Natural Recipes and Organic Food

Last night I had the most wonderful meal. I dined on all natural, locally grown organic Vadalia onions, caramelized and set atop organic black eyed peas with fresh garlic. To accompany, there was some organic brown rice lightly seasoned with black peppercorn and a serving of organic swiss chard, gently misted with liquid aminos.

I enjoy eating healthy local organic foods but eating this way hasn’t always been easy. A time not to long ago pretty much everything I ate was conventional grown, full of pesticides and full who knows what else chemicals. Every time I sat down to eat I would wonder, “what am I really eating here?” Particularly with the genetic modifications that have been happening over the past few decades. When I eat a tomato, I want to eat a tomato not half of an Alaskan salmon, one one forth watermelon with a dash of actual tomato. All this so vegetables can grow bigger in colder areas.

It wasn’t to long ago that eating a simple meal like this was actually hard to find. Now that said, its true I could have found all of those ingredients at my local grocer. However, getting organic foods and local crops where pretty much out of the picture. That is, unless you grew them yourself. And I’ll tell you what, if you are a busy person like me who has the time for gardening and a general sense of natural living.

Well, as of the past few years, I have seen a huge change in the trends of major grocery stores that has made healthy living a lot easier. During this change, I have seen Organic items pop up all over place. The shelves of my local grocer now has a place on almost every isle for organic “health foods.” This is a great thing to see because it make my life a lot easier. Now living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to take away from my schedule.

I can find easy healthy organic choses every where now. All natural recipes can be found at local stores and at the touch of a button on the internet. Check out this great one I found just the other day:

Chick Pea, Ham and Orzo Soup

Ingredients:

8 ounces dried chick peas (also called garbanzo beans)
2 tablespoons olive oil or Organic Valley Butter
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
10 cups homemade or unsalted chicken stock (or use a combination of stock and water)
1 meaty Organic Prairie ham bone*
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper
2/3 cup uncooked orzo
Organic Prairie Shredded Parmesan (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cover chick peas with water by three inches and soak them at room temperature 8-16 hours. Drain and rinse.

2. Heat olive oil or butter in a large, heavy pot over medium flame. Add onions, carrots and garlic and sauté them, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to soften, 8-10 minutes. Add stock, ham bone and bring to simmer, occasionally skimming off the froth that forms at the top. Partially cover the pot and adjust heat so that the soup simmers very slowly. Cook it about 1 hour, or until the meat is very tender.

3. Remove ham bone, cool it slightly, cut off the meat, chop and reserve it. Return bone to soup pot along with cumin and oregano and continue to simmer until beans are fully tender, another hour or so.

4. Stir in reserved ham and salt and pepper to taste. Add orzo; simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot, with Parmesan sprinkled over each bowl, if desired.

Note: Use the meaty bone leftover from an Organic Prairie Hardwood Smoked Bone-In Spiral Sliced Half Ham.

Healthy Foods for Healthy Children

Sometimes in our busy workaday life it’s hard to make sure we are keeping our family and children healthy and supplying them with all the nutrition they need to grow into healthy, well balanced adults. With so much going on in our day to day lives, the temptation to rely on prepackaged quick meals, lunch cafeteria choices, and other less wholesome lunches is hard to resist. However, there are so many good reasons to make sure kids eat fresh, all natural foods as often as possible.

These days it seems like there are new health risks facing our children every day. More and more young people are being prescribed medications for all sorts of illnesses from physical to mental to emotional. These powerful medications are not always 100% successful, and often come with a hefty price tag of dangerous side effects. Yet we neglect the basic building blocks of life…the foods we eat.

It is well known that healthy foods such as whole grains, fresh organic vegetables, all natural foods and unprocessed ingredients are much better in every way. They keep the body clean and in proper working order, prevent illness and disease, extend life expectancy and combat the symptoms of old age, promote healing and recovery faster and more thoroughly and a whole range of other benefits.

Maintaining a healthy diet and good nutrition is especially important for children. Kids are still growing and developing, and the body uses a lot of fuel during these stages. Young people tend to be more active as well, and require the proper kind of fuel to maintain the constant on-the-go lifestyle of many youngsters. A lot of energy is burned by a child out playing in the woods, running in the yard, riding a bicycle and playing all the sports and activities that kids do

Children are also students, and in this span of years they do a lot of learning and emulating and also at this time habits are formed that may stay with them for the rest of their lives. All natural menus and organic recipes are one way to help your kids maintain the energy and attention span needed to achieve the most they can in academics. It seems that many children today live on diets that are full of things such as artificial ingredients, highly processed refined sugars and ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup. Then we wonder why they can’t sit still and concentrate in class.

Middle schools and high schools around the country have also taken to the strange practice of allowing fast food chains that serve meals devoid of nutritious value to our young people to occupy space on campuses or in the schools themselves. Fast food chains such as these offer breakfast, lunch and dinner foods, and many young people are relying on these places for two and sometimes three of their meals a day. Ice cream, candy, soda and other types of snacks and junk food are often made available to students in the stores of the school itself. How can we expect to make the right choice when it comes to nutrition with such temptations available to them?

Teaching children to respect good nutrition from the start is one way to ensure that your children will appreciate the benefits of a healthy diet and natural lifestyle. When a young person learns about the value of organic foods, all natural recipes and healthy diets, they have a chance to get excited about it and carry on the habits into adulthood.

Health Foods as Medicine

What is medicine to you? Oftentimes the word medicine will conjur up images of pill bottles, icky syrups or syringes. The word has developed a negative connotation for many, especially since a particular medicine is often associated with the unfortunate malaise it is intended to treat. However, to view medicine as something to be taken only after one is already sick is to do a disservice to ourselves. Medicine can be a substance, or a practice of using substances that prevent disease in the first place, such as an all natural diet and healthy lifestyle. The foods we eat can be medicine too.

Sometimes it seems that the entire “western” medical profession is based around treating illness after it already arises. We are constantly chasing symptoms, and trying to undo damage we create by our day to day living. Invasive surgeries and powerful chemicals are used to combat years of disregard for the body. Doesn’t it make more sense, however, to avoid getting sick in the first place?

The most direct control we have over our own health is our diet and consumption habits. Of course eliminating harmful toxins such as cigarette smoking or environmental factors are a huge help as well, but our diet is crucial. We eat multiple times every day. Each meal is a choice between healing our bodies with natural menus and organic foods, or doing more harm to our bodies with processed junk foods and take out dinners. Simple changes in the ingredients, the menus and the way we eat can drastically change the quality of life for the better.

We hear a lot about “health care” these days. In the political arena, in the workplace and at home it is a hot topic, and everyone seems to have an opinion about it. It is a topic that affects everybody at every age. Once again, however, when we think of this term, it still seems to refer to what we do after we get sick. When we really look at the phrase, it too should refer to our lifestyle. Medicine and health care can be more than drugs, surgeries and treatments. It can be a way that we live our life; the way we care for our health.

Creating organic menus and switching to an all natural lifestyle is easier than one might think, and benefits every aspect of our lives. Eating whole foods and avoiding chemical filled, over processed ingredients is one way to avoid having to see the doctor so often. These foods are medicine for sure, as they do the job of fighting off disease and keeping the body healthy and energized. Adopting an organic lifestyle will help to make sure you stay active later into life as well.

Spending time outdoors, walking or exercising and adopting an attitude of health will go a long way to helping you transition into a more sustainable lifestyle. Activities such as these are a great way to compliment natural menus and organic recipes. In this way, medicine becomes the way we live our whole life. Health care becomes something we do every day, all the time, instead of the program you have set up with you insurance agency.

A walk through the library or search on the web will reveal many resources for living a more natural lifestyle. Web sites such as www.gnliving.com have tips, stories, recipes and menus all designed to help folks make a smooth and enjoyable transition to a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Eating in a Busy World

These days staying healthy and eating nutritious, healthy foods can be challenging. We wake up with barely enough time to get dressed and head to work, and a healthy menu is often replaced with a cup of coffee and a quick snack from a convenience store. Lunch time rolls around and we find ourselves replacing a balanced meal with some take-out from whichever fast food chain happens to be closest to our work place. By the time we get home from work, cooking a proper meal seems to be the furthest thing from our minds, so we order from our favorite delivery restaurant, and we all know the places that deliver tend to have that yummy junk food we should save as an occasional treat.

It may seem like a daunting task for some, but transitioning to a healthy diet even when faced with a busy schedule is not difficult. As a matter of fact, it can be very fun and is virtually guaranteed to improve the quality of every aspect of your life. It simply requires a little bit of planning and a little bit of discipline. Bringing lunches to work, and having a list of easy to prepare wholesome dinners simply requires a small amount of forethought. The ultimate result is that you will be healthier, happier and more capable doing the things you want to do for a much longer period of time.

Start by making a budget for your shopping, and trying to stick to a good shopping list when you go to the grocery store. Try to choose all natural foods and organic foods and vegetables. Buy enough ingredients to make healthy meals that will leave you with leftovers to take in a container for lunch at work throughout the week. Grab sweets and snacks that will satisfy your cravings, but make sure they are all natural, organic and free of refined sugars and artificial ingredients.

Try leaving yourself a little more time in the morning to make a decent meal. Breakfast is crucial and all too often we find ourselves needing to skip it. Keep fresh fruit on hand, perhaps in a bowl on the table. This is a great way to start your day. Try drinking a glass of water before you drink that first cup of coffee, and save that java for your first meal. Cereal with a little fruit takes just moments to prepare, and if you choose whole grain cereals and fresh organic fruits, you will start your day off with a well balanced meal. Simple organic recipes are available all over the internet to get you started.

Dinners don’t have to be complicated if you do a little prep work ahead of time. Take one day to prepare ingredients and keep them in the fridge so you can still make a healthy meal, even when you come home late or have plans for the evening. Soaking beans ahead of time, or keeping some extra chopped vegetables in a bowl for a day or two will make cooking a meal faster and more appealing. Healthy living becomes easier and easier the more you do it

There are plenty of resources available for folks who want to make a transition to healthier living. Plenty of books and videos are available with great tips and encouraging anecdotes. Web sites like Go Natural Living are specifically designed to assist people who are new to the wonderful world of healthy eating and living. At gnliving.com you will actually find explanations, tips, pre-designed organic menus and lots of other great information on making your lifestyle more healthy and sustainable.

An Introduction to Organic foods.

An Introduction to Organic Foods

By: Jack Moe

When it comes to foods, the term “organic” is becoming more and more common. Organic foods are foods that were grown without the use of artificial fertilizers, chemical pesticides, and genetically altered seeds or sprouts. Foods that do use artificial fertilizers, chemical pesticides, and genetically altered seeds or sprouts are generally referred to as “conventional” items.

As the popularity of natural lifestyles has grown, various organizations have been created to set up standards to distinguish between what is an organically grown item and what is not. Foods that adhere to the standards of that particular agency and arrange to be inspected by representatives of those agencies will usually display a label of some kind to inform the consumer of this additional standard. The most common label of this kind is the green “USDA organic label”

There are many reasons eating all natural foods and organic food has become important to people. The largest and most obvious reason for switching to organic recipes is that many people believe the pesticides and fertilizers used to grow and protect the vegetables can never be completely washed away and eventually makes its way into our system when we eat those foods.

The argument continues that even if we do get all the chemicals off of our produce, those chemicals are no less dangerous being introduced into the waste and water systems. The mere fact that they are spread across acres and acres of land means that eventually those chemical will find their way into our bodies and cause great harm over time.

Proponents of organic foods also believe that because the seeds and vegetables are processed less and grow using all natural fertilizers, they retain far more flavor and many, many times the nutritional value of conventional produce. This is partially due to that fact that because certified organic produce can not use artificial preservatives, it makes its way to the grocery store that much faster. According to advocates, using organic ingredients helps to create fresh and healthy menus that are full of nutrition.

Another reason why organic ingredients are thought to be superior to conventional foods is the fact that they are by their very nature a stronger genetic breed. Plants that have been manipulated genetically over generations or sprayed season after season with strong pesticides will inherently be weaker on their own, with less developed natural defenses. This is thought to further compromise the nutritional value of the end product.

Detriment to the environment is another major concern of proponents of organic foods. As these pesticides run off into the surrounding ecosystem, a huge array of problems can result, from contamination of the nearby lakes and streams to the poisoning of the local water table. Using fertilizers and pest repellents that are also organic ensures that the excess materials will bio-degrade harmlessly into the environment.

Organic foods are often the first step many people take when transitioning to a healthier way of eating and a healthy lifestyle in general. Organic clothes, furniture and many other household goods are now available to the general consumer, but organic foods are still the most important, because those are the things that most directly affect our health.

Making the switch to organic foods can be fun and educational. With the huge increase in the number of health food stores, and also the number of organic sections in “conventional” grocery stores, finding organic ingredients is becoming far easier and more cost effective.

A wealth of information can be found online as well, from websites such as www.gnliving.com. Go Natural Living is dedicated to helping people make the transition to healthy eating as easy and fun as possible.

Healthy Natural Foods

Healthy Natural Foods
By: Jack Moe

Everyone wants to be healthy. With so much information available these days, we have all become increasingly aware of threats to our health such as high blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes and others. Doctors, nutritionists and other experts agree that prevention is the best defense against these types of problems. Where does prevention begin? Well, exercise and an active healthy lifestyle are very helpful, but the best thing we can do to make sure we continue to keep our bodies in proper working order is to eat healthy, all natural foods.

The natural foods industry has evolved and grown tremendously over the past ten years, making healthy natural and organic foods available to everyone. Stores dedicated to these types of diets have sprouted up all over the place, and most mainstream grocery stores have begun to carry alternative selections to mainstream processed foods. Large companies have started to take notice of the great demand for natural foods, and most now offer a line of products free of pesticides, preservatives and artificial ingredients.

These products are a great way to transition to a healthier way of eating. Companies have developed a wide array of delicious foods that are packed with nutrition. In most cases there is some product out there to replace the ones your doctor may warn you away from. The days of associating healthy foods with tasteless, boring cuisine are long gone.

Even better than the pre-packaged health food items are fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and un-processed herbs and spices. This often requires a little more effort to prepare, but are well worth the extra benefits from a health perspective. Using these types of slow cooked foods can also be fun and allow you to experiment with recipes and menus. Natural recipes and healthy menus are abundant these days and can make it that much easier for you to eat healthy.

The way most foods are processed in our modern industrial society eliminates a large amount of the nutritional value. Folks who have spent anytime gardening know how fresh fruits and vegetables are so superior to their canned and pre-packaged counterparts. Finding produce in our grocery stores that is from local farms is one way to ensure that your meals are full of all the vitamins and minerals we need.

Bulk nuts and grains are available form co-ops, health food stores and now even larger chain grocers. These traditional staple items are the basis for most diets around the world, and combined with the right fresh fruits and vegetables can create complete nutrition for most people.

Contrary to popular belief, a healthy natural foods diet does not necessarily have to be a vegetarian one. Most health food stores have begun to offer more and more selections of all natural, hormone and antibiotic free meats and poultry. These animal products are generally also produced in a way that is more humane to the animals, and also more environmentally friendly.

For someone just becoming aware of the natural foods world it can be a bit overwhelming. Many folks who begin to make this transition will try to do so with no help, and no support and often will give up before they see the benefits of this important choice. There are many resources available now to help folks with all the question and concerns about making this transition. One of the very best is gnliving.com. The good folks there are dedicated to helping anyone who wishes to do so learn how to make the switch to a healthier way of eating.