Food Rules #35: Eat Sweet Foods as You Find Them in Nature

With this rule, Pollan talks about eating whole fruits as opposed to drinking their juices - we tend to drink more of the juice because we feel less full, taking in more calories and less fiber. He also declares "there's no such thing as a healthy soda."

I will generally agree with those statements, however at home I find I'm more likely to make a smoothie in the morning in lieu of making a full meal for breakfast. I like the fact that I can put much more fruit in the smoothie and drink that than I would otherwise eat. Since I may not get a meal for several more hours (many times not until dinner because I am at work all day and being self-employed don't always get a 'lunch hour') I would rather have the smoothie to make sure I'm getting more servings of fruits & veggies.

As for soda...I hardly ever drink canned or bottled soda. I will have a can of Coca Cola every once and a while (like when I'm out the night before imbibing!) but I love sparkling water. I will drink twice as much water if it's sparkling than still. I don't know why - maybe because it's more like a cocktail? - but then I find myself feeling guilty about the added costs & waste from drinking bottled drinks. We recently got a Soda Stream at home and I LOVE it! The initial cost was $100 for the setup, which comes with 1 CO2 canister that makes approximately 100 1L bottles (50 2 liters) using tap water. Once the CO2 is out, you can exchange it for a full canister for around $15. That brings it to around 30 cents a 2 liter, unflavored. The Soda Stream came with several packets of 'flavored' sweeteners, which sounded unappealing until I tried them and now I find them utterly disgusting. Too sweet, too saccharin-y, and just plain HFSC. Instead, if I want a flavored soda, I add either one of the June Taylor syrups we sell at the shops or one of the many flavors a friend of mine has been having me test for her new line of syrups coming out this fall. I like that I can adjust the sweetness level to my taste (I like just a hint of flavor) as well as the carbonation, that there is so much less waste and I'm actually using tap water. I highly recommend getting a Soda Stream - in fact, some friends and I were recently joking that we're going to try and make our own sparkling wine at home with it as an 'experiment'...but I digress...

Here is a good article on making flavored syrups at home. In case you want to prove Pollan wrong and make your own sodas at home with fruit & herb syrups!

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100721/LIVING/707219976/1065/LIVING01

Food Rules #34: Salt & Sweeten Your Food Yourself

The levels of sodium and sugar in some foods & drinks are outrageous! If products have to sit on shelves for months (nay, years?) on end, they need to retain their "flavor"...hence the high levels of sodium in many canned & jarred foods. Try keeping those foods to a minimum in your diet, eating fresh foods, or foods with no added salt or sugar. You'll find that just a light sprinkling of non-iodized sea salt, a squirt of lemon/lime or fresh herbs will give it that extra flavor. Now, I LOVE salt. But I would much rather add it myself so I can taste it or better yet, so that it heightens the flavor of food, rather than NOT tasting it in a jar or can of prepared soup or sauce that has such a high salt content but that doesn't taste "salty".

Try this while we're able to get great seasonal produce in Chicago right now: steam or blanch veggies til they are crisp-tender, then taste. Still need the salt? Try sprinkling a touch of fleur de sel, smoked salt or another one of our flavored salts on them. Or, saute in a good olive oil. Simplicity at it's best! Fresh fruit at it's peak has so much natural sweetness you can balance it out with a dollop of creme fraiche or homemade whipped cream (no sugar added). Divine! We carry creme fraiche & Kilgus Heavy Cream regularly.

Also, read your labels. Try to avoid high-sodium and high-sugar (or artificially-sweetened) added products. Simplify. TASTE the real food!

July Staff Selection: Bron's Honey from Heritage Prairie Farm in Elburn, IL

From staffer staffer Jane Roberts comes our selection this month:

Bron's Raw Honey- Nature's perfect health food!

I first became curious about raw honey a few years ago when I began hearing more and more about its medicinal uses and health benefits, such as the power of local honey to combat seasonal allergies, or how a spoonful of honey could have the same effect as cough syrup for sore throats and coughs, and how its anti-bacterial properties made it a useful salve for cuts and burns. Loaded with antioxidants, raw honey is the healthiest choice among the various forms. It has the most nutritional value, and actually contains amylase, an enzyme concentrated in flower pollen, which helps digest starchy foods such as bread.

But wait! There's more! It also happens to be delicious!!!

My favorite local honey by far is Bron's Raw Honey from Bron's Bees, based at Heritage Prairie Farm in La Fox Illinois, with honey coming directly from the prairies of the Midwest. At the shop, we carry their raw buckwheat honey (with a deep rich flavor closer to molasses) as well as a raw honey infused with sage, both of which are really tasty, but I picked the plain raw honey because I love how versatile it is. Its mild flavor lends itself so well to any dish where a hint of sweet is what you want. Marinades, dressings, in baked goods as a sugar substitute, drizzled over pancakes, goat cheese, fruit, you name it! Provenance has its own hive with the farm too. Our hive's honey and honeycomb should be in the shops by August. How cool is that! Here are a few summer recipes that incorporate raw honey, adding a delicious little dose of sweet, healthy goodness to summer cooking adventures!

Save 10% all month long on all types of Bron's Honey in stock.

Food Rules #33:Eat some foods that have been predigested by bacteria or fungi

...otherwise known as "Gee, I love the titles to Pollan's chapters". I must talk an awful lot about food with my friends because each time I read thru another section of this book, I think to myself: "wow! I was just talking with someone about this!" So, yeah, my friend Nancy met with a nutritionist (I hope this isn't some big secret or anything, Nancy!) who told her about the great digestive benefits of fermented foods and probiotics. Actually, we were talking about how eating these types of foods helped with how our bodies can sometimes feel after a night of heavy drinking, which Nancy & I sometimes, on very limited occasions, do. Sauerkraut, yogurt, soy sauce, sourdough bread, kimchi...all foods that have been "transformed" by microorganisms. They also help strengthen immune systems, aid against allergic reactions & inflammation, and let's face it, add lots of great variety, texture and flavor to our diets. Interesting that several of these foods show up in many European and Asian countries' diets.

I'm going to give this relatively-simple recipe a shot when I can get heads of cabbage at the farmer's market this season. This should be great with all those Cedar Valley brats I have in my freezer! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sauerkraut-recipe/index.html Then I can drink several beers and not worry about how my body might feel the next day. Right?

Food Rules #32: Don't overlook the little oily fishes

Mackerel, sardines, anchovies...all little oily fish, high in omega 3s and fortunately not the ones that tend to be overfished like tuna, sea bass & swordfish (which also tend to have higher mercury levels). I thought I never liked sardines (some fuzzy memory of my dad eating a smelly, slimy & overly salty version from a can in the 70s...with peanut butter!). But I had fresh grilled sardines on vacation once and now when I see them on menus at restaurants I know really take pride in fresh ingredients, I do crave them. The same goes for anchovies. I am not a big fan of the ones packed in salt, that have a very strong flavor. But vinegar & oil marinated white anchovies? Delicious. So delicate with a lovely briny quality. At the shops we carry Matiz sardines in a can and people buy them 4 or 5 at a time sometimes. We also have marinated white anchovies from Ortiz, a Spanish producer that now uses sustainable fishing methods for all their products, including an amazing tuna in olive oil. Try the white marinated anchovies on top of tomato and herb bruschetta, or on a salad.

By the way, if you are curious about which fish are a better choice to get when you are out at a restaurant or buying them to prepare at home, the Shedd Aquarium has a "Right Bite" Seafood Wallet Card for keeping on your person. Download the card for free at http://www.sheddaquarium.org/pdf/Shedd_seafood_wallet_card_2009-2010.pdf. Dirk's Fish on Clyborn also has started including info on fishing & sustainability in their display cases, which makes it much easier for me to decide what I'm making when I go there.

June Staff Selection: Quinoa!

Our June Staff Selection was chosen by Nicole Benjamin:

So many grains, so little time. What's a girl to do?
Growing up in an Assyrian family hailing from Iran, rice was, without question, king. It still is one of my go-to comfort foods, but as I grew up, I learned the importance (and excitement) of playing the field. As of late, I've been spending a lot of time exploring the natural wonders of quinoa, courtesy of River River Farms. Quinoa was a staple of the ancient Incas, who referred to it as "the mother grain."
Makes perfect sense as it contains more protein than any other grain.
Furthermore, because it contains all 8 essential amino acids, it's a complete protein. And since the flavor is rather mellow (dare I say, bland), it's quite versatile & may be used in salads, baked goods, as a side, or even for breakfast. Plus, it's a suitable replacement for couscous, bulgur or...rice. Sweet! Summer is a great opportunity to play around with this mighty grain as it's a perfect accompaniment to whatever might be on the grill. See my suggested recipes and then let the creativity flow based on your own taste proclivities.
Rice River Farms is a fabulous, family-owned and family-oriented business headquartered in Spooner WI. We carry all 3 quinoa varieties that they offer - golden, black & red. The only difference is the color, so get your grain on and see where the exploration takes you.

Stop by the shops in June for 10% off Rice River Farms quinoa.

NOTE: Now we all know that grains must be rinsed prior to cooking.
This is an important and imperative step prior to cooking quinoa.
Quinoa seeds are coated with saponins, which are naturally-occurring plant chemicals that keep insects from eating the plant. Saponins left intact make for a very bitter taste, so definitely have a bowl or fine mesh strainer handy for rinsing. Here's more info & recipe ideas:

http://www.riceriverfarms.com/recipes/153

Food Rules #31: Eat Wild Foods when you Can

Wild, foraged foods are more nutritious. So interesting that this is the next food rule I read after taking over a month to post again since Rule #30! I've gone to 2 dinners in the last week that featured foraged ingredients. Morels & ramps, in several forms. Delicious! One dinner (a preview of an up-and-coming underground dinner club) was prepared by a chef who foraged and grew several ingredients herself. And there are even full-time foragers who supply to restaurants!

Another point Pollan makes pertaining to this rule? The plants we as a modern society have omitted from our diets are mostly the bitter ones, containing higher omega-3 fatty acids, which make them less shelf-stable, turning rancid more quickly. Salad in a bag...great invention or our trying to feel like we are getting our RDA of veggies? Omnivore's Dilemma talks about how these 'mixed field green salads' in a plastic, compostable container are even sprayed with a type of gas that allows them to hold up longer, while in transport from California to our bellies here in Chicago. Mike Roper spoke this week at a "Locavore Dinner" I attended and said his restaurant, the Hopleaf, doesn't feature a "spring greens" salad on their menu in January, because there simply aren't any greens in the midwest at that time of year! And I still stand by my claim that nothing beats a salad of greens picked that day - buttery, tender and available soon at a farmer's market near you. (FULL DISCLOSURE: we do carry Earthbound Organics' salad mixes at our shops...yes, because they sell, but we also want to round out our offerings so that you can create an entire meal from what we stock. We have decided, though to at least carry organic produce whereever local/sustainable/seasonal are not possible.)

So to get back to the point about bitter greens, I'll share one last tidbit of information: when our bodies taste bitter substances (like radicchio, dandelion, mizuna & other bitter greens & foods...even bitters!) our livers instantly begins a cleanse. My friends over at Merz Apothecary preach the "bitters" gospel...their clientele includes many Eastern-European born folks in their 70s and 80s that swear by their twice-daily German or Swedish bitter shots for sickness-free living. All that aside, what about the argument that bitter is one of the primary components of a well-rounded dish or cocktail? Bitter, sour, sweet, salty (am I forgetting umami?)...each flavor dynamic contributes to a successful, balanced plate or drink.

The bitter truth...