7 ways to buy organic with out breaking the bank

I wrote a post last week about how important eating quality, healthy food is for our family.  We place an emphasis on organic food that some may find unrealistic, so I thought it may be helpful to post some tips for eating organically in a way that is sustainable for one's wallet.  Here goes:

~Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)  Our family joined Creeksong Farm's CSA this year for the first time.  With a CSA, you pay money at the beginning of the season to support the farm's initial costs, then you receive weekly food boxes through out the season.  For us this meant $300 up front in exchange for a box valued at $15 a week of the freshest produce (picked that day!), eggs and ground beef, from June - October.  Our CSA offered a farm tour and potluck mid-season to go see how our food ways grown and raised.  Being a CSA member was a community building experience as much as a way to save on organic food.  In different cities, I know these can look a bit different; My mom goes through Papa Spud's in Raleigh and gets food all year long from a variety of farms in the area.  Local Harvest has great info on finding a CSA near you.


~Know which foods are most important to buy organically  If buying all your groceries organic seems unrealistic, here's how I determine where to splurge.  If I'm eating the skin of my produce (this applies mostly to fruits - think apples, tomatoes, peaches, berries), go organic.  This also applies to salad, greens and peppers.  For thick peels, like melons, it is questionable how much pesticides are able to come through the skin, so I don't always organic on those.  Root veggies are in the soil, soaking up what ever else is in there with them - potentially chemicals - so be careful with these. With animal products, I look for Certified Humane labels or small farm producers, over organic.  It's easy to find dairy that is free of human growth hormones and raised with out antibiotics - just look at the packaging, it will say if the dairy is hormone and antibiotic free.  For crops that are often genetically modified (wheat, corn, and soy for example), the organic standard lets me know I'm getting a GMO free product.

~Frequent your Farmer's Market  To me, knowing your farmer and their methods can trump organic standards most days.  It is expensive and extensive for a farm to become Certified Organic.  Many farms practice organic growing with out the standard, or are working towards certification.  Just ask - you'll make a friend and learn about your food!  Farmer's Market's are the place to shop for seasonal foods, which brings us to:


~Eat in Season  This is a huge way to save money and ensure that your produce is at it's tastiest.  Organic tomatoes are going to be very expensive in the middle of winter, but sweet potatoes, cabbage and kale will be at their prime, and affordable.  I find that when I go without something if it is out of season, it tastes that much better when I get to enjoy it in season.


~Shop at your Health Food Store  This one may seem a bit counter-intuitive, as Health Food Stores often have the reputation of being more expensive (I've heard of a certain chain commonly referred to as "Whole Paycheck").  Here's my reasoning, though:  Health Food Stores buy large quantities of organic, certified humane, and sometimes local produce, therefor they get a better deal on the food.  When a store can buy a product for cheaper, the customer can too.


~Take time to read labels and shop around  Make a grocery list, and then allow yourself to take time in the aisles.  Read labels so you know what you are really getting.  Be willing to go to the produce department, then the freezer section, and possibly back to produce before you leave.  If an item is too expensive at the time, check another store for it.  This is not a time saving list, but a money saving list.  Reading labels and shopping around can save money as well as reveal ingredients in a product that may have otherwise been over looked (and quite possibly unwanted).

~Grow your own or find a friend who does!  Even with the smallest of spaces one could grow a pot of herbs if desired.  And I bet we all know someone who grows or raises something.  Your neighbor raising chickens is probably happy to sell you a dozen each week.  Your friend may need help at harvest season with all those veggies, and will happily trade you food for your assistance.  I woman you meet at the farmer's market may have a brother that raises cattle.  Ask around, expand community, and local food abounds.  Again, when you know the farmer and their personal ethics for growing, buying local can stomp organic standards and make healthy eating much more affordable.

Happy exploring, and happy eating to you all!  Please share any tips or thoughts you may have in the comments below!

For more grand Green ideas, check out Your Green Resource over at SortaCrunchy.  Each Thursday many readers link up to share ideas on how to help the world me a healthier, happier place!

thanks giving: for the food we eat

Giving thanks for food was one of the first rituals I learned as a child.  Then, I didn't quite get the blessing, but that act of pausing before eating to give acknowledgement to the source of our food and ask for nourishment is something that has stayed with me over the years.

My thanks today is three-fold:  for the knowledge of healthy eating, for the access to truly nourishing foods, and for the food I am preparing as our Thanksgiving feast!  (and really, the food I prepare each day!)  And how those first two weigh in so heavily to depict the way our feast will look!

I often thank my mom for introducing me to a wide-array of foods growing up.  I ate lots of vegetables and rarely, if ever, did the kids have separate meals from the adults.  As I grow, my interests in healthy eating become further refined.  I learned about how animals were treated in factory farms, the hormones and antibiotics given to them more often than not, and quit meat all together for 4 years.  I learned how soil was depleted through massive conventional growing and became dedicated to buying produce that is organic and/or from small scale farms, (and hopefully local!).  I've learned how healthy, happy livestock play an integral role in a healthy environment, as well as a healthy mountain mama body, and I'm back on meat as long as I know where it comes from.  I learned about the intense sketchiness of Genetically Engineered crops that are suspected to be in 80% of all processed foods in most groceries stores of North America.  The query of "what to eat?" has become down-right mind boggling!

(I think that before I go on I should say that No, I am not a doctor, or a dietician, or a scientist for that matter.  I am just a human being trying to live in harmony with the Earth and eat food that is REAL, and healthy, FOR REAL.)


This level of healthy eating is more than just 5 servings of fruit or vegetables a day.  It demands diligence, label reading, and sometimes saying "no thanks".  But, boy, am I thankful for being in a community of learners and food-growers.  The knowledge of health, as in where does my food come from and how did it find it's way to the table, has deepened my connection to the Earth, my respect for farmers, and increases the sense of responsibility for my own health.

For me, knowing about healthy food does not afford the chance to turn my head and look the other way.  I just can't go through a fast-food joint and not be concerned.  In full disclosure, I have a hard time eating out at most restaurants these days.  When you think too hard about this stuff, it feels like you can't eat anything!  Thankfully though, we have access to local and organic produce, dairy and meats here in this town.  While what is doled out locally is largely dependent on the season, we do have a good health food store where I can buy organic and GMO free food.  And, I give thanks again for the Boone community.  In this town and within my circle I am not considered outrageous for the way our family eats.

So lastly, but surely not least, I am thankful for the food we will be eating on Thanksgiving day.  This is the first year I am preparing a whole Thanksgiving meal and I am so excited!  I'm mixing some typically traditional dishes with the creation of new traditions.  Our meal is primarily organic food, 100% fresh and homemade, as well as gluten-free, since Sly can't handle wheat in his Mama's milk.  If I pull it off, this will be my greatest cooking feat to date.  Wanna know what's cookin'?

::sweet & smoky spareribs (meat from the AppState Sustainable Development farm)

::a simple cornbread dressing

::mashed 'taters with mushroom gravy (arrowroot for the flour in the gravy)

::cider-spiked cranberry sauce

::brussel sprouts with red grapes and walnuts

::sweet potato & chard gratin

::punkin' cheesecake with gf graham cracker crust

::chocolate pecan torte with almond crust

On top of all these goodies, friends and family will be bringing more eats to share.  Oh yes, we will be feasting!  I hope to infuse the spirit of thanks in our food as I cook!

merry making: jar pies

Sly and I have been home all week, so aside from "Ceasering" the 2 dogs, nursing nearly non-stop, and, ahem, spending way too much money internet shopping, I've started making (lots!) of plans for the upcoming holidays.  This is the first year that I plan to hand make the majority of my holiday gifts. Many things I'm making will have to remain top secret until after Christmas, as my sweet family is probably popping in to this space.  But some gifts I will share here, as will as some tips and trials of making home-ade presents.

There will be quite a few edible treats in my gift giving this year.  I like to make treats with a healthy(er) spin on them.  The first thing I got down on was miniature pies in mason jars.  They were so easy and fun!  The directions are outlined so simple on Our Best Bites, that it would be silly for me to re-write them here.  Let me stress how incredible simple it was.  You use wide mouth half pint jars, any pie crust you like, and any fruit or filling you have handy.  I used my favorite crust recipe from Moosewood Cookbook and blueberries from this summer's picking.  You roll out a small amount of dough for lids, press bits of dough into the jars to line them, fill 'er up with fruit, and cap 'er off!  One of the best things about this recipe is that you can make the pies far in advance, don't bake them, and store them in the freezer.  There they can wait until just before the holiday gift giving to be baked off, or they can be pulled out for last-minute dessert.  And I bet many fellow crunchy friends that receive these as gifts will be as excited about the jar as the pie!  There are so many ways to use jars, people.  In this house they are containers, glasses, vases and so much more.

 

photos from instagr.am while the Nikon is awaiting fresh batteries

I made up 8 pies in the space of 1 baby nap.  I baked off 1 right away as a treat for the Papa Bear when he came home from work.  Plus, he is my taste-tester since I am currently wheat-free.  He seems pretty happy with this job.

I can't wait to make some more of these - I am thinking apple with a crumb topping.  And I'm even more excited about giving them out, as they are both precious, functional (with that jar and all!) and delicious!

What sorts of merry making are you getting ready for?  Gifts, parties, planning?

Autumn Eats

Autumn is my favorite season to cook in.  I love how so many of  foods naturally lend them selves to both savory and sweet flavors.  We've been eating good this last week, enjoying the vibrancy of color and flavor as much as possible.  Enjoying it so much, that I've eaten half the dish before even thinking to take a photo.  I think that's a sign of a good meal.

I've made beautiful, savory orange soups, two pies, a first attempt at Naan that I nailed, roasted chestnuts, and scrumptious fresh greens from Creeksong Farm, (our fabulous CSA that ends in just two weeks).

I'm sharing the recipes for two new dishes that will be staples in my fall cooking routine.  First, because they are both absolutely scrumptious.  Secondly, because they are both incredibly easy.   And new baby or not, all of us like home-ade food that is also easy, right?

Black Bean Punkin Soup

adapted from smittenkitchen

:: 2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained thoroughly

::1 can of diced, roasted tomatoes, drained

::1 cup of diced shallots

::4 garlic cloves, minced

::1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin

::1/2 tsp crush red pepper flakes

::1 tbsp butter

::1 1/2 cups, or 1 16 oz. can of pumpkin puree (though I bet sweet potato or butternut squash would work well)

::3 cups of chicken or beef stock (I used beef the first time and chicken the second and both were different, but delicious)

::a big glug of red wine (about 1/2 cup)

::8 oz cook ham steak, diced

:: 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

::liberal salt and fresh ground pepper

Melt butter over medium heat in a dutch over or soup pot.  Saute shallots and garlic until soft.  Meanwhile, puree black beans and tomatoes in the food processor.  Add cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the dutch oven.  Saute another 2-3 minutes.  Add black beans and tomatoes.  Then, stir in pumpkin puree, broth and wine.  Bring to a boil, then lower and simmer about 20 minutes.  Add ham and cook until heated through.  Stir in vinegar just before serving.

Fill your mug with soup and savor with crusty bread and a salad.  This is my new favorite meal.

And a new favorite dessert, Applesauce pie.  I stumbled on this recipe looking for one for fried apple pies.  This is a tad healthier, no frying involved helps that, and I dare say it is tastier as well.  Do yourself a favor and make this tonight.  Seriously, you will not regret it.  I know we (and anyone who comes to visit soon!) will be enjoying this regularly until we use up all this years applesauce!

  Applesauce Pie

adapted from food.com and a smattering of other sites piled together

::a 9 inch pie crust, home-ade or  store bought

::1 cup of spiced apple sauce, home-ade if you've got it

::1 cup of sugar

:2 eggs

::1/2 cup melted butter

::1 tsp vanilla extract

::2 tbsp flour

::1 tbsp wheat germ (or more flour)

Beat the eggs.  Mix in all other ingredients, except crust of course.  Pour applesauce mixture into crust.  Bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Enjoy a la mode or plain, and try not to eat the whole thing in one day.

Sunday-Soulday

This may or may not become a regular posting theme, but either way I try to make it a regular Sunday theme in our families lives.  To me, Sunday is a day to do the things that nourish the soul.  To play, rest, eat, listen, create, and above all, be with loved ones.

Stevie takes her Soulday very seriously.

I've spent this Soulday in the kitchen ....

First up, sleeping 'til 9 am!  This is big news for us since baby boy likes to wake up between 6-7 am usually.  The darker mornings are helping Mama get more sleep and it is much, much appreciated.  Then, french toast with applesauce from last years apples and a press-pot of Larry's Beans.  Ummmm ... YUM!

There was minuscule amounts of cleaning done, then a big 'ole pot of 'mater soup got started.  This is the second batch of the season and I hope to make more and freeze it, BUT it's so hard not to just eat the whole pot over the next couple days.  We'll see.  In general, the way I cook is to scan multiple recipes and then recreate my own version.  I'd say the soup turned out pretty delish.  It'll be lunch and dinner ... for today and maybe tomorrow!

Next up, apple pie!!  Yesterday, I had the joy of picking apples out at my dear friends Brent and Sierra's.  Sierra is expecting a sweet baby girl any day now, so I use any excuse at all to go visit her.  Apple picking is a pretty great excuse any way you look at it.  It took most of the day to peel and core the apples, and make crust, even with this handy device Brent let me borrow.  Such is life with a new babe.  Everything takes extra time.  A beautiful and necessary practice of patience.

This is the first time I've made an apple pie!  I do tarts, cobbler, bread pudding, tarte tatin, but never an apple pie.  Now, I am hooked.  I foresee myself making this through out the fall and winter for a long time to come.  I used the pie crust recipe from the New Moosewood Cookbook, and pieced together the inside from a smattering of pie filling recipes.  Pretty basic, 1 cup of sugar, 7ish cups of peeled, cored, thinly sliced apples, cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with about 4 tbsp of butter.  So delicious, I'm trying to talk myself out of a second slice.

A tasty, homey day in our kitchen.  Bodies and souls nourished.  I hope it's a good omen for the week to come.

Fermentation happens ...

Yes it does! And thankfully so ... What an easy, tasty and oh so nutritious way to preserve the bounty of summer's harvest. So far this summer I've pickled beets, okra, cucumbers and made sauerkraut. I am even fermenting my morning oats these days to increase their nutritional content. I use a live fermentation method that I learned from Wild Fermentation, which I recommend to people left and right. It is chock full of easy recipes from all around the world, nutritional information, and Sandor Katz is incredibly inspiring (he's an AIDS survivor, attributing part of his healing to fermented foods). With this method of pickling you use only salt, maybe a little water, and allow things to open ferment, attracting live, beneficial bacteria from the environment. My favorite part about this method (besides that it takes minimal effort) is that it allows one to really observe the interaction of unseen organisms that are always all around us. We get to see, or taste, the unseen.

The other night we had a pickle dinner, a dinner to showcase all the beautiful, living foods I've created (with the help of Lactobacilli). Organic all beef hotdogs and fresh bread were the mere background to the purple sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers and okra.

There are certainly fermentation failures too. It is a finicky, trail-and-error kind of process, with lots of tasting along the way required. My first attempt at an open fermented hard cider grew mold on it. I'm trying another batch tonight and will post how it turns out. My pickles are softer than I'd like. But, I am learning about the culture around me, what it likes, how it tweaks the ingredients I present. And I've got ideas and tips for making next years pickles crunchier.

Next up on my list to try is herbal beers. I had a fabulous teacher for these this summer, and I plan to start dandelion, nettle and ginger beers within the week! They can be fermented a little, to be soda-pop-like, or a lot and become alcoholic. Brewer's choice.

Away & Back Again

Sure, he looks innocent enough while sleeping ...

We left The Mountain! Quite a journey with a 2.5 month old, and much debated before we decided to actually do it. It being a vacation to Amelia Island with 2 other couples. Well, we went for it, and while it was wonderful to be there, I returned with a much greater appreciation for being here.

The Ocean was healing, friends are jewels of the soul, but long car rides (7 hours turned into 13 hours!) with a newborn is not something I look forward to doing anytime again in the near future. I'm sure Sly would say the same thing!

Crying in the car or not, we got some pretty great smiles on the beach, eh?

Since we've returned temperatures haven't been above 85, and there's a luscious breeze in the morning and evening that whispers of Autumn. I've actually started putting pants on Sly, something I have only done 2 or 3 times before - the joys of a summer babe. With the sense that Autumn's creeping in I feel simultaneously 1) Excited for the cool, the colors, the coziness and the crisp apples! and 2) An urgency to enjoy whats left of summer out of doors!

To celebrate both feelings at once, I baked 2 pies today. The first, a Shepard's Pie, with grass-fed ground beef and organic vegetables from Creeksong Farm. The second, a crunchy-top peach pie (I use the recipe from The New Moosewood Cook Book) with fresh, juicy, perfect peaches. Every fruit and veggie used was grown locally (in NC or SC) and at the prime of the season. A great way to enjoy warm, cozy comfort foods and the bounty of summer harvests at the same time!