What’s up with brown food?

Last week on Father's Day, Vanessa and I went to my grandparents’ house for a BBQ.  Since Mother’s Day last month, we have learned to bring our own “gear” to family dinners: black bean salad, homemade hummus, corn chips, carrots, celery, black bean burgers and whole wheat pitas.  Interesting enough, we noticed that the family was eating brown food. Nothing consisted of any color. The hotdogs, chicken and hamburgers. Everything was brown besides the American cheese and ketchup, which as we know is only artificially colored. 

 

Not much color here

 

How is that good? It certainly doesn’t look appealing compared to what Vanessa and I brought with us. Besides the beans and pitas, all of the food we brought with us is naturally colorful.  I guess color doesn’t matter in regards to taste. Who really cares if our black bean salad with tomatoes, cilantro and corn is prettier than a piece of grilled chicken?  However, after eating veg for a month, my eyes are still drawn to my veggies, black bean salad and roasted pepper hummus. That looks like food. Everyone tried our black bean salad, hummus and veggies, and loved it, but also loved the brown food.  Dessert was also interesting.  A couple of my aunts brought dessert. Blueberry pie, éclairs, cookies, and an Oreo cream cake. Oh boy! In the past, I certainly would have tried a little of each. It was quite a spread like it normally is at family gatherings. This time was obviously different since I’m trying to lose 40 lbs. and trying eliminate the possibility of ever having to prick myself in the finger every day for the rest of my life.  My mother who is looking to surgically remove 85% of her stomach to shed her lb’s brought a huge bowl of fruit salad.  She is supporting my choice to go veg, since I have dropped a bowling ball’s worth of fat and couldn’t be happier. No whipped cream in this fruit salad, just chopped up watermelon, grapes, blueberries and strawberries. I pigged out. At least two or three helpings. Completely satisfied. Didn’t even miss the other stuff.  Mom also enjoyed the fruit salad, as did mostly everyone, but also enjoyed a little each of the brown desserts on the table. Insane!!! What is up with people and brown food? Let’s move on from the brown food, and on to the prettier, mad fresher food! 

 

 

 

Mom’s Favorite Mad Fresh Bean Salad Recipe:
(Recipe inspired by Forks Over Knives cookbook with some variations)

 

2 - 16oz. cans black beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)

1 - Red Onion chopped

1 – bunch Cilantro chopped

16 0z Frozen Corn (about 2 cups or so)

1 chopped pepper (red or orange)

2 Roma Tomatoes chopped

Zest and juice of ½ lime

3 TBSP of balsamic vinegar

Combine all of the vegetables and then zest and juice the lime.  Add the vinegar and a little more to taste.  The corn will quickly defrost and give you a lovely spring salad!  Enjoy!