We are taking the idea of eat local to a whole new level…just kidding!

We now have a small vegetable garden in our backyard. I know it’s a little late because the summer in North Florida seems to be at its peak right now. But hey, better late than never, right?

Anyway, we have planted 3 Japanese eggplants, 3 sweet peppers, 3 tomatoes and a bunch of parsley and mint. I am using  a mix of simple top soil and cow manure in an attempt to stay away from heavy fertilizers. Not sure how it is going to turn out, but I want to give it a shot.

The main goal behind this garden is to get our twins interested in growing plants. I am hoping it would further increase their attachment to fruits and vegetables. They are beginning to show a little interest in getting water out of our rain barrels every evening to feed the plants and flowers. They also like to dig up the soil and make a mess everywhere! We are thinking of getting them a set of new colorful garden tools.

If you have a vegetable garden, I would love to hear your advice and suggestions about managing without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Please leave a comment below.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Can you imagine a breakfast cereal which you can customize based on your own unique tastes? Not happy with the amount of sugar in your favorite cereal? Would like to have more of your favorite yogurt covered raisins and less of the freeze-dried strawberries or blueberries? How about other exotic nuts, fruits and seeds not usually available in standard brands?

Well, now you can! If you live in Germany, UK, Netherlands check out mymuseli custom-mixed cereals! I just returned from a symposium on mass customization, a recent trend of producing custom-made products, where I heard this success story. I wanted to share it with you because cereal is such a common breakfast item everywhere.

You can select your personal favorite museli base, enhance it by adding a variety of flakes, and then choose from a very broad range of fruits, nuts and seeds. Over 75 ingredients are available, which can offer you 566 quadrillion mixes of museli -the question is, which one is yours! They claim certified organic quality ingredients, although the nutritional information about the mixed cereal seems to be missing.

The cereal aisle in a typical grocery supermarket is long and filled with a variety of brands and types of cereals. That is why the idea of custom mix cereal may sound strange, but it seems to have caught on in Europe. What do you think of this idea? Answer the quick poll question below.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Greetings! I thought of doing something different for this week’s Five for Fridays. Here are 5 videos which caught my eye as I looked for food and nutrition related news. Let me know what you think!

Bode Miller the “ski champ” farmer

Did you know that Bode Miller grew up a vegetarian? I didn’t, until found this video on Phd in Parenting blog! I was so fascinated by it that I decided to dig up the original source. I finally tracked it down on Stonyfield yogurt’s website under their “Yotube” video channel. It makes a perfect pitch for Stonyfield – after all, Bode Miller is no ordinary champion. One unintended message out of this video may be that organic is for crazies only! I think the positioning needs to be a little more mainstream. In any case, this video has a great message aimed to inspire the younger generation.

Watch out! Jamie Oliver is bringing his food revolution to America

It’s official folks! We are a country of fat people. If you have doubts, just check out the statistics on Huntington West Virgina – half the adults are considered obese and rates of diabetes and heart disease lead the nation! Jamie has supposedly the secret formula that can change the mindset: we don’t wanna sit around and eat lettuce all day! It is hilarious and I think it is sure to get good viewership when the show airs on ABC in March. I think it will make great TV, and although I hope it makes a real difference, I am not holding my breath for it! Good luck Jamie anyway.

Tom Vilsack on child nutrition act

Secretary Tom Vilsack answers 5 questions about his plans to expand the child nutrition program. I am all for it; I continue to believe that hunger and obesity are two sides of the same coin. Improving access to nutritious food, including fruits and vegetables, and not just focusing on low salt, sugar and fat is a good idea. Childhood obesity is a serious problem we must address now.

Michelle Obama takes on childhood obesity

If you haven’t yet seen this video by the first lady, you have got to check it out. Even though I think her Let’s Move campaign is destined to disappoint, I do admire her initiative to improve the health of our nation. She has a great personality and her message is clear and in many ways quite inspiring.

Help! My baby is fat – are you serious?

Chubby babies are cute, but is there a thing called a “fat” baby? Well, according to some researchers, people who turn obese when they grow up, begin to show a sign as early as 3 months of age! I find that unbelievable and I think this is going to send a risky signals to new parents. Babies need healthy fat, which if they are exclusively breastfed, is very easy to accomplish. Don’t be afraid of fat; the key is to work towards developing healthy eating habits during toddler years. This is yet another example of how catchy headlines can create a sense of unnecessary anxiety. The video does have some good tips from Dr. Sanjay Gupta, so check it out!

It has a funny name, but it’s nutritional value is not a joke!

Honestly, we did not know about quinoa until very recently, and chances are it hasn’t yet gotten on your shopping list either. Check it out; in fact it is so nutritious that at one point even NASA looked at it for long duration space flight missions!

Here are a few interesting facts about quinoa, tips for cooking and a few simple recipes.

It looks like a grain but it is not

Quinoa (pronounced as keen-wa or kin-wa) sold in stores is actually a seed of the plant, which is closely related to plant species such as beets, spinach and tumbleweeds. According to the wikipedia entry on quinoa, it is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a grass. Rice, wheat, barely, maize, oats are examples of cereals. Usually it is pale yellow in color, but some of the species can be of different colors. For example, recently we got red quinoa:

Check out this article for more details on the history of quinoa.

It is super easy to cook

We cook it almost exactly the same way we cook basmati rice.

Mix 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa in a large saucepan. Add a little olive oil and stir well to mix. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and cover tightly. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until all water is absorbed and quinoa is soft. When cooked, the grain appears soft and translucent. The germ ring is visible along the outside edge of the grain as seen in the picture below:

It is important to wash the quinoa thoroughly with water before cooking otherwise you will get a slightly bitter after-taste. In its natural form quinoa has a coating of saponin, a bitter tasting chemical, which is usually washed off during processing. Still, it may contain a small amount when you buy it in stores. You can easily wash it off, or soak it in water for an hour or so before cooking. Sometimes, we use chicken broth to cook with instead of water. Or make a recipe with vegetables or chicken after cooking separately. Here are links to two of our recent simple recipes you can try -

Chicken with quinoa

Grilled chicken with quinoa and salad

Here are some more quinoa recipes from the Quinoa Corporation. We bought their Ancient Harvest brand of organic quinoa from Wholefoods.

It has excellent nutritional value

According to the Quinoa Corporation, here are a few nutritional facts about quinoa:

• It is 35 on glycemic index, which is quite low. Low glycemic index foods are good for you because they do not cause the blood glucose levels to rise rapidly after they are eaten. That means your body is not working overtime to produce insulin after you eat.
• It is alkaline (meaning not acidic but basic), which is good for maintaining the acid balance in your digestive system.
• It is an excellent source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber. It is also a good source of protein.
• It has a lot of vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc.
• It is gluten-free.

Here is a nutritional facts label from Wikipedia:

You can find it in Whole Foods or other specialty health stores

We usually buy quinoa from our local Whole Foods market. Check out your local area or look for a specialty store selling natural or organic health foods. You can also buy in bulk from the Quinoa Corporation.

Go ahead, give quinoa a try! And feel free to share a recipe if you like it.

©2009 Littlestomaks.com

In honor of the Earth Day (April 22) this week’s Five for Fridays is dedicated to news articles related to food sustainability. Enjoy and do let me know what you think.

More interesting ideas from Michael Pollan

Maybe the fact that I am currently reading Pollan’s highly acclaimed “The Omnivores Dilemma” got me interested in this post by him on The Huffington Post, written to coincide with the Earth Day. Think Global Eat Local seems to be his prescription for reducing the amount of fossil fuel it takes to grow our food these days. Turns out, the Agriculture sector is second to Transportation when it comes to fossil fuel consumption. When so many people are talking about electric, hybrid or flex fuel cars, it surprises me a little that we don’t really hear much about reducing our dependence on oil in the agriculture sector. Pollan advocates a decentralized food supply system where consumers would buy locally grown food directly from a farm or an year-around indoor farmers’ market. He proposes a flexible system of government regulations based on scale and marketplace. He suggests encouraging hospitals and universities that receive federal grants to supply their cafeterias with locally grown fresh produce. These are big ideas – nothing wrong with that – it would also be good to think “small” at the consumer level so we can create a true demand for sustainability. What do you think?

An organic garden on the White House lawn

Last month Michelle Obama joined 23 fifth graders to start the work on a 1,100 square foot vegetable garden at the White House. This post by Crunchy Domestic Goddess provides some interesting details like the fact that the entire Obama family, including the President, will work on the garden pulling weeds every so often! It will have a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs. It will utilize organic seedlings, White House compost and natural pest control methods. The idea is to inspire everybody to consider growing a little bit of their own food in their own backyards. And looks like the momentum is building – some 43 million US households plan to grow their veggies and fruits this year, up 19% from 2008, according to the National Gardening Association. If you are interested, they have a very good articles and resources for starting your own garden. Check it out!

The economics of a home garden

This article in the Wall Street Journal provides a glimpse of the Dollars and Sense of a home vegetable garden. The National Gardening Association estimates that for an average family, about $70 worth of seeds and supplies each year can yield $600 worth of vegetables. That’s one huge return on investment! What people forget though is the start-up cost of setting up a garden (on a raised bed if needed) and tools, which could cost you over $100. Not to mention the back-breaking work each day watering, pulling weeds and fighting pests. It is not for everybody, but if you enjoy working outdoors then surely you can save some cash. It sure trumps mowing the lawn each weekend, which does not give you any real financial return.

One problem people may face is that most Homeowners Associations have rules that regulate what you can and cannot do in your own backyard. So be sure to check with them before you decide to take the plunge!

9 leaders who are making a difference for food sustainability

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is honoring farmers, business leaders and thought leaders through the Growing Green Awards to recognize their efforts for food sustainability:

1. Will Allen, Growing Power, Milwaukee, WI – sustainable aquaculture and organic vegetable production
2. Judith Redmond, Full Belly Farm, Guinda, CA – 250 acre organic farm
3. Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm, Swoope, VA – Pasture based “beyond organic” grass-fed beef, poultry, sustainable lumber
4. Fedele Bauccio, Bon Appetit Management Co., Palo Alto, CA – Low carbon diet initiative
5. Michael Rozyne, Red Tomato, Canton, MA – non-profit marketing and distribution for small farms and co-ops
6. Thaleon Tremain, Pachamama Coffee Coop, Davis, CA – Certified fair-trade coffee from 150,000 farmers in South America, Central America and Africa
7. Ann Cooper, Berkeley Unified School District, Berkeley, CA – Prchasing and menu changes to promote sustainable and healthy food, founder of Lunch Lessons LLC
8. James Harvie, Institute for a Sustainable Future, Duluth, MN – Healthy food in healthcare for hospitals, Healthcare without Harm
9. Sibella Kraus, SAGE, Berkely, CA – sustainable agriculture education

Behind each of these leaders, is a great story. Check out these links and get inspired!

Eating out? Pick a restaurant with an eye for food sustainability

Can a restaurant source its food ingredients from local producers, serve seasonal cuisine and still be in business? The answer is a big yes. I have not tried one yet, but I came across this online restaurant finder on LocalHarvest where you can search for a restaurant by zip code or state. I was disappointed to find only 6 restaurant in my state of Florida, and none in the city I live. Could be that their database needs updating; I sure hope that there will be more restaurants in this area soon who will support the core ideas of food sustainability by serving locally grown fresh, organic food. Have you been to one in your area? Drop a comment about the restaurant and your experience.

Enjoy your weekend!

Image source: Woodleywonderworks on Flickr
©2009 Littlestomaks.com

Happy Friday! Check out these interesting nutrition related articles and drop a comment if you would like to share an opinion.

Carrots are boring but what about X-ray vision carrots?

It appears that giving veggies interesting and creative names might work if you would like your kids to try them more. In a recent study, 4-year old preschoolers ate twice as many carrots when they were presented as “x-ray vision carrots” compared to just “carrots”. That is amazing! I guess it might work with fruits too although they were not included in this study. Creating an experience of fun with veggies worked for @MommyMellie, who wrote in her guest post on this blog about how carrots, broccoli  and finger paint got her child to tolerate veggies and even like them. So, let your imagination go wild and have fun with fruits and veggies. Here are some more tips on helping your kids eat more of them.

“Organic” stamp does not mean food safety

Remember the recent outbreak of salmonella from the peanut plants in Texas and Georgia? Turns out, they also had the “organic” certification from the USDA according to this article in the New York Times! This is a good time to remind ourselves that organic certification does not imply food safety, even though you may expect it because you pay top dollar for these foods. Just like every other government program, the process of getting and maintaining the organic certification has become a beuareucratic mess. It took the private certifier for the Peanut Corporation of America nearly 7 months to report the problem to the USDA. By then, several people had been infected and many foods were on the recall list. In my opinion, these inspectors should also lose their license!

Does it mean you should give up on buying organic? Certainly not. However, it is probably a good idea to understand what the label means and not make any assumptions.

Getting a blood test for food allergy? Watch out for misdiagnosis

Seems like a lot of people are getting a blood test for detecting food allergies in their children. And in a lot of cases, kids and adults alike are getting diagnosed with allergies they don’t really have. In one case according to this article, a young boy was put on feeding tube because blood tests indicated he was allergic to everything! After doing a food challenge, doctors were able to introduce 20 foods into his diet. This is an extreme example for sure, however there is an increase in the number of misdiagnosed food allergies when blood tests are used. A 2003 report in Pediatrics reported that positive result on a blood allergy test correlated with less than 50% of real food allergy. If the blood tests show a huge positive allergy response, it is best to contact a specialist. Introduce new foods slowly and watch of any allergic reactions.

Do you have any experiences with food allergies in your kids?

Open your eyes to healthy eating habits

March is “Save Your Vision” month sponsored by the American Optometric Association (AOA). Most people already know that carrots are good for eyes because they supply the beta-carotene needed for night vision. There are several other key nutrient for long term eye health which are not that commonly known. Accordinng to AOA’s  Diet and Nutrtion website, researchers have now linked nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential fatty acids and zinc to reducing several eye diseases. Foods such as spinach, kale, citrus fruits, nuts, whole grains, fish and supplements can provide all of these nutrients. This is a good reminder to try various foods with your toddler so he can get a balanced diet. Most toddlers are picky eaters, so you can also consider a daily multivitamin supplement.

Enjoy lentil soup

Our twins have now developed a taste for lentil soup. Check out our simple lentil soup recipe! Hope your toddlers find it as appealing as ours.

Enjoy your weekend!

Image source: orangeacid on Flickr
©2009 Littlestomaks.com

I really wanted to get a USDA certified Organic Turkey for Thanksgiving this year. My shopping experience over the weekend, however, left me with a feeling of great dissatisfaction. I have written about the “sticker shock” when buying organic; I got to experience it first-hand myself this time. And it was quite a shock.

We all know the benefits of selecting organic foods since they are produced without the use of chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides, and in the case of meat and poultry, raised on organic feed and without any antibiotics or growth hormones. Wouldn’t it be nice, I thought, to set a nice trend each Thanksgiving by going organic for the whole turkey? Not only would it be a healthy thing to do, we could also talk about it with our guests over the dinner table. I knew I was going against my own advice for buying organic on a budget – that is of not buying organic animal products – still, I thought Thanksgiving is a special occasion. After all, it can’t be all that bad. Little did I know; I was in for a rude awakening and a tough lesson in the dynamics of supply and demand.

My first visit was to a local Publix Supermarket store next to an upscale outdoor Mall. Predictably, it was stocked quite well with both frozen and fresh turkeys. I was familiar with the Butterball brand. I also saw a good range of the Publix brand with a simple label prominently displaying “Grade A USDA inspected”. After walking through several aisles, I asked one of the store associates if they carried “organic” turkeys. He didn’t know so he went on to ask the manager in the meat department. The manager came out and walked me to another section where they had a few “all natural”, “never frozen” turkeys. I repeated myself, “I need an organic turkey, not all natural”. So this time, as if trying to make a special effort, he takes me to the frozen section and shows me a couple of “all kosher” turkeys. It did not carry the USDA certified organic seal; I pointed that to him – as if to drive the point home – that his turkeys were not organic after all!

I decided to give up and call Fresh Market, which is kind of a poor substitute for Whole Foods Market in our area. “Nope, we don’t carry organic turkeys, we only have natural”, was what I was politely told over the phone. At least it saved me a trip! But still, I didn’t have a turkey, and I was beginning to get worried. At this point, my wife told me to just give it up and go for what every other “normal” person does for Thanksgiving. That is go ahead and buy the popular Butterball brand. “Oh well, maybe next year”, I told myself.

A second visit to another Publix right in our neighborhood, was when I got the sticker shock. Even though, I was not looking for an organic turkey anymore, I did find two – I am not kidding, just two – turkeys with the USDA organic seal in a section otherwise overflowing with Butterballs and Publix brand turkeys. Obvisouly, there aren’t too many people looking for organic turkeys these days. Anyway, check out the difference in price – the organic turkeys were about 3 – 5 times more expensive than the regular turkeys! Isn’t that something? Unbelievable!

The more pragmatic side of me took over after the sticker shock, so I came home with a Butterball.

Later I did a quick search on the internet to see if this made sense. Here is what I found:

• Willie Bird Organic Turkey from Williams-Sonoma (shipped overnight) – $6.7 – $7.3/lb depending on the weight; available now only for Christmas delivery!
• Organic Free Range Thanksgiving Turkey from Lobel’s – $6.5/lb (too late for Thanksgiving delivery)

Now the $4.99/lb does not look so bad. Still, it is outside my budget.

What about you? Did you get an organic turkey this Thanksgiving?

2 toddler servings, 1 adult serving

Ingredients

1. 1 small piece of boneless, skinless organic chicken thigh
2. ½ cup fine egg noodles, small pieces (Publix brand); substitute with whole grain noodles if desired
3. 5 small baby carrots
4. 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5. 2 cups warm water

Method

Wash the chicken, remove excess water and cook it covered in a small saucepan on low-medium heat for about 15 minutes. It will turn soft and you should be able to easily separate it in small bite size pieces with a fork or knife. Cut carrots into small bite size pieces and add to the chicken in the same saucepan. Add olive oil and stir in noodles. Finally add warm water. Cover and cook for about 10 – 15 minutes on medium heat until noodles are soft and all the water is absorbed.