Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nutritionist or professional chef. I do not provide nutritional breakdowns or carb counts with my recipes. Google is a great source for that if needed. Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Saturday, October 7, 2023

"The Health-Food Diner" by Maya Angelou

 

No sprouted wheat and soya shoots
And Brussels in a cake,
Carrot straw and spinach raw,
(Today, I need a steak).

Not thick brown rice and rice pilaw
Or mushrooms creamed on toast,
Turnips mashed and parsnips hashed,
(I'm dreaming of a roast).

Health-food folks around the world
Are thinned by anxious zeal,
They look for help in seafood kelp
(I count on breaded veal).

No smoking signs, raw mustard greens,
Zucchini by the ton,
Uncooked kale and bodies frail
Are sure to make me run

to

Loins of pork and chicken thighs
And standing rib, so prime,
Pork chops brown and fresh ground round
(I crave them all the time).

Irish stews and boiled corned beef
and hot dogs by the scores,
or any place that saves a space
For smoking carnivores.
--------------------------------------------------------
I came across this poem and thought... wow... this so true for much of the world these days. Food choices have become very personal. They can be disease related, weight related or simply driven by a belief system of personal choice.
I'm a diabetic who loves food. I will readily admit... I love foods that are bad for me, and I choose to not eat them. It's a rational choice and decision that I must make every day. 
That daily choice is what keeps me alive and moderately healthy. I've now outlived my father by 13 years and love that I get to spend time with my adult sons because of choices I've made.
I created this blog to help diabetics understand that our disease is not the end of the world. We can live well with our disease if we take the time to understand its components. I'm no medical doctor, but I understand glycemic indexes and glycemic loads. I do my best to create dishes that follow my knowledge. Will they always be perfect for a diabetic? No. Will they steer diabetics in the right direction? Almost always.
I'm also a heart patient with three heart stents. My cardiologist and my very smart wife convinced me to give up red meats because of what they do to my system. My blog still features red meat dishes...why? Well, because not everyone is a heart patient and not everyone's system goes into a tailspin when they eat red meat. By the way, I still eat red meat once or twice a month under cardiologist "orders". :-)
My goal for the last decade has been to create good, healthy dishes for all with a lean toward helping fellow diabetics the most.
Thank you to all of you who have expressed appreciation and understanding regarding my handling of a culinary love for excellent food, even if it is somewhat bridled by a disease that affects roughly 1/3 of the population.
Let's cook... let's eat... let's love the world of food!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!