Food Revolution = Food Resolution

Food Revolution = Food Resolution

Tue 05 Jun 2012

Story by Kimanh le Roux
 

"This is impossible!" Those were the words that came out of the mouth of a very health conscious friend struggling to find a dish that had ZERO processed ingredients. I shared her distress. Ask me for a recipe where 9 out of 10 ingredients are unprocessed and start taking notes - I'm there already.

Giving Food Revolution Day A Voice



I had heard about the Food Revolution Day two weeks prior to the event and instantly knew I wanted to take part. I decided to organise a dinner party. It was easy to organise, fun to take part in, and in some way I hoped to make a difference. On one hand my influence was small - almost unnoticed. On the other hand, I was one person along with thousands of other individuals who gave the Food Revolution Day a voice.

After becoming vegetarian at 15 (thanks mum for making me cut the guts and organs out of a chicken), I quickly became aware of the food I was eating. I thought I was pretty good, pretty aware of what I ate, pretty proud of myself to be honest.

With the challenge to bring an unprocessed dish to the Food Revolution dinner party, I quickly realised how dependent I was on certain ingredients, and found myself swimming with the mainstream eat-what-you-want-because-you-want-it mentality. I felt condemned by my small repertoire of entirely unprocessed dishes, and little sad to be honest.

While I had some dishes that saved the day, I honestly thought I would have more.

Getting Back To What Is Natural & What Is Good



What this Food Revolution is, is a movement to shake up the world, to challenge the status quo of what is falsely identified as "food" and to get back to what is natural and what is good. I wanted to show my support. I wanted to show I was willing to make a difference.

Before the dinner began I was excited. I was looking forward to the experience of eating a completely unprocessed meal. I asked myself throughout the evening, "Why is this a special occasion? Why aren't all our meals like this?"

Photos were taken, grace was said, and the sampling of wholesome dishes began. From purple carrots to avocado mousse, the dishes were varied and creative.

Conversation flowed around food, and the same sentiment was shared. "We should do this more often." "What a great idea." "So what's Jamie Oliver doing anyway?" It was my opportunity to talk about Jamie Oliver's Food Ministry and the Food Revolution, and to impress and challenge my friends with his passion and purpose.

From one dinner where we were intentional about our food, my friends and I weren't just challenged to eat better for ourselves, we were inspired. The wonderful thing about food is the joy that it innately possesses. Sitting down to a meal isn't hard labour, it's the pulse of families, it's the lifeline of longevity, it is what our bodies were designed to do. I've shifted my thinking from what "foods" I should avoid, to what can I try?! As I experiment and grow, I know I've reached the point of no return. The point where I've decided not just anything goes. The point where the food I eat and my influence to others really matters.

About the author: Kimanh works along side her husband Mark for their design and software development company lebytes.com. They soon plan on going on a road trip to the Great Barrier Reef working out of the back of a van for as long as their budget lasts them. Kimanh dreams of opening vegetarian eateries in city centres, but in the meantime shares her recipes and life's journey on her blog scissors.paper.wok.