Sunday's Trip to the Farmer's Market

I was up before 9am on Sunday morning.  Dogs are great for waking you up early, even on weekends.  I made a gusto brekkie of scrambled eggs wrapped in several organic romaine leaves with 50% reduced fat sharp white cheddar cheese.  We left for Tampa shortly after for a well overdue trip to the farmer's market.

Sweetwater Organic Community Farm opens to the public on Sunday's at noon.  They have a pretty amazing CSA program I wish I could participate in.  At the market you'll find vendors, vegan eats, fresh produce to purchase, live music and farm tours.  Bring the kids and leashed dogs for an earthy afternoon on the farm.

The place was packed with people bustling around.  I think it's fun to browse and talk to each of the vendors to see what they're offering.  The organic produce included some veggies from the farm, but mostly the kind of produce you'd find at a local health food store.  I ended up buying a bag of fresh organic basil, a few of the most beautiful zucchinis ever, an organic butternut squash and cherry tomatoes.

To be honest, I just like being on the farm. Here are a few photos for you to enjoy...

I'm looking forward to heading back to the farm this Sunday, but also want to finally check out St. Pete's Saturday Morning Market.  It's supposed to be spectacular!

Au revoir!

Sweetness of Sustainability

{ Caylee & Roxy with super tongue! }

So many fun photos, so little time!  In serious need of a laptop makeover over here... editing photos takes f-o-r-e-v-a!!!

That has to be the craziest Roxy photo this week.  This morning Jen stopped by the T-Tapp office with her adorable kids, Conner and Caylee.  Roxy loves any creatures about her size and adored sweet Caylee...and she squealed with delight over the pup.

Previous Caylee posts: Welcome Caylee Dakota! and Caylee's First Day at T-Tapp.

I can't help myself, she is just too cute. ♥ 

 { Me & Caylee }

That's me half asleep and half way blinking to the double-flash of my camera.  Don't you love her little dress?

{ La & Caylee }

This photo looks like Caylee has sold La on the power of Fibertox!


In other news... 
I'm proud to say that I've skipped Starbucks and any coffee this week, for that matter!

It's not that I don't want to drink a latte... it's that I don't need to and I recognize that.  IMO the benefits of skipping it outweigh picking up the expensive habit and having to detox all over again.  I'm giving myself a pat on the back for this one. Will take it one week at a time and focus on why I'm initiating this change in the first place.


Eats

Brekkie

1 Scrambled Egg with BVI Seasoning and 1/2 a Florida Ruby Red Grapefruit.

Later in the morning... Whole Banana with Organic PB.

Lunch

Finished off about 1/2 of this salad.  I missed the tomatoes and olives!

Snack

Single Serving Granola.

Dinner

I'm also proud of the dinner I made tonight. 100% organic and sustainable!

Fresh Wild and Sustainably Harvested Sockeye Salmon was on sale...

I picked up Organic Green Beans and already had some Organic Red Quinoa on hand.

I made a paste with Organic Garlic, Ginger and EVOO, then rubbed it on the top side of the filet.  In the skillet I added a splash of OJ, Organic Soy Saunce and Organic Green Onions.  Placed the filet face down and cooked for about 10 minutes.  It turned out juicy and with amazing flavor!

Delish!  And I have more for tomorrow... might have to stock up on this while it's on sale.

Oh, and I can't forget the wine!  Trinity Oaks Pinot Noir ...

I bought a bottle of wine and planted a tree at the same time.  How cool is that?

One Bottle One Tree

I feel incredible after that amazing meal!


Healthy Habits

Nourishment
Fruits: 2 servings
Veggies: 4 servings
Water: 60 oz of my Lifefactory bottle!
 
Body Care
Body Brushing & Magnesium Oil: check!
Exercise: Primary Back Stretch and Hoe Downs.

I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day.  I'm going to have to start my early bird routine again!  Must get in a morning workout... looking forward to it, actually.  I plan on waking up with a smile and energy to stretch and move my body in preparation for a Fabulous Friday.


Supplements
Alfalfa: 6 caps
B-12 Plus: 4 sprays
Vitamin D3: 8 sprays


Off to enjoy the rest of my evening...

Au revoir!

Friday's GreenScope

The bold part is so true...

Are you on the fence about how to change your lifestyle for the better? If you feel that the sad display of produce at the local grocery stores won't cut it anymore, think about joining a CSA. Read more at http://www.ecosalon.com/5_reasons_to_join_a_csa_now/.

I would love to join a CSA. There's a great one in Tampa near my place at Sweetwater Organic Farm. Maybe after I move in May... saving to move, moving to save!


Workout

NADA. Ended up taking it easy tonight. Still not feeling 100%.


Food Log

Snack

Boiled Egg with Sea Salt.

Dinner

Bourbon Salmon Salad.

Dessert

Pistachio Pistachio Ice Cream.

{ in love with this flavor }

Supplements

Alfalfa: 3 caps
Pyruvyl Glycine: 4 sprays

Water intake: 1.5 liters

Au revoir!

Take Action Against Monsanto's GE Alfalfa

Please help me keep genetically modified organisms out of our food supply for everyone's safety. Already GMO "food" is in the American food supply and the products are not required to be labeled. The only way to ensure that you are purchasing a Non-GMO food is if it's labeled as organic. Please help stop Monsanto from pushing their genetically altered "food" on us!

I adore my Premium Blended Alfalfa! It would break my heart if Monsanto won this case.

Article from Organic Consumers Association:

Obama USDA Poised to Approve Monsanto's Genetically Engineered Alfalfa

Don't believe Monsanto's green-washing. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), aren't meant to feed the world or survive the evermore frequent droughts and floods brought on by global warming. GMOs are designed to sell Monsanto's herbicide Roundup and the patented "Roundup Ready" genes now spliced into millions of acres of corn, cotton, soy, canola, sugar beets and alfalfa. A 2009 study showed that, in 13 years, Roundup Ready crops increased herbicide use by 383 million pounds.

During the Bush administration, the movement to stop GMOs was making progress. Reflecting public concern over GMOs, in 2007, a Federal court ruled that the Bush USDA's approval of Roundup Ready alfalfa violated the law because it failed to analyze risks such as the contamination of conventional and organic alfalfa and the development of "super-weeds." The court banned the planting of GM alfalfa until USDA completed a rigorous analysis of these impacts. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals twice affirmed the national ban on Roundup Ready alfalfa planting, but Monsanto is appealing. They're taking organic alfalfa farmers all the way to the Supreme Court!

Now the Obama Administration's USDA is trying to get the court-ordered ban on Roundup Ready alfalfa lifted. They've issued a new draft environmental impact statement (EIS) that denies and downplays the obvious environmental and human health hazards of GM alfalfa.

Widespread GMO-contamination of organic alfalfa is inevitable if the Obama Administration successfully distorts science and ignores public opinion and allows Monsanto's GM Roundup Ready alfalfa to be planted across the U.S.

We must stop the Obama administration from taking away our right to grow and consume organic and GMO-free food. The "change we believe in" is a healthy and sustainable future based upon organic food and farming and a green economy.

So far, 16,099 Organic Consumers Association activists have sent letters, if you haven't...

Take Action Now

Thank you!

Late Night Snack: Organic Corn Bread

I recently purchased organic corn meal and pastry flour to make my own GMO-free good-for-you corn bread at home. Growing up in the south we used to eat corn bread at least once a month with butter and honey. It was such a treat!

So last night I attempted to bake my own batch of organic corn bread from scratch. BUT I made a HUGE cooking mistake and used baking soda instead of baking powder!! Have you ever done that?! The bread turned out to be inedible... and my boyfriend literally spit it out. Haha! Baking disaster alert!

I decided to try the recipe again (around 11pm) after we figured out what I did... and of course, it turned out to be none less than amazing!

I topped mine with some of this little Honey Ridge Farm Apricot Honey Creme sample we got at the T-Tapp Retreat last October.

Au revoir!

Recipe: Organic Chicken Chili

The weather got chilly again yesterday and I thought it would be an excellent evening for Organic Chicken Chili! We were all out of chili seasoning, so I made my own from scratch. I love this dish... it's comfort food!


Organic Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb Organic Ground Chicken
• 1 cup Organic Spinach
  
• 1 Organic Green Bell Pepper
  
• 1/2 Organic Purple Onion
• A few Organic Garlic Cloves
  
• 1 can Organic Kidney Beans
• 1 can Organic Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 1 Tbsp Cumin
• 1/2 Tbsp Coriander
  
• 1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional toppings: Jalapeno Pepper, Cheddar Cheese, Lowfat Sour Cream.
Served with Saltine Crackers.


Directions

1. Brown the Organic Ground Chicken in a pan. Drain liquid and set aside.
2. Chop Green Bell Pepper and Purple Onion into small pieces. Mince the Garlic.
   
3. Heat 1 Tbsp EVOO in same pan. Add chopped Green Bell Pepper, Purple Onion, Spinach and minced Garlic. Cook about 5 minutes until veggies are soft.
4. Add the Ground Chicken, Kidney Beans, Crushed Tomatoes and all seasonings. Mix well. Reheat until mixture is bubbling, stirring occasionally.
5. Top with Jalapeno Pepper, Cheddar Cheese, Lowfat Sour Cream and serve with Saltine Crackers.
6. Enjoy!

Au revoir!

Fast Food Resistance, Say NO to GMOs

{ photo credit: silentske }

Fast Food Industry pockets millions of dollars each year. It's thriving! Many chains have started to incorporate what they consider "healthier" options, but how healthy are they? Salads at McDonald's and Wendy's still bring in around 1,000 calories with dressing included.

There's a market for cheap food because it's fast and easy. How real is it? Probably all GMO, full of fake ingredients, fillers and chemical calories. However, seems to satisfy the hunger, thirst and need for convenience at the time.

Until after the food digests... the last two times I've eaten at fast food restaurant I felt sick. I tend to order the same thing -- chicken sandwich, sometimes fries and maybe a side salad; to drink I stick to water, iced tea or lemonade.

In a recent email I received from Denise Austin mentions eating healthy at fast food restaurants.

Good ideas, but...

This year I resolve to skip the fast food restaurants.
I don't want to contribute to them anymore.
The only one I would try is Evos since it's actually somewhat healthy.

Most people probably aren't even aware of what GMOs are (Genetically Modified Organism Foods). Part of that reason could be because of labeling laws. Wouldn't you be surprised if you found out your food was infused with medicine or chemicals?

Definition from Wikipedia:

A genetically modified organism (GMO) or genetically engineered organism (GEO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques, generally known as recombinant DNA technology, use DNA molecules from different sources, which are combined into one molecule to create a new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into an organism, giving it modified or novel genes.

This basically means the food is scientifically created and genetically altered by man. Sometimes this is done to make the crop resistant to insects, yield a larger crop in a smaller area, or to add some type of benefit to the end consumer (omega 3 in tomatoes, yuck). And in my opinion, it's very very bad!!!

Do Your Own Research!

There are SO many resources available to educate you about eating organic healthy wholesome food and what's really happening in the food industry that they don't want you to know about. I encourage you to explore these resources and make a decision for yourself.

Movies:


Food, Inc. DVD
Movie site: http://www.foodincmovie.com



Foodmatters DVD
Movie site: http://foodmatters.tv



Super Size Me DVD



King Corn DVD
Movie site: http://www.kingcorn.net


Reading:


Fast Food Nation



Food Inc.
A Participant Guide: How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer-And What You Can Do About It



Genetically Modified Food: A Short Guide for the Confused

Remember to eat organic foods whenever you can to avoid GMOs, pesticides and chemicals. Look for produce stickers that start with 9.

Take action and always Say NO to GMOs!

Au revoir!