Win Nature's Path Products 05/25/2010
 I've been a fan of Nature's Path Organic products for several years. Nature's Path started as an Organic Berry Farm in 1949. One of the children, Arran, started the first vegetarian restaurant on Canada's west coast, opened the region's first natural supermarket, then founded Nature's Path. Nature's Path has just announced new cereals including Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise (Gluten Free) with quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth and Flax Plus Red Berry Crunch with Raspberries and Strawberries. If you're on the run, or don't have time for a real meal, check out their energy bars: Mmmaple Pecan, Peanut Buddy, Peanut Choco, Berry Strawberry, and Chocolate Crispy Rice. Are you hungry yet? Gratitude Gourmet and Nature's Path are giving away Nature's Path Products. For a chance to win 1 of 5 prizes, share your favorite cereal and/or energy bar with us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GratitudeGourmet  What is your favorite earth-friendly food? Post it on the Facebook page for a chance to win Cedarlane Food http://www.facebook.com/GratitudeGourmet  "The true burden of environmentally induced cancers has been grossly underestimated," says the President's Cancer Panel in a strongly reported report that urges action to reduce people's widespread exposure to carcinogens. The panel advised President Obama "to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our nation's productivity, and devastate American lives." The 240-page report by the President's Cancer Panel is the first to focus on environmental causes of cancer. The panel, created by an act of Congress in 1971, is charged with monitoring the multi-billion-dollar National Cancer Program and reports directly to the President every year. The report recommends raising consumer awareness of the risks posed by chemicals in food, air, water and consumer products, bolstering research of the health effects and tightening regulation of chemicals that might cause cancer or other diseases.They also urged doctors to use caution in prescribing CT scans and other medical imaging tests that expose patients to large amounts of radiation. In 2007, 69 million CT scans were performed, compared with 18 million in 1993. Patients who have a chest CT scan receive a dose of radiation in the same range as survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bomb attacks who were less than half a mile from ground zero, the report says. See more information about the Report here. Amy Xue: "Oatmeal is My Wonder Food" 05/11/2010
 Guest Blog Post by Amy Xue, Gratitude Gourmet Business Development Intern Oatmeal with honey, cinnamon and soy milk Oatmeal is my wonder food. It's delicious, nutritious, filling, cheap, and sustainable. On the low carbon calculator (http://www.eatlowcarbon.org/Carbon-Calculator.html), steel cut oats earn 144 CO2 emission points, which is by far the most one of the most environmentally friendly breakfast options. By comparison, cereal and milk earn a whopping 1224 points, yogurt with seasonal fruit and granola 340, a single hard boiled egg 333, an omelet with vegetables 783, and pancakes with syrup and butter 1277. Oatmeal is also rich in soluble fiber that is more nutritious than the wheat fiber added to "high-fiber" breakfast cereals. It's even more nutritious and delicious when topped with cinnamon and honey. Cinnamon is the highest-fiber food besides lemons with peels. Using locally produced honey is both more sustainable and supposedly helps with allergies. The cinnamon and honey combination has a long history of being used as a home remedy that is claimed to help cure everything from heart disease to colds to upset stomachs. Add some soy milk to the oatmeal topped with cinnamon and honey for a creamier texture and taste as well as an important dose of protein, and the wonder breakfast is complete!  I'm pleased to introduce you to Amy Xue, Gratitude Gourmet's new Business Development Intern. Amy is a senior at Stanford University pursuing a B.A. in International Relations and M.A. in Sociology. She discovered Gratitude Gourmet when looking for a start-up to do an internship with for her Entrepreneurship class. Gratitude Gourmet immediately sparked her interest because she loves good food, and loves it even more when it's also healthy and sustainable!  Though her best friend in high school was vegetarian (simply because she didn't like the taste of meat), Amy did not start learning about the environmental impact of food until taking Introduction to Earth Systems and being exposed to the many talks and film screenings at Stanford on food and sustainability. She has since been trying to cut her consumption of meat, particularly beef, and taking other steps to "green" her life. This has been relatively easy at the Stanford dining halls, which do a fairly good job of providing organic, locally grown, vegetarian and vegan offerings. Amy is currently taking a Nutrition class and learning even more about the importance and rewards of being intentional with eating. Besides sustainability, Amy is interested in many interrelated global issues, including education, health, poverty and inequality. She also loves travel, learning about different cultures and regions of the world, and trying new foods! Here is Amy's LinkedIn profile. Welcome Amy! Interested in Sponsoring Gratitude Gourmet, Contact Us. The World Peace Diet 05/03/2010
 If you're interested in reading a thought-provoking book on food choices, The World Peace Diet - Eating for Spiritual Health, and Social Harmony is a must read. Will Tuttle has a master's degree in the humanities from San Francisco State University and a Ph.D in the philosophy of education from the University of California, Berkeley. Some of the Chapter Titles include: Food's Power, Our Culture's Roots, The Nature of Intelligence, Inheriting our Food Choices, Evolve or Dissolve, and Journey of Transformation. Quotes from several well-known people frequent the book, i.e. - Mahatma Ghandi: "The most violent weapon on earth is the table fork." - Alice Walker: "Animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than blacks are made for whites or women for men." - George Bernard Shaw: "The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them. That is the essence of inhumanity." I recommend this book. 18 Rabbits Granola 05/03/2010
 I've enjoyed 18 Rabbits' Granola bars in the past, and I've just tried their Veritas Granola (Dairy Free Hazelnut, Walnut, and Cacao Nibs with organic oats, pumpkin seeds, and ground flax). It is made in San Francisco and is delicious with cold, almond-vanilla milk. Their Gracious Granola (Wheat Free Pecan, Almond and Maple Granola) is also a great contender! Free Gardening Classes 05/03/2010
Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County has a variety of free gardening classes located here. Some upcoming classes include: Saturday May 8, 2010 - Grow a Healthy Eco-Friendly Garden Start: 9:00 am End: 11:00 am Cost: Free Master Gardener David Peterson will discuss the safe, eco-friendly way to control pests and diseases, which will be at their peak in the summer months. The workshop will be an overview of control methods and also explain the proliferation of pests and other plant problems. This talk is valuable for the novice gardener and also acts as a refresher for experienced gardeners. Gardeners ready to use petro-chemical sprays might not really have a disease problem at all - instead you may have what is known as an abiotic disorder caused by environmental stressors on the plant. Other topics include: alternatives to toxic chemical sprays; organic and natural gardening methods; and keeping the garden healthy for people as well as plants. Handouts will be provided. Location: Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St., Palo Alto 94301 Tuesday May 18, 2010 - 12 Months of Color in the Native Garden Start: 6:30 pm End: 8:00 pm Cost: Free Join Master Gardener Cayce Hill as she teaches you how to save water and attract wildlife to your garden without sacrificing beauty! Learn which California native plants will provide year-round color and interest in your garden. Plant list will be distributed to all participants. Location: Berryessa Branch Library, 3355 Noble Ave., San Jose, 95132 Wednesday May 19, 2010 - Backyard Bee Keeping Start: 7:00 pm End: 8:00 pm Cost: Free We have a real problem in our urban areas. We don't have enough bees to pollinate our fruit trees, flowers, and vegetables. Ever wonder what it takes to become a back yard bee keeper? Join us as UC Master Gardener Anita Rosen tells us what it takes. Location: West Valley Branch Library, 1243 San Tomas Aquino Rd., San Jose, 95117 Tuesday May 25, 2010 - Veggies 2.0: Part Two - Now what do I put in my summer vegetable garden? Start: 7:30 pm End: 8:30 pm Cost: Free Now that you have the summer vegetable beds prepared - what are the master gardener recommended vegetables for this area? Come and discuss what you have enjoyed as well. This talk is the second part of Veggies 2.0 - the first part, on April 27, discusses preparing the vegetable beds as well as creating raised beds and mounded beds. Location: Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, 94022 Saturday June 5, 2010 - Summer Pruning of Fruit Trees for Controlled Growth Start: 10:00 am End: 11:00 am Cost: Free Come to a workshop in the garden to discuss how to control fruit tree growth with summer pruning. Winter pruning when the trees are dormant stimulates growth; summer pruning helps keep the trees smaller (8' if desired) to help with harvest. Hands-on demo will be part of the workshop and handouts provided. See also http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu for information on selecting, planting, caring for, watering, pruning and harvesting fruit trees. The workshop will be followed by an Open Garden - come wander the edibles garden and our large waterwise garden. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions. Location: Palo Alto Demonstration Garden, 851 Center Drive, Palo Alto 94301 Saturday June 26, 2010 - Container Gardening Basics Start: 11:00 am End: 1:00 pm Cost: Free Join Master Gardener Lise Varner as she teaches all about gardening in containers. You can garden anywhere; balconies, patios, driveways and more. With containers we can bring great tastes, textures and smells closer to us, and keep gardening manageable by choosing plants and container sizes that meet our needs. In this class you'll learn the basics of container gardening: soil, water, fertilizer, container materials (clay, plastic, etc.), container sizes, and common pests. Then you'll learn about a wide variety of plants that do particularly well in containers, with special emphasis on fragrant plants, plants that are fun to touch, and edible plants such as herbs, fruits and vegetables, including ones that you can plant right now! Location: Berryessa Branch Library, 3355 Noble Ave, San Jose 95132 Wine and Vegetarian/Vegan Food Pairings 04/30/2010
 Credit: Brant Ward / The Chronicle Here's a great San Francisco Chronicle article by Michelle Locke discussing Wine and Vegetarian/Vegan Food Pairings. You may remember my Peju wine and vegetarian pairing article I wrote discussing the delectable offerings in California wine country. This San Francisco Chronicle article mentions the following pairing ideas...Enjoy! -- ...Try a platter of oven-roasted root vegetables... a meaty grilled portobello mushroom is another option. -- Winemaker Thomas Houseman likes Pinot Noir with french fries. To go all out, toss the fries with truffle oil, salt and maybe a dusting of fennel pollen. -- Pizza and rustic Tempranillo can be good partners. The same is true of a vegan pizza made with lots of vegetable toppings and soy cheese, says winemaker Jon Grant, a vegan. -- For a challenging pairing like asparagus or artichoke, Grant adds lemon and salt to offset the umami, or savoriness, of the vegetables and bring the flavors into balance. -- When in doubt, try sparkling wine. Cornucopia Institute, a food and agriculture nonprofit found that most non-organic veggie burgers currently on the market are made with the chemical hexane, an EPA-registered air pollutant and neurotoxin. Cornucopia Institute senior researcher Charlotte Vallaeys, "If a non-organic product contains a soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, or texturized vegetable protein, you can be pretty sure it was made using soy beans that were made with hexane." The air pollutant is a byproduct of gas refining. In 2007, grain processors were responsible for two-thirds of our national hexane emissions. Workers who have been exposed to it have developed both skin and nervous system disorders. The FDA does not monitor or regulate hexane residue in foods. According to the report, "Nearly every major ingredient in conventional soy-based infant formula is hexane extracted." The veggie burger list with hexane according to the report (pdf - page 37) is below along with hexane-free products: Hexane: Amy's Kitchen, Boca Burger, conventional, Franklin Farms, Garden Burger, It’s All Good Lightlife, Morningstar Farms, President’s Choice, Taste Above, Trader Joe's, Yves Veggie Cuisine Hexane-free products: Boca Burgers "Made with organic soy", Helen's Kitchen, Morningstar "Made with organic", Superburgers by Turtle Island, Tofurky, Wildwood |   ArchivesJuly 2010 Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. |