Cheddar Chicken and Rice Skillet

Super quick and easy week night meal!  Enough said

• 1/2 cup Italian Dressing (your favorite kind, just make sure its without hydrogenated oils)
• 1 Chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups instant organic brown rice (available in the bulk foods section at Mama Jeans)
• 2 1/2 cups organic chicken broth
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green or white onions
• 2-3 leaves of kale
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese to taste

Heat dressing in skillet, add chicken when hot and cook until juices run clear.  Stir in rice, broth, peppers, onions and salt.  Bring to a boil then reduce and and simmer approximately 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Stir in kale and top with cheddar cheese.  

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

1 Tbsp coconut oil   (why coconut oil?)

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups water

1 15 oz can black beans

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Feta cheese to taste

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and red pepper and saute until beginning to soften, about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in next 4 ingredients.  Add water; bring to boil.  Cover.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes.  Add beans, cook uncovered until water is fully absorbed. about 3 minutes.  Stir in Feta cheese and cilantro if desired and serve.

Taco Salad

This is a great meal even for those people who aren't particularly a big fan of salad.  Its also a great way to incorporate raw foods into your regular meal schedule.  Super flavorful and the customization possibilities are endless!

Taco Seasoning 

(I use and adapted version of Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19 for this and I just keep a ready made jar on hand)

• 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp ground Cumin
• 2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp hot Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Taco Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup organic Sugar or 1/4 cup organic sugar and 1/4 cup Stevia (the kind for baking)
• 1/3 cup organic Ketchup
• 1/4 cup Braggs Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (this stuff is super good for you)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Taco Salad

• 1/2 lb organic ground beef (or 1 lb if you want to freeze some for later) (click here for more info on beef)
• 1 can black beans
• 1 head leaf lettuce
• 2-4 leaves of kale depending on your taste (why kale?)
• A few handfuls of Spinach
• Chopped red pepper to taste
• Chopped red onion to taste
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Tortilla Chips
• Any other veggies you may have on hand that you want to throw in!  Get creative!

Begin by browning ground beef.  Drain. Add black beans to skillet then add taco seasoning to taste, sometimes at this point I will add a little water back to the skillet just to get the seasoning to mix in.  I usually use a couple tablespoons of seasoning.  You will end up with leftover seasoning for a later date!  Meanwhile chop up all your veggies, and mix your salad dressing up.  The salad dressing takes a little while to mix together, at first it looks weird and all separated but give it time and keep mixing and eventually you will have something that resembles french dressing.  You will typically have leftover dressing as well, I just refrigerate it for later use.  Bear in mid it will harden in the fridge so it needs to set out a bit before use after refrigeration.  It will keep for several weeks.  Lastly layer all your ingredients on a plate or bowl ending with the crumbled tortilla chips and drizzling with dressing.

Musings on Meat

So... if you have read my my food philosophy you already know that this post is not geared towards turning you vegetarian, while I have plenty of vegetarian days and even weeks, I enjoy meat on a regular basis! Additionally if you have read any of my other blog posts you have probably figured out by now that I am a huge advocate for choosing organic produce!  I might actually be an even bigger advocate for buying organic meat!

According to the FDA in order for food to meet organic standards the following must be true.  

1. They must be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity, which are 2 key elements of environmentally sustainable agriculture.  Environmentally sustainable refers to the practice of maintaining the integrity of the soil for future use while still yielding profitable crops from it year after year.  This is sometimes accomplished by the process of rotating crops.
2. Crops must be grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMO), petroleum-based fertilizers and sewage sludge based fertilizer.
3. Organic livestock must have access to the outdoors and be given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

If you notice, organic livestock actually has a component to it that we don't have to worry about in produce and that is precisely why I am particularly passionate about buying organic meats.  While most all the points I will make about choosing organic foods are applicable to both plant based produce as well as animal based, I am going to focus more on the animal based produce for this post.

I will discuss each point in the organic standards individually but the only thing worth saying about point number 1 is that it doesn't much pertain to meat other than to say that this should be true of the grazing land the animals feed off of before they find their ways to our tables. 

Point number 2 has several components.  The first is that pesticides are not used.  I won't spend much time on this either, other than to say that if you don't already know... pesticides are really bad for you, they are poison and you should avoid consuming them as much as possible.  Organically raised livestock should be grazing on land free of pesticides.  

On the subject of GMO's or genetically modified organisms... I am just beginning to research and understand these myself but this is what I know so far.  To keep it simple, basically scientists are finding ways to isolate certain genes in one plant that are highly desirable, they then transfer these genes to another plant so that it now has the same desirable trait.  A good example of this would be a plant that is highly resistant to pests or is very tolerant of cold weather.  These are traits that all plants could benefit from so the idea would be to genetically modify all plants to have these characteristics.  When you first hear this it sounds like a fantastic idea... and one that would drastically increase the crop yields for many farmers... but then comes the bad news.  Plants, and all living organisms for that matter, are very smart.  If you have ever had a garden you know that weed control is a huge problem that must be controlled and sometimes despite your best efforts the weeds always manage to thrive even when the rest of your crops are suffering.  When you begin to talk about genetically modifying crops to be resistant to so many things you will inevitably get weeds that are also able to take on those same characteristics, thus creating super weeds that become harder and harder to control.  Not only that but when you begin to genetically modify something there are many unknowns, like how the human body will react to consuming something that is not in its original state or how it will effect the entire ecosystem of our beneficial pollenating bugs.  There have already been instances reported where GMO crops have negatively impacted the ecosystem of beneficial bugs.  This is an extremely abbreviated version of why I have chosen to not support GMO food but if you are interested in reading more on the subject, I have found a really great article that weighs the pro's and con's so you can decide for yourself.  You can find the article here.

Point number 3 is, in my opinion, is what makes eating organic meat so very important.  I touched on the use of antibiotics and growth hormones briefly in my post about dairy which you can find here.  But we will discuss them again here.  Let's start with growth hormones.  These are given to animals for obvious reasons, the farmers want the animals to grow bigger as fast as possible because that is what yields the quickest return for them.  These hormones have been known to cause health problems in some animals and they have also been found lingering in many of the conventional dairy products we consume.  These hormones are one of the major reasons why many parents are adamant about giving their children organic milk.  If the hormones are causing the animals to mature faster you can bet that they are doing the same thing to our children.  Many people believe these hormones are responsible for causing children to begin hitting puberty earlier and earlier and growing bigger than our previous ancestors.  

Moving along to the subject of antibiotics, I am going to use some of my medical background to help explain why giving animals who aren't sick antibiotics just to prevent illness (which is what conventional farmers do) is oh so bad for our population as a whole!  Now, before I get started I am going to squash a common misconception in the rear right off the bat!  Many people think the reason we don't promote the use of antibiotics in livestock is because we get traces of the medication in the meat we consume, while it is possible this could be true, there is no research I have found to support this so I can't present it to you as a valid point.  I try to make sure there is actual research supporting all the information I present.  Ok now that I got that out of the way, here is a little tid bit of information on how antibiotics work to treat bugs.  

 In the hospital setting one of the things we are constantly battling are referred to as "multi-drug resistant super bugs."  In laymen's terms that means a bacteria that has developed an immunity to so many different kids of antibiotics that we have a very limited formulary to choose from and the ones that will actually treat it are very strong and can cause liver and kidney damage among other side effects.  I mentioned earlier that all living organisms are very smart, and bacteria are absolutely no exception!  When we treat a bacteria with a certain antibiotic it is so very important that we eradicate the bacteria in its entirety and the reason for this is because bacteria are so smart that if we don't kill absolutely ALL of them the few stragglers that are left will figure out a way to morph themselves to become resistant to that particular antibiotic so that the next time we try to use it it will not work thus causing us to have to use a stronger more powerful antibiotic.  This is why it is imperative that when you are given a prescription for 10 days of antibiotics you take the FULL 10 days, don't stop when you start to feel better!!!  This is how bugs become multi-drug resistant!  Are you starting to see why giving unnecessary antibiotics to animals is such a bad thing!  They are creating the super-bugs and they are passing them on to the human population.  So... you may be thinking but I never come in contact with livestock so I'm not at risk!  NOT TRUE!!!  Just because you are not directly exposed to the animals that may be a cause of a super-bug doesn't mean that 25 people down the line you won't be exposed to that particular bug.  To continue on my soapbox it is also worth mentioning that you should only be taking antibiotics when absolutely necessary!  Don't run to your doctor for every single runny nose you or your child might have and ask for antibiotics, many times its a viral infection that will go away on its own!  

On the topic of free range.  Organically raised livestock must have access to outdoor pastures.  In my opinion it is a no-brainer why this is so important.   Livestock raised indoors is not only a breeding ground for infection because they are literally living in their own poo but it is also just inhumane, not to mention the fact they are likely being fed a GMO corn diet.  Enough said.

 I have one last point to discuss.  Red meat has found itself with an extremely bad reputation as of lately because of it's "high" saturated fat content.  Multiple studies have come out recently that prove that free-range organically raised beef is far superior in nutritional value than that of  grain fed, non-pasture raised beef.  Organic beef is not only very low in saturated fat but it also gives you 2-6 times more Omega-3 fatty acids which is the "good fat."  So if you choose organic you no longer have to feel guilty for eating red meat.  The most budget friendly organic beef that I have found is Blackgate farms.  It is almost always in stock at Mama Jeans and is 5.99/ lb.

It is also worth noting that it is nearly impossible to find "organic" chicken here in Springfield MO.  That being said, there are some things to be aware of when shopping for chicken.  Always make sure that the chicken says it is free range or pasture raised and antibiotic and hormone free.  These are usually advertised on the package.  Also make sure you are buying from a reputable source that knows where their produce comes from.  Buy directly from your farmer at the farmers market or at a local store that knows their farmers personally.  I buy mine from Mama Jeans or the farmer's markets, whichever is easier that week.  

I will admit that one of the biggest expenses in changing to a mostly organic diet is the cost of organic meat.  Chicken especially can be more pricey, but my suggestion would be to evaluate the amount and frequency of your meat consumption.  Could you decrease the amount of meat in a certain dish and make up for it by adding more veggies?  This has become a very common practice for my husband and I, as well as finding vegetarian recipes to throw into the mix.  I think you will find many of the recipes on my blog are heavy on the veggies and light on the meat!  

Dairy: the Good, the Bad and the... Cultured?

There is much controversy in the world of nutrition as to whether or not dairy is nutritionally beneficial.  While I am no means an expert, I like to consider myself an educated consumer, so here is some of the research I have found to be helpful on the topic.

For starters there is the debate over organic vs conventional when it comes to milk.  In order to make an educated decision you must first understand the difference.  

The biggest difference is that conventional milk comes from cows that are given the synthetic hormones rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) and rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin).  These hormones help to increase the milk production of the cows, but not without side effects.  In cows these hormones often cause mastitis, but it's not just cows that are getting sick.  In humans these hormones have been linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer.  The use of these hormones has already been banned in several countries including Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Austria, and the entire European Nation.  

Hormones aren't the only thing found in conventional milk that is questionable.  The use of antibiotics is rampant among conventional dairy farmers, they give them to their cows routinely for infections.  The feed given to conventional dairy cows is also full of pesticides, and USDA reports show that low levels of pesticides are found in conventional dairy milk.  

As for organic dairy milk, the USDA prohibits the use of hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides as well as makes it mandatory that organic dairy cows have access to pastures.  So far, organic milk has my vote!  There is one thing that I found concerning however, when some organic dairy milk is pasteurized it is heated to around 260 degrees, this is known as ultra-pasteurization, which gives the milk a shelf life of about 2 months.  Conventional milk is typically only heated to about 145 degrees.  This is a bit of a sore spot for me because while we know that pasteurization is designed to kill off bad bacteria it also kills tons of good bacteria!  The only benefit to heating milk to 260 degrees is that it increases the shelf life PRIOR to opening it, once the milk is exposed to air it spoils just as quick as the milk only heated to only 145 degrees but the trade-off is that much more of the good stuff was killed in the process.  The good news is that you can buy non "ultra-pasteruized"milk if you are careful about reading labels.  Just look for milk that does NOT say "ultra-pasteurized" but be sure to look closely because sometimes they make the word hard to find!

Now lets talk about pasteurized vs non-pasteurized or raw milk.  Pasteurization can kill harmful bacteria and pathogens present in commercially produced milk.  However, it also destroys many nutrients and naturally valuable enzymes like lactase and galactase which help the human body better digest the lactose and calcium in milk and milk products such as cheese and even yogurt.  Pasteurization destroys the beneficial probiotic cultures that naturally help us to break down the milk and extract the minerals.  So, many of the problems people have tolerating and digesting milk are often due to the fact that it's pasteurized.  

Many people are uncomfortable consuming products that are unpasteurized due to the risk of potential harmful bacteria but the fact of the matter is that modern sanitation standards, sterile stainless steel holding tanks, and milking technology have made pasteurization largely unnecessary today.  Plus, in my opinion the risk of buying contaminated produce at the grocery store these days is probably just as high as getting a bottle of contaminated raw milk.  If you are still uncomfortable consuming raw milk though there are some other good options.  Yogurt and kefir both contain probiotic cultures making them easier to digest and coating you digestive tract with thousands of beneficial organisms.  Greek yogurt is a great option as it is much higher in protein than regular yogurt.  If you are unfamiliar with kefir it is a cultured milk product very similar to yogurt but in a thick liquid form that also contains beneficial yeast.  While it may sound weird kefir is VERY good for you, and I would recommend finding ways to incorporate it into your diet.  It comes in a variety flavors and I find when I put it in smoothies I can't even taste it!

While we do not drink much milk we do consume many other types on dairy.  After hours of research we have personally decided to take the approach of buying things with as little processing as possible.    When buying cheese we always look for RAW unpasteurized cheese, there is a great selection of these at... you guessed it... Mama Jeans!  Are you starting to see a trend in where we buy groceries?  I love shopping local!  They also have a good selection of kefir, as does Price Cutter.  As far as buying raw milk the only place I have found it is at the farmer's market in the Battlefield Mall parking lot available from Lorenae Dairy.  They sell raw milk for 6.00 per gallon and they will even make a low-fat gallon for you if you call and request it ahead of time.  Their milk has a shelf life of 21 days. We can't always use a gallon of milk in 21 days so I sometimes opt for buying 1/2 gallons of organic pasteurized milk.  

I hope this information has made you a more educated consumer!  It is SO important to know what is in your food and where it is coming from!  Remember, you are what you eat!  

Pesto Pasta with Kale and Chicken Sausage

This is a super easy weeknight meal, cooks in about 20 minutes, 30 minutes tops depending on how quick you can prep your ingredients.  I love using kale in this dish because of the amazing health benefits it provides.  If you don't know much about kale you should read my post about it here.  If you have never eaten kale before this is a great recipe to get acquainted with it!

• 1 lb pasta- pick your favorite- I used the veggie spirals in the bulk foods section at Mama Jeans
• 1/2 cup pesto- make sure to read your labels if buying pre-made, they have a great all-natural option at Mama Jeans
• 2-4 chicken sausage links- chopped into bite size pieces,  I use 2 because I prefer less meat - I recommend Applegate Farms Andouille, or any other Applegate Farms variety.
• 5 cloves garlic- coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil- (why coconut oil?)
• 1 bunch of kale - chopped, about 2 cups
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat.  Add garlic and sausage and cook just until browned.  Add kale, salt and pepper, and cook for just a minute until incorporated into sausage mixture.  Add pasta and pesto, toss to coat.  Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.  

Kale is King When it Comes to Greens

Kale is positively one of the most nutrient dense vegetables around!  We all know that leafy greens should be a plentiful part of our diet and if there is one green that you definitely don't want to leave out it's Kale!

• Kale is a powerful source of antioxidants which we know can be a major player in the fight against the development of cancerous cells, heart disease, and some age related chronic illnesses. 

• Kale also aides in detoxification of our bodies with it's high sulfur content which is essential in keeping our organs running smoothly.

• Kale is very anti-inflammitory with its 100mg of omega-3 fatty acids per cup and with the added mega-dose of vitamin K it can help with inflammatory related problems such as asthma, arthritis, auto-immune disorder, allergies, acne, colitis and more.

• Kale is rich in fiber which binds with bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels especially when eaten cooked instead of raw.

• One cup of Kale contains 206% of your daily value of vitamin A which is essential for maintaining your vision, skin and cellular health and immune function.

• One cup of Kale also provides 134% of your daily value of vitamin C which we know is a powerful antioxidant that helps to support our immune system as well as aide in the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body which helps keep your skin from wrinkling as you age.

• That same cup of Kale also gives you 684% of you daily value of Vitamin K which can strengthen your bones and help prevent calcium build-up in your tissues that lead to heart disease and stroke.

That's a lot of goodness in one cup!  You would have to eat the equivalent of 102 bananas to equal the same amount of vitamin A and 384 baby carrots to get the same dose of vitamin K.  I don't know about you, but I think I'll go for the cup of kale!  I would consider it a superfood, meaning, it's too good for you to not eat it!  The best part is that it's quite delicious!  

Kale blends well with a variety of different cuisines.  Eat it raw in a salad, add it to a stir-fry, blend it up in a smoothie (one of my favorites), it's even hearty enough to add to soups or stews!  However you choose to eat it, it's sure to be a great addition to diet.  Happy kale eating!