What is "healthy"?

What does one consider when they choose to consume something? It seems that taste buds no longer play the same role in our decision making process as they did for our predecessors. As new studies continuously unveil hidden truths about our foods and the affects they have on our bodies and environments, it seems the flavor of our food has begun to take the backseat to these other factors. I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but at what point does our obsession with what is in our food become unhealthy?

I find it interesting how society continues to produce growing concerns and repeated warnings about eating disorders during adolescence, but rarely ever touches on the issue of disordered eating. Very few people even know what disordered eating is, and while the rearrangement of words and added past particle may appear to imply similar meaning; they are actually two very different things, worthy of equal caution. I’ve witnessed the affects of both. I watched helplessly as my sister suffered from anorexia for years, while I myself experienced the implications of disordered eating last winter. Eating disorders can be life threatening, while disordered eating can consume one’s entire life­. So why is it that disordered eating is not worthy of the same attention?

Anorexics share the determination to eat as little and as rarely as possible, while the life of a disordered eater varies depending on the person. For me, food became my top priority in life. I spent hours researching the nutritional content of everything and anything I would ever consider eating. I became a human encyclopedia of caloric values, fat count, and sugar percentages. What began a healthy diet transgressed into an obsession with health. Ironically, strangers, parents, and even doctors commended me for my incredible physical condition and self-determination. However, beyond a certain point my mental health began deteriorating with each additional pound lost. I was too engulfed in all of the benefits resulting from my obsession to notice what was happening to me, and had plenty of excuses to justify the loss of many of my friends. My elders all advised me to dismiss criticism from peers as jealousy. My grades and self-confidence were at an all-time high, and since I was never technically “too thin”, only my friends could see how truly unhealthy I’d become. I had a mental tally of the number of calories I’d consumed throughout each day. However, after every meal I made sure to double check all of these approximations with calorie counting programs I’d downloaded to my desktop­, so as to establish how much I was “allowed” to eat for the remainder of the day. These programs required me to know serving sizes in order to receive accurate estimations. So, I began measuring my food with measuring cups. I measured out the fat-free sugar-free creamer I would put in my coffee, and the occasional juice I allowed myself as a treat. I refused to eat past 8:00 PM (unless I was on the verge of tears, in which case I would have an apple), causing me to go to bed hungry often and never fully get a good night of sleep. I would awaken easily at about 5:00 am each morning from hunger pains, and so, I would begin my day early, giving me more time to spend on my studies. I stepped on the scale at least five times a day, and became a prisoner of my mind.

It’s scary to think that this was my reality. Reflecting on the days when I thought a rice cake was too many empty calories I realize why people called me crazy. So, while it actually has made me a much healthier, wiser, and more informed person today, it cost me my sanity last year.

Borsch

http://www.russianfamily.net/images/rf_borsch.jpg

Have you heard about Borsch?

Borsch, Borshch or Borsht is one of the few truly national completely Ukrainian foods. I hate when people think that Borsch originated in Russia because we already have so many dishes in common with them. The Borsch is beets soup, which must have some main ingredients to be called a real Ukrainian Borsch and not a Russian or Lithuanian Borsch. The main ingredients are: potatoes, cabbage, onions, garlic, dill, sour cream and of course beets. Borsch can be served and cold but it tastes way better when it’s warm and has a spoon of cold sour cream floating on top of it. The beets give Borsch the amazing red color and the sour cream may be mixed in to make up a lighter red. Borsch is the first thing I eat every time I come back to Ukraine and nothing makes me feel more at home. There is a saying in Ukraine which articulates that every household has it’s own Borsch, I completely agree with this statement. My mother’s Borsch is a whole lot different then the Borsch they serve at restaurants and it is even different from my grandpas Borsch even thought he is the one who taught her how to cook it. My mothers Borsch s of course my favorite. Her special ingredients are: potatoes, beef cut in large pieces, carrots, cabbage, onions, garlic, dill and some called sour cream on top. Nowadays you can find borsch in instant packs that can be made in 3 minutes just like the Rammen noodles. I brought some of these packs to Kent and when I was cooking them people would come up to me and they would tell me that they know what Borsch is. I think it’s amazing that some people in the US know the National Ukrainian food. The next time you decide to stop by Ukraine make sure you try a plate of delicious Borsch.

Cell Tech

Have you ever wanted to gain 7 pounds in just 7 days? With cell tech hardcore I have gained at least 30 kilos of muscle, that is why I love my cell tech hardcore pro series. The delicious taste of the fruit punch cools me down after a long hot day as I feel it increasing the size of everything it moves through even my stomach. I also love my cell tech because it is scientifically shown to build 26x more rock-hard mass then creatine while delivering explosive strength to my muscles. This amazing drink has been designed by 44 of the best researchers in the world to deliver a muscle building formula that I can use to destroy freshmen in the gym. With beach season coming my cell tech hardcore pro series is all I need to be the best looking thing on the beach including all the girls swarming around me. If I forget to take my cell tech I start to look like Beavers. Don’t you want to look like me? If so, go to the gym and treat yourself to my favorite drink; cell tech hardcore pro series. Some people think that creatine and cell tech are bad for you and that all it does is fills your muscles with water in order to increase in mass. This, my friends, is not true because sometimes I eat the powder of the cell tech with no water and I can feel myself get bigger with every bite. How are my muscles filling with water if I don’t drink any? This cell tech formula is so delicious sometimes I even sprinkle the cell tech on my food in the dining hall to make it taste better. Cell tech really makes my life better and it is my favorite thing in the world.

Your Go-To Meal

When eating at restaurants, everyone has a “go-to” meal which they choose if they cannot find anything more appealing on the menu. This is not to say that this meal is a last resort by any means, but rather that it is so satisfying that you literally cannot choose another option unless you are absolutely craving something else. I would even go so far as to say that you feel psychological remorse when you ignore your instincts and choose something new in attempt to be “adventurous” or “different,” when deep down you know you wish you had listened to your “gut,” both literally and figuratively. I am not advocating limiting your choices, especially in the presence of top notch culinary excellence (wherever you may find it), but the next time your friend or parent says, “Hey, you always get that, how about trying something different for a change?” remember that you chose your go-to food for good reasons. Remind the nay-sayer that everyone has a dish that they are particularly comfortable with and they should not be ashamed in coming back to it frequently. After all, eating is synonymous with happiness; do not let insecurity get in the way.
My go-to meal is a chicken parmesan sub. The “Eating Well” food blog calls it a “neighborhood-deli classic” and I cannot think of a better way to describe its classification, mainly because throughout my childhood to this day I still order chicken parm subs from the same people at the neighborhood deli. Other than its ever-enticing juicy, greasy, meaty, and saucy components, the reason this sandwich has become my go-to meal is that, wherever I order one, it still reminds me of that small town deli that I grew up ordering from. I do not know if the chickens or any other ingredients they use are organic, but the amount of care that I continuously see the people behind the counter put into a sandwich as simple as chicken parm makes me feel blessed that I can eat food that is prepared this carefully, and it ignites a spark of hope in me that someday soon all will be able to eat food which is prepared in this way. That is why the chicken parm sub is my go-to meal.

BBQ'in

With summer approaching I get the most excited for BBQ’s at home. My dad always makes a fire and my mom will prepare the food. My favorite things to eat are the typical BBQ food. I love cheese burgers, hot dogs, and pasta and potato salads. I enjoy BBQ’s not just because of the food, but because of the fact that it brings my family together in the summer time and we can always eat and hang out with Friends outside.
The smell of a BBQ stands out in the summer time. When going through my neighborhood you can always smell someone cooking outside with their family and friends and I love the feeling it gives me. When I was young; the one thing I remember about the foods I ate was when I would BBQ outside with my friends and family. BBQ’s brought my family closer and gave us time to spend with each other. My favorite part about them is the macaroni salad my mom makes, she uses the little elbow noodles and adds carrots mayonnaise and herbs…I grew up eating this and it continues to be one of my favorite foods.

Cinnamon Buns

Growing up, the weeks filled up easily. Between sports practices, homework, play dates, and school, my family and I were always on different schedules. Sunday was family day, a day where we catch up and spend quality time together. The day always started by waking up to the sweet smell of freshly baked Pillsbury cinnamon buns.
Breathing in the sweet smell of freshly baked Pillsbury cinnamon buns, immediately perks me up as I lye in bed. Being lazy on a Sunday morning is impossible when the warm sweet smell of cinnamon buns enters my body. The cinnamon buns are coming right out of the oven, which means I have to beat my brother to the kitchen. As I run down the stairs into the kitchen my mom hands me the small clear container of vanilla icing to smear on top of the cinnamon buns. The small tablespoon amount of icing immediately begins to melt on top of the golden brown cinnamon pastries. My brother comes down and we immediately fight over the biggest cinnamon bun. Even though they’re all the same, we fought over which one has the most icing, or which one seems to look the biggest. Usually I loose in the game of rock paper scissor shot, so I take my pick from the seven other cinnamon buns on the tray. The soft dough easily morphs around my fingertips. The dough is soft and chewy. A hint of cinnamon and the sweet taste of vanilla take over my taste buds. It is impossible not to want another bite. My brother and I devour each cinnamon bun in a matter of minutes. My mom and dad have to quickly swoop in before my brother and I eat them all. With our mouths covered in vanilla icing and fingertips sticky from the cinnamon, we sit around the kitchen table in our pajamas laughing and enjoying the calm moment in our chaotic lives.
Even though my family and I don’t make the cinnamon buns from scratch, the ready made Pillsbury cinnamon buns bake in ten minutes and taste like they were made from scratch. Instead of choosing to spend the time baking the cinnamon buns from scratch, we spend our quality time sitting around the kitchen table enjoying each other’s company, and eating pastries that were baked in a mere matter of minutes.

Eggplant

There is nothing more satisfying than eggplant on the grill. The dark violet color of the eggplants untouched skin glows against any other vegetable. Eggplants can be sliced and cooked into a simple gourmet side dish in less than ten minutes. When I come home from school it is the first thing I ask for as well as the last before I go back…
My Dad has a simple recipe. He first thinly slices the eggplant into slices about a fifth of an inch thick. He then moves the slices to a bowl where he marinates them in a little concoction of things like olive oil and salt and some herbs. From there he takes the bowl straight to the grill, which has been on for a little while now. He dips his tongs into the mixture and places the eggplant straight onto the grill. He does the repeatedly until the grill is blanketed in shiny yellow white seedy pieces of eggplant. Because they are sliced so thinly you can see the coals glowing under the grill bars and see the black lines of the grill being branded into the sides facing the grill. At about 4 minutes or less my dad will go around and flip them. He will then wait for them to be cooked about evenly on both sides and then take them off the grill and serves them on a simple white platter.
I love the way the eggplants have so many different textures with in them. The skin becomes crispy and dark while the inside is still warm and moist. Although eggplants are no delicacy, I treat them like one; it has always been my favorite vegetable to come home to and always will be.