Organic Eating

I love to cook. I have been cooking for a long time, and recently the new wave of interest in organic food has been an exciting development for me. Organic foods are not only better for one's body and the environment, I believe they also taste better. I decided to grow a garden in my backyard recently. My garden is grown without the use of any synthetic pesticides or industrial fertilizers. Instead, I choose to grow my vegetables the all-natural way- using ladybugs against mites and aphids, and worms to essentially "till" the soil, aerating it and allowing water drainage. I only use pesticides when absolutely necessary.

Home grown organic produce is a great way to be environmentally friendly. My limited use of synthetic pesticides do little damage to the soil, and there is no harmful runoff to any streams or other water sources. I am very careful as to how much water I feed the plants, trying to avoid the hottest times of the day. The tomatoes and lettuce I grow may be smaller than the ones sold at the local supermarket, but they are a noticeably brighter color, and since they are picked when ripe, have a fuller taste.

I love using home-grown produce. I also use the hydroponics growing method for other vegetables and fruits. I have been trying to grow peppers as well. Since peppers require nutrient-rich soil that is well-draining, I purchased a grow tent and all the necessary equipment, and set the tent up in my garage. The grow tent I chose is of average size- I didn't want one that was too large, and I wanted to grow a variety of peppers, so it couldn't be too small, either.

So far, with a lot of tender loving care, the lettuce and tomatoes in my garden are growing beautifully. The peppers in my grow tent are also growing, but the red bells seem to need a little more attention. They take a lot more of certain nutrients, and I need to water them regularly and consistently. Fortunately, the grow tent provides the right amount of heat and light, and since I'm home most of the time, I can water them fairly consistently.

After spending all the time and effort on growing and harvesting the home-grown produce, it's very exciting to be able to use them in my recipes. After almost three and half months of being inside a grow tent, the peppers emit a sweet odor, and are smooth and a bright red in color. I like to make different kinds of salads and appetizers. My friends and family do notice the difference in taste. They admit that the peppers I grow are much sweeter than the average peppers from the supermarket. It's very rewarding to see my loved ones enjoy, literally, the fruits of my labor.

The rise in popularity of organic foods also makes it easier for me to purchase organic foods. Since there is a market for them, a lot more markets do seem to carry organic produce, and there are more Trader Joe's and Whole Foods around these days than there were ten years ago.

Though I do understand the need for conventional farming methods, since cost and production is always a cause for concern, as a cook and as a person who cares deeply about the environment, I would love to see more demand for sustainable farming methods, and more widespread consumption of organic foods. I believe that families with children should consider the impact of consuming foods with chemical residue in them, especially when the health and safety of children are involved.

I have found that growing my own produce- both by outdoor gardening and indoor using the hydroponics method- I have been able to harvest and enjoy healthy, chemical-free fruits and vegetables. And as someone who really loves cooking- I enjoy the fresh taste, and seeing the beautiful color of a fully ripe tomato and pepper.

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Posted in: Eating,Organic

Create a Positive Impact on Your Local Economy by Eating Out at Local Dining Establishments

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Supporting locally owned businesses has a greater impact on the local economy than some may think. With an increasing number of chain restaurants cropping up, it has become harder for independently owned mom-and-pop shops to stay in business. If you're planning on eating out with friends or family, consider having a local dining experience, where the money you spend has a positive impact on your community.

Frequenting Local Dining Establishments Generate More Revenue For Your Community

Some people may assume that it doesn't matter which restaurant they choose to go to, because the money they spend will circulate and end up in the same place eventually. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. For every dollar that is spent at a national chain restaurant, roughly 13% will stay in your area. The remaining amount generally goes to pay for supplies, services and corporate profits - all of which are most likely not being purchased in, or benefiting, your community.

On the other hand, if you choose to visit a local dining establishment, the amount of revenue that is kept within your community is significantly higher. With nearly 80% of every dollar spent staying in the area, this is proof that you can make a more positive impact on your community by spending your money where it counts the most - with an additional 67% of your money going back into your community, instead of being spread over a vast amount of area where the tiny percentages of every dollar don't have much of an impact at all.

Following the Money Trail - Small Businesses Dollars Become Large Investments

Small business owners often contribute to the communities that are home to their business in many ways. Small businesses hire employees from the area, bringing unemployment rates down. These employees, in turn, will spend their paychecks within the area, giving more small businesses the opportunity to expand and hire even more employees. Besides employee wages being paid to residents of the area, small businesses also pay local taxes, purchase supplies and commission services from other businesses within the area, thus creating more revenue for the community.

Local dining establishments are also known to give back to their communities through contributions. By sponsoring sports teams, they help to create an environment where children can thrive with discipline and friendly competition while building healthy self-esteem. Many independent restaurants also contribute to the community with food drives and donations, which benefit residents who may need a helping hand.

Small businesses are the backbone of the local economy, and now is the time to give back. Next time you plan on eating out, make your money count by supporting small businesses. When you support one small business, you are in fact supporting many small businesses, where the money flows through the community to create a more financially stable society that isn't merely surviving, but thriving.

Flancer's is a restaurant in Mesa, AZ, where residents and tourists can enjoy a local dining experience with fresh food, stellar service and the best brews and spirits. If you're looking for a great place for eating out or ordering to go, contact us at (480) 396-0077.

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Posted in: Create,Dining,Eating,Economy,Establishments,Impact,Local,Positive

Will Eating Carrots Really Help Improve Your Eyesight?

Even if you have kids who don't like carrots, they are often tempted by the sight of whole baby carrots which are delicious steamed or boiled. There are many reasons why carrots are good for health, and one of these is that they really can help improve the health of our eyes. They can help delay age-related macular degeneration and yes, they really do help with night vision, along with other foods containing vitamins A, E and anthocyanins which make carrots and berries black.

The best types of carrots for health and vision are the purple, almost black ones and the red ones, both of which we have here in Pakistan. They look very appealing when seen on stalls freshly scrubbed and set against slices of pure white fresh coconut. They are a real feast for the eyes.

The problem with carrots as with most fruit and vegetables is that the nutrients which they contain lie just below the skin (in the case of carrots) or in the skin. To clean carrots so that they retain this layer of goodness you should gently scrub them with a slightly abrasive sponge or with a vegetable brush; this way you keep those beneficial substances.

The red carrots also contain lycopene and to get the best of this you have to expose it to heat, so carrots are best served hot rather than raw, especially as the body can't absorb all the beta-carotene contained in a raw carrot. It is best to juice them or cook them to make the most of this. Lycopene is found in watermelons and tomatoes too and other red fruit, it has been called the natural Viagra and is believed to help men with erectile dysfunctions.

The purple or black carrots get their colour from anthocyanins as do blueberries, blackberries and bilberries, for example, and all these fruit and vegetables have potent antioxidant properties, as well as helping to improve eye health. Antioxidants scour the body fighting the free-radicals which can cause healthy cells to turn cancerous, so we need to eat food which has this powerful property. The phytonutrients contained in carrots are extremely beneficial to us, as they can help reduce the risks of heart disease and cancer as well as to help with vision and of course the beta-carotene contained in the orange and red carrots (and the purple ones) helps to protect the skin from sun damage, and although you can get the maximum protection from drinking 8 fluid ounces of carrot juice a day, eating boiled or steamed carrots also provides this protection.

Carrot juice can help soothe the pain of a burn or scald too, so it has immediate as well as long-term effects. You can also use grated carrot as a face pack, simply grate the carrots and apply to your face and leave this on for half an hour before rinsing it off with warm water. Your skin will feel better and less tired. It's a very good remedy for dry skin but works with any tired complexion.

In Rome the carrot was considered an aphrodisiac, and given the constituents of the purple and red ones, this makes sense, as the wild carrot eaten then was probably the purple one. The orange one which is so popular today was produced from mutant carrots by the Dutch, whose national colour is orange, symbolizing their royal House of Orange.

It has been found that carrots can help cleanse the liver due to their chlorine content, can ease the withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol, improve the health of HIV sufferers, help lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and fight infections by boosting the immune system. They can also help with anemia as well as improving eyesight.

Adding carrots to your diet whether in the form of juice, or raw in salads or cooked will help improve your overall health, as well as your eyesight.

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Posted in: Carrots,Eating,Eyesight,Improve,Really