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Be Your Own Chef Marvelous
Last week I conducted an experiment which probably caused the family to go up a bit on the scales. That is OK since we are getting more active now that the digging season is back (I mean the proverbial digging around in the garden which burns up energy). I planned and prepared our meals using recipes from a stylish-looking cookbook to which several of Sweden's top chefs had contributed. I chose the simplest recipes – the ones that lent themselves more to the everyday.
By the time we had reached the end of our gourmet week I found myself feeling stuffed. Each meal left me uncomfortable. This wasn't a great surprise. Each time that the recipe required me to pour in an extra cup of cream and even more butter, I hesitated. Is this really what it takes to make good food?
Some years ago I was invited as a speaker to a remarkable event in Copenhagen organized by Danish eco-food legend, Camilla Plum (visit http://www.fuglebjerggaard.dk/). The event attracted 600 women who had shown up to share the joy and skills required to improve cooking for the everyday. It was called The Belly Rebellion. Despite all of the health messages out there around food today, I feel that we need more organized belly rebellions by both men and women gathering together showing the world what truly good everyday food is.
It isn't easy to figure out. Top chefs frequently use a load of fat in their food preparation in order to deliver flavor. Then there is also of course the issue of sponsorship by the butter company. I don't believe in banning butter or cream from diet. You'll find this out in my food blog, Julie's Kitchen (http://www.nordicwellbeing.com/Julies_Kitchen/). Everything has its place in the right quantities balanced with enough physical activity. However, I do feel that we need to brush up on our skills of what balance of ingredients is required to produce healthy, tasty food.
My belly rebellion contribution for now is to read a recipe carefully before diving into it. Don't just accept that it must be good because Chef Marvelous wrote the recipe. Test your way forward. Try the recipe with a little bit less of whatever quantity seems outrageous and see whether it works. Change ingredients to suit your preference. Have fun and use your common sense.
I have a black currant pie sitting on my kitchen counter (using up my last black currants from 2008). It is divine and I made it with about a third less of the white flour, sugar and butter required by the recipe. Check my Kitchen Blog (http://www.nordicwellbeing.com/Julies_Kitchen/) for the recipe now!
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