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Food Matters: A Guide
to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman We love this book. After a rash of other odd dieting books, this "sane approach to eating" is truly that.
You can read it in a day or two. It makes all the sense in the world. And it's easy to follow. Here's the premise: With a few simple, sensible changes in how you eat, you can do a lot for yourself and even
more for the benefit of the planet. Mark Bittman, food columnist for the New York Times,
came to this conclusion after his years of reporting on food news, diets, and delving into the state of food today. The rules? Easy (and I'm not giving away any big secrets here).
1. Eat more plants. Strive for 70% of your calories from plants. Go for
whole grains. 2. Eat less meat and dairy. Maybe a total of two pounds a week. 3. Cut out the junk and processed food. It's no good to anybody -- or any body. Here are the benefits: You'll improve your health. You'll feel better, you'll lose weight. And best of
all, you're saving the planet from having to grow animals for your consumption. This part of the book is especially well-written
and compelling. Bittman has his facts down about the nutritional and ecological implications of so much meat production and
processed food.
So how do you actually DO this? Bittman isn't talking such a radical diet
that you can't stick to it. His own strategy is to go "vegan before six." After that, he has his portion of
meat and "pretty much eats what he wants" still going heavy on the fruits and vegetables. Moving meat from the center of the plate isn't all that difficult. And we quickly realized how easy it is to
use meat and dairy in recipes as a food enhancer, such as a bit of seafood in your stirfry, or a slice of bacon to flavor
a warm potato salad. The meat becomes secondary if not absent.
Shifting Plates in the headlines. From the Obama's kitchen garden at the White House to the headlines about
the red meat study, there's a lot in the news to indicate a techtonic shift in eating. It's doubtful that we'll go scurrying away from red meat. This is America after all. Last night, as I set
my apples, nuts, pears, carrots, whole-wheat crackers, brussel sprouts, soup, salad and a pack of bratwurst down at the supermarket
checkout, the cashier looked at my collection and said to me, "I love hotdogs." I do too. But fortunately, this isn't about giving things up, it's about expanding the spectrum beyond. And
Bittman devotes fully half his book to "how", with recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. They're
not all vegan, but the emphasis is definitely on vegetables, fruits and grains. Legumes are big. Many recipes use an egg or
butter, or throw in a few shrimp or bit of bacon for flavor. I'm trying
it. And so far, so good. I've asked Rachel Rappaport for some veggie-centric recipes:
More suggested reading from The Compleat Bookseller, Chestertown
 Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. What do you do after you've already turned the
food world on its head? Omnivore's Dilemma was a breakthrough in understanding our relationship with food. But what
should we eat? What's healthy? Bottom line: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Discover more here. List
Price: $21.95
This local centerpiece of Chestertown is a full-service independent bookstore.
And the service from Lanny Parks and her staff is something you just won't
find online or at the behemoths. Plus, Lanny knows her cooking. Visit soon. Hours: Monday through Thursday: 9:30 - 5:30 Fridays: 9:30 - 6:00 (During the holiday season - until 8:00) Saturdays: 9 - 5 Sunday: 11 - 4 |
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