Organic Marin : Recipes From Land To Table

"Now more than ever, we need to make decisions about cooking and eating that support the kind of agriculture that takes care of the land we hold in trust for future generations. This beautiful book, full of recipes for delicious, seasonal meals, is a tribute to the Marin County farmers, artisans, and cooks who uphold that stewardship and provid for our future." --Alice Waters, Chez Panisse Restaurant

"Organic Marin gives you a taste of what has become one of America's most vibrant local food scenes; indeed, this beautiful book is the next best thing to eating there." --Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food

"Every society is a direct reflection of the status of its soil . . . Everything comes from soil. We are nothing without it." --Helge Hellberg, executive director of Marin Organic

Organic Marin is more than a regional cookbook. It also represents an organic movement reverberating around the globe, demanding a more thoughtful, less wasteful approach to life.
The connection between field and farmer, land and table, and food and family translates to the passionate belief that food fosters community. And nowhere is this connection more apparent than in Marin County, California, the birthplace and standard-bearer of American organic farming.
In Organic Marin, 16 of America's most esteemed organic farms share their stories and philosophies alongside 50 mouthwatering organic recipes organized by season and contributed by 25 of the San Francisco Bay Area's most popular organic restaurants.
With recipes for Heirloom Tomato Flat Bread, Seared Ahi Tuna with Asian Slaw, Chicken Fra Diavolo with Fennel and Dandelion Salad, Double Chocolate Bread Pudding, and much more, anyone can create the delicious dishes featured in this beautiful and inspiring organic cookbook. Read more.

Better Basics For The Home

These days, more and more people are saying no to "better living through chemistry" and yes to a lifestyle that is less toxic and more environmentally friendly. This trend toward a more natural lifestyle has become something of a crusade for Annie Berthold-Bond, author of Better Basics for the Home. After developing hypersensitivity to even very low concentrations of chemicals, Berthold-Bond was forced to rid her life of as many toxins as possible. "It wasn't until I had to be away from chemicals that I began to realize how many we lived with. The extent of the contamination is startling--from hair spray and floor wax to dandelion killers and plastic shower curtains and other products that line our hardware stores and supermarket shelves."

This book represents the culmination of her search for a more sustainable lifestyle. Taking her cue from an earlier time, Berthold-Bond, former editor in chief of Green Alternatives for Health and Environment, offers more than 800 simple and practical alternatives to common household toxins, covering everything from skin care to gardening. And the good news is that adopting her suggestions and formulas isn't hard at all. "Mixing up face creams or wood stain isn't much different than cleaning the windows with vinegar, soap, and water instead of using Brand Name X, or making a cake with flour, eggs and milk instead of buying a mix," see asserts. "With a few simple staples we can clean our houses, wash our hair, rid the dog's bed of fleas, and do many other things as well." If you have your doubts, here is her formula for metal polish:

3 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon flour, and enough white distilled vinegar to make a paste. Scoop the paste onto a clean sponge, and polish the metal clean. Rinse with hot water and buff dry.

Sure, these days it's literally impossible to lead a life that is completely toxin-free. But you can significantly reduce your exposure, and picking up a copy Better Basics for the Home is a great way to get started. Read more.

Organic, Inc. : Natural Foods And How They Grew

Who would have thought that a natural food supermarket could have been a financial refuge from the dot-com bust? But it had. Sales of organic food had shot up about 20 percent per year since 1990, reaching $11 billion by 2003 . . . Whole Foods managed to sidestep that fray by focusing on, well, people like me. Organic food has become a juggernaut in an otherwise sluggish food industry, growing at 20 percent a year as products like organic ketchup and corn chips vie for shelf space with conventional comestibles. But what is organic food? Is it really better for you? Where did it come from, and why are so many of us buying it? Business writer Samuel Fromartz set out to get the story behind this surprising success after he noticed that his own food choices were changing with the times. In Organic, Inc., Fromartz traces organic food back to its anti-industrial origins more than a century ago. Then he follows it forward again, casting a spotlight on the innovators who created an alternative way of producing food that took root and grew beyond their wildest expectations. In the process he captures how the industry came to risk betraying the very ideals that drove its success in a classically complex case of free-market triumph. Read more.

To Buy Or Not To Buy Organic

Food journalist and former professional chef Cindy Burke writes in the introduction to this book: "Organic food can be so expensive and difficult to find that I always wondered if I was spending my money wisely. I decided to become informed, really informed, about the options — organic, conventional, local, sustainable — so that I could choose the healthiest, safest food available." To Buy or Not to Buy Organic is the result of Burke's investigations. It tells you how to choose the healthiest, safest, most earth-friendly food, as you make your way through the supermarket, your local farmer's market, or your natural foods store. Highlights include: Making sense of the choices presented by organic, local, sustainable, minimally treated, grass-fed and cage-free foods Reducing your exposure to pesticides Save money by knowing the foods you want to eat only if they're organic and the foods that are pesticide-free even when they are nonorganic Protecting your child's health from pesticides An at-a-glance shopper's guide to more than 100 foods. See more.

DIET DILEMMAS

Have you ever confused of the difference between detox, macrobiotics and low carb?

Raw Foodism
Devotees of raw food diets try to eat uncooked food – or cooked using low heat. In spite of it seeming restrictive the diet actually allows for a wide variety of foods, such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, all of which should be 100 percent organic.

Detox Diet
Detox diets are restrictive in that they omit anything that’s considered ‘toxic’. Followers normally eat little but raw fruit and vegetables. Detox diets are considered extreme by doctors as they are low in essential nutritients and don’t allow for a wide range of foods to be eaten. They shouldn’t be followed as a long-term healthy eating plan.

Vegetarianism
There are several degrees of vegetarianism; the most popular, a lacto-ovo diet is one that excludes meat, but allows for by-products such as dairy and eggs to be eaten. Vegans are more restrictive with their diet as they refuse to eat or wear anything from an animal.

Macrobiotics
Popularised by celebrities like Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, a macrobiotic diet is similar to veganism, in that it advocates eating whole grains, pulses, fresh fruit and vegetables but excludes meat, dairy products and highly processed or refined foods. Macrobiotics also ensure they never over eat by chewing food slowly and thoroughly before being swallowed.

Low Carb Diet
A low carb diet permits the eating of proteins and healthy fats, but limits carbohydrate consumption. Processed foods such as white rice, bread and pasta should be swapped for the high fibre wholegrain varieties.

ARE ORGANIC FOODS HEALTHIER?

Author : Zach Thompson

There are many contaminants that assault us on a daily basis. These toxins are in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the foods we eat, to name just a few. Eating organic food greatly reduces the toxins we consume in our food. Organic food is becoming more popular as people are becoming more health conscious. There are now certain regulations for growing organic foods commercially and many foods, especially eggs, bear an organic certification label. What is organic food? Organic food is food that is grown naturally without the aid of commercial fertilizers and chemicals like insecticides, herbicides, and anti-fungal substances. Organic growers use only organic fertilizers and remedies for growing plants. These foods are natural and unrefined. Feeding the animals food that has no chemicals added to it in turn produces organic animal products such as meat, poultry and eggs. For example, chickens and poultry are allowed to roam free as opposed to being kept cooped up in cages, and fruits and vegetables are not chemically ripened. Advantages of organic food: There are several advantages for us in eating organic foods:

• There are considerably less toxins in the food as it is grown without the aid of chemicals
• It is often better tasting
• Better for you-there are more nutrients in organic foods and Omega 3 is often found in organic eggs. How Organic food will improve your health: A natural diet consisting of unrefined foods, more fiber less chemicals and toxins will improve your overall health in several ways:
• More fiber from fiber rich foods and those that are unrefined will help your digestive system and allow your whole body to function better.
• Some organic eggs are produced from chickens that are fed on vegetarian feed. This will cut down trans fat and animal fat in the eggs. Omega 3 is found in organic eggs, this substance can be good for the heart.
• There is more iron in the yolk of an organic egg. As seen by the pale color of the commercial egg yolk as opposed to the dark yellow/orange of the organic egg.
• Due to the absence of refinement in organic food it is more satisfying and will help you with any weight loss program by encouraging you to eat less.
• Organic fruits and vegetables have more nutrition than commercially grown ones so you will be feeding your body with better food and improve your overall health.

Organic foods are the wave of the future as more people become more educated about their health and the foods that are good for them. At present, prices are a little higher for organic products but it is worth it when you consider the benefits. By switching to organic food you will improve your health and wellbeing and you will also be able to boost your immune system and help your body fight off diseases and toxins.

About the Author
Zach Thompson is a PolySaccharide Sales Consultant. His clients range from pro athletes and actresses, to cancer patients and children with Learning Disabilities. To learn if glyconutrients can help you, visit Fucoidan PolySaccharide.

EDEN ORGANIC CARIBBEAN BLACK BEANS

Keep it Low
Review by D.Vastardis

Eden Organics black beans are superior, with great taste and texture. The hulls have been completely removed so they are easy to digest, and do not produce much gas or irritation. Most importantly, they are low in salt. I have borderline high blood pressure, so this is magnificent for me. Moreover, they are completely natural, with no additives. Keeping healthy is so important, and the easiest way to do it is to eat properly. This means, of course, natural foods. I am so thankful for Eden's beans (the plain black ones are my favorite). See more.