10 a day

What bollocks all this five, now, ten-a-day governmental veg and fruit eating-policy is.
Ten what exactly? peas? teaspoons of tomato paste? What is a portion anyway and why make it all sound like a hideous ordeal rather than a colourful and tasty experiment.
Putting a sum up like that . . . it's bound to be disproved or changed (as it has been) within a matter of a couple of years, and of course, food-manufacturers can use the slogan to their great advantage - suck on a baggie of apple compote - that's one, fruit juice with bits in it, two . . . etc, I think it was even mentioned, seriously, that pizza is now considered a possible contender, in America.
We need good old 'home economy' back in schools, or 'food technology' as I think I heard it termed more recently - that in itself a turn off if ever there was one; let's make food as clinical and scientifically removed from reality as possible.
I don't know what is taught now and I hope after Mr Oliver's heartfelt attempts with school dinners things might have improved; if not, there is serious work to be done, as important as maths and languages, possibly even more.
Due to fast foods, perceived and real lack of time, and too much watching celeb chefs and not actually doing cooking we may have really lost the basic knack of simple, inexpensive and healthy cooking. I read an article the other day that said 'young people' are starting to buy ingredients and cook stuff in order to post the results on Instagram, rather than paying attention to what they are making nutrition and bank account-wise.
The other thing I find perplexing is the 'fruit and veg' phrase; I know hangs better - fruit 'n veg rather than veg 'n fruit, but that's what needs to be pushed - veg 'n some fruit. Fruit is great but it's also loaded with sugar, leaving the opportunity for: 'Great, I'll eat two apples, an orange, a banana and six peas and I'll have my quota.

                                     
                 
                                  A VERY organic cabbage from friend Maggie's amazing garden

So . . . education and admiration about, and, of, the humble cabbage, other brassicas, onions, carrots, et al. Cabbages, after onions are, to me, top ingredient: cheap (mostly) full of iron and fibre, and if an organic one with its colony of slugs can be purchased, so much the better - just seeing those happy folks (before I flick them off into the chicken enclosure) makes me feel reassured that the cabbage has had a healthy up-bringing.
Organic or not, washed thoroughly and boiled, steamed, fried, baked, stir-fried or whatever its a great staple and bulker-outer for a plethora of dishes.



                                                     My daily stir-fry, and the ultimate 'fast food'

Recently, possibly through laziness, or, I suspect, wanting to remain as healthy as possible, I just seem, when I'm on my own, to exist on stir-fries - whatever veg I have, chopped, put in a pan, oil, dash of soy sauce, spot of sherry, lemon, salt, pepper, chilli; maybe a little meat if there is any - ten minutes later, lunch and one pan to wash up.

                       

                  Very small (about the size of a mug-base) bit of 'happy' steak from local org place. 

As for meat . . . that's a whole other subject, but in a shortish sentence: I like it, but only indulge once or twice a week - just a small portion of something that's had a life on open grasslands. Organic or free-range is expensive but if we can embrace lentils (interesting) other pulses, tofu, etc, we won't need (or want) as much. We don't need loads of protein, do need some carbs, but veg must be the way forward and out of the current obesity problem our societies are suffering from.

lentils have no feelings

As far as we know.
Cows, chickens, pigs and other animals we choose to eat, do. So if we are going to eat them, they should at least have a good time doing what they are supposed to do before we kill them. I'm not a vegetarian, but I live with one, and for that reason we don't eat meat, except occasionally when the gatherer goes away not to hunt. Then I might buy a happy chicken and Ezra and I plus perhaps a couple of friends will delight in roast beast, followed by soups. stock, etc. A real treat once in a while, and because of being once in a while, really appreciated.
Ezra's school recently sent a leaflet round which stated that children - and people generally, must eat meat every day in order to remain healthy; it actually said that being vegetarian is dangerous for children . . .
When Mark and I went to the Doc's recently for an MOT, Mark despite being vegetarian, seems fine, just rather tall as the Doc noted. He hasn't touched meat for about eight years (Mark) and before that was vegan and even macrobiotic at some point. He is very tall and has huge feet which in themselves must take up quite a lot of calories to maintain each day, but he's good on veg and lentils.
Blood groups may play a part in all this. Mark may have once been a giraffe-type creature, gracefully pulling the leaves off trees, while I would have been something running about trying to sink my teeth into something else running about. I do occasionally get a craving for a nice juicy steak and will buy a bit. A bit, again that's all; no one needs to eat a sixteen ounce steak.

Yummm

 I was fascinated by all this 'horse in our beef' issue recently. Why is anyone surprised? In the 'developed' world we demand cheap meat, generally not really enquiring where it comes from. Why not horse anyway? of course it's the fraudulent aspect, but is eating horse any worse that eating cow? Meat seems to figure in most people's diets every day if the average French shopping trolly is anything to go by. Things are getting harder, and competition in the food industry ensures that manufacturers keep prices down.
I had a little look on the internet at battery farming and then wished I hadn't. We all know it's out there, but the reality is terrible. Good old Jamie Oliver, hope your reclaimed hens are enjoying their freedom.
I had to include this pitiful image of some pigs . . . just in case you are about to nip out and grab a bacon sandwich from a cafe. Pigs are highly intelligent creatures, hence why George Orwell presumably chose them as the eventual leaders in 'Animal farm'. They should spend their lives poking their noses around in strawy mud and eating lovely leftovers, having piglets, and then perhaps being turned into sausage; not stuffed into a cage without room to turn around, or if this pic is true . . .well, how inconceivably vile.