« Previous page | Main
 

Entry bubble Painting Weekend!

By: Sommer | November 23, 2007 | Category: Health

This weekend, instead of traveling or shopping like crazy, we’ll be painting the bedrooms in our townhouse. I’m really excited to finish this project so I can focus on the other decorating and organizing that I’ve been putting off for about 6 months. Also, since I’m one of those people who can’t stand white walls, I’m doubly excited to paint! (I inherited this case of “white-wall-itis” from my mother…) painter

Although I’m excited to paint and do some other minor home improvement projects I’m also concerned about the quality of our indoor air, both since our townhouse is about 60 years old and because the Environmental Protection Agency reported that the air in America’s homes contains 2 to 5 times more volatile organic compounds (VOC) than the air outdoors.

Products like paint, carpet, building materials, cleaning products, and dry cleaned clothing all contain VOC’s which include chemicals like benzene (in glues, paints and furniture wax), methylene chloride (in paint strippers and aerosol paints), and perchloroethylene (in newly dry cleaned clothing). Obviously, products with lower levels of these chemicals are better for your health and home and they’re better for the environment, too, since they’re typically produced with more environmentally friendly processes.

Remembering back to how bad the fumes smelled after we painted in the spring led me to look into using low VOC paints this time since they release fewer dangerous and stinky fumes into the air. I think they’re a little more expensive but the difference in price is definitely worth the added comfort and peace of mind.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: chemical   health   home   organic   paint   sommer   voc  

 

Entry bubble Cooking with Locally Grown Foods

By: Sommer | November 02, 2007 | Category: Home and Family

Last week, Sam and I went to a cooking class put on by our local Extension office and a community group in our area. In 3 hours on a Monday night we learned to cook 5 seasonal dishes using organic, locally grown produce. 

First, one of the instructors gave us the general food safety guidelines (so we didn't make each other sick, of course), then we started into the cooking. In a group with 3 others, we set off to make our first dish, apple crisp. The locally grown, organic apples were delicious!  Our second adventure involved chopping veggies for a winter ratatouille with lots of leafy greens, and root vegetables.  Other groups worked to prepare a comforting squash soup, sweet potato biscuits, and a mixed green salad with feta, apples and toasted walnuts.  Luckily for us, we topped off the evening by sampling what we’d spent the last couple hours preparing.  Although I was unsure about a couple of the dishes, they all turned out to be delicious!  I’ve shared the recipe for the squash soup we prepared below. 

Local classes through your county Extension office are fun and rewarding and you’ll get to meet lots of like-minded folks who live in your community.  You’ll be surprised at the breadth and depth of things you can learn about through Extension – from becoming a Master Gardener to planning your retirement and learning how to keep your home environment healthy for your family.  Extension even has special programs just for kids through 4-H (and, no, it’s not just for farm kids!).
squash
Now, here’s the recipe I promised:

Autumn Squash Soup (serves 8 – 10)
4 tbsp. butter
2 c. yellow onions (finely chopped)
1 tbsp. curry powder
5 – 6 c. chicken or vegetable stock
3 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into large cubes
2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2/3 c. apple cider or apple juice
Salt and pepper
Parsley or cilantro for garnish

Method:  Melt butter in large pot.  Add chopped onions and curry powder and cook over low heat until onions are tender (about 15 min.).  When the onions are tender, pour in 4 c. of stock, add squash and apples and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until squash and apples are tender, about 25 min.  “Puree” soup with a potato masher.  If you want a smoother texture use a food processor, food mill, or blender.  Add apple cider or juice and additional stock, 1 – 2 c., until soup reaches desired consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Simmer briefly to heat through and serve, garnished with parsley or cilantro.  This soup will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

I'd love to hear about any of your favorite fall recipes so feel free to share!!

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cook   food   organic   recipes   sommer  

 

Entry bubble Organics, and Free-Range, and Naturals, OH MY!

By: Sommer | September 21, 2007 | Category: Health

I’m Sommer, your Friday blogger. I look forward to sharing government information that I encounter and use in my every day life and also to hearing your thoughts and suggestions of other great resources you know about. I know it’s the end of the week so thanks for checking out my post!

Lately, grocery shopping is less fun than normal. For once, though, it’s not because I’m going to 3 different stores each week just to buy what’s on sale. (Yes, I’m very cheap...) Now I’m on a new quest, this time to buy organic foods, which is almost harder than shopping the sales! Other than being more expensive (OUCH!) than conventional foods, it’s also hard to understand the whole host of organic food labels out there.

What’s the difference between “100% Organic” and “Made with Organic Ingredients”? What about labels that say “Natural” or “free-range”? Why do some foods carry the USDA Organic seal and some don’t?

This is what I found out:

  • Organic means that food producers must adhere to strict standards including not using antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, irradiation or bioengineering; they must adhere to certain soil and water conservation methods; and to rules about the humane treatment of animals.
  • “Organic” and “Natural” don’t mean the same thing. Also, “free-range,” "cage-free," and “hormone-free” don’t necessarily mean organic either.
  • Four categories  of “Organic”:
    1. 100% Organic: self explanatory, usually fresh foods,
    2. Organic (95% - 100% organic): usually fresh foods,
    3. Made with organic ingredients (at least 70% organic): packaged foods,
    4. Contains organic ingredients (less than 70% organic): packaged foods.
  • Only 100% Organic and Organic foods are allowed to use the USDA Organic Seal. Here’s what it looks like: 
USDA Organic Seal

 For more information visit the National Organic Program web site.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: food   health   organic   sommer  

« Previous page | Main