Friday, March 6, 2009

Musings

I'm currently reading the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver. It's a really well-written, insightful, and info-packed book about everything related to growing food. She talks a lot about the food industry and what it has done to people by giving us the type of food it does. She talks about heirloom varieties of plants and animals, while going into detail about how they're not just upscale, snobby foods, but sources of nourishment that are vital to our well-being. All of this, against the backdrop of the story of how she and her family uprooted from Tuscon and moved to Appalachia, with the goal of only eating locally-grown foods for a year. There are recipes, funny stories, and enough scary facts to push you into action. It's a great book, and I highly recommend it, even if you're not wanting to grow your own food. It'll change how you look at what you put into your mouth.

I'd also like to note this Scratch Cooking blog. She's got some great recipes on there. It's not all diet-friendly, but on the whole I'll go for whole, fresh ingredients in a meal, rather than something processed and low-point.

6 comments:

Heidi D said...

It's interesting to me that you wrote this. I decided just this week to start a backyard garden. I am really excited about it. I am looking for good beginner level gardening books.

Enz said...

I loved this book. I read it when it first came out and it really pushed me to buy local produce as much as possible. I buy alot in the summer/fall and freeze whatever I can for the winter months when everything we have is imported from somewhere else. There really is a huge difference in taste in food that was picked this morning compared to a week ago and then travelling thousands of miles. As well, I can buy from local farmers markets that don't use pesticides or chemicals.

Definitely a change in the right direction.

Digdin said...

Thank you for the information on the points of different foods. Very thorough! Starting my diet today and you site was very helpful!!

I will be stopping by from time to time to check out you journal. Thanks

Marie said...

Rachel,
what does that book say about MSG? I've done research and it's kind of confusing. good or bad? let me know...Thanks

Rachel said...

I'm glad some of you are on the locally-grown bandwagon. :) Fun stuff.

Marie, I haven't read anything specifically about MSG in the book, but in general, if it's an additive, I'd try to avoid it.

emily said...

I completely agree, I am living abroad, and i cannot find the processed and low fat foods, so i am learning to eat foods that are fresh and natural, trying to use flavor without using fats. I want to find some good (weight watcher point calculated) recipes that dont include these new low fat diet products. Any suggestions?