Archive for February, 2010

(Sheila and I at the Demonstration)

We had a wonderful gathering yesterday at the San Diego Convention Center. 

There was a Science Conference, and Monsanto was there talking about their ‘sustainable’ plans for the future of food.  (It’s unconscionable that they’re using the word ‘sustainable’ in their talks about the devastating destruction they are doing to our food and environment)

I first heard about the demonstration last Wednesday from my friend Sheila. (thank you Sheila!) She belongs to a San Diego Community Farm & Garden meet up group and it was Carly who first suggested getting people together to demonstrate.

Everyone was terrific about getting the word out. I think we had at least 100 people there with only a 3-4 day advance notice. The signs were fantastic and Tim spent over an hour leading us in some great chants as we marched in front of the convention center.

It’s been so long since I’ve demonstrated, that I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was the convention center going to tell us to leave?  Would the police come?  Well, the security at the center was wonderful. They only asked us not to block the crosswalks and other then that left us alone.  The people from the conference for the most part were great as well. Some ignored us and some took brochures and flyers and asked questions too.

My hope, with Moms For Safe Food has always been to educate. I think there are many people who still don’t even know that GMO’s exist and I do think we reached a great number of people yesterday.

The Institute of Responsible Technology sent me a box of Non-GMO shopping guides and other wonderful resources. http://www.responsibletechnology.org

Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness brought a backpack full of The Institues ‘GMO Health Risk Brochures’.  I gave away every last shopping guide and there were a number of us passing out the brochures.  Sean has a great video of the day here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpifGU8EoLA

It was such an empowering experience joining together with a group of people who are also committed to spreading the truth of what Monsanto is doing to our food supply and environment. It is my sincere hope that this is the first of many more demonstrations. Power to the People!

Read more great, Fight Back Friday posts here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-february-26th/

Read more great, Pennywise Platter Thursday posts here: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2010/02/pennywise-platter-thursday-22510.html

Read more great, Read Food Wednesday Posts here: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/02/real-food-wednesday-22410.html

In my search for recipes to use the wonderful eggs we get from our chickens, I came across a recipe I used to make years ago, Broccoli Quiche.  It’s still delicious and very easy to make. You can use a frozen pie crust or make your own.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons organic butter

1 organic onion, minced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups chopped fresh organic broccoli

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

1 1/2 cups shredded raw milk cheese, whatever you like: Swiss, Cheddar, etc

4 pastured eggs, well beaten

1 1/2 cups raw, whole milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon organic butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions,

garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the

vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with

cheese.

3. Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted

butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.

1. 4.Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutess, or until center has set. It can take up to an hour.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 30Minutes

Servings: 6

Read more great Pennywise Platter Thursday posts here: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2010/02/pennywise-platter-thursday-21810.html

Read more great Real Food Wednesday posts here:  http://www.cheeseslave.com/2010/02/17/real-food-wednesday-feb-17-2010/

This is one of our favorite ways to eat salmon.  You can serve more people on a smaller portion of fish, and if there are leftovers it really is a wonderful breakfast.  The recipe is from Nigella Lawson.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups cold water, for poaching the fish

2 lime leaves, torn into pieces

4 salmon fillets (approximately 1-inch thick), preferably organic, skinned (about 1 1/2 pounds in total)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 cup basmati rice – you can use brown or white basmati, organic of course. 🙂

3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, plus more, for garnish

1 lime, zested and juiced plus lime segments, for garnish

Fish sauce, to taste (recommended: nam pla)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

This is because the easiest way to poach salmon for this dish is to do it in the oven. So: pour the water into a roasting pan, add the lime leaves and then the salmon. Cover the pan with foil, put in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, by which time the salmon should be tender. Remove the pan from the oven and drain the liquid off into a pitcher. Keep the fish warm simply by replacing the foil on the pan.

Melt the butter in a wide, heavy saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid, and add the oil to stop the butter burning. Soften the onion in the pan and add the spices, then keep cooking till the onion is slightly translucent and suffused with soft perfume of the spices. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon so that it’s all well coated. There’s not enough onion to give a heavy coating: just make sure the rice is fragrantly slicked.

Pour in the reserved liquid from the pitcher, about 2 1/4 cups, and stir before covering with the lid and cooking gently for 15 minutes.

At the end of the cooking time, when the rice is tender and has lost all chalkiness, turn off the heat, remove the lid, cover the pan with a dish towel and then replace the lid. This will help absorb any extra moisture from the rice. It is also the best way to let the rice stand without getting sticky or cold, which is useful when you’ve got a few friends and a few dishes to keep your eye on.

Just before you want to eat, drain off any extra liquid that’s collected in the dish with the salmon, then flake the fish with a fork. Add to it the rice, egg, cilantro, lime juice and a drop or 2 of fish sauce. Stir gently to mix – I use a couple of wooden paddles or spatulas – and taste to see if you want any more lime juice or fish sauce. Sprinkle over the zest from the 2 juiced halves of the lime and serve. I love it served just as it is in the roasting dish, but if you want to, and I often do (consistency is a requirement of a recipe but not of a cook), decant into large plate before you add the lime zest, then surround with lime segments and add the zest and a small handful of freshly chopped cilantro.

This is one of those rare dishes that manages to be comforting and light at the same time. And – should you have leftovers, which I wouldn’t count on – it’s heavenly eaten, as all leftovers demand to be, standing up, straight from the fridge.

From:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/asian-spiced-kedgeree-recipe/index.html

Read more great Fight Back Friday posts here:  http://www.foodrenegade.com/fight-back-friday-february-12th/

Read more great Pennywise Thursday posts here: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2010/02/pennywise-platter-thursday-21110.html

Read more great Real Food Wednesday posts here:   http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/02/real-food-wednesday-21010.html

Organic Blueberry Muffins

This is a quick and easy recipe to make. You can use fresh blueberries if they’re in season, but frozen work great too. Don’t thaw them, just fold in while frozen and they work perfectly. For best results use organic, non-GMO ingredients and enjoy!

FOR MUFFINS

1 3/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup organic sugar – I use evaporated cane juice or rapadura

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 large egg

1/2 cup whole milk

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

FOR TOPPING

1 teaspoon organic sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

EQUIPMENT:  a muffin pan (preferably nonstick) with 12 (1/3- to 1/2-cup) muffin cups

MAKE MUFFIN BATTER:

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Butter muffin pan or use muffin cup liners.  Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, then whisk in zest.

Whisk egg in another bowl, then whisk in milk and butter. Add to dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined (batter will be dense). Fold in blueberries. Divide batter among muffin cups.

MAKE TOPPING:

Stir together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over batter in cups.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan and cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins

Read more great, Pennywise Platter Thursday posts here: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2010/02/pennywise-platter-thursday-1410.html

Read more great, Real Food Wednesday posts here:  http://www.cheeseslave.com/2010/02/03/real-food-wednesday-february-3-2010/