The Science-y Stuff

Although I would consider myself more artsy than science-y, my daughter always had a knack for both. The perfect combination of my husband and me. I'm still learning.

Since I've had more time on my hands, I decided to take this culinary journey in a slightly different direction. By now most of you have seen my weekly Paleo Cooking Live! videos on Facebook almost every Wednesday since April. It's been fun to re-imagine my old recipes in more healthful ways, I enjoy sharing what I know about cooking, and so far I haven't run out of ideas!

Isn't that the great thing about food? There's always a way to create a new version of an old recipe. Tweak the ingredients, use what you have in your fridge or pantry, substitute for what you may not have. Cooking, unlike baking, is more flexible. Yes there are certain fundamentals to which you must adhere, temperatures, cook times, balance of flavors, but there is really no right or wrong to cooking. If you like basil, use it instead of oregano. Simple. 

Last month, after much consideration, I decided to apply some science to my healthier cooking endeavors, so I enrolled in 6 month online nutrition program. In my opinion, there is only so much you can learn from reading a few books here and there, or listening to some podcasts. If it's truly an interest, it needs to be pursued on a more formal platform. And, I'm never too old to keep learning. Melissa Urban, founder of Whole30, calls it "the science-y stuff". So the science terms make my head spin a little, I watch video lectures for days, write responses to prompts and take weekly quizzes. I'm applying the science of nutrition to my already-honed cooking skills to create a solid foundation for building the most nutrient-dense recipes I can achieve. Chefs, like doctors, get very little education in nutrition. We learn how to make food taste great, but it's not necessarily great for you.

Food is medicine.  All calories are not the same. Eat food grown on plants. Not made in plants. The more whole, unprocessed foods you eat, the better you feel. The more efficient your body functions. The more energy you have. You get more restful sleep. Eating in a healthy manner spills over into other aspects of your life. Creating good habits isn't just about self-care. It's good for everyone around you. Everyone you love. It's Vitamin L.
 

xoxo,
-t