Like The Incas

Most of us eat several times a day. Any slight sensation of hunger and we feed it. It’s even recommended to eat six smaller meals a day to keep our metabolism revved up.

Here in America, the land of the plentiful –- we have an abundance of food.  And a number of places to get the food: stores, restaurants, gardens, and farms. The latter, unfortunately, are the least likely places most of us get our food. Our connection to our food is severely limited. Our knowledge of our food, not much better.

When I think about all the food choices I have I feel pretty spoiled. I mean, I get to eat whenever I want and almost effortlessly. My biggest challenge usually is what am I going to eat? The choices almost make it more difficult. Sure, I have to go to the store, select, buy, and prepare the food. But, really that’s pretty easy.

I think back to the Incas. They were some pretty sophisticated thinking people, especially when it came to agriculture. They developed hand made tools to cultivate the land. They worked in systematic groups to plough the fields. They were very in tune with nature and crop seasons. Since they were so close to their food they planned their meals according to what was available at the time. They weren’t guaranteed maize or quinoa year round. It wasn’t every day they successfully hunted a Llama.

 

They worked hard for their food. They understood how valuable, precious food was to their survival. They didn’t take food for granted. They appreciated their food. They even chanted and sang while working for their food. Food was at the heart of everything they were.

We are a culture obsessed with food, but we don’t honor food the way the Incas honored food. Am I suggesting we return to the ways of the Incas? Well, yes and no. I’m suggesting at the very least we start honoring nature, the animals, and respect the seasons.  And, perhaps we could stop complaining about a simple trip to the grocery store where we get to chose from all sorts of goods. Never mind they aren’t in season. Perhaps we could take some time and cook food from scratch at home, and enjoy a sit down meal together every now and again.

It’s a far fetched notion to return to the ways of the Incas, but at the very least let’s be more mindful and conscious of our food, and food choices.  At the very, very least remember it hasn’t always been this easy.

Home Cooked Critics

I'm not a nutritionist. I did, however, successfully complete a "Food and Your Health" course at the 100 level.  The degree I hold happens to be a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism. My studies in journalism required me to research, dig up info. So although I am not a journalist I still use that same inquisitiveness in my daily life. Whenever my interest is piqued about a subject or something, I research it, read about it. Typically, I read more than one source - just as any good journalist would. My researching and reading is how I've come to know what I know about: Food, health, fitness, etc.

I admit -- I have no idea about the nutritional breakdown of the food I prepare and eat or the recipes I've created and share. When I teach cooking classes, I always introduce myself and divulge just that. Perhaps some critics may say my recipes and the way I eat doesn't fall into the "healthy" category.  They may be right. My response, I eat good wholesome home cooked meals, which I feel is better than the alternatives (boxed processed food, fast-food). I eat food. Real food.

The Incans didn't have nutritionist. They didn't need them. They gathered, hunted and ate real food. The operative word: real.  I don't mean to be dismissive of the whole idea about calories and the nutritional value of food, but I think if we look at real food: Vegetables, fruit, grains, nuts, seeds, lean protein, and good fat we don't have to concern ourselves with the calories and such. It's the so-called food that comes in boxes, packages, and fast-food joints that we have to be concerned with. I think when we started tinkering with food, processing food that's when we lost our way.  I'm starting a movement to bring cooking back.

I lovingly prepare 99 percent of my meals at home using fresh ingredients that I've hand selected from the grocery store. I eat tons of fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and lean protein. Oh yeah, and I exercise to counter it all. Sure, I use butter not like Paula Deen, but I do use butter. Even, sugar. White table sugar. I don't want to compromise the taste of my food by using fat-free substitutes or wanna-be concoctions (e.g. margarine). Furthermore, let's think about it...If the fat is removed from such ingredients, something is added back to it, to try and make it taste better -- duh!

So, for those who take my healthy cooking classes, follow my recipes from my convenient little cookbook Bringing Cooking Back my recipes are from the heart. I'm sensible about my food choices, mindful of eating, and I exercise. To me that's healthy. I'm trying to reach the masses and for the masses I believe this is the most reasonable approach. Most of us will never have a body of a cover model or have a athletes physique, but we can all prepare and eat good healthy wholesome food and be fit. That's my hope for me and for you. To the critics, I contend that eating home cooked meals are better than the alternatives. I've taken control of my health by cooking good wholesome meals at home. I urge you to join me. One day, maybe I'll have the opportunity of partnering with a nutritionist, until then...let's eat, drink, and be merry not gluttonous.