I've been reading about the 100-Mile Diet and I'm feeling inspired to learn more about local food sources. The 100-Mile Diet is eating food grown and produced within a 100-mile radius of where you live. Two people, Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon took on this challenge in 2005 and did it for an entire year.
In that time, they became acquainted with local farmers, ate produce within 24 hours of the time it was picked and discovered many new foods. According to a study cited on their website, a regional diet uses "17 times less oil and gas than a typical diet based on food shipped across the country."
You don't have to eat within the 100-Mile Diet for a year to make a difference. Even one local meal per day or per week can make an impact. Consider hosting a potluck in which the focus is seasonal, local food. I'm going to start planning one.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Menu For the Future
The Northwest Earth Institute is now offering a six-week discussion course on food and sustainability. Anyone can participate. You can do this from anywhere. You just need to find a group of eight to 12 people and meet weekly or bi-weekly in your home, workplace, church, community center, etc. to discuss the course topics.
Course Goals:
• To explore food systems and their impacts on culture, society and ecological systems.
• To gain insight into agricultural and individual practices that promote personal and ecological well-being.
• To consider your role in creating or supporting sustainable food systems.
Course Goals:
• To explore food systems and their impacts on culture, society and ecological systems.
• To gain insight into agricultural and individual practices that promote personal and ecological well-being.
• To consider your role in creating or supporting sustainable food systems.
Anyone in Seattle want to join me in getting a discussion group going?
Cooking Quinoa, the "Mother Seed"
It was only a few years ago that I discovered and started cooking quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). But my life has not been the same since. Often referred to as a grain, quinoa is actually the seed of a plant that is related to the beet, chard and spinach plants. And it's highly nutritious and protein-rich.
The Incas referred to it as the "mother seed," and it has been produced in South America since 3000 B.C.E., according to the Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.
Quinoa contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein in and of itself. It also is a good source of vitamin B2, vitamin E and dietary fiber, and contains healthy levels of the minerals iron, phosphorus, copper and zinc.
So what does it taste like? By itself, it has a creamy, nutty flavor. The texture is slightly crunchy. You can use it in place of rice or many other grains. I like to add it to soups and stews, or mix it with beans and add some freshly chopped herbs.
It only takes about 15-20 minutes for it to cook. To do so, simply add one part grain to two parts liquid in a saucepan. Once the mixture has reached a boiling point, lower heat to a simmer and cover. The grains will become translucent and the white "germ" part usually detaches from the main body of the grain. Beware: quinoa expands to about three or four times its size when cooked.
The Incas referred to it as the "mother seed," and it has been produced in South America since 3000 B.C.E., according to the Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.
Quinoa contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein in and of itself. It also is a good source of vitamin B2, vitamin E and dietary fiber, and contains healthy levels of the minerals iron, phosphorus, copper and zinc.
So what does it taste like? By itself, it has a creamy, nutty flavor. The texture is slightly crunchy. You can use it in place of rice or many other grains. I like to add it to soups and stews, or mix it with beans and add some freshly chopped herbs.
It only takes about 15-20 minutes for it to cook. To do so, simply add one part grain to two parts liquid in a saucepan. Once the mixture has reached a boiling point, lower heat to a simmer and cover. The grains will become translucent and the white "germ" part usually detaches from the main body of the grain. Beware: quinoa expands to about three or four times its size when cooked.
Monday, April 13, 2009
E-mail Me
I know some of you have had issues posting comments on this blog. If you are wanting to leave a comment, or if you have a question or an idea about anything I've blogged about, or if there is something you'd like to see me blog about, please feel free to e-mail me at buildthemovement@yahoo.com
I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Marion Nestle on Obama's New FDA Administrator and Food Safety
In her recent column for the San Francisco Chronicle, nutrition and public policy expert Marion Nestle discusses President Barack Obama's nomination for FDA Administrator Dr. Margaret Hamburg, along with what issues Hamburg should address to fix the system, as well as other concerns around food safety.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Plan Ahead, Eat Well
A friend once told me casseroles were the key to her sanity in the face of juggling her duties as a full-time student and mother of two. I was skeptical.
Me: A casserole? Really?
Her: Yes. It just takes a little planning. Make it in advance, freeze part of it for using later. Start your week by setting aside time to just make up a couple of casseroles. Then, when things get hectic, you don't have to plan your meals, you just pull out your casserole and heat it and feed yourself and your family.
Me: Hmm...interesting. But what if --
Her: Just make a damn casserole!
I haven't really gotten into making casseroles, but I know my friend has a point. Most of the times that we make poor food choices are because we haven't thought too far ahead about eating. After all, it's hard to think straight when your blood sugar is low and your stomach is growling. But the reality is: you're going to get hungry...several times a day...for the rest of your life. So why not plan for the inevitable by cooking up some things in advance?
While I haven't adventured too much into casserole-land, I have found other ways to follow my friend's advice, specifically by making soup. I love soup. I make some type of soup at least once a week. I make double or triple the amount I would need to make a meal for myself and my family, then divvy up the rest in quart containers and throw them in the freezer.
A few tips for freezing or re-heating soups:
1. As with anything you freeze, make sure to date your containers.
2. Make sure your containers are air-tight.
3. Wait until soup has cooled to put in freezer. If you put hot soup in the freezer it will lower the temperature of everything else in the freezer and use more energy than necessary.
3. Don't freeze soups longer than three months.
4. Soups with potatoes and/or cream don't freeze very well and are best eaten fresh.
5. Pasta doesn't freeze well, either. If your soup includes pasta, add that separately once you've thawed your soup.
6. Thaw soup in refrigerator and re-heat in saucepan.
Please feel free to e-mail me or comment with ideas on how you plan your meals and what steps you take to free up your time around food preparation.
Me: A casserole? Really?
Her: Yes. It just takes a little planning. Make it in advance, freeze part of it for using later. Start your week by setting aside time to just make up a couple of casseroles. Then, when things get hectic, you don't have to plan your meals, you just pull out your casserole and heat it and feed yourself and your family.
Me: Hmm...interesting. But what if --
Her: Just make a damn casserole!
I haven't really gotten into making casseroles, but I know my friend has a point. Most of the times that we make poor food choices are because we haven't thought too far ahead about eating. After all, it's hard to think straight when your blood sugar is low and your stomach is growling. But the reality is: you're going to get hungry...several times a day...for the rest of your life. So why not plan for the inevitable by cooking up some things in advance?
While I haven't adventured too much into casserole-land, I have found other ways to follow my friend's advice, specifically by making soup. I love soup. I make some type of soup at least once a week. I make double or triple the amount I would need to make a meal for myself and my family, then divvy up the rest in quart containers and throw them in the freezer.
A few tips for freezing or re-heating soups:
1. As with anything you freeze, make sure to date your containers.
2. Make sure your containers are air-tight.
3. Wait until soup has cooled to put in freezer. If you put hot soup in the freezer it will lower the temperature of everything else in the freezer and use more energy than necessary.
3. Don't freeze soups longer than three months.
4. Soups with potatoes and/or cream don't freeze very well and are best eaten fresh.
5. Pasta doesn't freeze well, either. If your soup includes pasta, add that separately once you've thawed your soup.
6. Thaw soup in refrigerator and re-heat in saucepan.
Please feel free to e-mail me or comment with ideas on how you plan your meals and what steps you take to free up your time around food preparation.
Friday, April 3, 2009
More Americans Using Food Stamps
A recent Reuters article states that one in 10 Americans are now using Food Stamps. Figures from January mark the third time in five months that enrollment set a record. Anti-hunger group Food Research and Action Center cites the weakened economy as the reason so many more people are turning to this government-run food assistance program.
The Federal Food Stamp Program, recently renamed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) offers a basic eligibility screening tool on their website where you can check to see if you or someone you know is eligible for food-assistance programs including WIC (food assistance for Women Infants and Children) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). Programs vary state-by-state.
The Federal Food Stamp Program, recently renamed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) offers a basic eligibility screening tool on their website where you can check to see if you or someone you know is eligible for food-assistance programs including WIC (food assistance for Women Infants and Children) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). Programs vary state-by-state.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
How Our Food Choices Affect the Weather
The fact that it is snowing here in Seattle on the first day of April has me feeling a little out of sorts. This is a city that rarely sees much snow at all, especially not after the month of January. And yet here it is, coming down rapidly.
My mother, who lives in northern New Mexico told me it snowed there last week, a day after the temperature reached 87 °F.
This has gotten me thinking about climate change and the food connection. So I'm looking at how my food choices affect these things.
According to an article by Paul Roberts in the April 2009 issue of Mother Jones magazine, the amount of energy used to produce our food has increased dramatically.
Roberts also notes that Americans spend less than 10 cents of every dollar on food, which is the least in the world. Americans also eat more meat than anyone else in the world — 200 lbs. per year.
Beef production, alone, is a huge drain (literally) on our dwindling water supply. "It takes nearly one gallon of fossil fuel and 5,200 gallons of water to produce just one pound of conventionally fed beef," according to Mother Jones magazine.
My mother, who lives in northern New Mexico told me it snowed there last week, a day after the temperature reached 87 °F.
This has gotten me thinking about climate change and the food connection. So I'm looking at how my food choices affect these things.
According to an article by Paul Roberts in the April 2009 issue of Mother Jones magazine, the amount of energy used to produce our food has increased dramatically.
"In 1940, one calorie of energy produced two to three calories of food. Today, it takes 10 calories of energy to produce each calorie of food sold at supermarkets," Roberts states.Just as with any other business, farming requires burning fossil fuels to make fertilizer, run tractors and process and transport food.
Roberts also notes that Americans spend less than 10 cents of every dollar on food, which is the least in the world. Americans also eat more meat than anyone else in the world — 200 lbs. per year.
Beef production, alone, is a huge drain (literally) on our dwindling water supply. "It takes nearly one gallon of fossil fuel and 5,200 gallons of water to produce just one pound of conventionally fed beef," according to Mother Jones magazine.
"If every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetables and grains, for example, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads. And speaking of cars, it takes fuel to transport food, so buying from local farmers and ranchers cuts emissions even if you don’t cut out any meat," according to an article on the Environmental Defense Fund website, which cites a recent study from the University of Chicago.So what can you do? Plant a garden, cut down on your meat consumption and buy as local as possible. Local Harvest is a wonderful resource for finding farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food and grass-fed meats in your area.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
YES! Magazine and Food
I was thrilled to discover YES! Magazine this weekend at the Seattle Green Festival, mostly because the free issue I got of this quarterly publication is all about food.
From an article entitled Eight Ways to Join the Local Food Movement to New (and Old) Ideas for a Better Food System, the current edition of YES! Magazine focuses on sustainability and the social justice aspects of our food, calling for reform of the Farm Bill, "which primarily funds corporate farming operations growing 'commodities' like corn, soy, and wheat. As a result, unhealthy foods, like corn-fed meat and corn-based sweeteners, are usually far cheaper than fruits and vegetables," according to an article by Anna Stern and Madeline Ostrander.
You can also find a discussion between Democracy Now host Amy Goodman and Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin, in which he discusses Seattle's progress toward zero waste.
You can check all this and more out here.
From an article entitled Eight Ways to Join the Local Food Movement to New (and Old) Ideas for a Better Food System, the current edition of YES! Magazine focuses on sustainability and the social justice aspects of our food, calling for reform of the Farm Bill, "which primarily funds corporate farming operations growing 'commodities' like corn, soy, and wheat. As a result, unhealthy foods, like corn-fed meat and corn-based sweeteners, are usually far cheaper than fruits and vegetables," according to an article by Anna Stern and Madeline Ostrander.
You can also find a discussion between Democracy Now host Amy Goodman and Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin, in which he discusses Seattle's progress toward zero waste.
You can check all this and more out here.
Beware of Antioxidant Branding
I love antioxidants as much as, if not more than, the next person. But I prefer to get them directly from organic whole foods such as berries, vegetables, beans and nuts as opposed to trying to irradicate free-radicals via breakfast cereals, soft drinks and other highly processed foods that claim to be packed with these cancer-fighting agents.
Hundreds of products have been developed in the last few years that boast antioxidants, or high ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) values. But those statements have not really been evaluated and proven to be true, according to an article by FoodProductionDaily.com
Hundreds of products have been developed in the last few years that boast antioxidants, or high ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) values. But those statements have not really been evaluated and proven to be true, according to an article by FoodProductionDaily.com
“Just increasing the ORAC value provides no guarantee of greater benefit. It’s pure marketing and it is time the nutraceutical industry steps up to the plate and substantiates implicit and explicit claims of performance based on product antioxidant content,” states Alex Schauss, PhD, founder of AIBMR Life Sciences, a nutraceutical products consulting company based in Puyallup, Washington.So...if you really want to get your antioxidants, feast on whole foods like red kidney beans, blueberries, cranberries, pinto beans, artichokes, pecans and more. Here's an article about antioxidants and a list of un-processed foods that contain them.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Meditating on the Microbe
As I sit here drinking my fermented beverage — a glass of Sangiovese — I am thinking about fermentation and the microbes that make this process possible.
Fermentation, in addition to being a way to preserve food without refrigeration, also increases the bioavailability of nutrients. In other words, it makes food more nutritious. It even creates new nutrients.
In this culture of rampant germ warfare, fermentation provides an opportunity to make peace with and cultivate a working relationship with the vast microbial world, inviting it into our diets, and strengthening our digestive systems in the process.
Some fermented foods you may already enjoy:
yogurt
cheese
vegetable krauts/kimchis
miso
tempeh
tamari
sourdough breads
Here is a video of Sandor Ellix Katz giving simple, step-by-step instructions on making sauerkraut. I'm going to give this a whirl.
For more information on fermentation, go here or check out Katz's website: www.wildfermentation.com
Fermentation, in addition to being a way to preserve food without refrigeration, also increases the bioavailability of nutrients. In other words, it makes food more nutritious. It even creates new nutrients.
"As they go through their life cycles, microbial cultures create B vitamins, including folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and biotin," according to Sandor Ellix Katz in his book Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition and Craft of Live-Culture Foods.Katz, a self-proclaimed fermentation fetishist, exalts the microbe and criticizes the germaphopic culture that has antibacterial soaps in every home. The problem, Katz says, is that every time we remove bacteria from the surfaces of our skin, we're more susceptible to harmful bacteria. We make ourselves a "blank slate" for harmful bacteria to come and take over. Then, new bacteria develops that is more resistant.
In this culture of rampant germ warfare, fermentation provides an opportunity to make peace with and cultivate a working relationship with the vast microbial world, inviting it into our diets, and strengthening our digestive systems in the process.
Some fermented foods you may already enjoy:
yogurt
cheese
vegetable krauts/kimchis
miso
tempeh
tamari
sourdough breads
Here is a video of Sandor Ellix Katz giving simple, step-by-step instructions on making sauerkraut. I'm going to give this a whirl.
For more information on fermentation, go here or check out Katz's website: www.wildfermentation.com
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009
The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 (Bill # H.R.875) is currently before Congress.
The Organic Consumers Association has not taken a position for or against this bill and has stated concerns that this bill could be "interpreted to impose onerous regulations on small farms, especially raw milk producers who are already unfairly targeted by state food-safety regulators."
For more information as well as a list of the bill's sponsors, go here.
The Organic Consumers Association has not taken a position for or against this bill and has stated concerns that this bill could be "interpreted to impose onerous regulations on small farms, especially raw milk producers who are already unfairly targeted by state food-safety regulators."
For more information as well as a list of the bill's sponsors, go here.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Calcium Without Dairy
If you are lactose-intolerant, vegan, or aren't too keen on dairy, you might get asked how you get enough calcium in your diet. Or you might be asking that question, yourself.
The good news is that there are excellent plant-based calcium sources, many of which have higher levels of calcium than dairy. It just so happens that we usually only hear about calcium in the context of dairy consumption because the Dairy Coalition is, well, formidably huge.
Kelp and other sea vegetables, along with dark leafy greens like collards, kale, parsley, dandelion and watercress have some of the highest levels of calcium, considerably higher than milk. You can find calcium in levels equal to milk in foods such as sesame seeds, broccoli, walnuts and sunflower seeds.
Below is a chart that lists some of the best calcium sources, according to Naturopathic Doctors Joseph Pizzorno and Michael Murray in their book The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods
Calcium content in milligrams per 3 1/2-ounce (100 gram) serving:
Kelp 1,093
Cheddar cheese 750
Dulse 296
Collard greens 250
Kale 249
Almonds 234
Yeast, brewer's 210
Parsely 203
Dandelion greens 187
Brazil nuts 186
Watercress 151
Tofu 126
Figs, dried 121
Sunflower seeds 120
Whole milk 118
Sesame seeds 110
Broccoli 103
Walnuts 99
The good news is that there are excellent plant-based calcium sources, many of which have higher levels of calcium than dairy. It just so happens that we usually only hear about calcium in the context of dairy consumption because the Dairy Coalition is, well, formidably huge.
Kelp and other sea vegetables, along with dark leafy greens like collards, kale, parsley, dandelion and watercress have some of the highest levels of calcium, considerably higher than milk. You can find calcium in levels equal to milk in foods such as sesame seeds, broccoli, walnuts and sunflower seeds.
Below is a chart that lists some of the best calcium sources, according to Naturopathic Doctors Joseph Pizzorno and Michael Murray in their book The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods
Calcium content in milligrams per 3 1/2-ounce (100 gram) serving:
Kelp 1,093
Cheddar cheese 750
Dulse 296
Collard greens 250
Kale 249
Almonds 234
Yeast, brewer's 210
Parsely 203
Dandelion greens 187
Brazil nuts 186
Watercress 151
Tofu 126
Figs, dried 121
Sunflower seeds 120
Whole milk 118
Sesame seeds 110
Broccoli 103
Walnuts 99
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Food Facials
You don't have to spend tons of money on expensive cosmetics and skin care products to re-vitalize your skin. There are many items from your kitchen you can use to help keep your skin vibrant and healthy.
Here are the basics of what I use to give myself a food facial:
For a mild and soothing exfoliant, put uncooked rolled oats in coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until about half or more is powdery. Add just enough whole milk to make into a paste-like substance. Smooth onto face, avoiding eye area. If your skin is feeling especially rough, rub mixture gently into skin. Rinse with warm water.
Homemade toner: Use a ratio of half vinegar (I suggest raw apple cider vinegar) and water or half lemon juice and half water. Mix and apply as you would any other toner.
Skin soother: Apply a very small amount of raw honey to your face. Raw honey is loaded with antioxidants and enzymes, and is antimicrobial. It is good for reducing swelling and scarring (especially useful if you've had an acne outbreak). Leave honey on face for 15-20 minutes. Remove gently any excess honey with a warm wet cloth.
Moisturizer: coconut oil. I love this stuff. It's usually solid and white at room temperature, but once you start to apply it to your body, it melts instantly. Coconut oil is antibacterial and helps relieve dryness, prevents wrinkles, age spots and sagging.
These are just a few food items you can use to give yourself a food facial, but there are many other options (raspberries, avocados, cucumbers, bananas, etc.) Before you head out to buy a mask or a cream that is loaded with stuff you can't pronounce, look around your kitchen and luxuriate in the simplest of ingredients.
Here are the basics of what I use to give myself a food facial:
For a mild and soothing exfoliant, put uncooked rolled oats in coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until about half or more is powdery. Add just enough whole milk to make into a paste-like substance. Smooth onto face, avoiding eye area. If your skin is feeling especially rough, rub mixture gently into skin. Rinse with warm water.
Homemade toner: Use a ratio of half vinegar (I suggest raw apple cider vinegar) and water or half lemon juice and half water. Mix and apply as you would any other toner.
Skin soother: Apply a very small amount of raw honey to your face. Raw honey is loaded with antioxidants and enzymes, and is antimicrobial. It is good for reducing swelling and scarring (especially useful if you've had an acne outbreak). Leave honey on face for 15-20 minutes. Remove gently any excess honey with a warm wet cloth.
Moisturizer: coconut oil. I love this stuff. It's usually solid and white at room temperature, but once you start to apply it to your body, it melts instantly. Coconut oil is antibacterial and helps relieve dryness, prevents wrinkles, age spots and sagging.
These are just a few food items you can use to give yourself a food facial, but there are many other options (raspberries, avocados, cucumbers, bananas, etc.) Before you head out to buy a mask or a cream that is loaded with stuff you can't pronounce, look around your kitchen and luxuriate in the simplest of ingredients.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Greening Your Diet
The current (March 2009) issue of Conscious Choice Magazine has a great list of ways to green your diet, as well as an interview with food activist Raj Patel. Check it out.
Produce with highest levels of pesticides
Here is a great link to the Environmental Working Group's list of non-organic produce with the highest levels of pesticides. Peaches and apples are the worst, ranked at the very top of the list with the highest load of pesticides, while avocados and onions are ranked lowest. There are a total of 47 fruits and veggies listed here:
http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php
http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php
Whew!
Here it is: my inaugural food blog entry. It took me a few hours to come up with a blog address and name—everything I tried was already taken. Apparently a lot of people are blogging about food on blogspot. And, to quote Martha Stewart, that's a good thing.
Why do I want to blog about food? Well, because I spend large quantities of my time thinking about food (everything from growing, preparing and eating food to the social and political aspects such as genetically modified ingredients and other issues of food safety, food scarcity, advocacy, nutrition, etc.) I could go on and on. And I will.
But I'd like to start by first asking you to slow down with your food. Slow. Way. Down. Create space for mealtime. Turn off the tv or the computer, sit down and take in the aromas, the flavors, the textures of the food before you. Regardless of what you're eating, give yourself space to really smell, taste and feel the affects this food has on you.
This is the beginning. But so much is contained right there in cultivating that awareness. Start thinking about what journey this food took to be at your table (Was it from your garden? A local farm? A farm 100 miles away? A farm 1,000 or more miles away?) Ask yourself about the resources used to grow this food, the machinery used to process this food, the packaging used to contain this food, the marketing used to sell this food, etc. Now ask yourself what nutrients this food brings you. And if you don't know the answers to these questions, I encourage you to start looking for them. Because you may be shocked at what you find.
Stay tuned. I'll be posting links to all sorts of resources. I'll even throw in a recipe from time to time. My wish is this: May all people everywhere be nourished.
Why do I want to blog about food? Well, because I spend large quantities of my time thinking about food (everything from growing, preparing and eating food to the social and political aspects such as genetically modified ingredients and other issues of food safety, food scarcity, advocacy, nutrition, etc.) I could go on and on. And I will.
But I'd like to start by first asking you to slow down with your food. Slow. Way. Down. Create space for mealtime. Turn off the tv or the computer, sit down and take in the aromas, the flavors, the textures of the food before you. Regardless of what you're eating, give yourself space to really smell, taste and feel the affects this food has on you.
This is the beginning. But so much is contained right there in cultivating that awareness. Start thinking about what journey this food took to be at your table (Was it from your garden? A local farm? A farm 100 miles away? A farm 1,000 or more miles away?) Ask yourself about the resources used to grow this food, the machinery used to process this food, the packaging used to contain this food, the marketing used to sell this food, etc. Now ask yourself what nutrients this food brings you. And if you don't know the answers to these questions, I encourage you to start looking for them. Because you may be shocked at what you find.
Stay tuned. I'll be posting links to all sorts of resources. I'll even throw in a recipe from time to time. My wish is this: May all people everywhere be nourished.
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