Earthly Eating

It’s all you hear these days. Everyone’s talking food; pure, unadulterated organic, farm-raised, free-range, genetically unaltered food. Where to buy the best bean curd. Why the fish at the local market is unsafe. Why you should ask for soy milk in your morning latte. But obsessing over small issues with your food can become a serious problem overall. Mainly toward your health and well-being. The obsession even has its own name; Orthorexia Nervosa.

An orthorexic’s diet is often too restrictive and might be low in protein, vitmains, minerals, and fat. An orthorexic may suffer the same limitations as an anorexic-a fear of living life fully.

Though not classified as an official psychological disorder, orthorexia showcase the dangers of taking anything to the extreme, even concern about your health.

Even though it is wise to watch what we eat it is also unwise to ponder on whether the last bag of chips we ate are safe. There are concerns that are normal concerns such as food allergies. Food allergies are happening to some if not most people and they don’t even know it. If you have a food allergy, such as peanuts, most likely you are aware. But, what do we really know about food alleriges? Below is a quizz to see if you know the common food allergies and why those effected tend to react they way they do. (The answers are at the very bottom of this article.)

Personally I am allergic to radishes and green, and only the green varity of bell pepper. Here’s some pictures of my reaction to eating some radishes last Christmas eve in a dish that I didn’t know had them in there. I eventually had to head on over the the emergency room, yes on Christmas eve, to get an Epi-pen® shot to cool the reaction and hives down. As you can see from the photos, I was quite swollen in the face and I had hives all over my body. Such a terrible Christmas eve I had. But, Christmas morning I woke up with just minor pain and the symptoms had gone down quite a lot. Now I pick through anything, and any dish I am not familiar with. That has seem to be my obsession as far as my health is concerned.

TEST YOURSELF
What do you really know about food allergies?

-Fact: Food allergies can cause itchy or even anaphylactic shock. How potent can a peanut really be?

1. If you’re allergic to soy, it is safe to eat food cooked in soybean oil.

True or False

2. Artifical flavors cause the majority of food allergies.

True or False

3. Which of these can cause an allergic reaction?

a) “Natural” cosmetics
b) Enering a fish restaurant
c) Eating egg whites
d) Any of the above

4. Kissing someone who has eaten peanuts can provoke an allergic reaction?

True or False

**See any bumper stickers lately that have caught your attention? Over at About Tulsa, OK, Candy Hollowell has seen some pretty interesting ones through out the month of October. Read all of them here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Spinach Cheese Dip
Serves: Makes 3 cups of dip

Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with remaining onions just before serving.

Happy Eating!

Answers to the TEST YOURSELF questions:
1. True. Your body reacts to certain proteins in soybeans, peanuts, and sunflower seeds, and most of the oils sold in the United States are highly refined (as opposed to cold-pressed), so they contain no trace of them.

2. False. Ninety precent are linked to milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish.

3. D. Any of the above. Some beauty products contain enough milk or nut extract to bring on hives. Believe it or not the tiny proteins released into the air by frying and steaming seafood can also trigger allergic reactions. And most people with egg allergies actually respond to the whites, not the yolks.

4. True. If you are sensitive to goobers, as little as one-eightieth of a peanut can cause an allergic reaction.
(Source: Natural Healing )

•The Claim: High hormone levels in dairy cause early-onset of puberty:

The Truth: Many parents voice concern over added hormones used in dairy production, but the truth is this, the synthetic hormones at the cent of the debate is rBST (also knows as rBGH), which is given to cows to increase conventionaldaity production. The FDA maintains that the hormone is inactive in our bodies and that little is absorbed during digestion. These are critics, however, who disagree and are concerned about even slight exposure to synthetic hormones. If you want to reduce your families exposure to hormones, buy organic milk. And watch your whild’s weight and your own. If the parents are truly concerned about the early onset of puberty, they should make great efforts to prevent obesity. That’s because menstruation may start earlier in overweight girls compared with those who are at their ideal body weight.

• The Claim: Antibiotics use in livestock contributes to antibiotic resistance.

The Truth: Overuse, whether through agriculture or medicine, puts us all at risj for antibiotic resistance. However, dairy producers take precautions to make sure antibiotics don’t end up in conventional milk. As far as how meat is handled, it’s tested to avoid high levels of anitbiotics. But some argue that the European Union has been more prudent because, unlike the U.S., it has banned feeding antibiotics to livestock to increase growth. If you are concerned, always buy organic meat, which is free of anitbiotics.

• The Claim: Organic foods are more nutritious.

The Truth: In some cases, organic produce does contain more disease-fighting phytochemicals. However, don’t think that you will never get the cold or flu again by eating strictly organic fruits and vegetables. Nutrient content can vary depending on factors such as soil type, rainfall, temperature, and harvesting techniques. That is whay people shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that a varied diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables-regardless of wheather this fare is orginis or not-is your best bet to ward off illness. Ultimately, when it cones to buying organic, you have to decide what feels right for your family. It may make you feel terrible to some days spend $3 more on a opint of strawberries, but if buying organic is important to you, you will spend that much if not more.

›Tip: Don’t be shy to ask your grocers to offer organic fare. If there is high demand, they may stock it.

›Did you know: Despite some claims in stores, fish can not be certified as organic because no U.S. standards currently exist for fish and seafood.

(Source: Some information pulled from AB)

**Toni Kemp over at ‘Being and Airforce Wife’ is cooking up Stuffed Pork Loin. Get the recipe here and read more of the story behind the recipe, as well.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Ritz Clubs:
Serves 16 (two topped crackers each)

Toss tomatoes, spinach, and radishes together; dress with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Top the turkey with a rounded teaspoon of the tomato relish. Serve.

Happy Eating!

Worried about pesticides? Then go organic with these 12 fruits and veggies (commonly referred to as the “Dirty Dozen”, in decending order of pesticide exposure ( #1 is the most), according to the Environmental Working Group.

#1: PEACHES

#2: APPLES

#3: SWEET BELL PEPPERS

#4: CELERY

#5: NECTARINES

#6: STRAWBERRIES

#7: CHERRIES

#8: PEARS

#9: GRAPES (IMPORTED)

#10: SPINACH

#11: LETTUCE

#12: POTATOES
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Crusted Goat Lady Cheese Salad
Serves: 1

In a bowl combine breadcrumbs, thyme and pepper. Drizzle goat cheese with extra virgin olive oil. Cover cheese in breadcrumb mixture and bake in a moderate oven until golden brown. Serve on a bed of seasonal greens with a vinagrette of your choice.

Happy Eating!

Ever thought of cooking with wine? Go to Wine Outlook here on 451 Press for some excellent ideas on how to incorporate wine into your everyday cooking adventures.

Organic food sales make up just 2.5 percent of the retail food market, they’re rising by about 20 percent each year. Why?

According to the Whole Foods Market survery posted in OCA on April 2007, 70 percent of consumers buy organic to avoid pesticides; another 67 percent do so to promote good health. Yet questions remian: are organic foods indeed safer and more nutritious?

Are organic foods safer because there pesticide free? The facts are organic crops produced without chemical fertilizers and most senthetic pesticides. But, they may not be free of pesticide residues. A lot of the residues found on our food are from long-banned pesticides, such as DDT, because it’s persistent in our soil. Plus, pesticides can blow over from a neighboring convetional farm. And, these lower pesticide levels haven’t been established as safer. In fact, everything in supermarkets has earned the government’s seal of approval for safety. The Environmental Protection Agency set standard for the residue levels allowed in or on food, which are in the parts per million, even billion. The bottom line: If your kid eats a lot of fruits and veggies, it might be worth the extra bucks. But, don’t freak about it if you can’t afford it, most fruits and veggies are safe.

Are orgnaic snacks better got you than convential? The fact is a cooke, whether it’s organic or not, is still a cookie. Dont’ forget theat organic processed food can be hgih in calories and total fat as well. And may contain refined grains and undesirable additives. It’s still important to read the labels closely on orgainc packaging to see what you are really getting. The real issue is whether you’re eating and offering your family nutritious foods rather than foods that are high in calories , sugar, salt and fat. Fresh is best, and those snacks can still be convenitent and offer a nutrional punch. The bottom line is spend your organic dollars on produce instead.

AND ALWAYS REMEBER:
*A varied diet that’ts rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegtables-regardless of whether or not they are organic-is the best way to ward off illness, obesity, and some cancers.*
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Butter-fried PB&J Crepes:
Serves 10-12

Mix first 5 ingredients and set aside. Combine peanut butter and 1 tbs. dry ingredients, then water. Allow batter to rest for 15 minutes. Heat medium (8-inch) skillet over high heat. Melt 1/2 tsp ghee. Pour 2 tbs. batter into pan, swirling to cover a thin layer. Cook about 30 seconds, until top appears dry; flip and cook for 10 more seconds. While the bottom is cooking, drop a tsp. of jam on top, spreading lightly with a spoon. Fold pancake in half, then fold again into a quarter-circle. Remove from pan, repeat process, melting 1/4 tsp. ghee for each new pancake.

Happy Eating!

Do you have a picky eater in your house? Check out some of the tips Jackie has posted over on Kids Dish.