The Monday Menu

I seldom...rarely...almost never....gush about a product. Media and books are more likely to get gushed about and that is the case here. The April 2008 issue of the "Cooking Light" magazine has me waxing poetic. With every page turn it is as if the editor knew me and put this issue together as a gift to me.

"Cooking Light" has stood the test of time for me as one of my favorite publicataions for years running. There was a time several years ago where I stopped taking it because it veered away from practical recipes to sustain my family but they obviously are back on the path to righteousness.

The first article begins on page 16 and is entitled, "Homegrown, home enjoyed - a short enjoyable article right up my ally. Alison Ashton, Sr. Food Editor mentions the Local Food Movement. I am all about this. This used to be something we did as a family that was quirky and eccentric, but given time it's come into the main stream (not that we still arn't quirky and eccentric).

I hope the local food movement is not a trendy thing because buying locally is an issue of justice. When we track the meal choices to their origins and then add up the pesticides from mass farms, the carbon foot print from the trucking (or air or ship) and the justice issues of purchasing from other contries whose farming and human rights practices we would not tolerate, we begin to realize the impact our choices make in the whole picture. The added benefit to buying locally is that one connects with the local community, and supports the livelyhood of people who still work with the land to support themselves and their community.

The author ends the article with a nutrition guide. Those of us who like our food, and who sometimes consume too much of it need at times to look at that. The figures for women are for pre and post menopausal ages. That brings me to the point that in a few more pages there are instructions for using tofu and tofu recipes. No, it is not produced locally, but the off-set for a meat consumption and the justice issues that surround that, is worth it - to me. Now I don't want to be hearing 'ewww" out of any of you'll, I get that enough around here.

The magazine does not say it but what I've hear is that Asian women have fewer trobles with menopause and nearly no hot flashes. While genetics plays a huge factor here, I believe there has been found a strong coorelation to the consumption of tofu and more vegies to the lessening of menopause symptoms. If I'm wrong here, we can take up colesterol and heart condition.

I'm headed outdoors to plant 4 fruit trees and get raised-bed vegie gardens started. So, if you want menu ideas, I suggest picking up a copy of "Cooking Light", it is well worth the cover price this month. I for one, am stuffed with ideas to try.