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February 7th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Football has never been on my must-see list, so I cannot name the quarterbacks who will lead either the New Orleans Saints or Indianapolis Colts to victory during today’s Snowmageddon-weekend Super Bowl championship.
What I can tell you is that Dixon (right) is one of the 43 puppies who will play, punt and pee during Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl VI, which airs 3 to 5 p.m. (ET/PT) today, with five consecutive repeats.
Featuring a 20-kitten halftime show, bunny cheerleaders and hamster correspondents in a small blimp, the action-packed event has earned the American Humane Association’s No Animals Were Harmed disclaimer.
The competition will be held on a scaled-down gridiron about 10’ wide by 20’ long. Referee Andrew Schechter will call penalties like “unnecessary ruffness.”
“As the ref, it is my job to make sure the puppies have fun and play a safe, clean game,” he says.
Here’s the best news: All of the involved animals have come from shelters and rescue groups found on the national PetFinder.com website.
“The perks of cuddling adorable puppies all day and raising awareness about pet adoption can’t be beat,” Schechter says.
Charlie and I will be watching closely, with lots of wholesome organic treats on hand for both of us. In addition to store-bought organic pet treats like A Dog’s Life Peanut Butter & Honey hand-baked biscuits, I’ve been known to whip up some special-occasion organic dog goodies, as found in the following great books:
- The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook
- Three Dog Bakery Cookbook
- You Bake ‘em Dog Biscuits Cookbook
Trust me. Dogs swoon for homemade organic liver biscotti!
Photo by David Holloway/Animal Planet
Tags: cats, dogs, pet food, pets
Posted in Organic Living | 3 Comments »
February 6th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Popcorn is a whole grain that’s naturally low in fat and calories, while high in complex carbohydrates and fiber. It has no artificial additives or preservatives, and it’s sugar-free.
Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup, while oil-popped popcorn weighs in at only 55 calories per cup. When lightly buttered, popcorn contains about 133 calories per cup.
Today’s Super Bowl-ready recipe transforms the everyday into the exotic. Organic curry powder offers a spicy change of pace, with toasted coconut, golden raisins and sliced almonds as optional additions.
Organic Bombay Popcorn
Makes 8 servings (1 cup each)
8 cups popped organic popcorn, warm
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons curry powder or hot curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup toasted coconut, golden raisins and/or sliced almonds, optional
- Place popcorn in a large bowl.
- Microwave butter 20 seconds, or until melted.
- Stir curry powder into butter until well blended.
- Drizzle seasoned butter over popcorn; stir to distribute.
- Sprinkle with salt, sugar and optional ingredients; stir gently until blended.
Craving Curry?
- Indian Chickpea Dip
- Simple Additions to Mashed Sweet Potato
- Curried Cauliflower
- Ginger Thai Sweet Potato Bisque
- Creamy Curried Soup with Wilted Spinach
- Pumpkin Curry Soup
- Thai Roasted Squash Soup
- Madras Curry Dip for Fish/Seafood
- Kootu Curry
Recipe and photo courtesy of The Popcorn Board
Tags: curry, Organic Food, popcorn, recipes, whole grains
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | No Comments »
February 5th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
There are two types of moms: those whose meat loaf became your ultimate comfort food and those who served scary bricks of incinerated beef.
As San Francisco Chronicle reporter Amanda Gold points out, meat loaf “has both staunch supporters and fervent detractors. But no matter whether it’s considered jail food or the stuff of happy childhood memories, it has made a definite resurgence in recent years, especially in local restaurants.”
These days, many of us substitute ground chicken or turkey for the traditional ground beef in an effort to reduce consumption of red meat. Baking single-serving mini meat loaves is another culinary trend—one that allows us to control portion size.
Today’s recipe comes from The New American Plate Cookbook, published by the American Institute for Cancer Research. Lean ground chicken is the base, with onion, carrots, mushrooms, parsley and marjoram adding substantial nutritional value, texture and subtle flavors. All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.
Round out your meal by filling the remaining two-thirds of your plate with almost any vegetable (try kid-pleasing Spicy Nutmeg Carrots) and a whole grain like Quinoa Pilaf.
Chicken Mini Meat Loaves
Makes 6 servings (two mini loaves per serving)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 pound ground chicken breast
1 tablespoon chopped marjoram or 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup dried whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable cooking spray
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
Fresh parsley for garnish
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, mushrooms and poultry seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes. Turn off and set aside. Let cool until no longer hot to touch.
- In large bowl, use fork to combine ground chicken with onion mixture, marjoram, parsley and breadcrumbs. Add Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and egg. Mix well.
- Coat 12-pan muffin tin (3-inch cups) with cooking spray. Spoon mixture into muffin pans, filling each about half full. Spread thin layer of tomato paste on top of each loaf.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Use external meat thermometer to ensure internal temperature of mini loaves reaches 170°F. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Per serving: 200 calories, 8 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrate, 19 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 460 mg sodium
Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research
Tags: chicken, meat loaf, Organic Food, recipes
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 2 Comments »
February 4th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Singer Neil Young was honored Friday as the MusiCares Person of the Year for his artistic accomplishments and philanthropic work with Farm Aid and The Bridge School, a California organization that assists disabled children.
A Farm Aid cofounder and board member, Young has worked for decades to help family farmers compete against Big Agribusiness.
“For 25 years, my friend Neil has been an impassioned champion of family farmers,” says Farm Aid President Willie Nelson. “He rallies concertgoers year after year at our show, and he relentlessly calls on Washington to reverse the bad policies that force family farmers off their land. He’s stubborn, passionate and persistent—just like family farmers.”
Grant Money for Family Farms
In December, Farm Aid provided $503,500 in grant money to 72 family farms and rural service organizations. The funding:
- Helps farm families stay on their land
- Builds new market opportunities for farmers and increases consumer access to good food
- Increases institutional buying of family-farm food
- Confronts the threat of corporate concentration in agriculture
- Recruits and trains new farmers
- Supports farmer-to-farmer programs for more sustainable agricultural practices
“Farm Aid is proud to support the crucial hands-on work happening all over the country to keep family farmers on the land,” says Executive Director Carolyn Mugar. “2009 has been a tough year for everyone, but farm families especially have struggled with low prices, tight credit and bad weather. These grants will help address the immediate needs of family farmers and continue to grow and strengthen the sustainable, family farm-based food system that helps us all thrive.”
Get Busy!
To make a tax-deductible contribution, click here.
Click here to purchase organic T-shirts that read “Stop Factory Farms.”
Get Some Neil!
- Greatest Hits
- After the Gold Rush
- Harvest
- Rust Never Sleeps
- Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography
Photo by Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve Inc. 2008; courtesy of Farm Aid
Tags: agribusiness, factory farms, family farms, Farm Aid, Neil Young
Posted in Organic Living | 1 Comment »
February 3rd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
The Fifth Annual Oregon Truffle Festival concluded its run on Sunday, showcasing what gastronomy experts call the ultimate mushroom.
Truffles are found naturally throughout North American woodlands and are poised to become the next big culinary trend.
“With seven truffle orchards in production around the country, and dozens more about to reach producing age, an American truffle industry is about to be born, following in the footsteps of the American wine industry,” says festival organizer and mycologist Charles Lefevre, PhD.
Some of the state’s premier chefs prepared luscious dishes for the festival’s Grand Truffle Dinner, including Naomi Pomeroy of Beast (Crème Fraiche Tarts with Triple Cream, Shaved White Truffles & Mâche Salad with Black Truffle Vinaigrette) and Pascal Sauton of Carafe (Pacific Ling Cod Effeuilée with Foie Gras & Black Truffle Broth).
One of the festival’s highlights was the Truffle Dog Training Seminar, where curious canines learned to hunt for truffles (which grow underground) by detecting their unique aroma. Pigs have traditionally performed this job in Europe.
“The truffle dog’s role is not just to find truffles, but like a shopper squeezing avocados or sniffing strawberries, truffle dogs choose which truffles are ripe and ready to harvest,” says Dr. Lefevre, founder of New World Truffieres, Eugene, OR-based specialists in truffle cultivation.
The truffle business is projected to exceed $6 billion within the next 20 years, “rivaling many other agricultural commodities traded worldwide,” according to a feasibility study Dr. Lefevre conducted. As the study notes, truffles can be managed sustainably with organic farming methods and:
“With adequate support, cultivated and native truffles produced in Oregon could annually exceed $200 million in direct sales income; counting secondary economic benefits, the value of the industry could exceed $1.5 billion. These figures rival the current value of the state’s lucrative wine industry and could be greater if Oregon pursues truffle production with similar passion and focus.”
Truffles usually cost $300 to $500 per pound, according to the National Restaurant Association, but rarer varieties can fetch up to $4,000 per pound. For an affordable option, buy a high-quality organic truffle oil at your local natural food store (or online).
OrganicAuthority Publisher Laura Klein shares some of her favorite truffle-oil recipes here:
- Wild Mushroom and Black Truffle Organic Risotto
- Grilled Heirloom Truffle Potatoes
- Homemade Organic Ricotta Cheese Served with Black Truffle Oil.
Photo by John Valls
Tags: dogs, events, mushrooms, Oregon, Organic Food, truffle oil, truffles
Posted in Organic Food | No Comments »
February 1st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.
Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices. Some of the listed fruits and veggies are available year-round, but you’ll find higher quality at a lower cost this month.
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Oranges
- Pears
Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.
Recipes to Inspire You
- Home-Style Minestrone
- Frozen Honey Banana Pops
- Spicy Nutmeg Carrots
- Granny Smith Guacamole
- Romaine, Pecan and Pear Salad
Tags: farmers market, fruits, Organic Food, recipes, vegetables
Posted in Organic Food, Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
February 1st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
When President Obama gave his State of the Union address on Wednesday, he highlighted the importance of clean energy and green jobs.
“We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient, which supports clean energy jobs,” he said. “And to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it is time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America.”
The president also cited the need for U.S. innovation.
“Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history—an investment that could lead to the world’s cheapest solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells, but leaves healthy ones untouched,” he said. “And no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. You can see the results of last year’s investments in clean energy—in the North Carolina company that will create 1,200 jobs nationwide helping to make advanced batteries, or in the California business that will put a thousand people to work making solar panels.”
The president called upon Congress to pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill, “with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.” And while he acknowledged the costs involved in moving forward, Obama said we cannot afford to sit on our hands.
“I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change,” he said. “But here’s the thing: Even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future—because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation.”
For Your Organic Bookshelf: Clean Energy Common Sense: An American Call to Action on Global Climate Change
Official White House photo by Pete Souza
Tags: climate change, energy, green jobs, legislation, Obama
Posted in The Environment | 2 Comments »
January 31st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
A farmer may have more than 1,000 cows on his land, which create a steady stream of revenue—and manure.
In fact, a dairy cow typically produces 150 pounds of manure per day. Multiply this by scores of cattle, and you get a large—and odoriferous—waste situation.
Concerned about groundwater contamination and fecal-borne disease, farmers are continually on the lookout for ways to ensure safety and make cleanup easier.
One approach involves methane digesters, which operate on an old technology and handle cleanup effectively. As an added bonus, they produce electric energy.
By definition, a methane digester is a wastewater and solids treatment technology, according to Sustainable Conservation, a San Francisco-based environmental advocacy organization. When used on a farm, a digester processes animal waste under anaerobic conditions, yielding methane gas and reducing the volume of solids and treated liquids. The methane can be sold or used to generate electricity on the farm. The solid matter left behind is a valuable soil amendment. And the liquids become an easily applied fertilizer, with plant-available nutrients and low pathogen levels.
Typically, large farms will store liquid and solid manure produced by livestock in large waste ponds. The manure is later pumped back onto fields as a source of fertilizer.
But this type of storage scenario poses a host of problems, including strong odors, pathogens in the manure, and flooding of ponds and land when heavy rains or storms occur (allowing manure to reach local water sources). A methane digester provides a workaround solution, and harnessing the methane—a greenhouse gas more powerful than carbon dioxide—benefits the environment.
To offset costs, the U.S. government has started giving subsidies to farmers who wish to install methane digesters. Some, however, believe digesters may not be the best solution for small farms. Other communities fight large-scale digester installation because of their industrial appearance and added traffic from waste haulers.
Nonetheless, many environmentalists say the positives outweigh the negatives.
Suggested Reading
- Organic Dairy Powered by Methane Digester (Straus Family Creamery)
- Manure Power: Dairies Harness Methane to Create Renewable Energy (Checkbiotech)
- Idaho Energy Czar Aims to Harness Cow Pie Power (Associated Press)
- A Refreshing Idea for Barnyard Odor (Boston Globe)
- A German Town Embraces Manure Energy (Fast Company)
- Introduction to Methane Digesters (Oregon Department of Agriculture)
- Energy Savers: Anaerobic Digesters for Farms and Ranches (U.S. Department of Energy)
- Anaerobic Digestion of Animal Wastes: Factors to Consider (National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service)
Tags: agriculture, cows, energy, environment, farming, greenhouse gases, manure, methane
Posted in The Environment | 2 Comments »
January 30th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Whether you’re snacking during a football game or relaxing in the company of friends, bring a touch of the Mediterranean to the occasion with today’s nibble-ready recipe.
Prep time is 15 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.
Serve with an aromatic Pinot Grigio, fruity Chardonnay or richly flavored Cabernet Sauvignon.
Note: You may also top a salad with these spicy olives.
Spicy Marinated Olives
Makes 1 dozen appetizers (about 2 cups olives)
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red hot pepper flakes
1 bay leaf (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups drained black olives (or the olive assortment of your choice)
- Toast coriander and cumin seeds in small skillet over medium heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until seeds are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
- In jar with tight-fitting lid, combine seeds and remaining ingredients, except olives. Cover; shake well.
- Add olives; cover and shake well to coat olives with marinade.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 month before serving. Serve at room temperature with wooden picks as appetizers or add to tossed green salad.
More Olive Recipes from Our Blog
- Green Olive Salsa
- Green Olive Cheddar Dip
- Olive-Stuffed Goat Cheese Bites
- Grilled Flatbread with Olive, Orange and Fennel Relish
- Marinated Olives
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Spanish Olive Drizzle
Recipe and photo courtesy of Lindsay Olives
Tags: appetizers, entertaining, Mediterranean diet, olives, Organic Food
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 2 Comments »
January 29th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with state public-health officials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo.
As of 9 p.m. Monday, 189 individuals in 40 states have been infected with a matching strain, and 37 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Epidemiologists analyzed the foods that patients ate, and preliminary findings point to Italian sausage and salami products from Rhode Island-based Daniele International Inc.
The company has recalled 1.2 million pounds of products, including artisan and natural brands like:
- Boar’s Head All-Natural Salame Coated with Coarse Black Pepper (8-ounce packages)
- Daniele Naturale Salame Coated with Coarse Black Pepper (10-ounce packages)
- Dietz & Watson Artisan Collection Party Platter Pack
A full list of recalled products, which are sold through grocers and delis, is available here.
This is a Class I recall, which signifies “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
The CDC and its public-health partners are now trying to determine which ingredients were contaminated, how the contamination occurred and whether any other foods may be involved. They suspect the pepper in the salami’s coating may be tainted.
If you have any questions, call the Daniele International hotline: (888) 345-4160.
Tags: CDC, FDA, food safety, recalls, salami, sausage, USDA
Posted in Health | 2 Comments »
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