Organic.org

---

10 Conscious Food Blogs And Who Should Read Them Posted: 27 Jan 2014 01:45 PM PST The internet abounds with food blogs. So much so that it can be overwhelming. Like in any supermarket which is full of products you don't need, there is a lot of blogs, website, etc. claiming to  offer you "healthy options".  However, for all the bad food blogs out there, there are plenty of good ones, and in a world where more and more people are focused on eating better, buying local foods and cooking seasonally, there's a plethora of conscious eating inspiration. Need some help navigating? Luckily Organic Authority rounded up some of their favorite conscious food blogs, in no particular order: Green Kitchen Stories If you put together a scrapboard of all your favorite vegetarian recipes ripped out from colorful magazines, you would have a wall that looks like Green Kitchen Stories. Colorful, inventive and 100 percent vegetarian, time spent on this site is like spending time in the most amazing health food store you could ever dream of. Who should read it: Anyone who believes that regular oatmeal is boring. Gourmande in the Kitchen Gourmande in the Kitchen is for the gourmande who doesn't just want to indulge, but indulge with a good conscience. The focus here is whole foods that are fresh, seasonal and free of processed ingredients. Best of all? It's all about minimal preparation. Who should read it: Anyone that thinks healthy food is boring. Green Girl Eats Helen Williams is all about no-nonsense, vegetarian (mostly organic) cooking. She also believes in healthy indulgence, which means you get things like Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. Who should read it: Those wondering how they are going to convince their significant other to go vegetarian. Oh My Veggies If you're looking to get more vegetarian food into your diet and don't know Oh My Veggies, put it on your "to follow" list immediately. The recipes are fun, creative and unique and the focus isn't just on vegetables, but local, seasonal fare. Who should read it: Anyone that needs a vegetarian resource but doesn't want to buy another cookbook. A Tasty Love Story On A Tasty Love Story, Josephine Malene Kofod focuses on whole, organic and seasonal food. With her Danish roots, any of the recipes come with a Scandinavian twist. Who should read it: Those pining away for the Nordic lands but want to keep using chia seeds. Dishing Up the Dirt Andrea Bemis works on a farm in Oregon, and her recipes show it. Creative with the ingredients she pairs together, the focus here is on tasty, seasonal fare. Who should read it: Anyone that has ever gone on a farmers market shopping spree and ended up with too many vegetables. The Roasted Root From smoothies to oatmeal, Julia Mueller takes classic healthy recipes and makes them just a little more interesting. Lots of gluten-free recipes on here as well (hello Coconut Sweet Potato Cookies). Who should read it: The person who wants a t-shirt with the sentence "eat well, eat often" on it. Love and Lemons The Love and Lemons team is, as they put it, "all about vegetables." The recipes are anything but average – Coconut Rice with Kale and Edamame should probably be your next dinner – and there are plenty of gluten-free and vegan options. Who should read it: Anyone who has ever thought of pairing beets and grapefruits. The Minimalist Baker This is exactly what it sounds like: delicious baking with minimal ingredients. That makes for creative recipes like Black Bean Brownies and a lot of things that can be made with ingredients you probably have hanging around the house. Who should read it: The cheapskate foodie who doesn't want to look like one. 101 Cookbooks Heidi Swanson's beautiful website is a classic, as well as her cookbooks. The focus is primarily natural and whole foods, and they're the kind of recipes that will quickly become staples. Who should read it: Anyone that has sworn off buying another cookbook ever again. But still wants another one. [via Organic Authority]

Prepackaged Meals that You Can Make Yourself Posted: 27 Jan 2014 09:30 AM PST Prepackaged meals. we all try to avoid them, but actually may end up with a few in the cupboard. While they aren't too pricy, a majority of the ingredient list is more than a little concerning. Hydrogenated this, hydrolyzed that. And the sodium content? Sheesh. Looking at the nutrition label of a popular boxed meal, and one serving of the stuff will give you 770mg of sodium. An adult's daily intake is usually more than sufficient at 1,500mg—most of us don't even need that much. As always, we aim to provide you with recipes and meal idea made from locally sourced, organic ingredients, using what you already have in your pantry. In the long run, it's less expensive and the nourishment value is much higher than in prepackaged meals.  So, if you're in search of a way to steer clear of putting your money towards meals that come in a box and don't last very long, here are a few that you can make yourself. Breadsticks This recipe is referred to as "Breadsticks," and while it does make amazing breadsticks, it can also be used to make pizza, calzones, dinner braids, or a quick loaf of bread. If you master this simple recipe, you will never have to buy one of trans fat tubes of dough again. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Combine 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 ½ cup warm water, ½ teaspoon sugar. Let them rise and set on top of your stove; it's getting warm, which makes for an ideal place for the yeast to get going. Once the yeast is bubbly, add 2 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and about 3 cups of flour—or a little more if needed—just enough to make a nice, soft dough. (It shouldn't be sticking to the bowl or your hands.) Take your ball of dough out of your mixing bowl, grease the bowl, and put the dough back in. Cover the bowl with a damp towel, and place it back on the stove. Let it rise for ten minutes. Now, on a floured surface, roll the dough out until it's about ½ inch thick. With a pizza cutter, cut into 4×2-inch strips. Dip the strips into melted butter, then place them on a baking sheet. Let them rise for 15 minutes, then bake them for 12-14 minutes. Brownies No need to buy a mix when you've got cocoa powder on hand. You can make several batches of brownies for the cost of one mix. Mix together: 1 cup softened butter 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla After those are mixed well, add: 1 ½ cup flour ½ cup cocoa powder ½ teaspoon salt Pour the batter into a greased and floured 13×9 pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. For a family of four, cutting the recipe in half is just about perfect; there's enough for dinner and for a few leftovers for the next day, and you can save the rest of the ingredients for another batch later on. Chicken Pasta Salad Stir together: 12 oz. package bowtie pasta, cooked 12 oz. package rainbow pasta, cooked 6 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded or cubed) 1 can crushed pineapple, lightly drained 2 cups celery, finely chopped 2 cups red grapes, quartered 1 cup mayonnaise 1 bottle coleslaw dressing This is just what the recipe calls for. It makes a lot, so it's perfect for when you have to serve a lot of people. Salads like this are great because you're able to use whatever you have on had; apples instead of grapes, cucumbers instead of celery, canned chicken, more mayo if you don't have dressing, etc. Don't be afraid to break the rules. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus In a food processor, blend the following: 1 can chickpeas 2 heaping tablespoons tahini Juice of one freshly squeezed lemon; or 2 tablespoons of the bottled kind ½ teaspoons salt 1 roasted red pepper (you can use a small jar of roasted red peppers) 2 cloves of chopped garlic sauteed in 2 tablespoons of olive oil Blend ingredients together for a few minutes, and serve with crackers, veggies, or use it as a sandwich spread. Sidenote: while throwing everything into the blender makes a good hummus, mixing everything else – the tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and oil — and then blending it in with the beans makes it even better. Cheese and Broccoli Soup In a large microwavable bowl, melt 6 tablespoons butter, then add 4 tablespoons flour and 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon; stir well. Return to microwave for 1 minute, then whisk in 4 cups milk. Return to microwave for 18 minutes or until thick; stop and stir every 4 minutes. Add one jar of Cheez Wiz and stir until it melts into the soup. Add 2 large bunches of chopped, cooked broccoli. [via Everyday Family]

You are subscribed to email updates from Organic.org To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610