Are you baffled by people who DON'T cook light?

[Ms. Chevious]

OK, maybe I've been watching too much FoodTV but I am really amazed at how NOT light some of their cooks are. Like lots of things Mario makes look fantastic and then he goes and dumps a gallon of olive oil on it at the end - and immediately I want to hurl! Does it not occur to him that he might not be a gazillion pounds if he didn't put gallons of oil on everything? Then I was watching the Barefoot Contessa and she made a cupcake recipe with 5 sticks of butter! And the other day she made a meal for two with 4 sticks of butter in the whole thing! Even if you only eat half of that, you've eaten a stick of butter! EWWW! Again, you'd think she might think about that given she's got a few extra pounds.

Now don't get me wrong - I'm all for people who are fat and happy or just happy whatever their size and don't need to count calories - I think that's fantastic. But don't people think at all about general health and heart disease, etc. even if they don't care about how they look? (I guess the answer to that would be no, given the popularity of McDonald's!)

I guess cooking light is just second nature for me - I've never cooked any other way and just can't imagine doing so. I actually needed to stop cooking from CL to lose weight because their recipes are so much more fattening than my usual - I was having to ADD fat just to cook "Cooking Light"! :rolleyes:

So is cooking light just second nature for you now - can you imagine NOT cooking light?

[swquilts]

I know what you mean! :) I now cook light most of the time. Except when the recipe or item just screams for 1/2 stick of butter or heavy cream. Some things you just can't sub for.

I'm going with the theory that they don't eat much of what they cook! LOL....I can't imagine they eat that way all of time. Maybe they just have extraordinary portion control??

[Grace]

I'm with ya - I can't understand the 4 sticks of butter mentality either. That's not to say I'm completely fat phobic, but I cannot for the life of me justify insane amounts of butter/oil, etc.

I don't even watch those shows because the recipes do not appeal to me in any way, shape or form.

[TamiKnight]

I enjoy watching the shows, but I think the blood actually drains from my face sometimes as they're pouring in vats of butter, cream, or oil. I'm always thinking, "I would never, ever, ever put that much fat in my food! It's not that I don't sometimes make splurge foods, but even my splurges don't come close to the fat content of some of the things they make on the shows. Certainly, I wouldn't even CONSIDER cooking like that every day. I remember one of Mario's shows, where he cooked some vegetable, then poured about a quart (I am NOT exaggerating :eek: ) of heated oil over it. I almost had a heart attack just WATCHING.

[lindrusso]

I was just thinking about this same thing the other day. I'm not as dedicated to light cooking as you seem to be, but I definitely prefer it, but will cook full fat about once a week - just because there are some things I just want to cook because it sounds good and don't want to ALWAYS have to worry about the fat content.

For the most part, though, I feel much better cooking light, but I only really started doing that probably about 5 years ago. Now it has come to the point where I struggle about whether I should try the full-fat version or the light version. For instance, the other day I signed on to make dessert for an Italian-themed dinner. I settled on Italian Cream Cake, but now I can't decide if I want to make the CL version or the full fat. Part of me wants to try the full fat version, but part of me knows that I'll feel much better if I make the light version (because I'll enjoy it more knowing it's not so full of fat).

I guess I'm on who is torn between still loving the full fat stuff, but preferring to eat light most of the time for my health (with the occasional full fat meal).

The other day I hosted a recipe club here and the theme was comfort food and casseroles. I typed up the recipes to share online with the rest of our MOMS Club. As I was typing, my jaw dropped! One recipe had 2 cans of cream of whatever soup, 4 cups of cheese and ground beef! Ack! The rest of the recipes weren't much better. I made CL'sOne-Pan Whiskey-Flavored Pork Chops and thought that was even a bit on the non-light side! Granted comfort food is often associated with fattening foods, but oh my!

So, in my experiences, most of my friends and acquaintances are still choosing the full fat stuff - either because they don't care to watch what they eat or because they just aren't aware of what YUCK they are putting into their bodies on a daily basis. As I said, I do like to cook full fat here and there, but it would make me feel gross to do it on a regular basis.

[SandyM]

It doesn't baffle me when people don't cook light. Everybody's gotta do their thang. I can watch it (or read it) and pull out the information that I need to make it work (if it even interests me).

What baffles me is when people don't cook light and then complain because they're overweight. :rolleyes:

[Terrytx]

I'm with you guys. I am amazed at how un-healthy some people in my family cook. There is plenty of heart disease, and high blood pressure in our older family members. Can't the younger members see what is going on. My kids scoff at me for trying to cook healthy. They will try to get me to buy whole milk, put gobs of butter and oil in things, want to "treat" me with creamy desserts and candy, etc then get offended when I will not eat them. They know I am careful about what I eat. They aren't stupid, so why do they insist on acting that way.

I'll step down from my band wagon now.

[funnybone]

Originally posted by SandyM
What baffles me is when people don't cook light and then complain because they're overweight. :rolleyes:

I agree there!

[pmmahan]

I like to cook, period. I try to cook in a healthy way most of the time for my health, but I think it is fun to try things that look good, even if they may not be light.

I guess I'm not really "baffled" because there is plenty of information out there on how to eat healthy and take care of your self, so I just figure people make a conscious choice and I don't judge them for it.

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by SandyM
What baffles me is when people don't cook light and then complain because they're overweight. :rolleyes:

EXACTLY!

The woman who made the nothin'-but-fat casserole I mentioned above said that she has never had a "good" metabolism. But she brought that recipe AND I've seen her eat meals that contain a full day's worth of fat and calories!

Now perhaps that's simply the choice she has made, and that's fine, but I get the impression that she doesn't even realize what she's eating - it's probably just how she was raised and taught to cook.

I also know others who are trying to lose weight and will avoid bad foods at restaurants, they exercise, but then they will prepare these meals full of fat. Again, I think they just have never sat down and analyzed the nutritional content of what they are cooking - they just cook it because they have always cooked it and their mother before them.

[gertdog]

Given all the headlines that scream about the dangers of too much fat, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, etc. I'm kind of baffled by people who NEVER cook light, or who cook w/o giving a thought to what they're putting in their food, light or not. But I'm not really baffled by people who only cook light sometimes. I try hard to make good everyday choices, but I do occasionally make a full-fat recipe and have no problem with that. I think in terms of averaging the nutrition value of my food intake over a day or even a week, rather than in terms of individual recipes or dishes.

That said, there are definitely some recipes that I would just never make because they rate too high on my fat-o-meter. 4 sticks of butter in a recipe that serves 2 people? No way. But 2 sticks of butter in a recipe that yields 4 dozen cookies (works out to 1 tsp. butter per cookie)? Yes, I'd probably make it if the overall recipe appealed to me.

[sneezles]

I cook light most of the time but then there are just certain things I crave that are full fat (that blackened catfish with lemon butter sauce). I also find I don't eat as much when it is full fat but just savor every morsel! ;)

[1MegMeg]

I am definitely quite baffled by those that don't cook light. However, I am even more amused at people's different perceptions of what is "healthy". I once knew someone who only ate fat-free cheese (b/c regular cheese is supposedly "not healthy") yet ate red meat 4+ times a week.

ETA: I am definitely not baffled by an indulgent food choice every so often, just consistently unhealthy food choices.

:)

[lorilei]

Originally posted by gertdog
[B]I'm not really baffled by people who only cook light sometimes. I try hard to make good everyday choices, but I do occasionally make a full-fat recipe and have no problem with that. I think in terms of averaging the nutrition value of my food intake over a day or even a week, rather than in terms of individual recipes or dishes.
/B]

I have to agree with Stephanie on this one. Making decent choices MOST of the time seems to be a balance that I can handle. Eating light (and only light) just isn't my style -- though I generally work towards healthy alternatives in my daily diet.

My diet focuses less on being LIGHT and more on being balanced. I don't count fat grams, per se -- but I do pay attention to the TYPES of fat that I'm putting into my body. I avoid saturated fat as much as possible, and save indulgent dishes for "special" occasions. My diet is full of veggies. I try to make fiber a big part of my day. And I work at variety in my food choices.


Given that, I'd have to think pretty hard before eating a whole stick of butter. Even if it was smeared all over a gigantic pile of kale and barley :cool:

[yorkshirepud]

I too have been amazed by the amount of butter/oils etc used by TV chefs and I'm sure many of our favourite restaurants. There is absolutely no way you could possibly eat like that daily. And to be honest, at times, I just don't see the need for the huge amount of oil they'll drizzle over a salad or something similar. Perhaps they just get excited, I don't know.

I cook healthy all the time, it's not even something I think about. When DH says he likes the look of that (say something on TV), I automatically know I can find a healthy version of it.

Cooking light really isn't hard, it's about finding the find balance to suit your needs without taking the essence away from the recipe.

At one point, I got a little crazed and wouldn't cook anything that I didn't know the nutritional value of (thank god for CL books or I may of starved :D ), but then I learned, lightening a recipe isn't that hard. You just take the principles you learn from your books and apply them elsewhere.

I too don't understand those that complain about being overweight, yet make no great effort to develop a healthy lifestyle. I think much of it comes from the lack of education. For example, the chefs on TV rarely give you alternatives, for example, you could use lowfat sour cream instead of fullfat. I know there's many magazines/books out there to help out, but sometimes, people just don't have the motivation or inclination to seek them out. Sure, some of it is ignorance, but I think there are many factors to this matter.

YP

[Alaina76]

I was just thinking about this! Every Tuesday night DH and I go to a class at a church and they provide dinner for us. I always eat ahead of time because I don't like meat and every meal has been meat-laden and because on the chance that they do have a vegetable or salad, it is always dripping with butter or dressing.
Just last week, there was two apple crisps for desert. One pan had a sign by it that said "less butter." Only 2 other people besides me and DH (out of about 30) took the less butter crisp (which, I'm sure still had plenty.) I think the general belief is that the more fat, the better flavor.
I run into this problem a lot when eating at other people's houses or eating out - it's doubly hard to find something to eat that doesn't contain meat and has reasonable amount of fat in it. The in-laws are especially bad at this - a typical dinner includes brats and an iceberg salad or some sort of veggies with butter (but to be more accurate - butter soup.) I now bring along some sort of pasta salad or something to share so I can have something to eat, but it's not that easy when eating at restaurants.

[run4joy]

I can't remember if it was here or on the WW's website where I told you about my mother-in-law feeding me spaghetti a few weeks ago after a six mile run, and later telling me, with a chuckle, she "fries up the meat in bacon grease before adding it to the sauce". She didn't want to tell me before I ate it because she knew I wouldn't eat it if I knew. Somehow she thinks it's for my own good! All I could think at the time was "WHY, WHY?" I buy the lowest fat ground beef possible, and drain every drop. Sometimes I even rinse it under hot water! Also, we had a party here this past weekend, and I ate too much party food (full fat sour cream, butter, etc.), and I was so sick that night! My body is not used to it, as all I ever get is a drizzle of olive or canola oil in whatever I prepare.

[stefania4]

I'm less baffled than I am incredulous, particularly with the skinny people who eat deep-fried everything. How do they do that???

[Alaina76]

Originally posted by stefania4
I'm less baffled than I am incredulous, particularly with the skinny people who eat deep-fried everything. How do they do that???

Yes, but just because they are skinny doesn't mean they are healthy. DH works with a guy that eats Chinese Buffet at least 3 days a week for lunch and talks about eating out quite a bit for dinner. DH asked him if he was worried about his health eating so much fried food and he just replied that he doesn't gain weight so he isn't worried about it. His arteries have got to be starting to close up with a diet like that - even if he has a normal weight.

[Kismet]

I have to agree that NOW I am somewhat baffled by people who don't cook light, but this has not always been my perspective. I think that so much of cooking/eating is passed down from generation to generation, and if a new behavior is never taught, how would someone know. For instance, before I started reading Cooking Light, I really didn't understand just how much fat that stick of butter had in it, I never read labels, and I didn't necessarily know the consequences of using tons of fats/processed foods/etc. This is how I had learned to cook from my mom, grandmother, etc.

Now, my mom and I both subscribe to CL, so we have both learned a lot about better cooking! But, I have lots of friends who have never learned this. They cook with tons of "cream of" soups, velveeta, full fat hamburger, and tons of convenience/processed foods. I know that the only cookbooks they use are full of these types of recipes, as well. I am baffled how they can complain about weight gain and such but still eat so poorly. But, I can't really be critical because I think that they just have not LEARNED this new behavior. I think that's the key - education about nutrition!

All of us are foodies, so perhaps this comes naturally to us, but for many people, the only "cooking" they know is the hamburger helper/campbells soup/frozen dinner route. I am not sure how to educate people, especially when everyone has a different comfort level with cooking, but I think that the schools would be a great place to start! Let's find a way to teach kids from an earlier age about whole grains, fruits and veggies, low fat dairy products, etc. Let's let them try things that their parents would never make/eat. Let's find a way to make our society more informed, but until then, let's try to take small steps with the people we love to teach them about good nutrition and healthy lifestyles.

Off my soapbox, now! :D

[Valerie226]

I am often stunned by what I see other people eating & cooking. Cooking light is a way of life for me though I try not to be a pill about it. I love good food but that "good"does not equal fast or overwhelming concentrations of faty ingredients. I don't have a great metabolism or good "genes" so I do not cause trouble for myself by keeping an eye on calories and fat. Not obsessive, but keeping an eye on the overall. Yeah, watching Mario is an education! good grief, more oil than I'd use in weeks on one side of vegies!. I don't think that degree of richness even tastes good. maybe you get numb to flavors when everything is so rich. I do look at the cook before I consider buying a a cookbook.

[PoppyJ]

I only cook light now. I just can't cook any other way. I cringe when I read other recipes and see how other people cook. There is no way I can add two sticks of butter or 1 cup of shortening and truly enjoy it. This is not because of vanity, but for health reasons. My DH's father had a quadruple bypass 6 years ago and is the oldest living member of his family ever at 60 years old. Knowing this runs in my DH's blood makes me really watch how we eat. Don't get me wrong, we eat dessert and enjoy a meal out, but I try to keep all the bad stuff at a minimum.

[badunnin]

Sometimes I envy them. I love full-fat foods. I love butter, and cream, and full-fat cheeses. I wish I didn't know what I do and could eat them with a clear (albeit naive) conscience. I admit - we do eat red meat in my family about 3 nights a week. As someone said previously, it's all about finding a balance that works for you and your family. I also very rarely use butter - it's almost always margarine. I know, I know - transfats. But everything has a trade-off.

[bkiaj]

I think alot of people are just ignorant of nutrition and some people who are truly trying to eat healthy, don't have all the facts. For example, a friend of mine really wants to eat healthy and bring her children up right. She rarely cooks red meat, and rinses hamburg when she does use it. She buys lots of fresh fruits, scrubs them to death and peels them, not realizing how many nutritents she's losing by peeling. She serves her children frozen pizza, boxed mac and cheese and ravioli, campbell's soup, and the like ALL THE TIME without a clue to the sodium levels. She truly means well, but she doesn't know better. Also, they eat out all the time, think nothing of letting their DS (5 y.o) eat 7/10 of a pound of sausage at breakfast!

I cook light as much as possible so we can enjoy the foods we really like without gaining weight. I will make an occasional 'unlight' meal, but just the thought of putting a gazillion grams of fat in my body at one time makes me shudder (I adroitly avoide that thought each time I enhale domino's pizza!).

Karen

[grappa]

Baffled, utterly.
And appalled.

Why would people choose to make an independent decision to enjoy life rather than live and eat exactly like me?

Craziness.

[TerriS]

I don't even know where to start but yes I totally agree! Seeing that much fat literally grosses me out now. It gets frustrating because for so many people that is the default and I can't understand why, given that so many people in America are obese, so many people say they are repulsed by stuff being fat free, etc. I have friends who love to cook and do things "the right way" or "the original way" - with pounds of butter and oil. And my god they have gained sooo much weight in the past few years. And it's frustrating to see cookbooks or good magazines like Cook's Illustrated and to know that I'll have to revise anything I see in there because I'm just not willing to consume a stick of butter in a single sitting. Heck, sometimes CL isn't light enough for me. :p

I used to feel guilty when I'd have parties and pretty much serve only healthy stuff. But now I do it with pride. People should know it's possible. They always tell me my stuff is good!

What appalls me even more are things like pizza commercials advertising a "golden crust of cheddar cheese baked right on" or heaven forbid those Domino's Dots - all I can see when I look at those is a grease-drenched ball of fat covered in sugar...bleh!!!

re: Grappa's post: why should anyone choose to enjoy life rather than live like me? Since when are those exclusive? I put forward that I enjoy life a lot more when I weigh 20 pounds less. People are likely to enjoy life a lot more when they're not dropping dead of heart attacks. I love love love food...but I enjoy it just as much IF NOT MORE since making a decision to cook and eat healthier.

[kima]

I thought some of you might find this article from Chatelaine (a canadian women's magazine) interesting. it's a bit long but you can always skim!

http://www.chatelaine.com/foodrecipes/read/article.jsp?content=20030214_161105_3944

[AmyO26]

Originally posted by gertdog
That said, there are definitely some recipes that I would just never make because they rate too high on my fat-o-meter. 4 sticks of butter in a recipe that serves 2 people? No way. But 2 sticks of butter in a recipe that yields 4 dozen cookies (works out to 1 tsp. butter per cookie)? Yes, I'd probably make it if the overall recipe appealed to me.

This is pretty much my general philosophy...I don't feel too badly including a stick of butter or two in a recipe that makes many servings...a tsp. or so of butter per serving isn't so bad. Some of you have mentioned the belief that more fat=better taste...my dad is of that opinion. When I invite them to dinner or bake something for them my mom always tells me "not to tell Dad that it's lowfat, or he'll say he doesn't like it" This drives me crazy to an extent, but I usually end up laughing to myself that I "fooled" my dad into enjoying healthy food!:p

[Gail]

Am I baffled by people who don't cook light? Not at all.

I think the obvious answer here has to do with moderation. Too much of anything is sickening.

[Gail]

Originally posted by kima
I thought some of you might find this article from Chatelaine (a canadian women's magazine) interesting. it's a bit long but you can always skim!

http://www.chatelaine.com/foodrecipes/read/article.jsp?content=20030214_161105_3944

Great article, Maureen! Thanks for sharing.

[maizeyoats]

I know this is Cooking Light so just about everyone is going to agree with you; but frankly I am wondering what business it is of everyone the way someone else wants to cook if you are not the one that has to eat the food.
Don't get me wrong, of course I think it is wise for everyone to try to eat a healthier diet. I have personally made a lot of progress in this area; still I don't think I should sit in judgement of the way others want to cook.
It would be Utopia if everyone did what we wanted.

OK, I'm ducking the rocks.
p.s. I still use butter in all my baking even though I am not doing any baking until Easter :)

[Cafe Latte]

Originally posted by maizeyoats
I know this is Cooking Light so just about everyone is going to agree with you; but frankly I am wondering what business it is of everyone the way someone else wants to cook if you are not the one that has to eat the food.
Don't get me wrong, of course I think it is wise for everyone to try to eat a healthier diet.

I agree. I know many people who eat a lot of high fat foods and don't have any problems with their weight or health. If I am invited to their house for dinner, I know I won't be served the foods I would make, but rather than be rude, I just eat less of what is served. Once in a while will not hurt me. That's just my thought.

[wallycat]

I do wonder about people and their eating....
not only in terms of cooking light, but as was mentioned, that some people are willing to totally skip butter or oil and pig out on a hunk of meat or inhale a dessert while they order a diet coke.

I did read that racheal Richal(sp?)--Gourmet Magazine editor, battled weight her whole life. She finally met a guy whom she married that loved her just as she was and so she said the heck with it, I'm eating what I feel like. SHe was stunned that the moment she stopped dieting and ate "gourmet" food, she dropped lots of weight.
(This was from one of her editorials, so I can't vouch if it's true or not.)
Guess that's why we can't all eat the same I suppose.

[jellyben]

Everything in moderation. I would love to be on e of those people that craves soybeans and tofu, but I love junk! I am pretty good at controlling myself, but I don't feel guilty about an occasional fat attack.

I was in the grocery store and saw a rather large woman with her cart filled with Diet soda, lean cuisine meals, slimfast shakes etc. Not one fresh vegetable or fruit. I think it is so important to get away from the processed junk and get back in the kitchen and cook some decent meals-OK probably not an issue for us foodies, but I am amazed at how many people tell me they don't cook.

[karen w]

Originally posted by lindrusso

The woman who made the nothin'-but-fat casserole I mentioned above said that she has never had a "good" metabolism. But she brought that recipe AND I've seen her eat meals that contain a full day's worth of fat and calories!

Maybe her metabolism is not as wacky as she thinks! Perhaps, she just needs a little education as to what are healthy choices!

As for me, I agree with what has been said for the most part. I use butter for baking, and occasionally for sauteeing, but then it is in smaller amounts...not 4 sticks to serve 2 people! Otherwise, I must say I cook lowfat the majority of the time. Besides the fact that I enjoy the low fat foods I make more than the fuller fat counterparts, I have always found great satisfaction when I do make something lowfat for someone, and they rave about its flavor. I guess I find gratification in proving to myself and others over and over that low fat does not mean low flavor. Recently I was perusing one of Mollie Katzen's revamped cookbooks, and she states that in her younger days she added a lot more butter and cream to her recipes because she was not as confident about her cooking skills and the recipes, and she figured more fat=better flavor. This is what led her to revamp Enchanted Broccoli Forest and Moosewood Cookbook to lower the fat in many of the recipes. Overall, I beleive in "everything in moderation." By making healthy choices on a regular basis there is no need to deprive yourself if you feel like indulging in a fuller fat food choice because you enjoy it when the ocassion arises!

Eat Well! Live Well!(but that does not necessarily mean high fat!! )

Karen

[Kahlico]

Great article Kima! I read every word of it, thanks for sharing.

:D
~emilie

[Paula H]

Originally posted by SandyM
What baffles me is when people don't cook light and then complain because they're overweight.

Ditto.

Sometimes I watch food programmes and think they should come with a big health warning - we'll warn people about cigarettes but not what they're putting in their mouths?!?!?!

I have to say I often find people in my classes (I teach night school Low Fat Cooking classes) who have had a health scare (usually heart related) who then cut out all the butter, oil, etc out of their diets, and after a couple of months go back to their "bad" eating habits because they don't like eating tasteless food. I try to teach them that oil and butter aren't bad, you just need to watch what and how much you're using, and balance out the flavourings you're adding to give it some depth.

People need to learn that eating light doesn't mean sacrificing flavour and living on lettuce and rice wafers!

[Beth]

I have commented before on Emeril and olive oil and butter, and I agree that Food TV has a lot of that. Some of the chefs are getting better or at least mixing it up, but I just know that if I am going to make one of those dishes, it's going to have a lot less oil in my kitchen.

Now, what really baffles me are people who don't cook. And people who build houses with kitchens designed by and for people who don't cook. I'll spare you my rant on that topic and leave you with a drizzle of oil to finish this one. ;)

[Cinnamon Crazy]

Originally posted by jellyben
Everything in moderation. I would love to be on e of those people that craves soybeans and tofu, but I love junk! I am pretty good at controlling myself, but I don't feel guilty about an occasional fat attack.

I was in the grocery store and saw a rather large woman with her cart filled with Diet soda, lean cuisine meals, slimfast shakes etc. Not one fresh vegetable or fruit. I think it is so important to get away from the processed junk and get back in the kitchen and cook some decent meals-OK probably not an issue for us foodies, but I am amazed at how many people tell me they don't cook.

I use to crave junk food before I began to eat healthier (note that I don't call it dieting). Now I crave those healthy meals and veggies. I personally believe I lost weight through a lifestyle change and not through dieting. To me, dieting is synonymous with depriving.

The French have said that the reason why they have stayed so slim is because that even though they eat creams and butters, they hardly eat anything processed. Does this mean I will eat this way? No. I don't like the taste of heavy creams and rich sauces, but I do believe that if you make your own food, you can live a healthier lifestyle.

I will admit that I do cringe at some of the cooking shows on TV or what people put in their shopping carts, but that is just because I don't like the taste of those items or recipes. I would never pass judgement on what others ate or cooked.

[CompassRose]

You'd be surprised. Most people, still, just don't know. Yes, it's all over the media... how many calories in a Starbucks Frap, how a McDonalds Value Meal has as much fat as one is recommended to ingest in a week, how a home-cooked turkeyday feast usually totals more than the advised allowance for an athletic woman... but the vast majority of people aren't paying attention.

Or they don't really wanna know.

I remember when I first became conscious of the calorie and fat contents of foods, and my cooking and eating began to evolve. It was a new discovery for me, so I talked about it (how boring!). Almost everyone was shocked, really, honestly shocked to find out what they were heedlessly eating. A big slice of cheesecake can run over a thousand calories? But cake is just a snack!

I do believe that those folk, for example, suing Mickey D's didn't know the full extent of what they were doing to themselves. Oh, yes, I'm sure they knew it wasn't the healthiest choice (indulgent chuckle, "Oh, I'm so bad!") but I doubt they had a clue about how unhealthy it really is.

Same with traditional cooking.

I am really bewildered by those who won't even try something if they know it's light or "healthy." That's just freakish. Freakish like smoking, I suppose.

[KimKelly]

I have always been thin and always eaten fairly healthy. Now mind you I absolutely love cheesecake of any kind and will eat a full piece without guilt - I'll even do that two or 3 days in a row if it's still around. I believe in the moderation bit, you know how it goes....

Much of my family lives 1/2 way across the country from me. I grew up seeing my cousins and Aunts and Uncles only once a year or so and fretted every time before I saw them as I knew they were going to tease me about being thin. (My cousin is 5' 10" and over 300 lbs for example.) We all finally grew up and now occasionally visit each others homes. A simple visit to the grocery store on their last visit showed exactly why we are different.... their cart included Thousand Island Dressing, Fudge, Ice Cream, Bisquick, Fritos, Cheetos, Cheese in a can, Ritz Crackers and Log Cabin Syrup (They said my real syrup tasted really bad....) - and this was after I had stocked my pantry so they would have lots to eat! And... they were only staying 2 days! The thing that blew me away the most though, was when I served bread with dinner and they buttered both sides. They still made fun of my weight (125 at 5'5" - and thats after having two kids!) and called me a skinny minnie like my dad. I just smiled and knew that my heart was probably happier and said to each his own. We had a fun visit, but it is amazing how tastes in food can cause tension.

Kim

[Grace]

Originally posted by maizeyoats
I know this is Cooking Light so just about everyone is going to agree with you; but frankly I am wondering what business it is of everyone the way someone else wants to cook if you are not the one that has to eat the food.
Don't get me wrong, of course I think it is wise for everyone to try to eat a healthier diet. I have personally made a lot of progress in this area; still I don't think I should sit in judgement of the way others want to cook.
It would be Utopia if everyone did what we wanted.

OK, I'm ducking the rocks.
p.s. I still use butter in all my baking even though I am not doing any baking until Easter :)

I won't throw rocks at you! But I would like to clarify my postion - I'm not sitting in judgement of anyone based on the way they cook - the question is are you baffled by people who don't cook light - I'm just baffled that they don't know or don't care about their health very much. You're absolutely right, in one way, that it is their prerogative to eat any way they want, with no comments from me. And I'm in no way against butter or any other "unhealthy" ingredient - I too use butter for just about everything - but what I find baffling is the 4-5 sticks of butter for a single recipe mentality. Stuff like that.

BUT - there is one aspect where it IS my business how other people choose to eat - all of us are paying exorbitant health insurance premiums to cover all of those who make no effort to keep themselves healthy. I'm not talking about the average Joe who eats at McDonald's once in a while, or eats cheesecake once or twice a week, but those who eat completely unhealthfully all the time. I liken it to smoking. Those who smoke pay higher insurance premiums than those who don't. It should be the same for health issues that stem from poor diet or lack of exercise. Something like 80% of all people in the hospital are there for ailments that could have been avoided by eating properly and/or exercising. 80%. That's a huge number. That's why I'm baffled. You get lung cancer and emphysema from smoking, but it's made out to be the single great evil in this country. The list of diseases and illnesses caused by poor diet and lack of exercise is endless. I'm done now. :p :rolleyes:

Ok. Now I've opened a new can of worms and you can all start throwing rocks at ME! :D :D :D

[maizeyoats]

Grace and others,
A lot of things baffle me too.
I abhor smoking. I wish it was illegal; but unfortuntely it's not.
I hate when people murder their own babies; but that's legal too (abortion) ...talk about opening another can of worms and I am really ducking those rocks now.
Lest we get off the subject here my main point is simply we can be baffled but
WE ARE NOT THE FOOD POLICE and not cooking light is still legal.

[valchemist]

ok, I think that all bases have been covered here so we can put this thread to rest.

please?

[Jeanygirl]

I haven't participated in this thread, but I agree with Val.

As a foreign exchange student (several times, actually), I learned one thing that is applicable in nearly every controversial situation, especially when you're dealing with people that have significantly different cultural beliefs than your own:

It's not right, it's not wrong; it's just DIFFERENT

And that's okay, 'cause who are we to judge?

[claire797]

I'm not baffled by people who don't cook light -- I'm just not impressed. For instance, I'm sure Emeril's food tastes really good. However, anyone could make it! He makes everything taste good by adding butter. How hard is that? I think it takes more skill and culinary knowledge to make things that taste good AND are somewhat healthy.

I do get a kick out of how the TV chefs (Mario especially) say they're adding a tiny bit of olive oil (or in Ray Ray's case, EVOO) and then dump in about 1/4 cup!

[kmsk]

>>He makes everything taste good by adding butter. How hard is that?

Ditto on that one!!

I actually love to watch Sara Moulton and Rachel Ray on food tv, because their meals do tend to be more on the naturally light side. And if they're not, they will usually make recommendations for making it lighter. Sara once mentioned on one of her shows that she did weight watchers - so you know she's got the nutritional content of every type of food memorized!:)

You can overcome cooking like your mother. I once had my mother help me with breakfast, and she cooked the potatoes in bacon grease! GASP!:eek: I would have never, never done that.

I will admit that I don't do a lot of substitutes in desserts. Baking is harder to get everything just right. Then again, I only bake once in a blue moon, so I guess that's ok.

[JHolcomb]

Originally posted by KimKelly


Much of my family lives 1/2 way across the country from me. I grew up seeing my cousins and Aunts and Uncles only once a year or so and fretted every time before I saw them as I knew they were going to tease me about being thin. (My cousin is 5' 10" and over 300 lbs for example.) We all finally grew up and now occasionally visit each others homes. A simple visit to the grocery store on their last visit showed exactly why we are different.... their cart included Thousand Island Dressing, Fudge, Ice Cream, Bisquick, Fritos, Cheetos, Cheese in a can, Ritz Crackers and Log Cabin Syrup (They said my real syrup tasted really bad....) - and this was after I had stocked my pantry so they would have lots to eat! And... they were only staying 2 days! The thing that blew me away the most though, was when I served bread with dinner and they buttered both sides. They still made fun of my weight (125 at 5'5" - and thats after having two kids!) and called me a skinny minnie like my dad. I just smiled and knew that my heart was probably happier and said to each his own. We had a fun visit, but it is amazing how tastes in food can cause tension.

Kim

Ok, ok, I know Val wants this thread killed, but just one more...

I'm the one in my family that eats like you, Kim. I work out. I watch what I eat. But I still weigh so much more than everyone else in my family who eat like your cousins. I just fear what people are thinking about me when they see my grocery cart. Probably surprise.

[stefania4]

I'm firmly convinced that I'm not missing a single thing by not having cable television! Sorry, but I don't know who these Rachel and Emeril people are. The only recipes I see are in the magazines I get - Cooking Light, Weight Watchers, Fitness, and the occasional Bon Appetit.

Not to offend anyone, but you have total control over what comes to you over your television and reading materials.

[amues]

I recently read somewhere that if you eat a meal in an "upscale" restaurant, you will have eaten AT LEAST one stick of butter and maybe more! They say that butter is what makes everything taste so good.

[boisewinesnob]

OK, slight OT comment: does anybody besides me just prefer the taste of some things that are low-fat or diet? I am one of those weirdos who like the taste of skim milk over whole. I also prefer diet pepsi and can't stand regular pop. So if you see my shopping cart at the store there very well could be diet pepsi and regular brownies in it ;) (that is, after the 6-week sugar ban :D ).
My tastes are kind of all over the place; some items I like full-fat and low-fat equally, like in sour creams, so I just always substitute with low fat. And I really prefer regular old butter to any other "spread" or something.

[1MegMeg]

Originally posted by boisewinesnob
OK, slight OT comment: does anybody besides me just prefer the taste of some things that are low-fat or diet...

Yes Yes Yes! :)

Like you, I prefer the taste of skim milk to whole and some whole fat foods (especially dairy and fried/greasy) bother my tummy.

[RebeccaT]

Originally posted by kmsk

I actually love to watch Sara Moulton and Rachel Ray on food tv, because their meals do tend to be more on the naturally light side. And if they're not, they will usually make recommendations for making it lighter. Sara once mentioned on one of her shows that she did weight watchers - so you know she's got the nutritional content of every type of food memorized!:)


I read an interview with Sara once, she said that no, many of the recipes she makes on her show or are in her books are NOT for everyday consumption! However, she believes in everything in moderation, including moderation (to badly quote Maya Angelou) and that there is room for splurges, indulgences, etc. from time to time as long as they are not the rule. And when you are ready for just such a splurge-worthy meal, here are some recipes you might consider!

[claire797]

Originally posted by RebeccaT


I read an interview with Sara once, she said that no, many of the recipes she makes on her show or are in her books are NOT for everyday consumption! However, she believes in everything in moderation, including moderation (to badly quote Maya Angelou) and that there is room for splurges, indulgences, etc. from time to time as long as they are not the rule. And when you are ready for just such a splurge-worthy meal, here are some recipes you might consider!

Exactly! There are lots of food celebrities who love to eat and are able to maintain their weight -- Amanda Hesser, Ruth Reichl, Dana Cowin (from Food and Wine) and many, many more. And these are people who do not eat bunny food all day. Once you establish healthy eating habits and incorporate exercise into your diet, you can usually eat whatever you want -- just not 4 servings of it.

This is precisely why I love Cooking Light. It helps balance the bad with the good.

[leightx]

Originally posted by amues
I recently read somewhere that if you eat a meal in an "upscale" restaurant, you will have eaten AT LEAST one stick of butter and maybe more! They say that butter is what makes everything taste so good.

I read that too - maybe in Anthony Bourdain's book? I refuse to beleive it though. :p Good thing we never go out to eat anymore, I guess!

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by boisewinesnob
OK, slight OT comment: does anybody besides me just prefer the taste of some things that are low-fat or diet? I am one of those weirdos who like the taste of skim milk over whole.

My tastes are kind of all over the place; some items I like full-fat and low-fat equally, like in sour creams, so I just always substitute with low fat. And I really prefer regular old butter to any other "spread" or something.

That pretty much sums me up as well - except for the soda - I prefer regular, but drink diet because I drink one can every day and don't want the extra calories.

I think whole milk would make me gag at this point. I was never a big milk fan, so skim milk is perfect for me - many people don't like it because it's watery, but that's exactly why I do like it - it doesn't have too much milk taste! :)

And I finally gave up on the whole margarine thing too - now I buy whipped butter for spreading, but I don't use it very much, so I'm not worried about the fat and calories. I'd rather use less of something that tastes good (like cheese - I can't do the low-fat versions) than use more of something I don't like.

[gertdog]

Originally posted by boisewinesnob
OK, slight OT comment: does anybody besides me just prefer the taste of some things that are low-fat or diet?

Yes! I don't drink much soda, but I can't stand the taste of regular. If I drink it, it has to be diet. I don't enjoy whole or even 2% milk- I prefer skim. I like light sour cream equally as much as regular sour cream, so I always use light. But I tried fat-free and thought it was gross, so I also sub light in recipes that call for fat-free!

Like Alysha said, I'm willing to eat less of something like full-fat cheese, rather than switching to a low-fat version I don't really enjoy.

[Jessica]

I am not baffled at all. I grew up in a house with highly educated parents, earned a bachelor's degree and worked for several years before renting my own apartment and cooking solely for myself. The sum total of my nutritional knowledge was...

Pop and sweets are bad for you.
Apples and carrots are healthy.

OK, I exaggerate a bit. But most of what I have learned about nutrition and healthy eating is from Cooking Light and these boards, and most of that has been in the last five or six years of my life (I am 31). I learn new stuff all the time--just last week Grace told me about the perils of some fruit juices. It's hard work in this society to learn about nutrition and healthy eating and some people either can't or don't make the effort.

I can only alter my own eating habits and control the food I eat (well, I also can nag the DH :)). If I have kids, I can teach them what I know about healthy cooking.

I've also found it can be frustrating to talk to people about cooking light. My MIL was here and I was making Jamaican banana bread, and she said that it could not be light because it has butter in it. Yeah, like 3T for a whole loaf or something like that. I just do my best to prepare healthy food for me and the DH and let other people worry about their own diets.

Oh, and I do cook nonlight from time to time--usually desserts for special occasions.

[boisewinesnob]

Well it's good to know I'm not the only one ;)
I think the skim milk thing is because I am very sensitive to textures of food. I don't like to drink creamy things for the most part. I don't like egg nog and am not really wild about milk shakes either. However, I do like whipped cream and ice cream :confused: . Who knows how to follow all that! As far as low-fat cheeses go, if they are part of a recipe (mixed with other ingredients) I don't even notice the difference so I try to always use the lower or no-fat version.

[Jessica]

I am baffled because I cannot open the Chatelaine article. I keep trying and the page spins and spins but nothing appears.

[HRJ]

Originally posted by RebeccaT


I read an interview with Sara once, she said that no, many of the recipes she makes on her show or are in her books are NOT for everyday consumption.

Exactly. The majority of these TV chefs trained in restaurant kitchens, and that's the kind of cooking they do. Restaurant meals were never meant to be eaten day-in and day-out. But, because we live in this land of plenty, we've come to expect that we can -- and should -- eat big, indulgent meals all the time.

And, Jessica makes a good point, too. It is quite possible to be intelligent, educated, well-intentioned, etc. etc. and still be relatively uninformed about nutrition -- or, to misunderstand the information, which can be just as bad.

For example, I know a couple who are both academics. The husband had a mild heart attack a couple of years ago. The wife told me that because she's trying to cook "heart-healthy," she has stopped using butter, and now uses butter-flavored Crisco instead -- she truly believes using Crisco (and in fairly large quantities) is "heart-healthy" cooking, because it's a "vegetable fat."

I think part of the problem is that the media and the nutrition community have not done a good job of explaining things (and I say that as a former newspaper journalist). I've gone on this rant before, but most nutrition stories in the media are over-simplified and sensational. The results of single studies are, more often than not, misinterpreted or blown out of proportion. And the advice we receive seems to be changing all the time. So people give up and just eat what they want. Even on this board, there's a lot of disagreement about what constitutes a "healthy" diet.

Heck -- I know all about the benefits of exercise, but I find it next to impossible to drag my butt out of a chair. Would that "baffle" someone who goes to the gym five times a week? Maybe, but I can understand what makes it so difficult for me.

Helene

[Valerie226]

I've decided to add a few more cents since reading an article series in the paper.
I cook and eat light for reasons other than the way the food tastes. How can one enjoy life if they are excessively over weight?? Almost every activity that is fun requires a reasonable degree of fitness, something that becomes more and more difficult with excessive weight. traveling, gardening, walking, dancing.

the article was about people who resorted to gastric bypass surgery to control their weight. I'm sure most of us have seen carnie wilson/al roker talking about this procedure. a clear thread running thru thisnewspaper discussion was anger that their insurance did not pay for the procedure! How high are your insurance premiums right now? do you even have insurance? can you imagine how much they could be? There are huge costs and risks to this surgery..... my sister had this done 20 years ago, so I know a bit about it. And I can tell you, watching fat and calories is a whole lot better than that.

[lorilei]

Originally posted by HRJ
And, Jessica makes a good point, too. It is quite possible to be intelligent, educated, well-intentioned, etc. etc. and still be relatively uninformed about nutrition -- or, to misunderstand the information, which can be just as bad.


I want to add to this. I agree. Being well-educated won't make you a Cooking Light fan -- though there are plenty of well-educated people out there who cook light.

There are also well-educated people, who understand nutrition... who still choose to eat full-fat foods. It's just a decision they've made.

I have to side with the NOT good, NOT bad, just different... and peacefully dissent.

I don't think we can necessarily judge the extent of a person's nutritional understanding by the way they eat.

[Jessica]

I never meant to suggest that only educated people eat well, or that education means you will follow good nutrition. I only meant that it is a challenge to get information about healthy eating in our culture because we are surrounded by an abundance of unhealthy food.

Just clarifying...

[lorilei]

Originally posted by Jessica
I never meant to suggest that only educated people eat well, or that education means you will follow good nutrition. I only meant that it is a challenge to get information about healthy eating in our culture because we are surrounded by an abundance of unhealthy food.

Just clarifying...

Oh, Jessica, just so you know -- I wasn't insinuating that you were implying that either. I was just clarifying MY position :)

[stefania4]

I think that part of it is that I do prefer the taste of light foods. I was at a coffee house yesterday and they only had half & half and whole milk! I wanted to return my coffee. Instead I tried some whole milk in my decaf, and it was awful.

And I think that there's a little voice in my head saying "Stop!!!" when I do over-indulge that makes me feel a little guilty! I wish it was a little louder around chocolate, but that's neither here nor there. Certainly I can enjoy the occasional mashed potatoes with butter or piece of pie or whatever, but there's an undeniable nutritional guilt in being a dinner guest and looking at a table of iceberg salad with full-fat dressing, macaroni & cheese (full-fat cheese, butter, whole milk), and so on.

Also, I have to agree about the nutritional information. For people who believe everything they read - and there are a LOT of those people - the sheer volume of conflicting nutritional information is overwhelming. After all, it wasn't too long ago that the Asian diet with its mounds of rice and meat used just as flavoring was touted as the heart-healthy, low-fat way to eat. Now white rice is, in many circles, a nutritional demon.

[KAG]

This thread is a perfect example of why I should stay out of contraversial subjects. And I will, except to say that I'm with maizeyoats on this one. What business is it of mine whether people cook or eat light? Unless they are my immediate family and I am concerned for their health and they are not being wise in their choices. I think it's none of my business and I don't loose any sleep over what people I don't even know are eating and cooking.

Now, I think I behaved rather well on this one. So back to the regular program ;)

[Jessica]

Originally posted by lorilei


Oh, Jessica, just so you know -- I wasn't insinuating that you were implying that either. I was just clarifying MY position :)

Oh, I didn't mean to imply that you were insinuating my implication. Or something...;)

[newtricks]

Totally understand it. Through personal experience I know it's a complicated issue when someone makes bad health choices. Not just a matter of poor willpower or weak character or lack of education.

This has been mentioned, but there are a lot of things that people do that are potentially hazardous:

Overeating
Not getting annual physicals
Driving aggressively
Not wearing seatbelts
Smoking
Drinking
Taking recreational drugs
Unsafe sex
Not exercising

I struggle with over-eating. Always have, I'm getting better but it's still a struggle. And sometimes that means "oh s***w it, I'm making alfredo tonight". So I'm not baffled by it. All those other things on my list? I don't do them. So when I see someone without a seatbelt I think "Are they crazy????" But who am I to question really? You know, glass houses and all that.

whew, was I just on a soapbox??

[stefania4]

Just to be clear, while I may be "baffled" by people who eat full-fat everything, I NEVER criticize them. I'm sick to death of the Food Police and I'm not going to be one of them.