Do's and Donuts

It seems almost everyday there is a new trend in the "things to avoid" category of life. My personal skepticism of the industrial process of food and household commodities makes it nearly impossible for me to turn my head to any of these heeded warnings. Although, I find some to be completely over the top. (My favorite crazy "don't" is drinking milk. In my opinion, unless you have a lactose intolerance you should drink milk. It's good for you.) Although, to be fair, some don't's are completely valid:

Ya'll Ready fo' This?! (Nice Plums )

1. Don't eat/buy certain vegetables unless they are organic. (Here is a great list of foods that you can buy non-organic, though!)
2. Don't litter
3. Don't drink soda

4. Don't buy (fresh) food from Wal-Mart. In fact, try not to buy anything from Wal-Mart.

5. Don't use cheap health and beauty products. (I really stand by this one, gals. If you haven't explored what goes into the makeup you're wearing, you should. Find out what's in your makeup HERE.)

While these don'ts can be rules to live by I still think the phrase, "Everything in moderation," prevails. Sometimes you need to go to Wal-Mart for socks! Sometimes you need a soda with your burger! Sometimes it doesn't make sense to get organic russet potatoes from the market across town when there is a grocery 1/2 of a mile away. Moderation is the key to most of life's choice, simple or complex. When we discuss the detrimental effects of sugar and fat on our diets we should also remind ourselves that a little treat is OK every now and again. Understanding food and how it can be used as a way to fill our lives with nourishment and keep our bodies and souls healthy is so important. I believe my ideas about food are similar to Jamie Oliver's:

"My philosophy to food and healthy eating has always been about enjoying everything in a balanced, and sane way. Food is one of life's greatest joys yet we've reached this really sad point where we're turning food into the enemy, and something to be afraid of. I believe that when you use good ingredients to make pasta dishes, salads, stews, burgers, grilled vegetables, fruit salads, and even outrageous cakes, they all have a place in our diets. We just need to rediscover our common sense: if you want to curl up and eat macaroni and cheese every once in a while – that's alright! Just have a sensible portion next to a fresh salad, and don't eat a big old helping of chocolate cake afterwards.Knowing how to cook means you'll be able to turn all sorts of fresh ingredients into meals when they're in season, at their best, and cheapest! Cooking this way will always be cheaper than buying processed food, not to mention better for you. And because you'll be cooking a variety of lovely things, you'll naturally start to find a sensible balance. Some days you'll feel like making something light, and fresh, other days you'll want something warming and hearty. If you've got to snack between meals, try to go for something healthy rather than loading up on chocolate or potato crisps. Basically, as long as we all recognize that treats should be treats, not a daily occurrence, we'll be in a good place. So when I talk about having a 'healthy' approach to food, and eating better I'm talking about achieving that sense of balance: lots of the good stuff, loads of variety, and the odd indulgence every now and then. " Source

While for many this sounds like common sense, some might find it to be a wake up call. Others might be surprised how much changing their outlook on food could benefit their life. Start tracking your food intake and find out how accurate it is to what your body actually needs. (USE THIS).

To get you started here is a recipe that I made tonight. It's fresh, it's fast, it's healthy and, um, super yummy :)

1 package of pizza dough crust
1/3 cup BBQ sauce (I didn't have any BBQ so I made my sauce with A1, ketchup and a little bit of Sriracha- it worked!)

black beans, roasted corn, tomato and scallions to taste (I used Trader Joe's Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salsa which worked perfectly)
Shredded lite mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll pizza dough out to preferred thickness (be sure to flour your surface first), bake for approximately 5 minutes then turn over, coat with BBQ sauce, vegetable mixture and cheese. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, let cool, gobble up.

Adapted from: Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza