End of my organic road

All good things must come to an end. After tonight, I will no longer be posting about organic foods in this Field of Greens blog.

I started posting as an on going project for my online journalism class, The Cat Scan, at the University of Arizona. In a little over two weeks, after four years of assignments and exams, I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and political science.

I have learned a lot by becoming a blogger. Before my post, I really had no idea that organic foods actually have to be certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. Or that all-natural is actually different from organic.

All I knew then was that I liked eating salad. Tonight, I know that green eating goes beyond things that are the color green — there is fair-trade coffee, organic ranch dressing and more.

And there is a number of places to find it. From the isles of your local grocery store, to Aqua Vita Natural Foods, Sunflower Market, Trader Joe's and Wild Oats. Even Target sells a number of organic products.

I even learned last week that Jamba Juice is now using organic granola in some of its smoothies.

As I've learned, I hope you have learned along with me. And continue to learn after me.

Here are some of my green living related articles not in this blog:

• Habitat for Humanity: eco-friendly housing with video
• Hamstra says maintenance is key to reducing energy cost
• Houghton BRAKEmax is Tucson's newest Green Shop with video
  
• Eco-friendly bags on sale but easy to make
  
• Want to save the earth? Yarrow has 1,001 ways
  
• St. Patrick's Day can be greener than just a beer
  
• Farmers markets offer fresher produce, lower costs to shoppers
  
• Prices steer some healthy eaters away from organics
  
• Online organics bring healthy foods to doorsteps

I also compiled a list of food resources that you might find helpful.

My final post does not mark the end of my journalism career. Although I am sure about my future plans, I invite you all to continue reading my work — which is bound to include some green living issues after my enlightening experiences in The Cat Scan.

Visit my personal Web site www.jamieblanchard.com.

Until next time, happy eating.

Raw greens sometimes a waste of green

Almost everything that I eat is cooked in some form.

My steaks need to be practically burnt with absolutely no pink. For my side of vegetables, I like them steamed. And sometimes I even order fried ice cream to top off a meal.

So on Friday, when I set out to incorporate raw foodism — which is a lifestyle that promotes the consumption of mostly uncooked and unprocessed foods — into my diet, my body was surely in for a shock. Raw greens not in salad form can be interesting.

My first venture into unfamiliar territory was a green smoothie from the Shot in the Dark Café, 121 E. Broadway Blvd. I thought about turning back on my adventure of eating raw greens by getting the always delicious orange juice with bananas and strawberries. But I went with cucumbers and sprouts instead.

Let’s say that there was plenty of green left over but it wasn't in my pocket. So after that interesting encounter, I changed my mind. Eating anything raw, not just the greens, would be the new challenge for the day.

When I got home, I decided someone on YouTube had to make something exciting that I could eat on this raw food diet of mine. I thankfully found Raw Allison's recipe for pizza, which is basically all the fixings without crust. Brilliant.



Wild Oats had all the ingredients for the pizza including the unprocessed cheese. But I already had guacamole from Trader Joe's.

I cheated myself for dinner. Instead of trying something new, I decided to simply stick with the challenge at hand by making the most out of the leftover raw pizza. I threw it over some organic baby lettuce from Trader Joe's. And it was delicious.

Throughout the day, I snacked on raw peaches and raw snap peas. And when I was ready to congratulate myself for a job well done, I realized I was also drinking Dr. Pepper so I ended up failing my own assignment.

I'll get 'em next time.

Here's more about going from a standard diet to a raw food diet:



If you're interesting in going raw in Tucson, check out the Tucson Raw Food Meet Up Group for raw food information as well as contacts in the raw food community. And don't miss the Raw Spirit Festival that's happening Sept. 12-14 in Sedona.

Until next time, happy eating.

Green options for your cup

On Sundays, one of my favorite ways to pass the time before the newest Rock of Love episode is to stroll the isles of the nearby Target for things I don't really need. Today the adventure was for a case of Dr. Pepper.

I know — there is nothing organic about high fructose corn syrup. So I also decided to consider healthy beverage to maybe, at least, make me break even in eco karma points.

On the coffee isle, the budget brand Archer Farms offers organic options including a fair trade harvest blend that sits along side a traditional non-organic breakfast blend. Just add a spoonful of organic cane sugar and some organic milk from Wild Oats Market.

Then I moved on to browse the juice isle, where everything any juice conusor could want was within a arms reach. Market Pantry cranberry. Ocean Spray ruby red grapefruit. Welch's grape. Yet nothing organic, nothing all-natural.

Next I moved onto Archer Farms' selections of organic tea. Blueberry, green jasmine and sangria selections on sale for $5.94 (retails regularly for $6.99).

That's about all Target had to offer.

But alas, I decided to buy that case of Dr. Pepper because sometimes you just need an unhealthy dose of high fructose corn syrup. It went well with my fattening potato chips.

And I felt bad about it an hour later. So I decided to Google some organic drink options that I can explore next time I get the urge for anything other than refreshingly bad-for-you Dr. Pepper.

Here are three things I'd be willing to buy:

• Blue Sky Organic Soda: In appealing flavors like lemon lime and root beer, Blue Sky says its sodas have "no artificial color or flavors, no preservatives and, of course, no caffeine."
  

• Shift Organic Energy Drink: It's marketed as a drink that "provides real nutrition and sustainable energy, to help keep you going all day long." Shift is 99% fat-free, with 200 calories per 10-ounce serving, and comes in berry boost, power punch and strawberry banana, so that sounds better than a Slim Fast for sure.
  

• Square One Vodka: Square One Vodka is an eco-chic beverage from 100% American rye. It boosts itself as one of the first alcohols certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. At least you can feel good about your eco contributions while you're getting trashed.

But none have the Vegan Vixens like Steaz Organic Energy.



Unfortunately, they don't make me want to try that one.

Until next time, happy eating.

I should have skipped the Bell to skip the uhh

After spending two days on the couch after an encounter with a Taco Bell cheesy beefy melt that went astray, I decided to take a look at the leading causes of food poisoning.

Right there at the top of the list was everything that organic food supporters have been telling me all semester. Regular grains and vegetables, like the ones in Taco Bell kitchens across the country, come with a ton of hazards from the moment they are farmed with pesticides.

But it could have been the ground beef.

Maybe it was even the cheese.

Or there was something about that rice.

Whatever it was, it knocked me down long enough that I did some serious thinking about what I put in my mouth. Could I have gone organic with that burrito instead of opting for the cheap convenience of fast food? The answer is of course, yes.

For about $1.99, I received attitude from a teenager along with a 570 calorie (I know!) tortilla stuffed with cheese, ground beef, seasoned rice and sour cream with lots of hot sauce. All are ingredients I could find in all-natural or organic packaging from local grocery stores.

Trader Joe's sells reduced fat organic cheese in the block, shredded and string format with about 100 calories per-serving.

Wild Oats sells organic whole wheat tortillas with 130 calories per-serving.

Trader Joe's sells ground beef from grass fed cows with 270 calories per-serving.

Whole Foods sells organic rice with 178 per-serving.

Safeway sells Horizon Organics sour cream with 60 calories per-serving.

And organic salsa is everywhere including Target.

Organic foods are "without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives," according to Wikipedia. That means less is left to chance.

And organic beef comes without antibiotics and growth hormones.

It may have cost a little bit more but having back the weekend that my nephew, Callahan James, was born would be priceless. So the next time I stop for fast food, I'll be thinking about what healthy choices I could be making for myself on both the short and long-term.

And maybe, like the following YouTube poster, I could just grow it on my own once I'm through with the college lifestyle.



Fast food is no stranger to food poisoning by the way. And unfortunately, it's a much more serious kind than what I experienced on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday.



Until next time, happy eating.

Target's Archer Farms offers organic overload

One of the hardest parts about switching to an organic diet is finding affordable options in a convenient place. But with a couple minutes to browse the isles at a local Target, it becomes a little easier.

The in house Archer Farms brand offers enough reasonably priced options to have a four-course organic (or mostly organic) meal at your kitchen table. Even on a Target shopper's budget.

Here is how to make that a reality:

For an appetizer, there are several options with the first being blue corn tortilla strips with either hummus or salsa. Or try a variety of crackers (everything from Italian herb flat bread crackers to multigrain crackers are offered) with cheese. A healthy but not organic option is fresh baked baguette with sun-dried tomato garlic and balsamic dipping sauce. Each option will run about $5-7 with all the fixings.

Organic farms does not offer salad for the second course. Instead, try a bowl of organic tomato soup. Make it a little fancier without breaking the bank by using some of the appetizer options -- sprinkle either some crumbled chips, crackers or cheese on top. Or accompany it with a piece of bread. The second course will cost about $5.

For the main course, Italian food is the way to go. Archer Farms makes a delicious 100-percent organic spinach and feta cheese pizza on a whole wheat crust. Or try the burgundy marinara sauce with pasta. If you must have meat, cut up some turkey to add to the top. The second course should run about $7-12.

The dessert options are a little more limited. The triple berry pie is delicious but it's not certified organic despite a number of organic ingredients (including frozen blueberries that are also sold on their own). But to top off the meal in an organic way, try a chocolate chip peanut trail mix or mixed fruit trail mix bar. Or maybe an apricot, pomegranate, strawberry, raspberry or tropical real fruit strip. Dessert costs about $3-5.

Wondering what to drink? A $3-4 box of organic fruit sangria tea of course. Archer Farms also offers bottled spring water and bottled sparkling water in a number of flavors.

And even if you don't want a whole meal, Archer Farms makes an abundance of delicious food and drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Just browse the food isles of Target (it doesn't even have to be Super Target) the next time you need highlighters, makeup or toilet paper.

Until next time, happy eating.

No shortage of good salad options around town

Salads are an important ingredient in a healthy eating lifestyle. And with Tucson based Chopped and Core, there is no shortage on tasty greens.

Chopped has one location at 4205 N. Campbell Ave and another at 2829 E. Speedway Blvd. At the restaurant, you can choose for preselected salads like my personal favorites the mediterranean (romaine lettuce, feta cheese, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, cucumber, roasted red peppers, with feta cheese vinaigrette dressing for $7.25) and the southwest chicken (romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, avocado, black olives, tortilla strips, tomatoes, black beans, with salsa ranch dressing for $8.95)

Or you can create your own delicious dish starting at $6.75 for your choice of lettuce (iceberg, romaine, spinach or spring mix), five toppings (with more than 40 possibilities ranging from anchovies to jicama to snowpeas), dressing (with over 20 choices ranging from classic chunky bleu cheese to ranch to reduced calorie roasted garlic vinaigrette) and a ciabatta roll.

For another two bucks, you can also choose a protein (with nine choices ranging from grilled chicken to shrimp to baked tofu ) to add another dimension to your greens.

At the Core cafe located in the University of Arizona student union, the process is similar but for $5.49, you can fill a bowl up to the brim with everything from alfalfa sprouts to red cabbage to wasabi peas. And for an additional $1.25-$2, you can add one of eight proteins. Then you select one type of greens (baby spinach, iceberg, mescalun greens or romaine) and finish it off with a dressing (with 24 choices ranging from creamy pepper and parmesan to poppy seed to serrano grape).

Sounds like good eating to me.

Be cautioned that these green staples are night for night owls. Chopped closes at 8 p.m. while Core closes Monday-Thursday at 8:30 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m. and weekends at 6 p.m.

If you’re not into all the options, some of the best salads with pre-determined ingredients can be found at the Paradise Bakery and Cafe, 7109 N. Oracle Road and 845 N. Park Ave. Try the chopped BBQ chicken with romaine lettuce tossed with ranch dressing, corn, jicama and black beans topped with diced BBQ chicken, diced tomatoes and pepper Jack cheese.

Both the traditional Caesar and Greek hit the spot too.

But in a hurry? Most fast food places serve salads but the awards for the best tasting go to McDonald’s premium southwest salad with grilled chicken and Wendy’s garden sensations chicken BLT salad. Both run about $5 and some change.

Remember a key thing about salads is that just because you’re eating one, doesn’t mean that you are eating healthy. Dressings and proteins can add enough calories and fat to make a salad almost equal to a hamburger or fries so choose toppings wisely.

Until next time, happy eating.

Las Vegas strip offers healthy options

LAS VEGAS — The Venetian is known on the Las Vegas strip for breathtaking architecture and of course, the ultra trendy night club Tao. But did you know it also has healthy gourmet cuisine?

The Venetian is home to the Canyon Ranch Cafe, which is a take off of the Tucson-based health spa. From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, the cafe serves healthy foods like fresh produce and even turkey meatloaf, all for a moderate price by strip standards.

At the Canyon Ranch Cafe, you can sip on some Tazo tea for $2 or on a strawberry-banana-apple smoothie for $5. For an entree, try buttermilk battered chicken with sweet corn sauce, which gives you 385 calories for $16. Top it off with homemade ice cream for $3.

B&B Ristorante, which is owned by Food Network celebrity chef Mario Batali, also offers healthier dining inside of the Venetian. The restaurants claims to use mostly organic items that are imported from Italy for its dishes, which includes goat cheese tortellon with with dried orange and wild fennel pollen for $24.

Wolfgang Puck's Spago restaurant offers a California-cuisine menu that "changes daily based on the freshest organic produce," according to lasvegasrestaurants.com. It offers a vegetarian tasting with artichoke cannelloni, basil cous cous, squash timbale and portabella carpaccio for $29 or surf and turf filet thermidor with crisp potato cakes, sauteed spinach, scampi shrimp and lobster sauce for $49.

Spago is located inside the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.

At the Wynn, a swanky hotel that boosts a lot higher limit tables, there are also organic options often available at its nine up-scale restaurants.

Also on the strip near the Wynn, tryout the Captial Grille located inside the Fashion Show Mall. Or for organic sushi Hamada of Japan is open from 5-10 p.m. at the Flamingo.

Looking for something a little less sophisticated? If you can't make it to a local health food store like Rainbow's End, which is a half-mile from Las Vegas Boulevard, you can find some casual but organic dining off the strip like the Go Raw Cafe.

With two locations in Las Vegas, there are a number of interesting options like the gimmie the beet cheese burger with fries for $10.88. The menu says its a "veggie burger made with beets, carrots, sunflower seeds, and parsley, served on living bread with hand prepared catsup, mustard, mayo, onion, tomato, lettuce, sprouts, avocado and almond cheese."

Evos, a "feel good fast food option," is also open in Henderson, Nev., with two other locations coming soon. Also coming soon to Vegas is Pizza Fusion, which offers organic pizza as well as
"gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and lactose-free items" including sandwiches and wraps.

Or if you're looking for something a little less healthy, try the numerous buffets across the city like millions of tourists do daily. Here's a historic look at the Vegas buffets:



Until next time, happy eating.

Is water really organic?

Antibiotics and anti-convulsants are not what you would expect to find in your $1 bottle of natural spring water. And when you take a gulp of tap water, you also probably would not expect to be sipping on mood stabilizers and sex hormones.

But you probably are — despite your expectations for something promised to be "nothing but pure refreshment," as Pepsi-Cola's Aquafina non-carbonated water claims.

But a recent five-month long investigation by The Associated Press found that pharmaceuticals — including the antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — are present in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans.

The Associated Press also reported "the concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose." And the water companies believe that makes the water safe for consumers.

Scientists are unsure of the longterm consequences however.

How does it get there?

"People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue."

How does it get into bottled water?

Aquafina and Coca-Cola Co's Dasani are "both made from purified water sourced from public reservoirs" according to a July 27, 2007, report from Reuters. Yes, that's a fancy way to say it's bottled tap water.

So is your water really organic? Well, no one really seems to know.

A question posted on the unscientific Web site Yahoo! Answers received 35 responses from average people who were split between whether it is or it isn't. Here is what some of the posters said:

• "Organic if its not been touched by humans, and inorganic if it has been messed with." — Billy C.

• "Water (H20) is inorganic — made from two elements hydrogen and oxygen. It contains no carbon atoms as organic compounds do. We can find organic matter and critters in our non-sterilized water, and we can find water in organic critters (including our own organs); but pure water is inorganic." — Dr. B

• "It's organic unless its purified and infused with minerals and vitamins that aren't organic. But plain old water is organic (natural and untampered with)." — Boozemuse22
  

The United States Department of Agriculture has declined to rule on allowing water to be certified as organic. So who knows these days?

Here is what professional magicians/comedians Penn and Teller have to say on a part of the water craze:



Until next time, happy eating.

Organic ranch leaves ingredients to be desired

In preparation of becoming an amateur organic food expert for my Field of Greens blog, I have been trying a little bit of organic everything. And its yielded some interesting taste experiences.

One thing that I absolutely love is the mixed baby lettuce from Trader Joe's, which is where I stock up on moderately priced organics just like most of the eco-friendly public. It tastes delicious except when you add organic ranch.

I am a ranch dressing addict. On everything from carrots to fries to pizza, I feel the need to drench it in ranch dressing in order to fully enjoy it – unless of course, that ranch dressing is organic. I'll pass on that.

For some reason, organic ranch just doesn't taste right to me. It's weird.

I've tried to give organic ranch a shot. But unfortunately, Organics brand ranch dressing from Safeway and Trader Joe's house brand – even the kind that comes in little cups with the baby carrots – just don't do it for me. Or my three roommates.

The bottles of organic ranch go untouched while Hidden Valley's light ranch dressing, or even the kind that has even less nutritional value, goes fast. We have yet to try Hidden Valley's new organic line.

"That's really gross," one of my roommates said after I made her do a sampling of all the organic ranch dressings I could find (and well, afford too). The good ol' Hidden Valley ranch finished miles ahead of the organics as did packets from Burger King and Jack in the Box.

How could they taste so different? I decided to look no further than the label.

The organic version includes organic soybean oil, water, organic fresh buttermilk, organic white vinegar, organic cane sugar, organic egg yolks and sea salt. And there's less than 2-percent of some other stuff including xanthan gum.

The "real" ranch dressings have much more. Among the more than 20 ingredients – some with names that I can only manage to give a good guess – are buttermilk, sugar, salt, sour cream, garlic, onion and distilled vinegar.

So while organics have been very good to me, I have to agree with media arts and political science senior Grace Clark, who I interviewed for Prices steer some healthy eaters away from organics. Here is what she said:

"Though I try to limit how much processed food I eat, I'm still partial to flavor over healthiness," said Clark. She recently bought organic tomato soup at Sunflower Market, a farmer's market, but did not like the taste compared to brands available at regular grocery stores.

"With time I'm sure my taste buds would grow sensitive enough to appreciate the delicate flavors of organic soups," she said. "But I'm not patient or wealthy enough to train them in that respect."

And that's why for now, the organic ranch will sit in the refrigerator, untouched, until someone decides to finally toss it and make room for another bottle of real ranch.

But I'll still take organic vegetables any day. Even with a little dirt.

Until next time, happy eating.

US Olympians are brown bagging in Beijing

With all of the recent recalls on food produced in China, as mentioned in a blog last week, the United States Olympic Committee recently announced that they plan to bring its own food to Beijing for the Olympic Games, Aug. 8-24.

"The USOC is planning to transport tons of meat and other foods to a training camp at Beijing Normal University," The Associated Press is reporting. But the athletes will eat their meals at the Athletes Village, which does not allow outside food to be brought in because of doping concerns.

"The U.S. delegation also includes an additional 400-plus personnel — support coaches, trainers, etc. — who are not eligible for food service at the village and therefore will eat most of their meals at Beijing Normal," the story also said.

American athletes will eat some of their meals at Beijing Normal.

The plan is partially out of concern that Chinese-produced meat could lead to athletes failing mandatory drug testing during the games. According to a story in the Feb. 9 New York Times, a USOC caterer in China bought a chicken breast that measured 14 inches — it was big enough to feed eight people.

"We had it tested and it was so full of steroids that we never could have given it to athletes," Frank Puleo told the Times. "They all would have tested positive."

The Times is also reporting that USOC sponsors are preparing to send care packages to American athletes as they aim for Beijing.

"Tyson has provided all United States team members with duffel bags containing a hot pot, a power adaptor, recipes and replenishable pouches of chicken that they can take to international qualifying events over the next few months," the Times reported.

The USOC is the only organization to formally announce its intention to brown bag in Beijing. But some foreign athletes are planning on bringing their own chefs, according to Canada's Toronto Star newspaper.

A Star story is reporting Canadian Olympian Simon Whitfield and his triathlon teammates plan to their chef Cosmo to the Olympics. Hurdler Perdita Felicien also plans to hire a cook.

But after the athletes are done competing, most plan to sample the local cuisine. "That could mean munching on live sea horses or hard-boiled fertilized duck eggs," the Times said.

I think I would probably opt for some edamame. (It's a little piece of Trader Joe's served fresh in Beijing.)

Here is an inside look at Beijing's preparation for serving an estimated 13 million meals.

And if you're really wanting to be in the Olympic spirit, check out the USOC's Amazing Awaits video. Tucsonan Kerri Strug makes a couple appearances.

Until next time, happy eating.

Even the Oscar is going green

Welcome to the Green life, Academy Awards.

It’s Oscar week. And while almost everyone is thinking about the golden statue, producer Laura Ziskin and the entire production team are thinking green.

The “team endeavored to select supplies and services with a sensitivity toward reducing the threats we face from global warming, species extinction, deforestation, toxic waste, and hazardous chemicals in our water and food,” The Academy Awards Web site says.

Creating a statute with recycled plastic? Let’s get real.

Making those thousand dollar dresses with eco-friendly fabrics? Um, no.

Stocking those gift bags with all natural cosmetics? Probably not.

But the Academy Awards site does give tips on saving energy on the road, saving energy at home, saving resources at home, saving resources at work and conserving water. Here’s the section on you guessed it—the field of greens specialty, food—or supporting organic and sustainable farming as those Hollywood types would say):

• Ask for organic produce. Often, organic produce costs more and is more difficult to get, but many supermarkets and greengrocers are willing to stock organic food if they know customers will buy it regularly. Talk to your friends and neighbors about their willingness to buy organic and then let your produce manager know that many customers are interested. As organic produce becomes more commonplace, prices will drop.

• Deal directly with organic food growers and suppliers. If you can't find a local grocer who will stock organic food, contact organic growers and suppliers directly or visit a local farmer's market.

• Become a Community Supported Agriculture supporter. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) cooperatives bring together local farmers and consumers. As a member of the cooperative, you pledge to cover farm operation costs for the season. In return, you share in the harvest. CSA farms are not all organic, but they all strive to operate sustainably.

• Farmers: cut down on pesticide use. Innovative and successful farmers around the country are switching from conventional pest management practices, which are heavily reliant on pesticides, to profitable alternative agricultural practices that substantially reduce pesticide use.

There you have it folks—the ways those glamorous stars like Oscar winning leading ladies Halle Berry, Hillary Swank and Reese Witherspoon become glamorous stars.

(OK, so none of those actresses made Grist’s list of the greenest celebrities but Best Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett and Cameron Diaz did. Hunky hunks Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney and Brad Pitt did too.)

Until next time, happy eating.

Recalls prove organic items not always healthy

Recalls have hit the food industry hard over the past several months. Today, the United States Department of Agriculture recalled 143-million pounds of beef from a slaughter house where workers are accused of mistreating animals.

If you think organic foods are free from the recalls, you hopefully have no packages reading “Organic Sesame Seeds Natural-Unhulled” in your pantry. Nurti-Foods, Inc., of Royal Oak, Mich., recalled the half-pound packages of sesame seeds because of possible salmonella contamination.

The possibly tainted products were likely sold at Nutri-Foods locations. Luckily, there are none in Tucson so most should be free from the most recent recall rocking the organic world.

In late January, Shiloh Farms, of New Holland, Pa., also issued a recall on Shiloh Farms Organic Unhulled Sesame Seeds, 12-oz., because it may be contaminated with salmonella.

My Organic Baby, Inc. also recalled some baby food last month because some products were believed to be rancid. They “only disclosed the fact after receiving a report that a baby had become ill after eating the food,” Canada’s The Globe and Mail reported.

The recalled products are Step A Organic Barley Baby Cereal, Step A Organic Brown Rice Baby Cereal, Step A Organic Oatmeal Baby Cereal and Step B Multigrain Baby Cereal with the "best by" dates of April or June 2008, the newspaper also reported.

New Era Canning Company of New Era, Mich., is recalling all cans of vegetable products because they could contain clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism.

The product recalls are no surprise to anyone who followed the news last year. Included among the many recalled items were:

• Earth’s Best recalled breakfast products because of botulism
  

• Organic Pastures Dairy Company's unpasteurized cream labeled as "ORGANIC PASTURES Grade A RAW CREAM" in one-pint plastic bottles was advised against because it could contain listeria monocytogenes

• Packages of Gerber Organic Rice and Organic Oatmeal Cereals were recalled due to a potential choking risk

• 365 Organic Everyday Value Swiss Milk Chocolate Bars were recalled because of undeclared milk and tree nuts

• Green Paradise recalled 5,500 pounds of basil grown in Mexico because of salmonella

In 2006, Dagoba Organic Chocolate of Ashland, Ore., recalled chocolate bars because they contain high levels of lead. It was not the first time that recalled rocked the organic world.

The bottom line is that even labeling something organic does not make it safe. Always purchase items from canned vegetables to creams with caution—the labels might not list everything that comes with it.

Until next time, happy eating.

The five rings could be going green

Eight, eight, oh-eight at 8 p.m.

If you have been watching NBC lately, you already know what that means. The days until the world’s largest sporting event hits your TV screens are limited—the Olympics’ Opening Ceremonies are August 8, 2008 at 8 p.m.

As the Beijing Olympics draws closer, the criticisms of their less than environmentally friendly ways will probably turn up a notch or two—maybe drowning out the sound of sportscaster Dan Hicks, an Arizona alumni. Poor air quality is rumored to possibly keep some asthmatic athletes from competing to their fullest ability.

(There is also a lot of ruckus with that whole “Free Tibet” issue too.)

But London’s calling might be hosting the greenest Olympics ever. “The Feeding the Olympics report from the Soil Association is lobbying for the 14 million or so meals served during the Games to be sustainable, by which they mean some combination of organic, local and seasonal foods,” Green Daily reported in December.

The Soil Association report says:

"Food plays a vital role in climate change; around 20% of the UK’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions are caused by our food and drink. These emissions can be significantly reduced if we all shift towards eating organic, local, seasonal food, and less meat and dairy products. The Games could also help promote sustainable fish consumption, and ensure that any imported food meets Fairtrade standards. Two of the leading sponsors of the Olympics, McDonalds and Coca-Cola, want to associate their brands with the image and ethics of the Games."

No, nothing has been decided yet. But wouldn't it be exciting if the Olympic green movement became as awesome as an Olympic gold medal? Only time will tell if the golden arches will go green to help make the 2012 Olympics an organic affair.

However, London is already well on its way to showing the world that even while hosting the Olympics and everything that comes along with it (from knocking down buildings to put up new stadiums, residence halls and more), it’s easy being green.

The BCC reported a few weeks ago that 95-percent of “materials they've recovered from the nine-month long demolition phase (for the new 80,000 seat stadium) are being recycled on site.” To me, that is worth at least a green star.

Until next time, happy eating.

Get your Trader Joe's edamame while you can

Companies including Mattel and Pro Dental are no strangers to recalling products, from toys to toothpaste, with the “made in China” label. Even pet food companies have had to recall China made animal food that contained tainted wheat gluten believed to have killed cats, dogs and fish, as well as farm animals.

And hundreds of stores across America have pulled China made products off the shelves because of the recalls—helping ease the worried minds of both parents and pet lovers.

Now Trader Joe’s is turning into an almost China free operation. USA Today reported today that by April 1, all 285 Trader Joe’s stores in 23 states—including all four Tucson area locations and nine others across Arizona—will have phased out all single item products from China.

What products you ask? Edamame, garlic and frozen spinach.

"Our customers have voiced their concerns about products from this region, and we have listened," spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said to the USA Today. But Trader Joe’s will continue to sell products that have an ingredient made in China.

The Arizona Daily Star reported on Jan. 9 that the stores already “discontinued single-ingredient items from mainland China but will continue to carry products that have an ingredient from China in their makeup.”

But you can still find some China-produced edamame in the freezer at 4209 N. Campbell Ave. The package clearly states that the edamame is “hand picked in China” in black letters.

(Edamame is a fancy Japanese word for soybeans with sea salt, if you haven’t experienced the cheap treat at local sushi restaurants including Yoshimatsu at 2745 N. Campbell Ave.)

The number of blue and yellow packages has dwindled over the past few weeks. Shortly after the Star reported that the products were nixed, there were none of the blue and yellow packages at the Campbell location. But there were some in late January and 10 packages on Feb. 8.

(OK, only six after I decided to live dangerously and stock up.)

A Trader Joe's worker, who declined to be named, said he was not sure when the Campbell store would stop carrying the Chinese edamame. He also did not know if there would be a replacement.

So pick up the edamame while you can—because it might be gone for a while.

Also, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, China is the leading exporter of seafood so you might need scratch those products off your next Trader Joe’s shopping list (until they find a non-China made replacement of course).

On a slightly unrelated note, The Epoch Times reported that over 1,000 people in Japan recently became sick after eating frozen dumplings from China Tianyang Food Processing Ltd. The newspaper said “the questionable dumplings were proven to contain the pesticide methamidophos, a highly toxic chemical that could kill an adult weighting 50 kilogram by as little as 1.5 grams.”

Will that prompt other stores to follow Trader Joe’s? Stay tuned.

Until next time, happy eating.

Is it fair to drink Starbucks?

When it comes to an organic lifestyle, many consumers in the know opt for fair trade items including sugar and tea. But a newbie to the organic scene might be a bit confused about fair trade. What exactly does it mean? And what’s an easy way to get started?

Fair trade is a market-based model of international trade. It encourages companies to pay a fair price to the farmers who grow and produce a variety of goods from cotton to wine. The fair trade movement also promotes fair environmental and social conditions in production areas so farmers and farm workers can have a comfortable way of life in their location.

One of the products at the center of the fair trade movement is coffee—because Americans “spend $9.2 billion dollars in the retail sector and $8.7 billion in the food service sector every year,” according to a 1999 survey by the National Coffee Association. You've probably helped the industry by grabbing a cup in the morning... or maybe several cups the night before a big project is due.

And it probably also helps that “coffee is the oldest and second-largest, globally-traded commodity” but Hawaii is the only state that grows it, according to the National Coffee Association. No matter how you brew it, coffee is a big business.

Major coffee sellers across the country are taking notice of the organic connoisseurs push toward fair trade.

Now Starbucks is brewing Fair Trade Certified coffee in stores nation and worldwide in Austria, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom, according to it’s Web site. But it’s not even close to having half it’s products being fair trade.

McDonalds is also getting into the fair trade trend. In 2005, the company started serving fair trade coffee at stores in New England and New York. It has since expanded fair trade distribution to stores across America and the globe. Yet, the sale of fair trade barely makes a dent in comparison to how much coffee McDonalds sells every morning.

The best advice for anyone who is trying to convert all their cups of Joe into a fair trade crusade is to buy coffee at smaller shops instead of major chains. Try Bentley’s House of Coffee and Tea, near the University of Arizona campus at 1730 E. Speedway Blvd. (Bentley's offers free WiFi too so you can read up on organic issues while sipping some fair trade coffee.)

Or just make a cup at home from coffee bought at one of the many Trader Joe's or Wild Oats locations scattered around town. Or head on over to the AJ's Purveyor of Fine Foods or Aqua Vita chain stores. Want to shop someplace a little more local? Go to the Rincon Market, 2513 E. Sixth St.

Some of the fair trade coffee sold in those locations is from local suppliers Adventure Coffee Roasters and Arbuckle Coffee Roasters.

One more thing, remember the best way to enjoy some fair trade coffee is by keeping it organic. Accompany your java with organic cream or milk. And remember, use some fair trade sugar in that brew too.

Until next time, happy eating.

Best places to find organic foods

ST. PAUL, Minn. – With the spring semester already in full force, it won’t be long before everything is turning up green—and if this blog works, the green will also be turning up on your plate. But eating green isn’t just about where to find the best salads in town. It’s also where to find hints on where you can find organic food.

For the unfamiliar, organic fruits and vegetables are gown without harmful fertilizers and harmful pesticides. And organic meats come from animals that are not raised with antibiotics and growth hormones. It’s natural and for the most part, not processed like most of the food in the student union.

Feeling like you just can’t wait to start eating organic? Until the next blog, here are the easiest places to find organic foods around town.

Food Conspiracy Co-Op: It’s a not-for-profit natural foods market located at 412 North Fourth Avenue, on the other side of the street from our favorite bars, Maloneys, O’Malleys and Plush. They sell delicious natural fruit bars.

Trader Joe’s: There are plenty of Trader Joe’s to choose from with plenty of locations to choose from. The must have item for me is all natural pomegranate juice. Sometimes I even go for the grapefruit.

Wild Oats Natural Market: Sometimes known as Whole Foods, the closest on is on 3360 East Speedway Boulevard. Check out the fresh produce as well as the selection of natural cosmetics.

Until next time, happy eating.