Earthly Eating

Not all foods are created equal. For example, yogurt is a healthy food, but not if you buy a variety that contains high-fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and/or artificial colorings. Here are some food categories and the best choices under that category for you and your family.

1. Beverages:

• Flavored water: Wateroos
• Soymilk: Silk, Edensoy, Zensoy, Soy Dream.
• Milk: Horizon Organic, Organic Valley, Natural by Nature.
• Juice: Apple & Eve, Kagome (fruit and veggie mix), R.W. Knudsen, Whole Kids, Back to Nature, Honest Tea.
(Most available in single-serve containers.)

2. Snacks:

• Yogurt: Stoneyfield Farm, Horizon, Organic, Lifeway Probugs, Whole Soy, Wallaby.
• Smoothies: Stoneyfield Farm, Bolthouse Farms, Horizon Organic.
• Chips: Stacy’s, Snyder’s of Hanover, Glenny’s, 365 Foods, Good Health, Genisoy, Lundberg, Snack Factory.
• Crackers: Wasa, Kashi, Sesmark
• Cookies: Back to Nature, Mi-Del, Newman’s Own, Immaculate Baking Co., Healthy Handfuls, Annie’s Homegrown.
• Whole Grain or Granola Bars: Odwalla, Cascadian Farm, Kashi, Clif Kid, EnviroKidz, Larabar, Barbara’s Bakery.
• Fruit Snacks: FruitaBu, Clif, Tropicana FruitWise, O Organic Rasins, Amazin’ Rasins
• Cereals: Back to Nature, Nature’s Path, Bare Naked, Kashi, Mother’s
• Applesauce: Santa Cruz, Mott’s Organics, Eden Organic
• Pudding: Lifeway, Zensoy, Kozy Shack
• Allergy-Free: Enjoy Life, Pamela’s

3. Main Dish:

• Deli Slices: Applegate Farms, Hormel Natural Choice, Organic Valley, Lightlife (GMO-Free Soy)
• Tuna: Wild Palney, Henery & Lisa’s Natural Seafood
• Mac N’ Cheese: Back to Nature, Annie’s Homegrown
• Bread: Rudy’s Organic, Wild Oats, Ezekiel
(Source: Kiwi 2007)

**Chessmaster makes its début on the Xbox Live Arcade and Dave Parrack over at 1P Start has the details. Read them here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Cream Cheesy Chili Dip (Just in time for the Super Bowl)
Makes 24 servings

1 tub (8 oz.) cream cheese spread, softened
1 can ( 10.5 oz.) chili (canned or homemade)
1/2 cup shredded cheddat cheese
2 tbs. chopped cilantor (optional)

Spread the cream cheese onto the bottom of a microwave-safe pie plate and top with chili and cheddar cheese.

Microwave on high for 45 seconds to 1 minuteor until the cheddar cheese is melted all the way around the plate. Sprinkle on the silantro and serve. Serve with thick crackers or thick chips.

Happy Eating!

Sorting out the choices of milk and picking the best for your family can be just as good as thumping the right watermelon. Here’s some ways and definitions of the different kinds of milk and milk alternatives available on the market today. This guide will help you make the right choice. Because, let’s face it, you can’t thump the milk gallon in order for it to tell you which one is the correct milk.

• Grass-fed Milk: Comes from farms that allow cows to roam freely and nourish themselves by grazing in fields (this is called pasturing) rather than farms that follow the more common practive and restricting the cows’ movement and feeding them with grains. The milk from pasturized cows is free of hormones and antibiotics, and some belive it’s more nutritious. But, there are currently no government mandated standards for this type of labeling.

• Hormone-free Milk: Is free of what some believe are harmful artificial hormones. To increase milk production, conventionally raised cows are injected with the artificial growth hormone rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone).

• Organic Milk: Comes from farms that raise cows with no antibiotics, synthetic hormones or pesticides. Animals are raised humanely and given certified organic feed, or graze on pastures that are certified organic.

• Raw Milk: Is unpasteurized, unhomogenized and illegal in 25 states. Supporters swear by its superior mutrition and taste. Critics warn about documented cases of serious illness in some people who have consumed it.

• Milk Alternatives: Are made from soy, rice, almonds, hazelnuts and grains such as oats.
The Raw Deal: More Americans are turning to raw milk, believing that unpasteurized, unhomogenized, straight-from-the-cow milk is healthier. That’s despite objections from the government and some health professionals, as well as bans on its sale in many states. Though the FDA warns that consumers are risking their health by drinking raw milk, more people are joining clandestine milk clubs, hoping a black market will get them the white stuff. They believe raw milk has a richer flavor and is more nutritious than pasteurtized milk, which is heated and cooled to kill bacteria like E. coli and salmonella. Raw-milk proponents argue that the process kills beneficial bacteria and say that raw milk leads to stronger immune systems. Those opposed to raw-milk say that they won’t risk their families being exposed to disease-causing bacteria and that studies have yet to prove its safety. Detractors also claim that it has too little vitamin D, which is added to most pasteurized milk anyway.

(if you are lactose intolerant, allergic to dairy or simply interested in cutting down on dairy products in your diet, visit Dairy Free Living for tips, recipes and more information.) (Source: Kiwi 2007)

**Kate Baxter Kauf over at Pride & Opinions asks the question, “Is War Good For Gay Rights?” I believe gays should have the same rights as everyone else. We are all human. Jump over to Kate’s blog and read the whole story behind this question.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Organic Drop Biscuits
Serves: (Makes about 8 to 10 biscuits)

3 1/2 cups baking mix
1 stick softened butter
1 1/2 cups milk (try to use as much organic ingredients as you can.)

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl or mixer, incorporate all ingredients until just moistened. Drop one-half cup of mixture for each biscuit onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Fully cooked biscuits should have a hollow sound when tapped.

Happy Eating!

TACOS AND AVACADOS:
Chorizo, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Tacos
Serves: 8

2 tsp. canola, grapeseed or olive oil
1 lb. chorizo, casin removed
1 white onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlice, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilanto
16 corn tortillas, warmed
4 oz. white cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz. queso fresco, crumbled
2 avacados, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 jar (10 oz.) red salsa
1 jar (10 oz.) green salsa
2 limes, cut into wedges

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add chorizo and break it into smaller pieces using a spatula.

3. Brown and cook throughtly, 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon; set on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

5. Drain excess fat from the pan, leaving about 1 tbs. Add onions, garlic and peppers to the pan and cook until the onions are slightly browned around the edges, about 5 minutes.

6. In a small bowl, whisk eggs with milk, salt and pepper.

7. Add eggs to skillet, cooking until soft curds form (like scrambled eggs). Stir in chorizo and cook 1 minute longer.

8. Garnish with cilantro and serve in warm tortillas topped with cheeses, avacado, salsa and a squeeze of lime.

SHRIMP AND AVACADO:

Shrimp Ceviche
Serves: 8

2 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 white onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 2-3 tomatoes)
1-2 jalepnoes, seeded and finely diced (to taste)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (about 4-6 limes)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1 avacodo, poitted, peeled and cubed
1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped (about 1 cup)
Hot Sauce (to taste)
Tortilla chips, corn tortillas or saltine crackers

1. Rinse shrimp anbd place in a galss bowl with onion, tomatoes, peppers and salt.

2. Stir in lemon juice and lime juice.

3. Cover and refrigerate 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring every hour or so. The shrimp is ready to enjoy with it turns opaque and develops a texture similar to boiled shrimp.

4. Before serving, drain half the liquid and stir in avacodos, cilantro and hot sauce.

5. Serve with tortillas chips, warm corn tortillas or saltine crackers.

**Crashing surf has carved the cliffs of Cape Kiwanda just off shore in the state of Oregon. Interesting huh? And Over at Portland, Oregon blog, Sarah Gould has the rest of the interesting facts about Oregon. Read them here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe-Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Serves: 8 at 1 cup each

8 cups 2% ilk
1/3 cup sugar
8 oz. bittersweet chocolatem chopped
1 tbsp. (each) vanilla exztract and ground cinnamon
1 tsp. red chile powder or ground cayenne pepper
2 cups lightly sweetened whipped cream
1/4 cups finely ground almonds
3 oz. semisweet chocolate, shaved

1. In a large saucepan, stir milk and sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Don’t let the milk boil.

2. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate. Let it sit for a minute before mixing so that the chocolate begins to melt.

3. Add vanilla, cinnamon and red chile powder and whisk until the mixture is frothy.

4. Serve topped with whipped cream, almonds, and chocolate shavings.

Happy Eating!

• Cashews are more than just nuts. Allergic reactions to cashews are even more severe than those to peanuts. Since cashews may be hidden in a variety of processed foods (from cakes and chocolate to Asian meals and pesto sauce), it’s important to read all ingredients labesl very carefully to insure you don’t have a reaction and are at a loss as to where the reactions started from.

• If you are looking for a great soda to quinch your thrist and not give you any other unnecessary ingredients, then check out airforce® Nutrisodas®. They’re delicious, refreshingly carbonated nutrient-enhanced sodas with zero sugar, caffeine, sodium or aspartame. Natural fruit flavors, with meaningful levels of vitamins and minerals. They even have a drink option for ones trying to quit smoking.

• Is it a Spice or an herb? Although the same plant might be considered both a spice and an herb, the difference lies in the way the plant is used. A spice is any various aromatic vegetable products such as pepper or nutmeg is used to season or flavor foods. An herb is a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, or aromatic qualities. Before using an herb or a spice for medicinal reason, do your research to ensure you are using it for the correct reasons.

• During the winter the main issue most parents have is cold and sniffles with their children. Hyland’s homeopathic children’s cold remedy, Sniffles ‘n Sneezes is a great way to nix those winter issues. Cutting the duration of colds by almost half, these quick-dissolving tablets relieve cold symptoms using all-natural ingredients with no adverse side effects.

**Utah opened the bowls with a 35-32 victory over Navy. That means Bowl season is under way. Over at NCAA Endzone, Matthew Andenora has the full story behind what’s coming up and what’s happening now.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe-Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets

Papaya-Blueberry Smoothies
Serves: 8

6 cups papaya, peeled, seeded and diced
4 cups orange juice or pineapple juice
3 cups ice cubes
2 cups lowfat milk or soymilk
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen and thawed
2 cups vanilla, mango or peach lowfat yogurt
3 bananas
Honey, to taste

1. Working in batches, place one-third of the ingredients in the blender and pulse until smooth.

2. Pour into a pitcher and repeat with remaining ingredients.

3. Chill until ready to serve.

4. Stir well before serving.

Happy Eating!

Use seedless strawberry or raspberry jam. (Using seedless for this fun treat is better because it won’t have more of a tendency to run faster down the side of the glass.) Or use fruit flavord syrup. The same kind you would buy for your banana split or ice cream sundae.

Be sure and use a glass that has smooth sides on the inside and not a pattern within the glass. This will make it harder for the jam or syrup to stick to the sides of the glass.

Using a spatula or knife, make thin stripes or spirals even down the sides of the inside of the glass. You can make your childs name or even designs of your liking.

It is best to put the glass in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. It will stay on the glass longer this way and not run down the sides of the glass when the liquid is added, plus an added bonus is, the chilled glass is great for ice cold milk.

When you pour the milk in make sure it is in the middle of the glass and not down the sides, so that your jelly or syrup doesn’t get mixed into the milk when it is added.

If you don’t frost the glass in the freezer after adding the the jam the stripes will hold for about 20 minutes and then they will begin to incorporate into the milk.

For a black and white version, try chocolate syrup and while chocolate syrup. For a creamier version try butterscotch or carmel. You can even go as far as melting white chocolate chips in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl and use the melted chips as the stripes. (This fun treat can also be used with sugar-free jams and syrups, as well as soy milk and goats milk.)

**Do you fear god? Bridget Wright over at Spirituality Guide does and she states the reason you should as well. Read them here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe-Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets

Cheesecake Minis
Serves: 12 (Makes 1 dozen)

12 vanilla wafers
1 phg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped topping, thawed, and divided
1/4 cup Flake coconut, toasted
12 paper cupcake liners

Place 1 wafer on the bottom of each 12-paper-lined medium muffin cups; set aside. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add 2 1/4 cups of the whipped topping; and mix well. Spoon evenly into the muffin cups.

Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Spread tops with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle coconut just before serving. Store leftover cheesecakes in the refrigerator.

Happy Eating!

• Eggs or Egg Beaters? Egg Beaters has less fat and cholesterol than eggs so its is healthier?
Actually: Egg consumption is not linked to heart disease, as many people still think. Eggs are actually an excellent, inexpensive source of essential nutrients. Much of the best things for you are in the yolks of eggs. This part of missing for the Egg Beaters variety. Egg Beaters includes vitamins, such as A, D, and E, but real eggs still have a nutritional edge. Specifically, eggs supply micronutrients such as choline, which is essential for healthy brain and central nervous system functioning and zeaxanthin and lutein, carotenoids that protect your eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration. They also contain vitamin K, which helps build strong bones, guards against cell damage and encourages healthy blood clotting.

• Soy Milk or Cow’s Milk? Anything made from soy is the healthier choice?

Actually, the low-fat versions of both soy and cow’s milk have about 80-100 calories, 8 grams of protein (soy has about 6 grams of protein), 10 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fat. Because soy comes from plants and is often fortified, it also delivers phytochemicals such as isoflavones that may help protect your heart as well as vitamins and the minerals, folate, selenium and zinc, which you don’t get from regular milk. Just make sure any soy milk you buy is fortified with vitamin D, an essential nutrient for bone health.

• Butter or Margarine? Margarine is better for the heart than butter?

Actually, stick with the margarine, but not with the sticks. Hard stick margarine contains dangerous trans fats. But there are a number of tub margarines that not only leave out trans fats, but also contain plant sterols that interfere with cholesterol absorption in the body, so they can help lower LDL cholesterol levels and protect against heart disease. Look for brands like Benecol and Smart Balance that are trans-fat free and heart smart.

• Veggie or Meat Burgers? If it’s vegetarian, it must be good for me?
Actually, if you’re a vegetarian, the choice is obvious. But if you’re making the switch for health reasons, you may be surprised. Health-­conscious eaters often choose veggie burgers because they’re lower in fat and calories than ground beef, though if you buy lean ground beef, the difference is less dramatic. A quarter-pound burger made with lean beef contains 5 grams of fat and 140 calories, compared with 3 grams of fat and 90 calories in a Boca burger. But the beef patty also has nearly twice the protein (23 grams, as compared with 14 grams in a soy burger) as well as healthy doses of other essential vitamins and minerals such as zinc, selenium and choline. Veggie burgers have the advantage of being easier to prepare because they’re precooked. But there’s room for both in your diet.

• Pasta or Rice? Pasta is the carbo-loading king, but rice is better because it’s a whole grain?
Actually, the whole-grain or brown varieties of both are a healthy choice. Each supplies about 35 grams of slow-burning complex carbs and between 150 and 170 calories per serving. Whole-wheat pasta often delivers more protein and tends to have more fiber, as much as 6 grams for whole-wheat spaghetti compared with just 2 grams for quick-cooking brown rice. But there are advantages to both: Brown rice is rich in heart-healthy antioxidants called lignans, for instance, which you won’t get from eating pasta. When you’re trying to decide between one healthy food and another, the best choice is often both. When it comes to your diet, variety is almost always best. (Source: Some information pulled from Bicycling 2007)

**Over at Discussing Autism, Marcie has a gingerbread train recipe that is great for kids at any stage. It is allergy-free approved and great for kids to help in the making process. Read her story and get the recipe here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets

Pumpkin-Coconut Flan
Serves: 8

1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup sugar, divided
5 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin purée
1 can (12 oz.) low-fat evaporated milk
1 cup coconut
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut (optional)
1 cup lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Have a 9″ or 10″ round baking dish ready.

2. Heat water and 1 cup sugar in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Once sugar starts to melt, stir constantly using a wooden spoon until the sugar turns a rich carmel color.

3. Pour browned sugar into a baking dish, tilting the pan to coat the bottom evenly.

4. Place baking dish into a larger baking pan. Set aside.

5. Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk, coconut milk, vanilla, spices, and remaining sugar. Pour custard into sugar-coated baking dish.

6. Pour hot water into larger baking pan so that it reaches halfway up the side of the smaller baking dish.

7. Bake 60-to-70 minutes until the center is set. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

8. To serve, run a kniofe around the edge of the flan, place serving platter on top of the baking dish and invert. Carefully remove the baking dish.

9. If desired, top with whipped cream and toasted almonds.

Happy Eating!

1. The Chef’s Knife: A 8-to10-inch chef’s knife is a must in any kitchen. It works for everything from cruching garlic with the side of the blade, to chopping spinach. The large blade provides plenty of surface area for dicing potatoes or a bunch of herbs, plus plenty of sharpness and stength to tackle hard-to-slice items such as a head of ice berg lettuce. If you have smnall hands or don’t feel comfortable wielding a big knife, try a 6-inch or a santoku-style knife. Look for a high-carbon stainless steel is the material of choice for a chef’s knife. It really is the best of both worlds. High -crabon stainless knives are rust-resistant but still hold their sharpness.

2. The Pairing Knife: With its 3 1/2 to 4-inch blade, this petitie kitchen wonder can slice, dice, mince, and peel-although you will probably want to use a chef’s knife for big choppoing jobs like stir-fries and grain salads. Look for a stainless steel model with a smooth blade. Avoid cheap pseudo-serrated knives, but do look for bargans. Because of their size, paring knives can get lost in a pile of peels and accidentally thrown out.

3. The Serrated Knife: Alternate called a bread, carving, deli, or utility knife, this model is defined by its toothly blade that does just as well sawing through a crusty loaf of bread as it does slicing delicate tomatoes and citrus without crushing the insides. Look for 6-to-7-inch blade ones. You don’t need a 10-inch carving knife. The other provides plenty of slicing surface and is much easier to store in your kitchen chopping block.

**Do you love vintage anything? Over at Bead Arts Cindy Lavin has a bracelet that you would just love. It’s a vintage button bracelet and it’s as easy to make as sewing on a button. Read how to make the bracelet here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe- Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets-20

Rabanadas
Serves: 4

1 cup milk
1 tbs. sugar
1/2 baguette of French bread, sliced into 2-inch thick pieces
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (to taste)

Measure the milk and sugar. Mix together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat the eggs in another medium bowl. Set aside. Wash your hands every time you handle eggs.

Measue the confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon. Mix together in a third bowl. Set aside.

Dip each slice of bread into the milk mixture, soaking each side competely.

Use a spatula or tongs to dip both sides of the soaked bread into the eggs.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil on a medium-high setting. Fry the bread until browned on each side.

Once bread is fried, use a fork or clean tongs to dip each piece int the bowl of confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon to coat. And serve.

Happy Eating!

Have you head or read anything about the Brazilian fruit açaí. Ever wonder what it is? Grown in the Amazon, açaí tastes like a combination of rich dark chocolate and blackberries. This nutritious berry has antioxidants and essential fatty acids. It has been said its healing properties are some of the greatest and have been used in the Amazoine for centuries.

Due to its delicate texture and nature, whole açaí are unavailable in the United States. Instead, flash frozen pulp, which provides the same nutrients and great flavor as fresh, is available year round in your grocer’s freezer. The fruit comes into season September through January.

With ten times the amount of antioxidants found in grapes, açaí berries are a rich source of disease fighting anthocyanins, which are the antioxidants that give purple foods their color. They also provide protein, fiber and essential omega fatty acids.

You can add the fruit to smoothies and juice blends. Or make traditional açaí bowls with a purée of açaí pulp, banans and apple juice topped with granola. Look for açaí pulp in the grocer’s freezer Try a brand called Sambazon.

**Heather Scoville has the Seven Ages of Rock over at Watching VH1. Read her whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe- Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets

Ginger Drizzle Cookies
Serves: Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tbs. ground flaxseed
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat four, ground flaxseed, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.

2. In a seperate bowl, combine the sugar and canola oil and beat on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the gg and molasses and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute.

3. On low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients until just combined.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F.

6. Lightly oil or coat two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

7. Roll the dough into 1 1/4″ balls and place on a prepared baking sheet, leaving a 2″ space in between.

8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer tem to a wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

10. When cookies have cooled completely, drizzle glaze over each cookie in a lattice or squiggle shaped design. For added fun, drizzle your initials, your children’s initials on top of the cookies.

Sugar Glaze:
1 cup confestioners’ sugar
2 1/2 tsp. 1% lowfat milk

1. Place sugar and milk in a bowl and stir until mixed throughly.

2. If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of milk as needed.

Happy Eating!

Decoding the labels from conventional to organic to soy milk can be over whelming. To help you choose the healthiest and most delicious milk, here’s some hints in the different categories so you can choose just the right one for your family or yourself.

• Conventional: Cow’s milk is an excellent source of high-quality protein and eight vitamins and minerals: Calcium, niacin, phosphorous, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamins A, B12, and D. It is recommended that every person more than two years old drink skim or one percent milk in order to limit the consumption of artery-clogging saturated fat. An eight-ounce serving of whole milk contains 150 calories and eight grams of fat. Two precent milk contains 120 calories and five grams of fat. One precent milk contains 100 calories and 2.5 grams of fgat. And skim milk contains just 80 calories and 0 grams of fat. Skim milk is also less likely to contain toxins as well. The bottom line: This milk is the cheapest, but the savings may be hard to justify if you are concerned about health issues and the welfare of animals.

• Made Without Artifical Hormones: This means that the cows were not given the synthetic bovine growth hormones rbST to incease production. The bottom line: You may pay a bit more for artifical-hormone-free milk and you won’t taste a difference, but the quality is better. Healthier cows, give healthier milk.

• Organic: Organic milk comes from cows that are not treated with synthetic growth hormones and antibiotics and whose feed is free of animal by-products, prohibited pesticides, and animal waste in their feed product. The bottom line: You will pay up to twice as much per gallon as for conventional milk because most organic dairies are small-scale farms that don’t have the capacity to mass produce. But you will notice a difference in taste and you will get a big nutritional boost.

• Soy: Made with the liquid extracted from soybeans, this milk has a taste that varies from beany and thin to sweet and velvety, depending on the brand and flavor (it’s available in vanilla, mocha, and strawberry, to name a few). The bottom line: Just like soy burgers, soy milk is an appreciated taste. But the nutritional value over cow’s milk is there and will be noticed within the health of your whole body over all. Introducing soy milk into your diet is wise and to start, try adding soy milk flavors to your coffee or even bran cereal in the morning.

**Are you looking for that alternative to the everyday run of the mill, “You Cut” trees? Over at Earthly Garden here at 451 Press, Susan Walsh has some splendid ideas on that very topic. Live trees are beginning to become more popular in homes, and it helps the earth as well. Check out her posting and bring a live tree into your own home this season.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Confetti Breakfast Burrito
Serves: 4

2 large eggs
4 egg whites
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup diced yellow squash
1/4 cup chopped green onion
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
4 tbs. soy bacon bits, to taste (optional)
4 whole-wheat tortillas, room temperature or warmed

1. In a medium bowl, beat egg with egg whites. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add tomato, peppers, squash, and onion. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Add eggs and scramble with a fork.

4. Add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, if using.

5. When eggs are cooked, stir in soy bacon bits, if using them.

6. Divide eggs evenly onto tortillas. Roll up tightly, burrito style, and serve immediately.

Happy Eating!

Hot cocoa warms your body on winter nights, everyone knows this. But, more good news about hot cocoa is it can help protect your blood vessels as well.

Cocoa can inhibit the platelet activity that causes blood clotting. Potentially fatal blood clots have been linked to long-haul flgihts, as well as to cardiovascular disease, birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, and extended periods of inactivity (like being laid out with the flu).

A significant increase was observed following the consumption of CocoaPro powder.

Although the drink isn’t available in the U.S., you can purchase CocoaVia Original Chocolate Bars on their website.

Here is a recipe to use with that rich chocolatey candy bar:

Fill a mug with 1 cup of 1 precent milk, then microwave on medium for about a minute; add 2 squares of a CocoaVia Original Chocolate Bar and stir until the chocolate melts. And drink up to your hearts health. To learn more, visit the CocoaVia website.

**Jessica Simpson was a guest on The View and discussed airport security with Whoopie Goldberg, and the rest of the ladies. Watch the small clip over at Simpson Watch by clicking here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Vegetable Pancakes
Serves: 6

1 egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbs. baking powder
3/4 cup reduced fat milk
1 cup grates zucchini
1 cup grates carrots
Cooking oil spray

In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg, flours, and baking powder. Whisk in milk, then stir in vegetables. Let stand 20 minutes.

Coat a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Pour batter from a measuring cup or a small pitcher onto pan to make pancakes of desired size. When bubbles form on top, turn over with a spatual. Continue cooking just until golden on both sides. Serve with maple syrup, sour cream or unsweetened plain yogurt.

Happy Eating!

The Truth About Folic Acid:
Foods to which folic acid has been added (like cerals and pasta) are what’s really responsible for the recent improvements in folic-acid blood levels not in dietary supplements found in common form which is unfortified items as recently thought.

How To Build Your Own Food Pyramid:
If the food pyramid was based on your eating habits instead of the ideal diet from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), what would it look like? Go to USDA/CNPP. Click on the link under the “Healthy Eating Index” , register and list your lastest meals. In return, you will get a non-hold-barred analysis of your diet, including a personalized pyramid. If it’s a little off, don’t fret. You can record up to 20 days’ worth of eating habits, so you have the opportunity to build a better pyramid.

Organic: What It Really Means:
Don’t give up if you don’t know the difference between products labeled “organic” and “100% organic.” Though the U.S Department of Agriculture just implemented its national standards, the word is still slow in getting out on what the many newly defined terms actually mean. To learn more, check out A Practical Guide to Understainding Organic by Stoneyfeild Farms.

**MAC’s newest holiday collection is more than just shiney it’s almost antique. Marco Felgueiras over at Hot or Not Beauty has the entire story on how popular it is and where you can get your own MAC’s shiney collection. Read how here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: (Day 3 of Low-Fat Eating)

Low-Fat Milk And Your Diet:
Drinking low-fat milk before or with a meal helps you feel more full sooner and eat less the next time. The lighter the milk, the greater the effect. That is, fat-free milk works better than 1 precent, and both work better than 2 precent. Going low-fat also takes a load of calories out of your diet. Nearly every successful strategy for cutting fat from your diet includes drinking lower-fat milk.

Low-Fat Frozen Desserts:
Many people keep eating until the have had something sweet. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be bad. Frozen desserts are a good way to satisfy a sweet tooth without piling on calories. A Creamsicle® weighs in at just 100 calories, and a Tofutti Cutie® vanilla or wild berry sandwich is only 120 calories. A half-cup of chocolate frozen yogurt adds a modest 115 calories to your dinner. Of course, people who have gotten used to this appraoch can use another treat. Have a satisfying amount of low-energy density food at your meal and then for dessert eat one piece of the most delicious chocolate you can find.

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Raspberry-Orange Smoothie
Serves: 2

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1 orange, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup raspberry or orange flavored yogurt

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses that are fluted and serve.

Happy Eating!

The best way to buy and store milk is a no brainer, but for those of you who don’t know the particulars, here’s a quick lesson on milk.

• Choose a carton over a clear plastic jug: The more light milk is exposed to, the more nutrients it may lose, espeically riboflavin and vitamin A. And the greater the chance it will develop an off flavor. So the paper carton does help in filtering out harmful light, other flavors, etc.

• Check the date: Milk generally stays good, unopened, until two or three days after the “sell by” date. On average, it takes milk three to five days to go from the cow to your grocers cooler. At the store, it has a shelf life of about two weeks. Ultrapasteurized milk, unopened, may be good for 50 to 90 days. Milk in aseptic cartons, which need not be refrigerated until opened, is good for up to a year unopened.

• Keep it cold: Pick up refrigerated milk just before you check out at the grocery store. At home, set your fridge at 40°F or below to prevent milk from spoiling faster than it should normally. Keep it on the middle to lower shelf at the very back of your refirgerator, which is the coldest spot in your fridge.

• Don’t contaminate it: After pouring milk, return the container to the fridge right away. Never pour unused milk back into the carton, it may contain bacteria.

• Use it or lose it: Once it’s opened, milk spoils in a week to 10 days. Go by the old standby and smell it, “the sniff test”. If it smells bad, throw it out.

**Looking for a way to blog successfully? Then check out what Lynn Little over at SEO Dance has as far as using Twitter for a website blogging choice. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Week Of Salmon Recipes (Day 5)

Mexican Layered Salmon Dip
Severs: 5 cups dip or 40 servings

1 pkg. (8-oz.) Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 less fat than cream cheese
1 tbs. Taco seasoning mix
1 cup Salsa (thick and chunky style)
1 cup drained canned black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup 2% milk shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce or spinach leaves
3 pkg. (13 oz. each) baked tortilla chips
2-3 salmon filletts

1. Poach slamon fillets by placed fish in a large saucepan, and add water to cover. Set pan over high heat. Bring to a boil; immediately remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes; drain. Add to a large bowl and break salmon into small peices with a fork, drain any water that the fish may still have around it.

2. Beat Neufchatel cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add seasoning mix; beat until well blended. Add poached salmon fillets after breaking into small pieces. Stir till combined very well. Spread onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.

3. Layer reminaing ingreidents over Neufchatel cheese mixture, and cover.

4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Happy Eating!

• A small change: A small change can be a big one to your diet. If it’s the right one. If you replace th stnadard iceberg lettuce in hanburgers, tacos, and subd with fresh spinach, you add an awesome amount of vitmain A and C, folic acid, and other nutrients to meals. Honestly you can’t taste the lettuce or the spinach difference at all. So you can try this painless way to sneak more nutrition into your and your family’s favorite foods. Toss fresh spinach into anything. Salad mixes, sandwiches, pizzas and anything else you can think of. There is a restaurant in Arkansas, where I used to live, that served spinach topped pizza and let me tell you it was the best. It gave the cheese on the pizza a richer taste.

• Make a better oatmeal: For a morning calcium boost, cook instant oatmeal with skim (or soy) milk instead of water.

•De-ice your smoothies: Use frozen bananas instead of crushed ice for a nutritious twist to your favorite smoothie.

•Mix your cereals: If you are stuck on a sweet breakfast cerals, try belinging your favorite with a bett-for0you brand. For example: Mix Honey Nut Cheerious® with Grape-Nuts® or Cap’n Crunch® with some type of bran cereal.

•Modify your muffins: Mix high-fiber, nutrient-dense dried fruits like apricots into your batter, half the all-purpose flour with soy flour.

Here is another FYI in the cereal department: Eating more ceral fiber, the kind found in whole wheat breadm ceral, pasta, rice, and oats, may help you avoid one type of stomach cancer. If you consume cereal fiber you have over a 70% lower chance in developing certain types of cancers such as oral cancers, stomach cancer, throat cancers, and cancer of the esophagus.

** Think you are bypassing caffeine by drinking a citrus soda, you maybe getting just as much if not more than a regular cola. Over at Encouraging Health, Brick O’Neil shows a run down of some of the most popular citrus sodas compared to regular colas and shows their caffeine content. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Week Of Salmon Recipes, Day 3

Chili-Rubbed Salmon With Gazpacho-Black Bean Salso
Serves: 4

Ingredients for the Chili-Rubbed Salmon:
Olive oil cooking spray
2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. sugar
3 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. finely ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets

Gazpacho-Black Bean Salsa:
1 cup tomato juice
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, and diced (optional)
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray, and set aside.

3. In a shallow dish, combine lemon juice, sugar, chili powder, lemon zest, cumin, salt, and balck pepper. Mix with a fork, or whisk until blended. Add salmon fillets, and turn to coat. Transfer salmon to prepared baking shett, and roast 15 minutes until fork-tender.

4. Combine all salsa ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Serve salmon with salsa on top and alongside.

Happy Eating!

Ficus is a genus of about 800 species of woody trees, shrubs and vines in the family Moraceae, native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the warm temperate zone. The most well known species in the genus is the Common Fig. (Source: Wikipedia)

Other varieties include:

Alma -

celeste -

Brown Turkey -

Italian black -

Italian white -

Kadota - Used in Newtons, dries well.

Lemon Fig - Native to South Carolina.

Mission- (black )sweet commonly dried.

Mission figs got their name from the Spanish missionaries who planted them along the California coast in the late-eighteenth century. In season from June through October. Figs have a unique interior that is made up of thousands of tiny flowers that bloom inside the fruit.

They are good source of flavonoids and polyphenols. Figs and other dried fruit were measured for their antioxidant content. A 40 gram portion of dried figs (two medium size figs) produced significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity. Figs also have higher quantities of fiber than any other dried or fresh fruit, and are very high in calcium.

Figs with Ricotta Cheese and Wildflower Honey:
Serves 4 to 6

12 large Figs (any variety)
1 lb. fresh whole milk ricotta cheese at room temperature
6 tbs. wildflower honey

Quarter figs and arrange them on plates. Add a spoonful of ricotta to each fig and a generaous drizzle of the honey. Serve.

**If you are a fan of The View, then check out the running schedule of guest from October 29th to November 2nd over at Watching The View. Catch up on the guest list by clicking here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Peach Melba-Stuffed French Toast
Serves: 4

For stuffed french toast:
2 to 3 ripe peaches, sliced
1 tsp. plus 1 tbs. sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
1 rsp. vanilla
8 slices day-old French bread (3/4 inch thick)
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 slices

For berry syrup:
1 cup sugar
2 tba conrstarch
1 cup water
1 to 1 1/2 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries
1 tbs butter
Powdered sugar (for garnishing)
4 mint springs ( for garnishing)

To make berry syrup:
1. In a small saucepan, conbine sugar and conrstarch with a whisk. Stir in water and bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes.

2. Add berries, Cook, stirring frequently, until berries burst and color syrup.

3. Add butter and continue cooking until it’s melted and berries have fallen apart. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To make stuffed French toast:
1. Sprinkle peach slices with 1 tsp. sugar and let sit.

2. In a shallow bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla and 1 tbs. sugar. Dip bread slices in egg mixture for about 5 seconds on each side. (Depending on the bread’s dryness, you may need to add more egg or milk.) Cook over medium heat on a hot skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. (For added flavor, melt butter on the skillet.)

3. Cook until bread is browned on one side, then turn over. Cover the top of 4 browned pieces with peaches and 2 slices of cream cheese each. Top this with another slice of bread, browned side inside. Flip the whole stuffed toast over to warm cream cheese.

4. Slice the Stuffed French Toast diagonally and top with Berry Syrup. Garnish with powdered sugar and mint sprigs.

Happy Eating!

•HOMOGENIZED: THis process breaks up fat and disperses it through the milk to give it a smooth, uniform consistency. Most whole milk is homogenized to prevent all of the fat from rising to the top.

• PASTEURIZED: THis meas that milk has been flash0heated to kill pathogens, such as salmonella, the milk is processed at 161°F for 15 seconds. For food saftey reasons, virtually all the milk that you find at your supermarket-dairy, soy, and rice-is pasteurized.

• ULTRAPASTEURIZED: Milk is heated at a higher temperature-280°F for at least two seconds-to increase its shelf life by up to three times. Some organic farms use this method to ensure that their milk maintain its freshness, because it often has to be transported a long distance to the nearest store. Critics say it has a slightly cooked taste.

• REDUCED LACTOSE: From 30 to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant-their small intestine does not produce enough lactase, the enzyme necessary to break down milk sugar (lactose) so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Common symptoms include nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea within two hours of drinking milk. Lactase is added to this milk to turn the lactose into more easily digestible sugars.

**A natural and sustainable living tip: Find a green dry cleaner, and bring your own garment bag to pick up your clothes. Dry cleaners that don’t practive greener cleaning contaminate the ground, water supply and air that we breath. That is just an example of ways to conserve energy. Al Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change. Read the whole story here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Chili Rellenos
Serves: 6

6 whole green anaheim or poblano chile peppers
6 slices chipotle cheddar cheese, sliced
3 tbs. flour
6 eggs, separated
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup salsa

1. Place peppers under broiler, about 4 inches from the heat. Broil just until skins blister. Let cool in a food storage bag or paper bag for a few minutes. Peel; remove stems. Cut slit in side of each pepper to remove seeds. Stuff each pepper with on slice of cheese, folded to fit; foll in flour.

2. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. In another bowl, beat flour and salt with egg yolks and 1 tbs. water until thick and lemon colored. Fold beaten yolk mixture into the egg whites.

3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. For each rellenos, spoon about 1/2 cup egg batter into hot skillet. Spread egg micture out slightly to make an oval mound. As egg begins to set, place a filled pepper on top and cover with 1/2 cup more of egg mixture. Continue cooking until bottom is browned. Turn carefulle and brown other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve with salsa.

Happy Eating!