Published on November 5th, 2009
My bookshelves creak with the weight of my amassed food preservation resource collection. As we grow over 70 percent of our food needs on our Wisconsin farm and B&B, Inn Serendipity, the how-to behind stocking up has always been area of personal, passionate research.
But as you can see, I’m already overloaded with info. Do I need another food preservation book? Not really, until I read Sharon Astyk’s latest book: Independence Days: A Guide to Sustainable Food Storage & Preservation, a new release from the fine folks at New Society Publishers. Lots of books, those on my shelves included, successfully detail the “how” of food preservation, from water bath timings to prolific pickling techniques. Independence Days freshly blends “how” with “why,” serving up a modern take on stocking up and why this plays a vital role in our future survival as a planet.
Astyk’s approach, blending practical information and big picture context with a hefty dose of personal anecdotes and essays, nurtures readers into realizing they are doing more than creating a January supper when one puts up tomatoes in July. We’re collectively part of a larger, strategic, hands-on revolution in kitchens across America to change the way we approach food, sustainability and life.
Here’s a sampling of fresh, inspiring perspectives I harvested from Independence Days: Read the rest of this entry »
Published on September 22nd, 2009
Just in case you were thinking about indulging in some sweet treats today, I would like to offer you the option to take the healthier road. Sometimes it can take a visual aid to open your eyes and force you to take a cold hard look at what you are actually putting in your body or feeding to your family. Luckily, Sugar Stacks has put together an array of photos for us. Unluckily, there are many items on their website that a lot of folks may consume on any given day, slowly causing their body to deteriorate without even realizing it.
Each food item is paired with the actual amount of sugar it contains stacked up in pretty little cubes. Each cube equals a teaspoon of sugar. Since they do not differentiate between different kinds of sugar, its important to know that natural sugars found in fruit and vegetables will be metabolized differently then the sugar found in a can coke or your favorite Frappachino. In my article on Natural Sweeteners, I explain that not all sweeteners are created equal. When it comes to refined sweeteners like white table sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet and Splenda, there are many side effects and health risks to take into consideration.
It’s time to face reality. It’s time to ask your self, what have I been putting in my body? Would I ever just eat the nearly 10 cubes of sugar that are the soda I just drank? Can I make a smarter choice then this? You may have seen these before, but in my opinion, if you are still eating and drinking these items on a regular basis, you can never see them too much. For even more photos go to Sugarstacks.com.
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Published on September 14th, 2009
Going Meatless on Mondays doesn’t have to mean deprivation of all your favorite foods. By making some simple changes to recipes, you can easily swap out the animal products for vegan options. Here is a simple veganized muffin recipe, so you can start your Meatless Monday off with delicious, healthy, energizing and decadent baked good.
Tibetan Goji Berries are regarded in Tibet as the “Fruit of Longevity and Well Being”. Goji berries have been traditionally regarded as a food that offers your body longevity, strength-building, and sexual potency. Goji’s are a complete protein source and a low calorie snack that strengthens your immune system, increases energy and helps to curb cravings. It has one of the highest antioxidant contents in all food, which helps to fight free radicals, keeping you young and vibrant. Goji’s contain 18 amino acids, vitamin C, beta-carotene, 20 rare trace minerals, vitamin B1, B2 and B6 and vitamin E.
In honor of this Meatless Monday, let’s boost our energy, keep ourselves looking and feeling young and chow down on some delicious vegan, anti-aging muffins.
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Published on August 17th, 2009
As the dog days of summer come to an end, a 3 course, no cooking required meal sounds pretty good to me. Turn that stove off, shut down the oven, choose to go meatless this Monday and cool off with this appetizer, main course and dessert.
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Published on August 3rd, 2009
According to the folks over at Eat This Not That, there are certain nutrients you should try to eat every day for optimum health. In case you needed a few more reasons to cut back on overly processed and animal based foods, all of the nutrients just happen to be found in natural plant based sources. Not only will you be helping your body by following these guidelines, but by choosing to eat a diet rich in plant based foods, you’ll be lowing your carbon footprint and saving the environment at the same time. It doesn’t get much better then that. Here’s a list of my top 5 of the recommended plant based foods, along with the nutrients they provide for your body and easy ways to start incorporating them into your diet today.
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Published on July 27th, 2009
How do you save dying species of agriculturally valuable plants and animals? The answer may be as simple as what’s on your dinner plate.
A recent article outlined the “eat ‘em to save ‘em” method of biodiversity protection. Simply put, rare varieties of plants and animals can be saved if consumers demand them. Asking your grocer, chef, or farmers market vendor about heirloom and endangered varieties is a great way to demonstrate that the demand exists for these diverse crops.
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Published on June 17th, 2009
There has been a lot of talk lately about how many servings of fish is too much and which fish are the best to eat. With concerns like mercury poisoning, eating farm-raised fish or wild fish, genetic engineering and over fishing, it’s important to consider certain things when choosing your next fish dinner or sushi roll.
Doctors and health professionals in general recommend fish because of the high dose of Omega 3’s fatty acids a serving supplies you with. A 6-ounce serving of fish can provide a day’s worth of high quality protein for adults. Eating fish once a week should not cause any concern for most people. For those fish eaters who partake in multiple servings of fish a week, especially children and pregnant women, the main concern can become mercury poisoning. Eating too much mercury-ridden fish can cause certain health problems including impairment in memory and behavior, tingling in the hands, feet, and lips, as well as causing possible damage to the heart and immune system. Aside from the mercury concern, we now have a number of different fish species that are soon to become extinct due to over fishing, or are being caught using environmentally destructive methods. There are some very simple rules to follow to be certain you are not getting a side dish of mercury or hurting the environment with your fish entree.
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Published on June 3rd, 2009
Clean Plates NYC is the only nutritionist and food critic approved lifestyle book and guide featuring the healthiest, tastiest and most sustainable restaurants in NYC for both vegetarians and carnivores. With plans to expand to other cities and focusing on restaurants using local, organic and sustainably raised plant and/or animal products, this informative and easy to use book will change the way Americans dine out.
Jared Koch is the creator and co-author of this guide designed for busy people on the go. It introduces its readers to the concept of bioindividuality as well as the pros and cons of different dietary theories and types of foods encountered at restaurants. The book provides practical tips and information on how to implement healthier and more sustainable eating into any budget, diet and lifestyle without sacrificing taste for nutrition.
“Jared’s nutritional advice in Clean Plates has the power to transform your individual health and our collective well-being.” Deepak Chopra, M.D., chairman and co-founder of The Chopra Centers for Wellbeing.
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Published on May 27th, 2009
Wendell Berry once proclaimed: “Eating is an agricultural act.” In this spirit, recipes can serve a broader purpose than just a means to filling our stomachs at mealtime. Think of recipes as edible blueprints for change. Think of the whole culinary process, from ingredient selection to end result, as an opportunity to showcase how our individual food choices can help both our nation and the world cultivate self-reliance through sustainable agriculture by focusing on what’s local and seasonal.
“Food Independence” champions this idea by celebrating and sharing summer’s bounty as we head towards the Fourth of July holiday. The Food Independence Day campaign promotes this idea by encouraging folks to eat local on July 4, as well as petitioning our country’s state governors to do the same.
How do you define “Food Independence”? What things do you do (or would like to start) that, from your perspective, make a statement about fostering a healthy, local food system? Starting a Victory Garden? Shopping at your farmers’ market? Which of your favorite recipes celebrate the flavors and bounty of your region and also manifesto your values and beliefs?
The Spinach Balls (which can be made with various greens) we serve at our Wisconsin B&B, Inn Serendipity, for me exemplify my take on food independence and how conscious eating can inspire a new take on “edible activism.” Three symbolic reasons why I think eating Spinach Balls can change the world: Read the rest of this entry »
Published on March 6th, 2009
There are contrasting approaches to population health in the news this week. Russian officials have more or less ordered Russians to change their diets – the Federal Consumer Protection Service claims Russian adults now weigh two kilos more than they did a decade ago, while children are a kilo heavier. Now that the recession is likely to drive Russians back to cheaper calorie-rich but nutrient-poor foodstuffs such as bread and potatoes, there is a fear that this weight gain, which began in the boom years, will accelerate in the bust ones. Read the rest of this entry »
My bookshelves creak with the weight of my amassed food preservation resource collection. As we grow over 70 percent of our food needs on our Wisconsin farm and B&B, Inn Serendipity, the how-to behind stocking up has always been area of personal, passionate research.
