By Dina Eliash Robinson

Water—clean, uncontaminated and fit to drink—is the world’s most precious, and increasingly scarce commodity. As the planet heats up and its population grows, we’re in danger of running out of this resource, upon which depends the survival of our entire ecosystem. To prevent us from sliding into a bleak “Mad Max” world, we must become super-smart in water use and conservation.

With the following Smart Water Management Tips, the Free Range Club is kicking off a friendly competition of ideas and practices that could help improve the ways we treat, recycle and purify H2O in our households, industries and public utilities. Top three winners of this competition will be rewarded with copies of our own Kitchen Shrink’s (a.k.a. Catharine Kaufman) latest (and delightfully illustrated), children’s book, featured on this site: “Joleen – The Adventures of a Junkfood Queen.”

• Buy Only Produce You Plan to Use Soon:
(1) Fruits and vegetables depend on, and consist mostly of water. The faster they get from farm to stove, oven or fridge, the more of their nutritional value, flavors and textures will be available for our consumption.

(2) Plan your meals around the fresh produce you buy that day.

(3) Buy only what, and as much as you have time to clean, cook, prepare or store within the next 24-36 hours.

(4) Shop for fresh produce just before your frozen foods and perishable fresh meats, fish and other seafood. And don’t leave these in the car while you run other errands.

• Water-Miser Produce Cleaning:
(1) At home, put the bags of leafy vegetables in the fridge temporarily, so they won’t wilt while you wash the rest of the produce.

(2) Put any berries you bought on the top shelf of your fridge. Berries are the only produce that should not be pre-washed. When you want some, take out only the amounts you plan to eat right away; dunk them into a small bowl of water with a squirt of liquid Eucalyptus Pure Castile soap; gently swish them around with your fingers; pour it all into a small colander or sieve and rinse well under the faucet with a moderate spray (if you have the sprinkle setting on your faucet) of cold water. Berries are now ready to eat—on their own, or in cereals, yogurt, etc.

(3) For grapes and cherry tomatoes, fill the appropriate size bowl with cold water; add a generous squirt of liquid Eucalyptus Pure Castile soap; add grapes and cherry tomatoes; wash gently with your hands; transfer to another bowl with clean cold water and rinse well; repeat this, then put grapes and cherry tomatoes into a colander and rinse well again under cold water, using the sprinkle setting. Next, stand the colander on a rack or plate where the water can drain and let the produce drip and dry till morning. Dry remaining water by dabbing gently with dish- or paper towel; transfer grapes into one bowl, tomatoes into another and refrigerate, so you can just reach for a handful when you want it. They keep well for a week or more.

(4) Put all your fruits and non-leafy veggies that have skin (but NOT the berries, grapes or cherry tomatoes) into a clean sink. Fill it with enough cold water to cover them; turn off the faucet; add ¼ cup of liquid Eucalyptus Pure Castile soap; and using a clean sponge—preferably a Dobie pad—scrub separately each fruit and veggie, applying more pressure to those with tough skins (bananas, apples, oranges, avocadoes, potatoes, etc.) and less to delicate ones (tomatoes, zucchini, etc.).
Note: Be careful not to break their skins—but if you do, rinse those off right after scrubbing, dry with dish- or paper-towel, put them on a plate and store in the fridge, to be used before the rest.

(5) Next, let the water out of the sink and rinse well both sink and produce with a cold spray from the faucet. (Castile soap rinses off very easily, leaving the produce squeaky clean, with no soapy residue.)

Place the produce into an empty dish-rack or big colander to dry overnight. If it’s not completely dry by the morning, wipe with dish- or paper towel, store bananas in a paper-towel-lined basket or on a banana rack; leave unripe produce (avocadoes, oranges, etc.) in a colander or bowl, away from heat until ripe enough to be refrigerated; and store ready-to-eat fruit, tomatoes and salad veggies in your refrigerator’s produce drawer. This way they’ll keep for two or more weeks and are always ready to eat when you reach for them.

(6) Repeat the above process with the leafy veggies (lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, etc.), rinsing the leaves in small batches under the faucet if necessary. If you have a salad spinner, use it for your salad greens, then store them in clean plastic bags on the top (least cold) shelf of your refrigerator. Put leafy cooking veggies into a colander to let most of the water drip down—but make sure you cook them within an hour after they’re washed.

Advantages of above system are that it protects health and saves both water and time. It’s easy to check the following B & C. Health effects (A) take longer to show.
(A) Putting only clean produce into your refrigerator protects your and your family’s health from bacteria and, if any of the produce is not organic, from pesticide residues which can also transfer to other foods.
(B) It saves water. You may not realize it, but if you take an unwashed fruit out of the fridge, you’ll run more water to wash it than you would use on a batch of produce. Plus, people in a hurry do a poor job of washing whatever they grab out of the refrigerator on the fly.
(C) It takes much more time to wash individual produce items than taking care of this chore all at once.

A Point Worth Dwelling On: Far more valuable than diamonds and gold, H2O is the main component of living organisms—our bodies included—and thus the source of all nourishment and breathable air. More wars, economic stresses, political shenanigans and health crises have been triggered throughout history by the need to have, protect and control water than any other resource. Even wild animals that often go hungry to avoid danger, will brave it when thirsty by joining predators for a drink. The need for water is so well understood in the wild that predators and prey usually observe a truce while slacking their thirst at the same water hole.

Being smart about water also means to protect it from pollution and finding new technologies to remove agricultural, industrial and pharmaceutical toxins that continue to leach into our rivers, streams, oceans and groundwater. Any ideas?

Join the Smart Water Management Tips contest by e-mailing us your ideas at dinatalk@gmail.com

by Catharine L. Kaufman—a.k.a. The Kitchen Shrink

Here in California, summer overwhelms us with bountiful vegetables and fruits—including nutrition-packed avocados. These awesome green beauties—or at least the seven locally grown varieties which range from the buttery-textured and smoky flavored Hass (also known as ‘alligator pears)’ to the less dense, smooth-skinned and creamy Bacon or Reed variety—are practically royalty among the state’s many competing plant treasures.

Although the avocado’s historical roots go back to circa 7000 B.C., in south-central Mexico, the popular Hass has more recent California origins. The “mother tree” was planted by mail carrier and amateur horticulturalist Rudolph Hass in the 1920’s, in his modest La Habra Heights grove. Through serendipity, it grew a fruit with an unusual dark, knobby shell and a rich, succulent texture and flavor.

The tree was only 76 years old when, sadly, it was felled by a terminal case of root rot. Luckily, its legacy—the fruit that bears Hass’ name—not only continues to thrive, but has become the most important commercially grown avocado variety. It accounts for 80 percent of the global avocado market and 95 percent of California’s avocado production. The remaining five percent is shared by the state’s other six strains: the Bacon, Fuerte, Gwen, Pinkerton, Reed and Zutano avocados. It should be noted that the smooth-skinned Bacon is favored by many who prefer its usually more generous size, subtle and nutty flavor, and creamy but lighter flesh which tends to keep its pale color longer in the refrigerator.

Once a luxury fruit available exclusively to royals, the avocado has long ago crossed the socio-economic boundaries to mass consumption. In Brazil, avocado chunks are a popular ice cream topping, in the Philippines they are blended with sugar and milk for a smooth and creamy dessert drink, and in southwestern regions the avocado is tossed into salsas, relishes, ceviche and grilled chicken dishes. Asian Pacific chefs blend avocados with sake, scallions and ginger to create their exotic eastern version of guacamole. Health-conscious California foodies prefer panko-crumb-dipped and baked avocado chunks or slices to French fries. They also erect colorful towers of heirloom tomatoes, avocado slices and rounds of buffalo mozzarella, drizzled with a balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil dressing.

Blessedly free of sodium and cholesterol, avocados are a powerhouse of some 20 vitamins and minerals, phyto-nutrients and heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, making them a great substitute for saturated fat spreads and dips. They also contain carotenoid lutein, a natural antioxidant that has been linked to the maintenance of healthy eyesight, and a natural plant sterol that is believed to support optimum cholesterol levels.  Avocados have also been found to boost the central nervous system, as well as to help brain development in infants and children.

So pick up one of these green gems (preferably organic and grown as near to where you are as possible), and when it’s ripe enough to eat, cut in half, remove the pit, scoop out the flesh and toss some hearty chunks into a shrimp cocktail, gazpacho or green salad for a creamy texture and added oomph of nutrients. Avocado halves also make fine, edible containers for chicken salad or a mix of roasted corn kernels and pickled sweet peppers. To find yourself in gourmet heaven, just splash a half avocado with lemon juice (an excellent replacement for salt) and scoop it straight out of its shell for a satisfying midday snack.

Mashed avocado makes a creamy and delicious baby food loaded with folic acid, potassium, fiber, vitamins C and E, iron and unsaturated fats.

An avocado, like Baby Bear’s porridge, has to be “just right” before ready to eat.  The Hass’ green, pebbly skin turns a dark, purplish-black when ripe. While the various emerald shades that distinguish the other varieties remain unchanged, you’ll know if they are ripe when a gentle finger press yields just a little softness, without too much mushy ‘give.’ Avoid overly soft avocados and ones with cuts or blemishes on the skin. If the flesh is black or grayish inside, it has turned rancid and ready for the trash or compost bin. Choose a fruit that has good heft in the palm and is average to large in size. Hass is oval-shaped, while Bacon is often round.

To hasten ripening, The California Avocado Commission recommends placing the fruit in a brown paper bag at room temperature, usually for two to five days. Adding a banana or apple will ripen the avocado even faster, since they emit ethylene gas, which is a ripening agent.  Once cut, sprinkle the avocado with lemon or lime juice to prevent discoloration.

Here is my contribution of a Southwest Avocado Seafood Cocktail guaranteed to knock your flip-flops off.

(Click on our RECIPES section for other delicacies. Feel free to ask for anything we haven’t posted yet, by dropping me a note at either our blog address: dinatalk@gmail.com, or my personal e-mail: kitchenshrink@san.rr.com .)

Southwest Seafood Cocktail

Serves 2

(Where possible, use organics)

10 ounces of assorted seafood – lobster, lump crab, scallops, cooked and chopped

4 jumbo shrimp, cooked

1 cup of vegetable cocktail juice

1/3 cup of tomato juice

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon of yellow onion, minced

1 tablespoon of Persian cucumber, minced

1 teaspoon of minced cilantro

1 Roma tomato, minced

1 firm, ripe avocado, diced

Lemon twists

In a large glass bowl combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Add the seafood and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Evenly distribute the mixture into 2 cocktail glasses. Add 2 jumbo shrimps to the rim of each glass, top with the avocado chunks and garnish with lemon twists.

Cheers!

By Catharine L. Kaufman — a.k.a. The Kitchen Shrink

If summer conjures up memories of your childhood’s liquid treats, of teenage romance over frothy drinks shared through double straws, or nostalgia for some heady grownup party libation, just sample the cold and wet delights below to bring fantasy to life.

Smoothies are a good place to start if you like a good old American yarn with your made-to-order concoction that’s often thicker than a pudding. The Smoothie was invented, so the story goes, by a lactose-intolerant soda jerk named Steve Kuhnau, who satisfied his craving for the milkshakes he had to serve others but could not digest himself, by whipping up equally satisfying ones with fruits (or sometimes with veggies), crushed ice and whatever flavorings and other non-dairy ingredients he had at hand. His customers noticed, asked to taste, liked his concoctions and encouraged Kuhnau to create various combinations. Before long, he had a nation-wide chain of smoothie shops and came to be known as the “Smoothie King,”

Today, imagination is the limit for smoothie ingredients. Some versions even cater to the lactose-tolerant, with frozen or fresh yoghurt or moo-milk added to the fruit and crushed ice. Others smooth out the smoothies with milks made of soy, almond, hazelnut or rice, to which, of course, are added honey, assorted fruits and flavorings. Smoothies also come in savory and spicy blends, with plain yoghurt, basil leaves, zest of lemon, sea salt and cayenne pepper for both a tasty and healthy kick.

Bananas lend creamy and milk-shake-like consistency to smoothies, even without nut-milk or dairy-based ingredients. Favored by health-minded people, these filling drinks are often ‘fortified’ with herbs, green tea (in liquid or powder form), zinc, vitamin C and other nutrients.

From fabulous berry brain-freeze blasts to mango meltdowns, smoothies are easy to prepare at home—preferably with all organic ingredients, to avoid the heavy load of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals that such a concentrated drink can deliver. All you need is a good blender with ice crushing features, fresh and/or frozen fruits, and some plant-based milk. Serve in plain or decorative glasses with fun garnishes and crazy, twisty straws.

Lemonade — The old fashioned kind made of fresh-squeezed lemons, sugar and water, has been puckering lips and quenching thirst since antiquity, from Egypt to France. Among more recent versions is my blend of honey or brown sugar, fresh or frozen berries, a splash of cranberry juice and a pinch each of peppermint and ginger. I top each serving with floating blueberries and orange slices for eye-pleasing garnish.

Slush or Slurpee—It’s All Shaved Ice — Whatever it’s called, no one can resist it as long as the syrup is brightly colored, knock-your-teeth-out sweet and poured over a mountain of ice shavings that freezes your tongue on contact. Its ancestor is the ‘snow cone,’ which became an instant hit at the Texas State Fair in 1919. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, it was widely copied and renamed—from Slurpee to Slush and finally, to Hawaiian Shave’ Ice, which comes now all dressed up with tropical fruit slices and exotic flavorings that range from “Piña Colada” to “Grape Juice,” “Lemon Blackberry” and “Strawberry Rhubarb.”

Tea Time — No sooner was the exotic brew introduced to Great Britain that it took hold of the entire British Empire. The national addiction to ‘a cupa’ whenever one needed comfort, an energizing pick-me-up or just a quiet break from daily stress, eventually gave birth to the genteel tradition of Tea Time, around which British social life revolved—and to some degree still does.

Colonial Americans swore off tea drinking for a while to symbolize their break from the Crown, but after gaining independence, the U.S. of A., enthusiastically re-embraced the fragrant—and as it was more recently discovered, quite healthy—brew. In fact, during the 19th century, both British and American cookbooks featured tea recipes. Some of these recommended spiking the tea with brandy, sherry, claret, sweet liquors or champagne—a practice better suited to the pub than drawing room, though no complaints have ever been recorded.
With the introduction of the icebox and commercially produced ice at the 1904 World’s Fair, cooled drinks become popular—a trend that culminated with Iced Tea, which is still enormously popular the world over.
Today, Americans are drinking nearly 100 million glasses of iced tea every day. This adds up to more than two billion dollars in annual sales of iced tea served table-side or sold bottled and canned with various enhancements and flavorings by restaurants, supermarkets and other food outlets.
Although ‘tea time’ hasn’t quite reached the ubiquity of ‘coffee break’ in the U.S., it’s heading for first place, thanks to the proliferation of countless varieties—caffeinated or decaf—from plain or fancy black tea, to the antioxidant green and twig teas, newly touted white, herbal, medicinal, berry, fruity, floral and other brews. Any and all are served year-round—as ice-cold summer refreshments or piping hot to ward off winter chills and sniffles, sweetened or not; with or without milk, honey or lemon; and at times even ‘mellowed’ with alcohol. .
The health-conscious crowd drinks green tea, while down in Dixie black tea is served sweet and made fragrant with mint leaves. A combo of half iced tea and half lemonade is named after golf legend Arnold Palmer, while the John Daly variation is spiked with Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka.
Bubble Tea is a gourmet Asian brew and trendy summer refresher, in which pearl tapioca, black tea, milk and sugar are blended with ice. The ‘in’ tea these days is Chai, which comes in black, green, red and white tea varieties, infused with liquor, spicy or flavored with apricot, amaretto, ginger, honey, berry, coconut, pomegranate, almond, cherry, caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, bee pollen or anything your taste buds can dream up.
Brain Freeze Coffee Buzz — A cup of chilled Java—fully-leaded or decaf, plain, spiked with brandy or topped with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles or a dusting of cinnamon—may be served in upscale restaurants as an after dinner treat, or made to order at Starbucks and other outlets set up for such assembly.

Takeout pre-fab Frappuccinos can be found in the refrigerated sections of supermarkets and convenience stores. To whip up your own customized iced coffee concoctions at home, try an iced mocha fusion shake blending vanilla extract with sugar, mocha coffee mix and crushed ice. Just as exciting is the cappuccino cooler with its blend of cold coffee with chocolate syrup, crushed ice, a dollop of chocolate ice cream and the whole shebang topped with whipped cream. Or simply blend other kinds of milk—such as almond, rice or condensed—with cold coffee from dark roasted beans, shaved ice and a sprinkling of cardamom. Starbucks now features such summer coffee coolers as caramel Frappuccino and iced coffee using East African beans with a citrus essence.

Whatever Floats Your Boat — Nostalgic soda fountain treats like root beer, Coke or lemon lime floats, cherry fizzes or chocolate egg creams can be revamped to a healthier version using carbonated spring water with a splash of pomegranate, blood orange or grape juice, and frozen yogurt or non-dairy scoops.

Cocktails and Mocktails for Summer Happy Hours — No time like these economic doldrums to take advantage of discounted Happy Hour drinks some bars and lounges offer to attract patrons during the slow business period before dinner. The expression is believed to have originated in 1920s, as Navy slang for sailors’ scheduled down times aboard their ships, when they could watch movies or otherwise relax and have fun. But it was civilians—or rather the managers of cocktail lounges and other drinking establishments—who equated “Happy” with “tipsy,” and transformed the before-dinner Happy Hour into a (drinking) tradition.

Although it survived Prohibition, Happy Hour was tamed somewhat in the l980s, when bars were required to serve free hors d’oeuvres with the drinks to slow the rate of inebriation among the patrons. O yes… Eventually, HH was evicted from military bases.

In today’s hectic and obsessive-compulsive work and play environment, cocktail breaks are taken whenever and wherever one’s schedule and location allows. Drinking, for example, is no longer allowed on some beaches. Lucky for those who will never know what it’s like to cool down with a tall Tom Collins (lemon, sugar and gin) and wake up with third degree sunburn.

Indoors or a shady veranda is best for sipping a peachy Fuzzy Navel, a legendary Kentucky Derby Mint Julep (easily mistaken for a snow cone with shaved ice, bourbon and mint leaves) or a Strawberry Daiquiri. The latter has been reinvented in designer flavors that include chocolate strawberry, avocado, pineapple, passion fruit, melon and mint.

Margarita mavens blend fresh lime juice with tequila—although they may get creative by adding a splash of cranberry juice, blue agave and blood orange—before pouring it into their salt-rimmed glasses.

Fancy a Cosmopolitan? Make it different by swapping the cranberry juice for pear or papaya juice for a refreshing summer cocktail. White Wine Spritzers are the “easy does it” compromise for sunny days and elegant dinners.

Turn any cocktail into a mocktail for your teetotaler friends by leaving out the alcohol and letting them improvise with fruit slices and splashes of fizzy mineral water. Think, Shirley Temples, Tornado Twists, Apple Juleps and virgin varieties of Mint Juleps, Piña Coladas and Daiquiris.

Drink Décor — Light up your mocktails and cocktails with garnishes of whimsically carved fruit or vegetable slices, swizzle sticks and crazy straw props. Hang strips of orange, lemon or lime rind over the glass rim. Float whole kumquats, frozen grapes or lychees on an amber drink. Skewer fruit cubes on a thin bamboo stick and balance it across the glass rim—or use veggie cubes, pitted olives and pearl onions for the savory drinks. Make ice cubes with frozen berries inside and use them in drinks. Float an attention getter in each drink, such as ribbons of shaved fresh coconut, a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds or small dollops of gelato or sorbet. Do, however, steer clear of cherries to protect your guests from the inevitable stray pits.

by Dina Eliash Robinson

Part 1 — WHY BOTHER?

Why would a society obsessed with youth, beauty and fitness, consume huge quantities of toxic, nutrient-poor foods that hasten aging, spoil looks and promote ill health?

Answer: Multiple studies cite habit as the main reason for this paradox. Caused and supported by an environment flooded with seductive advertising and inescapably accessible junk food, this insidious habit often careens into full-blown food addiction, the studies also show.

Fortunately, consumers are learning to protect themselves and make better choices:

1) To keep up with increasing demands on their time and energy—both at home and in the workplace—more and more people realize they have to stay healthy. As a result, nutritious fare is pushing salty, sugary, greasy ‘comfort’ foods off plates and restaurant menus.

2) Organic farming is taking off. In fact, a week doesn’t go by without some University research center making headlines with conclusive evidence that organic fruits and vegetables pack much higher concentrations of nutrients than do conventionally grown produce.

3) Organic agriculture is also gaining traction against genetically engineered grains— which, by the way, are being locked out of most European and Asian markets. (Let’s hope the organic food industry will also stand its ground against the meat and dairy products obtained from cloned cattle, swine and goats, which—according to some sources—has been quietly fed into the U.S. food supply for years. More information about this will be posted here as it becomes available.)

4) Soaring healthcare costs are forcing the Government to face the connection between profit-driven industrialized farming and production methods and the nation’s growing epidemic of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Fortunately, public pressure manifested in lifestyle changes, preference for organic foods and other pocketbook-driven behavior, is slowly—much too slowly, alas—changing the way foods are grown, produced, inspected and regulated. This snail’s pace, however, is downright criminal when food-borne illnesses sicken 76 million Americans and kill 5,000 of them every year. What’s more, inadequate inspections and toothless or un-enforced regulations by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), are costing the food industry and taxpayers a fortune in recalls and waste.

Urgently needed are health- and environment-protective measures—such as a stepped-up production of organic and other whole and nutritious foods, and elimination of transfats (still present in commercial baked goods), bio-engineered and genetically modified foods, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and livestock raised in deplorable conditions with toxic feed, growth hormones and antibiotics.

The first baby step to acquiring better eating habits is to choose real foods when shopping or dining out.

In the words of Hippocrates, “Make food your medicine.” Highly regarded in ancient Greece for his systemic approach to healing, Hippocrates came to be called the Father of Medicine. He understood that well-balanced nutrition, not potions (such as today’s pharmaceuticals), is what forms the building blocks of a healthy body. How puzzling then that, while physicians are still being sworn into their profession by reciting the Hippocratic Oath, many seem to have forgotten that healthy food provides far more, and longer lasting benefits than pills, Botox shots or cosmetic surgery.

Want proof?
(a) Follow the shopping list at the end of this article, as best you can.

(b) Read… Read everything you can get your hands on about the connection between health and foods. Read labels, magazines, newspaper articles, books, newsletters… Find reliable sources of information on the Internet and learn some more. Above all, learn to tell the difference between hype (i.e. self-serving marketing) and reliable, expert information. Read opposing views and use both intellect and instinct to draw your own conclusions. Have fun figuring out how to improve (maybe even save) your life. Tell us what you have learned, and if you give us permission, we’ll post it on the FreeRangeClub blog. Another worthy activity—albeit a thankless and frustrating one—is to pester others to follow your lead.

(c) As soon as it all begins to make sense, you won’t need to remember our suggestions, except as guides to developing your own food-shopping lists. Be aware of how each food makes you feel—in body, mind and mood. Check out the ingredients to make sure you’re not just reacting to a temporary sugar-high, for instance.

(d) Once the toxic additives, sugars and artery-clogging fats are driven out of your system by high-fiber produce, whole grains and lots of water, you’ll notice an increase in energy, faster and clearer thinking and more optimistic outlook. Now is the time to pay attention to your body’s reactions not only to what you actually eat, but also to the foods you touch while shopping. Close your eyes, imagine eating them, and pick only what feels good.

(e) Eat healthy food for at least four months to give your body a chance to kick bad eating habits, and to give yourself a chance to develop an emotional relationship with nutritious foods.

(f) Remember that some people don’t know what it’s like to feel good. They are so used to digestive difficulties (i.e. bloating, cramps, irritable bowels, etc.) that these symptoms’ disappearance causes an uncomfortable sense of loss. That’s when temptation to recapture the missing misery with some junk food, is strongest.

(g) The next danger zone is when distrust and fear set in. Reassurances are needed that it’s possible to break bad eating habits, “one day at a time,” and that there is no reason to fear the return of digestive problems as long as one keeps on track.

(h) Buy locally grown fruits and vegetables—preferably organic—at farmers’ markets and stores that support reputable regional growers. The shorter the distance between farm and table, the longer fruits and vegetables spend ripening and absorbing nutrients. What’s more, the transportation of foods over long distances causes massive environmental pollution.

(i) Once your body gets used to good nutrition, junk food will probably make you gag. This is the time to REALLY listen to your body. Because, as with all addictions, even a bite or two of your once-beloved fare could plunge you right back into self-destructive eating patterns.

(j) Buy WILD-CAUGHT fish, shrimp and scallops whenever possible. With rampant over-fishing stripping the oceans, that luxury may not be available to us for long. While we strongly advise to avoid eating imported farm-raised fish and shellfish—especially from China (see more information about this elsewhere on this site) —there are some aquaculture businesses that produce safe seafood by using futuristic science and environment-friendly technology.

One such high-tech aqua-farm, located off Hawaii’s Kona coast, claims that its succulent fish known as KONA KAMPACHI™ is as safe and healthy to eat as any wild-caught seafood. We tasted it, both raw and grilled, and found the Kona Kampachi™ light, flaky and delectable.

An even bigger problem than toxic fish-farms is the prevalence of mercury in most of the Earth’s waterways, and in most seafood.

The silver lining around this dark cloud, is that certain fish and shellfish have low enough levels of mercury to make them safe to eat in moderate quantities. For example, sardines, anchovies and herring are safest to eat, since they contain only negligible amounts of mercury.

Still in the safe range—and rich in healthy Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids—are the wild-caught North Atlantic salmon, Atlantic mackerel and a several other oily fish. Shrimp and some scallops seem to contain less mercury and pollutants than other shellfish. Mercury concentrations are high, however, in most tuna and some other large fish. More complete lists of both safe and toxic seafood can be found on the Web.

One source of information about seafood safety that seems reliable is the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (in the Dept. of Health & Human Services’ Division of Environmental Health). Another is the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s West Coast Seafood Guide (updated annually), at www.seafoodwatch.org . Interested in supporting sustainable fishing? The Blue Ocean Institute has an on-line Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood at www.blueocean.org .

(k) Food-shopping can be both fun and a source of great pleasure for all the senses. Feast your eyes on colorful produce. Inhale the aroma of warm breads, exotic cheeses, fresh-ground coffee, herbs and spices. Crunch store-offered samples of nuts and seeds. And imagine the flavors you’ll bring out of the fresh meats, fish or fowl you select for your latest recipe.

(l) Just don’t assume that the reputable healthfood establishment you frequent carries nothing but healthy foods. It couldn’t stay in business if it did. So, be aware that many questionable products lurk among the finest produce, organic grains and other delicacies displayed on shelves. Think of a minefield when navigating the aisles of food stores, and check ingredients and sources.

Following is a list of brands and foods we have researched, and used for months or years, and found both delicious and healthy:

Liquid Seasonings: “Organic Tamari Soy Sauce”— by EDEN
“Biologique Sauce Worcestershire Végétalienne (Sans Anchois—without anchovies)”— by THE WIZARD.

Organic Salad Dressings, Oils & Marinades:
“Sesame Tamari Organic Vinaigrette (1 carb per serving)”— by ORGANIC VILLE
“Organic Lemon Tahini Dressing”— by WHOLE FOODS 365 ORGANIC
“Organic Dijon Mustard “ ————– by WHOLE FOODS 365 ORGANIC
“Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil—Cold Pressed”—by WHOLE FOODS 365 ORGANIC
“Organic Sesame Oil (unrefined – for medium heat)” —by SPECTRUM
“Organic Olive Oil Mayonnaise” with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Dairy: “Organic (cow) Yogurt – low fat or non-fat, plain or fruit-flavored)”—by WALLABY or HORIZON
“Organic Unsalted (or salted) Butter”—by HORIZON ORGANIC
“Organic (cow) Cottage Cheese (low-fat, plain)”—by HORIZON or other organic producers
Various goat cheeses, such as a hard yellow cheese by ALTA DENA
A goat Feta cheese by KAROUN DAIRIES in Sun Valley, CA
Creamy goat milk cheeses (“Plain” or with “Basil & Roasted Garlic”)— by CHAVRIE
Various organic soy, “Veggy Vegan” and rice ‘cheeses’ (individually packaged slices)—by GALAXY NUTRITIONAL FOODS.

Herbs & Spices: Organic Brands: SIMPLY ORGANIC == THE SPICE HUNTER == WHOLE FOODS 365 ORGANIC == FRONTIER ORGANIC ==
Products: Dill Weed; Tarragon (leaves); Turmeric; Thyme; Rosemary; Basil; Garlic (chips & powder); Onion (chips & powder); Paprika (sweet); Cayenne Pepper (hot); Parsley (leaves); “Herbes de Provence”; Cinnamon; Ground Cumin; Vanilla Extract (liquid); Sea Salt.

Breads, Crackers, Cereals, Power Bars, etc.: Brands & Products:
RUDI’S ORGANIC BAKERY (wide variety of organic whole grain breads)
FRENCH MEADOWS BAKERY-ORGANIC (whole grain spelt bagels)
WHOLE FOODS 365 ORGANIC (“Org. Wheat Square Crackers”; “Org. Hearty Whole Grain Toasted O’s” –crunchy whole wheat & oat cereal; “Org. Rice & Lentil Pilaf—Gluten-Free”; “Org. Spanish-Style Rice—Gluten-Free”; “Org. Cinnamon Graham Cracker Sticks”)
PAUL NEWMAN’S ORGANICS (pretzels, cookies, etc.)
(various brands: Whole Wheat and Spelt English Muffins, spelt tortillas for wraps)
CASCADIAN FARMS (power bars, “Org. Sweet Orange Marmalade”; “Chewy Granola – ‘Harvest Berry’ and’ Fruit & Nut’ Bars”;)
ARROWHEAD MILLS (“Organic Spelt & Cranberries Whole Grain Cereal”)
EDWARD & SONS (“Baked Brown Rice Snaps with Org. Brown Rice—Vegetable, Toasted Onion, and Plain”)
NATURAL PATH (“Org. Toaster Pastries” – Blueberry – NOT frosted)
HEALTH VALLEY (“Org. Tarts” – low fat, blueberry, red cherries, etc.)

Soups: HEALTH VALLEY and WHOLE FOODS 365 offer a wide variety of organic canned soups, ranging from chicken-noodle to tomato, minestrone, vegetable, mushroom-barley, etc. (Good to have in the pantry for busy or rainy days.)

Dried Fruits: JUST TOMATOES of Westley, CA offers “Org. Just Blueberries” and other dry fruit
PAVICH (organic raisins, “Jumbo Thompson Seedless,” etc.)
WHOLE FOODS 365 ORGANICS (organic apricots, cranberries, prunes, etc.)

Condiments: MEDITERRANEAN ORGANIC (“Org. Black Olives—Tree-Ripened”; “Org. Wild ‘Non-Pareil’ Capers” etc.)

Honey & Syrups: VIRGIN ORGANIC (“Multiflower Honey”)
WHOLE KIDS (“Org. Honey” – in Teddy Bear container)
FLAVORGANICS (“Org. Amaretto, Raspberry, French Vanilla, Caramel, Irish Cream” syrups for coffee & dessert flavoring.

Canned Fish: CROWN PRINCE (“Wild-Caught Brisling Sardines in Pure Olive Oil” – 2 layers, hand-packed, naturally wood smoked—good source of calcium & protein). NOTE: Always choose sardines—and when available, salmon— WITH their skin and bones, for added nutritional value
WHOLE FOODS 365 (“Wild-Caught Red Sockeye Salmon”; & “Wild-Caught Pink Salmon” – both canned WITH skin & bones. Great for pseudo-tuna salads—with hardboiled eggs, organic olive oil mayonnaise (see above), lemon, garlic and onion chips, red paprika, dash of cayenne pepper, with such herbs as dill, parsley and basil, and Dijon mustard.)
BUBBA’s sliced herring and onion rings in wine & vinegar

Teas: Various ORGANIC teas are available from EDEN FOODS
BANCHA (great organic Green Tea)
YOGI TEA
UNCLE LEE’s TEA
CELESTIAL SEASONING
TRADER JOE’s (see “Org. Spiced Rooibos ruby Red Chai”)
CHOICE ORGANIC TEAS (see “English Breakfast”)
DR. ANDREW WEIL (“Gyokuro,” “Turmeric,” “Green White,” “Darjeeling,” “Jasmine White,” etc.)
ITO EN – OI OCHA (“Sencha Shot Green Tea, brewed teas: “Tea Pear White Tea,” “Tea )
***Check out ORGANIC YERBA MATE (traditional & medicinal, herbal calmative & digestive)

Chocolates: DAGOBA ORGANIC CHOCOLATE comes in various flavored and plain versions, and are always high in cacao content
GREEN & BLACK’S chocolates also come in a variety of flavors, from “Mayan Gold,” to “Espresso,” “Cherry,” etc., and are high in cacao content

Alcoholic Beverages: THE ORGANIC SPIRITS COMPANY – “The World’s First Certified Organic Spirits—London & Scottish International, Ltd.” (“Juniper Green Organic Gin,” ”UK5 Org. Vodka,” “Papagayo Org. Rum,” “Highland Harvest Org. Scotch Whisky.”)

ENJOY….

Wild-caught salmon are becoming scarce and expensive as we pollute, dam and over-fish our waterways. Farm-raised salmon are usually what we’re served in restaurants and sold by most fishmongers.

Wild-caught salmon are safer and more nutritious because they swim freely, fast and long distances to hunt for food, and thus develop sturdier flesh and more Omega 3-rich fat.

Farm-raised salmon, on the other hand, live in crowded ocean-pens and are fed a mixed (and in many cases, not the best) diet that is laced with antibiotics, anti-fungal and other medications to keep them alive and at least healthy looking enough to be sold.

What most consumers don’t realize is that salmon is so filling and nutritious that even a small piece can go a long way if well prepared and combined with less expensive but equally healthy vegetables and other side-dishes. (With leftovers from the Baked and Poached Salmon recipes you will find under “Entrées” in the “Recipes with Pizzazz” section, for example, a good cook can create a gourmet Pasta Primavera with Veggies and Salmon. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves…)

Having priced an average portion of this dish, each with sides of organic vegetables and rice, at various times when the cost of wild-caught salmon fluctuated between $12.50 and $22.00 a pound—and taking into consideration how far we were able to stretch it with the creative use of leftovers—we found it to add up to no more than $5.25 and no less than $4.10.

Conclusion: Far from a splurge, buying wild-caught salmon for a home-cooked meal is actually frugal because small portions are filling, nutritious and too delicious to waste. But do treat it with respect by using organic ingredients with it, whenever possible.

• Keep tabs on the daily catch of your local fishmonger to snag your share while free-roaming king salmon is still on our menu.

Dina Eliash Robinson