The government recommends that adults eat 2-3 cups of vegetables each day. Now I don't know about you, but that's a challenge for me. Three cups is A LOT of vegetables - especially for a girl who only likes a few varieties! So, I pride myself in figuring out ways that the foods I do like to eat (and can easily down 2-3 cups of) are actually fulfilling my patriotic duty to eat more vegetables!
Chocolate is one of my favorite foods. Chocolate chip cookies are a wonderful delivery vehicle for that chocolate. Sadly, the government doesn't list chocolate chip cookies on their suggested vegetable list, which I just don't understand. They're basically the perfect super food. Here's why I think so:
The basic recipe for chocolate chip cookies includes:
Flour
Sugar
Butter or shortening
Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Chips
Flour is a vegetable. I know some people (including Doctors, Nutritionists and Dieticians) will argue with me on that one, but look at it from my perspective. Flour is made from wheat, wheat is a plant, therefore it's a vegetable. Sugar is made from sugar cane which is a plant, therefore it's a vegetable. Butter is not a vegetable, but if you used vegetable shortening as a substitute, then let's face it, the word vegetable is right there in the name of the product, so it's a vegetable. Vanilla is extracted from vanilla beans. Beans are vegetables (OK, technically, beans are legumes, but work with me on this one). Chocolate is made from cocoa beans which are grown on a tree, therefore, chocolate is a vegetable.
It's pretty simple really, and easily explains why eating a plate of chocolate chip cookies is practically the same as eating a plate of veggies. Given my explanation, if you were to eat an entire batch of chocolate chip cookies - you could argue that it was a very healthy choice, and you'd be certain to fulfill your duty to the government by following the food pyramid guidelines for proper vegetable consumption.
4 comments:
You are clearly a nutritional genius. You should write a book.
I never thought of it as fulfilling my duty to the government when I eat my vegetables...maybe that argument will be motivating to my children. Although CT often states that he has two favorite foods which are broccoli and tomatoes.
Laura, I'm totally with you on this one. Who knew I loved vegetables so much?
Count me converted. I just got some drink packets that say they have "a whole salad" in each one because I wanted to be healthy...But now that you've opened my eyes, I know that the chocolate chip cookies I made last night were a better option. Thanks!
Post a Comment