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May 19, 2007
Really Annoying Trip to the Grocery Store
I don't know why I continue to be surprised by the fact that the regular grocery store is full of junk food and people who can't identify vegetables.
First, I was looking for dried cilantro, so I asked an employee where I might find spices. He had no idea. I thought to myself, "Everyone comes to the grocery store for processed junk and no one can find something you would actually use to cook food!"
Then I went over to the dairy and egg section to buy my nonfat organic milk and eggwhites. I passed a sign for the "Kids' Cookie Club." Apparently, parents can sign up their kids for this deal where you buy a certain amount and the kid gets a free cookie. Way to help out with the childhood obesity epidemic. Can't we find some better way to reward kids than to feed them stuff that sets them up for a lifetime of obesity and disease? When I was a kid, it was a major treat to go to the giant salad bar. I turned out fine.
Then I went to check out and the cashier couldn't identify a single one of our salad greens. That's right: kale, napa cabbage, and turnip greens utterly confused this fellow.
"I haven't eaten greens like that since I was a kid," said he.
I'll admit I wasn't in the best of all possible moods.
"Well, that's unfortunate," said I. "You might want to try them again. Cause if you don't eat healthy, you'll end up in the hospital much sooner than you might like."
"Healthy food just isn't right," he said. "Big Macs, fries, that's what I like. Healthy food is un-American."
"I suppose someone has to support the heart bypass industry," I replied.
"Yeah, sign me up for heart bypass surgery," said this fellow, who was overweight and I'd say in his twenties, "Cause my arteries are already clogged up. But I'll die full and happy."
One of my bags was quite heavy, so I asked if the cashier could put it in my cart. He referred the request to the skinny cashier at the next aisle.
I got out of the grocery store as fast as I could.
I have nothing against the occasional cookie, piece of brie, whatever. When I go out for a nice dinner, I often split a dessert, and I thorougly enjoy it. But there's something sick about a culture where the majority of Americans are overweight or obese, heart disease is the number one killer, and grocery stores are maketing cookie clubs to kids. Eating stuff like that should be a once in awhile thing, not an every day thing. As Cookie Monster says, "Cookies are a sometimes food."
Kids get cookies as rewards, but normal people can not identify salad greens.
Anyhow, I spent a lovely afternoon at Longwood Gardens with my mom and my new staff member from London. The flowers are so pretty! We had a nice lunch on the terrace, and I actually had a fritatta with eggplant and asparagus. Unfortunately it was not an eggwhite fritatta, so I'll be going light on calories tonight at dinner with just a small salad and some nonfat yogurt and flax oil. It was the best thing I could find on the menu, which had less in the salad department than I remembered.
Tomorrow I'm going to a potluck and I am blanking on ideas for something to bring. Seems like I've made variations on my vegetarian chili too many times to count, and while everyone enjoys it, I just can't bring myself to recycle the recipe one more time. Thoughts? I need to bring something vegetarian and substantial.
Posted by april at May 19, 2007 6:29 PM
Comments
Hi April: Try this. I haven't made it myself, but I would like to, as it sounds very good.
Asian style coleslaw
This unusual variation is made with spicy peanut dressing.
1 pound green cabbage (about half a medium head), finely shredded
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey (optional)
2 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 one-and-a-half-inch piece fresh ginger
1/2 jalapeño chile, seeded
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
4 medium radishes, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
4 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1. In the bowl of a food processor, puree peanut butter, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño until a smooth paste is formed. Toss cabbage, carrot, radishes, scallions, and dressing together in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Posted by: Yvonne at May 19, 2007 5:37 PM
Hey ApriL: I'm on a roll. Here's another idea. This is nice as side salad if somebody else is doing the main dish.
Broccoli Salad
1 head fresh broccoli, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup green onions, chopped
½ cup raisins (or dried cranberries)
½ cup peanuts, sunflower seeds, or walnuts
(or add shedded carrot, red cabbage, red pepper for color)
Dressing:
½ cup mayo (sub light mayo, or fat-free yogurt)
1 tablespoon white wine or cider vinegar
Dash of hot pepper
½ tsp curry powder
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the broccoli, veggies and raisins. In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add vegetable mixture, and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate two hours or overnight. Just before serving, toss salad with peanuts, walnuts or sunflower seeds.
Posted by: Yvonne at May 19, 2007 7:04 PM
April,
there's a recipe which I made last weekend, for gingered vegetables with lentils, which you might adapt - use the Muir Glen tomatoes, chopped small, and black beans instead of lentils ..
http://www.rdamethod.com/f/44/gingered-vegetables-and-lentils
artifex
Posted by: artifex at May 19, 2007 8:49 PM
Hey APrilitamu,
How about a nice lentil salad or stew? If salad, make sure to use lots of dill, parsley, some cumin seeds, fresh cilantro, red peppers and lemon juice, paprika too. If a stew, carrots and onions go very well with lentils.
love,
z.
Posted by: istanbulwitchy at May 19, 2007 11:28 PM
"I suppose someone has to support the heart bypass industry,"
Hilarious! I am going to borrow that line.
Posted by: bethsheba at May 20, 2007 12:45 PM
Your Lasagne is a totally delicious dish that everyone will love (with or without Quorn)if you want to bring a main course. Or, if you prefer to bring a salad, Liz's "Fruity Cabbage & Walnut Salad" is truly wonderful:
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts,
1 cup shredded red cabbage,
1 cup shredded green cabbage,
2 green onions, sliced,
1 carrot, grated,
1 stalk celery, sliced,
1 apple, diced,
1 orange, chopped,
1 tablespoon each: rice vinegar, lime juice, light soy sauce, and olive oil,
1 teaspoon grated ginger,
Pinch each of cayenne pepper,
Half Salt, pepper, and Splenda. Directions:
1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, cook walnuts until lightly toasted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, green onion, carrot, celery, apple, orange, and the toasted walnuts.
3. In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, olive oil, Splenda (optional), ginger, and cayenne pepper. Pour over salad, tossing well. Season if desired. Healthy, crunchy delciousness! JD :-)
Posted by: Judith at May 20, 2007 3:32 PM
April-- Do you remember when you watched Cookie Monster and I pointed out that he had no teeth? I'm glad I took you to a lot of movies--Fantasia, the Seventh Seal, Grease, Flashdance. Oh and All That Jazz. Love you, Mother of April
Posted by: Marti at May 21, 2007 11:02 AM
I have repeatedly complained to the managment of my grocery store about their prostate cancer fundraiser: $1 root beer floats. Yup, that's right, they raise money for an obesity related cancer by selling ultra-cheap cups of pure sugar. :-/ I've even complained to the organization they raise money for, which expressed horror, but couldn't do anything about it.
No ideas for the potluck though... veggie chili is my mainstay.
Posted by: thatgirljj at May 21, 2007 11:06 AM
Wow, more keepers. How generous of all to share these great recipes. I'm copying and pasting to my files.
Someone I know weighs close to 300 lbs, has sleep apnea, emphysema, diabetes, glaucoma, cardio vascular disease, a damaged back, high blood pressure and beginnings of dementia, but won't lose weight. Isn't that strange?
Posted by: arturo at May 21, 2007 7:31 PM