One Green Voice

Cheese Please

I love cheese!  Unfortunately cheese does not love me.  Although I am not lactose intolerant, there is definitely something in cheese my system cannot handle.  Even goat cheese, which our son tolerates beautifully, becomes a problem for me in what would probably be considered normal quantities to most.  

What is a cheese lover to do?  Try Daiya cheese.  Daiya is vegan (no animal ingredients) 'cheese' that does not contain soy, gluten, dairy, eggs, tree nuts (although it does contain coconut), cholesterol or transfats among other things.  It also contains pea protein which actually surprises me because peas are not an uncommon allergen. 

Daiya shreds and it melts.  It comes in cheddar and mozarella flavours.  And, while it won't make you forget the real thing, for those of us who can't stomach dairy, Daiya is a digestion-friendly option.  I like to make pizza with it:  Cover a brown rice tortilla with sliced steamed mushrooms, pile on mozarella Daiya and broil till the cheese melts.

Enjoy!   

When the Student Becomes the Teacher - My First Organic Food Box

Today I brought home our first ever organic food box. The vast majority of the food that comes into our house is organic but I’ve never bought a box before. I’ve shied away from the idea because the contents of the box are fixed so I cannot choose peppers over asparagus or which particular pepper I want.  Fussy I definitely am.

Two things inspired me to try a box. First was my Auntie Claire’s announcement that she had joined an organic co-op and was getting a box of veggies and fruit every week. The second bit of encouragement was our dinner at Seven Shores Urban Market and Café. When we were there I noticed a sign up sheet for the weekly boxes. Each week they would email me a list of what the $25 and $50 boxes contain. It would be my decision whether or not to buy a box. I signed up.

When I arrived to pick up my box this morning I already knew what I would be getting and that 73% of the items were local. What I was a tad nervous about is what the food would look like. I joke that I want my food to be organic, just look like it isn’t. To my delight every item in the box was lovely.

I came home and made a beautiful salad with the fresh spinach and grape tomatoes. I added hemp seeds and a drizzle of lemon/olive oil dressing. Delicious!

You know what? I even like the idea that the box will determine which veggies and fruit we eat for a few days. It’s a chance to be creative. The freshness of the food and the knowledge that it is local (and also came with less wrap/containers than had it come from the supermarket) also make me feel good about this choice.

I’m hooked!

A Grated First Impression

Assuming there is such a thing as organic restaurant virginity, my husband and I lost ours last evening.  The ritual took place at a delightful cafe in uptown Waterloo called the Seven Shores Urban Market and Cafe.

Since we eat only organic food at home*, restaurant eating presents a bit of a dilemma.  Do we stay cloistered in the house knowing that our food is clean or do we venture out into the world like real folk and enjoy a nice restaurant meal every so often?

I struggle with this question, especially on behalf of our son who adores and is able, despite his allergies, to eat sushi.  You guessed it, we go.  But in the back of my mind I know, that as good as it tastes, the food is not organic and therefore contains pesticides.  So finding a restaurant where we can enjoy both clean food and the experience of a meal out is indeed a find. 

The menu at Seven Shores is simple: salads, sandwiches, paninis and baked goods.  I had a citrus spinach salad and the Infamous Rice Paper Vegetable Spring Rolls.  I do not eat gluten and my request for a simple vinaigrette dressing on the salad was met with "Of course, I'll make you one!".  The dressing was perfect.  As was the dip for the rolls which were jam packed with freshly grated colourful veggies.  I savoured every mouthful.  And while my impression may have been swayed by my preference for organic food, my husband's, I can pretty much guarantee you, was not.  Of his light dinner, he said "This is the best grilled cheese I have ever tasted.  Yes, I would come back here".

So what is my point?  Basically I hope to encourage you, whether you are toying with trying organic food or are a committed devotee, to try your local organic restaurant if you are lucky enough to have one.  Its a great way to possibly find a super place to treat yourself. You will also be supporting a small local business. And, if your Seven Shores is anything like ours, you will also be giving a boost to the local organic farmers, bakers and others who supply the restaurant. 

I hope I've given you food for thought. Bon Appetit.

*More on this at a later date. 

 

Vita-Mix

And speaking of blenders, I am delighted with my recently acquired Vita-Mix.  I'd heard about them but hesitated because of the price.  Then I made my own hummus.  I'm embarrassed to say how long it took me.

The next day we were at Costco which was hosting their annual Vita-Mix roadshow.  The demonstrator made fresh grape juice which my son promptly downed.  I was done.  Bought it on the spot.  My next batch of hummus took 2 minutes from start to finish!  I now make smoothies on a daily basis.  Nut and seed butters are simple and that banana ice cream is but a buzz away.  

This thing is incredible.  It's commercial grade so you've likely seen them at the juice kiosk at the Mall or in restaurants.  The container is a BPA free plastic and the blades are stainless steel so its very environmentally clean.  Speaking of which, clean up is ridiculously easy.  Just pour water into the container, add two drops of detergent (literally two) and turn it on for a minute.  Clean. 

This blender is a stellar product.  Worth every penny I paid and more.  I save money on prepared foods and love knowing exactly what we are eating.  I wish I'd had it when my son was a baby.  Oh the baby food delicacies I could have made... Oh and it comes with an impressively thick cookbook jam packed with recipes.

For the next wedding or new baby I'm going to put together a consortium to buy one as a gift.

Easiest Recipe EVER!

If you love bananas you must try this.  Skin a couple of ripe but not overly ripe bananas and freeze them.  Just before you want to eat your treat, put the frozen bananas in your blender and blend until smooth. Add agave nectar to taste and blend just enough to mix.  Eat.  Tastes like banana ice cream.  Divine!

A Clean Green Trade Show

Our lawns are not the only thing (hopefully!) turning green this weekend.  From Friday, April 24 to Sunday, April 26 Toronto's Green Living Show takes the stage at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place.  Last spring was my first for this event.  I was like a chocoholic in a Lindt factory! Didn't know where to turn first.  For those of us who like our 'stuff' to be earth and people friendly, it's all there - from food and fashion to personal care products and vehicles.  And just about everything for your home. 

There were lots of free samples and the show-special prices were super. I got the coolest light blue sneakers by Simple.  They're made of hemp and organic cotton with recycled tire soles.  My brother thinks they are weird but I wear them proudly.  And comfortably.  Am hoping for a new pair of sneaks and maybe a purse this year.  One of my last conventional addictions is leather handbags and I am determined to find a greener substitute. 

My date last year was my patient and supportive husband, Dave, who did his best but finally gave up after 5+ hours. This year I am going with my intrepid sister-in-law, Diana, (yes, she of the bamboo kitchen implements) and possibly my dear friend, Lesley (fingers crossed!)

Hope to see you there.  I'll be the one who doesn't know which booth to check out first.

With Diet Change, Results Take Time

Ran into my friend, Mary Angela, this morning at the pool - man can that woman swim! - and she updated me about her grandson's food allergies.  She said a couple of things that inspired this blog.   

First, she mentioned that the little guy currently has another cold.  As I learned with my son, when food allergies exist, the immune system can suffer and the child may  experience frequent colds or other illnesses. When the diet is changed, the immune system begins to strengthen but this takes time.  We eliminated gluten, cow and eggs from my son's diet in November, 2007 and it wasn't until the end of March, 2008 when the regular colds/fevers finally stopped.  So if you are making a diet change please remember that it will take time for the immune system to bounce back.  Stick with the changes.  You are doing the right thing.

The second thing that Mary Angela said is that they have him off almost everything and that his diet is "boring".   She mentioned that he is fine with corn but that all gluten is a no-no and "all they have to work with is potato and potato flour".  I share this comment only because I feel hopeful that a whole new world of taste and variety will open for this family once Mary Angela's daughter-in-law finds out about the wide range of non-glutinous grains and flours that are available. And she will find out because her wise mother-in-law picked up a copy of The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook for her.

I regularly bake with amaranth, quinoa, tapioca, sorghum, garfava and chickpea flours as well as the better known rice and potato.  Each has a unique consistency and taste.  Some are sweet, some are nutty tasting and some are as middle of the road as Neil Diamond's music.

In terms of grains, millet and quinoa are two non-traditional favourites.  Both are packed full of nutrition but mild in flavour.  They are super for baking and have endless possibilities as side dishes -- they work plain, jazzed up with a bit of vegetable or chicken broth or taken to the exotic with curries and other distinctive spices and sauces. 

I could go on and on about this but there are sites galore out there so why reinvent the wheel.  A great place to start is the Canadian Celiac Association.