The ELC Diet(Eat like a Cretan) By: Nikki Rose http://cookingincrete.com/

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Too busy to cook? Me too. And I'm definitely too busy to conduct a research study on the effects of cooking fats attached to scary scientific acronyms. It takes all the fun out of eating when I have to consider whether DKZ prevents BXI from developing into EEK. Maybe I should start providing nutritional information to my dinner guests with a disclaimer: "Diner Beware! The delicious meal you are about to consume contains trace amounts of an illicit fat called butter – eat at your own risk!"

Yes, fat tastes good, that's why we love it. Fat is also a necessary component in our diet within that dreary "moderation" context. We hear we should be careful about almost everything we eat these days – but last year, such-and-such was great for us -- this year it's lethal. There's conflicting information as some comes from reputable sources while others are product promotions. What, prey tell, do you plan to eat with that healthy ketchup? I appreciate the efforts made by the scientific community to decipher what's best for us to eat, but when I'm really hungry, stand away from the refrigerator!

Old habits die hard and we need real options that taste good. When we get home from a long day at work, do we plan a meal centered on good acronyms or good food? The fact that certain foods are not direct from Mother Nature or as pure we think is a problem we must address, often at a great expense. It's a pity we have to pay big money for a "natural" tomato or a chicken that was allowed to live like a chicken, roaming around Disneyland.

If the price of sustainably farmed organic food is the real price of food, as farmers have told us a million times, then I’m glad to pay it if I can afford to. With subsidies for industrial farming squeezing out quality small-scale producers, and the frightening condition of our waterways from agricultural and industrial pollution, then it’s up to us, the consumers, to come up with ways to implement change now. If “organic” supermarkets were not so fancy and overpriced, the scales between what sustainable organic farmers are making and what THE markets are raking in might be livable for all of us – and the planet. Every person deserves access to clean, safe food and farmers markets are generally out of bounds for most of us both in price and location. [See “Culture Shock” on this website.]

But good nutrition along with plenty of exercise equates to good health, which is the most important thing in life – right? I'd rather follow my own moderation method because I don't believe that strawberry "flavored" stuff in a can is healthy or that a diet by numbers (at 7:30 a.m. eat ½ of this and 2 slices of that with black coffee – or no coffee, heaven forbid) is living. What's so bad about yogurt with 10% fat and coffee with a bleeping teaspoon of real milk?

The Mediterranean Diet that originated in Crete proved that olive oil is the No. 1 good fat and a contributing factor to immortality. The bad news is that olive oil is not a magic potion you can splash over salami and call it a healthy day, nor can you drink it before digging into ravioli with cream sauce (yum) in the hopes that it will miraculously counteract the EEK factor. Realistically, people living far from quaint farming villages with fresh air and minimal pollution cannot replicate the lifestyle or certain recipes of the people of Crete. However, city dwellers can get a little creative with what they have on hand and prepare good food without too much trouble or expense. Olive oil is not a horrible substitute for butter, in fact, it is far more versatile in cooking and seasoning a variety of foods.

Here's a few tips on the lifelong moderation method or to eat like a Cretan ("ELC"): The first step is to lay off the manufactured stuff -- dinner in a cardboard box prepared with love in some warehouse on the edge of town, or anything that looks like laboratory food. Many fruits and vegetables are of the "rinse and eat variety" or REV, and require 30 seconds or less to prepare. Good news for busy cooks. Display fruit in a prominent place like the dinner table and your office desk, not for decoration, but to eat. After that, it’s a matter of incorporating other ELC ingredients and mastering their top two healthy cooking techniques --grilling and roasting.

When grocery shopping, go to the produce stand first. Stock up on your favorite fruits and vegetables with the idea of eating them all day. Guilt-free nibbling. Start with REV’s. You may be surprised at how quickly you fill your basket with great stuff -- apples, pears, plums, nectarines, berries, celery, radishes and greens. Move on to the peel and/or slice and eat items -- oranges, bananas, melons, tomatoes, avocado, peppers, cucumbers and cabbage. Select vegetables you can just bake or steam -- potatoes, artichokes, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, and spinach. Most of these options also taste good cold, so make double for later use or bring to work.

OAS: Plan to season all your vegetables with olive oil, acid (vinegar or fresh lemon juice and sometimes other citrus fruits, depending on your imagination), and seasonings, including lots of fresh herbs like parsley, basil, dill, oregano, sage, thyme or rosemary. Most herbs are packed with vitamins and vibrant flavors. I dare not bring up the overused antioxidant and medicinal usage lingo, but in many cases, it's a proven fact. FRESH herbs are good for you and they can proudly replace other "bad" seasonings like salt. This combination is hereinafter referred to as "OAS."

How about a nice platter of sliced tomatoes and red onions sprinkled with black olives, basil and OAS? Delicious and beautiful. Think of the colors and textures of a plate of sliced cucumber, avocado and radishes. Nothing to it. There’s no need to make a fancy salad dressing, a splash of OAS is perfect. Complete the ELC picture with crusty whole grain bread if possible.

Get to know the people working in your grocery stores, no matter how big the place is. Ask for preparation advice, where the fish and meats are from and how they define "fresh" and "organic." Who knows more about cooking fish than the fishmonger? A chat with the experts can be fun. Get tips on selecting produce, storage and shelf-life. If you have children, bring them along for the tour, it's a way of introducing them to unfamiliar foods – your own subtle form of marketing. Connect with the people who provide the foods you eat.

They say that frozen vegetables retain high vitamin content because they are picked when ripe and immediately frozen. Terrific if it’s true. Not all vegetables freeze well and the listed serving sizes are small for ELC standards, like a pound of frozen spinach serves 4 people – make that 1.5. Frozen vegetables are easy to store and cook and you can often find items that are rarely available fresh, like sweet corn or petite peas and legumes like baby limas and black-eyed peas. Mix all four together (cooking time varies, so just steam in stages), then add a little chopped onion, red bell pepper or tomato and OAS -- tastes great hot or cold.

Of course, we must treat ourselves to something nice during the daily grind, but vending machines (or kiosks) rarely offer anything delicious or worth the calories. Fast- food salad bars look great but the horror stories about sanitation is a great appetite suppressant. All of those strangers handling the utensils and throwing them back into the food should be scary enough. Besides, the price for a little lettuce and tomatoes is highway robbery.

It's worth it to bring your own food to work. If there's a fridge and kitchen, bring and store as much as you can each week like juices, yogurt, fruits, nuts, REV's and a jar of OAS. Make easy, hearty salads with the office stash and items from last night's dinner -- sliced chicken, steamed fish, potatoes and vegetables. Take the time to venture out for a nice long walk and pick up some fresh bread because you're worth it. A back-up plan would be whole-grain dried bread or crackers. Also, have on hand a block of good cheese, moderation not starvation is the motto, and slice a bit to accompany your meal because you need some fat in your diet – fat that tastes good!