recipe: Gluten free, Vegan Coconut Snowballs

 

No bake, Gluten free, Vegan Coconut Snowballs

We are going to test out this recipe for our solstice celebration! They look delicious. 
(edited to add - they were AWESOME)

Support local stores!

I think I am done shopping for solstice and christmas food! OMG  now to bake bread, make goodies and holiday appies for the celebrations. 

Yesterday I went to Earth's General Store - I just have to take some time to say - they are SO worth shopping at and giving support to as a local business. I have never felt more cared for and appreciated as a shopper. They take the time to let you know where their product comes from if that kind of thing is important to you .

For example, my priorities as a shopper are local - first if possible, no GMO potential ingredients - which often means organic but not always, quality and affordability.  I wanted non-gmo oatmeal for my christmas baking, and because I need a large amount I wasn't sure I could afford the locally available organic oatmeal (which btw is great!) so I dropped a note on to their facebook page. They answered me nearly immediately and said they have the local organic oatmeal, as well as a Canadian sourced bulk organic oatmeal.  I went to the store and the store owner remembered me from the facebook post, even my name! Then he explained to me the differences in the two suppliers. I ended up buying the bulk Canadian sourced oatmeal due to the lower cost and the quanity I needed. If I had need of a lower quantity I would have gone with the local producer, and will in the future buy from them to support their business.

The staff at Earth's General Store were helpful and friendly, and take the time to help you out if you need advice on unfamiliar products or if you are trying a new brand for the first time. Their produce was beautiful and their pricing is very reasonable. I also enjoy that the aisles are not filled with all kinds of 'junk' that I would not be interested in anyway like you find in most grocery stores (you know, the rows and rows of stuff you breeze past on your way to find the actual FOOD)

Imagine my surprise when I got home later that day, and there on my FB post on their page, was a thank you note to me, for coming in that day. Little things like that make me feel like my choice to spend my grocery dollars there were appreciated and noted. It gave me a little warm fuzzy :)

It's so rare in today's world of supermarkets and food being 'big business' to find that kind of care and attention in a food store. They are definetly worth sharing and supporting!

It is worth noting that Earth's General Store has been around in Edmonton as a forward thinking, earth conscious consumer choice for decades - long before it was 'cool' - I am in deep appreciation for them and the valuable resource they are to our city.




Earth's General Store Website.
(p.s.  here is the link to their facebook page)

Raw Food links

tomatoes from our garden! yum!

Here is a collection of links to Raw Food or Vegan websites I have enjoyed reading articles on:

Annette Larkins Website


30 Bananas a Day
 
Megan Elizabeth Website

Raw Food Explained

Super Healthy Children

Vibrant Health and Wealth Bookstore

Markus Rothkranz Website

List of vegetables to buy organic: dirty dozen/clean thirteen

Raw Food Informative video

I found this video to be very informative and I learned a whole lot, not jsut about raw food/ vegan diets, but just about food in general. This guy actually seems to bring a lot of good information to the table on his blog - http://durianrider.org/

Eating Raw Foods

I had been meaning to do some research on eating Raw foods and what the perceived benefits and negatives were associated with it, when I came across this video "Ageless Woman". WOW.  I am now seriously interested in researching this eating lifestyle.

It seems there are some that take this to nearly religious, nearly fanatical levels in their lifes and others (thankfully) who are, or seem to be well informed about where they are getting all their nutrition from, what the pitfalls of this type of eating has, and are willing to share. There are a plethora of websites and videos on Youtube about this diet.

One of the people that I found interesting AND informative (besides raw food advocate Annette Larkins from the video above) was a man named Markus Rothkranz . Annette wowed me, especially when they interviewed her husband! Her story is jaw-dropping and inspiring. Markus made a raw diet actually seem real, not just chowing down on a veggie tray; but delicious sounding recipes and real advice about what people who choose to follow this way of eating need to consider.

I find it all very interesting; before these two videos I dismissed the whole notion, I thought it would be imossible to meet nutritional needs based soley on raw foods. I am not sure I am convinced yet that this would be a diet for me or my family, but I am convinced that more raw foods need to me INCLUDED in our healthy diets.

Learning about raw foods has me question, why DO we cooked so much of our foods, especially the vegetables that taste better raw! How can we incorporate more natural ways of eating into our diets? Well Raw eating certainly is one way to accomplish that!

We are continuing to learn, and then Mykel and I might even do the " go raw for 30 days" experiment, to see how we feel and to understand it. I plan to collect a plethora of raw food recipes between now and then to make sure we are both meeting our nutritional needs and that we aren't jsut living on carrot sticks!

In the meantime, I have already becan to incorporate more raw foods into my menu planning. More of the space on  my family's plates will be filled with nutrious, health benefiting raw foods. Even if that is all anyone ever changed in how they ate, I can't imagine they wouldn't see immense health benefits from it!

Seven Scary food ingredients

GMO awareness

Sharing some links about GMO foods today. I wrote my MP 3 yrs ago asking why (In Canada) we don't have foods that contain GMO's labeled so that consumers can make informed choices. My MP wrote back and said it isn't necessary, woulnd't be "possible" and is not something the public demands.... (among other excuses) . I think its time again to mount a campaign demanding that foods containing GMO's be labeled so people can choose to buy them or not.  Thankfully, so far in Canada, foods that are labeled organic cannot contain GMO at all.

20 GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS COMING TO YOUR PLATE

" If the need to halt GMOs were not urgent enough, this article should scare the pants off you. Here we glimpse some of the potentials for the unabated and bizarre proliferation of GMOs. Some of these developments you will already know about (hopefully), but some will come as a surprise. As I see it we are now at a crossroads where we can still dismantle this dangerous and perverted manipulation of the very fabric of life, the sacred code of nature, which will undoubtedly affect each and every one of us in profound ways now and in the future.

Here we are reminded that the fight against GMOs and to save organics is not just a battle for what we knew yesterday, which is bad enough. It is a fight against the future of the GE movement and the unlikely and increasingly creepy, scary, and deranged turns it will likely take. Just today I read elsewhere that 35 species of fish, in addition to salmon, are slotted to be genetically engineered for various traits. I am not going to preview the highlights of what is below, but maybe you too will be left wondering, “What will they think of next?” " (follow this link to read more)

Organic Consumers Association - Ready to take on Monsanto?

Ready to Take On Monsanto? Watch Genetic Roulette and You Will Be!

Click "Go!" to VOLUNTEER for the Prop 37 campaign. We need volunteers all over the country (USA) to help us win our right to know about GMOs by reaching out to California voters via phone, email, blogs and social networks. (And, DONATE here.)

Not ready to take on Monsanto? You will be after you watch this new documentary on the dangers of genetically modified organisms. Download Genetic Roulette for only $2.99.

10 herbs that heal

 

Eat Locally Grown food

GMO labeling - it shouldn't be a question!

Fishy Strawberries, Super-Salmon? What’s in Your Food? 

A call for consumers to demand labeling for GMO in foods in Canada

(Image from"The bad food news of 2011)

by Moonfyre Cardinal

Nov 15, 2010

Do you know much about Genetically Modified foods? Do you currently eat food products made with GMO’s?  Would you like to know what you are eating and if your strawberries have been combined with a fish gene to make the fruit more frost tolerant? Genetically modified food ingredients are available for consumption to unknowing Canadians because labelling is not mandatory and, without mandatory labeling requirements, producers are choosing not to volunteer GMO information in their products leaving us unable to determine if the strawberry we are eating has been genetically engineered. Why are Canadians not being given the right to know what foods contain genetically modified ingredients by our Government? Our Bill of rights states that we have the “Fundamental Freedom of thought, belief and opinion” (Government of Canada). How can we exercise this right if crucial information is withheld at the source?  In 2005, when 83 % of Canadians were in favour of mandatory labeling, our government defeated the passage of a bill that would have implemented mandatory labeling. (Carter). There are negative implications in regards to the effect of genetic modified food ingredients in regards to the environment, our health and to future generations yet we able to eat GM ingredients in our food before these questions have been answered.

Genetically Modified Organisms and genetic engineering has a number of contentious issues surrounding it, not the least of which is their potential impact to the environment.  As more genetically engineered crops are being planted, the potential for cross contamination is no longer a ‘what-if’ situation. GM crops have been proven to cross pollinate with non GM crops, endangering native plant species. The U.S. Department of Energy Genome Programs suggest that this can contribute to the loss of biodiversity and that it has “unknown effects on other organisms” (U.S. Department of Energy Genome Programs). Other environment effects include a decrease in the effectiveness of current pesticides and herbicides through increased resistance and cross pollination (Whitman). However, it is not only plant products that are being genetically modified, recently GM Salmon was presented to the American Food and Drug Agency for approval for sale and public consumption.  The decision by the FDA was stalled due to controversy surrounding its safety (Leo Broderick). With the genetic modification of animals for food comes a host of concerns and controversies such as the potential environmental impact on non-GM animals.  In the case of the GM Salmon, a frightening fact is that without mandatory labeling, we as consumers would never know it was not the same as its non-GM cousin.

While it may seem like the GMO argument may seem like it is the stuff out of science fiction, the presence of genetically modified organisms in Canada’s food supply is much wider spread than one might realize. For example “in Canada, up to 70 per cent of the processed foods found in grocery stores contain GE ingredients” (GreenPeace). Most of these products have no indication on their labels that they contain genetically modified ingredients.  The Centre for Food Safety in the United reported that thousands of food items are available to American consumers that contain genetically modified ingredients without any labeling, even though there are concerns from doctors and scientists about the safety of these foods to health and the environment (The Center for Food Safety). When the bill proposing mandatory labeling was denied, MPs quoted misinformation about GMO’s gathered from corporately sponsored associations ,with an active stake in the debate to justify their decision to vote against what the majority of their constitutes demanded.  It was claimed that implementing a mandatory labeling law would cast too much money and would harm the agricultural industry in Canada (Carter). Interestingly; the European Union and the Australian Government both have had strict laws governing the use of GMO’s and mandatory labeling on food items due to potential safety concerns and health hazards.  For instance “the law in Australia requires that food labels must show if food has been genetically modified or contains genetically modified ingredients, or whether GM additives or processing aids remain[…]” (Deakin University Australia). If these governments were able to implement mandatory labelling without such appalling results as claimed by the MP’s who voted against mandatory labeling then surely Canada should be able to do the same. The Canada Food Inspection Agency does have a provision in the laws that govern Organic foods, that says if a product is labeled “organic” it cannot contain GMO’s (Government of Canada) but that is the extent of our ability to determine the presence of GM ingredients when it comes to labelling.  As this suggests if you cannot afford to buy organic or do not wish to, you have no way of knowing if you are buying genetically modified foods.

According to experts in the field there is not a lot of definitive research done on the long term impact of GMO’s on our environment or our health. However, it is clearly indicated through all the available research is that there is concern expressed by world governments, health professionals and environmental experts about the potential impact and the lack of long term testing prior to GM foods being added to the market.  Arpad Pusztai, a pioneer in the research of the effect of GMO’s on health states,

How can the public make informed decisions about genetically modified (GM) foods when there is so little information about its safety? The lack of data is due to a number of reasons, including: [… ]Information is scarce about health hazards, such as toxicity in genetically modified (GM) crops., It’s more difficult to evaluate the safety of crop-derived foods than individual chemical, drug, or food additives. [… and] Publications on GM food toxicity are scarce […] In fact, no peer-reviewed publications of clinical studies on the human health effects of GM food exist. Even animal studies are few and far between. In conclusion: We need more and better testing methods before making GM foods available for human consumption.” (Pusztai)

Some documented health risks include cases of severe allergic reaction which have been reported after people ate genetically modified soy and corn that was originally intended for animal feed but somehow made it into the human food supply chain. Other health issues that may be of concern include the transfer of antibiotic markers and toxicity over long term exposure. In an often referenced study of genetically engineered tomatoes that were fed to lab rats, seven out of forty rats died due to stomache lesions that were contributed to the genetically modified tomatoes.  With all the concern, potential and documented health issues and lack of long term study, the consensus in the global scientific community is that more study is necessary before we can safely and confidently conclude that GMO’s are not dangerous to our health. 

My position on the issue of GMO’s is not to argue whether or not they are safe for human consumption since there is not enough data to determine a conclusion at this point. Rather, I believe we, as consumers, need to have the ability to choose whether or not we wish to eat food products made with genetically modified ingredients. Labelling needs to be mandatory just as it is for other common food additives. The Canada Food Inspection Agency says “ […] the components which, if present, must be declared as if they were ingredients include salt, monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed plant protein, aspartame, potassium chloride and any components which perform a function in, or have an effect on the final food” (Government of Canada). If these items are deemed important enough to be listed on our food labels, surely GMO’s with untested risks to health and environment should be included in this list, thereby, giving the consumer the chance to make an informed decision.   

I urge you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions about whether you wish to eat genetically modified foods.  Until we can convince the Canadian Government that we have the right to choose what we put into our bodies there are things we can do. For instance, a number of organizations such as Greenpeace, have published guidebooks about how to avoid GMO products.  Unfortunately it is not an exhaustive list, nor is it all that current.  If you wish to avoid GMO’s A good rule of thumb is to stick to certified organic food sources since the labelling laws in Canada state that Organic labeled foods cannot contain genetically modified material.  I believe in our right to know what is in the food we eat and have written my MP to demand action on this issue. You, too, can write your MP, create a petition or even call your MP’s office if you also believe as I do that we should have the ability to freely choose by having genetically modified ingredients stated on food labels.

Bibliography

Carter, Lauren. "Bill on Labelling GMOs in Canada Voted Down." 9 May 2008. Celcias. 27 October 2010 .

Cook, Christopher D. "Agricultural Apocalypse." Cook, Christopher D. Diet for a Dead Planet. New York: The New York Press, 2004. 7-9.

Deakin University Australia. Genetically Modified Food. February 2010. 27 October 2010 .

Fukuda-Parr, Sakiko. "Introduction: Genetically Modified Crops and Development Priorities." The Gene Revolution, GM Crops and Unequal Development. Ed. Sakiko Fuluda-Parr. London: EarthScan, 2007. 4-6,9-12.

Government of Canada. "Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms." 29 March 1982. Department of Justice. 27 October 2010 .

Government of Canada. "Chapter 2 - Basic Labelling Requirements." 15 September 2010. Canada Food Inspection Agency. 27 October 2010 .

GreenPeace. "GMO Shopper's Guide." n.d. GreenPeace. 27 October 2010 .

Leo Broderick, Dr. Michael Hansen, Lucy Sharratt. "Press Release- Critics slam “Sloppy Science” on GE Fish at FDA Hearings." 20 Sept 2008. CBAN- Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. 27 Oct 2010 .

Pusztai, Arpad. Genetically Modified Foods: Are They a Risk to Human/Animal Health? June 2001. 27 October 2010 .

Smith, Jeffery M. Seeds of Deception, Eposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of The Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating. Fairfeild: Yes! Books, 2003.

The Center for Food Safety. The Centre for Food Safety. 2008. 27 October 2010 .

The GMO Trilogy: Unnatural Selection, Hidden Danger Kids' Meals, You're Eating What? DENKmal-films & Haifisch films, Yes! Books. 2004, 2005.

Tiberghien, Yves. "Europe; Turning Against Agricultural Biotechnology in the Late 1990's." The Gene Revolution, GM Crops and Unequal Development. Ed. Sakiko Fukuda-Parr. London: Earthscan, 2007. 51-65.

U.S. Department of Energy Genome Programs. Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms. 5 November 2008. 27 October 2010 .

Whitman, Deborah B. Discovery guides:Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? April 2000. 27 Octobber 2010.

Sticking to our convictions

We have an ant problem, a big one, our whole front yard is seriously infested with the little buggers. Last year they were bad and we tried every natural solution we could find to no avail. This year they are worse. We are committed to not using chemical pesticides, herbicides or fetilizers; we believe they are not only bad for our planet but that they are ultimately bad for us, they get into our food chain and wreak havoc.

Today, I had a conversation today that challenged my conviction to avoid the use of pesticides. I called a pest control company that advertises 'eco-friendly' pest control. I thought maybe they had a natural solution that I hadn't heard of. It all sounded good until I asked what they use to kill the ants... a Chemical.. called Dragnet. The lady on the phone says that is " is safe after 4 hours but children and pets shouldn't be around it until it dries" huh?! how is that ecological. "it's plant friendly" she says on the phone.

I want to get rid of my ants, I don't want a chemical sprayed in my yard that in turn will get into our soil and then into our food that I grow here. Do I ignore our convictions and say, its only the front flower bed where we only grow flowers? that would be the easy way out, I found myself considering it ... briefly.... % yrs ago I wouldn't have though twice about it. Today it strikes me as test of my convictions and my commitment to our green lifestyle.

I have to admit that I quickly decided this wasn't an option for me, but oh for that brief moment I almost wished it was an option I could choose. TO have an easy, quick solution to the ants swarming my front yard seems divine. I just can't embrace the price it costs to opt into that solution. IF I want to live green, it has to be all the time, not just when its convenient, or 'stylish'. I resigned myself to searching up more natural solutions online and trying them again.

The whole exercise brought to mind other challenges we have faced along our journey, the foods we loved but no longer eat because they contain MSG or some other unsavory additive. The convenience of prepared foods left on the wayside because so few of them are healthy and additive free. The price of good wholesome organic food sometimes seems too high... the temptation to give and and just buy the inexpensive, the favorite msg laden snacks and hire the chemical weilding pest control company is sometimes

We have never felt better and are happy to be leading lives we feel are but sometimes it sure would be nice to find real food easier, to have cleaning options that work and to be free of pests in the garden! hrh

Kitchen Planning!

We are renovating our kitchen starting next month, so last night I looked at all our ideas we have been collecting and drew up the plans... the for real ones. *wow* I am so excited about having a more functional kitchen I can hardly believe that after all this planning we are finally getting going on it!

There are so many things to consider - like having a proofing drawer for raising bread - would LOVE one of those in the new kitchen, and an island for rolling out dough and  other large food preparation.... and finding the right stove - right now I have my heart set on a 48 inch dual oven, 6 burner + a grill gas stove... (swoon), I love the Liebherr fridges... but they are pretty expensive - not sure w can justify the money at this point. Which leaves us wondering what do you choose as an interim appliance after looking at the top of the line?

Then there is the whole space management thing - making sure there is room for all the 'occaisional' appliance storage,  room to move around comfortable with 3 cooks in there at a time sometimes, making sure the kitchen can grow with our small children, as it is also craft and creative expression central for them - and will be until they are at leat 12.  Hell, even though we have a craft and sewing room, my 21 year old daughter and I turned the family room and kitchen into creative textile remodeling central just recently ourselves...

In our home, the kitchen really is the heart, so while I am super excited to get started - I want to make sure I have considered all the important elements and that I don't overlook anything in my excitement. We also want to keep in mind our commitment to enviornmental responsibility, and if there are ways to make the kitchen a more green space at the end of the reno.  Things like a better place for the compost pail than on the counter or under the sink.... other waster management, and "green" energy management

This is the first kitchen we will completely gut and re-do, other kitchen renovations in past houses have always been facelifts only.... Off to look at cabinets - again, and to see what fits into our design specs now that we have more or less finalized it!

If you have ideas to share, please! share!

below is a rough sketch of the plan so far

Happiness is a full pantry

This week was a cold one! Perfect for making soup and canning it!  There is a simple joy in making something that you know you can just open up and enjoy at some point int he future with no deep involved planning or work! It also got me to to thinkikng I still want to research how to process our canning efforts so they can be available for sale so other families can have the joy of a can of soup without all the perservatives and subpar ingredients.  On one hand it seems so easy and on the other its such a monumental task to consider. I am used to cooking for the family - not for commerical preparation ! I don't have a clue what is involved with all that, and yet, it is a passion of mine ( and my daughters' ) to provide real food for people.. especially families with growing children.... So the research has begun - and we will muddle through understanding what is involved to take our humble home cannning to a retail ready product, without losing quality!

This week we made and canned condensed potato w/bacon soup, chili, wild mushroom soup (condensed)  and split pea w/ farmer's sausage soup... a batch of bread, some bannock .... and it was ALL incredibly delicious! ( and made the house feel and smell warm and welcoming from the cold outside)