Why do I eat?

I read an interesting quote. I don't remember where I read it so all I can say is that I did not author it! It asked, "Do you eat to live or live to eat?"

I must admit that I fit into the latter category. I love to taste food. I want it to be so yummy that I think that it would actually be served in heaven! Why? When food tastes THIS good then I eat too much of it.

I was always a slim trim athelete. When I was in the Army I was running 3 miles a day and also doing arobics and/or weight lifting as well (even when I was 7 months pregnant!). I had to eat quite a bit to keep my caloric intake in balance with what I was burning.

Well...I'm not in the Army anymore...AND I've had 4 more kids since. Needless to say...I'm 20 pounds overweight. Simply because I eat too much. I eat healthy...but too much of a good thing isn't good.

I find the yummier I make something the more I'll eat. So why is my food so yummy? Oh...maybe it is the brown sugar I add to everything to make it more appealing?? The soy sauce, the gravy, the honey mustard, they......I'm really working on making things as close to the natural way God made it again.

One of my customers had ordered pinto bean flour. Why? She told me it makes great instant "refried beans". So I tried it.

I have to admit that it wasn't as good as when I cook the beans to death for 6 hours all day long simmering in a huge hunk of salty, virus infected pork and a pound of salt. No, it wasn't as good tasting as the can of refried beans that I could have conveniently opened that is filled with who knows what. Here is the recipe:


2 cups pinto bean flour
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder or 1/4 chopped (my kids think they don't like onions)
1/4 tst chili powder
1 3/4 cups water

Mix first 6 ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Gradually add water and simmer until consistancy desired. Feel free to add any other flavoring to taste.


Of course the point I was trying to make with this recipe was to try not to add any extras that would immediately affix themselves to my hips.

I placed a spoonful in a small bowl sprinkled some cheese on top and melted this in the microwave for 1 minute. I try to avoid microwaving as much as possible as this kills the enzymes required for digesting.

I added some salsa on top and a few chips and some raw sliced green pepper on the side.

Like I said it wasn't as yummy as the "traditional method", however, one small bowl of 1/2 cup of this dip and I was full. Because I wasn't salivating while I ate it and I wasn't lathering at the mouth for more so I left the table satisfied. I can honestly say that I ate to live today.