Nearly Naked Foods
With so many food terms thrown around such as “raw,” “naked,” and “clean” eating how does one stay centered and know how to navigate with our ever-changing food supply? Sometimes the simplest way to eat healthfully is eating ?nearly naked foods.?
What does nearly naked foods look like?
How can we keep our meals simple and thoughtful with taste, nutrition, and minimal ingredients?
One question to ask is: can you actually taste your food?
What do fresh tomatoes taste like with fresh ground pepper on a lovely dish? Of course the season, place of purchase and time to destination (local vs. from another state or country) all play into taste and freshness.
Many salt their food without ever tasting it, thus missing out on the real flavor besides acclimating their taste buds to a need for more and more salt.
How can you use the opportunity of the new season to shift towards experiencing new flavors and health?
Summer is at our door, making it the perfect opportunity to venture to your local farmer’s market and savor the smells and tastes of fresh fruit and vegetables.
What could be more appealing than?
- Fresh strawberries drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar
- Cut up cucumber and avocado mixed with a little lemon or feta cheese for flavor
- Crisp carrot sticks, snap peas, sweet peppers and baby tomatoes for snacks
- Cut up cantaloupe with a dash of pepper
- Cut up apples with a tablespoon of fresh peanut or cashew butter
It may take time to get used to food without salt, extra condiments or sauces but once your palate changes there is no going back. AND it actually takes less time to prepare so you’ll save time in the kitchen!
Being open to new produce you’ve never experienced and allowing time for your taste buds to acclimate to a variety of flavors pays health dividends. It can take time and patience to find what you like but the rewards of “naked foods” equals nutrients and fiber to go a long way towards money in your health account.
June 8, 2015 @ 5:16 pm
I was reading a book review today that mentioned the “dulled american palate” – I was reminded of that review when I read your post today. I think many people have forgotten the taste of real, simple food. Just this morning at work a co-worker was mentioning how her adult daughter likes the taste of watermelon candy but not watermelon…. really? How did we get to this point? We need to find our way back – through the gardens and into our kitchens. Thanks for leading the way…