Where's the Nutrition? and Spaghetti Squash!

First, my semi-daily weigh in (I forget sometimes, but weigh in about 3 - 4 times a week). Weighing in at 124.8 - haven't seen 124 in a number of months. Really, it was just around when my dad passed - I dipped below 125 and even got to 121, but that was because I was hardcore grieving and depressed. This weight is a reflection of me getting my life back together and feeling happy again :)

On to my topic!

I read this opinion piece on the New York Times website and thought it was relevant and interesting:

Breeding the Nutrition Out of Our Food

"Each fruit and vegetable in our stores has a unique history of nutrient loss, I’ve discovered, but there are two common themes. Throughout the ages, our farming ancestors have chosen the least bitter plants to grow in their gardens. It is now known that many of the most beneficial phytonutrients have a bitter, sour or astringent taste. Second, early farmers favored plants that were relatively low in fiber and high in sugar, starch and oil. These energy-dense plants were pleasurable to eat and provided the calories needed to fuel a strenuous lifestyle. The more palatable our fruits and vegetables became, however, the less advantageous they were for our health."

Interesting, hm. The most nutritious/beneficial foods don't always taste the best? Humans go after sugars, starches, and oils first? Couldn't have noticed that!!

It took me forever as an adult to start liking more nutritious foods like kale or other more "bitter" foods because, as a child, I was surrounded by super tasty, nutrient-void foods like white breads, cookies, and veggies slathered in cheese.

We need to re-think our food culture. Food does NOT *have* to taste amazing all the time - it doesn't have to rage our taste buds, make our sugar sensors scream or slather our primitive brain in oil.

Focus on nutrition. Focus on energizing your body. Focus on giving your body what it NEEDS to function and thrive.

I am doing that, and succeeding HARD right now. I struggled with the Whole30 in May, but I am no where near struggling now. I decided not to do the Whole30 strictly but to use it to guide my life - taking the pressure off, I found I follow it way more often than not. I maybe ate two bites of non-paleo things last week. 

Being rewarded with a non-bloaty belly right now!

Dinner last night was awesome, by the way. I bought a HUGE spaghetti squash for around four dollars, cut it in half and roasted it (with no oils or anything!) till tender. Got rewarded with several pounds of squashy "spaghetti" which I turned into dinner for two, lunch for two, and a snack for two (I put maybe about 200 calories worth of food into small tupperwares we can grab when hungry) using a nice turkey meat sauce with vegetables I also made:

This is a huge bowl and the squash was several inches taller than the bowl - SO MUCH SQUASH

TBSP oil, 1 lb turkey, 1 onion, 10 mushrooms, broccoli, and tomato sauce

Really, really, REALLY simple. Really cheap. Really easy. And super tasty!

No excuses, my friends, no excuses. :)

Peace and light to you!