Food

Lots of posts about cycling, no chef....
I love to cook. I'm no good with a wrench or a hammer - but give me a good chef's knife and a gas stove and I'm in my element. Today I made a pile of pulled pork, potato salad, black bean & corn salsa, BBQ chicken, and more sorts of food that will be good "later". Trying to feed a family with two active boys and get in my cycling is a challenge. I usually make the sorts of things that will keep in the refrigerator - some actually are better "later". And I do have a lot of things to consider for a varied menu. For one, my older boy can't eat seafood (allergy) and poultry does not agree with him. My wife tries to abstain from red meat. My younger boy does not like potatoes that much, and me? I try to go vegetarian 3-4 times a week, but for health reasons, my wife needs to avoid to much soy protein. And I'm the only one in the house that likes beans. My older boy and I have asthma, so I try to keep the magnesium rich foods in the mix. And, because I had problems with depression in the past, I need to an eye on Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids - and find foods rich in that! Finally, I try to maintain good weight and cholesterol levels for my wife and me, while at the same time, provide calorie rich foods for two boys who need to gain weight!

Confused? You bet. It can get interesting.

Basically I just follow a few guidelines. Fresh is best, vary the menu, moderation is key, and listen you your body signals. And when I cook, I cook in groups - as I did today. It really does not take that much time to cook several things at once if you just keep moving. Cook one meal for today while cooking another for tomorrow.

Here's a few of my standards: There is always a tray of baked pasta in the refrigerator or freezer. If all else fails, it's pasta. Carrots, potatoes, rice, apples, bananas, peanut butter (the good stuff, no trans fats), milk, oatmeal, and orange juice are always in stock.

I serve family style. In fact, since the boys have been old enough to reach for a fork, we've served family style. Take what you want, don't take what you don't want. Eating should be a pleasant and enjoyable experience - not a time for lectures.

Think "seasonal". Strawberries in January are not local if they are fresh and given what we are learning about the standards of some countries, stay local! We eat a lot of cabbage, winter squash, potatoes and carrots over the winter. It was good for my ancestors, and it's okay for me. Sure, it takes some know how to make cabbage interesting, but it can be done.

Use meat as a more as a flavor or ingredient, and not as half the meal. You'll get all the pleasure of the flavor & save money and have better health to boot!

Well, that's for starters....more later!