What is good food?

Blog post #2 finally If you read my last post, you know that I enjoy food! I was going to write "I enjoy good food," and it got me thinking about definitions. The word 'good' itself can mean so many things. Some things taste really good but as I eat them, I'm pretty sure I can feel my artery walls slamming shut. 'Good' can also mean healthful, tasty food. There's not much better than a piece of wild salmon just off the grill, caught earlier in the day by my five year old son while both grandpas cheered him on, paired with a fresh garden salad containing more than 6 kinds of fresh veggies, along with a small handful of toasted hazelnuts and a small amount of dressing. Yes I said dressing! If the latest diet craze has you thinking once again that you must avoid all fat and eat that pile of plain yard, like a bunny, leaving you feeling like a deprived, food martyr who must suffer through another bout of veggie torture, then again run the other way. Fat helps with flavor, no way around it. Just take some time to think and educate yourself on exactly what fat you are using and how much. Hoping that my son can kick the Hidden Valley Ranch habit soon, but for now I will continue to buy stock in the parent company as he dredges more food items than I care to list through the stuff. I know we all have different tastes and each of us have likes and dislikes but, when I have recently heard adults say they do not like any vegetables and in the same breath are complaining about their health and blood test numbers I can't help but to scratch my head. If I only ate what I thought tasted the best I would hire a great pastry chef, make them live in my kitchen and turn out Boston cream filled donuts! Those things are amazing! My point is that all food has its place, if you are at a point in life where are not happy with your energy level, body composition, sports performance, etc you may just want to take a look at your plate, and the snacks in between, but that post is for another day.

Pachyderm Auricle and Maize Coated Nitrate Stick

Yep, it's State Fair time!  Which means for me above all else: food. I started off the grand culinary tour with 2 delicioso street tacos at noon. Yes, you know the little devils: the ones with the 4" corn tortillas, containing meat product that is oh so tasty but of unknown origin, and topped with what are likely the only fresh veggies at the state fair, save for the ginormous, nitrogen injected produce hidden in the dusty corner of some less often visited 4H building.  I could not get enough of those street tacos, so for dinner I wandered back and devoured 3 more.  I decided that the pollo ones from lunch were too bland so I went for all asada, which I'm sure were the cheapest, most fatty, tastiest cuts of bovine available.  Not only were the fresh veggies still present, but I forgot to mention the lime wedges (ohh the lime wedges!).  I was feeling pretty good about the nutritional density of my meal choice. Time to blow that up!  I rounded out my feast with that once a year corn dog, elephant ear, and yes, a scone.  I'm sure that revealing my darkest gastronomic cravings and consumption will send some potential readers and clients running to Dr. Oz for some sound nutritional counseling. However before you run too far, here is a small nugget of advice that a nutrition professor once gave me: "Enjoy your food, and eat really, really good most of the time!"

With that in mind, those 5 leftover cupcakes from my daughter's 1st birthday party that look oh so tempting will not be on a nice little plate next to my morning coffee.  I will give them to the dog.  Now don't go calling PETA.  I know that dogs can't have chocolate...maybe i'll give them to the chickens.