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I feel about food, the way I feel about a lot of subjects of contemporary life:  a little bit out of step from the crowd.

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Because while the health and wellness industry continue to just absolutely explode with ideas and methodologies and approaches…I am increasingly feeling as though what most of us really need is to just stop thinking about food so much!

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We would all probably do well to simplify, to de-emphasize, and to just eat to live.

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And I think in a way, this is why I haven’t posted very many recipes or food-articles lately…because I don’t really think very much about food at all.

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I have created some serious time-saving ways of cooking, my kids eat what we serve without issue, we are really quite frugal while at the same time eating exclusively whole foods, and it all just kind of happens like clockwork.

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But then I remember that at in my late teens and early twenties, I had many many food issues.  That seems like several lifetimes away, thank goodness.

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So, maybe I do have something to share.

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Anyway.  I’ll be posting some more about food more regularly, I promise.  And I’ll let you know when my little book is finished!  I think (I hope) it will contain a somewhat unique perspective on the subject of feeding our kids.  And I’ll be sharing snippets here, as well.

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For now, here is a recipe for how to probably not cook Ocean Perch.

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As some of you may know, one of my pet activist subjects is Mercury.  Mercury is *the* most toxic non-radioactive substance on earth, and yet our government has yet to ban this dangerous heavy metal.  We are still exposed to mercury through dental fillings, vaccinations, outfall from coal power plants, and the now-ubiquitous compact-fluorescent light bulbs which, quite disturbingly, contain mercury.  When these bulbs are broken, the mercury is spread throughout our homes (please please, refuse to buy CFLs, especially if you have children–incandescent or LED instead!).

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And of course, fish is another source of mercury.  The last time I checked, Health Canada had a published list of fish that should only be eaten a certain number of times per month by children or women of childbearing age.  Tuna is on the list, and as far as I am concerned (along with many scientists and doctors) there is actually NO safe level of mercury consumption.  My kids do not eat tuna fish, ever, along with lots of other larger fish.  But please research the list.

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Apart from Mercury, many fish are contaminated with all manner of pollutants, so just make sure you really do your research before buying fish for your family.  We occasionally indulge in wild salmon (I’m from BC and I still miss wild Sockeye like crazy), and I do feed my kids sardines often (which they adore) because sardines are not only one of the safest (on account of being very small) fish, they also are insanely healthy, with oily brain-food, and thyroid boosting iodine, among other great benefits.  And while I avoid canned foods at all costs, sardines are an exception.  We buy those packed in olive oil only, and fresh when available.  Anyway.

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Another fish that is apparently very safe and healthy, is Ocean Perch. And because we happened to be in Halifax at a traditional independent fishmongers, I bought a whole ocean perch, to the great delight of Horus and Treva.

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Unfortunately, when I got it home, I realized that it was well and truly whole, and had yet to be sliced or gutted, and I just had absolutely no clue how to begin.  I tried to watch a fish-gutting video on youtube on my phone while at the kitchen counter, but following along proved to be challenging, especially with all the help I had at the time, and also because I hardly ever attended high school science, and have no concept of fish anatomy.

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So I just ended up mauling it with my rather-dull knife, and then clawing all of the innards out into the sink to the best of my ability, and then running cold water through it to clean it, and then I threw it, head, tail and all, into a pan with some lemon juice, garlic, onions, and butter, and cooked the darned thing.

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When it had shrivelled up and looked cooked (see exhibit B!) we all sat down and picked the bones out, and ate it, and it was… ok!

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So you see, this is the underwhelming nature of my cookery skill and passion.

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But I actually quite enjoyed the experience, and moreover the point: in a nutshell, most food is edible.  Try it raw, and if that doesn’t work, try throwing it in a pan and cooking it.

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Maybe it really is a testament to the brilliance of my philosophical approach to food with the kids, that they even ate the Ocean Perch.  At the very least, I feel sure that I am instilling in them a sense of culinary self-sufficiency and confidence, even if this is misplaced.

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Well anyway.

More later!

Love, Yo

(PS: rather concerned this is one of my more idiotic posts…maybe I should re-consider this one? erg. This should probably not be the first post in a while on the subject of food.  oH gosh.  Nevermind.  I have pots to trim.  xo)