Soda and Some Options

Hello everyone,
I am constantly chatting about the dangers of drinking soda and wanted to give you all some pretty scary statistics.
One can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites.
Teenage boys now drink, on average, three or more cans of soda per day, and 10 percent drink seven or more cans a day. Teenage girls drink two cans a day, and 10 percent drink more than five cans a day. The following are in soda...
Phosphoric Acid: Interferes with the body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it more difficult to utilize nutrients.
Sugar: Sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and weight gain.
Aspartame: There are many side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. When aspartame is stored for long periods of time or in warm temperatures it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens.
Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause nervousness, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.

Instead of reaching for a dangerous soda, which, but the way, offers no nutrition whatsoever, try mixing various flavors with sparkling water. Try not to buy the already flavored sparkling water as most contain sugar. Try adding:
Sliced ginger
Blueberries and a sprig of fresh thyme
Nectarine or other fresh fruit slices.
Fresh mint leaves
You can steep the ginger and the mint in a little water first and then add that water to the sparkling water for a refreshing and satisfying drink.
Have fun and enjoy the creativity!
Be well,
Patty

Natural Dyes

Good morning everyone,
For those who celebrate Easter and will be dyeing Easter Eggs this year, you can use this time to teach your children yet another way to avoid chemicals by not purchasing store-bought dyes. Make your own! It's fun and kids like seeing how simple ingredients can make such pretty eggs. Here are some common natural dyes:
...Red cabbage leaves makes light blue
...Onion skins make tan or reddish brown depending on the type of onion
...Fresh beets, raspberries or cranberries make light red
...Spinach Leaves make pale green
...Ground Turmeric, carrot tops or orange and lemon peels makes yellow
...Strong brewed coffe or tea makes beige to brown

You can place the material used in a pan with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for another 10 minutes. Or you can skip the simmering part and simply cover the pot of just boiled water and set aside for 15 minutes. The longer you leave in the water mixture, the darker the color. Also, try wrapping the eggs with rubber bands before placing in the water and they will turn out with stripes.
You can also cook the eggs ahead of time and simply dip them in the strained, dyed water, but the colors will not be as intense. Whichever way you do it, add a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar to the water to set the color. Brush the eggs with melted paraffin before dipping in dye water for a pretty design. Careful! it's hot.
I'm offering a class on all of these things Friday, April 14th from 4:00 to 5:30. Call by Thursday to reserve your space.
Have fun!
Patty

Your Pantry: a state of mind

What is a pantry? Technically speaking it's a cool, dry place in which to store food for a length of time such as kitchen cupboards and shelves as well as the refrigerator and freezer. It's also a state of mind. It's a way of thinking about your food and the organization of that food. What do I really need? What foods kept in my pantry would make my life easier? What shouldn't I have in my pantry? (always a biggie) Where do I start?
The easiest way to begin is with your spices and herbs. Check the expiration dates. If that dried parsley expired in June of 1998 it's time to get rid of it. Spices and herbs should be stored no longer than 6 months. Which ones do you always use? Keep those and add one or two new ones to expand your use of herbs/spices and your creativity. Next check your flours. Did you go on a alternative flour kick 2 years ago, use the garbanzo flour once and then loosely fold down the top and that was the last time you saw it? Throw it away. It's great to try new flours, but it's also great to keep them in the refrigerator or freezer. I keep my wheat flours in the pantry and most of my other flours in the frig. Do this same thing with everything else in your pantry. Throw away anything with artificial dyes, preservatives and hydrogenated fats in them (don't give them to anyone, throw them away.)
Next wipe down the shelves and slowly start to re-stock with healthier choices. Do the same thing with your frig and freezer. Cleaning and organizing opens space for the new and expands your creativity. Have fun!
Be well,
Patty

P.S. I do Pantry Consultations; call/email for details.