To Thine Own Self, Be Food

First, a thing about our No-Restaurants experiment. This past weekend, we traveled with good friends to Kansas City to the Renaissance Fair. We made a pit stop at Gino's Italian Cuisine in Kearney, and I'm not exaggerating (much) when I say Brent and I both copiously salivated for days before the trip. It would be our first outing since the inception of NR. And really, the food was good...but I wouldn't say it was the most amazing meal of my life. And yes, both Brent and I spent some time on the toilet the next morning because of it. (Better on it than in it, I say) So, end point, the experiment continues (although, it seems less of an experiment now and more of a lifestyle choice). The kids agreeably are on board with continuing, so now maybe the challenge is to see how long we can go before we cave into the pressure/desire to visit a local eatery. Second, my obsession with purchasing food-related texts is nearly at a climax. I have not even finished with Marion Nest...

I've been reading Marion Nestle's "What to Eat" lately, and let me tell you, it is quite a tome. Overwhelming, perhaps. The more I read, the more I am convinced that a. Food consumers are not stupid, but yes, ignorant. b. The food industry is fraught with unscrupulousness. c. Various concerns about public health and safety come in second place nearly every time to companies who have a lot of money and lobbyists. d. All of the above. I suppose you could look at it two ways: one, it's depressing to think how duped the American consumer has been for all these years...and yeah, an isolated tropical island free of politicians is looking pretty appealing right about now. OR Two, this is Enlightenment. This is evolution of the human species. Knowledge is power, and knowing is half the battle (via G.I. Joe). Now, we can start making good and right choices. Me, I choose No. 2. Nestle's section on fish is rather extensive...at various points, it occur...

On September 5, 2010, the Nelson family undertook the great task of withdrawing from all restaurant outings. The final pronouncement: Not painful at all, and actually, worth continuing. Oh sure, there were times we craved non-homemade-food. I mean, how can we physically not crave it when we live in such a processed-food-world? But mostly, suppressing the urge to indulge was easy (or at least, grew easier with time). So, dear readers - let me give you the highlights. 1. I purchased a nice, new food processor, which has allowed me to make fresh salsa, mashed sweet potatoes, and broccoli pesto - just in the last week. 2. Slowly but surely, Brent and I keep dropping weight. I believe this can be attributed to smaller serving portions and the elimination of junky, processed foods from our pantry. 3. We have become more resourceful. Bags of lettuce or produce are no longer being thrown out because of spoilage - we are actually eating them before they go rotten. This in turn leads...