KV Organics

seeking restoration of sustainable life... personally, professionally, & spiritually

food choices

Sara Salo

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This month has been super fun and busy for us.  The kids are loving school, we’re all adjusting to homework routines, I’m getting used to quiet mornings with just the baby, and… we got bikes!  This is something that I have been wanting to do for a while now, for both exercise and conservation reasons, but we’ve finally done it – and it was in part, inspired by my new friend Sara Salo.

Sara is an inspiration in so many ways.  She’s focused on helping people eat better and make healthier choices all around, and she is an awesome example of paving a new road in the face of a raging recession – two things about which I’m passionate myself.  Here is what Sara shared with me in an email last spring…

I came up with the idea for the Tour on a long trail run late last summer. I was trying to burn off some steam after getting frustrated with job hunting and all of a sudden I seriously had an ‘aha’ moment! Rather than apply for a job I wasn’t completely passionate about, why not put together something myself?! I knew I wanted to work in school food reform but I also loved cycling. Healthy living really needs to combine physical activity and good nutrition so I figured what better way to spread the word than by bike! At first the idea seemed really far-fetched but as I talked to people and got really positive feedback, I kept moving forward. Then, before I knew it, I had a website and was scheduling stops. And now it’s full steam ahead.  🙂

Check out the video below for an overview of what Sara’s up to while cycling around the country, and/or click here to check out and follow her blog.

 

Patented Life

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All I can really say is… wow.  And that’s not a good ‘wow.’

I had a general awareness of the issues surrounding the genetic engineering of food, but this film gives an excellent and in-depth overview of both the scientific and ethical concerns stemming from this technology.  I can’t even begin to comment yet on all the points that hit me; I’m still processing it all to be able to communicate the ideas in my own words, and I need to watch it again.  But one thing I can say for sure: this film certainly reinforced my commitment to organics.  Whether we’re talking about food, personal care, or textiles, organic = no genetic modification (among other important distinctions).

The whole film is up online for viewing at the link below.  I would love to hear your thoughts and reactions after you’ve watched it.

http://www.thefutureoffood.com/onlinevideo.html

Halloween Candy

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Last week, my daughter came home from school with a multi-colored lollipop. I looked for an ingredient list, but the wrapper is of course too small. Yes, I’m definitely a label-reader, but I’m also big on not becoming an emotional slave to the habit. She hadn’t eaten a lollipop in a while, so I let her have it.

Within an hour, she was acting like a total basket case. And sadly, not in the crazy, hyper, but funny sort of way. Rather, it was the total emotional meltdown, cease any kind of rational thinking, and get downright nasty sort of way. I couldn’t help but wonder if there were some artificial dyes in that lollipop. Must have been.

No matter how much I try to limit their exposure to candy by not bringing it into our home myself, it seems my kids are always getting a “treat” from somewhere at least 2-3 times per week. Every once in a while, my girls will independently say, “I don’t want that Mommy, because it’s not healthy.” But usually, it’s an exercise in creativity to get them to give it up willingly so that the times they do have it really are limited to the occasional treat instead of every other day or so.

And now, it’s Halloween season. Sigh…

My cousin shared the idea of handing out mini bags of pretzels (but check the ingredient lists as these can be highly processed depending on the brand/recipe), and my friend Sarah wrote an excellent article for natural moms on ‘Kicking the Halloween Candy Crisis.’ Check it out.

Halloween candy article
Great article on artificial dyes

Homemade Baby Food

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A post of encouragement to all my fellow moms and soon-to-be moms of infants…

Making homemade baby food was one of my first green lifestyle choices. How about you? Despite what many instinctively think, making your own baby food is not that hard. Seriously, I am one of the most ‘culinarily’ challenged people on the planet. My husband does most of our cooking because he really enjoys it, whereas I can just get by when I have to. But I make the baby food in our house, so if I can do it, anyone can. And the benefits are entirely worth the effort. Below are just a few.

#1 – As with grown-up food, fresh is always better than processed, both in terms of health and taste. Doubt it? Taste for yourself. Try the jarred bananas vs a freshly fork-mashed (so easy) banana. Or for a real treat, open up a grocery store jar of baby food “meat.”  Whoa…

#2 – Significant cost savings. The first baby food veggie I ever made was a butternut squash. Out of one $3 squash, I got the equivalent of 20+ baby food jars. Do the math. Sweet!

#3 – Keeps extra jars, lids, and plastic/foil/cardboard packaging out of the global waste stream. Remember, recycle is the last option of “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” Trash reduction comes first, and making your own baby food is a great place to start.

Again, so worth the effort – and it’s not even that big an effort. I used to (and will again come May or June) take a Saturday afternoon and make up huge batches at a time to last most of the month. Or, you can take less time more often as you wish.

Click here for the website I found most helpful when first learning the basics (and for quick refreshers with each new baby since). For their informative page on organics, click here.