A Healthier PB&J

 

Organic crunchy peanut butter on a
100% whole wheat English Muffin
topped with Fresh Mango

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a go-to lunch. It's quick, it's inexpensive and who doesn't love them? Even people allergic to peanuts indulge by easily substituting the peanut butter with any nut or seed butter. 

Sadly, growing up in an Italian household, I wasn't introduced to the PB&J until I went off to college. But now I eat them regularly, usually at breakfast time. 

The question remains, is it healthy? As a nutritionist, I would say that the typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich is not a healthy choice. First, it's typically made with white bread. Second, many peanut butters come in plastic containers and contain sugar, hydrogenated oils, and salt. And if you've ever made jelly, you know the most popular recipes contain more sugar than fruit.

Here are 4 easy things to do to make this iconic sandwich healthier:

#1 Start with a bread that is made from whole grains. It's easier to find a whole grain bread that contains wheat so if you are gluten free, you will have to carefully read the labels. There are some good ones out there but many of them are full of overly processed starches and gums to hold them together. So if you aren't allergic to wheat, a bread like Dave's Killer Bread with 21 Whole Grains and Seeds OrganicBread is a winner. Check out www.daveskillerbread.com/products for more of their healthy breads. 

#2 Pick an organic nut butter that only contains the nuts and seeds. Just peanuts -  no oil, no sugar. Little or no salt. I like organic MaraNatha or Santa Cruz peanut butters.

#3 Only buy nut butters that are in glass jars. Peanut butter has a high fat content and the oils in the nut butter can absorb chemicals fro the plastic and become contaminated. The above peanut butters are both in glass jars.

#4 Substitute the jelly with fresh fruit! This will save you empty calories and needless sugar as well as adding healthful fiber to your sandwich. My favorite fruits to add are:

    *Sliced mangos, peaches, nectarines

    * Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries

    * Sliced bananas, apples

     

Why Water It If You Can't Eat It?Turn Your Yard Into Your Grocery Store

Newly planted kale borders the walkway with calendula.

Inspired
I'm back from Andrew Weill's annual nutrition conference and I'm more inspired than ever to cook nutritious meals with fresh, organic vegetables. What better way to do that than to have all the produce you need right there in your yard! Besides, with the drought here in California, it's better to plant and water things you can at least eat for dinner.

We put in some nice garden boxes in our back yard 5 years ago (see our very popular post - instructions on how to build garden boxes) but this year we expanded our garden to the entry, the front yard, the walkways, well - just about anywhere we have dirt. I like to mix veggies with flowers to make the area pretty but still productive. 

For example, in the walkway to our front door, I planted 5 different types of spicy pepper plants with a few marigolds. We had already taken out all the roses and other shrubs to plant Sauvignon Blanc grape vines.

The front entry to our home has spicy peppers, marigolds and
enough Sauvignon Blanc grapes to make 8 cases of wine!

The zucchini and tomatoes become massive and can overcrowd our raised bed boxes so this year we tilled a large area in the front yard and planted tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkins and artichokes directly into the ground where they have more room. Of course there is the risk of gophers which you don't have with the garden boxes but if that's a worry, you can plant the veggies in individual mesh cages.

The front yard allows the larger veggies to grow freely!

This year we are trying to grow artichokes!

Along the walkway to the back yard, we planted raspberry bushes a few years ago. They are really taking off now. We enjoyed our first raspberries of the season this morning.

Fresh raspberries

With the larger veggies moving to the front yard, we planted bell peppers, Asian eggplant, Italian eggplant, Dragon tongue bush beans, parsley, and strawberries in the garden boxes.

Bell peppers, eggplants, bush beans & parsley

Dragon Tongue beans grow quickly and abundantly

We reserved this entire bed for strawberries

I just harvest an entire bed of garlic from another large garden box (not shown) so I filled the empty bed with organic heirloom corn. I've  never successfully grown corn before so this is going to be an experiment. What's there to lose?

We also just planted some more fruit trees. We now have apples, lemons, limes, persimmons, and pears. I'm saving some room for a pomegranate - something I've always wanted to grow. 

Fuji apples

There's No Downside

There's really no downside to growing your own veggies. Organic produce is so expensive, you can really save a ton of money by growing it yourself. When I see artichokes selling for $5 a piece, I figure I'll try growing them. And what's more convenient than walking to the garden and plucking off a perfectly ripe tomato for your salad. Another upside is that your kids will happily eat veggies that they grow. 

Plant too much? Great! Can it, dehydrate it, share it with friends, neighbors, and bring some of your extra produce to a local food bank. It will be greatly appreciated!

Make Thick, Creamy Vegan Yogurt With An Instant Pot Or Yogurt Maker - 5 Minutes Prep Time! No Added Thickeners Or Gums Needed

Making this organic yogurt recipe couldn't be easier!

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I Love Yogurt
When I gave up dairy, yogurt was one of the things I missed the most. Store-bought vegan yogurt is pretty terrible. I remember a while back buying 8 different brands and types in order to do a product review for the blog. They contained all kinds of gums and binders, tons of sugar, and very little yogurt flavor. In disgust, I abandoned the article as I couldn't really find one that I was excited about recommending. 

I never tried making my own yogurt until I bought my Instant Pot. Although I use it mostly as a pressure cooker, it also works as a yogurt maker. So before I gave up on yogurt completely, with its healthful and critical probiotics, I thought I would give it a try.

Yogurt Starter
The first thing you need when making a non-dairy yogurt, is vegan yogurt starter. I use Cultures for Health. Check their website carefully for a coupon. They have other yogurt starters that are dairy based so if you can tolerate a tiny amount of dairy, you can try them too. I imagine that they might give a different flavor and consistency but I haven't experimented with them yet.

The vegan yogurt starter is a "direct set" or "single use" starter which means that you should use a new packet for every batch. With the particular recipe and non-dairy milk I am suggesting today, it is possible to make additional batches by using a 1/2-cup of the yogurt and whey from the previous batch. Eventually you may have to use a new packet (I found that using a fresh packet results in a slightly thicker yogurt) although my friend has made countless batches with yogurt and whey from her previous batches and hasn't noticed any differences.

To maintain culture strength, store in the freezer

Next, you'll need a non-dairy milk. My two favorites so far, that curdle and makes thick, creamy, spoonable yogurt without having to add any thickening agents, are Trader Joe's shelf stable organic unsweetened Soy Beverage and Kirkland's shelf stable organic, plain soy milk. Although the Kirkland's brand is organic and very delicious with just a hint of vanilla, the Trader Joe's product is a healthier choice because it just contains organic soy beans and water. Kirkland's contains other ingredients besides the soy milk like organic cane sugar, tricalcium citrate, sea salt, carrageenan, vanilla, natural flavors, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, riboflavin and B12. Natural flavors can mean lots of nasty things and many nutritionists now recommend avoiding carrageenan because it can cause inflammation. 

Making yogurt is incredibly easy in your Instant Pot.
Stir starter into the milk, pour into jars, set time and hit start!

Nothing but soybeans!
A healthier choice than Kirkland's.

Soy Yogurt
Vegan, Dairy Free, Mostly Gluten Free*
[Makes 1 quart or 8 (1/2-cup) servings]
Requires 2 pint glass jars and an Instant Pot or other Yogurt Maker
Allow 8 to 12 hours in yogurt maker and several hours to refrigerate

Ingredients
1 quart shelf-stabilized plain organic soy milk, room temperature
1 packet of Cultures for Health vegan yogurt starter**

*Cultures for Health Vegan Yogurt starter may contain traces of gluten as they use barley as a nutrient for the probiotic.
** Or try using a 1/2 cup of yogurt and whey from your previous batch

Directions
Clean glass jars with soap and hot water. Dry and set aside.

Pour the room-temperature soy milk into a clean pitcher. Sprinkle in a packet of yogurt starter and stir well. If you are using 1/2 cup of yogurt and whey from a previous batch (instead of a packet of yogurt starter), place that into the pitcher first and slowly mix in the quart of milk until it is well combined.

Pour into two pint jars. If you have a little left over, pour it into a small taster jar.

Place all jars into the Instant Pot. Push the "yogurt" button and set for 8 to 10 hours (the longer, the tangier). You may use the cover that comes with the Instant Pot or a 9" snug-fitting glass lid. I like using a glass lid so that I can see what's going on. 

Remove when done and place in the refrigerator. Serve when chilled.

Tip: Prepare it in the morning so that it finishes in the evening and you can pop it into the refrigerator before you go to bed. Then it will be chilled and ready to use for breakfast the next morning. 

Nutrition (using Kirkland)
Per 1/2-cup serving: 50 calories, 2 g total fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g dietary fiber, and 55 mg sodium.

Nutrition (using Trader Joe's)
Per 1/2-cup serving: 45 calories, 2.3 g total fat, .3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.5 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, and 43 mg sodium. 

Making Yogurt from Almond, Coconut and Rice Milk
I have not been successful making yogurt from other non-dairy milks such as almond, coconut, and rice milk as they require a thickening agent. Often, the resulting yogurt is more like Jello than creamy and curdled yogurt. I also don't think they are as tart. Recently, however, I have found some store bought products that are pretty good. Check out my product review on Cashew, Almond, and Coconut Milk non-dairy yogurts. 


















If you want to try making these on your own, your best bet is to use a recipe using Pomona's Universal Pectin.  I find that there is no need for the calcium water called for in the recipe if the non-dairy milk you are using has sufficient added calcium. 

Experimenting is Fun!
Experimenting with different milks and yogurt starters is fun so if you come up with some great creations, please share them with us!

Check out my product review on Cashew, Almond, and Coconut Milk non-dairy yogurts!

Apples Top The List For Most PesticidesDirty Dozen And Clean Fifteen For 2014Are There Pesticides In Your Baby's Food?

Once again apples top the list as having the most
pesticide residue in EWG's annual "Dirty Dozen" list.

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Thanks EWG
For the last ten years, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has taken data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on pesticide residue and compiled a list of the most and least contaminated fruits and vegetables. I use this list to determine which produce should be purchased as organic and which conventionally grown produce is safe to eat. For example, I always buy organic apples, which often top the "Dirty Dozen" list and I rarely spend the extra money for avocados that top the "Clean Fifteen."

The Dirty Dozen Plus
The Dirty Dozen contain high concentrations of pesticides as well as a number of different pesticides. For example:
* Every sample of imported nectarines and 99% of apple samples had pesticide residue.
* Potatoes had more pesticides by weight than any other food.
* A single grape sample contained 15 pesticides.
* Single samples of celery, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas, and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides each.

Here's the list of the Dirty Dozen:

Apples

Strawberries

Grapes

Celery

Peaches

Spinach

Sweet Bell Peppers

Nectarines

Cucumbers

Cherry Tomatoes

Snap Peas

Potatoes

Dirty Dozen Plus includes:

Hot Peppers

Kale/Collard Greens

Kale, collard greens, and hot peppers were found to be frequently contaminated with insecticides that are toxic to the human nervous system. But don't skip the greens, just make sure that you either buy organic or do what I do and grow them in your own garden.

The Clean Fifteen

This produce is the least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residue. For example:

* Only 1% of avocado samples had detectable residue.

* 89% of pineapples, 82% of kiwi, 80% of papaya, 88% of mango, and 61% of cantaloupe had NO residue.

* No fruit sample on the Clean Fifteen tested positive for more than 4 types of pesticides.

* Only 5.5% of the Clean Fifteen vegetable samples had 2 or more pesticides.

Here's the list of the Clean Fifteen:

Avocados

Sweet Corn

Pineapples

Cabbage

Frozen Sweet Peas

Onions

Asparagus

Mangoes

Papayas

Kiwis

Eggplant

Grapefruit

Cantaloupe

Cauliflower

Sweet Potatoes

Pesticides in Baby Food

The U.S. has no special rules for pesticide in baby food even though infants are far more vulnerable to harmful chemicals. Because of this fact, the European Commission has set a limit of no more than 0.01 parts per million of ANY pesticide in baby food. 

In 2014 the USDA monitored samples of applesauce, carrots, peaches, and peas sold as baby food.

Babies are the most vulnerable to harmful pesticides.

Results of USDA baby food testing

 5% of peach baby food samples had 10 different pesticides.

1/3 of peach baby food samples failed European guidelines.

18% of applesauce samples contained acetamiprid*.

17% of applesauce samples contained the fungicide carbendiazim.

Apple juice samples contained six different pesticides.

14% of apple juice samples contained DPA**

Samples did not show significant residue in carrots and peas

*Acetamiprid is a neonicotinoid pesticide that could disrupt the developing nervous system.

** DPA is a pesticide that was banned in Europe in 2012.

To be safe, I would encourage parents to purchase organic baby food, especially those containing apples, peaches or anythng made from produce listed on the Dirty Dozen list. You can also grind or blend your own baby food from organic produce or that grown from your own organic garden. 

Nursing mothers should consume organic fruits and vegetables, especially those listed on the Dirty Dozen, to prevent pesticides from contaminating their breast milk.

Thanks to the Environmental Working Group for their continued good work! 

Get the EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

The EPA Takes A Small Step To Protect Honey Bees - Should They Do More? Here's What You Can Do!

A local honeybee enjoys a calendula in my organic garden.

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Colony Collapse Disorder
Colony collapse disorder (CCD) describes the drastic decline of honey bees.  Although honeybee populations have had mysterious declines throughout history, recent dramatic declines have been alarming. Between 2012 and 2013, U.S. beekeepers lost 45 percent of their colonies. Scientists fear that this could lead to widespread crop failure in the very near future.

Why you should Care about the Honey Bees
I must admit, I didn't think much about honeybees while growing up in New York City. Most city people classify insects as annoying "bugs". Now that we living in a farming community, my views have certainly changed. But bee populations effect everyone. They are responsible for pollinating $15 billion dollars of crops - about one third of the food we eat, like certain berries, fruits, tree nuts, and vegetables.

Here's an example. Did you ever wonder why almonds are so expensive? Well, they are completely dependent on honeybees for pollination. In fact they use 60 percent of all managed honey bee colonies in the United States or 1.4 million colonies of honeybees! Colony collapse disorder has severely affected the almond industry. So if you enjoy eating almonds, putting almond milk on your cereal, or eating almond butter sandwiches, you should care about honey bees.
Other crops that require honeybee pollination include apples, oranges, lemons, limes, broccoli, onions, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, cucumbers, cantaloupes, carrots, and avocados, to name just a few.

Almonds are completely dependent on
 honey bees for pollination.

What Causes Colony Collapse Disorder?
Although no one is exactly sure what is causing CCD, the main culprits, according to the USDA,  are:
* Pathogens: Several pathogens have been linked to CCD. Nosema (a gut fungi) and Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus are two candidates although no one single pathogen has been found to cause the majority of CCD incidents.

* Parasites: Varroa mites have been identified in many of the affected honeybee colonies. It is not known if these mites contribute to CCD or if they are merely acting as a carrier of a pathogen.

* Management stressors: Yes, bees can be stressed out too! Because of local scarcity, bees are transported to locations throughout the country to pollinate crops. This, in addition to apiary overcrowding, creates stress for the bees.

* Environmental stressors: These can include poor nutrition due to the scarcity or lack of diversity of nectar and pollen and limited access to good, uncontaminated water. But the big spotlight, most recently, has been on their exposure to insecticides.

Insecticides - A Big Problem!
One particular class of pesticides, neonicotinoids, which include chothianidin, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid, have been accused of causing CCD. More than 30 separate scientific studies linking neonicotinoids to falling bee populations prompted the European union to vote to ban the use of these pesticides.

Recently in a Portland suburb, the Daily Beast reported that more than 50,000 bumblebees died in a Target parking lot after being exposed to trees that were treated with neonicotinoids. Unlike the EU, the EPA took a much smaller action to address the toxic effect of these chemicals on bees.

Are you Kidding Me?
Rather than banning these pesticides, the EPA has developed new labels to warn users that some pesticides may kill honeybees (can you hear me yawning?) Yes, we know how few people read labels and, even if they did, wouldn't hesitate to use a product that they've grown familiar with just because it says that it "can kill bees and other insect pollinators." If they cared that much, they would already have an organic garden and wouldn't think of using these toxic chemicals to grow their food.

What you Can Do!
Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Representative John Conyers of Detroit introduced  a bill to put a temporary ban on all suspect insecticides until the EPA thoroughly understands pesticides' true effect on pollinators. It's no surprise that the GMO manufacturers (whose seeds were develop to withstand these toxic chemicals) are against this measure. And I'm sure the chemical companies who manufacture the pesticides are lining up.

Earl Blumenauer and John Conyers asks that everyone contact their representative and encourage them to include the "Save America's pollinators Act"  in the Farm Bill.

Help save me!
Contact your representative now!

More to be Aware of when you Shop for Plants
Are you shopping for bee-friendly plants like sunflowers for your garden? A report from the Earth and the Pesticide Research Institute claims that some garden plants sold at Home Depot, Lowe's, and other garden centers have already been pre-treated with these bee-killing pesticides! 

Products to Avoid
Here's a list of products that contain neonicotinoids. To avoid killing bees, the Center for Food Safety recommends you avoid these common home and garden products.

Is Organic Farming the Answer?
It's difficult to farm organically. I know that firsthand. My husband and I are one of the very few organic vineyards in Sonoma county (only 3 percent of the roughly 1,800 vineyards in Sonoma county are organic). It's a constant struggle fighting weeds, mildew and other problems that arise. Organic solutions to these issues are also more expensive. But in the end, it's worth it. Even though wine grapes don't require pollination, our land is just buzzing with bees! They like it here. They know our flowers and vegetable gardens are safe to buzz around because they are free of these horrible chemicals. 

So when you are selecting seeds or plants for your garden or buying fruits and vegetables in the store, select organic when you can. It encourages organic agricultural practices which is not only good for your health and the health of the planet, but it's good for the bees!

Check out my eBook

Organic - It's Not Just What You Eat! - My Favorite "Safe" Products and Gift Ideas.

Lulu Organics Hair Powder
A dry shampoo without the worries of talc!

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Organic - Is it Worth It?
In April I wrote about organic fruits and vegetables and if they are worth the extra money. Although many of us go ahead and spend more for organic foods to avoid consuming pesticide residues, we are less conscious of other ways that we expose ourselves to harmful chemicals. 
Think about how many products we use in or on our bodies? Shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, lip balm, shaving cream, tampons, mouth wash - and the list goes on and on. Even licking an envelope exposes you to whatever happens to be in the glue! So today, because it's a big shopping day, I'm going to share a few of my favorite products that I feel safe using on my body.


iLike and Juice Beauty Organic Skin Care Products
One of the best things I did for myself this year was allow myself to be pampered. I started going to Amazing Face Sebastopol, where I got hooked on the most pleasurable facials in the world by Marianne Allred, the owner of the establishment. Besides knowing how to pamper, she really understands skin care products and only uses those with safe, organic ingredients. I was turned on to two product lines that she uses, which I now cannot live without! One is iLike and the other is Juice Beauty.
The iLike (pronounced "ey-lee-kay) products are so fresh and natural, you feel like they just came out of your blender! Ingredients for their products are grown and harvested in the Carpathian region of Hungary. My favorite product of theirs is the Rosehip Exfoliator but, honestly, every one of their products that I have tried has been amazing. Of course it's best to support your local businesses so try to find this product locally. If you live in or near Sebastopol, you can pick these up at Amazing Face Sebastopol.  If you cannot find them locally, try sites like Skinbotanica - they carry the full line of iLike products.

iLike Rosehip Exfoliator is my favorite but ALL of their products are truly amazing!

I also fell in love with Juice Beauty, my favorite products being their Stem Cellular Repair products as well as their reflecting gloss lip color. Their moisturizer smells like fresh citrus and you can almost feel it "eating up" the free radicals on your skin! I use the Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer , Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Serum and the Stem Cellular Repair Eye Treatment. In Sebastopol, you can buy Juice Beauty products at Amazing Face Sebastopol.

Juice Beauty Stem Cell Repair Products

Dry Shampoo - Lulu Organics
OK, I admit it. Some days I just don't want to wash my hair. In fact, there are many days like that. Especially in the winter when it's cold and rainy. So being able to shake a little hair powder in my hand, rub it through my hair for a few seconds and be done for the day is a blessing!
Dry shampoos aren't new but they are usually made with talc. Turns out that there are serious concerns that talc can be carcinogenic. I shutter to think how I freely powdered my babies' bottoms with talcum powder without even thinking about that!
Out of this concern, my daughter, Linda Aldredge, created Lulu Organics and developed a "talc free" hair powder . This dry shampoo comes in 4 delicious scents, Lavender and Clary Sage, Jasmine, Patchouli and Amber, and Vetiver and Black Pepper. They come in Full 4 oz bottles which can last a long time so they are worth the $30 price or if you want to try a few different scents, you can get the 1 oz travel size which are offered in both Lavender and Jasmine. New York Magazine listed this product in The Gift Guide 2011 - Stocking Stuffer Ideas. It was also listed as the number 1 hair powder in the Zoe Report. Follow Lulu Organics on Facebook. 

Lulu Organics Travel Size hair powder.
Offered in Lavender + Clary Sage and
Jasmine.

Don't Forget about those Lips!
I am especially worried about products that go on my lips. After all, we lick our lips all day long so whatever is on them, ends up in our body. A friend of mine whose wife suffered from celiac, went on a strict gluten free diet. When she found no relief, they discovered there was gluten in her lipstick! So we should worry about the ingredients in our lip products.
My two favorite lip products are Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss and Lulu Organics Lip Balm. 

Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss

Lulu Organics Lip Balm in Ruby Mint and Cardamom

Great Holiday Gifts
So when you are thinking about stocking stuffers and holiday gift giving, think about introducing your friends and families to one of these or other "safe" products. To check out how safe your favorite cosmetics are, go to EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.
To sample some of Lulu Organics most popular products, check out the Travel Kits. The Deluxe travel kit comes with 2 of Lulu Organics Hair powders, both Lip balms and a travel soap in a Walker Dunham bag.
Happy shopping!

Lulu Organics Deluxe Travel Bag features Lavender + Clary Sage hair powder, Jasmine hair powder, Ruby mint lip balm, Cardamom lip balm, Lavender +Oatmeal Soap - All in a reusable Walker Dunham bag.

Organic Fruits And Vegetables - Are They Worth The Extra Money?

Peaches can contain lots of pesticides - buy organic !

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Eat your Fruits and Veggies!
Research shows that people who eat a healthy diet that includes lots of colorful fruits and veggies have less incidences of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, stroke and high blood pressure. For some, eating 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables is a struggle. For vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists, not so much. I had that many servings in my smoothie this morning! But eating lots of plants can expose us to dangerous pesticides and other chemicals that can damage our health. We can avoid this exposure when we buy foods that have been grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizer.


Buying Organic
It's hard to wrap your head around paying $6 for a few pounds of apples and sometimes you just can't bring yourself to do it. So if you're on a budget (who's not?) and you need to make a decision about where to spend the money, you might be interested in a guide that was put together by the Environmental Working Group. After carefully reviewing data from almost 89,000 tests on produce for pesticide residue, they came up with what they call The Dirty Dozen. These are the absolute worst fruits and vegetables to eat with respect to the amount of pesticides they contain. So these are the ones you should spend the extra money to buy organic. Don't avoid them!! There are some beauties here that have healthful properties. Here's their list in the order of their pesticide content - #1 being the worst:
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Cherries
10. Kale and Collard Greens
11. Potatoes
12. Imported Grapes


Ways to Save Money
Sometimes you can get organic fruits and vegetables without spending the extra money. Many times I go to the farmers market and ask the farmers if their food is organic. They often tell me that they grow their food using organic methods but they don't want to spend the time and effort to get certified. 
Another place that I find reasonably priced, organic produce is at Cosco. Yes, I know, it's a big box store but it's a great way to have access to affordable, organic fruits and veggies. They have megasize bags of organic spinach and mixed salad greens.  I also buy their huge bags of organic frozen blueberries and peaches for my smoothies. 
The Environmental Working Group also created a list of the Clean 15. These are the top 15 fruits and vegetables with the lowest amounts of pesticides. So if you have to buy conventionally grown foods, these are the ones with the least amount of risk. Here's the list with #1 being the best:
1. Onions
2. Avocados (thank goodness, my fav!)
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mangos
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon


The EWG points out that eating 5 fruits and veggies from the Dirty Dozen results in you consuming an average of 10 pesticides a day - yikes! This drops to 2 pesticides a day if you are eating from the Clean 15. I don't know about you but I don't feel good about consuming even 2 pesticides a day! I surely wouldn't feel good about serving them to my loved ones. 
Of course my favorite way to save money and avoid ALL pesticides in to grow lots of my own food. Check out 10 Good reasons to plant a garden and  How to build a raised bed vegetable garden box. So dig out those high maintenance plants in your front yard and put in a vegetable garden! What could be more beautiful or healthful than that?

Organic Apple Pear Bundt Cake with White Whole Wheat Flour

Organic white whole wheat flour.

Fill well greased bundt pan with apple pear batter.

Remove bundt pan from oven after 50 minutes, when golden.

This recipe could also be used to fill two 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pans.

Celebration Cake

How better to celebrate my 100th post than with this healthy, organic, whole grain cake filled with fresh apples and pears. Thanks to all of you around the world who have been following my blog and have committed to living a healthier life style. I hope I've showed you that you can fuel your body with healthy and nutritious food without having to sacrifice taste, visual appeal or satisfaction. Your visits to my site inspire me to continue my work creating recipes and writing articles on healthy eating.

White Whole Wheat Flour

Now you can have your cake and eat it too - literally. For those in your family who dislike the taste and texture of whole wheat, you can now use a flour with all of the nutrition and fiber of whole wheat and still enjoy the taste and delicate texture of white flour. King Arthur brand offers both organic or non-organic white whole wheat. If your store doesn't carry it, you can buy it on their website. This whole grain wheat is made from a combination of hard white winter and spring wheats. You can use it to replace white flour in any recipe. If you cannot find white whole wheat flour, you can make this recipe using 1/2 white flour and 1/2 regular whole wheat flour.

Eggs

This recipe has 4 eggs. If you are worried about cholesterol, you can replace some or all of them with egg whites (2 egg whites for each egg) but it's a big cake with 20 servings so each serving only has about 40 mg of cholesterol. If you use eggs, please make sure they are organic, cage free, omega 3 eggs. The freshest eggs usually come from your local farmers. Actually, the best eggs come from your very own chicken, as many of you know.

***

Organic Apple Pear Bundt Cake [makes 20 servings]

2 1/2 cups organic white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup organic olive oil

4 organic, cage free, omega 3 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cups organic, unsweetened apple sauce

1 teaspoon organic vanilla

3/4 cups Sucanat or organic cane sugar

3 1/2 cups peeled and cored organic apples, thinly sliced

3 cups peeled and cored organic pears, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Fruit Fresh produce protector

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the apples and pears in Fruit Fresh produce protector and set aside. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine, eggs, olive oil, apple sauce, vanilla and sugar and mix thoroughly. Pour the egg mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and blend well with a hand mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the apples and pears. Pour into a well greased bundt pan or 2 well greased 8.5" x 4.5" glass loaf pans. Cook until golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. The bundt cake will take about 50 minutes and the loaf pans will take about an hour (or less if you use metal pans instead of glass). Remove from oven and place on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pans. Let cool at least another 15 minutes before cutting.

Per serving: 161.4 calories, 6.8 g fat, 1.1 g saturated fat, 42 mg cholesterol, 3.4 g protein, 22.2 g carbohydrates and 2.5 g fiber.