Anybody who has seen Food Inc. or Fresh will recognize straight-talkin' farmer Joel Salatin. He's funny, outspoken, and knows his facts cold. So if you haven't seen him yet, you'll likely won't forget him once you have.
I'm hoping that just like Food Inc. and Fresh, we'll be hearing more hubaloo about his new film, American Meat. In it, he and other sustainability straight-talkers make a very convincing point about how old fashioned farming methods deliver better quality foods that taste better, add more jobs to the economy, and allow farmers a good living.
Make unwinding after a long day an indulgence with a bath of heavenly scented sea salts by Lotus Love Beauty. I just recently indulged with their sweetly scented Jasmine and Rose bath salts and completely let go of my stresses of the day.
They have a whole line of products in addition to their bath salts with fabulous fragrances that I never tire of - soaps, oils, lotions and candles - that are perfect for gift-giving to someone special or yourself. I find all of their scents alluring - there isn't one I wouldn't like (rare indeed!).
All of their products are handmade in small batches with pure and exotic oils and non-toxic ingredients; the quality is apparent with each scented use. As a company, they give a portion of their proceeds back to communities in need through The Shanti Project. Now that's an indulgence that makes you feel good and give back at the same time.
Want your face to have that sun-kissed glow without the burn?
Check out my newest little beauty secret - tinted moisturizer with SPF 30 by Juice Beauty. It evens out your skin tone and imparts a slight luminescence that makes your face glow beautifully.
This is how to make sure the color goes on evenly: Apply a dime-size dollop into the palm of your hand. Rub together to cover the insides of both hands then pat all over face, neck and decollete. Rub it in - being careful to only pat it in around the eyes - and voila! Glowing, sun-kissed skin.
You'll like what you see - and your friends will notice a very natural looking improvement - without doing anything drastically different to your routine. It comes in three shades: sheer (no color), sand (what I use) and tan.
There's no doubt about it ~ an integral part of what makes a healthy body is healthy food.
That's why it's so important to question where your food comes
from. Even at places like Whole Foods, who is trying to get better at
sourcing local ingredients, there's nothing like talking to the produce guy/gal who knows the farmer who grew the beets you're about to buy.
I grew up in the Detroit suburbs and as far as my parents know, the best place to shop was at our local Kroger supermarket. My parents told stories at the
dinner table about when they were growing up how they used to go
shopping at the baker, the butcher, the cheesemonger but that the
supermarket was a game-changer. Mom would go on about how chicken actually had flavor and that on any given night most people made pork roast.
Back in the '70's when we were growing up, my mom had very little
interaction with anybody at the supermarket during her weekly shopping
trips, as do most people now. Still to this day, most Americans are so
disconnected with where our food comes from. To many, this may not seem
like a problem...until you get the runaround with the healthcare system
(hey, that cured me!). That's why if you're like me and are open to the
fact that better food is a big part of the solution to our healthcare
woes, you have to question where your food comes from.
That's why my favorite place to shop - outside of my own garden and the local farmers' market - is at Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco. It's a true goldmine of fresh, healthy, DELICIOUS food. I don't know what I would do without it!
Every employee at Bi-Rite puts their heart and soul into sourcing and knowing about the very best foods and ingredients they sell. Their butchers know the farmers that provide their meat. They also know the fishmongers that bring in their local, sustainable fish. They know how to select the freshest fruits and vegetables and which farm they came from AND how far it is from the city. They know several tasty ways to cook different cuts of meat, types of fish or veggies too - all you have to do is ask.
That's right - just ask! No need to be afraid or stumble around how to make that rib roast - you can ask someone at Bi-Rite knows what they're talking about and cares enough to give you the right answer! Best of all, they are inspired to continue to educate themselves on what quality and types of ingredients are truly healthy and they strive to provide it in everything they sell. Dang, if you live in San Francisco you simply have to shop at this place at least once!
That's why I'm excited to endorse Bi-Rite's new book coming out with recipes and tips on how to shop wisely, which you can pre-order now. Check out the video below, and if you haven't already, by all means check out the store! Enjoy and let me know what your favorite place is to shop.
Bi-Rite market is at 3639 18th Street between Dolores & Guerrero in the Mission District of San Francisco. They are open from 9-9 seven days a week. (415) 241-9760
Well before I became a healthy foodie, I was a Gourmet
magazine groupie.
Recipes for how to make to-die-for pasta carbonara or luscious mocha brownies would make my eyes light
up and run to the grocery store. In my mind, Ruth Reichl sported superstar status, as a former restaurant reviewer for the New York Times in the '90s, Editor of Gourmet
magazine, and heartfelt food memoir author.
Even while I'm gluten- and
dairy-free and eating a lot healthier these days, I still love perusing pages of gorgeous food pictures and their
accompanying recipes. I love the love that goes into creating these recipes.
The few years up until Gourmet shut down in 2009, I was pleasantly surprised to see articles on current food issues, including the horrors of factory farming and the joys and trials of farmers entrenched in the back-to-farm movement. I wish that the other high profile food magazines that exist today would discuss those issues while featuring all of what we love, delicious food. Needless to say, I've been waiting patiently to see what Ruth would be up to next.
Well, I finally found out. Ruth is now involved with Gilt Taste, a spin-off of the online shopping site, Gilt Group. Gilt Taste is not supported by ads, rather, by the sales of artisanal, handcrafted food items that meet Ruth's discerning taste buds and sustainability qualifications. The site features the stories of people who create and grow food with recipe photos of such beauty and brilliancy that you will want to run out to get the ingredients to make them.
After all, the idea is to actually cook!
So peruse Gilt Taste and tell me what you think about it.
Have you seen this in your local supermarket? Cotton Candy flavored go-gurt tubes - yes, that's meant to be goat yogurt - that sail from your freezer right into your child's lunchbox. Puh-leeeze. My Greek heritage has been shaken to the core, my friends.
This weekend, check out the Farmers' Market at the Ferry Building where you and your family can experience goat products as they are intended to be enjoyed at the Goat Festival.
Redwood Hill Farm will have baby goats on display in the South Driveway (how cute! for kids & adults!), free samples of yummy goat products (mmm...) and you'll be able to talk face to face with producers on everything goat related.
Now that's one way to "get your goat"!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
San Francisco Ferry Building
Embarcadero
South Driveway Entrance Cooking demonstrations by local chefs to follow in kitchen area.
Sometimes you just wanna show off when someone you love is doing something so entertaining that they totally enjoy.
My big brother Bill is a self-taught, drumming musical genius who could never get enough of Rush in the '80s. Here he's just warming up with a buddy who happened to have a camcorder handy.
He started in the kitchen, of course. Mom's pots and pans were the precursor to what you'll see in the following video. Every sibling is different, of course. I guess I found my kitchen calling in a whole different way...
Because life can get hectic at home or on the road, I have found it invaluable to keep a monthly calendar just for my exercise routines.
Unlike prior years, I didn't carry my workout calendar habit forward for 2011 until I realized just how much I really missed the feeling of accomplishment I had every time I wrote down what I did.
At anytime I can assess - without judgment from anyone else - whether I need to kick myself in the pants for slacking off, more of a challenge because I'm bored, or need to lay off because I'm tired from overdoing it. Honesty and motivation...from one simple, little habit.
Now that I have downloaded monthly calendars for the rest of this year, I wanted to share the free download-able calendar that I use so that you can log your own workout journal in a binder or folder.
Remember, exercise outside as much as possible and enjoy whatever it is that you do!
With so many great movies up for the Oscars this year, what better way to vote for your favorite film than with food? Here are four recipes for you to try - whether you want to simulate the good/evil nature in the Black Swan with the Coconut Balsamic Dessert or herald the Wild West in True Grit with Seriously Delish BBQ Chicken Wings. Click on the links below for the recipes. Inception (Paris café) Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Egg
I'm excited to tell you that I am
writing a book about my health journey from pain to recovery, and
finally, freedom. Those of you who know me from cooking classes and
talks know that I am passionate about high-quality food. The reason for
that is simple: it gave me my life back.
For
four years I had visited a host of doctors, trying to figure out why I
had constant pain in the front of my hips. When I was finally diagnosed
with fibromyalgia and a list of other ailments, I was relieved to find a cause, but I didn't take the protocol very well.
The last thing I wanted to do was
change the way I ate - but with multiple food sensitivities, I knew I
had to do it. Eating healthy was a life-changing revelation to me. I
started eating for my body type and lost weight, looked younger and
became pain-free in six months.
Now, I need your help. There
are so many people who are sick and need inspiration to get healthy
again. Personal stories about overcoming health challenges can be a very
compelling way to do just that!
Do you or someone you know have a story you'd like to share?
I am looking for people who are
struggling firsthand with poor health, are in recovery, or have healed
themselves. It could be you, a friend, or a sister who had a health
challenge that wouldn't go away until a realization "clicked" and made
all the difference.
If you are not doing well health-wise, what is getting in the way of change?
If you are in recovery, what was
it that finally "clicked" for you, and what challenges are you facing
now - mental, physical, emotional, social?
If you have healed yourself, what
qualitative changes did you make with your food choices, preparation,
and approach to eating and wellness?
If you'd like to share a story so that others can gain from your experience, I want to hear from you.
With your permission, I may even want to share the story in my book. (I
will, of course, notify you first, and I am happy to keep your identity
private if you prefer.) Please include a telephone number or way for me
to contact you.
I'm hoping to have lots of stories
in by the end of the month. If you want to contribute but need more
time, just let me know. Together we can make a difference - to yourself
and someone you care about.
If you are not doing well health-wise, what is getting in the way of change?
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