Knauthentic #2
The text featured below is the transciption of the video above.
Hi guys. It’s time to learn more about Knauthentic. All right, so this is, I guess, my official, Knauthentic, kind of blogging platform for the podcast. I have so much to to say. I’m not going to try to say it all today, but this is a good starting point. So last week I posted my introduction. And so let me just explain what’s happening in case you don’t know because you probably don’t.
So first of all, I have, um, lots of health issues. I’m not the only person with lots of health issues. And so I have, a restricted diet. So it’s very kind of all consuming. And so I’ll be talking about that a little bit. Um, in addition to having like my food restrictions, I also try to use food as part of my healing process, with my ongoing health issues. And so, I would say this journey, um, that I am, that I’m currently on started five years ago, that’s when I became aware of like the issues and things started to change and so much and so, um, the reason why we’re here now and I’m using this term authentic is because, I, I’m, I’m, I’ve written a book, a memoir, and, um, I’m going to be jumping around a lot. I should have probably.
I tend to be the kind of the person who plots things out, who scripts things, plans things. But I also find that sometimes I can overdo it with that. So I’m trying to be off the cuff a little bit here. So anyway, this book that I’ve written, I am currently taking a class at the Muse Writers Center. Nonfiction three. And so I’m hoping to work workshop it a little bit to see if what I’ve written is actually something that might appeal to people. I know for myself, it’s been a tremendous therapeutic process to write this book, so much to the point where it’s already inspired me to outline two additional books following this one. And so, but part of that process was me, um, thinking about all of the things that I’ve learned.
You have to excuse me. I’m out of breath a little bit. All of the things that I’ve learned and experienced in the last five years, dealing with my health and discovering limitations and, um, finding out new things and, you know, putting my foot down and saying, I don’t have to settle. You know, this is something that was done to me or, you know, and I’m not I’m not going to be beaten down by it, that kind of thing. I started thinking about all of the different, amazing communities that already exist. And so I’ve really started to, like, follow, like content creators and, you know, people who inspire and coach and all these things. And in doing so, I really, couldn’t really find a community that was specific to me. And that’s okay. I don’t, I don’t I’m not trying to say that this Knauthentic label is going to solve everyone’s problems.
Excuse me, but, um, so I just know that sometimes I know, I know what it’s like from a medical standpoint to not have a diagnosis because you can’t get proper treatment without a diagnosis. So having that diagnosis, whether you like it or not, is really the key to you being able to like, take the next steps to be able to do what’s right for you. Beyond that, being able to have a label that you and other people can quickly and easily identify with also makes a huge difference. I mean, when I, go into a restaurant and I say that I have food restrictions and the first thing that pops out of the waiter or the waiter, the person taking my order, the first thing to pop out of their mouth will be, are you vegan? I want to say that would be great if I was, you know, and and I’m going to talk about that more.
But the idea here is that there’s so many things out there and none of them fully apply to me. And I think there’s probably other people out there too who they don’t have something that fully applies to them. And I’m not saying that, again, that Knauthentic is the answer to all of that, but that’s where this stemmed from. I wanted to create an authentic, um, uh, gumbo recipe. My father is an amazing cook. He worked with, um, chefs in New Orleans, and he has, like, the formal training, but he’s, you know, he’s a good home, good old, like, down home guy, um, nice guy in the world. And but when he cooks it, it, people have an experience when they, like, eat his food. And I learned a lot of things from him. I can remember being in college and making kind of money on the side, because I would make gumbo and sell it to people in the dorms.
Uh, sorry. Um, but my point is, is that now that, gumbo that I made back then to make extra money on the side, I can’t eat that now. You know, it’s a it’s a traditional, authentic, delicious recipe that means a lot to me as a person. It also means a lot to me culturally, it’s part of my heritage. But I can’t eat that anymore. And that’s where Knauthentic comes from. When you, have these limitations and you feel like you, um, are missing out on something, or that you’re being removed or separated from something, um, that’s where it stemmed from. So, you know, since then, I’ve created a very wonderful, delicious, gumbo recipe that’s not authentic in any way whatsoever, but it tastes authentic. You know, it’s very delicious. I mean, my father himself. I didn’t even tell him that it was gumbo. When I gave it to him, I told him it was a stew because I didn’t want to hear him, you know, eating it and be like, hey, it doesn’t really like it to me”, you know. That kind of. So I didn’t even tell him that, that’s what it was. My version of that. I just told him it was stew, but he just kept saying, it tastes like gumbo to me, you know, which that’s that’s that meant a lot to me, because other people out there who are experiencing maybe not the exact same, you know, scenario, but the having this experience of they are separated from their family traditions or their culture because of their dietary restrictions or their needs, nutritional needs. And it was just a way for me to say, “hey, this is me being as authentic as I can be”, you know?
I even spell it the way that I spell it because ‘cause I really want to just emphasize that it’s not about this, you know, preconceived notion that something isn’t good if it’s not the genuine article. If it’s not authentic, then it’s not good. And that’s just not true. Um, of course, you know, the authentic thing is the original, is the original. It’s, you know, probably the best thing. But why should people have to be excluded because they don’t fit into the perfect little, you know, square pegs of these cultural standards. I don’t think cultural standards should change in any way whatsoever. But I do think, culture, people, society in general could be a little bit more open and exclusive.
I, I it drives me crazy when I see people online angry at vegans for eating non-dairy cheese. And I’m like, what difference does it make whether it comes from a lactating mammal, or if it comes from beans, if this person is enjoying it. If they get to have their own authentic experience, let them have that. Why are you upset that someone else is eating a cheese that’s different from the cheese you are eating? I saw one content creator go off about how people get angry when you have, you know, vegan butter. I’m sorry, but I love apple butter and it doesn’t come from a lactating animal. You know what I mean?
And so we have these preconceived notions and ideas and concepts, and a lot of times people don’t even realize how intrusive and exclusive. And, you know, I hate, oh, this is not political, but xenophobic. I mean, if you don’t eat the same thing that someone else eats, you are treated as other. And I don’t think it should be that way. I don’t want to be that way. I want to try to help people explore different options. I spoke to, uh, one of the teachers at our center, and she was telling me a story about her daughter who has all of these dietary restrictions, and I don’t know how she felt about it, but I felt good about myself when I gave her an alternative recipe for something like here. Something that you can try with your daughter. Not not for me. Like to, you know, pat myself on the back or toot my own horn, but because when I started going through what I am currently dealing with, if someone had given me a recipe, I probably would have kissed their feet. Everything that I know right now, I’ve had to work unnecessarily hard for because there was nothing available to me. And I just want to create an atmosphere where people are comfortable asking questions and sharing ideas and not letting food be the thing that separates us.
You know, if your an knauthentic recipe doesn’t include chili peppers, it’s it’s still good. It’s okay. You know, I, I am just at a point where I enjoy the food that I eat. I do it’s not easy to get to where I have to get to to enjoy it, but a lot of work, time and effort into my food. But I enjoy my food and I can only do that because I have to ignore all of the naysayers, all of the people who say, yeah, but that’s not an authentic or I’m sorry. Yeah, but that’s not authentic. That’s not really real. That’s not what it, you know, sure. I’m glad you’re you can have that, but I’m not going to eat that stuff. Like, you know, that’s that’s different. That’s other. That’s weird. I don’t I don’t I’m not here for the negativity. I want to be open.
I do think that, diversifying a diet is, um, important. I wish that if I had known now what I knew when I was twenty, I probably would have started diversifying my diet in a way to where I wouldn’t have the restrictions that I currently have. And I just want to be clear before I move forward. I was never the kind of person who sat around eating junk food all the time. I have been a foodie since the age of five. I’ve always enjoyed cooking and having different culinary experiences. I mean, I snack just like like the next person does, but I think a lot of times when people hear me talk, they assume that I am where I am because I did something horrible. I ate, you know, fried chicken and hamburgers every day, you know, for twenty years. And here’s where I- that’s not what happened to me at all.
Um, so I want to tell my story just because I think there’s other people out there who might relate to it. Um, maybe not exactly, but enough, you know, it’ll be relatable. I’m also inviting other people to share their stories because this isn’t all about me. I have several friends who have, like, food restrictions, and I’ve been testing recipes and techniques not because I need them, just because I want to be able to share it with them. I, you know, made a charcuterie board for my sister’s birthday, and I included things on that board that were gluten free because I knew she had a friend with celiac. I included things on that charcuterie board that were vegan because we have two friends who are plant based, you know? Um, these are not restrictions that I particularly have, but why not? I mean, it didn’t hurt me to be able to do those things, especially if I can do them in a way that’s delicious, you know?
So, uh, I keep. getting out of breath. But, um. So anyway, I just wanted to just kind of explain a little bit more. Um, it’ll make more sense as we’re going throughout the process. I’m hoping to, be including some of the, you know, things that I’m doing in preparation for the book. Um, uh, I will go ahead and let you know that the tentative title, let me pull it up here, because I have it saved up.
So, um, the main title of the book will be I wish I Could Eat That. Um, and then subtitle, I’m looking at thriving with nightshade and allium restrictions. And this will be an Knauthentic number one, because like I said, I’m already been inspired to write two other books, so there was a lot. So let me just put that all together. I wish I could eat that: Thriving with nightshade and allium restrictions: Knauthentic number one. That’s a mouthful. That is also subject to change, but, um, I just thought I would go ahead and just share that with you guys.
So I’ll be sharing some updates. Um, the book kind of in progress things. And then, um, hopefully I will have some guests to maybe share with you guys people who are comfortable, um, sharing their story, um, with me to share with you. Or maybe they’ll come on themselves. This is very much a work in progress, if you know anything, from my Toi Thomas channel, I talk about how I’m a whip. Um, this is an extension of that, um, um, this food journey. It’s been crazy, but it’s been fulfilling because I. I refuse to believe that because of things that have been done to me, that I have to be punished by eating rice soup and bananas for the rest of my life. And. But that’s just me. I mean, if you are dealt a horrible hand and you’re fine just eating bananas soup and you know, I forgot what the other thing I said was for the rest of your life, then. Okay. Um, I was not okay with that. I knew that there had to be alternatives for me, and I went out and found them.
And, I don’t believe that there’s any one way that’s better than than another. I believe that we live in a place and time. We live in a world with options for a reason. So maybe the plant based lifestyle is for you. Maybe it’s not. Maybe the keto lifestyle is for you. Maybe it’s not. Maybe paleo is the way to go. I don’t believe there’s any one answer for everyone across the board. You have to kind of pick and choose things you know to go, so maybe you end up with a knauthentic keto journey. Maybe you end up with a knauthentic plant based journey. You know what I mean?
Like, I just know that I, um, get up every day and I do some kind of, um, meal prep that I will talk more in depth about. And as I, as I’m doing it, I’m being as authentic as I can be. So hope that wasn’t too crazy. Hope hopefully it’ll be lighter moving forward, but I just wanted to kind of explain where this all came from, where it’s hopefully going. And, um, yeah, guys, I really, really would love, any comments that you have, um, suggestions for what you would like for me to do here? Um, outside of me trying to get like, people to, like, share their stories and things like that. But I, I’m hoping to just encourage people. And, um, if this isn’t for you, that’s that’s fine. Like I said, this is not the answer for everyone, but, um, if you’ve been, you know, struggling and you feel like you need a community and you haven’t been able to connect to one yet, maybe this could be it. Guys, please stay safe and be blessed.
Knauthentic number two starring Toi Thomas featuring no one else at this time. Topics discussed. What Knauthentic means. Who Knauthentic applies to. Produced by Toy Thomas in association with the ToiBox of Words and Lit Carnival directed by Toinette “Toi” Thomas. Thanks again to the Knauthentic community on Substack and YouTube. This is all for you!
