Real Food in Little Rock

Lara, Power, Energy Bars of Goodness

2013-05-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

My husband really likes to exercise (freak). The last nine months or so he's been cycling and finding that he needs a source of nutrition on the longer rides. Last week he asked if I could make some energy bars.

Big mistake.

These things are so yummy in my tummy. I could eat the whole pan. It is taking every ounce of self control that I can muster not to polish them off before he gets home from work.

There are a bajillion recipes out there. I started by looking at a few then scoured my pantry for goods on hand and this is the recipe for today.

In a food processor, put everything in at once:

1 cup dates

1/2 cup craisins

3/4 cup almonds

1/4-1/2 cup walnuts

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

3/4 t sea salt (really, to taste - my man wanted them saltier because he needs the electrolytes on the longer rides)

Give it all a whirl until it looks like it will stick together. Line 8x8 pan with parchment or wax paper then press mixture into the pan and refrigerate.

At room temperature it is a bit crumbly. I'm wondering how this snack will transport. Rolling the goodness into a ball might be a better option.

You have been warned, though. These are serious good.

-Julie

Homemade BBQ Sauce & Other Summer Party Foods

2013-05-19T21:35:00.000-05:00

This weekend I threw a graduation party -complete with real food- for a friend. Late the night before the party I realized I needed barbecue sauce for the baked beans. Not wanting to rush to the store, I searched ye-ole-internet and found this recipe.

This was my first time making BBQ sauce and I definitely will make it again. I hate that most store bought sauces are too sweet and usually sweetened with corn syrup. I tweaked the recipe I found so that it went a little something like this:

1 cup vinegar*
6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup molasses (a bit of maple syrup or honey would be good, too)
2 teaspoons each cumin, garlic powder, and black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
sprinkle of paprika or cayenne for a kick
salt to taste

Mix together, taste, adjust seasonings then let sit at room temperature at least one hour before refrigerating.

*I used 1/2 c white, 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar (ACV). The next time I make this I will use all ACV. White vinegar is cheap and I wasn't sure how this BBQ sauce would taste. I didn't want to use all ACV for the first trial.

What else did I serve at the party?

Chicken Salad Wraps (lettuce wraps)
Brown Rice Salad
Zippy Potato Salad
Pioneer Woman's Sheet Cake

To drink, I served two kinds of tea and strawberry mint water. The strawberry mint water was a crowd favorite. (I wish I'd taken a picture of the pitcher - it is also very pretty.) To make it, fill a pitcher 3/4 with water, then add frozen strawberries - either whole or halved, then add a generous handful of fresh mint from your yard. Add ice to top off the pitcher. The strawberries and mint add a hint of flavor but not over whelming. When the pitcher gets low, just add more water and ice - no need to add more berries or mint. I've also done this with slices of cucumber and mint.

-Julie

Oven Risotto

2013-04-29T15:20:00.001-05:00

For many reasons, it is a special time when babies are born. When my third child was born (almost 4 months ago!) someone brought us this meal. It is delicious! After emailing it to several of my close pals, I decided to post it here.

2 T butter
2.5 c chicken broth
1 c uncooked Arbrio Rice
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 t salt (or more if using homemade broth)
1/2 c baby bella mushrooms, chopped (I used the entire package)
2 c (or more) chopped cooked chicken (use a deli chicken to save time)
1-2 c shredded mozzarella
1 c (or more) cherry tomatoes, halved (I bought & used entire package)
1/4 c shredded basil or 4 heaping Tablespoons of pesto (I used pesto)

To prepare:
add broth and butter to 9x13 pan, stick in oven then
Preheat oven to 400
once hot, stir in next 4 ingredients (and pesto if using it).
Bake, covered for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and fluff with fork. Stir in chicken, cheese, tomatoes and basil (if not using pesto).

I like to cover again for 5 minutes so that tomatoes wilt a bit.

I've had this with basil and pesto and I think the pesto version is my favorite.
-Julie

Linky Love

2013-04-21T16:15:00.000-05:00

- If you're still not convinced, you must read this to find out why you should never eat canola oil or margarine.

- Trying to loose weight? Sugar, not fat exposed as deadly villain in obesity epidemic.

- Suffering from allergies? Here are 7 natural remedies for allergy relief.

- Anyone planning to go to the WAPF International conference in November? It's in Atlanta this year. (Road trip anyone?!) The theme is Curing the Incurable: Holistic Therapies for Chronic Disease. Take a peek at the schedule. Start saving your pennies. It is a worthwhile conference. Nutritionists and Registered Dietitians can get CEUs for attending.

-Julie

McSwain Ranch in Lonoke

2013-04-19T13:22:00.000-05:00

Pictures and story courtesy of Lyndsey Lewis.

Mike & Patti McSwain

A few years ago, Mike and Patti began reading and researching where and how our society gets its food. It started with the The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. “Everyone should own a copy of that book,” Patti insists.

This book, as well as works by Joel Salatin, Allan Nation, and Greg Judy, inspired the McSwains to rethink how they eat and what they could do to change things for the better. They had acres of underutilized pasture around their home. They had once toyed with the notion of boarding horses, but their new awareness of the farming industry persuaded them to raise animals for food instead.

This renaissance led to what is now McSwain Ranch in Lonoke, which provides beef to Central Arkansas’ upscale restaurants and lamb for ‘locavores’ and foodies from around the state. Now they are three years into their adventure with organic grass fed sheep and cattle farming. Using movable fencing, they use rotational grazing to keep their furry friends happy and well-fed with fresh grass.

Mike and Patti love sharing their passion for natural, healthy food and would love to give you a personal tour. You can learn about the underground water system that has been installed in the pastures and how they were awarded federal grants to pursue natural cattle and sheep farming.

Also lambing season (March and April) is in full swing, so it would make for a great family field trip. Don’t be surprised if you get to help out wrangling sheep or get treated to an impromptu jazz concert inside their cozy cabin while visiting. They are a welcoming and joyful couple, full of pleasant surprises. Call Mike (501) 676-1572 or Patti (501) 681-1782 to schedule your tour.

To learn about other farms in Arkansas that we've highlighted, click here or the label in the right column titled "Meet Your Farmers."

Governor Beebe Signs Raw Milk Bill

2013-04-13T13:19:00.001-05:00

image

A big shout out goes to Representative Randy Alexander! Thanks in part to his courage and perseverance, the raw milk bill has been signed by Arkansas Governor Beebe. Thanks also goes to every person who contacted their legislator(s) on behalf of food freedom. The details of the bill can be read here.

So when does the sale of fresh milk become legal?

A friend of mine explained:

...all enacted legislation takes effect (in Arkansas) 90 days following the adjournment of the session. As I understand the session ends on April 19th. If I am counting correctly, that would mean farm fresh milk prohibition officially ends July 18, 2013.

Anyone a friend of the Arkansas Raw Milk Facebook Page may continue to find ongoing information and resource there.

-Julie

PS - if you wonder what all the fuss is about raw milk and why it is so wonderful, go here.

Tips for Making a Green Salad - Fast!

2013-04-12T10:44:00.000-05:00

Spring is salad season. At the farmers markets you will find luscious lettuce leaves to don your dinner plate.

I like eating salad as long as it's not boring. Translation: there has to be variety in flavor. However, variety in flavor usually translates to work. Because I want to minimize work, I've found some short cuts for making a salad fast. Maybe this is my version of batch cooking with fresh veggies.

1. Prepare lettuce all at once.

My salad spinner gets a work out in the spring. When I bring home lettuce, it is rinsed and rough chopped. Store either in a plastic bag or bowl with a lid in the fridge. Keeping the air out will keep your lettuce from wilting. I like to toss in a paper towel to absorb extra water.

2. Chop everything at one time.

This may seem like a no-brainer out there to most of you, but I just made this discovery recently. Chopping the entire bunch of green onions ensures they get used because the work is done. We love green onions on most everything. Bonus: onions are prebiotics and good for gut health.

My husband loves green olives on his salad. I could take or leave them. Usually they get left off salads because I'm too lazy to chop one. more. thing. This week I chopped a whole jar at once for future salads.

I used to dread making salads because I'd have to clean up a huge mess (after myself). Grating a carrot is so messy! So, I pulled out my food processor and grated a whole pound of carrots. Just be warned, grated carrots will spoil quickly (about 5 days).

Other salad toppings:

-grated cheese

-red bell pepper

-lacto fermented banana peppers

-cucumbers

-nuts/seeds

3. Use lacto-fermented veggies on your salad.

This idea came from my new friend, Brandy. When she gave me a jar of lacto-fermented ginger carrots, she said, "I just sprinkle a few on my salad." Genius. I get more probiotics in my diet and this solved the problem above (that raw grated carrots spoil quickly). After I gobbled up the jar she made, I made my own variation of dilly carrots with turnips from my FarmShare.

4. Make a giant batch of salad dressing.

This is my current favorite salad dressing (I double it). But also here is a yummy dressing and here is a recipe for ranch and honey mustard. Salad dressings are easy to make and very easy baby steps to take if you're beginning a real food journey.

What do you enjoy on a salad?

-Julie

Raw Milk Bill (HB 1536) Passes House & Senate, On To Governor's Office

2013-04-10T21:38:00.001-05:00

Normally I don't get excited about politics. But boy-howdy! The last few days have been, well, dare I say fun?!

It started last Friday (my birthday!) when I took 3 kids to the Capitol to sit in the House Agriculture Committee meeting to show our support for fresh milk. It passed 12 to 4 and we needed 11 votes to get out of the committee and on to the House floor. (It is worthy to note that the bill's sponsor, Representative Alexander, had never tasted fresh milk until this meeting - crazy, huh? Glad he's all for food freedom!)

Because it is near the end of the session, our legislators are working overtime. So they met the following day - yes, a Saturday - to pass HB 1536, the Raw Milk Bill, through the House of Representatives. Amidst a lot of debate here, our bill managed to make it out of the House with 60 votes for and 19 against. NOT BAD!

Then, the bill was sent to the Senate the very same day (Saturday)! Within an hour and a half from passing in the House, it was being read in the Senate. It was read twice (a bill can be read three times before a vote) and was sent to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development.

Yesterday the Senate Ag. Committee met. I heard it was a rather heated debate, but again fresh milk prevailed!

Today, HB 1536 was read on the Senate floor for the third time. It turned out to be the toughest vote yet. Several Senators were strongly opposed, but others went to bat for food freedom, and we are so grateful! A special thank you goes to Senator David Sanders who, literally, stood up for the bill, arguing that it is a good bill that gives regular people like you and me the freedom to choose what we eat. It was certainly a tight vote, ending up with 19 votes for and 11 against. (It needed 18 to pass.) But the good news is...it PASSED! Lori was there with her four raw milk-drinking children. How incredible is that? They were able to see democracy in action--from the VIP Room, no less--and served as living proof that real milk is both safe and healthful! (They were also in the House Ag. Committee meeting on Friday.)

The entire time, we've been sending emails and calling our legislators, telling them to vote for food freedom. Thank you to all of you who have encouraged us on Facebook or emailed us to let us know you are communicating with our legislators, too. Wow! Together we can make a difference! And we have. The passing of this bill is no small feat. It has been tried...and has failed before. I am confident one of the reasons it has made it so far is because so many people have communicated with our legislators. Thank you for speaking up for food freedom.

But we're NOT completely out of the woods yet.

The bill must now be signed into law by Governor Beebe. Please call his office 501-682-3687 or 501-682-2345 and let him know that you want food freedom in Arkansas and yummy fresh cow's milk. Or you can fill out something on this on-line form. My sources tell me that both Farm Bureau and the Department of Health are in opposition to this bill and will be in touch with the Governor. Let your voice be heard.

May food freedom ring in Arkansas,
Julie

Status on Raw Milk Bill - Please Take Action

2013-04-08T10:27:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, food freedom took another step forward. HB 1536 was passed in the House!

The bill may be heard tomorrow (Tuesday) in the Senate Agriculture Committee. There are 8 committee members and we need a YEA vote from 5 to get out of this committee.

Please contact these senators. Phone calls are most effective with this short of time, but emails are good too.

1. Bruce Holland - There are conflicting reports on his allegiance. He has said he will be in support of the bill to a constituent, however, he has close ties with Farm Bureau (which is in opposition of the bill).

Phone 479-996-0977
Email Bruce.Holland@senate.ar.gov

2. Bruce Maloch (pronounced MAL-ick)
Phone 501.682.2902 - the senate switchboard just ask to leave a message for him
Email bruce.maloch@senate.ar.gov

3. David Wyatt
Phone 870-613-3014
Email David.Wyatt@senate.ar.gov

4. David Sanders
Phone 501-682-6107 - the senate switchboard just ask to leave a message for him
Email davidjamessanders@gmail.com

5. Stephanie Flowers
Phone 870-535-1032
Email Stephanie.Flowers@senate.ar.gov

6. Jonathan Dismang
Phone 501-766-8220
Email dismang28@gmail.com

7. Ronald Caldwell
Phone 501-682-6107
Email ronald.caldwell@Senate.ar.gov

8. Alan Clark
Phone 501-262-3360
Email alan.clark@senate.ar.gov

Urgent: House to Hear "Raw Milk" Bill Tomorrow

2013-04-05T13:14:00.001-05:00

Today the House Agriculture Committee passed House Bill 1536 in favor of on-farm sales of raw milk in Arkansas. That's great news! But our work is not done yet. Now it goes before the entire House tomorrow (Saturday)!! So, NOW is the time to contact your respective Representatives! This is for all of Arkansas, so please spread the word.

The complete alphabetical list with contact information can be found here:

http://www.arkansashouse.org/members

If you are not sure who your Representative is, go here and enter your home address:

http://www.geostor.arkansas.gov/G6/Viewer.html

Please let him/her know you support what should be our constitutional right already--the freedom to eat or drink what we want and to purchase it from whom we want.

Don't forget to identify the bill as HB 1536 when corresponding with your Representative.

Farmers Markets Open

2013-04-03T11:18:00.000-05:00

The weather should be perfect for the opening day of the Certified Arkansas Farmers Market this Saturday in Argenta (North Little Rock.)

Last weekend, the Hillcrest Market was open - despite the rain.

The downtown Little Rock Market opens Tuesday, April 30.

Eye Exams for Babies

2013-03-27T14:48:00.000-05:00

Many optometrists do free vision exams for babies ages 6-12 months old through the InfantSEE program.

My baby is almost three months old and occasionally his eyes are crossed or are not aligned with each other. A quick internet search tells me that this is not abnormal, yet if this continues after four months of age I should check into it.

A friend of mine works as a private educator with children who struggle with learning and behavior. She told me that a vision exam by someone knowledgeable about visual development is a good idea for all children - not just those with crossed eyes. A lot of development depends on good vision – and the InfantSEE program makes such an exam free. [My friend recently wrote a blog post about vision and learning.]

Many times developmental optometrists are able to identify problems that pediatricians are not trained to observe. Dr. Franks in Bryant (phone: 501.847.9797) is one of the optometrists in central Arkansas who participates in the InfantSEE program. He is good with kids and does regular eye exams for babies. Because he is a developmental optometrist, he is trained to know exactly what visual skills are appropriate at what age.

As with most things, early intervention can make a big difference. If you have a baby -or know someone with a baby- please tell them about the InfantSEE program.

-Julie

Granola Bar Cookies

2013-03-17T20:43:00.001-05:00

Hello All! HB here with a yummy recipe that I came up with all by myself! I made these cookies about three weeks ago for the first time. Julie and my Ma both tried them and were instantly hooked. Most importantly, my hubby lurves them. I was going for a granola bar alternative that was simple and makes a lot at one time. Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Granola Bar Cookies

1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, softened

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, muscavado, or sucanat

6 eggs

2 cups peanut butter (natural or regular)

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups regular oats (not minute oats, gluten free oats work great too)

2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup raisins

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup pecans, chopped

Cream butter or oil in mixer, gradually add sugar and honey beating well, add eggs till blended well, add peanut butter, vanilla , soda, and salt. Stir in oats, chips, raisins, coconut, pecans, mix well. Drop in 2 tablespoonfuls per cookie on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes till lightly golden. Cool for about 3 minutes on cookie sheets and then transfer to cooling racks. Makes 48 cookies.

A few tips: these are even better if the dough has been chilled for an hour more. Julie used an ice cream scoop to dole out her cookies. These could definitely be made with quite a bit less sugar, but I would not skimp on the honey. These are also yummy with craisins. Coconut oil makes a thinner cookie if the dough is not chilled.

Freedom for Real Food

2013-03-12T15:13:00.000-05:00

Joel Salatin has some witty quotes. This is one of my favorites:

"We don't need a law against McDonald's or a law against slaughterhouse abuse -- we ask for too much salvation by legislation. All we need to do is empower individuals with the right philosophy and the right information to opt out en masse."

On Friday, March 15, HB 1536 will be heard by the Arkansas House Agriculture Committee to allow unpasteurized milk and incidental sales from the farm.

Even if you do not drink unpasteurized milk or live in Arkansas, please take action for the sake of food freedom.

Go to the hearing (9am Room 138 Arkansas House) or simply email the committee members*. Let your voice be heard for food freedom. We don't need salvation by legislation. Keep the government out of our food.

-Julie

*Copy and paste the committee member email addresses into a new email. My email said: As a drinker of raw milk, a supporter of food freedom, and mother of 3 small children, I ask that you support HB 1536.

randy.alexander@arkansashouse.org;matthew.shepherd@arkansashouse.org; nate.steel@arkansashouse.org; ewmccrary@sbcglobal.net;jcedwardslaw@aol.com; Stephen.Meeks@arkansashouse.org; greg@gregleding.com; l_jean@sbcglobal.net;homer.lenderman@arkansashouse.org; kelley@kelleylinck.com; Jon.Eubanks@arkansashouse.org;davidlbranscum@hotmail.com; Sheilla.Lampkin@arkansashouse.org; jamesratliff3468@yahoo.com;jeremy@growing45.com; tt4rep@att.net; douglasforarkansas@yahoo.com; stephen.magie@arkansashouse.org;joe.jett@arkansashouse.org; bob@bobballinger.com; dan-douglas@sbcglobal.net

Nourishing Meals: Pizza, Kale, Liver and Steak

2013-02-14T22:57:00.001-06:00

HB here. I hosted a little get together tonight in honor of my son learning to read. The kiddos each made their own pizzas and had a ball! I got brave and decided to try this pizza crust recipe. The dough did need just a smidge of white flour when it was time to knead it (maybe 1/2 a cup). I have tried many wheat crust recipes and I have to say that this one is the best I've tried. You can easily do this in a Kitchenaid stand mixer or a Bosch. It is definitely doable by hand, but will be messy because the dough is more wet than a bread dough would be. You can see in the pic above that I rolled the crust fairly thin and I think this was definitely a good move. Be sure to sprinkle corn meal on your pan before baking.

Monday night, I decided to take the bull by the horns and cook up some beef liver. Oh yes I did. I have Julia Child to thank. I can't post the recipe tonight, but I will soon. It was super simple and I made some of the best potatoes I have ever eaten to go with it (another Julia recipe that I will post asap). I also fixed a couple different salads with lettuce and kale from Kellogg Valley Farm. The kale salad is similar to the kale salad at the salad bar at Whole Foods. Here is the recipe as best I can figure:

Kale Salad
4 cups fresh kale (I remove stems) torn into bite size pieces
1/2 cup (more or less) EVOO
2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 generous dashes red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chili powder
real salt, season to taste

Combine the above ingredients and stir well. Correct seasonings as you like. This salad keeps for 24 hours in the fridge. It is so yum mixed with a traditional lettuce salad and topped with blue cheese dressing. I also like to eat this salad as is and top it with a handful of crumbled goat cheese.

And, last night, I fixed steaks. They were Kansas City Strip steaks from Falling Sky Farm and they were delicious. Recipe:

Steaks in the Skillet
2- 1" thick steaks
salt, pepper, any other seasonings you like (I used Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning Mix)
8 tablespoons butter, divided

Heat oven to 500. Generously season steaks on both sides. Pat dry beforehand if you are feeling ambitious. Heat skillet with four tablespoons butter till butter is nearly smoky. Saute steaks on both sides for 3-4 minutes each. Transfer steaks and skillet to hot oven. Bake for about 7-8 minutes, turning steaks halfway through baking. Check for doneness. Ours were very pink in the middle and nice and crisp on the outside (i.e. almost perfect!). Remove to a large plate, dot with remaining butter, tent with foil 5-10 minutes. I encourage you to really play with this recipe till you perfect it. I have also used this method to cook flatiron steaks and they turn out great every time. The key is to check for the right amount of doneness and not overcook the meat.

What's cooking at your house this week? I'd love to hear.

Reader's Question: Where to Get Eggs?

2013-02-03T16:31:00.002-06:00

Frequently I (Julie) am asked, "Where can I find pastured eggs?" Today I received such a question and typed out a fast response then decided to post it here. I'd love to hear in the comments where you source your eggs. This is the time of year when it can be a challenge to find a good egg.

Options for finding pastured eggs in central Arkansas:

1. I get mine through a "farm share." I think I've told you about picking up my veggies once a week. I also get a dozen eggs. I can't remember what I paid for the egg share, but I think it averages out to be about $4.50/doz. The good thing about buying an "egg share" is that you've got first dibs on eggs...which are sometimes hard to find this time of year. (Because the days are shorter and temps are lower, the girls just aren't as productive....)

2. You can buy from an on-line farmers' market like this one (pick up Saturday) or this one and pick up is Wednesday.

3. Find a neighbor who raises chickens.

4. I saw today at Whole Foods organic eggs from chickens on pasture.

The key to healthy eggs is for the hens to have access to real bugs and green grass...this is where the good vitamins and minerals are. The egg cartons that say "free range" or "cage free" are probably from chickens squished into a nasty smelling warehouse. This article gives more details.

Related Links:
Apples to Apples or Eggs to Eggs - Not All Eggs Are Created Equal - This is an article I wrote to try to convince you to take the time to find a quality egg source AND to pay more for quality protein.

Where Do You Get Your Eggs? - Lisa Lipe wrote this egg-celent and informative article on the importance of knowing your grower and finding a quality source for eggs.

Probiotics Workshop in Conway

2013-01-31T11:25:00.001-06:00

My good friend, Diane Loftness, is teaching a probiotics workshop. Diane is well versed on traditional foods as she and her husband lived in Africa for several years. Their family has experienced healing on the GAPS diet and she has a wealth of knowledge on natural living. If you are curious about making probiotic foods in your kitchen, sign up for this workshop! - Julie

You are invited to a workshop on making probiotics foods for your family on Saturday, February 9th from 9-11 am. This is an opportunity taste a variety of lacto-fermented foods and to learn to ecoomically add probiotic, nutrient-dense food to your diet.

We will be making lacto-fermented sauerkraut and perhaps carrots, as well as making kombucha, and water kefir. We will also make lacto-fermented condiments like mayonaise, ketchup, and mustard.

This workshop will be at the home of Mari Beth Wheeler in Conway. There will be a limit of 15 participants. Cost is $25, non-refundable, in advance to hold your spot. Please email Mari Beth or Diane if you would like to participate.

Diane Loftness - dloftness AT gmail.com (501) 470-4097
Mari Beth Wheeler - mbwfirstgrade AT yahoo.com (501) 392-7120

Another Real Food Baby

2013-01-16T01:14:00.001-06:00

Last Friday, my husband and I welcomed our third child into the family, a son, weighing in at a whopping 10 pounds, 10 ounces. We named him Schaeffer Allen Majors.

If you want more details, click on over to my personal blog.

-Julie

Thermography Opportunity

2013-01-04T16:19:00.002-06:00

Because my mother has had breast cancer twice, my ob/gyn started recommending mammograms every other year when I was 35 years old. In addition, due to dense and cystic breasts, I have had 2 diagnostic mammograms. At only 46 years of age, I have had more mammograms than I am comfortable with and have become more and more convinced that this is putting me at a greater risk for breast cancer.

I initially learned about thermal imaging for breast cancer detection from Dr. Mercola. Thermal imaging is an FDA approved adjunct to mammograms in which infrared technology is used to detect areas of rapidly growing cells or inflammation. According to proponents, thermal imaging can detect breast cancer 8 to 10 years earlier than mammograms. Unfortunately, it is not currently covered by insurance plans and there is not yet a provider in Little Rock.

A few months ago, I decided it would be worth my effort and expense to have thermal breast imaging instead of additional mammograms. I asked thermal imaging technicians; Ron and Jeanine Jarvis of Body Scan for Health in Rogers, Arkansas; to come to Little Rock to do a weekend of thermal imaging which was hosted by Dr. John Vincent at the Wellness Revolution.

In November, Geanine Jarvis performed my first thermal imaging scan. I chose to have full body imaging, rather than just breast imaging. I was a little nervous and didn't quite know what to expect. My husband went with me to provide support (and to get to see neat technology - a big plus for him). Geanine made me feel very comfortable.

I spent 15 minutes in a cool (not cold) room in my hospital gown to get my body temperature right for the imaging. Then Geanine and my husband sat at a desk with a computer screen. I stood behind them with the thermal camera pointed at me. Geanine watched the screen and gave me directions about which areas of my body to uncover and how to stand. She was able to do that without turning to look at me (much more private than what I expected). Also, unlike mammograms, there is no contact involved in thermal imaging. We were all able to watch the images on the screen.

Geanine recorded the images so they could be sent to a physician's group to be read by a doctor. Approximately 2 weeks later I received a report along with copies of the images and recommendations. One recommendation was to get a 3 month follow up on my breast imaging so a baseline can be established. If there is no change in the patterns in my breasts after my follow-up, then I can continue with annual imaging.

Ron and Geanine are returning to Little Rock on Feb. 1st to do follow-ups and first time imaging. Breast imaging is $199. Imaging for other body parts or full body varies. If you are interested in making an appointment or finding out more, please e-mail your phone number to me, Lisa Lipe (lisa8 AT sbcglobal DOT net). I would be glad to provide additional information and/or schedule you for an imaging appointment. Spaces are very limited so contact me as soon as possible.

Lisa

Party Food for Real Food Lovers

2012-12-13T21:03:00.001-06:00

My husband was slated to bring "a salad" type of hor d'ourve to his daytime office party. Being that I am GREAT with child and don't wanna be standing in the kitchen, I made a super easy appetizer for him to take: olives.

They're red and green, festive right? Those colors are for the season...right?

And because I was feeling all Martha Stewart-ish, I decided to arrange them all fancy and in a spiffy Pyrex dish. Just kidding.

These would have been cuter but a bit more time consuming.

If you're going to a more intimate party and are willing to spend a bit more for appetizers, or just want to impress, salmon roe is a tasty nutritious treat. Below we ate Ikura from Vital Choice on a cracker with cream cheese and green onions.

Other types of caviar can be found at Whole Foods (Call ahead to check for availability; I wouldn't make a special trip because it is not always in stock. Ask about it at the deli.)

-Julie

Warm Winter Salad with Arugula, Beets, and Sweet Potatoes

2012-12-07T21:07:00.002-06:00

I wanna slap myself. This salad was so good. It was a combination of this recipe and this one. Most of the ingredients are in season and can be found locally.

This is how I made it for 2 dinner sized portions. Yes, it is a bit time consuming but oh-so-delicious and worth it, if it is the main course. Grocery list is at the bottom of my ~~tutorial~~ recipe.

Preheat oven to 400*.

Beets

Remove greens from one bunch of beets, saving greens - they are a powerhouse of nutrition! Use vegetable peeler to remove rough outer skin from beets. You could also use a paring knife. Chop beets into equal sizes, mine were roughly 3/4 inches, cubed. Put beet cubes in a bowl and pour 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over them, sprinkling some kosher salt on them.

Sweet Potatoes

Peel 2 small sweet potatoes or one large one then chop into equal sized cubes. It helps if they are the same size as the beets so that everything roasts at the same rate. Add the sweet potatoes to the bowl of beets and stir them around in the olive oil, add more oil if necessary to coat the potatoes. I had 2 small sweet potatoes that I'd previously roasted in the fridge so I just re-heated them the last 10 minutes with the beets.

Roast beets and sweet potatoes 20-30 minutes in 400* oven, stirring once or twice. I used parchment paper on my cookie sheet so that clean up would be faster. If you don't have green onions (see below) you could also roast some onions during this step - red or sweet onions would be my preference.

Walnuts

In the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, make room for toasting some nuts to sprinkle on the salad. I used a generous 1/2 cup of walnuts, but pecans or hazelnuts would be yum. Just scoot the veggies enough the side to make enough room for the nuts to get toasty brown. Watch them - they will burn quickly!

[You could roast veggies and toast nuts a day or so in advance, just reheat the veggies before serving.]

When everything is roasted, pull it out of the oven to cool. After 5-10 minutes, shred some parmesan cheese on the veggies. My portion of cheese was quite small (there's a cheese eating mouse in the family!) At least 2 ounces of cheese would be nice and of course you can omit it completely. If you omit the cheese, you will probably want to add salt to the dressing.

While things are getting roasted, turn your attention to the greens from the beets you saved. Start a pot of water boiling on the stove. Rinse the dirt from the greens and remove woody stems (I fold the leaf and cut the stem out with a knife). Give it a rough chop. When the water has come to a boil, toss in a bit of salt (1/2 teaspoon?) then your greens. Set the timer for one minute then pour greens into a strainer. Once the majority of the water has drained off the greens, transfer wilted greens to a bowl and pour a bit of dressing over them, recipe below.

In a measuring cup, whisk the dressing together:

1/2 orange, squeezed (or 2+ ounces orange juice or omit completely and just add more vinegar)

2-3 ounces of balsamic vinegar - or other tasty vinegar

1-2 T honey, depending on your sweet tooth

1 T mustard, I used spicy

3+ ounces olive oil

In a large serving bowl, rough chop giant handful or more of arugula. Add 2-3 green onions, chopped. Then add your warm beets, sweet potatoes, and walnuts. Toss the remaining salad dressing on top. Add more parmesan cheese if you'd like.

On the dinner table, I kept the warm greens separately and served them on the bottom of the salad plate. Don't ask why, it just seemed to make sense at the time. I suppose you could toss everything all together in one big bowl.

Grocery List

One bunch of beets, with greens

1-2 sweet potatoes

1/2 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.)

onions: 2-3 green (raw) or 1/2 red or sweet onion for roasting

parmesan cheese or other hard cheese, 2 ounces

arugula, giant handful or more

1/2 orange or 2 ounces juice

balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

1-2 T honey

1 T spicy mustard

5 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

-Julie

Green Tomato Salsa

2012-11-28T16:34:00.002-06:00

I'm participating in the Arkansas Farmshare and in the last few weeks members been receiving green tomatoes. What the heck is one to do with green tomatoes? Yes, southerners, we can fry them. But have you made green tomato salsa?

Thank you, culinary expert and friend HB, for giving me the courage to try it. She made it first and let me taste. She knows I hate to try a new recipe only to have it flop. This one does not flop. I promise.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound green tomatoes, about 2-3
2 serrano peppers or 1 jalapeño pepper*, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves , heaping
1/2 teaspoon salt 
squeeze of lime or lemon juice
optional: 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse to combine and get juices flowing. Blend on low speed until a coarse puree is formed. Pour into a dish, taste and add more salt or lime if desired. Salsa can be thinned with a bit of water if desired.

For a milder salsa, remove the pepper seeds or reduce the number of peppers.

*I still have jalapeño peppers growing in my raised garden!
-Julie

Tips for Tasty Greens {+ Recipe!}

2012-11-04T20:36:00.000-06:00

Even though I've been on a real food journey for 8+ years, eating greens has only been a recent thing. Because they are packed full of vitamins and minerals I know I should be eating them. Fall is the time of year to snag you some...order on-line, even.

That said (being a newbie here), please feel free to leave comments or email me with your tips for tasty greens.

Here are a few of my tips for tasty greens:

1. Wash them thoroughly.
This will sound like a no brainer for some (but I like to skip steps when I can. This is a step that I've learned not to skip. *crunch*) Because greens are grown close to the ground and often in sandy soil, usually you'll find traces of dirt on the leaves - especially if you're buying them from a farmer. A salad spinner is a great tool for rinsing greens quickly, effectively and efficiently.

2. Remove woody stems.
Pictured below is kale, but the same method can be used with other greens. Fold the leaf in half and slice out the stem. You could use your hand for this, but I like using a knife. It can be time consuming, especially if you're stemming a huge batch. For those who are texture sensitive, this is a worthwhile step.

3. Cut or shred leaves in small bites.
This tip came to me last year after I proudly presented a pot of greens to a friend who had lived in Africa for 20+ years. Their family ate greens almost everyday. After her first bite my friend said, in a kind way, "Most people keep their greens in big pieces. Eating greens is all about the texture." Once I started to shred the leaves it made a HUGE TEXTURE DIFFERENCE. (Shredding could be defined as in 1/2 inch slices then also a cut perpendicular.) After she gave me that tip, I've been shredding ever since - it does make a difference.

4. Use a healthy, traditional fat - Saute your greens in bacon grease (from pastured pork), coconut oil, ghee, or butter. As was hammered home to me last year at the WAPF conference, our bodies need healthy fat to assimilate vitamins and minerals. If you're going through the motions to eat something healthy, be sure that your body can absorb these minerals - eat fat with every meal. Plus, fat just tastes good!

5. Add salt, pepper and other spices of choice.
Don't be afraid to experiment with the flava! I have a spice bottle of something like Ms. Dash (21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's) that I like to add to my greens. Also, if there is extra broth in my refrigerator, I have added a few tablespoons to the pan for flavor and moisture - not necessary but yumm-o.

6. Boil in salted water for a few minutes.
The recipe below calls for this method. But as I mentioned above, I like to skip steps so I usually just saute my greens for a bit longer and they turn out just fine.

My husband's birthday was this weekend so we tried this recipe and loved it. The coconut milk is not too pronounced. Very delicious, actually.
-Julie

Braised Greens in Coconut milk
compliments of Katie Short of Farm Girl Natural Foods

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs cooking greens, stemmed and rough chopped
- 2 tbl olive oil (or bacon grease)
- 1 small onion, thinly chopped
- ¾ c coconut milk
- 1 tbl lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add greens and cook 2 mins; drain well and set aside
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 mins. Add reserved greens, coconut milk and lemon juice, stir well and simmer until tender, 5-7 minutes more. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet...But Scary: What to Do with Halloween Candy

2012-10-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Reposted from October 2011.

So...what's got you shaking in your boots right about now?

Christmas shopping on the horizon?? Your neighbor's freaky Halloween displays?? ...OR the idea that in a few days your children might be bringing home a boatload of Halloween "goodies" and then proceeding to bounce off the walls right before your very eyes?! (Never mind possibly get sick.)

We parents sometimes laugh amongst ourselves about the sugar highs and the inevitable sugar crashes our children experience, as if there are no real lasting effects. However, refined sugar (the kind found in candy and other processed treats) is a bit more frightening than many of us realize. Just Google it...for quite the fright, indeed. (Here--I'll do it for ya.) Once you really start doing some research, you will want to run as far away from sugar as you can!

Speaking from personal experience, as one who was utterly and completely given over to an addiction to sugar, there are severe consequences over time. Was I addicted to sugar as a child? Of course, not! But, honestly, it was so readily available to me and any possible consequences so remote and seemingly far-fetched, that eating it as much as I did was simply NOT a big deal whatsoever. So I did. Thank you very much.

And now, at 37, I sincerely regret the life I once lived, nutritionally-speaking. Because NOW here I am with a damaged thyroid and fatigued adrenals, no thanks to the sweet stuff (among other things). If I could do it all over again, I would. But things don't usually work that way. So instead, I'm trying to train my kiddos to do better. To KNOW better. They will still have personal choices to make, of course, but they will be more educated than I was and are already far healthier--because they eat "real food" and their mean ol' mommy makes them avoid the sugars and corn syrups and other freaky substances found in all those brightly-colored, fun packages at the check-out line...or at the movies. (Resist, people, resist, no matter how cute they look when they beg!)

The truth is, though, we don't always resist. In fact, many times we're not even present when our children are offered the unfriendly fare. And candy-related holidays are certainly not the most helpful to us health-conscious parents. So, we recently polled our Facebook followers for ideas on what to do with the Halloween candy that ~~threatens to destroy our kids~~ could soon fill our kids' buckets. Well, we got a grand total of ONE response, by the way, which is probably an indication that we parents...ummmm...NEED some ideas. So we compiled a handful of options for you.

Top Ten Things to Do With Unwanted Candy:

1. Explain to your kids that there are men and women serving our country overseas, and then send a large family donation to the troops through Operation Shoebox. Or perhaps you have a personal favorite soldier!

Operation Shoebox

8360 E Highway 25

Belleview, FL 34420

Along the same vein, maybe your church supports foreign missionaries. Missionaries have kids, too, and they often don't "get" to partake of sweets as readily as we in the States do. You could put together a care package for them.

2. Lots of churches in central Arkansas participate in Operation Christmas Child, a ministry that sends Christmas packages to needy children all over the world, and could use candy to help fill their boxes. (Chocolate is not the best choice in this case, however.) If interested in this option, leave a comment and I'll get you the proper contact information. National Collection Week is November 12th through 19th.

3. There are other, more local, places to donate candy as well: Food banks, homeless shelters, battered women's shelters, schools, senior citizens' centers, or Dad's friendly office staff. ;) Just drop it off and wave a happy goodbye!

4. Save it until Christmas, use it to decorate a gingerbread house...and then give the house to a neighbor or friend.

5. Make a deal with your precious offspring: candy for money. (Toy shopping to follow.) I'm thinking this one could work year-round...

6. If your kids are young, you might manage to get away with hiding it and then hoping they'll just forget about it. It happens. *hangs head in shame*

7. But if that's too deceitful for you, there's always the "Halloween Fairy," the "Candy Fairy," the "Great Pumpkin," or whatever you want to call the one who comes to empty the gigantic bowls (cute trick-or-treat containers, paper bags, etc.) of Halloween candy and put a much-wanted toy or gift inside as a replacement. Convenient service, huh?

8. Have your very own mini-parade (no specific occasion necessary) through your neighborhood. Get all the neighborhood kids on board. Let them ride their bikes, pull their wagons, wear costumes, play instruments, maybe even decorate floats. Be sure to invite everyone to come out for the event. And then? Throw the candy to the onlookers and be done with it.

9. Run and hide. Seriously. Go somewhere entirely non-Halloween-related as a family. This way you avoid the crowds at your front door (and, by default, don't have to shop for them) and your children will have empty treat bags! Or...turn off your front lights, go to the back of the house, and hide there for a special family movie night with your own much-healthier, homemade treats like ice cream, caramel corn, or soaked cookies.

10. There's always the trash can.

One more friendly tip: If you DO give out "treats" at your own house to all the cute, masked door-knockers, do yourself a favor and give out non-candy treats so you won't have to deal with the leftovers. Things like stickers, bubbles, small toys, party-favor-type-doohickeys, or small bags of pretzels, trail-mix, popcorn, and small boxes of raisins.

Whatever you choose to do with the stuff, the key is in educating your children about making healthy choices and why it's important.

We'd love to hear any other creative ideas our readers may have!

LORI

Local Food All Year Long

2012-10-29T12:52:00.000-05:00

Frequently on the blog, I talk about taking baby steps. If you are looking for your next baby step, here's a challenge for you: buy something this week from online farmers' market described below. Sam Hedges, from ALFN, gives us the skinny. This is part II of what he started yesterday. - Julie

What is the Arkansas Local Food Network? That’s a question we, the network, ask ourselves all the time. Not because we have an identity crisis, but because we’ve always been an organization shaped by our community. A better question to ask may be, “What do you think we are?”

Formerly the Arkansas Sustainability Network, ALFN is a non-profit committed to growing healthy food locally, through our farms, gardens, communities, businesses, the whole shebang. We are small but strong in our community support and presence. Over the years we’ve supported a number of initiatives. A few more recent ones include our Community Fund (a small grant for community projects working on local food), the FRESH Local Food Directory (a community resource of Central Arkansas’ gardens, farms, markets, non-profits, and restaurants), and the Little Rock Local Food Tour (a walking-biking tour of Little Rock’s local food landscape). The truth, however, is that our local food landscape is changing and growing all the time, and so are we.

Year 'Round Online Farmers' Market
Our dearest project, our bread and butter, is the Local Food Club. It’s an online farmers’ market in which you, a member, order local meat, eggs, vegetables, fruit, herbs, cheese, jams, bread (and so on) on our locallygrown.net site, from Arkansas producers, and pick up the following Saturday or Monday at our headquarters in Christ Episcopal Church. You pay when you pickup (in case a grower over predicts his or her harvest and fails to fulfill all his or her orders), and enjoy your products at home. It’s that simple.

Online markets are a new and growing segment of the local food world, and they provide an interesting set of benefits for customers and growers.

Easy for Customers
First, as a customer, you have access to hundreds of locally grown products every week. All you have to do is click your mouse and pickup a few days later, and you have total control over what you put in your grocery bag. Your weekly meal plan can revolve around what is in season. Not sure what to do with all the okra you ordered? Check out the recipe page. If you are unfamiliar with a grower, check out the grower page to learn more about them.

Great for Growers
For our growers, an online market is an opportunity to easily sell their products without the need for their physical presence or the risk of low sales. Physical farmers’ markets are time-consuming for farmers, usually taking a whole day, and there’s no guarantee they’ll sell enough even to cover the cost of getting there. Of course, on the flipside, you get to meet the people behind the produce at a physical market. While our market is convenient, it lacks that level of meaningful encounter. You do still get to know our growers over time, through the things you buy from them, and the events we hold.

I like to say that our Food Club is for the serious local eater. By that I mean the person who stocks their kitchen week after week with locally grown fare, who’s changed the way they eat to reflect their values.

Which raises the question, “Why eat locally?”

There are a multitude of answers, and the truth is that every person finds his or her own reason. Let me share mine with you. There are few things more fundamental than food. The tradition of sharing a table and meal together is ancient. If you want to connect deeply with the people around you, food is the best way. Eating locally gives character and definition to the things that sustain you in a way that grocery stores will never be able to do. Your relationships come to define your kitchen. In a very real sense, I know my community because my food comes from my community. That isn’t to say that local tomatoes are noticeably better than grocery tomatoes (though really, they are) or that Arkansas, pasture-raised pork is obviously the only way to go. It’s just that eating locally is noticeably better than eating any other way.

Eating locally can be tough. You have to accept limitations. Seasonality, availability. It takes patience, and you’ll have to force yourself to cook even when you don’t want to. But these small annoyances get lost in the bigger tradeoff, of feeling connected, of feeling good about what you eat, of knowing the stories of your farmers and gardeners and neighbors. And we, the Arkansas Local Food Network, are here to make that as easy for you as possible. Step outside your door and see what’s growing!

-Sam Hedges
Arkansas Local Food Network

Live nearer to Conway? Here's the market link there.
Live nearer to Russellville? Click here.