The Dirty Dozen & The Clean Fifteen

We live in a society where a lot of emphasis is placed on going green, eating organic, and buying products whose labels claim that they are all-natural. However, we also live in a society with an unemployment rate that refuses to go down, and where many people struggle to make ends meet. Therefore, it is important to realize where you should make the splurge on the pricier organic products, and where you can save your money and opt out of organic. You can find an organic version of just about every product on the market, but allow me to let you in on a little secret....for some products, there is no real difference for the consumer whether they buy the organic version or not. Yes, it is important to realize that organic farming is better for the Earth and the farmers, but in times where finances can be of great concern, it is important to shop wisely as well.

Cue the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen!

The Dirty Dozen is a list of twelve foods that you should choose to buy organic. The reason behind this is that these produce items tend to have the highest pesticide residue when farmed in non-organic conditions. These 12 items are the ones that you want to splurge on....go organic here, it will be better for you and your loved ones.

Here is the list:

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Strawberries

4. Peaches

5. Spinach

6. Nectarines

7. Grapes

8. Sweet bell peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Blueberries

11. Lettuce

12. Tie between Kale and Collard Greens

Another item that you might want to consider buying organic is meat that has a high fat content. While beef doesn't have pesticide, pesticides have been detected on the fat in the meat. Another option is to choose leaner cuts where you don't need to buy organic. Milk is another product that the experts suggest you buy organic. Testing has shown that there is pesticide in the cow's milk. There weren't a lot of explanations for how it got there, but if the cows are eating food with pesticides on them, it is likely that one way the body excretes them is through the milk. Since milk is a staple for children, it is definitely a product that you may want to consider buying organic since it is consumed in such abundance. (Interesting note - pesticides have even been found in human breast milk - if it was found there you better believe it will be found in cow's milk, too!) Three other interesting suggestions I came across in my research are to buy organic coffee, wine and chocolate. The majority of coffee beans and cocoa beans are grown in countries without strict laws on the use of pesticides - if you have an option, play it safe here. Also, when we see that grapes and raisins test positive for pesticides - makes you wonder about wine, eh?

Now, remember how I said up above that you don't have to buy all organic? Enter the Clean Fifteen.... 15 items where it is okay to skip the organic label and the increased price...

1. Onions

2. Sweet Corn

3. Pineapple

4. Avocado

5. Asparagus

6. Sweet peas

7. Mango

8. Eggplant

9. Cantaloupe

10. Kiwi

11. Cabbage

12. Watermelon

13. Sweet Potatoes

14. Grapefruit

15. Mushrooms

There are several different lists available, and I have also seen broccoli, papaya and bananas end up on the clean fifteen.

My mom and I tried to correlate if there was an obvious difference that would help us while shopping so that we could do so without a list. At first it seemed that items that should be bought in organic form had softer skins and were therefore more permeable to the pesticides. For the most part this was true, but things like asparagus and sweet peas don't necessarily correlate by being on the clean fifteen. Also, potatoes are on one list and sweet potatoes are on the other, so I'm not quite sure that there is a simple method. However, you can print off this list, fold it up and keep it tucked inside your wallet. Therefore, it's out of the way and on-hand when you need it the most!

Wishing you happy, healthy, and smart shopping!

Mary

Quinoa Patties

Have any of you cooked with quinoa before? It is pronounced "key-nwa". According to the ever trusty Wikipedia, quinoa is a species of goosefoot, and it is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a chenopod, which makes it closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds. Sounds like a strange little thing! Nutrition-wise, quiona grains contain "essential amino acids like lysine and good quantities of calcium, phosphorous and iron".

You can buy quinoa at the grocery store, and I found it in the natural section of my local store. It is really important to thoroughly rinse the quinoa before cooking in order to remove the "saponins" from the surface. This is a natural coating that has a bitter, soap-like taste. Saponins are thought to be a natural way to deter birds from eating the grain. After the rinsing it is cooked just like rice, but much faster! Submerge in water (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water) and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes - voila! Versatile quinoa ready to go.

My mom had told me about a quinoa recipe she wanted to make that she saw on the Food Network - made by Aarti Sequeria. This recipe was the reason that I bought the quinoa this week --> recipe. However, I made some extra so I knew that I needed to find some other ways to use it this week.

I went to the world wide web for inspiration. :)

Found a great website...cookingquinoa. On the website I came across some Quinoa Fritters that I knew I had to modify and try out. Sorry that I didn't do full step by step pictures, but I'll still give you some detailed instructions! And I have to apologize in advance, these are far from the best food photos I've taken - but I was hungry and it was sort of an afterthought to do the post on this! Thanks for understanding ;-)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup cooked quinoa

- ½-3/4 c. whole wheat flour

- ½ c. spinach puree-

- ½ c. cauliflower puree

- ½ c. diced onion

- 2 garlic gloves minced

- 2 eggs

- 1.5 tsp salt

- 1 tsp pepper

- Canola oil (enough to coat bottom of pan)

Okay.... This is what freshly cooked quinoa looks like:

Allow the quinoa to cool before proceeding. Then add in all ingredients except for the eggs. Doesn't that look appetizing? haha Don't worry... stay with me and it will be worth it!

Have any of you heard of Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld? Great cookbook I got from my Mom. Anyways, she uses vegetable purees in her food to add extra nutrients. I had made the spinach and cauliflower purees and stuck them in my freezer - seemed like a great time to pull them out and add some extra goodness to my quinoa. I just defrosted the bags of each in warm water - I place 1/2 cup of puree into each ziploc. [To make the purees - steam the vegetable, place in a blender or food processor and mix. Add a tablespoon of water as necessary to help smooth. Then separate into 1/2 c. servings in ziplocs, and freeze until you need to use!]

So into the bowl I added cauliflower, spinach, whole wheat flour, onion, garlic and salt and pepper.

Then I put the two eggs into a small bowl and whipped up, and then added to the other ingredients. Combine all. You may need to add a little extra quinoa or whole wheat flour if your mixture is too loose - play around with it.

Heat your pan over medium heat and add your oil in. We don't want to ruin this healthy creation by deep-frying it, so only use what you need to coat the bottom of the pan. Once heated, form patties with your hands out of the mixture and place directly in the pan. These babies will cook quickly, so keep an eye on them.

I want to say maybe 2 minutes on each side - just let them get a nice golden brown, then flip. Brown the other side and then remove to a plate. Repeat with the remaining mixture. This is the final product:

Trust me, I realize that this is not the prettiest thing you've ever eaten...but wow, the flavor was fantastic! If you would like to have a patty/fritter that is not quite so green, than you can choose to use chopped up spinach instead. Then you will have green flecks of color instead of a green base color. I am by no means a vegetarian, but I definitely was not missing the meat in this dish - it was delicious. You could easily put this between two slices of bread, add some arugula and tomato slices and treat it like a veggie burger! Seriously good eats, and pretty guilt-free, too! Overall, once the quinoa was cooked it took maybe 15 minutes to whip these little treats up!

Go buy some quinoa this week! Have a good week everybody, can't believe we're only one week away from August.

Mary

Recipe Share: Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad

Mary here.... I made an excellent summertime salad this week that was so delicious I knew I had to share! It is based on a salad that Brittany at eatingbirdfood.com made. As soon as I saw her recipe, I knew I had to try it as soon as possible!

Ingredients: [Serves 8-12]

6 ears of fresh corn

1 medium ripe avocado

1 small diced red onion

Juice of 1 lime

3-4 Tablespoons of cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by roasting the corn. I did this a couple weeks ago, and instead of cutting the corn off the stalks, I peeled back the husks applied my seasonings and dug in! For those of you who are fortunate enough to have a grill, that is a good option. I did mine in the oven - 425 degrees for 35-45 minutes. You simply lay the corn (still in the husks) in the oven, close the door, and come back when the timer goes off! Voila :)

Here's my corn fresh out of the oven.... [Note the recipe calls for more corn, but I'm only cooking for one so I used 3 ears of corn total]

After removing the corn from the oven and letting it cool for a few moments, I peeled the warm husks back. (On a side note, the corn looked a little bit less than clean, so I took a damp paper towel and wiped the corn down before proceeding to the next step). This made a handle for me to hold while I cut the corn off of the ears. Do this into a large bowl so you don't lose any of the yummy kernels! I just used a small, sharp knife to do this. Make sure to have a good grasp on the corn before starting - and propping it against the side of the bowl helps to steady it.

Next, (sorry for the blurry picture!) dice up your red onion and add it to the bowl of corn.

Then, cut your lime and squeeze the juice of it over the corn and onion! Yum, at this point I could barely resist taking a quick bite...

Grab your avocado now! Make sure it's ripe. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any ripe ones when I went to the store which delayed my making of this salad for a few days. I placed my avocado in a brown paper bag to help the ripening. Once ripe, get your avocado and cut it in half from top to bottom. What I do to cut it from here is take a small paring knife and make slices from top to bottom in the avocado...probably 4 per half. Then make slices in the other direction = little chunks of avocado, still in the skin. From this point I just push on the skin over the bowl and the little pieces pop right out. Some might need a little extra assistance....

Wash your cilantro and chop it up. Add as much as you'd like! My mom and I were just talking about how we can't even comprehend not liking cilantro - we LOVE it! Such great flavor. (If you're one of those who don't, the original recipe called for basil which you could substitute here). Now add a little salt and pepper, stir, and taste. Add more as needed!

Last step is here... I know you've been patient! Get a serving spoon and get a nice hearty portion for yourself. Place a little cilantro on top for garnish and dig in!

As yummy as this salad was right after making it, it was that much better the next day when the flavors had a chance to mingle and marry in the fridge overnight! Enjoy this one - it's delicious, light and fresh...the perfect summer salad!

Mary

Easy Eats

Hmm….seems like my mom forgot that we are sharing this blog, doesn’t it? Just kidding – she is fully aware and has some really great things coming up for her blog post….just very busy right now! Be patient, you will get a great post from her soon. In the meantime, I will do a post to hopefully hold you all over until her big return! Glad to hear that some of you are going to go buy the popcorn popper – I love it!

I wanted to post some ideas for EASY eats. I know that many of you are so busy, (who isn’t now a days??) but that should never be an excuse for eating poorly. I have posted some snack ideas in the past and now I will share another tip.

Frozen vegetables! Anyone know what a treasure trove of nutrients these babies are? Fruits and veggies are frozen at the peak of the season – meaning they are frozen when they are at their highest for both flavor and nutrients. Most people believe that fresh produce is the way to go, but sometimes, frozen is just as good of a contender, especially when you’re out of season for a particular item. I do most of my grocery shopping at Walmart (boo!) due to my geographic location right now… and they have Great Value brand frozen veggies. If Walmart has them, I can guarantee that bigger grocer store chains will as well. The veggies are pre-cut which saves a ton of time.

There are also two varieties – the kind used to steam or sauté, or the kind that comes in the microwavable bag. The microwave option is even faster – you don’t even have to dirty a pan to heat up these babies! Just follow the directions on the packaging and voila – chopped, cooked, delicious veggies are waiting for you and your fam. You can season with a sprinkle of salt, and any other seasonings you enjoy – lemon pepper, garlic, cayenne powder…yum! Endless options. If you do choose to go the pan route, that is pretty easy to – no defrosting necessary, just open the bag and pour into the lightly oiled skillet, and get cooking! I seasoned mine with a tiny bit of soy sauce and sesame oil.

They have all sorts of great mixes... below is a shot of it after it's been cooked. I meant to only have a portion for dinner, but it was so yummy I ate just about all of it!

To go with these yummy veggies, I made some chicken. Took chicken breasts and lightly coated with flour that had salt and pepper in it. This just helped to add a nice crispy exterior when it cooked in the oven. It ended up being juicy and delicious!

And here's a shot of the whole meal....veggies, with sliced chicken breast on top, and whole wheat pasta. Here's another tip for you all....use small plates! We eat with our eyes first, so if you see a full plate you trick your mind into thinking you're getting a lot of food. If this same portion was on a larger plate, it wouldn't seem as satisfying.

Wanted to make a product recommendation! The brand is.... Food Should Taste Good. That's a good start, right? I had seen this brand at the store, and then it was featured on an episode of Unwrapped on Food Network, so I decided to try it. I love spicy food so opted for the Jalapeno and Lime flavors.

Here's a shot of ingredients....pretty minimal: stone ground corn, high oleic sunflower oil, jalapeno peppers, corn bran, beet powder, sea salt, crushed red peppers. The lime chip ingredients were almost the same, plus lime juice. Awesome flavor.

Look at all the great things that this product can boast..... Try them out soon and let me know what flavors you recommend!!

Oh, look.....like my mom always says, leftovers are the best! I replicated my dinner - chicken, veggies and pasta! If it was good once, you better believe it will be good twice.

One last idea for you all today... Have any of you tried Tasty Bite? It's awesome! It is a company that produces Indian food that can be ready in a jiffy. The ingredients are pretty simple, all Mary-approved - things that a 3rd grader could pronounce. :) I microwaved for 90 seconds, and then transferred to a bowl and added a few dashes of tabasco. While that was in the microwave, I cut up a pita pocket into several triangle shaped chips, and placed them on a baking sheet. Did a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Broiled at 550 for less than 5 minutes - keep an eye on them, though, they brown quickly! Took these out, transferred to the plate and had a delicious lunch - warm and crispy pita chips dipped in spicy Madras Lentils.

Be patient faithful followers, Mama G will be back sooner than later :) And in the meantime, don't be afraid to get creative in the kitchen! Please keep us posted on any new things that you try!

Mary

Lessons to be Learned...

If I had started this blog on my own, it would have been named something snappy like Eating MSG Free... or Good Eats without Monosodium Glutamate...

Well, let me tell you, that despite all that my mom and I know about food and nutrition, we are always learning. Migraines run in my family - just about every member of my immediate family has had them, as well as my cousins. They are awful, horrible things, and not just a bad headache. If you've had one, you know, and if you haven't - count your lucky stars. The tricky thing about migraines is that everyone has a different trigger. What makes my brother Derek get one, is not what makes me get one. I got my first migraine with an aura (a visual disturbance that we refer to as spots in our eyes) on the last day of 5th grade. As a freshman in college, I was able to correlate what was causing my increasing number of migraines through some research and observation - monosodium glutamate (MSG). At the time, I really didn't know anything about it. I started doing some research online and found this to be a relatively common trigger. However, what I did not know was the many forms that it comes in, and how it is hidden in so many of the foods available at grocery stores and restaurants. My list of things to avoid grew to include yeast extract, and autolyzed yeast extract. Soon after we added nitrates and nitrites to the list. Now, I do my best to avoid things with modified food or corn starch, as well as anything hydrolyzed. Natural flavors, and 'spices' got added to the list. I think that food is best when we can enjoy it in it's natural form. Even if I find something that doesn't have these ingredients, if there are more than about 10 ingredients I'm not eating it. I want to know exactly what I'm putting in my body.

Well, with all that knowledge you think I would be pretty set. And for the most part, I am. I try to get 8 hours of sleep every night. I drink water all day long. I managed to go almost 10 months without getting a migraine, which is a minor miracle for me. However, I had one on Sunday! :( I was racking my brain to think of what was different, what possibly could have triggered the migraine. My sleep schedule was slightly disrupted over the weekend due to later nights than normal, but that didn't seem to be it. So I backtracked in my mind to figure out what had been different in my diet. Tofu. I was nervous about eating the tofu for this very reason, but instead of researching the links between tofu and msg, I research msg and the two coagulants that are used to help firm up the tofu. Not sure why I didn't think to do tofu as a whole, I guess because the only other ingredient on the list was organic soybeans. Hmm. Well, I learned my lesson, and did my research today. Found a fascinating article on the work of Dr. David Bucholz. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5364970] It talks about all sorts of triggers and guess what he says: "When you process the protein in soy, you liberalize MSG, so you're basically manufacturing MSG when you make a protein like tofu or miso or protein bars". Bummer! For all of my diligence I missed out on this very big risk factor. So I learned my lesson and won't be eating tofu ever again. Like Mom always says, you learn something new every stinking day! (By the way, it dawned on me to research tofu as I was cooking up a batch for dinner - quickly sent it down the garbage disposal. Boo!)

As with anything, not everything will be a trigger for everyone. You have to research, experiment, and over time you will figure out what works best for you. Also, not all triggers are dietary - weather can be a trigger, as well as lighting changes, allergens, stress and hormones. For those of you interested in a comprehensive list of dietary triggers, here is a link: http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2006/apr/migraine/triggers2.pdf

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So, enough about what I've leaned today, I wanted to share some good snacks that I have had recently - that are just about as natural as you can get. And I don't mean "all natural" like many products claim, I mean food of the earth, in its purest form!

Carrots and grape tomatoes with a spoonful of hummus.

Apple cut up with a tablespoon of almond butter.

Cut up peach in low fat vanilla yogurt. (Check the ingredients mine has all natural sweeteners, not aspartame, etc!) Below is what I packed for my 4 hour class this morning - similar to above, carrots, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes with a spoonful of hummus; sliced apple and TB of almond butter, and a cinnamon roll LARABAR.

To leave you with one other snack idea - popping your own popcorn! A lot of chemicals and a whole lot of fat are often packed into the pre-packaged popcorn bags. The bags that are more natural tend to cost a lot of money. Hence, the air popper. This sells at Target for about $8. It is wonderful! Pops on air alone. You buy a bag of popcorn kernels, place in the bottom of this nifty tub, and put in microwave on popcorn setting. When it comes out, I spray it with Pam or another spray and then season with whatever herbs and spices I want - lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder, cinnamon/sugar. A great alternative. And popcorn is a very low calorie snack - you get a lot more popcorn for a given amount of calories than you would for chips.

Alright, that's my two cents for the evening (actually might be a few dollars worth ;-) of advice there)! Please, if you have any specific questions, ask them in the comments section or send an email and my mom and I will be happy to answer!

XO, Mary