What does real food mean to you?
As a society, we've really lost touch with the source of our food. From vegetables and fruits grown out of the country, to buying meat products that look nothing like where they came from, we're no longer connected to the food we eat.
We have the luxury of buying and eating foods that may or may not be in-season in our area. This is a good thing, right? Not necessarily.
In losing our connection to the source of our foods, we've also lost touch with our bodies own rhythms, which, whether we pay attention or not, are tied into Mother Nature.
Recreating that connection with our foods can bring back the discovery of REAL FOOD. Food grown locally, in-season, in honor with nature and what your geographic area has to offer.
I call this Conscious Living. Deliberately living, choosing our way of life - not unconsciously going through the motions. Honoring our bodies' wisdom. Honoring the seasons. Honoring our natural rhythms.
What a novel concept, huh?
For me, that means that as the weather gets cooler, my body automatically switches from wanting salads to wanting soups. It seems to need the warm foods to keep the 'inner furnace' going.
I'm more connected with my food since planting a summer vegetable garden and enjoying the fresh squash, swiss chard, canteloupe, green peppers and tomatoes. I've been growing some of my own vegetables for years, starting with a small patio garden on my apartment balcony in Carlsbad, California.
Now that I'm living on 88 acres in Brenham, Texas, I just love my small chicken flock and collecting the eggs on a daily basis. I swear these free-range eggs taste better!
One of our local farmers, Home Sweet Farm, has created an entire business around providing organic, locally-grown produce to his subscribers. The business is BOOMING!
Want to learn more about REAL FOOD and where you can buy locally?
Check out this article in Mother Earth News, Join the Real Food Revival:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Whole-Foods-and-Cooking/2005-08-01/Join-the-Real-Food-Revival.aspx
Find a local farm in your area:
http://www.localharvest.org/
Or you can start by checking out your local farmer's market and have some fun!
In Joy,
Lauren