Gaining Control

I've always been one to question pretty much everything. It drove every math teacher I ever had mad, and I am sure my parents sometimes wished I had been a more compliant child. I really don't think it comes from a place of trying to be a contrarian, rather I just like to know facts and details prior to making a decision.
One of the classes I took in grad school was about the economics of information - sounds deathly dull, right? It turned out to be one of the most fascinating courses I ever took. We studied Noam Chomsky and watched his documentary Manufacturing Consent. It examined how data or raw information becomes news - there really is someone editing everything prior to it getting to us - thus deciding just what we see in the first place. This confirmed my suspicion that big media was likely not a great news source, or that headlines certainly don't tell the whole story. You should always examine the source of the information to see who benefits - someone always does. Always question!

What does all of this have to do with food, you might wonder. Well, the food you buy for your family leads to a benefit for someone and if you routinely choose packaged food, the benefit is largely for big manufacturers (I am resisting saying always because I don't want to sound all conspiracy-theory here). The more steps the foods you buy are away from their natural state, the more likely the only one really benefiting is Mr. Kellog/Quaker/Nestle/Kraft etc. It very likely isn't you or the people who farmed the food. I can't think of one particular instance when processed food is the more nutritious alternative to whole food. However, all of those claims on boxes would like you to think otherwise. You have to buy this because it's "heart healthy," "lowers cholesterol," "high fibre." Look at your source, find out who benefits and remember don't overlook whole foods because they aren't the darlings of the food industry. They are the darlings of your health and well-being. Heck, if you want to know if all of those claims are true, take a look around and see if you are impressed with the state of health of the majority of the population. Yeah, didn't think so.

Ok, lecture over. Erm, guess not. Sorry, this is just really important to me. Thinking critically about what you are buying - its effects on your health and your budget - leads to informed choices. Gaining control of your own mind rather than letting the screaming claims tell you what to do will benefit you in the end. This absence of direct benefit is one of the striking hallmarks of the Whole9 and the Paleo movement in general. There is no fee you have to pay to sign in or sign up, there are no products that are needed for success that are only available through them. I like that I don't feel their hands in my pocket - it really seems borne of a genuine desire to help others achieve optimal health.

Phew! Got that off my chest. On to today's eats:

Breakfast: Left-over souvlaki and grilled veg, eaten while driving. I'm a carnivorous omnivore.

Lunch: Couldn't have been more awesome. Pan-fried cod that was caught this very morning by my 4 year old (with some help from an uncle who generously took us on a cod fishing adventure on the Atlantic today). I lightly coated it with a mix of almond and coconut flour, salt, pepper and a smattering of paprika. Crudités rounded out the meal.

Snack: Two cinnamon kissed date and nut truffles.

Dinner: Left-over steak (the rub had cinnamon, cocoa and cayenne - divine), medley of fridge available veggies sautéd in olive oil with garlic and lemon, some nuts sprinkled on top.

Snack: a small bowl of cherries.

Confession: I've been developing a recipe in my head for salted caramel cocoa truffles, paleofied. I can't wait to start in on it. And ice cream - it's super warm here and I'd love to enjoy a bowl of ice cream right now.