Weekly Menu and Recipes

As always... Every other night meatless (and delicious!).  All produce is organic, all bread and pasta is whole wheat, all rice is brown, all meat is, at least, all natural (preferably organic), and all dairy is, at least, rBST-free (preferably organic). Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/fettuccine-with-creamy-red-pepper-feta-sauce-recipe/index.html

Santa Fe Burgers

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/santa-fe-burger-recipe/index.html

Note: This would work with or without the homemade queso sauce. I would substitute a small amount of sharp cheddar or even goat cheese, just let it melt on the burger while grilling.

Pasta Fagioli

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cranberry-bean-pasta-fagioli-recipe/index.html

Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli

http://www.foodnetwork.com/menus/weeknight-dinner-family-meal/index.html

Vegetarian Shepherds Pie

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/vegetarian-shepherds-pie-recipe/index.html

The Banana Bread Replacement

Who doesn't LOVE banana bread?! It is so, so, so good, but, traditionally made, it is also so, so, so bad for you. Standard recipes include bananas (healthy) added to 2 cups of white flour, 1 cup of white sugar, and 1/2 cup of oil (not healthy). As I stared at the overripe bananas on my counter this morning, I pondered my options. and decided to take a traditional recipe and amp up the nutrients by substituting healthy ingredients. This was one of my first times changing and adding so many ingredients in a recipe, so I was very pleased with the delicious results.

Banana Maple Oat Bread

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt
3-4 ripe, mashed bananas
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup sugar (I'm not convinced that this is necessary, but I didn't want to stray too far- try it without!)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Grease and flour a bundt pan or two loaf pans.
• Combine flour, oat bran, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.
• Combine bananas, applesauce, flaxseed meal, egg, syrup, and sugar. Add to dry ingredients.
• Fold all ingredients together and then pour into prepared pan(s).
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, slice, and enjoy!

Weekly Menu and Recipes

Five healthful and delicious dinners. Meatless every other night. Make sure you are using only the best ingredients: fresh, local, all natural, organic, whole wheat, etc...

Day One.

Grilled Chicken Tostadas 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/grilled-chicken-tostadas-al-carbon-with-grilled-tomatillos-and-queso-fresco-recipe/index.html

Day Two.

French Three Onion Soup- serve with a green salad and homemade vinegarette

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/french-three-onion-soup-recipe/index.html

Day Three.

Turkey and Spinach Lasagna

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-live/turkey-and-spinach-lasagna-recipe/index.html

Day Four. 

Breakfast For Dinner- Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes- serve with uncured bacon, turkey bacon, or turkey sausage.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/blueberry-buckwheat-pancakes-recipe/index.html

Day Five.

Surf and Turf Paella

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/surf-n-turf-paella-recipe/index.html

Cookware

Have you ever wondered what kind of cookware to buy? There are so many choices! Non-stick (Teflon), stainless steel/clad, copper, aluminum, cast iron, enamel/porcelain coated... I'm sure that there are others that I've missed. Not only is there the question of which kind will cook your food the best, but you also have to wonder which one is the safest. Here's what I've found:


Nonstick- this type of cookware is coated with Teflon or various other similar materials. Tests have been done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) which indicate that within 2-5 minutes of heating nonstick pans, they begin emitting toxic fumes. Depending on the temperature, up to six chemicals can be released including two carcinogens. These fumes have been shown to cause an illness in domesticated birds called Teflon Toxicosis which causes their lungs to hemorrhage, fill up with fluid, and suffocate them. In humans, this illness is called polymer fume fever. It causes temporary flu-like symptoms, though no long-term effects have been studied to date. Equally horrible, when scratched, plastic and aluminum are leached into your food. In a study done at John Hopkins Medical Center, the toxic chemicals in nonstick pans were found in the umbilical cord blood of in 99% of the 300 babies tested. Do yourself a favor and get rid of these pans.


Aluminum- Aluminum is dangerous to humans. There is no question that aluminum pans leach into our food; however, it does seem to be a negligible amount - maybe 3mg per serving of food. The question is whether you are interested in ingesting even a small amount of aluminum if you don't have to. Aluminum accumulates in various tissues and organs of your body. It competes with calcium for absorption into your body which could contribute to osteoporosis-type issues. It has been shown to slow growth in infants. With effects like these, I wold recommend using another type of cookware.


Stainless Steel- This has been advocated as safer than aluminum, but it's still not perfect. If it becomes scratched, stainless steel can leech small amounts of nickel into your food. Nickel is not considered toxic in these small amounts, but can cause allergic reactions. It also doesn't generally conduct hear evenly, so you might be better off with copper lined or clad stainless steel. 


Cast Iron- This is my personal favorite. Not only does it conduct heat very well, but it also keeps me from burning food on my gas stove (which is much hotter than my old electric one!) Cast Iron lasts basically forever, when treated well. It also leaches essential iron into your food. Cast iron is inexpensive and available everywhere. 


Bottom line- get rid of your nonstick and aluminum cookware. If you don't want to spend a ton of money on a new stainless steel set, spend a little and buy a cast iron dutch oven and frying pan. Those two pieces will do almost everything for you! 




References
http://eartheasy.com/blog/2009/01/healthy-cookware/
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-safest-cookware.html#
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/01/safe-cookware-for-your-family.html

The Microwave Popcorn Replacement

Popcorn is one of my absolute favorite snacks! Not only is it a healthful whole grain, it's also full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. All that, plus it's delicious, filling, inexpensive, and easy to prepare. It can be salty or sweet or both. It is really the perfect snack.

The problem with popcorn comes when you buy it in prepackaged bags and microwave it. Not only is it about three times the price to buy microwave popcorn, but it doesn't taste as good, and it is full of toxic chemicals!

One of the big problems is the bag which, when heated, leaches these toxins into your popcorn. A report by the FDA indicates that the coating on popcorn bags breaks down into perfluorooctanoic (PFOA), which the EPA calls "a likely carcinogen". Secondly, that delicious fake butter contains something called diacetyl. Diacetyl is single-handedly repsonsible for an actual medical condition called "popcorn lung" or bronchiolitis obliterans which causes difficulty breathing and incessant cough. This is evidently caused by inhaling diacetyl and is most common in factory workers, but there has been at least one reported case of an avid consumer of popcorn getting sick. And to top it all off, some types of microwave popcorn still contain trans fats. 

So, what to do? Easy! Make it yourself it's easier than you think... here are some recipes:

Air Popped Popcorn

This doesn't really require a recipe. Turn on the machine. Pour in the kernels. Catch the kernels in the bowl (this is the trickiest part). :)

Stove Top Popcorn

3 TBSP Canola Oil

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

3 quart covered saucepan/pot

Add oil and kernels to pan. Heat on medium-high heat, gently shaking the pan to keep the kernels moving as they pop. When the popping stops/slows, remove from heat and pour into serving bowl. Delicious with Nutritional Yeast (see earlier post to learn about nutritional yeast).

Kettle Corn

Definitely a special occasion food since it involves white sugar, but delicious nonetheless, and we have to live a little, right!? 

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp sea salt

3 quart covered saucepan/pot. 

Heat oil and kernels. Sprinkle sugar on the kernels when they sizzle. Cover and shake over the hear until the popping slows/stops. Pour into serving bowl and sprinkle with salt.

Great Organic Deals

One of the biggest complaints about organic food is the price. Admittedly, some of it is a bit pricier than traditional chemical, antibiotic, and hormone-ridden foods. But, the good news is that organic food is really quite accessible if you shop around, use coupons, and make eating safe food a priority. Here is a list of the foods that I consider easy, inexpensive, no-brainer switches to organic. I have included the approximate price that I usually pay at my mainstream grocery store... obviously all stores are different, so you may pay a little more or a little less. If you are fortunate enough to have a Trader Joe's nearby (as I am) then you might pay much less (I LOVE YOU, TRADER JOE'S!) :)

So here's the list...

1. Carrots- very minimal price difference for a vegetable that is normally grown in pesticide-filled soil and then eaten raw. I think I pay between .99-$1.50 a bag.
2. Celery- how often do you go through a head of celery? Less than once a week, I bet. This is listed as one of the most important pieces of produce to eat organic and the price difference isn't much. I pay $2 a head.
3. Kid's yogurt- Stonyfield has so many coupons available that there is no reason to give your kids the other stuff. With a coupon I pay $2.50 for a 4 pack.
4. Ketchup and mustard- with the amount of time that it takes to go through a container (months, for me!)  it is worth the extra 50 cents or so. 
5. Crackers- look for the store brand organic crackers or Annies's (at Target) you may get a little less in the box, but the price is about the same as traditional. Stretch the box to last as long by eating fruit and veggies instead!!! $3-4 a box.
6. Boxed cookies- I'm a big baker, so we don't buy much of these... plus they are probably not the best thing to be eating. But if you must, organic is the way to go. Newman-O's (which are similar to Oreos) are comparably priced and quite tasty. There are plenty of others out there, too. If you get less in a package- consider yourself lucky and go eat some fruit instead! :) $3-4 a box.
7. Macaroni and Cheese- Yummiest and best for you homemade, but I don't know many mom's who don't use this for lunch in a pinch (if you don't- you're a better mama than me). Try Annie's mac and cheese. There is a very minimal price difference if you get it at Target (who for some reason, has Annie's foods much much cheaper than the grocery store). Back to Nature also has some which is reasonably priced. Maybe $1.50 a box...? I'm not positive on this one.
8. Jam- I'm planning on making my own this summer (and so will you when I tell you how!!), but until then... it's important to me because it's full of concentrated fruit (and non-organically- that's concentrated pesticides). It lasts a couple weeks and you might pay a dollar more. I pay $2.99 a jar.
9. Oats- We should all be eating lots of these and the switch costs pennies. I think I pay $1.50-2 a canister. It's less if you buy them in bulk at the health food store!
10. Cereal- Cascadian Farms always has coupons out there and some grocery stores do buy one, get one (with which you can use two coupons and save a ton!). They even have some kid friendly flavors, which are made much more healthfully than traditional kid's cereals. Store brand organic is also a great deal (Publix Cheerios are a steal at $3.99 for a huge box). 
11.  Canned tomatoes- These are similar to jam in that they are sprayed heavily with pesiticides and then concentrated down into cans. Muir Glen puts a lot of coupons out and store brands are reasonable. I pay $2.19 a can.
12. Pasta-  Watch for sales, but store brands are very well priced. I pay $1.39 a box for organic, whole wheat spaghetti.
13. Beans- We eat a LOT of beans in our family, and for that reason, we only eat organic. You're going to save money by buying them dry, but I usually just get canned. I pay $1.13 a can.
14. Canned/boxed soup- Make your own! But if not, watch for sales. Wolfgang Puck is very well priced and Muir Glen has lots of coupons. Look at the ingredients in regular soup and you will want to make the switch. I pay about $2 a can.
15. Bottled Iced Tea- Sweet Leaf Green Tea with Mint and Honey is one of our favorite drinks! I pay $1.50-2 a bottle. 

These are just a few of the amazing deals out there. I encourage you to make these changes now, and then systematically start switching out your other foods for organic. One thing to remember is to make it yourself when you can! Typically, whole foods are less expensive than packaged foods (and much, much better for you!) Take a look at your grocery receipt from last week, I bet if you added up how much you spent on unnecessary and unhealthy packaged food, you could have bought all organic produce, meat, and/or dairy! One frozen, ready-to-eat dinner costs $6-8... you could make it yourself and use the savings to make a big difference in the way you eat. One bag of Doritos costs $4, skip the Doritos and switch something to organic. Name brand toilet paper and paper towels are ridiculously expensive- switch to the store brand recycled stuff and save a ton! Everyone has places in their shopping that they can cut back... find yours and make some changes today! Happy shopping!
 

Green Your Clean: Laundry Detergent

If you're anything like me, you probably want to limit your family's exposure to chemicals- especially in your own home. In trying to do this, one thing you have to consider is your laundry detergent. As lovely as freshly laundered towels smell and feel, have you ever stopped to look at what's in your detergent? Or your fabric softener? Or your dryer sheets? Or your stain lifter? Chemicals. That's what. Lots of them. But they don't want you to know that... do you know what it says on most laundry detergents?

• Cleaning agents (anionic and nonionic surfactants)
• Buffering agent
• Stabilizer
• Brightening agent
• Fragrance

How... vague of them. Does it make the towels a little less lovely when you know that they are covered in Linear alkyl sodium sulfonates, Petroleum distillates, Phenols, Optical brighteners, Phosphates, Sodium hypochlorite, EDTA (ethylene-diamino-tetra-acetate), and Petroleum-based artificial fragrances? ick. Some possible side effects of these chemicals... cancer, lung damage and inflammation, toxicity affecting the central nervous system, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and kidneys, reproductive, endocrine, and immune system damage, skin and eye irritation, allergic reactions, and death (seriously). Not to mention the SEVERE damage that they do to the environment: unbalancing ecosystems, releasing toxins such as benzene, feminizing male fish, redissolving and releasing toxic heavy metals back into the environment, and various other toxic effects on animals and fish.

You may think that the "Free and Clear" options out there are a safe bet. Wrong. It's true that they usually don't have the fragrances and dyes. Sometimes they are biodegradable or hypoallergenic... but that doesn't mean that they are free of dangerous chemicals. You MUST carefully read labels in order to be sure that your laundry products are safe.

What to look for:

• Plant based surfactants
• Free of enzymes, phosphates, chlorine, and petroleum ingredients
• Sustainable ingredients
• Non-toxic
• Biodegradable 
• Scented with essential oils (only). 

I recommend ECOS Liquid Laundry Detergent or Trader Joe's Liquid Laundry Detergent. I am not an advocate of Walmart by any means, but I know that they sell ECOS for about $10 for a large bottle. I'm sure you can also purchase it online.


Happy washday!


References:
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/07/06/the-toxic-dangers-of-typical-laundry-detergent.htm
http://www.ecos.com/pages/specsub/eliqsp.html