Week 3: The Business of Food (then my recipes)

The question that I got most this week after explaining Whole30 was, "So...what do you eat?" It fascinates me that as a society, we are so accustomed to processed, easy, and conventional foods that we forget that good "real" food exists. You know...fruits, veggies, meats, and nuts! I am going to step on my soapbox here, so if you want to bypass that, head on down a few paragraphs! I have often thought about food as it relates to politics, the economy and "business," but increasingly (and in conversations with others), I find myself frustrated at the "healthy" items that are forced on us, and why? It is all about money. Not about our health. Take yogurt for example. We have been advised to eat at least three servings of dairy a day, with yogurt being a "health" and optimal choice for optimal calcium consumption. What most of us don't realize is that one serving of regular yogurt (Greek is a bit different) has MORE sugar than a candy bar! Dairy is yummy, yes, but you can also get your daily calcium from leafy greens, seafood, fruit, and beans - without the added sugar and other processed yuckiness.

Check out this excerpt from Food Politics (Website link), written by Marion Nestle:

Like manufacturing cigarettes or building weapons, making food is very big business. Food companies in 2000 generated nearly $900 billion in sales. They have stakeholders to please, shareholders to satisfy, and government regulations to deal with. It is nevertheless shocking to learn precisely how food companies lobby officials, co-opt experts, and expand sales by marketing to children, members of minority groups, and people in developing countries. We learn that the food industry plays politics as well as or better than other industries, not least because so much of its activity takes place outside the public view.

My goal is not to scare you, but to make you stop and think for a minute about why certain foods are promoted, marketed, distributed and packaged in the way they are. It is big business at your health's expense.

Getting back on track, this was a fun week. I have a few recipes to share and a few tips for eating out.

Sunday - Eric and I celebrated Valentine's Day due to our crazy work schedules. I have discovered that eating out brunch or breakfast seem to be the easiest way to remain Whole30 compliant. I had a poached egg, filet mignon, potatoes (sauteed in olive oil) and fruit. I don't usually eat beef, but it was amazing! Don't feel scared to tell the wait staff what you need. Most restaurants will accommodate you - just try it!

Breakfast all week - One of the easiest things to do it is make a breakfast casserole, ensuring that you will have a yummy breakfast every morning (instead of running around like a chicken with your head cut off and forgetting everything). You can add anything you want, but my favorites are eggs, spinach, turkey sausage, peppers and onions. Mix it up and bake it at 350 for about 30 minutes (or until eggs are cooked through).

And when you run out of that, there are always eggs and potatoes! Can you tell I love breakfast?

Copycats - I tried a few Whole30 recipes discovered on Pinterest this week and was not disappointed!
Almond Crusted Chicken tenders from Red Sky Foods (Recipe Link)
"Creamy" Chicken and Tomato Crockpot Soup from Everyday Paleo (Recipe Link)
Homemade Guacamole from Lexi's Clean Kitchen (Recipe Link)

My Recipes Tweaked a Bit
Turkey Pesto Meatballs (minus the breadcrumbs), but instead of pasta, we served the meatballs over steamed broccoli with a side salad. No pictures here, we were too hungry.

Grilled Buffalo Wings - The sauce was the tricky part, but a breeze in the end. I swapped out our usual Texas Pete with Frank's hot sauce and the butter with coconut oil. No complaints!

And now my favorite, the recipe that made me the envy of the office (at least for one day). I had a craving for Thai food, the only serious craving I have had throughout this process. After about 45 minutes in the kitchen, I had concocted what I thought was a pretty bomb version of Whole 30 approved Thai Basil Chicken Wraps.