Are You Forking Kidding Me?

I'm a bit late on this one - today, I stumbled across a copy of Marie Claire, and while skimming the letters to the editor, I found comments regarding a previously published article on a new fad diet called "Le Forking." Le What-ing? Did yours truly miss an opportunity to pass judgment on a new cringe-inducing fad diet?!?

               Click here to read the article on Marie Claire's website...

Hmm...so under this plan, I could only eat foods that I can pick up with a fork. No spoons, no knives, no hands, no chopsticks, just a fork. Being the ex-law student I am, I immediately began listing potential loopholes in this "fork only" rule - is a spork considered a fork or a spoon?

Like the author, my thoughts on the diet are mixed. First, I am awfully surprised that this diet originated in France - I was under the impression that Americans were the only people dysfunctional enough to jump on bizarre weight loss methods. I always pointed to the French as an example of a healthy, rational food culture. Maybe I'm stuck in the past, or maybe "Le Forking" proponents are just a vocal, media-savvy fringe group?

Next, who made these rules? How does fish count as a fork-friendly food, but chicken does not? I've certainly had crappily-cooked chicken with a texture that would make the soles of my Doc Martens seem buttery in comparison, but properly cooked chicken is easily eaten with nothing more than a fork. These rules are far too arbitrary for one to be able to truly commit.

My last thought, however, swings the pendulum the other way. I've written many times before about how America's eat-on-the-run culture saddens me. I am highly suspect of "food" that is designed to be eaten while rushing from place to place, meeting to meeting, point A to point B. In defense of "Le Forking," perhaps eating this way is a step towards recognizing that taking the time to sit down to eat a meal is a noble goal.

What are your thoughts?

Live From The Florida Keys!

Dear Readers,

I'm writing this post from lovely Key West, Florida. On a whim, I decided to spend the holiday weekend in the sunshine with one of my best friends, and naturally, being away from home means that I'll get to sample plate after plate and glass after glass of delicious dishes and drinks that I just can't find in New England!

Stay tuned, and follow me on Facebook and Twitter for photos and updates!

Sweet Potato, Kale, and Shiitake Mushrooms with Miso Sauce over Millet

Recently, during a trip to Central Square in Cambridge, I passed what I thought was a café called Life Alive. I didn’t stop in, but I looked it up on my train ride back to the city and discovered that Life Alive is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant. I checked out the menu and a few Yelp reviews, and I wished I’d stopped in! Instead, I did what I thought was the next best thing—I cooked a vegetarian dish full of nutrient-rich vegetables and whole grains, seasoning it with a sauce made from soy sauce, sake, miso, and pungent ginger & garlic paste, a condiment that can be purchased at Indian markets or grocery stores with a good selection of ethnic foods.

Next time you feel the need to clean up your diet, give this recipe a try!


Sweet Potato, Kale, and Shiitake Mushrooms with Miso Sauce over Millet

For the millet:
2 ½ c. / 550 mL water
1 t. / 15 g salt
1 c. / 230 g millet

For the vegetables:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
12 shiitake mushrooms, halved
1 bunch kale, mid-ribs removed, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. / 15 g salt
2/3 c. / 150 mL water

For the sauce:
½ c. / 115 mL sake
¼ c. / 60 mL low-sodium soy sauce
¼ c. / 60 g miso
2 T. / 30 g ginger & garlic paste

1-2 sliced green onions, to garnish
Butter or vegan butter substitute

First, cook the millet by bringing the water to a boil. Add the millet, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, covered. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

In the meantime, add the sweet potatoes, kale, garlic, salt and water to a large stockpot with a lid. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the kale has wilted and the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.

While the vegetables and millet are cooking, make the sauce by combining the sake, soy sauce, miso, and ginger & garlic paste in a small saucepan over high heat. Whisk until the miso and the garlic & ginger paste have dissolved completely.

Once all the components are cooked, serve in individual bowls by adding the millet, then the vegetables, then the sauce, and finally, finish with a few sprinkled green onions and a pat of butter or vegan butter substitute.

Nutritional information: serves four. 340 calories, 2.2 g fat, 65.8 g carbohydrates, and 11 g protein per serving.