Almond chewy chocolate cookies

8 oz	semi sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp	butter, softened
2 lg	eggs
1/3 c	granulated sugar, plus more for decorating
3/4 c	ground almonds or almond flour

These cookies are gluten free but who needs to know. Everybody will enjoy these.

1  Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2  Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave
3  Stir softened butter into chocolate
4   Beat eggs and add sugar
5   Continue beating until egg mixture is light
6   Gently stir egg mixture into chocolate mixture
7   Add ground almonds, combining very well, but gently
8   Cover and refrigerate overnight
9   Form into 1 in. balls and roll in bowl of granulated sugar.
10  Place on lined cookie sheet
11  Bake for 8-10 min. or until set.


Enjoy

US Food Country if Origin Label (COOL)

Well there fellow readers, I just found our something that I should have know n about years ago.  I am a label reader but the tiny print got away from me until I learned to look for it.  Food sold in the US now must show where the product was made or grown.  So when we buy Jalapenos we know if they are from California or Mexico.  If we know of a food that is contaminated and comes from ABC land we can avoid it and still eat the product from XYZ land.

In this way we can have the knowledge to truly buy local or make sure that the lamb is really from New Zealand. However there are some problems with this new rule.  While the product must show country or origin it is usually so small and hard to find.   I recently bought some canned pumpkin only to discover that it was from China where there was a problem with pumpkins exploding because of too many chemicals on them.  Since I do not want my pies exploding, I tossed them just to be safe. 

The other problem is the exemptions to the law.  I get the small stores that sell fresh fish and meat, they are too small and usually get their stuff local anyway.   Processed foods, like bacon, cold cuts, trail mix and the like do not have to show country of origin.   Mixed veggies will be exempt as well.   Why?  USDA bent on the side of the industry yet again and not the consumer.  Good watchdog.

Another loophole that is being allowed is the multiple country of origin label.  This means that if a food processor (say meat) has meat from Canada, the US and Mexico it can say that all on one label instead of identifying and changing labels with each batch processed.  This defeats our ability to determine true place of origin. However, we must still be glad that we have a start.  Buy local when you can and just be an informed consumer.

I Scream for sherbet.

August 1, 2011
 

Where did the summer go and where did the year go.  Ever get the feeling that you stood still and time fly by.  Well let us stop time and do something good for ourselves and our families.  What you don’t know what you can do?   How about some ice cream?  Get out that old ice cream maker in the back.  Make some fresh ice cream or sherbet for the family.  Never did it?  Still in the box?  Well then, you need to open that box clean it out and get the bowl or mixing part in the freezer ASAP.  It needs to be frozen before you begin.  Then after each use, clean it out and stick it in the freezer in a plastic bag so you don’t  get freezer burn.   Once it is frozen you are ready to begin. 

Now you will need some sugar about a cup and 7 tablespoons of water.  Gently boil until the sugar disappears.  Next add the juice of a lemon or lime, or lemon oil or some mint leaves 3-4.  If you used the leaves, when they wilt pull them out and send to the compost heap.  Cool the syrup.  Now add 3 ¾ cups of a juice, orange is what we like.  Lemon juice or some citrus will work well.  Nectarine would work as well.  Yes it is very liquidly.   Now take the bowl or center piece out of the freezer and place in the machine. Add your liquid and turn on.  It will mix very slowly.  Yes it looks like it will not pull together. Wait wait. About half an hour it will be ready to eat.  If still to soft for you place the container in the freezer until solid enough.  Enjoy!

Organic or Not

Organic clsims on personal care products such as creams and  lotions are not regulated.  The USDA Organic label on food only ensures that what you put in your body is truly organic.  Producers personal care products can label a product organic with only one ingrediant being organic.



The requirements set by the USDA for food items states that they must be third-party certified to the USDA National Organic Program standards.  These standards prohibit the use of genetically engineered seeds or crops, sewage sludge, toxic and persistent pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.  These items are obviously dangerous to our helth and shoud not be placed on your body.

Please be aware of this when you shop for your products.  I represent two companies who pride themselves in these standards.  If you need personal products please contact me.

How to Read a Label Personal Products

We use products on our body's and children's body's all the time. What do the labels mean?? The US government does not regulate the words  "gentle" or  "natural", nor does it require safety testing.  So what does this mean to us??  Every product must list the ingredients.  Know what to look out for.

Avoid these perservatives listed at the end:

1.  all "paraben" 2. DMDM hydantoin 3. Imidazolidinyl urea   (even sounds nasty) 4. Methylchloroisothiazolinone 5. Methylisothiazolinone 6. Triclosan 7. Triclocarban 8. Triethanolamine (or "TEA")  9. at the start of the list look out for ingredients that start with "PEG" or have an "-eth" in the middle (e.g., sodium laureth sulfate). 10. Avoid  "FRAGRANCE," or "FD&C," or "D&C."

For our little ones avoid these 6 items as we must protect their growing bodies:
1. 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3 Diol
2. BHA
3. Boric acid and sodium borate
4. DMDM Hydantoin
5. Oxybenzone
6. Triclosan

These ingredients have been shown to cause harm.  While they are safe in one product our continued use of them over and over is what makes them a hazard we can avoid.

Rose Cupcakes

• 12 mini cupcakes
• White icing
• Scissors
• 6 rolls of fruit leather in red
• 1 roll of  fruit leather in Green Color

How to make the roses

1. Frost 12 mini cupcakes with white icing.
2. To make a rose, unroll a piece of the cherry or strawberry fruit leather and
   divide it in half along the wavy perforated middle line. Take one of the halves
   and roll up about 5 inches to form the flower's center. Set the rolled strip
   wavy side up in the middle of a cupcake and continue to loosely wrap
   the remaining fruit leather around the center at a slight angle until the flower
   is completed.
3. Repeat this process for the remaining flowers. (You should be able to get 2
   mini roses out of each roll of fruit leather.)
4. Cut leaf shapes from the wavy edge of the Color by the Foot strip as shown,
   then tuck the leaves under the roses.
5. Adapted from http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/rose-cupcakes-686747/

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with Chicken

A winter treat.

Serves: 4
Prep: 13 min
Cook: 32 min
Total: 45 min
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 carrots, sliced   HINT (use 2 1/2c baby carrots to save time.
• 1 pound sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1" chunks
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 12 ounces cooked chicken breast, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 7 to 9 ounces baby spinach
• OPTIONAL  stir in some red or green hot sauce for spice.

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic, curry powder, and ginger. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
2. Stir in the carrots, sweet potatoes, and 3 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the carrots and sweet potatoes are tender.
3. Transfer to a food processor, working in batches if necessary. Puree the hot mixture until smooth. Return to the saucepan and add the spinach and the remaining 1 cup of broth. Bring to a simmer.
4. Remove from the heat. Divide among 4 bowls and top with the chicken. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper to taste.
Nutritional Facts per serving
Calories     367.6 cal
Fat     11 g
Saturated fat     2.3 g
Cholesterol     67.6 mg
Sodium     334.9 mg
Carbohydrates     37.7 g
Total sugars     11.4 g
Dietary fiber     8.7 g
Protein     30.5 g
Courtesy of the Rodale Recipe Finder.

A New Energy Source

It is cold here in New Jersey. Today, the snow is falling mixed with icy rain. The temperature is in the low 30’s and it is nasty out there. Yet I have found a secret weapon to give me the energy that I need to get through the day. Help me pass this info on..

While I love coffee, I usually like it with condensed milk and then drink a lot of it. That’s good but it adds extra calories. I was looking for a healthy alternative and something I would feel good about drinking. Coffee, black tea and even green tea sometimes have a bitterness that I do not like. I wanted something yummy for my mid morning break. I did not want a commercially made energy drink. I wanted something natural.

What I found was better than I thought. I found something that has the caffeine that I need, antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids that are beneficial for a healthy lifestyle. Best of all, these all came in the form of a magical good tasting tea – no chemicals or ingredients that are harmful. As a side benefit this plant is grown in the South American Rainforest in the shade so it supports rainforest conservation! Wow good for me gives me energy and good for the earth.

So what is it you may ask? It’s a tea made from a type of holly called GUAYUSA (why-you-sa) which is grown in the Amazone. The focused energy it provides is called “mental strength and courage by the native Kichwa people. It is sold by a new company called Runa LLC which means “fully living human beaing”. The company commitment is to live responsibly collaboratively and intelligently as a global community.

I met one of the company representatives at Whole Foods and had to try the drink. She was kind enough to give me some samples which I quickly gave to teachers and friends in law enforcement. They all liked the flavor and said that they did have more energy. As I type this I am drinking my traditional blend from my new box. You can get this tea at Whole Foods and on line at Amazone (see link)You can contact the company directly at :

Email : info@runa.org

Phone: 1-800-485-3803

Website: Runa LLC

 






No, I am not affiliated with them in any way. I just love their product and that’s just what I need on a cold winters day in New Jersey.



A New Year

2011 is finally here and what a year it has been. Only a few days into it and we have a new start on everything. This year I am opening my box of cleaning supplies. They are all natural and as healthy as they can be made. With an injured little boy in the house it is necessary to keep it as clean and as germ free as possible.


The nice thing is that they are all delivered to my home. I just open it up and start to clean. Since this is a complete job and I am looking after the little guy, I pick one room. Wash the windows, dust and clean out the fallen leaves etc. If a plant needs to be replanted, I do that now. Toss the ones that are not healthy. I use natural wood cleaner and clean and dust all the wooden items. Anything that can go in the cloths washer like a throw is tossed in. The final step is to vacuum. The room smells good now.

Now I will move into the next room. Packing Christmas decorations as I go. I look for frayed wires. If it can be fixed I put it in the to do pile, if not it goes out after I remove the light bulbs. If the decorations are broken or look like they have better days I toss them. If I think someone else could use it because I am tired of it then off it goes to the donation pile. If you do not do this as you go, then next year you don’t have what you need. A bit of time now saves anguish latter. Enjoy and back to my cleaning.

Pine cone feeders

We are in October already. The air is crisp and clean. The leaves are starting to turn. What is there to do? Well I start making my pine cone feeders.

What you will need:

Pinecones,

Either: lard, suet, peanut butter

oatmeal, cornmeal

string

(Optional) High energy feed: dried fruit cut up in tiny pieces, chopped nuts, sunflower or milet



What to Do

First place string around pine cone, leave enough to hang on a tree.
Mix fat (not the Peanut butter) with equal parts oatmeal or cornmeal.
Spread this mixture on the pinecones. If using peanut butter spread without adding anything at this point.
Pour seed on a plate or cookie sheet with edges. You can add the High energy food if you like.
Roll the pinecones in the seed mixture until covered.
Hang the cones outside and enjoy the feast.

What are some of your projects?

9/11

It happened 9 years ago. Like today there was not a cloud in the sky. Life was good. Expecting our first child and buying a new house. My husband drove into the city and I went to the law office in Princeton. We were having coffee and settling down for the day when someone screamed. We ran to the conference room where the TV was on. Normally a busy office the phones stopped ringing. We just stayed around the TV and watched. I could not reach my husband but since he was in law enforcement, I knew he would be in harm’s way.


He called to let me know he was on the road and saw the second plane hit the towers. The turnpike was at a stop but he was going in. He later told me that the tunnels to NYC were closed but he put on his lights and sirens and was waved through. It was eerie being the only car in the tunnel, he said.

I did not hear from him until late that night. I was a New Yorker living in New Jersey. Did not have any good friends near and my close friends were unreachable in NYC. I had no way to get in and only wanted to go in and help - man phones at the Police station, help at a hospital but I could not. My parents were in NYC, they owned a house near the Police Department and like many opened their doors to the First responders that could not go home. A place to crash, a bath, and some food.

We could not believe that this was planned. It had to be a horrific accident. But after the second plane hit we knew we were under attack. I was afraid for us, I was afraid for my unborn child. I was afraid for those who would not see their loved ones come through the door. I saw a country shaken but pull together. The sleeping dog was up and growling. Lady Liberty was crying with her fist in the air. I saw people going to give blood that would not have done it at any other time. I saw strangers hugging and candles lit at night. I saw a unity that was not there before. It did not matter what you were a maid or CEO, who cared about the color of your skin, what language you spoke, what you looked liked we were all the same—Americans. We were united.

After all planes were grounded, I was proud when I saw a Military plane overhead. People around me would stop and look up and wave. We knew they could not see us but we were proud of them.

I learned that two childhood friends were each in one tower. One called the other and true to form said he would race him down to safety. That was the only reason the second left his office. The second waited for his friend outside and only saw the tower fall. Our friend was still inside.

We saw real heroes die and folks saved by a late train. We heard of lost dogs that got lost to comfort lost children. We saw unlikely friendships made. And the search for victims all in vain. We saw cars at the station never to have their owners come back. We saw searches for loved ones never to be seen again. We saw fathers come home covered in ash.

Yet, nine years later, a little voice asks why do you cry today Mommy. What is today? She says her prayers for the fallen. She cannot understand how we all came together since she has never seen that. I cannot explain how the world was so different. How we played outside alone; how we lost the innocence. She never knew the innocent time.

All gave some and some gave it all. Let us Never Forget. Teach your children what this day means.
R.I.P all those who died that fatefull day.  "Let's Roll" to a better world where innocence is not far gone and say "GOD BLESS THE USA".

Ketchup Recipe

My daughter LOVES ketchup.   I do not like all the stuff they put in to the store stuff. The organic one is expensive and is hard to get in my area. So what is a mother to do? Can’t find it – then make it. Here is a recipe I found that works.

My little girl likes it plain but you can add spice to it and change it up a notch. The water is what makes it thin or thick so adjust that to your tast.

Ketchup

3 6 oz cans tomato paste organic is the best

1/4 c honey local if you have it since it helps with allergies

1/4 c brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

pinch of cayenne

pinch all spice

pinch garlic powder

3/4 c cider vinegar organic if you can

Water as needed to reach the right consistency.

Mix together and simmer while stirring, for five minutes. Remove from heat. Cool. Adjust seasonings. Flavor will improve on standing .

For those that have to have it now. You can skip the simmering but this helps blend the flavors. Try adding different spices like chipotle to the mix.

Bon appetite.

Toronto

We took a trip to Toronto, Canada as a family. Wow what a beautiful city. It was clean and the people were very friendly. Two things caught my eye. First on the main strip, the restaurants have big windows facing the street. In two of the restaurants, right by the big windows, I saw not one but two MOMs breastfeeding. It was a beautiful sight. Yes they were not exposed but they were not shoved in the back or told to hide. It was accepted as normal. Yet here in the USA we still see lawsuits about MOMs not being allowed to breast feed or asked to move out of sight.

I then noticed a lot of wheelchairs. The city accommodates them and they are seen everywhere. It was with great ease that they moved around and the transportation system easily accommodated them. I always remember a trip to NYC where I saw a wheelchair bound person struggling with the buses. Here everyone seemed to be more mobile. It was nice to see.

And finally the last thing that impressed me was the way recycling was a part of everyday life. From the time we crossed the border there were blue bins for paper and cans and glass. Even the hotel rooms had these bins. Some places even had organic matter receptacles headed for a compost heap. I wish we did that more. They made it easy to recycle so more people did it.

Well those are my thoughts for today. How can we make the world better? One step at a time. Do one nice thing for another today.

Angels Come when you least expect it

A few weeks ago, my daughter needed a medical test performed at a well know NYC Hospital. It was a non -intrusive test but would be very long. She was testing for lactose intolerance with a breath test. It was negative our search goes on. Prior to the test she was on a restricted bland diet. Little girls on restricted diets don’t do well. All the cartoons had a food theme that day. Little brother only wanted to talk about ice cream and very good foods. We had him on a restricted diet to limit the foods she saw.

Towards the end of the day it occurred to me that I was not sure if she could drink water in the morning. Could she brush her teeth with toothpaste? Simple questions but if I choose the wrong one I could invalidate a test and have to do this all over again. It is an hour and a half drive to NYC and we needed to leave before the testing center opened. I doubted that I would hear back from them in time.

I called and e-mailed my contact anyway. And would you believe it! I got a response right back. Our pediatric Nurse Clinician Aris A. sent me back a detailed e-mail and a text message. He was even able to accommodate us from our long trip. As soon as we got there we rested and freshened up and the test started. He knew children. She was very scared even though we all said that it would not hurt. He told her Daddy could try the drink first and then she would drink it all up. Daddy did and gave her a big smile and she ended up asking for more. I knew she was thirsty as not even a drop of water could she drink.

It was a long test, about three hours. We played on her DSI, read books, Mom crocheted a shawl and Dad read and read. Yet every time that Aris came by he would walk right up to her and explain to her what was happening. He taught her how to blow up the balloon and what a good job she was doing. He even thought to bring her books to read that were at her level.

His kindness and professionalism of answering a late placed email impressed me. Too often, we do not praise or acknowledge the little things in life. I call them the little angel acts. A kind word comforts a frightened child. A smile relaxes one. A return of an email or phone call comforts a distraught mother. Each action in and of itself is small and yet if even one were missing the result would not have been so good.

I have a little girl who knows she needs more tests and is not afraid to go back. She knows she will meet with friendly people and be safe. I only wish and hope that everyone she meets is as kind and professional as Aris. Thank you Aris for a job well done.

Food for thought

This is not the post I intended to put up today. I am working on one about my daughter medical test and helpful hints on that and a great nurse practitioner.

But then I saw this from the FDA. Food Recall Link  It made me think how lucky I am. I buy most veggies from the farmers at the farmers market. My meat is from within 100 miles at the Whole Food store. My milk from a local dairy. My eggs from the small farm a few miles over where they are free range.

Point is I know where my food comes from. I have it fresh and if there is a nationwide recall I am pretty safe from where I get my food. There are enough local farmers where I am at that if one has trouble I just buy from the others down the road. They take pride in their food and will tell me when something is damaged. For example, “ the melons are very soft but they are good to eat take two for the price of one”. “ Tomatoes are strange looking but good for sauce”.

Due to necessity and convenience, we usually have no idea where our food comes from and so we increase the danger of the recalls. I do not know how the spinach is packed or the eggs are handled at our supermarkets. I have to trust them. I see how the food is packed at the local farmers market and see the care they have for the food.

If you can buy local. Help our farmers. You are not only helping the environment but keeping you and your family safe.

Back to School

Here are some back to school tips that I thought you would like and a chance to dosome good for the environment and our children:

1.Art supplies.  Paints should be water-based to avoid solvents and colored with non-metal pigments.          Polymer clays that stay soft at room temperature or can be hardened in a home oven --  are made from  PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and often contain phthalates.  When possible make your own clay. 

2.Hand washing. Plain soap and water is great but if you have to choose a sanitizers use one that has ethyl
 alcohol but no fragrance

3.Backpacks.  Natural fibers are the way to go. Skip those made with PVC that is no #3, the symbol for
   PVC, or look for "no PVC" on the label.. Second best are the  polyester and nylon ones.
4.Lunch boxes. Make sure they do not cntain lead  paint, PVC, BPA and antimicrobial chemicals. Some      options are: cotton lunch bags, BPA-free plastic or unpainted stainless steel. Reuse utensils from home and pack food in reusable, rather than disposable, containers (such as lightweight stainless steel or #1, 2, 4 or 5 plastics). The Safe Landing  has great products including drinking containers.

5.Pencils and pens. Pick plain wooden pencils (no paint or glossy coating) made from wood or recycled       newspaper. Skip the scented ones.

6.Notebooks and binders. Plastic covers on binders and spiral notebooks are usually made from PVC (#3    plastic).  Avoid these.

7 .Paper products. Look for recycled paper, no  bleach. Avoid added lotion, fragrance and dyes.

8.Glue. Good options are: glue sticks, white/yellow/clear "school" glue. No rubber cement.

9. Clothing.  remember to label everything.  I usedto make my own labels but I have enough to do without
 that so now I buy mine and get to stick them on and peel off when I am through with an item try them at Children's Labels.

Okay Mom's you have the information to make better choices for your children.  Mine like the binders and folders with the plastic and designes.  So I cut out the pictures from gift wrap and use my glue stick to glue on their books and notebooks.  This worked and then it is also handmade with extra touches.  Hope this helps.  Let me know what else you need info on,

Hockey Equipment Cleaning Tip

Hockey Moms,


I think I have a solution for the stinky protective gear. First, stink is caused by bacteria that love moist places. Our kids stuff gets moist just by being used. They need to wear it to get protection but they do not need that stinky smell. You need to let them dry thoroughly. That means not in the back of the car or piled on the floor. I made a mannequin out of scrape wood and wire we had. Not that pretty but I can store the gear on it and know I have not lost anything. The wire on most of it lets the air circulate around the equipment and dry it out.

When I have a long break between practice and games, I use a solution of bleach and warm water to rub on the equipment. That seems to kill much of the smell. When I do not have time for that, which is usually the case, I spray the equipment with a natural disinfectant. I use  Mela-magic by Melanuca product that kills germs. On the mannequin, I dry out the equipment and yeah the smell is gone.  Contact me on how to get this product if you like.

I have a little guy in the atom or mite division and they are picky about the smell of things. As they get older I think they just think it is natural but I will see how long I can keep battling the stink. Let me know what you do.

Whats in our Cosmetics?

As a Mom, I always worry about what ingredients are in the products I use. I did my research on the cosmetic and bath products that my family uses. I was shocked to discover that manufacturers can put any ingredient in their product and without any government review or control. That means that some products may contain harmful ingredients. I learned that personal care products, including children's products, may contain a cancer-causing ingredient, 1,4-Dioxane, and 60 percent of sunscreens contain oxybenzone, a potential hormone disruptor. There are reports of hidden substances in fragrance and preservatives in personal care products.


Recently there was a report that the increase in learning disabilities may be linked to all the chemicals we are exposed to in uterus and out. So I was glad to hear that the Congress introduced a bill to help solve this problem. The bill is Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 (H.R. 5786). It is intended to expand the review and control of ingredients used in the cosmetic and bath products. It may allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prohibit dangerous ingredients that have already been banned in Europe.

If you want to support this bill and I urge you to click on the link below. Thank you.




Click to support the Bill

Do Cleaning Products Cause Breast Cancer?

ScienceDaily (July 19, 2010) — Women who report greater use of cleaning products may be at higher breast cancer risk than those who say they use them sparingly. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health asked more than 1500 women about their cleaning product usage and found that women who reported using more air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control had a higher incidence of breast cancer.

Julia Brody, from the Silent Spring Institute, USA, worked with a team of researchers to carry out telephone interviews with 787 women diagnosed with breast cancer and 721 comparison women. She said, "Women who reported the highest combined cleaning product use had a doubled risk of breast cancer compared to those with the lowest reported use. Use of air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control were associated with increased risk. To our knowledge, this is the first published report on cleaning product use and risk of breast cancer."

The researchers questioned women on product use, beliefs about breast cancer causes, and established and suspected risk factors. They found that cleaning products, air fresheners, and insect repellents were associated with breast cancer, but little association was observed with overall pesticide use. Women with breast cancer who believed that chemicals and pollutants contribute 'a lot' to the risk of developing the condition were more likely to report high product usage.

Speaking about this potential bias to the study, Brody said, "When women are diagnosed with breast cancer, they often think about what happened in the past that might have contributed to the disease. As a result, it may be that women with breast cancer more accurately recall their past product use or even over-estimate it. Or, it could also be that experience with breast cancer influences beliefs about its causes. For example, women diagnosed with breast cancer are less likely to believe heredity contributes 'a lot', because most are the first in their family to get the disease."

In order to avoid possible recall bias, the researchers recommend further study of cleaning products and breast cancer using prospective self-reports and measurements in environmental and biological media.

See this link: More Info

Organic or Not

We always look for the best foods to buy for our family.  After much research I found that it pays to buy these foods from the organic section.  On my next post I will tell you which ones to buy from the regular section.  We have grown many of these in our gaden to make sure they are organic.

Celery
Peaches           The animals eat ours before we pick them
Strawberries   A few plants go a long way and are fun to grow.
Apples
Blueberries (Domestic)  In NJ we have organic farms and freeze the berries.
Nectarines
Sweet Bell Peppers  We grow our own.  Not hard and great to grow.
Spinach
Cherries
Potatoes  We tried growing them this year in planters.  Not hard and now we have some to store.
               Next year we will plant more.
Grapes they are growing on the side of our home.

Why should you care about pesticides? There is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effects on health, especially during vulnerable periods such as fetal development and childhood. We know that chemicals are bad and now we learn that they can affect birth defects.

Of the 12 most contaminated foods, seven are fruits.

More than 96 percent of peaches tested positive for pesticides, followed by nectarines (95.1 percent) and apples (93.6 percent).

Nearly 86 percent of peaches contained 2 or more pesticide residues ‚ followed by apples (82.3 percent) and nectarines (80.6 percent).


Among the vegetables:
Some 95 percent all celery samples tested positive for pesticides, followed by imported cucumbers (84.5 percent) and potatoes (84.2 percent).

Nearly 85 percent of celery samples contained multiple pesticides, followed by sweet bell peppers (61.5 percent) and collard greens (53.2 percent).

Also keep in mind that maintaining your family's health is not the only reason to choose organic food. Pesticide and herbicide use contaminates groundwater, ruins soil structures and promotes erosion, and may be a contributor to "colony collapse disorder," the sudden and mysterious die-off of pollinating honeybees that threatens the American food supply. Buying or growing organic food is good for the health of the planet.