Yes Dear, Daddy is Eating Healthy

Yes Dear, Daddy is Eating Healthy

Fruits and vegetables (Photo credit: nutrilover)

I was on the phone with one of my daughters the other day. She worries about Daddy like I worry about her. One of her big concerns has always been am I eating healthy. I have to admit, I haven’t always had the best track record when it came to my diet. I love food, I love to eat and the food I love is not always the best for me. This has caused me to acquire a couple of Nicknames within the family, one being “The disposal” and the other, my favorite “Hardcore Carnivore”.

You can guess where the first came from. I was raised with the saying “take all you want, eat all you take” I guess I never really moved past that. I hate waste. Like many of my generation I heard the “children are starving in India speech” whenever I didn’t want to eat what was on my plate. My dad loved this saying but didn’t love it when I told him to send them my Asparagus because I sure didn’t want it. He gave me another nickname that day that I still hear fairly often, usually from my wife. All I can say is at least part of me is smart.

The second of my nicknames comes from the fact that I LOVE MEAT. I know this is politically incorrect but I’m no politician. A list of the different meats that I have tried would horrify a lot of people but I will try almost any meat. From cobra to ground hog, from alligator to caribou I have tried them all. Some I really liked some, not so much but you don’t know if you don’t try. This propensity for eating meat has led to some people thinking I don’t like fruits and vegetables, this simply not true.

Yes, I love meat but I also enjoy the wonderful fruits of the earth. Two of my favorite snacks are fresh Pineapple and Mango. In the summer when the mercury really gets high, few things are as refreshing as an ice cold Mango. Cool juicy and so delicious. When I think about it I can almost feel the juice running down my chin.

English: Sonjna Moringa oleifera in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What I don’t care for is fruits or especially vegetable that has had the life cooked out of them. I will eat English Peas fresh from the shell, just like peanuts but throw them in a sauce pan for half an hour covered in water and I’ll still eat them but I won’t like it. I like my veggies lightly blanched, steamed, stir fried or raw. Not only do these methods preserve the natural flavors but the natural nutrients as well. If you boil your vegies, including greens, throw them out and drink the water it’s more nutritious. Next time you make a soup or stew wait till it’s time to serve then sprinkle some Kale, Bok Choy or Malunggay on the top and taste the different it makes and the texture gives a nice contrast. Besides it is the healthy way to eat.

See, I have learned to eat healthy. Hopefully after reading this Natashia will believe me. One advantage to living as long as I have is you learn there are differences between fresh and frozen and a difference between cook and ruin. I hope this hasn’t stepped on to many toes. It is just the way I feel. Until next time, as always, Enjoy!