The ONE Resolution I Wish Everyone Would Make

I say it every year, there is one resolution I wish everyone would make, and I believe this would change the world: GO ORGANIC.  Just buy organic food, that's all.  This seems so simple and so intuitive to me that I cannot believe there is still the option--do you want your food with or without poison?  By purchasing organic food you are making a statement, you are voting, and you are insuring the most precious thing you have, your health and that of your family.  What is more important than that?

Not only is buying organic food benefiting you, it's doing something positive and necessary for the whole planet, people, and animals that live here.  Buying organic is protecting the farmers who often are forced to handle food laden with dangerous chemicals and suffer tremendous health consequences.  It's protecting our rivers, our oceans, our air quality.  It's voting against dangerous GMOs--when you buy organic, you buy GMO free.

"We can't afford it," is the excuse I hear most for why people don't buy organic.  This makes me a little crazy because the folks I hear this most from are people with bank accounts that I can only aspire to.  If I had to move my family into a one room efficiency apartment to be able to buy organic, I would, that's how important I think it is.  Of course, that is not necessary because organic food does Not cost that much more than conventional food and in some cases it's the same and even cheaper.  You just have to shop smart.  You buy what is in season, you buy in bulk, you buy local. Also, I firmly believe that you either pay now, or pay later in the form of hefty hospital bills and poor health.  You can't afford Not to buy organic.

Eating healthy is Not expensive!  There is nothing cheaper than beans and rice.  Throw in a little kale (which you can grow on a balcony year round for pennies) and you have yourself a hearty stick-to-your-ribs meal on the cheap.  I'm on a tight budget myself and food is still the most important thing I spend money on.  When I was a student living on a shoe string, I still ate organic--nothing fancy, but healthy organic food like broccoli, salad, sweet potatoes, etc.  Anyone still thinking it's too expensive WATCH THIS. 

The only reason not to eat organic is because it's not available.  I've been there before, living in a region where it was really hard to find.  If you are in this position, demand it.  Ask your grocer to carry it.  Be proactive, grow it, make it a priority.  For the last six years, I have eaten all organic food at home.  I have a major thing for Thai food and I know my take out is not organic, but as more and more people ask for it, it will become more and more available.

You can still eat whatever you want--cookies and junk food even (though I don't recommend this), just make it organic and you are quantum leaps ahead. We are swimming in chemicals that are killing us and our planet.  If that sounds extreme, just have a look at the EWG and the ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION to get your passion ignited.  I believe that going organic is possibly the easiest and most powerful change people can make and it can start today.

I may be singing to the choir posting this here, but if anyone is reading this that has not made the switch, I hope you will consider it.  Good health to all in 2013!

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Fridge Binz: Vegetarian's Best Friend

Do you have expensive organic produce rotting in your refrigerator because you can't find it?  Or you don't use it because you don't see it and then find a shriveled up mystery vegetable a few weeks later and remember that recipe you meant to try.  I do this all the time, I spend a fortune on organic produce only to let it go bad which is expensive and wasteful.   I hate throwing away organic food, don't you?

Well not anymore.  I discovered these amazing refrigerator organizers called Fridge Binz and they completely solved this problem.  My fridge used to contain big clumps of produce jammed in.  It was just a big green pile and I'd have to rummage through it searching for whatever it was while things were going bad at different rates.  Now I have my produce totally organized and NOTHING has gone bad for a good two weeks.  This is huge.

I warn you, these things become addictive for a while until you get all your stuff organized, you'll want several.  I found two locally, then I realized you can also get them online at stores like The Container Store and Amazon.  They come in all different shapes and sizes to fit your needs.

They are fantastic for juice enthusiasts.  I have one for all my juicing produce--this makes an enormous difference in my juicing routine, cutting down time.  I just pull out that bin, draw right from it while I'm juicing, then return it to the fridge when I'm done.  It's so much easier than rooting around for each thing.

My refrigerator is so beautiful and organized now, my obsession migrated to my pantry.  The bins are interchangeable from fridge to pantry, but I like the bins with the lip for the fridge and the bins with the handles for the pantry.  I have really deep shelves in my pantry that are not practical at all.  These bins help so much with keeping things under control and making food accessible when it wasn't before.

If you have children, you can designate bins for them, they would be great in a roommate situation or you can keep special dietary needs separate from other food--gluten free for instance.  There are so many ways to use these.  I wish I could organize everything so easily.

I think these pay for themselves very quickly in terms of conserving food that would have otherwise been thrown out.  You might also eat a lot healthier if your produce is right there in front of you and easy to get at.  They are BPA free and a fabulous invention, find them HERE on Amazon (click on INTERDESIGN under the product title to see more of their stuff).

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The One Resolution I Wish Everyone Would Make

I say it every year, the one resolution I wish everyone would make is to go organic.  This is a step that doesn't just enhance your own life, but changes the quality of life for your community and your planet.  Harsh farming has damaged our soil which is much more valuable than gold.  Our crops suffer and the folks working the farms are exposed to carcinogens and pay the price.  Pesticides are linked to cancer and more maladies than I can count.

Outlawed in other companies, GMOs are gaining ground and the only way to know you are not getting frankenfood is to look for that organic seal.  GMOs are implicated in health issues, further soil erosion, and some think waning of our bee populations.

Organic food can cost more, but not always, especially if you buy seasonally.  Organic farms are not subsidized and farming is more labor intensive and involved.  I have the highest respect for organic farmers and think they should be at the very top of our social status stratosphere, way above doctors and lawyers.  They are creating what will go in our bodies and create us--literally!  We have not been recognizing or paying the actual cost of quality food.  Factor in health care costs in the long term, organic food is cheap.

If I had to move to an efficiency apartment to afford organic food, I would, that's how important it is to me.  Food without the poison--seriously.  It never ceases to amaze me this is still a choice.  For those living in areas where organic food is hard or impossible to find, consider growing it or forming a community co-op.   We are what we eat, on a cellular level, is there anything more important for your heath than to make sure that food is pure?

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Meal Ideas for Camping

Need some ideas for what to take camping for meal time?  Here are some kid friendly ideas ranging from easy to a little more complicated, all are relatively healthy and vegan).  Always buy organic and local when possible.

Veggie dogs and veggie burgers--easy, easy, easy!

Oatmeal--perfect for breakfast when it's chilly, just add boiling water and you're done.

Pancakes (bring a mix and cast iron griddle, you can get vegan pancake mix right at the co-op in the bulk section)

Bars for kids--some handy organic bars are great for when you've ventured away from camp and you hear those words, "mama, I'm hungry," even though you ate just an hour ago.

Fruit--bananas are nature's power bars and they come in their own wrappers.  I also love watermelon during the summer, it's refreshing and hydrating and how could you go camping without it? 

Chia makes a great little raw porridge and is hydrating and energizing and easy to pack.  Ideal for backpackers, but super nutritious and wonderful for all.

Organic Corn Chips and Salsa are always nice for those moments when you need something to eat Right Now.  Throw in some avocado and you have a mini meal.  Add hot black beans and you have a hearty meal that will infuse the camp with that home-cooking fragrance.

Hummus and Tabouleh with Pita Chips.  Tabouleh is particularly refreshing in the Summer and when made with quinoa is a nutrition packed dish.  I load mine with tons of parsley, mint and cucumber.

Smores.  That's the classic camp dessert and I never really liked them.  That is until I tried them as an adult, with quality organic dark chocolate and graham crackers (I love the Health Valley organic Amaranth graham crackers) and vegan marshmallows.  Still not my favorite thing in the world, but the kids love them and there's something sweet about tradition.

Image Credit: Kirti Poddar

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Broccoli Tree House

Brock Davis couldn't build a real tree house for his son, so he created this.  Fabulous. 

Image credit: Brock Davis

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Health Benefits of Asparagus

Asparagus is in season and is full of health benefits.  We picked some up for our Easter celebration, there is something so Spring-y about it.  I love the bright green and it's fun to eat something in the form of spears. It's an old crop, enjoyed by Romans, Greeks and Egyptians over 2000 years ago. 

Amongst the virtues of asparagus are its nutritional content and ability to reduce inflammation.  Asparagus is good for the digestive tract, and helps stabilize blood sugar.  It's high in B vitamins and is rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, selenium, and beta carotene.  

I like to flash saute my asparagus with a little garlic and top with hemp seeds.  It's great on pasta or just plain by itself.  Be sure to use asparagus within 48 hours of purchase, as it has a high "respiration rate" and will perish faster than some other vegetables. 

Image Credit: Esteban Cavrico

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Strawberries for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day beautiful readers! Want a festive food you can feel good about eating today?  How about some strawberries?  They're loaded with vitamin C, phytonutrients, and antioxidants.  They contain B vitamins, manganese, omega 3's, potassium, magnesium, and folate.  Like most things in the plant kingdom, you can eat as many as you like without giving a single thought to calories and the sugar content is relatively low so they don't feed candida or play havoc with your sugar levels (obviously if you are diabetic, check with your physician).

Normally I would say get them at the Farmer's Market in the Summer when they are in season and melt in your mouth.  Although for a special occasion like today, I think frozen berries are just fine.  But don't even think about buying conventional strawberries, they must be organic.  Strawberries are heavily sprayed and if you can't find organic you are better off skipping them altogether.  But if you can find some, they're perfect for V-Day, they even look like little hearts.

Make a yummy smoothie, have them over a slice of vegan cake, make a raw strawberry cheesecake (bitt of raw is famous for her raw pies and I bet you can find a recipe or at least inspiring photos there, also rawmazing is a wonderful source for this sort of thing), eat them whole dipped in chocolate or plain.  Strawberries not only look pretty and taste great, but they smell divine.  A bowl of strawberries on the counter makes the whole room smell sweet and yummy and look at least as festive as flowers. 

Image Credit: CaptPiper

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Plant of the Day

Check this out--botanical education coming right to your inbox.  I am not a fan of a ton of emails, so I choose wisely what I subscribe to.  When I saw this, I got excited to learn more about gardening and plants in such an easy and fun manner.  What a great idea!

Your Garden Show consists of a group of gardeners on a mission to "grow the global gardening footprint because we believe better informed gardeners improve the health, beauty and well being of all of our communities."

They will send you a daily email with an introduction to a plant.  From there, you can get more detailed information including gardening tips and demo videos.  Sign up HERE.

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Cantaloupe Smoothies, Fragrance Free Day, and Inside the Minds of Animals

One of my favorite summer drinks is the Cantaloupe Smoothie.  It couldn't be easier to make (cantaloupe and ice in the blender) and it's packed with nutrition and refreshing goodness.

Canteloupe is rich in beta carotene and makes a great source of vitamin A which is beneficial for vision health and cancer prevention.  People who eat diets with ample vitamin A have a reduced rate for cataracts by about 39%.  It's also high in vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant and immune system necessity.  Just one cup of cantaloupe has over 100% of what you need daily.  Fiber, B vitamins, and folate are all contained in cantaloupe.

The origins of cantaloupe date back to ancient times in India and Africa, were cultivated in Egypt and later in early Rome and Greece.  The name cantaloupe  comes from Cantalup, an Italian village where they were cultivated in the 1700's.  They're also known as muskmelons and rockmelons.  Cantaloupes  are part of the cucumber and squash family and also grow on a vine on the ground.

Choose melons that have a hollow sound, have a tan or cream color under the netting-like first layer of the skin, and smell like cantaloupe around the stem.

cantaloupe image credit: giniger

Friday, August 13th, is Fragrance Free Day.  With all the dangers of fragrance, not to mention it's just plain inconsiderate to others, I think it's a brilliant idea.  I rate fragrance right up there with cigarette smoke, in fact to me it's even worse.  Wouldn't it be great if people realized how dangerous these chemicals were and stopped polluting the environment with perfume?  That might sound harsh, but check out what's actually in fragrance.  I'm not talking about plant derived essential oils, those are not the same.  I am talking about the perfumes that go into laundry detergent, perfumes, air "fresheners," soaps, shampoos, lotions, even trash bags can be perfumed, the stuff is everywhere.  And it makes us sick.  And we should all get as educated as possible about this.  There will be a live Twitter Q&A with chemical experts.  Participate HERE.  Meanwhile, check out the EWG for many informative articles regarding the dangers of fragrance.

Time Magazine recently did an article (cover story) on the intelligence of animals making the argument that they are much smarter than once believed.  Jeffrey Kluger did a great interview with Charlie Rose citing some of the various studies and the concept that animals are sentient beings which should not be eaten or treated unkindly.  Obvious to my readers but really nice to see this becoming more and more mainstream.  Watch the interview HERE.

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Vacu Vin Pineapple Slicer

If you like pineapple, you are going to Love this Vacu Vin Stainless Pineapple Slicer.  So often when I'm at the store I find myself eyeballing the pineapples and debating whether I want to make the commitment to prep it later.  More often than not, I don't want to bother with it.  And when I do buy the pineapple, it will usually end up rotting for that very reason.  I'm not lazy, I just don't like dealing with the pokey pineapple, the hard core and the mess.

I just tried this slicer, and I am thrilled!  It's completely effortless.  You just twist the bottom of the slicer into the pineapple until it's all the way in, then pull, and out come perfectly sliced pineapple rings!  It's really that easy, I can't believe it.  When you are done, there is a little pineapple juice left in the bottom to drink and perhaps a little--not much--meat left to scrape out and eat with a spoon.  And then you have a beautiful pineapple for drinks or serving vessel for tropical stir frys or raw foods, anything you can think of, brilliant!  Find it HERE.

This year we will be eating a lot more pineapple thanks to this.  It's stainless steel, sturdy and essential for anyone who loves pineapple.  It would be a wonderful addition to a raw foods kitchen and would make a great gift. Fabulous.  Find it HERE.

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Sunchokes

I tried a new food today, sunchokes.  Also known as Jerusalem Artichokes, they are not from Jerusalem but a native of North America.  Apparently, a French explorer brought some back to Europe and gave them to his Italian friend who gave them the name girasole articicco, which means "sunflower artichoke." Americans misunderstood that for Jeruselum Artichoke, and the name stuck.  Sunchokes are related to sunflowers and contain potassium, vitamin C,  B6, riboflavin, phosphorus, and iron.

They are curious looking, like the children of ginger and potatoes with a little galangal thrown in,  and they taste like a cross between potatoes and artichoke hearts.  I cut them into chunks, put them in a skillet with a little salt, pepper and coconut oil and roasted them for almost an hour and they turned out pretty good.  I'm not rushing out the door to buy more, but they are quite enjoyable and it's always fun to try a new vegetable.  I'm looking forward to trying them again roasted with garlic and other root veggies.

image credit: FootoosVanRobin

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Tribest FreshLife Automatic Sprouter

One way to stick to healthy New Year's Resolutions is to simply add sprouts to your diet.  They are little powerhouses of nutrition and with this FreshLife automatic sprouter from Tribest, it's easy. In the past I've wanted to eat sprouts on a regular basis, but when I'd buy them in the store, they'd go bad so fast I often ended up throwing them out before I could eat them all.  This sprouter changes all that.  Because of the continual water supply going to the sprouts, you can harvest right out of the sprouter and have fresh sprouts any time you want.

All you do is put the seeds on the tray--there are four separate sections for easily dividing different types of seeds (I have been using broccoli and alfalfa seeds), put the second tray on top to protect the seeds (this you remove after about two days when the seeds begin to sprout), put the lid on top and plug it in.  That's it.

You change the water every 24-48 hours and within just a few days you have fresh sprouts.  You don't have to keep rinsing the seeds, the sprouter does it for you with it's built in sprinkler system.  I learned that if you want the sprouts to turn green, you can remove the lid and they will green very quickly.   The sprouter is expandable and there is an optional secondary tray so you can double your crop if desired.  But it's a Big thing, so be sure to measure for your space.

The FreshLife sprouter enables you to have constant access to fresh organic greens, including wheat grass, year round. It's a convenient way to enjoy the flavor and health benefits of sprouts.  Broccoli sprouts, for instance, contain high levels of a powerful anti-carcinogen called sulphoraphane.  The sprouts contain up to 100 times more sulphoraphane than the mature broccoli plant.  It's wonderful to just be able to grab a handful any time you want and toss it into your salad.  Find it HERE.

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Green Gift Guide: Organic Produce Delivery Service Subscription

This would be my ideal gift to receive. And also my ideal gift to give to people like my older relatives who don't always get out and about for healthy organic fruit and veggies--a subscription to an organic produce delivery service or CSA.

In the summer I like to shop the Farmers' Market. But during winter, I love having fresh-from-the-farm organic food delivered to my door. I've gotten in the habit of taking the produce out of the box, putting it in my reusable produce bags and just like that--all set for the week! What a great way to support local organic farms and your loved ones' health.

It's also a super easy last minute gift you can take care of in your pajamas with a phone call. Perfect!

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Farmers' Market Find: GROUND CHERRIES

Have you ever heard of ground cherries? I get so excited when I discover a new food and these are completely unique and spectacular. They look like little tomatillos--in fact, that's what I thought they were. But the farmer told me they're ground cherries and handed me one to taste. I examined it--they're cool looking, wrapped in that little protective paper like shell--and popped it in my mouth. WOW.

They are totally different from anything I've ever had. Fruity, sweet, exotic with a tomato texture, slight sweet cherry tomato taste with a little pineapple maybe, vanilla, and berry. Truly multi-dimensional. You have to taste them.

So of course I want to know more and went looking online for info. Apparently, they've been around forever, are native to Central and South America, grow all over the US and are quite prolific. The botanical name is physalis, and they are related to the night shade family.

They contain B vitamins and vitamin C and A, iron and pectin. They are said to reduce fever, and support digestion. You can put them in pies or tarts, jellies, muffins, salads, or just eat them right out of the carton--my personal preference, savoring all that flavor.

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Peas Please!

Sweet snap peas make a perfect summer snack. My kid loves them (I've finally convinced him to eat the whole thing, not just the sweet peas inside) and so do I. We keep a little bag of these in the backpack for a quick snack on the go, we put them in salads and enjoy them sautéed with other veggies and tofu. I look forward to these every year. Rich in B vitamins, iron, vitamin C, K and folic acid, peas are great for heart health, bone health, and energy levels. You start seeing them in the Spring and then they fade away toward mid summer. Choose firm bright green organic peas, preferably from your local farmer's market. Snatch them up if you see them, because they won't be around much longer.

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