Can We Talk 2

Food for Thought

         I guess there's always a conversation or story in my head. A voice said to me one day, "If you could only have ten foods for the next 90 days, what would it be?": I was feeling silly and immediately thought of fresh Italian bread and Nutella.


         Then I thought, no 90 days is too long to limit selection. As long as we're not impoverished or imprisoned, we should indulge in rotation of food choices. I narrowed the question to 30 days. You know, sort of like an ice breaker question, for a group or class. So I continued on my favorite foods that would not make me sick or get me in trouble over such a long period. So ice cream and cheese cake, etc., were out.

         No. 3 on my list would be cantaloupe. Then blueberries and sweet cherries. I kept thinking; what would keep me happy and sort of balanced for over 4 weeks. Broccoli, steamed. It's a little bitter raw. Extra sharp white cheddar cheese. It has fat and protein and tastes yummy. Chicken eggs. I could eat them every day if allowed. They're excellent boiled, poached, scrambled, in omelets, quiche, French toast, or frittatas. I recently learned to fry one without so much butter and still be soft and not stick to the pan.

         Bacon. It's very popular right now in every thing, including desserts. I would just have it as bacon. It has fat, a little protein, sodium, and the grease can be used for cooking eggs, if fried or scrambled. While it has soared in popularity, it has also become a villain in some circles and is not included on some restaurant menus any longer. I've never aimed to be politically correct. I like bacon every now and then.

         The last spot is a little hard to fill. Thirty days is a long time. I'd have some digestive issues if I had tuna 3 times in the same week or milk or pizza. Once in a while dry beans are great, but not as a regular menu item. Same with seeds and nuts. I love almonds, but my stomach can't handle them too frequently. No citrus for similar reasons.

         So the last item gets to be the most serious. Do I want to be nutritious or delicious? Do I want another fruit (yes) or a vegetable (should) or a protein? Which would get tiresome the quickest: grilled salmon, baked chicken, or a lean turkey burger? (I like ground turkey or bison as well as ground beef.) Something that starts out wonderful could become pretty awful after a week or two, even on a rotating day basis. While I lean a little towards baked chicken, I think I would probably go with butternut squash. It has fiber, and a lot of baby food uses it. Apparently, nutritionists feel it's really good for us. I do like it, especially with spices. So I suppose I would butternut squash with cinnamon and nutmeg.

         So what would you choose? For just 3 days, I might go a little crazier or more exotic. For six months, I'd try to be healthier. But that's my little fantasy list. In a group setting, we could argue it out and lots of choices would sound better than mine.