Organically Inclined

Cooking Hacks - Cutting Cherry Tomatoes

2014-04-16T14:11:00.002-06:00

Making cooking from scratch just that much easier. -- Finding new innovative ways to make the excuse "I just don't have time", completely and utterly irrelevant.

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Chicken Coop Designed with Hay Bales

2014-04-15T12:53:00.001-06:00

This video gives you the basics on designing a chicken coop utilizing hay bales for insulation as well as allowing for easy maintenance.

Of course in my home town you can't have chickens within city limits, but should you be lucky enough to live somewhere this bylaw isn't in effect, you might find it interesting!

I know, this blog hasn't been active in quite a while. Life got a little bit busy. I'm not sure that I will be posting regularily or not, but I'm currently in Ecuador and there is just soooo much inspiration here.

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How to Eat a Pomegranate

2012-10-14T10:29:00.001-06:00

This might just be the most brilliant way to remove the seeds from a pomegranate. Ever. Now you don't have any excuses not to eat this incredibly healthy fruit!

-B

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Who Owns Who??

2012-05-24T08:33:00.000-06:00

When you come across a company that sells an amazing organic product, it always feels great to support them and their initiative. You're doing a great thing, helping out the little guys and doing your part to ensure that these products stay available to consumers.

But do you know who your money is actually going to? What company is actually standing behind the brand you thought you were supporting?

Watch this video to find out:

The list that Chef Guiliano talks about in the video can be found on his blog here: http://www.chefonamissionblog.com/2011/10/who-owns-who-in-organic-companies-who.html

I'm would never suggest that you stop purchasing product from the companies that are no longer independent, (are you kidding... Green & Black's chocolate is heavenly) -- after all you're still telling that behind-the-scenes company that you prefer the organic products much better than the swill that they are peddling. You're telling them that consumers are starting to wise up and that the market is there for these products.

That being said, it's important to know where your food is coming from; and who is really benefiting from the money you're spending. Don't think that just because there is a nice "How we got started" story behind the food, that it has stayed exactly the same. Do your research - choose who you want to support and don't wander around blindly. If your intention is to buy local, you'll want to make sure that is actually what you're doing.

Knowing that these companies have sold out, and knowing the practices of some of their new owners, it'll be hard to trust these products in the future. What concessions might be made to make the products cheaper to produce? Are the ingredients still being obtained from the same places or does the company have new suppliers?

The food industry is nothing if not shrouded in secrets; you have to be willing to ask these kinds of questions. If you don't, it won't be truth that you'll be fed.

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Juicing Adventures Vol 6. - Juicing Without Carrots

2012-04-15T13:25:00.000-06:00

For a long time I juiced with carrots every single day; they were the staple that I thought I absolutely needed. It wasn't until recently that I decided to become just a liiittle more daring. My attempts to juice tomatoes were so terrible that my next non-carrot attempt had me practically dreading what it would taste like.

Surprisingly, I came across a combination that was so good I actually had to force myself to start juicing carrots again!

The combination is super easy to drink, incredibly refreshing and oh-so-tasty.

My new favorite juice involves:
Several celery stalks
Zucchini
Mint
Apple
and a really good handful of spinach.

The resulting juice is a brilliant green and tastes great! Don't believe me? Then you'll just have to try it!!

What's your favorite juice creation?

Pictures via orchidgalore and nate steiner

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Product Feature: The Paper Potter

2012-03-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

While plant pots and peet moss definitely have their place, this ingenious little device is a unique alternative.

Use it to turn any old paper into biodegradable plant pots for your seedlings. Once your plants have reached the desired size, simply plant them in the ground, pot and all!

If planting is a family activity in your household, making these pots is something that even younger kids can help out with!

Instructions: (Borrowed from CleverBean)

1. Cut dry newspapers into strips (8cm x 57cm approx.)
2. Roll strip loosely around potter and roughly fold over excess paper.
3. Press potter onto base.
4. Remove pot & fill with growing medium.
5. Plant seedling or sow seeds directly.
6. Paper pot will biodegrade when transplanted to garden.
Pot is approx. 5 ½ inches high.

Find It On Amazon
Or CleverBean

This would be a great way to start your seedlings if you have an aquaponics setup; no pots to store when you're not sprouting!

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Soap Nuts!

2012-03-23T06:25:00.000-06:00

Mountain Rose Soap Nuts

When it comes to chemical-free cleaning, the soap nut (sometimes called the soap berry) is one of the best ways to go. The soap nuts contain something called saponin, which is a natural detergent. In water it works to free dirt and oils so it is especially great for laundry.

A few soap nuts in a mini cotton bag included in your laundry are all you need to achieve clean clothes without the chemicals. The soap nuts can be used more than once (they will start to disintegrate and lose color when they need to be replaced).

Only Green Soap Berry Dish Soap

I personally use a soap nut Dish Soap from Only Green (a Canadian Company), it works amazingly well, doesn't dry out my hands and is completely natural. I just add in a drop of essential oil into the water for scent.

I also use a few of their other Soap Berry Cleaners - their whole cleaning line is 15% off until March 31st so this is a great week to test them out!

Click Here to View Their Cleaners.

The Mountain Rose Soap Nuts, seen in the top photo, are one of the best deals I've seen. They are selling 1 lb of soap nuts for only $6.00. The easiest way to find them is to go to their website and search "Soap Nuts".

Mountain Rose has a great deal on if you buy your products in bulk - you will receive 10% off if you buy 5-9 lbs, 15% off for 10-25 lbs, 20% off for 25-49 lbs and 30% off for 50+ lbs! You can mix and match herbs/products for the discount but you need to buy your products in lbs for the discounts to apply. (ie. you could buy 4 lbs of mint and 1 lb of oregano for 15% off - but if you bought 1/2 lb of 10 different items you wouldn't receive a discount.) Their herbs are second to none, I would absolutely recommend taking advantage of this sale!

Before I get too off topic I should mention another company that I have recently stumbled across that sells Soap Nuts. Eco Nuts!

Their main focus is laundry detergent but they do sell a variety of other products as well! I haven't tried their products yet but they have been getting some absolutely amazing reviews. If you are interested in trying out what they have to offer you can use the coupon code "4558DBB6F6F8" to receive 5% off your order! Click on the image above to visit their website.

Thanks for tuning in and I hope your spring cleaning is chemical free!

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Juicing Adventures Vol. 5 - Tomatoes

2012-03-22T07:30:00.000-06:00

I finally got around to trying a concoction that I had been thinking about for weeks. I'd never juiced tomatoes and I really wanted to give it a try!

I think I was envisioning something like V8 or a caesar - what I got was not even remotely similar.

I juiced tomatoes, celery, zucchini, lime and oregano. In my head it was going to taste delicious. It didn't.

It was my first absolute disaster - I drank every bit of it as I couldn't bear to waste the vegetables, but I did it with my nose plugged. I'm not entirely sure what made it so terrible, or whether I just managed to pick the 5 things that were never meant to go together, but either way this is one concoction that you really don't want to try!

;)

Pictures via Muffet and cookbookman17

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Aquaponics (Videos Included)

2012-03-13T21:11:00.001-06:00

One of the facets of organic farming that I am most fascinated by is aquaponics. I'm not sure that there is a better or simpler way to grow large amounts of food in a small amount of space.

(This first video is just a brief summary of a DVD that gets into the nitty gritty - but it is still a great explanation of the basics!)

I think one of the more challenging parts might be finding a good source of organic fish food! Most people just tend to use whatever fish feed is readily available; but I would be hesitant to trust most sources without a great deal of research. I think the key would be to first choose your species and cultivate your own food that suits that species of fish. (A lot of fish feed contains corn; which as you may know, is more often than not genetically modified - and I doubt that many fish feed companies would bother purchasing organic corn!)

Tilapia are one of the most common fish grown in aquaponics; they can live off a diet of duckweed and apparently pretty much anything else including plants, worms, smaller fish, algae... no wonder they are one of the most preferred fish for aquaponics! (How nutritious your tilapia are is directly affected by what foods they eat!) Crazily enough I've never tried tilapia, but apparently they are one of the most mild fish out there.

I've watched about a million videos (teeeeny exaggeration) so far on aquaponics, fish ponds, and so on... I've only posted a fraction of them here; if anyone is interested let me know and I'll post some of the others that I enjoyed!

See you soon!

Photo via Kanu Hawaii

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From the mouths of babes...

2012-03-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

If a kid can recognize the truth about industrial farming and be willing to make the right choices to help change the current system; there is no excuse for anyone else.

I feel infinitely sorry for those who are so willing to see only what the corporations want them to see. Last time I checked, we weren't horses, to be led around with blinders on. We each have the ability to remove our blinders; I say kudos to this young gentlemen and to his family for being willing to not only remove theirs, but make an effort to share the knowledge with others.

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Blog Update!

2012-03-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

After yesterday's disappointment with the seed order I was a little bit miserable for a while. (My family would argue that my definition of miserable and theirs is slightly different.) I have since gotten over it and renewed my quest for inexpensive organic and non-GMO seeds that are in fact available in Canada. If you have an amazing supplier I would love to hear about it.

Next time I will wait to post until after the order has actually gone through. :P

The whole debacle, as minor as it was, got me thinking. I started wondering why I bother writing this blog, or if anyone that isn't in my immediate family actually reads it. The truth is I don't really know if anyone pays attention yet, and if not that's ok. Hopefully one day they will.

The reason I spend so much time on it, sharing things that I have found, is because I care. I care about what I put in my body, where things come from, what effect they have on the world, etc... And the best way to show you care, is to spread the word. If I can inspire one person to grow their own garden, or start asking questions, or even get interested in something, anything green... that would be fabulous.

I enjoy sharing the things I find; I spend a lot of time doing research, watching videos and reading... and it wouldn't be nearly as exciting to discover new things, if I couldn't share it.

If you have discovered something amazing, you're welcome to share it with me. I've recently added a 'Contact Me' tab in the navigation at the top of this blog, and you are always more than welcome to do so.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon!

Organic Non-GMO Seeds - Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers!

2012-03-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Gardening season is getting close, it's time to start sprouting and figuring out what plants are going to grace your garden this year. (I'm leaning towards ones that I can juice!)

It can be difficult to find organic, non-gmo seeds -- and when you do, the selection is often small and they are missing what you are looking for. Either that or you need to hand over an arm and a foot or two just to be able to pay for them! Luckily I stumbled across a seller of organic/heirloom seeds this week, and I'm pleased to report that they have a great selection at amazing prices! My family and I are currently putting together an order and we're sitting at 36 different types of plants with a few more sitting on the 'should we?' fence.

The company is Botanical Interests and they are based out of the US. Currently they only ship to the US and Canada.

EDIT (2:00PM MARCH 3RD 2011) : I JUST WENT TO POST MY ORDER AND WHEN I CHECKED OUT IT INFORMED ME THAT THEY ONLY SHIP TO U.S. ADDRESSES AT THIS TIME. I HAVE EMAILED THEM AND WILL POST AN UPDATE ONCE THEY RETURN MY EMAIL... I have decided to leave this post up until they do because it took me waaaaay too long to get it all written and set up. :P

They offer the standards, carrots, peas, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, etc... But they also have a selection of rather interesting plants as well. A few that we are getting include;

Organic Heirloom Cucumber Lemon Seeds

These guys here are cucumbers that look like lemons and that you eat like an apple!

With a description like that how can you NOT want to try them?

Me, my sister and my mother are all getting some to try. I have to post about them once they have grown!

Organic Heirloom Red Velvet Lettuce

This is a rather quickly maturing lettuce and one of the darkest burgundy lettuces out there. The tops of the leaves are red and the bottoms are green.

It's going to look great mixed in with the other greens in my garden! (And hopefully taste great too!)

Pepperoncini Greek Heirloom Pepper

These are the kinds of peppers that you find in salads (usually pickled), sandwiches and on pizzas. They are also amazing when pickled and tossed into a Caesar; the drink not the salad. The little bit of spice is MMMmmmmm good. They are great for people who like peppers but can't quite handle the hotness of jalapenos.

Plus they're just tasty!

Purple Petra Basil

I've never tried this type of basil before; I'm usually very picky and only use Italian Basil which is the deep green one with the wide leaves.

However this basil is supposed to be quite mild so I figure I'll grow it in with my flowers. It will look beautiful (I love purple), and I will have a chance to try it and determine if I like it!

Calendula Zeolights

These beautiful flowers are supposed to change color as they mature; transforming from an orange to a light pink! As an added bonus the petals can be eaten and are apparently great in salads and on sandwiches.

I love the idea of a flower bed that isn't just for looks...

A few of the other seeds I am excited about are the Organic Chamomile, Purple Alyssum (ground cover) and the drought tolerant flower mix!

They also offer packages of seeds that are put together to attract butterfly's, create a perennial garden, feed and attract bees, attract songbirds, etc...

You can find any of these collections (and many more) on their Flower Collections Page.

Click on any of the highlighted words to go right to the product they describe! :)

The individual product pages on the website have handy tips about harvesting, when and where to plant, plant characteristics and so on. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to get these seeds. I'll be sure to post about them when they come!!!

Botanical Interests is also currently hosting a competition for the best container garden - you have to send in your entry by October of this year. If you want to find out more you can visit their Contest Page.

Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed the post!

Garden photo via net_efekt

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Watch "Fresh" - Free Till March 3rd

2012-02-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

There is an incredible documentary that delves into the current world of industrial farming and the 'polyculture VS monoculture' issue. It shares innovative ideas and is just one more reason to change the way the world sees food. I definitely recommend taking the time to watch it.

The video can be found HERE.

One of the most important points in this video is this; "We are voting with our dollar." Meaning we're choosing what methods of food production stay, and which fade into history. Every time we buy food we are either saying "I care what I eat; I support local, organic grown produce and meat" or "I don't care, I just want cheap food - and it doesn't matter to me if the animals sit in their own shit or the grain is covered in harmful chemicals". And if you don't care, all you're going to get is cheap food. Food that is a blight on the planet, a sin towards nature and is condemning the future of our great planet earth.

You can support the farms that produce healthy animals and the people who actually care whether or not they are making quality food, or you can support the industry that only cares about 'more more more'. Whether you are doing it consciously or not, you're still voting with every dollar you spend.

So get educated. Learn. Share the information... and vote.

(It is only free till Saturday, March 3rd, so watch it now!!)

Photo via Martin Pettitt

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Juicing Adventures Vol. 4 - Ginger and Pears

2012-02-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

I've made a few new juicing friends over the last week; the first being ginger and the second pears.

I was hesitant to try pears as I'm not a fan of their gritty texture. I was afraid that would translate through into the juice. No such thing happened though, they juiced super well and my juice wasn't at all like chewing sand! HUZZAH! (It might have been a liiiittle bit thicker; it was hard to tell.)

Tip: Let your pears ripen until they are soft; they'll be sweeter AND juice better. What more could you want??

Now for ginger. Ginger definitely adds a nice little nip to the juice; you can feel the heat right away even if you can't taste the ginger flavor. (Which is great if you don't happen to like ginger.) I don't juice more than an inch of ginger, less if it's fat; I think the heat would detract from my enjoyment. However, some like it hot, so feel free to add whatever your heart desires.

I did a little test to see how ginger would taste in juice that didn't have any carrots, and to my surprise ginger, celery and apples is actually pretty good! It's a pretty green color, refreshing, the ginger masks much of the celery flavor and the ginger doesn't seem so hot with the celery so it's a good combination!

:)

Pictures via Albert K Law and SingChan

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Sears Canada - Organic Cotton

2012-02-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Sears Canada has organic cotton clothes?? I had no idea! Not only do they have it, but their prices are extremely decent. See below for some of their great selection.

(Left) Organic Pointelle Tank Top. This organic cotton tank top is form fitted and comes in four fabulous colors. $12.97
(Right) Organic Cotton T-Shirt. This shirt has spandex added in for a little stretch-ability. Comes in seven colors. $12.97

(Left) Organic Cotton Scoop Necked Tee. This slightly fitted tee comes in fourteen amazing colors and one striped design. $9.94
(Right) Organic Cotton V-neck Tee. Comes is fifteen colors and one striped design. $12.97

(Left) Organic Cotton Henley. Comes in three colors, semi fitted. $12.97
(Right) Organic Cotton Long-sleeved Henley. Semi-fitted. Available in seven colors. $14.97

(Left) Organic Cotton Long-sleeved Ribbed Tee. Semi-fitted. Available in six colors. $14.97
(Right) Organic Cotton Rib-Knit V-Neck Tee. Available in five colors. $4.94

(Left) Organic cotton wide waist-band legging. 3" Waistband, 29" inseam, elastane added for stretch. Available in three colors. $14.97
(Right) Organic Cuff Socks. Only available in black. $4.99 per pair.

The really neat part is that you can have your order shipped to a local Sear's retailer; this can cost you as little as $4 for shipping!! I made a quick phone call and asked them whether or not you can return the clothes to a local store or if you have to ship them back -- I was informed that if you ship the clothes to a store, then you are able to return them to that store if they don't fit! It's a win-win scenario!

I'm definitely going to be trying this out - I'll be sure to let you know how it goes and what the clothes are like when I get them!

Visit Sears Canada

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The Secret Life of Bees - Part 1

2012-02-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a little bit of time obsessing over bees, beehives, honey and all the goodness that comes from those fuzzy little buzzers. Not only are they very interesting creatures but they also produce some incredible (and tasty) products.

It would be very interesting to have a beehive of my own. I think as long as my protective suit was verrry protective, I wouldn't have any problems with it.

This following video deals with starting your own hive:

One of the many things I was curious about was how you can guarantee that your honey is organic; obviously it's possible or you wouldn't be able to purchase certified organic honey, right?

I found out that a 5 km radius of pesticide-free land was required around the hive. Even then the honey is still tested to ensure that no pesticides or environmental pollutants have snuck in. Therefor if I want to have a truly organic hive, I need to buy a rather large chunk of property or have amazing neighbors that are organically-inclined as well.

Did you know that an average hive contains 50,000 or more bees?! The good news is that honey bees aren't generally aggressive unless provoked.

Tune in to 'The Secret Life of Bees - Part 2' as we look into the various materials that bees produce and why humans harvest them.

Photo via Danny Chapman

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Supplements While Pregnant

2012-02-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a fair amount of time watching "Raw Food World TV" -- in the beginning it was because they live in Ecuador and I'm a little bit obsessed with the place; and then because I find them quite interesting, I have begun watching their other videos.

The show is about the owners of the company, the Monarchs. They are both very happy, healthy people who live on a completely raw food diet. Their lives are very natural which is something I deeply respect. They have opinions about the way life is supposed to be that while it isn't the norm, these opinions and ideas are becoming more widely accepted.

The video I have included in this post is them talking about the supplements and vitamins Angela took while pregnant with her beautiful daughter. They are some great alternatives to the drug-store variety that most people use. (Which tend to make you nauseous and you don't actually get all the benefits you want out of.)

I hope you enjoy the video, please feel free to leave any comments below!

All the products they talk about on their show can be found on their website; Raw Food World

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Juicing Adventures Vol. 3

2012-02-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

I tried something new today - for some reason I normally juice my orange first then move on to the apple, carrots and greens. In an effort to be a little more adventurous I juiced my greens first.

To juice them properly in my Jack Lalanne Power juicer, I roll them up (The lettuce, chard, purple kale, mint and beet tops) and I squish them between two celery sticks. The celery sticks hold them together as I push them into the chute, and the greens juice better than they would otherwise. As I've mentioned before, this juicer isn't the greatest for greens, but there are ways to make it work better.

I ended up with about a cup of green juice. And then I tasted it. I suppose I could have choked it down, but greens aren't really my favorite part of the whole 'vegetable'- ness, hense one of the reasons I am juicing. Next I added the lime, and tried it again. It was a little better, but still not easy to drink.

(At some point in the future I'm going to try juicing herbs with the greens and find out if any of them make them palatable.)

Next I added in one orange and a whole ton of carrots. The result was about four cups of juice that was MMMMMMmmmmm good. For some reason the carrots make anything easy to drink. Today was also the first day that I didn't have any apple. The only fruits were a lime and an orange.

I have started peeling the oranges, you don't have to do it nicely or remove all the skin, but it improves the flavour if you get rid of some. Limes and lemons that are mild don't need to be peeled. I find the orange skin just a little bit too overpowering in the juice.

I've been juicing for over a week and a half now, every morning, and I've definitely noticed a marked increase in my energy. I'm waking up a little easier, have more energy longer, and when I get home from work I'm not drop dead tired like I normally am. There is no way I'm going to stop juicing any time soon!

** As always, all fruits and vegetables being juiced are organic.

Pictures via Muffet and Rand_G

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A Cosmetic Tip!

2012-02-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

If you tend to experience break-outs along your hair line or in your hair; stop using hairspray for a few weeks and see what happens! That supper sticky substance clogs your pores and then BAM - nasty things start to erupt.

Cut out the crap and you might suddenly find that things start to clear up. Once they do, introduce chemical-free products back into your life one at a time; that way you'll know if your skin reacts to anything!

Picture via mary_thompson and Only Green

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Juicing Adventures Vol. 2

2012-02-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Never before have I had so many different kinds of vegetables in my fridge; it is packed from top to bottom with carrots, zuchini, lemons, limes, oranges, celery, apples, chard, lettuce, kale and beets. (All organic of course!) Chard and Kale have never even made it into my house before!

My daily juicings are all a little bit different. I don't measure or anything I just choose a quantity of fruit and vegetables and go with it! I have carrots in it every day and usually an apple or two but the rest is all interchangeable.

Yesterday I tried chard for the first time; unfortunately I made the mistake of tasting more or less straight chard juice; DISGUSTING!! I thought for sure that I had ruined my juice mixture; thankfully I only put one big chard stalk in and it completely blended in with the other juices. I don't think I will try more than one stalk at a time. But one stalk is more than I have ever eaten before!

Today I have a brilliant purple mixture of carrot, apple, orange, lettuce, lemon, zuchini, kale, chard, celery and beet. I put a rather large beet in, and I think it was a little too much. From now on I'll cut the beets in half. The earthy flavour, while amazing cooked and slathered in butter, doesn't taste as great with fresh fruit and veg. Though it sure looks pretty!

Have I noticed any changes so far? Well it has only been a week but I do think that I am a little more energetic; I was up 1.5 hours earlier than normal today and it felt like I woke up at my normal time. I didn't start to get really tired until after supper; so that's a plus!

See you next time!

Photos via John-Morgan and julie gibbons

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Let the Juicing Begin!

2012-02-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

Well it's official; I've done it! I picked up my very own juicer yesterday and it is my plan to add freshly made juice to my morning routine. I picked up the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer Ultimate from my local Costco. It cost $119.99 before tax.

Now it is far from the best juicer out there, but the price was something I could manage right now and does a good job for the price. Cleaning; as long as you do it right away before the pulp dries is actually a relatively easy process. Taking it apart and putting it together is also pretty simple.

(I'm drinking my freshly made juice as I'm typing this!)

My reasoning was also quite simple. I don't eat much in the way of fruit and vegetables, and certainly not as much as I should. I also eat a very small variety; It's not that I'm super picky, but I can't be bothered with a lot of them. I'm hoping that adding juice to my diet will ensure I get the nutrients that I need and as a by product give me more energy and (I'm crossing my fingers) help me lose a little weight as well.

Juice, for me, is much easier to consume than smoothies, because it isn't as thick, I can get down a lot more than I would otherwise. (This juicer produces quite a small amount of foam, which is a nice bonus.) It doesn't work very well on baby spinach, I think the leaves are too small so they just get whipped through. However I've found that if I mix the leaves in with the pulp and run in through in a ball, it does alright. Larger greens should work better; I plan on trying them soon.

So what I have juiced so far?

My current drink consists of:
Lots of Carrots (love them)
Apple (didn't peel or core it, but I found that even though they fit in the chute whole, they juice better when cut in half.)
Melon (I removed the seeds and cut the melon into slices; didn't peel. It juiced well.)
Baby Spinach

Yesterday included all the above except the melon, but there was also lemon, lime, beet and zucchini. I really liked it with the citrus, it really made it more refreshing. (Didn't need to peel as they were quite mild.)

I look forward to trying mint, baby bok choy, cucumber, tomatoes, etc...

Mmmmm - Juice!

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The Pomelo

2012-02-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

Also known as the Pummelo, Bali lemon, Limau besar, Buoi, shaddock, etc...

The pomelo is a citrus fruit, originating in Asia, and just a liiiiiiiiittle bit larger than your typical oranges. The pomelos that I have seen are about double the size of a regular grapefruit. They have ridiculously thick skin and an incredibly juicy and tasty interior.

Like a grapefuit, the color of the fruit inside varies; some are more greeny/yellow and some are more pink/red. I've heard that the pink ones are sweeter, but I haven't tried them myself yet so I can't really compare!

This fruit is great to test if you have a couple hours to waste or just want to spend a little quality time with the kids. You need to be prepared, especially the first time, for how long peeling this citrus will take.

I would suggest watching a few instructional videos to figure out a plan of attack. Merely clawing at it will take you hours. Obviously I should have done a little research BEFORE I undertook this particular adventure.

Peeling Method 1: (Note the music can be a little loud, you may want to turn it down.)

Peeling Method 2:

Note: The rind is bitter. Do not give into any temptations involving peeling the pomelo with your teeth. Please....

If you've peeled your first Pomelo and you're feeling rather confidant, why not take it to the next level and turn this unsuspecting fruit into a work of art!

Now, even though they remove it in the videos before eating it, the inner skin of the pomelo is what is supposed to contain the most nutrition; so if you really want to get the most out of it - eat the inner skin. The pomello is used in a variety of recipies for adding flavor to the food. If you are loath to toss the rind once it is peeled, then don't! Do a little research and you'll find a way to use up the whole thing. I've even heard of people cooking cornish hens inside a pomelo...

If you're interested in something sweet, check out this recipe for candied pomelo rind.

Thanks for stopping by -- see you soon!

Photos courtesy of John Loo.

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Raw Food World - Raw Products and Vilcabamba Ecuador

2012-01-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

I've known about the Raw Food World for a while, I know some people who only eat raw food and the whole idea definitely has a lot of merit. If I recall correctly my sister even has some fabulous recipies for raw dinners. (Yes, I mention my sister a lot. She's kinda my inspiration for everything I do that is organic/healthy.)

I hadn't really started paying attention to the Raw Food World products or anything until I began browsing the internet and stalking footage from Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Interestingly enough the Monarch's of Raw Food World (that's a last name, but how appropriate?!) now live in Ecuador on this gorgeous plot of land in Vilcabamba. Lucky? Yes....

They have a video series that they post regularly and since many of them are from/about Vilcabamba, I was pretty much guaranteed to come across them eventually. The one that caught my eye is the video in which they are visiting their new land for the very first time. Actually it was the garden that made me start to salivate, and so; I'll share it with you!

I know. It's stunning there. I can't look outside at the snow and dismal brown trees that grace my city, if I do... I might just tear up!

After watching the video I had to go and check out their website a little more fully. They have... a LOT of products. All raw, many of which are organic. In fact, there are 256 items that come up just when you search 'organic'. I couldn't tell you about their shipping costs, but I'd say they are definitely worth checking out.

As I was browsing around I came across a list of products that they are offering 'at-cost' this month. It's not just one or two items either, so I figured I should definitely share them with you!

If you're interested check out their 'at cost' specials. Cool right?

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go back to dreaming about a place where "I" can just go outside and pick my lunch...

Picture via marriedwithluggage

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Juicing!

2012-01-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks I have been debating whether or not to begin the adventure that is juicing. My sister has been juicing nearly every fruit/vegetable imaginable for ages and swears by it. I know for a fact that I don't eat nearly enough vegetables and I don't mind the juice that she makes! But, is juicing what "I" need?

I'm still deciding, but in the meantime I figured I would share some of the things that I am learning!

Why Should You Juice Vegetables?

Everyone knows that you're supposed to eat 6-8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. How often does that actually happen? I know personally I'm lucky if I eat that much in a day once a month! Juicing allows you to consume the benefits of all those vegetables in a single glass. It is way easier to get all those nutrients into your body.

Your body can absorb the nutrients more readily in juice form; so you're not wasting nearly as much.

You will end up eating a greater variety of fruits and vegetables than you normally would.

Juicing is also beneficial because it uses fresh uncooked fruits and veg. Once a food has been cooked it loses its micro-nutrients, but not if it has been juiced!

Does it really make a difference?

Everyone that I know that juices has told me that they feel more energetic, healthier, they recover more quickly when they get sick, etc... I've seen how much of a difference it makes in their lives and really believe that it does. I don't think so many people would go through the 'hassle' of it if they didn't find it beneficial.

Why juicing and not making smoothies?

I'm not 100% clear on whether or not there is a big difference between blending and juicing; except that some blenders can heat the food resulting in a loss of nutrients. For me, the choice is more personal. I enjoy smoothies but I cannot get them down very easily. I can drink a whole lot more juice because it isn't thick; so juicing would be a better choice for me.

So what is taking you so long to decide?

I 'know' that juicing would be a good idea; but I'm a pretty busy person. My biggest concern is whether or not I would have the time/inclination to do it. I have no desire to spend the money on a good juicer only to use it for a few days and decide it is too much of a hassle. You have to clean the juicer RIGHT away or it will mold, something you want to avoid at all costs. Will I have the time to do that?

The other fact is that there are an absolute ton of juicers out there. I personally want one that is as easy to clean as possible, and still gets the most out of the vegetables that it can. (Without being too expensive.)

One of these juicers is just over $100 - The other... over $300! That is a lot of money for me to invest before I figure out what I really need.

If you are thinking about juicing you should check out what Dr. Mercola has to say about it.

I'll keep you posted and share any new juicing information that I come across!

Thanks for stopping by!

Photos courtesy of mathiasbaert, rick and cbb4104

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Organically Inclined

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The Pomelo

Raw Food World - Raw Products and Vilcabamba Ecuador

Juicing!