On Life As A Picky Foodie

Somewhere along the way, I lost my sense of direction.  The map I had drawn got washed along with my favourite flea market jeans.  I was sixteen and couldn’t remember where I was supposed to turn to get where I wanted to go.

The first time I revealed to someone I loved and trusted that I wanted to be a writer, I took what was, for me, a huge leap of faith.  It was a deep and scary revelation that took all of my courage.  Their response broke my heart:

“Why would you want to do that?” they said with a chuckle that felt like a smack across my cheek, “you can’t make a living at it, and besides, who would be interested in anything YOU have to say?”

Though I am no longer in contact with this person, their words shut me down for years.  Unable to get past the question about who my audience would be, I froze – I didn’t have the answer and couldn’t muster the guts to find out.  Because what if they were right and nobody read my words?  I couldn’t bear the thought of pouring my soul onto the page and having it be rejected.  

Though I was able to get that person out of my life, their words continued to haunt me.  To this day, when I’m struggling with my writing, I can hear that familiar voice telling me I’m not good enough.  With time, I have learned to recognize it for what it is.  And now, after years of hiding and procrastinating, I have finally decided to take that leap once more. 

The kitchen is my sanctuary.  It’s where I go when I’m sad or angry or frustrated.  It’s my safe place.  Somehow, I seem to have more courage in the kitchen.  Because here’s the thing: I am a terrible baker.  My cakes, gluten-free and vegan, come out crumbly or hard, too gummy or not sweet enough.  Sometimes – believe it or not – my cakes come out all of the above, and it takes a certain talent to make a cake that is both crumbly and gummy!

I guess with cake as with fiction, it’s about accepting that your first draft will probably be terrible.  In fact, it’s supposed to be terrible.  Not that that’s easy to admit to yourself or pleasant to hear or acknowledge.  But only by doing something over and over, by ripping it to shreds and really analysing what needs to be improved can you get good.  Like writing.  Or baking.

Recently I have been spending a lot of time on Jennifer Perillo’s blog.  When I saw this cake, although, as I say, my baking leaves a lot to be desired, I decided I had to attempt it -- Picky Foodie style of course.

The result? 

I’m pretty sure I will bake better cakes in the future.  But I’ve definitely done worse.  It wasn’t too gummy or too crumbly and it wasn’t too hard.  Amazingly, it stayed together quite well in that you can pick up a piece and comfortably take a bite without losing half of it along the way.  It could possibly have been a little sweeter -- the kind of cake you could have for breakfast or for dessert -- and I suspect it will complement DW’s afternoon tea really well.

Best of all?  I love the feeling of having another draft under my belt and my baking seems to have really improved in that my raspberry cake was at least edible.  I’m going to make this one again, try for better, keep working towards that elusive perfect Picky Foodie cake.

Calorie-wise, at least, I think writing will be easier than baking.  So there’s another reason to give this fiction thing another shot.  In the mean time, however, I think I’ll go brew some rosehip and hibiscus tea and cut myself another little piece.  

Raspberry Cake
(adapted from Jennifer Perillo’s Raspberry Olive Oil Cake)

Makes one 10-inch cake

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten free All Purpose flour
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 T maple syrup
2 t baking powder
¼ t coarse salt
2 T ground flax seeds briefly soaked in 2 T water
1 T melted coconut oil (and a little more to grease the pan)
2 t vanilla extract
½ cup coconut milk
2 c frozen raspberries
1 mashed banana

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit / 175 Centigrade

Sift together the dry ingredients.

Whisk together the wet ingredients, leaving out the raspberries.

Combine the two and then fold in the raspberries.

Grease a 10 inch round cake pan with a little coconut oil and then pour in the batter.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly and then remove the cake from within the cake pan but keep the bottom. 

Once the cake has cooled down completely, indulge in a piece and wait for the muse to find you.

Dear Friends;

So what’s a “good” fat?  What’s a “bad” fat?  This kind of labelling is not only simplistic, it is wrong. 

Saturated fat, for example, found in most animal products, has been linked to high cholesterol and heart failure.  However, it is also used to form sex and adrenal hormones, Vitamin D and bile, and a certain amount can be needed for good health.  A major cause of too much cholesterol in the body – a problem largely blamed on saturated fat – is due to overconsumption.  Many people eat foods high in saturated fat multiple times every single day.  Does that sound like something that would have a reasonable, healthy outcome?

On the other end of the spectrum are the essential fatty acids – EFAs.  Sometimes I think this is the closest advertising will ever come to claiming we have found a magic pill.  We hear a lot about Omega 3s, but in fact, there’s a whole host of essential fatty acids.   EPA can help lower cholesterol.  DHA is essential to brain development and growth; it boosts the immune system, aids in combating arthritis, depression, prostate problems and migraines.  EFAs also support thyroid function and promote healthy skin, hair and nails. And many people will be surprised to find out that all green – chlorophyll-rich – foods contain ALA, another essential fatty acid that could help combat high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma and breast cancer.  You see, there’s a reason I keep going on about greens, greens and more greens!

Fish has commonly been known as the best source of omega 3s.  However, due to the high mercury content of wild-caught fish as well as overfishing, this is not a viable long-term option.  In addition, I was shocked to discover that because of the feed given to farmed fish, it is no longer a good source of Omega 3 – quite the opposite!  However, EFAs can be found in flax and hemp oil, chia seeds (a more recent addition to the Superfood family), pumpkin seeds and walnuts.

Essential Fatty Acids are Polysaturated fats.  Unlike their saturated counterparts, they remain liquid even in the refrigerator and can easily go rancid when exposed to light and air.  Make sure to buy them cold-pressed in dark glass bottles from a trusted brand.

Ideally, what we are looking to achieve is a balance between all of these fats.  Consuming too much of one will not – as the marketing of omega 3s would like to have us believe – create optimum health.

In the end, the most important piece of this puzzle is quantity.  Fats become unhealthy when we consume them in excess – even the so-called “good” fats.  The liver plays a major part in fat metabolism, and so can become sluggish from overwork.

Changing up the kinds and amounts of fats we ingest are the perfect example of how making little alterations can create a huge ripple effect on our wellbeing.  How about starting with just one meal?  Using a great olive oil and fresh lemon juice on your salad every Sunday evening instead of pre-packaged dressing can make an enormous difference in how you’ll start off your week.

I cannot say how much fat is the right amount as it varies from person to person -- though going fat-free is far from the one-way ticket to health that we are promised in all those 0% ads.  However, if you do want to reduce the amount of fat in your diet, be sure to do so slowly to avoid cravings.  And, as always, make sure that what you do decide to put into your body is the best quality that you can afford.   Because when it comes to fats, quality is as important as quantity. 

With love,

Gabriela

P.S.  What is the difference between a Superfood and a super food?  Find out in this week’s Friday Night Dinner Blog. 

P.P.S. Thanks again to all of you who sent along new subscribers.  Please do keep 'em coming!  The free Picky Foodie one-on-one counseling session offer will be valid until the end of April.  Here's a reminder of how it works: get five friends, co-workers, family members or strangers to sign up to the On Life As A Picky Foodie newsletter, and you will receive a free forty-five minute consultation with yours truly.  Simply ask anyone signing up to email me and let me know your name. 

Dear Friends;

What is it about fat that has us so riled up?

Atkins-heads and low-carbers claim there’s nothing wrong with it, while others swear that it’s not about a diet but rather low-fat tastes better (yeah right!).

Here’s the skinny. 

Fat is, along with protein and carbohydrates, one of the three macronutrients that we need for a balanced diet.  It is available in both plants as well as animals though different sources yield different fats that our bodies absorb in different ways. 
So what’s all the ruckus about then?

Fat has veered between good guy and bad guy in the past couple of decades and while it is true that it yields more calories than its compadres – protein and carbohydrates provide four calories per gram, fat provides nine – it also has unique beneficial properties.

Fats are what give us a feeling of satiety, which is why many people who go on low-fat diets end up with humungous cravings.  Fats digest more slowly than other foods, keeping us full for longer.  And fats help with the assimilation of certain vitamins – A, D, E and K.

Many health problems related to fat intake are about the quality of fats ingested.  However, when consumed in appropriate quantities, fats give us a sense of grounding, a sense of security.  Fats help slow us down and help us stay warm.  In this crazy, fast-paced world, who wouldn’t crave those things? 

We hear a lot of fats being called a lot of different things: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, saturated, EPA, DHA, GLA, omegas, etc.  In truth, all oils contain all of the above, but they are classified by the kind that is most predominant.

For example, did you know that olive oil, the darling of Mediterranean cuisine is 82% Monounsaturated fat, 8% polyunsaturated fat (what walnuts are famous for), and 10% saturated fat?

Oils can and are used medicinally – like flax, which many people take for a host of reasons.  It’s important to be aware of which oils can be used for what. 

When purchasing, check labels for unrefined, and use each oil according to what will best enhance its properties.  For example, cooking with flax oil will destroy the omegas it is famous for and actually render it detrimental to your health.  However, using it in a salad dressing is a great way to boost your greens’ nutritional properties.  Olive oil, on the other hand can, and has been used in a host of ways for centuries. 

For maximum benefits, store oils in dark glass containers away from direct sunlight.  The most fragile oils need to be refrigerated and always give them a good sniff before use: if it smells rancid and bitter, chances are you’d be better off investing in a new bottle.

Want to know more about what mono, poly, etc means?  Next week’s On Life As A Picky Foodie will chew the fat just a little more. But in the mean time, I’d love to hear from you what kinds of questions you ask yourself when you’re trying to figure out which oil does what and to whom. 

With love,

Gabriela

P.S. Do you take advantage of a day off to treat yourself extra well, or do you indulge in the things that you normally refrain from?  With the prospect of a few days of rest, we decided to dive deep into a bowl of Asian-inspired noodle soup.  Check out this week’s Friday Night Dinner Blog for the recipe. 

P.P.S. Thanks again to all of you who sent along new subscribers.  Please do keep 'em coming!  The free Picky Foodie one-on-one counseling session offer is still valid until the end of April.  Here's a reminder of how it works: get five friends, co-workers, family members or strangers to sign up to the On Life As A Picky Foodie newsletter, and you will receive a free forty-five minute consultation with yours truly.  Simply ask anyone signing up to email me and let me know your name.

(source: Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods)