____________________________
"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead
Hi P2P Friends!
This month we have several special treats in celebration of Valentine's Day.
Simply Pies will be featuring their 6" and 9" Lemon Dream pie and Chocolate Cream pie for Valentine's Day. In addition, if we get 5 orders for small cheesecakes, they will bake them as well , but only the week of Valentines Day. It will be a plain cheesecake with a chocolate dipped strawberry on top. Great gift ideas for anyone's sweetheart! Prices are on www.plowtoporch.com.
For the rest of the month they will feature:
Mediterranean Quiche and
Apple Pie.
In addition, we have a very special product from one of our very creative subscribers, Marla Wilson, of marlasapothecary.com.
Marla is a certified Aromatherapist, certified holistic health care and bioresonance educator practitioner and consultant. Marla's Apothecary aromatherapy products are lovingly hand blended here in Santa Barbara using organic or wild essential oils whenever possible. She uses no synthetic oils. Her home and therapeutic blends are poured into Violet Glass bottles made in Switzerland by Miron Glass. This glass was produced for a homeopathic sun line to protect the remedies from damaging rays of the sun and to let in the energizing ones.
Inspire love and togetherness with Sweet Bliss aromatherapy. Marla created Sweet Bliss in order to address the issue of relaxation. This is needed for women to put us out of our heads and more in our bodies. To allow ourselves to be swept away in the moment and to become more in touch with the autonomic function of our bodies.
Sweet Bliss - A rapturous blend 100% pure essential oils of Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Geranium in a base of grain spirits and water. 100 ml $22.00 available for you, a friend, your wife etc.... This can be ordered for Valentine's Day or any other time of the year. To order, just email us at mail@plowtoporch.com.
On another note, I have discovered that many of you do not know that I post the week's produce box contents on www.plowtoporch.com the weekend before delivery so that you can plan your shopping for the week. Check it out!
Stay Healthy and Happy.
|
| Fresh Ideas and Fun Facts |
|
- Looking for an alternative to those harsh chemical kitchen cleaners?
Marla's Apothocary also carries a product called "Kitchen Clean Herbs".
A cleaning disinfectant blend for your kitchen countertops. 100% pure essential oils of Clove and Oregano in a base of water and Grapefruit Seed Extract.
8 oz. $16.00 and we deliver!
-Cut away any green parts of a potato before cooking or eating. The green color indicates the presence of glycoalkaloids, which can cause gastro-intestinal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness and mental confusion. Potatoes with widespread areas of green should be thrown away.
Bottom Line, February 1, 2009
-Maintain the freshness of vegetables:
Trim the bottom ends of asparagus, and store the stalks upright in cool water in the refrigerator. Do the same for broccoli and celery.
|
| Food for Thought |
The next time you feel like complaining, remember that your garbage disposal probably eats better than 30 percent of the people in the world.
- Robert Orben
|
| Recipes |
|
Crispy Kale Treats
I learned about this recipe at a recent meeting for the group facilitated detoxifying cleanse I am now participating in with David Gaynes, our monthly "Optimal Health" contributor. So far the cleanse has been wonderful. I am feeling clear and energetic, I am losing weight, and I am learning so much!
This recipe can be used as an alternative to chips and other snacks. I made a batch with my kale from last week and even my kids loved it!!!
Ingredients:
A bunch of kale
olive oil
sea salt (or you can get creative and use different flavors...garlic powder, soy etc....
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Wash the kale well and spin or towel dry.
Cut off long stems.
Arrange leaves in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
Sprinkle lightly with olive oil and sea salt.
Bake at 180 degrees until crispy. Time varies depending on the oven and the moisture in the kale.
Enjoy! Yum! Yum!
| |
|
Warmly,
Pam and the Plow to Porch Team
Plow to Porch Organics
PO Box 2514
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
|
|
|
|
Optimal Health with David Gaynes, L.Ac.,
M.T.O.M.
Your P2P produce box is your medicine cabinet!
If you read last month's article I mentioned cleansing and detoxification as a means to increasing your health and reducing chronic disease. I started a group facilitated cleanse and we are now in the third week. I am always amazed by the dramatic results that people experience while on the cleanse. In addition to losing extra weight, people always comment on the sudden absence of chronic pains that had been plaguing them.
It's not that there is anything magical about cleansing, but in addition to cleaning things out of the diet like the refined products that aggravate health, we are flushing our bodies with massive amounts of whole food nutrient.
Pain and inflammation eventually affects most of us at some point or another. There are many chemical components in the pain and inflammatory processes of the body. Just as you can take certain chemicals, i.e. aspirin to reduce the pain, certain foods tend to increase or reduce the experience of pain and inflammation as well.
- Avoid sugar and white flour: Refined carbohydrates tend to overly stimulate the production of insulin which tends to be pro inflammatory. Cake, cookies, candy and soda will sure help to keep you in pain.
- Eat more raw food: Raw vegetables and fruits are rich in enzymes. Cooking and processing destroys these. Enzymes act like chemical scavengers, cleaning up inflammation in the body, which can lead to less pain.
- Drink more water: When the body is properly hydrated you accomplish two purposes; first, you dilute these pain causing chemicals and second, you facilitate your elimination processes enabling you to flush them out of the body more easily.
- Eat the right fats and oils: Essential fatty acids are converted in the body to chemicals called prostaglandins. Different prostaglandins can either produce or suppress inflammation. Processed fats such as hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated should be eliminated. Animal fats should be reduced as much as possible, however fish oil is an exception as it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3's are highly anti-inflammatory. Other great sources of omega 3's are flax seeds, walnuts and a variety of beans.
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables: Fruits and veggies are rich in antioxidants which have a beneficial effect in reducing inflammatory processes in the body.
Remember that pain, although uncomfortable, is really just one of your body's brilliant mechanisms for telling you that something is out of balance. Sometimes taking pain medications is necessary, but if you are repeatedly experiencing pain and reaching for bottle of pain reliever, your body and long term health will benefit greatly by trying to find the source for the problem. If your physician has not suggested alternatives to pain medications, checking with an acupuncturist, chiropractor or naturopath may provide you with a healthier solution.
Eat and enjoy!
David Gaynes, L.Ac., M.T.O.M.
Total Health- A Center for Wellness
3710 State Street, Suite C
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805.682.6492
davidgaynes@SBtotalhealth.com
David Gaynes, L.Ac., M.T.O.M. is a local acupuncturist and natural healthcare practitioner. His years of clinical experience have shown him that the key to creating exceptional health is building a foundation with whole food nutrition. Focusing on finding the root of the problem, he successfully integrates healing philosophies from both East and West to help his patients achieve optimal and radiant health.
If you have healthcare questions please contact David Gaynes at info@SBTotalHealth.com or 805-682-6492.
|
|
10 Reasons to Eat Local Food
-Eating local means more for the local economy. According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction.
-Locally grown produce is fresher. While produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big-box store has been in transit or cold-stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer's market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time.
-Local food just plain tastes better. Ever tried a tomato that was picked within 24 hours? 'Nuff said.
-Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen. Because the produce will be handled less, locally grown fruit does not have to be "rugged" or to stand up to the rigors of shipping. This means that you are going to be getting peaches so ripe that they fall apart as you eat them, figs that would have been smashed to bits if they were sold using traditional methods, and melons that were allowed to ripen until the last possible minute on the vine.
-Eating local is better for air quality and pollution than eating organic. In a March 2005 study by the journal Food Policy, it was found that the miles that organic food often travels to our plate creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefit of buying organic.
-Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons. By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.
-Buying locally grown food is fodder for a wonderful story. Whether it's the farmer who brings local apples to market or the baker who makes local bread, knowing part of the story about your food is such a powerful part of enjoying a meal.
-Eating local protects us from bio-terrorism. Food with less distance to travel from farm to plate has less susceptibility to harmful contamination.
-Local food translates to more variety. When a farmer is producing food that will not travel a long distance, will have a shorter shelf life, and does not have a high-yield demand, the farmer is free to try small crops of various fruits and vegetables that would probably never make it to a large supermarket. Supermarkets are interested in selling "Name brand" fruit: Romaine Lettuce, Red Delicious Apples, Russet Potatoes. Local producers often play with their crops from year to year, trying out Little Gem Lettuce, Senshu Apples, and Chieftain Potatoes.
-Supporting local providers supports responsible land development. When you buy local, you give those with local open space - farms and pastures - an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped.
fogcity.blogs.com
| |
|
