Buying locally farmed goods is not just a way to support your local economy, but a way to support the environment. The food has a lot shorter of a journey to make. Instead of traveling across the country, it just travels down the street. There are many organizations supporting local farmers that may provide information about the farms nearest you and where to shop for their goods. Eating green has a whole new meaning.

In 2007, the FDA approved the use of breeding with cloned animals to produce milk, eggs, and even meat to be sold to the public. The cloned animals themselves are not to be consumed, but their offspring don’t have such a lucky fate. Consumers have expressed their right to be able to know whether food is cloned or not. “Clone-Free” labels have been considered, but the FDA has decided to not require the labels because the cloned food is “no different” than that from a conventionally bred animal. Food producers can voluntarily label their products as clone-free, but only if the claim is valid.

The USDA considers cows conceived by in vitro fertilization to be organic. Comparing this process to cloning is questionable. Neither procedure includes natural conception, but at least in vitro fertilization still uses egg and sperm. The FDA argues that cloning is not actually genetic engineering, because the gene sequence is not altered, simply duplicated.

Cloning is a technology used to reproduce, but it has yet to be determined if it is an organic process. An organic food label is not an indicator of wholesome natural conception, for now. In the future, knowing your food source may be common knowledge. Or you might be drinking milk from the ‘same cow’ for the rest of your life without even knowing it.

Let’s talk about the health issue: Did you know that three ounces of shrimp has fewer than 85 calories and has a very low fat/high protein ratio? And although you may have heard that they are high in cholesterol, if they aren’t deep-fried in batter and/or butter, they actually don’t contribute negatively to your cholesterol level.

And now, to the the issue of preparation: You need to start by selecting good quality, fresh shrimp. Ask your fishmonger what varieties are the best and the freshest at the time. Some popular varieties are brown, white, pink, jumbo, rock and tiger shrimp. When deciding on amounts, a good rule of thumb is one third of a pound  of shelled shrimp per person. If you buy frozen shrimp, be sure to allow them to thaw out in the fridge before using them in a recipe.

No matter what recipe you are using, here are some useful pointers:

1. First and foremost, you want to make sure you aren’t cooking bad shrimp. One clear indication is smell. If they give off an intense odor of ammonia, then they are done for and the only thing to do is to head to the store for a new batch. Shrimp that are just starting to turn can sometimes be salvaged by rubbing them with baking soda and putting them back in the fridge for about ten minutes. Then pull it out and wash of the baking soda very well before cooking. To be safe, when in doubt, throw it out!

2. I recommend peeling the shrimp before you cook it, as it is much easier than afterwards.

3. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, lest it become rubbery and dry (a sure fire way to scare you and your family off of shrimp for good).

4. If you are boiling the shrimp, you’ll know that they are ready when they start floating.

There are a lot of great, simple and healthy recipes for shrimp out there. Here’s one to get you started on the right track.

What you need:

- 1 lb boiled shrimp (if cooking yourself, remember, they’re done when they float!)

- 1 C freshly minced parsley

- 1 C lemon juice (watch out for seeds!)

- 3 Tbs fresh, minced garlic

- 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

- 1 tsp salt (I recommend Kosher salt, but any will do)

- 1 tsp pepper

What to do with it:

Put garlic and oil into a pan over med heat. Cook just until the garlic begins to smell good, then add the lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Then put this mixture into a large serving bowl, dump in the cooked shrimp and toss together. Put in the fridge to chill, then serve and enjoy!

What’s so great about an electric stand mixer? Well, when it comes to mixing, kneading, whipping, beating, fluffing and even blending nothing works better. Sure, you could do it by hand, but by using an electric mixer, you can use that time and energy you save for something more… enjoyable (wink, wink), like feeding your homemade creations to your loved ones.

Most stand mixers come a whole host of fancy attachments that make your appliance that much more versatile. You can use the paddles, whisks and blades to help you make meringue, sauces, ice cream, citrus juice, fresh pasta, you can even grind meat!

If you spend even just a few hours per week cooking and/or baking, you can be sure that an electric stand mixer will quickly become an indispensable kitchen tool.

This used to be dinner at my family’s house every night – until I became savvy to the ways of meat-free gourmet cuisine.  Instead of the same old arguments and awkward silences, a harmonious symbiosis has developed between the carnivores and the herbivores that share meals together at our family table.  

If you have the time, resources, and know-how, you can easily prepare family meals to include delicious and healthy meat-free options.  It’s even fun to put exciting meatless spins on traditional family dinner dishes.  With an amazing number of quality meatless products on the market today, you can create the texture and taste of meat without actually using animal products.  And incorporating vegetarian dishes into meals can encourage even our carnivorous family members to get their daily dose of vegetables.

Here are some ideas for taking a simple dinner dish and giving it some meat-free appeal:  

 
Barbecue Sandwiches – a tasty, affordable and simple dinner idea

*For the Carnivores – shredded chicken, pork or beef

*For the Herbivores – fried tofu, eggplant, portobello mushroom, tempeh, or seitan

 
Pizza – who doesn’t love a good pie?

*For the Carnivores - all the meatless ingredients with sausage, ham, and of course pepperoni

*For the Herbivores - olives, peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, (you get the idea), and perhaps meatless sausages made from either soy, grains, veggies, or a combination of these.

 
Spaghetti & Meatballs - this classic doesn’t have have to be boring or limiting.

*For the Carnivores - homemade meatballs

*For the Herbivores - TVP (textured vegetable protein) or other vegetarian “meatballs” as well as any desired veggies. 

 
Burgers - hearty, nourishing and versatile.

*For the Carnivores - some lean ground beef and a family favorite recipe

*For the Herbivores - a veggie burger, either bought from the store or made at home using lentils or falafel

 
Mac & Cheese - cheap, quick and popular with kids of all ages!

*For the Carnivores - add chicken or sausage for extra pizazz

*For the Herbivores - pile on the broccoli, mushrooms and fresh tomatoes 

This is just a small sampling of what is possible. Take your most loved dishes and a little imagination to re-create them with options to suit every diet.  You’ll be surprised at what you come up with. Now, instead of stressing out, making tons of dishes for each meal you can make one dish with multiple options that satisfy everyone.  

Incorporating the meat-free option into our meals has benefited the whole family and I hope that it will benefit your family as well.

To brew coffee with a French press, you’ll need a glass cylinder, a fine mesh filter and fresh-ground coffee beans. The mesh filter serves to separate the hot water from the grounds. Here’s how to make an excellent cup of coffee this way:

1. Take the empty cylinder, sans filter and the cup you’ll be ultimately drinking out of and run them under warm tap water to heat them up.

2. Measure two tablespoons of ground coffee for each cup of water. For best results, use the best dark roasted beans you can find. The coffee needs to have been ground coarsely for this to work, since fine grounds will seep through the filter and might even clog it. 

3. Make sure the water you warmed the French press with has been fully dumped out and then pour the coffee grounds into it. 

4. Using the measurement guide above, boil the correct amount of water and add it to the French press on top of the coffee grounds, being sure all for at least an inch of space at the top. 

5. Now, take the filter/plunger and put it on top of the cylinder, sot that it forms a seal, but do NOT push the plunger down yet. Let the coffee steep for a few minutes first.

6. Once the coffee is ready, slowly press the plunger down with a nice even pressure. This prevents hot coffee from splashing out and also keeps the grounds under the filter, where they belong.

That’s all there is to it. The only thing left to do is enjoy your fresh-brewed cup of coffee! Add cream or sugar if you like, or savor it black if you prefer. Bon Apetit!

Once upon a time, those who decided to go to war, were the same people who led the charge into battle. Now, the people “at the helm” are highly protected and would never dream of being in harm’s way. The heads of state and nobles of today are happy to let the poor and disenfranchised of their population fight their wars for them. What’s a casualty here and there to get to a “greater good?.

What has the world come to when those who are brave enough to shout the gospel of peace to the masses are treated as radicals and, at times, even criminals? What’s so radical about wanting people to stop killing each other? And, speaking of gospel. Although Jesus preached peace, it’s astounding how many supposedly Christian followers find a way to justify crimes against humanity in His name. How they can live with that kind of contradiction goes beyond reason.

People around the world generally cope with hardship by turning to religion and they also use their religion to guide their moral choices. More and more, religious leaders need use their influence to encourage their followers to have understanding and compassion towards others who are not like them. This is the only way that humanity can hope to join people of all faiths together to achieve their loftiest goal yet… Peace.

Groups like the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) serve as watchdogs, doing what they can to strengthen global security by reducing the risk nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Co-headed by CNN founder Ted Turner, this non-profit organization has a loud voice and prides itself on not just being able to reduce threats, but persuade others to do the same.

Now in office, President Obama proposed steps to eventually eliminate existing nuclear arsenals around the world. This begins with a lockdown on the material used to manufacture atomic weapons. ‘Rules must be binding, violations must be punished,’ he stated in an address in Prague, Czech Republic. He knows his plan will take years, but knows it is important to get the ball rolling on this issue.