Should you always eat organic?

There is no simple answer but the short one is no.  Why eat organic at all?    

There are many reasons for that.  It is more nutritious, contains more minerals and vitamins, is non-GMO, and is free of many poisons like antibiotics, hormones, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

There are also certain disadvantages. Perhaps the biggest argument against organic foods is the expense.  Organic produce is about 50% more costly than the conventional variety, and meat and milk costs even more than that. Productivity is greater within industrialized agriculture and more skill is required to do organic gardening.   Apparently organic gardening is more drought resistant, and organic farming is friendly to the soil and healthy for the farmer. 

One more advantage about organic produce – it tastes better (most of the time).  However, taste is an acquired feature and is different for different people.  Organic strawberries might be less sweet than conventional strawberries, but have greater flavor. 

Because of the higher price of organic foods, be selective when buying produce. Depending on how the food to-be grows, look at how much permeable surface it has and how much spraying and irrigation it requires.  Try to eat certain foods only in organic varieties unless they are purchased from a Farmer’s Market.  Watch foods are – strawberries, watermelon, artichokes, potatoes, peanut butter, milk, meat, tofu and coffee. 

When buying organic, look for the following USDA regulated terms on food labels:

·     100% organic - means the food has no synthetic ingredients

·     Organic - means the food has a minimum of 95% organic ingredients. It can also use the organic seal.

·     Made with organic ingredients - means the food must contain at least 70% organic ingredients.  These foods cannot use the organic seal.

Meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy labeled "organic" must come from animals that, among other things,  have never received antibiotics or growth hormones.

Standards for organic seafood have not been set.

     
Today, organic has turned into an industrialized monster business. Many organic brands today are owned by the same companies that once tried to convince the consumers that organic was no better.  These companies have now invested themselves in the organic label because that is where the consumer walked. If years ago it meant locally grown without pesticides or chemicals, today it means a label  that is also heavily regulated by USDA.  The cow that produces Organic Milk might be fed organically grown feed, but may not be able to see daylight or grass from its pen. 
     
But how would you know the good-organic from bad-organic. Clearly there are other parameters by which food can be measured.  Organic production can reassure the absence of pesticides, unnatural fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms, but one must also look for free-range or pastured animals and perhaps the small carbon footprint of locally transported foods. 

When you eat locally grown, seasonal fruits and vegetables – those usually do not require too much additional chemicals and who cares if those are labeled organic or not.. 

Farmer's Market Haul

Friday is my favorite day because the Farmer's Market comes to town. 

 Just in time for the weekend!

In an effort to incorporate more seasonal and local produce into our meal plan, our family is using what we buy at the Farmer's Market to determine our menu for the following week.  Boring!  Sometimes the seasonal vegetables and fruits may not be what we are in the mood for...but let's figure this out!!

This week's purchase included pomelos, parsley, cilantro, scallions, spinach, kale, broccoli, celery, apples, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, lemons, and blood oranges.  Phew!  Price tag: 37 bucks.  Now the fun begins.....

What to make with all this goodness? 

The herbs and scallions will accent several dishes. 

Pomelos are wonderful in a Thai salad (Dtam Som Oo).  Similar to grapefruits, they possess little to none of the grapefruit's bitterness and can be eaten by themselves.

This bunch of spinach is twice as lush and big as what is

 in the grocery store!

The spinach will be used for two things this week: first a salad, and secondly in an amaranth and garbanzo bean soup.   See below for a summary of how to make the soup.

Kale is a vital ingredient in my green drink. It will be juiced raw with some of the celery, broccoli stems, and apple.

Broccoli will be steamed one night and thrown into a stir-fry another evening.  Stems go into my green drink.

The celery will go into the stir-fry with broccoli as well as into my green drink. In addition, I am making a batch of mirepoix (a blend of diced celery, onion, and carrot) which I freeze in 1 cup increments for future use. This 'aromatic' is an essential starter for sauces, soups, stews, and stocks.

Apples are eaten in our house for breakfast or lunch.  If running out the door for an early morning workout, I will munch an apple before I leave.  They are great tossed into a green drink too.

A little dollop of sour cream or yogurt completes the soup. 

The recipe was found online.

The beets will be used two ways:  roasted and diced for a salad and to make beet and white bean soup which will be frozen for future use.

Brussels sprouts will be steamed one night, thinly sliced and sauteed with butter and walnuts for another side dish, and the rest will be frozen in baggies for future meals.
 

Shredded cabbage mixed with a dab of mayonnaise, cider vinegar,

celery seed, salt, and pepper

A portion of the cabbage will be thinly sliced on a mandolin to make slaw salad to top pulled pork sandwiches.  Another wedge will be chopped and added to the stir-fry.   Whatever is left will go into a batch of soup with any other left-over veggies on hand.

The lemons will be juiced and frozen for my alkaline lemon water.  We will keep a few to squeeze over the steamed broccoli or into iced tea.

Finally, the blood oranges are going to make sorbet.  They are great to just peel and eat too.

To recap, we will have four different salads (Thai pomelo, spinach, beets in a salad, and cabbage slaw), three soups (beet and white bean, spinach in the amaranth and garbanzo soup, and left-over veggie soup with cabbage), a stir-fry using celery, cabbage, and broccoli (and any other veggie you like), side-dishes with Brussels sprouts and broccoli, dessert sorbet, my green drink, and frozen goodies for future use (lemon juice, Brussels sprouts, soups, and mirepoix).

The amaranth and garbanzo soup was made up.  I start by gently sauteing a cup of mirepoix in a tablespoon of olive oil until the veggies are softened.  I then add a quart of broth (home-made if you have it or Better than Boullion brand), just less than a cup of amaranth, a can of drained garbanzo beans, and gently simmer for 20 minutes.  Add a large handful of chopped spinach and simmer the soup another 5-10 minutes or until the spinach is cooked and the amaranth is tender.  Season to taste. 

To be fair, there are other grocery items needed to round out the recipes and menu plan.  But what a great way to start thinking about what to serve for the week!  Experiment and enjoy.

- Kim Fielding