Juicing Chat

Juicing: Here's What YOU Say About It!

Last week, I participated in a lively and interesting conversation about juicing (and smoothies too!).
The UK Guardian hosted the live webchat and you responded. En masse. In fact, the organizers tell me that there were many many questions that we just didn't have time to get around to answering.

Take a look at the comments, the questions, my answers and the results of the three surveys that were taken during the one hour we were engaged. Click HERE

If you have a juicing question, ask me in the comment section below and I will answer it.

Meantime, take a look at the book that 400,000+ people own:

Support Organics, Keep GM Alfalfa out of Canada

Speak Out Against Genetically Modified Alfalfa

It's time to show your green. Send a letter to The Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food- Here's my letter, sent today.
Go here and learn more about GM Alfalfa and your food.

To: Hon. Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Re: Please stop GM alfalfa today: Protect family farms, family health and the health of our soil
Date: Monday 08 April 2013

Cc: Malcolm Allen, NDP Agriculture Critic
Cc: Frank Valeriote, Liberal Party Agriculture Critic
Cc: Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party
Cc: André Bellavance, Bloc Québécois Agriculture Critic

Dear Minister Ritz,

I am writing to ask you to take urgent action to stop the registration and
commercial introduction of genetically modified (GM) alfalfa in Canada.

GM alfalfa threatens the markets for all alfalfa growers as well as the
future of organic food and farming in Canada.

The introduction of Monsanto’s GM herbicide tolerant (Roundup Ready)
alfalfa would have serious negative impacts on many different types of
farmers and farming systems, both conventional and organic. Conventional
and organic farmers agree that GM alfalfa is not wanted or needed

Because alfalfa is a perennial crop pollinated by bees, GM contamination is
inevitable.

GM alfalfa was approved in Canada in 2005 but still needs variety
registration before it can be legally sold as seed. Please take immediate
action to stop GM alfalfa before it contaminates farmers' fields and my
food.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Pat Crocker
concerned mother, consumer, voter

Spring Cleansing with Herbs

Bitter Herbal Tonics Herald Ancient Rite of Spring

Green Goddess by Pat Crocker, page 188 The Juicing Bible, Second Edition (Robert Rose publisher)

Cleansing tonics are an ancient rite of spring that reflects the season's central theme of self-renewal. By definition, a tonic is an infusion of herbs that invigorates or strengthens the system. In addition, tonics often act as stimulants and alteratives as well. Taken either hot or cold, tonics restore tone, purify the blood, and act as nutritive builders.

Throughout history, and even as late as the 20th century, herbs and herbal spring tonics have been used by North Americans and Europeans to cleanse the system after a long winter of eating preserved meats with little or no fresh fruits or vegetables. The six-week fasting and abstinence period of Lent, apart from its spiritual significance, had a practical effect of helping the body prepare for the shock of astringent spring greens.

Read more about tonic herbs, click here...

This Just In From Organic Consumers Assn

Forward on Climate: Cook Organic, Not the Planet! If we’re serious about heading off a climate crisis, we better start paying attention to what’s on the end of our forks. As it turns out, factory farms are one of the biggest culprits in the climate change calamity. On inauguration day, President Obama promised to "respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.” Empty words? Or did he mean it? On Feb. 17, OCA will march with nearly 80 other organizations in what promises to be the largest climate rally in history, Forward on Climate. We’ll join hands and voices with thousands of others in Washington D.C. to pressure Obama to reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, and enact tough carbon limits on our nation’s dirty power plants. But we’ll bring our own message, too: Cook organic, not the planet! Because while new, green technologies have their place in solving the climate crisis, a simple tried-and-true technology to restore carbon to our soil and keep greenhouse gases out of our atmosphere has been right under our noses – and our feet – for centuries: climate-friendly organic farming. Click here to read the essay-

The Perfect Garlic Press

I love it when designers get it right! And the designers at Dreamfarm get it right most of the time.
Now they've designed what I consider to be the perfect garlic press and they cleverly call it Garject.
I love Garject. Clever name too: it's a garlic gadget that ejects the skin...

I love Garject because it works. We eat a lot of garlic. Who wouldn't if they knew all the health benefits it provides? So I've tested and destroyed a lot of garlic presses over the years– one literally fell apart in two perfect pieces the first time I test-pressed it!

Garject is heavy-duty and strong enough to hold and squish Simon's (my local organic garlic grower) fresh organic garlic cloves. Here's what it does:
presses unpeeled garlic
scrapes itself clean
ejects the peel

In fact, the peel comes shooting out like a bullet. So have the composting bin ready!
Best (well not best, but up there) of all? It rinses clean and is dishwasher safe.

Now that's a new spin on an essential tool.
Check out some of my other Dreamfarm favourites: scizza, tapi, smood or teafu...

The Middle Way

When I saw this video about one woman's gentle commitment to organic food in China, I wanted to weep. Click on the link and see the story and be inspired!

Published on Friday, January 25, 2013 by The Perennial Plate

The Middle Way: One Farmer's Fight for Organic Food in China

By now you are probably familiar with the food scandals that have been running rampant in China. In the aftermath of any such situation, new movements are born. Ms Yang is part of an effort to bring healthy and organic food to Kunming, a city in the Yunnan Province of China. But for her it goes beyond healthy. After graduating from University and working in business, she found a way to go back to the farm and fight for healthy and organic food. This inspiring story shares a hopeful future for food in China.

The Middle Way

Tarra's Hen's Eggs

I know it's not Easter yet, but just look at these farm-fresh eggs that popped into my studio yesterday! Tarrah Young from Green Being Farm dropped by to deliver them for me to use in the 'Breakfast for Dinner' Chapter of the latest book I am co-authoring with Nettie Cronish.

stunning pink, blue, green, tan and brown of eggs from heritage hens

Apparently, the colour of the shell is deposited on the egg as it makes its way through the oviduct; but generally, hens with white feathers and earlobes (such as the white leghorn) mostly lay white eggs whereas brown eggs usually come from hens with red feathers and red earlobes (like Barred Rock or Cuckoo Maran). Some species with red earlobes (the Ameracauna for example) may lay blue or green eggs.

As for the colour of the yolk, pasture-raised hens that get lots of greens in their diet produce eggs that have a deep orange colour (due to an abundance of carotenoid pigments) and are naturally higher (up to 30% higher) in the omega-3 fatty acids.

Tarrah and her Ameracauna hen