Food Philosophy Series -------------------------- Part 1: EAT CLOSER TO NATURE

"Food" made in a science lab is not food.  It is not fuel. 

Processed foods and premade items often contain chemical preservatives and additives that are simply more waste for the body to deal with and filter.  Toxins are stored and ultimately, our health is compromised.  My goal as a chef is to use clean, all-natural ingredients at all times.  And to find easy ways to make things people love while sticking to this principle.  Occasionally I'll "cheat" and use a canned item but I make sure it's organic and with NO preservatives or scientific chemical ingredients which I cannot pronounce.

"Eat closer to nature"  What does this mean? 
This philosophy means: 

• Eat things with as few ingredients as possible that are NOT made in a factory.
• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.  Ever noticed what's in the middle aisles? Junk food and soda.  Processed goods.  Cleaning products.  
• Enjoy the REAL thing...Just use a little less if calories or portion control are a problem for you.
• Eat homemade desserts when you decide to indulge.  Homemade desserts, while still full of sugar and yummy, sinful stuff, are fresh and made without the chemical preservatives, artificial flavors and colors.   

Today's Main Event
BUTTER  vs.  MARGARINE

Today's contenders will battle it out in a heated match of natural vs. artificial, real vs. fake, original vs. hyped...

In Column 1:  "Pure Butter! Hailing straight from the farm, it's got one and only one ingredient...CREAM!  Butter is the favored contender in today's competition.  Butter doesn't need smoke & mirrors to exhibit it's pure flavorful contribution to cooking."

In Column 2-5:  "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter/Margarine/Parkay!  Hailing from, well, I'm not sure.  It's been hyped and we've heard it all before, but turns out, these guys may not be so good for us.  Check out that long list of ingredients and decide for yourself."

(You might ask yourself, what is "vegetable colouring",  "modified milk ingredients", "artificial flavours", "vegetable monoglycerides", "potassium sorbate" or BHT? And why is it okay to entrust our health to huge corporate conglomorates where the bottom line is the priority? )

After careful consideration and a little lable reading, BUTTER is the clear WINNER here!  CREAM! That's it. Pure, simple, cream. ONE ingredient and nothing else used to dominate the opponents. 

Things to Note in above ingredient list:

• BHA - BHT = Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and the related compound butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are phenolic compounds that are often added to foods to preserve fats. http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodcookingchemistry/a/bha-bht-preservatives.htm
• Sodium benzoate is a preservative. It is bacteriostatic and fungistatic under acidic conditions. It is used most prevalently in acidic foods such as salad dressings (vinegar), carbonated drinks (carbonic acid), jams and fruit juices (citric acid), pickles (vinegar), and condiments. It is also used as a preservative in medicines and cosmetics.^{[1] [2]} As a food additive, sodium benzoate has the E number E211.  It is also used in fireworks as a fuel in whistle mix, a powder that emits a whistling noise when compressed into a tube and ignited.    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_benzoate 

This is simply creepy that we think it's okay to ingest these things.  I wonder why cancer rates are so high and what could a lifetime of eating these chemicals be doing to our bodies internally?
The thing to take away from this is:  A little knowledge can go a long way.  Reading a label, which takes just a few extra seconds at the market, can really help you make better choices. 
Maybe you are concerned about cholesterol or caloric intake?  
Here are some options...

1. Less is More:  Use less amounts of butter in cooking, and enjoy it, knowing your body can process real butter without the introduction of chemical ingredients and/or preservatives.
2. Use Olive Oil instead of butter as it has cardiovascular benefits and may actually help lower cholesterol. http://www.health-benefits-of-olive-oil.com/olive-oil-ingredients.html
3. Try FLAX OIL on toast instead of butter. (Look for a brand without preservatives, please)
4. When baking:  Use Applesauce to replace 'vegetable oil' or 'butter' in a recipe. 

Salad Dressing Alternatives:    FAST-EASY-HOMEMADE-ALL NATURAL

1. Combine the following in a jar and shake (store in fridge)

• 1 T Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Honey or Agave Nectar
• Dash garlic powder
• 1:3 ratio of Balsamic or White Wine Vinegar to Olive Oil or Flax Oil
• Sea Salt / Pepper to taste

2.  Don't feel like making dressing?

• Drizzle olive oil over salad + squeeze fresh lemon or orange wedge + pinch of sea salt/pepper = toss!