Bruce-
Wow! Thank you for your very thoughtful and informative reply. Point taken on the “house directions” analogy.
The information I have been following is bits and pieces from the net and different books. I have The Self-Healing Cookbook, by Kristina Turner -which is really great. I just started reading The Hip Chick’s guide to Macrobiotics, by Jessica Porter, and I have The Macrobiotic Path To Total Health, by Michio Kushi on its way from the library. Plus I have been trying to get to read all the great info on this site.
It seems like the basics of macrobiotics is sinking in but the issue I am having seems to be what proportions are good for me with both health and satisfaction in mind. Also I find myself not getting very elaborate with my meals because I also have to cook meals for my family which is different than my own because they aren’t to keen on eating the things on my menu. I don’t think I will get them to fully eat MB but in the future I hope to incorporate it into meals more smoothly. I enjoy cooking but I don’t enjoy it that much to do a lot of cooking everyday. Luckily if I understand right, most MB meals are better simpler, so maybe this isn’t such a big deal.
I am currently having two MB meals, breakfast and lunch, with a non-macrobiotic dinner. The dinner meal will get easier over time, I hope, even if I do cook a different meal from my family, and I won’t be so tempted by non-macro food. For breakfast I have been experimenting with different grains. I have had oatmeal, brown rice, millet, and buckwheat all in around 1 cup cooked portions. I don’t measure or anything but I eat about near half of one cup uncooked. This seems satisfying at the moment, but as I mentioned before doesn’t seem to last long enough. For lunch I have miso soup or left over grain from breakfast with veggies. The only thing I have been drinking with meals is water or tea. Usually when I have soup I don’t have grain unless I put a little in the soup.
I wouldn’t mind losing weight, about 20 pounds would be nice, but if I feel as though I need to find something to snack on between meals I don’t think that will be helpful to me at all. I do not feel hungry when I leave the table but sometimes I notice that I stop eating not because I am full, but (I know this is going to sound bad,) but because I am bored. I haven’t learned how to cook “excitingly” when it comes to MB meals and it seems like I get bored when I am eating making me not want to eat anymore. I hope this will change with time and with experimenting with more recipes.
When you made mention about serving the kids rice and beans, when I prepare that, would you suggest cooking the rice and beans separate or together? What a great idea with the trade off and craving the other(veggie.)
I have my five year old tell me the other day the brown rice I served him “tasted like garbage.” He didn’t say it in a way of, “Yes world I am a brat,” but his honest opinion. I wish I had known about MB sooner because I can’t blame a little boy who has been eating chicken nuggets, wonder bread, and candy. Sometimes it is frustrating that most parents out there do think that their kids are eating healthy with all the packaged foods. I find it so strange that my whole life- never was their mention that dairy was bad, and to think of all the gallons of milk I drank. It is strange for me to think that as a society we are really uneducated when it comes to nutrition and diet. How could this link be passed over but instead we pass on McDonald’s to our kids.
Not to be pessimistic- I am happy I did find out about MB when I did. My kids are still young enough to work on changing views and I, (eating MB,) can have more control over my life. Even though I may not be able to convince my family to change enough to be completely MB I still know I will be making their lives a bit healthier by knowing the things I am learning. Just that side of brown rice, or extra veggie, I feel- will make some difference. I realize I can only control myself and my decisions I can’t control what my kids do end up picking as adults or what my husband decides as his future eating habits.
Well, I think I about talked your ear off, I feel as though I should apologize or something. Thanks again and I hope I answered some of the questions as to what I have been eating. Take care-
Lil Miz
