March 26th, 2010 - Scott Shaffer
[caption id="attachment_6678" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Photo courtesy of nafmo"]  [/caption]
We all know that too much sugar is bad for us, but it turns out that not all sugars are created equal. A new Princeton study gave three groups of rats three different diets: normal rat food, water with table sugar (sucrose), and water with high-fructose corn syrup. They found out that calorie-for-calorie, high fructose corn syrup made the rats gain more weight even than table sugar.
High-fructose corn syrup, if you didn’t know, is a major ingredient in most soft drinks, low-quality “maple” syrup, and many popular cereals.
Psychology Professor Bart Hoebel, take it away:
When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they’re becoming obese — every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don’t see this; they don’t all gain extra weight.
This study should be the nail in the coffin for the unhealthy school lunch programs that fill our kids with high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and worse — worries about this unhealthy diet, and the effects that the diet has on students’ learning abilities, have fueled an organic school lunch movement.
If you have a sweet tooth but don’t want to end up like those poor, plump lab rats, check out recipes for superfood chocolate candy, organic tarte tatin, or the amazing organic fig almond frangipani tart — they’re all HFCS-free!
Read More: High-Fructose Corn Syrup is Worse than Sugar
Tags: childhood obesity, Health, Organic Food, organic ingredients
Posted in Health, Organic Food | 18 Comments »
January 8th, 2007 - Barbara Feiner
 Last Friday, I posted a recipe for California Dried Plums Steeped in Jasmine Tea with Yogurt. Any dish featuring dried plums is beneficial to digestive health: One serving of four to five dried plums contains about 3 grams of fiber. The fruit performs well in both sweet and savory dishes.
Because you’re dedicated to organic living, OrganicAuthority.com recommends using certified organic ingredients, when available, in all recipes to maximize flavor, while minimizing your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals and preservatives.
Halibut Kabobs with California Dried Plums and Bay Leaves
Makes 8 servings
- 2 pounds halibut, cut into 24 (1-inch) cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 24 large pitted California dried plums
- 24 large bay leaves, fresh or dried
- 8 bamboo or metal skewers
- Lemon wedges
- In large bowl, combine halibut, oil, lemon juice, pepper flakes and salt; turn to coat halibut evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
- If using dried bay leaves, soak in hot water 10 minutes; drain.
- Thread 3 halibut cubes, 3 dried plums and 3 bay leaves onto each skewer, alternating. Grill skewers on gas or charcoal grill, turning occasionally so fish cooks evenly on all sides, about 10 minutes or until fish offers no resistance to tip of small sharp knife.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
Recipe and photo courtesy of California Dried Plums
Read More: Halibut Kabobs with California Dried Plums and Bay Leaves
Tags: halibut, halibut kabobs, organic ingredients
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
January 5th, 2007 - Barbara Feiner
 Our end-of-the-week recipe is a dream dessert featuring California dried plums, fresh ginger, honey and raspberries. Dried plums are the perfect example of a delicious, portable and versatile food that offers big nutrition, bite for bite.
Because you’re dedicated to organic living, OrganicAuthority.com recommends using certified organic ingredients, when available, in all recipes to maximize flavor, while minimizing your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals and preservatives.
California Dried Plums Steeped in Jasmine Tea with Yogurt
Makes 6 servings
- 2 tablespoons jasmine tea leaves
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 (1/2-inch) slice fresh ginger
- 1½ cups pitted California dried plums
- 1½ tablespoons honey
- 1½ cups Greek-style or drained nonfat yogurt (see note below)
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger
- In saucepan, bring 2 cups water to simmer. Remove from heat; add tea. Steep 5 minutes.
- Strain, discard leaves and pour tea back into rinsed saucepan. Add sugar and ginger. Simmer about 10 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup.
- Remove ginger. Add dried plums. Cover and let sit at least 15 minutes.
- Stir honey into yogurt. Divide yogurt among 6 bowls. Top with dried plums and steeping liquid.
- Garnish with raspberries and crystallized ginger.
Note: To make 1½ cups drained yogurt, line strainer with paper coffee filter. Set over bowl. Place 3 cups nonfat yogurt in filter. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Discard liquid that drains from yogurt.
Recipe and photo courtesy of California Dried Plums
Read More: California Dried Plums Steeped in Jasmine Tea with Yogurt
Tags: california dried plums, Health, organic ingredients
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
March 30th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
 The next time you head for your favorite organic coffeehouse, check to see whether it carries the Mocafe Organics line of mocha frappes from Aliso Viejo, California-based Innovative Beverage Concepts, Inc. The company has produced the first certified organic and Fair Trade frappes for baristas.
Beverage selections include Fair Trade Organic Dominican Forestero Cocoa Mocha, Organic Belizian Vanilla Latte and Organic Vera Cruz Caffe Latte. Even better, each mix contains no fat.
Baristas can add a shot of perfectly extracted organic, Fair Trade espresso to ice and milk to create “the ultimate blended mocha frappe, ” the company notes. Mocafe Organics packages its mixes in 10-lb. coffee bar boxes.
Why choose organic cocoa when you make organic food choices?
Cocoa is one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world (along with coffee), and most major retail brands use nonorganic cocoas in their blended mocha mixes. Mocafe Organics’ cocoa beans come from 600 small-scale organic farmers in the Yacao project in the Dominican Republic. (Click here to learn how organic cocoa beans are transformed into chocolate.)
Read More: Dining Out: Organic Frappes & Lattes
Tags: cocoa, organic coffee, organic ingredients
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March 20th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
 I’ll admit it: There are times when I simply don’t feel like cooking. Perhaps it’s been an extremely long workday or, even worse, the cupboard is a bit on the bare side.
That’s when I like to raid the refrigerator for staples I’ve picked up at my local natural and organic food store. Within minutes, I can whip up a high-fiber, protein-rich salad that’s extremely satisfying.
The combination of flavorful chicken, sweet-and-sour cranberries and pungent blue cheese—plus the crunch of salad greens and almonds—makes this salad high in both nutrients and taste. The chicken is packed with protein and limited in fat and calories. And if you prefer a slice of bread instead of crackers, opt for organic whole-grain breads like whole wheat, spelt, pumpernickel and rye, which are chock-full of nutrients and fiber.
Favorite Chicken Salad
Makes 1 entrée serving
2 cups mixed spring greens
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
1 tablespoon toasted almonds
1 oz. crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons nonfat vinaigrette
2 oz. sliced chicken breast
6 low-fat crackers
Simply add all ingredients (except the crackers) to a bowl and mix well.
Total calorie count: 370
Recipe and photo courtesy of Boar’s Head
Read More: Favorite Chicken Salad
Tags: chicken salad, food recipes, organic ingredients
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March 8th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Organic Authority is pleased to feature several recipes from top U.S. and Irish chefs. This week, we hooked up with Chef Catherine Fulvio, proprietor of the four-star Ballyknocken House & Cookery School in Wicklow, Ireland, who graciously agreed to provide her recipe for Mildly Spicy Red Cabbage. The seven-bedroom guesthouse, restaurant and school share the grounds with herb and fruit gardens, and Chef Fulvio cooks with local beef and lamb.
When shopping for organic food, add cabbage to your grocery cart. It’s high in fiber and vitamin C, while low in calories and sodium. As with other cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale), eating cabbage helps protect you against cancer.
Mildly Spicy Red Cabbage
Serves 10-12
4 oz. butter
5 slices rindless bacon, chopped
3¼ lb. red cabbage (about 1½ to 2 cabbages)
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
4 oz. seedless raisins
Zest of 1 small orange
1 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 pint red wine
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- In a heavy-based pan, melt the butter over a high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 4–5 minutes, until just beginning to color. Remove from heat.
- Halve the cabbage. Remove and discard the core, and then thinly slice. Layer a quarter of the cabbage in the base of the heavy-based pan. Cover with a quarter of the apples, a quarter of the raisins, some of the orange zest and some of the sugar. Continue layering until all ingredients are used, seasoning each layer well. Push the cinnamon sticks into the cabbage.
- Place the pan over a high heat. Pour in the wine and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 3–4 minutes.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to as low as possible, and cook for about 1½ hours, or until tender. Do not lift the lid or stir. Ensure that the lid is sealed well, but check the liquid level every 20 minutes; top with water, if needed.
More Irish Recipes
Brown Scones — Chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques in Los Angeles
Read More: Mildly Spicy Red Cabbage
Tags: cabbage, food recipes, organic ingredients, vegetables
Posted in Organic, Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
February 22nd, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
Yesterday, I explored the health benefits of adding mushrooms to your diet to help ward off colds and the flu this season.
If you’re pressed for time and need a quick dinner solution, check out the organic mushroom soup mixes from Snohomish, Washington-based FungusAmongUs Inc. Three flavors (all organic) are available: Moroccan Porcini & Green Lentil, Smoked Oyster Mushroom Chowder and Spicy Shiitake & Vegetable.
Each box makes four hearty servings. The company also sells a dozen varieties of bulk dried mushrooms, mushroom-growing kits for organic gardening, truffle-infused olive oil and organic seasonings.
You can buy FungusAmongUs products nationwide at major natural and organic food stores, including Whole Foods Market, Fred Meyers, QFC, PCC, Town and Country Markets, Food Pavilion and Madison Markets. If you can’t find the soups locally, you can order three boxes online for $15 (plus shipping).
Read More: Organic Mushroom Soup Mixes
Tags: food recipes, muschrooms, organic ingredients, remedies, vegetables
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February 21st, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
I never get colds—something of which I’m irrationally proud. But I had a doozy two weeks ago, accompanied by fever and a complete lack of energy. This bug has been going around, and it finally caught up with me.
But mushrooms may be the latest organic food to offer some protection during cold and flu season, according to Chef Colin Roche, chair of the culinary arts department at the North Miami campus of Johnson & Wales University.
“During the height of cold and flu season, Americans are seeking ways to ward off the sniffles,” he says. “Certain foods can boost your immune system and help alleviate cold and flu symptoms. Eat more mushrooms—particularly the Oriental varieties such as shiitake. Mushrooms contain special compounds that have been found to bolster the immune system. Mushroom soup would be an excellent choice because it is not only a hot liquid (which warms the throat and impairs viral replication), but one with the ability to boost your body’s immune response.”
Mushroom Recipes from Organic Authority
Organic Mushroom Bisque
Latin Tomato and Huitlacoche Soup
Roasted Organic Wild Mushrooms on Pita Toasts
Wild Mushroom and Black Truffle Organic Risotto
Organic Mushroom Salsa
Wild Mushroom, Winter Root, Chicken Pot Pie
Read More: An Organic Mushroom a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Tags: ailments, illnes, mushrooms, organic ingredients, remedies
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February 17th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
Chefs, gardeners and gourmets are passionate about organic heirloom tomatoes. Now, anyone can successfully grow them with hardy plants, a growing kit and just the right amount of guidance.
Windowbox.com is shipping organic heirloom tomato plants nationwide, with complete directions and a 100% guarantee. A single plant costs less than a pound of store-bought heirloom tomatoes and can produce 30 lbs. of tomatoes over the entire summer ($25.99 per 6-plant pack).
“Those mealy red things in the supermarket aren’t tomatoes,” says Windowbox CEO Ben Swett, a dedicated gardener. “Real tomatoes have full flavor and can look really weird, with their unusual colors and shapes.”
If you’re new to organic gardening, you may struggle when deciding which varieties to plant. Windowbox.com attempts to make life easy by offering three flagship collections:
- Flavor Kings (the best-tasting heirlooms)
- Windowbox Wonders (which thrive in containers)
- Candy Box (bright-colored and extra-sweet cherry tomatoes, which are fun to grow with children)
These all-in-one kits include extra-hardy plants, special tomato food, plant markers, and printed and online care instructions to ensure customer satisfaction.
To be considered an heirloom variety, a tomato must have been available for at least 50 years and must have a distinctive quality and traceable heritage. Heirlooms have other benefits: They’re good for you. Tomatoes are high in vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium and the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to a reduced risk for gastric, prostate, ovarian and pancreatic cancer.
Read More: Grow Your Own Organic Heirloom Tomatoes
Tags: heirloom tomatoes, organic ingredients, tomatoes, vegetables
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February 8th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
Spinach is one of my favorite vegetables, and it’s a nutritional powerhouse when you shop for fresh organic food any time of year.
As Popeye can attest, this leafy green is a one-stop source for vitamins A and C, iron, beta carotene and folic acid. In fact, one serving (1½ cups of shredded spinach) has only 30 calories, with no fat or cholesterol. When calculating your daily nutritional needs, note that it meets 20% of fiber, 70% of vitamin A, 25% of vitamin C, 20% of iron and 6% of your calcium requirements.
Tracey Seaman, a team member at the new magazine Every Day with Rachael Ray, offers a great solution to cooking and storing fresh spinach in the magazine’s premier issue. She buys a large bag (about 2½ lbs.) and makes a spinach salad for dinner. Then she steams the rest, running it under cool water to stop the cooking process and squeezing it dry.
“The cooked spinach keeps in the fridge for four or five days, which is enough time to use it in omelets or grilled cheese sandwiches or any number of side dishes,” Seaman writes. “I like to sauté it with chopped onion and add cream and milk for a quick creamed spinach.” (I always add a dash of nutmeg to any spinach dish to augment its natural flavor.)
You can subscribe to Food Network host Rachael Ray’s new magazine by clicking here.
Read More: Quick Organic Spinach Ideas
Tags: food recipes, organic ingredients, spinach, vegetables
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