Please excuse our dust

Green Earth Organics' in Vancouver is very pleased to welcome Green Earth Organics' Toronto location to our new website! Unfortunately, there have a few unexpected problems when the new website went live, and some members may experience error messages or may get a message telling them that they can't make substitutions even though they are logging on before their deadline. The programmers are working as fast as they can to resolve these issues.

In the meantime, if you cannot make substitutions or add an additional item or hold a delivery, please just call the office at 604-708-2345 or email us at info@greenearthorganics.com and I will be very happy to enter the changes for you.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

Yours in Organic Living,
Melissa

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

INGREDIENTS

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic
3/4 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup honey
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Place the jalapeno pepper, garlic clove, and ginger into a food processor or blender; pulse until the jalapeno and garlic are finely chopped. Pour in the lime juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, and salt, add the cilantro leaves; pulse a few times to blend. Turn the food processor or blender on, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated into the dressing. Season to taste with additional salt before serving.

Spiced D'Anjou Pear Bread

INGREDIENTS

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup molasses
3 eggs
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
4 very firm D’Anjou pears, thinly sliced
3 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and generously grease two large loaf pans. (The long pieces of pear make the loaves more susceptible to sticking in the pans and falling apart, so make sure you grease the pans generously.)

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, coconut oil, molasses, and eggs. Mix in salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and allspice. Stir the pear slices in, coating them evenly. Stir in the flour. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 to 65 minutes. Allow loaves to cool in pan about ten minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Warm Clothing & Blanket Drive

With the unusually cold weather in Vancouver and area this year, it is more important than ever to have warm and dry clothing. If you have any used boots, jackets, hats, mittens, blankets, etc., you would like to donate to a local shelter, please put them in your empty bin during the month of January and we will collect them and make sure they get to someone who needs them.

Children’s items that your kids have outgrown are always especially needed, but we welcome all donations. Thank you!

Vegetarian Mincemeat

Make a big batch of vegetarian mincemeat so that you can make a few pies and have some left over to serve with ice cream, custard, pudding, or crêpes. You can also can or freeze it for later.

INGREDIENTS

1 unpeeled orange, washed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 lb raisins or currants
1 lb pitted prunes, halved
2 1/2 quarts apples, chopped (peeling is optional)
2 1/2 quarts green tomatoes, chopped
1 lb brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap) or sorghum syrup
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ginger

DIRECTIONS

Quarter the unpeeled orange and remove all the seeds. Place in food processor with vinegar and half of the raisins, and process into a chunky paste. Transfer to pot.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower heat and simmer, stirring often, about 30-40 minutes, until mixture is thick and apples and tomatoes are cooked but not falling apart.

Can, refrigerate, or freeze the mincemeat until ready to use.

For mincemeat pie: Roll out two pie crusts. Place one in a pie plate, then pour in 3 cups of cooled mincemeat. Top with second pie crust, crimp the edges, make slits in the top, and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.

Notes: You can replace some of the raisins and/or prunes with walnuts.

Russian Borscht

INGREDIENTS

6 or 7 beets
2 onions
4 or 5 carrots
1 head cabbage
5 or 6 vegetable bouillon cubes
6 to 8 cups water
1 cup white wine

DIRECTIONS

Grate the beets, onions, carrots, and cabbage. In a large pot over medium heat, dissolve the bouillon cubes in the water. Add the wine and grated vegetables, stir well, and simmer a few hours.

Serve hot with sour cream and rye bread.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

Sweet potato casserole with apples and brown sugar, topped with cheddar cheese.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium size sweet potatoes
2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Boil sweet potatoes in salted water for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender. Drain, cool, peel, and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange have of the sliced sweet potatoes and half of the sliced apples in a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.

Sprinkle with onion, brown sugar, and marjoram; dot with butter.

Arrange remaining sweet potato and apple slices in the baking dish. Combine water with lemon juice; pour over layer of sweet potatoes and apples. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Serves 4.

Yellow Carrot, Zucchini, and Squash Sautee

INGREDIENTS

4 carrots, about 1.5 lbs, sliced 3/8 inch thick

2 medium or 3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced on a diagonal 3/8 inch thick

2 medium or 3 small squash, halved lengthwise and sliced on the diagonal 3/8 inch thick

4 tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a pot, cook carrots 10 minutes, or until just tender, in enough water to cover. Drain and keep warm.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add zucchini, squash, salt and pepper. Cook until just tender. Add reserved carrots and stir to combine.

For a smaller portions, simply reduce vegetable and ingredient size accordingly.

Steamed Baby Bok Choy and Broccoli

INGREDIENTS

1 lb fresh broccoli
1 lb fresh baby bok choy
1 clove minced garlic
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp minced ginger
2 Tbsp tamari

DIRECTIONS

Cut broccoli head into florets, and cut stems into bite sized pieces. Cut the leaves off the bok choy, and cut the stems into bite sized chunks.

Steam the broccoli and the stems of the bok choy in half a cup of boiling water for 5 minutes or until they are bright green.

Remove lid and boil water out.

Add garlic and oil. Stir well. Add the bok choy leaves. Cover pot briefly until leaves just wilt. Add ginger and tamari.

Stir, then serve.

Christmas Time Yam and Cranberry Casserole

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes
2 large onions, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if using frozen cranberries)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsps melted butter
1 large orange, juice and rind
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Mix sweet potatoes and onions and put mixed veggies in two sprayed shallow oven proof dishes (about 8"x12" each). Spray the veggies lightly with oil and bake until sweet potatos are just tender (a bit under done), about 20-25 minutes.

Lower heat on oven to 350F degrees.

Combine the remaining ingredients, mix well, and pour equally into the two casseroles. Mix well to coat all the pieces of vegetable.

Bake uncovered about 30-40 min or until tender and getting sticky. Stir once during cooking.

You may keep the casseroles in your refrigerator, tightly covered, for a day and then bake on the day of your dinner, or you may freeze them, tightly covered, before the final baking. Defrost before the final baking.

Cauliflower Popcorn

INGREDIENTS

1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1 popcorn container (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut out and discard cauliflower core and thick stems. Trim remaining cauliflower into florets the size of golf balls. In a large bowl, add cauliflower, olive oil, and salt. Toss thoroughly.

Spread cauliflower on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if available, for easy clean-up). Roast for 1 hour, or until much of each floret has become golden brown. (That’s the caramelization process converting the dormant natural sugars into sweetness. The browner the florets, the sweeter they will taste.) Turn three or four times during roasting.

Use crumpled up aluminum foil or paper towels to create a false bottom in your popcorn container, fill it with cauliflower and serve immediately.

Angela's Potato and Leek Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp butter
3 large leeks (long green parts only), chopped and rinsed
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 lb of potatoes, peeled and diced
Vegetable stock
1/2 - 1 cup milk (or soy milk)
Sea salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Heat butter, saute leeks, onions and bay leaf. Cover, stirring occasionally, until it is a rich green colour.

Add the potatoes and just enough stock to cover them. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer.

Add the milk and mash. Add more milk to the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Sprinkle parsley on each bowl just prior to serving.

Make this soup in advance; it is even better when reheated the next day!

Oranghetti Squash with Zucchini and Garlic

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grated zucchini
1 oranghetti (or spaghetti) squash
1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In small skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat; add garlic and grated zucchini and cook until tender, about 1 minute.

Cut squash lengthwise, remove seeds, and pierce skin with fork. Place cut side down in baking dish and bake at 350F/180C for 45 minutes. Turn and bake another 10 to 15 minutes or until skin is tender.

Run tines of fork lengthwise over squash to loosen spaghetti-like strands; scoop out strands into baking dish or serving bowl. Add garlic and zucchini mixture, yogurt (if using), salt, and pepper to taste; toss to mix.

Spinach, Mushroom, and Mozzarella Wraps

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 oz mushrooms, fresh, sliced
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 sprouted grain tortillas
1/2 lbs fresh spinach
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook and stir until the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. On each tortilla, arrange layers of spinach, tomato, mozzarella, and cooked mushrooms. Roll up and place seam-side down in a lightly oiled baking dish. Bake uncovered until hot and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Cut each tortilla crosswise into quarters. Serve hot or at room temperature with a mixed green salad, if desired.

Green Earth Organics Holiday Closure

Green Earth Organics will be closed from December 20th through December 28th. We will not be doing any deliveries the week of December 22nd, and no one will be in the office during that time.

Please call or email us before December 19th if you require a different restart date, or if you have any questions or concerns about when you will be receiving your first delivery after our break. You may also log on to your account at https://greenearthorganics.ca and check out the "Delivery Schedule" page to see your upcoming delivery dates.

Weekly deliveries:

All weekly members will receive their next bins the week of December 29th.

Bi-weekly deliveries:

Bi-weekly member who received their last delivery before the hold during the week of December 8th will receive their next delivery the week of December 29th.

Those who receive their last delivery before the hold during the week of December 15th will resume their delivery schedule during the week of January 5th.

January 1st deliveries:

All deliveries scheduled for Thursday, January 1st, will be moved to Friday, January 2nd. The deadline for changes to those bins will still be 9 AM on Wednesday, and no other delivery days will be affected that week.

Direct Debit payments:

Please note that Direct Debits will continue to be charged every second Friday and will not change. Direct Debit dates for December and January are as follows: December 5th, December 19th, January 2nd, January 16th, and January 30th.

Thank you for being a part of Green Earth Organics! Please feel free to email us at info@greenearthorganics.com or call us at 604-708-2345 in you have any questions or concerns.

Kale and Cauliflower Soup

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup diced onions
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 regular size cauliflower, chopped into pieces
3 1/2 cups of vegetable stock (can use vegetable bouillon cubes)
1 cup of kale, thinly sliced & lightly packed
Fresh tarragon, sea salt, and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in pot and add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add wine and cook until wine is reduced by about half.

Add cauliflower and stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until cauliflower is soft (not mushy). Poke with a fork and it should go through easily but the cauliflower should not fall apart.

Add kale and cook another 5 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat then blend/puree. Add tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle with extra tarragon when serving.

Making Your Own Stock

Soup stocks are a great thing to always have on hand. They can perk up even the dullest of recipes. You can save a lot of fat and calories by using stock for sauteeing instead of oils or fat. You can also add lots of flavour to everyday foods (such as rice) by substituting stock for water in cooking.

Stock making is not difficult and since it makes use of scraps and leftovers that might otherwise be thrown out, it is very frugal. It is handy to keep bags in the freezer for collecting ingredients such as vegetable scraps and meat bones. When you've gathered enough ingredients, you are ready to make stock.

Keep small containers of stock in your freezer, so that it's ready at a moment's notice. We like to use some old yogurt containers that happen to hold exactly one cup to freeze the stock, then pop the frozen disks into freezer bags for easier storage. Another handy tip is to freeze stock in ice cube trays, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. Either way, you have perfectly measured stock ready for cooking.

The four main types of stocks are vegetable, chicken, meat, and fish. You can often substitute one for another in many (but not all) recipes, with little to no ill affect to the overall recipe.

You can make any stock more intense in flavour by simply simmering it for an extended period of time until the liquid volume is reduced.

Making Vegetable Stock

The flavour of your vegetable stock will vary slightly depending on the mix of vegetables you use. You can use all kinds of vegetables, with the exception of cabbages (which include broccoli and cauliflower), which can overpower the flavour of vegetable stock. Tomatoes can also overwhelm stock flavour, so keep the amount of them small (unless, of course, you want a strong tomato flavour). Some people find that asparagus also overwhelms the stock, while others find that asparagus adds a depth and richness to vegetable stock.

While making vegetable stock is a great way to clean out the refrigerator of food that is less than fresh, don't limit your stock making ingredients to whole vegetables. Start saving peels (well washed, of course) and trimmings while you cook. Your stock will be strained before being used, and all those unattractive peels will be gone, but they will have imparted a lovely flavour to your stock. Some excellent vegetables (and vegetable scraps) to use are: onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, celery, mushrooms, peas, corn (empty corn cobs can also add lots of flavor to stock), parsley, green beans, beets, bell peppers, scallions, green onions, shallots, fresh basil or other herbs, etc.

You can also add some fruit or fruit scraps to your vegetable stock ingredient mix. Apples, pears, and even pineapple works well.

A good rule of thumb is to have about half solid ingredients to half water. Throw in a tablespoon or so of whole black peppercorns and a bay leaf or two for added flavour. Cover your ingredients with the water, bring to a boil, and let simmer for about an hour. Cool and strain to remove any scraps. That's all there is to it. You've just made vegetable stock.

Ginger Parsnip Muffins

No one will guess that the mystery ingredient in your muffins is parsnips. The grated raw vegetable adds fibre and moistness and is delicious paired with crystallized ginger and honey. This recipe works equally well with large-flake rolled oats or the quick-cooking (not instant) type.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup raisins
1 egg
1 cup peeled, grated parsnip (1 medium)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Grease muffin cups.

In large bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, baking powder, and salt. Stir in ginger and raisins; set aside.

In medium bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in grated parsnip, milk, honey, and oil until blended. Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon into muffins cups.

Bake in 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove muffins and cool on rack. Store in airtight containers.

Leaves - A Gardener's Best Friend

For many generations, leaves have been one of the most abundant organic resources available to gardeners.

Leaves are 100% organic matter with excellent moisture holding capacity. Using this, they equalize the soil temperature. They also provide excellent nutrient holding capacity, nitrogen fixing bacteria and mycorrhyzal fungi. Leaves provide a wide range of natural 'fertilizers' as they continue to decay into the existing soil.

By gathering the leaves in the Fall and bringing them to your garden, you will increase the fertility, biodiversity and structure of your soil.

Can one overdo it? Hardly. However, your plant material uses up much of this organic matter as nutrients for their own growth, so we need to replenish it regularly. Fortunately, and as Mother Nature would have it, there is a rich abundance of leaves every fall and, best of all, they are free for the taking.

So bring them home, spread them over your garden beds as mulch, or cover empty beds, and let them decay into your soil. In the spring, you can add compost right over top or you can add the leaves to the compost pile.

You may also notice that certain leaves will not decay as rapidly as others. Those will be the thicker waxy leaves. We have found it best to not use those leaves for mulch as a result. Examples of slow decaying leaves are those from Holly plants, Rhododendrons, Viburnum trees, etc.

There may come a day when urban gardeners can eliminate the expense of having the city collect and dispose of the leaves, and we will all reap the rewards of using the richness of leaves as nature intended.

My Living Canvas: We are providing sustainable human powered gardening practices, keeping you and your neighbors at peace naturally. My Living Canvas believes in feeding the soil rather than feeding the plant. Every year before new growth erupts from the ground we add compost to flower beds and lawns. This process provides all the nutrition plants require for a healthy growing season. When breaking down, all the organic matter continues to nourish the soil as well as retain moisture in the ground.

Roberto Gaudet
My Living Canvas Organic Gardening
mylivingcanvas.com

Fennel Soup

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup butter
5 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
1 L vegetable broth
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the quartered fennel bulbs; cook and stir until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Pour in the broth, and simmer until fennel is tender, about 15 more minutes. Ladle into soup bowls, and season with salt and pepper.

One Million Acts of Green

From green.cbc.ca:

This season, CBC and The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos want to mobilize Canadians to do One Million Acts of Green. In partnership with Cisco, the idea behind the campaign is that one small act can make a big difference.

It’s not about overhauling your life; it’s about one act from each individual amassing to a million. It can be as simple as switching to compact fluorescent lightbulbs, starting a recycling program, or walking to work. You can do one act – or you can do all one million! It’s up to you.

Young and old, parents and kids, small towns and big cities, we want to create an exciting grassroots initiative. All you have to do is go to this website and register one act – or more. Our green calculator, designed by GreenNexxus, will determine the impact of those acts on the environment.

We're asking everyone to get involved: schools and universities, cities and communities, business, politicians, and even celebrities. George and The Hour are challenging other CBC programs to go green, including CBC News, Kids’ CBC, Steven & Chris, Living, and CBC Sports. But most of all, YOU.

Together we can make an impact. Together we can make our lives, our communities, and our environment greener.

One million acts of green, one act a time.

I'm sure that many of Green Earth Organics' members already do a lot of the green acts listed - I know I do - but maybe we can all find one more to add to our positive impact. I'm going to try turning down my water heater and figure out a way to fix the drafts around my old house's back door.

What are you already doing?

What are you going to start doing now?

Chard and Beet Sautee

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs red beets (about 3 large)
4 lbs chard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, cut thinly crosswise
3/4 cup sliced green onions (about 3)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced crosswise with seeds
3 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp golden raisins
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 5 1/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp pine nuts

DIRECTIONS

Fold chard leaves in half lengthwise and cut stalks away from leaves. Cut leaves coarsely into 1-inch pieces. Slice stalks thinly crosswise. Reserve stalks and leaves separately. Cook chopped leaves in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and reserve.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add sliced stalks; sautee until starting to soften, about 8 minutes.

Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sautee 3 minutes. Add drained tomatoes and 1 cup raisins. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Add chard leaves to pot; stir to heat through. Remove from heat; add lime juice and stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer chard mixture to large platter. Sprinkle with beets, goat cheese, pine nuts, and remaining 2 tablespoons raisins. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BC GREEN GAMES

Science World, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, is pleased to announce BC Green Games. This initiative is designed to motivate action, facilitate sharing and reward the green efforts of schools throughout the province. Please share this program with teachers and students – twenty-four $2000 prizes will be awarded and two “Viewer’s Choice” awards of $1000 will be given out. The prize money will be given directly to winning schools to sustain and support environmental actions projects. In addition, Solar BC will be awarding solar power systems to three of the twenty-six prize-winning schools via a random draw.

BC Green Games is a digital media contest for K-12 students to submit projects that inspire positive changes in school and community behaviour toward promoting protection of the environment, sustainability and stewardship. BCGreenGames.ca will showcase these action-based videos and photo essays. Projects may be done by a single class, by a school club, or by a whole school.

BC Green Games will increase student awareness of environmental issues and their own ability to become local leaders and improve their sustainable practices in everyday life. The initiative also supports teachers to teach environmental sustainability concepts and to develop school communities to be more effective, efficient and environmentally responsible.

Get Involved! Register now: www.bcgreengames.ca

Chocolate Milk Temporarily Unavailable

Avalon Dairy is re-formulating their chocolate milk, so no chocolate milk will be available for approximately three months. We have removed it from the website, and we will be removing them from standing orders as they come up. As soon as the chocolate milk is available again, we will put it back on the website and add it back to standing orders.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns!

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 medium red onion
2 ripe grapefruits
2 ripe avocados
extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Dice the onion. Remove the peel of the grapefruit, section it, and then take the skins off each section. If you are going to arrange this recipe beautifully on a plate, try not to break the sections. Otherwise, don't worry about it.

Slice the avocado into thin, long slices. Now you can either throw all the diced, sectioned, and sliced ingredients into a bowl and douse it with a high quality olive oil or arrange them beautifully on a plate and douse each individual plate with olive oil.

When you store it all together, the avocado won't get brown because of the acidic grapefruit juices.

Avoid the Office Bug

Every year you watch as colds and the flu pass from co-worker to co-worker, hoping you're not next on the office's hit list — and then you end up getting sick anyway.
A weak immune system or plain bad luck might be to blame. But it's more likely that you and your colleagues unknowingly have a few bad habits that make it easy for a virus and its accompanying misery to spread in your office.

If you want to avoid falling victim this year, infectious disease specialists say extra vigilance about hand hygiene, among other precautions, might do the trick.
"We know that some years [viruses] are more severe than others," says Dr. Neil Fishman, associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and director of the Department of Healthcare Epidemiology and Infection Control for the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

"But it's not impossible to totally avoid getting sick."

In order to understand how to avoid the office bug you first need to know what you're up against when cold and flu season strikes. While cold viruses are present year round, the number rises as the weather cools. Cold, dry air drains the normal amount of mucus we carry in our nasal passages, making it easier for viruses to attach to the tissues in your nose, Fishman says.
We also tend to spend more time indoors during the winter months-ordering in lunch instead of going out, for instance — increasing our chances of contact with someone who is sick.

There's a good chance you'll run into infected people in your office, in particular, because taking a sick day isn't considered a possibility by some people. In a 2007 CCH survey of more than 300 human resource executives in U.S. organizations, 38 per cent said presenteeism, when sick employees show up for work, was a problem in their organizations.

In addition, 87 per cent said those employees usually have illnesses like colds or the flu, according to CCH, a provider of tax and business law information and software solutions. Past research led by Walter "Buzz" Stewart, director of the Geisinger Center for Health Research, has estimated that presenteeism costs U.S. businesses $150 billion US per year in productivity.
Just how easily can a cold spread? If you're one of those types who desperately tries to avoid sitting next to a sniffling, sneezing and wheezing colleague during a meeting, you've got good reason.

"If you had X-ray vision," says Dr. William Schaffner, professor and chair of the Vanderbilt Department of Preventive Medicine and vice president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, "you would see a cloud of viruses around them. Every time they exhale, respiratory viruses come out, extending about three feet, creating a cloud around them."

But that's not the only way you could fall ill. Research out of the University of Virginia Health System in 2006 showed that people infected with rhinovirus, the cause of half of all colds, can contaminate common objects, such as light switches, which can infect others. To make matters worse, the day before you actually come down with a cold you're already excreting virus. In other words, the co-worker who hovered over your desk the other day or borrowed your ID badge could be sick but not have symptoms yet.
Handy Advice

Ask an infectious disease specialist how not to get sick, no matter where you are, and they'll tell you one thing over and over: wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Most organisms are more easily transmitted through hand contact than sneezes, says Dr. Bill Sutker, medical director of infectious diseases at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. Once we come into contact with a virus, all we have to do is rub our noses, scratch the area around our eyes or touch our mouths and we're in trouble.

You should also try to avoid touching your face with unwashed hands, but that can be harder than it sounds. If you have an itch on your face, you tend to scratch it without stopping to think about whether your hands are clean.
If you've got a lot of door handles in between your office's bathroom sink and your desk, consider trying the old method of using a paper towel as a protective barrier for your hand or keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on your desk. Since not everyone spends the recommended 15 seconds scrubbing, an alcohol-based gel is a good back-up method, Sutker says.

Unfortunately, your best bet for boosting your immunity also does not come in pill or powder form. Most doctors agree there's not enough evidence to recommend people take products packed with vitamin C or Echinacea to ward off the office bug. You'd be much better off regularly taking a multivitamin and focusing on some of the cornerstones of good health, such as regular exercise, proper nutrition and a good night's sleep, says Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

While some genetics are involved, your immunity is basically a function of how healthy you are overall. Of course, no matter how strong your immune system is or how many precautions you take you may not be able to avoid every cold that passes through the halls of your office. But it's always worth a shot.
~Source: www.cbc.ca

Doctors add voice to energy drink worries

The P.E.I. Medical Society will vote Saturday on a proposal to ask the province to ban the sale of energy drinks to young people.
The vote follows concerns expressed by some school officials about the effects of the drinks on students.
Energy drinks, only recently available on the Island following the lifting of the ban on flavoured, carbonated beverages in cans, have varying amounts of caffeine: from less than the level found in a cup of coffee to much, much more. Some Island doctors are concerned about the effect of the drinks, especially on children.
"We have reports of young students showing up to class after the noon break in a highly jittery, agitated state. And some of them have to be sent home," Dr. Jerry O'Hanley chair of the health care and promotions committee of the Medical Society, told CBC News on Thursday.
O'Hanley admits it's difficult to prove the drinks are bad for children's health, and assistant chief health officer Dr. Lamont Sweet agrees the scientific evidence isn't there.
Sweet said it could be difficult to enforce a ban on the drinks for kids, but noted some European countries have banned certain high-energy drinks. He said the potential side effects of the drinks — such as hyperactivity, nausea and vomiting in some cases, outweigh any benefits for children.
"I wish there were a situation where we could just say we can't have them at all and that's really going to solve the problem of the younger children as well," said Sweet.
"Not that they wouldn't be brought in by other means, but my preference would be let's not have them at all."
Sweet said the health department is talking about the drinks, but no decision has been made yet.

Health officers, street racing also on agenda

Doctors will be voting on a number of other public policy issues on Saturday.
O'Hanley said his committee believes P.E.I. needs more health inspectors. There are currently six environmental health officers to cover the Island, and O'Hanley said there should be twice that number.
"It seems from our information that we're probably stretched a little too thin on the health inspector side at the moment," he said.
"We probably should look to increasing the numbers and resources at their disposal."
The health officers police tobacco sales, smoke-free places, inspect nursing homes and child-care facilities, issue boil-water advisories and inspect all restaurants at least once a year.
Other recommendations the doctors will vote on include making snow tires mandatory, tougher penalties for street racing, and adopting the national building code outside Charlottetown and Summerside. The resolutions will be passed along to the provincial government.
Source www.cbc.ca

Spicy Mango Salsa

INGREDIENTS

2 cups diced mango
2 cups pitted and chopped peaches (or nectarines)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or basil)
2 serrano chili peppers, diced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, mix together the mangoes, peaches, garlic, ginger, and cilantro. Add the chilies and lime juice to taste; mix well. Allow to chill for 2 hours before serving.

Fresh Corn Patties

INGREDIENTS

1 large egg, separated
1 cup corn cut from cob and drained (about 2 ears)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash black pepper
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
powdered sugar (optional)
sour cream and chopped fresh dill or chili powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, beat egg white until stiff; set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolk. Add corn, flour, salt, baking powder, and pepper. Stir until blended (mixture will be thick). Fold in egg white.

In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Drop corn mixture into skillet by heaping tablespoonfuls, forming patties. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes on each side, turning once. Drain on paper towels; keep warm.

Serve immediately with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or a mixture of sour cream and dill or chili powder to taste.

Weekday Breakfasts

There is no doubt that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the healthiest way to start the day. Many years of research confirm the benefits of eating breakfast. Along with refuelling our body to jump-start the day, eating breakfast helps children and teenagers to learn better and helps adults to perform better. Eating breakfast has even been shown to assist with weight management.
Although there are no limits on what constitutes a breakfast food, it is best to follow Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and try to include something from at least two food groups. Breakfast foods can range from cereal and toast to non-conventional items like leftover soup, rice, or pasta dishes reheated in the microwave. Variety rules where breakfast is concerned!
For those who may not feel hungry first thing in the morning, breakfast can be delayed for an hour or two. Or try having something light, like 100% juice, fruit or toast, and then complete your breakfast mid-morning when feeling hungry.
Breakfast doesn’t have to involve a lot of preparation and clean-up time. Suggestions for quick and easy breakfasts for adults and children alike include:

* Toasted English muffin or whole wheat bread topped with a slice of low-fat cheese or lean ham, and a glass of orange juice.

* Smoothie made from 1% milk or low fat yogurt and fruit (frozen fruit makes is very easy) or 100% fruit juice.

* Low-fat cottage cheese and fruit.

* Low-fat yogurt and a breakfast bar (always check the nutritional information, though - some breakfast bars are very high in sugar).

* Whole grain pita bread stuffed with peanut butter or hummus.
* Apple or pear slices topped with peanut butter or low fat cheese.

* Trail mix, made ahead from cereal, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds.

* Microwave potato topped with low-fat yogurt or grated low-fat cheese.

* Breakfast burrito or quesadilla made with a hard boiled egg and low-fat cheese.

* .Waffles or French toast, made ahead and heated in a toaster.

Back to School Nutrition

The new school year is the perfect time to think about ways to fight lunch bag boredom while encouraging healthy eating habits for your children.

Proper nutrition for children is critical for growth and development, and it’s no surprise that it also plays a role in behaviour, mental function and school performance. In other words, healthy snacks and lunches should provide a child with enough energy and nutrients to help them stay active and help them concentrate throughout the day.

While packing a lunch that is enjoyable and healthy may seem daunting, a little planning and know-how can make things a lot easier.

Plan Ahead

Organizing healthy lunches for your child doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task, particularly if you put a few simple things together ahead of time. Instead of tossing whatever’s handy into their lunch boxes as they are running out the door, consider some of the following tips:

* Plan for leftovers. When cooking dinner, plan on making extra for an easy lunch the next day.

* Do some food preparation ahead of time. For example, peel and chop enough fruits and vegetables to last the whole week (to prevent the fruit from going brown, sprinkle it with lemon juice). Better yet, package them ahead of time so that they are ready to throw in a lunch bag.

* Encourage your kids to help with the planning, shopping and preparing. This will allow you guide them in making their own healthy food choices.

* Keep all lunch supplies together. If your child is old enough to pack their own lunch, dedicate one cupboard or shelf to lunch and snack foods. This will take the guesswork out of what to pack and give them a sense of independence, but you’ll still be sure they’re getting nutritious food.

* Keep the house stocked with healthy foods that your child likes, and don’t keep unhealthy snacks stacked in the pantry. If junk food isn’t easily available, they will be less likely to eat it.

* Pack lunches the night before — this will help with the morning rush and get everyone out the door on time.

What to Pack

Ensure that the healthiest foods from a variety of food groups are included in your child’s lunch. That means plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, milk products (or calcium fortified alternatives), and protein from lean meats or alternatives such as legumes. If your child has a favorite treat, let them enjoy it in moderation by adding it to their lunch box once a week.

Mix things up a bit and make lunchtime something your child looks forward to during the day — that way, they’ll be less likely to trade their lunch for something less wholesome. For younger children, consider making things fun by engaging their senses with brightly coloured bite-sized pieces of fruit and vegetables, sandwiches cut into shapes using a cookie cutter, or foods they can stack, dip, or roll.

To avoid the sandwich blues, here are some healthy meal and snack ideas that are lunchbox appropriate:

* Pita pockets: Pack tofu or chicken, lettuce and tomatoes in a container so your child can fill their own pita pocket at lunch.

* Use a wide-mouth thermos to pack warm foods such as macaroni and cheese, chili, stew.

* Tortilla roll: Spread hummus on a whole-wheat tortilla and cover with veggies before wrapping into a roll.

* Pasta salad: Combine whole-wheat pasta (wagon wheels or ABCs) with flaked tuna, chopped veggies, and low fat salad dressing.

* If your child is used to regular sweet peanut butter, add honey to organic unsweetened peanut butter and slowly decrease amount of honey over time to wean them off of the excess sugars.

Tofu Salad Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp mayonnaise or vegan alternative
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp curry powder
8 oz extra-firm tofu, well drained
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 Tbsp green onion, finely minced
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 large whole-wheat pita breads, cut in half

Optional additions:
vine tomatoes
romaine lettuce
field cucumber
spicy deli sprouts

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, combine mayo, mustard, turmeric and curry powder. Gently stir in tofu, carrots and onion. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Chill.

Spoon into pita pockets and serve. Feel free to add vine tomatoes, romaine lettuce, field cucumber, and deli sprouts for extra veggies.

New email newsletter coming soon!

We're always looking for ways to cut down on our waste and our environmental impact. We have been using 100% recycled paper for our newsletters, but now we are hoping to reduce the number of newsletters we send out.

In the next week or two, we will be launching a brand new monthly email newsletter. This email will contain all kinds of important information, so we hope you will be excited to receive it every month.

Like our paper newsletter, the email newsletter will often contain news items that might be of interest to Green Earth Organics members. It will also contain recipes, new grocery item announcements, and lots of sales. Most importantly, it will be one of our main ways of letting our members know about changes in the Green Earth Organics service, such as our annual week-long closure around Christmas, so it will be very helpful to everyone.

To avoid sending out unwanted emails, we have chosen an "opt-in" system for this new newsletter. Sometime in the next two weeks, you will receive an email to the email address you have registered with Green Earth Organics. This will be a one-time email, and you will just have to answer it to register for the monthly newsletter.

For more frequent organic news and for lots of organic recipes, you can also check out our new blog at http://greenearthorganics.blogspot.com/ (there are also links on our https://greenearthorganics.ca home page), or continue to read our paper newsletter.

If you have any questions or concerns about the email newsletter or anything else related to Green Earth Organics, please let us know!

Thank you for being a part of Green Earth Organics!

Corn and Black Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 heads of corn, cooked and pared from stock
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 red or yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped (optional)
Cilantro sprigs or red onion wedge, for garnish

DRESSING

3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
3/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

In large bowl, combine corn, beans, bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomato, and Jalapeno pepper.

To make the dressing, combine Italian salad dressing, hot pepper sauce, chili powder, lemon juice, and chopped cilantro in a jar with a close-fitting lid. Close lid. Shake to mix well. Pour dressing over corn mixture. Stir to mix. Refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours, or overnight. To serve, put corn mixture in attractive salad bowl. Garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro or a thin wedge of red onion.

Tofu and Rainbow Chard Stacks

INGREDIENTS

Tofu:
2 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine) (or balsamic vinegar)
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 package extra-firm tofu

Chard:
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups thinly sliced rainbow chard
2 tsp tamari
1 or 2 cups cooked rice

DIRECTIONS

Tofu: Combine the first 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Cut tofu lengthwise into 4 slices. Carefully place tofu in a 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Pour the soy sauce mixture over tofu. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes, carefully turning once.

Preheat broiler.

Remove tofu from dish; save marinade for rice. Place tofu on an oiled baking sheet. Broil 10 minutes on each side or until tofu is lightly browned.

Chard: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger, pepper, and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add chard; cook 3 minutes or until chard wilts. Stir in 2 teaspoons tamari.

Place 1/4 cup chard mixture on each of 2 plates; top each serving with 1 tofu slice. Repeat layers with remaining chard and tofu.

BBQ Potatoes and Onions

INGREDIENTS

3 or 4 large potatoes
2 Tbsp butter (or extra virgin olive oil)
1 onion
1/4 tsp black pepper
Any other spices to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut potatoes into small bite size pieces. Slice onions (not too small). Add potatoes, onions, pepper (and other spices if desired), and butter or oil into a mixing bowl. Make sure all the onions are scattered throughout the potatoes. Place on aluminum foil-cover using a double layer of foil so that the potatoes don't get all brown. The longer the length of foil the better and shorter time it will take to make. If BBQ grill has cover, do put the cover on, if not the potatoes might take a little more time. Should be ready in 30 mins.

What the new website can do

It's hard to believe that our new website has already been up for two weeks! I hope everyone is enjoying using the new website as much as I am!

Many members have been logging in and checking it out. For most people, it seems to be going very smoothly, and thank you to everyone who has reported any errors and bugs they've come across. We've been keeping our programmers busy with a few pesky issues, but those are being fixed almost as fast as they can be found.

I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know about a few functions of the new website that weren't available on the old one. Some of these have been on my wish list for years, so I'm pretty excited.

Just a reminder that the deadline to all changes is 9 AM the day before your delivery. Any changes to your account after that time may not be applied until your next delivery.

Update your credit card information! The "Your Billing" page lets you update your credit card number and expiry date, view your charges, and see all the credits issued to your account. This is where you can see bottle and cold pack deposits being credited back to your account.

Add extra fruits and vegetables to your bin! If you want more peaches, for example, you no longer have to give up another bin item to get them. All the bin contents and substitution items are now available for individual purchase. Just browse through the fruit and vegetable categories and add items the same way as you add any of our wonderful grocery items.

Enter your own "likes" and "dislikes"! If there's a fruit or vegetables that you never want in your bin, go to "Your Dislikes" and let us know. You can use the "Your Likes" page to tell us what you prefer to receive instead. We have transferred over the information from our old database, so you don't need to re-enter anything you've told us in the past, but you can now view and modify both lists whenever you want.

Create your own standing orders! If you love any of our grocery items, arrange to have them delivered automatically at a 5% discount by going to the "Standing Order" page. If you always need extra potatoes, bananas, or other staple fruits and vegetables, you may create a standing order to always receive extra pounds at 5% off that week's best price.

Let us know about delivery changes! If you are renovating, if your buzzer number changes, or if you want us to deliver to the back door instead of the front, let us know on the "Delivery Instructions" page.

Skip your own deliveries! If you are going on vacation or need to skip your bin for any reason, just log on to the website and click on "Delivery Schedule". Click on the delivery date you need to miss, change the status to "Delivery On Hold" and click "Update status". You can also go to "Delivery Schedule" to take a delivery off hold, to check when your next delivery is coming, or to check whether or not you did remember to skip the next bin.

View past deliveries! Go to the "Your Orders" page to see your past orders, including your substitutions, additional items, and any standing orders. You can see the total balance owing for each order, though credits on your account are not currently shown there (you have to go to "Your Billing" for that). We are working on improving the design of the invoices so they will be easier to read and so the credits and charges will all be visible in one place.

Besides all these wonderful new features, you will still be able to make your substitutions and order any additional items. So far, people seem to be loving our drop-down substitution system, and I know I love that the grocery items are now in categories with pictures and descriptions.

Though there's now a lot more you can do on your own if you would like to, we're still here to help! If you prefer to call (604-708-2345) or email (info@greenearthorganics.com) us for any of the above, please feel free. And if you have any questions about the new website, we are eager to assist you.

Thank you for being a part of Green Earth Organics!

Tomato and Bocconcini Salad

INGREDIENTS

3-5 roma tomatoes, cut in 1/2 inch slices
8 oz bocconcini, cut in 1/2 inch slices
12 basil leaves, washed and patted dry
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Creatively arrange the tomato and bocconcini slices on a serving dish. This can be done in individual servings or on one large serving platter.

Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Garnish with fresh basil and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with fresh bread, and perhaps a splash of wine!

The time is finally here!

Green Earth Organics Vancouver is thrilled to be moving to its new and improved home on the web:

https://greenearthorganics.ca/

Our wonderful new website has many new features that we hope you will have fun discovering.

We have sent an email to all members active on July 21st, 2008, with your new login information. If you did not receive an email, we may not have had a valid email address for you, or you may have been on hold on that date. To retrieve your new information, just call us at 604-708-2345 or email us at info@greenearthorganics.com.

In the meantime, our automated hotline is always available at 604-708-5969 so you can hear your bin contents and leave us a voicemail with your substitutions. Or you can phone us during office house at 604-708-2345, and we will be pleased to read you the bin contents and get you the login information you need.

There may be some minor quirks during the transition from one website to the other. Please do not hesitate to call or email us anytime if you are experiencing problems or if you have any questions.

Thank you for being a member of Green Earth Organics!

Yours in organic living,

The Green Earth Organics team:
Daniel (owner)
Melissa and Jonathan (office)
David (warehouse)
Steve and Ron (deliveries)

Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp curry powder
1 pound of carrots, peeled and sliced
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and saute onion until softened. Stir in cumin and curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add carrots, sweet potatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

When cool, transfer vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth, working in batches. Return to Dutch oven to reheat.

Green Earth Organics Turns 10!

There are many celebration worthy milestones in business, including a decade of successful operation. Dan Henry couldn't be happier to see the business he started reach the double-digits.

From the humblest of beginnings back in 1998, Dan and business partner William O'Dowd started Green Earth Organics out of the basement of their home. Their first week of operation included a client list of 7 customers, most of whom were friends and family.

As is natural with great business ideas however, word spread fast and within a very short time GEO upgraded into its first warehouse on Triumph Street in East Vancouver. Ten years later, GEO still proudly calls that same warehouse home.

In the past ten years, Green Earth Organics has experienced continual growth, including the expansion to a Toronto location, the inclusion of Abbotsford, Mission, Langley and Fort Langley in the delivery routes and the upcoming launch of the new GEO website.

The future also looks very bright for the Green Earth family and its customers. The new website will create an unparalleled level of convenience and personal choice. There are also rumours of an upcoming delivery route along the sea-to-sky highway including Lions Bay, Squamish and even Whistler! Have your friends living in those cities keep their eyes peeled for our delivery vans.

At the end of the day, we here at Green Earth Organics couldn't be happier to see the company reach the ten-year milestone. We are also glad to have so many customers to enjoy it with. We hope you have also enjoyed your time with us and look forward to seeing GEO continued growth in the name of organic living!

About Blueberries

Blueberry History

Blueberries, also known as bilberries, whortleberries and hurtleberries, are named for their velvety, deep-blue color, of course. These luscious berries are one of the few fruits native to North America.

Native Americans used the berries, leaves, and roots for medicinal purposes. The fruit was used as a fabric dye and combined with meat into a nutritious dried jerky.

The shrub is of the genus Vaccinium, from the Latin vacca for cow since cows love them, a fact first noted by Captain James Cook in the late 1700s.

Blueberries are often confused with huckleberries, which are of the Gaylussacia genus.

Blueberries used to be picked by hand until the invention of the blueberry rake by Abijah Tabbutt of Maine in 1822, so it's no wonder that Maine's state berry is the blueberry.

The most popular variety of blueberry is Vaccinium corymbosum, known as the "highbush" blueberry. The wild "lowbush" varieties are a favorite of those who like to pick their own in the wilds.

Blueberry and Health

Blueberries were prominent in Russian folk medicine, used as a preventative measure and cure for flux and other abdominal problems.

Native Americans used blueberry leaves in medicinal teas thought to be good for the blood and blueberry juice was used to treat coughs.

The blueberry is still prized for its antioxidant health benefits and as a laxative, as well as other folk remedies.

During World War II, British Royal Air Force pilots consumed bilberries (a blueberry relative), which purportedly improved their night vision. Later studies show a sound basis for this practice because blueberries are high in bioflavonoids which are used by the rods in the eye for night vision.

Blueberries rank as the number one fruit provider of antioxidants. They are also high in iron.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

INGREDIENTS

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
6-oz bunch of cut spinach
16-oz strawberries, quartered
4-oz crumbled blue cheese or goat feta
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds or pecans
Red wine vinaigrette
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Toss together red onion and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with red wine vinaigrette; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 servings.

Vegan Rhubarb Strawberry Pie

INGREDIENTS

1 double pie shell
4 cups fresh rhubarb, sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup agave
6 tablespoons arrowroot
2 cups thickly sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour

DIRECTIONS

Fit bottom crust into a 10-inch pie plate. Refrigerate the dough and rolled-out crust.

Put sliced rhubarb into a colander with a bowl underneath. Pour agave over rhubarb and allow to drain 1 hour. In a saucepan, mix arrowroot with half of the drained agave. Heat until thickened over low heat, then add the rest of the agave.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix rhubarb and strawberries together in bowl. Add agave mixture along with cinnamon and flour. Gently toss to mix. Pour into prepared pie shell. Roll out top crust and place on top. Join crusts, fluting edges. Slash top so steam can escape.

Bake one hour in preheated oven. Allow to cool, then refrigerate a few hours to set (if you can stand to wait that long).

Serves 8 to 10.

Minister defends crackdown on safety of natural health products

GLORIA GALLOWAY

May 13, 2008

OTTAWA -- Health Minister Tony Clement is taking on the manufacturers of natural health products who object to his government's attempts to subject them to the same type of oversight proposed for pharmaceuticals, food and consumer products.

Rallies were held in Alberta, British Columbia and Toronto last week to protest against Bill C-51, the new federal consumer protection legislation that critics say will restrict access to natural medicines.

But Mr. Clement said in an interview that Canadians have a right to know the natural health products they buy are safe.

The problems created by mislabeling and the inclusion of potentially dangerous chemicals in a small number of the products has created the potential for severe harm, he said.

"I have had to issue warnings as Health Minister for liver damage, increased risk of cardiac arrest, increased risk of stroke. And these things are happening on a frequent basis," he said.

Most of the manufacturers want to make safe products, he said. But "we have to protect Canadians from the 1 per cent that are the bad apples. And if there are some elements of this industry that think they will go unregulated while other aspects of health care are regulated, such as pharmaceutical products, that's just not on."

Since 2004, natural health products have had to be registered with Health Canada. But the industry says that 60 per cent of the products that have been submitted for approval have been rejected.

"The issue with this bill is really around the enforcement, the definitions and the restrictions for natural health products on the marketplace," said Ian Stewart, the director of regulatory affairs for Truehope, an Alberta company that makes natural medicines for depression and stress disorders.

For natural products, Mr. Stewart said, "the requirements to get market authorization will be so onerous, [as will] the restrictions on being able to have these products in the marketplace, that these products are just going to be illegal in the marketplace or will be removed from the marketplace."

But Mr. Clement discounts most of the concerns being expressed by the industry.

For one thing, products that are currently on the market will not be pulled from the shelves, even if they are in the backlog waiting to be approved, unless there is a reported adverse reaction.

The rejection rate for approvals is actually closer to 50 per cent, the minister said, and usually it's just a problem with paperwork being filed incorrectly - something that can quickly be straightened out.

There are rumours that the new legislation would mean that doctors' prescriptions will be required for the natural health products, right down to vitamin C.

"That's ridiculous, that never will happen, that's not found in the bill and never would be," Mr. Clement said.

Products such as vitamin C, whose health effects are well known, will not be subjected to the intense scrutiny that will be directed at those that are chemical compounds akin to a pharmaceutical, he said.

Italian-Syle Mushrooms and Spinach

INGREDIENTS

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
14 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
10 oz clean fresh spinach, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in the oil until they start to become tender. Add the mushrooms, and fry until they begin to shrink, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Toss in the spinach, and fry, stirring constantly for a few minutes, until spinach is wilted. Add the vinegar, stirring constantly until it is absorbed, then stir in the white wine. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until the wine has almost completely absorbed.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with fresh parsley if using. Serve hot.

The Ambassador Program

We participate in many special events where we run into customers who stop by our table to say "Hi! I get your service! I tell everyone about you guys!"

We genuinely appreciate it when people refer us to loved ones, so we thought it is only fair to reward your efforts. It’s almost as though you are ambassadors for the company, which is how we got the idea (and name) for the program. The Ambassador Program is a referral promotion that rewards existing customers for doing what they are already doing: telling friends and family about our service.

Our Ambassador Program will be available until March 14th. During that time, for every new customer who signs up and gives your name as how they heard about us, you get a bin for half price. So if two of your friends sign up, you will get a free bin!

To make it easier for you to promote, your friend gets a discount too. Until March 14th, if a new customer mentions that an existing customer refered them to Green Earth Organics, the new customer also gets $10 off their first delivery! So spread the word, and you will both benefit.

Who knows, maybe the next time we’re at an event, you’ll see us, come over and say "Hi! I get your service! I told my neighbours about you guys and I got a free bin!"

The mandatory "small print": Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. To take advantage of this offer, the new customer must sign-up between February 7th and March 14th and receive their first delivery before March 21st. When signing up for Green Earth deliveries, the new customer must name the active customer who referred them to Green Earth Organics, then the new customer will receive $10 off their first delivery and the referring customer will receive 50% off their next delivery. No cash value.

GreenEarthOrganics.com 2.0 (beta) Launched!

Your friendly neighbourhood organic delivery family has transitioned into the new millennium and are very excited to launch Green Earth Organics Beta 2.0!

The new site has lots of great features designed to give our customers loads more flexibility when shopping. Our bins are now fully customizable which means you get more of what you want, when you want. The same great produce and quality groceries at your fingertips!

We would love your feedback so we can continue to improve our site. Contact us at info@greenearthorganics.com.

Organically Yours,
The GEO Team

Ginger Carrot Soup

INGREDIENTS

4 to 5 Tbsp coriander seeds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 lbs carrots, sliced
10 to 11 cups vegetable stock
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the coriander seeds for about 3 minutes or until fragrant, shaking the seeds constantly. Cool and process in a blender or mortar and pestle into a fine powder. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, carrots, vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and ground coriander.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. If the carrots are not sweet, add some sugar at this time. Stir in the lemon juice. Remove from heat. Process the soup in a food processor until smooth. Just before serving, garnish each bowl with a dollop of yogurt.

Mediterranean Pizza Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf whole wheat French bread
1 can (no salt added) tomato sauce
Rosemary
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
1 tsp honey
Handful of spinach or chard leaves, cut into strips
1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced
Black olives, halved (pitted)
Zucchini, thinly sliced
Bell pepper, diced
3-4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
Mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven 350°F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil (makes clean-up easy).

Slice bread to into 6 inch long segments.

Stir 1 teaspoon of each of the seasonings and the honey into tomato sauce, mixing well.

In a separate dish, combine spinach/chard and other vegetables. Coat with olive oil. Add more of the seasonings (to taste) and the garlic. Toss to coat well.

Spread tomato sauce evenly on bread. Grate mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Top with the vegetable mixture, and another layer of grated cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes OR until heated through and cheese is melted.

Winter Pruning Benefits

By Roberto of "Living Canvas Organic Gardening & Lawn Care"

There are three main objectives when deciding to prune a tree or shrub: strength, shape, and airflow. Winter offers easy access and a good view of the tree’s “skeleton” – its structure and underlying composition. Their dormant phase is ideal for pruning and shaping.

Pruning for strength means to prune so that the limbs and branches are strong and stable. Removing weak limbs and small angles will improve the general health of trees and shrubs. This will eliminate the chances of it being damaged by winter elements.

Pruning for shape will produce an aesthetically pleasing tree or shrub that is balanced and sized correctly for the space it occupies. Trees and shrubs have an overall structure, and some branches will grow into their structure while others will grow too far out and spoil the overall shape. Removing out of alignment branches will improve its overall structure.

Trees and shrubs are part of your landscape as a whole and may also need to be pruned to accommodate the need of other items in your yard.

Internal branches fill the structure of a tree or shrub and both inhibit airflow and reduce light to the interior of the tree. This creates a perfect environment for disease-causing organisms to take hold.

Pruning trees and shrubs promotes a good airflow. Thinning them out is also important because branches that are growing into their internal structure and they will eventually butt against one another. Their junction can gather moisture and cause decay. There is also a tendency for the limbs to grow together, which is not healthy for trees.

Water sprouts or suckers are found in the interior of the tree as well as at the base of the trunk. They grow rapidly and use more of the tree’s energy than they return, so they are better pruned away.

All these problems will be apparent in late winter and can be corrected without tangling with excess growth in spring or summer. Late winter pruning should be completed before the new growth cycle begins.

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A professional environmentally friendly company committed to providing sustainable gardening practices. Using human powered gardening tools, we offer silent maintenance and alternatives to pesticides.

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Curried Collard Greens with Chick Peas

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
2 lbs collard greens, chopped
1-2 sweet potatoes, cubed
2 carrots, sliced
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnut pieces (optional)
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp turmeric
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

DIRECTIONS

This recipe can be prepared in a microwave oven, on the stove top, or in a large slow cooker (crock pot).

Place all ingredients in a large cooking pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until the onions become translucent and a fork will slip easily into the sweet potato pieces.

About one half hour before you are ready to eat, prepare some brown basmati rice. Serve the curry over rice with a tossed salad.

Broccoli and Cornmeal Upside Down Cake

INGREDIENTS

One head of broccoli
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
A handful of raisins
A handful of walnuts, toasted and chopped

DIRECTIONS

Wash the broccoli and cut it into florets. Steam until bright green - cooked but not limp. Run cold water on it to stop the cooking and set aside in a colander to drain thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a little olive oil to grease an 8-inch cake pan.

Whisk together the cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, and oil, and salt and pepper to taste. In a medium mixing-bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, and baking powder. Fold the liquid mixture into the dry mixture until just combined (the batter will be thick). Do not overmix; it's fine if it's a little lumpy.

Arrange the cooked broccoli at the bottom of the cake pan. Sprinkle with the walnuts and raisins. Pour the batter evenly over the broccoli and smooth it out a bit with a spatula.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy. Let rest on the counter for 5 minutes before cutting.

To serve, run a knife around the pan to loosen the cornmeal crust, cover the pan with a serving plate, and flip quickly (protect your hands with oven mitts, of course) so the cake lands, broccoli-side up, on the plate.

Cut in wedges, preferably with a sharp knife so as not to smoosh the broccoli. Serve warm, at room-temperature, or cold. Reheat leftovers for ten minutes in the oven if you wish to revive the crispiness of the crust.

Quick, Healthy, and Green Breakfasts On the Go

By Dan Shapley

Stock up on fruit

Nothing is more portable and easy to eat on the go than an apple or pear. No packaging is more green than a banana's. Full of antioxidants, vitamins (and even those addictive breakfast sugars), fruit is an easy option.

Mix up a fruit salad, a yogurt parfait, or even a smoothie

Slice and dice your fruit the night before, pack in a reusable container and sample an assortment of fresh fruits in the car or at the office. Or try mixing your favorite fruits or berries with organic yogurt and granola for a simple parfait you can enjoy at your desk. A few minutes of preparation at night lets you avoid all the hassle in the morning.

Making smoothies, too, can be surprisingly quick if you've prepared the fruit the night before. After blending the ingredients, give the blender a good rinse and then set aside for a thorough cleaning after work.

Bake your own breakfast bars

Spend less than an hour in the kitchen, and you'll have breakfast (or part of a breakfast) for a week or more. See "Fruit and Oat Granola Bars" on The Daily Green (http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/recipes/600) for one example.

Consider the portable egg

Hard-boiled eggs are easy to make, easy to carry and easy to eat. Set aside a few minutes twice a week to boil eggs, and you'll have a high-protein breakfast waiting for you each morning.

Brew your own coffee

Get a reusable travel mug and make coffee at home. It will help you resist the temptation to eat a sweet, sticky something at the coffee counter. Can't manage the hassle of measuring coffee in the morning? At least have your coffee shop refill your mug to save on disposable cup waste. (And look for fair trade organic coffee roasts whenever possible.)

Reconsider the breakfast sandwich

Why not take the cue from lunch and "brown bag" a sandwich? Natural peanut butter and honey on whole wheat is about as simple a meal as there is to prepare, and it's loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein, and all the health benefits of honey.

Eat hot or cold cereal at your desk

Take advantage of that hot water spigot on the company water cooler, and treat yourself to some hot oatmeal in the office. Buying a tub of oats is among the cheapest ways to eat breakfast, most any cubicle can find space to store one, and the meal can be spiced up with dried fruit. Or, if your office has a refrigerator, there's no reason you can't bring a bowl and a box of cereal and eat breakfast while skimming through the morning e-mail.

Get creative with your carpool and co-workers

If you share a car to get to work, or sit a cubicle wall away from your best office buddy, why not designate one person each week to be responsible for breakfast for the group? Set some ground rules about health, and then let the creative spirit lead you to new discoveries.

If you must eat on the go, eat smart

If the day gets away from you before it's begun, think twice before you eat. Stop at the grocery store for some oatmeal from the breakfast bar before you pull into the drive-through lane. Consider a whole wheat bagel. And choose options with the least amount of packaging, so at least the problem of empty calories won't be compounded by overstuffed landfills.

USDA Makes a Deal with Monsanto

Hey Farmers! Buy Genetically Modified Seeds, Get Insurance Cheap

By Dan Shapley, www.thedailygreen.com

Taxpayers are subsidizing the use of genetically modified seeds through a strange arrangement between the Department of Agriculture and chemical giant Monsanto that was enthusiastically endorsed by Congress in 2000, the Chicago Tribune exposed in a report today.

The corn seeds are manipulated so they produce pesticides that ward off insects, or resist herbicides so farmers can kill nearby weeds.

The deal was made possible when Congress agreed to give farmers a break on federal crop insurance if they planted crops that resist pests and produce higher yields, making them less vulnerable to crop failures, and U.S. taxpayers less vulnerable to large insurance payouts. That, the seeds do.

But environmentalists and green food advocates have long argued that genetically modified seeds may be dangerous in ways both subtle and obvious. Subtle, in that plants can hybridize, introducing human-injected genes ("genetic drift") into natural ecosystems with unknown consequences. Obvious, in that farmers using herbicide-resistant crops can spray more pesticides, increasing the use of the toxic substances (though the use of crops that grow their own pesticides would reduce the need to spray).

In practice, however, this deal may do less to increase the use of genetically modified seeds than it does to give farmers big and small a break on insurance payments. Between 2000 and 2007, the use of genetically modified corn seed grew from 25% of acres planted to 73%, even without discounts on federal insurance.

Hidden Costs in Conventional Foods

Although organic food might seem more expensive than conventional foods, conventional food prices do not reflect hidden cost borne by taxpayers, including nearly $74 billion in federal subsidies in 1988. Other hidden costs include pesticide regulation and testing, hazardous waste disposal and clean up, and environmental damage.