Grilled Artichokes with Easy Aioli

organic artichokes....such a treat

Did I mention before how much I love the Cheesecake Factory? It is my all time favorite "junk" food source. But, not everything they have on the menu is all that bad in terms of health. CF has a way of making good stuff taste like it's bad for us! Love it!  I had their grilled artichokes a few months ago and have been craving them ever since. Well, thanks to some researching and deducting, I think I have found what makes them taste so amazingly decadent. We rarely find organic artichokes, so when we do, we buy them up. Pricey? Yes! Worth it? Yes!

The artichoke's meat is at the base of it's leaves, but don't forget the heart! It's the best part!

You will need your BBQ for this one. But if you are living where it's too cold to BBQ, you could try roasting them in your oven instead. I haven't tried roasting them, so if you do, please tell me how it goes! Just make sure to follow the same directions up until the BBQ part if you decide to roast yours.

Need:

2-4 artichokes (how much do you LOVE them?)
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves fresh, minced garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Put a large pot of water on high heat to boil, meanwhile: fill a LARGE bowl with cold water and juice from ONE of the lemons (save lemon rind). Halve the artichokes (carefully!) and submerge into the bowl of lemon water. When water on stove is boiling, carefully place artichokes into pot (with long tongs) and add the lemon rinds. Boil for 20 minutes uncovered.

Boil, uncovered for about 20 minutes, taking care not to boil too much or the leaves will start to fall off

Heat Grill on high (or oven at 450 degrees F).

Empty the lemon water from the bowl to use for tossing drained artichokes with the last HALF of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  

Toss boiled artichokes with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper, then grill

Turn grill down to medium heat. (If using oven, roast in middle of oven, keeping an eye on them, turning once and basting every few minutes until charred)  Grill artichokes,  turning once and basting every 5 minutes until artichokes start to char. Remove from heat and serve with amazing aioli dipping sauce (recipe below).

The charring you see adds a layer of amazing flavor!

Easy Aioli:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 cloves fresh, minced garlic
juice from one lemon
1 tsp. sea salt
cracked black pepper

Mix together and enjoy with artichokes

Tastes great with any meal or all alone!

"USDA Organic"- what you get when you buy Organic in the U.S.A.

In my recollection of when I first started to buy organic food (a little here and there, then built my way up), it was pretty expensive compared to it's conventional (meaning non-organic) counterparts. Supply and demand surely came into play and organic farmers were more small time, not backed by huge companies such as "Hain". Therefore, I paid, you paid, we all paid more for our organics a decade ago. Nothing pleases me more than when I find USDA organic foods as cheap, if not cheaper, than conventional foods.

What I have found over the years is that not all organic foods are created equal. Imagine that? I have talked to several who don't "believe" in organics (I always say it's my religion) and convincing them is like trying to convert a Catholic to a Mormon-or vice versa.

I grew up in the Mormon religion, I can poke fun at it.

When discussing organics with a non-organic consumer, it can get touchy, like religion or politics. Trying to sell my own children on why organic foods are better (when clearly McDonald's chicken nuggets are the best food on earth) was difficult. I had to figure out how to explain to them that organic is not a flavor.

Once, a dear friend of mine told me that she had "tried an organic apple once" and "didn't like it". Ok, well, I have had movie theater popcorn, at several different movie theaters, and many times I didn't like the popcorn because it was either stale tasting, too salty, or whatever. But, I almost always buy popcorn still when we go to see a movie and I do enjoy it more than not (if only it were organic!). I surely cannot be the only person who has ever had to return a food item for not being up to par, whether it be organic or not.  It is quite possible that organic apple either was not picked at its peak, had been sitting on the shelf too long, or just wasn't the type of apple that pleased the taste buds at that time. The same can  happen with a conventional apple.

One should not base their entire view about organics on one experience, with one "bad" apple.

Organic foods, simply put, means it contains no GMO's, pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, antibiotics, injected hormones, or "bad" chemicals.


Here are the USDA guidelines for what makes an organic food item organic, and how it will appear on a label:

• 100% Organic – Foods that are completely organic or made with 100% organic ingredients. May display the USDA seal.
• Organic – Foods that contain at least 95% organic ingredients. May display the USDA seal.
• Made with organic ingredients – Foods that contain at least 70% organic ingredients. Will not display the USDA seal. May list specific organic ingredients on the front of the package.
• Contains organic ingredients – Foods that contain less than 70% organic ingredients. Will not display the USDA seal. May list specific organic ingredients on the information panel of the package.

 Some question, "How do you know if your food is truly organic, especially when it comes from another country?"

Well, how do I know that the cook who made my meal at the restaurant I ate at the other night didn't sweat in my food? I don't.

I am confident my food was handled properly before it arrived on my plate?

How do we know anything for sure, unless we do it ourselves?

Until I grow my own, all I can do is trust that the agencies put in place, to monitor, audit, and impose fines (if necessary) are enough to ensure that my food is truly organic. Just like in religion, I have to have faith. For the most part,  I know that most organic farmers do it because they truly believe in what it stands for. Not many who believe in organics will cut corners risking their own jobs, livelihood, and organic's values. I can almost guarantee that the conventional farming practices will always be wrought with more pesticides and garbage at any rate.


MAJOR benefits to supporting organic agriculture:

1. Saving our environment:

Recently, I was watching one of those "Hoarding" t.v. shows, where bazillions of roaches, trash, feces, and the like were overtaking this woman's home by fault of her own diseased mind. So, they clean up her home, take it all out, make it nice. But, no matter where that garbage went, it is still on this earth. It is not gone forever. No matter how one cleans up a space on this planet, whether it be cleaning of the beaches, a back yard, a junk yard, the "stuff" is still here. It's not truly cleaned up, it's just moved on to another place on this earth. What does conventional farming do with the run-off of chemicals, the residuals, the contaminated soil? Organic farming, ranching, and dairy, has an amazing positive affect on our environment by sustaining all that it encompasses. By using safe measures for pesticide control, alternating of the soil, no chemicals to linger for decades to come, its practices are helping to preserve our children's futures. The scary part to me is knowing that conventional farming is still allowed, knowing how harmful it is to the environment, and ultimately us.

2. Helping Antibiotics stay effective when sincerely needed medically for humans:

The overuse of antibiotics (because many doctors, and doctors' patients feel they are necessary when they are not helpful at all) is making us all immune to its affects. Antibiotics that are given to animals (who are not organically raised) are ingested into our bodies when we eat the meat and/or dairy of that animal. Antibiotics are becoming less effective for humans due to the over abundance of its use and infiltration of our food.

3. Live a longer, healthier life:

Pesticides can cause cancer and other diseases, plain and simple- not to mention all the other culprits that are put into most conventional food items. I am all for living as long as possible so why wouldn't I try to limit my intake of poisonous substances? Sure, Mr. Paul Newman, a huge advocate of organic, holistic foods, died of cancer (RIP blue eyes). But, other factors come into play besides food. Genetics, smoking, drinking, environment, medications, etc. Maybe things he had done earlier in life had finally caught up to him. Maybe, no matter what, he was genetically pre-disposed with an increased chance of disease. So, I would like to think that his organic lifestyle, whenever he began down that path, helped him live a longer life than he would have had, had he not eaten organically.

Favorite Mexican Layer Dip Recipe!

I am not sure if my love of Mexican (American style) food started with my first ever waiting tables job or not....Wait a minute, start over. Yes, my infatuation began when I worked at the only Mexican restaurant for miles....before this, my only exposure to Mexican food was a boxed burrito kit (Old El Paso) and a few tacos from Taco Bell. (If you only knew how much junk food I ate while growing up, you might wonder where I grew to love organic, whole foods!) There isn't much that I will not eat on the menu at a Mexican-style restaurant. Caldo de pollo is always a favorite. So many delicate flavors in one bowl of chicken soup, yummo! Avocados are heaven to me, absolute heaven. I only wish that they could be purchased perfectly ripe when I desire to eat them right away. Lime juice, cilantro, jalapenos, oh my....the melding of so many spices, and fresh flavors, I just love it! My only complaint is the time needed to prepare most of the Mexican style recipes. So much to chop and slice. But, this is what makes it a super fresh, wonderful treat. When I need my Mexican fix, this is a go to that requires little prep and has just enough flavor to get me through until the next big Mexi-feast. It's a naturally gluten free, meat free recipe that I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 can of organic refried beans (your choice)
1 small can, chopped green chilis
1 small chopped tomato
1/2 of green pepper, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 avocado, smashed with salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar and/or monterey jack cheese
**If you happen to have it (and love it as much as I do) add some freshly chopped cilantro

 Layer in ramekins or small baking dishes, the refried beans, tomatoes, sour cream, the green chilis, green peppers,  the avocado mash and top with the cheese. 

 Place in oven at 350 degrees F for approx. 12 min. Take out and top with any remaining ingredients.

Oh the melty goodness!

 Serve with warmly toasted, organic corn tortilla chips. Ole! 

Find raw cheddar cheese here: Organic, raw cheddar cheese, order here

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 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.

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