Take a Stand--Support our Right to Know!

In recent weeks, several public interest groups, including the Organic Consumers Association, Cornucopia Institute, Mercola.com, and Natural News, have pointed out the gross hypocrisy and greed of large food and beverage corporations selling billions of dollars of organic and natural food, while meanwhile bankrolling the industry opposition to GMO labeling. These organic and “natural” traitor companies and brands include:

- Kellogg’s (Kashi, Bear Naked, Morningstar Farms);
- General Mills (Muir Glen, Cascadian Farm, Larabar);
- Dean Foods (Horizon, Silk, White Wave);
- Smucker’s (R.W. Knudsen, Santa Cruz Organic);
- Coca-Cola (Honest Tea, Odwalla);
- Safeway (“O” Organics);
- Kraft (Boca Burgers and Back to Nature);
- Con-Agra (Orville Redenbacher’s Organic,
- Hunt’s Organic, Lightlife); and PepsiCo (Naked Juice, Tostito’s Organic, Tropicana Organic).

All of these companies are profiting from the sale of billions of dollars of their proprietary organic and “natural” food brands while at the same time funneling large sums of money to the Monsanto-led campaign to defeat the November 6th GMO labeling ballot initiative (Proposition 37) in California. We need to send a clear message to these traitor brands, in the only language they understand: lost profits and lower sales. Today, the Organic Consumers Association and Mercola.com are formally calling for a boycott of 7 organic and “natural” brands.

The above is reprinted from The Organic Consumers Association. Click here to read the full article. And I hope you'll join me in boycotting those brands.

Massaged Kale Salad????

So if you've taken one of my workshops, tried a recipe from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook or have just been following my blog for a while, you know I am a big fan of greens--especially kale. So you can imagine how I excited I was when one of my favorite authors Nava Atlas came out with a new cookbook called Wild About Greens. I have really been enjoying her recipes such as the White Bean and Greens Burgers that were such a hit with my kids, Greens and Polenta Wedges (so quick and easy with precooked polenta!), and tonight's dinner of Sweet Potato and Corn Stew with Hardy Greens . . . but the recipe I really want to try is her Massaged Kale Salad. So what's stopping me, you ask? I don't know. Three times now I have gotten kale with the intention of making it but every time, I end up making one of her cooked kale dishes. I guess I just can't believe that my family will like a raw kale salad. So tell me: have you made massaged kale salad? Or tried it somewhere? How is it? Did you like it? Did your kids like it?

I know I should trust Nava . . . she hasn't steered me wrong yet but I seem to have some kind of a block here . . . help me out!

(Pictured is Nava's Sweet Potato and Corn Stew to which I added black beans, red bell peppers, and zucchini and served over brown rice. YUM!)

Zucchini-Avocado Salsa

If you have a garden--or a neighbor with a garden--chance are you have a plentiful supply of zucchini right now. Maybe even too plentiful . . .

Well, this Zucchini-Avocado Salsa from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook is one of our favorite ways to serve zucchini. It makes a nice big batch--great for parties or potlucks and, as a friend recently commented, this tastes very much like guacamole but the zucchini stretches those expensive avocadoes. I keep a batch in the refrigerator so there is always a healthy snack on hand. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Zucchini-Avocado Salsa
This a delicious alternative to regular salsa or guacamole. It is great with chips or as a topping for burritos, tacos, or quesadillas.

2 small zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Tabasco sauce to taste
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Steam zucchini and corn together for 2 or 3 minutes until colors are bright. Place in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir together and chill for at least one hour.

Makes about 3 cups

Variation: Add 1 to 2 cups diced tomatoes

Quick and Healthy Dinner: Tempeh-Kale Pasta

Here is this month's quick and healthy dinner idea. If you have leftover pasta, it'll take about 15 minutes . . . and only a few minutes more if you are cooking the pasta from scratch. Just start the pasta water boiling before you chop your veggies and cook the pasta while you are cooking them. I didn't include measurements because this is one of those flexible dishes that you can make just for yourself or for a crowd.

Olive oil
Chopped onion
Sliced red bell pepper
Diced tempeh
Chopped kale (I prefer dinosaur kale)
Cooked linguine (hot or cold)
Marinara sauce
Red pepper flakes
Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Add enough olive oil to coat bottom of skillet and place over medium-low heat. Add the onion and pepper and saute for a couple of minutes to soften. Stir in the tempeh and kale. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes, until kale is bright green. Add the linguine, just enough marinara sauce to coat pasta and red pepper flakes to taste. Stir and cover. Cook a couple of minutes until heated through. Serve with fresh parsley, if desired.