2013: Au Naturelle, Mes Amis!

This is it.  This is the year I jump on the hippie bandwagon.  You’ve probably seen it coming, last year I started really looking into what we are doing to ourselves through food.  I believe the hype, but it’s not hype at all.  That’s what the people hurting you want you to believe.  Hype.  Stupid hippie hype.

Evidence that “they” are feeding us B.S. (pun intended) came up during the 2012 election and Prop 37 in California.  Big bucks were poured into the No campaign for Prop 37 so that manufacturers would not have to label foods with genetically modified organisms.  There is a petition against GMO salmon right now that I’ve signed and I hope you will too.

I’m reading labels and looking for the Non-GMO Verified stamp.  No high fructose corn syrup, which includes pop.  I’ve found alternatives to my Dr. Pepper crutch, one is a Dry Soda in Vanilla that was fizzy and refreshing and natural.  Pop in Canada was (and I hope still is) made with real cane sugar, I’ll admit this is not much better but at least it’s a step away from the corn that could be GMO corn.   No aspertame, this is not a hard change to make because I’ve never liked the weird flavor and after taste.

Eating more organic food, less meat, and drinking water has dramatically improved my skin.  I was smearing on a prescription cream for rosecea every morning, I haven’t used the cream in over a month!  Getting all the chemicals and possible GM contaminated foods out of my system also seems to help with mood swings.   Feeling kinda crappy?  Eat an avocado and a pommegranate, I’m not sure what combinations of omega-3’s and vitamins would be in there, all I know is how I feel after boosting up on good food.  The only meat I’m not sure will forever disappear from my kitchen is bacon.  I know about the monsterous hog farmers who keep the pigs so confined that they can’t turn around in their pens.  I’m hoping that places like that will be forced to change.

At the AFBA Christmas party, I received a copy of Michael Natkins’ book Herbivoracious which is full of (lacto ovo) vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan dishes.   Just reading through this book makes me drool!  These are a few recipes earmarked so far:

• Chana Chaat with Pappadams
• Risotto Balls [Arancini di riso]
• Tempeh-filled Potstickers [Gyoza]
• Quuinoa Cakes
• Middle Eastern Rice and Lentil Pilaf [Mujadara]

2013 is out with meat-n-potatoes, in with wholesome veggies and grains, smaller plates, and no soda pop.

C’est bon, mes amis!

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Save Yourself From GMOs!

I keep reading articles relating the decline of human health since the inception of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).  This term may sound foreign to you and you might think this does not affect you, but I beg you to keep reading.  The worst of the GMOs are those that carry their own insecticides, you eat these foods (i.e. corn) then the insecticides break down your guts to the point of letting undigested food bits into your bloodstream.  The body attacks these particles as if they were viruses or bacteria, for most people this results in new allergy, cancer, or other disease.

Organic For Baby and Mom

The effects of harmful chemicals on human beings can begin with the foods you eat while pregnant or trying to conceive.  These mutations of genes are passed to the fetus.  The infant formula you then feed your child also contains modified and engineered ingredients.  Ever have your baby throw up a bottle of formula?  I did.  Every day.  I had to switch formulas until one didn’t make my son sick.  At the time, I didn’t know anything about GMOs, however they were all around me and had been for at least a decade.  The best kept secret that is a silent killer and multi-billion dollar industry for those who create and sell it.

Making My Face Red

One aspect that I’m very interested in researching is the effect certain foods have on skin.  Before moving to Texas I didn’t have red blotchy skin on my face, didn’t need prescription creams to keep it in check either.  I found pictures of myself (sans make-up) from nine years ago, I had pretty nice skin!  After years of living here in the US, I developed rosacea.  Is there a connection between GMOs and this skin disorder?  The less wheat and processed foods I eat, the less red and irritated my face feels.  Coincidence?  I don’t know yet, but if anyone has information about this or studies please share in the comments below.

Avoid shopping in the middle of the store

I’ll make it easy for you.  This is the list of the most frequently found ingredients that could be genetically modified: Corn, Soybeans, Canola, Cottonseed, Sugar Beets, Hawaiian Papaya (most) and a small amount of Zucchini and Yellow Squash**.  Buy these ingredients in their natural organic form, or with a “No GMO” label.  This also includes pet food.  I suggest printing the shopping guide to keep in your purse or if you have a fancy shmancy phone, download an App for it.

Buy organic meat, dairy (or at least rBGH/rBST free), and organic vegetables or fruits, especially those without peels (berries, stone fruit, squash).

Organic Food Is Not That Expensive

I went shopping to compare prices of organic versus conventional foods.  Here is what I found:

Assuming a pound of each of the fruits and seeds were purchased, the difference is less than 6 dollars.  And note that organic food isn’t always the most expensive item or brand on the shelf to choose from.

Comparison of organic mac’n’cheese to one possibly made with GMOs

But if you know how much the GMO filled foods could impact your health, causing illnesses, anywhere from allergies up to and including cancer, how much will you spend to relieve symptoms over your lifetime?  Wouldn’t that money be better served preventing you from getting sick in the first place?  GMOs are the root cause for what ails you, natural and organic foods will take them out of the equation.

Comparing Chocolate Syrups

I’m A Farmer’s Daughter

This is a sticky situation.  My father used to farm grain crops.  He is also a chemical technologist.  A double whammy for his foodie Earth-loving daughter.  I asked some tough questions and ruffled Dad’s feathers to at least make him aware of what’s happening with GMO seed crops.  He confessed that he grew GM Canola in 1998, the last year we farmed.  It was probably cheaper to buy than regular seed, although that doesn’t sit well with me.  I know it was a hard year but still…

There is a list of safe seed sources from farms that have signed the Safe Seed Pledge in 2012 (YAY!) available here.

Final Thought

As I was writing this post I was snacking on some “all natural” Sun Chips.  I paused.  Read the label and threw out the bag.  Read about the lawsuit against Frito-Lay using “all natural” on the label of GM snacks.  If you need me, I’ll be going through any remaining snacks in the house and tossing them out.  Consumers can let their choices be heard through the products we choose or don’t choose to buy for our families.  Please READ THE LABEL!

*

Resources

Non-GMO Shopping Tips and Free Printable Guide (** list taken from this website)

Genetic Roulette (Video)

Non-GMO Project

Greenpeace Canada

CBS News

I won’t get too link happy here, you can easily find lots of information in your favorite search engine!

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GM Food and Flat Cookies

While wondering why my last batch of molasses spice cookies were a near total disaster, I thought about genetically modified foods. 

The cookies were made in a double batch with the addition of 1 teaspoon of cornstarch.  The batter looked a bit wet once everything was mixed up, but I proceeded anyways.  When the first sheet of cookies came out of the oven, I thought I had baked Quasimodos.  Some were slanty on one side, just sticky and flat.  The cornstarch was added to keep the middles chewy, but something had gone horribly wrong.  They just didn’t look right.  The sound they made coming out of the oven was a loud “BLLLAAHHH!” like Robert Munsch reading one of his hilarious children’s stories where the mud jumps up and lands on his character.  They looked like mud puddles.  But…. they tasted like cookies.

Now take this into the context of genetic modification of food.  A common example today is the Frankenfish, or GMO Salmon.  The gene that controls the growth rate, maybe it’s a hormone, I’m not the expert of these things, it was tweaked.  Turned up a notch.  Excited.  So now fish farms can grow salmon faster, and bigger, much bigger.  The people wanting to sell us these fish have taken it up to the FDA, both sides of the controversy are lobbying against each other. 

But would the big salmon taste the same as a normal salmon?  I changed one ingredient in my cookie batter and ended up with odd, flat cookies – but they are edible. 

For me, wild caught salmon is the way to go.  I can live with flat cookies.

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