Bill passes House

The House voted 424-1 yesterday to ban lead and six phthalates from children’s products.  The lead standards would be the toughest in the world, targeting products designed for children 12 and under.  The bill would also double the budget of the Consumer Product Safety Commission by 2014 and give it new authority to monitor testing [...]

Green bean stew

This green bean stew is a great summer dish and can be easily made with ingredients commonly found at Farmer’s Markets (green beans, potatoes, onions, parsley, and tomatoes).  Serve with feta and bread to soak up the yummy sauce for a light, vegetarian dinner.
Ingredients:

1 3/4 lb green beans, trimmed
2/3 cup extra virgin olive [...]

Organic produce more nutritious

This is something I’ve believed for a while and some limited research has confirmed–that organic produce contains more nutrients than that grown conventionally.  But a fairly new, well-designed, long term study called the U.C. Davis Long-Term Research on Agricultural Systems project is demonstrating this as well.
In 1993, researchers at the University of California at Davis [...]

The best brunch pie

This feta and leek “pie” is super delicious.  It would be great for brunch or even paired with a salad for a light summer dinner.
Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup butter
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large leeks, chopped (about 1 lb)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
7 oz Greek (strained, plain) yogurt
11 [...]

Farmer’s Markets

I love shopping at farmer’s markets.  I love the produce, variety, atmosphere, and getting to ask specific questions about the food I’m buying from the people growing/raising it.  I also love knowing that what I’m eating is the freshest it can be and that I’m supporting local farmers and reducing our reliance on fuel for [...]

Moving

We are moving!  This week, we close on our house and are moving into a temporary place for 3 months while we wait for our new home to be finished.  I won’t be able to post for a bit but I hope to back in about a week.

In Defense of Food

I love this book. I think it should be required reading for every American.
In Defense of Food is somewhat of a follow up to Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. That book examined how our food is produced, this one examines how we should eat based upon that. It’s a harsh look at the typical [...]

Lids may not be safe

This report from Australia is disapointing, as we are trying to use food stored in glass jars instead of cans in our home, but it’s good to know.

Why didn’t I get sick?

Last night was not a fun night at our house.
The evening started off nice enough. After the baby went to bed, my husband and 3 year old son and I had a nice dinner on our porch. Grilled shrimp, corn on the cob, a spinach tomato salad, and whole wheat bread. My husband [...]

Green Toys

We do not own any of these toys, but I’m so happy to see that they’re available.  They’re made with recycled materials and contain no BPA or phthalates.  I have to say that I still get nervous about plastic toys that my baby might mouth, and definitely prefer wood or metal, but I would consider [...]