways of cooking things, that are not really new, but have been lost to our generation becuase we have been too busy shopping for Lean Cuisines. I think that we are embarking on a great life together in the kitchen. That this is going to unfold in to new ideas for us in other ares of our living as well and we will find that we are doing more for ourselves, growing more for ourselves and leaning less on the commercial world as we delve into this forgotten business of rediscovering our "roots". I love this adventure and I just need a reminder now and then. So when I get harried or frustrated and when I am swearing like a sailor and begging for something easy to cook, pull out the food procesor and bring some basil in from the garden and remind me of last night and the "mmmm" and the goodness that this is bringing.

Garden Basil Sunflower Pesto

4-6 cups fresh from the garden basil

lots of garlic

sunflower seeds (unsalted) about a cup

juice of a lemon

about 1/3 cup olive oil (for creamy consistency)

salt and pepper to taste

Place basil, garlic sunflower seeds and lemon juice in food processer and pulse until well blended. on low speed, drizzle in olive oil and blend until creamy. dash in salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight. Serve on pizza or use as a dip for crudite or any tasty bread or cracker. Would also be nummy over pasta.