Healthy Recipes

31. Food fight (of the political sort)

Godzilla vs. Rhodan. Ali vs. Foreman. Luke vs. Darth Vader. Rosie vs. Donald. Among the great battle stories in history, this one is sure to be one little children will be telling their children and grandchildren in years to come. In one corner, we have a delicious, locally-grown apple. In the other, a larger-than-life-size twinkie. At stake is nothing less than the future of the food we eat.

Check out this fun and informative video on the US Farm Bill which is currently up for public debate. When you're done, head right over to healthyfarmbill.org and give your senators and rep. a piece of your mind. It only takes 3 minutes and you'll feel just like a summer peach afterward, i.e. warm and fuzzy.

Category : From the Garden

Date Added: Sep 3, 2007 Rating: 0.00 Votes: 0



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32. Our buddy bacteria

Whether it’s lysteria in hot dogs, e.coli in ground beef or salmonella in peanut butter, bacteria is more often than not seen as one of the “bad guys� of the microscopic world. The result of this is that we are fast becoming a "bacterophobic" society.

If you have any doubts about this, just take a good look around you next time you go to the grocery store or pharmacy. A few years ago, only a few dozen products containing antibacterial agents were being marketed for the home. Now more than 700 are available. We're now being bombarded with ads for cleansers, soaps, toothbrushes, dishwashing detergents, and hand lotions, all containing antibacterial agents. Ironically, new research out of the University of Michigan suggests that not only are these anti-bacterial products no better than good 'ol soap and hot water, but that they could render some useful antibiotics less effective over time.

While bacteria has recently been cast in the bad guy role, organic gardeners know that bacteria do much of the behind-the-scenes, dirty work in the soil and in the compost pile. What a lot people don't know is just how critical this work is. Were it not for soil bacteria, there would be no kitchen garden. In fact, there'd be no life at all. We've posted a slideshow to our website (available as a PDF or a PowerPoint file) which explains how bacteria fit into the big picture called life.

If you're not a soil bacteria fan by the end of this blog post, then consider this one last fact: bacteria might even make you a happier person. Researchers at the University of Bristol in the UK have found that a common soil bacteria called "mycobacterium vaccae" could act like antidepressant drugs. This bacteria has been found to stimulate the immune system of mice and boost the production of serotonin, a mood-regulating brain chemical.

You always knew that gardening made you feel good. Now, perhaps you know why.

Bacteria photo courtesy of Vijñ�na

Category : From the Garden

Date Added: Sep 3, 2007 Rating: 0.00 Votes: 0



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33. Vegetables That Cut to the Quick

By Barbara Damrosch, published Thursday, August 23, 2007 in The Washington Post



As a gardening cook, I always say that flavor is everything, but my evil twin, the lazy cook, knows otherwise. Sometimes I just want vegetables that are easy to slice.

Cooking is all about cutting things up, and a cylindrical variety that yields uniform slices -- quick to do, tidy on the plate -- is what I reach for on a busy day. I'll choose a long, slender beet such as Forono over a round one. I'll grab tapered radishes such as red-and-white D'Avignon, or a daikon, to slice for salad. I might even forgo my favorite Brandywine tomato (delicious but a bit lumpy) in favor of a paste type that makes quick, round disks. I'll skip the flying-saucer-shaped pattypan squash and reach for zucchini. Chop, chop. Pattypans, like round tomatoes, are great for stuffing. But stuff anything on a day when there's 10 for lunch? Not a chance.

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Date Added: Sep 3, 2007 Rating: 0.00 Votes: 0



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34. Back to School: 4 Tips for Organic Families

As we enjoy the last weeks of summer (or “freedom,” as kids
may call them), it’s time to prepare for the...

Category : From the Garden

Date Added: Sep 8, 2007 Rating: 0.00 Votes: 0



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35. Send Kids Back to School with a Healthy Diet

The school year is in
full swing. So what does that mean for your child’s diet? Hopefully not a
strict diet of...

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36. Cool School Lunches

As you know by
now, all parents have a different idea of what is healthy food and what is not.
For years,...

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37. The Top Five Benefits of Natural Organic Pet Food for Your Dog

Whether or not you’ve “gone organic,” you probably know how crucial a role
diet plays in your overall health.
People who...

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38. The Real Science of Organic Farming

Traditional Farming’s reliance on
pesticide is a deadly choice for consumers. Scientists say, first and foremost,
to seek out organic foods, fruits...

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39. Scientists point to cause of bee colony collapse

The sudden and mysterious disappearance of honeybees in the United States over the past year may be due to a virus, according to a new research paper by an international team of scientists.

The pathogen, called Israeli acute paralysis virus, was detected in almost all bee hives tested during a survey of hives afflicted by what has become known as colony collapse disorder. The pathogen is rarely found in healthy hives.

The discovery will likely help put to rest rampant speculation about the source of the strange collapse in U.S. bee populations.

Any threat to bee numbers could affect the global food supply. An estimated $2-billion worth of crops in Canada depend on honeybees for pollination, and about $15-billion in the United States, where the collapse has already led to difficulties in pollinating crops.

The researchers also found the virus on live bees imported into the United States from Australia, and in royal jelly samples from China. Royal jelly is the food bees produce for queens, but it is also sold as a health food for humans.

The discovery of the virus has raised speculation that the United States inadvertently allowed it into the country through the import of Australian bees. This was allowed in 2004, at the urging of the agricultural industry, to boost the number of hives available for pollinating high-value crops such as almonds. The import of the bees coincided with the first reports of unusual problems in bee colonies.

News source: The Globe and Mail
Photo credit: Frogmuseum2

Category : From the Garden

Date Added: Sep 8, 2007 Rating: 0.00 Votes: 0



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40. Tomato inspiration

Are you harvesting tomatoes hand over fist and looking for some fresh ideas on how to prepare them? Well, the global blogosphere is here to help. Below are a few recipes recently posted to some food blogs that you will probably want to get to know better. Enjoy.

From Simply Recipes:


White Beans and Cherry Tomato Salad

Gazpacho
 
From Chocolate & Zucchini:


Panzanella
 
From Kayn's Kitchen:


Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Mint, Feta, Lemon, and Thyme


Slow roasted tomatoes
 
From David Lebovitz:


Marinated Tomato Salad
 
From Just Hungry:


Tabbouleh with Heirloom Tomatoes and Shiso
 
From Champagne Taste:


Roasted tomato sauce
 
From A Veggie Venture:


Baked Eggs with Tomato and Spinach


Photo by D. Knisely

Category : From the Garden

Date Added: Sep 8, 2007 Rating: 0.00 Votes: 0



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