Help stop antibiotic abuse

Almost 80 percent of antibiotics sold in the United States are given to animals on factory farms. Not to treat sick animals, but to compensate for the dirty, crowded conditions the animals are raised in. The routine overuse of antibiotics creates bacteria resistant to known drugs. Illnesses caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria kill 70,000 Americans every year. If we continue to create bugs resistant to antibiotics, we will be in serious trouble.

Help stop this antibiotic abuse. Sign this petition to stop farm animal antibiotic abuse.

Healthy Cold Cereal Alternative

Store-bought cold cereals are certainly convenient, but not only are they quite expensive . . . they are really not very healthy. Even the organic, whole-grain varieties are highly processed and the nutrition really only comes from the chemically-added nutrients. So, what can you do when you need a quick breakfast in the morning? Well, my mom used to make us muesli--a breakfast she had grown up with in Germany. In fact, in the summer when fresh fruit and berries were plentiful, she'd just make a huge batch and we'd snack on it all day. It's a breakfast I still love . . . and my kids do too. In fact, it was the first meal they learned to make on their own.

Muesli is basically rolled oats soaked in milk (I use nondairy milk and also add yogurt for the probiotics) mixed with fresh or dried fruit and nuts/seeds if you like as well. I also like to add a splash of orange juice if I don't have oranges in it . . . it adds a nice tang. You can even use other rolled grains besides oats. No recipe is needed--this is a meal you cater to your own taste (though for those of you who prefer exact measurements, there are recipes for a winter muesli and summer muesli in The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook).

And the nice thing is you can make it for one, like I did for myself this week with blueberries, strawberries, and sliced almonds. Or make a big batch like my daughter did when she got home from school so we'd have enough left for breakfast tomorrow morning (muesli will stay good for several days). Besides the berries, she added chopped oranges, sliced bananas, and raisins.

Have fun and experiment!

Ah . . . Sundays

I love Sundays for many reasons--one of which it's the day that not only do I have lots of yummy fresh local fruits and veggies from my weekend farmers' markets . . . but I actually have enough time to prepare them.

This was our Sunday dinner this weekend . . . steamed artichokes; roasted red, yukon gold, and sweet potatoes; and salad made with the most buttery butter lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and snap peas . . . with dressing made from local olive oil and vinegar.

Oh and can't forget dessert! Strawberry shortcake of course. I love spring on the central coast!

Quick and Easy Dinner

We all need those quick and easy dinners in our repertoires for those hectic nights. Here's one that my family gobbled up.

Stir-fry a bunch of your favorite veggies in a large skillet--this time I did onions, carrots, zucchini, bok choy, and spinach--until almost to the doneness you like. Then stir in some diced baked tofu (I like Trader Joe's Organic Baked Teriyaki Tofu) and some leftover cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle on soy sauce and a little mango vinegar. Sweeten with agave nectar or your sweetener of choice if you like. Toss and heat through.

That's it!