Finding middle ground
TABLE TALK
FOOD fads flow tidally, rolling with a predictable meter. Isolation diets are followed by elimination diets, are followed by cultural diets, are followed by inventive or novel diets.
Yet the reality is that dieting itself is junk science, unsupported by any serious investigator. More than any other reason this is because “dieting” implies a temporary approach to a more permanent problem.
What we eat is a lifestyle choice, bounded by the points of birth and death, not a fashion of the times.
The latest incarnation of popular diet concepts is both modern and ancient in its endeavour – veganism.
Since the time of the Greek poets, subsets of humans have rejected the product of animal husbandry, preferring plant-only food for a combination of ethical and ascetic reasons.
If we are going to be precise, however, the distinction between plant-based and plant-only is important both for ourselves, and for the planet. The Earth certainly cannot afford a meat-based diet for our 7.5 billion souls, yet veganism deprives its adherents of essential nutrients such as B12, calcium, zinc and iron.
Surely there has to be a middle ground.
And there is. Eating less meat isn’t hard, nor is eating less dairy and eggs. That choice puts less pressure on the planet and makes more food available to a wider range of people. Livestock contribute nearly as many greenhouse gas emissions as all transport — every car, truck, motorcycle and train.
I do not intend to give up meat, but am delighted to moderate that tendency in favour of a healthier planet and a healthier me.
SPICY MUSHROOM SALAD
serves / 4
Ingredients
500g button mushrooms, quartered 2 tbsp harissa seasoning Sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 red onion, sliced 1 bunch radishes, quartered 1 avocado, sliced 4 cups baby kale leaves ½ cup mustard sprouts 2 tbsp honey-mustard dressing
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200C. Toss the mushrooms in harissa and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, then bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool, then slice. 2. Toss the mushrooms, onion, radishes, avocado, kale and mustard sprouts, then drizzle with dressing to serve.