10 Rules of Food and Eating

I haven't written a food and eating manifesto in a while, so here are my theories, politics and gut feelings about food and eating:

1. Love yourself enough to eat well. 
2. Food is not chemistry: eat a moderate, balanced diet of real foods.
3. Drink more water. Eat more fruit.
4. Buy ingredients, not packaged food. 
5. You don't have to be a great cook to make good meals.
6. Making good meals doesn't have to take tons of time.
7. How you eat influences your health and emotional wellbeing.
8. Eat from hunger, not boredom, anger, joy, loneliness, sadness or tiredness.
9. Love yourself to get enough sleep (most of us need 8 hours). 
10. If you eat junk, fast, or snack "foods," or drink pop or energy drinks, don't be surprised to look and be unhealthy.

You're probably thinking Wait a minute, #9 isn't food-related, but it really is: not getting enough sleep can affect your nutrition in 5 ways:

1. You drink energy drinks (which are terrible for you), or too much coffee, in a bid to get and stay awake. 
2. Lack of sleep makes you more likely to get sick with colds and flu. Many people take over-the-counter meds so they can go to work. Those meds are not natural or good for your body.
3. When you're tired, you're likely to eat sugary carbs for a 2pm pick-me-up, and overeat in the evening.
4. Lack of sleep can cause depression, which is often a trigger for emotional eating.
5. Chronic tiredness makes you less likely to have the energy to shop for, and cook, real food.

Things that Boning Knives Cut Really Well

1. Tofu
2. Polenta (cooked)
3. Mangos, especially Filipino style, with the long shallow pit.
4. Banana Bread and any delicate cake or bread
5. Packages. (sshhh.. don't tell chef. I know it's hard on the knives but it's just so darned convenient.)
6. Butter, soft or frozen
7. Eggs (hb, of course)
8. Over-ripe tomatoes
9. Softer cheese

Tofu: slicing time was < 30 seconds

Kale and Bacon with Carmelized Onions & Tofu

This dish is quick and super-easy. The onions and bacon add an earthy undertone to the fresh crunch of kale and silky richness of soft tofu. I was surprised how much the kids ate. It's a light single-dish meal or good paired with soup and rice, and is fairly digestible while high in protein and deliciousness.

Peanut oil (or oil that can handle higher heat)
1 medium or large onion
1/2-1 pound of bacon
1-4 cloves of garlic, to taste
1 container soft tofu
1-2 bunches of kale
Soy sauce (optional, to taste: fish sauce, sesame paste, ponzu, korean barbecue sauce, sweet chili sauce)
Tapioca starch (optional)
Sesame seeds (garnish)

Put a larger skillet on medium-high heat.
Heat about a tablespoon of peanut oil
Rough-chop the onion and bacon, and finely slice the garlic.

When the oil is hot enough to sizzle at a drop of water, add the onion and bacon.
As they cook, roughly slice the tofu; if it's soft enough you can pull it with a fork. The idea is to have irregular pieces, not square slices.

When the onions are softened and the bacon is cooking but not yet crispy, add the garlic and tofu.

At this point it's also time to add seasonings. I used soy sauce, a couple drops of fish sauce and some sesame paste. I recommend tasting and seasoning as it cooks; sometimes I add a ponzu-type citrus sauce, or korean barbecue sauce, or even sweet chili sauce.

As the tofu absorbs the flavours and sauces, chop a bunch or two of kale, stems and all. I usually cut the stems in small pieces like we do spring onions. Continue cooking as the juices dry up and the onions, garlic and bacon begin to crisp. When the onions, garlic and tofu are as brown as possible but not yet burning, place the kale on top and let it cook down.

Cover the pan if possible, but be sure to vent the steam so your kale doesn't get soggy. Ideally you want it to retain some structure and a bit of crunch in the stems.

For that shiny glazed chinese vegetable look, add a teaspoon or two of tapioca starch. Mix it in well for a couple of minutes, then remove pan from heat.

Remove from heat and transfer to serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy.