Hi everyone,
Today we were rained out in a rare spell of rain here in Gozo. The timing was perfect, because today we had planned to take it easy. I am still sore from yesterday’s Death By Workout :) Zuzana says hi to all of you and I hope that you will enjoy the article that I have put together for you today.
As many of you know, we recently moved to Malta, and obviously we’ve no longer been buying food from Canadian supermarkets. But here’s one thing we’ve noticed — processed food is everywhere. Even in the most unlikely locations, you’ll find products designed to look as authentic, natural, and old-fashioned as possible, all while containing loads of unnecessary additives that we don’t need.
One of the main problems here is that so much food we have in our pantry is loaded with stuff — it’s just the way the modern food system has been working, all these years.
5 Easy Things.
So we thought of something: instead of telling you to go out and throw away every single thing you’ve got in your fridge & pantry that doesn’t live up to some exacting set of standards, why not choose some of the most common offenders — ones we might not even realize are loaded goods — and highlight easy ways to replace them, permanently and without a lot of fuss.
#5: Swap Out Those Bread Crumbs.
When you buy bread crumbs, grated bread, or bread meal (or however you call it), you’re really buying a loaf of bread, just sold in a different version. If you’ve got some standard supermarket bread crumbs lying around (croutons fall into this category, too), take a look at the ingredients.
We were amazed the last time we did — we counted ingredients well into double-digits!
Solution: Make your own bread crumbs in a food processor, from bread you know is good, get bagged bread crumbs/grated bread from a bakery, or only buy brands with no unnecessary preservatives/corn syrup added.
#4: Switch Up the Salad Dressing.
Even some of the ‘healthiest’ salad dressings out there are made by big, industrial manufacturers, and as such are absolutely loaded with additives.
Solution: Avoid them, and stick with salad dressing that only contains ingredients you understand. Better yet, if you’re a fan of creamy salad dressing, try weaning yourself off of it, and onto vinaigrettes.
Most Italians, for example, dress their salads like this — olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper, and toss. There’s no need to even make a separate dressing — just put it right onto the salad/plate itself — to get great, natural results.
#3: Toss Your Broth Cubes.
These ones are deadly offenders — if you’re not checking what’s in your stock cubes and you decide to make, say, a risotto, there’s a pretty good chance that delicious meal you’ve prepared is going to contain MSG, among a whole load of other hydrogenated oils and more junk you don’t need.
Consider that example further — great risottos are often made with butter, which, no denying, is fat. But it’s also delicious, not the worst thing in the world in moderation, and a relatively simple fat that’s easy to understand. Why adulterate your masterpiece with a broth cube that’s practically 90% chemical additives?
Solution: Make your own broth, although that definitely takes a time commitment. If you’re not ready to start making broths and freezing them just yet, look for canned broths that are low in sodium and as free of as many chemical-sounding names as humanly possible. They’re out there.
#2: Get Real Bread.
We’ve already talked about bread before, but we’re putting it on this list because it’s still one of the easiest things to change — avoid any bread that has complicated ingredients or vitamin additives alongside unnecessary things like sugar, and keep it simple.
#1: Think About Breakfast Cereals.
The idea of cereals as ‘health’ food has exploded over the last 10-15 years, and recently the American FDA threatened to re-label whole-grain Cheerios as a drug, rather than a food, because of the cholesterol claims being made on the packaging.
Solution: Find a different way to eat breakfast — there are plenty out there. If you’re attached to cereals but don’t mind switching up; again, keep it simple. You’re likely better off with 2-ingredient shredded wheat and a bit of sugar in place of the dozens of “heart-safe” cereals crowding the shelves.
Start Small
Remember, all these foods can be replaced with either time-consuming efforts, or with simpler ones. Don’t feel like you’ve got to throw out everything and start 100% fresh — it’s hard to stick with things when you do that.
Get a better canned broth instead of the cubes. Use it for a while. Then, the next time you make chicken, or soup, or whatever you’re doing — make extra stock. Take it easy, substitute things at a rational, realistic pace, and before you know it your pantry, fridge, and cupboards will be full of real, authentic, simple food.
Best,
Frederick.