A Sizzling Good Read:: 'In Defense of Food' by Michael Pollan

I tried to get this book from the library but had to wait over a month to get my hands on to it.Meanwhile, I was getting too impatient and I finally ordered a copy for myself from Amazon:)
Today I am done with it....and have mixed opinion about-- whether I know more now...or whether I am all the more confused about "What to eat"??

The book says, there is no clear evidence that a "low-fat" diet is the key to good health. There are all those 'low fat' and "no fat" foods available in the market ....and yet we still have heart diseases and obesity. Eliminating fats..may not be a good thing to do after-all.
For that matter ...any 'Fad" diets should be questioned.Adding one nutrient or subtracting another may not be helpful after all.
So...like they say---- MODERATION is the Key!!!

What the book makes clear:
1) Stick as much as possible to your 'traditional' diet!!! Less westernization/processed foods in the diet.Your genes/enzymes are designed to work on the food that you traditionally eat. If your vary too much...your body will suffer.

2)  Eat 'variety' of foods--to cover the whole spectrum of Nutrition. More diverse your diet in terms of veggies,fruits, whole grains....the more nutritionally you will benefit. Instead of thinking of food as mere 'combination of nutrients'...think of it's 'completeness' to provide nutrition.

3)  "Non traditional' foods...a product of food science experimentation...may not be the best thing to eat. Their effects on health are yet to be proven. The 'food labels' are often deceiving....they boast of things..they don't provide or have.

It was a nice read overall...and it kept my mind occupied for days!!
Looking forward to next one--"What to Eat" by Marion Nestle.

A Sizzling Good Read:: "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan

With this Book, I am starting a new section in the blog called --      "A Sizzling Good Read", wherein, I will be sharing the book which I am reading/ have read and talk about it!

"Food Rules" by Michael Pollan.....64 Rules about 'What to eat and What to avoid' written in a very simple language!!

 Very simple "rules' that are easy to understand and that will stay with you while making "right' food choices.
E.g. He says, If it came from a plant,eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't!!
So true.... the more processed the food...the more it is likely to be 'bad' for your health.

A must read for a anyone who wants to eat 'better'!

"Food for Thought"-- Do know know what will be on your table in the next few years???

 Do know know what will be on your table in the next few years???

In Vitro 'Lab made' meat? The weeds in your lawn will be your salad mix?? Which ethnic cuisine will reign supreme?? Fish Farming? Will you take a 'nutrition' pill or wear a patch???

A very curious...a very interesting read for all Food lovers:

THE TASTE OF TOMORROW by Josh Schonwald
http://www.amazon.com/The-Taste-Tomorrow-Dispatches-Future/dp/0061804215
 

After Diwali....after all the 'Faral' making...and 'going crazy' about blogging my creations....I came to a much needed break! I needed the break...BUT..... I think...As much as I was tired making the recipes...people got tired of seeing the links to those on their facebook ;) Sorry people....can't help you there!!
Will cook..Will Blog..and Will Share ;)

Anyways....
Josh Schonwald's "The Taste of Tomorrow"...was very interesting... got me thinking about "Future of Food'.What would we be eating...the trends ( The best of all..I found out there is a job called " Food Trendologist or Food Futurist"!!!) Sounds super cool right...discovering the trends in food...getting the first taste of the 'new' foods...predicting which trends will last...
But as super as it sounds...I believe it must be as difficult as well!!

From this book...I am on to a new read....Pamela Ronald and Raoul Adamchak's...."Tomorrows Table"
http://pamelaronald.blogspot.com/
This one is more about....Organic Farming and Genetics...the union of both for the bright future of farming...
Still haven't completed it...will see it it turns me into an "Organic Buyer"!


I will get back to blogging in the next few days. I am glad to have friends like you who visit TheSizzlingPan  and help me keep going:))

You guys are the BEST!!!

Deepti

"Food For Thought"- Are you a 'good' Recipe-Follower?

To be honest....
I am a very 'bad' recipe follower.There has been hardly any recipe that I have followed word by word....teaspoon by teaspoon.When I look at the recipe, I tend to look at it 'overall' what the general idea is. But never have I tried making it 'as-is'. It may be genetics.....or my lack of 'following' skills.

Genetics.....coz my mother never followed the recipe 'as-is' from her cook books. She just had to add a touch of her own. My father was of the opposite opinion.He thought.....if you do not add/ use all the ingredients and quantities, you sort of mess up the recipe. He sometimes measured the ingredients for my mom to follow a new recipe.Yes...they liked cooking together...when they had time!

Being a Microbiologist....I have had enough of measuring/ and following protocols in lab. In the lab, even 1 microliter or 1 microgram here and there matters. If you mess up..your all days work is worthless. You have to start over again.
May be that is why...I want to keep my kitchen unlike a 'lab'. No Strict measurements.No blindly following a recipe/ protocol. I want to be creative. Want to let my brain, mind and heart work together to create something delicious. I want to add a little 'Deepti' to what I cook.....and enjoy it!

It surely doesn't mean, I do not look for recipes for ideas. I sure do. But like I read on
http://www.malas-kitchen.com/    I want to use the 'RECIPE AS A THEME'. The exact words on that website were:

" A Recipe is a Theme which an Intelligent Cook can play each time with a Variation"
This approach of mine doesn't work so well with Baking. Baking is hard core measuring. Here and there....and you mess it up. May be that is why I am a 'lazy' baker. 50% times I turn to cake mixes.But even then....I will always add 'some' touch of my own to the cake mix or the icing to make it my 'own'.
When I really feel motivated ..I bake from scratch.

What about you? How well do you 'mimic' a recipe?

"Food For Thought"- What are your Refrigerator/Pantry staples?

Picture Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_4770981_plan-meals-cheaply-families-budget.html

Everyone has their own Refrigerator/Pantry staples.Things you cannot think you can cook without or stay without.It all depends on your cooking style,your preference and ofcourse your convenience. By 'staples' I mean.... things which reflect your unique cooking or just your choice to have them.Some of the things can be common in everyones household ..but some may surprise you...

Some examples from people I know....and their kitchen would be-
Like for me:
In my Refrigerator you will always find Carrots, Green pepper,tomatoes and broccoli. All the other veggies will come and go on rotation.But these are so versatile for me....I can add these to curries, soups, noodles, pastas etc etc.They go well in 'any' cuisine.
My freezer is always stocked with Frozen green peas,mix veggie and frozen corn.I love to add these to many dishes I make....for nutrition as well as for the 'burst' of color they offer.
Other things I cannot cook without are onions and garlic.....I have to have these all the time!
In the Pantry..I have a stock of some kind of Pasta, crushed tomatoes (to make soups, marinara sauce for pastas,to add to curries etc) and some kind of beans (Garbanzo, kidney or blac beans) for adding to soups/salads or a quick curry.
My mom:
Apart from the 'usual' veggies, my mom always has couple 'boiled potatoes' in the refrigerator.She says they are pretty handy and she can make quick snacks, chaats, parathas,curries whenever needed and not wait for potatoes to boil 10-20 mins before she can actually make the dish.
I do that sometimes myself....but I don't have them as 'Staple' all the time.I will boil couple potaoes in the pressure cooker if there is 'extra' space in the cooker and use them in something in next 2-3 days.
My friends:
My freind 'P' said she always has 'Frozen Spinach' in her freezer.She doesn't let go any chance to add spinach if she can add it to her cooking.So it is convenient and nutritious at the sametime.I had never purchased 'frozen' spinach before.I always used to buy the fresh bagged one..which I used up within 2-3 days after grocery shopping,otherwise it goes bad.But then, if I had to cook something which 'can' have Spinach later in the week, I couldn't add it. Couple weeks ago,I did try the frozen one as 'P' mentioned...and I love it! I can use it in so many different things! I have made fillings for Phyllo Cups, Puff pastry Pinwheels etc.
Other thing 'P' buys often is "Rotisserie Chicken".She says once you buy it..you find ways and dishes to use it up! I haven't tried that one yet.
My friend 'V' once mentioned to me that most of the grocery money goes in buying 'tomatoes'! I know that was 'exaggeration'...but I am sure 'tomatoes' are the 'Staple' of her kitchen.She actually buys them from farm in bulk whenever possible.That's a smart coice!
My friend "A" is a 'heathy' eater...all about soups and salads.I guess her staples are 'lots of veggies' and 'beans'.
How about you? Would you like to share your favorite staples and some ideas to use those...

"Food For Thought"- To be Vegetarian or Non vegetarian...(About movie Food Inc)

Yesterday watched an interesting movie, Food Inc by Robert Kenner. Actually it was a pretty disturbing movie.It was about the nations food industry,food supply and the 'mass' production of foods.
I have read about these issues both online and in my Food Science courses, but when you actually 'watch' something it shakes you up. Samething happened....when we watched the movie, mind you...it was pretty graphic, I am troubled and thinking about it again and again...
They show how your foods reach you.How they are produced. When they show the chicken, cattle or pigs raised for meat,the conditions they are kept in, how they are slaughtered...it is very disturbing.
There is an 'assembly' line for everything...from start to finish everything is done mechanically...mass produced. They show that the hens are breed in a way so that they grow big in 1/4th the time as the traditional hens, they put on as much weight that they cannot stand on their own feet.They are given hormones so that they put on weight on their breasts....to inrease the 'breast meat' production.
Similar thing about cattle....and the pigs.They are fed diets they are not accustomed to.....just to increase 'meat production".
Other than that, the movies discusses,the emergence of E.coli strains and Salmonella strains that are found in meat...and people getting sick. The 'insecurity' of the food supply and how it affects us...
They mention that a  few 'big' companies rule the food supply and production....the farmers,consumers are not the key players anymore...

Everytime I read or watch something like this....I feel like ....I don't want to eat Chicken/meat anymore.
But again in few days..all is forgotten..and I am back..cooking with it and eating it.
To be vegetarian or Non Vegetarian???
I keep asking myself.
But till now, I haven't quite understood,why people criticize only 'mass' production of meat.Killing is killing.You kill in traditioanl way.....or in 'mass' produced way. You are still killing and eating.
So you either give up eating meat or go with the system and demand....
I am myself very confused and disturbed about this whole issue...
What about you?

On the other side...

Nov 16,2009
Just couple days ago....I read a chapter about "Food Security". It explains why the companies have to do certains things, which customers or other people find offensive....
I thought we all should learn to read at both ends...before making any conclusions.So here are some explanations from the other side...
About 'repetitive' nature of  job of slaughterhouse workers-
When I watched the documentary,it showed that the workers are made to do same job again and again so that they can be payed less. But in reality the "Food security" guidelines by the government ask the companies to compartmentalize the jobs.So that at any time,there should be only 'certain' authorized personnel allowed in that department of the slaughterhouse.This is important in 'food security' of the food supply. So every department has few personnel who always are responsible for that particular job.This makes it easier to 'track' if intentional food contamination or 'bio terroism' like activity occurs.

About common feeding operations and meat processing-
The documentary shows that the cattle are feed in 'Common Feeding Operation' grounds and not 'let out in natural environment" for grazing.
The goverment and the companies have to be really carefull of what the cattle eat. Letting out the cattle to graze in 'natural' environment also makes them likely to be targets of intentional food contamination.If everything is controlled, it becomes easier for the food companies and the government to make the food supply safer.
Meat processing by only a few companies has its advantages as well as disadvantages....
Advantage is....if food contamination occurs,the government knows excatly where it was processed and what could be the potential targets.

Like every coin has 2 sides....so does everything else
You have to look at both before making any opinion or decision ....

"Food For Thought"- What's your shopping style?

How do you shop? Make a list first or shop for things that look good and fresh???
By shopping style.....I of course mean Food shopping style here....
For me....I have a list ready, based on what I want to make over the whole week and buy veggies and other ingredients accordingly....
I never thought too much about this...But just last week...I was watching Ina Garten (on Food Network)...and she came up with this issue.
She herself accepted that she is a 'list' person and decides her menu before she shops.
But....
She mentioned that when she visited France, there were these Open Street markets and people shopped for 'what looked fresh that day'...and designed there meal based on that. They look for fresh ingredients and that’s what makes their food better.
Similarly, a contestant on 'Next Iron Chef' was poorly judged by the judges, because she shopped for poor quality Shrimp and that reflected in her dish.

I do not of course buy things, which look poor quality obviously or things that are rotten or decayed.....but here in USA there are hardly any veggies that don't look fresh. Their produce always looks fresh.
Back in India, I never remember my mom making a list before she goes to get vegetables. She will always buy what looks fresh that day and shop accordingly....like in 'France'. And I think same was the case with everyone back there....
So...why has it changed for me here? Why do I have to decide everything in advance? Is it because life is busier here? Grocery shopping is a 'chore' and to be done just 1-2 times a week.....not everyday?

Just some thoughts..... wanted to share with you guys....

"Food For Thought"- Saute your food

Everyday,'M' gets 'tip' through his work email about 'Healthy living'.The tips come through 'CCHL" i.e Cayuga Center for Healthy Living.
Just today he forwarded me this tip about 'Sauteing Food".I thought it was helpful and worth to share with everyone.
TIP BY CCHL-
Do you enjoy your veggies sautéed in a little oil? If so, you can keep
calories and fat down by using oil sparingly. All cooking oils are
high in calories, approximately 125 calories per tablespoon. When
sautéing, heat the oil to a searing-hot cooking temperature before
adding veggies to your skillet. Doing so will decrease the amount of
oil the veggies absorb. Consider using canola oil. It is low in
saturated fat, has more omega-3s than other vegetable oils, and it
does well with high-temperature cooking.

Isn't Chinese food supposed to be made this way....cooked on really high temperature...so that the veggies are seared on outside but remain crisp?
But I have also noticed that it appears oily at times.Is it because the food doesn't absorb that much oil when cooked with this method and remains in the pan...or is it cooked incorrectly using excess oil?
What do you think?

"Food for Thought"-Is fresh food better than canned food?

Is fresh food better than canned food?
By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com
Photograph from: Wikipedia/canning
Canned Foods
© 2008 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Question: Is fresh food better than canned food?Studies show that canned foods are just as nutritional, if not more so, than fresh foods
Answer: The current trend is pushing fresh, organic foods for nutrition and health, but truth be told, fresh vegetables are not necessarily more nutritious than canned. A 1997 study1 by the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition found that canned fruits and vegetables provide as much dietary fiber and vitamins as the same corresponding fresh foods, and in some cases, even more. For example, canned pumpkin provides 540% of the Recommended Daily Intake of vitamin A, while fresh pumpkin only provides only 26%.

Fresh foods begin losing vitamins as soon as they are picked, and often sit in warehouses or in transit for as long as two weeks before they find their way into the market to sit even longer waiting to be purchased.

Fresh fruits and some vegetables are harvested before they are even ripe, and depend upon time and other means to reach the ripened state. Canned foods are harvested at their peak of ripeness and normally cooked and processed from the source within hours, thus preserving more vitamins than their fresh counterparts.

Over 1,500 food products are available in a canned state, lending convenience and diversity to those with a busy lifestyle. The sodium content in commercially-canned foods has been significantly reduced, up to 40% over old canning methods.

Most canned foods are also now available in low-salt, no-salt, low-sugar, and no-sugar preparations for those with special dietary needs and/or those who want a more natural flavor.

Other artcles in support:
http://www.essortment.com/all/cannedfoodsaf_rkxj.htm

In opposition:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Food-Science-1425/2008/10/Canned-food-bad.htm

Any thoughts? Anyone??