Sat dumbfounded on my papered seat recently when my doctor told me I had to save meat for special occasions. I don’t mean red meat; I more or less already save that for the odd barbecue, and it’s not that big of a deal to me. I mean my mainstays—chicken and turkey.
But but but but they’re low fat, I said. They’re not as high in fat as red meat, but it’s still all saturated fat, she replied. I was in shock, although I did wake up to enjoy the little verse she performed for me next. Something about eating things that walk on all fours versus things that swim. Finger-plays for adults.
I love weirdo fish like sardines, mackerel, salmon, anchovies. But I never imagined they would so easily replace poultry for me, and moreover, that it would not bother me that much. That was the second shock.
Now I’m eating mackerel with horseradish mustard stirred in, scooped up with organic blue corn chips like a bleeding hipster, and for breakfast like a crazy person. I love it. I’m having fun picking out new condiments to try as well. The mustard is great; so’s chipotle hot sauce. Trader Joe’s Thai Green Curry Simmer was a disappointment, as it’s almost flavorless and is the same stricken color of the chairs at the DMV to boot. Looking forward to making my own hot sauces again, along with a new recipe for spicy lemon pickle, a recipe from India. It calls for fenugreek seeds and has to sit in the sun for a week. Clearly I’m in.
I’ve been saving poultry, and eggs as well, for every now and then. Gave in a couple of days ago and made myself a new recipe, below. Cut the sugar back by half (see once again and unremittingly: crazy person), cut the eggs down from five to three, and enjoyed one of the smoothest, velvety-est desserts I’ve ever had: old-fashioned lemon pie. Can’t have fish for breakfast every day, after all.
Yum! I used to only eat fish, and saved turkey for Thanksgiving only. It’s the way they raise the birds now. Apparently, years ago, chicken had the good omegas!
I was told yesterday by a holistic practitioner MD that I should cut out gluten and dairy. Are eggs dairy? No pastries!? Wah. I need a job just to pay for the healthy supplements I need (that I need for now anyway). And I already need a job!
Hiya Trina! It probably depends on whether the birds are raised free-range (truly free-range, that is; some suppliers get away with saying that bc they let the birds out of their cages onto the warehouse floor for an hour).
Eggs aren’t dairy, no. Only milk products are. Cutting out gluten is the trendy thing now, but unless you have something like celiac or ulcerative colitis, you probably don’t need to. Check w a proper doctor 🙂 Pastries are too important to be given up on a whim. Have a great weekend!
I am seeing a proper Dr. 🙂 She is an MD with a later earned specialty in holistic medicine.The no gluten, no dairy thing may not be permanent, but trying some things now while waiting on test results. I notice a difference myself when I eat less bread, or stick to sour dough bread. A few months ago I gave up Greek Yogurt and my stomach actually feels better for it. I’ve never liked milk … except in ice cream or a cappuccino 🙂
Can’t hurt to try, and happy you’re having good results. 🙂 Please forgive my next post, though; it’ll be this year’s soda bread!
Interesting about sourdough. What is the difference there?
Oooh…I LOVE soda bread. I made it every year in Chicago for St. Pat’s. I rarely turn on the oven here in Florida. I usually splurge and buy some, though. I mean, some things you don’t have to give up 100%, just most of the time, in order to feel better. Like, too much of a good thing puts a body over the edge, but an occasional indulgence can be delightful!
I guess it’s the probiotics in the sour dough starter.
That’s awesome. Can you get good sourdough down there?
Yes. Not as good as the loaves we served at the restaurant I worked for in Chicago. We had them flown in from San Francisco!
Hey Trina–Just today I read an article about a baker who mentions sourdough for gluten-free eaters. Apparently the long fermentation breaks down gluten. The baker suggested the problems many people have with gluten might come from eating the kind of pre-fab bread we’ve all gotten used to. How about that?
Wow–that’s the ultimate! If I ever get to that city, that’s the first thing I’m gonna eat! )
Very cool about the article, Marisa. Thanks for sharing. It does seem to make a difference. Yes, it’s technically white bread, but a girl’s gotta have a yummy sandwich now and then!
Agreed on all the processing. America wasn’t a culture of overweight people or a country filled with diabetics, it seems, before we had sugar-free, low-fat, and highly processed foods. Store shelf bread lasts for weeks before it gets moldy, as long as it’s kept dry. I mean, how is that natural!? Yikes!
It ain’t! Like what’s in the produce aisle, it’s built for immortality, not to cater to health. I heard a quote once, and I’m going to butcher it, but it went something like, if you can throw a loaf of bread at somebody and it bounces off their head and doesn’t hurt, it’s not bread lol Real bread has nutrition and heft.
Fresh produce not picked early so it can survive 3 weeks on a truck! Yes, that is one of the reasons I so miss living in NYC … where Wed, Fri and Saturday I could buy direct from farmers at the green market. You know, produce picked maybe the day before. 🙂
Hey Marisa! The lemon pie looks amazing, and it’s officially Pi (Pie) Day today. Sometimes, I think docs sit around thinking of ways to deprive us of the things we adore – said with lots of ironic tone. It’s not fair, I too have genes in my family that make me predisposed to high lots of things. Oh well, fish is fabulous and so are all of the vegetables getting ready to spring up!
Missy, my friend! How goes? 🙂 Thanks, and your theory would explain a lot lol Fish in your neck of the woods is particularly spectacular. What are your local favorites?
Made a banana custard pie w a gingersnap crust for Pi (Pie) Day. Like I needed an excuse ;P
@Trina–Yes, those are the greenmarket days I remember from my visits to Union Square–and the farmers often pick at dawn and then drive to the market. Fresh as could be…
Sigh.