Somewhere back in the late 70’s, we got used to reading the labels on our food. We were looking for high calorie counts initially, but as we progressed in our quest for “Healthy” foods, we began relying upon the packaging to tell us what we wanted to hear – Low Fat! (meant higher in sugar) Low Sugar! (meant higher in fat).

Can you say it fast three times?

Human beings love sugar and fat with a side of salt. An ear of corn, which is extremely high in natural sugars becomes a nearly perfect combination when slathered with butter and sprinkled with salt.

If you’re old enough to remember the marketing brouhaha caused by  “New Coke” in 1985, what you may not know is that the only thing “New” about it was that they switched over from using cane sugar to the much cheaper High Fructose Corn Syrup. They took Diet Coke, which was a huge success from its introduction in 1982, stripped out the artificial sweeteners and started adding corn to it. The Coca Cola ® company wasn’t the only one to get on the cheap & sweet bandwagon. There are hardly any pre-packaged sauces, jams, dressings or processed food products that don’t contain corn sweeteners and/or corn fillers.

Last week, I posted a recipe for Jalapeno Ranch dressing, because as we move to eating more salads and vegetables in general, we can lose the health benefits really quickly by pouring a bunch of corn over it. Nearly every single bottle of salad dressing I have found contains either corn fillers or corn sweetener. Same with Barbeque sauces – You can take the most beautiful piece of organic, grass fed brisket available and destroy it with a sauce.

Sadly, I don’t have a good barbecue recipe to share yet, but I’m working on it. Most online recipes begin thusly “Take a cup of ketchup”, which is not helpful since all major brands of ketchup use HFCS.

Prior to reading Michael Pollan’s books, I read labels to see how much sugar or fat was in something, not what kind. There are a myriad of conflicting studies out there on the benefits and risks of using HFCS, my personal concerns have more to do with reducing the amount of processed ANYTHING in our diets and being able to sweeten our foods to our taste, not that of a four year old without boundaries. I wouldn’t drink a glass of water with 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, and yet, when we drink a soda, that’s what we’re getting along with artificial flavors and preservatives.

Eating lower on the food chain takes some work and not just at the store level doing due diligence, but on the home-front. I try to make some kind of spiced beans every weekend in the crockpot so they’re ready to put in salads or make quick burritos during the week.

Here is how I make the current favorite:

8 cups of dry pinto beans
2 boxes of low sodium, organic vegetable broth
2 cans of Rotel diced tomatoes
¼ cup of taco seasoning (I am working on a substitution mix)
1-3 T Tony Chachere’s

I don’t soak my beans first. I just put everything in the crockpot on high till it’s done, then I transfer them to a container for later use.

My boyfriend Michael says you can eat as much fast food as you want as long as you make it yourself. Here is my recipe for French Fries.

10 medium red potatoes cut into halves, then thirds
¼ c Olive oil
1 T Tony Chachere’s seasoning (Yeah, I know, we’re crazy for it)

Put your potatoes in a large bowl, pour olive oil over them, then sprinkle with the Cha Cha and mix it all up so everything is coated evenly before sliding them onto a large baking sheet. 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Disclaimer: I consider this blog post to be penance for the two pre-packaged Rice Crispy treats and the handful of M&M’s I had that were left over from Tim’s Birthday Party last Friday. Tim’s out of town, so I feel justified in blaming him.

In Denial,

Mrs. Knightly