Earthly 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.

To become a more health-savvy meat consumer, you have to know what you’re reading., Here are some of the most common key-terms used and how to read them and learn their concepts.

• NO HORMONES AND/OR NO ANTIBIOTICS USED: Raised without growth -promoting hormones and/or antibiotics, buty not necessarily organic or grass-fed. Often less expensice than organic meat, this is a good choice when organic is hard to find or for shoppers on a budget.

•GRASS-FED ONLY: Cattle are fed gress instead of grain or corn, which results in meat that is leaner, lower in fat and calories, and higher in vitamin E and antioxidants. Grass-fed beef also boasts a healthier ratio of omerga-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. Hormones and antibiotics are rare but may be used.

• NATURAL: Minimal processing with no artifical additives.

• CERTIFIED HUMANE: Ensures humane treatment of animals. The animals are allowed to engage in their natural behaviors, and are rasied with sufficent space, ample fresh water, and a diet free from added antibiotics or hormones.

• USDA GRADES: These voluntary lables refer to how much marbling (or intramuscular fat) the meat has, as well as to color and maturity. The higher the grass, the younger and more tender the meat, and the greater the fat content. Prime tops the list and is found almost exclusively in restaurants, follwed by Choice, Select, and Standard. The designations can be misleading: It is almost impossible to find a USDA Choice cut of grass-fed meat, which by its nature is very low fat-yet a lesser grade may still be an excellent piece of meat.

• UNLABELED: A growing number of producers try to do right by their animals and the land, but for various reasons use no labels, orgainc or otherwise., If you have questions about what you are buying, ask your butcher, or contact the producer directly to find out how the animal was raised.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Spicy Beef and Tomato Couscous:
Serves 6

Shred jerky in the blender or food processor. Mix all ingredients except water, ghee, and couscous, and seal in a zip-top bag. When ever you want to use the mix, which is great while camping, just bring water and ghee to a boil in a medium saucepan. Mix in contents of bag, boiling for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Wait 5 minutes for flavors to set, toss and serve.

Happy Eating!

Looking for Limited Edition Foods? Find them here on 451 Press.

1. Dry-roasted nuts have fewer calories than oilk-roasted: Technically, they do, but the difference is tiny (seven calories for a one-ounce serving). What does make a difference: Eating too may nuts of any type. Limit your daily nibbles to one ounce and perferably to one of the heart-healthy choices like almonds or walnuts.

2. Frozen vegetables are less nutritious than fresh ones: Only if you live on a farm,. Just-picked veggies do have more vitamins and minerals, but nutrient levels drop during shipping and storage. And they sink even further if you add on the days that the produce lingers in your crisper. Frozen veggies, on the other hand, are usually picked ripe and immediately flash frozen, so they retain most of their nutrients.

3. Pork is fattening: It’s true that sausage and ribs are loaded with calories, but three ounces of cooked pork tenderloin has only 140 calories-exactly wath you would find in three ounces skinless chicken breast.

4. Fat-free salad dressing is your best choice: Salad veggies are filled with terrific nutrients like lycopene and beta-carotene. But your body can’t absorb these without a little help from fat. This doesn’t mean you should drown your greens in a rich ranch or blue cheese dressing: A small amount of olive oil will be sufficient. Or you can add low-fat cheese, nuts, seeds, or avocado.

5. Foods sweetened with fruit juice are more nutritious: Nope. You body can’t tell the difference between regular sugar and the highly processed fruit juice concentrate that’s used to sweeten many so-called health foods. Nor does juice sweetner offer a significant nutritional advantage. The “extra” vitamins are negligiable, but the extra cost for these products may be substantial.

6. You should drink eight glasses of water a day: Water is a terrific thirst quencher (and the price is right), but milk and juice-even coffee, tea, and soft drinks-contibute to your water requirements. How much you need varies from person to person (and season to season?), but the best guide is your own thirst.

7. Fish contains a lot of sodium: Yes, if the fish is canned, smoked, or pickles. But fresh fish, whether saltwater or freshwater, is naturally low in sodium-a three-ounce serving of Atlantic cod has only 66 milligrams, for example.

8. Foods with added vitamins and minerals are always better: It depends. Calcium-fortified orange juice and milk fortified with vitmain D, for instance, are great choices. But tucking some vitmains and minerals into a candy bar or a sugar-loaded drink will not turn these snacks into nutritious foods.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Sweet Italian Sausage Tortelloni With Carmelized Vegetables
Serves 4

Prepare tortelloni according to package directions. Heat oil in a medium, nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, and the bell peppers. Cook, stirring frquently, for about 20 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Add garlic; cook for 3 minutes. Add prepared pasta, basial, salt and pepper; cook for another 5 minutes or until pasta is seasoned. Serve.

Happy Eating!

Ultimate Salad #1:
Serves: 1

2 tbsp. Ranch dressing
1/2 cup Granny Smith apple wedges
1/4 cup red grapes
1 slices turkey breast, cut into strips
2 cups torn mixed salad greens
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 tsp. real bacon bits
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

Pour dressing into bottom of resealable container. Add apples; toss to coat. Layer with remaining ingredients, seal the container. Toss salad to coat with dressing just before serving. Top with sun-dried tomatoes.

*Tip: Add 1/2 cup tomato wedges and 1 red onion ring, instead of the apples and grapes. Substitute the shaved roast beef for the turkey.

Ultimate Salad #2:
Serves 6:

1/4 Pesto with Basil and pesto
1/4 cup extra virgin polive oil
2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
3 vine-ripe or heirloom tomatoes
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
1 tbs. chopped frsh basil (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Combine pesto, oil and vinegar in a small bowl; set aside. Slice tomatoes and cheese into 1/4-inch think slices. Layer tomatoes and cheese on a serving platter. Drizzle pesto dressing over the top. Garnish with fresh basil and season with salt and pepper.

Ultimate Salad #3:
Serves 12:

1 package (20 ounces) family size mixed cheese tortellini
2 cups thinly sliced yeloow bell peppers
1 cup (4 ounces) halved small fresh mozzarella cheese balls (bocconicini)
1 cup bottled Italian vinagrette dressing
1/2 cup (3 ounces) thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 cup drained, diced sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced basil
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Prepare cheese tortellini according to package directions. Combine prepared pasta, bell peppers, cheese, vinaigrette, prosciutto, tomatoes and basil in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with pepper. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Whole Wheat Ravioli With Garlic And Sautéed Vegetables
Serves 4

*Tip: Served with a fresh green salad, this dish offers a wholesome meal for the entire family.

Happy Eating!

Gourmet Garden Herbs & Spices. Add some zip to your next meal with fresh seasoning, without the hassle of rinsing, chopping, and storing a gardenful of herbs. These four-ounce squeezable tubes of chopped fresh herbs and spices have no added flavor or colorings and keep in your fridge for three months.

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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Banana Carb Crunch
Serves 1

1 bowl of organic granola cereal
Mix in organic Greek Yogurt
Slice banana, and layer on top or mix in with yogurt (whichever is more aesthetically pleasing to you).

Happy Eating!

Choosing the best-raised and best-cut of meat should be easier. Just choosing the right meat isn’t the only thing to consider. You should also pick the leanest cut and prepare it in the healthiest way, here are some suggestions:

• To find the leanest cuts, look for loin or round on the packaging, such as in sirloin, tenderloin, top round, eye of round, and round tip.

• Before cooking meat, trim off excess fat. This can reduce the fat content by up to 50 percent. Also, avoid adding any fat.

• Instead of frying, use low-fat cooking techniques like broiling, grilling, and roasting.

• Remember that a serving size is 3 ounces. Equal in size to a standard deck of cards.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Spinach Salad With Peanut Dressing
Serves 6

Blend dressing ingredients throughtly in a bowl using a wisk or fork, or puree in a blender. In a large bowl toss together the spinach and shredded carrots. Add peanut dressing and toss again to cover the leaves. Divide between chilled salad plates and garnish with sunflower seeds and red pepper strips.

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This method works for any citrus fruits, from a petite lime to a giant grapfruit. First, slice the polar ends so the fruit will stand steadily. Then, using a small, sharp knife, work in a zigzag motion from top to bottom to remove strips of peel, pith, and other membrane to expose the pulp. (You’ll have to angle your knife at the top and bottom.) Continue working your way around the fruit until it’s entirely peeled.
Next, hold the peeled fruit firmly in your hand over a bowl. Notice the membranes that seperate the sections; they lool like white lines. Slide your knife flush against the membranes, surrounding each section of fruit, working in a V pattern; when the cuts meet at the bottom of the V, the section will slide into the bowl. Repeat with the sections that are left. When you’re done, squeeze any remaning juice into the bowl.

For specialty fruits, nuts and citrus all-year-long check out Jaffe Bros. Incorporated.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Winter Citrus Salad:
Serves 6

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the juice with the sugar or stevia. Bring to a boil; add citrus zest, kumquats, and star fruit. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Cool, then pur over the citrus sections. Top with pomegranate seeds; cover and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add kiwi and garnish with mint.

Happy Eating!

In Ireland, butter is more than a spread for toast. Home cooks have created a whole kitchen repertoire that highlights the unique flavor of Irish butter. The country’s cows are fed on grass most of the year, resulting in a more complex butter flavor. What makes their butter different is they can grow grass like nowhere else. One way they use butter is with another Irish standby-cabbage.

Cabbage braised in butter is surprisingly delicious. In a skillet melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Cut a small head of cabbage in six edges. Cook wedges until brown on one side (about 5 minutes). Turn edges, cover; cook 10 minues or until cabbage is browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Sprinkle with salt just before serving.

To learn more and find Irish butter locally go to Kerry Gold.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Lazy Rib Recipe:
Serves 1

Preheat broiler. Pat steak dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides and sear each side for two minutes in an oiled pan at medium-high head. Then throw it in the broiler, pan and all. Cook six minutes for medium-rare, eight for medium or 12 for well-done, flipping once halfway through. Top the meat off with a bottle of Charles Shaw aka Two-Buck Chuck, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Happy Eating!

Try the Latin American diet pyramid:

The U.S food pyramid favors a diet hgih in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. But mixing it up can make your meals more exciting. Take a look a the Latin American food pyramid.

Try this food guide pyramid to tickle your taste buds with these appealing alternatives:

• Whole Grains: Tortillas, couscous, brown rice, arepas (corn-flour pancakes).

• Vegetables: Bok choy, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts.

• Fruits: Mango, papaya, kiwi, pineapple, guava.

• Beans/nuts: Edamame, peanuts.

View other pyramids here:

1. Asian

2. Mediteranean

3. Vegetarian
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Lentil Confetti, Apple, and Turkey Wraps
Serves 6

*Tip: through lentil don’t require it, you can soak them overnight in the fridge to reduce their cooking time by half.

Happy Eating!

Cure for bellyaching, most people grab over-the-counter remedies, but have you ever stopped to think, what is it exactly I am taking to soothe that belly? Here are natural remedies to help just about everyones belly troubles:

• Dried Plums: Good for irregularity. A hefty amount of sorbitol, and indigestible type of carbohydrate, acts like a laxative.

• Chamomile Tea: Good for cramping and gas. An oil in the leaves relaxes spasms in the small intestine and also reduces flatulence.

• Raspberry Leaf Tea: Good for diarrhea. High amounts of tannins (bitter tasting plant compounds) slow bowel movements.

• Ginger: Good for indestion and nausea. Gingerol, a plant compound helps neutralize stomach acids.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Chocolate Strawberry Burst
Serves 1

*Tip: One container (6 to 8 ox. strawberry fat free refrigerated yogurt and 1 cup ice cubes can be used in place of frozen yogurt.

Happy Eating!

Here are some ideas on great cookware.

• Nonstick: Best for frying and sautéing. When it comes to cooking at home, even top chefs swear by nonstick skillets, particularly for eggs and fried or sauté items such as bacon or stir-fries. Cleaning: A major plus to nonstick cookware is that cleanup is a snap. Just don’t use a metal spatual in a nonstick pan, chefs advise-try rubber or silicone, which won’t leave scratches on the surface.

• Cast Iron: Best for steaks and chops. If you’re cooking meat, you want a pan that will withstand the high temperatures necessary for searing the meat, which adds flavor and helps seal in juices. A traditional cast-iron skillet works great. Cleaning: Cast iron is not as simple to clean as a nonstick pan. You clean it with a few drops of soap, but you have to dry it very carefully. Pans can be dried in a warm overn or over a stove brune, or they can be wiped and left our until fully dry.

• Stainless Steel: Best for soups and sauces. Though a stainless-stell surface can be tricky for sautéing, since insufficient heat can cause meat and fish to stick during cooking, it’s the way to go for sauces, stocks, and vegtables because it doesn’t react to flavorings. This is especially important, if you’re cooking with acidic foods, such as tomatoes, wine, or fruit juice. The surface is also tough enough to handle serious scouring. Cleaning: Unlike other types of pans, your stainless pot can be safely run through the dishwasher, or you can wash it with soap and water. If you need to scour, opt for a nylon pad over steel wool, which may scratch.

• Enameled Cast Iron: Best for stews and braises. When placing meats and vegetables in liquid and cooking them slowly over moderate heat, that is braising. Another virtue os enamel-coated vessels is that you can start a dish on the stovetop, to brown meats or veggies, for instance and then vober and pop the pot in the oven with no fuss. They are perfect for long-term cooking at lower oven temperatures. Cleaning: The enamel surface is easy to clean with soap, water, and a soft sponge or nylon scourer.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Golden Lentil Dip:
Serves 8

*Tip: For sunnier golden color, add 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric as the lentils cook

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KARKADY: This tart red tea is popular in Egypt (it goes by other naems in MExico, Jamaica and Spain).

AAM PANNA: On scorching days, Indians keep a pitcher of aam panna on hand. To make it, boil raw mangoes, and belnd the pulp with water, sugar, salt, chili powder, cumin and crushed ice. Top with mint leaves.

HORCHATA: a rice drink, was originally made in Mexican homes by grinding rice with a mrotar and pestle. The creamy beverage is now sold here in Mexican restaurants and even in grocery stores worldwide.

AYRAN: Order this tangy drink with McTurco burger in any McDonal’s in Turkey or make it by following this recipe.
2 tbs. mint, chopped
2 tbs. sugar
3 cups whole yogurt, plain
1 cup or more of water
1. Combine mint and sugar in a mortar. Crush with pestle until they form a syrupy paste (use a blender if you don’t have a mortar and pestle).
2. Combine yogurt and water until smooth and milky. Stir in mint mixture and pour over ice. (Serves 6)
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

The Sunday Supper:
Serves 1

Preheat oven to 200°F. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking sheet lined with nostick foil. Season with the salt and pepper, drizzle with 3 tbs. of the oil, and bake 6 to 8 hours. Remove and let cool. (Or use a handful of sun-dried tomatoes.) Meanwhile, place the chicken and yogurt in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Prehat oven to 425°F. In a shallow pan, combine the bread crumbs, zest, rosemary, Parmesan, the remaining oil, and more salt and pepper. Remove the cutlets, shaking off any excess yogurt, and press them firmly into the breadcrub mixture. trasfer to pan lined with nonstick foil and bake until browned and firm, 15 to 20 minutes. remove and let cool, then assemble with tomatoes on side, chicken on top of tomatoes then leafs on top of chicken. For an added touch, coat the chicken in crushed pretzels, kids will love it.

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Kosher meat is considered safer and cleaners than conventional meat for good reason. Strict Jewish law requires rigorous inspections: Animals must be active and healthy before slaughter and blemish-free afterward. Kosher beef inspectors reject about 50 times as many animals as USDA inspectors do. The slaughtering process is also considered by some to be more humane and hygienic. Kosher slaughters train with rabbis and veterinary experts to lean how to adminsiter quick, painless deaths, and the meat is immediately cleaned and salted-a practice that is dictated by religious law and has the benefit of inhibiting bacterial growth. But safer, cleaner meat doesn’t guarantee that it’s healthier: Kosher animals are raised on conventional farms, which often administer growth hormones and antibiotics. And kosher hot dogs can be loaded with nitrates and saturated fat. If health is your goal, choose organic kosher meat. Like Wise Kosher Natural Poultry . And if humane is your goal, stick with veggie dogs.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

The Happy Traveler
Serves 2

Place the tomatoes in a portable container. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and basil and drizzle with the olive oil. Cut the avocado in half and scoop out the flesh. In another container, mash it with the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Seal the containers until serving time. Then spread each slice of bread with the avocado mayonnaise and make 2 sandwiches, dividing the bacon, lettuce and tomatoes evenly between them.

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Warehouse shopping clubs, such as Costco, Sam’s, and BJ’s, can offer bargains, but only if you actually use the huge quantities of food you bring home. In the book Big Food by Elissa Altman, she suggest the following four food and money-saving rules.

• The two-dish rule: Takle the aisles with a plan to make at least two or three different recipes. Eyeing three pounds of fresh tuna. Consider roasting it Mediterranean-style with olives for dinner and then packing a tuna salad for lunch the next day.

• The multiple-use rule: Condiments such as kletchup, oil, and mayonnaise can be incorporated into many dishes. Skip items with limited uses, like bulk packages of cereal and chips, that will go stale before you can eat them all.

• The freese-half rule: Large cuts of beef, pork, chicken are all bargins, because stores don’t pay to package individual servings. Freeze half and cook the rest. Mik and butter freeze well too.

• The no-bulk-greens rule: Lettuce and spinach last about five days; stick with bell peppers, green beans, and broccoli, which are easy to freeze.

(Source:Big Food)
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Ruby-Red Grapefruit Sorbet with Champagne:
Serves 6

4. Scoop the sorbet into the champagne flutes, then pour the chilled champagne over the sorbet, allowing the liquid to fill the spaces between the scoops. Garnish with a mint.

Happy Eating!