Wednesday 14 September 2005

Real Food

I feel yuck and for a long time I've wanted to improve my diet and eat a lot more fresh vegetables, more organic and generally real food. The kids have rebelled for so long now against certain vegetables that gradually we have been reduced down to almost nothing!

The tide is to change as I have vowed to Mr Doris that I am going to take charge of the shopping and to take more care of the catering. Bless him for he is such a sweetie and does so much but I have become a lazy so-and-so, just gotten used to sitting back while he did everything. Well, my laziness has to stop and our diet has to improve. The kids have no idea except that I sat my daughter down the other day and explained to her it was nothing personal but I was going to start cooking more vegetables and if she chose to pick them over then so be it but it would be better if she learned to eat them. By the way, she has been a vegetarian for periods of time and is the only vegetarian I know who wouldn't eat vegetables!

Just to confess all, our weekly diet consists of: a ready made pasta and sauce dish one evening; a frozen ready meal another evening; a ready made pizza another evening.... and already we are getting a picture here. The other evenings would vary: home-made bolognese with wholewheat pasta; pesto pasta (wholewheat); home-made chicken fajitas (organic chicken and fresh peppers); home-made dish of prawns and rice; etc. It is not all bad but it just isn't good enough.

www.slowfood.com has a lifestyle I hanker after which involves taking care and delight in our food because it feeds much more than our bellies. For some time now I have been saying how I want to source organic meats and produce locally but I just haven't done it. Recently in town I came across a Slow Food deli which opened my eyes and gave me lots of tasters of fabulous local cheeses.

If it costs a little more in the end then so be it but what wonderful fuel we will be putting in our bodies. But I wonder with better management if it will really cost more? Sure it will take me away from the computer but far better that I am doing wonderful stuff in the kitchen or down local farms than sitting here always at my computer flaffing around. I'm hoping I might end up more focused. Best of all I'm doing it for me and Mr Doris because I know that we will both appreciate it. The kids will just have to come round to it all. Fingers crossed.



Original Comments:

Karen said...
Good for you Doris - I try to eat lots of fresh veges - being vegetarian mean i have to take extra care over what i eat - You really will feel better for it.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005 9:10:00 PM
Pookie65 said...
I am laughing so hard about your vegetarian daughter who doesn't eat veggies. I try and buy 100% organic whenever possible and have cut way back on the red meat. It's hard finding good organic products in the normal markets here but I hit the farmers markets whenever possible.

So will you be posting recipes? I hope so and will be happy to share if you do.

Huggers for the funny comment/reply to my morning babble :-)
Wednesday, September 14, 2005 10:46:00 PM
Ally said...
We invested twelve quid in a cheap and cheerful jug blender last week and have been having smoothies - someone did lend me a juicer, but it seemed madness to extract the juice and throw away the fibre.

It's really upped our fruit and veg intake and I do feel a lot better for it - I don't get that 'must have some chocolate or a biscuit' feeling in mid-afternoon for a start, and my sugar-in-tea needs have dropped right off. Good luck!
Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:14:00 PM
Milt Bogs said...
Why give up so easily on what you love Doris. Spam pizza, spam bolognese,spam fajitas, home-made dish of spam and rice; spam and local cheeses salad etc. :p
Thursday, September 15, 2005 12:42:00 AM
Anonymous said...
Good for you making such a healthy choice - good luck with the kids :)
Especially the non-vegetable eating vegetarian ;)
Thursday, September 15, 2005 1:40:00 AM
Anonymous said...
Oh that comment was me by the way :)
Thursday, September 15, 2005 1:41:00 AM
Suzi said...
The kid will eat when they get hungry enough. I only WISH I had believed that when mine were smaller!

Good luck with the delicious new plan.
Thursday, September 15, 2005 4:02:00 AM
jane said...
what ends up costing you more is the inner aisles in the markets. the outer aisles, mainly the healthier foods, cost less.
with your busy lifestyle you probably cant do this, but i plan our meals for 2 weeks. i've got a system that works for me & certain cooking magazines i subscribe to. now, i have enough i don't need to add anymore. but it saves us so much money because i always have lists & we always have a meal plan.
you're doing all 4 of you a great service by eating healthier. i wish you all excellent health & great meals!
Thursday, September 15, 2005 5:29:00 AM
Universal Soldier said...
Good luck with it. I actually find the cooking side of things quite relaxing - especially when helped on with a Floyd sized glass of wine;)
Thursday, September 15, 2005 6:40:00 AM
Cheryl said...
I am looking at your normal diet - much what my husband would like, except he has a tendency to get chips (fries) into the mix at least once a week.
I can't do it, without fruit/veg in my diet I start to feel to yukky - your diet list makes me feel sluggish and under the weather just looking at it.
Maybe start with a multivitamin? Feeling better makes people more enthusiastic.
Thursday, September 15, 2005 7:31:00 AM
Anji said...
Good luck. I have to test my blood sugar levels every morning so I can say to them all, you see how they are affected by what we eat! Olivier (14) has started to make an effort. seriously though, more fruit and vegs make a big difference
Thursday, September 15, 2005 10:37:00 AM
Z said...
Have you room to start your own veggie garden? We grow our own veggies and that way we know exactly what we're getting. We produce enought o lat us all year round with help of freezer - this year we grew courgettes, carrots, cabbage, turnips, parsnips, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, chillis, swede, radishes - oh the list is endless.
You get outdoors more - very healthy and much tastier and lots of satisfaction. You can't get any more local than your back garden.
Thursday, September 15, 2005 12:50:00 PM
Z said...
Have you room to start your own veggie garden? We grow our own veggies and that way we know exactly what we're getting. We produce enought to last us all year round with help of freezer - this year we grew courgettes, carrots, cabbage, turnips, parsnips, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, chillis, swede, radishes - oh the list is endless.
You get outdoors more - very healthy and much tastier and lots of satisfaction. You can't get any more local than your back garden.
Thursday, September 15, 2005 12:50:00 PM
yclepta said...
Doris
I looked into slow food a couple of years ago - it's part of a whole movement about living more slowly - what a good idea.
When I was off work sick a few weeks back I cooked stuff I'd NEVER made before - scones, soup etc
It was great - I vowed to keep it up but I haven't - so good wishes to you I'm sure it'll be worth it - the salad sounded fab!
Thursday, September 22, 2005 5:14:00 PM

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