Tag Archive for organic food

02 Oct 2012
Food • Gluten

Organic Reduced Sugar Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Spelt Choc Chip Cookies

I recently wrote a post about why modern wheat is so bad for us.

So in case you are looking for alternatives to wheat, let me introduce you to spelt. Ok…yes. Technically, spelt is wheat. But it is a more nutritious, more easily digested form of wheat! Did you know that until about 1920, most of the grain used to produce flour and bread was spelt? Spelt is an exotic, older, hardier species of wheat and contains much more protein and fiber. And apparently the protein found in spelt contains all 8 essential amino acids needed by the human body! Spelt also contains more minerals and vitamins than “regular” wheat. Flavor and texture wise, it is also more superior to wheat (in my opinion!).

You have to try spelt- it’s delicious!

Being gluten intolerant myself, I can also tell you that spelt is much, much easier to digest than the wheat you will find at the regular super market. Something about the gluten in spelt being water soluble and more easily broken down by the digestive system…

So yes, I do cheat from time to time on my GF diet. Once in a while I get these scrumptious spelt chocolate chip cookies that I get from my local organic market. YUM! Every time I eat them I vow that I am going to bake my very own batch at home (and save a few bucks while at it!).

I finally got the recipe, but adapted it to the ingredients I had at home, making it a little more nutritious.

All of the ingredients are organic and high quality. I even bought an organic fair trade dark chocolate bar and chopped it up myself! Also, I used coconut oil in place of safflower oil. Coconut oil is the best and most nutritious oil to cook with.

I also like that these cookies are not super sweet. Refined sugar is horrible for the body- which is why I used local raw honey- a powerful antioxidant loaded with nutrients and beneficial bacteria! But if you are used to eating a lot of sugar, you may want to start with 3/4 cup of honey and work your way down :)

The sugar content was perfect for me though.

Here is my recipe:

3 cups spelt flour

1 ts baking soda

1 ts sea salt

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 ts vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. In another bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix again. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon a scoop of cookie dough into a lightly oiled cookie sheet and press down slightly to even it out. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Makes about 20 cookies.

I’m actually eating one of these as I type! I definitely won’t be eating these all the time due to the gluten content, but I am thrilled to know I can eat a few here and there with absolutely no symptoms!

If you want to find out more about gluten intolerance, click here.

Also, I highly recommend trying to find spelt tortillas at your local health food store. The texture is AMAZING! Let’s hear it for spelt!!

 

Allegra | 5 comments | Tags: , ,
06 Sep 2012
Health • Living Simply

Tips For Easy Organic Meals

Apron Handmade by Sweetheart Fashion Boutique! https://www.facebook.com/#!/Sweetheartfashionboutiques

Do you feel like you don’t have the money to eat organic?

Do you feel like you do not have the time to make your own food?

Do you fear that your meal options would be extremely limited if you were to adhere to an organic lifestyle?

 

For today’s post, I will share some tips on making organic eating a little less overwhelming.

First if all, there are things you can do to reduce the cost of organic food. Which I will discuss later in this post.

Other than that, let’s just be honest. Unless you are raising your own cows and chickens, have a fruit and veggie garden, and make everything from scratch, going organic will be more expensive. There are ways to save money, but in general, expect to pay a little bit more.

Having said that, I am convinced going organic is entirely worth it. If you need a little convincing, read this post.

Now, let’s move on.

After you have decided that eating organic is better for you, our animals, and our environment, the main issues with eating healthy food are related to time and variety.

I think people forget that organic doesn’t necessarily mean healthy. It just means no synthetic pesticides, chemicals additives, hormones, or GMOs. Therefore, for just about every food out there… there is an organic version. So truth is, when it comes to eating organic, the sky’s the limit! (But don’t go pigging out on organic cheesecake, or organic fried chicken, or organic hot dogs everyday!!)

There are times, though, when preparing homemade, organic, meals from scratch is just too overwhelming. In reality, making all your meals at home, regardless of whether or not you choose organic ingredients, is time consuming and requires a lot of planning. Therefore, I try to make a grocery list on Friday morning, and go grocery shopping either Friday afternoon, or during the weekend.

Last week, I failed to do either.

So come Monday, I was scratching my head and stressing out trying to come up with something for dinner.

Let me remind you: I try to eat organic at all times. So 97% of restaurants and 99.5% of fast food joints are off limits. The few restaurants we have to choose from in our area are a bit pricey. At the store, organic packaged/prepared foods can be really expensive too (i.e. at certain stores, a jar of organic spaghetti sauce can easily run you 5 bucks). So when I am caught without a plan for dinner, it is a dire circumstance indeed!

I can’t stress this enough: when creating a healthy lifestyle, there is no alternative to doing the hard work. You have to want it. You have to be willing to do the work. Trust me, it gets easier.

But, it’s OK to take a break :)

So here are some tips to get you through when you don’t have the time or energy to cook up an organic, gourmet, meal:

1. When you find organic packaged items on sale, or if you know a particular store has a really good price a certain item, stock up and hide them in your pantry or freezer. Look for things like organic pasta, sauce, soups, granola bars and even frozen selections. You will thankful for your stash the day you come home from an exhausting day at work, would rather use your energy to clean up a messy home, have piles of laundry with your name on it, or a whining kid that needs to eat NOW!

2. Be all about simple! Tuna sandwiches, pasta, macaroni and cheese, eggs and toast, chicken and rice. You can find all of these items organic, with the exception of the tuna. (You can probably find sustainable tuna.) A couple times a week, I make very simple meals.

3. Cheat. I am known for buying a dollar rice noodle bowl at Trader Joe’s and adding my own veggies to it. I am famous for saying (as I am adding fresh broccoli to my bowl), “Look! It’s healthy now!”

It also makes the bowl more filling!

4. Trader Joe’s. If you do not have a Trader Joe’s near you, I am so sorry. If you are looking to move anytime soon, try to be within the vicinity of a Trader Joe’s. Although they are coming under fire for not proving that they do not source GMOs, there are still plenty of items that they carry that are organic… or good enough. I will eat non-organic food if there is no corn, soy, canola, or zucchini in it (these items are almost always genetically modified if they are not organic) and if there are no animal products in it- organic meat and dairy is very important to buy organic. (Click here to find out why). Anyway, Trader Joe’s is the epitome of healthy and affordable. We tend to stock up on our snacks and packaged items at TJ’s.

5. Go raw! Think about it. If you do not have to cook something…. doesn’t that automatically save you time? You do not need to literally “go raw” as in eating everything raw, but it’s good to incorporate raw food into your diet, especially for snacks. It can be as simple as eating an apple or two or day. Munching on carrot sticks. Eating almonds or cashews. Halve an avocado and put a little salt on it. You can make your own trail mix and keep it on hand for a quick snack. Heck, you can just open up the fridge and eat a cucumber. No preparation necessary!

Speaking of raw food, one of my new goals is to eat more salad. We’ve been slipping lately. I just get lazy!  It can take 20 minutes to make a good salad! So once or twice a week I am trying to make a HUGE bowl of salad that will last for a few days. It’s perfect for a snack, or an addition to a meal. It really helps to have it ready in the fridge. You just take some out and eat it! Try it!

And what would this post be without some recipes!?

Enjoy :)

 

Chicken, Rice, and Brocolli

This is my go to meal! So easy! So Healthy!

You need:

6 Organic Chicken Drumsticks (only 3 or 4 dollars at Trader Joe’s or Sprouts!)

Organic White Basmati Rice (make a HUGE pot so you have leftovers)

Organic Broccoli

Lemon, Dry Spices (sea salt, garlic powder, pepper, oregano)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Squeeze lemon all over the chicken legs. Sprinkle spices all over the chicken. Place chicken on the top part of a broiler pan (line the bottom of the pan with foil for easy cleanup!)

Place chicken in oven for 45-50 minutes. Turn the chicken over after about 30 min. Sometimes, I turn the oven on broil for the last few minutes to get the outside nice and crispy.

While chicken is cooking, make some rice. Put 2 cups of rice and 3 cups of water in a pot. Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover, and let it cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, but keep lid on for another 5 minutes or so. When chicken is done, remove from oven and while it is cooling, steam your broccoli.

 

Fried Rice

You need:

Leftover Organic Rice

Chopped Organic Carrots

Frozen Organic Peas

2 Organic Eggs (beaten)

Leftover Organic Chicken, chopped (optional)

Coconut or Olive Oil

Salt, garlic powder, organic soy sauce.

Directions: Cook frozen peas on stove for a few minutes. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan or a wok. Add carrots and peas. Let it cook for a few minutes. Add eggs and immediately scramble them while they are cooking with a fork. Mix well with veggies. Cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken if you want. Add about 2-3 cups of cooked rice. Cook for a few minutes. Add a little salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Mix well!

 

Cheater’s Soup

This “recipe” is for when you are having, “One of those days.”

Directions: Buy a can of organic soup or a rice noodle bowl and add your own fresh veggies to it, such as carrots, broccoli, spinach, or kale. As you heat the soup, the veggies will soften. I like to get a rice noodle bowl, and add broccoli, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Mmmm! Now it’s healthy!

And finally, here’s a basic salad dressing to go with all the salad you will be eating :)

You need:

1/2 cup high quality organic, cold pressed Olive Oil

1/2 cup organic red wine vinegar

1 clove of garlic, minced or garlic powder to taste

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Cumin

Directions: Mix all ingredients together!

 

There you have it! Easy food!

 

Allegra | 4 comments | Tags: ,
21 Aug 2012
Food • Health

Burger Lounge Sells Grass-Fed Burgers!

http://burgerlounge.com/

I just had to do a post on Burger Lounge!!!

…Seeing as how I eat here a couple times a month and can’t stop raving about their food.

The burgers at Burger Lounge are phenomenal!

AND… the beef is grass fed.

Why is that important? Grass-fed beef is healthier, tastier, and more environmentally responsible. Most cows are fed grains- especially corn. However, grass is the natural diet of cattle, not grain! Cows raised on grass are healthier because it’s their natural food. In fact, conventional (factory farmed) cows have to be given antibiotics because fattening up cows with grain increases milk output, but it also increases physiological stress in the cow, leading to a higher incidence of mastitis and other infections. Also, grains are hard for cows to digest. In a nutshell, grain makes cows sick. Eating the meat or drinking the milk of sick animals will probably make you sick too.

When animals are raised in harmony with nature, the effects are profound and far reaching. By rotating the animals through various pastures through the seasons, native biodiversity is preserved, soil fertility is enhanced, and we avoid the dirty, unhealthy conditions of feedlots.

Here’s something else to think about: large areas of land that used to be dedicated to growing crops to feed people, are now dedicated to growing grains… to feed our factory farmed animals.

Many wounds have been inflicted upon us and our environment by industrial agriculture.

So I am all about supporting restaurants that use healthy ingredients produced in a sustainable environment.

According to Burger Lounge’s website:

Our beef comes from one farm, grown by a small company where the animals are well treated and never spend time in a corporate “feed-lot”. Their diet consists of tall green grass from beautiful Kansas prairie land. This is what nature intended cows to eat and nothing more. No hormones, no antibiotics, no grain, no corn, just beautiful green grass. These conditions produce a beef that is delicious and far better for you than conventionally grown beef.

Hear, hear!

Grass-fed beef patty, organic bun, organic cheese, organic veggies, and yes… organic ketchup. All I can say is WOW.

There are a bunch of Burger Lounges in the San Diego area, and there are a couple in the LA area. If you do not live near a Burger Lounge… I am so sorry. But a google search will show you if you have any organic burger joints in your area. Or organic anything in your area for that matter. I am blessed to live in Cali, which is sort of like the mecca of the natural/organic/local food lifestyle.

Keep up the good work Burger Lounge!

 

P.S. There are farms that will actually ship their grass-fed beef right to your doorstep. Check out http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/ & http://www.tallgrassbeef.com/store/

I have also found grass-fed beef at grocery stores such as Sprouts.

 

Allegra | 2 comments | Tags: , ,
30 Mar 2012
Featured • Food • Health

Buying Organic… Is It Worth It?

Pretty Produce

By now I am sure you have seen organic food in your local grocery store.

You really want to try organic to see what the hype is about, but you can’t bring yourself to pay more for it. But what many people do not realize is that what they save by purchasing conventional products they end up paying years down the road with their health. You pay now or you pay later.

For starters, what does the term “organic” mean? Basically, organic means that the food is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, or irradiation. If meat/dairy/eggs are organic it means that the animal did not take antibiotics or growth hormones.

There is a legal definition of organic. According to the USDA a product that has the “USDA Organic” seal is certified organic and has 95 percent or more organic content. Keep in mind that there are varying degrees of organic. Here is the breakdown:

If the label says…

100% Organic= Made with 100% organic ingredients

Organic= Made with at least 95% organic ingredients

Made With Organic Ingredients= Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients. The remaining 30% are subject to strict regulations (i.e. no GMOs -genetically modified organisms- allowed)

It’s true, more people are eating organic. You know something has gone mainstream when you see it at Walmart. And although I think it’s great to see more and more organic items (it reflects the demand for organic food!) you still need to read the ingredients because many companies are in it for the money and they will find loopholes in the system in order to get the label “organic.” I read that a product can still be considered organic if it has a small amount of a few non organic items (i.e. water, salt). But it seems that this list is getting longer. So make sure you read the ingredients. And the shorter the list the better.

Beware of the term “natural”

Companies that are trying to jump on the food revolution bandwagon will sometimes place the phrase “all natural” on their products as if “all natural” actually means something. It doesn’t. There is no legal definition of the term “natural.” So do not buy products simply because on the package you see the words natural. Natural is so loosely defined that anything can be called natural. Genetically modified ingredients can be considered natural. High fructose corn syrup can be considered natural. You get the idea.

Some people do not believe organic is worth it, saying things like, “It’s just a money scam” for which I always retort: “Since when is it wrong to get paid for your labor? Besides, I’d rather make a company rich that’s not trying to kill me” :)

Ok so why does organic food cost more? Well first of all let me say that it doesn’t always cost more. The more popular it becomes, the less you will pay- which we are already seeing. Much of the produce I buy costs the same and is sometimes even cheaper than conventional produce. And if you stick to whole foods as opposed to processed foods, you will save a lot of money. But I cannot lie, organic processed, or packaged items can sometimes be twice the price of non organic packaged food. At face value, organic food seems to cost more. But keep in mind that there is a hidden cost when it comes to conventional food. Conventional farmers receive federal subsidies to grow certain food, which we are paying for through our tax dollars! On the other hand, the price of organic food reflects what it actually costs the farmer’s to grow it. Also, with conventional farming, we are damaging the environment and paying for the cost of environmental cleanup… with our tax dollars! When you grow organic, you are not using synthetic pesticides, so by nature you lose a portion of your crops. Organic farming is more labor intensive. Also, it costs money to have your items certified organic. Oh and conventional products are usually cheaper because they use cheap, synthetic ingredients! For example, high fructose corn syrup is in everything because its cheaper to produce than normal sugar. Most companies are going to use HFCS simply because it saves them money. Unfortunately, whether or not it’s good for your health doesn’t really concern them. This is what I mean when I say there is a cost to your health.

Ultimately, the number one reason my husband and I buy organic is because we do not want to ingest toxins. Proper nutrition, along with minimizing exposure to toxins are essential to good health. We also want to support farmers and companies that are doing things the right way. This is called voting with your dollars. You can write all the letters you want and attempt to change all the laws. But big corporations only understand money. If their customers are taking their money elsewhere, they will respond. Either they will produce products that are better for the body and environment or lose revenue.

Ok. So I have given you a few reasons why organic food sometimes costs more. If you aren’t quite ready to whip out the extra cash for healthy, organic food, just know that it does not have to be all or nothing! Here is an updated list of the dirty dozen, or produce you should definitely by organic:

http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/slowfoodorganiclocal/a/organicproduce_2.htm

Basically, when buying produce, if it has a thin skin, go for organic.

Last, but definitely not least, I think that meat and dairy are the most crucial items to purchase organic. You can always wash your produce to get some of the pesticides off. However, with meat and dairy, if it’s not organic you are eating parts of an unhealthy animal that was fed toxins and injected with toxins. No way to wash that off. Animals raised organically are not allowed to be fed antibiotics, growth hormones or genetically modified foods. Also, organic animals are more likely to have been raised without cruelty.

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Allegra | 13 comments | Tags: , , ,