I started buying coconut water and organic soy milk from my neighborhood 99 cent store ( I am sooo happy they exist and sell these, regular markets charge sometimes 3 times as much for same brand) And by the way I buy WestSoy soy milk bec...ause it does not contain carageen...if you don't know whats bad about carageen, Google it. Anyway, to save more money I freeze the coconut water and soymilk (in seperate) freezer trays and use the cubes in smoothies. I usually add 3 cubes coconut water and 4 cubes soy milk. I throw them in after I add everything else and let them melt -- then I blend them together. Yum!

 

 

I make a smoothie everyday...here's the recipe for the one I'm drinking right now.

 

 

 

 

3 cubes frozen coconut water

4 cubes frozen soy milk (organic)

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 banana

2 large carrots (juiced)

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup spring water

teaspoon ground flax seed ( I use Bob's Red Mill)   I don't have a grinder right now

 

Throw these into a blender

Allow the frozen cubes to melt; it takes about 15 minutes and then blend mixture

Enjoy!

 

 

 

xo   Inge

 

100 Days of Real Food

I found this article while cruising the internet.

"100 Days of Real Food: Easy Ways to Cut Back on Processed Ingredients"

You can find it here.... 

http://www.takepart.com/photos/avoid-processed-food?cmpid=tp-ptnr-foodbabe


and this article will make you think twice before you buy....

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/hidden-ingredients-processed-food.html?page=2


xo      Inge



I almost forgot to wish you a  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I swiped this chart off Food Babe's blog http://foodbabe.com/2012/09/28/do-your-favorite-snack-brands-contain-gmos/


I suggest fresh fruits and vegetables BUT I know we all like something to snack on occasionally, so why not be sure its good for us! And we are showing our support for those companies who are doing the right thing! Earning a living, while selling a product that is good for the environnment and good for us!

xo    Inge

I made the abosulte BEST smoothie just now. I bought fresh figs at the store. They were on sale, so I figured I would try them. Eating them au naturale was pretty bland, so I decided to experiment. I peeled 7 figs and added them to 1/2 cup ...

coconut milk, a banana and threw them in a blender. WOW! Who needs milkshakes?  Make mine a fig smoothie! Figs are full of phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidents. They spoil fast so I suggest peeling and freezing them.

I went to Costco today and found some unrefined, organic coconut oil. They had a huge container of it for $17. That does sound like alot but it was 54 oz., compared to Sprouts brand 16 oz for $8. I stir fried some veggies in my wok, using 2 tblsps of the oil. Yum! I sprinkled my special anti-oxident (tumeric, garlic powder, black pepper) spice blend over them as well.

I scooped some out and put them in one of my empty bottles. I will use that coconut oil for my face moisturizer. You can learn more about the benefits of virgin coconut oil here:   http://www.naturodoc.com/library/nutrition/coconut_oil.htm

xo   Inge

How many people really understand the labels on the food we eat? I just learned something quite interesting recently about all the different 'organic' labels. I thought organic meant 'organic' like 100% organic. Wrong! So, you know I am all about getting our  genetically modified food aka: gmo food labeled in California. I spend a great deal of my time working , rather volunteering to educate people about this important proposition. Thats how I stumbled onto the label organic wagon.

I try to buy mostly organic because, I thought that was the purest food we can buy, or as they used to call it - 'food' when I was a kid.  I read an article in Extraordinary Health magazine that clearly describes all the different organic foods that are sold in the markets.


Here is what I learned:

 The USDA established the guidelines of who could display the 'organic' label. In a nutshell, any foods that contain at least 95% organic ingredients can be labeled as such. What? 95%? What about the remaining 5% then? June 9th, 2007 the USDA added 38 non-organic ingredients to the national list: 19 food colorings, two starches, casings for sausages, hops, fish oil, chipotle chili pepper, gelatin, celery powder, dill weed oil, frozen lemon grass, and a sweetener called fructooligosaccharides. Fructoo what? Even though it sounds bad it is a natural fructan sweetner, and acts like fiber.

Those foods which contain 100% organic ingredients are the only ones who can get the '100% USDA Organic' label. There is nothing but organic stuff in it. Period.


It evens gets more complicated. Some organic food is 70% organic and there is a label that shows that, well not really a label but they can say it on the package. Like the chocolate bar shown here.

 

 

Last but not least there is the 'natural' word on LOTS of food. I bet you don't know that the word natural is NOT regulated. They do not contain additives or preservatives, however, they CAN contain gmos and can be grown with pesticides. Whenever I see the word 'natural' on anything I want to eat, I put it back.

Now this is the label I want to see on ALL our food. And voting Yes on Prop 37 will get this ball rolling.

I have been posting like mad on facebook pages of companies against Prop 37. I am getting emails from them. I am not alone leaving comments to boycott. Please do the same on the Like pages. You do not have to 'Like' them to leave a comment....

I am leaving comments on their twitter sites as well. We have their attention and need to keep the pressure on.

https://www.facebook.com/SilkUS
https://www.facebook.com/kelloggspoptarts
https://www.facebook.com/ricekrispies
https://www.facebook.com/NutriGrain
https://www.facebook.com/frostedflakes
https://www.facebook.com/Kelloggs?ref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/smuckers
https://www.facebook.com/generalmillscareers
https://www.facebook.com/fiberone
https://www.facebook.com/MuirGlen
https://www.facebook.com/nakedjuice?ref=ts

A friend told me about all the fresh produce and some organic foods she finds at the 99 Cents Store, so I drove to my local one and looks the goodies I picked up. The red peppers were 2 for 99 cents. I found some Westsoy organic soy milk as well, but I didnh't have enough cash with me. Oh, well another day...

I found this on Facebook. Looks like a healthy summer treat indeed!

xo    Inge

"President Obama and the USDA have chosen to override and ignore decisions and injunctions made by the U.S. Supreme Court that banned planting of genetically engineered alfalfa and sugar beets without consideration of the Environmental Impact Assessments, which showed high risks to organic and conventional (chemical) farmers.Sugar beets provide over 50 percent of the sugar Americans use in their coffee, cereals, and desserts.
Alfalfa reaches our tables within milk, cream, butter, and meat, as it is used as a major animal feed in the dairy industry.
Obama’s push for deregulation potentially also means the end of the organic meat and organic dairy industries as we presently know them. Essentially, he is choosing to favor the profits of big agribusiness over the survival of America’s family farmers, and especially America’s organic farmers.
Our democracy has to work for farmers and consumers and not just for multinational biotech corporations. It makes absolutely no sense that the economic risks to farmers are not considered before genetically engineered crops are put on the market. It is farmers who pay the costs of genetic contamination, not the biotech companies." excerpted from Autumn of Hope editorial.
Please sign this petition to tell Obama to receverse his decision and ban gmos for at least 10 years like Peru's Congress just did.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/bangmosinunitedstates/

There is also a button on right sidebar that will take you to petition.
Eat your fruits & veggies!    xo  Inge

http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/science-a-environmental/28204-new-report-highlights-gmos-false-promises-and-failed-technologies.html



I found some new info regarding GMOS. There will be a measure on the California ballot 2012 that requires GMOS to be labeled as such, but I don't think it goes far enough. It needs to be banned!

I found a website called the Non GMO Project  that you might want to check out
http://www.nongmoproject.org/

I found a group based in Southern California working to ban gmos from our food.  They ae called GMO Free Southern California. They are on facebook and are planning events all over so-cal. Here is their link   https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=155664254517322#!/pages/GMO-Free-Southern-California/103825439710440?sk=events

I am going to the event in Tustin Sept. 29th.

I have thinking about ways to get word out about gmos to as many people as possible, so i am posting on facebook and twitter. I found a website that lists countries and some states in North America that either ban gmos or are working on it... http://www.purezing.com/living/toxins/living_toxins_gmofoods.html
They also list how much of our food already has gmos AND THEY ARE NOT LABELED!!! I don't want labeling because what good does that do? It will already be in the food supply so the damage will be done. I want an all out ban!  Here is a link to Gov. Jerry Brown's office so you can call, email or snail mail hin with your thoughts on the subject.   http://gov.ca.gov/m_contact.php 

Here is a link from the Food for Justice rally.  I want to organize something like this in Southern California. Anyone down here interested in participating?
https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.269180783103129.66752.195319573822584

There is link to sign petition on this site

http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2011/09/14/organic-growers-sue-monsanto/

BOULDER COUNTY COLORADO TAKES STAND AGAINST GMOs

Watch this video to find out more... I want to do this in California
http://newhope360.com/non-gmo/alex-bogusky-if-boulder-stops-gmos-others-will-follow?cid=nl_nfm_iu

I had a headache the past four days. It started as a sinus headache and then turned into a migraine. I feel better today, but I feel tired. I hate it when I am stuck at home because I like to stay active. I am very aware about time and how precious it is. I don't like wasting any of it.

I am making a new green smoothie though. Here is the recipe:

Throw in blender...

1 handful organic broccoli sprouts
1 handful organic frozen raspberries
1 cup mixed baby lettuce ( I keep the bag in the freezer so it lasts longer. It will be added to smoothie so its ok if its frozen. I got this idea from the Green Smoothie Girl)
1/2 avocado
1/2 cup  Mountain High wholefat vanilla yogurt (you can use another brand but make sure it contains probiotics....Yoplait does not!)
1/4 cup soymilk
2 tblsps. Trader Joe's Organic Hemp Protein Powder   Chocolate flavor

Enjoy!

Eat your fruits and veggies!   xo Inge

 

I got a response today from Whole Foods today. I must retract my statements I made against the company. The email I got was to long to repost , so I am linking part of it here. I did look up Snopes to see if the info was true & nothing was on that site pro or con. Its a good lesson for me to always contact the company accused to get their story. Even though Whole Foods is not in bed with Monsanto it appears our government is! So once again its up to us to stay informed about what our so called representatives are up to.  http://www.nongmoproject.org/2011/01/29/team-organic-will-never-surrender-to-monsanto-now-we-continue-the-fight-together/

Organic Elite Surrenders to Monsanto: Whole Foods Market okays GMO coexistence

http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/organic-elite-surrenders-to-monsanto/


Here is Whole Foods Headquarters email address if you would like to voice your opinion. I already did.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company/contact_submit.php