Eating under the Palm tree - more on simplicity

I was just reading an e-zine article in which the writer was telling stories of people who had chosen to live more simply: a pastor who gave away most of her clothes, accessories and fancy shoes in favor of seven dresses just alike; an author and his wife who chose to downsize from their mansion to a cottage and streamline other things as well.

In the Christian calendar we have just entered the season of Lent. There are many who choose this time of year to give up something - and so often it is something they will give up for 40 days and then snatch back. The article pointed to the above examples as ways to give up and keep giving. The focus shifts from what has been given up to the ways the time or money can be used. (A friend's family has given up ice cream for Lent and are donating the money they would have spent to an orphanage.)

I refer to this in our series on eating healthfully because of this reference: the author and his wife chose to relieve themselves of the tedium of choosing what to have and how to fix meals that would be "fitting" for guests etc. Their lunch each day is vegetable soup, wheat bread, cheese and yogurt. Likewise their breakfast and dinners are simple and easy to prepare. She has "given up" the extra time it takes to plan interesting menus for everyday or entertaining. She can now give that time to other pursuits.

How many diet programs promise "lots of variety" and "never boring"? How many hours do we spend poring over recipes and ingredients, wandering through the grocery wondering which of the many options we should have for dinner?

I have the same thing for breakfast 5 days a week: one egg fried in extra virgin olive oil, a slice of cheese and a slice of wheat toast. I drink a huge glass of water with which I swallow my vitamins. On Saturdays I have a bowl of Shredded Wheat 'n' Bran with banana and milk, and on Sunday we go out for breakfast and I have an egg sandwich then too. I spent years trying to do different things, but find that I prefer this - I get a good breakfast made inexpensively at home with little effort or thought - it has become part of my routine.

Perhaps we (Americans?) have begun to devote too much time to our food. We own tons of cookbooks and yet we tend to eat the same things (sometime on the same nights each week!).

Finished the article, I thought about how much time I could spend writing, reading, working on other house projects, working on other interests if I prepared fewer foods and more simply.

AND the other thing these people gave up (IMHO)? Paying attention to all the fads, the new products, the new ingredients, etc... they just eat the simple things they like and are not out buying and trying every new snack food that comes along. Ultimately they are saving time and money, using both for other things. They probably save a significant number of calories as well.

SO as part of our K.I.S.S. week, let's give this some consideration. How could you benefit from this approach? I'm going to try it! Let's share experiences and insights, okay?

Eating Under the Palm Tree - K.I.S.S.

A group of ladies began discussing eating healthfully on a budget in a Facebook thread today, and it started me thinking that it might be a good thread for this blog. Are you in?

I am a firm believer that simple eating is the best, though sometimes I stray. SO I was wondering if I could help some others with their eating habits and stay true to mine as well.

It is always a challenge to eat healthfully, you say. Well, do you remember Jack LaLanne? Yes - the guy with the exercise show when our mothers were housewives. Yes - the guy who does something incredible every year on his birthday like pull a boat across a river. Yes - the guy with the juicer (I have that juicer - it's great). In an interview on his 80th birthday, Jack LaLanne said he has never tasted pizza, has not had ice cream or cake or pie on over 50 years ... he and his lovely wife eat fruits and vegetables, meat and other basics. And he is very healthy!

Look to the Bible. In Daniel, we find the origin of what has become popular as the Daniel's Fast. When I first encountered this many (25+) years ago, it was done for spiritual more than physical reasons. It was done for ten days, and one ate only vegetables and drank only water. It was wonderful. I have tried the more "modernized" version and will use the original next time (soon). Look at the directives given to the Israelites regarding what to eat and how to eat it. Mostly consider that they did not eat: potato chips and other "goodies".

In modern times we have The Zone, raw eating, and The Maker's Diet. They are all different, but have many things in common.

So what do the healthiest people eat? or rather HOW do the healthiest people eat?

Everything centers on simplicity. Simple things prepared simply. Keep a food as close to its natural state as possible.

So here is today's challenge: keep your foods this week as close to the natural state as possible. For instance,

• eat an apple not apple pie. If an apple is difficult for you, chop it and microwave it (with a little cinnamon if you wish) and you have fresh applesauce.
• buy fresh green beans and steam them crisp/tender (or only as soft as you need to eat them comfortably)
• eat nuts and seeds as snacks (watch your quantities!) - if those are difficult, buy pure nut butters at a natural market or make your own (these are just ground nuts - nothing added)
• have an egg for breakfast - just friend in a bit of oil or have it hard-boiled
• Cereal? have oatmeal with some fruit and nuts (add a little cinnamon if you wish), or have Shredded Wheat'n'Bran
• eat the fruit rather than drinking the fruit juice
• if you juice, remember to juice the amount of fruit, not the amount of juice (the juice of one orange, not enough oranges to fill a glass) because of the sugar content! and mix vegies with fruit when you juice

Got the idea? Keep it Simple, Sweetie!

Please share your thoughts, your experiences and your suggestions in the comments - let's do this together and learn from one another, okay?

Make an appointment with yourself

Wow - I knew it had been a while since I wrote anything but not that long!

Why is it that we make these commitments to do something and then let so many other things get in the way? The decision to set aside some writing time each week on Saturdays gave way to the decision to have Monday evenings and Thursday evenings as time to write and read... and yet here it is February and I have not posted on the blogs nor have I written the rest of the stories needed for the new book...

There have been many things accomplished in those months - the holidays, involvement in the homeless shelter near us, plans for a prayer room at the church, and many other little projects.

Yet I have broken a promise - one that I made to myself when I started this blog. Writing is very important to me and I began this as a way to set aside dedicated time for it.

What about you? Are there promises you have made to yourself - to do something for yourself - that then get pushed aside because you are doing things for others?

It is important to do for others - absolutely imperative - but remember that you can be no good to others if you don't take care of yourself. Set aside some time to do something for yourself every day - read, pray, sew, knit, take a walk, exercise.... whatever you need to care for yourself. Make an appointment (yeah, I did that) and then keep it. Write it on the calendar and in your planner so that others see it as well. And if something else comes up once in a while that you feel is worth it, don't cancel that appointment with yourself - just re-schedule it.

I'm going to try to do better - want to join me?