The Moral of the Story
The morals can wait until the end of the post.
I fueled up on Friday morning with a delicious (and nutritious!) yog mess of love…
1 cup organic plain yog
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tbsp. sucanat
cinnamon
1 smashed banana
1/2 cup Special K Lowfat Granola
1 tbsp. PB
Then I worked.
Later that night (a.k.a. last night), I had the most hilarious pleasure of seeing one of my favorite chef/TV peeps in the world speak : ANTHONY BOURDAIN! Here are some reasons why I love T-Bone…
(1) He hates Sandra Lee (who I also think is the WORST Food Network personality by far – anyone can take a cake boxed mix, throw in some almond extract, make frosting and call it a recipe).
(2) He has the best job in the world (a.k.a. getting paid to travel the world and eat).
(3) The man is hilarious. I was on the verge of peeing myself the entire show.
Gah, I love him.
The love didn’t stop there, however. As we were walking out of the show, I saw the best thing in the world (besides Bourdain, of course): a 5-foot tall, orange tank top-wearing, portly, mullet-sporting, unshaven country bumpkin of a man.
It takes somebody great like T-Bone to really bring together such an diverse array of people.
Post-show, we obviously had to (a) drink it up Bourdain-style, (b) eat up Bourdain-style and (c) live it up Bourdain-style. In honor of Mr. No Reservations himself, we did (d) all of the above.
It started with two Liquid Sun brews…
…then progressed to eating huge Bavarian pretzels with spicy cheese dip…
…and ended with a Shrimp and Crab Relleno.
For dessert, I had a peaceful 1 1/2 hour car ride home from Milwaukee. Peaceful, because I think I was asleep for at least 1/3 of it. Two beers (or glasses of wine for that matter) + Holly = sleepytime.
Since yours truly didn’t get to bed until 2am, I happily slept until 10am this morning. I was going to go visit my fam this weekend, but since a potential ice storm is on the way, Daddy + Mama Everythingtarian thought it smart for me to stay put. I was a little disappointed, but it did finally leave me time to read blogs while enjoying a leisurely brekkie…
That would be Special K Lowfat Granola + organic skim milk + an orange (and multiple cups of unpictured coffee).
I ran a couple errands (including Whole Foods!) before I headed to the gym. On my way to getting up in the gym and working on my fitness, I snacked on this $0.69 wonder from WF…
…before I planted myself on the treadmill (speed 3.2, incline 12) and watched the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships while incline walking my heart out for 75 minutes. Cross your fingers for Sasha Cohen – my homegirl needs to take home the gold in the U.S. and at the Olympics in Vancouver!
I came home, ate lunch and tried to figure out how to hook up my television. Yes, before today, I did not have a working TV. However, that has been fixed by yours truly with a lil’ help from Google.
I wasn’t that hungry for dinner, so first I made a delicious Jess recipe…
That would be 1 cup apple sauce + 1 tbsp. almond butter heated in the microwave for a minute. Add cinnamon + whole wheat graham crackers, and you have yourself a MIGHTY DELICIOUS snack. Loved every lick of it.
Then I grabbed a fluffy pita + my WF baba ghanoush and went to town…
Now, I am blogging before figure skating comes back on in 23 minutes. Gotta hustle!
However, before I go, I wanted to bring up a couple things from my last post. To catch you all up to speed, I received some free Special K products from Foodbuzz, which unfortunately contain some not so good preservatives. I wanted to try them both, but my moral strings were tugging at me, especially since one of the preservatives – TBHQ – is also used in rat poison!
There was some great conversation with people falling on both sides of the issue. I think these two lovely comments sum up exactly what my moral dilemma was…
Cindy: “why does it EVEN need to be in there…why. even in miniscule amts. what possible good could it do? make it last on the shelves a tad longer? it’s crazy what we buy and eat. me included. xo”
Sophia: “Well, my dear Holly, you ARE the Healthy EVERYTHINGtarian, and that includes a tiny bit of rat poison and HFCS. A little dose here and there will not result in you instantly keeling over to die. lol. I think you ARE playing well to your morals….You eat mostly healthy, but hey, when free food is involved, a little deviation is ok, too!”
With all the great feedback, I’ve been debating how I feel about all of this. I kept going back and forth until this morning.
When I walked into Whole Foods, the moral of this entire story hit me. Literally. As some act of divine intervention, I physically bumped into this sign…
I’m not a perfect eater. While I don’t strive to make high fructose corn syrup or preservatives a daily part of my diet, I KNOW a little bit will not kill me. The key is AWARENESS. Know what’s in your food. Know what you are eating.
I am an Everythingtarian for a reason – I am not going to freak out over eating small amounts of these. However, I think everyone has a line, and my line is rat poison. I can’t consciously put something like that in my body when I have other options of things to eat. HFCS, preservatives, saturated fat – I’m less worried about those. TBHQ (5 grams can kill!)…well, I draw the line there.
But that’s just me. Ingesting a little bit of this will not kill you, otherwise Special K would have a huge lawsuit on their hands. And quite frankly, I am pretty sure they want to avoid that at all costs.
So there. That’s me. That’s the moral of this story: AWARENESS.
With that, I’m off to cheer Ms. Cohen to a gold medal.
How do you feel about this issue? Do you avoid all things with HFCS or preservatives? Do you eat these in moderation? Do these not bother you? Sharing is caring.
Tags: banana, cereal, drinks, orange, pumpkin, rice, seafood, yogurt
January 23rd, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Oh my God. Can I call you and us just vent about Sandra Lee? When she had a “recipe” for a multilayer cake that involved taking 2 store bough cakes and stacking them, I about lost it.
Great moral and subject–awareness. Moderation for me is relative. What I don’t eat is artificial colors, flavors, or ingredients and HFCS. Beyond that, it’s moderation all the way. Meat. All-natural, junk food. Whatever. So long as I’m getting fruit and veggies somewhere, I’m fine with having a bit of the other stuff in there as well.
January 23rd, 2010 at 8:28 pm
I think your emphasis on awareness is the perfect way to find balance between the two extremes. There is a difference between living by the mantra “everything in moderation” and being willing to put things in your body that you know JUST AREN’T RIGHT. And on a broader scale, taking a stance against some of those things is a way to bring awareness to others, which opens up the possibility that the food manufacturer will change its ways. Because we all DESERVE to know and understand what’s in the food we’re consuming, and that knowledge is what enables us to make our own, informed decisions.
January 23rd, 2010 at 8:29 pm
Honestly, I could be more aware of what I eat. I was so preoccupied with being skinny for so long that I didn’t care what the heck I put in my body – as long as it didn’t make me fat. The last few years I have been transitioning and thinking more about the quality and content, rather than just calories. I think you strike a beautiful balance, Ms. Holly.
Also, Meeker has been watching a lot of Rick Steves (the travel guy) and all I can think of is YOU – every time it is on (which has been like 3 times a day lately.
)
January 23rd, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Sandra Lee is the worst! Why is she even on TV??
January 23rd, 2010 at 8:47 pm
First – ahhh! Anthony Bourdain!!!
I totally agree with you on the awareness thing. If I’m going to put poison in my body, I want it to be my conscious choice. I’ve accidentally bought things with HFCS in it before and I haven’t thrown it out, but at the same time, I don’t buy it knowingly. Same goes with trans fat. I think I have it maybe three times a year, in very miniscule amounts.
January 23rd, 2010 at 8:59 pm
I think awareness is soooo important! I’m all about making informed choices. I really try to avoid HFCS and long ingredient lists with things I don’t know, but it’s really hard to avoid them all the time. To feel okay about the way we eat as a family, I buy as many unprocessed, whole foods as I can and make lots of things from scratch. But we certainly eat things that are not “ideal.”
However, I for sure don’t want to eat rat poison. I agree with Cindy, why does it have to be there in the first place? Also, so many people eat way more than a “normal” serving of food and practically live off just a few different foods. What if they eat a box a day every day of the year? Are they still going to be okay? Maybe the “side effects” will be “mild?” Maybe not…
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:02 pm
anthony bordain is terrific. sandra lee is not my fave, either. why does it always sound like she’s about to crack up whenever she talks?
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:10 pm
I try to avoid HFCS and anything hydrogenated. (I’m more concerned about the hydrogenated than the HFCS though). I don’t worry too much about buying a few things here or there (ketchup!) with HFCs, a little won’t hurt.
A lot of times though, I find that if there are two similar products, one with and one without HFCS, the one without will also be without a zillion other ingredients I can’t pronounce. So I usually go for the ‘without’ version, because overall it sounds better.
I hope that makes sense! haha
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:14 pm
You would not believe how jealous I am that you got to go see Anthony Bourdain last night! We were trying to get tickets to it for the last couple of days!
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:17 pm
I think Sandra Lee sucks too! I can cook better than she can… Seriously.
I think you hit the nail on the head about know what is in your food. I avoid those things as much as possible, but a little HFCS every once and awhile will not kill you.
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:53 pm
I’m so with you (and all the other commenters)- Sandra Lee drives me NUTS! I hate her stupid tablescapes. Almond butter in apple sauce? I bet thats totally delicious- gonna try it! I try to limit my HFCS…but sometimes I left it slip a bit. Have you ever had Sweet Baby Rays bbq sauce? It is SO delicious…but has HFCS in it. For sweet baby rays, I’ll eat some hfcs!
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Moral dilemma: I love pastries and other goodies from a local bakery, eventhough I’m SURE they’re full of trans fats. I eat them anyway, but I try to limit my intake to special occasions (birthday cake, caramel apple pie at Christmastime).
Also, my roommate and I have been watching the figure skating championships ALL day. Alma even has an online membership to the ICE network, so she was able to see some of the scores/highlights on the computer last night
Woo, wild weekend in NYC.
January 23rd, 2010 at 10:16 pm
ehh it doesnt bother me as much! i guess it should..but i have too many other worries to deal with! haha. i dont like sandra lee EITHER!! ugggh she gets on my NERVES!
January 23rd, 2010 at 10:28 pm
I eat EVERYTHING. Except veggies. My grandmother, and multiple family members have lived well into their 90s eating lard and white flour. I prefer whole grain items, but I eat everything in moderation. Except veggies…hate those suckers.
January 23rd, 2010 at 10:58 pm
I try to avoid crap food. But seriously, i have alot of restrictions, i.e. vegan, GF, soy free or low soy, low sodium, low this and that, and etc b/c of food allergies and so if i can eat something that i want that wont make me sick or in the hospital, and it happens to have hfcs, i eat it. Oh well.
Sandra Lee. How did she even get a show?
Anthony. Love him. He swears like a trucker, he makes tacit references to illegal substances and travels the world eating local ridic good food. And gets paid.
My blue cross situation. Not resolved. The nightmare that is getting medical care in this country continues. THank you for asking though
xoxo
January 24th, 2010 at 1:52 am
Go Sasha!
I’ve seen Tony – that’s what he lets me call him – and he does put on a good show! Hilarious and self-deprecating in a “Can you F*ing believe this gets to be my life?”
Personally, I wouldn’t eat the Special K items knowing that, though are plenty of things I don’t know about. I almost NEVER eat anything that came out of a box anymore so if I saw that I would have to stay away. But I’m not perfect and eat in ignorance all the time. I just really couldn’t do it in that case where I *knew* – does that make sense?
January 24th, 2010 at 6:08 am
You want to know what is worse than seeing a mullet where you are? here is what I saw last night: A german sporting a mullet in a red skins jersey in Germany in a Greek bar. THAT was hilarious!
As for the food issue, I try to avoid high fructose corn syrup and preservatives most of the time. I refuse to give up my wheat thins until I find an acceptable and satisfying substitute. So, maybe 3-5 items in my pantry have that crap in it…
January 24th, 2010 at 6:24 am
Great follow up!
I agree that a little bit of poison probably isn’t going to kill you (silly, isn’t it?), but I also agree that awareness is key. There’s tons of foods out there that don’t have scary ingredients in them–we just have to take the time to look. I try to avoid ingredients I don’t recognize, and HFCS, but it is hard! When I can’t avoid it, I go for moderation, otherwise the guilt is gonna make me crazy.
January 24th, 2010 at 7:11 am
Great follow up to your last post and I agree with you. The most important thing is to know your food. Know what your putting into your body. No one should put any type of poision knowingly into their body – even if they are an everythingtarian
January 24th, 2010 at 7:26 am
I usually eat things like that in moderation, but when you know it’s also used as rat poison- now that’s scary! I think awareness is definitely the bottom line- you wouldn’t have any idea stuff like that is in everyday food. I’d like to learn more about what’s in my food.
January 24th, 2010 at 7:27 am
I think awareness is a great thing. I like to know what I am putting in my body…but at the same time, I want to live my life. If that means eating a dinner my aunt has lovingly prepared without knowing exactly what brand of teriyaki sauce she used as a marinade, so be it. I’ve lived constrained by rules for the past 15 years- now I am trying to find a happy-medium. I guess, an 80/20 rule. Foods I pick myself and eat most of the time- I have “rules” about those. Foods I eat occasionally? I am trying not to let that dictate my life. Awareness, moderation, balance = healthy. For me.
January 24th, 2010 at 7:44 am
I think your conclusion about what you eat is spot on. We may not always eat perfect, but it’s more important to be an informed consumer than anything else! We have a choice of what we put in our bodies that way (so many people are uninformed or don’t get to choose what they eat).
On another note, congrats on hooking up your television! Hopefully you won’t become a reality tv junkie like me (actually I’m secretly hoping you will bc I’d love to hear your commentary!).
And I love Anthony Bourdain too. I have dreams about being his female version.
January 24th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Glad you got to see Anthony! That is so funny about Sandra lee!
I would defs not eat rat poision not even in moderation!
I agree with you!
Jenna
January 24th, 2010 at 8:45 am
Ah! Anthony Bourdain is awesome, and thanks for sharing those 3 points of his–hahah really funny about Sandra Lee, I kind of agree
And I’m TOTALLY on board with Awareness. I cannot worry about miniscule amounts of certain things because for me and my personality, that would lead down a road of unhealthy obsession that I do NOT need to go down again. And you are right, there would be some big ass lawsuits going on if there were concrete proof of these products causing serious issues.
Also, I just want to say that personally, I aim to eat miniscule amounts of non-whole, non-natural products because I know I feel better when I exclude processed things from my diet. But I am realistic in the fact that I know my life would be stressful and miserable if I were constantly worried about avoiding these things.
January 24th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Starch is in rat poison too but no need to stop eating that. Water is in rat poison too but no need to stop eating that. Salt is in rat poison too but no need to stop eating that.
I looked at the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for TBHQ (http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-tert_Butylhydroquinone-9925167) and it is clear to me that it isn’t an active ingredient that actually kills a rat, that ingredient is Brodifacoum. To get the rats to ingest this TOXIC molecule you need to include it in something they will eat. So you make a pellet that has starch, oils, binders, water and other preservatives. TBHQ is one of these preservatives and keeps the oils (which provide flavor and smell the rats like) from breaking down and making the pellet useless. Nobody wants to buy a package of pellets and have them not work after a couple weeks. If that happens then the rats come back or you keep dumping unused product into the trash which goes to a landfill. So the preservative is a good thing.
Selenium is much more toxic than BQHP. It’s found in nuts, fish & meat but doesn’t mean you should stop eating those. Look at the labels on your food pacakges or on your vitamin pills, most food companys add Selenium in any “vitamin fortified” product. But it is okay in small doses, and even needed in small doses as a micronutrient for cell metabolism.
I see that BQHP is used in perfumes too. The MSDS actually says there is more of a known hazard for inhalation than ingestion. So I would be more concerned about if you are using lots of perfume than if it’s in your food.
So Ms. Evertythingtarian I agree, be aware of what you are eating. If the label shows BQHP no need to freak out, if it shows Brodifacoum then freak out big time.
January 24th, 2010 at 9:10 am
HAHA, I love Sophia’s answer! I’m with you on the awareness factor: a little bit won’t kill me. But if I see it in a really weird place (like soup…?) that ish is going in the bin.
Bourdain really DOES have the best job in the world!
January 24th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Ahhhh you did NOT see Anthony Bourdain?! I’m stewing in jealousy – love him. He’s the epitome of sarcasm/sassiness.
I won’t lie, I wasn’t surprised with the results last night. She delivered in the short but longs are never her forte
January 24th, 2010 at 10:05 am
Awareness is important. I think people should be aware of more things–especially their actions. Not saying that people have to be complete people pleasers or anything, but just thinking outside of our little boxes I think helps move things forward so the world becomes a better place. It’s important to be informed and then each individual’s reaction can stem from there but atleast they KNOW–rather than remain naive. I’m glad that there seems to be some sort of informative revolution going on and people are actually being introduced to what’s been going on for years “behind-the-scenes” of so many industries. It’s amazing to see the people that run these businesses talk about what they’re doing because it leaves me wondering… when did they stop caring??
January 24th, 2010 at 10:35 am
BOURDAIN!!! I know he is hugely hated on in the veg community, but I still love the man and would work for/with him in a heartbeat. I’m sure I’d drive him nuts.
I SO believe in signs like that. Well, that’s what I thought about the bunny, but it turned out all wrong. But that is neither here nor there.
I need a WF by me to make me feel more human. I love that sign! Admittedly, I don’t always pay attention to all ingredients. As a vegan, I was always highly aware. As a vegetarian now, I’ve become much more lax with reading labels. I’m sure there are some things in Flatout and La Tortilla wraps that aren’t as wholesome as I’d like. But I don’t think I eat those things–like HFCS– that often. It’s not going to hurt me. Basically, I’m with you.
Anyway, I hope you’re having a fabulous Sunday. I miss you!!! LOVE YOU!!! xoxoxo
January 24th, 2010 at 10:54 am
First of all, I’m so JEALOUS that you saw Anthony!!! How fun!
I do my best to stay away from preservatives, artificial flavorings, etc. and shopping at a co-op or WFM makes it so easy – they don’t even really have those options available! But at the same time, I’ve definitely eaten foods with those ingredients before and I’m not going to have a panic attack if I do – it doesn’t happen often.
January 24th, 2010 at 11:02 am
Great moral to the story! Awareness is a key to life in all areas. Hope you enjoy your last day of the weekend
January 24th, 2010 at 11:36 am
hey holly! i’m not sure how i managed to miss your blog for so long… but last night i was sitting with Mama Pea, you know, solving the world’s problems, talking politics etc, and she said i needed to make sure and stop by your blog b/c she knew it would be a good fit for me..
that Mama Pea is so smart! i love your blog, and can’t wait to read more.
and what a perfect day for me to stop by… with this discussion. it’s a great reminder for me, as i strive to find BALANCE in my life… avoiding extremes, which for me means that i have to be aware and smart, but not freak out about perfection etc.
January 24th, 2010 at 11:52 am
this is such a great post- first off, delicious breakfast
. secondly, i think you are completely right about your point on awareness. I think it is important to know why eating more natural products is beneficial to your health, but everything in moderation is fine.
January 24th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
hola opinion twin! i love love LOVE tony bourdain! so jealous you saw him! in addition, i HATE sandra lee! she has always pissed me off royally; so true and talking head can do ‘semi-homemade’… empahsis on semi. then she moves on to meal savers or whatever tf… bunch of shitty recipes if ya ask me. sorry for rant. go tony.
and only in the last year have i been paying a hella lot more attention to the ingredient lists on my food. def still working on it, as many a time convenience wins after a long day of work, etc. good discussion tho
January 24th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
What an incredible post and realization! I am such an all or nothing personality that it is so hard for me to find a healthy balance with almost everything in my life (watch reality TV much?)!
ONE glass of wine won’t kill me, a little dairy in the random Costco sample won’t have me turning in my V-card (“vegan,” of course) and NOT commenting on every single blog I read is not going to be the end of the world.
Cheers to letting harmless doses of everything into our lives!!!
January 24th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
This is a tough call because where do you draw the line? Tap water contains hydroxonium ions (acid) and more importantly, fluoride which everyone knows helps protect your teeth, but large amounts in proven to cause bone disease.
And the list of dangerous things absorbed through your skin is endless – everything you come in contact with has some type of toxic chemical in or on it. Again, where do you draw the line if you’re continuously exposed to all types of toxins?
January 24th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Love the moral of the story! I also love that Whole Foods sign. Sophia’s comment is awesome!
<3 jess
January 24th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Sandra Lee is so…EW. And have you noticed that she ALWAYS makes a cocktail at the end? “This one’s for Brycey and this one’s for *Aunt Sandy!*” Bahahah.
January 24th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
ah how rad to see mister bourdain! and it kills me that you snapped a photo of homeboy. that hot jess inspired snack looks SO damn good. love the grahams. agreed, it is a good idea to be aware. being aware and not eating something are two different things~ i think you are onto something.
have you sent me a guest post yet? i cant remember and if you havent, you better. and if you have, disregard this.
LOVE YA!
January 24th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Oh my gosh I love Anthony Bourdain! SO JEALOUS! Love the pictures and look forward to following your blog!! Thanks for visiting mine!
CHeers,
LC
January 24th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Boudain is pretty darn cool! Mullet man-LOL! That relleno sounds crazy good! I wasn’t even familiar with TBHQ, so I thank you for bringing that to my awareness.
January 24th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
I like your thoughts on the matter, because i can totally relate. While I do read labels and try to avoid HFCS and long lists of unpronounceable ingredients, I don’t freak out if that’s what happens to be in the house.
January 24th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
i am saving up to see mr boudrain when he is in minneapolis in april. so excited!
January 24th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Any time I begin to doubt the fact that you and I are truly soul mates you do things like post the picture of someone with a mullet. I am definitely with you on “knowing my food.” Sometimes I eat/drink things that I “shouldn’t” but I know what I am getting myself into when I crack open an ice cold Diet Coke.
January 24th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
[...] Healthy Everythingtarian finding a better balance in exercise, food and life The Moral of the Story 24 Jan You’re probably [...]
January 25th, 2010 at 9:06 am
I am so jealous- I love Anthony!
January 25th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Loved this post! I think drawing the line at rat poison is a very reasonable drawn line.
That apple sauce thang looks amazing!
I heart you, hope your weekend was great. Sorry I’m so behind on the readin’.
January 25th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
WHHHHHYYYYY did I not read this post before your recent one!!!!!! OMG I am so incredibly jealous you got to see big Tony!!!!
That troll looking creature is native to these Floridian parts. We call him “Gary”. Feel free to add it to your vocabulary. He usually has a mullet, mustache, and preferably a metal t-shirt.
January 25th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Ooo luckster! He was here a couple months ago but tickets were outrageous – $75 or something… At any rate, I absolutely adore the fact that AB hates SL…she annoys me to no end!
January 25th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Wow -love your blog – and I can’t believe you saw Anthony Bourdain!?!? What was the title of the show, what did he talk about? I love no reservations, and didn’t even know that he did talks.
Love your eats too — Babaganoush is the bomb…ever tried babaga-hummus?
January 25th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
GIRLFRIEND!! Were you just saying that snack was divine to be nice….or did ya reallyy love it?!!
I hope you really loved it!!
Ahh shoooooot, I gotta run to class but am AMPED to catch up on yo’ latest posts soon!! Also excited to get an espanol-infused email from you lata!!
TE AMO!