I know it's probably not a good idea to blog when you have the flu. I've got a 100+ temp, so I could be talking crazy, and I have had no human interaction since Tuesday except for my husband and my cats. Because I have been couch bound, I've been doing a lot of reading when I haven't been sleeping. One article in particular caught my eye today. It's about the "unhealthiest" cookbooks of the year.
http://foodiesandfatties.com/here-are-the-unhealthiest-cookbooks-of-2011
Health, nutrition, and fitness are all very important. In the perfect world that much of society seems to project, no one would eat fast food. Because of my personal preference for cooking at home, I don't eat fast food often. But this week, when I drove past a McDonalds at lunch time, I stopped in. (For the record, eating at Mickey D's is NOT why I am sick). I can count on one hand the number of times I eat at a fast food restaurant like McDonalds, Burger King, or Wendy's every year. Disclaimer: add a second hand this year, I indulged when the McRib came back. But again, this is due to my family's preference to cut down on eating out (fast food or otherwise) to save money and to give this blog some content (natch). Do you eat fast food more often than that? That's your choice! We live in America, where we are afforded a great many choices in many facets of life. Ain't no shame in my game. When I am having a craving or in a pinch for time, no amount of shame is going to keep me from enjoying my Big Mac.
As a home chef, a food blogger, and a former restaurant industry employee, all different kinds and types of food interest me. I can't eat the same thing day after day, week after week. I have 20+ full journals and notebooks with recipes in them. I have countless recipe boxes. I have index cards with ideas and notes in every room of the house. And yes, you will find "unhealthy" options from all these chefs that are featured in the article above. But the trick? And this is not really a trick, because it seems pretty obvious to me: EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. You probably don't want to cook from Paula Deen's Southern Bible every day. But if you sprinkle a little Paula into your weekly menu here and there, are you really being "unhealthy?" It's all about moderation, variety, and portions.
Not every chef out there is in agreement on what you should be serving to your family. Just look at Paula Deen and Anthony Bourdain. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/26/anthony-bourdain-paula-deen_n_937908.html
I love me some Tony B, but I agree with Paula on this argument. I think he was very harsh in his remarks and is feeding into hurtful labels. Sure, I've passed over recipes because they seemed to be too heavy on one ingredient or another, but saying that Paula is the most dangerous woman in America is asinine. Anthony's huge on sarcasm, but he's also a public figure and a role model and he should probably know by now that people are going to blow up his comments (like I am doing right now).
I strongly dislike labels like "healthy" and "unhealthy." It makes people feel terrible when they decide to indulge in something "unhealthy." Balance yourself. If you have Guy Fieri's jambalaya sandwich (amazeballs, btw), maybe hit the gym extra hard the next time you go. Or balance it out with some light options. Everyone has their own version of what "healthy" and "unhealthy" is. That, in itself, is healthy. I suppose that last sentence makes me a hypocrite, but whatevs, I'm trying to make a point here.
I'm not saying I am a saint and that I don't judge people. But I think that judging people for what they choose to eat or cook is wrong. THAT is what is "unhealthy." Do what is right for you. With 2012 around the corner and all the pressure of resolutions, there is one resolution that I would make if I believed in making resolutions. And that is to be true to yourself. Do what you love, eat what you love, and find the balance in your life that makes the short time we all have on this earth worth living.
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