1000 ways I will force you to eat Kale.

My love of food has created a monster. I went to culinary school because I loved to cook. I didn't realize that I would fall into this black hole of what food is really like. I didn't realize that I would get slapped in the face with the reality of food in this country and be disgusted by it. I didn't realize the direction this would take me.

I want to teach people how to feed themselves. I want to teach people that there is more out there than processed foods. I want to teach people that living a life only eating fresh food and produce is not only possible, it is easy. I want to help people. Unfortunately, this has always been my problem. I want to help. I want to do something to change the world. I want to be Ohio's Jamie Oliver.

One of my coworkers walked into work with a bag of quinoa that he got at the food bank. He had NO clue what the fuck to do with it. He was going to throw it out, except he heard me talking about quinoa all the time and knew I could tell him what to do with it. And I did. And he loved it. 

I have been reading up on Vegan food and learning so much about it through my minion and the effects of eating meat. Eating one vegan (or even vegetarian) meal a day does so much for the environment. I tried to google actual statistics on this and failed miserably. So, just do what I say and all will be well. (Note: I don't even do what I say.) 

This is also all tied back to the urban homestead that I want to create in our new home. 

I sent several emails to the state of Ohio today asking for information on how much aide people get from the state, in terms of dollars per day. I have been working with a homeless women's shelter and a food bank to get information on what is realistic for these people. I have been actively trying to put all of this together and to do something with it. I want to teach someone who has $5 a day in food stamps (now called SNAP?) how to eat healthy on that money. 

I walk through the grocery store and see women dragging four kids with nothing but processed sugar and complete crap in their carts and I just want to sit them down and explain the repercussions of this lifestyle. I don't want to force anything on anyone. But, I want to teach kids that food is good. It is not the enemy, the result is not obesity. I want to teach parents how to feed their kids WHOLE foods. 

So, I am trying to make this happen. I am trying to figure out a way to teach people how to eat on $5 a day. It is going to be a lot of work and I am scared I am going to fail, but it is what I want to do. It is who I want to be. 

I love to cook great food. But I think my place in this world is teaching other people how to cook great food.