Going Organic in SLC

My aspiring "Go Green" husband did me proud tonight.

Marc is in Salt Lake City for part 2 of his 3-part business adventures. He and Tera dined at the Red Rock Brewpub / Restaurant tonight, and I was given a surprisingly lively recount of the meal promptly following its conclusion (something I actually look forward to when Marc's on the road. Yes, I'm a foodie nerd).

For the appetizer, Marc wisely selected the Organically Grown Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella & Prosciutto, served with fresh basil and Dijon vinaigrette, which he proclaimed was the "best caprese salad" he had ever eaten. And he's eating a few to know.

What was even more exciting than his decision to choose the Organically Grown Tomatoes off the menu, was his beverage of choice: an organic beer! When I asked him if it was good, he responded with, "Yeah, it was great. It tasted just like regular beer."

I guess that's all you can ask for ....

Face It

The average adult uses nine personal care products every day, typically containing more than 100 unique chemical ingredients. A survey called Skin Deep, done in June 2004 by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) —a leader in the drive to detox personal care products—found that:

• 89 percent of the 10,500 ingredients used in face and body products have not been evaluated for safety by either the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or cosmetics manufacturers;
• one out of every 120 products contains known or probable carcinogens.

The EWG’s Skin Deep survey found that dozens of products—including hair dyes, tanning lotions, nail polish, the works—contain chemicals that are known or suspected to cause cancer or birth defects, or affect hormone function.

So what's a girl to do?

I'm no different than the average woman. Let me count the products: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, face moisturizer, face wash, deoderant, foundation, blush, mascara, eye shadow, lip balm and/or gloss, hair gel, styling pomade, toothpaste, saline solution ... and if I hit the gym at lunch this ionized water stuff scented with "pure essential oils." That's 18 products on the average day! Oh, and nail polish. I'm so ashamed ...

I've made the switch to natural shower items and body lotion, but pretty much all my face and hair styling stuff is from Aveda. Which, compared to some of the other conventional brands isn't quite so bad (rated Moderate Concern by Skin Deep) ... but it's got its share of nasty toxic stuff. Although I should note that there are a number "low concern" ratings for some of my Aveda favs, including Rosemary Mint shampoo.

What got me to thinking about all this was the 2 hours I just spent at my local Aveda salon getting highlights and lowlights put in my hair. As I inhaled the burning fumes of chemicals being layered into my scalp I wondered ... am I reversing all the good things organic foods do for my body by dousing myself in color-coated beauty? So, I checked out the Skin Deep rating on hair color. While it's not exactly "natural" Aveda hair color treatments are #9 on the list with a Moderate Ranking, compared to the High Ranking of my previous box treatment by L'Oreal. Yet another fine excuse for spening $100 on highlights at the salon.

Check out Skin Deep and take a toxic tour of your bathroom cabinet. Find out what's known about the potential health risks from the personal care products you use everyday and learn about safer options.

World's Most Perfect Food is ...

Peanut Butter.

Ok, I admit it: I'm addicted to peanut butter. Sweet or savory, peanut butter satisfies. Marc first wooed me in the Sierra Trading Post breakroom some 6 years ago with his (now legendary) Tofu with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce and Spinach. Oh, how I loved that tofu.

I later adapted the recipe for backpacking
(using baked tofu, dehydrated veggies and quick-cook brown rice), which led me to the finalist round of the REI Camp Stove Cook-Off in Denver (see picture). Ultimately I was beat out by some lame fried dough thing stuffed with pepperoni. Apparently, the backpacking world wasn't ready for our bold combination of sweet and spicy. Or maybe it was the tofu. Either way, the dish has since been used to satisfy a number of hungry hikers.

I eat peanut butter several times a day as a condiment to so many things beyond your basic slice of bread. My favorite medium for eating PB right now is a crisp organic Jonagold or Braeburn apple. When I'm feeling particularly frisky, I sprinkle on some dried cranberries, too. Sadly, I have been out of apples for a couple days now, and tonight I resorted to dipping my baby carrots in the sweet treat. Let me tell you ... that was delightful!

We buy organic Marantha peanut butter in massive 32oz. double packs at Costco because:
1. Price is unbeatable ($6 for 4lbs. of organic peanut butter? forget it.)
2. We eat a LOT of it.

Sometimes, like this week, we are out of the super-sized jar of PB, so I am forced to buy the (what seems to be) puny jar of organic peanut butter from the store down the street. This smaller container seems to highlight just how quickly we go through the stuff. Although I have to admit, this new invention, Stirless Organic Peanut Butter, is ingenious. No more oil slicks down the side of the jar or dried out spots at the bottom. It's almost worth investing in the smaller size. Almost.

With only a single piece of Birdland Bread left in the bag (I'm saving it for my morning toast with PB and honey tomorrow ... have you ever experienced how delicious peanut butter tastes when paired with your morning coffee?), and all the baby carrots long gone ... I'm considering what my next move will be. Corn tortilla? That doesn't seem right.

Perhaps just a spoon would satisfy my PB tooth for tonight.

For the Dogs

Affrey is, in my mind, the best dog in whole world. She's smart, cuddly and incredibly cute, but she is not without her fair share of problems (aren't we all?).

For the past 5 of her 7 years, Affrey has suffered with chronic ear infection. We've been to see the finest vet dermatologist money can buy at CSU and she's been doused and shot up with every sort of concoction you can image ... and yet, she continues to suffer with itchy, smelly ear issues. In the last two months, the infection had gotten so bad, it started to impact a nerve in her neck that has her eye completely swollen over. Our new vet recommended Affrey get a deep cleaning on her ears to remove all the yeast and goo, so we could start a fresh at tackling her allergy problems.

So, last Wednesday, Affrey went under for her ear surgery. She came through it just fine and we celebrated her freshly cleaned pink ears with a designer dog bed from DogZooks. Now we start on the precarious road to what we hope will be long-term relief from her ear infections.
When Affrey was 2 yrs. old we went through the whole food allergy testing, trying strange dog chow like Venison and Potato or Duck and Sweet Potato. The vets at CSU determined Affrey was allergic to mold and various other Colorado allergens, but not common pet food. We were cleared to go back to the classic Iams formula, which she has been eating for the past 5 years (what an exciting life she has).

It wasn't until recently, when I started swapping dog allergy stories with co-workers, that I started to think Affrey's ear problems could be a result of her diet - not just the environmental factors. Several of my cube mates have dogs who have been diagnosed with yeast infection in the ears (just like Affrey), and have been going through a series of non-productive topical treatments (just like Affrey), when they started reading about the health implications of the preservatives and additives used in conventional dog food.

It turns out - most dogs with allergy issues are having a reaction to the added crap in dog food, not the protein source. One woman I work with said her Jack Russel's yeasty ears cleaned up within a month of switching to all-natural dog food, and the people at Pet Promise pet food have a thousand similar stories they've shared with me (although my office mate's experience holds considerably more weight with me at this point).

Newman's Own also makes an organic dog food, which looks kind of interesting. Their formula feature probiotics and Ester-C, as well as parsley to help with "doggie breath."

So, along with the rest of the Angelo family, Affrey is going organic, too. We've made the switch to Pet Promise Weight Management food and I'm hoping the combination of the newly cleaned ears and the clean, all-natural food will be Affrey's opportunity to live a happy life, free of head-shaking and ear scratching.

Pet Promise's food is about as clean as it can get for pets. According to their website Pet Promise promises that:

Our ranchers never feed their animals antibiotics or added growth hormones, and we refuse to use rendered fats, chicken meal, meat meal or byproducts in our foods. This insures that the ingredients you are feeding your pets are pure and beyond natural.

Sure, it's a little bit more expensive - $22 for a 16 lb. bag (I think Iams is $16 for 20 lbs.) but I think it's worth a try. Affrey is part of our family and she deserves to have food that is healthful for her and the earth.

We're all living here together, after all.

Dinner Dilemma

Last night, after work, I co-hosted a "man-friendly" baby celebration for one of my cube mates who's wife is expecting triplets (yikes!). We each brought snacks to share, had a cooler full of beer and plenty of hideous streamers to go around. I made a deliciously healthy (and organic) spinach-artichoke dip, served with organic blue corn tortilla chips, organic baby carrots and organic broccoli. A "green-eater's" perfect snack! But as I contemplated munching on the olive/cheese skewers, classic tortilla pinwheels and brilliantly blue-colored cupcakes, I wondered how tightly I should adhere to my organic eating principles. While I didn't actually "buy" the conventional snacks, am I still supporting the industry by eating the stuff? I'm definitely not doing my body any favors by eating the blue dye #7 (or my waistline, for that matter).

And here we are at Friday again. The night Marc and I commonly go out for dinner, drinks and general revelrie. There are only a handful of restaurants in town that feature "organic greens" on the menu, let alone an entirely organic meal. And organic wine? Forget about it - our wine rack is filled with our conventional favorites from Napa ... and I've yet to see Bonterra Biodynamic wine on any list around here.

So, what's an organic-eating girl to do? I'll continue my organic, all-natural buying ways for home consumption and for those rare happy hours or dinners with friends, I'll choose the most natural options available and enjoy it!

I ate the cupcake, by the way.

Correction

Contrary to my previous post (Old Mother Hubbard) we did not have Miracle Whip in our fridge. It was actually fat-free mayo. But it still had HFCS in it and is equally as nasty.

Shop 'Til I Drop

I took on my first official "organic" shopping trip earlier this week. I know what you're thinking, "geez, she hasn't gone shopping since the January 1 Organic Proclamation?" And the fact is, outside of a quick stop at my local Safeway and a pass through Whole Foods in the past couple weeks, I didn't really need to get much.

Nonetheless, I was sticking to my organic guns at the two aforementioned stores and chose to shop at Wild Oats in Boulder for my big stock up this week. It is markedly easier to buy organic items at Wild Oats or Whole Foods than it is at Safeway. Safeway had zero organic produce and their displays of "natural" boxed cereals kept luring me in. I remained strong and only bought a handful of items including organic milk, yogurt and I can't really remember what else (hey, you try remembering what you bought at the store 2 weeks ago).

Whole Foods was easier - lots of organic options (I just went in for some greens and the fixings for my Veggie Meatloaf with Checca Sauce) but you have to be careful: Those large, juicy produce displays can distract you from the tiny sign down below that says "conventional." And forget about the bakery area - most of the stuff is laden with white sugar. Although I did manage to get a delicious loaf of organic pumpernickel bread from the fresh counter. I was surprised at the number of organic grains they had available in the bulk bins, too.

Wednesday's big shop at Wild Oats proved that organic shopping is easy! Actually, easier than conventional/occasional organic because it limits the number of choices I have. I can focus on getting just those items I need and don't get drawn into impulse buys of crap! Plus - the produce was phenomenal! I did discover that organic cheese is expensive ... $6 for an 8 oz. brick of cheddar was an expense I couldn't justify. (Not right now anyway.) I opted for the natural cheese with no colors, dyes, added growth hormones, etc.

Everyone claims organic shopping is "way" more expensive than conventional. I'm not convinced of this yet. It's hard to compare my organic shopping trip this week to the typical cart-full of Safeway items because I stocked up on vitamins, supplements and dog food at Wild Oats. I typically spend about $100 on a big cart of food, and I feel like my organic experience is in line with this amount (when you don't include the non-food purchases).

And overall, I feel better about the food I bought. There aren't those impulse buys of HFCS-laden products filling up my cabinets. Instead, I'm stocked on lots of fresh produce, whole grains, nuts and all the good stuff we're actually going to eat.

The Logic of Green

Marc and I ventured out into the bitter cold (9 degrees) this afternoon to check out a fairly new store in Old Town called Green Logic. They sell eco-friendly goods of all kinds - from recycled glass tumblers ($20 each) and earth friendly clothing (some pretty chic looking things beyond your basic hemp t-shirt) to organic cotton bedding and bamboo picnic plates and cutlery. I made mental note of the stacks of biodegradable, corn-based cups that will be the perfect eco-option for our summer parties!

They even had a display featuring a partner company who sells green home building supplies - recycled demin insulation, sorghum wood panels and bamboo flooring.

I was particularly excited to see my favorite eco brand of the moment, Bamboosa, available at Green Logic. I love the silky fiber shirts for myself, but the BambooBaby items are my baby shower gifts of choice for friends across the country. Good to know I can save the cost of shipping (and all those packing supplies) by buying it locally instead of online.

You've probably noticed I've mentioned bamboo more than once here ... that's because:
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world - growing as fast as 47.6 inches in a 24-hour period. It tolerates extremes of drought and drowning, generates more oxygen than trees and is considered a critical element in the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

In other words - it's a great earth-friendly option for everything from plates to baby underwear.

I didn't buy anything at the store today ... but I plan on visiting it again in the coming months (I hope it's still open by then). As we were leaving, Marc said, "I'm being green by not consuming." Which I think sums up our trip out and about quite well.

Of course ... we stopped by Starbucks for a non-fat, sugar-free cinnamon dolce latte on the way home.

Stupid NPR Interview

Yesterday on American Public Media's Marketeplace, Kai Ryssdal interviewed Barry Glassner, author of The Gospel of Food. Glassner contends that for many Americans, it's not "You are what you eat," it's "You eat what you think you are." Which I think is bullshit. Here's why:

Glassner argues that what most people are paying for in Organic food is a story. He says, [when we buy organic we are paying for] "A story about the food, a story about ourselves. That, you know, somehow if I eat something that is labeled as cage-free — in the case of eggs — that I'm saying something about myself. I'm doing something great for the world."

Well, yes, buying cage-free eggs is doing something wonderful for the world. Something wonderful for chickens and something wonderful for farmers who can get more than $.2 per egg for their work. And, no one knows that I have cage-free eggs in my fridge or that we buy organic mayonnaise. The only time it "tells something about myself" is when I'm wheeling my cart through the aisles of a natural grocery store and everyone else there is doing the same thing. It's not a topic of conversation at neighborhood cocktail parites ... "gee, Ali, this is delicious artichoke dip. Did you use organic artichokes?"

By buying organic, I'm not proving anything to anyone (although, I have to admit, I do feel a bit superior to my fellow shoppers as I cruise my silent Prius into the parking lot, with canvas shopping bags in tow).

Glassner also believes that "food has become a lot more like fashion now. What people like to say is, 'Oh, no, no, it's all about health. It's all about nutrition. It's all about being righteous.' No. It's mostly about who am I, and who am I trying to say I am? ... some of us are enjoying our food a lot more while others just torture themselves about what they buy every day."

Or MAYBE, Barry, people who eat organic are typically more conscious of what they are putting in their bodies. They are most mindful of their own personal health and the health of the world their living in. And who's to say that those of us who choose to eat healthfully and organically are not enjoying our foods?

What Does Organic Really Mean?

The USDA dictates that organic foods must be produced by farmers who "emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance the environmental quality for future generations."

In magazines ranging from Women's Health to Vegetarian Times, I've read articles giving guidelines as to what organic items are worth the extra cost and which aren't. I even posted one such list earlier this week. While I think these lists are a great starting point for anyone looking to venture into the wide world of organic eating, reading this "official" definition of "organic" it got me to thinking of all the reasons one ought to opt for organic food.

Beyond what is healthy for our bodies, organic food is healthy for our planet. Pretty basic, I know ... but sometimes just putting these basic assumptions in writing helps to solidify them in my way of living.

What "organic" means varies by product. Meat, poultry, egg and dairy products must be from animals that aren't given synthetic hormones or antibiotics. The animals must be fed an organic diet and allowed to roam freely (how "freely" is a topic up for debate right now).

Organic produce may not be grown using conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or sewer sludge (I guess that means conventional produce DOES use sewer sludge?? barf). Farmers can't use bioengineered crops or treat their crops with ionizing radiation. And the companies that handle and process the products on the way to market must also adhere to strict guidelines.

Green Revolution

I was thinking about my new found dedication to eating organic last night, as I munched on some roasted organic fingerling potatoes (dusted with authentic Fleur de Sel courtesy of my friend Melynda) .

It occurred to me that eating organic is just a single pixel in my whole health picture (and probably the the most convenient change to make for me). Rather - living a natural, organic life needs to take into account my home and what I'm putting on my body, as well as I what I'm taking in. So, I came to the revelation last night that this quest to eat organic is really just the beginning of the Angelo family's journey into the Green Revolution. Instead of just examining what's going INTO the fridge, I need to look AT the fridge (is it energy efficient?) and everywhere else around the house, for that matter.

Hmm.... things are about to get interesting.

Top Foods to Eat Organic

I've seen quite a few of these lists published - they're the top foods to choose organic when you can, because they are crops that are typically grown with excessive use of pesticides. I've also read that for produce, if you eat the skin (anything you don't have to peel first), you should buy organic.

Other high pesticide foods include: imported grapes, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, Mexican cantaloupe, celery and apricots (from Care2.com) .

Top 10 Foods to Eat Organic, from the SeventhGeneration website:
1. Baby Food - Babies are extraordinarily susceptible to pesticides. Two brands of organic baby food (Earth's Best and Well-Fed Baby) are on the market, or you can make your own by cooking and pureeing organic produce.

2. Strawberries - To ensure that strawberries survive the rigors of factory farming and transport, growers use layers of chemicals. Best bet: eat them in season from local organic farms.

3. Rice - Domestic rice is often farmed with heavy doses of pesticides. As rice has a long shelf life, organic varieties can be bought in quantity and stored.

4. Other grains - As we shift our diets to include more fiber, organic sources of grain become ever more important.

5. Milk - Commercial brands may contain bovine antibiotics and, increasingly, growth hormones.

6. Corn - Although corn is usually low in artificial pesticides, Americans eat an average of 11 pounds per year, so organic shopping makes sense. Look for local organic corn in season.

7. Bananas - A short window of ripeness and a long distance to market add up to heavy pesticide use by many banana producers. Organic brands include: Eco-Fruit and Made in Nature.

8. Green Beans - Over 60 different pesticides are used on green beans. Even the green beans used in baby food have been found to be contaminated.

9. Peaches - Peaches often have the highest rates of illegally applied pesticides.

10. Apples - A decade after Alar abuse was exposed, many apples are still soaked in pesticides, but fortunately, the number of organic growers is soaring.

Old Mother Hubbard ...

So it turns out Go Organic Task #1 of cleaning out the cupboards wasn't ask tasking as I thought it might be.

We generally eat quite well, if not completely organic: I shop from the bulk bins for fanciful grains like buckwheat groats and quinoa. Canned beans, Wheatabix, solid white canned tuna (fish can't technically be labeled "organic" anyway) and a couple jars of curry sauce made the cut to stay in the cabinent, along with baking supplies like whole wheat flour and baking soda. While not "organic" I chose to keep the Cranberry Mustard and mandarian orange slices ... no sense in throwing away perfectly good food. They are "all natural" anyway ... baby steps. I even found a box of organic couscous and tabouli buried behind the crap. Score one for the organic cleaning team.

It's helpful that Marc was gone for the day when I started this chore, so he couldn't talk me into keeping that super-sized box of instant oatmeal we've had hanging around for the past 5 years. The fridge is where I really cleaned up - chocolate syrup, imitation maple flavored syrup, teriyaki sauce (the second ingredient is HFCS - who knew?), Miracle Whip, Russian salad dressing (for those once a year veggie Ruebens I like to make. I'm sure there's an organic version out there).

The Angelo cabinents are on their way to getting "clean" ... and are at least well organized now.

Go Organic Task #2 ... go shopping.

The journey begins

Don't call it a New Year's Resolution.

I've been thinking about going organic for a long time now ... I occasionally shop the organic items in the produce section, pick up organic ketchup and various other miscellaneous items along the way. But my cabinets still bear the weight of items with high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil and a number of other toxic "food" additives. And don't even look under the kitchen sink at the array of toxic cleaning supplies I use around the house.

I work for a natural foods grocery store chain (which shall remain nameless for the time being, less you should I think I am tackling this project via blog for shameless corporate promotion), so I know why people should choose organic foods and natural products for body care, home cleaning and all that good stuff. Hell, I design entire marketing programs educating people about why they should Go Organic ... and yet, I have not made the commitment myself.

So, for the health of my family (it's just me and my husband of one year and our 7 year old golden retriever, Affrey for now), I figured January 1, 2007 seemed like as good a time as any to start my quest to Go Organic. And here I go ....

Go Organic task #1 ... clean out the cupboards.