Organic Eating Daily

What Is a CSA?

CSAs, or Community Sponsored Agriculture programs and sponsors, ultimately end up benefiting us all in that they support local farmers in a way that is meaningful and immediate. CSA subscribers purchase what amounts to shares of a farm’s crop, purchased from the farmer who owns the land. In turn, the farmer gets help with his or her work expenses. In trade, the CSA shareholder gets a box of organic, local, freshly grown and harvested produce.

This box can be picked up at a designated location and at a specific time, according to each individual program. Currently, there are three such programs supporting local southern California farms and farmers. [Read more →]

Making Blog Friends With Other Foodies and Greenies

So recently, I’ve been reading a lot of other online sources of information, mostly in the form of blogs, regarding organic eating, health and wellness, and going green. One of the real standout blog resources / new friends has been the group over at Muse Green. With kind permission, I wanted to signal my readers to a recent post of theirs. Below, a summary and a link over to read the rest of this great post, and to meet the team over at Muse Green. Great stuff over there! Become a loyal reader.

Experts Hail in a New Era of Disposable Dinnerware

According to Muse Green, “VerTerra, THE company to go to for disposable, leaf-based plates and platters have just completely revamped their line for 2009! What better than disposable plates made from a 100% renewable source? …. fallen leaves!” Sounds like amazing news to us here at Organic Eating Daily.

All in all, VerTerra sounds like a pretty great company, based on Muse Green’s analysis: “VerTerra (based on the Latin phrase Veritas Terra or ‘true to the earth’) are on a mission and that is to produce the highest quality products using sustainable production methods and fair wage labor for the environmentally and socially conscious consumer. The end result is pure genius. Using pure materials that they borrow—and then return—to the earth.”

Another note from VerTerra on their newest line of Disposable Dinnerware

“From start to finish, the impact we make on the earth is our top priority. We start by collecting fallen leaves from plantations without cutting down any trees. Normally, these leaves would be burned on the side of the road. Instead, they are brought to our factory, sprayed with high pressure water, steamed and UV sterilized. We recapture over 80% of the water we use. No chemicals, lacquers, glues, bonding agents or anything toxic are ever used. The entire process uses only a fraction of the energy used in recycling.”

Now read the rest of the article on disposable dinnerware at Muse Green.

Post Copyright 2009 Matty Byloos

Tender Greens in Culver City, California

One of my favorite casual dining experiences, locally, is Tender Greens in downtown Culver City. Unpretentious, healthy and moderately-priced, a couple can have a great dinner and a glass of wine for around $40, and actually get full in the process.

The menu is simple and the produce is of a very high quality at Tender Greens. They offer “Simple Salads” all for around $6 in the small version, while the “big” version goes for around $11. If you like meat or fish, you can have a hot plate or add meat to your salad, including flank steak, herb brushed local albacore or salt and pepper chicken, which all are available in a “Hot Plate” version (Yukon gold mashed potatoes included for $10.50) or on a ciabatta roll, making a delicious sandwich (also $10.50) [Read more →]

Seed Kitchen in Venice Beach, California

After a nice day at the beach last Sunday, and on the way back to my car, I happened up on a new-seeming cafe in Venice Beach that appeared clean, advertised itself as staunchly organic and promised a delicious meal judging by the menu hanging in the window.

Though the line was a bit slow, it ended up being only because the staff at the counter was very attentive to the customers, and made polite conversation with all. They apologized and thanked us for being so patient. The food that people were taking back to their tables looked excellent, which is often not the case at very healthy eating establishments. [Read more →]

Recipe for Orange Biscotti

We made these in the kitchen this year for Christmas cookies. Just about cleared the entire batch before we had a chance to wrap them up and make Christmas gifts for co-workers out of them! They’re excellent for dipping in your morning cup of coffee, or for an after-dinner dessert that’s light and fresh.

Try them dipped in chocolate or make chocolate flavored too. Excellent with pistachios or walnuts, as well. See the recipe below and make sure your kitchen is at an even temperature for best baking. Try making them in the early morning for a consistent, even baking experience. [Read more →]

Basic Rules on Where and How to Hold Your Wine Glass

From Cellar Notes

“Wine is served in stemware because the temperature at which wine is served can have a profound impact on the tastes and the enjoyment it yields. Wine glasses should always be held by the stem of the glass rather than the bowl since the heat of your hand will quickly warm the liquid.
Warming a wine above its desired serving temperature will yield [Read more →]

Cooking a Basic Vegetable for Dinner: Asparagus With Garlic and Lemon

It isn’t always easy to put together a complete meal, whether it’s for yourself after work at night, or for a small group. Either way, easy vegetable recipes help out a lot, especially in a pinch. I’m not even going to kid you on this one — it’ll take you 30 minutes or less to do the whole thing.

[Read more →]

Sunday Morning Shopping at the Farmer’s Market: October 19, 2008

Back to my neighborhood Sunday morning Farmer’s Market on Venice Blvd. and Grand View, which is getting consistently better and better. If only my favorite lettuce people would open up a booth now! I have a feeling they’re at the prominent Santa Monica Sunday Market near the beach at Ocean Park…. [Read more →]

A Brief Introduction to the Goji Berry

Maybe you’ve already been drinking the juice already. Tibetan or Himalayan Goji Berry juice that you find at markets like Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Trader Joe’s.

In fact, Goji berries do possess everything that marketers have been claiming they possess, especially during their recent commercialization; however, though the subject is not without lingering questions.

For example: Does my Tibetan Goji Berry
juice really come from Tibet? How many other cash crops are you currently aware of, that flow freely from this region of the world? Exactly how much of this 21st century marketing campaign should you trust? If you’re interested in simple truths, by all means, read on.

The Name Goji and Goji Berries

Goji Berries even sound like magical fruit, something straight out of Willy Wonka. But how would you feel to learn that it’s made up? In truth, no one is certain as to where the name Goji came from in Western society. The most common name of the berry is the Wolfberry. It is widely supposed that the name Goji has been derived from the Mandarin pronunciation, “Gouqi,” where the berries first gained exceptional popularity. The Wolfberry has also been known for hundreds of years by different names, including Duke of Argyll’s Tea Tree in England. [Read more →]

Healthy Recipes: Daikon, Broccoli and Fennel Soup

For soup lovers, vegetarian soup recipes are like food gold. This is a perfect soup recipe, as it’s ideal for all weathers — hearty enough for cold, winter meals and just light enough for warmer weather, too. Using organic produce from your local farmer’s market, you can put together a meal that is super healthy, extremely tasty and one that can be prepared in right around half an hour.

For a recipe yield of about 4 complete servings, follow these instructions. [Read more →]