August 2010
81 posts
Green Ways to Decorate Your Patio
On a mild summer day, there’s nothing I enjoy more than a nice, shady spot where I can kick back and read a good book. It’s the best time of year to enjoy your outdoor space, so why not liven it up with some “green” decore? Read more… http://dlvr.it/3jC34
Do We Really Need a Pop-Tarts Shrine?
I’ve never understood the appeal of Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts. Even as a kid, I thought they were pretty awful. Read the label on a box of Pop-Tarts, and the mystery may be solved. Your basic Unfrosted Blueberry Pop-Tart weighs in at 210 calories, with 16 g sugar, 2 g saturated fat and less than 1 g fiber. The main ingredient is enriched flour, which sounds reasonable enough. But the next...
Natural and Do-It-Yourself Remedies for Fleas
Last week, I talked about ways you can prevent your pup from getting fleas. But even with these measures in place, we can find these nasty pests in our home. How can you tell the difference between an itchy dog and a flea-ridden one? Read more… http://dlvr.it/3fbb8
Keep Pet Food Away from Curious Infants, Toddlers
There’s always a chance that dry pet food and treats may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s particularly important to keep infants and toddlers away from them. In fact, Procter & Gamble has expanded its recent recall of Iams veterinary and Eukanuba specialized dry pet foods because they may be contaminated. More than 23,000 tons of dry dog and cat food were recalled during several...
Fast Food Expected to Grow Even More in the U.S.
Really? Fast food isn’t big enough? There’s still more room to grow? Apparently there is. RNCOS, a leader in market research and information analysis, says the fast food industry could grow by 5% over the next few years. Read more… http://dlvr.it/3dBvV
Sea of Cauliflowers Engulfs French Village
_Image via bretagne-tip.de_ The cock crows in the Breton village of Lanmeur, France, and as locals sleepily consume their croissants and fresh orange juice, a horrifying discovery is made: the village center has been buried under a deluge of fresh cauliflower. As onlookers stand by, bemused at the veritable vegetable avalanche, the finger of suspicion falls on local farmers – no longer can...
Genetically Modified Organisms Found in the Wild
For the first time in the United States, populations of genetically modified organisms were found to be growing in the wild in North Dakota – along roadsides, in ballparks and cemeteries- and in some cases, have been cross-pollinating to create new plants that are resistant to several strains of herbicides. Read more… http://dlvr.it/3czm0
10 Ways to Clean with Home Grown Plants and Herbs
Undoubtedly, the greatest joy of growing your own garden is eating all the fresh food it produces. But of course there’s a catch: if you’re lucky enough to get a huge harvest, you might not be able to eat it all. Perhaps after two weeks straight of freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice your mouth is getting permanently puckered. Or as much as you love lavender, you can’t possibly think of another...
Taco Bell: Ground Zero for Salmonella Outbreak?
Scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been investigating the source of two recent multistate salmonella outbreaks, and some experts say Taco Bell veggies are the likely culprit. The CDC has identified the outbreak source only as a “Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain,” but Oregon Senior...
Restaurant Review: Pizzeria Ortica
California is generally seen as a place full of good food: after all, just about anything can be grown successfully somewhere in this huge state. However, excellent restaurants tend to congregate in specific areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Napa. In the past, Orange County has not been part of the fine-dining elite. But restaurants such as Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa are doing their...
10 Reasons Why Olive You
Sure, we can thank Rachel Ray for the now ubiquitous “EVOO” dub. But it was Athena herself, the Greek goddess of wisdom, with whom the olive originated. It was her gift to the people in hopes of winning Greece’s greatest city, and alas, Athens was born. Her offering of the olive tree, providing shade, oil and a little round fruit (yes, olives are fruit) wooed the ancient Greeks, and continues to...
Chefs File Lawsuit Against Top Olive Oil...
After reading the UC Davis report on mislabeled extra-virgin olive oil, angry California chefs have filed a class-action lawsuit against companies whose products failed the “virginity test.” At press time, 10 major producers and distributors have been named in the suit: *
New Recall: 1 Million Pounds of Ground Beef
Modesto, Calif.-based Valley Meat Co. is recalling approximately 1 million pounds of frozen ground beef patties and bulk ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli_._ This is a U.S. Department of Agriculture Class 1 recall, which indicates “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences...
Is Your Olive Oil Fake?
Almost 70% of imported and 10% of California-produced extra-virgin olive oils sold at the state’s supermarkets and big-box retailers were mislabeled and may have confused consumers, according to a report from the Olive Oil Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California, Davis. These findings prompted the California Olive Oil Council (COOC) to petition the U.S. Department of Agriculture to...
Crystallized Flowers Recipe
Crystallized flowers are a lovely addition to homemade desserts, and they’re fun to make at home, especially with your own home-grown edible flowers. They add color and a sweet crunch to cake, crème brulee, ice cream, pudding, tarts…anywhere you want to add some interest. Read more… http://dlvr.it/3TSv7
Grass-Fed Organic Beef Giveaway
It’s late summer and the grilling season is in full swing. The ideal late summer night: pour a glass of your favorite wine (or cocktail), have a few friends over, fire up the bbq, and eat some ridiculously, delicious organic foods. It doesn’t matter whether it’s steak, hamburgers, carne asada, or shish kabobs, we love it all! But, of course we want the delicious healthy meats...
3 Tips for Perfectly Grilled Organic Veggies
Crosshatched grill marks give food that professional-chef look. So, how can you grill summer’s organic vegetables to perfection? *
Kid Food: Make an Organic Cauliflower Caterpillar
Convincing children to eat their veggies can be challenging, so Chicago-based registered dietitian Jodie Shield encourages parents to get creative. Encourage your kids to play with their food, urges Shield, coauthor of The American Dietetic Association Guide to Healthy Eating for Kids. You can combine snack time with playtime by creating veggie critters as afterschool treats. Here’s what you’ll...
Jamie Oliver Races Against Take-Out in New TV Show
Jamie Oliver, the world-famous British celebrity chef, has set his sights on take-out food. Oliver’s newest show will feature him cooking meals from scratch in half an hour, in less time than it takes to get a bag of take-out from a restaurant. These aren’t going to be boring pasta-and-sauce recipes, either: The Daily Mail reports that “[t]he meals will be ‘varied and...
China Vows to Improve Food Safety
China has a bad history with food safety, most notably the baby formula-melamine crisis in 2008, which sickened more than 6,000 babies, and eventually saw the execution of company officials responsible for the contamination. But now authorities from China’s Ministry of Health have pledged to improve food safety regulations, particularly for milk and dairy products. Read more…...
