If you’re wondering “How much should I feed my cat?” here are some basics to keep in mind. There are several things you need to keep in mind when feeding your cat, including when to feed and what to feed. If you still have questions, check out our guide to cat feeding. This includes topics such as when to feed your cat and whether to give dry food or wet. And don’t forget to monitor your cat’s body condition score.
How much should I feed my cat? The basics
Depending on several factors, how much should you feed your cat varies from individual to individual. Cats require different nutritional requirements and can vary up to 50 percent from the average. The most important thing is to consult a veterinarian to determine your cat’s individualized needs. Cats need more energy and nutrients at younger ages, while adult cats have a lower caloric intake. Consult your veterinarian to determine the best feeding amount for your feline friend.
It’s recommended that you re-evaluate your cat’s body condition every two weeks and adjust its diet accordingly. To do this, you can conduct a monthly weigh-in and body condition scoring. It’s also a good idea to periodically check your cat’s Body Condition Score. This way, you can keep track of how much your cat is eating. In addition, you can use a body condition score chart to track your cat’s progress.
It’s best to split dry food to make sure your cat doesn’t go hungry. Most cats can survive on 1/3 to half a cup of dry food twice a day. Any lower than this will result in excessive hunger and a lack of energy. Just like people, cats’ nutritional needs vary from person to person, so the amount that your cat needs will change as it gets older. For now, this is the best way to keep your cat satisfied.
Your cat’s nutritional needs depend on its age and activity level. Older cats need more calories to maintain their body mass. They can be fed only twice a day or multiple times throughout the day. Some cats lose weight while nursing their kittens. Using a kitchen scale or measuring cup to measure the portions is helpful for this process. Lastly, keep an eye on your cat’s weight. You can consult your veterinarian if your cat is not getting enough food.
How much should I feed my cat? This question is difficult to answer with any certainty, but it can help you determine a healthy feeding schedule for your cat. Cats require roughly 25 calories per pound of body weight. Eight ounces of dry food, for example, contains about 500 calories. For a ten-pound cat, this means your cat needs somewhere between one and three-quarters of a cup of food a day. This means that a cat weighing 15 pounds needs 216 calories a day, but that’s only if he is active and doesn’t sit around.
When to feed your cat
Whether or not to feed your cat is entirely up to you. If you like to be in control of your day, feeding your cat in the morning will ensure that you get to eat as you want to, but if you can’t commit to a regular time, you can try feeding your cat later in the day. A good habit to develop before you start feeding your cat is bonding with your cat. Make sure to pet and play with it as much as you can, as this will prevent your cat from seeing you only as a food source.
First, determine what type of food to give your cat. Is it dry, wet, raw, or a combination of foods? How many calories does each type of food contain? And what is the best amount for your cat to eat? Once you know what kind of food to feed, you can determine the amount. Once you know how much food your cat needs, you can adjust the feeding schedule as needed. Remember, you should consult your vet to ensure your cat is getting the right amount of food.
Keep the feeding schedule visible for everyone in the household. You can also place it on a refrigerator or next to the cat’s bowls. Then, everyone in the household can update it when necessary. Mark the schedule after the cat has eaten. If you have multiple cats, you should consider setting up a feeding station so that each cat gets an equal amount of food. If your cat isn’t a morning eater, you can place extra food in the bowl during the day and feed him at the same time.
The most common mistake people make when feeding their cats is overfeeding. You can also give your cat high-quality wet food as well as dry kibble to ensure that it gets the nutrients that it needs. Cats don’t have the thirst drive that dogs do. So, they need to get their water intake from food. Fresh water is always recommended, but some cats are sensitive to chlorine from tap water. Filtered water is a good choice to avoid unpleasant effects.
What to feed your cat — wet food or dry food?
If you have a multi-cat household, a water fountain is a great choice. Regardless of the choice, cats appreciate variety. If a cat is constantly eating the same food, they may become bored. By alternating wet and dry food, you can give your cat a variety of flavors and textures. You can mix wet food with dry food for variety, as some cats prefer it served fluffy, while others are content with the traditional dry formula.
Wet food is more nutritious and often offers more nutrients per serving than dry food. A cat can chew and ingest more nutrients with wet food. It requires more frequent visits to the bowl, but it keeps fresh longer. However, dry food does require proper storage to keep it fresh. If you aren’t sure which type of cat food to feed your cat, try blending some wet food with water for a variety of flavours and textures.
Despite this distinction, both types of food are nutritious. A cat with a medical condition may need more wet food than others. However, for most cats, a combination of both types of food is the best option. It will give your cat variety and enjoyment, while a mix of wet and dry food will help satisfy his natural desire to eat small meals more frequently. While there are many advantages to feeding your cat both types of food, you should remember that each type has advantages and disadvantages.
Some people choose wet food because it is easier to prepare. Some dry food products are higher in protein and contain more vitamins and minerals. These can be difficult for your cat to digest. In addition, you should also consider the cost of wet food vs. dry food. The difference between wet and dry food is usually not more than a few dollars per serving. But if you aren’t sure, consider a trial of several different dry cat food products before making a decision.
Still wondering “How much should I feed my cat?” S
When considering how much food to give your cat, it helps to keep in mind that cats have different energy needs than humans. While some cats like to laze around, others chase birds through the screen door or glass. A pregnant or nursing cat needs more food than a non-pregnant cat. And there are also certain health conditions that require your cat to eat more than usual. To find out the right amount of food to give your cat, consider the following five facts about your feline friend.
First, you must weigh yourself. Once you know your weight, you should weigh your cat. Write down the number and divide it by two. Once you know the weight of your cat, you can feed it according to its weight. The amount that you feed your cat should be roughly the same as your own. It’s best to use a pediatric scale for accurate weight measurements. The more accurate it is, the more accurate the results.
Another tip for determining your cat’s weight: Use a digital scale and measuring cups to measure your cat’s weight. Cats naturally produce concentrated urine, which makes dry food unsuitable. Additionally, dry food can lead to many different diseases, including urinary tract infections. For this reason, canned food is the way to go. Your feline will thank you! If you’re still wondering “How much should I feed my cat?”, here are a few general guidelines.
There’s no standard amount that’s right for all cats. Cats vary in weight, age, and activity level. As a rule, the amount of food your feline consumes should depend on their specific lifestyle. For example, if your cat is pregnant, you should feed her less than she’s used to eating. Moreover, high-quality, dense dry cat food is more nutritious than cheaper, thin-textured food, so you should consider reducing the amount of food she eats.


Our client – a company operating in the catering market, owner of a chain of oriental restaurants, among others. in Opole, Kraków, Katowice and Warsaw, is looking for English-speaking employees to work in a catering establishment in Opole as a kitchen helper.
Your duties will include, among others:
assistance in preparing dishes in accordance with the chef’s instructions
assistance in portioning and serving meals.
preliminary processing in preparation of vegetables, fruits and all raw materials for the production of meals (washing, peeling, cleaning)
maintaining order and cleanliness in the kitchen workplace,
compliance with occupational health and safety rules.
health booklet for sanitary and epidemiological purposes – don’t worry, we will help you complete this formality,
availability and willingness to work.
experience in working as a kitchen assistant min. 1 year
responsibility and meticulousness in performing tasks
communicative knowledge of English (the team you will work with is English-speaking)
employment based on a mandate contract directly with our client
contract for a period of 2 years
rate of PLN 27.70 gross (PLN 20.00 net per hour)
free commuting to work from home
free accommodation in 2-3 person rooms
free meals during the working day
possibility of working up to 200-240 hours a month.
work in an English-speaking team
By working with us, you gain:
legal employment with a Polish employer,
constant care of recruiters and logistics,
no fees during the recruitment process,
possibility of negotiating the rate with the Client on your behalf,
support of a legally operating employment agency, registered in KRAZ: 13395.


By: Ardith Bronson and Keri Joseph
On Saturday, November 14, Miami-Dade FAWL members and supporters gathered together in the spirit of Thanksgiving at the Feeding South Florida (FSF) warehouse in Pembroke Park. Along with approximately 100 other volunteers, they inspected, sorted, and packed food, to be distributed to food insecure South Floridians. Rather than “hungry,” FSF uses the term “food insecure,” to describe the 785,040 South Floridians who are uncertain of where their next meal will come from.
Florida is ranked as the 12th highest state in terms of highest rate of childhood food insecurity in the nation. Approximately 871,900 South Floridians struggle with hunger. 1 in 4 children (287,650) in South Florida go to bed hungry, and 1 in 7 older adults (150,000) face the choice between paying rent, utilities, buying medication, or putting food on the table. 50 percent of the families served by FSF have at least one working adult in the household. In Miami-Dade County alone, approximately 384,400 people suffer from food insecurity.
Volunteers learned that FSF receives food and monetary donations from a variety of sources such as retail stores, farmers, government agencies, and individuals. Food donations are inspected to ensure safety. As it turns out, the expiration date listed on food does not always correspond with the date that the food is actually unsafe to eat and/or loses its nutritional value. For example, canned food is safe to eat 3 years past its expiration date! Using “cheat sheets” volunteers sorted through food donated to FSF for distribution through non-profit partner agencies such as soup kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters, group homes, and other emergency food service programs.
Miami-Dade FAWL members Amber Kornreich, Freddi Mack, Kristin Drecktrah Paz, Trisha Widowfield, Liana Matthews, and Pro Bono Committee Co-Chairs Ardith Bronson and Keri Joseph worked in the “build” room for 3 hours. In total, the Miami-Dade FAWL team along with the other volunteers inspected, sorted, and packed 55,341 pounds of food, which will provide over 46,000 meals to food insecure South Floridians. In just a few short hours, working as a team, Miami-Dade FAWL volunteers were able to make a significant impact in our community.
If you are interested in volunteering for FSF, the organization welcomes volunteers Tuesday through Saturday during two time slots: 8:30-11:30 AM or 1:30-4:30 PM. More information is available here.


How much chocolate can a diabetic have on a daily basis? Consumption of dark chocolate on a daily basis has been linked to improved insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control - two critical elements in the development of diabetes. Sugar-free chocolate. Select varieties with all-natural sweeteners and keep consumption moderate. Chocolate is good for diabetes! It includes a good quantity of soluble fiber and is mineral-dense.
Dark chocolate includes a higher concentration of cacao than milk chocolate. The flavanols in dark chocolate stimulate the production of Nitric Oxide. Due to their antioxidant properties, flavanols are also beneficial in fighting cell damage relating to aging. These foods are also typically very thin so they melt quickly in your mouth and don't cause spikes in blood sugar like candy bars or cookies might.
Well, let’s be clear: chocolate candy bars are NOT healthy. Most of the findings are positive. There are several types of chocolate, as you probably already know. Just keep it in moderation and make good choices with lots of chocolate, and not too much sugar. Chocolate may be a good pre-exercise snack for those with diabetes who are not overweight. The benefits of dark chocolates are immense.
While there is no set schedule for when to eat dark chocolate, exposure to chocolate can provide physical and mental health benefits. Both of these actions can lead to lower blood sugar. These substitutes are usually safe for diabetes, since they have no effect on blood sugar. Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible.
Consuming dark chocolate is a simple method to include cacao into your diet, however too much may produce a blood sugar increase. Thousands of people suffering from erratic blood sugar has been using this ground-breaking solution… For special cases like people with diabetes or those who are overweight or obese, it’s best to talk with a doctor before choosing to consume dark chocolate. C. M. Portas, B. Bjorvatn, and R. Ursin, “Serotonin and the sleep/wake cycle: special emphasis on microdialysis studies,” Prog.
It was based on the hunch that the potential health benefits of cacao could be down to its high level of flavonoids, plant compounds also found in berries and tea. If you are ready to take advantage of the potential benefits of chocolate, you might be wondering about diabetic chocolate brands. What Other Nutrients Are In Chocolate? Each body reacts to these nutrients differently, so you should be the ultimate judge of the question in the title.
Many chocolates are high in sugar, making them hard for your body to digest, especially if you have an existing health condition such as diabetes or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Cocoa beans are high in potassium, so most products based on them are also high in this mineral. So, Lark does not recommend eating a whole basket of sugar-free Easter eggs or other products from diabetic chocolate brands!
I’m talking about dark chocolate, which is a truly healthy form of chocolate if you choose the right products. Dark Chocolate Amul Sugar-Free If you are a dark chocolate enthusiast, this dark chocolate from Amul may be worth considering. While some studies suggest that antioxidants, fish oil, stimulants such as caffeine, or other specific foods may help improve brain function or prevent dementia, these benefits are hard to prove and studies have been inconclusive at best.
Various studies have linked chocolate consumption to lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels, and lower levels of unhealthy inflammation, according to a review article published in Antioxidants and Redox Signaling. 3: It shouldn’t have additional sugary ingredients. A chocolate bar with 75 percent cacao means the chocolate bar is made up of three-quarters cocoa solids and one-quarter sugar and other ingredients. And they had higher levels of epicatechin, a particularly healthy compound that is found in 100 percent cacao.
Hundreds of studies have found that chocolatespecifically, dark chocolate keeps the heart and blood vessels in good shape. A lot of research has looked at chocolate consumption and health, especially heart health. Is dark chocolate high in caffeine? Dark chocolate contains about half of the caffeine in a cup of coffee. If you get high-quality dark chocolate that has a high percentage of cocoa, it is highly healthful.
However, it is important to consume it in moderation due to its high calorie content. Their high-quality cocoa content with the healthy fruit-and-nut combination can be a delight to the palate with no guilt. When comparing brands, consumers should look at the sugar content. It's best to choose chocolate with the lowest glycemic index to help manage your blood sugar levels.


REYES HOLDINGS AND THE COCA-COLA COMPANY CLOSE ON TRANSACTION FOR NEW DISTRIBUTION TERRITORIES AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES IN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA
Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling will operate newest Reyes Holdings Coca-Cola Business in California and Nevada
ROSEMONT – October 27, 2017 – Reyes Holdings, L.L.C. announced today that it has closed on a previously disclosed agreement with The Coca-Cola Company. Reyes Coca- Cola Bottling, L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of Reyes Holdings, has officially been granted and formally transitioned distribution territories and production facilities in California and Nevada, including the major metropolitan markets of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Las Vegas.
Reyes Holdings acquired its first Coca-Cola distribution territory in the Midwest in 2015. After a series of acquisitions, Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reyes Holdings, now serves parts of six states in the Midwest including Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Detroit.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to expand our Coca-Cola operations into California and Nevada, and welcome Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling to the Reyes Family of Businesses,” said Chris Reyes, founder and co-Chairman of Reyes Holdings.
“This is another exciting chapter in Reyes Holdings’ history, as we build upon our success in the Midwest to become one of the largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products in the United States. We have grown our business over the years because of our commitment to the communities we serve, and we look forward to continuing that practice in California and Nevada,” said Jude Reyes, founder and co-Chairman of Reyes Holdings.
These transactions further strengthen Reyes Holdings’ partnership with Coca-Cola and show the company’s commitment to Coca-Cola’s 21st Century Beverage Partnership Model, a broad initiative aimed at building on system capabilities to sustain success.
Reyes Holdings is committed to working collaboratively with The Coca-Cola Company to implement a smooth transition with minimal disruption for customers, consumers and sys- tem associates.
About Reyes Holdings, L.L.C.
Reyes Holdings, aligned with leading beverage and foodservice providers, delivers some of the best-known brands and widest variety of food and beverage items to retailers around the world. Annually, the company delivers more than 950 million cases of bever- age and food products from over 150 warehouses in North, Central and South America, as well as Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Reyes Holdings operations include Reyes Beverage Group, the largest beer distributor in the United States representing im- port, craft and domestic beer brands; The Martin-Brower Company, L.L.C., a global quick- service restaurant distribution business and the largest supplier worldwide of distribution services to the McDonald’s restaurant system; Reinhart Foodservice, L.L.C., one of the largest broadline foodservice distributors in the United States; Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling, L.L.C., a Coca-Cola bottler and distributor based in the Midwest; and Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, L.L.C., a West Coast Coca-Cola bottler and distributor. Reyes Hold- ings is the 11th largest privately held company in the United States with more than 31,000 employees and annual sales in excess of $27 billion. For more information about Reyes Holdings, visit the company website at www.reyesholdings.com.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, offering over 500 brands to people in more than 200 countries. Of our 21 billion-dollar brands, 19 are available in lower- or no-sugar options to help people moderate their consumption of added sugar. In addition to our namesake Coca-Cola drinks, some of our leading brands around the world include: AdeS soy-based beverages, Ayataka green tea, Dasani waters, Del Valle juices and nectars, Fanta, Georgia coffee, Gold Peak teas and coffees, Honest Tea, Minute Maid juices, Powerade sports drinks, Simply juices, smartwater, Sprite, vita- minwater, and Zico coconut water. At Coca-Cola, we’re serious about making positive contributions to the world. That starts with reducing sugar in our drinks and continuing to introduce new ones with added benefits. It also means continuously working to reduce our environmental impact, creating rewarding careers for our associates and bringing economic opportunity wherever we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we em- ploy more than 700,000 people around the world. For more information, visit our digital magazine Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, and follow The Coca- Cola Company on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
For more information, please contact:
Edelman for Reyes Holdings Tel: (312) 240-3346


Beautiful home-cooked food from local chefs for local people
Who is Localchefs?
Localchefs UK, is an affiliation of our sister company which was set up in October 2019.
It is a network of home cooks/bakers bringing their absolute best in culinary experience for you to enjoy either to collect or delivered right to your doorstep.
HOW IT WORKS
Order fresh home-cooked meals from your local chefs
from your local chefs
Order home-cooked meals
from a local cook
A cook prepares your food
after receiving your order
Get your food
collect or get it delivered on the day
We are working on the perfect virtual food hall for you, but until then, please join our Facebook groups to explore and enjoy home-cooked meals from a chef in your neighborhood.
If we are not yet in your neighborhood, worry not. We are planning on expanding - in the meantime, please do join our mailing list for latest news and updates.
We are also working on the way we bring you the chefs & their menus, and ways of ordering - until then, join us on Facebook.
We want to bring back home-cooked meals
At Localchefs, we don't want to just serve food, but love also. We are dedicated to bringing you home-cooked food back into your lives, from recipes that would have you thinking 'just like grandma used to make' to dishes rarely found in restaurants. Local chefs would allow you to eat your way around the world and discover recipes that were handed down through generations.
Excited for home-cooked food from your Local chefs?


Cooper's Foods is an unrated Grocery Store Food Store in the area around Lakeshore Rd and Klo Rd, where the average rating for Food Stores as of this Monday is 4.2 out of 5.
Please include your correct email address.
This is the food page of Cooper's Foods on 3155 Lakeshore Road Kelowna BC V1W3S9.
Cooper's Foods is a new listing on food pages, updated on July 25, 2016.
Cooper's Foods is ranked #3 of 8 Food Stores in South Central Kelowna.
This page has had 433 visitors. You are the 433rd.


After so many studies it is being told that Fat is good for you. This Fact is really hard to swallow. Yes! We all need fats; we cannot live without them. But the only thing we need to know is the right type of fat. Just think for a while Are you eating the right type of fat? There are good fats and bad fats to look for in your diet.
Talking about myself. I was a person who used to order food less in fats because of family history of cholesterol.
But in past couple of months I realized that eliminating all fats from your diet and relying on food only with low fats is not a good idea. You don’t really need to eliminate all fats from your diet. In fact, some fats actually helps to promote good health. You only have to figure out that which type is good for you. Be wise one to choose nice one. Choose the healthier types of dietary food and then enjoy your food.
Don’t be afraid to consume fats, we all need adequate fats. It helps to support metabolism, maintain cell membrane integrity, helps nutrient absorption, nerve transmission, immunity, hormone production, and absorption of many nutrients like vitamins A and D. it also keeps us satisfied.
On other side consuming fats contribute to gain weight, heart disease and certain types of cancer.
The key is to swap bad fats with good fats in our diet.
Mainly, there are two groups of fats: Saturated and Unsaturated. Lets talk about both of them.
The Saturated Fats
It’s easy to knot all saturated fats into one group i.e. “Heart threatening” group. But the fact is that there are many kinds of saturated fats. According to studies coconut oil is rich in Lauric acid that raises LDL “a bad cholesterol”. On other side some saturated fats cause the buildup of fatty plaque in arteries.
Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products such as meat, eggs, dairy and seafood. Plant foods are also high in saturated food like palm oil and coconut oil. Other examples are: lamb, butter, cheese and many more. In addition to these many baked goods and fried foods can contain high levels of saturated fats.
The Unsaturated Fats
The unsaturated fats are called good fats. They are divided into two categories: Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated. These fats are also known as essential fatty acids. As our bodies are unable to make essential fatty acids, so we need to intake these good fats from our food. These unsaturated fats keep our arteries clear. It helps to produce good cholesterol, which prevents risk of heart disease. Monounsaturated fats lower LDL “a bad cholesterol” and increase HDL “a good cholesterol”. The unsaturated fat serves as energy sources for body. They provide structure for muscles and bones.
Unsaturated fats are mainly found in nuts including walnuts and peanuts. On other side canola, olive oil, avocado and almonds are also high in unsaturated fats.
Unsaturated fats can help in weight loss and avoid heart problems afterwards in life.
In order to maintain a good level of body fat includes, your overall body composition counts. You can maintain or make adjustments to your body composition through both diet and exercise. Here are some tips to maintain normal fats in your body
- Avoid cooking food that is high in saturated fats.
- Minimize using commercially packed foods.
- Use lower fat version dairy.


COMPLETE. A complete diet for crested geckos, day geckos, gargoyle geckos and other fruit eating or omnivorous reptiles. No need to supplement with live insects. All the nutrition your cresties need in one scoop!
EXPERTISE. Formulated and manufactured by a herpetologist and pioneer in the reptile nutrition industry with over 25 years of experience.
SUPERFOOD. Loaded with insect-based & essential protein sources, premium all-natural fruit powders, and nutrient-rich foods like probiotics, kelp, algae, bee pollen and more to promote health and development.
CONVENIENT. Easy to mix diet for your cresties. Just use the scoop we included in your pouch and mix one part powder to two parts water. Let the mixture sit for ten minutes to thicken and serve. Offer food every day and discard any uneaten food after 24 hours. Your cresties will love it! Try various flavors to see which one is your crestie’s favorite.
MADE IN THE USA. Developed, formulated, tested, and manufactured in the USA.
The best part of having a crested gecko is feeding them! For those wanting the best for their geckos, try GARGEER GENTLE GECK The Gentle Geck series uses premium ingredients, with no soy, wheat, or cheap fillers. GARGEER prides itself with an ‘animal first' approach. Our approach led us to collaborate with leading experts in the pet food industry who study not only the nutritional requirements of crested geckos but their feeding behavior as well. This led us to develop a complete diet that your cresties will enjoy. The GARGEER Insects Plus products (Breeder, Fig, Mulberry, and Tropical), use premium proteins from black soldier fly larvae along with nutrient-rich spirulina and marigold formulated to replicate the diet your cresties would consume in the wild. Even the pickiest crestie will love our Gentle Geck diet. The GARGEER FRUIT MIXES (Fruit Blend, Mango, and Papaya) are rich with premium proteins, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. GARGEER superfoods contain no unwarranted ingredients or fillers. The mixes are easily digestible, smell great, and contain no artificial flavors or colors. Our GARGEER blends were developed, formulated, tested and manufactured in the USA, WITH PRIDE.


Trump tossed Obama’s healthy meals, but not wellness goals
(District of Columbia) Even as President Donald Trump has moved to rollback much of the regulatory infrastructure left by the Obama administration, the nation’s K-12 schools face a deadline this year for complying with a student wellness mandate finalized last summer.
Under rules adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture while Barack Obama was still president, local educational agencies participating in the school lunch program must develop wellness policies that “promote the health of students and address the problem of childhood obesity.”
Elements required to be addressed include nutritional standards for all foods and beverages available on campus; goals for student physical activity; and whether marketing or advertising can be allowed for selling food on campus.
LEAs are expected to have policies in place sometime during the 2017-18 school year.
The new rules appear to be going forward despite a move in May by Trump’s Agriculture Secretary, Sonny Purdue, to scale back healthy lunch standards championed by former first lady Michelle Obama.
Under legislation signed by President Obama in 2010, LEAs were required to reduce the amount of sugar and sodium served in school meals while also adding more fruit and vegetables.
In announcing the rollback earlier this spring, Perdue said that kids were not eating the healthier and more costly food selections. He said the department would delay additional reductions in the amount of sodium used in school meals and extend a deadline on schools serving whole-grains and lower fat milk for at least three years.
Meanwhile, however, the USDA appears intent on enforcing the separate wellness standards, as well as the federal Smart Snack program.
The Smart Snack program establishes standards for foods sold out of vending machines or school fundraisers. Under the program, snacks must:
- Be a grain product that contains 50 percent or more whole grains by weight (have a whole grain as the first ingredient); or
- Have as the first ingredient a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, or a protein food; or
- Be a combination food that contains at least a quarter cup of fruits or vegetabls; and
- The food must meet the nutrient standards for calories, sodium, sugar, and fats:
- Contain no more than 200 calories for a snack, or 350 calories for an entrée;
- Contain no more than 200 mg of sodium for a snack, or 480 mg for an entrée;
- Contain no more than 35 percent total fat;
- Contain no more than 10 percent of calories in saturated fat;
- Contain no trans-fat; and
- Contain no more than 35 percent by weight in sugar.
The wellness policies must:
- Include specific goals for nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness;
- Standards and nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available on the school campus during the school day that are, at a minimum, consistent with Federal regulations for program meals and the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, and designed to promote student health and reduce childhood obesity; and
- Policies that allow marketing or advertising of only those foods and beverages that may be sold on the school campus during the school day, i.e., those foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards (available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/fr-072916d).
LEAs are also required to:
- Review and consider evidence-based strategies in determining local school wellness goals;
- Involve, inform, and update the public (including parents, students, and other stakeholders) about the content and implementation of the local school wellness policy; and
- Conduct an assessment, at least once every three years, to determine compliance, progress, and the extent to which the policy compares to model local school wellness policies.


Van life meals need to be three things. Healthy, cheap, and easy peasy lemon squeezy! Here is a list of our favorite vegetarian van life recipes for life on the road!
Just because you are in a van doesn’t mean your cooking has to be dull. Check out these four kitchen utensils to elevate your vanlife cooking to home-cooking.
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To skin the tomatoes:
Using a shape knife, cut small crosses at opposite ends of the tomatoes. Place in a medium saucepan with enough boiling water to cover them. Boil for about 30 seconds; strain and immediately place into bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process. Peel away the skin and roughly chop the tomatoes.
In a medium saucepan, sauté onions and garlic in water for about three minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover with a lid. Simmer 30 minutes then discard bay leaf. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of salt if needed.
Process your soup in a blender or food processor. It keeps in the fridge for 2 days and in the freezer for up to two months.


Food photography is a photography genre used to create attractive still life photographs of food. It is a specialization of commercial photography. The photos are used in advertisements, magazines, packaging, menus or cookbooks. Professional food photography is a collaborative effort. It usually involves an art director, a photographer, a food stylist, a prop stylist and their assistants.
In advertising, food photography is often used to exaggerate the attractiveness or size of the advertised food.
In this post we have featured some of the best pictures related to food!!!


I live in the country. I should be able to make a decent loaf of bread. I borrowed the bread machine from my Mom. I bought all of the healthy ingredients. And I was ready to bake several loaves a week so that we wouldn't have to buy processed bread from the store again or go broke buying the healthy stuff.
Attempt #1: Dense brick that slightly resembled bread.
Attempt #2: Not quite as dense but still gross brick that slightly resembled bread.
Now I could buy the premade bread mixes but what's the point? Those are $4 a pop. I might as well go to the natural section of the grocery store and pay $4 a loaf for good bread.
Well, I'll give it another try. I live in the country. I have to be able to do this!


I made yummy deliciousness in the uncomplicated form of chocolate chip cookies. I only had a half bag of chocolate chips but I had everything else, so I cut the entire recipe in half to match. It seems that I made my cookies smaller than average so I still have 2 dozen!
I have been diabetic for almost 15 years so I have learned how to bake using Splenda. *Tip: Splenda is sweeter so you won’t need as much. Also it does not goo like sugar does so even though I use mostly splenda, I add some sugar for a more traditional consistency.*
Hope you enjoy the picture as much as I enjoyed the baking!


Sohan-e Qom is a traditional Persian saffron brittle or toffee candy from the city of Qom, Iran. Buttery, crunchy and scented with saffron, this candy is easy to make and addictive. Sohan a brittle sweets Iran. These products have been popular in the history of the Ottoman Empire. Sohan baked in central Iran. The sweetness of the egg, cardamom, rose water, flour, wheat germ, cooked saffron and pistachio and almond powder. Sohan has a sweet taste is crisp. Iran’s daily production is 20 tons Sohan. These products are generally produced in several forms.
Commonly known as Gaz, this sumptuous nougat originated in Isfahan, a province in Central Iran that was so grand it twice served as the capital of Persia. The name gaz comes from the Persian gaz-angebin, meaning “sap of angebin”. Angebin is a kind of wild tamarisk tree that grows in the Zagros Mountains in Isfahan. Gaz is often assumed to be the sap of that tree. Gaz is also called manna, just like the food sent from heaven in the Abrahamic texts.
Pashmak is a form of Persian cotton candy which is made from sesame and sugar and it is one the most delicious sweets in the city of Yazd in Iran. Cotton Candy has a wonderful flavor and is suitable for all ages. Flexible cotton candy mode and You can shape it. The very word itself means “wool-like”, because it resembles wool. The common usage of pashamk is to decorate cakes, desserts, fruits, puddings and ice cream but can also be used on its own.
Ranginak is an old and wonderful tasty dessert from the southern region of Iran and is made of dates and flour, cinnamon and nuts. It is traditionally served with a freshly brewed cup of tea and can be kept in the fridge for a long time. Toasted flour, which is usually enriched with cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom, makes the bottom and the top layer of the dessert, while the center is filled with stuffed dates. You must definitely try this sweet and delicious dessert.
Traditional Persian Ice-cream is the most exotic and luxurious ice cream that is a tasty dessert with a variety of up to 3 different tastes such as; saffron, vanilla and chocolate. It can be topped with your favorite dessert dressing but commonly it is topped with frozen cream and nuts. The very nice thing about it, is that it has half as much sugar as the other sorts of ice-cream.
Qottab is one of the oldest sweets in Iran, it has kept its place among other Iranian sweets since the days of Achaemenid dynasty. Deep-fried qottab pastries are traditional Iranian sweets consisting of soft wheat dough wrapped around almond or walnut fillings. They are usually generously spiced with cinnamon, rose water, cardamom, and orange blossom, then shaped into round or crescent forms.
Baqlava is “Queen” of the sweets, star of festive tables, one item no one passes when offered and served especially on Nowruz! Baqlava is an elegant Persian dessert with a sweet combination of cinnamon, walnut, sugar. Usually it’s topped with sweet honey and is perfect with a cup of bitter tea. This popular dessert is made in different parts of the world with some slight variations. It has layers and layers of flaky pastry surrounding nuts and spices and sweetened with an fragrant syrup.


This giveaway is now closed.
When I first started blogging I didn’t eat a completely plant based diet. I didn’t eat meat, but it wasn’t until a year into sharing my life and my stories with the world that I dove head first into all things plants. One of the first blogs I started to connect with on this plant based adventure was Annie’s blog, An Unrefined Vegan.
I mean, how adorable is she!?
Annie is the mastermind behind the popular biannual Virtual Vegan Potluck, an online plant based party I’ve participated in multiple times.
Annie’s blog is original, unique, and full of wholesome plant based recipes. She is my kind of people. It was only a matter of time before Annie wrote her own cookbook, which I’m pleased to share with you today. To celebrate her hard work and gorgeous recipes, I happily agreed to share one of her many creations.
I’m also offering you all a chance to win a copy of this book for your own home.
When choosing which recipe I wanted to share I struggled between something chocolate, and something savory. After much deliberation, and realizing my blood was becoming tainted with too much chocolate I chose savory.
I don’t eat cheese, but once every blue moon I get a desire for some kind of hearty nacho or mac and cheese dish. The prepackaged vegan options are usually sketchy, so I was stoked to find Annie created her own version from one of my favorite vegetables…
To get the full affect of this dish I tried it both with pasta, and with chips. Both equally delicious, and not a drop was spared. Below is Annie’s recipe, including the words directly from her book. Enjoy!
This recipe was inspired by an appetizer at Matthew Kenney’s now-defunct “plant-based Mexican kitchen,” Tamazul, in Oklahoma City. While everything I’ve eaten there has been delicious, fresh, and creative – their queso impressed me more than any other dish. I was too shy to ask how they made it, so I set about creating my own version.
This also makes a delicious sauce for mac ’n’ cheez.
Gluten-free, Oil-free, Easy
BUTTERNUT SQUASH QUESO
Makes ~2 cups
2 cups roasted* butternut squash
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 8-12 hours, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. white miso paste
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. cumin powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric
Water, as needed
Add all of the ingredients to a high-speed or regular blender and process until very smooth. You will need to tamp down the ingredients and add water – just a little at a time – during processing to get a very smooth texture.
Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and gently heat. Serve warm with baked tortilla chips or fresh steamed vegetables. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Try using pumpkin puree or roasted sweet potato in place of the butternut squash.
Reserve 1 cup of the queso to make Cheddar Cheez (see recipe on page XX).
If you like it spicy, stir in a 1/4 cup of fresh, diced jalapeño peppers (or pickled jalapeños) – or for milder flavor – stir in a 1/4 cup of roasted red bell pepper.
*Here’s how I roast a butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 425-degrees and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut off the squash’s stem and pierce the skin a few times with a knife. Place the whole squash on the baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the flesh of the squash is very soft (I test it by inserting a knife). The skin will be shiny and dark brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before handling. Peel off the skin, then break open the squash and scoop out the seeds.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Ann Oliverio and Front Table Books.
I licked my bowl, because I have no shame and it was THAT good.
For your chance to win a copy of Annie’s book simply leave me a comment telling me your favorite vegetable, and your favorite way to use it! If you’d like to purchase a copy of Annie’s book, you can find it here.
BUT WAIT, there’s MORE! Four U.S. readers have a chance to win a signed copy of one of Jazzy Vegetarians cookbooks, 1/2 a pound of Sprouting Seeds Mix from Todd’s Seeds, FIVE items from NuNaturals products, and a copy of Annie’s book. All of this…you’d get ALL of it. Click the link below to enter that giveaway.
Phewww…now I need a cookie…
Q: What are you waiting for, GO ENTER TO WIN THIS BOOK! Winner will be notified by e-mail.


By:Applied Skills Training & Career Development CenterView All 15 Courses
When it comes to an outstanding dining experience, guests rely on restaurant servers. They're the ones who make them feel welcome, can explain the menu, serve food, and provide all-around great service from the time guests arrive until they are ready to leave.
The Certified Restaurant Server recognizes the high level of professionalism needed to succeed and to bring outstanding service to every guest.
The certification is supported by the START (Skills, Tasks, and Results Training) for Restaurant Server.
The program presents general hospitality knowledge and soft skills needed in the hospitality industry, along with concise instructions for training new or prospective employees on how to perform 22 key tasks correctly. These include:


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They also have Tostadas (), Guacamole Loco () and Locos Nachos ().
Dinner entrées include Fish & Chips (), Chicken Tarragon (), Chicken Roulade (), Panned Seared Mahi (), Roasted Duck (), Grilled Salmon (), New York Strip () and 8 or 10 oz. You'll also find a Burrito with Re-Fried (), Flat Breads (), Torta () or Sincronizada (). Domestic and import Beer, like Modello®, is available as is Mexican Coca-Cola®.
Hours are 11 AM to 8 PM daily, maybe later on weekends. of dining space, bigger outside than inside, an open kitchen, vertical meat grills (Al Pastor) and "Design Your Own Meal" concept. Prime Rib (/), Braised Short Ribs (), 8 and 10 oz. Bone-In Rib Eye (), Lamb Tequesta (), 16 or 20 oz.
(Mexican) [L/D] Officially opened February 2, 2018. For meat entrées they offer Free Range Chicken (), Skirt Steak (), 12 and 24 oz.
Full and half size salads include Garden and Caesar ( or ), Cobb Salad ( or ), Mediterranean Salad ( or ) and one size fits all, Seafood Salad () or Tuna Filet Salad (). Sunday Brunch 'til 2 PM here, ranges from French Toast at to Steak & Eggs at . 2 Veggie Grilled or 2 Fried Quesadillas ( each), 2 Veggie Tamales (), 3 Flautas (), 3 Fried Tacos () or 3 Fried Masa () are also on the menu.
There's a late night menu of appetizers (-14), and sandwiches (-13). For fillings choose Grilled Shrimp or Fish, Marinated Chicken, Mexican Sausage, Pot Pork, Seasoned Beef, Grilled Steak or Pork in Achiote Chili & Pineapple, all at the same price.
This is a service of The Villages Gourmet Club containing unbiased ratings by club members without any advertisements since 2006. (Continental) (Steakhouse) [D] Located on SR 40, west of Beach St., a block before the bridge across the Halifax River. It's in an unmistakeable art-deco white building in sleepy downtown. They also offer a Fresh Fish (MP) and Pasta Dish ().
Our purpose is to promote and celebrate good food and exceptional service at reasonable and fair prices. The bar and dining room is right out of the Empire State Building lobby or luxury Ocean Liner lounge. You can also add Shrimp ( ), Scallops ( ), King Crab Oscar ( ) or Lobster Tail ( ) to any entrée. Side dishes are added like Saffron Rice ( ), Steak Fries ( ), Orzo Pasta ( ), Asparagus ( ), Creamed Spinach ( ), Baked or Mashed Potato ( each), Sweet Corn Soufflé ( ), Beans and Bacon ( ) or Black Truffle Mac & Cheese with Bacon ( ). Joanne Mc Mahon, owner, here and at 310 Park South (below). (American) (Wine Bar) [L/D] In business since 1999.
The restaurant is beautiful and bright, with amazing views. I don’t think the waiter came by after our entrées were served. We had the Chateaubriand for two and split a Caesar Salad. My Complimentary Birthday dessert served all 4 of us. This is a special place, we spent the night at the hotel and it was special in every way.
For soups they have Baked Onion (), Gator Stew () and Lobster Bisque ().
They also offer a cold () or hot () sampler that serves 3 or 4 people.
Now you can search our entire database, just click the Search button at the bottom of this window. A limited menu has small bites like Imported French Brie Plate (), a Hummus and Pita Platter () and Shrimp Crab Parmesan Dip (). Appetizers like Chips and Dip, Fried Pickles, Chicken Quesadillas, Pot Stickers, Buffalo Wings, Chicken Strips, Calamari, Nachos and Firecracker Shrimp run -12 each. Arthur, John Jacob Aster, Thomas Edison and the Vanderbilt family. Spinach Salad (), Classic Caesar Salad in two sizes (/), House Salad (/), Caprese () and a Chopped Salad () can be your second course. Reservations taken by phone and advised weekends and for shows. Entrées include beef, fish, chicken and duck at to each.
Videos giving more particulars about the establishment are linked with a symbol. Establishments with free Wi Fi are indicated with a sign. Flatbreads range from Fresh Tomato with Buffalo Mozzarella (), to Salami-Tomato-Mozzarella (), to Buffalo Chicken-Mozzarella (). Filet Mignon (), both served with a Baked Potato. Beer and wine licensed with a few dozen red and white wines offered by the glass and bottle, like an Argentine Alamos Malbec (/) or Santa Marina Italian Pinot Grigio (/). Thirsty Thursday features 2-4-1 Domestic and Draft Beers. Gabriele, Matthias and Horst (chef) Winter, owners here and at the new Matthew's Steakhouse in Winter Garden (see that listing). (American) [L/D] Located in downtown Kissimmee at City Centre near Dakin Ave. Sandwiches include Pulled Pork (), a Cuban (), a Reuben (), Angus Cheese Burger (), Philly Cheesesteak (.50) and a Mahi Sandwich (.50). House Salad (), Caesar Salad (), Mediterranean Salad (), Taco Salad () and Cobb Salad () make a meal also. Built in 1882 as the South Florida Railroad arrived in town. Soups available are du Jour (), French Onion () and Lobster Bisque (). Of course they have two full bars with signature speakeasy cocktails like Bees Knees, Blood & Sand, the Bootlegger and even flaming Absinthe. For pasta, they offer Fettuccine Carbonara (), Linguine (), Chicken Ravioli (), Mushroom Ravioli (), Chicken Picatta (), Chicken Penne (), Smoked Salmon Pappardelle () and others.
9/17) We went for Magical Dining and it was amazing. He was very helpful in discussing wines and the menu. Giving the score for service only a 3 because one of our party’s Steak was cooked rare instead of medium and it took a long time for someone to come to take care of it. Jorge was our server; he had a great personality and gave wonderful service. They had connections and we received a complimentary Appetizer Tray for 4 of us.


Sunnyvale Farmer’s Market
crossroads at W Washington Avenue and S Murphy Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA, 94086
Welcome to Sugar Mama Desserts
Sugar Mama Desserts gave me ice cream to make this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
Sugar Mama Desserts is an ice cream stand at the Sunnyvale Farmer’s Market (every Saturday) serving up homestyle ice cream. They are also at the Cambrian Park Farmer’s Market for part of the year.
Sugar Mama Desserts has over 50 different flavors, but they only bring 4-6 at a time. Each week, there are different flavors. Some are classic, such as fresh strawberry or vanilla bean, while others are more fun and unique, such as saffron rosewater pistachio, roasted banana walnut chocolate chip, or honey lavender blueberry. All her ice creams are egg free and she has dairy free sorbets as well as a warm dairy free tapioca pudding during the winter months.
The Saturday I went was quite hot, so it was perfect ice cream weather. Renisa, the “Sugar Mama”, gave me three pints of ice cream, along with an ice pack to keep it cool on the way home.
I enjoyed this sorbet a lot. The most prominent flavor was mango, and there were coconut chunks swirled throughout. The pineapple was less prominent. It was a very refreshing and tropical flavor. Since it’s a sorbet, it took a little longer for it to thaw out so I could eat it, but it was totally worth the short wait. My favorite part were the coconut shreds and pieces of young coconut. The young coconut chunks are icy in the sorbet, but once you let it melt in your mouth it becomes a juicy and fresh addition to the sorbet.
Next up was the saffron rosewater pistachio. Renisa told me that she uses real Spanish saffron, which lends to ice cream its bright yellow color. The most prominent flavor was saffron, with a hint of the Lebanese rosewater that Renisa uses. I love pistachios, so I wasn’t disappointed to find them in there. The texture of the ice cream was AMAZING. In my opinion, it is the perfect texture for ice cream. It wasn’t airy. It was dense and creamy, but not so rich that it could be called gelato.
The last pint I got was the honey lavender blueberry. The blueberries were mainly there for color and not taste, however, I could still taste just a little bit of blueberry. Blueberry skins and lavender buds were swirled throughout the ice cream. The star of it was lavender. It was floral, but was balanced enough that it didn’t taste like soap. Again, the texture was perfect.
Overall I really enjoyed the ice cream from Sugar Mama Desserts. They are looking for a storefront instead of only being at farmer’s markets, and I can’t wait until that happens.


Jersey City Restaurants That Traveling Professionals Must Try
You’re either in Jersey City or about to be in Jersey City aren’t you! Well for anyone who is curious about some quality restaurants to try while staying with Dharma Home Suites for corporate housing , be sure to continue reading on. All four restaurants we have chosen to mention are all of 4.5 star quality and we included some variety in tastes so that you can full appreciate the multicultural city of Jersey City! If you prefer fast food and are looking a little close to home, check out the c oupons for fast food available locally at greateats.com.
Grab a slice at Renato’s Pizza Masters
Address: 278 Central Avenue, Jersey City
Hours: 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM
This mouthwateringly good restaurant has had its doors open for over fifty years. If practice really does make perfect you can guarantee this restaurant has close to perfect pizza and other Italian foods. Entrées you can look forward to enjoying include:
- Baked clams
- Eggplant Rollantine
- Spiedini alla Romana
- Lobster Ravioli
- And much, much more.
Make sure to try this restaurant especially if you’re staying at our Hoboken corporate housing building , which are only a few minutes away!
Celebrate with a dish at Liberty House Restaurant
Address: 76 Audrey Zapp Drive, Liberty State Park, New Jersey
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 12-3 PM & 5-11PM / Sunday 11-3 PM & 5-9PM
Liberty House Restaurant is one of the most diverse and well-equipped restaurants in New Jersey! They host corporate events, weddings, and their own house events for people to enjoy. Liberty House has an array of dishes including, grilled Berkshire pork tenderloin, mango cheesecake, sushi, and much more.
Try out the seafood at Morgan Fish Market & Restaurant
Address: 22 Elm Place, Rye, New York 10580
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30-10 PM / Friday & Saturday 11:30-10:30PM / Sunday 11:30-9 PM
Just about anyone can appreciate fresh seafood when they’re eating it. If you consider yourself a fan of delicious seafood, then take some time out of your corporate housing trip and head over to Morgan Fish Market & Restaurant. Not only do you get the opportunity to try freshly prepared seafood, but you also have a chance to bring back some seafood to your corporate apartment for later!
Casa Latina Restaurante
Address: 112 Ocean Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07305
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 AM – 9 PM / Sunday 9 AM – 7 PM
Looking for some authentic and quality, homemade Mexican food? No better place to go than this family owned Casa Latina Restaurante! See for yourself by checking out their Yelp profile and how perfect the meals are prepared. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!
Final food for thought!
Yelp is an incredibly useful tool when it comes to finding restaurants in busy cities like Jersey City. So if nothing on here is what you’re looking for don’t give up and just continue looking around. Jersey City has food for anything you’re craving more than likely! From all of us here at Dharma Home Suites, we hope you enjoyed reading and be sure to subscribe to our blog for more useful articles this this. Click here to contact us!


Sushi has been a part of Japanese cuisine for centuries, and it’s now popular all over the world. In fact, sushi is such a big deal that there are even sushi restaurants dedicated to serving just that type of food. But is sushi really for you? If you’re not a fan of raw fish, then your answer might be no. But if you’re curious about trying something new and different, sushi might be the perfect restaurant choice for you. Below are five tips for dining at sushi restaurants that will provide you with an enjoyable experience regardless of your taste in cuisine.
How to Order Sushi
If you’re looking to try sushi but don’t know where to start, these tips will help. From traditional to modern cuisine, there’s a sushi restaurant for everyone. To order sushi: Decide what type of sushi you want. There are several types of sushi available, including nigiri (sushi pieces wrapped in seaweed), maki (rolls with fish or seafood inside), and sashimi (raw fish). Consider the price point. Sushi can be expensive, so it’s important to decide how much money you want to spend before ordering. Review the menu carefully before making your selection. Not all restaurants offer all types of sushi, so it’s important to ask about availability if something is not on the menu. Once you’ve made your selections, tell your server what type of rice or noodles you would like and whether you would like any extras such as wasabi or soy sauce added to your dish.
How to Eat Sashimi
When it comes to sushi, there’s a lot of different ways to enjoy the exotic seafood dish. If you’re looking for something traditional, you can go to a sushi near me and order sashimi. This is the pieces of raw fish that are served separately from other dishes on the menu. You can also try nigiri, or hand-rolled sushi. Nigiri sushi means that the rice is put in between the fish and seaweed, so it’s always fresh and delicious. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can order maki rolls or California rolls. These types of rolls combine several types of sushi into one big bite – so you can really enjoy all the different flavors and textures that sushi has to offer. Whatever your preference, there’s sure to be a sushi restaurant out there that will make your mouth water!
Sushi Rolls and Nigiri
Sushi rolls and nigiri have become popularized in the modern era, with many restaurants offering a variety of sushi rolls and nigiri options. One of the most traditional sushi rolls is the California roll. It features Spicy tuna, avocado, and cucumber rolled up inside a nori seaweed sheet. Other popular sushi rolls include the Philadelphia roll which includes wasabi-marinated salmon and avocado rolled inside a cucumber leaf, and the Spider roll which includes eel, avocado, and pickled ginger inside a rice ball. Nigiri options include tuna, salmon, shrimp, yellowtail, eel, shrimp tempura, crabmeat, as well as others. Maki rolls and temaki are two popular sushi items. Maki rolls are a type of sushi that is rolled up in nori (seaweed) sheets. Temaki is a type of hand-rolled sushi that is made from imitation crabmeat.


Evita's Restaurant in Jamaica is one of my favorites!
Evita's Restaurant in located in the heart of Ocho Rios overlooking the cruise ship piers.
The menu is called "Jam-Italian fusion dishes" which means they put a Jamaican spin on traditional Italian dishes.
And they do it very well!
The menu includes pasta and fresh seafood including vegetarian dishes. Plus they will cook your dish to order.
I never knew all the different foods that could be "jerked". The last time I was there I had the jerk spaghetti and it was wonderful! Just the right amount of spice for a very unique flavor.
The best place to sit is out on the verandah, closest to the railing, and you will have great views of Ocho Rios.
The entrees, on average, are about $20 US Dollars each. With drinks being $10 or less. The last time I went we spent $94 for 3 people and we each had an "adult beverage".
I highly suggest going during the week when a cruise ship is not in port because the restaurant is a lot less crowded.
Tip: Ask the locals which days the cruise ships come in and plan your activities around that.
Also consider going at dusk so you have time to enjoy the views and then when it gets dark the restaurant is lit up beautifully.
A great way to cap off your evening.
For more information, check out their website: Evita's Restaurant
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I wanted to title this post “Age Your Egg” until I realize that sounds like I could be telling women to age their eggs for infertility purpose. Anyways, that wasn’t what I meant.
Usually cake or cookie recipes that call for meringues don’t required aged egg whites, but macarons do because of its delicacy. Macaron is very sensitive to humidity during baking, so less water in its batter help create a better texture. By aging the egg whites, water content decreases.
Egg whites can be aged by either one of the following method (whether you plan to make it ahead of time or last minute):
- If you plan ahead, you can separate the egg whites from the yolk, and place in air tight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
- If you plan to make macaron last minute, separate the egg whites from the yolk, and place in air tight container in room temperature for several hours or in a microwave-safe container, microwave your egg white for 10 seconds.
Aged egg white should have some air bubbles in it, since it’s exposed to air compared to when it’s in the shell. It’s a good indication that some of the water content is gone since there’s air to dry the water out.


Healthy Pulled Bbq Chicken Crock Pot Recipe > http://shorl.com/stetijamibari
Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve. I love that you used chicken and the BBQ sandwich is so summery! Reply . Hope you enjoy! Search Simple Healthy Kitchen Hello! Thanks for stopping by Simple Healthy Kitchen- a food blog featuring simple healthy meal ideas that can be prepared in 30 min. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. By: EatingWell Test Kitchen Nutrition profile Diabetic Appropriate Gluten-Free Healthy Aging Heart Healthy Low-Calorie Low Carbohydrate Low Sodium . It looks incredible! Susan says February 24, 2015 at 8:17 am Thanks Oana- hope you both enjoy! Laura says October 17, 2016 at 7:46 am What kind of canned tomato sauce is best for this recipe? Would canned tomato pure work or is tomato sauce better? Cant wait to try this! Looks delicious! Susan says October 17, 2016 at 7:00 pm Hi Laura& You can really use any type of tomato sauce. Enchiladas, tostadas, maybe even add it to Mac and Cheese.
Assembly Split buns or rolls in half. or less One Pot Wednesday Vegetarian Sides Soups & Crockpot Meals Desserts Breakfast Juices/Smoothies Spring Produce Summer Produce Fall Produce Winter Produce Whats in Season? Shop Contact Crockpot BBQ Chicken February 18, 2015 by Susan Super, super easy! (and tasty!) With just a few minutes prep time you can come home to a nice home cooked meal of tangy Crock pot BBQ Chicken goodness. Pour 1/2 cup sherry sprinkle garlic salt and cover with bbq sauce. Chris says August 1, 2014 at 8:56 pm Im so excited to try this recipe! Long story short, we live by the park that has our citys annual fireworks show so everyone comes over for a swim/bbq party before heading to the park for the festivities! I decided to break from tradition and make this! My question is can this recipe be doubled and still turn out flavorful and moist? Reply Corey says August 2, 2014 at 6:55 pm Yes, that should work out just fine! Sounds like a fun time Reply . Erin Thanks for Cookin'! says Im a huge fan of BBQ pulled pork, but this looks great with chicken! And the coleslaw is an absolute MUST in my book! And I agree, so glad its a homemade sauce. Joyce says August 23, 2014 at 10:18 pm Hello Corey, you are so right about this recipe,&Gave the recipe to my sweetie, he made it with frozen chicken tenders (lots), doubled the recipe, used Jack Daniels BBQ sauce 7 and cooked x 8 hours in crock pot. Then I removed the chicken & shredded it, adding it back to t. Comfort food in all its glory :-) Reply . Trim off the fat of the chicken breasts and place the chicken into the crock pot. Season chicken breast lightly (a small pinch per breast) with some sea salt and place in your crockpot.
Your recipe is truly the best!! I choose to shred the chicken. Joyce says September 3, 2014 at 3:26 pm Can you make this with frozen chicken breasts? What I mean is, can you put the chicken breasts in the slow cooker frozen or do you thaw first? Reply Corey says September 4, 2014 at 3:20 pm You can make it with frozen, but you will just have to adjust the cooking time a bit. Used 2 1/2 spoons of honey and one teaspoon of crushed red chillies. Erin says September 24, 2014 at 3:04 pm I have this going in the crockpot as we speak Do you have a good/easy coleslaw recipe? I do not have all the ingredients that I see in most coleslaw recipes so I was wondering if you had a suggestion? Thanks! Reply . A person at work and I bring samples to each other of dishes we have tried off the internet. Stir the BBQ shredded chicken well the ensure all chicken is well saturated with the BBQ sauce mixture.
Add chicken, onion and garlic; stir to combine. Made two very good servings for my wife on top of mashed potato plus some veg. Read More GET THE LATEST RECIPES enter your email address BloglovinFacebookGoogle+InstagramPinterestRSSTwitter Food Advertising by Food Advertising by Popular Posts . jennifer says September 15, 2014 at 4:57 pm Made this tonight. Tough to be home at 2 to turn on a crock pot. i still suggest using a slow cooker. 2ed2f023e9
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Duration: 3-4 hours
Day: Thursday (other days available upon request)
Availability: July – September (depending on when the berries are ripe)
Cost: 60€ for our guests, 75€ for others (Incl. berry picking guidance, sampling & ingredients to prepare your own berry pancakes over the fire)
The nature here in Utsjoki is not only breathtakingly beautiful but it also offers many other perks like fresh berries. We will take you for a walk and show you how to identify & pick some of the local berry varieties. We are local to the area and know all the best spots. Depending on the month we might be able to find blueberries, lingonberries or delicious cloudberries that Lapland is so famous for. After we have spent some time outdoors and found enough tasty, fresh berries we will head back to our very own private hut where we can sample everything we picked. Try delicious blueberry pancakes or some typical desserts with cloudberries.


THAI cuisine is famous all over the world. Whether chili-hot or comparatively bland, harmony and contrast are the guiding principles behind each dish. THAI cuisine is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely THAI.
On a per-capita basis, Bangkok may have more restaurants than anywhere in the world. Thailand produces massive quantities of food, and the culture has a great emphasis on eating. THAI cuisine tends to be spicier than other oriental cuisine, such as Chinese or Filipino.
THAI Taste, one of the best THAI food restaurants in Upstate SC, has served the Spartanburg, SC area since 1997. Our family owned restaurant offers a casual, full service dining atmosphere with traditional THAI decor. Carry out and catering services are also available. Guests are enticed with authentic THAI dishes made from the freshest ingredients at affordable prices with professional service and a friendly staff.
Our traditional THAI restaurant presents quite an extensive menu that will please the most discriminate of pallets. Some of our more popular dishes include Pud THAI, Roast Duck, and Curry Shrimp to name a few. Our menu also includes a wide variety of salads, soups, fried rice entrees, stir-fried noodle entrees, noodle soups, chicken, beef, pork and seafood based entrees, as well as vegetarian options. We also provide a list of Chef’s specials and a kids menu. Entrees can be seasoned to taste, from spicy hot to a more subtle mild flavor.
We proudly offer THAI iced tea and iced coffee, Lemongrass tea, Jasmine hot tea, along with sodas and southern iced tea. We also have Monsoon Valley wine from Thailand and a variety of specialty Asian beers which include, Beerlao, Singha, Sapporo and Chang beer along with several domestic choices.


There’s this little thing called work/life balance we’re trying to figure out here at BuzzFarmers. So in an effort to take some mandatory breaks, we’ve instituted RI weiner + ice cream Fridays.
There’s literally no catchy name I could think of, so let’s just go with it.
If you’re not a Rhode Islander, you might not understand our love for RI weiners, which aren’t just hot dogs with a sexy name and represented by hilarious neon signs that say “hot weiners”.
No, they’re so much more. Wikipedia says it best, although they’re the only ones spelling it with an i before the e around here:
The traditional wiener is made with a small, thin frankfurter made of veal and pork, giving it a different taste from a traditional beef hot dog, served in a steamed bun, and topped with celery salt, yellow mustard, chopped onions, and a seasoned meat sauce (the spices vary by vendor but commonly include cumin, paprika, chili powder, and allspice). A preparation including all of the above is often ordered by patrons as “all the way.”
When I was new to Rhode Island, I even did a little weiner foodtrip and wrote about it for Examiner. They’re also called “gaggers”, which is, you know… er… strange… Rhode Island. Derp.
I haven’t learned the ordering lingo yet, but I think it’s something like “one dog, all the way”. I learned this from an old fella today and I figure he must know what he’s doing by now!
And now, well, it’s a Friday holiday here which also involves some ice cream as a chaser to a bun full of mustard and onions. And don’t tell me Sherbert is not ice cream, I love it and I don’t care who knows!
Today we ventured to Riverside (and when I say ventured, I mean drove about ten minutes). The only thing I know about Riverside now is that it’s not the old amusement park in Agawam, MA that I used to love so much. No, it’s a little burb of another burb – East Providence.
We stopped at Riverside Creamery first because I was thirsty and because what you really want when you’re thirsty is milk, right? No? Oh well.
I got a “small” cone of Sherbert, which was mountain high, ridiculously sweet, fruity and yum all over. Pat got a coffee milkshake. Feeling extra fat, we rolled ourselves across the street to Riverside Kitchen for a couple of authentic rhode island weiners. There were a bunch of other people in there stuffing their faces with onions, dogs and ketchup too, so we fit right in. Next time we’ll reverse the order because I’d rather be burping up ice cream than onions.
See you next week!


Wings, Pizza & More in Temple, Texas
Dine In, Carry Out, or Delivery to you
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As a starter item or a main course, Mr. Mike's has all the awesome stuff you want.
Pizza at Mr. Mike's, sauce & dough made fresh daily, tons of toppings to choose
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2902 S. 31st St., Temple, TX 76502
Sunday: 11am - 11pm
Monday: 11am - 11pm
Tuesday: 11am - 11pm
Wednesday: 11am - 11pm
Thursday: 11am - 11pm
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Saturday: 11am - Midnight


A catalog of some things I've learned or looked up about cooking.
What ingredients are found in dried ghormeh sabzi herb mix? AnswerParsley, leek, and fenugreek are the key components of a dried ghormeh sabzi herb blend, with cilantro and/or spinach as less common additions.
What is ritual bread? AnswerIt is a kind of ornately-decorated bread made for festivals or religious occasions in Eastern Europe.
What is the name of the order of monks who make Chartreuse liqueur? AnswerThe Carthusians.
Does an amaretto sour traditionally contain bourbon? AnswerNo, though it appears in some recipes to cut the sweetness of the cocktail.
What is the difference between seltzer and club soda? AnswerClub soda has added minerals, giving it a saltier taste than seltzer, which is just carbonated water.
What is dried sumac used for? AnswerSumac powder has a citrusy taste and can be used in marinades and desserts to impart a tart flavor. It is primarily used in Mediterranean cuisine and is a key component of za'atar.
How long does red wine last after being opened? AnswerIf refrigerated, 2 to 5 days.
Why is palm oil bad for the environment? AnswerRainforests are being cut down to plant oil palms, leading to the loss of habitats for animals, loss of indigenous lands, and negative climate impacts. However, oil palms use significantly less land than most other sources of vegetable oil, so activism is focused on making palm oil sustainable rather than switching to other types of oil.
What gives Japanese milk bread its unique texture? AnswerIt is made with a warmed roux, which causes the starches in the flour to hold water that then steams when baked.


PEOPLE who scoff more steak and sausages are a third more likely to develop diabetes, a study warns.
Eating more red and processed meat increases the chances of getting the disease by 30 per cent.
A team at the University of Oxford found eating meat regularly can increase the risk of heart disease and pneumonia, among other common conditions.
Data from 475,000 British adults revealed bigger fans of meat were more likely to smoke, drink and be overweight.
Even people who ate a higher amount of leaner chicken or turkey saw a raised rise of diabetes and gallbladder disease.
Lead author Dr Keren Papier, from the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford, said: “We have long known that unprocessed red meat and processed meat consumption is likely to be carcinogenic and this research is the first to assess the risk of 25 non-cancerous health conditions in relation to meat intake in one study.
“Additional research is needed to evaluate whether the differences in risk we observed in relation to meat intake reflect causal relationships, and if so the extent to which these diseases could be prevented by decreasing meat consumption.”
Red meat includes beef, lamb, mutton, port, veal, venison and goat.
Processed meat includes sausages, bacon, ham, deli meats, pates and canned meat.
The study, published in BMC Medicine, found that for every 70g of red meat and processed meat intake a day, it led to a 15 per cent higher risk of ischaemic heart disease.
At the other end of the scale, the team also noted that higher amounts of unprocessed meat and poultry meat were associated with a lower risk of iron deficiency anaemia.
With every 50g of red meat the risk of developing the condition fell by 20 per cent.
Another University of Oxford research paper revealed just 25g of processed meat daily – equal to one rasher or two-thirds of a sausage – raises the risk of bowel tumours by a fifth.
Missing Brazilian Covid case traced to one of 379 households in South East
Brazil variant could ‘reinfect 60% of Covid sufferers and spread easier’
KNOW THE SIGNS
Four Covid-related skin conditions you shouldn’t ignore
Runners SHOULD wear a mask as ‘puffing and panting spreads Covid’
The 35 areas where Covid cases are rising – check YOURS now
TIP OF THE ICEBERG
More cases of Brazil Covid variant likely in UK already, warns expert
The World Cancer Research Fund recommends that people should limit red meat consumption to no more than three portions per week.
This is about 350–500g cooked weight in total, with processed meat eaten rarely, if at all.


However, after becoming a vegetarian recidivist, I moved in with a vegan. So, at home, I mostly cook vegan and eat vegan. Thus, no sooner did my lifestyle start to shift towards cooking meat then it did a double-back to the consideration of veganism.
Basically, I now consider myself to be a lucky, lucky cheater. I get the benefits of a vegan lifestlye -- a big chunk of what I consume and pretty much everything I cook is vegan (as well as mostly preservative and chemical-free, which is my vegan roomie's main concern), BUT I never took a vow of NEVER EVER WILL I EVER AGAIN EAT MEAT, FISH, OR DAIRY. And as I've discussed, it's the putting a food item totally "off-limits" that messes with my eating-disorder-inclined brain. So I can still eat meat, fish, or dairy as a treat when out of the house, but I eat mostly vegan most of the time. I get the best of both worlds.
So now I'm a meagan -- a vegan that eats meat. I spend a great deal of my time considering vegan ways to cook, including making a vegan Rice Krispie Snowman for Christmas:
|Those are vegan jello shots, too. Seriously!


I am a dip fanatic! I love every kind of dip no matter if its cool and creamy, hot and cheesy, or sweet and fluffy. Dip is one of my favorite things on this planet as I enjoy mixing flavors and textures together to make a spectacular spread that you’re able to dip delicious goodies and snacks into to create the most amazing moment of munching. This particular dip has everything you could ever want when you’re craving something outrageously delicious! It’s filled with creamy, cheesy deliciousness, chunks of juicy rotisserie chicken, a touch of just the right kind of spice and smokiness, and of course, great onion flavor. There really is no better dip to serve as an appetizer at any type of gathering! Make this whenever you’re invited to a birthday party, a Holiday celebration, or a premier party that you’re throwing in your living room with your girls to enjoy the excitement of the first showing of your new favorite film!
Ingredients for the dip:
- Street taco tortilla shells to make the homemade chips that you’ll use as a vessel!
- Finely chopped black olives.
- Small diced green bell pepper. (Use half depending on the size of the pepper)
- 1/2 red onion finely chopped.
- Green onion. You can really use as much as you’d like! I love using green onion in recipes. I feel that it gives great flavor.
- Shredded taco cheddar cheese.
- Hot sauce. (NOT BUFFALO SAUCE!)
- One block of cream cheese. The good kind!
- One cup of your favorite mayonnaise.
- 3/4 cup of sour cream.
Collect all of the creamy ingredients inside of a mixing bowl!
- Add the cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, and as much hot sauce as you would like to a bowl! If you would like to add taco sauce or taco seasoning to this mixture you can do that as well.
- Then season until your hearts content with seasoned salt, freshly cracked black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet and smokey seasoning, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Combine all of the creamy ingredients together with a hand mixer.
- Then, toss in the chicken, bell peppers, onions, cheese, and olives.
When everything is fully incorporated, transfer to a baking dish, top with more shredded cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes fully covered. Then bake for another 15 minutes uncovered so that the cheese can become nice and bubbly!
While the dip is baking it’s the perfect time to create the chips!
- Cut the tortillas into triangular chip shapes and place in an oil coated pan over medium heat.
- Sprinkle with garlic salt and chili powder. Flip the chips over to continue cooking on the other side after just a few minutes.
Diamonds I have to tell you these chips are DE-licious! It is so worth making them homemade! Such a wonderful touch and a tasty treat!
Garnish with a few more dashes of hot sauce, chopped green onion, and chili powder to finish everything off with!
There’s absolutely nothing left to do then of course, DIP ON IN! 😉
Once you start making this dip for your friends and family, they’ll ask you to make it time and time again for absolutely every occasion because it’s just THAT GOOD. It is everything you could ever want and more! I noticed there were dip parties that people were throwing lately as something fun and excited to do with the people you love most and this would be the absolute best thing to bring if you happened to be attending one of those any time soon! Also if you’re new to the world of hosting things and making your way around the kitchen this dip is the ideal place for you to begin that journey.


February 9, 2004
THE ORGANIC MYTH
A food movement makes a pest of itself
JOHN J. MILLER
Somewhere in the cornfields of Britain, a hungry insect settled on a tall green stalk and decided to have a feast. It chewed into a single kernel of corn, filled its little belly, and buzzed off — leaving behind a tiny hole that was big enough to invite a slow decay. The agent of the decomposition was a fungus known to biologists as Fusarium. Farmers have a much simpler name for it: corn ear rot.
As the mold spread inside the corn, it left behind a cancer-causing residue called fumonisin. This sequence repeated itself thousands and thousands of times until the infested corn was harvested and sold last year as Fresh and Wild Organic Maize Meal, Infinity Foods Organic Maize Meal, and several other products.
Consuming trace amounts of fumonisin is harmless, but large doses can be deadly. Last fall, the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency detected alarming concentrations of the toxin in all six brands of organic corn meal subjected to testing — for a failure rate of 100 percent. The average level of contamination was almost 20 times higher than the safety threshold Europeans have set for fumonisin. The tainted products were immediately recalled from the food chain. In contrast, inspectors determined that 20 of the 24 non-organic corn meal products they examined were unquestionably safe to eat.
Despite this, millions of people continue to assume that organic foods are healthier than non-organic ones, presumably because they grow in pristine settings free from icky chemicals and creepy biotechnology. This has given birth to an energetic political movement. In 2002, activists in Oregon sponsored a ballot initiative that essentially would have required the state to slap biohazard labels on anything that wasn’t produced in ways deemed fit by anti-biotech agitators. Voters rejected it, but the cause continues to percolate. Hawaiian legislators are giving serious thought to banning biotech crop tests in their state. In March, California’s Mendocino County may outlaw biotech plantings altogether.
Beneath it all lurks the belief that organic food is somehow better for us. In one poll, two-thirds of Americans said that organic food is healthier. But they’re wrong: It’s no more nutritious than food fueled by industrial fertilizers, sprayed with synthetic pesticides, and genetically altered in science labs. And the problem isn’t limited to the fungal infections that recently cursed organic corn meal in Britain; bacteria are a major source of disease in organic food as well. To complicate matters further, organic farming is incredibly inefficient. If its appeal ever grew beyond the boutique, it would pose serious threats to the environment. Consumers who go shopping for products emblazoned with the USDA’s “organic” seal of approval aren’t really helping themselves or the planet — and they’re arguably hurting both.
Here’s the good news: At no point in human history has food been safer than it is today, despite occasional furors like the recent one over an isolated case of mad-cow disease here in the U.S. People still get sick from food — each year, about 76 million Americans pick up at least a mild illness from what they put in their mouths — but modern agricultural methods have sanitized our fare to the point where we may eat without fear. This is true for all food, organic or otherwise.
And that raises a semantic question: What is it about organic food that makes it “organic”? The food we think of as non-organic isn’t really inorganic, as if it were composed of rocks and minerals. In truth, everything we eat is organic — it’s just not “organic” the way the organic-food movement has come to define the word.
About a decade ago, the federal government decided to wade into this semantic swamp. There was no compelling reason for this, but Congress nonetheless called for the invention of a National Organic Rule. It became official in 2002. Organic food, said the bureaucrats, is produced without synthetic fertilizers, conventional pesticides, growth hormones, genetic engineering, or germ-killing radiation. There are also varying levels of organic-ness: Special labels are available for products that are “made with organic ingredients” (which means the food is 70 percent organic), “organic” (which means 95 percent organic), and “100 percent organic.” It’s not at all clear what consumers are supposed to do with this information. As the Department of Agriculture explains on its website, the “USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food.”
It doesn’t because it can’t: There’s no scientific evidence whatsoever showing that organic food is healthier. So why bother with a National Organic Rule? When the thing was in development, the Clinton administration’s secretary of agriculture, Dan Glickman, offered an answer: “The organic label is a marketing tool. It is not a statement about food safety.” In other words, those USDA labels are intended to give people warm fuzzies for buying pricey food.
And herein lies one of the dirty secrets of organic farming: It’s big business. Although the organic movement has humble origins, today most of its food isn’t produced on family farms in quaint villages or even on hippie communes in Vermont. Instead, the industry has come to be dominated by large corporations that are normally the dreaded bogeymen in the minds of many organic consumers. A single company currently controls about 70 percent of the market in organic milk. California grows about $400 million per year in organic produce — and about half of it comes from just five farms. The membership list of the Organic Trade Association includes the biggest names in agribusiness, such as Archer Daniels Midland, Gerber, and Heinz. Even Nike is a member. When its capitalist slavedrivers aren’t exploiting child labor in Third World sweatshops (as they do in the fevered imaginations of campus protesters), they’re promoting Nike Organics, a clothing line made from organic cotton.
THE YUM FACTOR
There are, in fact, good reasons to eat organic food. Often it’s yummier — though this has nothing to do with the fact that it’s “organic.” If an organic tomato tastes better than a non-organic one, the reason is usually that it has been grown locally, where it has ripened on the vine and taken only a day or two to get from the picking to the selling. Large-scale farming operations that ship fruits and vegetables across the country or the world can’t compete with this kind of homegrown quality, even though they do make it possible for people in Minnesota to avoid scurvy by eating oranges in February. Conventional produce is also a good bargain because organic foods can be expensive — the profit margins are quite high, relative to the rest of the food industry.
Unfortunately, money isn’t always the sole cost. Although the overwhelming majority of organic foods are safe to eat, they aren’t totally risk-free. Think of it this way: Organic foods may be fresh, but they’re also fresh from the manure fields.
Organic farmers aren’t allowed to enrich their soils the way most non-organic farmers do, which is with nitrogen fertilizers produced through an industrial process. In their place, many farmers rely on composted manure. When they spread the stuff in their fields, they create luscious breeding grounds for all kinds of nasty microbes. Take the dreaded E. coli, which is capable of killing people who ingest it. A study by the Center for Global Food Issues found that although organic foods make up about 1 percent of America’s diet, they also account for about 8 percent of confirmed E. coli cases. Organic food products also suffer from more than eight times as many recalls as conventional ones.
Some of this problem would go away if organic farmers used synthetic sprays — but this, too, is off limits. Conventional wisdom says that we should avoid food that’s been drenched in herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. Half a century ago, there was some truth in this: Sprays were primitive and left behind chemical deposits that often survived all the way to the dinner table. Today’s sprays, however, are largely biodegradable. They do their job in the field and quickly break down into harmless molecules. What’s more, advances in biotechnology have reduced the need to spray. About one-third of America’s corn crop is now genetically modified. This corn includes a special gene that produces a natural toxin that’s safe for every living creature to eat except caterpillars with alkaline guts, such as the European corn borer, a moth larva that can ravage whole harvests. This kind of biotech innovation has helped farmers reduce their reliance on pesticides by about 50 million pounds per year.
Organic farmers, of course, don’t benefit from any of this. But they do have some recourse against the bugs, weeds, and fungi that can devastate a crop: They spray their plants with “natural” pesticides. These are less effective than synthetic ones and they’re certainly no safer. In rat tests, rotenone — an insecticide extracted from the roots of tropical plants — has been shown to cause the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The Environmental Protection Agency has described pyrethrum, another natural bug killer, as a human carcinogen. Everything is lethal in massive quantities, of course, and it takes huge doses of pyrethrum to pose a health hazard. Still, the typical organic farmer has to douse his crops with it as many as seven times to have the same effect as one or two applications of a synthetic compound based on the same ingredients. Then there’s one of the natural fungicides preferred by organic coffee growers in Guatemala: fermented urine. Think about that the next time you’re tempted to order the “special brew” at your local organic java hut.
ST. ANTHONY’S FIRE, ETC.
Fungicides are worth taking seriously — and not just because they might have prevented Britain’s corn meal problem a few months ago. Before the advent of modern farming, when all agriculture was necessarily “organic,” food-borne fungi were a major problem. One of the worst kinds was ergot, which affects rye, wheat, and other grains. During the Middle Ages, ergot poisoning caused St. Anthony’s Fire, a painful contraction of blood vessels that often led to gangrene in limb extremities and sometimes death. Hallucinations also were common, as ergot contains lysergic acid, which is the crucial component of LSD. Historians of medieval Europe have documented several episodes of towns eating large batches of ergot-polluted food and falling into mass hysteria. There is some circumstantial evidence suggesting that ergot was behind the madness of the Salem witches: The warm and damp weather just prior to the infamous events of 1692 would have been ideal for an outbreak. Today, however, chemical sprays have virtually eradicated this affliction.
The very worst thing about organic farming requires the use of a word that doomsaying environmentalists have practically trademarked: It’s not sustainable. Few activities are as wasteful as organic farming. Its yields are about half of what conventional farmers expect at harvest time. Norman Borlaug, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his agricultural innovations, has said, “You couldn’t feed more than 4 billion people” on an all-organic diet.
If organic-food consumers think they’re making a political statement when they eat, they’re correct: They’re declaring themselves to be not only friends of population control, but also enemies of environmental conservation. About half the world’s land area that isn’t covered with ice or sand is devoted to food production. Modern farming techniques have enabled this limited supply to produce increasing quantities of food. Yields have fattened so much in the last few decades that people refer to this phenomenon as the “Green Revolution,” a term that has nothing to do with enviro-greenies and everything to do with improvements in breeding, fertilization, and irrigation. Yet even greater challenges lie ahead, because demographers predict that world population will rise to 9 billion by 2050. “The key is to produce more food,” says Alex Avery of CGFI. “Growing more per acre leaves more land for nature.” The alternative is to chop down rainforests so that we may dine on organic soybeans.
There’s one more important reason that organics can’t feed the world: There just isn’t enough cow poop to go around. For fun, pretend that U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan chowed on some ergot rye, decreed that all of humanity must eat nothing but organic food, and that all of humanity responded by saying, “What the heck, we’ll give it a try.” Forget about the population boom ahead. The immediate problem would be generating enough manure to fertilize all the brand-new, low-yield organic crop fields. There are a little more than a billion cattle in the world today, and each bovine needs between 3 and 30 acres to support it. Conservative estimates say it would take around 7 or 8 billion cattle to produce sufficient heaps of manure to sustain our all-organic diets. The United States alone would need about a billion head (or rear, to be precise). The country would be made up of nothing but cities and manure fields — and the experiment would give a whole new meaning to the term “fruited plains.”
This is the sort of future the organic-food movement envisions — and its most fanatical advocates aren’t planning to win any arguments on the merits or any consumers on the quality of organic food. In December, when a single U.S. animal was diagnosed with mad-cow disease, nobody was more pleased than Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association, who has openly hoped for a public scare that would spark a “crisis of confidence” in American food. No such thing happened, but Cummins should be careful about what he wishes for: Germany’s first case of mad-cow disease surfaced at a slaughterhouse that specializes in organic beef.
But then wishful thinking is at the heart of the organic-food movement. Its whole market rationale depends on the misperception that organic foods are somehow healthier for both consumers and Mother Earth. Just remember: Nature’s Valley can’t be found on any map. It’s a state of mind.


We all have our unique favourites, but the best restaurants have certain things in common. Those are the areas which stay in operation irrespective of what the economy does. With one meal you learn who they are. They become an integral part of your comfort network. Cafés, diners, bistro shops, or pizzerias all share five features. Learn more on Fork & Fire-Brunch.
1) Welcoming: Successful restaurants know how to genuinely accept their clients. They don’t put on a fake smile or have-a-nice-day line, but offer a genuine warm welcome and do seem to care about the dining experience of their customers. Often those places are owned and operated privately by someone who loves the cafe as much as you do.
2) Reliable: The places you enjoy are reliable with their food serving consistency. They might change their menu to keep it fresh but the eating establishment ‘s basic flavor remains the same. The style of kitchen is consistent, and what you anticipate from their menu as you step in the door and order. You don’t want to find out whether you’re starving for BBQ, because the menu has shifted to vegan.
3) Fresh ingredients: they cook the dishes with the freshest ingredients, no matter what sort of menu the best restaurants have. You should not place some dried, unused or expired products on your platter. You know the veggies, sauces, and meats are very fresh, whether they serve pizza, salad, or fish at a top quality place.
4) Engaged Wait Staff: The food can be fantastic but if it’s served by a surly, negligent or bored waiter, it’s a subpar dining experience. The person with your food plate who takes your order and returns should be knowledgeable, prompt, courteous and actually want to be there. If waiters love feeding clients, they provide a great dining experience with their customers. This often says a lot about the management, as well. Well handled workers have positive behaviors.
5) Talented chef: Let’s face it; where the buck ends is the guy who cooks your meal. This practitioner has to know what he or she is doing. A chef or cook should be enthusiastic, creative and professional to turn the raw materials on your plate into the tasty entrances and side dishes. He or she also needs to be able to work under pressure as this is a fast paced job.
The best restaurants can be places to be comforting. Being fed delicious food in pleasant surroundings nourishes the soul. Were you aware that food made with love is actually better for your body? Sites that are friendly, trustworthy, use the freshest produce, hire dedicated waiting staff and have a professional chef in the kitchen are the favored place for their customers to dine for good reasons.