I don't know how you could read The New York Times article, "The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food," without getting pretty hot under the collar. I know we did! It's a lengthy read, adapted from Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, to be published later this month by Random House.

This is an especially important piece of investigative journalism that highlights the significant change in attitude about food in the US since World War II; an attitude deeply influenced by television advertising and food marketing aimed at children.  

And if you've ever wondered why you "can't eat just one," it's because there are scientists, engineers, and food marketing wizards who work very hard to make sure that you can't. Read our commentary here.

While we got steamed about the behind-the-scenes shenanigans that have turned generations of Americans into junk food junkies, Ina Denburg, our Healthy Living columnist, and Kate Hilmer, our Good Food on a Budget columnist, turned activist.

More than 40,000 people - including Ina and her husband Ron - went to Washington DC to march in the largest non-nuclear, pro-environment rally to converge in front of the White House, ever!  

While protesting the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, the Organic Consumers Association carried their message forward: COOK ORGANIC, NOT THE PLANET to emphasize the critical but often overlooked role that factory farming plays in contributing to our planet's rapidly warming climate. Read Ina's commentary in There is No Planet B.

In Missoula, after two back-to-back lectures by Anna Lappé, author of Diet for a Hot Planet, Kate came to the conclusion that, "As individuals our actions do make a difference, but the fact remains that much larger players are pulling the strings. Perhaps the most effective move we can make is to protest corporate influence and put pressure on our elected officials to reinstate sustainable agricultural practices."

So Kate went marching in the Missoula rally on climate change. Yes, it was smaller than the DC version, but just as vocal. Says Kate, "Until recently I thought that my choices at the grocery store were the biggest thing I could do to promote change." Read Kate's commentary in Industrial Ag - Do We Really Need It to Feed the World? 

Perched just 180 feet above sea level, Port Townsend is a quaint Victorian town with a permanent population just over 9,000 people. It's also the location of the 40-year old Port Townsend Food Co-op.

Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America by Wenonah Hauter.  

Foodopoly is a text book for anyone who wants to take a crash course in today's food system: how we got where we are, who are the biggest players, and how today's food system is jeopardizing the health of consumers - from junk food to poor food safety - and the health of food workers.

There are more books on GoodFood World and more coming every week. Read, learn, and enjoy!

The sheep flock kept growing and demanded a lot of my time. "Big Mumbo" had quintuplets three years running. We had an absolute deluge of ewe lambs. This proved to be fortunate, as it turned out the demand for breeding stock was very high that year.  

Time to tear down our old South porch and I thought a sunroom would be perfect on the south side of the kitchen. Of course, when I first broached this idea to my husband, he was less than supportive - in fact, downright discouraging! However, I was determined!"

Feel like making something yummy and good for you? Here are two recipes to try:

Pumpkin Granola
This granola has a good dose of honey and a little molasses, but no sugar; it's also got some nuts, seeds, and flax. It's easy and cheap too!  

Give it a go and feel free to add flaked coconut, dried fruit, or different nuts and seeds. Get the recipe here. 

Sunny Crimson Dal

Use crimson lentils for this dal and you'll be glad you did. The result is a delicious, bright yellow dish that is pleasing to look at and fun to eat.  

Crimson lentils are pink to start (you can see some scattered to the right in the photo) but after cooking they turn yellow. Throw in turmeric and carrots and things start to get really wild. Get the recipe here.

There are more recipes at GoodFood World; and more coming every week. Get cooking!