Monday, November 23, 2009

Welcome to Table Tuesday!

Welcome to our first official Table Tuesday! I'm Natalie, the host of Table Tuesdays and the weekly natural-living, healthy-eating mission giver! From now on I will be known as "The Happy Hippie." You can call me Hippie for short, if you like.

If you missed Sarah's previous post, in which she explains what Table Tuesdays are, catch up here! I'm really honored that Sarah asked me to be a part of this project with her! I shall now pick up where the last post left off! (Drum roll, please!)

Wow, Hippie, you seem a little nuts about this healthy living thing. I'm a little confused about your definition of "healthy living." I get that it's not junk food, but what is it?

Natural.

If it grows fresh from the earth, if it comes directly from an animal and can nourish you, it is good.

There is so much bounty available to us! And yeah, you guessed it, all of that bounty is a gift to us.

The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Gen 1:12


I've noticed that so many people turn their noses up at so many vegetables and fruits. There are a number of reasons for this: one is a fear of change from their normal food routine. Another is having tried that food before, but in a bad recipe.

If you pair one or two natural foods a person loves with something they think they hate, they end up loving it. Research that food, and go on a hunt for the most mouth-watering recipe you can find! You may surprise yourself.

Please, I beg of you: unleash your creative side! Don't choose something that's been hydrogenated, freeze-dried and boxed over something God has given you in its purest form!

Now, to address my beloved friend, Sarah and any of our readers who are up for a good challenge: behold, your weekly mission! (Did you read that last part in a booming, echoing, Wizard-of-Oz voice? If not, go back and do it again. Nice effect, huh?)

Dear Agent Homestuff,

Your Mission, if you choose to accept it, is to make one meal this week with all-natural ingredients. Your guidelines are as follows:
1. None of the ingredients may contain high fructose corn syrup.
2. If you must buy an off-the-shelf food product to construct your meal with, read the ingredients list: do not use any products with ingredients that you cannot pronounce, or would not recognize as food that you could cook with yourself. We want to keep chemicals and processed toxins out of our bodies!
3. If a recipe calls for oil or butter, olive oil, or an equal alternative, is preferred over butter. No processed or hydrogenated oils allowed.
4. Find your inspiration for your meal from something that you already have in your kitchen. Budget-friendly meals always start with what you already have. (Thanksgiving leftovers, perhaps? I'm a sly dog, I know).

Extra Bonus: See if you can limit any off-the-shelf "food products" to only those with five ingredients or less.

A word of encouragement: This is slowly how my own home cooking has evolved. I promise to never ask you to do anything I am not willing to do myself!

P.S. It doesn't have to be dinner, it can be any meal you choose!

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