Be a Locavore! CSA's and Food Co-ops, What are they all about?

Would you rather:

A. Eat carrots that had to travel 1,800 miles to get to your plate or B. Eat carrots that were picked the same day just a few miles down the road?

Aside from the logistics of it all, it just makes sense to support local agriculture. Not everyone is privy to such wonderful possibilities, but if you are, why not take advantage of a wonderful thing?

Community Supported Agriculture is a great way of getting local (preferably organic) produce for a great  price. A "CSA" group typically consists of members who commit to purchasing a minimum amount of produce from a supplier (usually a local farmer) on a regular basis. This group effort ensures that the farmer has someone to sell his produce to, and the buyers can benefit with buying local, fresh produce at a fair price. Knowing exactly where one's food comes from has many benefits and supporting your local farmer is a win-win for all involved. The produce will be super fresh, packed with more vitamins than produce that must be shipped, stored, then put out for (potentially) several days on display. You farmer will likely introduce produce you may not have eaten before. Being exposed to new types of produce will make eating and preparing it more exciting. CSAs aren't always just produce. Some farmers include eggs, homemade baked goods, jams, jellies, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers or other farm products along with their veggies. 

A food or produce co-operative is similar to a CSA except that usually the produce is bought through a supplier (a produce distributor, like one that delivers to health food stores and grocers) and divided up amongst co-op members. Buying in bulk and/or wholesale allows the lower prices to be passed down to the co-op members.

Not everyone is able to farm gardens, keep chickens, and milk a cow. This does not mean one does not want the same fresh, healthy, eco-friendly options. Belonging to a CSA or a local co-op is a great way to have these wonderful, fresh, healthy foods. 

Currently, I run a local co-op in my hometown. It is a wonderful thing!

Here are a couple of websites where you can look up CSA's and co-ops in your area:

1. CoopDirectory.org

2. LocalHarvest.org

The BEST Gluten Free Brownies You Will Ever Eat!

Cadee’s Ultimate GF Brownie Recipe:

1 ½ sticks of real butter (not margarine or Crisco)

2 cups of quality bittersweet/semisweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli brand)

¾ cup Gluten Free Flour Mix (click here for my ALL PURPOSE GF Mix)

5 large eggs

2 cups brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F.  It’s best to use a mini-muffin pan (non-stick) and liberally grease with spray.  Otherwise, butter/grease a 9x9 or 9x13 baking dish/brownie pan. OR use parchment paper which makes getting brownies out later much easier!  

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat, do not let butter get too hot. Add chocolate to melted butter Melt chocolate SLOWLY on low still (it will seize and ruin if you do not heat it on low and slow!) in HEAVY bottom saucepan.  (If you don’t have a heavy bottomed saucepan, you will need to melt butter first, then separately prepare a double boiler to melt the chocolate, then combine the melted butter and chocolate)  Set aside butter/chocolate mixture to cool down, stirring once in awhile.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, brown sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Using a mixer, fitted with a WHISK attachment, beat on HIGH speed until the mixture thickens and becomes pale in color. At this stage the mixture should fall from the beater in a wide ribbon that folds back on itself and slowly dissolves into itself. This entire process takes approx. 5 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and FOLD it in quickly but gently taking care not to deflate the air that’s been incorporated into the eggs.

For mini-muffins: Fill each one almost to the top with brownie batter.  For brownie squares: Pour the batter into the prepared (8x8 or 9x9 preferably) glass baking dish and smooth the top with the spatula.**** I find it easier to leave the brownie batter in the refrigerator prior to baking. The batter will harden into a cookie dough consistency. It will still bake fine, just add 2-3 minutes onto baking time. If making mini-muffins, a stainless steel mini ice cream/cookie dough scoop works best to scoop and fill muffin pan. Otherwise, make sure each ball of dough is at about the capacity of the muffin cup size when filling the mini muffin pan.

Bake until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch. For a larger pan (thinner brownies) bake approx. 25 min.;  for a smaller pan (thicker brownies) bake approx. 40 min. For mini-muffin brownie bites bake approx. 16-17 min.

Organic Pumpkin Cheesecake (with Gluten-Free/Yeast-Free Graham Cracker Crust)

I promise nobody will know this crust is Gluten Free, NOBODY. I pride myself in "tricking" people who think they can taste GF food a mile away. I use this brand of GF/YF graham crackers for the crust: Kinnikinnick (I think I spelled it right!).

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups gluten-free/yeast-free graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons raw coconut crystals, any natural sweetener that's 1:1 sugar OR light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick melted, salted butter

Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin OR 2 cups home made pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream 
• 1 1/2 cups raw coconut crystals OR sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose GF flour OR Potato Starch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined. Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

The Bottled Water Debate

I have a Mother. A wonderful, knowledgeable, helpful Mother. She is the reason for getting my brain thinking "Where does that water come from in that bottle?".  She is the reason for my pondering many things, but let's just ponder this one for now. About 6 years ago, when my husband's Navy job had taken us to Canada on an exchange tour for 3 years, I was on a huge mission to make myself healthy, lose weight, and spend more time on myself, ultimately improving myself as a whole. When I had decided that I was sick of being overweight, I managed to lose about 70 lbs. I spent countless hours at the gym and drank water like there was no tomorrow. Here's my "results not typical" success story .  We have lived in the States for the past few years and I had surgery to remove my gall bladder 3 years ago. Someone told me that having my gall bladder removed would promote weight gain. I guess it makes sense knowing the main purpose of the gall bladder is to aid in the digestion of fats from food. Because of the fact that the United States feels the need to triple food portions, plus my overall love of food, not to mention a wee bit of depression from moving around all of the time, I have gained a few pounds back. For those reading, trying to lose weight: Don't get discouraged, it can happen, and the pounds can stay off.  I was skinny for about 5 years after losing all that weight originally. I have to say that life comes into play, and I am guilty of losing all control the past 2 years. Now, I will have to work double time to get back to 130 lbs. Anyway, (I am so good at losing sight of the current topic!) this is about water, no? WATER....the most important element in our bodies. About 60% of our body weight comes from water. As we already know, water is more important than food when it comes to survival. But, water can also be bad for us. How so? Water can carry contaminants, carcinogens, diseases, and more. The bottle the water is in can contain leaching chemicals (like Bisphenol A).  When truly giving this topic consideration, we need to go back to the initial source of any water, bottled, tap, or otherwise.


This definition table comes from the FDA:

Table 1. Various types of bottled water.

TYPE	DEFINITION
Artesian Water	Water from a well tapping a confined aquifer in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer.
Mineral Water	Water containing not less than 250 ppm total dissolved solids that originates from a geologically and physically protected underground water source. Mineral water is characterized by constant levels and relative proportions of minerals and trace elements at the source. No minerals may be added to mineral water.
Purified Water	Water that is produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other suitable processes and that meets the definition of "purified water" in the U.S. Pharmacopeia, 23d Revision, Jan. 1, 1995. As appropriate, also may be called "demineralized water," "deionized water," "distilled water," and "reverse osmosis water."
Sparkling Bottled Water	Water that, after treatment and possible replacement of carbon dioxide, contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had at emergence from the source.
Spring Water	Water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth at an identified location. Spring water may be collected at the spring or through a bore hole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring, but there are additional requirements for use of a bore hole.

Growing up we had artesian well water, and it tasted great! It was cold from the tap, especially in the winter. "Town" or "City" water would be considered purified. I have lived with this kind of water all over the United States. In Southern Texas, the city water was so full of chlorine that when I took a shower it smelled like an indoor swimming pool area and my eyes would burn. At one house I lived in there was an ample amount of sulfur in the water so the water smelled of rotten eggs. That was not nice. I also worked at a restaurant where the water was so bad, a customer walked into the back kitchen, holding her glass of foul smelling water while yelling, "How dare you serve this water?".  Water has so many variables. There are so many things that can contaminate it and spoil it's taste or consequently, enhance it's flavor with benefits (minerals).

I can barely remember when bottled water hit the market. It was definitely a luxury item at first. Most bottled waters that I would see on the store shelves were from other countries, like Iceland or France. Evian is the first brand I recall ever seeing and it cost about $2 per bottle, if not more.  I thought to myself, at the time, who the heck would PAY for a bottle of water? Now look at "us". What office or waiting area doesn't have a huge water cooler? What soda machine doesn't have a bottled water selection? Most cafes and eateries only offer bottled water (and you have to shamelessly beg for "free" water out of the tap if you don't want to pay for the bottled water).

Investigations have been performed to dissect bottled water brands. Here are the findings that were conducted for the Environmental Working Group on some name brand bottled waters and the chemicals that were carried in these waters: http://www.ewg.org/reports/BottledWater/Bottled-Water-Quality-Investigation


Bottom line of the reports:

"Two of 10 brands tested, Walmart's and Giant's store brands, bore the chemical signature of standard municipal water treatment — a cocktail of chlorine disinfection byproducts, and for Giant water, even fluoride. In other words, this bottled water was chemically indistinguishable from tap water. "

 So, some bottled water is just expensive tap water- in a bottle.

It would be so nice to know EXACTLY where my water comes from (just as I wish I knew exactly all of my food comes from).
In my own conclusion, I feel that spring water, out of a real spring, that is no where near industrial sites, or anything that can contaminate it's underground source, is the way nature intended. Of course, I want it tested before I drink it ;o)
Because of all that I have read on this subject, I did not believe there was a water out there that is true SPRING WATER, tested for purity then put direct into a bottle to be sold.  There is one such brand of bottled water available by Beyond Organic. It comes from a true spring, at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Georgia surrounded by 130 acres of organic land. Here is it's story: http://organicforlife.mybeyondorganic.com/Web/us/en/products-beverages-overview.dhtml
To purchase this true "Reign" spring water, it costs less than $.90 per bottle.  It's packaged in a BPA free, recyclable bottle. My children seem to go for anything that is packaged (rather than re-filling a water thermos). I prefer they grab one of these waters from the refrigerator than run out of the house without any hydration. It's also nice for us when we are in a hurry to leave and need to grab some water for the road. For the benefits of true Spring water, I think it's a deal.

Thanksgiving Organic Sugar Pie Pumpkin Pie

Organic Sugar Pie Pumpkins!

Start with an organic Sugar Pie Pumpkin. I got mine from the local grocer, but it originally came from Tutti Frutti's Farm (click here).

Roasting Your Pumpkin:
A medium sized pumpkin will be enough for one pie and use any extra for custard (the pie filling without the crust) ***Here, I roasted 2 pumpkins because I wanted to freeze any extra puree I had for using later on.***  Roasting a pumpkin is very simple. Take off the stem. Cut the pumpkin in half.

 

I have always wanted better knives!Scoop out the pumpkin seeds and reserve. You can roast them later for a delicious snack.

Using a sturdy spoon with a sharp edge, scoop out the stringy stuff and save the seedsTurn the pumpkin halves cut sides down on a cookie sheet and roast at 400 for 30-40 minutes, or until you can stick a fork in the outside of the skin and have it pierce easily.

They look like I oiled them, but it's just them getting sweaty in the hot oven!

Roast the seeds for an amazing and healthy snack! Try one of these recipes: roasted pumpkin seeds

Let the pumpkin cool and scoop out the insides. Process the pumpkin innards in a food processor until smooth or use an immersion blender (my personal choice).

 

You can freeze the pumpkin puree or refrigerate it for up to 7 days.

ON TO BAKING THE PIE:

Is a Cow's Milk Really Just for Baby Cows?

A2 Cattle from Jordan Rubin's "Beyond Organic" Ranch

As I sit down to write this, I have a plate of snacks to keep me motivated. On my dish are slices of an organic Granny Smith apple, organic crackers (I am a sucker for gluten, not an advocate), a glass of organic orange juice (again, I am human, my OJ is pasteurized and from a carton) and last, but certainly not least, a huge hunk of Monterey Jack cheese (not organic, because I cannot find any organic cheeses usually, but at the very least it's "hormone-free").

Raw Cheddar Cheese Wheels made from healthy, Green-Finished TM cows!

I was told by a naturopath to avoid gluten and dairy. NObody should be told these things in the same year, let alone in the same sentence! Some of you reading this are probably already gluten and/or dairy free eaters. Way to be! I mean that honestly. If you are able to satisfy your cravings without giving into or eating these two "food groups", then you are one step ahead of me. So, this is how I look at it. I am a foodie. There is really no getting around it. I LOVE FOOD. Until it affects me in an obvious way, I will push the envelope.

Dairy is a huge part of my food chain. So long as I have no health symptoms that are apparent from eating dairy, I will continue to do so. There are really only 2 schools of thought on cow dairy (you either think it's healthy or you don't) I have to say I have teetered on the fence over the last several years between the thought of whether it is healthy for us or not. I have read literature before that states cow milk is the closest to human milk in its properties.  When our oldest was done nursing from me (and there are some people now stating that even breast milk can be unhealthy, ugh), I thought I was being a health guru (pre-internet) by giving her rice and soy based milk in lieu of cow's milk. (Excuse me for a moment, I need to go get some more cheese) So, after the invention of the internet, it has come to my attention that rice milk offers nothing truly nutritious in value, I really don't know why I ever thought it would?  Soy milk is ok for those who don't have a history of breast cancer in their family, since it can disrupt hormones and cause some havoc. Soy does have a lot of protein. If you are of Asian descent, you are clear to drink it for the most part, it's a gene thing.

 There's goat milk, almond milk, sheep milk, hemp milk, coconut milk and more. All of these contain better health qualities than soy and rice, but definitely possess different flavors than cow milk. So, what's the 'problem' with drinking cow milk? Well, to start with, it's the cow that's the problem.

 Dr. Thomas Cowan (I am not making this up, there's something in a name)- has spent most of his career researching this debate on cows' milk- the cows' genetic make-up, how they are treated, fed, and how the milk is handled thereafter. In a nutshell here is the explanation on why most of the western world's cattle, including the United States are no good for most of us. They mostly hail from the A1 beta-casein gene pool (such as Holsteins). This is important to note because beta-casein also contains an amino acid called BCM-7, which is a powerful opiate linked to negative health effects such as diabetes 1, heart disease, auto-immune diseases, and more. Where as the A2 cows, from more ancient blood lines are more healthy and favorable. The A2 type cows (which the proteins are very close to sheep and goat's milk) are very rarely found in the U.S., but if you are lucky to find a farmer with Jersey cows, they are A2 type. You are even luckier if this farmer sells you the milk raw  so you can reap its full benefits.

Jordan Rubin's pastures in Missouri

Just say "No" to BPA

This is a picture of the bottle I used for 3 years, religiously. Turns out it wasn't so great for me.

The very bottle that some water comes or is stored in can leach chemicals that are harmful to our bodies. It was only a few years ago, living in Canada, when working so hard to lose all my weight, that I had a big, plastic Nalgene bottle. I carried this bottle with me, full of water, everywhere. I thought I had bought the same bottle, that all health enthusiasts recommended and serious athletes used. I thought I had bought the best water bottle, ever. A couple years after having bought my first Nalgene  bottle, the reports started circulating about the bisphenol A (BPA). There are always opposing sides to every issue. Here is what the pro-BPA side has to say: Facts about BPA (published by the Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group of the American Chemistry Council) and myths according to them: http://factsaboutbpa.org/what-are-the-bpa-mythshttp://factsaboutbpa.org/what-are-the-bpa-myths.  Wow, that was the perfect example of don't believe everything you read. (You don't even have to believe what I write, but just know that I have mine and my family's best interests at stake and I am not a huge corporation based on millions of dollars.) They claim on their website that "Based on several studies on human volunteers, the very small amount of BPA that may be ingested by a person during normal daily activities is efficiently converted to biologically inactive metabolites, which are eliminated from the human body within 24 hours." They lead us to believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong with BPA. At the time of my writing this blog entry, the site actually had a photo of a woman, smiling ear to ear, as she holds a BPA-lined can of soup while grocery shopping. It reminded me of the same feeling I got when I saw this old ad:

This ad is a hoax, but I almost believed it was for real!