Well, I have put the garden to bed for the year and now my thoughts move on to food. I have already prepared my Thanksgiving menu and am busy thinking about Christmas food. And baked good. And decorations.
I get lots of emails from food websites and food retailers. There are a few things I would like to NOT receive from these sources. They've become pet peeves of mine and since I was ranting yesterday about DST, I figured I would continue the ranting today.
First and foremost I am fed up with all the gluten-free recipes and gluten-free cookbook offers that are popping up in my inbox on nearly a daily basis. Celiac disease affects only about 1% of the population (link) so I am guessing there are many of us who have no interest in this. Besides, if you do not have a problem and go gluten-free, it is not healthy for your digestive tract.
Second, please stop trying to convince me that spaghetti squash tastes just like pasta. I've had spaghetti squash. It was good. It did NOT taste like pasta. Enough already.
Third. IMHO and in my taste buds nothing will ever make kale taste like anything I want to eat. I am so tired of all the 'super-food fads' that come along. Remember just recently when everyone was pushing acai berries? Why do consumers jump on these 'miracle food' bandwagons?
And last but not least, coconut oil. I've used coconut oil for baking. It does add a good flavor. But it saves no calories and is not exactly healthier than using other fats.
As bad as all of these emails are now, it will only get worse come January when the big diet push among retailers starts up. Wait, Living Social just sent me an email for a Nutrisystem plan. Geez. I am sure another diet fad or miracle is waiting just around the corner. I just wish it would stay there.
Now I think I will do something completely unhealthy and go eat some leftover Halloween candy.
I do agree with you Denise. I have a friend who's son eats gluten free and it has helped him although he is not actually a silly yak. But, I don't want the recipes thank you. I don't mind kale in soups or baby kale in smoothies although I know you don't like it one bit. I think people jump on these bandwagons because they want a quick fix for their problems. Acai berries were supposed to help with weight loss and there's one hell of a lot of people who need to lose weight and haven't the determination to do something about it. We are going out for Christmas this year. Been to this restaurant for Christmas before, they do a marvellous job.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who went gluten free cause she wanted to try it. She has trouble gaining weight. The diet didn't help.
DeleteDenise, forward the gluten free emails to me. I agree with all your comments but after 14 months of undiagnosed suffering, a trip to Mayo Clinic, trials on many different drugs, I decided on my own to try gluten free for a couple weeks (at that point, "what the heck") and found that (even tho I do not have celiac disease) it was not my cure-all but it made a big difference. I was the very last person who would have thought that it would have helped. And for the record, I will not eat kale.
ReplyDeleteI have found that as I get older foods bother my digestive tract that I had no problem with in my youth. Raw vegetables really bother me.
DeleteI am so with you on this topic as well. It is a big money maker for people who create gluten-free products. I never bought into this because I thought, Why? I watched, last spring, Marketplace, a Canadian show that discusses issues people are dealing with. One episode dealt with Gluten. People were buying gluten thinking it is better for them but without researching as is always the case. They spoke to an expert who has celiac disease. He said that if one has Celiac or Crohn's disease, then gluten free products is needed but otherwise, don;t waste your money! I refuse to waste my money so stop already with all this gluten free crap. I remember, quite a few years ago, when the rage was to stay away from coconut oil-bad for the arteries, heart blah, blah, blah. Again, investigate if you have a dietary issue otherwise, butter is ok. I am not going to eat sawdust cookies or drink green slime and convince myself it's good. Moderation is key and learning what one needs to stay away from if one needs to be on a certain diet.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw gluten-free shampoo advertised, I knew things had gone too far.
DeleteI've been wondering what the deal is with coconut oil.... Even in Japan, it suddenly sprang up all over the place, and I couldn't fathom the reason.... well, now I know. :P I tried to go gluten-free for Hashimoto's Autoimmune Disease, but couldn't do it. I love a free diet too much!
ReplyDeleteHopefully you have a lovely Thanksgiving. And I assure you, you will get at least one piece of mail in the near future that isn't spam! ;)
Love your spirit, Denise! This post made me smile. I wish those posts and ads would stay around the corner too.
ReplyDeleteSpaghetti squash is not spaghetti. Thank you. My spouse (the family cook) will not even buy it. But we do occasionally use non refined coconut oil. It's a nice substitute for oil in cake mixes where you want to have a coconut flavor, such as chocolate cake. My opinion, anyway. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I do like coconut oil for baking. Great flavor.
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