For the record, we are not a vegan family, and only the females are vegetarian in our family.  They boys eat organic meat.  I have been a vegan, but my pregnant body demanded more, so dairy reentered my diet ten years ago.  Even though we are not strict vegans, we incorporate many vegan recipes and meals into our daily life.

Vicki’s Vegan Kitchen: Eating With Sanity, Compassion & Taste is full of delicious recipes and instructions. These nutritionally balanced meals sometimes try to imitate meat dishes, like “Vegan ‘Chopped Liver’”, whereas others simply stand alone in taste and uniqueness, like “Cucumber-Wakame Salad”.

Veteran cookbook author Chelf (Cooking with the Right Side of the Brain) expands the vegan culinary universe in this collection of 375 meat-, egg- and dairy-free dishes for those with dietary restrictions. Yes, there are smoothies, Tabouli, and Hummus, but Chelf helps readers expand their diets with vegan versions of pizza, lasagna, and even Cheez Whiz in this accessible and imaginative guide. Chelf’s creative concoctions enable vegans to enjoy French Toast, béchamel sauce, pie, and a mock beef stew that finds its umami in seitan, tahini, and liquid aminos. A guide to vegan-friendly sources for key ingredients, and foods to avoid or seek out ensures larders will be stocked with healthy staples. Helpful step-by-step instructions for baking bread and making noodles, and tips on sprucing up soups and smoothies inspire confidence and enable cooks to expand their culinary repertoire. Though special ingredients are often required for many of her dishes, Chelf does an admirable job of keeping things as simple as possible. This is a terrific guide for vegans tired of settling for a salad.

There are plenty of recipes in this cookbook that would be a wonderful addition to any meal.  Whether your family is 100% vegan or you have a vegan guest, everyone will love these dishes.

Here is a recipe from  Vicki’s Vegan Kitchen: Eating With Sanity, Compassion & Taste I have yet to try, but sounds yummy!

Vegan Cinnamon-Raisin Muffins

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flaxseeds
• 1 1/3 cup rice bran
• 1 cup barely flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup raisins
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat ove to 350 degrees F.  Generously oil and flour a standard 12-cup muffin tin and lightly sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the flaxseeds.
2. Place the rice bran, barely flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and raisins in a large bowl, and mix well.
3. Add 1/2 cup of the flaxseeds to a blender along with the water and vinegar.  Blend until smooth.  Add to the flour mixture and stir quickly until just mixed.
4. Spoon equal amounts of batter into the prepared muffin cups.  (I use a 1/4-cup measuring cup with a handle to ladle the batter.)
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
6. Remove the muffins from the tin an serve.

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

Vegan Family: Vicki’s Vegan Kitchen Cookbook & Cinnamon Raisin Muffin Recipe is a post from: Eco Child's Play

1. ReUseThisBag.com

I am finally in the habit of taking my reusable bags in every store, not just the grocery store! It was one of my “eco-sins” for awhile, as I could never remember them, but I finally have a system.

They key to remembering to use reusable bags is to have plenty of them! We were just sent a great bag by ReUseThisBag.com . The bag is very sturdy and washable.

Here’s my system for remembering my bags:

1. Keep plenty of bags in the car at all times.
2. If you forget to bring a bag in a store, you either have to go back to the car or simply carry your goods out in the cart or by hand.
3. When you bring your bags inside the house, put them in the laundry to be washed.
4. Have a large basket by the door where you keep the clean bags.
5. When headed to the car, restock your supply.

It really is simple to remember your bags once you get into a routine, and you will look with scorn at all of the single use paper and plastic bags being used by others.  Here are some interesting facts about why you should use reusable bags:

FACT: The largest opposition to the ban of plastic bags comes from the petroleum and plastics industries and of course, consumers that don’t want to change their habits.

FACT: Effective July 1, 2010. Los Angeles County Shoppers can either bring their own bags or pay 25 cents for a paper or biodegradable bag

FACT: Ireland imposed a tax on plastic grocery bags in 2002, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban conventional plastic grocery bags, in 2007, and Los Angeles followed suit in 2010

FACT: plastic is the largest source of ocean litter. The second most abundant ocean pollution, is cigarettes.

FACT: Ocean debris worldwide kills at least 1 million sea birds and 100,000 mammals each year, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has estimated. The litter is most severe in the East Asian seas region, which includes countries such as China with a population 1.3 billion people and where, according to UN figures, almost 60 percent of men smoke.

FACT:  4 trillion to 5 trillion: Number of non-degradable plastic bags used worldwide annually.

FACT:  About 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year

FACT: Australians were using nearly 7 billion bags a year, and nearly 1.2 billion bags a year were being passed out free in Ireland before government restrictions, according to government estimates.

FACT: Plastic industry trade associations were unable to provide estimates of plastic bag use in the United States. However, based on studies of plastic bag use in other nations, the environmental group Californians Against Waste estimates Americans use 84 billion plastic bags annually.

FACT: The first plastic sandwich bags were introduced in 1957. Department stores started using plastic bags in the late 1970s and supermarket chains introduced the bags in the early 1980s.

FACT: About 100,000 whales, seals, turtles and other marine animals are killed by plastic bags each year worldwide, according to Planet Ark, an international environmental group.

FACT: Last September, more than 354,000 bags — most of them plastic — were collected during an international cleanup of costal areas in the United States and 100 other countries, according to the Ocean Conservancy

Please make an effort to end the single use plastic or paper bag habit!

2. Naturopathica Oat Facial Polish

Between my two blogs, I receive a lot of natural beauty product samples.  Actually, I sort of resent these products.  I used to be a 100% Dr. Hauschka junkie, but I get so many samples that I am not able to buy or use my beloved products.

Recently, I  have switched to organic tanamu oil for all of my moisturizing.  The results have been amazing, thus I approached the Naturopathica 30 Day Skin Transformation Challenge with some trepidation.

I have problem skin, and it is finally under control.  I was worried taking on this challenge that my problems may return, but on day three, so far so good.

I am following the Naturopathica  REGIMEN KIT: NORMAL TO OILY

ALOE CLEANSING GEL: A foaming sulfate-free cleanser with a refreshing blend of Aloe Vera and Lavender gently clarifies the skin while maintaining natural moisture

OAT FACIAL POLISH: Soothing Oats and Jojoba Beads gently sweep away dry, flaky skin, removing impurities and leaving the face soft and radiant

PLANT STEM CELL SERUM: An ECOCERT certified organic concentrated serum, designed to significantly slow down the aging of cells due to inflammation caused by UVA photodamage and oxidative stress

ROSEMARY OIL-REDUCING MOISTURIZER: An astringent blend of Rosemary and Willow help to absorb excess sebum while nourishing devitalized skin with moisture

The Naturopathica Oat Facial Polish is my favorite cleanser now!  It is very gentle, but it contains a little exfoliant to keep your skin in great daily shape without leaving you feeling raw.  All of the products in this regimen smell wonderful!

My skin did feel a little bit dry this morning, and I didn’t want to do any extra moisturizing to break the regimen.  It’s feeling good now and still no blemishes.  I’ll keep you updated as the regimen continues.

3. Farmer Jason and Buddies Nature Jams

I have such a hard time with children’s music.  It must meet a certain standard if I am going to have to listen to it over and over again.  As I have said before, just because it is geared towards kids, aesthetics should not be abandoned.  In fact, I won’t even expose my children to music if it doesn’t meet my standards. I don’t want it to become a favorite that I can’t tolerate.

Farmer Jason and Buddies Nature Jams features many guest artists like Mike Mills of R.E.M. and Tommy Ramone of the Ramones.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t make the cut.

Nature Jams is a high-value, kid-friendly gift package of 16 original songs, 4 music videos and a colorful 20-page booklet created by über designer Brad Talbott. The idea is to get kids excited about the big world around them, observing various animals (“Meadowlark in Central Park,” “Manatee,” and “Dison the Bison”), learning about cool places around the world and simply enjoying nature. “The point is to motivate kids to get outside and excite their curiosity about the world around them,” says Jason.

Farmer Jason raked in an all-star list of guest artists to sing and perform with him on Nature Jams, including Steve Gorman of The Black Crowes, Mike Mills from R.E.M., Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, Iris DeMent, indie folk darling Brandi Carlile, Grammy®-award winning bassist Vic Wooten, Americana hipster Todd Snider, banjo virtuoso Alison Brown, zydeco star Terrance Simien, platinum-selling vocalist Suzy Bogguss, Celtic rockers The Sawdoctors, humorist-musician Webb Wilder, Hank Williams III and the legendary Tommy Ramone of The Ramones. Other guest artists are Jo Nesbø, the internationally best selling mystery novelist; Kristi Rose, a Nashville chanteuse; and Ruthie Foster, the Blues Music Awards’ Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. Even Farmer Jason’s grown-up band Jason and the Scorchers lend energetic, rocking riffs to the song “The Glacier.” With these engaging songs and videos, Farmer Jason and friends hope to motivate children to get outside and experience nature firsthand.

Actually, I think many of the songs are annoying, all-star cast or not. I appreciate the discussions before each track.  They help set the tone for each song and give children a little background information, but the music itself is not my cup of tea.

I’m not sure these tunes will motivate children to get outside and experience nature, but I bet it inspires some of them to dance.

Would I buy this product?  No.  It does not match my musical tastes. Besides, I’m annoyed with the misinformation about “Buffalo or Bison?”  The cd says they are words for the same animal, but that is not true.  American buffalo and bison are the same, but it is not the same as simply “buffalo”.  Wikipedia explains, Some consider the term “buffalo” somewhat of a misnomer for this animal, as it is only distantly related to either of the two “true buffalo,” the Asian water buffalo and theAfrican buffalo. ”

4. Baby Gourmet

In an ideal world, parents would have time to make their infant’s and toddler’s baby food from scratch.  Actually, it’s not that hard to do if you eat whole foods yourself.  Baby can eat what you eat if you follow a simple diet; however, we don’t live in an ideal world.

Even stay-at-home parents need the convenience of prepared baby food, and you better make it organic and contained BPA-free packaging for optimum baby health.

We were sent samples of Baby Gourmet:

Healthy, organic, and nutritious food for babies (6-12mo) made by moms with a little ingenuity. With all products starting in owners, Jen’s and Jill’s kitchens, each recipe and batch thereafter is taste-tested and poured out if it’s not absolutely loved. Creative recipes include:
6mo – Simple Purees

• Harvest Pear, Pumpkin, and Banana
• Juicy Pear and Garden Greens
• Orchard Apple, Carrot Prune

7mo – Yummy Combos

• Baby’s Sweet Potato Pie
• Roasted Squash and Fruit Medley
• Apple, Sweet Potato Berry Swirl

8mo+ – Tasty Textures

• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
• Vanilla Banana Berry Risotto
• Tropical Banana Bliss

All products are organic, no salt, sugar, fillers, preservatives, no nuts. No dairy, except in Old Fashioned Apple Crisp. Packaged in in a specially designed pouch allows for less cooking time, locking in nutrient values and flavors.

All ingredients are organic with the exception of the ascorbic acid.

Unfortunately, the BPA-free packaging is not recyclable, but it does make for easy heating.  Personally, I like baby food jars. They are very handy to reuse for multiple purposes, but I would assume the lids on them contain BPA, as most canning jars lids do.

As much as I aspired to always make my own baby food and freeze extras, I did resort to store bought baby food on occasion, especially when traveling.  Baby Gourmet is a good option, and I trust the product’s safety and quality, especially since it is made in Canada.

Would I buy this product?  Maybe.  One of our most popular posts “Baby Essentials That Aren’t, Part 7: Baby Food” explores the “baby-led solids” method of feeding.  I think I would try this if I had to do it over again, but I also do think there is a place for puree. I eat pureed food, so why shouldn’t baby? Plus, my son had immature oral motor skills in his mouth and choking was a concern.

I like that Baby Gourmet is very organic (not just one or two ingredients), but I do wish the packages were recyclable.  I also like how they have recipes where you can incorporate the baby food with solids to help transition children.

5. Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find-and Keep-Love 

Those of us who proclaim ourselves as natural parents are also advocates of attachment parenting.  But what about our partners?  Do we practice adult attachment?

A new book written by Amir Levine, M.D. and Rachel S.F. Heller, M.A. explores relationships. Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find-and Keep-Love is perfect for couples and singles to reflect upon this Valentine’s Day, if they so desire to examine their behaviors.  The premise of this book is that by identifying your attachment style, as well as that of your mate, and understanding how it affects your relationship, you will be able to build a sustainable life together.

In Attached, Levine and Heller reveal how an understanding of adult attachment-the most advanced relationship science in existence today-can help us find and sustain love. Pioneered by psychologist John Bowlby in the 1950s, the field of attachment posits that each of us behaves in relationships in one of three distinct ways:

• Anxious people are often preoccupied with their relationships and tend to worry about their partner’s ability to love them back
• Avoidant people equate intimacy with a loss of independence and constantly try to minimize closeness.
• Secure people feel comfortable with intimacy and are usually warm and loving.

Which attachment style are you? I confess that I can think of one time or another that I have been all three!

There are actual quizzes with score guides to help you determine your attachment style. They remind me of the kind often found in women’s magazines.

Would I buy this book?  No. I am not into relationship books. When I read, I read for please, not advice.  I like to get my advice from real humans in a real conversation.

I suppose if I had trouble in a relationship or even establishing a relationship, this book would be very helpful.  I have been with the same partner for almost 21 years. We have two children together.  If we start digging into attachment styles, who knows what could happen?  Might we try to change one another?

My relationship advice is to accept who you love for who they are, do not try to change them into who you want them to be. You can change yourself, which a book like this is helpful for doing, but you have to want to change.  You can’t change other people.

Reading parts of this book, I could relate and felt it was describing myself at moments.  This only made me anxious and defensive.  If we are happy in our relationship, why stir things up?

If I was in a relationship that was ending, and I wanted to save it, this book could be useful for understanding my behavior, as well as my partner’s.  But both people want to save it, and in my recent experience with friends, that isn’t always the case.  I guess understanding your attachment style would help prevent you from making the same mistakes in future relationships or seeking a mate with the appropriate style; however, I really think your style changes depending on the relationship.

I agree we need to practice adult attachment in a manner similar to attachment parenting, but I don’t really think this book draws the same parallels.  It is what I had hoped from the title. Instead, I feel like I am on a talk show when I read the examples.

Disclosure: The products described above were sent to us as free samples. Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given. No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews. The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.

5 Green Products: ReUseThisBag, Naturopathica, Farmer Jason, Baby Gourmet, Attached is a post from: Eco Child's Play

In an ideal world, parents would have time to make their infant’s and toddler’s baby food from scratch.  Actually, it’s not that hard to do if you eat whole foods yourself.  Baby can eat what you eat if you follow a simple diet; however, we don’t live in an ideal world.

Even stay-at-home parents need the convenience of prepared baby food, and you better make it organic and contained BPA-free packaging for optimum baby health.

We were sent samples of Baby Gourmet:

Healthy, organic, and nutritious food for babies (6-12mo) made by moms with a little ingenuity. With all products starting in owners, Jen’s and Jill’s kitchens, each recipe and batch thereafter is taste-tested and poured out if it’s not absolutely loved. Creative recipes include:
6mo – Simple Purees

• Harvest Pear, Pumpkin, and Banana
• Juicy Pear and Garden Greens
• Orchard Apple, Carrot Prune

7mo – Yummy Combos

• Baby’s Sweet Potato Pie
• Roasted Squash and Fruit Medley
• Apple, Sweet Potato Berry Swirl

8mo+ – Tasty Textures

• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
• Vanilla Banana Berry Risotto
• Tropical Banana Bliss

All products are organic, no salt, sugar, fillers, preservatives, no nuts. No dairy, except in Old Fashioned Apple Crisp. Packaged in in a specially designed pouch allows for less cooking time, locking in nutrient values and flavors.

All ingredients are organic with the exception of the ascorbic acid.

Unfortunately, the BPA-free packaging is not recyclable, but it does make for easy heating.  Personally, I like baby food jars. They are very handy to reuse for multiple purposes, but I would assume the lids on them contain BPA, as most canning jars lids do.

As much as I aspired to always make my own baby food and freeze extras, I did resort to store bought baby food on occasion, especially when traveling.  Baby Gourmet is a good option, and I trust the product’s safety and quality, especially since it is made in Canada.

Would I buy this product?  Maybe.  One of our most popular posts “Baby Essentials That Aren’t, Part 7: Baby Food” explores the “baby-led solids” method of feeding.  I think I would try this if I had to do it over again, but I also do think there is a place for puree. I eat pureed food, so why shouldn’t baby? Plus, my son had immature oral motor skills in his mouth and choking was a concern.

I like that Baby Gourmet is very organic (not just one or two ingredients), but I do wish the packages were recyclable.  I also like how they have recipes where you can incorporate the baby food with solids to help transition children.

BPA-Free: Baby Gourmet Organic Baby Food is a post from: Eco Child's Play

by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff
Executive Director/CEO
Healthy Child Healthy World
www.healthychild.org

Last week Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Rachael Ray announced new nutrition standards for school lunches, the first major change in school meals in over 15 years.

The program allots an additional six cents per school lunch—the first real increase in 30 years.  The new standards call for more whole grains and produce, as well as less sodium and fat, and are the first to be enacted as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, part of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign, which was signed into law last year by President Obama. It will affect the nearly 32 million kids who participate in subsidized school lunch programs each day—many of whom get half their daily calories from these meals.

What’s different? Milk goes low- or no-fat, portion sizes shrink to limit calories, and fresh fruits and vegetables are offered every day, among other recommendations echoed in the Eat Healthy section of our 5 Easy Steps.

What’s not? Potatoes are unlimited—although now the majority will be baked, rather than fried—and tomato sauce still makes pizza a vegetable. “It was a bit unfortunate that some groups had powerful friends in Congress and basically tried…create some confusion with these standards,” Vilsack said in a virtual press conference that I attended. “Our response was to set up minimum requirements. You have to have a minimum level of dark green vegetables, you’ve got to have a minimum level of red or orange or yellow vegetables.”

“OK, so Congress left pizza a vegetable,” Ray said. “But we are changing the game today. That [lunch] tray is going to have leafy greens and colorful fruit on it. If one of the other vegetables happens to be pizza or French fries in some schools that day, it doesn’t negate the fact that on the tray there…will include vegetables and fruits.” (For more specifics, check out WebMD’s excellent breakdown of the new standards.)

Regarding organics, Secretary Vilsack said they encourage organics but will leave the decision about integrating to the individual school districts. But he responded to my question about Genetically Engineered foods by saying they would leave this up to “consumer choice.”

I didn’t get a chance to ask him how we can have a choice, given the fact that GEs are not required to be identified on labels—yet are now in 80% of processed foods.

Or to ask if he was aware that 93% of Americans now say they want GE foods to be labeled. (Are you one of them? Sign the Just Label It petition today!)

Sigh. I guess we have to start somewhere. And these new standards are definitely better for our kids.

Hopefully that pizza will have a whole-wheat crust.

P.S. Congratulations from all of us at Healthy Child Healthy World to Mr. Wells’ 4th grade class at the Park School in Brookline, Massachusetts for changing Universal Pictures’ mind about eliminating green content from “The Lorax” movie. As our founder Nancy Chuda wrote last week, when the kids saw the trailer, they realized that the environmental themes–which, as any parent who’s read this story at bedtime knows, are the bedrock of the story–were largely missing. To restore the original meaning to the film, Mr. Wells’ class put together a video and petitioned Universal to add more environmental messaging to their website. And this week, after more than 57,000 people signed their petition, the Universal webpage was updated to reflect the students’ requests. Dr. Seuss once wrote, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” We’re inspired by these kids, who cared enough to make it better. A lot.

School Lunches Get Healthier, But Pizza is Still A Vegetable is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Image via Wikipedia

Arsenic conjers up images of rat poison and soap opera poisonings. The truth is that arsenic does occur naturally in water. It is in the creeks and spring where I live. The EPA regulates how much arsenic is safe for drinking water:

Arsenic is a semi-metal element in the periodic table. It is odorless and tasteless. It enters drinking water supplies from natural deposits in the earth or from agricultural and industrial practices.

Non-cancer effects can include thickening and discoloration of the skin, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting; diarrhea; numbness in hands and feet; partial paralysis; and blindness. Arsenic has been linked to cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver, and prostate.

EPA has set the arsenic standard for drinking water at .010 parts per million (10 parts per billion) to protect consumers served by public water systems from the effects of long-term, chronic exposure to arsenic. Water systems must comply with this standard by January 23, 2006, providing additional protection to an estimated 13 million Americans.

Arsenic, however, is not regulated by the FDA in beverages, and Consumer Reports has found it present in fruit juices exceeding drinking water standards.

Dr. Mercola reports:

Ten percent of the 88 juice samples tested by Consumer Reports had arsenic levels exceeding the U.S. federal drinking-water standard. A quarter of them also had lead levels higher than the 5 ppb limit set for bottled water…

There are currently no official limits set for arsenic in juices, but according to a 2008 FDA hazard assessment, 23 ppb of inorganic arsenic would represent “a potential health risk.” However, the Consumers Union (the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports) has warned that this level should NOT be used as a reference point for establishing a safety limit, because it does not take into account the now well-established carcinogenicity of inorganic arsenic.

The group has proposed the FDA set the limit for arsenic at three ppb—a far cry from the FDA’s stated “level of concern.”

The FDA has responded to the Consumers Union, indicating that the agency is considering creating a guidance for the permissible level of arsenic in apple juice. In a November 21 letter to the Empire State Consumer Project, the agency states it will collect and analyze up to 90 retail juice samples from across the US by the end of this year. However, the FDA already has data on arsenic in fruit juices. They’ve been sampling juices for several years, as part of the Total Diet Study (TDS). The results can be found on the FDA’s website.

In their letter, the FDA states “FDA monitoring has found that total arsenic levels in apple juice are typically low.” But is it low enough to protect public health?

Consumer Reports issues the following concerns:

• Roughly 10 percent of our juice samples, from five brands, had total arsenic levels that exceeded federal drinking-water standards. Most of that arsenic was inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen.
• One in four samples had lead levels higher than the FDA’s bottled-water limit of 5 ppb. As with arsenic, no federal limit exists for lead in juice.
• Apple and grape juice constitute a significant source of dietary exposure to arsenic, according to our analysis of federal health data from 2003 through 2008.
• Children drink a lot of juice. Thirty-five percent of children 5 and younger drink juice in quantities exceeding pediatricians’ recommendations, our poll of parents shows.
• Mounting scientific evidence suggests that chronic exposure to arsenic and lead even at levels below water standards can result in serious health problems.
• Inorganic arsenic has been detected at disturbing levels in other foods, too, which suggests that more must be done to reduce overall dietary exposure.

Healthy Child Healthy World asked last month “Is there arsenic in my kid’s apple juice?“.  Unfortunately, the answer is most likely yes. Consumer Reports is continuing to raise this issue.

I think we should do more juicing from our own apple trees.

Via: Organic Consumers Association

Arsenic in Fruit Juice Exceeds U.S. Federal Drinking-Water Standard is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday, I had an inspiration to make blueberry coffee cake. I searched the internet for a recipe, found this one, then adapted it to our t organic tastes and whole food preferences.

The Best Ever Blueberry Spelt Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a bundt pan by lightly oiling.

The Crumble

Combine:

• 1 organic brown cup sugar
• 1/3 cup organic unbleached white flour
• 1/3 cup organic spelt flour
• 1 teaspoon organic cinnamon

Cut in

• 1/2 cup butter

The Best Ever Blueberry Spelt Coffee Cake Recipe! is a post from: Eco Child's Play

When you hear “Agent Orange”, what do you think of? Death, destruction, war, illness, deforestation, CORN?  Cancer.org explains our most common association with this herbicide:

During the Vietnam War, US military forces sprayed millions of gallons of herbicides (plant-killing chemicals) on lands in Vietnam and Laos to remove forest cover, destroy crops, and clear vegetation from the perimeters of US bases. This effort, known as Operation Ranch Hand, lasted from 1962 to 1971.
Different mixes of herbicides were used, but most were mixtures of 2 chemicals that were phenoxy herbicides:

• 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)
• 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T)

Each mixture was shipped in a chemical drum marked with an identifying colored stripe. The most widely used mixture contained equal parts 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. Because this herbicide came in drums with orange stripes, it was called Agent Orange…

During the 1970s, veterans returning from Vietnam began to report skin rashes, cancer, psychological symptoms, birth defects and handicaps in their children, and other health problems. Some veterans were concerned that Agent Orange exposure might have contributed to these problems. These concerns eventually led to a series of scientific studies, health care programs, and compensation programs directed to the exposed veterans.

A large class-action lawsuit was filed in 1979 against the herbicide manufacturers, and was settled out of court in 1984. It resulted in the Agent Orange Settlement Fund, which distributed nearly $200 million to veterans between 1988 and 1996.

So why would the Obama administration be poised to approve Dow AgroSciences’ genetically engineered corn designed to resist the poisonous herbicide 2,4-D.  I can’t even believe we use Agent Orange on our produce, let alone the need to develop resistant crops so that more of it can be applied.  The Cornucopia Institute explains:

While the USDA attempts to assure the public that 2,4-D is safe, scientists have raised serious concerns about the safety of this herbicide, which was used as a key ingredient in “Agent Orange,” used to defoliate forests and croplands in the Vietnam War.

2,4-D is a chlorophenoxy herbicide, and scientists around the world have reported increased cancer risks in association with its use, especially for soft tissue sarcoma and malignant lymphoma.  Four separate studies in the United States reported an association with chlorophenoxy herbicide use and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“The concern is that, just like Monsanto’s genetically engineered corn that is resistant to RoundUp™ (glyphosate) herbicide, the approval of a cultivar resistant to 2,4-D will cause an exponential increase in the use of this toxic agrichemical,” Kastel stated.

Research by the EPA found that babies born in counties with high rates of 2,4-D application to farm fields were significantly more likely to be born with birth defects of the respiratory and circulatory systems, as well as defects of the musculoskeletal system like clubfoot, fused digits and extra digits. These birth defects were 60% to 90% more likely in counties with higher 2,4-D application rates.

The results also showed a higher likelihood of birth defects in babies conceived in the spring, when herbicide application rates peak.

In its petition, Dow AgroSciences states that 2,4-D is increasingly important for chemical farmers because of the presence of weeds that have developed resistance to glyphosate, as a result of the widespread use of Monsanto’s genetically engineered glyphosate-resistant crops.

“In 2012 the USDA is proposing approving a new GE corn variety that is resistant to a different toxic herbicide, escalating the toxic treadmill in chemical-dependent agriculture,” said Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides. “This is nothing more than a band-aid solution to a serious problem, and will only give rise to more superweeds, more herbicide pollution in our environment, more herbicide poisoning, while likely leading to the need for even more toxic herbicides a couple of years down the line. This foolish circle has to end,” Feldman said.

A 60-day comment period has begun and ends February 27, 2012.  The Organic Consumers Association has an easy form you can submit online to Stop Agent Orange Corn!  Full information about Dow’s petition and more information about public comments can be found at Regulations.gov.

Despite 45,000 public comments in opposition and only 23 in favor to a new strain of Monsanto’s genetically engineered, the USDA approved this latest crop over the holidays.  It is hard not to be cynical the same thing won’t occur with Agent Orange Corn, but we have to try.

 Some rights reserved by Christian Haugen:  Image credit

Take Action: Agent Orange Corn Coming to a Farm Near You! is a post from: Eco Child's Play

You’ve seen the advertisements and billboards…McDonald’s has healthy food, right? Even with the additions of salads and fruits to the menu, fast food is still fast food. Take for example, oatmeal…What could be better than a hardy bowl in the morning? Nation of Change explains:

When the fast food chain McDonald’s decided to add oatmeal to its menu in January 2011, it literally sugar-coated the offering as a “portable, affordable and balanced breakfast solution… to help make it easier and more inviting for our guests to eat more whole grains and fruits”.

Although a single serving of plain oatmeal has one gram of sugar, one serving (253 grams) of McDonald’s fruit and maple oatmeal with brown sugar contains 32 grams of sugar. One serving of the same oatmeal, without brown sugar, contains 18 grams of sugar, according to the company’s nutrition.

“Why would McDonald’s… take a venerable ingredient like oatmeal and turn it into expensive junk food?” lamented New York Times columnist Mark Bittman in February 2011.

McDonald’s oatmeal, he pointed out, “contains more sugar than a Snickers bar and (is) only 10 fewer calories than a McDonald’s cheeseburger or Egg McMuffin”.

So you are better off serving your child a candy bar for breakfast than fast food oatmeal?  I don’t feel so bad for letting my son eat a cookie Christmas morning.

Nation of Change continues to explain that even though processed food is cheaper, the cost to our health and environment is grave.  It’s similar to cheap Chinese products sold at Wal*Mart.  People feel like they are getting a good deal, but the hidden costs are astronomical.

Families living in lower socio-economic status are the targets of such marketing.  If whole foods were more prevalent in their neighborhoods than fast food chains, perhaps these families would actually take a few minutes to make oatmeal rather than buy it at McDonald’s.  Oatmeal is actually fast food when cooked at home.

Fast food is about convenience and cost, but obesity and long term health problems are neither convenient nor inexpensive. It is time we started looking at the whole picture rather than the short term and expose marketing tactics for the lies that they are.

Image credit:   Some rights reserved by theimpulsivebuy

Nation of Change: “McDonald’s uncanny ability to turn an inherently healthy food into an unnaturally processed product” is a post from: Eco Child's Play

1. Can We Save the Tiger?

I am in love with Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins. The illustrations by Vicky White are top notch! Amazing compositions and detail, that is what attracts me to this book so much. The text is filled with informative, yet developmentally appropriate information about endangered and extinct species.

Tigers are pretty special — and so are ground iguanas and partula snails and even white-rumped vultures. But these and many other animals are in danger of disappearing altogether, joining the dodo, the marsupial wolf, the great auk, and countless other animals we will never see again. Using the experiences of a few endangered species as examples, Martin Jenkins highlights the ways human behavior can either threaten or conserve the amazing animals that share our planet. Vicky White’s stunning portraits of rare creatures offer a glimpse of nature’s grace and beauty — and give us a powerful reason to preserve it.

I am really enamored with this book!  We get a lot of children’s literature sent to us to review, and most of it is just downright stupid.  Why authors and illustrators don’t honor and respect children’s intelligence is beyond me. Just because you are trying to deliver an environmental message to a young person does not mean you need create silly creatures and story lines that befuddle the message.  Can We Save the Tiger? is a breath of fresh air in this genre!

Would I buy this book?  ABSOLUTELY YES!

2. North Star & More Stories About Following Your Dreams

There are a few things I like about Scholastic Storybook Treasures:

• You can have the text displayed on the screen highlighting each word as it is read
• It reminds me of Reading Rainbow, in that the actual book illustrations are used to create each story
• The choice of stories is usually very good

What I don’t like about these DVDs is I fear that parents may think that they can replace actual reading to their children by playing a DVD.  Nothing can replace shared reading between an adult and a child!  That being said, I did show this DVD recently while substitute teaching to fill in the gaps of time while I cleaned up art projects.

North Star & More Stories About Following Your Dreams features five stories:

1. The North Star
2. That Book Woman
3. Players In Pigtails
4. Yo! Yes?
5. Swamp Angel

My two favorite stories are Players in Pigtails and Swamp Angel.  Players in Pigtails is about women playing baseball and is a great story to inspiring girls.  It’s message is that girls can do anything boys can do just as well and is based on the historical formation of the  All American Girls Professional Baseball League.   Swamp Angel is of the classic American genre of tall tale.  The kids were laughing out loud at this story, and I found it very entertaining.

Would I buy this DVD?  No.  I would rather read children the stories than put on a DVD.  Plus, there is nothing eco-friendly about this product.  It comes in your standard plastic DVD case instead of recycled cardboard.

3. Packin’ SMART Keepaa Multi Use Drink Holder

With my first child, before I knew the dangers of BPA plastic, I always sought out sippy cups with handles.  She seemed to be better able to hold onto them compared to bottles designed to just be gripped.  Innobaby has created a solution to this problem with their product the Packin’ SMART Keepaa Multi Use Drink Holder:

A must have item for Moms On-the-Go!  No more spills in the car, at home, or while traveling.  Innovative drink sleeve prevents little hands from accidental squeeze, expands to hold multiple types of drinks and folds down for compact storage.

Great for giving a little helping hand for toddlers learning how to drink with milk boxes, juice boxes, juice pouches, kids water bottles, and small cups.

Perfectly sized handles make holding easier for the little hands.

Space saving folding design collapses for compact storage.

Unique snug design keeps drinks in place.

“I belong to…” name holder on the back side.

bpa-, phthalates-,  PVC and lead free.

Oh, the accidental squeeze…I forgot about that one!  I used to always take the first sip off a juice box to prevent it.

This product is made in South Korea.

Would I buy this product?  Probably not.  It is not too expensive at about $6, but I don’t really see it as necessary, and it is plastic, which I think best to avoid all together, BPA-free or not.  It is an innovative idea, but part of greening family life is learning to live with less.  Simplifying parenting means less paraphernalia.

4. Rain Tees

One of my favorite t-shirts from past reviews came from Rain Tees.  It is super soft and comfortable, so much so that I love to sleep and backpack in it.  I’m am pleased to report that three years later, Rain Tees is still making fashion “from rainforests to runways”.

Beth Doane created Rain Tees in 2007 when she realized just how toxic the fashion industry can be for the environment. Beth had already developed Rain Tees’ parent company Andira International at age 22, where she focused on launching, importing and distributing exclusive European brands to the United States market.

The word “Andira” describes a tall tree which grows in the Brazilian Amazon and has been used for centuries by indigenous people for its medicinal properties. However, due to logging, oil drilling and agricultural expansion in the Amazon, the species has become nearly extinct.

As a result of this devastation, Beth wanted to launch a line that would educate consumers on critical environmental and social issues, end the negative effects of climate change, and not cause further damage to the earth in the process. When she realized that no such brand existed, she established Rain Tees.

Andira Rain Tee donates art supplies to schools in Central and South America. Children create designs that are chosen for these eco-friendly shirts.  Then, Andira Rain Tees sponsors the children whose design was chosen, as well as use ethical manufacturing practices creating positive jobs in the Amazon region.

We were sent two beautiful Rain Tees:

Rainbow Beak Tee

ILLUSTRATED BY:

Ava

5 Green Gifts: Can We Save the Tiger, Scholastic Storybook Treasures, Innobaby, Rain Tees, & Fair Trade Chocolate is a post from: Eco Child's Play

In the spirit of giving around the holidays, it is important to attempt to have as little negative impact on the planet and people living in less developed countries when buying gifts made abroad.  One way to ensure that at least your holiday sweets are ethical is to look for Fair Trade certification.  Fair Trade USA explains:

A 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, Fair Trade USA is the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. We enable you, the consumer, to make a difference with your dollar. We help people and the planet work in tandem so both are healthy and sustained. We provide farmers in developing nations the tools to thrive as international business people. Instead of creating dependency on aid, we use a market-based approach that gives farmers fair prices, workers safe conditions, and entire communities resources for fair, healthy and sustainable lives. We seek to inspire the rise of the Conscious Consumer and eliminate exploitation.

Fair Trade USA has an excellent fair trade gift guide, of which we were sent the following delicious chocolate treats!

• Sunspire Baking Bar Unsweetened Fair Trade 100% Cacao
• Alter Eco Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bar

I am in love with Alter Eco’s Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bar. It is my favorite chocolate!  I first tasted it after a strenuous backpacking trip, and well, it was divine!  The quinoa crunch is perfect, and speaking of quinoa…the Sunspire baking bar makes the best quinoa brownies!

You really can’t go wrong with Fair Trade chocolate!

Would I buy these product?  Absolutely Yes!  I do all the time!

Disclosure: The products described above were sent to us as free samples. Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given. No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews. The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.

Fair Trade Holiday Sweets: Sunspire Organic Baking Bar and Alter Eco Dark Chocolate Quinoa is a post from: Eco Child's Play