Love Salad

The Asparagus and Tomato Salad has long been regarded as an aphrodisiac by Mediterranean cultures. The phallic symbol of the asparagus is combined with the Love Apple—as tomatoes are still called in Greek, Hebrew and some other languages—in a sweet-and-sour dressing that symbolizes the many moods of love. (Q & A) (MIN)

Serves 6 (use organic ingredients when possible)

• 12 tender stalks of asparagus
  
• 2 large tomatoes
  
• 1 medium size lemon
  
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  
• ½ cup brown or raw sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon honey
  
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
  
• ¼ teaspoon sweet red paprika

SLICE off the hard (or ‘wooden’) bottom ends of the asparagus and steam the stalks (in a steamer if you have one, or in shallow water, in a big enough skillet or pot to keep the stalks straight.

Juice the lemon and blend with the vinegar, sugar, honey, basil, paprika and Worcestershire sauce.

Slice tomatoes into wedges, arrange among and around the steamed asparagus on a pretty, oblong-shaped shallow dish, long enough to keep the asparagus stalks straight. Make sure you have enough dressing to cover the asparagus and tomatoes. If not, add a little spring water to the dressing and mix before pouring it over the veggies.

The Globalization of Breakfast

Depending upon our national, regional or ethnic backgrounds, most of us grow up with very definite ideas about what is or isn’t a proper breakfast food. Well, get ready to move out of your morning comfort zone. Breakfast is following lunch and dinner into the Great Cultural Exchange of Cuisines, as our taste buds are being seduced by exotic concoctions.

In fact, these days it would be foolish to assume that the couple digging their chopsticks into a traditional Japanese breakfasts of rice, pickled vegetables, seafood and tea in a hotel dining room are actually from The Land of the Rising Sun. Neither should we be sure that the man assembling a curry platter is a native of India; or that the woman sampling tahini, humus and grape leaves has even a drop of Greek blood in her veins. I’ve learned this lesson in a posh Swedish hotel, while watching a group of Somali travelers share a smorgasbords of herring, smoked salmon, sardines and cheeses fit for a royal Scandinavian feast.

Actually, it's a good thing that we are falling in love with -- and are shamelessly poaching on -- each other's cooking. Teaching our taste buds to be adventurous has certainly made our meals -- and especially our breakfasts -- a lot more fun. Who knows... This cross-cultural culinary cooperation might even lead to better international relations.

Sweet 'N' Tart Cherry Soup

Cherries are held in such high esteem, that Hungarians actually have two separate words with which they differentiate the sweet cherries (cseresznye) that light up fresh fruit platters from their smaller, darker, mouth-puckering-sour cousins (megy), which tend to be cooked (with sweeteners) into pies and preserves.
Only the lucky few who have inherited a recipe for—or tasted its product on their travels —know about one of summer’s greatest pleasures: the chilled tart cherry soup. Make a big bowl and invite friends to dip in for a cooling snack. The soup keeps well (on the colder bottom shelf of the fridge) for 8-10 days or longer. Your taste buds will think they’re at camp.

Serves 8 portions (for better flavor, use organic tart cherries if available):

• 6 cups of canned or frozen tart cherries
  (A word of CAUTION: Whether the can or package says “pitted” or not, it is best if you split and check every cherry for pits or shards. It wouldn’t hurt to also alert everyone else to watch for any pieces you might have missed. Don’t worry, eating slowly will only add to the pleasure of savoring this refreshing soup.)
  
• 3 cups of organic, low- or non-fat yogurt
  
• 2 whole eggs
  
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
  
• ½ cup brown or raw sugar (or more, if cherries’ tartness or your sweet tooth requires)
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• ¼ teaspoon liquid, concentrated vanilla extract (optional)
  
• A couple of pinches of cinnamon (optional)
  
• 2 tablespoons rum or brandy (optional)

POUR cherries into deep, stainless steel soup pot. Cover them with 12 cups of water (more if needed), stir, cover with lid and cook. Assemble in the blender: yogurt, eggs, lemon zest, sugar, honey, vanilla and cinnamon. Blend first on Low, then High until it becomes frothy and sugar and honey are completely melted. Let cherries and water come to a boil, turn heat to Low, uncover, let it simmer for 45 – 60 seconds, remove from heat and let it cool for about 8-10 minutes. Whip up blender contents one more time, then VERY SLOWLY, start trickling the blend into the soup with one hand, while stirring the whole time with the other. The trick is to pour the blended ingredients in while the soup is still hot enough to cook the eggs, but not so hot it curdles the yogurt. Stirring also prevents curdling. (If the yogurt curdles a bit anyway, all you have to do is stir the soup from the bottom with the ladle before serving.) Leave soup out to cool. When it reaches room temperature, add the rum or brandy and stir it in thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Couscous -- For the Heart and Palate

The French tended to blend into the lives of their colonies, adapting customs, dress and especially foods. Moroccan couscous became a great favorite, and was quickly added to the more exotic branch of French cuisine.

Actually, archeologists and historians have found evidence that couscous originated in 10th century West Africa. This tasty grain dish pops up next in a 13th century Berber cookbook, puts in an appearance in 17th century Brittany, and eventually proliferates throughout half the world.

In France, it is often prepared as a fluffy mélange with meat, vegetables, nuts and spices. Israel developed a larger, more flavorful couscous, which became the “it-grain” in U.S. kitchens in the late 1990s. Israeli couscous has versatile functions, from sautéed side dish to salad, in soup, as a risotto-style meal, and even as a layered bed for baked fish or chicken.

Made of whole semolina grains, Israeli couscous can be found in most food stores.

Sautéed Israeli Couscous – (use organic ingredients whenever possible)

Serves 4 or more

• 1 – eight-ounce package of Israeli couscous
  
• 2 cups of vegetable stock
  
• 1⁄2 small onion, diced
  
• 4 ounces of white or crimini mushrooms, diced
  
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  
• Sea salt (optional) and cracked black pepper to taste
  
• Chopped fresh Italian parsley
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

IN A MEDIUM size, stainless steel saucepan, heat the olive oil for 10 seconds. Add diced onions and mushrooms and sauté until tender. Add the Israeli couscous and toast for a minute or two. Add the broth, salt and pepper and simmer covered for about 8 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is al dente.

Mix in the chopped parsley and serve as a side dish, or make a ‘bed’ and place on it a simultaneously poached or baked fish—or roasted or baked chicken.

Lamb Stew

In Mesopotamia, lamb first became domesticated by the early Semitic peoples. Ten thousand years ago lamb was used for religious sacrifices—a practice which continued during Biblical times. The Paschal lamb shank was served for Passover—and in the later Christian era—as well as Easter feasts.

Lamb stew evolved as a function of Middle Eastern etiquette and sign of hospitality, since dinner guests could savor the tender, bite-size morsels without having to struggle with bone and sinew. The large cook-pots in which the meat simmered with vegetables, fragrant herbs and spices, remains to this day a symbol of co since it was considered hospitable to serve dinner guests food prepared in tender, bite-size morsels that they could enjoy and would not have to struggle with while dinning. Lamb stew has become a symbolic dish of the people of the Middle East.

Serves about 6 persons - (JAZZ)--(KITCHEN SINK)

• 2 lbs. of lean, boneless, organic lamb meat (choose the parts that look best, or that you prefer)


• 1 medium size fennel


• 1 large onion


• 5 cloves of fresh garlic


• 3 medium carrots (peeled)


• 2 parsnips (any size, peeled)


• 1 green pepper


• 2 cups (approx.) broccoli florets


• 1 medium bok-choi or 3-4 leaves of kale


• 2 medium zucchini
  
• 2 large tomatoes
  
• 10 medium size mushrooms
  
• Olive oil for sautéing, as needed
  
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric
  
• ½ teaspoon sweet red paprika
  
• 1 pinch of Cayenne pepper
  
• 4 slices of candied organic ginger, or 1/3 teaspoon of powdered ginger
  
• 2 tablespoons of Tamari sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
  
• And any other fresh, organic veggies you find and feel like adding to the stew.

Lamb Marinade:

Use ready made, such as “Sesame Tamari Organic Vinaigrette” or the “Miso Ginger Organic Vinaigrette”—both by Organic Ville. There are several other excellent marinades on the market.
If you wish to make your own, combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil and ¼ teaspoon sage in a glass bowl. Add water if needed, mix well and place previously cubed lamb into marinade, so the meat is well covered by the liquid. If the kitchen is too warm, cover the bowl and put into fridge until you finished cutting up the rest of the ingredients.

POUR a ¼ cup of olive oil into a large stainless steel pot.
Cut the onion in half, slice it and put it into the pot. Don’t turn on the heat until all the other ingredients are prepared.
Wash and cut the lamb into cubes and put into the Marinade (see above)
Chop garlic cloves and put them on a small plate
Cut ALL the vegetables and mushroom into slices, placing them separately on plates, so they can be added one by one
Line up all herbs and spices on the counter
NOW you can begin:
Sauté onion at medium heat until translucent
Add garlic and continue sautéing for about 20 seconds
Remove cubed lamb from marinade and add to onion and garlic
Stir – don’t let it fry – when the meat begins to turn light, add Tamari sauce and ½ cup of the marinade – stir, lower heat just enough to keep the lamb simmering – cover and cook for ½ hour
Add all the herbs and spices, ½ cup of the marinade and 1 cup of water – cover again and continue simmering for another 15 minutes
Add hard veggies first—such as carrots, parsnips and anise—and cook for about 5 minutes
Add the rest of the veggies, with the leafy items last – stir well
Take turns stirring, adding water, covering and simmering until lamb is tender.

Bombay Chicken

Beyond strategic power and economic wealth, empire-building nations also absorbed their colonies’ cultures and cuisines. None did this better than the British, whose keen appreciation for Indian foods included more than a taste for curry dishes.

A delicacy said to have captured the fancy of one of His Majesty’s sea captains, was a chicken dish he discovered in Bombay (now Mumbai), and found irresistible. When time came to sail back to England, he took the recipe for Chicken Bombay with him. His frequent orders for the dish during the voyage, earned it the second moniker of ‘Captain’s Chicken’ from the galley cook.

Whatever they called it, the dish must have become quite popular throughout Britain, because the colonists eventually brought it to the New World. Where centuries later, Chicken Bombay became one of President John F. Kennedy’s favorite dishes, for which the White House chef had a standing order.

The quantities below are proportioned to serve 4 to 6 persons.

Ingredients (organic whenever possible):

• 1 whole fryer chicken or 6 chicken breasts cut into portions, and with skin removed;


• ¼ cup of organic flour seasoned with a teaspoon of organic, low-sodium Tamari sauce, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper;


• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil


• 1/3 cup of diced onion


• 1/3 cup of diced sweet green pepper


• 1/3 cup of diced celery


• 1 glove of garlic, minced


• ¼ cup of raisins


• 4 ounces of sliced fresh mushrooms


• 1 ½ teaspoons of curry powder


• ½ teaspoon of thyme


• 2 cups of stewed tomatoes (one large can, or equivalent stewed by cook)


• Blanched and lightly toasted almonds for garnish.

DREDGE the chicken in the seasoned flour.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet at medium heat, add the chicken before oil gets too hot, and lightly toast to golden tone each chicken part on both sides.
Remove the chicken. Add the onion, pepper, celery, garlic, mushrooms, and seasoning to the pan. Sauté briefly, adding a tablespoon of water when needed to prevent frying, and stirring constantly.
Add tomatoes with its liquid. As soon as it is hot, return the chicken to the skillet and add the raisins. Stir and cook until liquid bubbles for 2 minutes.
Place the chicken mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350-400 degrees, or until tender.
Garnish with toasted almonds. Serve on a bed of Basmati rice.

Golden Gazpacho – the Liquid Salad

During a visit in the south of Spain, the Kitchen Shrink fell in love with the traditional Andalusian chilled veggie soup the locals called Gazpacho. This liquid salad mélange of ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, garlic and chunks of bread sopping with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar serve chilled is southern Spain’s signature soup which probably originated when the country belonged to the Islamic world in the Middle Ages. Gazpacho then called “ajo blanco” was a blend of almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil and vinegar. Today some regional variations of gazpacho contain almonds without tomatoes and peppers, which were added to gazpacho mix after Columbus brought them back to Spain. Eugenia de Montijo, the wife of Napolean III, emperor of France was credited with popularizing gazpacho throughout Spain.
It is thought the word “gazpacho” is derived from the Hebrew “gazaz” which means “break into pieces” referring to the chunks of bread used as a base for the soup. Originally this was considered poor man’s food of bread, water and oils blended into a paste and served to the workers in the vineyards, groves and fields.

The traditional version is prepared in a mortar with the vegetables and stale bread, a week old is perfect, pureed to a paste then the olive oil and vinegar added and tweaked until the taste is right. The tomatoes are usually peeled and strained to remove any seeds. Today gazpacho has infused into the American cuisine and has evolved into many chefs’ creative combinations and permutations.

Serves 6 (recipe lends itself to improvization--or (JAZZ) style of cooking)

• 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped


• 1 English cucumber, peeled and finely chopped


• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped


• 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and finely chopped


• 1 garlic clove, finely diced


• ½ red onion, finely chopped


• 1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce


• 2 cups of fresh or canned tomato or vegetable juice


• 1 cup of finely chopped celery (optional)


• ½ cup of fresh orange juice


• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice


• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil


• 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar


• 2 ripe but firm avocados, cut in coarse chunks or cubes


• Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste


• Fresh cilantro sprigs and lime slices for garnish

COMBINE the ingredients except the avocado, cilantro and lime slices in a large glass or ceramic bowl and stir gently. Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Ladle into ceramic bowls or libation glasses and garnish with avocado, cilantro sprigs and lime slices. Cheers!

Want Safer Foods? Demand Thorough Inspections, Testing And Efficient Recall System.

Fact: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration—which is in charge of keeping our food supply safe for consumption—actually inspects and tests for bacteria or other toxins less than 1% of the tons of domestically produced and imported foods Americans consume.

Fact: There is no law or regulation mandating that food labels list the sources (i.e., places and producers) of all ingredients. The few packagers or distributors who do list ingredient sources, do so voluntarily.

Fact: Most packaged foods contain ingredients collected from a wide variety of (unidentified) U.S. and international producers. Many of the latter operate without even basic health and safety regulations or oversight. (Daily reports about toxic foods imported from China, attest to that.)

Fact: Late recalls of contaminated foods—along with lax media reporting—result in a growing number of deaths and injury among unwarned consumers.

Conclusion: Health-conscious consumers must demand major increases in the funding and upgrading of the FDA’s food inspection, testing, on-time recall and preventive public warning capabilities. Only a massive public outcry can stop grocery store aisles from turning into minefields, and the unavoidable act of eating from becoming a game of Russian roulette.

While no one expects perfect solutions, no one should be satisfied with crumbs of “good enough” either. Here are examples of what is unacceptable when it comes to food safety:

>> Every few weeks, it seems, Californians are warned by public health authorities to stay away from lead-tainted Mexican candy. Late recalls of candy made by De La Rosa Pulparindo and INDY Dedos barely rate a back page blurb in the Orange County Register.

>> Last month, a shipment of l.5 pound bags of ‘baby’ carrots—a fraudulent name given to the little stumps that are actually machine-whittled parts of full-grown carrots—were pulled off Costco shelves throughout Canada and Newfoundland in a voluntary recall. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (counterpart of the U.S. FDA) warned the public after four people were sickened by the Shigella-contaminated carrots. Shigella is a contagious infection that causes (often bloody) diarrhea, fever, nausea and vomiting, and lasts from 4 to 14 days. Imported from Mexico and distributed by the Los Angeles Salad Company, the carrots had obviously been distributed without being inspected.

>> Also in Canada, just the other day, bagged salad was found to be contaminated with E.coli and removed from a store. The distributor, a division of Dole Food Co., issued an international recall for one of its bagged salad brands, marked with “best if used by Sept. 19, 2007,” and by the production code “A24924A” or “A24924B.” According to the company, the salad bags were not sold in California.

>> Dried apples, pet food, toothpaste, seafood, toys and clothes treated with carcinogenic chemicals find their way daily from China to markets around the world—including the United States, China’s biggest trade partner.
Anyone who suspects sinister motives here, should consider that at least 300 million Chinese a year are stricken with food-borne illnesses.
There have been countless reports about substandard and tainted foods causing fear, grumbling and, so far, mostly suppressed anger among the Chinese. The memory of past famines and widespread hunger is probably what keeps a lid on these sentiments. To mention just a few of China’s recent internal food scandals:
• 23,000 cases of substandard or tainted foods were discovered in an area of small, unlicensed factories.
• Seafood farms routinely use the highly toxic antifungal chemical malachite green, and the powerful antibiotic Cipro (restricted in the U.S. by law to treating anthrax infection) to hide the effects of pollution and overcrowding. Huge amounts of this seafood is exported to the U.S. and other countries.
• In a headlong quest for profits, some Chinese companies have been producing fake eggs and fake baby milk—the latter of which has killed many babies.
• There have been eyewitness reports about duck eggs contaminated with industrial dies, and turbot fish containing carcinogenic residues.
• An investigative reporter discovered—and a TV station aired—a practice by street vendors of mixing shredded cardboard with meat and stuffing their steamed buns with the mixture to increase their profits. The TV station was forced to ‘admit’ that the story was faked, and the investigative reporter was imprisoned for a year.
• China’s enormously polluted air and water, cannot but contaminate even its most meticulously produced foods—for both domestic and foreign consumption. Its air pollution—and the acid rains it produces—also contaminates crops in Japan and other Asian countries; with some of it adding more toxins to the air above Los Angeles.

So, heads-up people!

Grenadier Marsh (German For "Grenadier March")

It is said that this carbo-loading dish was originally devised by field-kitchen cooks short on rations with which to feed the Austrian Grenadiers (foot soldiers) they served on long distance marches during Europe’s Napoleonic wars. Although it was common knowledge that “armies march on their stomachs,” troops were often left hungry between food deliveries by over-extended supply lines. That dire necessity became the mother of a fine invention: the recipe for a nutritious, high-energy dish (aptly named Grenadier Marsh), and the means to make it available without relying on supply lines. It involved taking along whatever quantities of non-perishable pasta, potatoes, herbs and spices as could be carried in soldiers’ backpacks and field-kitchen storage bins; and cooking them up with fresh vegetables and other perishable ingredients collected along the way. (“Collected” often meant picking mushrooms in nearby woods, convincing local farmers to donate bread and produce out of patriotic duty, or romancing their daughters for butter and milk.)

A relatively inexpensive potluck feast, this dish keeps its freshness and flavor in the refrigerator for more than a week—and is guaranteed to be the family’s (and any drop-in guest’s) favorite choice.

Serves 8 (or possibly more) portions – (JAZZ) (use organic ingredients if possible)

• 1 pack of organic bow (Farfalle) pasta
  
• 6 small or 4 medium size potatoes
  
• 1 large onion (preferably red, but other OK, too)
  
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
  
• ½ lb fresh mushrooms (or comparable amount of dried mushrooms; or 1 pack of frozen organic mushrooms)
  
• ¼ cup of sun-dried tomatoes
  
• 1 large, or 2 medium-sized tomatoes
  
• 1 sweet green or red pepper
  
• 1 zucchini
  
• 2 medium carrots
  
• 1 cup broccoli florets
  
• 3 baby bok-choi, or equivalent of other leafy vegetable (such as kale, spinach, etc.)
  
• 2 stalks of celery
  
• 1 medium fennel
  
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon parsley
  
• 2 teaspoons sweet red paprika
  
• 1 small pinch Cayenne pepper
  
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  
• 1 tablespoon BRAGG liquid amino-acid
  
• 1 cup (approx.) of organic, extra-virgin, first- and cold-pressed Olive Oil
  
• ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
  
• ½ teaspoon basil

(NOTE: Omit, add or substitute any above ingredients—EXCEPT such essentials as: onion, garlic, tomatoes, green pepper; and all the herbs, spices and liquid seasonings, which give this dish its killer flavors.)

COOK pasta as directed on package, to al dente consistency. When ready, drain and pour into the largest container you have. Drizzle olive oil on it and mix well to coat pasta. Use your mixing spoon gently, so as not to mangle the pasta.

In a bowl of cold water with a squirt of liquid Castile soap, scrub potatoes lightly (with a brush or Dobi pad); rinse well, place in stainless steel pot, cover with water, put lid on, and cook—on High until it boils, then on Medium heat—until tender, but NOT over-cooked. Drain the potatoes and let them cool 5-10 minutes. Since potato skin is highly nutritious, it is best to leave it on—if no one objects. Cut the potatoes into bite-size cubes, add to the pasta, drizzle a little more olive oil on it so it won’t get sticky, and stir gently to combine it with the pasta.

PREPARATION: Mushrooms—if dried, soak them in cold water; if frozen, place in colander, run cold water over it and leave it to drain; if you are using fresh mushrooms, cut off the bottom of their stems, then clean, wash, slice and set them aside.
Clean/wash the rest of the vegetables and pat dry. Cut fresh and sun-dried tomatoes into 1 inch or smaller pieces and set aside. Slice carrots, zucchini, broccoli, fennel, celery, pepper, etc. into bite-size pieces, and set aside. Chop the leafy vegetables into similar sizes and set aside—but separately from the ‘hard’ veggies.

Peel and dice onion and garlic. Cover bottom of large skillet or pot with ½ cup olive oil and warm it slowly over Medium heat for 20-30 seconds. Add diced onions. Stir and sauté for 30 seconds, then add minced garlic. Sauté until onion becomes translucent.
Add the mushrooms and the rest of the olive oil. (NOTE: The sliced fresh mushrooms can be added right away. The soaking dried ones have to be drained and rinsed off first. The frozen ones need one more cold water rinse, and if still stuck together, should be separated while cooking.)

Sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes—add the BRAGG liquid and 1 cup of water; cover with lid and simmer. Next, add the fresh and sun-dried tomatoes and stir until they begin to cook.

Now add the carrots, zucchini, fennel and the rest of the ‘hard’ vegetables, and simmer for 5 minutes. ADD WATER when it sounds as if it is frying or burning—which must be prevented.

Next, add the leafy vegetables, stir in with the rest of the ingredients. Add the Worcestershire sauce and all the herbs and spices listed above. Stir, simmer (under cover), and add hot water when needed—until all the vegetables are cooked. Make sure mushrooms are not too chewy—which the frozen and dried ones tend to be when under-cooked.

Remove vegetables from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Then gently stir it in with the pasta and potatoes waiting in the big bowl. When fully blended, taste and adjust flavor as needed. If too dry, add more olive oil. Potatoes tend to soak it up.

Pour Grenadier Marsh into Pyrex casserole dish and heat in the oven at 350 degrees. Or heat the portions to be served in the microwave.
Enjoy!

Recharge With Breakfast

Want to look forward to your day? Wake up to a breakfast that delights your five senses with mouthwatering flavors, textures, scents, colors and the quiet hum of a grateful body. Guaranteed to make you forget the snooze button.
Take this Road to Recharge by Doing SOME or ALL of the Following:
*Use organic ingredients whenever possible.
*Use stainless steel pots, pans and skillets--just to be on the safe side. the jury is still out on the question of whether cooking implements with non-stick surfaces, or made of cast iron, are safe or not.
* Don’t ever fry your food —least of all for breakfast.
* Use olive oil for low-to-medium-heat cooking (such as scrambled eggs), and grape-seed oil if you prefer to sauté at higher temperatures.
* Make sure your fridge and pantry are stocked with a wide variety of organic foods—from fresh produce to whole-grain breads, waffles and cereals.
* Don’t keep health-busting foods in the house.
* A full stomach while you shop for groceries prevents you from being tempted to reach for junk food.
* Don’t worry about getting withdrawal symptoms. (Should any old cravings pop up at breakfast time, you’ll have plenty of healthy, and even more satisfying substitutes to choose from.)
* Take smaller portions than your big eyes demand. It’s easier to go back for a small additional helping than to fight the Big Bloat later.
* Remember that it takes food a while to travel from mouth to stomach—so stop eating before your appetite is fully satisfied.
* To save time, have pre-washed fruits, vegetables and other breakfast foods stored within easy reach. A quick look at these choices will trigger your body’s answer to, “What do I feel like having this morning?...”
* Allow time to savor and enjoy your breakfast. The more relaxed you are, the faster it will kick-start your system and sweep away yesterday’s debris.

IMPORTANT CAVEAT: We do not believe in “one-size-fits-all” nutrition formulas. As with other aspects of life, the components of a healthy meal should be selected to support each individual’s biological makeup, genetic predisposition and emotional needs. We urge you to pay attention to your own body’s likes, dislikes, food reactions and restrictions due to allergies, sensitivities or illness. Eat only what agrees with your unique physical, emotional and ethical system. Heed recommendations only if they are in harmony with your own, mind-body intuition.
Research shows that after a good breakfast, people who are in reasonably good health feel light, re-energized, mentally alert and emotionally ready to face the day.

Breakfast Can Be Delicious, While Healthy

# TO BEGIN THE DAY FEELING LIGHT AND ENERGIZED, start your breakfast with a tall glass of slightly above room-temperature spring water. You may add to it 1/3 of a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar (an intestinal cleanser), or a tablespoon of organic juice. (Cranberry juice keeps the urinary tract healthy; grape juice contains iron; apple juice restores balance when body is too acidic; etc.)

Next, treat yourself to a nice piece of fruit. Melons and berries are low in sugar and make good breakfast appetizers. When desired, grapefruit, orange, apple, or organic juice (diluted with 2/3 spring water to avoid sugar wallop) are also fine eye-openers.

Health-promoting breakfast dishes consist of foods that contain fiber, bulk, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. These include organic whole grain breads, waffles, pancakes and cereals (hot and cold); cheeses (from cow, goat, soy or rice milk); butter (don’t use margarine); whole eggs or egg-whites; avocado; almond butter, which combine well with sugarless fruit spreads; sardines, herring, and additives-free smoked salmon; caviar (even a 1/4 teaspoon of the inexpensive black or orange fish-eggs go a long way to spike up a breakfast); vegetables (cut into salad or served individually) and tea or coffee. (Some health gurus advise against coffee, while others trust research data on the benefits of drinking one or two cups a day. Your body will tell you what it prefers.)

A Few Grain-based Ideas

# NOT JUST CEREAL: Hot or cold, but only organic and high fiber. Organic fruit juice goes wonderfully with cold cereal—as do soy- or rice milk. Organic, low-fat cow’s milk is also fine. Cooked (hot) cereal (oatmeal is best) is delicious with ½ teaspoon of sugar-free, juice-sweetened fruit spread, a small squirt of real chocolate syrup—or if your taste-buds lean toward the savory, with a soup-spoon of (organic) low-fat yogurt, a teaspoon of Chavrie (with chives) goat cream cheese, or a sprinkling of grated Parmesan (made from organic milk or soy).

NOT JUST PANCAKE: Buckwheat pancakes with almond butter and sugar-free, juice-sweetened fruit spread (or just one or the other).

WAFFLING AROUND: Toasted waffles (choose from a selection of organic frozen wheat, spelt, flax-seed, soy and gluten-free waffles—some of which come with berries), with fresh (or frozen) berries and sliced bananas, or sugar-free, juice-sweetened fruit spread.

IT'S THE TOPPING THAT COUNTS: One slice of bread (toasted or not), with whatever topping strikes your fancy. Options include cheeses such as goat Feta or Chavrie cream cheese, organic Monterey Jack hard cheese, and dairy-free soy cheese (cream-style or slice). Other toppings include butter; almond butter with or without sugar-free, juice-sweetened fruit spread; egg (hard-boiled, chopped as salad, scrambled, etc.), salmon salad, sardines or avocado (sliced or mashed) with a squeeze of lemon and if preferred, pepper, or a slice or two of anchovies. In short, use your imagination and listen to your hankerings.

MEDITERANIAN BREAKFAST: of humus, hard-boiled eggs (or egg salad), cheeses, olives, grape-leaves stuffed with rice, tabuli, tahini, fresh chopped vegetable salad, herring, sardines, etc.

Following is a tasty recipe that will keep you going when your plans call for a late lunch (and it is also a fine brunch dish):

# VEGGIE OMELET: Sauté at medium heat in olive oil, 3 slices of a whole mid-size onion for about 40 seconds. Add the following ingredients, one by one, mix after each addition, and wait about 4-5 seconds before adding the next ingredient: 1 clove of garlic; 1 medium size tomato (or ½ of a larger one); ¼ green pepper, and a few slices of whatever other (available) vegetables you have a yen for (such as carrots, zucchini, bok-choy, kale, etc.) Beat up one egg (or 1/2 cup of egg-whites), add salt (or a small splash of Tamari sauce or BRAGG liquid amino-acid), pepper and paprika to taste, and pour over vegetables. Cover and cook over low heat until eggs on top are solid.

EYE-OPENERS: End your breakfast with either caffeinated or decaf-coffee or tea. Both green tea, with its low caffeine content, and black tea with its stronger kick, combine the qualities of an eye-opener with antioxidants and other health-promoting qualities.

About Recipés With Pizzazz

Whether you are the kind of cook who prefers to follow recipes, or merely to use them as triggers for improvised creations, you will find plenty of mouthwatering selections in the FreeRangeClub’s versatile Recipés With Pizzazz. See index below in left column.

Foolishly, we set out to please all taste buds and accommodate all cooking styles. Toward that goal, we are listing well-tested recipes that cater equally to the risk-averse who prefer following precise measurements and proportions; the improvisers who relish experimenting with substitutions; the ‘minimalists’ who like to focus on two or three food items at a time; and to members of the "everything- including- the- kitchen-sink school of cooking."
Recipes flagged with the JAZZ emblem lend themselves to improvisations by cooks with a flair for reinventing familiar dishes by combining different flavors and ingredients. They are like jazz musicians, skilled at riffing on familiar melodies to create new versions of them.“Minimalist” dishes are flagged as MIN. And the ‘...kitchen-sink’ crowd’s all-in-one meals (such as stews, soups and casseroles) are marked with K-SINK.There is no statistical data about how many cooks fit into one category or another, but there is anecdotal evidence that a fair number are change-up artists in the kitchen, careening from MIN. to K-SINK to JAZZ. And since variety ads spice to life, that’s a good thing… In addition to their timesaving quality, K-SINK dishes also keep well for longer periods (7 to 10 days) in the refrigerator, and their flavors become richer every day. What’s more, these all-in-one meals are economical, packed with nutrition, favored by working parents and most children.
For super-busy people who want to stay healthy and fit, we are posting dishes highlighted as "Quick-&-Easy" (Q & E) —which accurately describes the minimal time and work it takes to prepare them.

Why Giraffes?

Giraffes were chosen to represent FreeRangers because of certain shared traits.
For example, just as giraffes reach to the very tops of acacia trees to pick out the cleanest, most tender leaves and shoots from among the needle-sharp thorns surrounding them, so do we, FreeRangers, go to great lengths to select the tastiest and healthiest morsels, while also making an effort to avoid the ‘thorns’ of processed, deep-fried, genetically engineered and additive-laden foods.
Another trait we emulate is the giraffe’s role as protector of its community. Its highrise body makes it an excellent lookout, able to alert others to approaching danger. Precisely what FreeRangeClub.com strives to do by keeping track of information and alerting consumers to the dangers of unhealthy foods.

Baked Salmon - Brain Food For Multi-Taskers On The Run

On the fast track? Here is a dish to help you stay sharp and on your toes throughout 60-hour work weeks and within reach of the boss 24-7.

Grab it now, while the king of Omega-3 is still on the menu before pollution and global warming does it in.

Here is a caveat: Stock up on wild-caught Alaskan salmon (filets or steaks) whenever you find it in a reputable market, because it is not always available. And farm-raised salmon is not nearly as tasty, safe or healthy as wild-caught Alaskan. Buy for future use. Ask the fishmonger to pack it with ice. Better yet, take an insulated bag along when grocery-shopping.

As soon as you get your salmon home, take out the pieces you intend to cook, rinse under cold water and drop into a bowl with a store-bought or home-made marinade (see one below). Rinse and drain the rest of the salmon; wrap individual pieces in plastic or other freezer wrap; store them in plastic bags (2-4 packs to a bag). Label the contents with date and place of purchase, and freeze. NOTE: Make sure to wash sink with soap and water after you’ve rinsed the fish in it.

Marinade: In a glass or china bowl, mix live oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, basil, dill and water. Marinade should cover the salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

**Since Baked Salmon is as delicious hot out of the oven, as it is cold out of the fridge for the next 2-4 days, you may want to prepare more portions than indicated here.

Serves 4 portions (use organic ingredients when possible)

• 4 medium size salmon filets of steaks
  
• 1 medium size onion
  
• 4 cloves of garlic
  
• 1 lemon – juice and zest
  
• ½ cup Tamari sauce
  
• 2 whole eggs
  
• 2 ½ cups ground almonds – or breadcrumbs
  
• 2/3 teaspoon sweet red paprika
  
• ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
  
• ½ teaspoon dill

COVER bottom of Pyrex or stainless steel baking dish with olive oil.
Start warming up the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and slice onion into rings and spread over the dish, making a bed for the salmon. Beat the eggs with paprika, Tamari, dill, ginger powder, lemon juice and zest.
Remove salmon (filets or steaks) from marinade; dip into eggs, coating each piece thoroughly; and place on top of the onion bed in the baking dish. Pour remaining egg mixture over the salmon, letting it spread between and around it. Drizzle ½ cup of the marinade over the whole dish. Cover completely with the ground almonds (or breadcrumbs).
Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees and continue baking until ground almonds look toasted and salmon, eggs, etc. are cooked through and are flaky. Remove from oven and serve with steamed vegetables.

China's Toxic Exports (Overview)

Not a day seems to go by without media reports about yet another batch of toxic products arriving from China.

To be fair, there are plenty of other global traders, too, whose U.S.-bound shipments should be stamped with the scull and crossbones in the interest of full disclosure. Inspectors have rejected shipments of foods from India containing putrefied ingredients, dirty rice from Thailand, and contaminated candy from Mexico and (yes, even) Denmark.

Still, consumer attention—and mistrust—is focused mostly on Chinese imports pouring into the U.S. market. Most of us are alarmed at the danger to public health and safety posed by the inability of U.S. inspectors to intercept more than a fraction of such Chinese products as toxic foods, medicines, vitamins, toys, toothpaste and defective tires. The FDA admits that in spite of frequent alerts placed on Chinese imports of food, medicine, and additives, it is only able to inspect one percent or less of goods coming into the United States. The reason? Inadequate funding and resources.

Long before the recent reports about pets dying or getting sick in North America from melamine-contaminated pet food, the media has been clanging the alarm bell about China’s manufacturing and food production problems. A decade ago, for example, dozens of Haitian children and 94 people in Panama died, and others were injured by a fever medicine and cough syrup laced with the antifreeze ingredient diethylene glycol.

Since then, there have been countless reports of tainted Chinese exports. Among them are animal, fish and other seafood products that continue to show dangerous levels of the toxic antifungal chemical agent, malachite green, as well as two illegal antibiotics—one of which is the powerful, anti-anthrax Cipro.

At this writing, millions of toys made in China are being taken off store shelves in the wake of a $30 million recall by Mattel Inc., after they were found to contain lead-based paint and easy to swallow magnets.

The Beijing government is fully aware of the problem that a potential mass-rejection of its exports could cause the Chinese economy. While it has taken various confidence-rebuilding steps in recent months, more consumers are becoming worried about the safety of Chinese products. If anything, the execution of Zheng Xiaoyu, the former head of China’s State Food and Drug Administration, on charges that he accepted $850,000 in bribes to approve untested medicines, seems to have increased consumer jitters. Other steps taken by the Chinese government include shutting down 180 food manufacturing plants in the last eight months; rejecting several U.S. shipments of nuts and other food items for ‘not being up to Chinese standards’; complaining about U.S. ’protectionist tendencies,’ or at least, attempts to discriminate against Chinese exports (possibly because of the trade imbalance favoring the latter); etc.

On a separate track, Beijing officials admit that they are up against nearly insurmountable difficulties in a vast country filled with tens of thousands of freewheeling businesses—from large factories to mom-and-pop operations.
In spite of this challenging situation, government officials seem willing to work with U.S. business interests in China to improve manufacturing standards and bring about a system of regulations. Everyone, however, seems resigned to the fact that regulations and standardized improvements will take decades.

The ball, therefore, is in the U.S. court. It is up to Washington to provide the FDA with the funding and resources it needs to protect our health and safety. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of each U.S. citizen and resident to let Washington know that increasing the number of trained FDA inspectors and fully equipped labs near ports of entry are top-of-the-list priorities.
More about the China story in future posts.

Passport to the Good Life

You are in for a treat. A cornucopia of original dishes fit for the most discerning palate were created by our food editor, the Kitchen Shrink. Mixed in with them are secret family recipes the FreeRangeClub crew were ‘persuaded’ to divulge (promise! no thumbscrews or truth serum were involved). FreeRangeClub fans scoured cookbooks dedicated to healthy eating and selected some excellent recipes for us—which we, of course, had to tweak a bit, then test in the kitchen, to make sure they conformed to our health-nutty standards.
So dive in. Browse to your heart’s content through the recipes selected for your enjoyment and good health.Choose favorite foods--or toss caution and old habits to the winds and go for exotic new flavors.
Recipes come with humorous anecdotes and historical pedigrees of dishes and ingredient—for you to chuckle over, and show off with at dinnertime. Culinary advice and conversation topics in the same place—pretty cool, eh?
To start, let FreeRanger shortcuts make your grocery shopping a breeze by leading you directly to wholesome, taste-buds-thrilling foods that energize body and mind. Huge time-saver: We read labels—fine print and all—to help you avoid the minefields of toxic additives, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, trans-fats, genetically engineered grains and processed foods—which have as much nutritional value as an old sock. Knowledge is power. Take charge of your life with the help of constantly updated information (collected from reliable sources and analyzed by independent researchers) about the safety of our food supply.
Find out which foods are best for you—and in what combinations. (See Dr. Carolyn Mein’s http://www.bodytype.com
We invite you to talk back to us, brainstorm, correct mistakes, argue or voice your disagreement with any FreeRanger’s posted information. Contribute your own information and opinions, making them credible and convincing by adding your reasoning, as well as your sources. In short, let’s make a helpful and ever-expanding forum for the development of scientific and experience-based information about the role that foods play in helping us protect our health, enhance our energy levels and live long and productive lives.
In spite of our enthusiasm, we’re not here to twist any arms… Feel free to choose whatever you find useful—and skip the rest. Or return for more, if and when you are ready. The Healthy Gourmet Train picks up anyone who is sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. Or sad, for that matter—since depression, too, is often linked to what we put into our mouths. Of course, the thought of making even moderate changes in one’s eating habits can seem more terrifying than skydiving without a parachute. It certainly was to the founders of the Free Range Club--and we suspect it to be for some of you.
But here’s the thing—tried and now repeatedly tested: Terror is instantly replaced by a sense of wellbeing when a rejuvenating salad or other nutritious fare is substituted for some deep-fried 'delicacy'. It may come as a shock to salt-, sugar- and fat-addicted taste-buds to be confronted with the flavors of fresh vegetables, fruits, grains and other goodies, but they do adjust. In fact, you might be confused by how quickly you’ll play catch-up to your body, as it directs your eyes to the heart-healthy part of menus, and your legs to supermarkets’ organic shelves. Feeling well is the carrot that makes the journey painless. The memory of bloat and looming disease is the stick that keeps the traveler on the straight and narrow.
Still, breaking the junk food addiction is no picnic. Let’s face it, few things are more nerve-wracking than a tug of war inside every cell of your body, during which the withdrawal-crazed half is screaming “I want what I like—NOOOW!”—while the scared-healthy half tastes the garden-fresh produce and exclaims with relief, “Hey! This isn’t bad at all…” And as the fragrant herbs and palate-tickling spices burst through any remaining resistance, here come the ‘oooo’s and ‘mmm’s—followed by a surge of energy (“Wow! I feel jazzed!… Let’s go for a walk!”). Be advised: This could be quite unnerving for someone accustomed to the post-meal lethargy of a beached whale ready for its nap.
The good news is that even backsliders eventually find themselves metamorphosing from wimpy caterpillars to energized butterflies, ready to live life in full flight.

Dina Eliash Robinson

Organics--What's So Special?

Who knew that going from ‘farming’ to ‘agribusiness’ would end up poisoning consumers and polluting the environment? A perfect case of good intentions paving the road to… well, you know… Because while agricultural mass-production is the benign Force that makes farming more profitable,and foods more affordable--as well as plentiful enough to alleviate world hunger--Big agribusiness also keeps a foot on the Dark Side by playing fast and loose with consumer and environmental health.
Quantity vs. Quality -- Ever since cultivation has become mechanized and the land fumigated within an inch of its life, more, bigger and prettier foods with longer shelf-lives are being produced. Quantity and good looks,however, have come at the expense of natural flavors and nutrients—much of them lost because of current food processing practices. No amount of sugar, salt, MSG or hot sauce could replace Mother Nature’s own seasoning. Nor could vitamins and supplements entirely make up for all the essential minerals and other elements lost in the over-chemicalized agricultural process.
Fortunately, organic foods contain both the flavors and nutrients that earlier generations took for granted.
Defensive Eating -- The good news is that we are waking up to the damage done to our health and environment by pesticides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, bioengineering, ionizing radiation technology, chemical preservatives, growth hormones, antibiotics and other garbage with which ‘conventionally’ produced foods are sprayed, fed and artificially bred.
We know about the cancer-causing chemicals and Bovine Growth Hormones. The former are coating most fruits and vegetables, while the latter are fed to livestock—along with antibiotics, the overuse of which breeds antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’ in both animals and humans. We know about the carcinogenic benzene and other ‘new’ chemicals known as ‘radiolytic’ products found in beef that has been irradiated (and intentionally mislabeled as ‘pasteurized’). We even know about the GM (genetically modified) rice engineered to produce human proteins found in breast milk and saliva. At blog-post time, this ‘Frankenstein Food’ is set to be approved for commercial production. To know more about food additives, go to: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/foodaddi.html
But back to the good news: Consumers are beginning to push back the toxic tide by making healthier choices—in short, eating ‘defensively.’ Their hunt for organics and careful scrutiny of food labels has triggered a media frenzy about healthy living. All this helps keep the food industry honest when listing ingredients, and pressures it to keep pace with the growing demand for safe and health-promoting foods and environment-friendly practices. As this trend continues, not only farmers but many others involved in the production, packaging and transportation of organic foods are eager to adopt the FDA’s strict and labor-intensive practices to qualify for its coveted “USDA – ORGANIC” certification label. For more information, go to: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm
The latest fad among health-food fans and celebrity chefs of gourmet restaurants is to visit and shop at organic farms. Those, that is, who live or work within a reasonable distance of one. Many return—not only to buy fresh produce, eggs or cheese, but also for the thrill of finding exotic ingredients (along with recipes for their preparation); and to learn about the science and challenges of organic farming. Visitors notice that— in the absence of toxic crop-dusting, medicated livestock and the foul runoff they generate—the air is cleaner and the soil more fertile; that honeybees, ladybugs and other helpful insects are thriving; and in nearby waterways, healthy aquatic life is holding its own. For more information, go to: http://www.organicconsumers.org/
“Frankenstein” Grains -- After sifting through data produced by both independent and industry scientists—including population test results—I have come to believe that organic grain products are safer to eat than genetically engineered “Frankenstein” creations. Not only are some people allergic to bio-grains, but there have been clear and public admissions by a number of scientists involved in their development, that we won't know for decades whether or not these products are safe, or might cause health problems for consumers in the long run.
Determined to protect the health of their populations, most European and some Asian countries have barred all imports of bioengineered grains from the U.S. In fact, they have to contend with crowds of demonstrators on the rare occasions when some genetically altered product gets through their customs and is found near farms or markets. You might have heard of the uproar triggered by the so-called ‘golden rice,’ a Vitamin A-enhanced grain intended to compensate for some Third World diets lacking that nutrient.
Even American consumers fly off the handle when they think their food supply might be threatened by plants crossed with bacteria, viruses or other genetic material. Not long ago, headlines alerted us that a small amount of experimental rice that had not even reached the pre-FDA approval stage somehow got out of the lab and into circulation.
Organic farmers are the quickest responders to food alarms. They go into emergency mode the moment any GM grains are discovered near their fields.
An Antidote to Paranoia -- Knowledge is power. The better informed you are, the more tools you have with which to protect your and your loved ones’ health. Only don’t get hooked into getting all your information from a single source, or even two—that’s dangerous. Read what many different sides are trumpeting about nutrition and food safety.
For example: Notice the glaring contradictions between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “FDA / IFIC Brochure of January 1992” on “Food Additives” and the comprehensive report of food safety entitled “CSPI’s Guide to Food Additives,” posted on the web site of the Center for Science in the Public Interest http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm.
Read this and other material critically. Read between the lines, keep up with new discoveries and draw your own conclusions. Above all, use your commonsense, trust your instincts, and don’t become a fan(atic) of any camp. Adopt defensive eating habits—but since not everything can be foreseen or prevented, maintain a reasonable balance between risk and caution to avoid obsessing about either.
To put everything into perspective and let you sleep at night, it’s good to know that 100% organic foods have only existed until human beings figured out ways to increase their crop yields. Around 2500 B.C., for example, Sumerians used sulfur to control pests; while about 900 A.D., arsenic was found by Chinese farmers to be a more effective pesticide. In the 1700s, kerosene was tried, and 50 years ago, DDT became the miracle pesticide throughout the world. Fortunately, we are beginning to develop a better relationship with Mother Nature.
The rapidly growing demand for organic foods is benefiting farmers and the environment in the U.S., as well as in Chile and other countries that got the message and decided to board this profitable bandwagon by developing their own organic agri-business. Whole Foods Supermarkets, Trader Joe’s, Jimbo’s Naturally and proliferating local Farmers’ Markets are weaving a nutrition-blanket around the country. Even Starbucks is using its bean by offering organic coffee, and commercial chains such as Vons supermarkets, Costco, and Wal-Mart are also getting into the game. With this many players, the already small (if any) price differences between organic and conventionally produced foods are soon bound to disappear.
Until then, remember that protecting your health, and that of your family, also protects your and the nation’s pocketbook. Not only are healthcare expenses going through the roof, but loss of income due to illness punches a hole in everyone’s bank account.

Food Distributor Saves Lives With Timely Recall

This time, no one go hurt. Thanks to the speedy testing and recall last week of salmonella-contaminated, fresh, bagged spinach. Any improvement in the safety of our foods is worth celebrating—whether this one was due to luck, a more efficient distributor, or a lesson well learned from the sickening of 200 people and the death of three who ate similarly bagged fresh spinach, less than a year ago. Preventing such calamities while feeding a continental nation requires not only efficiency and speedy action, but conscience, foresight, and expertise as well.

Metz Fresh LLC of King City, CA—distributor of fresh, bagged spinach—showed evidence of all these attributes last week, when, in response to the salmonella test results, it used its tracking system to recall the contaminated spinach before it reached a plate. At least, none have been reported so far. In spite of this, Metz Fresh () went the extra mile to allay its customers’ concerns, by providing an information hotline—(831) 386-1018. When we called, the hotline was manned by a well-informed person (not a recording), who answered all our questions. He also attributed Metz Fresh’s ability to recall shipments quickly, to its efficient tracking system, which can instantly locate every shipment, box and bag the company had distributed.

Metz Fresh recalled its 10- and 16-ounce bags, 4-pound cartons and cartons containing four 2 ½ -pound bags. Look for the tracking codes: 12208114, 12208214 and 12208314.

BIG AGriculture: “Let Them Eat Chemicals…”

About 70 years ago, when a catastrophic Depression, Dust-Bowl and widespread hunger struck the United States, the government responded by devising well-intended agricultural policies which have resulted in some unintended—but almost equally catastrophic—consequences.

Those consequences include:
*The gradual, but often coercive takeover of family farms by large corporations. Which led to our current centralized food production and supply system, and its vulnerability to both tampering and widespread contamination of entire food crops—such as the recent spread of e-coli among batches of fresh spinach during packaging.
* Government subsidies tied to crops that can be stored—such as corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton and rice—which lead to surpluses.
*The current epidemic of obesity, diabetes and other health problems, caused by the byproducts of these surplus grains—such as high-fructose corn syrup (which render sodas, junk foods and even breads and other staples health-hazards); and soy additives hidden in countless processed foods and supplements, which then become minefields for breast cancersurvivors, allergy sufferers and others.
*Mismanagement of the land through over-use, which depletes it of natural nutrients, and its subsequent poisoning with chemical fertilizers to keep it productive. *Fraudulent claims by Big Ag that commercially grown and raised foods are safe, non-toxic and nutritious.

We are inviting you to join the growing number of consumers who are no longer content to live defensively, and who are tired of rummaging for safe and nutritious foods on supermarket shelves booby-trapped with additive-laden products pretending to be edible.

E-mail us your thoughts and food safety tips to the FRC . Help us sift through the spin and reassuring double-talk broadcast by the commercial food industry, and even certain government agencies that have failed to do their homework. We’ll fact-check and post your contributions in the Food Safety News and Information section below.

Since foods are traded around the globe and their methods of production and transportation affect both the Earth’s population and environment, we intend to cover food safety news from and about any place in the world.

Dina Eliash Robinson