It's time to have a whinge.

Shopping at a supermarket today, I realised that my need to buy items from the shelves of our major chains is becoming increasingly less as my knowledge of food and cooking gets stronger.

Only a year or so ago, the supermarket was the FIRST place I would head when I needed to buy food or food like items. We are born into a civilised world of major businesses and packaged foods as a staple and it becomes hard to see any other way. After all...if we want to live, we need to it. Nowadays, I look to local farmers markets and health food stores and supermarkets have been bumped down the list.

Eating SHOULD NOT be something we need to think outside the box for, or actually have to TRY to accomplish. Unfortunately the typical westernised style of shopping and eating has made it increasingly difficult to simply eat FOOD.

When I say 'food' i'm talking about things that grow in the ground, on trees and things that will rot and die when picked or farmed. Things that don't contain more than one ingredient that is themselves and things that don't require a "shelf-life" as a guide to its freshness. I understand that its hard, I struggle trying to fit uni, living out of home, playing in a band AND feeding myself so my aim here is not to tell people how they SHOULD be purchasing or eating...but more to challenge peoples methods and thoughts about acquiring food.

I have slowly realised that eating well is SIMPLE. It only seems confusing because of all the marketing and boxed products that huge companies are pumping out to make a dollar. So when you next hit the shops, think about the following:

1. Companies DO NOT have our best health in mind. As much as i'd love to believe the opposite, unfortunately making a dollar will always come first. We can all relate to this. The ingredients inside those boxes and flavoured items may or may not be hurting us (some proven, some aren't) but the simple fact is this: If there is no nutritional requirement for a substance, it has no place in your body.

2. Shop the EDGES. Author Michael Pollan taught me this one. When you hit the supermarket next...do a quick lap around the outside edge of the shop. 9 times out of 10 you will find Fruit, Veg, Dairy & Meat. By all means venture in to get rice, pasta, herbs & spices etc. but take note...the edges is where the real food is.

3. You DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE. I know its massive in Australia, America, the UK etc...but many traditional cultures still obtain the majority of their food from markets. Not only are you most likely meeting the people who grew this food but you're also avoiding the ridiculous amount of hands, kilometers and who knows what else they supermarket produce has been through. Its easy, you can get everything from other places.

Hi,

I am a Nutritional Medicine student studying in Sydney and am nearing the completion of my study for the year. I will begin attending clinic next year and have gained a wealth of knowledge over the past year. I fundamentally believe in whole foods and am largely against the consumption of manufactured or "packaged" food products as I believe they are generally not the way humans are naturally meant to consume food for optimum health.

I have a simple issue, which is this:

Throughout my studies, as I mentioned I have learnt some of the most basic principles of health and nutrition and also some more detailed and specific things. The first lesson I attended lay the foundations of our further studies and introduced me to the concept of nutrients. Our lecturers taught us of 3 macronutrients and several micronutrients. Those macronutrients are Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat. Every text book obtained, teacher I have encountered and article I have read all speak of the same concept. To all nutrition students, these 3 main nutrients are undisputed and widely known to be essential for all human functioning and energy intake.

I am confused as to why your page labelled "Nutrients" displays 4 "key" nutrients. These are listed as Fat, Saturated Fat, Sugars and Sodium. These are indeed nutrients, that is not a lie...however the use of the word "key" is grosely out of place here. It frustrates me that a regulatory body who holds responsibility in the food industry are focusing on these nutrients as a priority. I believe firmly that every person has the right to make their own decisions when it comes to health and nutrition as long as we are all informed, and that the information provided is widely regarded as the truth (to the best of our current knowledge). This information you provide seems to belittle 2 of the major nutrients (carbohydrates and proteins) which could lead to an increase in misinformation leading to poor food choices in a nation plagued with confusion and instability in this area. The link you provide on your own page for the "National Health and Medical Research Council" even state that the macronutrients are Carbs, protein, fat and they include fibre in this list...which is fair enough.

I understand that these may be "key" to your agenda but I believe that your website is misinforming and misleading the public and should be re-written to address this issue.

To add to my point, when I (or anyone else) scroll down to the bottom of your nutrient page you give a brief description of each nutrient mentioned. The first sentence under the heading "Carbohydrates" reads:

"Carbohydrates are the main source of energy that fuels our body and everything it does, even thinking."

Seems pretty darn important to me...don't you think?

How many times have we heard that?

"A better way to start the day"

Cereal companies have been flogging their products forever with this promise when in reality, they are expensive, add unnecessary waste to landfill and are no good for our bodies.

The general 'run of the mill' pancake is no exception really...but holy crap they taste amazing right!? Only problem is that they are crazy sugary and contain common dietary allergens such as dairy and gluten. Using different ingredients will have your body much better off and the satisfaction of making them yourself is an even better emotional start to the day.

Buckwheat pancakes:

*for a single serve*

2 dessert spoons of buckwheat flour

1 dessert spoon of sub flour. I used rice flour but you can use a ground nut & seed mix. The main reason is to bind the pancakes. Due to buckwheat kicking out the gluten they tend to fall apart on their own.

Water to desired consistency.

THAT'S IT!

You can play around with them, add berries into the mix etc. but i like to cook them plain and go nuts with different toppings to add the flare. This example has chopped kiwi, blueberries, lemon and sprinkled with Panela or brown sugar.

SHOCK HORROR...I'm using sugar. Remember that sugar is a carbohydrate and we need carbs for energy. Just avoid white refined sugar and 1/2-1 tsp sprinkled is no problem when its taken into our total daily intake. The problem begins when white sugar gets added and the rest of our days sugar intake forgets about it. That adds up and becomes a problem.

Sidenotes:

Buckwheat is very nutritious. Great source of carbohydrate as you'd expect from a flour and a nice whack of vitamins and minerals so it's a suitable replacement for regular wheat flour.

Panela is just a fancy word for sugar that is NOT REFINED. When sugar gets processed and turns white, it loses the molasses component which gives the brown colour to unrefined sugar. When the molasses leaves it packs up essential vitamins and minerals and takes them along with it...make it white & nutrients disappear. If you're gonna use sugar, at least use the nutritious stuff!

Enjoy!

Believe in your decisions.

Around this time last year, I was in a VERY different place to where I am now. I’ve made a lot of decisions that will hopefully shape the rest of my life and help me contribute to this world being a better place to live. Saying this though, the past year has NOT BEEN EASY.

There are so many things I could ramble on about but I’m going to restrain my brain (Drop a rhyme) and focus on one thing.

SOCIAL CULTURE IN AUSTRALIA.

Being a 22 year old male living in Sydney’s Inner west I feel equipped to comment on such a thing, as would anyone my age I imagine. We have all been to those parties, encountered those people and experienced those situations that made us reflect on our own behaviour and situations.

[Insert rant here]

SO. I made a conscious decision a while ago to live my life without crap. This included crap food, crap places, crap people and just generally crap things. The backlash I have received (and still receive) socially is phenomenal. Never would I have thought people would reject my life choices as much as they have, as I mention this I should say there is a huge amount of people that support my choice too….but a good rant needs a bit of negativity doesn’t it?

I was at a party recently. I said goodbye to everyone at 2:30am. Fair enough…right?

WRONG.

The impact my decision seemed to have on people I had just met that night was astounding. I was met with “DON’T LEAVE,” “You’re not tired,” “You can’t go home,” and the best one of all when I stated that I was tired… “ummmm how old are you.” Like age dictates when you should and shouldn’t feel the wrath of our bodies natural sleep cycle. I can’t help but think “WHAT DO YOU CARE?” Honestly, how does my decision to go home effect your life at all?

IT DOESN’T

This is one example of a thousand realities when it comes to social confrontation. I feel like by making a decision that seems to be ‘different,’ people feel that they have to bring you back to their reality, whatever that may be. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in no way saying that one person’s life choices are CORRECT or INCORRECT, not at all. Everyone can live their life as they choose…what I don’t understand is this.

If someone says “I’m going to McDonald’s”….regardless of how I feel about that, I would say “cool, cya later.” On the flip side every time I say that I don’t want the steak sandwich or I’m going to a raw organic café I’m slammed with: “just eat a burger” or some demeaning comment about being a health nut. Excuse me for caring.

The same goes for alcohol. If someone said to me “I’m going to get blackout drunk tonight and sleep all day tomorrow,” I can think what I want but I would never throw “ALCOHOLIC” back at them would I? TRY TELLING SOMEONE YOU DON’T DRINK. The backlash…gah. “Why don’t you drink?” “how boring to be sober” etc….Are you shitting me? No one can say a word about someone’s socially acceptable but damaging choices (bad food and binge drinking) but everyone seems to have the right to bag the self-focused health choices all they want. Its bullshit. How does it affect them at all? I keep wanting to say “what do you care?”

One last recall. An old friend of mine…not to be named….lives a very different life to me. Drugs, partying, alcohol, full time job, money…Opposite to me basically. This person once said to me, and I quote: “I feel like we are such different people now, you’re all into yourself and being healthy and all that whereas I just want to have fun while I’m young (smoking and drinking)” I have never bit my tongue SO HARD to not explode at that comment. Sadly in A LOT of people’s eyes those are the two choices. Drink, smoke, drugs, eat crap and therefore have fun OR be healthy. Yeh no. Sorry. If I wasn’t having fun why would I do it? My priorities changed. I LOVE that I can be out of bed and running on Saturday morning at 6am WITHOUT even a whiff of coffee and no hangover. So leave it alone. I feel like people want to make these choices but don’t, therefore anyone who does is a confronting vision and it’s dealt with by confrontation and demeaning comments. Again, if I made comments against people making unhealthy choices id be slammed for it. I just want to do what I want to do, be the best that I can and live as long as possible. That not too much to ask!

  I could go on forever in person about this. The plus side that I would like to mention is this:

  We live for ourselves and we live for others. What good are we to others if we can’t even take care of ourselves? If you want to make a choice that strays from the social norm you are going to be faced with masses of conflict. If you believe in your choice though, it acts like a filter to your life. You end up being surrounded by people who respect you, love you and are genuinely happy to be around you because those who don’t support or understand….we grow apart. We only have one life, do what makes you happy….whatever that is & RESPECT other people’s choices. Oh and a small piece of advice. Don’t ever announce or proclaim. If you tell your friends you don’t drink or don’t eat this or that…if one day you decide you want to….you’ll be slammed. If you just stop they won’t even notice and if they do it will be received much better. It’s some weird thing going on where as soon as it’s announced it becomes a label on your forehead and how dare you stray from the rule you made for yourself. Hmm.

Here’s to social equality.

So there's a thing going on, with people and bread. 

We like it, we eat it ALOT but

We don't need as much as a lot of people think we do!

When you're feeling breaded out, get all the ingredients for a burrito and put it in a bowl...easy.

1 Cup Quinoa

Coriander

Limes!

Black beans

Green Bell Peppers

Jalapenos

Grape Tomatoes

Red Onion

Chicken (optional)

.First up, half the peppers and clean out the seeds. Chuck them in the oven at 180 deg. until they go soft. 15 or so.

Next up, the Quinoa. The packet will have instructions for cooking but its usually 1 cup to 1.5 cups water and simmer away. No biggie. Once its done, squeeze lime and mix through chopped coriander.

Quarter the tomatoes, dice the onion. Easy as...

Chop up jalapenos and the bell peppers (let them cool down, that shit is HOT!) Mix together.

This is a seriously simple recipe but massively over delivers with taste and nutrition. Quinoa in the bowl first, pile the rest on top, squeeze the lime and you're good to go!

IF

...you want chicken, slice up some breast, rub it in olive oil and some paprika then pan fry it. This meal doesn't NEED the extra protein but it that comes down to personal preference and what else you've eaten that day.