May 2010
182 posts
Spill, Baby, Spill
BP’s most recent failure to contain the massive Gulf Coast oil spill will add millions, if not billions, of dollars to the company’s remediation bill. But American consumers will also feel the pain as gas prices rise. How else can Big Oil recoup the money it has lost from the spill? Meanwhile, in other financial news, fishermen are losing significant income, and fishing may be banned for an...
What’s in That Hot Dog?
Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs each year, but most of us are poorly versed in wiener lingo. Mainstream and organic hot dogs contain the typical meats you’d find in the butcher case: pork, beef, turkey, chicken or a combination of these proteins. Nonorganic hot dogs made from “variety meats” may contain liver, kidneys and hearts, but they must be labeled accordingly (i.e., contains “meat...
Michelle Obama’s “Chefs Move to Schools” Program
The White House has a plan to get better food to students. It sure would’ve been nice for Bush or Clinton to have thought of this while I was in school. The First Lady announced a new program that should help get healthier and tastier food in public schools. Around the country, chefs will be given the opportunity to adopt local schools to drop all the chicken patties and italian dunkers and...
organicgirl Produce Recalls Baby Spinach
We have yet another recall to report, and this one involves organic spinach. Salinas, Calif.-based organicgirl Produce is voluntarily recalling 336 cases of 10-oz. baby spinach packages because of potential salmonella contamination. The affected products have an expired use-by date of May 22, are labeled with product code 11A061167 and were sold in six states: Alabama, North Carolina, Oregon,...
9 Easy Recipes for Your Next Summer BBQ
I dream about casual, warm, summer nights. My hubby and I have a few friends over, open a bottle (or two) of our favorite summer wine (did I hear someone say rose´ or chardonnay?), fire up our ceramic komodo barbecue, and eat around our oversized picnic table we built together. My mouth is starting to water as I write this. Summer is a great excuse to serve up delicious fresh farmers market finds,...
Study On Organic Food and Health Ignores...
“No evidence organic foods benefit health: study.” That’s the headline of a story that Reuters published on Monday. _Really?!_ If true, this would’ve been news to me, so I checked it out. Sure enough, they elaborate in the first sentence that “there is currently no strong evidence that organics bring nutrition-related health benefits, a new research review...
Organic Sicilian Avocados Take Europe by Storm
Avocados are the MacGyver of the fruit world. If you get creative, you can do anything with them. Don’t like butter? Smear some avocado on bread, it tastes just like butter. Add avocado to dips or salsa and that’s great too. Heck, I bet if you mix avocado thick enough, you could lay bricks with it. I guess it’s that versatility - probably taste too - that’s making organic...
Bobby Flay’s Smoked Chile Cole Slaw
If you’re planning a Memorial Day barbecue or attending a potluck, take a cue from celebrity chef Bobby Flay: Aim for simple and delicious. “Real food does not have to be complicated,” says Flay, one of the Food Network’s Iron Chefs. “With a few basic ingredients, it’s easy to create a meal you can feel good about serving the whole family.” Prep time for our weekend recipe is 10 minutes, chill...
10 Eco Chic Dinner Party Clean Up Tips
The dress was hot, the heels were smoking and the local, organic food was delicious. It’s 10am the next morning, and it’s time to clean up after a successful dinner party thrown for 10 of your closest friends. All of your guests left happy and deliciously satisfied. You have an-hour-and-a-half to clean up what you can before you dress and dash to that 12:30 champagne brunch, you and...
Easy Lentil Salad with Radicchio and Veggies -...
Episode 67 of OrganicAuthority TV watch it now! This is a delicious healthy, salad recipe. Lentils are a superfood. This recipe great for vegetarians because lentils are high in protein, low-glycemic and stabilize blood sugar. Make it in advance so the flavors blend together and serve chilled. Read more… http://dlvr.it/1G2pM
Dirty Food Might Help You Learn Faster
Having trouble on that crossword? Don’t turn to Google for an answer—spend some time in the garden, instead. BusinessWeek reports that Sage Colleges researchers found that mice who were fed a bacteria naturally occurring in soil made it through a maze _twice as fast_ as the squeaky-clean mice. The cognitive benefits the bacteria lasted for about three weeks after it was consumed. Researcher...
Safeway Responds to Demand for Cage-Free, Organic...
Grocery giant Safeway has announced it will increase sales of cage-free eggs—from 6% to 12%—over the next 2 years. The decision follows a study published last month in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, which reveals that California’s Proposition 2—legislation passed in 2008 that outlaws cages for hen-laying eggs by January 2015—had “a significant effect on consumer...
Easy Lentil Salad with Radicchio and Veggies...
This is a delicious healthy recipe for a beautiful salad. Lentils are a superfood. They are high in protein and low-glycemic and stablize blood sugar. Make it in advance so the flavors blend together. I like to serve it chilled. Read more… http://dlvr.it/1DpVC
Tough Economy Hasn’t Hurt Organic Cotton Market
Organic doesn’t just apply to stuff you eat; lots of stuff can be organic - from household cleaners to clothing. Take cotton, it’s a plant and plants can be raised organically, so that’s why you can now buy organic T-shirts and other apparel. But organic clothes are harder to find than traditional clothing - and you know what that means! It’s more expensive. Well, maybe so,...
Fresh Express Recalls Romaine-Based Salads
And the salmonella hits just keep on comin’… Two recent recalls—romaine lettuce and alfalfa sprouts—were bad enough, but we have a new one to report: Salinas, Calif.-based Fresh Express just announced a salmonella-related recall of specific Fresh Express romaine-based, ready-to-eat salads. Affected products have expiration dates of May 13 through May 16, as well as an “S” in...
Easy Organic Coleslaw With Cranberries - Episode...
Episode 66 of OrganicAuthority TV watch it now! This delicious and healthy coleslaw recipe is perfect for a summer barbeque or family outing and is easy to make. The addition of sweet pink lady apples and cherries are delicious twist. Make it in advance to let the flavors permeate and serve chilled. Read more… http://dlvr.it/1CSGd
Easy Organic Coleslaw With Dried Cranberries...
This delicious and healthy coleslaw recipe is easy to make. The addition of sweet pink lady apples, and cranberries are a tasty twist on an old favorite. Make it in advance to let the flavors permeate and serve chilled. Read more… http://dlvr.it/1CSGf
111 Herbs, Vegetables, Edible Flowers, & Fruit to...
$5.99 per pound for organic heirloom tomatoes, $6.99 per pound for organic bell peppers are they kidding? One of the biggest complaints about organic foods is, yes it can get expensive. And depending upon where you live, accessibility might be an issue. One of the best ways to save money on organic and natural foods is to grow your own and start a kitchen garden! (And by the way, we do have a free...
Four Groups Should Never Eat Raw Sprouts
In light of yesterday’s report on salmonella-contaminated alfalfa sprouts, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to remind consumers that certain populations should avoid eating organic or nonorganic raw sprouts of any kind: *
Pizza Fusion Announces Organic School Food Program
School food and “wow, that tasted great” don’t exactly go together. Remember the Salisbury “steak” and mash potatoes ala ice cream scoop? Yeah, fail. Even pizza Fridays were horrendous, with those defrosted squares of mutant pizza. I’m Italian, so they still haunt my dreams. But Pizza Fusion, an organic and “earth friendly” pizza franchise with 15 locations nation wide, has just...
FDA Issues Urgent National Recall of Alfalfa...
Maywood, Calif.-based Caldwell Fresh Foods has issued a voluntary nationwide recall of all alfalfa sprout products, which have been linked to a salmonella outbreak in 10 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Wisconsin. Of the 22 confirmed patients, six have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. http://dlvr.it/19lQN
McDonald’s Board Rejects Cage-Free Eggs
At Thursday’s meeting of McDonald’s shareholders, Paul Shapiro, senior director of the Humane Society of the United States’ factory farming campaign, urged the fast food chain to decrease its use of eggs from caged hens. Most competitors, including Burger King, Wendy’s, Carl’s Jr. and Sonic, have gone cage-free, but egg products sold by U.S. McDonald’s restaurants come from hens confined to...
Here Comes the Eco-Conscious Groom
Wedding season will soon be upon us, and the groom’s wardrobe is often overlooked. An eco-conscious groom needs to look polished, dressing to fit his wedding’s tone and scope. Most weddings are formal occasions, calling for a tuxedo or high-end suit, which can be made from sustainable hemp, organic cotton or organic wool. Generally, the tuxedo jacket is single-breasted, with three buttons and a...
Cumin-Crusted Salmon
It’s no secret that sustainable fish should be an integral part of a heart-healthy diet. That said, finding new ways to prepare it can prove challenging. Our weekend recipe solves this problem with a tasty, easy-to-prepare wild Alaska salmon entrée. http://dlvr.it/16zLT
Colorado Rules in Organic Livestock
I live in New Jersey, so to me “open space” means a corner lot. But not in Colorado, there’s plenty of land out there. So it’s no surprise that a recent report shows Colorado has the highest percentage of land dedicated to organic livestock. Colorado rules with 76%, the most in the West. And you better call it the “West,” I was just in Colorado and they’re very punchy about being...
Coral Reefs to Benefit from Disney’s “Oceans”
As we reported a few weeks ago, Disneynature contributed a percentage of opening-week ticket sales for its latest film, Oceans, to The Nature Conservancy’s Adopt a Coral Reef program. The environmental partners have since announced that the proceeds will be used to protect more than 35,000 acres of coral reefs in The Bahamas. At 55 square miles, the area is 250% larger than Manhattan and could...
7 Super Foods that Reverse Signs of Aging and...
There are hundreds of superfoods that benefit the skin - here is a tiny sampling. 1. Wild Alaskan Salmon and other cold water fish (salmon, sardines, herring, trout, etc.) are great sources of protein which is necessary to maintain and repair the body-including the skin on a cellular level. Protein cannot be stored in our bodies. For optimum health and cellular repair we need to have a good source...
Processed Meats Linked to Higher Heart Disease,...
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found that eating processed red meat—bacon, sausage or processed deli meats—was associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. The researchers did not find a higher risk of heart disease or diabetes among individuals who ate unprocessed red meat: beef, pork, or lamb. “Although most dietary...
Organic Beer is Bubbling Up in New Zealand
Truth be told, any kind of beer is good beer - I’m not picky - but nowadays new types of beer are popping up…organic beer. Go to your local vegan restaurant and you’re sure to find organic booze. They usually come in brown bottles with artsy labels. And the organic beer trend is not only picking up steam in the United States, but a brewery in New Zealand is changing the countries...
5 Secrets to Vegetable Garden, Companion Planting...
A Seasonal Guide to Feeding Your Lawn
Grass is like any other living entity: It requires nutrients and regular meals to grow. The following guide from Scotts, a company known for numerous organic gardening products, will help you maintain a healthy lawn. Fall Think of fall as breakfast for your grass: the most important meal of the day. Many experts say fall marks the single most important lawn feeding of the year, with one exception:...
Study Links ADHD to Pesticide Exposure from...
Just one week after President Obama’s Cancer Panel recommended consumers choose food grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones to decrease exposure to environmental chemicals that can increase the risk of cancer, the journal _Pediatrics_ published a study that concludes exposure to organophosphate pesticides at levels common among America’s...
Anna Getty's Pan-Fried Sake Shrimp - Episode 65
Episode 65 of OrganicAuthority TV watch it now! This recipe comes from Anna Getty’s Easy Green Organic cookbook. It is one of her many delicious and healthy recipes. The flavors of the cooked sake, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger blend together perfectly. This easy recipe can be made in 10 minutes! It is important to have some crusty country bread to soak up all the juices. Watch the video and...
Pan-Fried Sake Shrimp
This is one of my favorite recipes. The flavors of the cooked sake, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger blend together perfectly. It is important to have some crusty country bread to soak up all the juices-your guests will fight each other for the last heel of bread in order to do this. Shrimp are generally not overfished because they grow quickly and have a short lifespan. The problem with shrimp...
Do You Recycle Pet Food Cans?
While Purina has yet to offer an organic line of dog or cat food, the company wants to remind consumers that aluminum pet food cans are an overlooked contributor to landfills. Less than 20% of aluminum pet food cans are recycled each year, according to recycling industry sources (compared to 54% of aluminum beverage cans). A recent Purina survey confirms that only half of all cat owners recycle...
Romaine Officially Linked to E. Coli Outbreak
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and stage agencies have confirmed that the current multistate E. coli outbreak can be traced to bags of shredded romaine lettuce (not organic) distributed by Sydney, OH-based Freshway Foods. As of Tuesday, there were 23 confirmed and 7 probable affected patients in Michigan, New York, Ohio and Tennessee—12 of...
Coffee Horchata
Horchata is a traditional Hispanic beverage made with water, milk and rice, with all of the delicious flavors of a traditional rice pudding. Here in Southern California, it’s often served at popular Mexican restaurants and cafés. Kern’s, best known for its canned nectars, has been selling horchata and similarly refreshing _aguas frescas_ (lemon, tamarind, hibiscus) in mainstream...
How To Save Money While Raising 7 Healthy, Green...
When I had my first child, “organic” and “green” were not words you heard every day. Organic cotton clothing? Eco friendly toys? BPA free bottles? To most I was speaking a foreign language. I remember expecting my first child, my request for cloth diapers was met with a collective gasp. “Why would you want to do that, disposables are so much easier?” That was...
Green Your Cleaning with a Fresh Lemon
Pick up a juicy lemon at your local natural and organic food store, and you’ll have a powerful green cleaner. Lemon can be used to remove soap scum and clean/shine brass. Here’s why it works: A lemon’s acidity breaks through soap scum and hard-water deposits, while providing a fresh and natural smell. http://dlvr.it/zkXV
Health Benefits of Organic Coconut Oil and Raw...
Episode 64 of OrganicAuthority TV watch it now! There is solid scientific evidence that extra virgin coconut oil is healthy for you. Health benefits include improved metabolism, thyroid function, boost energy and promote weight loss. After discovering this I wiped up this delicious, healthy dessert recipe that uses four ingredients extra virgin coconut oil, raw cocoa, raw honey and salt. This...
Coconut Oil, The Delicious Health Benefits
I am constantly on the lookout for delicious healthy foods, and recently extra virgin, organic, coconut oil came across my path. Initially I was skeptical about this weird oil that remained solid at room temperature (which technically makes it a saturated fat). In fact, most health care professionals tell us to stay away from coconut oil and place in the artery clogging, saturated fat category...
Raw Cocoa Coconut Fudge Recipe
This is a delicious, healthy dessert recipe that uses just four ingredients. This recipe can be made in about 10 minutes, it’s really that easy! I developed this recipe because I am always looking for a healthy sweet in the afternoon which usually consists of raw cocoa. Raw cocoa is a super food, and has more antioxidants than red wine or green tea and gives you a natural energy boost....
Help Betty White Save Oil Spill Victims
At 88, Betty White (right) killed on Saturday Night Live_ _last weekend, and she has the ratings to prove it. The TV legend scored the show’s highest viewership since November 2008, when Ben Affleck’s hosting gig featured guest appearances by Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain and Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. (For the record: Palin’s “Drill, Baby, Drill” idiocy should force her to de-oil...
Clean Safe Organic Potatoes…Wrapped in Plastic
Yeah, that’s kind of funny - or kind of stupid. It’s hard to make out, but those are organic potatoes. Okay, that’s cool. But they’re wrapped in plastic. http://dlvr.it/xT8S
Organic Green Garlic & Broccoli Orzo Pasta -...
Episode 63 of OrganicAuthority TV watch it now! In the spring when green garlic is at its peak at your local farmers market, this is a delicious healthy recipe used with green garlic. If green garlic is out of season or you just can't find it, substitute with organic garlic. If you do find spring garlic, remember it can be very mild. If it is too mild, add more to the recipe to your taste....
Organic Green Garlic & Broccoli Orzo Pasta Recipe
This is a delicious healthy recipe that ideally is prepared in the spring, when green garlic is at its peak at your local farmers market. If green garlic is out of season or you just can’t find it, substitute with organic garlic. If you do find spring garlic, remember it can be very mild. If it is too mild, add more to the recipe to your taste. This dish could easily be one dish dinner...
Gristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety
What do multiplatinum-selling musician Moby and Global Animal Partnership Executive Director Miyun Park have in common? They’re coeditors of the new book Gristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety, an info-packed guide to the consequences of factory farming. _Gristle _covers “the rarely publicized ramifications of industrialized farmed animal production and meat, egg and milk consumption on the...
Light Up Your Organic Garden with Daylilies http://dlvr.it/w6kb
Light Up Your Organic Garden with Daylilies
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Light Up Your Organic Garden with Daylilies →
By Kathie Bond-Borie, Guest Columnist
Though each flower lasts but a day, daylilies light up the garden with blooms for many weeks. The common orange and yellow stalwarts have given way to…
