Apple Butter News Blog

Newsletter Sent 12/9/2010 Holiday Bake Sale Made Fresh to Order - Local Delivery! www.AppleButterNews.com/BakedGoods In Flux – And A Bit Self Indulgent I would like to wish a happy marry Holiday to all my friends in Utica, Syracuse and NYC.  Many of you have not heard from me in a while, I regret that. I seem to have a problem deciding and sticking with an idea of where I want to go with this newsletter. I have many friends who are spiritual but non-political, and others who are political but non-spiritual. So, over the past year I have made this newsletter almost exclusively about growing, finding and preparing healthy foods – which I do and always will care a great deal about and will continue to write about and advocate for. However, in hindsight I believe that was a mistake, and in part a betrayal of who I am, and I would like to take this time to apologize to my God and to my subscribers for not being my most authentic self. That said, going forward t...

Article courtesy: Lifescript.com : Healthy Living for Women Newsletter sent: 9/15/2010 Called the “ Mother grain” by the Incas, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) is a whole grain that originated in the Andes Mountains in South America. It was a staple of the Incan civilization, and now, centuries later, it is appearing in both health food stores and major grocery chains. This Andes Mountains marvel packs six grams of protein and three grams of fiber for only 150 calories in a typical half-cup cooked serving. The same amount of brown rice yields only two grams of protein and less than two grams of fiber. This chewy grain is a special favorite of vegetarians because unlike any other carbohydrate, it is a balanced amino-acid source of high quality protein. Those with sensitivities to wheat and gluten are also embracing it. Just like rice, quinoa is sold dried and raw and is typically cooked on the stove in boiling water (just make sure to rinse it first). You can also substit...

Whole Grains Guide Written by Gloria Tsang, RD of HealthCastle.com Newsletter Published: 9/8/2010 (HealthCastle.com) You've probably heard a lot about how good for you whole grains can be. But do you really know what whole grains are – or why they're so beneficial? A grain is considered whole when all three parts – bran, germ and endosperm – are present. Most people know that fruits and vegetables contain beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants , but many do not realize that whole grains are often an even better source of these key nutrients. In fact, whole grains are a good source of B vitamins, Vitamin E , magnesium , iron and fiber , as well as other valuable antioxidants not found in some fruits and vegetables. Most of the antioxidants and vitaminsare found in the germ and the bran of a grain Common Types of Whole Grains: wild rice brown rice whole wheat oatmeal whole oats barley whole rye bulgar popc...

Sweeten Drinks With Stevia by  Kate Walker Article courtesy: HerbCompanion.com Aug 18, 2010 10:59 am Stevia is a natural sweetener that is also calorie-free. Photo by  Kate Walker Kate Walker is a retired educator who enjoys cooking, quilting, reading, writing and travel! She believes that there is always "thyme" to cook and to sit down as a family for the evening meal. Cooking together is a wonderful way to bring family and friends together to enjoy food and each other. With a good recipe and a spoonful of thyme wonderful things can happen! Visit Kate at her blog A Spoonful of Thyme at   www.aspoonfulofthyme.blogspot.com . I am fortunate to live in the world's largest garden: California's Central Valley! This valley actually provides one quarter of America's food.  Living here makes it easy to find an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. With the variety of fruits and vegetables available, it also means...

By Patricia Hamilton Newsletter Sent July 20th 2010 I decided to start a little backyard garden. A little late in the season, but I’m getting it done. I’m learning how to grow some of my own fresh, organic fruits, vegetables and herbs for teas and cooking.  I have been inspired by Michelle Obama’s let’s move initiative and groups such as the slow food movement. I am convinced more that ever that it really does matter what I eat, and where and how what I chose to eat is produced. So far it’s been an interesting experiment. We decided to grow straight up out of the ground as opposed raised beds to save on expenses, and was given a few heirloom cucumbers and black bean starters to get us going. I also purchased a few varieties of tomatoes, squash and herb plants which the seller promoted as heirloom organic. I think the hardest part was digging up the dirt and working it. I saw a little taste of it while participating in a local community garden startup, but ...

Local Farms vs. The Dirty Dozen by Patricia Hamilton Newsletter Sent: Aug 04, 2010 02:03 pm Organic living is unfairly hard. It cost more to purchase and takes longer, more time, care and know how to produce. That is why I appreciate the EWG’s (The Environmental Working Group’s) list of the worst non-organic produce to consume, due to pesticide and chemicals left on these foods even after a through washing; and the clean 15 non-organic foods that do not absorb and retain chemical pesticides after washing. Local vs. Organic I respect the list. I wholeheartedly agree that we should be careful and limit the amount of chemical pesticides and unnatural things we put into our bodies. However, I think it is also important to mention the benefits of becoming familiar with your local farmers and backyard producers. Because having one’s produce certified as organic can become so mottled in the muck and mire of legal minutia, many producers who do take the time and effort to ...