Like the good upwardly mobile, eco-conscience, carnivorous urban dweller I am the meat counter at Whole Foods is my version of a candy store. All the pretty meat, lined up and ready for me to make it even more delicious then it already is.
People often balk at the cost of meat there versus other grocery stores but with the higher price comes the knowledge that the meat is hormone free and that the animals were fed natural diets and allowed to roam and wander, until their death that resulted in my dinner.
Now I have no problem with meat. I like meat. I like the nutritional value it provides. I am by no means a vegetarian, despite the nights I accidentally cook vegan. However, I do like my meat to taste the best it can so that the cow, or pig, or chicken who died for my dinner lived a life of value. I also want to know that the meat I am eating, and often sharing with others, doesn’t have nasty little chemical surprises hiding in it.
There are no regulations governing GMOs (genetically modified organisms a.k.a natural stuff that has been chemically modified into not natural stuff for which we do not know the long term effects of) in the food supply, don’t think the FDA is watching your back they are worried more about caffeine enhanced gum for kid. There are not even requirements to label products that contain GMOs, or meat that could have been fed GMOs. Some retailers are making an efforts to label what they can, when they can, but it’s not universal.
By this sharing of facts I am willing to admit it is not possible to always eat completely organic, and if you are pulling it off then hats off to you, so I think the best way to approach it is to do the best you can. Which leads me to the pretty, pretty meat counters at Whole Foods, its certainly not perfect but I know they are paying attention to what they are selling so it makes it easier for me.
Thus brings us to dinner. Thanks to the fine folks at Whole Foods it was about as easy as a dinner can be. I grabbed two bone in pork chops, covered them in a jar of charred pineapple relish, and tossed their happy selves on the grill. For balance I added zucchini which I had cut in half, scored, rubbed with olive oil, salt, cumin, and cayenne.
If you want to attempt this meal I have two bits of advice; 1) sprinkle your zucchini with whatever strikes your fancy, and 2) don’t put the veggies on till you flip the pork chops, you want them cooked but still a wee bit crunchy.
If you want a bit more information on GMOs, healthy meat, or the like there are loads of resources, such as;
-Goggle
–The Honest Life by Jessica Alba (I know it sounds strange, but girlfriend did her research, and wrote a compelling tomb on how to life better while still living, and I am a total convert and super biased)
– check out your local farmers market not only are they easier to get fruit and veg free of chemicals and pesticides, but you’re supporting local farmers