August 2011
103 posts
4 Eggplant Recipes for the End of Summer and...
It’s that time of year when eggplants start to invade the psyche from all corners of the farmers market. Low in calories and fat (unless you fry them – they’ll easily absorb oil and ruin your low-calorie plans) and high in taste, eggplants are used in a range of recipes from different regions of the world. Served in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and more, you’re sure to find...
The 'Miracle Mineral' that Is Magnesium
Magnesium. The “Miracle Mineral.” The “Spark of Life.” It is absolutely essential for nearly 300 biochemical reactions that take place within our bodies, known for playing a critical role in both bone and heart health. But, for some reason, magnesium is often overlooked. It is estimated that more than 80% of the US population is deficient in this key nutrient, leading to...
Hollyfood! 'The Taste' Food Festival Takes Over...
The biggest celebrities in Hollywood these days might surprise you. Nope, not Anne Hathaway or Johnny Depp; it’s the all-star lineup of celeb chefs appearing at the epic _LA Times_ and _Food and Wine’s_ ”The Taste” festival taking place over Labor Day weekend.
READ THE REST… http://dlvr.it/jZ7Y7
7 Ways to Shave 100 Calories Off Your Meal
Keeping up with calorie counts can be confusing at best and depressing at worst. However, if you learn a few tricks and pick up the following habits, you can shave 100 calories off your meal and barely even notice.
READ THE REST… http://dlvr.it/jVlrQ
Los Angeles School District’s Newest Curriculum:...
As the nation’s second largest school district prepares for the start of the fall semester, student food critics have been hard at work sampling some healthier menu items soon to be found in cafeterias across Los Angeles. http://dlvr.it/jTPWj
5 Foods that Fight Age-Related Disease
We have ALL been touched by the lofty hand of age-related disease… cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and the like. Watching those around us degenerate is both tragic and ultimately inevitable. And although we cannot fight age itself, we can absolutely give our bodies a fighting chance to thrive into our later years.
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Summer Sustainable Cookbook Roundup
I’m a cookbook junkie. I’ve got about a hundred cookbooks stacked (un)evenly on the bookshelf, and another five or ten rotating cookbooks on my coffee table—a visible signal I leave for myself that “these are the books I need to read.” Some people read novels or poetry before bed. I tuck in with a dog-eared cookbook and a copy of the latest _Saveur _under the pillow. This month, I’ve got these...
5 Super Delicious Super Nutritious Seeds
Seeds are the source of life—a magical dense capsule of information, nutrition and in many cases, absolute yumminess. Nuts often overshadow seeds in the handy protein-rich-healthy-fat snack category, but there are a number of reasons to skip the nuts and go with seeds instead.
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I Can't Believe it's Not Better! The Ugly Truth...
Hey, remember the 1980s? MTV was born, girls dressed like Madonna, boys like Michael Jackson and Ronald Reagan got shot. Strange times indeed. The Cola Wars were in full swing (Did you take the Pepsi Challenge?) and another food battle was raging: Butter versus Margarine._ _
_I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter_ hit the shelves in 1986 and quickly cemented itself as the flavorful...
The ABC's & 123's of Plastic Recycling
Plastic: Once the go-to-material for butterfingers and the accident-prone, quickly soared into superstar status, filling every nook and cranny of our lives with virtually shatter-proof, undeniably durable, candy-colored lifestyle staples. From cool invention to cultural ubiquity, plastic has enjoyed a long, glorious heyday… that is, until we started realizing that it’s been responsible for...
World’s Most Expensive Spice Next Cancer Drug?
New research has shown effectiveness of the spice saffron to protect against the development of liver cancer, published in the latest issue of Hepatology. http://dlvr.it/j7s5Z
The Farm Wars Continue… Young Farmers to Tour U.S....
The next generation of organic farmers are hitting the road on an Organic Valley sponsored 3-week tour of the Pacific Northwest in the Generation Organic 2011 “Who’s Your Farmer” campaign aimed at connecting people with their food, their local growers and to discuss how personal diet choices affect not just our own health, but the health of the planet and of future...
Make Your Own Aromatherapy Mood Mists
Aromatherapy. The art of using scent to the benefit of our wellbeing… or shall we call it a science? Our sense of smell has the remarkable ability to quickly connect to the brain and affect a change in mood or attitude (we don’t have to tell you that when you smell someone who wears the same cologne as your ex!).
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Sew Your Way to Cute Kitchenware
Do you remember your school days in Home Economics class? My favorite part of class was the cooking component and not so much the sewing sessions, but I’d be willing to give it another go in order to make some great kitchen accessories. You?
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USDA to New York City: Sugary Sodas are Food!
A proposal by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to decrease rising obesity rates through a ban on using food stamps to purchase soda and other sugar-laden drinks was rejected by the USDA. http://dlvr.it/hxRX9
Rise in Antibiotic Use Linked to Diabetes and...
Americans are exposed to anywhere from 10 to 20 different types of antibiotics during childhood, which can reduce our resistance to the medications and decrease our ability to fight off certain antibiotic-resistant infections. This overexposure may also lead to our concurrent rise in obesity, diabetes, allergies and asthma according to new research published in the journal Nature....
Ayurveda: How India Uses Food to Heal
Everyone is different. We learn to embrace this meme in kindergarten, yet as we grow, our world homogenizes and sterilizes much like the cafeteria food that shapes us in those precious formative years. But if we are different, should we all be eating the same foods? Not quite, according to the Indian practice of Ayurveda.
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Mixed Berry Plum Crisp - Episode 86
This is one of my favorite dessert recipes to make in the summer when berries and stone fruit are in high season. It’s simple, easy to make, I can make it ahead of time and it showcases the gorgeous, fresh fruit.
READ THE REST… http://dlvr.it/hjX5x
You May Soon Be Drinking Your...Urine? Yep
The droughts devastating Texas have led the city of Big Spring to invest $13 million in a treatment plant that will recycle human urine into potable drinking water. Los Angeles is also reporting plans of a $700 million facility to purify wastewater to make up about 5 percent of the total annual water usage for the city. As global warming leads to less fresh water, it’s likely we’ll...
California Voters Hope to Have a Say in GMO...
Efforts to make California the first state to require mandatory labeling of all genetically modified foods are underway with growing support from organizations including the Organic Consumers Association and the Right2Know March. http://dlvr.it/hc7Zn
How Do The Healthy Deal with The Unhealthy?
While on vacation with a friend who doesn’t exactly share the same views about food as I do, we got into a disagreement about chicken nuggets. We were food shopping for the week and my typical frozen free-range chicken nugget brand wasn’t available. Among the rows and rows and bags and bags of chicken nuggets, there was _one_ organic/natural brand. It was very expensive and when I...
Mixed Berry Plum Crisp
This is one of my favorite dessert recipes to make in the summer when berries and stone fruit are in high season. It’s simple, easy to make, I can make it ahead of time and it showcases the gorgeous, fresh fruit.
READ THE REST… http://dlvr.it/hc7Yn
5 Foods to Reduce the Bloat
We’re in the thick of it… wedding season that is. Whether it’s your own wedding, you’re in the bridal party or are simply a stunning guest, everyone dons their best to come together and celebrate love. What’s one thing that can dampen the mood (well, besides someone being left at the alter)? Bloat. Yup. Barely squeezing into your dress on the day of. Not only is it...
5 Foods That Double As Household Cleaners
Clean - ahh! It’s such a lovely feeling. And somehow we equate it with the smells of Clorox and Pine-Sol… which are anything but clean and pollute our indoor air with chemicals that are known to be harmful. In your plight for healthier cleaning agents in a highly unregulated and oh-so-not-transparent industry, first avoid any and all products with these words listed on them:...
From Medicine to Menace: What Happened to Soda?
It’s estimated that 1 in 10 Americans drinks soda at breakfast. While that may sound a little strange, Coca-Cola was actually formulated as a coffee alternative. In fact, sodas were created for medicinal benefits! But, alas, these once healthful tonics are now the source of more than 40 percent of all sugar consumed in the United States. In 1900, Americans drank an estimated 12 bottles of...
The Bare Minimum: Shoes for 'Barefoot' Running
You workout to feel and look healthy, but let’s be honest — you really don’t enjoy getting up at 5 am, lacing up your stinky, old running shoes and hitting the track before the sun comes up. After all the work you put into keeping yourself fit and healthy, why would you want to practice a running technique that could potentially cause injuries?
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The King Is Dead: Burger King Trades in Royalty...
The V for Vendetta-esque scary-smile masked king that’s come to represent fast food chain Burger King has officially retired, according to a statement issued by the company last week. The decision comes in an effort to put more focus on a new line of healthier items leading the fall menu lineup. http://dlvr.it/hQt9h
Welcome to the Farm Wars: Big Ag Fights the Small...
Feeling the pressure of the growing number of small-scale farms and activists concerned with food safety and the effects Big-Ag farming has on the environment, some of the largest U.S. farming groups have joined forces in the formation of new organization called the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. http://dlvr.it/hH8VV
The Lunch That Energizes You for Hours
It’s past noon and all of a sudden you realize that you’re hungry and must have sustenance, and sustenance now. All too often this realization is followed by a quick, calorie-filled bite on the run, an ongoing snack-a-thon that continues until dinnertime or an uninspired peanut butter and jelly sandwich… yet again.
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Lotions:: What Not to Slather On
When you’re already buying what seems like the best quality hydration product on the market, what more can possibly be done to restore your skin’s topography to its formerly supple and resilient glory? That’s easy – just become a label sleuth. Whip out your magnifying glass and pull a Sherlock Holmes on your favorite moisturizer brand. Once you launch your own ingredient...
What’s Really In Your Beauty Bag Might Make You...
Chemical free beauty items… you mean the stuff with ingredients that Mother Nature would approve of? Well, that’s definitely a huge step up from some of the offerings sold at the corner drug store, but natural skin care products an still raise an eyebrow and occasionally make even the most steely stomached among us toss our cookies. It’s all about where they’re sourced...
Live Forever with Antioxidant Vitamins? Sort of…
A study published in the current issue of European Journal of Nutrition found that use of antioxidant vitamins decreased the risk of cancer mortality by 48 percent, and “general mortality” was reduced by 42 percent. http://dlvr.it/h3WJ0
4 Ways to Map Out Your Décor
In a world filled with GPS systems and smart phones, the traditional paper map (even as it turns obsolete) still possesses a certain beauty. Antique versions provide us with a link to the past; through them we can see snapshots of a moment in time. People have created maps since before the Greeks, but map-making really exploded during the Renaissance. The invention of printing coincided with...
Another Blow to Monsanto: Roundup Pesticide Linked...
Glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup pesticide, is being linked to damaged soil and roots of treated plants, finds 15 years of study, according to a representative from the USDA. http://dlvr.it/gv2k4
What the Heck Is Vegan Cheese Made of Anyhow?
I swoon, you swoon, we all swoon for ooey gooey cheese… so what’s all this talk about eating vegan versions? How on earth could anything compare to the pure satisfying delight that is coagulated, acidified, pasteurized, aged milk? Pizza would be nothing without its mozzarella-y canvas… macaroni could easily be a mere mockery without a liberal dousing of emulsified cheddar...
Yin-Yang Fitness: The Best of Both Worlds
Many fitness enthusiasts and athletes are now blending Eastern and Western exercise techniques for better results, including mind-body health. Find out why this fusion works so well — and how you can create a harmonious fitness mix for yourself.
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Evolving Eating: Ellen's Vegan Website is a Sign...
Oprah Winfrey reinvented television, print media and the ways in which a human can embrace the ever-complex situation of… being human. It wasn’t easy; she was ridiculed and criticized, but her vision prevailed, whether we like it or not. She shared the _O_ Magazine cover with Ellen DeGeneres in December 2009 (shared only with Michelle Obama before then), giving a not-so-subtle nod to the...
3 Natural Ways to Outsmart Jet Lag
It’s vacation time, baby. You just flew hours from home, over an ocean and multiple time zones, to reach a new locale. You’re rearing to check out the new culture, walk around, see the sites and taste test the local cuisine. Oh wait. No you’re not. That old crook - jet lag - stole hours from your regular schedule. Even though the sun’s high in the sky at your new destination, you’re ready to...
A Non-Profit that Gets It: Girls + Education =...
Well, okay. This awesome non-profit isn’t just concerned with the education and empowerment of 600 million adolescent girls who live in developing countries. It’s really focused on the education and empowerment of the communities where these girls live.
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3 Natural Superstar Oils For A Better Hair Day......
Am I hallucinating or does my hair look like straw? That moment of reckoning hits all of us right between the eyes. After subjecting our locks to years of chemical coloring agents, hot styling tools and hair care products with ingredients that are literally unpronounceable, there comes a time when it all catches up to us. Dragging a comb through freshly washed, conditioned and purportedly...
Integrated Pest Management: Organic's Thrifty...
For many, the idea of leading an organic lifestyle is associated with a lack of affordability. Premiums placed on organic produce by higher-end retailers, for example, cause some shoppers to stray from products labeled as such. But there are ways to be a sustainable consumer without breaking the bank, starting with a lesser-known practice called Integrated Pest Management.
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4 Healthy Grains You Might Not Be Eating… Yet
Carbohydrates… the poor suckers have really taken a beating over the years (thanks Atkins… a lot). Fortunately for all parties involved, conscious eaters are coming around and acknowledging that carbohydrates play an integral role in a healthy diet. White, processed carbs: Not so much. Whole grains that are as close to their natural form as can be: Absolutely. Sure, you may be on...
Buzz Kill: Investigation Finds Tainted Chinese...
Earlier this week, Food Safety News revealed a startling investigation surrounding the import of Asian honey, much of which has tested positive for antibiotics and heavy metals, and although is banned in countries throughout Europe, is finding its way onto shelves in U.S. supermarkets. http://dlvr.it/gZ8DK
Organic Whey Taste Test - Episode 85
Whey protein is known for its many super food like qualities. But ironically the trick is finding a healthy, high quality product that’s delicious. Watch this blind taste test of three certified organic whey products to see which one comes out on top!
READ THE REST… http://dlvr.it/gWQtH
30,000 People Campaign, Food Network Agrees to...
A viral online campaign positioned against the use of shark meat has led the Food Network to remove all shark recipes from its website. http://dlvr.it/gWQsk
5 DIY Fruit Facials for Outrageously Yummy Skin
We all know what it’s like to bite into a juicy summer (fill in the fruit blank); it simply cannot be beat! And, the fact that fresh organic fruits bestow our bodies with a bevy of vital health-giving goodness makes them, well, the queen of foods (where vegetables are king). We may even know that fruits are beauty foods that work from the inside-out.
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Salmonella, Inc.: The Perils of a Poisonous Food...
Cargill’s recent recall of nearly 40 million pounds of salmonella-tainted turkey marks the second largest meat recall in American history. How much attention did you pay to the story? Probably not much, considering contaminated meat is a fairly common occurrence—one we don’t like thinking about—especially when we’re inundated with overplayed media coverage of the debt crisis...
What's Your Sponge Made Out Of?
Hands immersed in sudsy water, you’re busy scouring your pots and pans to a squeaky clean using your, of course, natural dish soap. While scrubbing, you’re feeling pretty good about your eco-self for ridding your home of toxic household cleaners like conventional dish soaps (and you should!), but wait a sec. Are you using a sponge? Because if so, that sponge could be undoing your good green...
8 of the World’s Healthiest Oils
What do olives, avocados, walnuts and fish all have in common? If you guessed that they’re all delicious, I’d say you are spot-on. And if you guessed that they’re all powerful disease-fighters, then you’re even more on the ball. These foods - along with many others - make some of the world’s healthiest oils. Oil, healthy, you ask? Yes, it’s true. A...
You Are What You Smell: How Essential Oils Heal
In his 1985 novel, _Perfume_, German writer Patrick Süskind explores the sense of smell and its relationship with the emotional and physiological impact that scents can have on us. In the case of _Perfume_, the longing for a certain scent drove the main character into madness, and even murder. While that’s quite extreme, surely you’ve experienced feeling transported to some place...
