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Cost of food per person per day: $2.25. The cost of eating has fallen through the basement, thanks to our pre-paid CSAs for milk, meat and produce! I bought so little at our grocery store this month that the produce manager asked if I’d moved away!
Relevant books read or re-read: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver;
What’s In This Stuff?: The Hidden Toxins in Everyday Products – and What You Can Do About Them by Patricia Thomas;
Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens;
Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everything by Daniel Goleman
Relevant movies watched: Food, Inc.
Energy Level: Moderate. My energy level is severely impacted if I spend any time in the sun, which I try to do every day. On rainy days my energy level is quite high.
Visible health improvements: For years now I have had to apply moisturizer to my entire body several times a week, and my hands several times a day. I have noticed the last month or so that I have cut back to less than once a week for my entire body, and don’t even think about hand lotion anymore at all. The skin around my fingernails no longer hardens, cracks and bleeds and the callouses on my feet no longer require my weekly cheese-grater routine. My fingernails are flat and shiny, almost like they have clear polish on them.
Not an improvement at all, I gained two pounds this month. My knees ache miserably the hours before a severe thunderstorm and I have found it difficult to get out of bed four or five mornings in June. I think perhaps I’m slipping a little in my resolve to eat properly and my laziness is showing up as increased aches and pains. I know we have forsaken the practice of having some lacto-fermented food every day, and I have cut back on the amount of homemade kombucha I’ve been consuming.
Life during the summer months is always very, very busy for our family as our teens take summer jobs for which they require transportation to and from; the younger childrens’ friends are off from school and available for play dates; fun summer activities like trips to the pool and the free summer movie program start up; and of course, there’s nearly a full afternoon at the Farmer’s Market each week! I have been lax in performing the necessary prep work for easy mealtimes, and have been caught a couple times sneaking through the drive-thru for an emergency meal on the go. I’m going to keep a closer eye on that.
Other notes: I was able to snip $15 a month off our household expenses in June by cancelling one of our trash receptacles! I noticed this new lifestyle creates much less trash, and the trash we generate is more of the recyclable nature than the non-recyclables we generated on the Standard American Diet. I already have two cavies who dearly love my salad trimmings (lettuce and carrot ends, bell pepper slices, etc.) and am considering getting my vermicomposting (worm farm) going again to reduce our waste even more.
There are many advantages to eating a diet of in-season, locally grown food.
Gorgeous Tomatoes at the Farmer's Market by Jill Clardy, on Flickr
Supporting your local economy by purchasing from the farmers, growers, dairies and ranchers in your state, county or town keeps your food dollars at home supports your area and keeps it alive. Allowing a neighborhood to die and become blighted by sending jobs out of the community is a sad way to lose neighbors and friends.
Eating foods appropriate for the season and your location helps your body deal with the stresses and challenges that your own climate poses. Soft, tender, leafy greens turn bitter and run to seed when the weather gets hot. There is evidence that our bodies need the nutrients in those greens in the spring as a tonic between heavier winter foods and the heat of summer. Sure, grocery stores carry tomatoes year round now, but there is something special about that flavor in the heat of summer.
Consuming food within hours of harvest ensures the greatest amount of nutrients are being provided to your body, not wasted during shipment. Foods can be harvested at their peak of freshness and not picked green and exposed to gas to artificially ripen them. Honestly, I find the best reason to eat fresh-from-the-field is flavor. Nothing compares to a Juliet tomato still warm from the sun.
Conserving fuel and reducing emissions is a tricky proposition. I learned this week that those red bell peppers from Holland I was not purchasing use about 60% less oil to get to me by boat than the ones flown in from California (where most US-labeled organics are grown.) But neither Holland nor California can offer me the sweet spicy flavor or the higher vitamin C content of red bell peppers grown within a few miles of my own home.
Heirloom varieties of vegetables are becoming increasingly rare as large growers opt for shipment-stable varieties. Fewer of us have ever seen a pink tomato, purple carrot or brown bell pepper than ever before. By growing a wide variety of foods, your local farmer is enriching the local environment, preserving diversity and capturing a legacy for future generations. That amazing photo at the top of this post sure doesn’t look like the supermarket tomato table, does it?
Preserving our future by perpetuating the time-honored methods of small to medium scale farming, organic farming, family farming and gardening is something your local farmer may not get a lot of credit for. I think it is incredibly important that these methods be kept alive for future generations. If we permit the local, small farmer to become a relic of history, we will lose a vital link to our own self-sufficiency that at some point in the future, might well save our lives. And most farmers are more than willing to sit and discuss their methods with anyone interested, giving help and guidance to other farmers and backyard gardeners alike.
These are all arguments you’ve likely heard before. It is the last day of June as I write this, and farmer’s markets all over the US are in full swing. Please, set aside a percentage of your grocery fund this week to take to your local farmer’s market. Ask about what you see there. Talk to the farmers, dairy people and meat growers. Find out where they do their work, how they manage their farms and what they are doing to support your local economy. Visit the market’s tent and find out if they are producers-only (no resellers allowed), if they take food stamps, what other projects they support. Take your time and browse and talk. It might seem time consuming and overwhelming at first, but it is so worth the effort.
If you don’t know where to find your local farmer’s market, start here: Local Harvest
This post is part of the Natural Cures blog carnival, hosted by Hartkeisonline.
Panel OKs one-year ban on new fast-food restaurants in South L.A.
By Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 22, 2008
Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
A proposal that would place at least a one-year moratorium on new fast-food restaurants in a broad swath of neighborhoods, mostly in South Los Angeles, won unanimous support from a Los Angeles City Council committee Tuesday.
If approved by the full council and signed by the mayor, the law would prevent fast-food chains from opening new restaurants in a 32-square-mile area, including West Adams, Baldwin Village and Leimert Park. The moratorium would be in effect for one year, with the possibility of two six-month extensions.
The measure, proposed by Councilwoman Jan Perry, whose 9th District includes much of South Los Angeles, defines a fast-food restaurant as “any establishment which dispenses food for consumption on or off the premises, and which has the following characteristics: a limited menu, items prepared in advance or prepared or heated quickly, no table orders and food served in disposable wrapping or containers.”
Councilman Jose Huizar questioned that definition during the meeting of the council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee and requested clarification from city planners — particularly the definition of a “limited menu” — before the proposal goes before the council.
“McDonald’s has been increasing the number of items on their menu, so at what point would they exceed that definition?” Huizar said.
Councilman Jack Weiss said restrictions on fast-food restaurants in Westwood have caused problems for such businesses as Ben & Jerry’s and Smoothie King, which would not otherwise be considered fast-food outlets.
Restaurant lobbyists initially opposed the law. But Andrew Casana, a lobbyist for the Sacramento-based California Restaurant Assn., said his group is working with Perry and other council members and is waiting to see how they define fast food and plan to deal with lots that remain vacant after the law expires.
Perry said that after speaking with restaurant lobbyists, she amended her proposal to allow for “fast-food casual” restaurants, such as Subway or Pastagina, that do not have heat lamps or drive-through windows and that prepare fresh food to order.
Perry said she has been attempting to address the health issues associated with fast food, such as diabetes and obesity. She is trying to persuade supermarket chains and sit-down restaurants to open in her district, which has been especially hard hit with such health problems.
The Community Redevelopment Agency is offering grocers and restaurants incentives that include tax credits, electricity discounts and expedited reviews by the city Planning Department and Building and Safety Department.
“It’s important to offer incentives to bring restaurants into an area, especially an area that has suffered prejudices and stereotypes,” Perry said.
Councilman Bernard C. Parks, whose entire 8th District is within the affected area, attended Tuesday’s meeting and expressed support for the proposed law.
Huizar called for the city to do more to combat pervasive junk food advertising by educating children in South L.A. about healthy eating.
Julia Ansley, 66, a retired elementary school teacher who has lived in South L.A. more than 40 years, attended the meeting and said afterward that she was encouraged by the vote. “It’s much needed,” she said of the proposed ordinance. “Our community has been neglected by city planners.”
In April, the county Department of Public Health released a study showing that 30% of South Los Angeles adults were obese, compared with about 21% of adults countywide. South L.A. also has the highest incidence of diabetes in the county, 11.7% compared with 8.1% for the county as a whole.
A Times analysis of the city’s roughly 8,200 restaurants late last year found that South L.A. had the highest concentration of fast-food eateries. Per capita, the area has fewer eateries of any kind than the Westside, downtown or Hollywood, and about the same as the Valley. But a much higher percentage of restaurants in South L.A. belong to fast-food chains, and the area has far fewer grocery stores than other parts of town.
molly.hennessy-fiske @latimes.com
Yazoo beer list by jpc.raleigh, on Flickr
Yazoo Beer Bread, from Provence
There was a newcomer to the Farmer’s Market this week: Provence. They had dozens of freshly made loaves of bread, still warm from the oven, and were serving up sample slices to everyone who walked past. I tried their Yazoo Beer bread, and Christy tried their Sesame Sourdough. They were both amazing, and very reasonably priced.
I asked about the name “Yazoo Beer Bread” and the guy behind the table had a great story to tell. Apparently, Yazoo is a local brewery that is very interested in recycling, repurposing and minimizing their ecological impact every way they can. They have partnered with Provence Bread and Cafe and a local farmer, providing their “spent grain” (grain already used in the brewing process which would normally be thrown away) for breadmaking and supplementary animal feed. This is a great example of companies sharing their strength, investing in the local economy and coming up with sustainable solutions for what would otherwise be waste.
Now THAT’s Fighting Back!
This post is part of Fight Back Fridays, hosted by Food Renegade.
baked kale chips by eraine, on Flickr
My kitchen is being overrun by kale. For some reason, my CSA box has had two huge bunches of kale every week. Lacinato kale, Dinosaur kale, Red Russian kale, they are beautiful and apparently plentiful, even in our 90° heat.
I’ve served kale for breakfast in green smoothies and as the nest in eggs in a nest; for lunch sauteed with pasta and in soups; for dinner lightly steamed and tossed in a wilted salad; for snacks as chips. Every time my kids see something green in a dish, they have taken to asking, “Mom, is that kale again?” If I serve kale one more time this month, I just know the kids will pool their life savings and buy a McDonald’s franchise.
And still the kale comes. There were a record three bunches in my CSA box this week. I just knew I had to do something with it, other than feed it to the family. I have been guilty of “gifting” my neighbors with the hot peppers that arrive later in the season since I can’t hide them well enough in food to serve to my tenderfoot family. But I want to avoid that if possible since I don’t think most of my neighbors would have any idea what kale is or what to do with it.
I’ve done a bit of canning in my day, but the meager storage we have here is near full and I don’t imagine kale cans much better than spinach. So, I’ve decided to dehydrate half of it and freeze the other half. Washed, stemmed and dehydrated leaves can be tossed into soups and salads all summer when (and if) kale eventually goes out of season. Blanched and frozen flat in airtight bags (yeah, I’d like to get away from plastic here, but options are limited for space-saving freezer storage) they will take up as much room in my tiny freezer as a paperback book, but be available for side dishes once the kale flood slows to a trickle.
Finding new ways to deal with a bountiful blessing is an unexpected and previously unexplored creative avenue for me. I love learning new things, and this Real Food lifestyle always presents me with educational opportunities!
This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday blog carnival, hosted by The Nourishing Gourmet.
I could not believe what I read at Marion Nestle’s Food Politics site.
The latest trick in recalled foods: repack and redistribute!
Even I cannot keep up with what the packers of Salmonella-contaminated foods are willing to do to sell their products. Remember the recalled pistachios? Turns out the recalled nuts were simply repacked and redistributed. If you are a packer and don’t like your test results, find a lab that will give you the results you want. If you don’t know what to do with recalled nuts, put them in new packages and ship them out.What is it going to take to get the food safety system we need? How much worse does it have to get?
This is ridiculous. I am flabbergasted, dumbfounded and speechless. How does this happen? How is this legal? I am utterly outraged that raw milk is illegal in some states, but this kind of nonsense is not.
Having a BBQ at the beach by meironke, on Flickr
Ah, summer. Picnics in the park, at the beach, in the mountains, barbeques in the backyard, and then the next day…diarrhea. I don’t know about your family, but it seems the season we are most afflicted with “the runs” has arrived.
Most tummy upsets are not caused by viruses, as once thought, but by food-borne bacteria like Escherichia coli and Salmonella. These bacteria thrive in warm weather and on hands that don’t get washed quite as often as maybe they should. Our family practices three lines of defense:
Prevention by proper food handling techniquesWe all know these: Wash food before cutting; use different cutting boards for meats and produce; wash utensils in hot to boiling water; squirt surfaces with vinegar to kill bacteria; wash hands often; refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible after eating; don’t eat food that’s been at room temperature for two hours or more; cover exposed food to prevent germ transmission by insect. And while it can be difficult to wash hands before eating outdoors, and you certainly don’t want to use a hand sanitizer containing chemicals like Triclosan, a bottle of rubbing alcohol is easy to carry. Just pour a little on your hands and rub until it is all evaporated.
Prevention by probioticsYes, those wonderful chutneys, relishes and pickles, made at home through lacto-fermentation are strong medicine! The “good” bacteria they contain kill off the “bad” bacteria that causes illness, even as both go through our digestive tracts at the same time. And while dairy products are commonly discouraged for those with stomach or intestinal problems, I want to amend the rule: Absolutely abstain from grocery store dairy, but don’t disparage raw milk! Raw milk is also full of good probiotics that support stomach and intestinal health. Fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir can also help. Do be cautious when purchasing yogurt and kefir products to avoid sugars and artifical sweeteners, colors and flavorings. These additives will not help your body normalize. Better to make your own where you can monitor the ingredients. Frequent servings of fermented foods can strengthen the digestive tract, making it stronger against invaders, too.
Remedy through whole foodsSometimes, no matter how careful we are, we get hit by a bug. I don’t want to immediately go to the drugstore and buy a drug that will stop the diarrhea so I can go on with “life as usual.” When the body sends extra water into the intestines, it is trying to “flush” out the bugs that are irritating it. Preventing this flushing process allows the bugs to grow and can cause worse problems. Yeah, it’s a pain to have to stay home, by the bathroom for a couple days. But that’s what the body is saying should be done, so that’s what we do. We rest.
Obviously, we need to replace the increased fluid being expelled. Don’t be tempted to go for sugary sports drinks or Pedialyte with their artificial colors and flavors. A simple electrolyte formula can be made by adding a pinch of salt and a pinch of baking soda to a glass of water. It won’t taste great, but will help maintain the body’s electrolyte balance. There are other options, too. Coconut kefir is very hydrating, a probiotic drink, and mildly sweet and easy on the tummy.
One of our favorite remedies is “blueberry spoonful.” Pour a cup of filtered water over a tablespoonful of unsweetened, organic, dried blueberries. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 15 mintues. Let it cool and take a tablespoon every hour until symptoms cease. This remedy is particularly helpful against E. coli.
A very fast-acting herbal remedy is fenugreek seed. We fill some non-gelatin capsules with fenugreek seeds and take them with water three times a day. We have had great success with these, sometimes stopping an attack in as little as one day.
I’m not a doctor, and I can’t prescribe treatments for you or your family. These tips are just what has helped us. By all means, if your diarrhea doesn’t get better after a day or two, or you experience high fever, mental confusion or other symptoms, please seek medical care immediately.
This post is part of the Natural Cures Tuesday blog carnival, hosted by Hartkeisonline.
Give Us Our Daily Bread #1 by cobalt123, on Flickr
Since embarking on a diet of traditional, local foods, bread and I have had a parting of ways. I started out trying the sourdough recipes in Nourishing Traditions, but my family and I agreed, this was not for us. We can handle sourdough very occasionally, if it isn’t overly sour or heavy, but as a frequent visitor at our table, it was not going to work.
I went to work researching recipes for soaked bread and carefully tried each. We were not impressed. They tended to be heavy and sour like sourdough. I thought perhaps sprouted wheat would work better, but the sprouting process made the wheat taste distinctly different: better, I thought, my family disagreed. Sprouting also seemed to reduce some magical power of the bread (gluten?) that made it rise, so our sprouted loaves were not light and soft.
Coconut flour works marvelously for pancakes and the occasional dessert loaf, but for a daily sandwich-and-toast bread, the family voted a resounding no.
So, the entire time I’ve been cleaning up our diets, I have been buying bread. Organic, mass-produced and not local for John; sprouted and local but not organic for the rest of us. Despite having organic wheat in the house, a wonderful mill in the cupboard and a bread machine on a shelf, I have resorted to paying $5 a loaf for someone else to bake my bread.
Oh, sure, I could point to the yeast and say my reason is the lack of GMO-free yeast, but I know for a fact my “crunchy grocer” carries Rapunzel organic GMO-free yeast. I could blame my desire to follow a more low-carb diet, but the rest of the family doesn’t participate in my low-carb leanings.
The truth of the matter is: bread is my Achille’s heel, my nutritional disconnect. It’s the one item my family refuses to budge on: the one food we insist on eating even knowing it contains possibly genetically modified grains, unhealthy fats, fattening carbs and travels too many miles to get to us. I doubt I can get John to enjoy homemade bread for sandwiches, but I know the rest of us would. Just the wonderful smell of bread baking is enough to jumpstart an appetite. But, therein lies another problem. Will baking fresh bread from freshly ground wheat destroy my resolve to eat low-carb?
Consumers are advised to rid their refrigerators of Nestle’s Toll House Refrigerated Cookie Dough:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm167908.htm
Aw, why not just toss everything mass-manufactured and start over with real food while we’re at it? Honestly, the danger of contamination comes not from grass-fed cattle being milked by farmers intending to sell raw milk. The danger comes in processed, mass-produced edible food-like substances.
Radishes by Urban Combing (Ultrastar175g), on Flickr
To be honest with you, I really, really dislike radishes. I’m not a big fan of spicy foods anyway, and the radishes I’ve had have burned my mouth without giving me any flavor in exchange. When I hear people say “peppery” I know they really mean just painfully hot. Yeah, I’m one of those people for whom cilantro is about the hottest herb tolerated. When the radishes came in last year’s CSA box, I gave them to a neighbor. This year I was determined to try them. I couldn’t just turn my back on a local food. I found an interesting-looking recipe on allrecipes.com and modified it for our preferences. It was amazing. Have you ever had one of those dishes that you add three things that you’re just not that wild about, but the flavors combine to create a near-perfect melange? This was one of those. I am utterly amazed, not just about how much I liked it, but also by how many radishes I piled on and noticed not one bit of heat.
Spring Veggie Sandwich
In a small bowl, mix together 8 ounces cream cheese, the juice from two limes, the same amount of balsamic vinegar as lime juice and a grind of black pepper. Spread generously on 6 slices of bread, then top each slice with a handful of thinly sliced radish, several arugula leaves and thinly sliced tomatoes. Top with another slice of bread.
We used yogurt cheese and sourdough bread. I was so thrilled that there were leftovers! Tomorrow I’m going to skip the bread and just toss all the other ingredients into the blender. I think this would make a dynamite dip for fresh veggies!
Fight back against your comfort zone this week. Step out and try something local, fresh and different!
This post is part of Fight Back Fridays, hosted by Food Renegade.
