we have a winner

Using the Random Number Generator we have a winner for the Leap Day Giveaway.

I tried a totally new system this time and used a service where folks could earn points toward the giveaway.  Unfortunately it doesn't seem to give a link directly to the entrant.

So, drumroll, Donna, if you're reading this -- and I hope you are because you entered the giveaway, please contact me directly at mdessy@grainsandmore.com in order to claim your prize.

To the rest of those who entered...did you like this way of entering?  Would you rather enter simply by leaving comments on the blog?  Do you have a solution for a different way to run giveaways (because I have more good stuff to send you)?  Let me know.

healthy eating on a budget

piggy bank | photo: mconnors

Last night's #FoodRevParty on twitter was about eating healthy on a budget.  The wide variety and flood of responses showed that you don't have to break the bank in order to eat well without going broke.

The conversation started by talking about ways to avoid the high cost of fresh/local/organic produce.  Ideas included purchasing according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Shoppers Guide to Pesticides which lists the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen for produce and exposure to pesticides.  Of course growing your own and freezing or otherwise preserving the harvest was mentioned.  This can be a great way to ensure that your family has a source of healthy food on a year-round basis.  Buying in season often means that you are not paying a premium to have healthy food.  After all, strawberries in May cost far less than strawberries in December.  As an added benefit they taste better too.  Another idea mentioned was to shop at the farmer's market near the end of the day when there might be some deals available.  Also discussed was the concept of purchasing cheaper cuts of meat and cooking them in a slow cooker.

All of this talk of purchasing locally or sustainably lead to talk about food waste.  It is a fact that if we waste less it costs less.  Unfortunately American's tend to spend a huge percentage of their grocery bill on food they don't actually eat; it winds up being thrown out.  The book American Wasteland: How American Throws Away Nearly Half It's Food (And What We Can Do About It) was mentioned by more than one person.  The general consensus was that it is a great book.  If this is a subject that interests you, you can also follow along on Jonathan Bloom's blog WastedFood.

The subject then turned to buying in bulk.  Quite a few people spoke about sharing with friends or neighbors as a way to purchase in bulk, thereby saving money, without being overwhelmed by, say, 25 pounds of grapefruit.  Some people spoke about not buying in bulk due to fears of wasting food.   Others spoke about buying in bulk in order to freeze the extra for a future time.  The most commonly mentioned bulk purchased items appeared to be coffee, oats, grains, spices, flour, and even honey and maple syrup.

Moving along we came to the question of entertaining while serving wholesome food on a budget.  Of course the idea of potluck came up which can certainly be an economical way to share a meal with friends.  Many people agreed that homecooking was more economical than ordering out and there was general agreement that simple ingredients well prepared were far better than gourmet items.  People appreciate good homemade food.  Especially given how many people do not cook. When they are served a tasty meal that is homemade it's a gift of time as well as of intention and everyone seemed to agree that was important and well received.  There were also some clever ideas for making tasty meals that were not overly expensive such as taco bar, potato bar, panini bar, and top-your-own pizza.  Another good solution was to use aromatics such as ginger, garlic, shallots, spices, and herbs as a way to jazz up the flavor of a dish.

Next on the agenda was how to encourage others to cook real food at home.  Hands down the answer seemed to be talking about it and demonstrating it.  Several people had great ideas for demonstrating whole food healthy cooking by inviting people over for a cooking party/demo, cooking for them in their own home, sharing information on a blog or website, and being willing to talk about the costs of whole food nutrition and health. There was also a discussion about food education with a consensus that in addition to participants teaching people about food there is a variety of resources available through the internet.  Also discussed was the idea of a return to the concept of home economics in school and offering healthy lunchtime choices in school.   Finding community gardens, organic farmers, and other resources was also mentioned.

Overall folks seemed to feel that the key was shopping locally, in season, not wasting food, and learning to build a connection with a farmer's market or other good resource.  Definitely a great twitter party and one that flew by.

on my mind monday 3.05.12

news | photo: mconnors

It's never the same two weeks in a row.  My snapshot of what I find interesting.  Information and news about health, nutrition and/or holistic living.  Here's what's on my mind.

Growing protein with fewer resources - There are lots of different ways to look at our protein needs and how we get them.  Algae is certainly one way which could be very sustainable; algae of all kinds can be used to provide protein for animals as well as for humans.  Many vegetarians and vegan's eat it now.  Potentially part of an aquaculture solution it would be a very efficient use of resources.  Truthfully whether you're using algae or insects (another source of efficient protein) as an alternative source of food the problem is not how much protein we produce but how we produce it.  Well that and the fact that when it comes to animal protein those of us in developed countries often consume more than we need.  Current commercial methods appear to be mostly inefficient with large scale use of fossil fuels, unhealthy (read unsanitary) conditions,  unhealthy methods (GMO feed, over use of antibiotics), and waste.   So while this is a good thing and an idea that I think is worth following, I also feel we need to look at current protein production methods and clean up after ourselves.

Monterey County Say No To Methyl Iodide - YES!  I'm so happy to see this and hope that other counties in California will follow suit.  Some of you may remember that this appeared in an OMMM post in January.  This is a horrible, known cancer-causing agent.  I'm so happy to hear that the folks in Monterrey County are standing up to BigAg and saying no.

Eating citrus fruit may lower women's stroke risk - many foods have flavonoids, antioxidants that help promote health.  Apparently the flavonoids in oranges and grapefruit, called flavanones, are especially beneficial for women in helping to prevent ischemic strokes.  It is important to note that if you are trying to increase your intake of oranges and grapefruit eating whole fruit is a better way to go.  There are approximately 5 oranges in a glass of orange juice, adding lots of sugar and not much fiber.  Eat the orange or the grapefruit and get the benefit of the vitamin C, the flavanones, and the fiber.

Seattle plants a public food forest - I'm happy to hear about more public food resources and stewardship of public lands that does not include turning it into a parking lot.  This could give a whole new meaning to the word locavore.  It will be interesting to see how this develops and how it is managed over time.  It is an added dimension to urban agriculture that I think brings a lot of benefits to the community.  Considering our shift to a more urbanized population these sorts of measures are to be welcomed and encouraged.

Push to label GMO's gains ground - I am firmly in the no-GMO camp.  I believe that they are harmful to our bodies, our planet and their use should be discontinued.  However that is a larger battle.  In the meantime I very strongly support labeling of GMOs because I believe that consumers have the right to make an informed choice when it comes to their food.  GMO producers disagree, of course, because this would, in all likelihood reduce their sales.  I hope the labeling of GMO moves forward and becomes mandatory.


Enjoy Nature

What I'm reading:

The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean.  It's been a busy week so I'm still reading this book.  Learning a lot about why magnesium is such an important mineral for our health.  For example, it turns out that magnesium is important in helping to support health when it comes to osteoporosis.  So it's not just calcium, we also need to be looking at our magnesium levels.