While I am not sure I
totally agree with the statement that 'you are what you eat', as I
walk through the aisles of the local grocery stores and peek at the
contents of the shopping cart around me, I do wonder if there might
not be at least some level of truth to the statement. Perhaps there
is a government study that can be done to validate my observations.
Take for example, the
fresh vegetable and produce aisle. While I don't see too many people
pretending to be a fresh broccoli or organically grown kale leaf,
their look is a great deal different than those walking the candy and
soda aisle. And the same might be said at the fresh meat and fish
counter. ( I often wonder what happens to those items that do not get
sold. Where do they end up?)
I confess! I like to
eat and I tend to eat a variety of different foods. I especially like
Italian, the spaghetti and pizza variety along with stuffed shells
every once and a while for a change of pace. Top the meal off with a
nice glass of red wine, for the heart of course, and it could be the
perfect -10 degrees below zero meal for the middle of January. But,
because I like Italian food, does that me an Italian?
I like fish, either of
the fresh or salt water variety, including clams, shrimp, and other
things that crawl along the the ocean floor. But I don't think that
makes me a fisherman, although in my younger days I did cast a line
on occasion.
Depending upon the time
of year, I can pass up a frozen hamburger patty out of a box for a
fresh green salad with plenty of lettuce, some freshly cut cucumbers,
a radish or two for a bit of spice and several slices of freshly
grown tomatoes. With just a few drops of salad dressing, memories of
the long, cold winter are gone. But because I like fresh fruits and
vegetables doesn't make me a farmer, although I do dream about owning
several acres of land, with two or three garden plots, lush with
freshly grown vegetables (tomatoes are my favorite), I might also
have a small tractor (that's what I really want) and maybe one or
two sheep.
Snacking has become
almost a national pastime and was fine with me when I was a bit
younger. Potato chips, pop corn and cheese doodles were often found
in partially opened bags on the kitchen counter or atop the
refrigerator. But as the doctor once said at an annual physical,
unless I want to end up in a plastic bag like a bag of chex mix, I
might want to think about something a bit healthier. How about
chocolate? OK. I like apples and bananas too.
If I am what I eat, I
must be a breakfast person. Of the three meals of the day, maybe more
meals for others, I like breakfast the best and to support my liking,
the research shows that it is the most important meal of the day and
should not be skipped, especially if you are a kid at school (For
the record, I do support breakfast programs at school, Too many
children come to school hungry and as a result have difficulty
learning.)
Breakfast offers a
variety of options and so many different tastes. I know there are
people not fond of eggs, but there is nothing like two fried eggs,
sunny side up, several pieces of freshly buttered toast, with real
butter, two strips of bacon, a fresh glass of orange juice and a cup
of freshly brewed coffee. And that's just the appetizer! Just
kidding. Because I like breakfast, maybe I am what I eat. No. I am
not the chicken or the pig. But I am someone who enjoys a hearty and
healthy meal at the beginning of the day.
But my favorite
breakfast is...french toast. The great thing about french toast is
that it can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Fresh off the
grill and golden brown in color, the only enhancement needed is the
warm 'pure' maple syrup, drizzled over the top, poured from one of
those tiny little glass pitchers. Maybe I really am French at
heart.
Could someone please
pass me the syrup!
No comments:
Post a Comment