Slow Food in the South

While doing my morning reading I came across this great article about filling a need in Baton Rouge, La.  There are certain parts of the city where access to fresh foods is limited.  Luckily, a few local organizations are looking to help by starting community gardens along with other efforts.  This way all communities can have access to wholesome and healthy foods.   Read more below:
225 Baton Rouge Article- Slow Food

Louisiana Requests $10 Million from BP for Mental Health

Even though I write about vegetarianism, I also have a background in Counseling/Dance Movement Therapy. Folks here in Louisiana have been through a lot and this incident has had an huge impact on a way of life for so many people. At times it seems hopeless but we just have to keep our heads up and know that the divine plan is perfect. For those of you outside of the south, please send healing to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

Louisiana Requests $10 Million from BP for Mental Health

Cook with your Kids!

According to Instah.com:

   Child Obesity in America has increased 3 times in the last 30 years.  6.5% of Children between 6-11 years were  obese in 1980 whereas 19.8% of children were obese in 2008.  These figures are similar to that of adolescents aged 12-19 years where obesity increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.

My son and I have been cooking together since he was 3.  As a stay at home Mom, I felt it was a lot more productive to add my son the process rather than sit him in from of the t.v. or expect him to stay still as I cooked.  Our first cooking adventure was Spelt Biscuits.  We made them so much together that my son started making suggestions for variations.  We added almonds and bananas; used whole spelt flour or white spelt flour.  Needless to say it set the foundation for him to want to do more in the kitchen.  He makes his own dressings for salad, loves to help me chop veggies, and as I type is making me a smoothie.

I once read a survey that states that 87 percent of fourth through eighth graders either cook for themselves or make their own snacks, and eight out of then said they prepare their own breakfast.  With the busy lives of parents, some children have to become their own nutrition monitors relying on packaged and processed foods for quick snacks.  I would love to see after school programs add basic nutrition and cooking classes to their curriculum to help broaden the scope of what young people know about food.  Where I live there is a cooking school called Young Chefs Academy which introduces basic cooking concepts to kids and is also willing to work with vegetarians.  Programs like these are a wonderful introduction to cooking simple meals or snacks.  I know many folks say they don't have the money to buy certain foods, but now, more than ever, it is imperative that we stay healthy in mind, spirit, and body, especially our young people whose future can be affected by poor eating habits.  So to reiterate a question I asked before, "What is your food lifestyle?"  What kind of food lifestyle do you want your children to have?  With that said check out my newest video featuring my son and his Avocado Dip, the ingredients are posted at the end of the video.  Hope you like it, enjoy!
(statistics provided by California Department of Education)
 

Creating a FoodCorps an AmeriCorps school garden, farm to school program.

I am so loving this idea!  Getting our schools and children involved in growing their own food is such an awesome thing.  I've been cooking and gardening with my son since he was 3.  He loves fruits and veggies and can't wait until harvest so he can cook what he grew.  Let's get our children away from the television and see what they can grow and then maybe we will see how they grow as people.


http://www.justmeans.com/FoodCorps-Building-an-Army-Support-Sustainable-Food-Farmers/15493.html

Expert Panel: Be Cautious of Crude Oil, Long-Term Health Effects Unknown

This oil spill has been so frustrating. I not only think about the wildlife but the water and how it affects what we irrigate our crops with and drink.


Expert Panel: Be Cautious of Crude Oil, Long-Term Health Effects Unknown

Check out VeggieFest Chicago!

The one in New Orleans was great, so now I am oh so ready for this one in Naperville, Illinois, Aug 7th and 8th.  Check them out if you are in the area!

Super Secret Salad Sauce!

My son loves to make salad dressing.  So here is a video of him making his Super Secret Salad Dressing.  It's not really secret though, he just likes calling it that. 



Here are the ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
3 green onions
Herbs de Provance
Thyme
Rosemary
Parsley
Coriander
3 tbs Tamari
1  tsp mustard
Red pepper flakes to taste
2 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
6 tbs Olive Oil

Saute mushrooms and onions. Whisk all ingredients togethermexcept oil.  Then with a slow drizzle mix in oil while whisking other ingredients.  Enjoy!

Check this book out!

I am a little late in writing my review of the book Delivering Happiness, A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com.  It was released last week and is already on the best sellers list.  Part biography, part guidebook for entrepreneurs, this handy tome is a must read for aspiring business owners, managers, top executives, or if you are an employee.  Tony’s book affirms that by instilling a sense of passion and purpose into your workplace you not only create a sense of joy about what you do but the people around you, your “tribe”, will also create an cheerfully infectious energy that is passed on to your customer or whatever market you are serving.  I once worked at a job where my big boss had instilled into my immediate boss the need to get the sale.  Didn’t matter how the client felt, just make sure to sell, sell, sell!  My head understood what was needed but my heart knew that my clients had needs and wants like myself and to ignore them for the bottom line would be unfavorable. I was once told to lie about something to a client and even though it was passed off as a joke, I thought this is not the environment for me.  Needless to say I quit because nobody seemed to care about anything but the sale and not the bigger picture of the people we were serving.  How many of you out there have been in situations like I’ve stated above?  Well, pick up a copy of Delivering Happiness it will definitely give you insight into a different paradigm of management and also give those you out there looking for work an idea of what kind of environment you would like to be in and what inspires you to live with passion.

What's your Food Lifestyle?

Hi all!
It's been about a month since I've been here and looking to catch up on everything this summer.  I have videos to edit, a review of the book, Delivering Happiness to put up, and recipes to share, but for now, I wanted to share with you 10 points I put together to help folks get the ball rolling on how to make some positive changes in your food lifestyle.  Yes I said "Food Lifestyle",  it's what folks will and will not settle for when it comes to the food in their life.  Just like some folks must have only designer jeans, I must have farm fresh or organic foods.  I steer clear of ingredients like red dye #4 and high fructose corn syrup.  A lot of people take the time to find the right dress or shoes but when it comes to the right foods, they sell themselves short.  In in the long run it's your health that suffers and it won't really matter who made the jeans when you don't feel well enough to wear them.  So here is a list of things to jump start a positive Food Lifestyle!

1. Watch the high fructose corn syrup, not an easily digestible form of sugar, sticks with you longer, harder for your body to break down. 
2. Try fresh veggies if you have time.  Not a microwave fan.  Zaps most nutrient value from food.  I did a video on steeping greens.  You can do that with any veggie.  Water in the pot with salt and red pepper let it boil, throw the veggie in and cover for about 3 to 5 minutes.  Greens take the least amount of water and time.  In ground veggies, i.e. carrots take longer.
3. No soda's, processed foods, or fast foods.  I love french fries(not all the time :-) but other than that I stay away from a lot of that stuff, only indulging for special occasions.  (I am being real, not perfect!)
4. Take a really good vitamin or buy a vitamin powder,  Source of Life which is at local health food stores (not Whole Foods) is a great one.  Your body will crave food when it is nutrient deficient.  
5. Flex with your meat intake,  meaning go to every other day or 4 days a week instead of 7.  It will enable your body to assimilate your vitamins better.  An overabundance of animal protein can block nutrient absorption. 
6. Read the labels on the so called healthy cereals, wheat breads, snacks, they can be healthy but still have corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, and lots of processing.  I buy my cereals and other items from Whole Foods or a health food store.  
7. If you must do a protein or snack bar, I personally like Luna bars.  Just my opinion.  You want to eat things you enjoy, if it's not pleasing you won't stick with it.
8. Watch dairy intake,  Soy milk can be heavy.  They also sell Almond Milk in mainstream stores.  Do the low fat milk if you need to and do fruit bars or sorbet.  Ice cream is very indulgent.  skip it!
9. If you like candy or chocolate only do high end dark chocolate.  It is antioxidant rich and if you get a good brand it doesn't have the crap that the regular bars have.  Check a health food store or Whole Foods.  You only need small doses anyway because it taste sooo good.  
10. Make healthy eating a lifestyle,  diets should not be temporary and enjoy your food!

 By the way, check my interview on http://www.femmevip.com/
Live On, Eat Well!