Healthy Choices, Healthy Focus

Eggs Over Not-So-Easy

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:16:00 GMT

With last week's national egg recall in the news, people are starting to think outside the cage - the bird cage, that is. Uber factory farm Wright County Egg, of Galt, Iowa, recalled 380 million eggs - more than one egg per every American.

Newspapers are again reporting dissension among experts on Main Street America's belief of the past few decades that centralized food production is the best way to feed ourselves, and are indeed questioning its safety. With eggs being a common breakfast staple for most people, this issue hits home with many of us.

The egg industry has provided us with numerous terminology descriptors for its eggs, but most of them try to hide the fact that the mega farm chickens are housed either in giant barns or in a factory filled with cages. What most people don't realize is that the vast majority of eggs in big barns and cages - even supermarket organic - don't get daily natural sunlight, which is critical for Vitamin D, which it gets from the sun, and Vitamin A from the grass.

The mega barns may provide an access door to the outside ("cage free"), but it is usually pretty small in comparison with the expansiveness of the barn. As a result, the chickens view going outside with some suspicion and are usually content to hang out inside with the other chicks. Further, being in questionable or sketchy sanitary conditions fosters disease that spreads quickly, and their concentrated waste gets dumped into the surrounding local countryside, often reportedly causing a huge stench that makes it unbearable for children playing outside and fishing in local waters an invitation to disease. (A fascinating book on this subject is The Righteous Porkchop by Nicolette Hahn Niman.)

Here is an excerpt of different egg descriptors taken from an article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Cage-free - Hens can still be kept in huge closed barns housing tens of thousands of chickens.

Organic - As certified by the USDA, this label requires some outdoor exposure.

Pasture-raised - This and other higher classifications indicate outside forage on vegetation and insects.

Certified humane - Endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States, this does not require access to the outdoors but has standards for air quality and lighting.

Note: The science remains mixed on whether "cage-free" eggs are safer to eat than eggs from "battery cages."

Consider the Source
My mom used to always say to us kids, "consider the source". Chickens grown on small farms like our ancestors had live happy, healthy lives; as a result, there is more nutrition in each egg resulting from grass and sunlight exposure. As a bonus, the chickens provide a natural and inexpensive source for enriching the soil. And I could talk to you til the cows come home about the creamier, almost succulent texture that local eggs offer. Mmmm! Once you've tried it, you never want to scramble with anything else!

Bottom Line
Always consider your source. Buy pasture-raised chickens from a local farmer you have talked to and trust. Next best is supermarket organic.

Your Invitation
I invite you to check out your local farmers' market and ask smaller mom-and-pop stores in your area to carry eggs from local family farms so that you and others can more easily enjoy them outside of farmers' market hours. While at the farmers' market, look for pictures of where the chickens feed on pasture, make sure the chickens spend most of their time outside, and ask what kind of feed they use and if they use any hormones or antibiotics. Chances are you'll connect not only with a greater quality and tastier food source, but you'll also feel connected with your community.

A Peachy Idea

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:49:00 GMT

When peaches and plums are in season, don't throw away the pit. Instead, crack open the kernal by placing them inside a plastic ziploc bag and carefully hammer it to extract the inside kernel. You can eat the uniquely-flavored kernel fresh or boil it in water a couple minutes to make a tea to take advantage of its anti-cancer benefits. Otherwise, let it dry overnight on a plate and store in a jar. Kernals are great for adding a unique flavor naturally to creamy desserts or even sake.

New Trend: Rogue Farmers at Restaurants

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:53:00 GMT

In San Francisco, just about every neighborhood has its own fabulous farmers' market. Nowadays, however, not every farmer needs a market to sell his or her wares. Outside the doors of restaurants such as Frances in the Castro and Spruce in Laurel Heights, farmers are popping up a table to sell fresh, delicious produce to folks either walking by or in to the restaurant. Customers love it, neighbors love it, and the restaurant looks like a fresh food hero.

My wish is that it will catch on in other areas of the city and country, particularly those with little access to fresh produce. What can you do? Ask your favorite local restaurant to support their favorite local vendor for salads, fruits or vegetables and to let them set up a table outside their door one day a week around dinnertime. The restaurant owners and chefs can show off their fabulous ingredients to their customers, generate buzz, and create amazing dishes using healthier, delicious food that's in season.

Together, we can make the goodness and deliciousness of fresh food spread across the country!

NYT: Eating Out with Allergies & Rude Waitstaff

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:29:00 GMT

Do you or a loved one have food allergies and get lopped into the "food prima donna" category by unappreciative waitstaff when ordering at a restaurant? I asked the venerable Florence Fabricant of The New York Times on how to handle this situation and she responded - and so did about a thousand other bloggers - with their opinion on the subject.

Have you had success or challenges in this area that you would like to share? Now's your time to share or ask for advice.

Click on the picture below to link to the article for her response.

Eat Well! Dine Out for the Gulf Coast

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:33:00 GMT

Want to help out the Gulf area folks whose lives and livelihoods were affected by the oil spill? Bi-Rite Market is selling $5 raffle tickets until Wednesday, June 30th. All funds will go to the people most affected (not into an administration vortex) through the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund.

Bi-Rite's raffle offers some really kickin' prizes:

Private dinner for 8 at 18 Reasons, cooked by Bi-Rite owner, Sam Mogannam
Private dinner for 8 cooked by Alex Ong, head chef of Betelnut restaurant
ICE CREAM FOR A YEAR! From luscious Bi-Rite Creamery, of course :)
Gift Basket of popular Bi-Rite items (wow!)
6-pack of Mom's Preserves (yum!)
Case of 18th Street Wines (oh yea...)
$100 gift certificate to Betelnut restaurant in Cow Hollow (bonus!)
Dinner from Sukhi's Gourmet Indian Foods every Friday for a month (mmm...)
"Chicken = Tiny Dinosaur" print donated by local artist Imin Yeh

For more information about Dine Out for The Gulf Coast, visit http://dineoutforthegulfcoast.org.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Don't Cry Over Spilled Oil

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:43:00 GMT

Don't we wish! With the recent catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, the food supply and livelihoods of many are now in peril and could be for generations to come. How can we protect a healthy supply of fish to eat? See what my buddy, Dave Guggenheim, the "Ocean Doctor" has to say about a healthier style of fish farming on his blog.

Despite the wide fish display at the supermarket, 90% of the world's large fish supply (tuna, salmon, halibut, etc) is depleted. Check out a unique solution for a much more sustainable model as described by chef Dan Barber at the 2010 TED conference. He shares perhaps the most inspiring example of how a fish farm in Spain provides its own ecosystem of food, naturally cleans pesticide-ridden inflowing water, and judges itself on the health of its predators (pink flamingos - of all things!). It’s a great example of how we can rethink our food model outside of the factory farm paradigm.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Almond Milk: Easy, Creamy, Delicious!

Tue, 25 May 2010 17:58:00 GMT

The difference in taste between homemade almond milk versus the box stuff is astounding. The first time I made Dreamy Almond Milk, my eyes brightened and lips smiled from this new taste discovery. It blew the other stuff out of the water! I can’t wait for you to taste it - it's sooo delicious!

Now you can experience the clean and creamy goodness of homemade almond milk in no time. It tastes really fresh, like the difference between fresh-pressed o.j. versus concentrate. Check out my recipe and see how surprisingly easy it is to make.

Always use raw organic almonds like nature intended (not pasteurized nor irradiated): buy farmer direct online or at the farmers' market. Also, be sure to soak them the night before - it makes them easier to digest. I promise once you try it you won't want to go back to the box!

See the recipe here.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Tasty Trend: Kraze for Kombucha

Thu, 13 May 2010 16:36:00 GMT

With a taste like spiked lemonade and the health promise of probiotics (coming from the Greek meaning for life), folks from coast to coast have climbed on the Kombucha bandwagon. What's Kombucha? It's a tea-fermented drink of Eastern European origin with live cultures that provide a natural source of probiotics that can be great for digestion.

If you've tried one of the commercial brands of Kombucha available nationwide (GT, Synergy, etc.) you already know it's an acquired taste, especially if your taste buds are used to drinking Diet Coke every day. However, it's a very refreshing drink and the naturally added sweet berry flavors incommercial brands aren't sticky-sweet - they merely add a nice balance and familiar flavor that tones down the alcohol-like essence.

Just like mom said, "too much of a good thing isn't always good", so I don't recommended Kombucha for every day use as it can cause yeast overgrowth. If you have candida you should stay away from it (see this article for tips on dealing with candida). For those who can and want to try it, it's especially great to drink in warmer weather when you want something only a little bit sweet and very refreshing.

Kombucha's not just in stores anymore and the fruity combinations are getting very fancy. For instance, you can order Watermelon Jalapeno Kombucha at Berkeley's Cultured pickle store, order it at a restaurant in place of a cocktail (see the SF Weekly list for spots in San Francisco) or buy your own home-brewing kit (check out http://kombuchakollective.wordpress.com/).

Though it's been around a while, Kombucha being served in restaurants and made at home is a tasty trend we're likely to see continue.

New Trend: Echo Chic Glass Water Bottles

Fri, 07 May 2010 14:39:00 GMT

Glass is great as a container for drinking water at home, but what about for around town? Starbucks recently recalled faulty glass water bottles sold in Target stores (yikes!). Plastic has its drawbacks (chemical leaching, odor, environmental concerns), yet sturdy stainless steel bottles can look pretty battered and give water a slight metallic taste.

Enter Lifefactory's glass water bottles encased in an cheery array of colorful 100% non-toxic silicone sleeves. I was hesitant at first to recommend their 22 oz. bottles for fear that mine would break either in the dishwasher or on the sidewalk soon after posting my recommendation. Over a month of abuse later, my fears have flown the coop.

What's cool is that they not only offer sturdy, chic-looking bottles for adults but also baby bottles and teethers for kids. Their non-slip sleeve is free of BPA, phthalates, PVC, and polycarbonates, which are known carcinogens, reproductive toxins or endocrine disruptors.

Curiously, though, I occasionally catch a plasticy whiff from the silicone sleeve when I drink from it, so I called the company. With the assurance of the Director of Ops, an MSDS report, as well as information posted on various other blogs, so far, all assurances I can find point to silicone's safety as an inert substance made from natural rubber.

You can check out or order the svelte looking bottles online at www.lifefactory.com.

Wash Your Eggs!

Tue, 04 May 2010 16:23:00 GMT

With fresh green grass and warmer, sunnier days, Spring is high-time in the new year for naturally pastured chickens to be laying eggs. These great conditions give yolks a more intensely yellow-ish orange color as well as higher levels of Omega 3s, vitamins D and A. However, did you know that you're supposed to rinse your eggs before cracking them for an omelet?

According to the USDA Food Safety website:

"Bacteria can be on the outside of a shell egg. That's because the egg exits the hen's body through the same passageway as feces is excreted. That's why eggs are washed and sanitized at the processing plant. Bacteria can be inside an uncracked, whole egg. Contamination of eggs may be due to bacteria within the hen's ovary or oviduct before the shell forms around the yolk and white. SE (Salmonella Enteritidis) doesn't make the hen sick. It is also possible for eggs to become infected by Salmonella Enteritidis fecal contamination through the pores of the shells after they're laid."

So how does Salmonella develop and how widespread is it? Wikipedia reports, "According to U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2002 (Risk Analysis April 2002 22(2):203-18), of the 69 billion eggs produced annually only 2.3 million are contaminated with salmonella—equivalent to just one in every 30,000 eggs. However, the risk of infection is dependent on the sanitary conditions under which the hens are kept."

There are the stats, folks. Of course, the safest bet is to put on your farm hat and raise your own hens. Short of that, I recommend buying your eggs from a source you trust. I love getting pastured eggs from a neighbor, the farmers' market, Rainbow Grocery or Bi-Rite here in San Francisco. These quality eggs have more flavor and bring a creamy lusciousness to your scrambled eggs - mmmm - once you have it, you'll be spoiled for life. Besides taste, the hens' unconfined, cleaner environs on pasture is clearly the natural way to raise them and reduces the chance of illness due to unnatural factory conditions. (See the Meatrix video - www.themeatrix.com for an animated depiction of factory raised hens.)

Here comes the mantra again..."buy local"! By doing this and washing your eggs every time you'll stay on the "sunny side" of breakfast!

Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Kids Talk in Marin on June 12th

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:46:00 GMT

PEDIATRIC ALTERNATIVES presents a talk by the best-selling author of Nourishing Traditions, the Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats and president of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

NOURISHING TRADITIONAL DIETS FOR HEALTHY BABIES

Learn the principles of nourishing traditional diets for pre-conception, pregnancy, nursing and feeding babies. Nutrient-dense foods such as egg yolks, butter, cod liver oil whole raw milk, bone broths, liver and sea food can ensure the optimal physical and mental development of your offspring. Learn why high-cholesterol foods are absolutely critical for the development of baby's body and brain.

This presentation will highlight the dietary principles that kept nonindustrialized peoples healthy generation after generation, and will also provide practical advice for modern parents, including how to introduce foods to babies to avoid allergies and digestive problems.

Sally Fallon Morell is the author of the best-selling Nourishing Traditions, the Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. She is the founding president of the Weston A. Price Foundation and founder of A Campaign for Real Milk.

Saturday, June 12, 2010
1-5 pm (doors open at 12:30)
Open seating

OLNEY HALL, COLLEGE OF MARIN
835 College Avenue
Kentfield, CA
(Marin County, San Francisco Bay Area)
Free parking in lots 5, 6 and 7
(see red arrows on map below)

PURCHASE TICKETS online at pediatricalternatives.tix.com
or call the box office at 1-800-595-4849 (24/7)

$22 - General Public
$12 - Pediatric Alternatives members
Donation - no one turned away for lack of funds

10% of proceeds go to the Weston A. Price Foundation

For more information on the Weston A. Price Foundation please go to www.westonaprice.org.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

The Sustainable Pastrami Sandwich

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:35:00 GMT

The New York Times recently reported a new trend in deli fare: the sustainable pastrami sandwich. Is this just a flashy new fad or does it mean better deli fare could become widespread to the masses?

Whether or not you think this is bologna (sorry, I couldn't resist), it seems that these passionate deli owners are seeking sustainable meats and curing them in-house to operate in line with their own food philosophy.

For some, it's food politics. “It’s industrially produced meat that gets blessed by a rabbi,” says Peter Levitt of Saul's Deli in Berkeley, CA about Kosher meat in the Times article. For others, it's a matter of pride in serving homestyle Jewish fare using small farm-raised ingredients and traditional preparation methods.

Obviously, the customers will be the ultimate ones to decide. Does the sustainable sandwich cost more at the register? Does it taste better and make it worth the price? I certainly hope it's worth it and that this healthier trend will catch on. But to give my taste buds a run for the money, I'll be making a trip to Saul's in Berkeley and will let you know the results.

Imagine. If this trend succeeds, then we could see pasture-raised hamburgers and hot dogs at diners across the country. Better flavor and health for all! This could be the start of a very good thing.

Note: If you're curious to learn more, check out this video with Michael Pollan on Sustainability and the Jewish Deli (it is so Bay Area!).

See what MSNBC has to say about the chemicals found in processed meats.

Movie: Food Inc. on PBS ~ April 21st

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:27:00 GMT

If you love food, pictures of animals grazing on bucolic landscape, and stories of those coming from tales of woe (urban food desert) to tales of grow (inner city sustainable farm), you'll love the movie Food Inc. From laugh-a-minute, brutally honest, sustainable farmer Joel Salatin to industrial chicken farmer Carole Morison this movie will "edutain" you about how things really are with industrial farming and economically sustainable family farming practices, told by the farmers themselves. Also featured: authors Michael Pollan (Omnivore's Dilemma) and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) among other knowledgeable contributors.

Won't be able to catch it on Wednesday? Check out what Time Magazine had to say about the movie.

Chicken: On Kickin' The Bucket

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:05:00 GMT

Q: Is factory farmed chicken all that bad?
Q: What really goes on inside factory farms?
A: Find out the answers to these and other issues from those who have direct experience with both factory and pasture farming.

~ Check It Out ~

The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) is hosting "Inside the Hen House", a panel discussion about chicken farming in America, on Tuesday, April 20. Hear from a great line-up of speakers: (former) industrial farmer Carole Morison (Food Inc.), pastured organic chicken farmers Norman and Aimee Gunsell, author Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food, The Omnivore's Dilemma). The moderator is Anya Fernald, who launched the Slow Food Nation event in 2008.

Date: Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. (starts promptly; reception follows)
Place: San Francisco Ferry Building's Port Commission Hearing Room.
RSVP: Tickets cost $5 through Brown Paper Tickets.

Spring for Yummy Lamb!

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:44:00 GMT

The first time my taste buds ever jumped for joy was as a 7 year-old visiting family in Greece. Ahhhh, the aroma and flavor of fresh lamb chops, thin and char-grilled to perfection, was absolutely amazing.

Ever since then, I have been trying to replicate those recipes on my own (I'm still dreaming of the chance to go back to Greece to learn them first-hand) and share with friends and family stateside.

Amazingly, you can get EXCELLENT quality lamb from a number of wonderful sources here in Northern California. I mean the kind of flavor that brings me exactly back to the place I was with the first lamb chop on my plate, digging in as a messy-faced kid and asking for another.

And wouldn't you know it that Spring is the best time to eat it. Why? Because the rains have made the hillside grasses green with vitamins and nutrients that the lamb chomps on to its content. Better food (i.e., grass) means better meat. Mmmm.

If you're hosting Easter lamb at your home, or know someone who wants a good source of lamb raised the right way, an excellent, reliable source that ships is the Golden Gate Meat company, which features Don Watson's lamb from Napa Valley (he serves Kokkari, Mustard's Grill, among others). The best and most reasonably priced source I have found is by going directly to a 20-year veteran lamb farmer, Donna (don't know her last name - don't need to), who owns a 5-acre farm in Sonoma (you pick it up - a very fun trip).

Check out these sources below:

Golden Gate Meat Company - http://www.goldengatemeatcompany.com/retail.html
Donna's delicious lamb - 2dtappan@comcast.net
Bi-Rite Market - http://www.biritemarket.com/1.html

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Inspiring Quotes That ROCK

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:43:00 GMT

Quotes are there for you sometimes when you need it the most. They can make you laugh out loud or let you know everything's going to be all right.

Luckily, they can be found easily on the internet, in newspaper comics, Twitter, You Tube or ... from the mouth of a child.

Here are some today that I hope will inspire you:

"You must learn day by day, year by year, to broaden your horizon. The more things you love, the more you are interested in, the more you enjoy, the more you are indignant about, the more you have left when anything happens."
~ Ethel Barrymore

"Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next."
~ Gilda Radner

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway."
~ Eleanor Roosevelt

"Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful."
~ Sophia Loren

Have a favorite quote you want to share? Please post it - I can't wait to hear it - and I'm sure others will benefit too.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Eating to Feel Like a Million Bucks

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:07:00 GMT

Lush. Lavish. Uplifting.

Not the words you would choose to describe our present economy. But what if you could feel that way while eating certain foods?

Part of where we derive pleasure from eating is the anticipation of something good. Let's take chocolate for example. A piece of quality dark chocolate can make you feel luxurious, decadent and luscious before it even passes your lips. It's long been one of my go-to indulgences for that very reason.

Recently, while in the throws of a particularly challenging week, I wanted something really good for lunch and I decided to perform a food experiment. Instead of walking down to the corner store for my favorite brand of chocolate for "dessert" (Recchiuti, you're the best!), I decided to chow down on a pile of steamed vegetables drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. That's right, chow down. Should I have been surprised that I felt so much better afterwards? I mean, my mood instantly lifted and I felt like a different person. I usually reserve steamed veggies for a side dish at dinner, but as a main dish during that day, it was nothing short of miraculous for my mood.

I guess my lesson learned (or re-learned, what have you) that I hope may inspire you is that whenever life throws us a curve ball, to take a chance and allow for some experimentation with our foods. Healthy food can make us feel really good. It's supposed to, for crying out loud. And if it doesn't work, try something else or tweak what you know. You may just be pleasantly surprised.

ABC News: The Ugly Side of Milk

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:53:00 GMT

"Got Milk?" Becomes "How did you Get that Milk?" according to an ABC News anchor recently when reporting on undercover video footage on a dairy factory farm dairy, The Ugly Side of Milk: Animal Cruelty. This is not the first time this has been shown to the public (see www.meatrix.com, Fresh, Food Inc., The Corporation, etc). However, will such videos influence customer behavior? Some may be appalled to learn some of the ugly truths but will it make you or others you know care enough to spend more at the checkout counter or seek local farm direct sources of your own?

Please check out the video and share your thoughts on what influences consumer behavior:

In case this video causes you to seek out other sources of milk, here are some resources for you to check out:
To find local sources of milk, nationwide: http://www.localharvest.org/
To locate a local chapter leader to find local raw milk, worldwide: http://www.westonaprice.org/chapters/

Good Reads: Monica Seles' "Getting A Grip On My Body..."

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:48:00 GMT

Ever feel sometimes like your food cravings are controlling you?

Monica Seles - the hot tennis champ (just look at her on the cover!) - tells all about her tennis career, family life and the circumstances surrounding her 40-pound weight gain despite her grueling workouts in her new book, "Getting A Grip - On My Body, My Mind, My Self".

After being stabbed in the back by a deranged Steffi Graf fan, her father's cancer diagnosis and millions lost in failed sponsorships all happening around the same time, Monica used food to cope. Ah, who can blame her? She developed a major junk food addiction that she kept hidden from her family, friends, coaches and nutritionists that was spiraling out of control.

Some will love this book for the stories around her tennis - it's very exciting to read about other pros we all know and love as well as her winning mental strategy when approaching different types of competitors. The reason I loved it most of all was because of her message that not all of us are meant to achieve health through strictly following a diet or exercising like a mad-woman. There is a peace that we can achieve by intelligently following our body's lead, which is what Monica eloquently talks about.

Whether you love tennis, want to be inspired by her champion mindset, or learn her lessons around overcoming a mad food obsession, her approachable voice in this book is a great comfort to oneself or someone you love.

Local Farms Bring $$ Back to Main Street

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:20:00 GMT

You gotta love Forrest Gump's memorable line, "Life is like a box of chocolates ~ you never know what you're gonna get". When it comes to food, "what's old is new" in that we're returning to local, farm fresh fare at restaurants, food stores and farmers' markets - just so that we know what we're going to get and for getting it cheaper.

Eating farm fresh isn't just a cool new trend or for enjoying tastier meals, it's helping out local economies too. Studies done in the state of Maine (see link) have shown that local farms bring more $$ back to Main Street. What a tasty way to support your local economy!

Last weekend, I made my first trip to Donna the lamb farmer in Sonoma County and picked up 10+ gloriously fresh pounds of butchered and packaged lamb. So fun, exciting - and at $8 a pound even for expensive cuts of meat - much cheaper! I almost wish I had friends - especially kids - with me when I went to share in this exciting experience.

Breathing in fresh air and walking on grass with a farmer describing life on the farm is a cool thing - it quickly takes one out of the usual workstation-based rat race routine. It feels good to see happy animals on pasture (including one-day old baby lambs!), reassuring to witness clean facilities and what they're being fed after being on pasture. And as one soaks up the fabulous scenery, one gets to touch, feel and breathe in what's real, witnessing in nature what it takes to sustains us.

For a soulful journey that you can't buy but must experience, here are some resources that show you where to check out a local farm near you:

Donna the lamb farmer in Sonoma - email her for availability of a variety of meats at 2dtappan@comcast.net
http://www.localharvest.org - a comprehensive resource for farmers, farmers' markets, CSAs, Co-ops, etc.
http://www.westonaprice.org/chapters/ - an EXCELLENT resource for farmers near you, from around the world
www.themeatrix.com/ a short educational animated film on factory farming practices

Do you have a story or pictures of when you went to a local farm to buy produce, eggs or meat? Are you or someone you know a local farmer and would like to show off your goods on my website? Please let me know - I'd love to hear your story, share it on my website or maybe even make a visit!

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Love More By Doing

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:52:00 GMT

As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, Red Cross officials have estimated that one-third of Haiti's 9 million people are in need of aid. There is a way you can help and show you care, even if all you can afford to give is $5.

Here are three organizations that you may choose from to make a donation to help get medical care, food and shelter for the poor children and adults of Haiti:

- Caritas - www.caritas.org
- American Red Cross - www.redcross.org/
- Doctors Without Borders - www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Want to find a charity you can trust to deliver help to the victims? Try out this website, Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org), which ranks thousands of charities by allocation of funds to administration, programs, events, and other qualifiers.

For my Facebook friends, you can check out my blog, recipes and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

New Year's Must-Have Recipe...

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:46:00 GMT

Take yourself...Peel off layers of egotism and self-pity. Cut out seeds of unkind thoughts and unhappy emotions. Remove all prejudices and worries. To this add one firm belief that life's worth living. Mix well with one practical idea that you are somebody…season with a sense of humor and optimism.

Sweeten with love. Then add one strong determination to live at your highest every hour of the day, come what may. Let effervesce for 365 days. Garnish with smiles and pleasant words. Serve with gentleness and courage. Note the effect.

Happy New Year.

~ Cleverly shared on LinkedIn by Shannon Caldwell

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

5 Super-Thoughtful Food Gifts

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:33:00 GMT

Want to bring a thoughtful gift to food-loving hosts who say "don't bring anything - just yourself"? Instead of - or in addition to - a bottle of wine, consider giving a food-related gift. Bargains are aplenty at Cost Plus and Trader Joe's, however, here are my favorite splurges for gifts:

1) A lovely bottle of extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil
2) An herbed sea salt or set of sea salts - a set or one for meat, another for fish (Williams-Sonoma, Dean and Deluca)
3) Locally made dark chocolate (Recchiuti's Feve is a traffic-stopping, stunningly delicious choice)
4) Beautiful locally made soap and hand lotion set (try this fancy olive oil based set by Oliviers & Co.)
5) Last, but certainly not least, homemade goodies that you made yourself*

* This year, we made lavender sea salt giveaways with lavender that we grow in our garden (half lavender, half sea salt blended together). You could do the same with dried herbs or spices. Check out my recipes for a delicious homemade spice mix that's a snap to whip up.

What are YOUR favorite thoughtful food-related gifts to give? What's the story behind it? I'd love to know - please share it in the comments.

All the best,
Sandra

To my Facebook Friends: Check out my blog, recipes and class schedule on www.SandraKeros.com. Thanks!

How to Avoid MSG

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:24:00 GMT

As reported in The New York Times, MSG has been blamed for "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome". According to neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of "Excitotoxins", MSG can cause long-lasting dysfunction among many organs throughout the body, even in-utero. A child's brain, for instance, is four times more sensitive to MSG than an adults' (p. 34). Unfortunately, a lot of canned products - even those marketed to children - contain the neurotoxin. Unfortunately, you may not know it from the list of ingredients.

How to know when MSG is in your food? Uncover the many names used to describe MSG on the Truth In Labeling website http://www.truthinlabeling.org. Terms like "natural flavors" and "hydrolyzed vegetable protein" are ingredients that you may not suspect are really MSG in disguise.

Even brands of organic chicken stock contain these ingredients, so this holiday season you may want to make your own. Here's my easy-peasy no-chop recipe for chicken broth that you can make overnight when you sleep. By making your own, you can save half the price of store-bought organic brands. Make it on the weekend before a holiday, freeze the leftovers, and you'll have life-giving broth that you and your family will love.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Inspiring Gifts That Don't Cost A Lot

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:29:00 GMT

Our older loved ones can give us a goldmine of insight and perspective. I love asking my dad about his Korean war experience, the '50s heyday of Detroit Motor City, and favorite meals his mother made that I never had the chance to sample.

With the holidays approaching, if you are spending time with family members of earlier generations, it may be fun for you to capture their stories and essence on camera, audiotape or paper.

Here's a cute book by Live Inspired for under $10 that can help you capture some important stories about your dad, titled, My Dad. His Stories. His Words. (Of course they have other books for other family members and situations, so you should check it out.) The book is designed like a journal with a question listed on every other page. You can give it and your loved ones can simply fill in the blanks, or, use it as a basic list of questions to ask while videotaping your loved one giving the answers.

This book, or it's idea, may inspire you to find out more about your family - both for yourself and the benefit of future generations. I'd love it if you would share some of your questions for family members and encourage others to do the same. Here are some samples from the book:

1) What music did you grow up listening to?
2) What kind of house did you grow up in and what was your old neighborhood like?
3) How did you spend your free time before you had kids?
4) What was it like to become a father?
5) What rules did your parents have, and which ones drove you crazy?

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Fun: Giving Gifts That Give Back

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:45:00 GMT

Although a new cashmere sweater is always nice to receive, how fun would it be to receive a gift that allows you to be generous instead?

This year, you can give a gift that allows the recipient to feel generous - a sort of instant "pick me up" in this depressed economy.

Check out Kevin Bacon's www.SixDegrees.org. When you buy your friend or loved one a "Good Card", he/she can donate the value of it to the charity of his/her choice.

N.B.: Check out more about this charity and others on www.Vivanista.com.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

"El-Cheapo" Homemade Cough Syrup

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:13:00 GMT

Sometimes a sore throat can really drag you down. What to do? This amazing, simple kitchen remedy is here to the rescue. It's "el cheapo" - one of my mom's favorite sayings - since you most likely already have the ingredients on hand. The recipe is so simple that it practically makes itself:

"El-Cheapo" Homemade Cough Syrup

1) Slice layers of an onion or turnip into a water glass or mug
2) Pour about 1/4 - 1/2 C of honey*, cover, and let sit overnight
3) Sip liquid as needed throughout the day as a cough syrup

Try it? Let me know how it goes!

* Raw honey is preferred since it has antimicrobial enzymes intact that would otherwise get killed off in heat processing that normally happens with common honey.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

New Resto in the Metro: Frances

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:59:00 GMT

I had to share this with you - there's a new restaurant that I came across randomly that I can't wait to try out next week with friends. It's called Frances - www.Frances-SF.com.

The menu is mostly organic featuring comfort favorites like chestnut soup (with Straus Dairy, thank you) and local pasture-raised meats including slow-roasted short ribs and Slow Food Farms chicken (mmm!). Vegetarians, don't worry, you're covered with a scrumptious sounding lacinato kale crepe cannelloni. Bellissimo!

Who's putting on the show? Turns out, it's Melissa Perillo, the former chef of Michelin one-star Fifth Floor. And guess what - the prices are reasonable: $23 for the most expensive entree with pasture-raised meat? In San Francisco? Yea!

Staff is organized and professional with a smile (I knocked on their door to peek at a menu while the staff was pouring over it just minutes before opening their second day of business). In general, good staff usually follows a good chef, and at first blush I think it's going to be pretty good experience.

Atmosphere: cozy, understated; a low-candlelit chill vibe that's still fun enough to bring a small group of friends. Date place? O-Yea. Flying solo? There's a bar for hanging out to talk with a stranger or friend about (what I hope to be) fabulous food.

Location: Castro neighborhood - 17th between Noe and Sanchez
Reservations: OpenTable or call 415.621.3870. If you talk to Paul tell him Sandra sent you! :)
Website: http://frances-sf.com

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Healthy Treat: Persimmon "Ice Cream"

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:09:00 GMT

Although it's cold outside, when winter gives us the "Food of the Gods" - aka bright orange, creamy-fleshed, delicately flavored persimmon - we must heed the call.

Take a heart-shaped Hachiya persimmon when it's really really ripe (as if it's about to collapse) and put it in the freezer. About an hour or two later scoop it out with a spoon and savor the creamy goodness, as if you were having a bowl of ice cream.

Mmmm mmm good!

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.

Top 10 Tips for a Fine-Tasting Turkey

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:33:00 GMT

Every year at Thanksgiving it's time to roast the big bird - turkey, that is. After 15 years of making Thanksgiving for my family, I've learned a trick or two, which I hope will help you. (For the full recipe, please go to the recipe section on my website.):

1. Buy the best bird you can afford. Better living conditions = better flavor and no need for brine. I usually go organic (of course!) and buy it from a farm or source I know and trust because I know the birds have been outside and therefore I get more flavor and nutrients like vitamins A and D. If you're financially strapped then try either game hens, just the turkey breast, a free-range bird from a local farmer or an organic turkey from a chain supermarket.

2. Don't stuff the bird. Growing up in my family, this would have been considered sacrilege, but now that I'm cooking the turkey, I enjoy the shorter cooking time and juicier meat (and everybody loves it too). When you stuff a bird, it takes longer for the stuffing to come up to a safe temperature, so it's easy to overcook the meat. I simply make a wild rice & mushroom dressing on the side and bake it with extra melted butter on top...mmmm...

3. Oil the rack. Do this before you place the bird on top so the skin doesn't stick. Thank you.

4. Oven temperature: first high, then low. Calculate how much time you need to roast your turkey. When you buy it, the vendor - or the packaging - should tell you. The first 30 minutes should be at 425 degrees F then the rest of the time should go on at 325 degrees F.

5. Roast breast side down first, then flip it up. Use the power of gravity to get the juices flowing into the breast for the first 30 minutes at 425 F by having it face down. Then, when you go to turn the temp down to 325, flip it breast side up. How do I do it? With an old, clean pair of oven mitts used only for this purpose. Simple as that.

6. Baste that bird! If you don't already have a separate kitchen timer (and with everything you'll have going on you'll need one) GET ONE. Baste the bird every 30 minutes using a large, shallow long spoon or turkey baster.

7. Place vegetables on the bottom of the turkey roasting pan. Make sure veggies are cut to approximately the same size and/or thickness - about 2"-3" long and no more than 1" thick - for even cooking. If you cut them too small they will burn, baby, burn. Veggies can include large whole garlic cloves, onion chunks, carrots and celery. This will make your gravy groova-licious!

8. Make homemade broth using the giblets. OMG, don't throw those giblets away! Make a nice-a broth-a with it on the top of the stove in a medium-sized saucepan while the turkey is roasting. Check out my site for more details and my totally delish, no-fail gravy recipe.

9. Take the temperature the last hour and half hour of cooking. Sometimes, turkeys can surprise us by being done early, especially if your oven is new or unfamiliar to you. Use a standard thermometer like the kind the sell at Ace Hardware and stick it into the thigh and breast. For temperatures and tips on when it's done, go to the Thanksgiving turkey recipe on my website.

10. Rest the bird before carving. Yes, the bird MUST rest for at least 20 minutes before you carve it. Why? It allows all those fabulous juices to seep into the meat in all the right places so that when you enjoy your first bite you and your guests will be ever-more-thankful for all your delicious effort.

For my Facebook friends, check out recipes, my blog and more at www.SandraKeros.com.