Ideal Bite

A friend who volunteers at a low-income community garden recently told me a disturbing story about the high school kids who help out there: To fuel a long day at school, most had consumed nothing for lunch but a bag of chips and a soda.

Food for thought is just that - the stuff that powers brain function - so little surprise that kids struggle to get the most out of their school day (and develop into productive adults) when they’re subsisting on junk food or other highly-processed, nutritionally-empty calories. Plus processed food takes a huge toll on the environment between the packaging, shipping, production waste and more.

With that in mind, I’m getting on my soapbox for the Slow Food USA’s Read the full post... 

As if it isn’t bewildering enough to make green choices at the grocery store, Whole Foods is making it worse. In fact, I’m gonna level a pretty damning claim, folks: I think they’re purposely confusing shoppers about organic vs. local products - essentially taking advantage many consumers' tenuous grasp on the definitions and insecurity about which one is the better choice.

Example: This week I walked into one of their stores in Chicago, where I live, and rolled my cart up to a beautiful display of Michigan apples (the produce staff does a mighty fine polishing job) with a sign that announced “Local Apples.” Next to that sign was another titled “Why Organic?” or something similar, that discussed the benefits of eating Read the full post... 

Hey NYC turkey lovers. Thanksgiving is right around the corner…yeah, we can’t believe it either. Instead of waiting around until the day before and picking through puny birds, this year I’m going to order in advance (thank you) from Norwich Meadows Farm in Norwich, NY. They are taking orders now for their plump pasture-raised, certified organic turkeys. Each weighs 15-25 pounds and at $6 per pound, it’s not cheap, so have your dinner guests chip in or stretch it as long as you can with turkey sandwiches and turkey noodle soup…mmm.

-City Editor Brianne…off to order her T-day bird… Read the full post... 

Oh, the drama. Roxane, my 14-month-old daughter, truly won’t eat anything but apple sauce and yogurt these days. She pushes the spoon away or sweeps the offending stuff off her high chair tray. And it all started out so well. She liked...wait for it...kale just a mere few months ago.

Anyway, this is nothing new for a baby headed into the toddler stage (hello, power struggle), but my own battle is trying not to be frustrated. As a food lover, I can’t wait to introduce her to flavors and tastes. I want to take her to farmers markets and teach her to cook. I imagine the mindful omnivore she’ll become…only to watch her fling bits of plum or brown rice or peas on the floor.

In the meantime, I’ve resorted to, um, trickery. Hiding bits of Read the full post... 

I dragged myself to Trader Joes in WeHo the other day to buy ingredients for "The Soup" (my sister's healing, chicken-less chicken soup). As I chatted up the bagger and told him what I was going to make, he looked at me as if I had lost it and said, "Soup??"

I happen to have a stinking cold during LA's heat wave. And I'm anti-antibiotic (OK, I took them in September '05 because I was under the weather and heading to Bali; and last Christmas when I was sick as a dog and had to be a bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding), so I've been trying to heal in a more homeopathic way by eating The Soup, Neti Pot-ing - I know it looks weird, but I'm a huge fan - and drinking a very zippy Throat Tea, Read the full post... 

Last night I got my grub on - something I love to do - at the Farm to Table event at the Broad Street Ballroom in NYC. I love going down to the Wall Street area…it feels like you’re in a totally different city. Anyway, my friend and I got to taste tons of great dishes that were organic and/or sourced from within 100 miles of the city. Our tops picks were:Basil Strawberry Lemonade with LiV Vodka from Long Island

• Country Duck Sausage from the Hudson Valley
  
• Watermelon

Read the full post... 

A new restaurant is opening up in the IB SF office 'hood on Monday, and due to its close proximity to our South Beach HQ alone, it's deserving of a mention. Welcome, Ironside, the new outfit from the folks that brought you (us...) wine to be imbibed whilst sitting in a U-shape at District.

Dear Ironside, 

We can't wait to add you to our exhausted (but once great) roster of rotating lunch haunts. Butler and the Chef, South Park Cafe, Mexico Au Park, Brickhouse - smell ya later.

Love, 
IB

Ironside set up shop in the Chronicle Books building, in s space formerly home to the Moore Shipbuilding Co. This new iteration is made of reclaimed materials: barn wood,

Read the full post... 

We go through so much granola in our house that I decided to finally make my own. Oh, it’s cheaper, healthier, blah, blah, blah...but I also like the newfound power of satisfying my crunchy cravings when I can’t (um, won’t) leave the house.

Veggie author extraordinaire Nava Atlas shared her granola bar recipe with MamaBite earlier this week, and, as promised, here’s her take on the cereal itself:

Classic Crunchy Granola
Makes about 6 cups

Ingredients:
(local and organic whenever possible)

• 4 cups rolled oats (or oatmeal for a finer consistency)
• 1 cup wheat germ or oat bran (or half of each)
• 1/4 cup untoasted sesame or sunflower seeds

Read the full post... 

Sure, we'd rather our kids clamored for "more broccoli, please!" but in the real world, slipping in nutritious foods into stuff they eat isn't such a bad idea. Mama Bite contributor Melissa Goldberg sent us this brownie-style recipe made with beets and sweet potatoes. Her curly-haired 2-year-old, who normally won't touch a vegetable, loves 'em.

Veggie "Brownies"
Makes about 16

Ingredients:
(local and organic when possible)

• 2 cups almond butter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup honey (raw is best)
• 4 medium carrots, peeled (around 1/2 cup puree)
• 1 large beet, peeled (around 1/2 cup puree)
• 1 apple,

Read the full post... 

When I’ve really got a cold coming on, there’s one clear way I know: I lose my appetite. Yes, that’s true for many peeps, but ordinarily I’m always, always ready to eat (good cheese is my first choice...except maybe cookies...or a grass-fed burger...). And the first sign of getting better? Jonsing for a gooey PB&J.

I was reminded of that this week when picking up a few jars of organic peanut butter at the store (the way I buy the stuff, I swear I’m putting someone’s kids through college).

During my pregnancy, especially that first trimester, it was one of the only foods I’d consume after a bout of nausea. Not a bad choice if you want Read the full post...