Threat to National Security

 On ABC News it was reported that school lunches are so unhealthy that they are considered a threat to national security.  Well I could have told them that!  All the people in the lunch programs have been deluding themselves for years that their guidelines, which are ridiculous and full of unhealthy loop-holes, guarantee that our kids are getting wholesome nutritious meals at least once a day.  

I have finally started to realize that a large number of moms today don't know how to cook from scratch except for a few mostly unhealthy recipes that take a long time to make.  Because most of us have been raised by moms that believed all the commercials that touted convenience and nutrition as a nation we have forgotten that you can whip up a tasty and healthy meal from scratch in 10 minutes  very easily.  It doesn't have to take an hour or even 30 minutes to make dinner every night, my favorite things to eat take 15 minutes or less to throw together and they are very healthy and full of flavor.  We have bought in to the myths that the media and food industry have been pushing and now it's time to turn those myths on their head and get back to basic, easy, healthy food.

Myth  Made from scratch is always hard and takes a long time.

Fact    Most meals can be thrown together either completely from scratch or with very little prepared ingredients in just a few minutes.

Myth  You can buy a burger or taco at the fast food joint faster and for less money then it would cost me to fix something filling at home.

Fact    If you plan your meals ahead of time you can eat a large nutritious meal for much less and with better ingredients.

Myth  You need a good helping of protein in every meal

Fact    You only need about 8 ounces or half a pound of protein a day as an adult, more generally means that you are missing the things you need much more of, usually fruits and veggies.  However, you need about 5 cups of fruits and veggies a day.

Myth  Healthy food is bland, only the unhealthy foods taste very good.

Fact    Adding herbs and spices adds little to no extra calories but they do add plenty of great things like antioxidants, so use a light hand with the salt but BRING ON the flavor with all the spices and herbs you want.

Myth  The food industry cares about your health and makes a point of using healthy and safe practices with our food even if it costs them a little more $.

Fact    Well, since I don't consider most of what you find in the local supermarket real food, I guess you could say that it's true but if you really bother to look at what they've done to the food they provide you'de see that there is very little about it that has anything to do with the consumers best interest, and esp. the farmers, and everything to do with padding their pockets.

I'm sure there are more but I'll have to address those another time, from now on every Monday will be "Menu Monday" and I will focus on featuring recipes and tips for inexpensive, healthy meals that take only minutes to prepare.