Eat Organic. REALLY.

I know that it can be a confusing, expensive and outright annoying experience to hunt for organic food.  Many people still do not believe that it is important to eat organic...lots of people tend to think "I haven't gotten sick yet, so it MUST be ok" or "our parents never worried about this so what's the big deal?".

You know what?
IT'S A HUGE DEAL.

Our food is being modified, grown and experimented with in scientific labs everyday.  That conventional tomato you just ate?  It could have been gown made out of seeds that came from a laboratory.  Those kinds of foods are called GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) and they are found in virtually every non-organic food.  So not only do we need to worry about the herbicides and pesticides that wash our food, we have to worry about the actual food that is grown.

Organic foods, by law, cannot be made from GMO's so really, it's the safest way to eat.
The Daily Green has provided us with the new, updated list of 10 foods that you NEED to buy organic.  If you don't buy anything else, buy these organic or DON'T BUY THEM AT ALL.  The only way we can demand healthy, non-GMO food is by using our pocketbooks and showing these companies we won't stand for any more chemicals or tampering.

BUY ORGANIC:
1.  Apples
2.  Celery
3.  Strawberries
4.  Peaches
5.  Spinach
6.  Nectarines
7.  Grapes
8.  Sweet Bell Peppers (red, green and orange)
9.  Potatoes
10.  Blueberries

If your grocery store doesn't carry organic versions of these fruits and veggies, talk to a manager encouraging him/her to carry it.  Or better yet, local farmers could use your business.  Click HERE to find a local organic farmer or farmer's market near you.  Organic food doesn't have to be a ton more expensive, I was at the farmer's market last week and I saw that my organic asparagus was cheaper than conventional.

Eat clean, be well.

A Blueberry Bash!

Whole Foods had organic blueberries on sale last week for $1.99 and I am not ashamed to say that I sent my husband to the store (with a potty-training picky in tow) to purchase 36 pints of blueberries.  

Yes.  36 pints.  What did I do with that many blueberries?

I made jam.

I froze about 16 pints for smoothies and baked goods.

I dehydrated them for cereal and oatmeal (EPIC FAIL).

I made blueberry scones.

I made two blueberry crumbles from this delicious recipe:

(recipe from Whole Foods Market:  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/734)

Ingredients

6 cups blueberries 

1 tablespoon flour 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

2/3 cup flour 

3/4 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup oats 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

4 1/2 tablespoons butter

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse fruit and drain thoroughly. Put berries in a mixing bowl and add lemon juice and one tablespoon flour. Combine, and pour into a 10' pie plate. In a food processor, pulse together the remaining ingredients until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Cover the berries with the topping and bake for thirty minutes until the top has browned and the fruit is bubbling. 

'Tis the season to preserve the delicious fruits and vegetables that this glorious season has to offer.  Do you can or do anything to preserve fruits or veggies?

Good thing that blueberries are super healthy for you because I think I may turn into one!

Hello, Summer.

Hello, Summer.  It's nice to see you.  

You fill my days with sunshine and warmth, 

good food and great friends, 

bathing suits and sunscreen 

as well as nagging, tattling and tears.  

You provide me with long moments of daylight, a medley of tunes

as well as temper tantrums outside and the sound of whining about having to come in from the warmth.

I'm glad to say that I am back and that my goal is to write more. 

 I'm instituting a "Writing Time" for my kids so I am taking this opportunity to blog as they write.  

Hello, Summer and Dear Friends.  

It's nice to see you.