To organic or not organic that is the question?

If you are like me you want to eat healthy but need to spend a reasonable amount on food. So what do we do? There are a few answers.

1. Join a CSA (community supported agriculture), local food are less likely to have pesticides.

2. Join a co-op in your town. Organic foods are cheaper.

3.When shopping at the supermarket purchase organic on the most contaminated foods only and buy the rest regular farming. There is a group, the environmental working group (EWG) This company lists which crops have the fewest pesticides for the year.

The top ten that have the most pesticides:
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Sweet bell peppers
4. Peaches
5. Strawberries
6. Grapes
7. Spinach
8. Lettuce
9. Cucumbers
10. Blueberries

The ten that are least contaminated:
1. Kiwi
2. Eggplant
3. Mango
4. Asparagus
5. Sweet peas
6. Cabbage
7. Avocado
8. Pineapple
9. Sweet Corn
10. Onions

Remember if you cannot buy organic apples to peel them. Wash your fruits and veggies well. Buy organics when they are on sale and freeze them for later use.

Happy Eating!!

The New ME!

 This has been a  year of sickness and health. I have evolved from a meat eating, depressed 205 pound woman, to a 165 pound happy vegan! I was very sick early on this year with sever IBS. I did not know I had IBS but after medical testing and eliminating foods the results are in. My total weight loss has been over 50 pounds. But I am maintaing  at weight at 165.

I have now added a exercise routine called Faithful Workouts (http://www.faithfulworkouts.com/) It is Christ based workout and she gives advice about food.

I have gone back to school to the institute for integrative Nutrition. I am learning more about nutrition and health then I ever have. I am learning how to be a health coach. What is a health coach? A health coach is a person that works with clients to inspire them to make healthy changes in their lives.

So one of the biggest things I have learned is to keep a Clean kitchen. Not a kitchen that looks clean. A Clean kitchen is a kitchen that is full of organic foods and is free from processed foods, white flour products, hydrogenated oils, and foods with high fructose corn syrup.

Examples for foods NOT to keep in your Clean kitchen:

Non-organic meats

Non-organic milk and cheeses

GMO Oils- corn, canola, soybean and cottonseed. http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

Refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup- mixes, sauces, sodas, candy, cookies, cereals and breads.

Processed grains- white rice, white flour and enriched pastas


My health is important to me and just as your health should be important to you. So go Clean your kitchen.

 

Happy Eating!!

Storing Veggies

I just joined a CSA. So how long can I store vegetables in the refridgerator??
When storing produce in the fridge it is important to keep the fridge at 40 F. If you have a crisper use it! Never wash fruits or veggies before storing.

Storage Time
Corn & cut veggies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >1-2 Days

Asparagus/ Green Beans
Berries, Chard, Peas>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>2-3 Days

Broccoli,Collards>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>3-5 Days

Beets,Carrots,Parsnips
Turnip,Cabbage,Cucumber, Peppers>>>>>>1-2 Weeks

Apples >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>1 Month

Info fromUM.