On Making the Food Revolution Our Own

Taking a cue from my favorite celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver, I did something unique this Mother’s Day. I enjoyed watching Oliver’s recent Food Revolution series on TV, often watching in disbelief and chagrin as I saw families who relied completely on processed food because they lacked the basic cooking skills needed to prepared healthful food. However, I know that Oliver’s goal involves not only looking outwards at society’s worst-case examples, but also inside our own homes at how we can improve ourselves. Somewhere along the line, I realized that my own little brother, sister and father probably wouldn’t be able to survive on their own if my mom wasn’t around to cook for them.

Yesterday, I went over to my parent’s house with a plan and a bag of fresh ingredients, and I organized a team of chefs. I had everyone doing prep work first (grating cheese, chopping garlic, slicing bread, etc.), then handling a specific dish. Together, we made whole-grain spaghetti with meat sauce and freshly grated parmesean cheese (no more canned Kraft), tossed green salad, balsamic vinaigrette from scratch, sauteed asparagus, and a garlic/herb butter that we spread on fresh pugliese bread and warmed in the oven.

My mom loved the meal, and best of all, I felt like my family had gained a basic life skill that they will be able to draw on in the future as needed. They loved the way the result of their labor tasted, and all commented that it was easier than they thought. That’s what the Food Revolution is all about! Cheers, Jamie!

A Tribute to the Food Network

Today, I felt like doing a tribute to the Food Network, which is far and away my favorite thing to watch on TV. Particularly ironic are the moments in which I am plodding away on the treadmill or elliptical in healthful endeavors, while simultaneously watching this station and fantasizing about the food being prepared. So here are some of the shows that have been most influential for me:

The Naked Chef: At age 16, I loved and still love everything about this show. I loved the edgy filming style, the basic, simple foods prepared, and of course, the host Jamie Oliver, with his adorable Essex accent and contagious passion for cooking. My husband recently acquired the whole season 1. Major kudos to him!

Iron Chef: In high school, my dad and I would often watch this one together. It was something that we both enjoyed, as it incorporated martial arts-like effects (which appealed to my dad) and cooking (which appealed to me). The over-the-top dramatic effects made it comical as well - I will always remember that moment in the opening credits in which the host bites into a bell pepper with just a tad too much enjoyment.

Drive Ins, Diners and Dives: This show seems to be my constant work out companion, as it airs after work when I typically hit the gym. I also feel a personal connection with host Guy Fieri, seeing as he’s from Northern California, owns the local Sacramento restaurant Tex Wasabi, and has stated that our local Squeeze Inn offers the second best burger in the US! Yes, I do feel the irony of burning calories while watching him down chili dogs and an endless parade of fried foods, but still gotta love it.

Honorable mention to Bobby Flay's Throwdown, which can be pretty entertaining too.

Any other favorites out there?

One TV Show I Can't Wait to Watch

I try to avoid TV in general, as I find that there are hundreds of things that I could be doing with my time than sitting in front of a box. However, I must confess I feel a great deal of interest and anticipation regarding British chef Jamie Oliver’s upcoming reality tv show.

I’m not sure when “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” is slated to start, but I understand that the basis of the show will be Oliver touring America's unhealthiest cities and giving the residents good-food makeovers using local resources. The show is going to be produced by Ryan Seacrest.

Let’s see.... sexy famous chef with a killer accent, boasting loads of natural charisma and passion for fresh, easy food, making over the diets of fat Americans who are willing to change... Yes, that sounds captivating! When do we start?