"Habichuelas con Dulce" or Sweet Beans

                                                                 
"Habichuelas con Dulce" is a  Dominican  dessert of red kidney beans and  coconut milk. We traditionally make it every year on ash Wednesday, and although some households and families make it year round, most of us only enjoy them during this time of the year.
  I'm sure you are probably making a face at the mere thought of beans and dessert in the same sentence, as most gringos usually do.  Well, how about you step outside of your little box and give it a try?  The worse than can happen is that you don't like them.  If that's the case it won't be the first or last time you taste something you don't appreciate.
   I know that they are not for everyone.  My friend P moved to my home country from Bulgaria, and she was never able to use the name of this sweet treat in a sentence without some nasty adjective attached to it.  But if you end up liking them, you will be so glad to have entered the world of those of us who are not afraid of sweet beans!
  Like most Dominicans, I  love them! So much, that every year, on ash Wednesday -even though I am far from religious, and not even close to giving anything up for lent- I cook this dish, and think of the Island and my childhood.

As much as I enjoy eating them though, making "Habichuelas con Dulce" is a tedious and long process.  This year I decided there had to be a quicker way, so I came up with the "Habichuelas con Dulce" quickie.  I highly doubt I  am the first to do this, but I still thought it was worth documenting for all of you.

Here's what you'll need:
3 cans of cooked red kidney beans
1 can of coconut milk
1 can of Evaporated Milk -I'm not sure why we use this milk so much back home.  My theory is that since it doesn't have to be refrigerated, and we suffer from constant blackouts, it was just something that people always had in hand- If you have dairy allergies, omit and use 2 cans of the coconut milk.
1 or 2 medium Japanese Yams, diced

                                                        
1 cup raisins soaked in rum and drained -You can drink the rum if you want, as my friend T says "if  it's less than an ounce it doesn't count"-

                                        
1 1/2 to 3 cups of sugar -Dominicans need everything to be so sweet it hurts you, so they would probably go as high as 3 cups. My palate had adapted so I thought 1 1/2 cups was plenty of sugar.  Use your taste buds to tell you where you stand on this very delicate issue-
1 pinch of salt
2 sticks of Cinnamon
5 ea Cloves
Freshly grated Nutmeg
4 TB Butter
1 tsp Lime Juice

       First I pureed the beans (including their juices) with the milks in the blender, and strained them into a heavy bottomed pot.  My first mistake was using too small of a pot.

        This eventually led me to transfer #1.  At first I still thought I could make it work, so I went ahead and added the rest of the ingredients, minus the butter.  As they say in the Island "lazy people work twice".

                                        
 Once in the bigger pot, which was clay, and worked much better for this dish's slow cooking needs, my culinary expertise told me that I should bring them to a boil and turn them down to a simmer.  I was diligent about stirring often to make sure they didn't scorch, until I got distracted  by a train of text messages from my brother, my mother and my friend S.  They didn't scorch,  probably only because of my amazing clay pot (her name is Sofia :)) but they did over boil and make a giant mess on the stove which led me to transfer #2.

                                                      
  I temporarily put them in a random pot, washed Sofia, and poured them back in (transfer # 3).  Then I brought them back to an almost boil, and quickly turned down the heat to medium low.  Now, this recipe is quicker than the original one, but you're still going to have to keep a close eye on them, and stir them often, or they will scorch.  At this point, I cooked them on low heat for about an hour.  You need to cook them until they have thickened  almost to the consistency of a loose pudding.  Make sure to taste the sweet potatoes to ensure that they are fully cooked.  Once done whisk in the butter until dissolved.
The dessert is now ready.  When I make this, I like putting them away in multiple Mason Jars, and one larger container, that way I can bring a few jars to work and share them with friends.  Since it's such a heavy and unusual dish, there is only so much of it you can handle, even if you love it.  So I find it's best to give some of it away, or you will find it moldy in the back of the fridge in a few weeks.  And take my word for it, you don't want to smell this dish once it's gone bad!

                                                  
  We eat them with these awesome little cookies that we call "church cookies" because they have a little cross on them.  Since we can't get those in the States, any good sugar cookie will do.  I love them with Whole Wheat Sables, from Alice Medrich's Pure Desserts book.  They go so well together.
My favorite way to eat this dish is cold, from the fridge, or hot, from the pan.  I like it best as breakfast or dinner, instead of as dessert, because it is so heavy.

                                                      
I hope you are adventurous enough to give this a shot.  Maybe you can host a pot luck with a challenge of who can bring the weirdest dish! You might just win it with this one!
Buen Provecho!

Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla de Patatas)

                                                                 
  I grew up eating a fair amount of this wonderful potato and egg dish.  To me, it is the epitome of comfort food.  It brings me back to childhood, it fills my belly, and it is just so darn tasty. In the States, some people say that it's the Spanish version of the frittata.  I don't think about that much, I just know that is is one of the most versatile dishes you can prepare.  It is cheap as heck, it is simple, it is delicious, and you can eat it hot, warm, room temperature or even cold straight out of the fridge.
 It also travels extremely well, so it's a great house warming present, pot luck dish, picnic food, airplane or road trip snack and lunch for work or school.
You can also add as many extras as you want: mushrooms, peppers, kale, carrots, tomatoes, etc.... Any vegetable that is good cooked, will be good in your tortilla.  So any leftovers in the crisper are good bets.  If you happen to have some roots lying around, you can slice them and mix them with the potatoes.  For example, you can make a Celery Root and Potato Tortilla, instead of just potatoes.
  If you want extra protein or flavor, you can add bacon, sausage, or even ground meat or chicken pieces.  However if you are serving it at a party it's best to stick to the basics in case there are any vegetarian guests and just add additional vegetables to make it a little more interesting.

For one basic large tortilla, you will usually need about two Russet potatoes, one onion and six eggs as your base.  In San Francisco, at current Whole Foods Market and/or Farmer's Market prices, using an organic onion, organic potatoes, and pastured eggs, the total amount for these ingredients in dollars is  US$ 7.00.
For one meal, for a group of people who eat as much as I do (for those of you who don't know me, I eat A LOT), you can get at least six servings from these ingredients.  That's lunch for roughly US$ 1.17 a head.  If you eat less than I do, you might be able to feed 7 or 8 people with this dish, and if using as an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre, you can have as many as 20 little pieces from this tortilla.
If you add enough vegetables, you can get a complete meal from it as well.
Needless to say, I really think you should try this! 
The recipe will vary a lot from one family or region to another.  Some people like it soft in the middle, others prefer it well done.  Some add more onion than others and the potato to egg ratio varies as well. Some cube their potatoes, others slice them. The one thing they will all agree on is you need a generous amount of Olive Oil, both for flavor and to prevent your tortilla from sticking to the pan.  You can do whatever works for your taste buds, they are all delicious.  I definitely think that it's at its best when still a bit runny in the center, but for travel, it easier to handle when it's a bit firm.
This recipe, from Michel Roux's book  "eggs", works very well:

 1/3   cup       Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 14     oz        Russet Potatoes, peeled and cubed or sliced about 1/4 inch thick (roughly two large potatoes)                   
   2     ea        Onions, roughly chopped
   1      ea       Garlic Clove, diced
   6      ea       Eggs
                      Salt and Pepper to taste
                      Any veggies you wish to add

I took the liberty of writing the method myself for this blog's purpose instead of posting the one from the book.

Heat half of the oil in a non-stick saute pan or well seasoned cast iron skillet.  When hot, add your onions, and cook over medium heat until translucent.

                                                           
 Add the potatoes, and cook stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes or until soft.  Add your garlic and season to taste.  Make sure that the potatoes are completely done, otherwise they will be raw in your final dish.  Trust me, I have made that mistake. 
  Once the potatoes are fully cooked, transfer them to a plate. 

                                                        
Wipe your skillet with a towel, making sure to remove any stuck bits from it. If adding meat or any other vegetables, cook them now, transfer it to the plate with  the potatoes, and repeat the cleaning step. You can always leave the vegetables a little undercooked, as they will cook further when you add the eggs.

                                                      
  In a bowl, whisk the eggs with a little salt and pepper.

                                               
 Heat the rest of the oil in the skillet over medium high heat.  Here you have two options:  you can either mix the potatoes into the eggs in the bowl, and add everything to the pan, or you can put the potatoes in the pan, and slowly add in the eggs, stirring very gently, to make sure that the egg mixture spreads evenly under, around and over the potatoes.

                                                         
 As soon as  the egg on the sides of the pan looks cooked, turn the heat to low, and cook without stirring for another 2 or 3 minutes.  Run a thin silicon spatula through the sides of the pan, to check that the bottom and sides of the tortilla are indeed cooked, and to detach any parts that might have stuck. 
  Now this is the tricky part, but you must  not be afraid of it.  With a "just do it" attitude, this always works.  Turn the heat off, and place a flat plate upside down on top of the pan.  Hold the plate with one hand, and the pan with the other, and flip the tortilla onto the plate.  If you are using a cast iron skillet, you might want to enlist some help as they can be rather heavy and make this move a little challenging.  Then slide the tortilla back onto the pan, raw side down.  Cook on low heat, for another 2 to 3 minutes.  At this point it is up to you how much you cook it, if you want it runnier, 2 minutes should suffise, if you want it firmer, you might want to go closer to 4.  Touch the center of the tortilla to give you an idea. 
You can always finish it in the oven without the flip, but I think it comes out much prettier when cooked on the stove on both sides.
When done, slide it back onto a clean plate, and you can either eat it right away, or save it for later.

    
 Once you make this a few times, and realize how easy it is, you might become slightly addicted to it.  Keep it interesting adding different vegetables each time, as well as creating different combinations.  For this one I used kale and wild mushrooms.  We had it for dinner one night, lunch a few days later, late snack the other night, and I ate the last of it yesterday as my work lunch.  It was divine.

Have your cupcakes and eat them too!

                                                            
  In my quest to eat and live a healthy and delicious life, desserts have always been part of my path. A fun part of the equation that although I know is not always the best choice, I have to indulge in regardless.  I figure that it's all in keeping the balance.  By walking to and from work, practicing yoga asanas six days a week, eating a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as lots of whole grains and pastured meats, I am setting my body up for success.  Therefore, if I want to satisfy my genetically and culturally predisposed sweet tooth, I should!  And so should you...
  Often, when people are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle or dieting, they will try and lay off sugar completely.  I find that when I try to do this, it backfires on me because I end up craving it more.  It seems that if I just go ahead and mindfully indulge in one piece of cake, or two scoops of ice cream, the craving wears off and I am less likely to eat the whole cake in the middle of the night because I just can't take it anymore.

 
 One reason for this is that the sweets that I eat are full of nutrients, even though they are also full of Sugar.  They contain protein from the Eggs and or Milk, they contain fat from the Butter, and antioxidants from the fruits and or Chocolate among others.  So for example, one cupcake, has enough goodness in it to make me feel satisfied, and enough Sugar to make me realize that I should probably not eat two. 
  The key is to not just eat anything loaded with sugar. Choose your desserts wisely. Either home made or artisanal ones, made with love, and with Butter, not Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil! With real Eggs, real Chocolate, real Sugar and no Food Colorings. Choose sweets that will go bad in a few days, which means they have no artificial preservatives.  Also, if you make the desserts yourself, you will put in time, energy and creativity into them, which will not only make you appreciate them more, and eat them more mindfully, it will also serve as a project that you can use to take your mind off things, or to do with your kids.

 This past weekend, my indulgence was from my little friend E's birthday party. As her present, I made cupcakes for her and twenty one of her 5 and 6 year old friends.  The theme of the party was Magic, as a Magician was coming to entertain them for an hour -and give the adults in the house a little time to breathe-.
  She asked for the flavor to be Chocolate, and I decided the frosting would be Meringue.  Back home in the Dominican, Meringue is the frosting of choice for pretty much all cakes.  It is also my frosting of choice for pretty much anything.  I used a wonderful recipe from the Barefoot Contessa which you can look at by clicking on this link http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-cupcakes-and-peanut-butter-icing-recipe/index.html.
 I found it to be almost perfect, but if you eat the cupcakes without the frosting they are just a little too bitter, so if you plan on enjoying them on their own maybe you should modify the sugar amount.  However when eaten together with the meringue, they were just divine.

As a way to include E in the preparation of her birthday cupcakes,  I had her help me make some awesome cupcake toppers with some spaghetti, construction paper and glitter.   I also used Jelly Beans on top for extra color and excitement. If you are trying to enjoy these as a healthy dessert, please, I beg you, skip the Jelly Beans!

  If you are committing to a healthier, more nutritious lifestyle, then you will be eating less sweets than you used to.  So, think of dessert as giving yourself a break, cutting yourself some slack, and taking the opportunity of transforming an ordinary activity into an extraordinary moment.  Plate your dessert, like if you were serving it to a queen.  If you really want to go crazy, maybe even set the table.  Take the time to make it look beautiful.  Then sit down, and admire it.  Say grace, thank yourself - or whomever - for preparing it.  Thank the universe, for the luxury and the opportunity of having this dessert.  Take the time to rejoice in this moment.  Then with all this in mind, go ahead and take a bite.  As you savour it,  repeat the previous steps, and indulge not only in the dessert, but in everything that it represents.

                                                                     Enjoy!

Super Quinoa!

                                                                   
I have been eating a lot of grain salads over the past few years.  I like that they are easy to prepare, they hold really well out of refrigeration,  they can be eaten cold, hot or at room temperature, and  they are filling, nutritious and of course, delicious.
But out of all the grains that I seek out, Quinoa always wins in my book.
Not only does it have a wonderful nutty flavor and a fantastic crunchy texture, but Quinoa is also a complete protein.  It contains all nine essential amino acids.  This makes it particularly interesting for vegetarians, or people who eat little meat or legumes.  This is some of the nutritional content of just one cup of cooked Quinoa:
  40 grams of carbohydrates (13 % daily value)
  8 grams of protein (16 % of daily value)
  3.5 grams of fat (5 % daily value with no saturated fat)
  5 grams of fiber (20 % of daily value)
  20 % of daily value of folate (various forms of Vitamin B)
  30 % of magnesium daily value (beneficial for people with migraine headaches);
  28 % daily value of phosphorous
  15 % daily value of iron (again, great for vegetarians)
  18 % daily value of copper   copper
   and almost 60% daily value of manganese.
       

                                                      
  So with all this said, how do you cook Quinoa? And what can you add to it, to keep it from getting boring?
I like to start by heating some Olive Oil in a pan, and stirring the Quinoa in.  I just toast it for a few minutes, mostly until it starts smelling nutty.  At that point I add the water (it can be room temperature or warm) at a ratio of 1 to 1.5 Quinoa to water, and a generous pinch of salt.  If you would like you can add any other spices to taste.  I like keeping it simple to display the Quinoa and the Vegetables.  It will usually bubble up right away, as the pan is very hot by then.  Leave the heat on high until it starts to boil and then turn down to a slow simmer.  Cook until most of the water is absorbed, then place a lid on the pot and cook for another minute or two.  At this point turn it off and taste the Quinoa.  If it is still a little undercooked, just leave the lid on and the steam will finish cooking it.  If it is ready, then remove the lid, and transfer to a wide receptacle (it can be a plate) so that the quinoa is in a thin layer, to cool.

                                                             
If you are only making one dish, go ahead an make it while the grains are still warm.  This will help the Quinoa absorb the flavors of your dressing.
If you are making more than one dish, just let it cool, place it in a lidded container, and label and date it.

                                                     
             At this point, the possibilities are endless.  Right now, I love mixing in some very finely chopped raw Kale.  To this you can add a dressing of Miso, Tahini and Lemon juice, some fresh Grapefruit or Orange Segments, toasted Walnuts and voila!  If you prefer cooked Kale, you can just slighlty sautee it in some Olive Oil until it's bright green and a little toasted.  When cooked this way, Kale keeps its crunch, while becoming a little less fibrous.
                                                                  

                                            
Another favorite of mine is roasted or steamed Beets, Feta cheese and Pomegranate seeds, seasoned with Olive Oil, a little Lemon juice and Balsamic Vinegar, and finished with fresh Cilantro leaves.
However, the addition of fruits, cheese and herbs if done in advance,  can make the salad a little soggy and not so fresh tasting, so it is best to add these right before you eat it. 

                                                               
Root vegetables are really nice and sweet right now, so another good option is a medley of a few of these.  For example: Roasted Carrots, Rutabagas and Sweet Potatoes.  I prefer what they call Japanese Yams, which is the varietal that grows back home in the Dominican Republic, which we call Batata.  I really enjoy roasting it in some leftover Bacon Fat.  Not only does this give it a little extra flavor but when eaten with fats, some of the nutrients in vegetables are more easily absorbed by our bodies (ie: beta carotene, vitamins A, D, E and K, etc...).
 -For more information on this topic check out the book "Real Foods" by Nina Plank.It is awesome!-
 You can also add some roasted Winter Squash of your choice, or substitute it for the carrots. I really enjoy Kabocha Squash (for you Dominicans, Auyuma will be delicious as well). Season it with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice, salt and pepper, and finish with either Blood Orange Segments or Satsuma Mandarins.  This one also benefits from a little Feta, Fresh Ricotta or Goat Cheese, which mixes in to the salad when you toss it creating a creamy consistency.

                                                  
If you opted to cook the quinoa and the vegetables and mix the salads later, you can keep everyone separate, or mix a few of the vegetables together.  I prefer keeping the Beets on their own, in some Olive Oil, Lemon Juice or Vingegar and a little Salt.  The roasted vegetables I usually mix together.  Try them all out in different combinations, and you will soon find out wich ones speak the most to you.
Don't forget to label and date everything, this way you can easily keep track of what should be consumed first, and if something is still safe to eat or not.  The Quinoa and the vegetables, if kept separate or mixed without any herbs, fruits or cheeses, will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

                                                          
I enjoy fresh Cilantro on all of these, but if you don't like it, or if you prefer more variety, try them with Parsley, Dill, or Mint.  You can always mix and match.  Once again, the different combinations will start speaking for themselves and letting you know which work best.

                                 Can you believe this Fig is the same size as this Avocado???
                                                           
   Last but not least, for those of you who like Avocado, these salads are all richer with a few slices of this fabulous Fruit.  This not only will add some healthy fat and more nutrients, it will also give your dish a wonderful creamy texture.
  Quinoa is a great vehicle for enjoying all the delicious produce that is in season and available right now (whenever right now might be). With these combinations you can prepare some tasty and healthy dishes for yourself and your family. If you make everything ahead, you can mix these in just a few minutes. 
I hope this inspires you to give my friend Super Quinoa a try!

Stay present and embrace Winter fruits!

In our day and age, sometimes it is very difficult to stay present.  So many people live through the Winter just waiting for the Spring. Yet our lives, our health, our relationships and our hearts could really benefit from us taking it all in one step at a time.  Being here, being now.
I propose that we make a pledge to try and bring ourselves back to the present moment at least once a day, everyday. As Paul Simon says "little by little, bit by bit, little bit by little bit". In any way that we wish, at any moment of our day.
Today, I will  start this commitment by embracing the Winter and the fruits that it has to offer.  Over here in Northern California most of those fruits are Citrus.
Today, I bring myself back to this moment, by enjoying the flavors of Blood Oranges, Oro Blanco Grapefruits, and Meyer Lemons.

 

I sliced some of the Blood Oranges into my quick Castelfranco and Treviso Salad that I made myself to calm by hunger (my husband calls it my monster) so that I could actually have a drink to my Grandma (Mo), to Maura and to my friend Robin who all share today as their birthday.

Once I ate my salad, and my stomach was tricked into believing that I wasn't so hungry that I had to eat my cat after all,  I decided to put these gorgeous fruits into a cocktail in honor of the birthday Ladies.

I started with about an ounce and a half of  Corzo Tequila, (it's a long story, but there was actually a shot in the refrigerator, waiting for me since Sunday night!).

                                                                             
Then I added the juice of a one Blood Orange and half of a Meyer Lemon, about a quarter of an ounce of Cointreau, and Agave Nectar to taste.  The cook in me always has to add ingredients to taste.  Otherwise how do we know if it'll be good? I have to taste it at every step of the way.  That way we develop our palate to recognize what is missing, and which ingredients will add which flavors.
Then I poured it into a rock's glass, full of gorgeous little ice cubes (almost perfectly square ones at that!) , with a salted rim.  The salt for three reasons: because I love it, because this cocktail has some of the components of a classic Margarita and it it would benefit from the saltiness, and because the white rim is reminiscent of the snow, and therefore, of the Winter, that I am embracing, with this drink.
                       Here's to you Ladies! Feliz Cumpleanos! Joyeuse Anniversaire! Happy Birthday!

P.S:

Some of you will know that I am not exaggerating when I say, that I am almost always hungry.

Some of you will assume that I am exaggerating, as I am Dominican after all.

I am just telling you what happened, I promise it's not a lie.

After I was done making the cocktail, I had to make myself another snack because once again, my stomach was telling me that my cat might be delicious.

So here is an impromptu, very simple salad, of steamed Chioggia Beets and Oro Blanco Grapefruit segments in Olive Oil.

Enjoy!

                                                            

A meal to be thankful for

  I have never been one to overindulge and then deprive myself as  punishment.  I do indulge, but when I do, I do it mindfully.  I try to be present, and to fully experience every element of whatever it is I am treating myself to.
This is exactly what I did on Thanksgiving. I spent it with a small group of very close friends and my husband J.  It was wonderful! 
  We started early, around 1, with a gorgeous terrine of pork belly, calf's liver and ground pork that J had prepared as a surprise for the group. We enjoyed it with mustard and Cornichons. It was the first terrine he had ever made, and we all think it will be far from his last.
We also had some foie gras mousse that our friend Kevin had brought in from a trip to Bouchon in Napa Valley.
From there we moved on to sweet, juicy stone crabs that our friend Sarah had gotten in from Florida.  Seating around the table, cracking the claws and sending the juices all over was so much more fun than any of us had anticipated.
We then took a break and had some wine and cocktails while catching up.
Then we sat down again for the biggest part of our meal.
   I prepared a beautiful local heritage turkey, braised in Beaujolais Nouveau, with pearl onions and prunes (recipe courtesy of David Lebovitz), as well as French Grandma's artichoke gratin, which I added wild mushrooms and leeks to.
Chris took care of the rest of the side dishes with some delicious stuffing, a cauliflower pie, a rainbow of seasonal vegetables roasted in duck fat, and some gravy.
We took our time, cheered several times, and indulged in this wonderful feast.
After that we took another break, in which some took naps, others chatted joyfully, and yet others went out for a walk and some fresh air. 
When everyone was ready we sat down at the table once again, for a crisp salad of chicories, persimmon and pomegranates with an avocado and watermelon radish vinaigrette.
We finished our savory courses with a medley of perfectly tempered cheeses and  bread.
And onto dessert with Sweet Potato Pie, Pecan Pie, and Chocolate Caramel Tart.
  Now you might be wondering why I am telling you about this meal on a blog that is supposed to be devoted to healthy foods. I know that this meal does not sound very healthy, although it was definitely tasty. However, every dish was prepared from fresh, local ingredients (minus the crabs), with respect,  love and intention, and  the meal as a whole was enjoyed in that same fashion.
 With every bite I took I was grateful for the opportunity of eating these wonderful foods, for the lovely people who had prepared them, and who had now come together to enjoy them.  I was grateful for being blessed with food not only as nourishment, but also as pleasure.  I was grateful for knowing what I know about food, and for understanding that sometimes, healthy for the soul is as important as healthy for the body.
 And today, two days later, I will enjoy some of the leftovers from that meal for dinner, and I will not think that I should be eating vegetables with a little less fat than these drenched in duck grease.  Instead, I will cherish the last tangible remnants of that day, which was filled with so much laughter, joy and  love, that I have no doubt we were all nourished immensely from that food.

What foods are best?

My two girlfriends and I were having a lovely fall gathering this afternoon at one of their homes. We started talking about what she feeds her three year old daughter and began a very interesting discussion on what foods are best for us.
Like many people in our day and age, she asks herself if she should buy organic or local, free range or humanely raised, eggs with omega 3's or pastured ones from the farmers market, and countless other questions about which foods she should provide to her child, in order to offer her the best possible nutrition she can.
As we pondered on the answers she realized, that even though she felt like she knew a decent amount about food, she was not as informed as she thought.
Supermarkets and food corporations are not making these choices easy for us with their marketing targeted to confuse us and grab our attention with slogans like "organic" or "free range". The answers to these questions are not always black or white.  The grey area is vast, and like in many other instances, knowledge is power.  But most people do not have this knowledge, and because of it they are mosre often than not making the wrong choices for themselves and their families.  Even sadder is the fact that many times, like my friend, they are making these choices under the false impression that they are indeed the best choices.
A prime example of this is a family that I am very close to.  They are wealthy, educated, cultured Americans.  They live here in the Bay Area, travel extensively, and eat out often, only at the best restaurants.  They have a five year old daughter, whom like most kids her age is in the "picky eater" stage.  I spend Thursday afternoons with her, and cook her dinner.  A few weeks ago, I got very frustrated when I was trying to figure out what to prepare for our meal.
The fridge was rather full, with things that are staples for them: English muffins, whole wheat bread, coffee creamer, sugar free ice tea, newman's lemonade, non denominated supermarket ground beef (aka feedlot beef), supermarket brand sliced cheeses, hot dogs, Pillsbury biscuits, salsa, old broccoli and old "baby" carrots. Usually I can also find strawberries, apples, blueberries and raspberries, regardless of the season and  I sometimes also find leftover vegetable salads from "whole food's" salad bar, as the mom has been trying to eat " healthy".
As I stared at the refrigerator, I thought of my friend Courtney.  She roasts or sautees seasonal local vegetables, from the farmers market or her own garden, for her baby girl.  She then purees them, freezes them in ice cube trays, and when it's meal time, pops a cube out onto a bowl of cooked quinoa, barley, or another whole grain, sticks it in the microwave, and voila!
Preparing those meals doesn't take more time than preparing a chicken quesadilla, or a risotto, or a hamburger with some carrots and butter, which is what my little friend eats for dinner most nights of her life, yet it provides so many more nutrients for her body to absorb and assimilate.
And to be quite honest, it also tastes a whole lot better!
A lot of it is lack of time, or as my friend said today, lack of cooking knowledge, or creative ideas. A lot of it is misinformation, and marketing.  But regardless of the reason, it pains me to see people that I love spending their money and time in buying and preparing things that are barely providing nutrients, and are instead laden with ingredients that are more of a detriment to their health than anything else.
As my two cents, I vow to to share my knowledge, accompanied with recipes and tips.  I am not in any way an authority on the subject, but I love food, I am constantly reading about which ones are best for us and why, and many would agree that I am a wonderful cook. So keep on reading, let me know what your questions are, and let's try to feed ourselves and our loved ones better, one delicious meal at a time.