Adding Flowers to your meal

Flowers are such a beautiful way to garnish a plate! You can even add some to salads or freeze them in an ice cube to add a touch of elegance to your next glass of water.

Here is a great article from Dr. Weil about which flowers are safe to eat http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400990/What-Flowers-Are-Safe-to-Eat.html

Hurricane "Healthy" Survival 101



East Coast readers it looks like Irene is coming our way! But no need to stress that your healthy eating will fall to the way side while you are locked indoors without power. Here are some staples that I just stocked up on for a healthy hurricane weekend :)

• Raw Nuts
• Jugs of H2O
• Whole Wheat Pasta & Tomato Sauce (perfect if you have a gas stove)
• Oatmeal (you can warm water over the a fire or again using a gas stove)
• Whole Grain Bread
• Natural Peanut Butter
• Bananas
• Mary's Crackers
• Apples
• Pre-made Raw Granola Bars
• Amy Organic Soups
• Canned Corn & Black Beans makes a quick salad topper or side dish (just mix with some cumin, dash of raw sugar and a little lime/lemon juice.)
• Tuna Fish
• Dark Chocolate- Endangered Species Mint
• Grape Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Also Freeze some ice packs tonight so if the power goes out you can save some of your go to favorites in a cooler (yogurt, veggies, berries etc)

Stay safe!!

Reduce your impact/Improve your health!

The Enviromental Working Group just released this wonderful meat eating guide to climate change and health.  If you do not have time to read this site please check out this summary for the small changes we can make daily to help the enviroment and also improve our health and well being.

2011's Dirty Dozen



The Enviromental Working Group just released its 2011 shoppers guide to pesticides in produce and the results are unexpected (apples topped the list?!).  While I believe that buying organic produce is the best option I know that is not possible for everyone. That being said PLEASE use this "dirty dozen" list to choose what conventional fruits and vegetables should be avoided. (During research most of the samples are washed and peeled before they are tested, just as they would before before you eat them at home).

 

1.Apples
2.Celery
3.Strawberries
4.Peaches
5.Spinach
6.Nectarines (imported)
7.Grapes (imported)
8.Bell Peppers
9.Potatoes
10.Blueberries (domestic)
11.Lettuce
12.Kale/Collard Greens

 

If your only option is to purchase conventional then fresh is still the best choice. And since we all know washing alone will not remove pesticides here is a rinse that can be done that will remove 98% of the bacteria.

• The cleaning method that worked the best was a dilute vinegar rinse (3 parts water, 1 part vinegar).
• For smooth and harder fruits prepare a spray bottle with the rinse and use enough to coat your produce. Then rinse the produce under cold water to remove any residual vinegar flavor.
• For produce with crevices, like broccoli, consider soaking in a solution for a couple of minutes, then rinse well.

Remember the good news is that its Farmer's Market Season!!! Don't forget to visit http://www.localharvest.org/ to find locations near you.

  

Source Treehugger.com and healthyalterego.com

Vanishing of the Bees

Usually our first thought when we think of bees is getting stung. But did you know that honey bees are responsible for almost everything we eat each and every day?

Click this link http://www.vanishingbees.com/  to watch the video trailer for the documentary Vanishing of the Bees. Its a sad and scary realization that our environmental conditions are very poor.

We need to stop and appreciate the small things in life and save the honey bees!