of heritage and health food

Last year, we tried to go vegetarian. We were getting frustrated with the rising cost of meat, and had seen a rather disturbing DVD presented by PETA. We had also found ourselves stuck behind a number of Tyson chicken trucks on the highway while commuting around town, and decided that we didn't want to part of the maltreatment of animals problem. Our meatless binge lasted about a year.

What really brought me back to being a carnivore was seafood. I could handle not eating hamburgers and steak very often, but fish and other forms of seafood have always been a favorite, if not a staple of my diet. Since I grew up in the deep-fried South, my diet consisted of deep-fried seafood at a young age. Although I have traded the deep-fried for boiled as I have grown older, I still can't seem to let it go. This got me thinking...

Does our heritage influence not only our cultural beliefs, but our health (by way of diet) as well? Do natives of Kansas City (and other BBQ meccas) find it impossible to abstain from ribs and brats? Can Texans switch to vegetarian tex-mex cuisine? Can Southern New Orleanians ditch their spicy seafood specials in lieu of wheat germ and alfalfa sprouts? I'm convinced that there must be a better way.

One trend that I ran across recently is the "superfoods" trend. These are natural ingrediants that provide more than just basic nutrients. They've got essential anti-oxidants and metabolic benefits unknown in other food groups. Some of the more accessible (and affordable) superfoods include garlic, barley, and cayenne pepper. So I've been trying to include them in my recipes when possible. Garlic is a no brainer that can be added to most ethnic cuisines, from Italian, Indian, and Mexican meals to almost any Asian stir fry. The kids don't seem to mind it either. barley can often be substituted for rice or beans in certain dishes. Cayenne is a bit trickier, since a little bit goes a long way.

For the cooking-challenged, there are supplement products like Orovo, which combine ingredients from the superfoods into yet another miracle pill.

Personally I'm going to stick to my home-cooking and try to be more creative to include more superfoods into my recipes. I'm also going to try and cut down on meat intake when possible, although my Southern heritage prevents me from eliminating seafood entirely. It's not that I simply don't want to give up seafood - I also want to pass the recipes and culture down to my own children. These things are very important to me, especially in the ephemeral society that we now live in.