Genetically Engineered Animals

We have all heard about genetically modified food, GMO, but did you know that the FDA is getting ready to approve genetically engineered animals? According to the “Food and Water Watch” that is just what is being look at right now for approval. Specifically salmon, they take the genes from two of types of fish (one a growth hormone) to make the salmon grow twice as fast as farmed raised. They are calling it AquAdvantage salmon according to “Farm Sanctuary.” In fact the FDA may not require any labeling that lets the consumer know that these fish had been genetically engineered (GE). Already we have created drug resistance with the general practices of agribusiness as with antibiotics, could this now escalate the problem? With no long term testing to see the impact on human consumption or on the environment the FDA wants the public to be the guinea pigs in this experiment. What are your thoughts?

Cookware

Cooking at home is believed to be a healthy alternative to eating out, but when our cookware contains harmful chemicals is it? I have found that cast-iron and glass to be the best cookware for your health and the environment. Next I would say that stainless steel is. Cast-iron is not only durable and will last through generations but also provides the foods being cooked in it with the very important mineral Iron. No other cookware can do this! Cast-iron, when treated properly is completely non-stick without any of the harmful effects of non-stick coatings. Glass cookware is also very durable. I have had my set for over 20 years and never broken a pot, and believe me I am not gentle with them. They clean-up easily and there is nothing harmful about them that can be absorbed into your food. Another thing that I really like about cast-iron and glass cookware is that they take less energy to cook your food in them. Once heated thoroughly they hold the heat and continue cooking your food after the stove is turned off. This means that you may need to adjust to this feature so that your food does not over cook. Once you have adjusted you will enjoy healthier food and a healthier life.

A note about pots and pans coated with non-stick surfaces and how they can be detrimental to your health. The EPA has reported many health concerns including particles pealing off into your food to a sort of “fume-fever”. “Fume-fever” is a result of breathing in the cooking fumes causing flu like symptoms. Breathing in the fumes from these pot and pans are being linked as a contributing factor in breast and liver cancer among other heath issues. In fact the fumes are deadly to birds and it is recommended that all pet birds are kept away from the kitchen while cooking with this type of cookware. If you have any cookware with a non-stick coating check it over good for cracking, peeling and ware. Cook only at low temperatures. Replace any that is not in very good condition and also consider phasing out this type of cookware and replacing it with one that is good for your health and the environment.

Smoothies

The most popular type of smoothies these days would be a thick drink made with whole fruit or powdered fruit, sugar and milk or yogurt, you can purchase these beverages at many fast food establishments. It sound healthy but the balance may be tipped a bit to the not-so-healthy side of the scale. With any mini blender, hand blender, or full size blender you can make a fruit smoothie that will support your health and taste great.


Mixed fresh fruit or unsweetened frozen mixed fruit
1 banana
Fruit juice or water
Ice cubes

Add one to three cups of fruit into a blender and half a cup of juice or water. The banana will give you the creamy texture but is not necessary. Mix on high adding in more juice or ice cubes until it is to the thickness you like well blended. Serve immediately.

If eating watermelon is too messy for you or you just don't have the room to store the left-overs... throw it into your blender and make the most delicious drink! Shown above.


A Veggie Smoothie will give you all the excellent fiber vegetables have to offer with the benefits of a juice. A high-power blender works best to puree your vegetables to a smooth consistency. Vegetable smoothies and juices can be very personal to your needs and taste. Choose a variety of vegetables adding some water or ice to get the perfect consistency for you. Adding an apple will help to sweeten your smoothie if you need to. You will enjoy benefits ranging from numerous vitamins and minerals to anti-viral, chlorophyll rich, circulation stimulating, detoxifying, fat lowering, and immune-enhancing.
Kale
Cucumbers
Bell peppers, red, orange, yellow, green
Cabbage, green & red
Carrots
Tomatoes
Garlic
Celery
Broccoli stems
Romaine lettuce
Parsley
Dandelion greens
Spinach
Ginger
Beets
Apple if needed for sweetness

Drink immediately or quickly freeze to retain much of the nutrition as possible. The first 7 vegetables listed are what I like best in a juice but I like to change it around for variety or just because that is what I have on hand. Play around with it and enjoy.

(Excerpts from Trish’s Dishes Copy right 2009)

Juice

Juice, is it good or bad for us?

Like most topics this one is bigger then it first seems and there is not a clear cut answer. There are two major group of juice, fruit and vegetable. The first thought that comes to mind when you hear the word juice is a clear drink that is made from fruit and we have all heard that this is good for us. And when you chose juice over soda or coffee that would be true. But it is still a beverage that is loaded with a simple carbohydrate also known as fructose or type of sugar. Which bring us to the different types of sugar. All carbohydrates whether simple or complex break down into glucose (sugar) in the body. This is a good thing because glucose is what feeds our brains. The problem with carbohydrates is the type and the amount. Simple carbohydrates are foods that have been striped of their nutritional value such as white cane sugar, white bread, and clear fruit juice to name a few. These foods enter the body, they cause sudden reactions from the pancreas and adrenal glands and then another sudden reaction when this food is gone thus triggering unnecessary hormone secretion. Your brain now wants more of this short lived foods so you crave more. Also because this food in incomplete nutritionally you body tries to make it complete by robing your own body for the missing nutrients. Complex carbohydrates still contain the majority of their nutritional value and are very close to their natural state such as brown rice syrup, whole grain bread, and whole fruit. These supply the body of many needed nutrients while reacting calmly with the pancreas and adrenal glands supporting all of the bodies systems.

So back to juice, when you take an apple and refine it into a juice you are left with a lot of sugar, a simple carbohydrate, and some nutrients. The higher the nutrients in the fruit to begin with such as dark berries like cranberries, the higher the nutrition in the juice. With vegetable juice you are separating the liquid from the pulp but this liquid is not clear, pulp is still present. A vegetable juice will still contain some sugar, a complex carbohydrate, with some fiber and a large amount of vitamins and minerals.

So is juice good for or bad for us? It really depends on what kind of juice you are drinking and how much. For the most nutritous drink try a all fruit smoothie or all veggy smoothie, I will tell you more in my next blog.

Please leave a comment if you have more questions.

What does it mean to be "Green?"

I recently read a study the concluded that most people are not as "green" as they want other to know, basically that many people are faking being green. What does it really mean to be "green?" It is a very loose term and there is no real green standard or check list that says you are "green" if you do all of this and none of this. But there is a political correctness to being green so many just put on their green face in public but say screw it in reality because living up to some phantom green standard they feel is impossible.

There are those who want to scare you into being environmentally conscience by saying we will kill planet earth and have no where to live if we don't fix it right away. Now I do realize the environment is a mess but mother earth will take us out long before she is going down. Most societies around the globe have opted for convenience over sustainability but every thing waxes and wanes in time. So we tried it one way now it is time to try it another way.

Whenever we choose to make a change in our life it is always more successful if we do it in small increments. First we need to decide on a green step that we will be able to see the benefit personally, like choosing to eat less animal products or buying locally. Your health will improve as well as the plants. Or using less water and turning off lights will lower utility bills while conserving natural resources. Soon adding more "green" choices into each day will become natural as we all get healthier then the term "green" will fade away and we will all be living a responsible lifestyle.

If you planted a garden early in the spring then you too are enjoying the first of your bounty. I have been serving very larger salads with tender leaf-lettuce, baby spinach, kale and radishes. A supply of fresh herbs are also enhancing my cooking. Snow and snap peas are just showing themselves and will be ready for picking by the end of the week. A picking tip in the hot weather is to take a bowl of cold water out to your garden and place your just picked vegetables directly into the cold water until indoors. This will keep them fresh and crisp and free from wilting.

Healthy Alfredo Sauce

I saw a similar version of this sauce on The Dr. Oz Show and knew that I needed to play around with it and try it myself. I started by caramelizing 4 medium onions with 3 cloves of garlic in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil seasoned with sea salt. To caramelize onions they need to cook long and low, I let them cook for an hour on low heat stirring every once in a while. They become sweet and almost a creamy texture. While the onions were cooking I steamed a one pound bag of cauliflower until very soft. When everything was finished cooking I put the cauliflower, caramelized onions, and half the water from steaming the cauliflower into a blender. I blended on high for a few minuted then added 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese and some more water from steaming. Again blending on high until completely smooth.

At dinner time I warmed up the sauce and served it over whole wheat pasta and did not tell the family what was in the sauce. My son, 14 years old, said that he really doesn't like alfredo sauce be this was pretty good, the rest of us just loved it and not a drop was leftover. The next time I make this Healthy Alfredo Sauce I will add in some broccoli pieces for some color, it would also be very good with seafood added. It stores very well and warms up easily so there is no problem making this sauce ahead of time for a quick and delicious meal.

Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous family which has been researched greatly and found to have numerous disease preventing properties. That must be because of all the vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals including antioxidants, and fiber.

(Excerpts from Trish’s Dishes Copy right 2009)