Vegetarian Bayou Jambalaya Recipe

Adapted from Rice and Spice by Robin Robertson (Harvard Common Press, 2000).

You won’t miss the meat or seafood in this glorious vegetarian version of the Creole classic. New Orleans fire and flavor along with colorful anti-oxidant nutrition and satisfying ease of preparation. Pure bayou bliss!

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 16-ounce cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon file powder (look in your local gourmet food store)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pinto beans, rinsed if canned
4 ounces tempeh, cubed
8 ounces vegetarian sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cups hot cooked brown rice

1. In a large pot, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper and saute for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, file powder, parsley, Tabasco sauce, salt, and water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the pinto beans.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tempeh and vegetarian sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

3. Add tempeh and sausage to tomato mixture and simmer about 5 minutes, until flavors are well blended. Adjust seasonings and serve over hot cooked rice.

Serves 4 to 6.

Happy Earth Day! - 7 Tips For Green Eating

It’s Earth Day. Which means that you might be experiencing a rush of media extolling the virtues of reusable shopping bags, the evils of single use water bottles, and the importance of organic food. And seasonal food. And local food. And so on. All important issues, but I’m guessing a lot of you know about these things by now. So may I interest you in some other ideas on how to make an impact with your food choices?

Don’t get me wrong. My closet’s packed with cheerleading outfits for the basic tenets of green eating: local, seasonal, organic. They are, in my opinion, vastly important. So I’ll pay tribute to them, quickly, in tip number one–and then cut to the chase with six other tips that see less of the spotlight.

1. Buy Local, Seasonal, Organic.
Shop locally to decrease the fuel consumption of transportation–shop at farmer’s markets, CSAs, food co-ops, and markets that sell local products. Even big box stores are hopping on the local food train. Eat seasonally, which essentially means that you are eating locally, which means that you are not supporting the fuel consumption of cross-country, cross-global transportation. This can be challenging for those of us living in, say, Brooklyn in the winter, but you’d be surprised by all the things you can do with dark greens and winter squash! Support organic agriculture. There, said.



2. Don’t Buy Organic.
What??? Organic should be first choice when it’s locally grown, but consider that shipping a pound of organic apples across the country increases fuel and greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent more than if they had been consumed at their point of harvest. And much of the organic produce on the market is now shipped across the planet. Meanwhile, many local farmers practice organic methods but don’t certify organic because it is expensive and labor-intensive administratively. Since each type of crop needs to be registered, for a smaller farm growing a variety of food it becomes a Herculean task. If you shop at a farmer’s market, talk to your vendors and see if they use eco-friendly agricultural methods–many of the farmers I have talked to do so because they recognize the importance of keeping their land healthy. Consider buying non-organic locally grown produce over non-local organic produce, if you can determine that it was grown conscientiously.

3. Yes, Eat Your Weeds.
Dandelions, purslane, chickweed, stinging nettle, lamb’s quarter, burdock? Yum! Skip the herbicides, and celebrate your weeds instead with a hot pan and some olive oil. Many plants now maligned as bothersome invaders of the perfect lawn were long used as food greens. Just make sure that you identify the plant species correctly. I, for one, go absolutely shivery in the knees for dandelions–you could be, too, by looking at these pages:

Eating Dandelions
Cream of Dandelion Soup
Homemade Dandelion Syrup

4. Minimize Your Meat.
Meat is the most resource-intensive food on the plate. It takes much more energy, water and resources to produce a pound of meat, than a pound of grain or produce. (A pound of beef can require about 12,000 gallons of water to produce, compared to 60 gallons for a pound of potatoes.) In addition, agricultural hormones and antibiotics lead to pollution of soil, air, and water.

If you eat meat, aim for meat from animals who were raised humanely; grass-fed, and without hormones or antibiotics. Try hard to avoid factory farmed meat which relies on large-scale industrialized and intensive agricultural practices that are focused on profit with animals kept indoors and restricted in mobility. Each industry has its own abusive practices, and some are much more cruel than others. For example, the chicken, egg, turkey, and pork industries tend to be far more abusive to animals than the beef industry. A growing number of producers are raising animals without intensive confinement. Refining your diet by choosing cage-free animal products, instead of the conventional factory farm products that fill most supermarket shelves, will help to reduce animal suffering. Happy animals are part of a happy planet.

Try slowly cutting out meat from your diet. Become the term that Mark Bittman of The New York Times has coined–a Lessmeatatarian! He is vegan daily until 6:00 PM.

And, trust me, this is torture for me - a die-hard meat-lover. The bloodier it is, the better. But there are benefits.

5. Eat Antiques.
Grow and shop for heirloom vegetables–varieties that have been around for a long time–to help promote biodiversity. Heirloom varieties can be knobby, speckled, bursting with flavor and loaded with character–they’re not industrially-raised supermarket produce designed for life in a truck and a shelf. With big agriculture growing only a small variety of the same bio-engineered (often patented and sterile) seeds, we run the risk of letting thousands and thousands of generations-old fruits and vegetables become extinct. The same goes for grains and beans. Heirloom beans are awesome; their flavor and texture do justice to their poetic names such as Black Valentine or Butterscotch Calypso.

Learn about heirloom beans and how to cook them here.

6. Mind Your Chills and Hot Flashes
Your refrigerator can be one of the biggest energy drains in your home. Here’s the cooling-efficiency cheat sheet cribbed from Sustainable Dave’s (much more comprehensive) post, Putting the Deep Freeze On Your Energy Loss: Do the dollar bill trick on the seal to check air-tightness; keep the fridge and freezer full; keep the fridge at 35 to 38F degrees, and the freezer around 0F; clean the coils; keep it in a cool place.

Meanwhile, keep the heat out of the kitchen by cooking outside–outdoor grills use less energy than your stove and keep heat out of the house, reducing energy needed to feed hungry air conditioners. And being outside is nice.

7. Love Your Coffee Farmer.
Lord knows I try to be good about my eating habits, but then, there’s coffee. I can manage to eat straight from my farmer’s market all winter long, but I can’t seem to shake the coffee. And until someone figures out a way to grow coffee beans in New York’s climate (which isn’t going to happen any time soon–fingers crossed), it’s a decidedly not-local item.

Especially with coffee, the consumer’s spending power can really make a difference. Coffee is the world’s second most valuable traded commodity, behind only petroleum. Second, isn’t that interesting? Imagine the impact of our shopping? According to Global Exchange, there are approximately 25 million farmers and coffee workers in over 50 countries involved in producing coffee around the world. Coffee producers are kept in a cycle of poverty and debt by the current global economy designed to exploit cheap labor and keep consumer prices low. Buying Fair Trade Certified coffee ensures a proper wage and working conditions for those who harvest and handle it, and has strong environmental standards built into its certification process that protect watersheds and virgin forests, help prevent erosion, promote natural soil fertility and water conservation, and prohibit GMOs and many synthetic chemicals. Look for the Fair Trade Certified label on your beans or in your coffee shop.

Raw Milk - A Three Part Series, Part II

One day my boyfriend announced that he wanted to buy a cow so that we could drink raw (non-pasteurized) milk. Now this wouldn’t be a new animal for our farm, since we live in New York. Hmmm. And, isn’t pasteurization a good thing? The debate about raw milk versus pasteurized is a heated one, and comprises the second part of our series on milk. Here’s what I found about raw milk (and whether or not we bought the cow).

The Raw Milk Laws
As it turns out, my boyfriend didn’t want to install a cow in our urban garden, he wanted to join a cow-share program; a covert way of gaining access to a beverage pretty difficult to buy in our state. Drinking raw milk is not illegal, but in many areas, purchasing it for human consumption is. Each state determines the details of raw milk sales. It is illegal to sell it for human consumption in 15 states, and available with restrictions in 26 states. Around these restrictions raw milk lovers have been scrambling to set up clandestine routines to get their milk. One of several loopholes used by consumers is a cow-share program, which allows the shareholder a percentage of milk from “their” cow. The cow lives on a dairy farm and is cared for and milked by a farmer, the milk is then delivered to you-thus no money is actually exchanged for the milk itself.

Why Pasteurize?
When I first starting hearing about raw milk my mind went straight back to a grade school black and white educational film about the miracle of pasteurization-how treating milk with heat followed by rapid cooling would kill all of the evil pathogens lurking in there. And looking at the history of the dairy industry, pasteurization was indeed a bit of a miracle. With 19th century industrialization came very unsanitary dairy farms. When pasteurization was introduced to dirty Victorian milk, infant survival rates saw a dramatic increase. By 1917, pasteurization was legally required or officially encouraged in most big cities.

By eliminating most of the pathogens that cause disease, including E. coli, salmonella and listeria, health official say that pasteurization has helped lower infectious-disease rates in the U.S. more than 90 percent over the past century. So pasteurization seems good-but I am also inclined to have a deeper trust in food that has seen as little processing as possible, albiet from clean farms, so the idea of raw milk was very intriguing. And if it’s so unhealthy, why are so many seemingly intelligent people drinking it?!

Types of Pasteurization
There are four types of pasteurization, each with a designated minimum temperature to which the milk must be subjected for a minimum amount of time. They range from Vat Pasteurization which requires that milk be held at 145 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, to Ultra Pasteurization (UP) which requires a minimum temperature of 280 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 seconds. Most national brands of milk are ultra-pasteurized because it is quick and dramatically increases shelf life (UP milk can stay fresh for up to two months). Vat pasteurization, the most gentle of the methods, is a costlier process and the milk has a shorter shelf life. (Hence it is not viable for large-scale dairy farms.) Vat pasteurization is the method for preparing milk for starter cultures in the processing of cheese, yogurt, and buttermilk-that suggests to me that the vat process leaves some life in the milk.

Why Raw?
Advocates for raw milk claim that the process of pasteurization destroys the beneficial bacteria, proteins, and enzymes that aid in digestion. Specifically, raw milk contains immunoglobins, lipase and phosphates that are killed by heat. Raw milk contains vitamins C, B12 and B6, much of which can be lost to pasteurization. Healthy bacteria naturally found in milk, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, is also lost during heat treatment. Raw milk proponents point out that these “friendly” bacteria aid in digestion and boost immunity. According to an article in Time Magazine, some people with a history of digestive-tract problems, such as Crohn’s disease, swear by the curative powers of non-pasteurized milk. Others praise its nutritional value and its ability to strengthen the immune system.

A common observation among raw milk proponents is that the dangerous pathogens found in raw milk are directly connected to the outrageously awful conditions of factory farming-mostly due to diseased animals. It is far easier to pasteurize milk than to stop industrialized farming. When you get milk from a clean, smaller farm where the animals are healthy, raw milk is not dangerous.

Our Cows
Quite frankly, the argument for raw milk makes perfect sense to me, but in the end I just couldn’t completely shake a lifetime of pasteurization dogma. Maybe if my boyfriend and I could buy raw milk legally and locally I would have been swayed-but as it is we ended up with a compromise. We take occasional trips two hours north to buy raw milk at Hawthorne Valley Farm, one of the farms in our state that is certified to sell raw milk. But the bulk of our milk is purchased weekly at our local farmers market. We are fortunate to have an amazing dairy farm that supplies high-quality milk to the city markets. The milk is minimally processed-it is not homogenized (meaning that the cream can separate to the top) and it is vat pasteurized, retaining some of that healthy bacteria.

By purchasing this less processed milk we get clean milk that hasn’t had the daylights zapped out of it, we support a local family farm, cut down on waste with returnable glass bottles, and it is actually cheaper than supermarket organic milk. But the best part? We get to drive upstate to the farm and visit the 55 hormone-free, grass-chomping cows that are making our milk-it’s almost like having our own cows.

Cow Milk - A Three Part Series, Part I

For many, milk is nearly as fundamental as water—the definition of “wholesome” in a glass. The choice has traditionally been simple: whole or skim? But as the scientific and political debates about different kinds of milk increase, so do the options. The choices are confounding. In this first of a series of three on milk, find out the one sure thing we recommend about milk.

Health-conscious people, animal advocates, the scientific community, and the dairy industry all have very strong feelings about milk. I have seen debates among friends fierce enough to rival the Hatfields and McCoys: Organic vs. conventional, raw vs. pasteurized, animal vs. soy. And when you bring in the literature from professionals—oh boy.

In the midst of all the arguments, despite the conflicting information pelting us from non-dairy proponents on one side and dairy industry advocates on the other, our research has made one thing clear. If you drink cow’s milk, make sure it is free of Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)!

The rBGH Hormone Story
Oh rBGH, you naughty little genetically engineered hormone. Developed by Monsanto in the 1980s and marketed under the name Posilac, rBGH (also called rSBT) was approved by the FDA in 1993. Approved by the FDA? Sounds good, safe even. However, in a strange twist of procedure, rBHG was tested on 30 rats for only 90 days—while most studies required by the FDA are performed on hundreds of rats and last for two years before approval is granted. How in the world can a genetically engineered hormone be deemed safe in 90 days?!

We won’t go into reports of Monsanto employees working for the FDA and all of the thrilling intrigue there…or the details about Monsanto’s history with horrifying chemicals…or Monsanto’s role in genetic modification.

Most of the World Has Banned It
No, we won’t go there—but we will tell you that Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and all 25 nations of the European Union have banned rBGH. Codex Alimentarius, the U.N. body that sets food safety standards, has refused to approve the safety of rBGH not once, not twice, but three times.

With rBGH Human Cancer Cells Can Multiply Faster
rBGH is injected into dairy cows to increase milk production by stimulating a growth hormone called Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). We humans absorb this IGF-1, and guess what, it makes our cells grow faster, including cancer cells. It doesn’t take a hypochondriac to worry about what extra doses of cell-growing hormones might do to a body. As it turns out, it is no surprise that numerous studies have determined that increased levels of this hormone are connected to increased risks of prostrate, breast, colon, pancreatic, and lung cancers.

With rBGH You’ll Get Cow Antibiotics in Your Milk
With the 10 to 15 percent increase in milk production from rBGH, also comes a whopping increase in the rates of mastitis, an infection of the udders. Along with the problem this presents to the poor cow, this affects our milk in two ways. To treat mastitis the infected cows are pumped with antibiotics, which can pass through the milk.

Some people have allergies to specific antibiotics and their unexpected presence in food can cause reactions. Also, frequent exposure to low level antibiotics can cause resistance to them so that they are ineffective when needed to fight a human infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control, overuse of agricultural antibiotics is the biggest contributor to food-borne, antibiotic-resistant infections in humans.

…And Pus
Beyond the possibility of antibiotics being passed through milk to humans—mastitis causes another substance to pass to the drinker as well. And this isn’t pretty. As with all infections, mastitis creates an increased somatic cell count—which is the nice way of saying pus. This may sound far-fetched at first, like vegan propaganda or an urban food myth—but the FDA has an actual acceptable level of somatic cells allowed in milk. So there you go. Up to 750,000 somatic cells per milliliter are allowed in milk. Yuck.

What You Can Do
We try to be pretty open-minded here, but when it comes to milk we have one guiding principal that we’ll go to the mat for: If you can buy organic, do. It costs more, but it is an important place to spend the money if you can.

If you have a choice between organic brands, buy from smaller local dairy farms rather than national brands. As well, if you are unable to buy organic try to purchase milk produced from smaller local dairy farms. Smaller farms rely less on industrial dairy practices and have lower infection rates. Since Monsanto has lawsuits against dairies that label their milk “rBGH-free” some cartons may not use that specific language. Look for “hormone free” and “antibiotic free.”

The lobbying powers of Monsanto and the dairy industry are exceptionally strong, as is the literature from the scientific and anti-dairy communities. It really boils down to a “he said-she said” scenario. But even without all of the statistics and scientific facts being batted around, at the very least, who wants to drink milk from cows treated with a genetically modified hormone to make them produce more milk—polluted milk from infected, aching cows? Strive for milk from natural, happy cows—milk as wholesome as milk should be.

Coming up: Raw Milk, and Milk Alternatives. Stay tuned!

Recipe: Grapefruit Brulee

Here’s a simple dessert, a fit cure for wintertime blues. Simply broil the grapefruit slices until warm and irresistible. Follow them up with a strong cup of aromatic jasmine or Earl Grey tea.

INGREDIENTS
3 large pink or ruby-red grapefruits
6 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter cut into tiny pieces
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1. Position oven rack about 5 inches from broiler; preheat broiler.

2. Slice the stem end and opposite end off each grapefruit. Stand the grapefruit, one cut-end down, on a work surface. Cut off the rind and pith with a sharp knife, making sure to remove all the white pith. Cut each fruit into 4 rounds, about 1/2 inch thick, by making slices parallel to the ones you made on the top and bottom.

3. Place the slices in a large baking pan in a single layer. Top each with 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar, dot with butter and sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.

4. Broil the grapefruit until bubbling and starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Drizzle pan juices over each serving.

Serves 6.

Recipe nutrition per serving: 121 calories; 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0g mono unsaturated fat); 5 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 2 g fiber; 5 mg sodium; 215 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (60% daily value), Vitamin A (30% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Servings.

Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat.

Euthanasia Alternative: Pet Hospice

Up until just a few years ago, people had one treatment option for their terminally ill pets–euthanasia–and the average veterinarian thought it better to get it over with sooner rather than later. But if Eleonora Babayants had listened to the veterinarian who advised her to put her dog Lima to sleep immediately, she and Lima would have lost out on their additional three years together. Instead of euthanasia, Babayants elected to care for Lima at home, using a relatively new program for dying pets called “pet hospice.” Pet hospice allows a dying animal to live out the rest of its life at home, pain free and surrounded by its loved ones.

“Human hospice and pet hospice are very similar ideas, because pet hospice is modeled on human hospice programs,” says Kathryn Marocchino, president and founder of Nikki Hospice Foundation for pets, a nonprofit organization that links sympathetic veterinarians with pet owners and provides education and advocacy concerning pet hospice. “The basic tenet is that you live each day until you die, and you make the best of it. And in both humans and animals, making the best of it revolves around pain management,” she says.

Veterinarians who are willing to work with individual clients to provide pet hospice at home can help train owners to deal with many of the day-to-day tasks that make caring for a dying pet so difficult. These include keeping the pet out of pain, teaching owners how to administer medications at home, even shots and IVs, instructing owners on how to keep wounds clean and prevent bedsores, and providing other suggestions to keep the pet comfortable.

“The pet owner needs a vet who is willing to support the owner with anything that may arise when taking care of a dying pet,” Babayants says. “In the case of my vet, she was willing to provide the hospice care for me.” She said, “If it gets to the point where I need to come to the house and help, I will.” Babayants says that although it was a bit intimidating for her, she learned how to give Lima fluids under the skin, administered shots, and learned what signs to look for to keep the dog out of pain. “The owner has to be willing to learn these basic medical techniques, but with the support of a vet who is willing to help, I found I could do anything I needed to,” Babayants says.

Another option for pet hospice care is frequent in-home visits from people trained in end-of-life care, like the veterinary students who participate in the Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Pet Hospice program. From a medical point of view, it can be difficult and scary to have a terminally ill pet at home, according to Co-Team Manager of CSU’s program, Christie Long, “especially if they require a lot of support, like administering fluids for rehydration, giving medications, keeping feeding tubes clean. It’s so stressful for a sick animal to be brought into the clinic, so we can have a much less stressed patient if we can keep the pet comfortable at home.”

CSU’s hospice service is one of the only formal programs in the country to offer structured in-home hospice care, free of charge, but many other veterinarians are willingto work with owners on an individual basis to provide hospice care to pets. Nikki Hospice Foundation for pets offers no in-home services itself, but it offers referrals to a network of willing pet hospice veterinarians across the country.

When to say goodbye
Sometimes pet owners are so subjectively devoted to the idea of keeping their pets alive that they can’t see when it’s time to let go. According to Long, it’s the responsibility of the hospice team to carefully assess the animal’s pain level and encourage owners to make the decision to euthanize when the pet can’t be kept pain free. “One of our standards for accepting a pet into the hospice program is if the animal can be made comfortable at home, because we don’t want to assist you with keeping an animal alive who’s in pain,” Long says. “And sometimes, when the animal no longer can be kept out of pain and has no quality of life, then euthanasia can often be the best gift.” While the CSU team will never force euthanasia, they will withdraw from a case if they feel the animal is suffering needlessly and they can’t persuade the owner to choose euthanasia.

The Nikki Hospice Foundation for pets takes a slightly different approach, advocating for the owners’ right to choose how and when their pet dies, including the right to refuse euthanasia altogether. Marocchino founded the organization out of her own grief at finding no end-of-life assistance when her beloved cat, Nikki, was dying of acute feline kidney failure. Marocchino had taken Nikki to an emergency animal clinic, where vets pressured her to euthanize Nikki on the spot.

Instead of putting Nikki to sleep immediately, Marocchino took her to the University of California Davis, where they also recommended euthanizing the cat. “I had trained as a human hospice volunteer the year before, and so I kept asking if we couldn’t do some kind of home hospice care,” Marocchino says. “I was looking for pain management at home, but there just wasn’t anything they could offer me. So in the end, we made the decision to euthanize her there at UC Davis, on a cold steel table.” Marocchino, extremely traumatized by the event, walked away deciding then and there to help found a pet hospice foundation so that no one would ever have to go through what she had just suffered.

Despite the organization’s stance on freedom to choose euthanasia or not, Marocchino is clear that she personally believes the owner should let go when a pet cannot be kept pain free. “The point isn’t to just extend the animal’s life, it’s only if you can take advantage of that quality time,” Marocchino explains. “If the pet can’t be kept out of pain, or if it’s comatose, then it’s time to let go.” But the main point she makes is that the choice must lie solely with the pet owner–not with the veterinarian or even the hospice providers.

Grief, but no regrets
When you talk to owners who have gone the hospice route, they share one clear trait: They have no regrets. Nancy Haugen, an assistant clinical professor at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine, who chose in-home care over euthanasia for her dog, Brinn, says pet hospice allowed her to focus on her dog’s needs and encouraged her to follow her own intuition for his care. “When you can just focus on your own instincts, and on the animal’s instincts, that ends up creating a situation where there’s no regrets,” Haugen says. “Pet hospice gives us permission to trust a really old primitive part of us, and to trust the nature of the dog or cat. It allows a powerful end-of-life experience where there’s sorrow and grief, which is very natural, instead of trauma and regret.”

When Babayants chose the challenging path of pet hospice for her dog, Lima, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. But with the help of her regular veterinarian, Babayants was able to keep Lima comfortable so they could enjoy their final time together. “She had a very happy three years, she didn’t suffer, she ate, she went for long walks,” Babayants says. “The best doctors in the whole world, when they tell you how long your pet has to live, can’t really know for sure. We would have lost those three years together if I’d just put Lima to sleep. When she passed away, I was in terrible grief, but I never felt any regret.”

For more information:
Nikki Hospice Foundation
CSU’s Pet Hospice Program
The American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians

Easy Greening: Water Bottles

It is estimated that Americans will drink more than 30 billion single-serving bottles of water this year. Since these bottles are non-returnable, two million tons worth of that everlasting plastic will end up in landfills–and roads, and beaches, and streams. Refilling used plastic water bottles offers a number of safety risks; so just how are we supposed to responsibly quench our thirst on the go?

Plastic water bottles are non-returnable and since they are generally used away from the home they rarely see the inside of a recycling bin. Most water bottles are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and have a lower recycling rate than any other common packaging materials, according to a report by the Container Recycling Institute (CRI). The quick solution many have adopted is simply refilling plastic water bottles from the tap—but alas, these bottles are not made or regulated for reuse and quite possibly don’t have the physical characteristics required to be safely reused.

Along with the possibility of bacterial contamination is the risk that PET is likely to leach some ugly little phthalates (known hormone disrupters) into your water. Harder polycarbonate (PET 7) bottles, like those used by hikers, can leach a known endocrine disruptive chemical, bisphenol-A (BPA), according to research published by the journal Current Biology.

Solution: Get yourself a nifty eco-friendly, safe, reusable water bottle. Look for one made from aluminum or stainless steel, inert materials that have 0.0 percent leaching. Fill it up with filtered water from your tap, and you’re good to go. Is it as convenient as buying a frosty plastic bottle of water when your thirst summons? No. But will it save you money, protect your health from leaching toxins, and make the planet a better place? Yes! So go ahead, quench in peace…

Sigg Swiss Engineered Water Bottles

Klean Kanteen

Power Up Your Diet For 2009

Are you or a loved one feeling fatigued after the holidays? While part of it may be from all the celebrating, part of that dragging feeling may be coming from your diet.

It's easy to let a healthy diet slip away during the holidays, but it is equally important to take stock of what you are eating and make sure you are getting a healthy balance of nutrients. Vegetarians may feel particularly sluggish and fatigued if they are not getting enough iron in their diets.

Foods rich in iron include beans, lentils, iron-fortified cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Make sure you get enough iron to power you through the new year! For today's Action, try a tasty recipe for iron-rich lentil almond burgers.

While I'm not a huge fan of vegetarian or vegan meals (I have a tolerance factor of zero for icky foods), these vegetarian burgers are just the thing to have on hand if you’re rushing around or have company for the holidays. Keep them in the fridge or freezer, and pull them out to have on buns or on their own with sliced tomatoes and relish. Or try them with roasted potatoes and roasted broccoli.

INGREDIENTS
6 cups water
1 cup brown lentils or green French lentils (see note)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 cup finely chopped carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 medium)
1/3 cup finely chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten (or flaxseed substitute)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in lentils, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until very tender and beginning to break down, about 25 minutes for brown lentils or 30 minutes for green lentils. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrot, shallots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add almonds, thyme, salt and pepper; continue cooking until the almonds are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor; add 1 cup of the cooked lentils. Pulse several times, scraping down the sides once or twice, until the mixture is coarsely ground.

3. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the remaining lentils. Let cool for 10 minutes. Mix in egg yolk (or flaxseed) and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Form the lentil mixture into 5 patties. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn gently and continue to cook until lightly browned and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve immediately, or allow to cool then freeze.

Note: French green lentils are smaller and firmer than brown lentils. They cook more quickly, too, in about 20 minutes. They can be found in natural-foods stores and some larger supermarkets.

Nutrition per serving: 228 calories; 9 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 6g mono unsaturated fat); 41 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein; 7 g fiber; 276 mg sodium; 467 mg potassium.

Nutrtion Bonus: Folate (53% daily value), Vitamin A (50% dv), Fiber (40% dv), Iron (20% dv), Potassium (16% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Servings.

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 very lean meat, 2 fat (mono).

YELLOW PEPPER RELISH
A colorful relish for the burgers, this is also great stirred into nonfat yogurt for a vegetable dip or combined with light mayonnaise for a zippy salad dressing.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups water
3 yellow bell peppers, seeded
2 medium onions, peeled
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons frozen pineapple juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 serrano chile or jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)

1. Put water on to boil in a medium saucepan.

2. Meanwhile, shred peppers and onions with the large-hole side of a box grater into a large bowl. Finely chop any remaining pieces of onion or pepper and add them to the bowl. Cover with the boiling water and set aside for 10 minutes. Drain in a large colander for 5 minutes (don’t squeeze out any moisture).

3. Place the shredded vegetables, sugar, vinegar, pineapple juice concentrate, salt and chile (or jalapeno), if using, in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until thickened and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. If the mixture gets too dry before the peppers are tender, add water, 2 tablespoons at a time. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled, about 2 hours.

Visit EatingWell.com for free quick and easy healthy recipe collections!

My Favourite Cold & Flu Remedies

It's that time of year again! And, no, I'm not talking about white Christmases and turkey dinners...I'm talking about cold & flu season. If you want to stay healthy over the holidays, try these great tips and formulas.

This is going to be a large post, so brace yourselves. If one remedy doesn't sound appealing to you, or if you're allergic to any of the ingredients, another remedy follows!

I’ve included teas, soups, homemade syrups, and more—all natural, all comforting, all effective. Great care for colds and flu, right here.

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Avoiding the flu is on many people’s minds, particularly this year with a worldwide flu vaccine shortage.

The good news is that people have been using essential oils for centuries to ward off illnesses, and we have an antibacterial room spray that can help in just this way. If you are unlucky enough to come down with a case of the flu, or a bad cold, there are many natural herbal and homeopathic remedies that also really help. Here is a list of these as well, so you can ride out such an illness with the least amount of misery!

Antibacterial Room Spray
Here is an excellent antiseptic and freshening room spray. It contains lavender and thyme oils, both of which are antiseptic and specifific to lung infections. If you are traveling, you might like to use it in your hotel room.

1. Fill a 2-ounce glass spray bottle with distilled water.
2. Add to it 7 drops of lavender oil and 4 drops of thyme oil.
3. Replace the spray top and spray!

Echinacea
Echinacea stimulates the immune system and helps the body rid itself of microbial infection. Echinace angustifolia and E. purpurrea are equally effective, and many products contain E. pallida as well. Start taking Echinacea tincture –30 to 45 drops 3x a day—a week before traveling to obtain ints immune –enhancing effects.

While all treatments work differently, depending on the individual, experience shows that Echinacea can knock out a cold if taken at the onset of symptoms.

Astragalus
Another effective immune-enhancing formula is a combination of astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) and Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) taken as a tincture twice a day, 20 to 30 drops per dose. This formula is appropriate to take daily throughout the cold and flu season. Begin a month prior to travel.

Boneset
Boneset (Eupatorium perforoliatum is an immune stimulant that assaults bacteria. In the 1700s and 1800s most U.S. homes in the Northeast had boneset drying from the rafters. It was used effectively to treat a flue epidemic in Pennysylvania in 800.

Redroot
This effective botanical stimulates and cleanses the lymph system. The lymph system is responsible for processing and cleansing the body of the byproducts of fighting infection.

Boneset, Redroot, and Echinachea
Make this formula blend yourself by buying single-herb tinctures of each of the three herbs and combine them in a larger jar. Fill a 2-ounce tincture bottle with some of the resulting formula and you’re all set. This remedy is good to take 20 to 30 drops at a time, every hour, at the onset of cold or flu symptoms.

Homeopathic Formula
A standard remedy for flu is the homeopathic formula Oscillococcinum. Manufactured by Boiron, Oscillo is taken like any other homeopathic remedy—sublingually (allowed to dissolve under the tongue) 30 minutes before or after eating or drinking anything except water. The standard dosage is three vials; each vial contains hundreds of minute pellets. As soon as you feel flu symptoms, take a vial of Oscillo. Repeat with the second vial six hours alter, and with the third six hours after the second.

Note: These recommendations are offered as information only, not as a medical recommendation, or to be used independently of your working with your doctor.

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If You Have a Cold but Need to Attend a Meeting

(From Beauty Feng Shui, by Chao-Hsiu Chen (Inner Traditions, 2000).

Heat 2 glasses of cola (try to find a healthy kind) with 10 thick slices of fresh ginger. Add 2 tablespoons honey and the juice of a lemon and drink the mixture. (This recipe is very popular in Hong Kong.)

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Herbal Bath Soothing Cold Remedy

Like several of my friends, I’m just recovering from a nasty cold brought on, I think, by the stress of adjusting to the falling temperature of my not-so-heated place of residence. I was eager to try this great formula–and the good news is that it really helped unstop my nose and soothe my sniffling soul. Plus it was pure pleasure to loll in such fragrant waters for a few minutes. (Warm baths are one of my favorite de-stressors, hands down!)

Get the simple and effective formula here to save for a sneezy day:

INGREDIENTS

2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons dried eucalyptus
4 tablespoons dried rosemary
4 tablespoons dried lavender buds
2 tablespoons dried rosebuds (I didn’t have any of these on hand, but the formula still worked without them)

Steep the herbs in the boiling water for 30 minutes, then strain and add the liquid to a warm bath.

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Zesty Cider Cold and Flu Formula

Adapted from 50 Simple Ways to Pamper Yourself, by Stephanie Tourles (Storey Books, 1999).

Here is a great natural formula—with a spicy, zesty, delicious flavor#—that offers relief from cold and flu symptoms, and is an effective natural antibiotic.

Several healing ingredients make this tasty formula one that you can drink at the first sign of a cold or flu to help open up your sinuses and bronchial passages. You can also gargle with it for relief from sore throats. We plan to print this out and keep it handy all fall and winter long; when the sniffles hit, this will help! Here’s the recipe:

INGREDIENTS (Try to use organic if at all possible)

25 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried or 3 tablespoons fresh Echinacea root, grated or chopped
1/3 cup fresh horseradish root, grated
1/4 cup fresh gingerroot, peeled and sliced
1 large white onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
Honey to sweeten, if desired
Raw apple cider vinegar, 1 quart or less

1. Place all dry ingredients in a 1-quart wide mouth jar. Fill to the top with vinegar. Cover the top of the jar with plastic wrap, then screw on the lid.

2. Refrigerate for six weeks so the flavor can develop and soften. Shake daily. There’s no need to strain and bottle it unless you want to. The flavor keeps getting better and bolder the longer the formula is allowed to steep.

3. At the first sign of a cold or flu, take 2 tablespoons of this formula with a warm water chaser. Rinse mouth out well after swallowing the cider. Repeat once or twice daily for the duration of the illness. You should feel your sinus and bronchial passages quickly open and your breathing become easier.

4. For a sore throat, gargle with the formula for 60 seconds, spit, then rinse out your mouth. You should feel immediate relief.

Makes about 1 quart.

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Honey Thyme for Colds and Flu

Cold and flu season is upon us, but we have an ancient remedy for congestion, coughs, and sore throats that is simply the bees’ knees!

It calls for honey, the sweetest of healers, and thyme, a wonderful herb with antibacterial properties that had been used by Wise Ones for centuries to alleviate the miseries of colds and flus. Easy to make and delicious to use:

INGREDIENTS
1 cup honey
1/2 cup fresh thyme or 1/4 cup dried thyme

1. In a small saucepan, combine the two ingredients and heat gently over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, being sure not to let the honey boil or scorch.

2. Remove from heat and allow the honey to cool. Strain out the herbs, then bottle the honey and label it.

3. To relieve colds, coughs, and sore throats, take 1 teaspoon of this thyme-infused honey three times a day. You could also add a teaspoon of it to a cup of regular hot tea and sip slowly.

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Herbs for the Flu, Tested By Science

Adapted from The Antibiotic Alternative: The Natural Guide to Fighting Infection and Maintaining a Healthy Immune System by Cindy L. A. Jones, Ph.D. (Inner Traditions, 2000).

It is getting to be time that we all get a bit more sophisticated about the flu, what with the Avian flu fears looming as a possible global pandemic. Vaccinations, antiviral drugs and pharmaceuticals are not the focus of this article, but finding effective herbs to help combat the illness is.

A flu and cold are often difficult to differentiate, but a flu is usually worse. Symptoms include a fever with chills, runny nose, cough, headache, and a feeling of malaise or tiredness. Although the most acute symptoms usually subside within three days, symptoms such as weakness and coughing may persist for ten days. Even though the flu is typically self-limiting, serious complications can arise in the very young or the elderly or those with a preexisting disease.

Two herbs have stood the test of science as being effective against the flu. Find out which ones, here:

The ideal approach to the flu is, of course, prevention. This might be accomplished by improving the immune system, especially in the fall as flu season approaches. Several studies have shown that astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous) extracts can stimulate the immune system. Use astragalus as an extract or add the root to soups.

If you do get the flu, here are two herbs shown to help reduce the severity of the illness.

1. Elder (Sambucus nigra) has a tradition of use for the treatment of colds and flu and has stood the test of science. The flowers from this plant have demonstrated antiviral activity against both influenza types A and B, as well as herpes simplex virus type 1. It also possesses anti-inflammatory activity.

A clinical study showed that a standardized elderberry extract, Sambucol, improved the symptoms of influenza with a complete recovery in two to three days, compared to a six-day recovery period for the group not receiving the herb. In this study patients were diagnosed with influenza type B. Elder may act by stimulating the body’s own interferon or by preventing attachment of the virus to the body’s surfaces.

2. Licorce root has also demonstrated antiviral activity. When mice infected with lethal doses of influenza virus were treated with glycyrrhizin, an active component of licorice, they were protected from death due to the virus and had less lung damage than did mice treated with saline controls.

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Restorative Roasted Garlic Soup

Adapted from The Border Cookbook, by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison (Harvard Common Press, 1995).

Some recipes for garlic soup are so laden with cream that the salubrious effects of the garlic are certainly thwarted. In this recipe for roasted garlic soup, you will find no cream. No dairy at all in fact. Instead, a creative combination of flavors with a Mexican spin that is as perky as it is restorative.

Roasting and simmering mellow the garlic’s sharpness and enhance its underlying sweetness.

This is one delicious way to boost your immune system so you can avoid the flu, or to nourish yourself if you’ve caught it.

INGREDIENTS

3 whole heads of garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, preferably peanut
1 medium onion, sliced thin
8 cups vegetable stock
1 to 2 dried or canned chipotle chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime
Toasted thin flour tortilla strips and sliced avocado, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Coat garlic with a thin film of the oil, reserving the remaining oil. Place garlic in a shallow pan and bake it until very soft, about 45 minutes. When garlic is cool enough to handle, peel all the cloves and reserve them.

3. Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large saucepan or Dutch oven and warm over medium heat. Add the onion to the oil and saute until it’s softened and lightly colored. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the reserved garlic. Puree, adding a little stock if necessary to blend the mixture.

4. Add remaining oil to the saucepan and warm it over medium-high heat. Pour in the blender mixture, being careful of any splatters, and saute it until it just begins to dry out and color. Add the rest of the stock, the chipotle, salt, and cumin, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the soup for 25 to 30 minutes, remove it from the heat, and add the lime juice.

5. Divide the tortilla strips and avocado between the bowls and pour the hot soup over them. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.

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Garlic Potato Healing Soup Recipe

Adapted from The Findhorn Book of Vegetarian Recipes, by Kay Lynne Sherman (Findhorn Press, 2003).

Here is a folk remedy for those days when you’re out of sorts and not feeling well. Comforting and packed with the healing power of garlic, this soup is good for what ails you!

Keep the recipe on hand to make whenever you or a loved one is feeling under the weather: Garlic Potato Healing Soup is a keeper.

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle
2 cups chopped potatoes
7 cups good-quality vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon butter
Croutons for garnish (optional)

1. Simmer potatoes and caraway seeds in stock or water for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are very soft.

2. Add crushed garlic and butter, stirring to combine thoroughly.

3. Serve hot with croutons on top, if desired.

Serves 2.

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Grandma’s Healing Soup Recipe

Inspired by Soup Makes the Meal, by Ken Haedrich (Harvard Common Press, 2001).

The author of this wonderful cookbook says he’s been making this light restorative soup for his kids when they’re sick for years–but that it’s so delicious, you don’t have to be sick to enjoy it! Either way, its luscious fragrance helps to clear the sinuses, with potatoes that are soothing to the digestive tract and a delightful broth filled with spinach, parsley, leeks, and garlic for minerals, vitamins, and healing antioxidants plus some winter root vegetables for sweetness. It reminded Cait of a lovely soup her Grandma used to make.

A steaming bowlful on a cold winter day is so wonderfully soothing
and comforting–and it is very quick to make.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large leek, well-washed, white parts only, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large potato, diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups vegetable stock
Salt to taste
Handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Large handful fresh spinach leaves (around 4 ounces), rinsed and coarsely chopped
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a soup pot, heat the olive oil and add the leeks, carrot, potato, parsnip, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add stock and salt to taste, then bring to a simmer.

2. Simmer soup, partially covered, for about 5 minutes, then stir in parsley and spinach. Simmer, partially covered, about 5 more minutes. Add pepper to taste and serve piping hot.

Serves 4 to 5.

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French Healing Tea Recipe

The French sip this tea for pure pleasure, but it is also wonderfully healing for sore throats, upper respiratory troubles, and tummy bugs. It’s been a brutal flu season here in upstate New York, but this delicious tea has helped all of us who have tried it.

The recipe only calls for one herbal ingredient, and you probably have it on your kitchen shelf. As you sip, think of cozy French farmhouses surrounded by fields just beginning to thaw after the long cold winter. The sun is getting stronger. Spring is returning. Life is good.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (1 teaspoon fresh)

1. Place thyme in cup and cover with boiling water. Cover and allow to steep for 10 minutes.

2. Strain and serve, with honey and/or lemon, if you like.

Makes one serving.

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Warming Winter Good Health Tea

Adapted from The Great American Detox Cookbook, by Alex Jamieson (Rodale Press, 2005).

Most of us will eat some things over the holidays that we knew aren't all that good for us. Some of us are surrounded by sneezing and coughing co-workers. All of us could use a little help staying healthy. That’s where this wonderful tea comes in handy.

The author of this great cookbook helped her filmmaker fiance Morgan Spurlock come back from the brink after he ate a fast-food diet for a month for his movie “Super-Size Me.” She devised this super recipe to help us digest our meals more fully and to boost our immune systems. It has anti-depression ingredients, antiviral and antibacterial ingredients, relaxing ingredients—and it tastes delicious! Try the recipe, and enjoy better health this winter:

INGREDIENTS

4 cups water
3 slices fresh ginger, cut to the thickness of a quarter (warming, immune enhancer)
1 1-inch piece licorice root (antiviral, antibacterial, fights depression)
1 1/2-inch piece cinnamon stick (warming, digestive support, useful for diabetes)
1 tablespoon organic orange rind (sweet)
1 tablespoon dried parsley (digestive aid)
1 teaspoon dried lemon balm (relaxing, aromatic)
1 clove (warming, digestive aid)

1. In a pot, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

2. Steep 5 to 15 minutes. Strain and drink twice a day.

Makes 4 cups.

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Stay healthy! - Tara

Benefits of Biking

Okay, we all know bikes are one of the few methods of getting there that doesn’t produce carbon dioxide emissions. But biking also offers far-reaching benefits to you.

Find out what biking can do for you and the planet:

Easy on the Earth
Rather than adding to the pollution problem, biking is a completely clean form of transportation. The only fuel it burns is your own calories!

Biking is also quiet, a huge plus for all of us suffering from the ill effects of noise pollution.

Fitness
Not only good for the atmosphere, biking is good for your derriere, and lots of other body-parts as well. Firming, toning, calorie-burning: Biking has it beat over driving any day of the week.

How many calories will you burn in a hour of moderate biking? Or 30 minutes? Find out with this handy biking calorie-calculator.

Boosting Your Mood
Even moderate exercise, like a leisurely bike ride, will boost levels of euphoria-producing hormones called endorphins. Translation: You can bike away your blues.

Enjoying the Scene
When we whiz past scenery in a car, we miss so much. The slower pace of biking enables ups to experience the beauty of locale. Avid bikers report the satisfaction of smelling newly mown grass, or flowering trees, or the fertile damp earth as one of the added bonuses of cycling.

Meeting Like-Minded Others
You can bet that fellow cyclers are probably health-and-environmentally-minded. Many bikers say that deep friendships often form among cycling enthusiasts because of their common ground.

Top 10 Superfoods for Fall

I, for one, love the idea that there are superfoods–certain edibles that go the extra mile in terms of nutritional chutzpah. They may not leap tall buildings, but superfoods are purported to fight the evil villains of heart disease, high cholesterol, cancer and a host of other diseases. Blueberries, for example, have become a superfood darling for their powerful punch of antoxidants–and I have to say, they do seem pretty mighty to me.

That said, I think some of the trendy superfoods are stealing the spotlight from the true heart of the matter–from the everyday heroes. It seems to me that almost any grain or produce that is grown organically, unprocessed and prepared gently, has much to offer. I just can’t see a list of ten superfoods that earn obvious rank. In fact, if you look at 10 “Top 10 Superfoods” lists, you will see that they vary widely.

The truth is, most good food from nature is pretty super. So with that in mind, I like taking a seasonal approach. Rather than debating the merits of acai berries over goji berries, I prefer to look at what’s in season, and work with the nutritional workhorses that I can get here and now. These are my favorites for fall, based primarily on nutritional variety and strength, but that also give me that primal, sensuous satisfaction that comes with eating what’s in season:

Sweet Potatoes and Pumpkin
I go crazy for these flavors come fall, and no wonder: The dark orange vegetable family outdoes all others in vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. Other dark orange vegetable standouts include pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, and orange bell peppers.

Cruciferous Vegetables
Crucifers such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards and turnips contain indole alkaloids that may help prevent cancer. They are also high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Along with their fabulous flavor, once you get the hang of cooking them, they may have an added bonus: they may help bolster memory as you age. Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that women who eat the most of these foods are the least likely to be forgetful.

Pomegranates
Pomegranates have very high antioxidant activity, offering brain and memory protection. And research shows that drinking pomegranate juice may help with lowering the risk for hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. And they're my personal favourite on the list!

Beets
The pigment that gives beets their super-beautiful fuschia depth-betacyanin-is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent. Beets’ potential effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been demonstrated in several studies. Beets are also particularly rich in the B vitamin folate.

The Alliums
Garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, chives and shallots contain sulfur compounds that may protect against heart disease and some cancers, they can all help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens.

Beans
An excellent source of protein, antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates, beans are flavorful, nutritionally dense, inexpensive and versatile. Read about heirloom varieties and cooking tips.

Olive oil
Several large studies suggest that the monosaturated fat in olive oil is good for the heart. Olive oil lowers bad cholesterol levels and increases good cholesterol. It is hgih in antioxidants–and is one of the superstars of the Mediterranean diet. Recent research shows that heart-attack survivors on a Mediterranean diet had half the death rates of those on an ordinary low-fat diet.

Tea
The caffeine content in tea is useful for stimulating alertness, mood and motivation, but is also a rich source of the antioxidant called catechins. Studies suggest that catechins protect the artery walls against the damage that causes heart disease and prevents formation of blood clots. It also does wonders for the spirit on a cool autumn day.

Red Wine
Grapes provide vitamin C, vitamin B1 and vitamin B6–red grapes also contain powerful phytochemicals (especially phenolics) that may help decrease risk of cardiovascular disease. These phenolic compounds are housed mostly in the skin of the red grapes, which is what makes red wine red. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic stilbene found in the skins of red fruits including grapes, may be responsible for some of the health benefits ascribed to the consumption of red wine. Resveratrol has been shown to have anti-oxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activity.

Have an Herb-tastic Dinner!

Tonight at dinner, how about using some fresh parsley or cilantro? These herbs not only make meals extra tasty, they also have incredible health benefits! The leaves, seeds and essential oils all have different ways to boost your health, such as reducing levels of cholesterol, fighting against free radical damage and more. For today's Daily Action, add some green to your plate by using parsley or cilantro.

I'm Taking Action!

Reform American Health Care

Target: U.S. House of Representatives
Sponsored by: IOUSA: The Movie

Did you know that Americans spend more on health care than any other country? Costs have been rising significantly faster than economic or personal income growth for the past 40 years, and the trend is continuing at an unsustainable rate. In fact, it is the worst long-term crisis facing the nation, and it demands a solution.

If we don't address these rising costs now, our entire safety net could disappear, including Medicare and Social Security. Even worse, cost burdens and our $9.5 trillion national debt make it almost impossible to invest in new programs that make us healthier and more secure.

Annually, the U.S. health care industry spends an amount equal to the entire gross domestic product of France and Spain combined, so reform is going to be complicated and challenging. But it needs to happen sooner rather than later, and the first step is asking hard questions about health care in America.

Waiting to reform the health care system will just push the problem onto our children and grandchildren, and that is irresponsible and immoral. Ask Congress to seriously face health care reform today.

Sign the petition!

Signature goal: 25,000

Current signatures: 2,370

Clean and Green Exercise

Originally posted by Annie B Bond. Excerpted from "Wake Up and Smell the Planet" (Skipstone, 2007), by Grist.org.

Even eco-types like us can be couch potatoes (though the couch is formaldehyde-free and our potatoes are organic and locally grown). But when the clock says 5:03 p.m. and the stress of your last meeting lingers on, nothing beats the satisfaction of a sweat-inducing, tension-releasing workout. (Well, that or a good stiff bourbon.) Still, popular modes of exercise come with their own set of environmental concerns, so educate yourself before dropping to give us 20 at the end of your busy day.

For the Fleet of Feet
Those of you whose post-work exercise routine includes an invigorating run may want to consider the implications of inhaling deeply—especially if you live and jog in an urban area.

Your chief outdoor foe is likely ozone, created when the chemicals in car exhaust and other emissions react to sunlight. It lurks mostly during the day, usually hitting its peak in the late afternoon and early evening, and lessens quickly as the sun goes down. Since traffic is usually lighter at night, and factories are likely to be spewing less, it’s likely that nighttime air is cleaner than daytime air. Of course it all depends on weather, geography, traffic intensity, the type of pollution, and so on. Some particulate matter can stick around for weeks, but in general pollution weakens with time.

If your schedule—or safety concerns—don’t allow for nighttime jogging, you still have options. Just pay attention to the local air-quality forecasts and keep a close eye on your body’s reactions as you run, especially if you have asthma or another respiratory condition. Try not to run on days or nights when the air quality is especially bad. If you simply can’t miss a day, ease up a bit: Walk instead of jog, jog instead of sprint.

As for other alternatives, you could create a gym with your friends by combining collective equipment. Or think about joining a local sports league—you get to exercise and socialize all at once. (And whether you win or lose, there’s always a reason to hoist an organic beer or two afterward.)

Low-Impact Exercise

• Walk or bike to work.
• Run up and down the steps of your local museum (just try not to sing the “Rocky” theme song.)
• Work in your garden.
• Do sit-ups while watching Animal Planet.
• Clean out your garage.
• Take your dog for a long walk.
• Chase your kids around the yard.

Advanced Workout

• Bike home from the market with panniers full of fresh food.
• Volunteer to lift sacks of bulk grains at your grocery (you never know).
• Join a group that clears trails in local hiking areas.
• Bench press your composting bin.
• Plant trees with a local arbor organization.
• Push a Hummer into a Prius car lot. Bonus workout: Engage in the ensuing scuffle (don’t forget to guard your face)!

Come On In, the Water’s … Probably Okay

We know some of you go to great lengths to achieve a weekly quota of laps at the pool. Perhaps you’ve noticed the scent of chlorine wafting off your skin for hours afterward and thought, “I stink of chemicals and my hair is turning brittle and green. Could this be harmful?” Well, perk up those swimmer’s ears as we dive into what we know about pools.

Chlorine is used to remove harmful contaminants from water, mostly because it’s
cheap (and because anyone who’s swum in a kid-populated pool is thankful for its mighty
pathogen-zapping powers). But when chlorine reacts with organic matter such as dirt and dandruff, a whole new family of chemicals results: Trihalomethanes (THMs), which hang around in the water and the surrounding air. Their concentration depends on water temperature and the amount of chlorine in the pool.

When swimming in chlorinated water, you have an elevated exposure to this group of chemicals, though the actual risks from such exposure are currently unknown. How long do THMs persist in the body? In the case of the most notorious, chloroform, the answer appears to be: not very long. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set allowable workplace chloroform levels for the standard work week at 50 parts per million. Most pool air will be at that level or higher, but you are only in the pool for an hour or so.

If swimming is your exercise of choice (and if you don’t do it all day long, every day), the associated chemicals aren’t likely to do you in. Be aware that outdoor pools and indoor pools with high ceilings are considered safer than those in low-ceilinged or otherwise tight quarters. Rest assured that swimming is great exercise—and you look totally hot in that Speedo.

Build a Compost Heap

Originally posted by Annie B. Bond Apr 22, 2008 7:00 am

Adapted from Four-Season Harvest, by Eliot Coleman

So often, the obvious solution is right at our fingertips, but
it looks so simple that we fail to notice. Generations of
gardeners have consistently come up with the same chain of
logic: A fertile soil is the key to growing garden vegetables;
compost is the key to a fertile soil. The first step in the
four-season harvest is learning to make good compost. It’s
not difficult. Compost wants to happen.

Pick a site near the garden so the finished compost will be
close at hand. Whenever possible, place the heap under the
branches of a deciduous tree so there will be shade in hot
weather and sunlight to thaw the heap in spring. A site
near the kitchen makes it convenient to add kitchen scraps.
Access to a hose is handy for those times when the heap
needs extra moisture. If the site is uphill from the garden,
the heavy work of wheelbarrowing loads of compost will have
gravity on its side.

Build the compost heap by alternating layers of brown
ingredients (such as dried grass stems, old cornstalks, dried
pea and bean vines, reeds, and old hay) with mostly green ones
(young, moist, and fresh materials such as kitchen wastes,
grass clippings, fresh pea vines). Begin with a layer of straw
about 3 inches deep, then add 1 to 6 inches of green ingredients,
another 3 inches of straw, and then more green ingredients.
The thickness of the green layer depends on the nature of the
materials. Loose, open material such as green bean vines or
tomato stems can be applied in a thicker (6-inch) layer,
while denser material that might mat together, such as kitchen
scraps or grass clippings, should be layered thinly (1 to 2
inches). These thicknesses are a place for you to start, but
you will learn to modify them as conditions require.

Sprinkle a thin coverage of soil on top of each green layer.
Make the soil 1/2 inch deep or so depending on what type of
green material is available. If you have just added a layer
of weeds with soil on their roots, you can skip the soil to the
compost heap has both a physical and a microbiological effect:
physical because certain soil constituents (clay particles and
minerals) have been shown to enhance the decomposition of organic
matter; microbiological because soil contains millions of
microorganisms, which are needed to break down the organic
material in the heap. These bacteria, fungi, and other organisms
multiply in the warm, moist conditions as decomposition is
initiated. If your garden is very sandy or gravely, you might
want to find some clay to add to the heap as the soil layer.
As an additional benefit, the clay will improve the balance of
soil particle sizes in your garden.

More on Lawns & Gardens (104 articles available)
More from Annie B. Bond (3187 articles available)

Butterfly Bait: How-To Formula

Originally posted by Annie B. Bond Jun 12, 2008 7:00 am

Adapted from The Butterfly Garden, by Matthew Tekulsky (Harvard Common Press, 1985).

We love butterflies! They have lifted human hearts for millennia with their fragile, colorful beauty. There are specific flowers that butterflies love, but what if you don’t have the space or time to grow butterfly-attracting plants? We can make Butterfly Bait! Because not all butterflies are only attracted to flower-nectar, this magic stuff will attract butterflies to your yard, even if all you have is a balcony.

Just wait until you find out the ingredients of Butterfly Bait! They’re not as pretty as the butterflies, that’s for sure–but this magic goop will have White Admirals, Mourning Cloaks, Viceroys and many others flocking to your place. Here’s the formula:

Many butterflies prefer rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, carrion, urine, and other non-nectar sources of nutrients. You can allow fruit from your fruit trees to decay on the ground, leave your pet’s droppings where they lie, or place a bit of raw meat or fish in a discreet part of your garden.

And here is the formula for Butterfly Bait:

INGREDIENTS

1 pound sugar
1 or 2 cans stale beer
3 mashed overripe banana
1 cup of molasses or syrup
1 cup of fruit juice
1 shot of rum

Mix all ingredients well and paint on trees, fence posts, rocks, or stumps–or simply soak a sponge in the mixture and hang from a tree-limb.

For more information about butterflies, including some fascinating facts, and a listing of plants that will attract them, see Care2’s How to Attract Butterflies.

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