Author: Aurelie Chuong, Treasurer - [email protected]
Yesterday, NPR posted an article, in honor of Presidents’ Day, about a new book by Rae Katherine Eighmey entitled Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen: A Culinary View of Lincoln's Life and
Times. One quote that stood out to me was “What piqued Eighmey's interest was a simple tale of Lincoln putting on a blue apron after a day's work at his law office and helping his wife cook dinner.”
In today’s society, I feel that we are too quick to blame our schedules (school, career, kids, other commitments, etc.) for not eating healthy. How could anybody say no to frozen ready-made food or ordering take-out, especially when it is just across the street? Of course, President Lincoln lived in a time where fast food restaurants and [pizza] delivery boys did not exist, and as society would have it, women tended to the
home and cooked. But President Lincoln helped his wife cook despite having worked a full day’s work. So what’s our excuse? Food seems like a chore, we eat because we need to feed our bodies, but what about our minds? “It’s true: You Are What You Eat…” The brain has specific requirements and is picky, but it is our body’s master control center, so we need to take care of it, and that is why healthy eating should be made a priority.
I, myself, try to cook every day. Part of it is financial, the other is that my way to relax and unwind. Don’t get me wrong, I also have my lazy days where ordering from a restaurant just hits the spot for my appetite and my schedule. Cooking at home reminds me of my childhood since my mother cooked dinner every
night. Very early on, my parents discouraged being picky about food but they also made it very clear that food was to be enjoyed together. In addition to having that comforting feeling, with my biochemistry background, I view the kitchen as my laboratory, where I get to experiment with ingredients that can lead to successes (or sometimes failures) and thankfully thus far, no explosions. With social media (Facebook, Pinterest, blogs) and cooking channels like the Food Network, making healthy as well as delicious meals in a limited amount of time and on a limited budget is in everyone’s reach. Thanks to the Internet, if I do not know how to make a dish, I can look it up in a matter of seconds or get introduced to new recipes thanks to my family, friends, or even complete strangers. I understand that choosing healthy foods is expensive but the way food makes me feel is priceless.
For the pesto lovers out there, a healthier alternative to which I was introduced thanks to a friend’s blog is avocado pesto. I personally don’t believe in recipes so I won't provide you with a link but I love sharing so google it, make it your own, and enjoy (and don’t forget to invite others to your table)!
Yesterday, NPR posted an article, in honor of Presidents’ Day, about a new book by Rae Katherine Eighmey entitled Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen: A Culinary View of Lincoln's Life and
Times. One quote that stood out to me was “What piqued Eighmey's interest was a simple tale of Lincoln putting on a blue apron after a day's work at his law office and helping his wife cook dinner.”
In today’s society, I feel that we are too quick to blame our schedules (school, career, kids, other commitments, etc.) for not eating healthy. How could anybody say no to frozen ready-made food or ordering take-out, especially when it is just across the street? Of course, President Lincoln lived in a time where fast food restaurants and [pizza] delivery boys did not exist, and as society would have it, women tended to the
home and cooked. But President Lincoln helped his wife cook despite having worked a full day’s work. So what’s our excuse? Food seems like a chore, we eat because we need to feed our bodies, but what about our minds? “It’s true: You Are What You Eat…” The brain has specific requirements and is picky, but it is our body’s master control center, so we need to take care of it, and that is why healthy eating should be made a priority.
I, myself, try to cook every day. Part of it is financial, the other is that my way to relax and unwind. Don’t get me wrong, I also have my lazy days where ordering from a restaurant just hits the spot for my appetite and my schedule. Cooking at home reminds me of my childhood since my mother cooked dinner every
night. Very early on, my parents discouraged being picky about food but they also made it very clear that food was to be enjoyed together. In addition to having that comforting feeling, with my biochemistry background, I view the kitchen as my laboratory, where I get to experiment with ingredients that can lead to successes (or sometimes failures) and thankfully thus far, no explosions. With social media (Facebook, Pinterest, blogs) and cooking channels like the Food Network, making healthy as well as delicious meals in a limited amount of time and on a limited budget is in everyone’s reach. Thanks to the Internet, if I do not know how to make a dish, I can look it up in a matter of seconds or get introduced to new recipes thanks to my family, friends, or even complete strangers. I understand that choosing healthy foods is expensive but the way food makes me feel is priceless.
For the pesto lovers out there, a healthier alternative to which I was introduced thanks to a friend’s blog is avocado pesto. I personally don’t believe in recipes so I won't provide you with a link but I love sharing so google it, make it your own, and enjoy (and don’t forget to invite others to your table)!