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Forget Fad Diets – Try These Sustainable, Healthy Recipes

How many of you out there have tried fad diets? I know I have! Why? Why not? There are so many of them to choose from. They are trendy, they assure weight loss, and they offer other sought after health advantages like a longer life. It seems the best time to start a fad diet is the New Year when most of us are seeking a fresh start and hoping to improve eating habits and get into shape. Most of the time, fad diets are directed at those who are interested in losing weight rapidly without having to exercise.They may be quick and easy, but fad diets are not always backed by science. Fad diets are often found to be distinguished by weird or limited food selections and they tend to promote an unhealthy or unbalanced diet. The Cleveland Clinic reports, “For the food groups that these diets do permit, the amounts are either well above or well below those recommended by major health organizations like the American Health Association, American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Diabetics, as well as the Surgeon General and the United States Department of Agriculture.”

All this aside, if it’s quick and it works, why not give the fad diet a try? What’s so bad about the quick fix? We have busy schedules. We are committed elsewhere. As long as it works, right? Wrong! The fix may work temporarily, but studies show that most people gain back the weight they lose and more at times. You may wind up worse than where you started off, but making just a few modifications in your routine can help you live longer.

What type of diet stands the test of time?  A sustainable diet or a sustainable lifestyle. Rather than engaging in fad diets, a nourishing diet and positive lifestyle is the key to a happier, healthier life!

So, what is a sustainable diet? Mainly, it is a healthy diet with a low environmental impact for present and future generations. It is a diet that elevates the consciousness of consumers and governments of the role that food biodiversity plays in human nutrition and poverty alleviation. It’s eating local, environmentally friendly food and staying clear of food that is heavily processed and put in a box. It’s growing your own food.

Shopping and eating sustainably go far beyond how food is produced. Sustainability acknowledges the integral association between our food and global warming since industrial food production is a tremendous source of greenhouse gas emissions. A sustainable diet is eating for life. It is eating to protect yourself from serious medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes. It is a lifelong eating strategy that benefits your body and your community. It provides opportunities for the occasional indulgence while maintaining a comfortable weight. It is protection from overeating and weight gain. Eating sustainably also means adding lean proteins to balance a controlled portion of carbs at every meal, resetting your metabolism, and warding off chronic health conditions. Sustainable eating is a gift of health, and doesn’t need to be difficult! Here are some helpful hints to ensure you keep yourself on track with sustainable eating habits.

Select wild caught fish from sustainable sources. Buy local seasonal and environmentally friendly food.  Hand-pick and get to know your farmers and suppliers whenever you can. Plan ahead and design meals that give you all the nutrients you need for your busy day. You can maintain a balanced diet, eat in moderation and eat what you like! Choose heart-healthy foods such as fats containing omega 3 fatty acids, legumes, and colorful fruits and vegetables as well as nutritious whole grains. Stay away from too many starches in one meal or lots of dairy foods and remember, processed foods are resource intensive and don’t promote proper nutrition.

I love organic food and pursue an eco-friendly lifestyle, so I suggest using certified organic ingredients to maximize flavors and nutrition while minimizing your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals, and preservatives.

Incorporate sustainable foods into your diet with recipes from Mimi’s Organic Corner.

Mimi’s Immune Boosting Yin Yang Breakfast Bowl.

This is a smoothie in a bowl with nutritious toppings.

Smoothie:

  • 1 Frozen Organic Banana
  • 1 Cup Frozen Organic Blueberries
  • 1 Cup Frozen Organic Mango Chunks
  • 3 Fresh Organic Strawberries
  • 1 Cup Organic Pineapple Chunks.

Topping:

  • Organic Shredded Coconut and Organic Chia Seeds.

Directions:

  1. Blend smoothie ingredients and place in a bowl. Cover half of the smoothie the coconut seeds and the other half with the chia seeds.
  2. Place a coconut dot on the chia seeds and a chia seed dot on the coconut.

Mimi’s ABC Frozen Ice (Apple Banana Cinnamon)

  • 1 organic mashed banana
  • 1 organic mashed apple. (You can lightly boil the apple and puree it or use organic applesauce.)

Combine both fruits, sprinkle cinnamon to taste and freeze. This is a healthy and tasty dessert option.

Mimi’s Chilled Cinnamon Couscous and Vegetable Salad

  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon of organic cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of organic turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon of chopped raw organic peeled ginger root
  • 2 cups of organic couscous
  • 1/2 cup of organic raisins (optional)

Boil water with coconut oil, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger root. Then add couscous and raisins. Cover the pot, remove from the heat and leave standing for 10 minutes.

Transfer this mixture to a large salad bowl, then add the following:

  • 1 cup of chopped organic zucchini
  • 1/2 cup of chopped organic carrots
  • 1/2 cup of chopped organic scallions
  • 1/4 cup of chopped organic green and red peppers
  • 1 1/2 cups of organic garbanzo beans
  • 3 tablespoons of organic vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of organic lemon juice
  • salt to taste. I usually add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

Chill for several hours and serve over your favorite organic lettuce leaves and garnish with chopped organic toasted almonds.

Mimi’s Favorite Cinnamon Ginger Tea Elixir

Combine 3 large chunks of fresh, organic ginger root, 3 chunks of organic turmeric root and 4 organic cinnamon sticks in a pot with water and bring to a boil. Allow this tea to steep for several hours and add organic honey and organic apple cider vinegar to taste. You can add a little more or less of each ingredient according to your taste buds.

Mimi’s Tomato Basil & Rosemary Omelets and Veggie Frittatas

Adding fresh rosemary to your frittatas and omelets is a quick and easy way to get it into your diet. Try mincing the rosemary and combining it with the other omelet For the frittata, I use 4 organic eggs, ¼ cup of liquid such as homemade veggie broth, ¼ cup of organic dried rosemary leaves, and 1 cup of filling, including organic broccoli and organic red onion. Add your favorite organic cheese to both the omelets and the frittata if you like, and salt and pepper to taste. For the tomato basil rosemary omelets, I chose feta cheese. You can choose to forgo the cheese if you prefer.

Mimi’s Cumin Ginger Carrots Medley

  • 1 pound of carrots
  • 6 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin
  • 2 cloves of chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of chopped ginger
  • salt and pepper to taste

Liquefy the butter in a pan and add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Then add the carrots, garlic, and ginger. Sauté this veggie mixture until the carrots are at your preferred tenderness.

Mimi’s Mouthwatering Raw Ginger Chocolate

Grate 2 chunks of organic ginger root with a cheese grater and set aside.

Combine:

  • ½ cup organic coconut oil
  • ½ cup of raw organic honey
  • ¼ cup raw organic cocoa

Mix well and then add a few drops of vanilla extract. Once ingredients are combined, add the shredded ginger and mix. Then separate the mixture into cupcake holders and freeze.

Mimi’s Blueberry Banana Muffins

This recipe calls for 1 ¾ cups of your favorite organic flour.  I like a combination of almond, amaranth, and quinoa flour in equal portions.

Combine:

  • 1 ¾ cups of flour mixture
  • ¼ cup of organic whole oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup of organic coconut oil
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1/3 cup of organic coconut sugar
  • 2 large organic eggs
  • 1/3 cup of organic almond milk
  • a dash of organic vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cup of organic frozen blueberries

Mix well and separate into cupcake holders and bake on 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Mimi’s Blueberry Flaxseed Pancakes

For this  sustainable breakfast dish, combine:

  • 2 well-beaten organic eggs
  • 1 cup of organic buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons of organic vegetable oil
  • 1 stick of organic melted butter
  • 1 cup of your choice of organic gluten-free flour such as brown rice flour or quinoa and amaranth flour
  • ¼ cup of organic ground flaxseed
  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/3 cup of organic honey
  • 2 cups of organic blueberries
  • 3 mashed up organic bananas
  • a nice pinch of organic cinnamon
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New Trend in Architecture – Green Building

Summing up the first decades of the green building trend, one expert said, “When all was said and done, there was a lot more said than done.”

Well, that adage has been turned upside down in the last ten years. Call it Green Building 2.0! A new, exciting wave of buildings for residential and commercial use boost eco-friendly design and systems using sustainable materials and methods.

The process begins with architecture.  Designing and building the proper form of a structure to sustain functions allows living and working in ways that have less negative impact on the environment.

Why Do Builders Go Green?

There are several reasons why green designs are rising in numbers and stature around the world.

The Demand

Per the U.S. Green Building Council, “Buildings are responsible for an enormous amount of global energy use, resource consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions.” We’d all like that to change, and, to borrow from Gandhi’s famous line, we want to support the change we want to see in the world. That means living and working in buildings that cause less harm to the environment and perhaps even benefit it. While this vision is most prevalent among Millennials, it is taking root across all demographics.

Corporate Image

Perhaps we’re being a touch cynical here, so more positively stated, the developers of the eco-friendly buildings in which we live and work want to be responsible corporate citizens. Green buildings are good for their image because they are better for the world.

Environmental Reasons

More core than demand and image, here are the reasons and percentages of respondents in a global survey that gave them for building green:

  • Reduced energy consumption – 72%
  • Lowered greenhouse gas emissions – 27%
  • Protected natural resources – 27%
  • Reduced water consumption – 25%
  • Improved indoor air quality (IAQ) – 17%

These 2012 figures from the World Green Building Council’s Smart Market Report show significant growth in most categories over 2008 numbers.

How Green Are Builders Getting?

Saying that a building is green is a sure bet only if it is sheathed in a forest green or rich emerald. When the discussion is about a building’s environmental impact, then the issue is one of degrees. It’s far easier to implement green building practices in new construction. However, the clear majority of the world’s buildings were erected before the move to eco-safe construction was popular.

In light of that, information from the Smart Market Report lists categories of green building products used around the world with recent data (2012) and projected figures for 2017. Most of the products are part of retrofitting an existing building. Here are the numbers from key categories. The first figure is 2012; the second is what is projected for 2017 based on surveys of building owners and managers:

  • Electrical such as photovoltaic panels: 63% / 62% (the only category where the percentage decreased)
  • Mechanical such as efficient HVAC systems: 60% / 63%
  • Heat/Moisture Protection such as vapor barriers to prevent air leaks: 60% / 64%
  • Building automation for lighting and other systems: 57% / 62%
  • Waste Management such as recycling/reuse programs: 52% / 61%
  • Furnishings such as those made with recycled and/or recyclable materials: 34% / 44%

The report states that 89% of all respondents reported making advancements in at least one category. The countries where the most buildings are being outfitted with green building materials are Singapore (100%), Brazil (96%), and South Africa (96%). By contrast, the U.K. (85%) and the U.S. (84%) are among the industrialized countries that are lagging.

The most sustainable office in the world, the head office of Geelen Counterflow in Haelen, the Netherlands. 99,94% score in the international Breeam certification system. Completely constructed from sustainablyforested wood and generating 50% more solar energy than it consumes. (PRNewsFoto/Geelen Counterflow)

Today’s Greenest Buildings

Here’s a short list to get you started on exploring structures on the cutting edge of building green.

The head office of Geelen Counterflow in the Netherlands (see above and see featured image above) has been called “the most sustainable office building in the world.” Among its green practices is the use of solar energy that generates 50 percent more electricity than required to power the building. All materials used in construction, including recycled timber, are sustainable.

The K2 apartments in Victoria, Australia, is a 92-unit development built in 2007 that is the winner of many prestigious awards. The complex boasts low greenhouse gas emissions through using less than 50 percent of the norm for electricity, natural gas, and water. Rainwater is treated for human use, and greywater is recycled as two of the development’s resource-conserving practices.

Taipei 101 in Taiwan is dubbed the world’s tallest green building for its LEED Platinum certification, the highest awarded by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design organization.

One Angel Square Manchester, UK achieved an “Outstanding” rating by BREEAM, the Building Research Established Environmental Assessment Methodology. Its green methods include a combined heat and power (CHP) plant fed by pure plant oil that produces excess electricity to send back to the grid. LED lighting, recycled waste, and rainwater are also utilized.

Other buildings worth investigating for their sustainability include Shanghai Tower in China, One Bryant Park in NYC, The Crystal in London, and the beautifully designed Micro Emission Sun-Moon Mansion in Dezhou, China.

The Central Role of Manufacturers

Green buildings wouldn’t be the success they are without manufacturers making necessary production adjustments for energy-efficient equipment systems and the parts to support them. Nowhere is this more evident than in the various fields of clean, alternative energy such as geothermal, solar, and wind. In 2015, $396 billion AUD was invested globally in renewable energy while just $180 billion was invested in fossil fuel development.

This increase in demand for clean energy means, according to one manufacturer, that, “…manufacturers of equipment used to produce carbon-based, fossil fuel-derived electricity are discovering that the designs of some of their equipment must be adapted for use with alternative energy sources.” Making those changes turns the vision of alternative energy into reality.

The eco-shift from fossil fuel-derived power to alternative/renewable sources is a flow:

  1. The need: Change must happen
  2. The vision: Change can happen
  3. The demand: Make the change to green buildings that use alternative energy!
  4. The investment: Here’s $396 billion AUD to make the changes
  5. The manufacturing: Here’s the equipment and parts required to change to clean, renewable energy
  6. The implementation: We have changed the world!

What part will you play in supporting the change you want to see in the world? It might be as simple as advocating for green building updates through the first three steps above where you live or work. If you’re a decision-maker in those settings or a building owner, an investor or manufacturer, then your role is found in steps 4-6.

The change is possible; be the change you want to see for a greener world.

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Treating Genetically Modified Animals Like New Drugs? It Could Be in the Works

Last week, the FDA proposed a new way to handle genetically modified animals: monitoring their safety the way new drugs are monitored.

The proposed regulation, one of three proposed last week before President Trump’s inauguration, would have immense consequences on the treatment of genome editing in regulations—as well as how companies go about bringing genetically modified foods to the market.

It’s worth emphasizing that this is merely a proposed regulation. And although food is indeed grouped together with drugs as something that can change the way your body functions—it’s called the Food and Drug Administration, after all—this proposal is raising some eyebrows in the world of genetics and bioethics.

Understanding the Genetically Modified Regulatory Environment

Nature.com points to the case of genetically modified salmon, which took twenty years of safety testing to approve. It’s still not available for sale as the FDA is yet to rule on how the fish should be labeled.

The ethics here are complicated. For nutrition enthusiasts, genetic modification is something that should be closely monitored and watched. But Nature also reports that a firm producing hornless dairy cattle is worried that these proposed regulations could make it difficult to do what they do, which reduces the need for “surgical dehorning”—which animals lovers aren’t crazy about, either.

If all genetic modifications are treated with the same hard-line skepticism from regulators, they argue that the consequences could result in red tape for any steps forward in the quality treatment of animals. That might push money out of the GMO world and into other controversial areas of animal treatment. According to Allison van Eenennaam, as quoted by Nature,

Because of measures like this, almost everything in genetic engineering will have to be done by huge multinational companies.”

Treating all gene modifications the same way makes for healthy skepticism, but is it enough to ensure that research resources are allocated the best way?

What’s the Alternative?

A subtle distinction must be made. Animals with genomes edited by specific tools are different than animals bred from more general DNA splicing. The proposed regulation would see no distinction between the two, which could prohibit smaller innovations under the guise of regulating the larger changes.

Currently, the FDA does not regulate these foods as drugs. And though in general terms, any food can alter the body’s chemistry, that has not always meant that the same regulatory environment existed for both.

For more information on this FDA proposal and to see what it would really mean in the world of genetic modification, you can go straight to the source with a release at the FDA’s website.

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Hens That Lay Our Organic Eggs Just Got a Lot More Room

It’s simple nutritional logic: the healthier the hen, the healthier the egg. But the term “organic eggs” and what it means for the chickens laying them has always been, for lack of a better term, flexible.

New rules passed by the USDA this month include new “minimum indoor and outdoor space requirements for poultry” to attain the “organic” label. Previously, rules only required that hens have some sort of outdoors access to be labeled organic. That left a lot of wiggle room for egg producers.

According to NPR, some producers would simply construct large chicken houses and give them a small, enclosed porch for “roaming.” While customers might picture chickens with plenty of pasture for free roaming, the reality was closer to the typical, high-density chicken house you might expect from a non-organic label.

The new rules will require approximately one acre for every 20,000 chickens, or one square foot for every 2 and a quarter pounds of chickens. But buyer beware: farmers are being given a five-year transition period to rise to the new standard. That means that some organic eggs will not meet these new standards when you buy them now.

Understanding What “Organic Eggs” Really Means

The terms “free range” and “organic” are thrown around so often that some customers forget they mean two different things. While “free range” chickens are allowed the space to roam—as the name would suggest—freely, “organic” chickens are under no such requirements.

In fact, organic eggs simply come from chickens that are not kept in cages and are fed organic feed. Under old USDA rules, simple access to outdoor areas—no matter how inadequate—meant there was a lot of flexibility for farmers looking to save a buck.

The new standards, while not ambitious, ensure that the amount of space these organic chickens are given at least adheres to a simple formula. While it doesn’t quite bring the chickens up to “free range” status, it does mean a healthier lifestyle for the hens laying the eggs.

What Does This Mean About Your Organic Eggs?

The Los Angeles Times cited a poll of farmers suggesting that as many as a quarter of organic chicken farmers don’t currently meet this new standard. That suggests a modest change in regulations, since the majority of chicken farmers may already meet the new standards. And with a five-year grace period for bringing a farm up to date, customers shouldn’t expect drastic changes overnight.

The good news is that the “organic” label still means something. Even inadequate access to pasture areas is better than no access at all. And these hens are uncaged, according to USDA regulations, which allows free roaming within their confines. Their diet is also organic, without the pesticides or fertilizers that can ultimately affect egg quality.

The new regulation is drawing some criticism from both sides, with organic enthusiasts calling it “too little” and others believing that the small change will have an effect on prices, but not on quality. As for the hens, they were unavailable for comment.

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Feds Deny Final Permits – Big Win for North Dakota Access Pipeline Protestors!

In a huge victory for the North Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters, the Feds denied final permits required for the Dakota Access Pipeline project on Sunday.

The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline crossing.”  – Jo-Ellen Darcy, Army’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Works

Also check out US Army refuses North Dakota pipeline permit

The Army Corps of Engineers announced it would conduct an environmental impact review of the pipeline project to determine other ways to route the pipeline to avoid a crossing on the Missouri River.

Although we have had continuing discussion and exchanges of new information with the Standing Rock Sioux and Dakota Access, it’s clear that there’s more work to do.” – Army Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy said in a statement.

On November 25th, John W. Henderson of the Army Corps of Engineers sent a letter to all of the leaders of the Great Plains tribes with an eviction date of December 5th. In the letter to Chairman Dave Archambault II of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, he stated,

This decision is necessary to protect the general public from the violent confrontations between protestors and law enforcement officials that have occurred in this area, and to prevent death, illness, or serious injury to inhabitants of encampments due to the harsh North Dakota winter conditions. The necessary emergency, medical, and fire response services, law enforcement, or sustainable facilities to protect people from these conditions on this property cannot be provided.”

In the letter, he suggested another location as a “free speech zone” for anyone wanting to continue their protest. He warns that those who do not comply will be subject to prosecution under federal, state, and local laws.

A coalition of groups protesting the Dakota Access pipeline released a statement in response declaring, “We will not be moved.”

Chairman Archambault went on to say,

The best way to protect people during the winter, and reduce the risk of conflict between water protectors and militarized police, is to deny the easement for the Oahe crossing, and deny it now… Again, we ask that the United States stop the pipeline and move it outside our ancestral and treaty lands.”

Aside from the threat to the water, one fundamental issue is appalling. The Army Corps of Engineers says the protesters are on government land. While the protesters state,

The Army Corps has no authority to evict us from these lands. The Oceti Sakowin encampment is located on the ancestral homeland of the Lakota, Mandan, Arikara and Northern Cheyenne—on territory never ceded to the U.S. government, and affirmed in the 1851 Treaty of Ft. Laramie as sovereign land belonging to the Great Sioux Nation.”

Archambault also said,

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe stands united with more than 300 tribal nations and the water protectors who are here peacefully protesting the Dakota access pipeline to bolster indigenous people’s rights. We continue to fight for these rights, which continue to be eroded. Although we have suffered much, we still have hope that the President will act on his commitment to close the chapter of broken promises to our people and especially our children.”

Apparently, President Obama was listening. Today, Sunday, December 4th, one day before the deadline, The New York Times reports that the Army Corps announced it will not approve construction permits for the pipeline and that it will look for alternate routes.

It is important to note that President Elect Donald Trump formally announced his support for completion of the pipeline on December 1st. He claimed that his own financial investments and campaign support and donations (both significant) did not influence his stance. His claims his decision is based on its benefit for all Americans.

Progress for the greater good, or in this case, “benefit for all Americans” is a continuation of the cultural genocide our government has justified for more than 200 years.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNnKVOQh2Bm/?taken-by=markruffalo&hl=en

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