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You know you really should eat more fish. But one of the excuses you have always used was, "well, with all the mercury and pcbs, I don't know which fish are safe!"
Let me remove that objection with a list. Source: Ocean's Alive. Mission:
"The Environmental Defense Oceans program works to find constructive solutions to the most critical problems facing the world's marine environments.
Our team of scientists, attorneys, policy experts and economists focuses on protecting ecosystems and fisheries. Our Oceans Alive campaign builds on the team's decades of experience and efforts to stem the tide of decline in our seas."
Keep in mind that Oceans Alive is not just trying to protect you from bad fish. They are also trying to protect fish from bad people. (pollution, overfishing).
Link to Oceans Alive
Link to a printable pocket guide to fish selection (.pdf format) that you can take to the supermarket.
[thanks Jeff!]
[via Boing Boing]
Enough said?
(photo courtesy of pdphoto.org)
There's a report on the web site of the Health On the Net Foundation, a non-governmental organization in special consultative status with the U.N. It seems there's further evidence that trans fats consumed in high quantities will have a major impact on the health of your heart. The report quotes Dr. Frank Hu, senior author of the study and an associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, as saying:
This study just reinforces the idea that trans fat is bad -- worse than saturated fat -- and we need to make a concerted effort to reduce trans fats, including individuals, food manufacturers and policy-makers.
To read the full report by the Health On the Net Foundation click here: High Trans Fat Intake Triples Heart Disease Risk
To learn more about trans fats visit: American Heart Association
(photo courtesy of barrysfreephotos.com)
A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture must allow meatpackers to test their animals for mad cow disease. Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, a meatpacker in Kansas, wants to test all of its cows. Larger packers fear they will have to test all their cows if Creekstone tests and begins touting its meat as safer.
The Department of Agriculture currently tests less than 1% of the beef that goes to market. The Department argues that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry.
Mad cow disease is linked to more than 150 human deaths, mostly in Britain. U.S. District Judge James Robertson put his order on hold until the government can appeal.
To read a full article that appeared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer click here:
Judge allows private testing for mad cow
Want to hear how nervous American Feast’s "on the spot reporter" Doug Ferber gets when he meets Paul Prudhomme?
During a recent trip to the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, he nervously asked the creator of the TurDuckHen how he came to imagine cooking a duck inside a chicken inside a turkey. He also asked him what his favorite creation was.
Link to podcast here.
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
Want to cut down your calorie intake? Best skip that soda and have a glass of water instead. Want to cleanse your system? You can't beat a glass of water. We hear a lot about making food choices that will be good for our health. We don't see as much information on what we should be drinking and what we should avoid drinking.
To read a recent New York Times article on smart beverage choices click here: You Are Also What You Drink
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
Nearly 6 years of negotiations with PETA have resulted in Burger King's agreeing to enact a new industry-leading animal welfare plan to improve conditions for the animals used for its products.
According to its new plan, Burger King will:
* Immediately begin purchasing 10% of its pig flesh from suppliers that do not use cruel gestation crates—metal enclosures that confine mother pigs and are so restrictive that the animals cannot even stretch a limb or take a step—and double that amount by the end of 2007.
* Immediately begin purchasing 2% of its eggs from hens who are not confined to tiny wire battery cages and more than double that amount by the end of 2007.
* Issue a statement to its egg suppliers that it will give purchasing preference to those that do not use battery cages.
* Issue a statement to its chicken-flesh suppliers that it will give purchasing preference to those that use or switch to "controlled-atmosphere killing" (CAK), the least cruel method of poultry slaughter in existence.
PETA applauds Burger King for this groundbreaking announcement, and we will continue to work with the company to improve its animal welfare requirements. American Feast joins in the applause.
For further info on PETA visit the organization's web site: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
 
Here's a Mission American Feast can get behind:
Slow Food U.S.A. is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America. From the spice of Cajun cooking to the purity of the organic movement; from animal breeds and heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables to handcrafted wine and beer, farmhouse cheeses and other artisanal products; these foods are a part of our cultural identity. They reflect generations of commitment to the land and devotion to the processes that yield the greatest achievements in taste.
To learn more about how this organization works to give eating more pleasure & greater quality check out the web site: Slow Food U.S.A.
Fresh Blueberries (photo by Christina Dreesen, courtesy of morguefile.com)
A compound found in blueberries shows promise for preventing colon cancer in animals, according to a joint study by scientists at Rutgers University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The researchers say colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The compound, pterostilbene, is a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants are the "natural zappers" of free radicals-unstable oxygen molecules associated with cancer, heart disease and the effects of aging.
“This study underscores the need to include more berries in the diet, especially blueberries,” says study leader Bandaru Reddy, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Chemical Biology at Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. Although the blueberry compound won’t cure colon cancer, it represents a potential new and attractive strategy for preventing the disease naturally, says Reddy, an expert on nutritional factors that influence colon cancer development.
Not long ago, U.S. Department of Agriculture studies measured the antioxidant activity of more than 40 fruits and vegetables and ranked blueberries #1.
A press release from the American Chemical Society says that the promising compound in blueberries might be developed into pill form. But why wait? Blueberries are delicious! Why not get the benefits now by enjoying some fresh blueberries or blueberry jam?
To read the full press release announcing the new research findings go here: American Chemical Society
(photo courtesy of Solar Living Institute)
Established in 1998 as a spin-off from Real Goods Trading Company, the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, California, is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to promote sustainable living through inspirational environmental education. The Institute provides practical, education by example and hands-on workshops on renewable energy, green building, sustainable living, permaculture, organic gardening and alternative, environmental, construction methods.
The Institute is headquartered at the Solar Living Center, a gorgeous 12-acre renewable energy and sustainable living demonstration site visited by nearly 200,000 people annually in the heart of Northern California’s wine country in Hopland. Since its inception nearly 2 million visitors have experienced the Solar Living Center.
To learn more about the Institute's efforts to promote sustainable living click here: Solar Living Institute
Ever had the thought, if they could put a man on the moon, why can't they make a healthier pizza? Well, it looks like somebody was using their noodle (or dough) and finally did something about this universal problem.
Boosting the antioxidant properties of the pizza – ars technica
Chemists make pizza a 'health food' – The Sydney Morning Herald
Evening at the Festival (photo courtesy of Scottsdale Culinary Festival)
As the longest running festival of its kind in the United States, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival draws more than 40,000 visitors looking to enjoy fabulous food, fun and festivities (not to mention idyllic weather!) And its all for a good cause. Since 1992, the League has contributed more than $2.1 Million to support art and art education.
This year's festival will run from April 10th to April 15th. It will feature a host of events from cooking demonstrations by some the nation's top chefs to a one of a kind James Beard out of the house dinner. No matter what kind of culinary experience you crave, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival has something for everyone!
Bravo's Top Chef Winner-Ilan Hall will be at the 2007 Scottsdale Culinary Festival. He will be doing a cooking demonstration Saturday April 14 at Cooks and Corks and on Sunday April 15th, he will compete against top local valley chefs at the Challenge to the Chefs event during the Great Arizona Picnic.
For more details & info on purchasing tickets visit the Festval's web site: 29th Annual Scottsdale Culinary Festival
Joan Nathan's (bio here) book, 'The New American Cooking', won the James Beard regional award for food of the Americas last year.
She tasted her way from Alaska to Puerto Rico, hanging out with a chef at the Honolulu fish auction, gathering wild rice with Ojibwe Indians in Minnesota, eating Sunday dinner with a family of Cambodian farmers in Lowell, Mass., gleefully noting a Chinese restaurant serving stir-fried bison.
She even works Tom Hanks and Larry David into the book! Check it out.
Article, here, includes reprinted recipies.
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
It seems that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil and fish is just as heart healthy as the low fat diet that's long been recommended by the American Heart Association. People on either diet had one-third the risk of suffering another heart attack, a stroke, death or other heart problem compared with heart patients eating in the usual way.
"Both diets are prudent choices" for people at high risk of heart disease, said Dr. Katherine Tuttle of Providence Medical Research Center and Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Washington. She headed the study and presented the findings at an American College of Cardiology conference.
Since we already like our fish slathered in olive oil and we indulge in plenty of pasta with red sauce, we're more than ready to follow Dr. Tuttle's advice for keeping heart healthy!
To learn more about keeping heart healtthy through diet & nutrition click here: American Heart Association
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
World famous chef Wolfgang Puck has announced that he will only use food products from animals raised under strict humane standards. We say bravo! All of us can do our part to fight the horrors of factory farms by being careful about the products we purchase. When great numbers of people make socially conscious purchasing decisions they can have a real impact on the marketplace. Organics have grown to be a multi-billion dollar industry precisely because so many people acted with their pocketbooks.
When a person with the high profile of Mr. Puck endorses the cause it can only help the movement for humane, safe and delicious food to continue growing. Thank you Mr. Puck!
To read a New York Times Editorial praising Mr. Puck's decision go to: Mr. Puck’s Good Idea
Is Dean Foods' Horizon facility in Idaho truly organic? (photo courtesy of Cornucopia Institute)
For the second year in a row socially concerned investors have filed a shareholder proposal asking Dean Foods to report on how it is responding to widespread concern that industrial-scale organic dairies supplying milk for its Horizon Organic brand violate consumer trust and jeopardize share value.
The shareholder proposal is a by-product of a seven-year debate in the organic industry over the introduction of large-scale factory-farms, milking as many as 2,000-10,000 cows each. It is the contention of a growing number of public interest, environmental, and farming groups that some of these farms are violating current U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations by labeling their products as organic.
“When consumers pay a premium for organic milk, they generally have the expectation that cows have access to pasture and gain a sizable percentage of their nutrients from grass,” said Steven Heim, director of social research with Boston Common Asset Management, lead investor-sponsor of the resolution.
In June of 2006 Heim and Mark Kastel, The Cornucopia Institute’s senior farm policy analyst, toured Dean’s Idaho farm at Dean’s invitation. “Although the company is making a $10 million investment in additional facilities in the desert-like conditions, and is attempting to paint their facility ‘green’, serious questions remain as to the legitimacy of milking thousands of cows in these conditions,” Kastel said.
The investors contend that in light of the controversy over its factory-farms, the company’s milk procurement practices could have a negative effect on consumer trust in Dean’s organic label. A boycott by the 700,000-member Organic Consumers Association has resulted natural foods retailers around the country dropping all or part of the Horizon Organic product line.
Last year Dean Foods responded to a shareholder proposal expressing similar concerns by filing a formal protest with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), asking for permission to omit it from Dean’s 2006 proxy statement. The company maintains that where it purchases or produces its milk is the sole purview of its management, and shareholders have no legal right to raise questions of this nature in a proxy statement. The shareholder proponents withdrew their proposal last year to protect their right to refile if disatisfied with Dean's actions regarding their concerns. With this year’s refiling, Dean Foods has again appealed to the SEC for the authority to prevent its shareholders from voting on the resolution.
Leslie Lowe, director of the Energy and Environment Program at the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility in New York, said, “Dean Foods has an excellent opportunity to return value to its shareholders through its investments in the organic industry. But they must respect the ethical beliefs of their organic customers, a very loyal and sophisticated market segment. Otherwise these investments could end up damaging their brand and costing investors dearly.”
For info on some of the organizations involved try the following links:
Dean Foods
Cornucopia Institute
Organic Consumers Association
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
Boston Common Asset Management
Teaching middle school can be a real test of wills, but the Edible Schoolyard has been passing that test for years. It’s a cooking and gardening program wholly integrated into the school’s daily life. The organic garden is flourishing and the kitchen is filled with delicious smells, music, and enthusiastic young chefs. Students work together to shape and plant beds, amend soil, turn compost, and harvest flowers, fruits, and vegetables. In the kitchen classroom, students prepare and eat delicious seasonal dishes from produce they have grown in the garden.
The Garden is designed and maintained using sound ecological practices that are reflected in all aspects of the project, from the way the food is grown, harvested and prepared, to the recycling of waste back into the earth. Located on the campus of Martin Luther King Junior Middle School in Berkeley, California, the nonprofit program grew out of a conversation between gourmet chef and author Alice Waters, and former King Middle School Principal Neil Smith more than a decade ago. For her efforts in bringing the program to fruition, Alice Waters was one of 10 people in the nation awarded the John Stanford Education Heroes Award by the U.S. Secretary of Education in 1999. Ms. Waters is the owner of the nationally renowned restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley.
To learn more about the Edible Schoolyard and how you can start a program at your school click here: The Edible Schoolyard
Feasters Dave Matlin & Sue Tango Gettin' Some of Dat Good Shrimp Remoulade (photo by Rick Tango)
By Susan Tango, americanfeast.com
Mardi Gras may be long gone but the feasting continues on! This was apparent at the American Feast bash as CEO Jeff Deasy donned the apron and served up true Louisiana fare. Company principals along with family and friends gathered at the home of American Feast’s Tim Tango for a New Orleans Night Party sampling some classic Cajun & Creole dishes.
Utilizing skills acquired at a New York Institute for Culinary Education class in Manhattan, Jeff and Tim executed the recipes with a blend of local ingredients and food shipped straight from the Big Easy. Cajun tunes played in the background as the ‘flavor of New Orleans’ buffet was artistically displayed and professionally photographed by AF’s Rick Tango.
As refreshments flowed, the energy and excitement of the new venture was palpable in the room. Beginning with the Shrimp Remoulade and continuing on with Jambalaya and Creole Chicken, some guests were treated to first time taste experiences. Jeff even contributed his personal secret recipe for Red Beans and Rice!
Guests posed questions about New Orleans cuisine that were answered throughout the tasting. Like all its products, American Feast’s offerings from Cajun & Creole country are carefully screened and personally selected by AF partners. The company's award-winning selections originate from family-owned sustainable farms and small creative kitchens across the USA. The best from the farms is brought directly to the dining tables of the customers, products that may otherwise never be obtained outside their local region. Newcomers were excited about the selections and the easy access to some of America’s highest quality regional foods available today.
The evening ended with recipe exchanges, ingredients lists (both available on the web-site) and the exciting introduction of upcoming podcasts produced by AF’s Doug Ferber. Promises were made about future gatherings, so onto more cooking classes…there are still many more regions to sample!
(photo by Rick Tango)
We prepared this classic for our family and friends at American Feast’s New Orleans Night Party. We learned this one at a class called “Taste of New Orleans” presented by Chef-Instructor Ann Rossi at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan. Chef Rossi taught us well and we’ve been pleasing our guests with it ever since.
Basic Ingredients for 6-7 Appetizers
* 1½ Lbs. (16-20) Jumbo Shrimp
* Shrimp Boil
* Remoulade Sauce
* 18-20 Lemon Wedges
* Whole Pitted Black Olives
* Sprig of Parsley
Basic Instructions
1. Make Remoulade sauce & let sit.
2. Cook shrimp in shrimp boil.
3. Marinate shrimp in Remoulade sauce.
4. Put dish together.
Remoulade Sauce Ingredients
* 2 Egg Yolks
* 1/2 Cup Creole Mustard
* 1/4 Cup Prepared Horseradish (Squeezed Dry)
* 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Scallions (Green & White Parts)
* 2 Tbsp. Ketchup
* 2 Tsp. Sweet Paprika
* 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Celery
* 1/8 Cup Chopped Fresh Curly Parsley
* 1 Tsp. Capers
* 1½ Cups Salad Oil
* 1/3 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
* Juice of 1 Lemon
* 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
* 1 Tbsp. Hot Pepper Sauce
* Salt & Pepper
Preparation of Remoulade Sauce
1. Put yolks, mustard, horseradish, capers & paprika in a food processor.
2. Pulse together.
3. Slowly add in oil.
4. When mixture begins to thicken, thin with vinegar & continue with oil until al vinegar & oil have been added.
5. Add in lemon juice.
6. Remove mixture from food processor & place in bowl.
7. Add in ketchup.
8. Add in celery, scallions & parsley.
9. Season with worcestershire sauce & hot pepper sauce
10. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
11. Let sauce sit while shrimp is prepared.
12. Toss shrimp in sauce & let marinate.
13. Serve on a bed of Boston lettuce.
14. Garnish with lemon wedges, black olives & parsley sprigs.
Ingredients for Shrimp
* 1½ Lbs. Unpeeled Jumbo Shrimp
* 4 Cups Water
* 3 Bay Leaves
* 1/2 Tsp. White Pepper
* 1/2 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
* 1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper
* 4 Stalks of Celery – Medium Dice
* 1 Medium Onion – Medium Dice
* 2 Lemons – Halved
* 4 Peeled Cloves of Garlic
Preparation
1. Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a pot & bring to boil.
2. Let simmer 10 minutes.
3. Remove lemon, celery & onion.
4. Add in shrimp, stir & simmer.
5. Cook the shrimp for about 4 minutes.
6. Remove & chill.
7. Peel & marinate in Remoulade sauce.
8. Serve on a bed of Boston lettuce.
9. Garnish with lemon wedges, black olives & parsley sprigs.
If you're near NYC & would like to see a great selection of cooking classes go to: Institute of Culinary Education
(photo courtesy of Library of Congress)
We try to acknowledge the good work of people and organizations dedicated to improving the nation’s food supply by posting info about them and providing links to their web sites. We’ve been impressed by the sheer number of Americans involved in improving the sustainability of food production, promoting family farms, encouraging the purchase of locally grown produce, teaching children to eat healthy, protecting the livelihoods of the people who produce food, and making foods using traditional artisanal methods.
We’re convinced that people want to know more about where their food comes from, how it was produced, and who made it; just as we like telling the story of the people behind the foods we’ve selected for our web site. People are excited about producing food that is the opposite of the highly processed food that dominates the fast food industry and takes up so much supermarket shelf space. Many have returned to practices that have been around for centuries, even millennia! By using traditional methods they’re turning out foods that are delicious, unique, and healthy. Sometimes it seems like everything old is new again.
To read a thoughtful essay that appears in the March issue of Conscious Choice click here: The New Rules of Food, By Alan Mammoser
Kicking Back with Some Salsa (photo by Rick Tango)
Eating well is tough for teens. Hanging out with friends, late-night fast food binges, and snacking on junk can mean getting way too much fat, sugar and empty calories. That kind of eating causes spikes and crashes in energy levels, making it tough to keep fit. Teens need physical activity and nutritional meals as much as anyone, but they face a lot of temptation to make poor choices.
Weight and body image can be delicate issues for teens, especially girls who get bombarded with retouched images that can create incredibly unrealistic expectations. Up to a quarter of teen girls display eating disorders according to a study conducted by the Dietitians of Canada.
Seeing their kids at risk has many families fighting back. Across the U.S. there's a growing movement among parents to make the food choices in schools more nutritious through organizations like the New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods. In Scotland, the Parliament unanimously passed a law to ban all junk food from schools. In Australia, a national group called the Parents Jury is targeting companies it says are using underhanded tactics to promote junk food to children. The group is backed by the Cancer Council and Diabetes Australia. In Spain, Madrid's regional government imposed the world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show.
Families who eat together reap benefits both physical and emotional. The Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota found that girls who ate 3 to 4 family meals per week were at about one-third the risk for extreme weight control practices and girls who ate 5 family meals per week were at about one-fourth the risk. The study showed that boys also benefit from family meals, but the association was not as strong as it is for girls.
Most sources agree that the best answer to getting teens to eat healthy is to support an overall healthy lifestyle. Setting a good example is a big help. Combining nutrition and fitness is the key. That means keeping fit in a way that's enjoyable enough to make it last as a regular activity. There are plenty of indications that regularly participating in physical activity can improve self-esteem and body image among teen girls.
Keeping it healthy doesn't mean deprivation, just a balanced approach to eating and burning calories. Even snacks can be healthy. Salsa and baked tortilla chips that are low in fat and low in cholesterol are a nutritious alternative to the empty calories of junk food. Chiles and the other fresh ingredients of salsa are high in vitamins, low in sodium and calories, and delicious to boot! Guacamole is a healthy treat. Some teens might go for hummus or fruit-filled low fat yogurt. Keeping fresh fruit such as bananas handy makes it easier to make a smart, healthy choice.
Like everybody else, teens want the approval of their peers. Making smart and healthy choices leads to feeling good about oneself and that can be very attractive to others. You don't have to be a teen to like that!
For more reading on this topic try the following sources:
Healthy Eating For Teens
Teen Health and Self-Esteem
Regular Family Meals Promote Healthy Eating Habits
To see a previous post on how to create the perfect salsa look here: (Good) Salsa = Time
Ingredients
* 2 racks of lamb (8 ribs each)
* 1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard
* 2 tbs. sodium-reduced soy sauce
* 1 tbs. olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
* 1/4 tsp. dried ground ginger
Preparation
1. Trim fat from lamb.
2. In a small bowl stir together mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and ginger.
3. Place lamb, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
4. Insert thermometer and brush on mustard mixture.
5. Roast in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes per pound.
6. Meat thermometer should register 145-150 degrees for medium-rare.
7. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before carving.
Dave, from Dave's Gourmet, Inc., originally developed his award winning sauces in his small restaurant near the University of Maryland. He produced unique flavors with fresh specialty ingredients and a slightly insane perspective!
Ingredients
* 2 tbs. vegetable oil
* 3 garlic cloves, chopped
* 2 onions, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 3 pounds beef
* 1 tsp. ground cumin
* 1 tsp. ground oregano
* 1 tsp. Temporary Insanity Sauce
* 10 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
* 1 can of beer
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet.
2. Add garlic, onions, and green pepper, saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add beef and lightly brown on all surfaces, drain excess fat.
4. Add remaining ingredients.
5. Partially cover skillet so steam can escape and simmer for 1 hour.
6. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking; skim off fat that rises.
7. Let sit, tightly covered, for an hour after cooking is complete.
8. Serve with cornbread or cheese biscuits.
9. Yields six servings.
If you'd like to purchase the award-winning hot sauces from Dave's Goumet go to: Great American Hot Sauce Collection
If you'd like to read about Dave's journey to becoming America's premier hot sauce maker go to: Dave’s Gourmet
(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
I've worked in some pretty fine restaurants that never used expensive wines for cooking. The pricey stuff was saved for the customers prepared to pay for it. I think that's just the economics of making a go of it in the notoriously tough restaurant biz. Still, I never read a review saying that the beef bourguignon or any other dish was made with an inferior wine. Nor did I ever hear a customer make that complaint about the wine used in a dish I had served.
I've never been able to judge a wine that's been cooked into a dish. I've always used inexpensive wines when cooking for guests; no complaints so far. Now an article in the New York Times indicates that you don't need to use expensive wines for cooking. That's good enough for me! I'll go on cooking with inexpensive wines and save the pricier stuff to enjoy in a glass.
To read the full article in the New York Times click here: It Boils Down to This: Cheap Wine Works Fine
Maine's 'Pastor Chuck' provides this recipe for healthful and delicious snacking.
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
* 1/2 cup Pastor Chucks Organic Apple Butter
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 2 tablespoon milk
* 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
* 1/2 cup golden raisins
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
3. Beat in eggs, oats and apple butter.
4. Combine dry ingredients.
5. Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture along with the milk.
6. Beat until blended.
7. Stir in nuts and raisins.
8. Chill well for one hour.
9. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
If you'd like to try some amazing organic apple butter go to: Pastor Chucks Organic Apple Butter
If you'd like to read about Pastor Chuck & how he got his business started go to: Pastor Chuck
Here's a little reminder for our friends in Chicago. This year, you have an opportunity to celebrate Earth Day at the Green Festival taking place at McCormick Place/ Lakeside, April 21 & 22.
There will be more than 200 speakers and exhibits from 400 green businesses. Look for workshops, green films and even green career advice. While you’re there you can enjoy organic, sustainably produced cuisine and wine and beer!
If you can’t make the show in Chicago, there will be two additional Green Festivals this year. In D.C. Oct 6 & 7 and in San Francisco Nov 9-11.
Visit the official Green Festivals site for more info and resources, here.
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is encouraging consumers to send their comments on the regulation of cloned animals to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is currently accepting comments on their controversial, proposed regulations that would allow milk, eggs and meat from cloned animals on the market, without labeling or safety testing.
In December of 2006, Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine stated that, "Meat and milk from cattle, swine and goat clones is as safe to eat as the food we eat every day."
Many food safety advocates strongly disagree with the FDA's proposal. The Center for Food Safety (CFS) is a non-profit public interest and environmental advocacy organization. CFS has released a report "...calling on FDA to issue a mandatory ban on the use of clones in food production until long-term studies demonstrate the safety of these foods and the vitally important ethical and animal welfare issues in cloning are resolved."
You can view the CFS press release here: New CFS Report Says FDA Plan to Approve Sale of Food from Animal Clones Is Based On Wishful Thinking, Not Science
You can view the full CFS report here: Not Ready For Prime Time: FDA's Flawed Approach To Assessing The Safety Of Food From Animal Clones
OCA is a grassroots, non-profit, public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics for the estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers in the U.S.
To visit the OCA web site & submit a comment to the FDA click here: Organic Consumers Association
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