Resveratrol, the potent antioxidant found in red grapes and wine—along with chocolate, nuts and tomatoes—may hold a key in treating Alzheimer's disease, the fatal illness with no known cure and few effective treatments in easing the symptoms that currently affect more than 5 million Americans.
Organic
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Most Topular Stories
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Remember to Drink Your Wine: Resveratrol May Reverse Alzheimer’s
OrganicAuthority.com - Organic Blog15 May 2012 | 2:00 am -
Human Babies Being Eaten for ‘Endurance’
OrganicAuthority.com - Organic Blog13 May 2012 | 2:00 amUnbelievable news has surfaced out of South Korea as customs officials made the recent discovery of thousands of capsules filled with powdered human flesh imported from China, believed to be a "cure-all." -
Make Your Own Body Scrub
Natural Health Ezine7 May 2012 | 9:52 amThis article, Make Your Own Body Scrub, was originally published at Natural Health Ezine.Body scrubs are a great way to get rid of “dead” skin cells and re-vitalize your skin. If you have never tried a body scrub before, your body is in for a treat! There are many cosmetic beauty treatments out there that you can buy from pharmacy and grocery stores, but perhaps some of the best type of natural skin care treatments are the ones which you can make simply and easily yourself at home. You just need a few basic ingredients to get started and then you can make your own body scrub! Basic… -
10 Ways To Get Green On Earth Day
Organic.org20 Apr 2012 | 1:17 pmWe are a design firm deeply committed to all things organic and sustainable since 1985. We believe that Earth Day should be about giving back to the earth ~ appreciation for our environment and the small planet in which we all share.The team at Foerstel is planning to get a little dirty and show the Earth some extra love while remembering that taking care of the only planet we have is something to be celebrated all year long!What are you planning to do to celebrate Earth Day? Here are a few simple ideas from Care2 to help you get your Earth Day groove on!1. Avoid running appliances – and… -
Agricultural bacteria: Blowing in the wind
ScienceDaily: Organic Farming News9 May 2012 | 8:24 amThe 1930s Dust Bowl proved what a disastrous effect wind can have on dry, unprotected topsoil. Now a new study has uncovered a less obvious, but equally troubling, impact of wind: Not only can it carry away soil particles, but also agriculturally important bacteria that build soil and recycle nutrients.
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Organic.org
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10 Ways To Get Green On Earth Day
20 Apr 2012 | 1:17 pmWe are a design firm deeply committed to all things organic and sustainable since 1985. We believe that Earth Day should be about giving back to the earth ~ appreciation for our environment and the small planet in which we all share.The team at Foerstel is planning to get a little dirty and show the Earth some extra love while remembering that taking care of the only planet we have is something to be celebrated all year long!What are you planning to do to celebrate Earth Day? Here are a few simple ideas from Care2 to help you get your Earth Day groove on!1. Avoid running appliances – and… -
Hunting for Organic, Local Winter Produce?
6 Feb 2012 | 5:03 pmShopping for organic produce in the winter can be expensive and a challenge, but there is a bigger bounty of produce available than you might realize. Eating seasonally, which is essentially eating locally, makes it more manageable. If you get over the idea that you should be able to eat anything you want anytime of the year, you will provide yourself with exciting opportunities to try new foods and seasonal recipes.The winter organic produce list below is general — the region you live in may provide more, or less. Also below are links for finding winter produce recipes, as well as local… -
Turn Holiday Distress into De-stress!
17 Nov 2011 | 4:52 pmIt’s the same story year after year. The holidays are approaching and visions of holiday stress are dancing in our heads. This was going to be the year we were going to keep it simple, keep it healthy, and spend more time with the ones we love.Don’t distress...de-stress! Organic.org has done some of the footwork to help with that. In addition to our 2011 Top Picks for organic, sustainable, and unique holiday gifts, as well as 2011 unique recipes, we have put together a collection of links – handy resources for you to search for holiday recipes, entertaining ideas, and holiday gifts. -
A Seductively Healthy Valentine’s Dinner
12 Feb 2009 | 2:08 pmWhat can you do to make a special Valentine’s Day dinner for your sweetie? Make it hot, make it healthy, and make it easy!Studies show that spicy foods can raise your heart rate, cause flushing, and generally mimic some of the effects of sexual stimulation. For centuries, chiles and other heat-inducing ingredients have been added to love potions and other sensual aids to increase desire.What’s a better aphrodisiac than showing someone that you love them enough to prepare deliciously healthy foods? Pomegranates, those exotic fruits containing a multitude of sensual, fleshy seeds inside a… -
Organic Chocolate Marshmallow Cream Cupcakes
12 Feb 2009 | 12:07 pmMaking some delectable chocolate goodness for your loved one could be the perfect route to the heart! corpusbonvivant.blogspot.com/organic-chocolate-marshmallow-cupcakes
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OrganicAuthority.com - Organic Blog
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Remember to Drink Your Wine: Resveratrol May Reverse Alzheimer’s
15 May 2012 | 2:00 amResveratrol, the potent antioxidant found in red grapes and wine—along with chocolate, nuts and tomatoes—may hold a key in treating Alzheimer's disease, the fatal illness with no known cure and few effective treatments in easing the symptoms that currently affect more than 5 million Americans. -
Georgia Debuts Aggressive Anti-Obesity Ad Campaign
14 May 2012 | 2:00 amNews that the nation's obesity problem could balloon to more than 40 percent of the population in the next two decades has brought doubt to many of the recent efforts to impart healthier eating and exercise habits, particularly on children, and has led to some harsher tactics, like a recent ad campaign launched in Georgia. -
Human Babies Being Eaten for ‘Endurance’
13 May 2012 | 2:00 amUnbelievable news has surfaced out of South Korea as customs officials made the recent discovery of thousands of capsules filled with powdered human flesh imported from China, believed to be a "cure-all." -
Would You Eat Fast Food Everyday… for $3,500?
12 May 2012 | 2:00 amNo, it's not Morgan Spurlock's latest movie stunt. But if you feel like you can't live without getting a daily dose (or several) of fast food meals from McDonald's, Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King or Pizza Hut, then there is some potentially good news for you coming out of Washington University. Researchers at the St. Louis, MO-based university are looking for individuals who are willing to eat nothing but fast food for three whole months. -
Have You Left the City Lately? Nature Deficiency Linked to Allergies
11 May 2012 | 2:00 amIf you're reading this on a computer inside an office, you may want to step outside… and find a tree to sit under. While the modern city provides many necessities of contemporary living, it may be making us sick. And it's not pollution that's the (main) cause either: A recent study published in the May issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests the sprawl of urban environments may be to blame for the rise in cases of allergies and asthma.
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ScienceDaily: Organic Farming News
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Agricultural bacteria: Blowing in the wind
9 May 2012 | 8:24 amThe 1930s Dust Bowl proved what a disastrous effect wind can have on dry, unprotected topsoil. Now a new study has uncovered a less obvious, but equally troubling, impact of wind: Not only can it carry away soil particles, but also agriculturally important bacteria that build soil and recycle nutrients. -
Can organic food feed the world? New study sheds light on debate over organic vs. conventional agriculture
25 Apr 2012 | 1:01 pmCan organic agriculture feed the world? Although organic techniques may not be able to do the job alone, they do have an important role to play in feeding a growing global population while minimizing environmental damage, according to researchers. A new study concludes that crop yields from organic farming are generally lower than from conventional agriculture. That is particularly true for cereals, which are staples of the human diet -- yet the yield gap is much less significant for certain crops, and under certain growing conditions, according to the researchers. -
Plant perfumes woo beneficial bugs to their roots
24 Apr 2012 | 7:54 pmScientists have discovered that maize crops emit chemical signals which attract growth-promoting microbes to live amongst their roots. This is the first chemical signal that has been shown to attract beneficial bacteria to the maize root environment. -
Microbiologists can now measure extremely slow life, deep ocean study shows
19 Mar 2012 | 10:17 amMicrobiologists have developed a new method for measuring the very slow metabolism of bacteria deep down in the seabed. The results can provide knowledge about the global carbon cycle and its long-term impact on the climate. -
Findings on biochar, greenhouse gas emissions and ethylene
13 Dec 2011 | 10:47 amAdding a charred biomass material called biochar to glacial soils can help reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, according to scientists.
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Natural Health & Organic Living Blog
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The Health Benefits of Hemicellulase
11 May 2012 | 11:36 amThe hemicellulase enzyme breaks down hemicellulose, which is a type of cellulase and a key component of the cell wall in all plants. Different forms of plant hemicellulose include glucans, galactans, xylans, mannans and pentosans. Common fiber-rich breakfast cereals, for example, have a large amount of hemicelluloses (2 to 12%). Hemicellulase is needed to break down these fiber-rich components, and because it is not produced naturally in the human body, we rely on microorganisms that live in the human digestive tract to produce it for us. The hemicellulase enzyme has the ability to take… -
“Low Vitamin D Levels May Be Associated With Recurrent Inflammatory Spinal Cord Disease”
9 May 2012 | 3:29 pmSource There are plenty of good reasons to make sure your body gets enough vitamin D. Most people associate it with calcium absorption for maintaining strong bones and healthy, better-looking hair. Others think of it as a way to protect their cardiovascular health and prevent neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. But, if the findings of a recently published study by researchers at John Hopkins University in Baltimore is correct, it could give vitamin D a whole new level of importance for people suffering from certain types of inflammatory spinal cord disease. -
2 out of 3 Medical Students Do Not Know When to Wash Their Hands
8 May 2012 | 12:32 pmEven though it’s an easy way to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases, like influenza and the common cold, some of us probably wash our hands less often than we should. Toxic alcohol-based sanitizing foams and wipes that can be used quickly and without water have made made it easy to keep our hands clean yet some people wait until after they use the bathroom or become visibly soiled before cleaning up. If it’s any consolation, doctors in-training apparently aren’t much better. Data collected by German researchers at the Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital… -
Study Shows People Can Guess Personality Via Body Odor
7 May 2012 | 5:17 pmSource Any pet owner can tell you that animals have an amazing sense of smell. Dogs, cats or even hamsters— watch one for a few minutes and you’re likely to see some serious sniffing in action. That’s because most animals rely on their sense of smell for gathering important information about their surroundings. This natural ability becomes even more apparent when watching two or more animals socialize. One of the first things most dogs will do when they meet another dog is sniff them. It seems the majority like to concentrate their attention toward the most embarrassing areas within… -
The Health Benefits of Amylase
1 May 2012 | 4:17 pmSource Amylase is one of the primary starch-digesting enzymes secreted in the body. It is somewhat unusual in that it is produced not only by the pancreas but also in the mouth as a component of saliva. This form is known as ptyalin (ti´ah-lin), and it begins the enzymatic digestion of starches in the oral cavity as food is chewed and mixed with saliva. This begins the reduction of larger, more complex starches into simpler sugars; however the process is largely arrested as the food enters the more acidic environment of the stomach. Pancreatic amylase goes into action after the…
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What Is Organic Living
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Solar
12 May 2012 | 4:55 pmok, I have a few questions about solar panels: 1.- What is the best stock to invest on solar energy? 2.- With all the gas booming industry in US, is that going to slow down solar energy? 3.- What is your thoughts on disposal of solar panels? They contain a lot of hazardous materials. 4.- Is now a good time to go for it, and install solar panes on your house Let me know your thoughts or ideas on this subject. -
The power of herbal healing
2 May 2012 | 10:05 pmI believe on the power of herbal healing. Do you? -
Summer vegetable garden
1 May 2012 | 11:10 amAny ideas of how to start this summer an organic vegetable garden? -
Toxic residues build up in ecosystems through the food
1 May 2012 | 11:01 amRisks from chemical contamination Most crops in the US are grown with the aid of various synthetic chemicals including pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and fungicides. Toxic residues from these chemicals are found on conventionally grown fruit and vegetables. The Food Quality Protection Act (1996) recognizes that many of the chemicals used present unacceptably high health risks, particularly to infants and children. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides and 30% of insecticides are carcinogenic. Chemical residues from crops contaminate water…
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Tiny Farm Blog
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Bare-root transplant
4 May 2012 | 9:03 am[From 01-May-2012] It’s out of the moist paper germination environment, and into the wilder world of the cellpak. This is a baby golden cherry tomato—can’t you tell?!—going into standard sterile seedling mix of equal parts perlite, vermiculite and peat. As long as the root hasn’t gotten too long, I just plunk ‘em down, cover and water in, letting the roots find their own way down (a few years back, I probably would have made tiny holes and painstakingly inserted each one, but really, they seem to do that work a lot more efficiently). On a side note, I think I heard… -
Eggplant!
3 May 2012 | 2:25 pm[From 26-Apr-2012] Eggplant pushing up, for the first time probably ever in my tiny farming career, in real sun, not those kinda ghastly (but effective enough) fluorescent lights. This is part of the current season’s unusual start-up, split between two farm locations (where I live and where I grow, about a mile apart, eight minutes by bike!), and smaller and way later than usual, and than the crazy weather allowed. These guys, along with peppers and tomatoes, are in 200- and 128-cell trays, seeded from bareroot germination into a smaller cell size than the usual 72, to make the most of… -
Mixing greens
2 May 2012 | 8:24 am[From 25-Apr-2012] Measuring seed for lettuce and Asian greens mixes, using a digital gram scale from the local headshop. It works well, except I wish the auto-shutoff didn’t happen so quick. I was quite amazed by the selection of digital scales available, starting at, I think it was $20, and going up in $5 increments for a whole slew of models. Didn’t realize so many people were into making their own small-batch seasoning blends and custom salad mixes. Wow. Hahaha. The mixes are basically trial and error. For salad mix, it’s about color and texture at this point: frillier,… -
Rock garden
1 May 2012 | 12:24 pmRocks, rocks, as far as the eye can see. This is how the market garden field looks, before the post-winter work up. Months of snow and rain, have washed the surface rocks clean, so it looks worse than it is. Still, a lotta rocks, pushing up fresh each year.Rock garden -
Garlic check-in
18 Apr 2012 | 9:54 am[From 16-Apr-2012] Yep, the garlic is growing steady, unfazed by 25°C/77°F days tumbling to sub-freezing nights, still apparently unappetizing to deer in spite of their almost unnaturally healthy green standout glow against the hay and straw mulch. Very nice! The difference between larger cloves, planted in the middle bed, and the smaller ones on either side, set up by Tracy and Jesse, is still quite noticeable. We’ll see how they catch up.Garlic check-in
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Organic Gardening And Green Lifestyle
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Eco Friendly Wedding Ideas
8 May 2012 | 4:23 pmWith the current news and scientific information coming out about global warming, it’s no surprise that more and more people are becoming aware of our effects on the planet. Almost everything now has a “Go Green” counterpart making it not only easy to save the planet, but also trendy. One of the largest trends coming out of the green movement is eco friendly wedding ideas. For an event that only lasts a day, the waste created from a wedding can take longer to decompose than most other events. Think about it; plastic cups, champagne bottles, electricity used for DJs and lighting… -
How Successful is Organic Farming?
7 May 2012 | 11:03 pmIf you’ve made that decision to go with organic products and are wondering if the price of that type of produce is going to drop in the near future; don’t hold your breath. That’s not necessarily the fact that it’s so special—to reason for organic produce being so high priced—it’s the fact that the yield of organic farms usually is surpassed by the yield of conventional farming. They can’t keep up. Planning On Doing Your Own Organic-farming? Just as with any venture you’re probably going to need a substantial amount of money to get started on a project such as… -
Cinnamon’s Surprising Health Benefits
5 May 2012 | 4:42 pmLet’s face it—cinnamon is cinnamon—right? That statement couldn’t be more wrong! There is an amazing number of cinnamon varietieseach special in their own way. Various Types Of Cinnamon We’re all relatively used to seeing cinnamon sticks in cocktails or in drawers to make the contents smell better; and ground cinnamon such as we use for the kids’ sugar cinnamon toast in the morning. Cinnamon however got its very beginnings way back around 2000 BC in Egypt. It is known to have been used with aloe and myrrh in anointing oils. While commercially cultivated, cinnamon plants are also… -
Planning An Urban Garden
15 Apr 2012 | 12:25 amAny time you are thinking of planning a garden always be sure that you have checked the soil to see what type of things are underneath the ground. You always need to be sure that the soil has enough nutrients to provide you with a wonderful garden. If you do not know the history of the ground that you are thinking of planting your garden on, then you need to do a few necessary steps. First Step The best thing you can do is find out what is under the ground before you decide to plow it up. Getting a few Fisher metal detectors on your ground will help you figure out if you have anything that is… -
What Is The ”Green Button”?
4 Apr 2012 | 4:11 pmThe green button is special information the president of the United States created in order to inform Americans about ways they can save on their energy bill. In today’s economy everybody is struggling therefore there needs to be ways to cut costs. Energy is on the rise, and people are having a hard time paying their bills. Ways To Cut Costs On Your Electricity Bill One of the first things you can do is start turning lights off. Leaving lights on can increase your energy bill drastically. Second is you need to be sure all of your doors and windows are sealed properly. A great deal of…
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Fig+Sage
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Fresh Finds :: Cool Products Discovered At Green Festival In Chicago This Past Weekend
10 May 2012 | 11:16 amThis past weekend I attended the Green Festival in Chicago on Navy Pier and stumbled upon some brands that I want to share with you: Cool fair-trade jewelry and clothes spotted at the Greenola... {This is a content summary. For full post, images, links and more visit www.figandsage.com.} -
Fresh Finds :: Friday Link Love + Some News
4 May 2012 | 3:34 pmWe've never done one of these Friday link round-ups (that I can remember) but I usually enjoy them when other blogs do them. It's an easy way to find more great info. These are a... {This is a content summary. For full post, images, links and more visit www.figandsage.com.} -
Loving :: Savane Organic Skincare Line From South Africa Certified By EcoCert
27 Apr 2012 | 3:39 pmWhat do you get when you combine a Harvard grad, anthropologist focused on rural development and women's health and a conservationist with an extensive career in agriculture who is also an... {This is a content summary. For full post, images, links and more visit www.figandsage.com.}
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The Manic Gardener
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A Farmer’s Story – podcast #33
7 May 2012 | 3:57 pmOverview source: http://atinadiffley.com/bio/ This is a conversation with Atina Diffley about the loss of one organic farm to development and the fight to protect its replacement from an oil pipeline. She talks about the ecological damage and spiritual wounds she, her children, their father, and his family farm suffered when The Gardens of Eagen went piecemeal under the bulldozer. Then she describes how she took on the Koch brothers and won. Her memoir Turn Here Sweet Corn: Organic Farming Works came out this spring. The back story I owe this interview to one of my oldest friends, who works… -
The (Nearly) Weed-Free Garden – Podcast #30
15 Apr 2012 | 6:27 pmHere’s a picture of Lee Reich’s garden: from leereich.com Either he knows a lot about gardening, or he’s a whiz at Photoshop. I’m betting on the first, which is why I interviewed him for this week’s podcast, The Weed-Free Garden. Lee has a four-part system for beating the weeds: – Don’t disturb the soil. (prevents buried weed seeds from surfacing and germinating.) – Set up permanent beds and paths. (so you won’t have to till to aerate the soil.) – Keep the soil covered at all times. (so weeds can’t get established.) … -
More Space Than You Thought – Podcast 29
9 Apr 2012 | 3:37 pmFern Richardson grows “tons of herbs,” “tons of succulents,” lots of vegetables, and at least six trees—on a balcony. I’m not quite sure of the tree count, because after I counted to six, I’m afraid my hearing did the auditory equivalent of glazing over—I just wasn’t entirely functional for a moment there. When she was listing them—the kumquat, the apricot, the fig, the two apple trees—I squawked “TWO?” so loudly that I had to lower the volume of that one word in the recording, to preserve my listeners’ hearing. There are two, Fern quite reasonably replied, because… -
Be kind to your knees. And don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
29 Mar 2012 | 1:25 amBe kind to your knees. And don’t believe everything you read on the internet. It has been a wild and wooly week in the world of research here at the Manic. Since I’m researching for my WWII book as well as my podcasts, I go careening from nitrous oxide emissions from manure to a history of blood transfusions. (Did you know that the first successful transfusions to humans occurred in 1667 and involved blood from sheep? Neither did I.) Of course, since my only source for that fact is a single internet document, I shouldn’t call it a fact at all. Yet. I used to give freshmen students an… -
Polyculture all the Way – Podcast 27
26 Mar 2012 | 1:06 pmThe old kitchen garden, with its neat, straight rows of vegetables, has faced any number of challenges in recent years—raised beds, intensive gardening, square foot gardening, succession planting—all turn their backs on the conventional layout of neat rows of carrots, peas, or potatoes. Enter polyculture, which turns its back not only on rows, but on the whole idea of a vegetable garden at all. Not that you shouldn’t grow vegetables, but in a polyculture, they’ll be mixed up together, and there may well be herbs and flowers in the mix as well. David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth…
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Down to Earth
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Useful flowers and the promise of things to come
15 May 2012 | 2:00 pmIf you are gardening organically, there is a lot more to it than planting seeds and fertilising. Organic gardening is a holistic method, a complexity of intertwined links between the gardener, the plants, soil, humus, microbes, minerals, water, compost, mulch and visiting insects. One of the ladies asked for a post about beneficial flowers in the garden. They are a great example of that holistic -
Simple life and homemaking
14 May 2012 | 2:12 pmI get many emails asking my opinion on this and that. I'm sure you all know I'm not a counsellor or any sort and I not familiar with any of the specific problems people are faced with, however, I hope to help by replying and by giving our readers the chance to as well. For all I know, these problems may well have been already tackled successfully by someone reading here who might have the -
Here at home
13 May 2012 | 1:18 pmI've had a very busy weekend writing various things, re-working the blog and looking after Hanno. He injured his back last week and is in a lot of pain. He can't lift anything, even cleaning his teeth and dressing brings the pain on so I've been bringing him cups of tea and making sure he keeps up with the medication. He's like a cat on a hot tin roof when he's sick. He watched the Hamburg -
An invitation
11 May 2012 | 1:50 pmThis is the invitation from Avid Reader to my talk and signing there next Thursday. I have been told by a couple of friends the Avid Reader is THE bookshop in Brisbane, so I hope you come along and we'll find out together if that is true. If you're coming in, please introduce yourself to me and to Hanno, who'll be there too. Don't forget to book. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meet Rhonda Hetzel author of -
Weekend reading
10 May 2012 | 1:57 pmHow to make ginger wine The Australian Association for Environmental Education has a very good enewsletter for members. This month, my book is listed in their resources section. :- ) The newsletter is full of news, what's on in each state, jobs and courses and resources. Pigeon Pair is a delightful blog full of productivity and life at home. There are some fine photos on Christine Chitnis
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Chews Wise
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If all tuna was caught this way, maybe there would still be tuna left in the sea
11 May 2012 | 9:30 amHere's what it's like to catch a Yellowfin tuna on a bamboo pole off Ascension island in the South Atlantic. Most fish, of course, are not caught this way. (The tuna strikes just after minute 2 in the video, but watch the whole thing, you'll get the build up). -
Where yields fall short: in measuring sustainability (a response to @MarcGunther)
10 May 2012 | 11:25 amWhen measuring the productivity of farming, yield -- or output per acre of land -- is the metric that is often trotted out. And when this measure is used, organic farming usually falls short since it can’t match the yields of conventional agriculture. From there, it’s a short jump to conclude, as my friend Marc Gunther does, that organic methods will take more land to produce an equivalent amount of food, especially when population is increasing. The upshot, “organic food is not as green as you think.” The problem with this argument is not that the yield calculations are wrong. -
Thoughts on baking emmer wheat bread
9 May 2012 | 11:56 amRecently, writing about ancient grains, I serendipitously got an email from Mary-Howell Martens offering to hook me up with some of the grains she and her husband Klaas grow in New York for Lakeview Organic Grain. Rather than shipping the wheat, they brought it to the winter meeting of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture in State College, where my friend Bernie Prince (the now celebrated co-founder of FreshFarm Market) put it in her trunk and brought it to Capitol Hill. Now that's what I call networking. There were bags of whole oats, spelt, a red winter… -
Interview on @FERNnews with a weird but maybe good picture
28 Mar 2012 | 4:37 pmHere's the lead-in to a brief interview about the Food & Environment Reporting Network at CJR: Even as interest in all things food-related skyrockets, space devoted to serious food issues continues to lose out to the gastroporn of hot restaurants and hotter chefs. So last year, a group of fed-up food writers launched the Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN), a nonprofit that funds investigative journalism on matters of food, agriculture, and environmental health. Its first piece, on New Mexico’s dairy industry, was published last fall in High Country News; a… -
Let the Games Begin: A Baker in Sonoma ... and Paris
29 Feb 2012 | 3:55 pmI spent a wonderful couple of days last May with Mike Zakowski, a baker in Sonoma who graciously took me into his backyard bakery where he was making loaves. I was curious about him, because he worked entirely by hand and was also in training to compete in the world cup of baking. These seemed like polar opposite pursuits. I will see him again next week when he's competing in Paris, where he's baking with Team USA in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie. Here's the opening of the story I wrote about him on Gilt Taste, which begins: The world of baking seems to attract free…
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Culinate Main Feed
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Sweet on liqueurs — Take another look at these spirits
15 May 2012 | 4:44 pmOur resident bartender welcomes a revival of the sweet stuff. from Dinner Guest Blog -
Testing recipe writers — No, you’re not a slow cook
15 May 2012 | 9:51 amIf you’ve ever been the victim of a recipe that takes far longer than promised, you’ll probably enjoy Tom Scocca’s Slate post on why recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions.“Onions do not caramelize in five or 10 minutes. They never have, they never will — yet recipe writers have never stopped pretending that they will,” he writes.The problem is not limited to onion cooking. Again and again, recipes promise to be quick — short prep times, with minimal hands-on activity — only to disappoint the busy home cook. So what gives?Scocca’s take: “Telling… -
A Different Kind of Luxury — Japanese Lessons in Simple Living and Inner Abundance
14 May 2012 | 5:05 pmWhen we arrive at his rice paddies, I ask him how the farming is going. more… from Excerpts -
Coupon economics — But no food politics
14 May 2012 | 12:14 pmNo, it didn’t publish on Mother’s Day, but it might have: a feature on moms who dedicate their lives to couponing. And we’re talking serious devotion: these moms, who blog about couponing full-time, are not only saving money on their grocery bills, they’ve become their families’ primary breadwinners through promotional contracts on their websites.“After declining for nearly a decade, coupon use has increased almost 35 percent since 2008, according to Matthew Tilley, the director of marketing at Inmar, a coupon clearinghouse,” reported Amanda Fortini in the New York Times… -
Calling out endocrine disruptors — Nicholas Kristof takes up the cause
11 May 2012 | 12:17 pmOnce upon a time, the Food and Drug Administration declared that bisphenol A, a chemical used in plastics, was perfectly safe. By 2010, the FDA had decided that perhaps BPA was worrisome. Now here we are in 2012, with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof chastising the FDA for refusing to ban not just BPA but its entire chemical class, known as endocrine disruptors. As Kristof pointed out, even if the feds are refusing to follow the science, the scientists themselves aren’t: Scientists who know endocrine disruptors best overwhelmingly are already taking steps to protect their families.
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Eden Foods - Newest Recipes
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Soba & Broth
3 May 2012 | 3:41 pmCook pasta per package directions, rinse, drain and set aside. Place the 4 cup water, kombu and shiitake in a medium saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce flame to medium-low and simmer 4 to 5 minutes. Remove Kombu, set aside for soup stock or discard. Cover the pan and simmer another10 minutes. Reduce the flame to low, add the shoyu and simmer another 2 minutes. Place the cooked soba in serving bowls, ladle the hot broth over and garnish each with toasted sesame seeds and scallions. -
Cherry Tarts
3 May 2012 | 9:18 amPlace the cherries, juice and pinch of sea salt in a medium saucepan, cover, bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and simmer about 5 to 7 minutes until the cherries are tender. Pour the dissolved kuzu into the cherries, stirring constantly to prevent lumping until the juice thickens. Set aside and let cool while making the dough. Preheat the oven to 375°. To make the dough, combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a small bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing to form a ball of dough. Divide the dough into four equal size… -
Wild Rice Mushroom Bisque
3 May 2012 | 8:44 amPlace the water, wild rice and olive oil in a medium pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer about 25 minutes. Add the shallots, mushrooms and thyme. Cover and simmer another 10 minutes or until the rice is tender. Reduce the flame to low. Place the pepper, syrup, salt, flour and Edensoy in a small mixing bowl and whisk until the flour is dissolved. Add the whisked mixture to the soup and stir frequently just until the soup thickens, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Adjust the salt and pepper seasoning, if desired. Remove and serve garnished with chives. -
Kamut Udon Veggie Stir Fry
1 May 2012 | 8:57 amCook udon per package directions, rinse, drain and set aside. Heat the oils in a large skillet and sauté the garlic for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and half the shoyu. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Place the udon on top of the mushrooms. Then add the carrots, red peppers, broccoli, water and remaining shoyu. Cover, reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer for about 7 minutes or until the broccoli is tender but still bright green. Remove the cover, mix thoroughly, season with more shoyu or salt to taste if desired and cook while stirring another 3 to 4 minutes. Serve. -
Arame Vegetable Saut
1 May 2012 | 8:43 amHeat the oils in a medium skillet and sauté the garlic and onions for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the arame, red pepper, sweet corn, and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer about 15 minutes. Add the shoyu, cover and simmer another 5 minutes. Remove the cover, turn the flame to medium and simmer, stirring to mix until almost all cooking liquid has evaporated. Serve.
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ScienceDaily: Organic Chemistry News
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New research could mean faster computers and better smart phones
15 May 2012 | 4:23 amGraphene and carbon nanotubes could improve the electronics used in computers and mobile phones, reveals new research. -
Rainforest microbe can handle ionic liquids: New find could help reduce biofuel production costs
14 May 2012 | 7:40 pmResearchers have identified a tropical rainforest microbe that can endure relatively high concentrations of an ionic liquid used to dissolve cellulosic biomass for the production of advanced biofuels. They've also determined how the microbe accomplishes this, a discovery that holds broad implications beyond biofuels. -
Plant protein discovery could boost bioeconomy
14 May 2012 | 9:48 amThree proteins have been found to be involved in the accumulation of fatty acids in plants. The discovery could help plant scientists boost seed oil production in crops. And that could boost the production of biorenewable fuels and chemicals. -
Low-cost nanosheet catalyst discovered to split hydrogen from water
11 May 2012 | 11:22 amScientists have developed a new electrocatalyst that overcomes the high cost of platinum, generating hydrogen gas from water with abundant and affordable metals. The unexpected and high-performing nanosheet structure of the catalytic nickel-molybdenum-nitride compound offers a promising new model for effective hydrogen catalysis. -
More versatile molecular sensors
10 May 2012 | 8:59 amResearchers have found out the way to introduce gas molecules in non-porous materials, allowing them to act as molecular sensors. This finding allows for the production of more versatile, precise sensors since, apart from the optical response for the molecules detection, the magnetic response is a capability which did not exist for these kinds of crystalline materials up until now.
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We Like It Raw
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Three of my favorite websites
24 Apr 2012 | 11:19 amHi everyone! Dhru here. We Like It Raw is going to be a little quiet for the next few weeks. In the mean time though, I thought I'd share with you three websites that I've been spending a lot of time on recently: Mind Body GreenFantastic articles and quick tips on holistic living and yoga.Crazy Sexy LifeTons of great wellness guidance and advice from some of the worlds coolest people, including Kris Carr.The ChalkboardMonthly online magazine that is a study in living well. Created by Pressed Juicery in LA. Enjoy. -
How YOU are a seed, a recipe and my final post.....
13 Apr 2012 | 7:20 pmI can’t believe how fast the last 6 months have flown by! It seems like yesterday that I began writing for We Like It Raw! This past 6 months have been so rewarding and so growth filled for me! I have stretched myself so much. I have met and connected with so many awesome people. I have gotten to interview some very interesting and inspiring people doing amazing things! Alas, It’s now time for me to be off to new adventures! I am also very excited for what the website has in store for it’s growth adventure of it’s own! "What the caterpillar calls the end the rest of the world calls a… -
Is a vegan diet always a healthy diet?
12 Apr 2012 | 9:40 pmI’ve just gotten back to Utah from Eugene, Oregon and WOW what a trip it was! I was so blessed to be able to spend some quality time with my son Erik who is a vegan chef in Eugene hiking and site seeing. Eugene is literally a MECA of vegan cafes! They are everywhere! He told me it’s harder to find meat in Eugene than it is vegan food. I chose to wait on the Cleanse America cleanse so he could take me to many of the vegan cafes in Eugene he loves! We had a good time trying many of them out including the cafe he works at. So, it’s a good thing I am on the Cleanse program starting… -
A Plethora of Raw Soup Recipes!
11 Apr 2012 | 12:49 pmIt’s a chilly, rainy morning here in Oregon today. I’m longing for my Vitamix to make some warm raw veggie soup! I love raw soups! They are truly the comfort food of the raw world for me! I will have to settle for sending out recipes to all of you! Even on a cleanse you can still make raw soups with just a few modifications. If your recipe calls for cashews or other nuts or nut milk you would leave out the nuts and swap the nut milk for water or coconut water. Here are a few recipes I created with any modifications for cleansing listed. Sometimes if I am doing a cleanse and get into… -
Detox the Body. Detox the Mind.
10 Apr 2012 | 11:26 amI am having such a great time here in Oregon. I love the history, the culture, the mossy trees, all the gardens everywhere and the fact that everything is lush and green! Most of all I am enjoying my son! He is having such a good time showing me around the town! So, along with many of you, I am also on the http://www.cleanseamerica.com Cleanse. However, being in a place where I have no access to my Vitamix or Juicer has been challenging! It’s also been challenging to be in a town where there are SO many vegan cafe’s and it’s making it challenging to stay on a 100% raw food cleanse. So…
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Greenster
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Inspirational Words From Henry David Thoreau
10 May 2012 | 7:00 amSome inspirational advice from Henry David Thoreau. Wise, wise words. “I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of… -
Life in a Day: A Snap Shot of The World (Watch Free Video)
8 May 2012 | 7:00 amLife in a Day is an incredible snapshot of the world on 24th July 2010, created entirely from videos uploaded by YouTube users. Award winning film makers Kevin Macdonald and Joe Walker condensed the 4,500 hours of footage submitted by over 80,000 people to give the story of our world, told by us. The contributors were asked to tell their story, what they feared, and what was in their pockets. From this basic framework we can compare and contrast the lives of people from Austrailia to Zambia. It is truly fascinating and you can watch it right here. Let us know what you think. -
Homemade Raw Chocolates: The Ideal Mother’s Day Gift
6 May 2012 | 1:00 pmOne week until Mother’s Day, time is running out to get your gift sorted. If you are stumped for ideas, why not make your Mom some raw chocolate treats? They are delicious, uber-healthy, wrinkle-busting and have the homemade touch that will melt her heart. The thought of making chocolate from scratch may be daunting but don’t fear it is actually unbelievably easy. However if you feel your kitchen skills won’t cut it, we have some awesome alternative gift ideas. Ingredients 1 cup melted raw cacao butter 1/3 cups raw cacao powder 1 tbsp sweeter (coconut sugar, raw honey,… -
Artichoke and Spinach Dip Recipe (Raw)
4 May 2012 | 7:00 amArtichokes are at their prime and loaded with nutrients. So stock up and delight your guests (or just yourself) with this super easy raw artichoke and spinach dip recipe. Ingredients 4 cups of fresh spinach 2 cups of artichoke hearts 1 ripe avocado 1 clove of garlic pinch of sea salt juice of 1/2 a lemon Preparation Combine all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Pretty easy really. Serve it up on a snazzy plate with any kind of dippers that you fancy, maybe carrot sticks, asparagus, cucumber or bell peppers. Got any other tasty dip recipes? Let us know. © Greenster Tribe for… -
3 Things You Should Know About Yoga
2 May 2012 | 7:00 amYoga has taken the world by storm. It is understandable why, the benefits are endless – reduced stress, fatigue and indigestion, improved emotional stability, weight-loss and mucsle-tone to name a few. However you may not notice these wonderful benefits right away and we don’t want you to be disheartened so keep these three factors in mind. Don't expect to be able to do this right away. 1. It takes practice. As with any other skill practice makes perfect. Don’t expect to be able to do all the poses right away. Some look deceivingly simple but can take years to…
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FoodieTots.com
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Meatless Monday: Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
14 May 2012 | 11:50 amHope all you mamas out there had a lovely Mother’s Day weekend! I’m not sure if he heard about it somewhere or came up with it on his own, but around the start of the school year the boy declared that Tuesdays were for tacos, and so our Taco Tuesday tradition was born. Now we’re fortunate to have a great taco place in the neighborhood (District Taco for you locals), but I try to do it at home most weeks. The kids are really into bean and cheese “tacos” (they’re really more of a quesadilla or burrito, but no need to get technical) which makes it even easier… -
Cinco de Farmers Markets!
4 May 2012 | 7:26 pmIt’s opening weekend at Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland seasonal farmers markets! Head out early to score the best asparagus and strawberries and give a local flair to your Cinco de Mayo fiesta. (It’s the perfect excuse to blend up a batch of our strawberry horchata! Or perhaps a rhubarb margarita.) Some of our favorite family-friendly markets are reopening this weekend, including Alexandria’s West End Market (Sundays, 8:30am to 1pm at Ben Brenman Park) and Reston Farmers Market (Saturday, 8am to noon at Lake Anne Village Center). (All Fairfax County and Loudoun County… -
Almost Wordless Garden Wednesday
2 May 2012 | 5:39 pmtoday in the foodie tots kitchen garden: (1) great job for tots: weeding around the edge of the bed (2) peas coming up (3) first strawberry is almost ready! How’s your garden growing? -
Baking with Plum Organics {and Giveaway}
1 May 2012 | 12:43 pmIt’s amazing how many new products for kids have been developed even just in the four years between the births of my son and daughter, particularly in the natural and organic category. Take baby food — the first time around, there was only one organic alternative on the market. This time, there are all-natural and organic options everywhere you look, at health food stores and mainstream retailers alike. I still made most of my daughter’s food, but we also found ourselves picking up the new organic pouches for meals on the go — like these from Plum Organics. Because… -
DC Food Blogger Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry
25 Apr 2012 | 10:02 pmSpringtime in Washington means cherry blossoms, strawberries at market, and bake sales — the Great American Bake Sale for Share our Strength, to be precise. DC food bloggers are once again coming together to bake up tasty treats to raise funds for Share our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, because no child in America should go to bed hungry. DC Food Blogger Bake Sale Thursday, April 26, 2012 2:00 – 6:00pm at the Washington Post building, 1150 15th Street NW (inside on the first floor) (Can’t make it? Donate here and help us raise $5,000 to fight child hunger.) Not in…
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Mambo Sprouts - Organic recipes, coupons and healthy lifestyle options.
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Gluten-Free Beauty Basics
15 May 2012 | 10:56 amIf you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you probably go to great lengths to avoid gluten in your diet. Should you also avoid personal care products that contain this ingredient? Maybe so, when you consider that up to 60% of what you apply to your skin can be absorbed into the bloodstream. If you don’t eat gluten, why let it seep into your body topically? The cosmetic industry assumes the position that gluten molecules are too large to be absorbed through the skin, therefore people with celiac disease can safely use their gluten-containing products. However, many doctors… -
5 Sneaky Sources of Gluten
10 May 2012 | 3:48 pmIf you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease─or have a sensitivity to gluten─you’re probably making a concerted effort to avoid this ingredient. The problem is, gluten often lurks where you least expect it! If you want to root it out for good, you need to look beyond the obvious suspects. You might be surprised to learn that the following 5 items often harbor gluten: Food additives Gluten is used as a thickener, emulsifier, and/or stabilizer in many snack foods, canned goods, frozen entrées, prepared meals, condiments, herb/spice mixes, and more. Carefully scan food labels for terms… -
Plainville Farms
10 May 2012 | 10:36 amPlainville Farms Plainville Farms started way back in 1835 when all farming was sustainable, animals were treated with respect, and farming meant more than just the bottom line. Over 175 years later, they still believe in old fashioned farming practices. You see it in the way they treat their birds and you can sense it when you taste their products. Now, Plainville Farms is recognized as one of the first turkey companies in the country to humanely grow healthy and great-tasting turkeys. Their turkey is 100% antibiotic free, raised on a diet of clean ingredients, pure well water and fresh air. -
FreeBird
10 May 2012 | 10:28 amFreeBird Marching to the beat of a different drumstick, FreeBird chicken is naturally a hit. Their rockstar farmers know that the conventional way is not always the right way. Instead, they raise their chickens on a pure diet of clean ingredients and fresh well water with plenty of room to roam. The result? Juicy, delicious chicken that’s 100% antibiotic free (ABF). In other words, chicken that tastes exactly like it should, “just like chicken”. Whether you prefer ABF or organic chickens, FreeBird has a wide variety of products for your table. From fresh whole roasters to… -
Gluten-Free Baking Essentials
9 May 2012 | 9:00 amDo you enjoy baking? Many people do until they learn that they need to eliminate gluten. But never fear. With a little practice─and a few minor adjustments─you’ll find that you can still create those beloved family favorites, deliciously gluten-free. These tips will boost your odds of success: Be open to different results The baked goods most of us have grown up with are typically made from wheat. Gluten acts as a leavening agent, creating a light structure in dough. Therefore, some gluten-free baked goods may have a slightly different texture than conventional versions, but they…
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Simple, Good and Tasty
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Why it’s Ethical to Eat Meat
15 May 2012 | 7:00 amThe belief I’m about to argue — that eating meat is ethical — has been, for me, 25 years in the making. For much of this time, paradoxically, I was a vegetarian because I thought eating animals was morally reprehensible. What a self-righteous twit I was. At my in-laws’ traditional Thanksgiving dinner, I recited graphic details about industrially raised turkey. (Do you know what debeaking is?) At the counter in a fast-food restaurant, I’d loudly order a cheeseburger with no meat. (I want a bun, cheese, pickles, lettuce and onions…but no meat!) At a neighborhood pig roast, I asked… -
SGT May Book Club: Farm City
14 May 2012 | 9:18 amSpring is just about the perfect time to be reading a book that might just inspire you to turn that little plot of unused ground into something productive. You certainly don't have to live in Oakland California, although as you find out in this excellent read, it might make it much more interesting. Of course if you are as bold a spirit as is author and urban farmer Novella Carpenter, you find your own way to make things happen, education included.Consider that she had the gumption to start farming an abandoned lot next to her home regardless of the fact that she didn't know who owned it, or… -
All About Sprouts, Part 2. Recipes and Nutrition.
11 May 2012 | 7:00 amThis is part 2 of a piece of work about all things sprouting. Part 1 takes you through the basics of what you can sprout and how to sprout it. There are also guidelines for specific sprouts. Finally, Part 1 is also where you will find a list of sprouting resources and literature. Part 2 focuses on how to eat and cook with sprouts as well as many of the nutritional benefits of them. How to Eat Sprouts Most sprouts may be eaten raw. Sprouts from legumes are generally more digestible when cooked. Mung bean sprouts are often eaten raw and are also cooked as is common in many Asian cuisines. -
The Spice Odyssey: Cloves
10 May 2012 | 7:00 amSpices yield depth and dimension to many consumables. In The Spice Odyssey, I shared my family’s journey to America and their unfortunate loss of ethnic cooking and the accompanying spice. One of my greatest gains with marrying someone from South Asia has been an introduction to the vast world of spice. With each spice story, one will find a fascinating history lesson, better understanding of the origins of various ethnic dishes as well as the origins of many modern-day pharmaceuticals. More importantly, one hopes to have ideas for new flavors, new foods and new twists on old… -
Time for Spring Cleansing
8 May 2012 | 7:00 amFeeling overindulgent after a season of weddings, BBQs and backyard parties last summer, I started working on my wife, trying to convince her to join me in cleansing through the month of October. I have cleansed with varying levels of success over the past decade, always learning something new about myself and my relationship with my food. After much cajoling she agreed and we harangued a few more friends into doing it with us – strength in numbers, you know?! Our plan was to eliminate animal products, caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, gluten-containing grains, sugar…all the good stuff.
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Cooking Up a Story
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How to Make Homemade Butter from Farm Fresh Milk (video)
15 May 2012 | 7:00 amHarriet Fasenfest, author of A Householder’s Guide to the Universe shares her intimate knowledge how to make fresh butter, and the different characteristics that come from milk in the Spring versus the Winter season.Please Note: Fasenfest uses raw milk in her demonstration, something she prefers, pasteurized whole milk and cream can be used as a substitute. For a wider perspective on the controversy with raw milk, check out this accompanying post on Cooking Up a Story: The Raw Milk Debate: Thorny Issues of Food Safety, Food Rights, and Public Health.How to Make Butter from Farm Fresh… -
The Raw Milk Debate: Thorny Issues of Food Safety, Food Rights, and Public Health
14 May 2012 | 7:00 am{Editor’s note: This week for our new Food.Farmer.Earth series, our intended theme was to be butter, but in the process also ended up touching upon raw milk. In the accompanying post below, noted expert David Gumpert, offers a wider perspective on this important, and very polarized food issue.Tomorrow, we see one culinary expert demonstrate how to make butter from raw milk (it can also be done using pasteurized milk), and on Wednesday we visit a diversified local farmer to learn his story; he also sells raw milk from his farm. Thursday, this soft spoken farmer minces no words as he… -
The Pleasures of Eating Home Cooked Meals
11 May 2012 | 7:00 amSometimes the foodie community is perceived as being elitist, and if we all had ample amounts of money to spend on fresh and local food, it would be easier to pay attention to where our food comes from, and perhaps to buy mostly organic food if so desired.Chef Lisa Schroeder who is no stranger to good food has a little different take on the matter. Schroeder believes that just cooking whole ingredients at home is a step up, an important step up from eating at any restaurant.This may not seem all that surprising a view, but consider, she is chef and owner of her own restaurant, and though she… -
A Mom Teaches Her Children the Importance of Food
10 May 2012 | 7:00 am“Being a mom is really connected to feeding your kids”, says Sarah Gilbert, a stay-at-home working mother. As she learned from her mother growing up, Gilbert strives to educate and instill an appreciation for fresh, locally produced food with her three young boys. -
in the Kitchen with Chef Lisa Schroeder: Mother’s Chicken Soup and More
9 May 2012 | 7:00 am(See main recipe below) Mother’s Bistro’ chef Lisa Schroeder shares her professional, culinary skills in the making the quintessential home-made chicken soup. Not only does Schroeder offer an easy recipe to follow, she provides shortcuts to save time and effort along the way, and delivers additional dishes (and recipes) for making so much more from the chicken soup stock, and a great way to create your own healthy fast-food alternatives.Next, in the Field: A Mom teaches Her Children the Importance of Food By Lisa Schroeder, Mother’s Bistro and Bar, PortlandMother’s Chicken and…
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Natural Health Ezine
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Edible Wild Salads
14 May 2012 | 11:20 amThis article, Edible Wild Salads, was originally published at Natural Health Ezine.Years ago a friend lost his job as an engineer. Rather than seeking employment in the corporate world, he decided to farm. Not growing up on a farm, it took several years of poverty for them to see the fruits of their labor. Why am I telling you this? One day his wife confided in me that the only fresh salads they got were from the weeds in the backyard. Unbelievable? Not really. The herbs growing in our backyards contain many more nutrients than the bags of iceberg lettuce in the produce section of the grocery… -
Make Your Own Body Scrub
7 May 2012 | 9:52 amThis article, Make Your Own Body Scrub, was originally published at Natural Health Ezine.Body scrubs are a great way to get rid of “dead” skin cells and re-vitalize your skin. If you have never tried a body scrub before, your body is in for a treat! There are many cosmetic beauty treatments out there that you can buy from pharmacy and grocery stores, but perhaps some of the best type of natural skin care treatments are the ones which you can make simply and easily yourself at home. You just need a few basic ingredients to get started and then you can make your own body scrub! Basic… -
Health Benefits of Pau d’Arco Tea
3 May 2012 | 10:27 amThis article, Health Benefits of Pau d’Arco Tea, was originally published at Natural Health Ezine.Native to South America, pau d’arco (Tabebuia spp.) is found in various parts of the tropical/subtropical world. Its range includes areas of southern Florida and northern Mexico to northern Argentina, including the Caribbean Islands. Also known as tahibo or trumpet tree, the pau d’arco grows from 16 to 160 feet tall, depending on the species. Some species are deciduous and some are evergreen and they produce flowers from 1-4 inches in a variety of bright colors. However, it is the inner… -
Aromatherapy Books for the Beginner
30 Apr 2012 | 10:24 amThis article, Aromatherapy Books for the Beginner, was originally published at Natural Health Ezine.As a certified and practicing aromatherapist, I have more books than I care to admit to on my own aromatherapy bookshelf; however, if you are just starting out in the world of aromatherapy, you might be more than a little confused as to which book you should purchase first. There are many aromatherapy books on the market for the beginner, but the following books are my personal recommendations for the beginner, based on my own research, experience and ease of use. What is Aromatherapy? -
Different Types of Vitamins and Their Uses
26 Apr 2012 | 10:38 amThis article, Different Types of Vitamins and Their Uses, was originally published at Natural Health Ezine.Vitamins are essential to us in order to help our bodies function efficiently and to keep us in good health. Vitamins are found in various foods, in addition to being naturally manufactured by our bodies. However, sometimes we need some help in the form of vitamin supplements; it can be difficult knowing which vitamin supplement to choose unless you know the purpose and function of each one. This article summarizes some of the uses and functions of the most common vitamins. Vitamin A…
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Organic Wine Review
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Lutea Cellars Pinot Noir 2009
10 May 2012 | 9:33 am -
Santa Julia Tempranillo 2010
9 May 2012 | 10:28 am -
Vermador Airen | Macabeo 2009
8 May 2012 | 9:25 am -
Scaggs Vineyard Mt. Vedeer Montage 2008
7 May 2012 | 3:13 pm -
Yorkville Cellars Merlot 2009
4 May 2012 | 10:34 am
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About.com Organic Gardening
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Ten Easy Vegetables To Direct Sow in Your Garden
15 May 2012 | 12:45 pmFollowing up on my recent post about the joys of direct-sowing garden seeds, I thought I'd offer a few suggestions today for easy veggies to direct-sow. Here are my top ten favorite easy veggies:...Read Full Post -
Tricks for Successful Direct Sowing
14 May 2012 | 4:45 amAs much as I love playing with all of my gardening gadgets, such as soil block makers, seedling heat mats, and grow lights, there is a certain satisfaction that comes from direct sowing seeds in my garden. I love planting pumpkin seeds with my children, and seeing those fat cotyledons seem to magically appear days later, then flourish into wild, rambling vines. And when planting corn, a good rule of thumb is to plant two for the crows, and one for the gardener. We also direct-sow many annuals, including zinnias, marigolds, calendulas, and sunflowers, every year....Read Full Post -
Bee Mimics in Your Garden
10 May 2012 | 5:31 amI snapped a quick photo of what I thought was a bee on my 'Cranberry' viburnum the other day. When I looked more closely at the photo later, I said to myself, "that's not a bee!"...Read Full Post -
Starting a New Garden? Here are Some Articles to Get You Started!
9 May 2012 | 6:09 amIf you've been bitten by the gardening bug, and have decided to try your hand at growing an organic garden, congratulations! If you're new to gardening, one thing is for sure: you have plenty of questions. I've pulled together some of my favorite resources to answer your gardening questions. I hope this helps get your first garden off to a great start!...Read Full Post -
Reader Question: How Long Does it Take to Get Compost from Bokashi?
30 Apr 2012 | 10:05 amI get quite a few questions about Bokashi composting, and this is one of the most common (courtesy of a reader who asked via email): "Hi! I'm just getting informed about composting and your blogs are really helpful! I was wondering how long it takes to actually harvest your first batch of compost with Bokashi composting? Thanks."...Read Full Post
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Pleasant Valley Farm
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Being a Teamster
7 May 2012 | 12:35 pmWhen you hear the word teamster, what springs to mind? Unions? Jimmy Hoffa? Big 18-wheeler trucks hauling freight down the interstate? (And yes, I am going somewhere farm-related with this...)Originally, a teamster was one who drove a team of horses. Someone who made their living with a set of reins in hand. Back before tractors and big rigs, there were big horses. They were used to plow the fields and to pull wagons, loaded with goods, from town to town. Interestingly enough, the word “teamster” stuck with the freight haulers, but not… -
A Day in the Life of a Farmer
1 May 2012 | 8:45 amWhat is it like to be a farmer? Here's an example of a typical spring day. This is an actual journal of a real day, selected at random, in this case Monday, April 30, 2012.Get up. As Dan checks on the large animals, I get up and check the incubator. Pull 13 chicks & 2 turkeys out and take them to the brooder pen, where food & water await under the heat lamp. When I open the pen, I sadly note a dead turkey poult- it looks like it drowned, as its head is still in the waterer. I never have understood how something 6” tall can drown in 1/2” of water, but it seems turkeys manage. The… -
The Biggest Compliment
24 Apr 2012 | 11:34 amIn the past, I've had inquiries about turning my farm into a Bed & Breakfast- one of those kinds where you can stay, live a day on a real farm, "help" with the chores and meet the animals. I totally understand why this is becoming popular- most folks don't have a family member who farms, unlike previous generations, and to pack up the kids for a weekend of living the simple life sounds ideal. However, I'm really a private person, and the idea of having strangers paying to sleep in a bedroom upstairs, expecting to have me cook them breakfast and eat in my kitchen… -
Crazy Busy
11 Apr 2012 | 11:55 amToday, the sprouts and I are staying inside. It's snowing or sleeting or something out there, which just seems cruel after the 70 and 80 degree weather of a few weeks ago. But truthfully, it IS still early April, and after all, the barn coat is a much more seasonal piece of clothing than the tank top this time of year in our part of the world. But today is one of those cloudy, grey days where the small greenhouse, our sprout house, just won't warm up much. Right now, at noon, it's only in the lower 60's, since it is barely 40 outside with no direct sun. For about two weeks now, I've been… -
Meet Yardie
30 Mar 2012 | 8:36 amPop Quiz! Do you know what the #1 irrigated crop in the U.S. Is? It's something most of us see every day, is grown in virtually every neighborhood nationwide, and nothing eats it. The answer is grass. More specifically, lawns. More of our nation's water supply is diverted to make the yard look pretty than to grow any other crop. Add to that the pollution from lawnmowers & riding lawnmowers, the amount of synthetic herbicides and fertilizers used, and the fact that so many of those grass clippings go not to the compost pile but to the landfill, and you'll realize that lawns aren't the…
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Honest to Goodness - Organic Food Sydney, Healthy Food, Wholefood, Home delivery Australia
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In Season. Apples with Apple Baklava recipe!
10 May 2012 | 10:08 pmApples are absolutely fantastic during the Autumn months, with the Australian apple harvesting season runs from February to May, make sure you get around to your local grocer and try some of Australia’s beautiful apple varieties! Apples are grown in all Australian states, but the Victorian climate is the best! Best apples in May Braeburn – sweet & tart, great in pies, salads and sauces Pink Lady – sweet & crisp, excellent in pies, salads and sauces Granny Smith – crisp & tart flavour, perfect for baking, salads, sauces or pies Jazz – tangy and sweet… -
Organic Chandler Walnuts
27 Apr 2012 | 1:05 amDid you know that walnuts are the oldest tree food known to man, dating back to 7000 B.C…mmmm historic goodness! The main varieties of walnuts are; Hartley, Chandler, Serr, Vina, Franquette and Howard. At Honest to Goodness we choose to supply our customers with the certified organic Chandler variety from California, USA. Chandler Walnuts are the most prominent variety of walnut grown in California which is not surprising since these are highly sought after due to their high quality, light and softer kernels. They also tend to not be as bitter as some of the other varieties. Walnut fact:… -
Black Bean Chocolate Chilli Cranberry Cookies
3 Apr 2012 | 12:40 amGuest post by Linda Wells It’s trendy now to have a slice of chocolate chilli cake, but black turtle beans as well? Why? Any chance you get to add some black beans to your diet would be a good thing, they are loaded with a rare combination of both protein and fibre. One cup of black beans contains 14 grams of protein – the same amount as a 50 gram serving of a meat like chicken or a fish like salmon? And the 15 grams of fibre from that same one-cup serving is the equivalent of eating 3 cups of broccoli, 4 cups of Brussels sprouts, or 15 plums? This amazing protein-fibre combination… -
aboutlife Bondi Junction & Rozelle
23 Mar 2012 | 12:44 amWith a large part of our business being a wholesaler & distributor, our Honest to Goodness team services some of Sydney and Australia’s best health food stores, cafes, restaurants, grocers and Independant Retailers, lucky us! One of our long standing customers is aboutlife, who has 2 stores in Sydney; Bondi Junction and Rozelle. If you haven’t already checked out these stores, put it on your list to do! aboutlife provides nutritional food and ingredients needed to prepare wholesome meals for the whole family. There are oodles of healthy choices at the right price. With over… -
Get Cultured…Transform your food into medicine.
5 Mar 2012 | 11:10 pmAs promised, we have some practical tips & tricks to share from our Get Cultured workshop by Georgia of Stirring Change! After our last blog, Get Cultured…basics of fermented foods, we’re all now up to scratch on the origins of fermented and cultured foods, and the role they play in our diet and health! The second part of Georgia’s workshop was the fun practical part, where we all found out how to create our own beautiful cultured foods to enjoy! General Fermenting & Culturing Guidelines… Cultures do not like metals Any reactive metals will permantly damage…
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simple.green.organic.happy.
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10 Health Benefits of Sunshine – Get OUTSIDE!
13 May 2012 | 10:41 pmThe sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world’s joy. Henry Ward Beecher May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, afflicting one in five Americans (one in three Caucasians) and accounting for nearly half of all cancer cases in the US. It only takes one blistering burn to increase your risk of skin cancer. And kids and teens are especially at risk, as they’re more likely to seek out sunshine year round. That being said, it’s also important that we don’t overreact and keep them indoors any more than… -
Natural Non-Toxic Sunscreen: Beyond Coastal Review and Giveaway
13 May 2012 | 7:21 pmI’m gonna soak up the sun Gonna tell everyone To lighten up I’m gonna tell ‘em that I’ve got no one to blame For every time I feel lame I’m looking up I’m gonna soak up the sun -Sheryl Crow These are my very favorite days of the year, when the air is still somewhat cool but the sun is deliciously warm on my bared shoulders. It feels new and luxurious, and the promise of an entire summer basking in the sunshine unfurls ahead of me. Of course, we’re past the days where we could just bask. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US,… -
Fitness Friday: Of Push-ups and Pull-ups
11 May 2012 | 11:02 pmIt is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. Ralph Waldo Emerson As I’ve mentioned before, one of the ways I’m fitting in fitness and making sure I get off my laptop-working-bum is by playing little games with myself. Jumping rope while waiting for the microwave or the toaster or the skillet to heat as I make my breakfast or lunch. Bicycle crunches when the dog scratches at the door to be let out (after I let her out. Otherwise, she licks my face while I’m on the floor). The game varies depends on what part of me needs a rest that…
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livingmaxwell: a guide to organic food & drink
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Win a $15,000 Kitchen Makeover from Stonyfield
15 May 2012 | 9:41 amAs part of its year-long “Know Your Food” campaign, Stonyfield has launched The Great Food Find, an interactive online scavenger hunt that takes food lovers on a journey to find organic foods around the web. For each action that a person takes on The Great Food Find (capped at 50 actions – an action would be answering questions, finding a product and adding it to the virtual tote bag, Tweeting something, Liking something on Facebook, etc), he or she will be added to the drawing to win a $15,000 kitchen makeover. Also, the first 50,000 people who finish the entire online… -
Making Medicine on a Saturday Afternoon in NYC
12 May 2012 | 2:24 pmI just got out of my Ashtanga yoga class and came home to make some medicine. I believe that food is medicine, and the best medicine we can put into our bodies is fresh, organic juice. What you see above is living and curative nutrition. Juicing takes time and effort, but your body and mind will thank you for doing it. When I do not juice, I just do not feel the same. I tend to get down, am sluggish, and lack energy. Here I am making an organic juice with collards and celery. The juicer I use is the Green Star 1000, the only home juicer that I recommend. (The Norwalk juicer is the best juicer… -
Jem’s Cinnamon Red Maca Almond Butter is a Special Product
11 May 2012 | 10:48 amNormally, I cringe when I hear the words “artisinal” or “specialty” to describe a food. I just feel that they are overused terms that have been exploited for marketing purposes, similar to how all of the industrial food companies slap “natural” on so many of their products. And as we know, “natural” doesn’t mean anything. Yet, when I tried out the cinnamon red maca almond butter by Jem, the first thought that came to my mind was “Wow, is this different. I guess this is what an artisinal or specialty product is supposed to taste… -
Food & Water Watch Unveils its New Smart Seafood Guide and “Dirty Dozen of Fish”
8 May 2012 | 2:44 pmSince I don’t eat fish myself nor is there such a thing as USDA certified organic fish (national organic standards for fish have not yet been approved), I don’t pay too much attention to this food group. This does not mean, however, I don’t get asked questions about fish. I do, quite a bit. So, for the people who want to know what is the best fish to eat, what fish should they avoid, what fish have the most contaminants, and what are the least sustainable fish, our good friends at the Food & Water Watch have just released their 2012 Smart Seafood Guide. The Smart Seafood… -
My Lunch at The Prana Cafe in Newton, MA
7 May 2012 | 12:02 pmThis past weekend I was in Boston and had lunch with a friend of mine at The Prana Cafe in Newton, MA. Here is the organic lunch that we had. CARROT, APPLE, AND GINGER JUICE NACHOS The nacho plate came with dehydrated flax crackers, guacamole, salsa, and cheddar cheese. VEGETABLE SUSHI The sushi was filled with avocado, seasonal vegetables, and coconut and turnip rice, all wrapped in nori. Ginger and wasabi on the side. SOUTHWEST TACO SALAD The salad had shredded romaine lettuce, dehydrated beans, sesame dressing, avocado, and a dehydrated flax seed wrap. — Overall, it was…
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Organic Living
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Natural clothing from hessnatur: 20% off until May 20th
8 May 2012 | 9:14 amhessnatur is a natural clothing company using 100% organic cotton, as well as other natural fabrics such as silk, linen, wool, cashmere, alpaca. In May, following the launch of their spring collection, they offer 15% discount on eco pants and jeans (valid from May 9th until May 13th) and 20% discount on summer dresses (valid from May 16th until May 20th). If you’re planning on refreshing your wardrobe, don’t forget the coupon for free shipping and returns: PAFFSH. -
This week’s coupons and sales on organic products
8 May 2012 | 1:56 amCafe Britt Gourmet Coffee - 25 Gourmet Coffees, Chocolates and Nuts. Just $9.00each + FREE Shipping. The Ultimate Green Store - 10% OFF entire order with code: GREENLIVING. End date: 05/31/2012 Teatulia - Save 25% off entire purchase with code “tea4me25″. End date: 05/17/2012 Layla Grayce - 15% off aprons and tabletop accessories with promo code 15party. End date: 5/31 Folica.com - $25 off orders of $75 or more plus Free Shipping. Enter SPRINGFLING at checkout. End date: 25-May-2012 Only Natural Pet Store - 10% Off ALL Dog & Cat Food! Use Coupon Code FOOD10. End… -
This week’s discounts and coupons at Organic Shops
5 Apr 2012 | 5:10 ammyOTCstore Get $20 off on order amount of $300 and upto $500. Folica.com: Get 10% Off orders over $50, 20% Off orders over $75 or 25% Off orders over $125 at Folica.com. Enter SNOWFALL at checkout Beauty Bridge:SAVE 10% and more plus FREE SHIPPING. Weekly Offers for high-quality Skincare Products and Cosmetics at BeautyBridge.com Layla Grayce:15% off baby blankets (excludes Moses Baskets & Pillows) | Code: 15baby | Expires: 4/20/12 The Ultimate Green Store:10% OFFValid through 5/31. Live Superfoods:Enter coupon code SAVE10 to save 10% off your entire order at LiveSuperfoods.com… -
How to eliminate the toxic chemicals from our clothes
29 Feb 2012 | 11:16 amOkay, so we buy organic foods to avoid the pesticides, chemical fertilizers, growth hormones or GMOs we find in our regular food. Photo credits: sxc.hu/profile/tfwww Then we have to buy organic cosmetics, because we’d prefer not to get anything from cancer to allergies from all the SLS/SLES, parabens, petrochemicals, phatalates and hundreds of other health threatening substances we find in conventional cosmetics. But clothes too? What’s wrong with the ones we have? The ones made from natural fibers, like cotton or flax. As it turns out, cotton is not as natural as it used to be. Nothing… -
Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs You Can Grow Indoors
21 Feb 2012 | 5:54 amBalcony Garden by boboroshy If you’re like me, dreaming about having your own garden full of fruits, vegetable and herbs but, alas, you still live in an apartment, know that there is still hope. There are fruits, vegetables and herbs you can grow right on your balcony, terrace or even inside the apartment – although plants grow better and tastier if they have sun light and insects and breeze for pollination. Let’s start with the easiest plants: 1. Herbs - you can grow anything from parsley, dill, basil, oregano, to rosemary or thyme. They take up little space and…
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Natural and Organic Food Tips
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Wheat Bran
14 May 2012 | 10:42 pmWheat bran is the tough outer layer of a wheat grain that has been processed into bran. Also called miller’s bran, wheat bran is commonly found in breakfast cereals like Bran Flakes and Raisin Bran, as well as popular health snacks like bran muffins. It has a sweet (though not especially likeable) taste, and it … Continue reading »Wheat Bran was originally published on Natural and Organic Food Tips. -
Lactose Free Cheese
14 May 2012 | 10:00 pmWith lactose intolerance becoming more and more prevalent in Americans, dairy products free from lactose – the enzyme prevalent in milk that causes the digestive problems associated with the intolerance – are becoming a commoner sight on the shelves of whole food stores and even multinational supermarkets. Lactose free cheese (cheese made from lactose free … Continue reading »Lactose Free Cheese was originally published on Natural and Organic Food Tips. -
What Is Oat Bran?
14 May 2012 | 9:26 pmWhat is oat bran? Put simply, oat bran (also called cereal bran) is the hard outer layer of an oat grain that has been processed into bran. Commonly used as an additive in baked goods such as muffins, cookies, bread, pancakes, scones, and cereals, the bran is prized by cooks for the robust, nutty flavor … Continue reading »What Is Oat Bran? was originally published on Natural and Organic Food Tips. -
Natural Laxative Foods
14 May 2012 | 8:57 pmIt is no secret that the modern diet, which often consists of large amounts of processed and unnatural food, is taking its toll on the Western world. Obesity, diabetes, and other serious health concerns are becoming international epidemics, and the food we eat is the single biggest reason for it. One other medical condition caused … Continue reading »Natural Laxative Foods was originally published on Natural and Organic Food Tips. -
Lactose Free Milk
14 May 2012 | 8:24 pmBetween thirty and fifty million people in America (one in ten Americans) suffer fr m lactose intolerance, a congenital disorder resulting in an inability to digest milk and milk products due to an absence of sufficient lactase in the body. Because milk contains important nutrients such as calcium and protein, these millions of people are … Continue reading »Lactose Free Milk was originally published on Natural and Organic Food Tips.
