Foodie wars: diet books with bite

Wow, it's been a while since I've been on here and I've missed it. July has blown past and here we are in what has been one of the hottest summers I can remember. There have been a few Tweets I've shared in the past week, and of them, foodie books seemed to be the central theme. Perhaps it's because the effects of a week of indulgence and sitting around at the cottage have caught up to me, but diets, dieting and weight loss are always hot topics.

The first book I'm going to mention is one that is stirring up quite a controversy and once I reveal the title, that will come as no surprise. It's called "Six Weeks To OMG: Get Skinnier Than All Your Friends."

Seriously. I can't make this up, folks. If this sounds like something only teen girls would say, you have hit the nail of controversy square on the head. Who else could this be speaking to? The author, Venice A. Fulton, defends this saying the use of OMG is not intended to make his book appeal to young women. however, professionals are worried about the message this sends not only to young women but also about weight loss in general. The unconventional diet is based upon the use of the body's existing stores of fat in the morning, followed by no snacking and lots of caffeine the rest of the day (I'm simplifying for the sake of brevity). There is also a cold bath to kickstart your metabolism in the morning. Ick.

The kicker for me though was this article in a U.K. newspaper with case studies of people who went on this diet. Sure, there are convincing before and after photos of these people, and good on 'em for finally getting motivated to change their habits but for me, it was the before and after meal journals of a typical day that I found most compelling. I hate to break it to them but as soon as they have reached their target weight, the TERRIBLE dietary habits will creep back in. I mean, really people, crisps (chips) as your 'side' for lunch?? Chips (fries) and gravy?? Three or four pints, three or four nights per week?? And this is a typical day? Seriously.

I personally don't think their results have anything to do with the diet's ridiculous requirements as much as the drastic reduction in their caloric intake of these people each day. The 'after' diet plans are such a stark contrast to their 'before' diets - that is the real reason they lost weight and I'm sorry to say, eating less is not something new to dieting.

Moving on....

The other book I read about also deals with losing weight but the approach could not be more opposite if it tried. This one is called Culinary Intelligence: The art of eating healthy (and really well) by Peter Kaminsky, a professional foodie and writer. After facing health issues, he decided to change his habits, not his career. When faced with tasting and reviewing wonderful food around the world, he approached every eating so that every calorie counted both towards his waistline and the dining experience, savouring every single bite. This takes time of course, and when we are rushed, distracted or multitasking, not only are we more likely to eat more, we are less likely to enjoy what we do eat just because we aren't taking the time to really be in the moment and enjoy the experience. Isn't that something we should apply to more areas of our life too?

My love affair with halloumi cheese

Mmm...look at those gorgeous grill marks!

If you’ve never tasted halloumi cheese, you don’t know what you are missing. My life became just a little bit richer the day I tasted this cheese. Eaten warm, it is pure heaven when grilled to a golden brown and crispy in some parts, ooey and soft in others. The flavour of this unripened brine cheese combines with the heat to create a symphony of perfection on the palate, like tasting only the best parts of a grilled cheese sandwich: buttery, cheesy, crispy, warm. This cheese is soft and mild yet has a salty character, and is dense enough with a high melting point so halloumi is perfect on the grill. I sometimes cube it and put it on a skewer with fast-cooking meat (leaving it on too long will melt it too much so you want the rest of the skewered food to cook at the same rate) or just sliced about 1/2 inch thick, and placed on a heated, oiled grill. The texture reminds me of firm tofu, while the salty mild  flavour is reminiscent of feta. I’ve seen it served on top of a salad for a lovely summer meal, but personally I haven’t gotten farther than serving it on a the plate that I bring it in on from the bbq; it’s just too good and goes fast. My family goes crazy for it; I am barely able to be seated at the table by the time it’s almost all gone, let alone explain that it’s supposed to go on top of the other food (they do leave a piece for me because they know better than to deny the chef).

If you haven’t tried this savoury treat, you are in luck because halloumi cheese is increasingly easy to find in your average supermarket. The first kind I tried was President’s Choice brand which has been delish. I just recently bought a different brand that’s waiting to be devoured. Will report back on that one soon. Yum.

Want some food for thought? Enter 'halloumi cheese' into Google and take a look at the images search results. Be prepared to drool a little.