“The table is one of the most intimate places in our lives. It is there that we give ourselves to one another. When we say, ‘Take some more, let me serve you another plate, let me pour you another glass, don’t be shy, enjoy it,’ we say a lot more than our words express. We invite our friends to become part of our lives. We want them to be nurtured by the same food and drink that nurture us. We desire communion…Every breakfast, lunch, or dinner can become a time of growing communion with one another.”
The above quote was taken from Henri Nouwen’s “Bread For The Journey.”
I have had a lifelong love affair with food – one that only now after years of trying to build a healthier relationship with food – am I beginning to understand.
It makes sense to me now when I look back to my family of origin and realize that the bonding I was most comfortable with took place over food. I grew up in a large family where my mother and father expressed their love for us by seeing that there was good home prepared meals every day.
Three times a day, like clockwork, my family came together peaceably, joyfully losing ourselves in the sheer delight of tasty home-cooked food. It is that feeling of community I kept seeking to find again and again, without realizing it.
There is a bonding that takes place as people sit down to eat a meal together – their spirits seem to connect. In my opinion, this makes it all the more important that the food we serve each other be good, tasty food that will nourish us – body and soul.
Please feel free to share what tips or recipes you have found that work best for you and your family…..or any requests for healthy recipes – special diets welcome.
I’m looking for a good peach cobbler recipe.
judy,
I had an interview this morning with Jean Burgess at UNBSJ as part of her diabetes study. She gave me your name. I am becoming more and more active in the diabetes community. I’ve been a type 1 almost 33 years now. I am currently leading a support group at Trinity Anglican church once a month n Saint John, and I’ve been active on diabetes forums for the past two years.
Your site looks very interesting and sounds very noble. Your motivation to eat good food is sound indeed. I too have moved towards a real food diet. My inpiration comes from Michael Pollan and his book “In Defense Of Food” I heartily recommend it! here’s a couple of videos to watch:
http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/videos.html?id=729498103
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBr_i1mH_08
Another controversial book to consider is “Good Calories, Bad Calories” by Gary Taubes. His contention is that insulin causes fat and in order to lose fat, you must stop eating so many carbs. While it may sound radical off the top, when you follow his arguments and consider yourself the obesity-diabetes-CVD epidemics and their correlation to refined grains and sugars in our diets, it makes you stop and think.
My own approach has been to eat real food as you are doing and to eat less carbs. So far it’s working. I’m down 10lbs in five weeks! I do notice that your recipes are not necesarily low carb. Low sugar maybe, but not low carb. Most diabetics I’m in cantact with are looking for recipes with greatly reduced carbs.
I’d like to invite you to different diabetes forums I’m a member of. There’s nothing like dealing with real and knoledgeable diabetics to validate what you are doing. I won’t post your site, but I think you’ll be interested in learning other “activists’” opinions of your recipes or at least approach. The most active are
http://www.diabetesforums.com
http://www.diabetesdaily.com
http://www.diabeticconnect.com
http://www.tudiabetes.com
Anyway, I’m hoping we can correspond a bit and maybe you could come to our group sometime, maybe even give a talk
John
Thanks so much, John, for your comments. I have checked out the two videos you recommended; and am very impressed by what Michael Pollan has to say.
The second tape is only about 11 minutes long and is quite enjoyable as well as informative (for any of my readers who wish to check it out but are short on time.
Just to let you know also, John, the recipes on this blog are not intended just for diabetics. I post the recipes as I have a chance to try them or as people make a request for a particular type of recipe.
I look forward to corresponding with you further on my favorite topic – food.