It’s been almost two years since my husband and I transitioned our nine-year-old dog to a vegan diet. This time has been filled with curious questions, skepticism, and a great deal of criticism from omnivores and vegans alike. Although we do our best to ignore the disapproving looks and comments, I’ve realized that it makes more sense to do my best to explain. So here goes. Please reserve your judgement until the end!
I don’t want to brag, but Rigby is a great dog. We adopted him nearly seven years ago from a shelter in Chicago because of his shaggy black hair and adoring eyes. He was two and he was a challenge right off the bat – plagued with acute separation anxiety, under-socialized to the point that he lunged at everything on four legs, and (the easiest challenge to tackle) a leash-puller. But over the years he’s spent with us, he has turned into a therapy dog who travels the world and he’s had a bevy of four-legged housemates including, currently, a one-eyed rabbit named Monty.
I say all of this to explain that Rigby’s health, well-being and general happiness matter to us. He is always on our minds and we turn down many an invitation out to stay home and snuggle him. He is a member of our family and we treat him as such.
When we went vegan, it was a world shift. We’d been vegetarian for years, but had only recently understood the true impact of dairy and eggs and it was the logical next step. I’m not sure who among us raised the idea of changing Rigby’s diet. He’d always had an unhappy stomach, no matter how many supposedly healthy dog foods we tried to feed him, so we didn’t think there was much to lose. But we didn’t know much about vegetarian, let alone vegan, dog foods. We went to work researching.
What we discovered was — to put it frankly — disgusting. Commercial dog food can in no way be classified as “food” for anyone, including dogs. The ingredients include scraps from the slaughterhouse floor; expired meat from supermarkets; bits of cancerous flesh and downed animals deemed unfit for human consumption, which are sifted to get rid of hair and then rendered (boiled for several hours); bits of flesh, brain, and skin that come off during the centrifugal separation process; and traces of euthanasia liquid and flea collars. Why are there traces of euthanasia and flea collars in dog food? Because sometimes the bodies of euthanised animals from shelters are ground up and used as filler.
All of the above was enough of a reason for us to switch Rigby’s food. But why vegan food? Why not raw meat or those expensive venison logs at the high-end pet stores? Well, for one thing, we’re vegan. We try our hardest not to support any industries that profit from harming animals. For another, it’s expensive. Some people may argue that vegan dog food is expensive and it certainly is more costly than the commercial brands that keep their food cheap by sweeping the slaughterhouse floor for scraps. But we’ve always been willing to spend more on food (and less on other things) in order to support vegan companies and brands. And we have actually ended up saving money because my husband now prepares our dog’s food from scratch. All the ingredients are organic and we try our best to purchase from local vegan businesses. Rigby’s food costs about $7 per week.
But don’t dogs need meat?
They actually don’t. What dogs need are nutrients. They evolved to be scavengers that can subsist on almost anything. How they derive their nutrients is beside the point. The same goes for cats (although I’ve heard that transitioning a cat to a vegan diet is more difficult and I have no personal experience with it). Though taurine is essential for cats’ diets, the process that commercial cat food goes through actually removes any naturally occurring taurine, so a synthetic version is added after processing anyway.
The argument that vegans live unnaturally is not a new one. Omnivores suggest that taking B12 supplements is not natural. If you drink nut milk instead of bovine milk, it’s not natural. If you feed your dog anything other than the commercial brand kibble, it’s not natural. Well, very little we do is natural anymore. We fly through the sky in steel contraptions. We explore the deep sea. We live in places that humans normally wouldn’t be able to survive because we’ve found ways to generate heat that our ancestors would certainly have deemed unnatural. And we keep ourselves alive using chemicals and pills that are the furthest thing from natural. There’s really no need to measure anything on a “natural” scale – we all fall short most of the time.
Back to Rigby. His current food is made up of half dry (a kibble we bake at home) and half wet (a cooked vegetable mixture recommended by Vegedog), so that he can enjoy the best of both worlds and keep his teeth clean. Between both types of food, he consumes a wide variety of ingredients to ensure he gets all the nutrients he could possibly need, including: fresh (dog-friendly) vegetables, hemp seeds, flax oil, nutritional yeast, Vegedog supplement, vital wheat gluten, acidophilus, probiotics, cranberry extract, lentils or other beans, brown rice or quinoa, apple cider vinegar and ginger. We generally set aside a few hours on a weekend day to prepare a massive amount of food (most of which we freeze); this lasts us the better part of a month.
We spent weeks researching to make sure Rigby would get what he needs. Then my husband tried out a variety of recipes to make sure Rigby would be happy with them. Every week my husband tries Rigby’s kibble to see how it tastes. Can you imagine eating a handful of commercial brand dog food every week?
But I’m forgetting one last thing: Rigby’s happiness. Dogs love meat. How could I deprive my dog of something he loves?
First of all, what dogs love about kibble is actually an addictive, synthetic substance called digest, a byproduct of the rendering process made up of a variety of animal tissues, which is added after the fact to make these scraps more appealing. Second of all, would you be happy eating kibble for the rest of your life? We switch up the flavors in Rigby’s food with every batch to figure out what he likes and what he doesn’t, and to give him some variety. If you truly want to give your dog what they want, you’ll be feeding them from your plate – dogs don’t want kibble, they want your sandwich.
Finally, like most dogs we’ve taken care of, Rigby loves veggies. He always liked carrots, but his palette has expanded to include raw broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red peppers and cabbage. We’ve also invested in a few vegan brands of more traditional types of dog treats made by Benevo, Soopa, Antos and v-dog. He especially likes Benevo’s Pawtato Sticks.
Please understand that I am not telling you what to feed your companion animals. I’m simply explaining why we feed Rigby what we do. We wish — just like with our own switch from vegetarianism to veganism — that somebody had told us what we were feeding our little boy a long time ago. But we’re grateful we know now, and we want to make sure other people know, too.
Our domesticated animals eat what we give them — that’s the nature of this strange relationship we’ve manufactured — so we have a responsibility to make sure that what we give them will make them not only happy, but also healthy. And that’s exactly what Rigby is.
I realize much of this might come as a shock. So if you’d like to learn more, I recommend reading Obligate Carnivore: Cats, Dogs, and What It Really Means to Be Vegan by Jed Gillen, reading dog food reviews from Dog Food Advisor or simply Google “what’s in dog food.” I’ve included the recipe for Rigby’s wet food below (adapted from a PETA recipe here: http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/say-kibble-vegan-dog-food-recipe/#ixzz3BCxXKDgf) if you’re feeling adventurous! Happy cooking :)
Homemade Sweet-Potato Peanut-Butter Vegan-Dog Delight (a.k.a. Wet Food!)
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup mixed brown rice and quinoa (or other grains)
• 1 cup mixed lentils (or other beans!)
• 3 medium sweet potatoes sliced into 1-inch cubes / I usually use 1 sweet potato and then a mix of other veggies, such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, carrots, etc.
• ~3 tbsp. ginger, to taste
• 1 cup natural peanut butter (we use way less and add in some oil)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, optional (helps alleviate gas)
• 8 g hemp protein (you can find hemp flour in health food stores)
• 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• 200-250 mg cranberry extract (Since a vegan diet is alkalizing, your dog may need this acidifier to maintain a healthy urinary pH)
• VegeDog multivitamin powder, as directed
• 125 mg probiotic (1/4 pill) or some other type of digestive aid
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• For flavour I usually also add some liquid smoke and possibly some cinnamon or other dried herbs
• Boil the water.
• Add the rice, lentils, sweet potatoes, and other veggies.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until all ingredients are soft. Stir occasionally and add more water as needed. Too much water is better than not enough water (remember, you want the ingredients to be extra moist because they will be easier to digest).
• Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork and mix thoroughly. Let cool.
• Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
Place 3 to 5 servings in your refrigerator and store the rest in the freezer.
Jordan is an animal welfarist turned animal rights activist and she credits her volunteer experience at a vegan animal sanctuary with that shift. An editor with a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing, she and her vegan husband and dog recently moved from the US to the UK and they’re enjoying exploring England (and beyond!).


Nutrition Environment & Services
The school nutrition environment provides students with opportunities to learn about and practice healthy eating through available foods and beverages, nutrition education, and messages about food in the cafeteria and throughout the school campus. Students may have access to foods and beverages in a variety of venues at school including the cafeteria, vending machines, grab ‘n’ go kiosks, schools stores, concession stands, classroom rewards, classroom parties, school celebrations, and fundraisers.
School nutrition services provide meals that meet federal nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, accommodate the health and nutrition needs of all students, and help ensure that foods and beverages sold outside of the school meal programs (i.e., competitive foods) meet Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. School nutrition professionals should meet minimum education requirements and receive annual professional development and training to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to provide these services. All individuals in the school community support a healthy school nutrition environment by marketing and promoting healthier foods and beverages, encouraging participation in the school meal programs, role-modeling healthy eating behaviors, and ensuring that students have access to free drinking water throughout the school day.
Healthy eating has been linked in studies to improved learning outcomes and helps ensure that students are able to reach their potential.


The optional Saturday dinner will be catered by Best of India in Saint Louis Park. Emily and Aaron are arranging this meal for us (Thank you to Emily and Aaron!) and have eaten there around 100 times, and say that it's always delicious.
The price will be $12 per person, which includes tax and tip.
Dinner will arrive around 6:30 PM and will be ready to eat at about 7:00PM. Please keep in mind that it might start somewhat earlier or later.
"Buffet style" worked really well last year, we'll do that again. You might also notice that the menu is very similar to last year's menu.
*Spiciness designations are "mild," "medium," and "spicy." (V) = Vegetarian (GF) = Gluten Free (DF) = Dairy Free Dal Tadka Red lentils cooked with onions and tomatoes (V) (GF) (DF) (medium) Palak Paneer Fresh chopped spinach and homemade chese (V) (GF) (spicy) Chicken Sahi Korma Boneless chicken in creamy garlic and onion sauce, cashews and rasins (GF) (medium) Chicken Curry Lightly spiced boneless chicken in a mild sauce (GF) (DF) (mild) Mixed Vegetable Dhansak Seasonal vegetables cooked in a lentil sauce (GF) (V) (DF) (medium) Rice (GF) (V) (DF) Naan (a mix of garlic, cheese and plain) (V) (some DF) Samosas (V)
If you'd like to participate in this optional meal do both of the following things:
a) There might be room for at-the-door members if you missed the deadline. Please ask.
b) If you can eat nothing on this menu and still want to participate in the optional meal from Best of India, please contact Emily by email and she will try to arrange something.
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Pick Your Favorite Sprouts to Eat
by Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman®
Below is a brief description of the most popular sprouts---their usage, taste, and growing method. For more details get my interactive Color Sprout Chart or Sprouts the Miracle Food. "FL" refers to my Freshlife Sprouter and "Bag" recommends using my own invention: the Hemp Sprout Bag. WGG is my Wheatgrass Grower. "Days" is the number of days it takes to mature.
|SUNFLOWER||Large leaf micro-green 7-10 inches tall. Hardy green leaf with rich flavor. Freshlife, 8 days.|
|BROCCOLI||Rich broccoli flavor, small green leaf. Salads. Freshlife or sprout bag. 6 days.|
||Absolutely delicious. Baby onion greens. A must. Freshlife or bag. 14 days.|
|GARLIC CHIVES||The best way to eat garlic. Chlorophyll reduces odor. Freshlife or bag. 14 days.|
|ALFALFA||Hearty mild, leafy green for salads or juice. Freshlife or sprout bag. 7 days.
|RED CLOVER||Spicier cousin of alfalfa. Freshlife or Sprout Bag. 7 days.
|CRIMSON CLOVER||Spicier cousin of alfalfa with jumbo leaves. Freshlife or Sprout Bag. 7 days.
|CHINA ROSE RADISH||Spicy and colorful. Delicious in salads. Freshlife or Sprout Bag. 6 days.
|DAIKON RADISH||Hottest of the radishes. Freshlife or bag. 6 days.
|CHINESE CABBAGE||Rich cabbage flavor, small green leaf. Salad. Freshlife or Sprout Bag. 5 days.
|FENUGREEK||Healthful bitter salad herb. 4" long stalk and big leaf. Freshlife or Sprout Bag. 8 days.|
|BUCKWHEAT LETTUCE||Long 4-5" stalk, big succulent leaf, salad. Freshlife or Wheatgrass Grower. 10 days.
|SHELLED SUNFLOWER||Nutty and tart. Great for snack or salad. Sprout Bag. Maximum 2 days. Refrigerate thereafter.|
|GARBANZO||Great for dips like hummus, cooked vegetable or soups. Sprout Bag 5 days.|
|SWEET GREEN PEA||Fresh garden peas. Cooked vegetable or soups. Sprout Bag 5 days.|
|MUNG BEAN||Chinese saute dishes or add to salads. Sprout Bag 5 days.|
|ADZUKI BEAN||Cousin of mung with flavor. Salads, cook, saute. Sprout Bag 5 days.|
|GREEN PEA SHOOTS||Grows into a 10 inch tall shoot with large leaf. Mild. Sprout Bag 5 days or FL or WG Grower or Freshlife 9 days.|
|FRENCH LENTIL.||Popular addition to salads, marinate, soups or sautes. Sprout Bag 5 days.|
|RED SPROUT PEANUT||Superb dry roasted snack. Use only raw valencia peanuts. Sprout Bag 9 days or until shoot is the length of the nut..|
|HARD RED WHEAT||Make sprout breads and crackers using the Bag. 2 days. Or for growing Wheatgrass. WGG. 12 days.|
|WHEATGRASS||Wheatgrass and Kamut grass. WGG or Freshlife. 12 days. Soil or no-soil. Use for Juice therapy.|
|BARLEY GRASS||Bigger than wheatgrass, more protein & chlorophyll. WG Grower. Soil or no-soil. 12 days.|
|KAMUT WHEAT||Best sprout bread. Highest protein. (see grass) Bag. 2 days.|
|SOFT WHITE WHEAT||Sprout cookies, crackers, cereal, snacks, rejuvelac. Sprout Bag 2 days.|
|SPELT-WHEAT ALTERNATIVE||Sprout cookies, crackers, cereal, snacks, rejuvelac. Sprout Bag 2 days.|
|RYE||Delicious sprout bread recipes. Less sweet than wheat. Sprout Bag 2 days.|
|BROWN MUSTARD||Hot! Small dark green leaf. Spice. Sprout Bag 5 days.|
|QUINOA||A crunchy, tiny grain sprout for salad or breads. Sprout Bag 2 days only.|
Copyright ©2011 by Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman®
Use of Copyrighted Material
Do you want to use some of this information? All you have to do is get our permission and include proper citation (acknowledgement). Contact us for permission here.
Site text & trademark images Copyright © 2013 Sproutman Publications Inc., Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman.
PO Box 180, 413 Farm Road, Summertown, TN 38483 1-800-695-2241 12pm to 3pm EST
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Yes - it is my 43rd birthday! I have had a perfect day.
What made the day so cool?
Many friends and family called, texted and e-mailed greetings and birthday wishes I didn't work much! I spent a few hours at the salon early this morning. I went to lunch with Brett. I took a nap with no interruptions. I had a fabulous Rib-eye dinner with all my kids and grand-kids. We finished the meal with Brett's homemade butter rum pecan ice cream.


More than 350 century-old plants are cultivated in the olive grove next to the property,
respecting environment and nature, producing extra virgin olive with biological farming processes, obtained by typical
varieties such as Frantoio, Moraiolo, Pendolino .
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Harvesting traditionally takes place in the second half of October. It is done by hand to be able to choose every single olive,
processing only sane fruits without wood or leaves. Cold squeezing guarantees an excellent and totally natural product, an oil with low acidity,
an intense green colour and a fruity, scented, fragrant and peppery flavour, ideal for all dishes of the Tuscan tradition.


The P&C canteen operates Wednesday to Friday. Orders must be placed at the canteen before school commences.
The canteen complies with the standards for Healthy Food and Drink Choices in Public Schools policy. There is a summer menu for terms 1 and 4 and a winter menu for terms 2 and 3, with daily specials. The canteen makes every effort to ensure the menu is peanut free.
If you are available to assist, even for only a couple of hours, please contact Mrs Lynda Barrow, Canteen Manager on Ph: 0475 522 379.
For further healthy ideas on school lunches please visit https://healthy-kids.com.au/10-great-lunch-box-ideas/
Please note that lunches brought to school by parents/carers after the commencement of lesson time need to be left at the canteen in a clearly labelled bag with student’s name and class.
A step by step guide on how to order your child’s lunch online.


The Good Doctor’s Vegetable Diet Soup
If there is anything in here you can’t eat, (or can’t stand), you can leave it out without much consequence. If the container has more or less of something, that won’t matter much either. This delicious soup is filling and satisfying, and you will probably notice a drop in weight if you enjoy it 2-3 times a week.
1 can (14.5 oz) vegetable broth, low sodium
1 can (15 oz) chick peas, drained (Garbonzo beans)
2 cans (15 oz. each) chopped or diced tomatoes with the juice
2 large red potatoes (with skins) diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 large stalks celery, diced
1 can (11 to 15 oz) corn, drained (I use a 12 oz bag of frozen corn)
1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach
2 cups of chopped kale
2 cups chopped cabbage (outer leaves preferred)
Half of a 16 oz package of frozen peas (or the whole thing if you like peas)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Dump all ingredients into a large pot and mix well. (I use a lobster pot)
Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for four or five hours, adding a small amount of water as needed. (You can safely add 1-2 cups of water to stretch it out and keep things from boiling dry.)
For a hearty meal, serve with your favorite whole-grain bread.
Leftover soup can be kept in the fridge for up to three days, (or divide into portions for one or two and freeze for later.)
Optional: For extra spice, try one can of regular diced tomatoes and one can with green chilies.


High-End Kitchen Accessories For Discerning Chefs
For discerning chefs and culinary enthusiasts, the kitchen is more than just a space for meal preparation; it is a canvas for creativity and a sanctuary for culinary artistry. The pursuit of excellence in the culinary world requires not only skill and passion but also the right tools. High end kitchen accessories elevate the cooking experience to new heights, combining sophisticated design with exceptional functionality. In this article, we will explore some top-tier kitchen accessories that cater to the refined taste of discerning chefs.
Marble or granite cutting board: Elegance with utility:
Upgrade your cutting experience with a luxurious marble or granite cutting board. These natural stone surfaces not only exude elegance but also provide a solid and stable base for precise knife work. Marble and granite are naturally cool, making them ideal for working with delicate pastry dough and temperature-sensitive ingredients. The unique veining patterns in each piece add a touch of sophistication to your kitchen décor.
Copper cookware set:
Copper cookware is the epitome of culinary luxury, favored by professional chefs for its exceptional heat conductivity and responsiveness. A high-quality copper cookware set can transform your cooking, allowing for precise temperature control and even heat distribution. The gleaming copper exteriors also make a stunning visual statement in any kitchen, reflecting the elegance of a bygone era.
Handcrafted wooden utensils:
Step away from ordinary kitchen utensils and opt for handcrafted wooden alternatives. These meticulously made utensils, often carved from high-quality hardwoods like walnut or olive wood, provide a unique and organic feel in the kitchen. Besides their aesthetic appeal, wooden utensils are gentle on cookware and won’t scratch non-stick surfaces, preserving the integrity of your high-end pots and pans.
Sous vide precision cooker:
For chefs who seek culinary perfection, sous vide a precision cooker is a must-have tool. This high-end accessory allows you to cook food at a precise and consistent temperature, resulting in tender and flavorful dishes. Sous vide cooking is the secret behind many top-tier restaurants’ succulent meats and perfectly cooked vegetables, and now it can be a part of your home kitchen repertoire.
For discerning chefs and culinary enthusiasts, sophisticated simplicity is the hallmark of a well-equipped kitchen. High-end kitchen accessories not only elevate the cooking experience but also become an expression of the chef’s dedication to their craft. Embrace these high-end kitchen tools and embark on a culinary journey where sophistication and simplicity harmoniously coexist.


Baia Beach Club Boat Menu
Baia Beach club now offers a great service to yachts and boats with a delicious menu specifically created to suit all boat party requirements. Sticking to our mantra of using only the freshest ingredients, the Baia kitchen has come up with a tasty and delectable selection of dishes that can be easily served on all types of boats. So if you are planning to entertain on board but want to avoid the hassle of cooking on the day or simply want a completely carefree day out of kitchen or galley, download and fill out the order sheet and we’ll take care of your lunch or supper. This tailor made service allows for the perfect opportunity to entertain on your boat and offer something different to the usual baked pasta or bread with tomatoes. From fresh fish dishes to pasta dressed in homemade sauces to creative and interesting salads, Baia is offering you the opportunity to bring expertly prepared dishes directly to your boat.
Tartars, Couscous and Prawn Cocktail
Portions are per person and packed individually
|1. Tuna Tartar Cubes of Fresh Tuna combined with capers, local tomatoes, served on a garden salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing on the side||€13|
|2. Salmon Tartar Fresh Salmon, orange slices, basil, served on a garden salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing on the side||€13|
|3. Seafood Salad Steamed King Prawns, calamari, mussels, clams, fresh celery, cherry tomatoes and lettuce with a lemon and olive oil dressing on the side||€15|
|4. Baia’s Prawn Cocktail Steamed Prawns in a wasabi mayonnaise dressing on a bed of fresh local rocket and cherry tomatoes||€15|
|5. Couscous ai Frutti di Mare Fragrant couscous with steamed mussels and clams, served with salad and a cumin and olive oil dressing on the side||€14|
|6. Vegetable Couscous Couscous with zucchini, celery, peppers, carrots and cherry tomatoes, with a lime and coriander vinaigrette on the side||€10|
Our sauces are freshly prepared and served in jars with a 300g packet of pasta (serves 2 people). Choose from Spaghetti, Penne or Tortiglioni. Just boil the pasta and dress with our delicious sauces
|7. Amatricana Crispy smoked bacon and onions in a tomato sauce||€20|
|8. La Napoletana Pacchini tomatoes and basil sauce with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano||€20|
|9. Pesto alla Siciliana Sun dried tomatoes, fresh ricotta and basil||€20|
|10. Frutti di Mare Fresh mussels and clams cooked in white wine with fresh parsley and garlic||€25|
|Involtini alla Norma will be served in an aluminum tray ready to be placed directly into your oven. (200 degrees for 8 minutes)|
|11. Involtini alla Norma 3 Eggplant involtini wrapped around spaghetti alla pomarola with fresh basil and olive oil||€12|
|12. Roasted Duck Salad Sliced duck breast served with steamed carrots, onions, celery, lettuce and a whole grain mustard dressing on the side||€14|
|13. Baked Red Onion and Walnut Salad Sliced baked onion served with lettuce, chopped walnuts and a yogurt olive oil dressing on the side||€11|
|14. Smoked Salmon Salad Scottish smoked salmon served with cucumber, local tomatoes, lettuce and a lemon vinaigrette dressing on the side||€15|
|15. Fresh Lobster Salad Steamed fresh lobster (1/2 a lobster) served with pineapple, lettuce and a chili mayonnaise dressing on the side||€25|
|16. Bresaola Involtini Thin slices of cured beef (bresaola) filled with soft cheese, spring onions and walnuts on a bed of rocket with a lemon olive oil dressing on the side||€13|
Orders are per portion
|Sicilian Cannoli with ricotta and chocolate sauce||€6|
|Chocolate Panna Cotta||€6|
|Fresh Fruit Salad||€6|
|2013 Caravaggio Chardonnay Marsovin||€11.00|
|2013 Corvo Glicine Duca Di Salaparuta||€12.00|
|2012 Soave Classico Bolla||€16.00|
|2013 Gavi Fontana Fredda||€16.00|
|2013 Salina Bianco (organic) Hauner||€18.00|
|2013 Greco di Tufo Feudo S. Gregorio||€22.00|
|2013 Muller Thurgau Terlan||€22.00|
|2012 Pinot Grigio Terlan||€22.00|
|2013 Glicine Rosso||€16.00|
|2011 Chianti Classico Barone Ricasoli||€25.00|
|2013 Odyssey DOK Marsovin||€12.00|
|2013 Rose D’Anjou B&G||€15.00|
|2013 Santa Christina Rose Antinori||€18.00|
Sparkling Wine & Champagne
|NV Prosecco Extra Dry Rizzardi||€21.00|
|NV Prosecco Valdabbiadene Mionetto||€25.00|
|NV Champagne Veuve Cliquot||€60.00|
|Smirnoff Vodka 75cl||€25.00|
|Grey Goose Vodka 75cl||€35.00|
|Gordon’s Gin 75cl||€25.00|
|Saphire Gin 75cl||€28.00|
|Bacardi Rum 75cl||€25.00|
|Havana Club 75cl||€25.00|
|JB Whiskey 75cl||€25.00|
|Jack Daniels 75cl||€30.00|
|Martini Royal 75cl||€20.00|
|Cisk Can Pint||€3.00|
|Heineken Can Pint||€4.00|
|Coke Zero Can||€2.00|
|Diet Kinnie Can||€2.00|
|Red Bull Can||€2.50|
|Kristal Natural Water 50cl||€1.00|
|Kristal Natural Water 1lt||€2.00|
|Kristal Sparkling Water 1lt||€2.00|
Terms & Conditions
Your food will be ready, packed and served in neat containers which can double up as plates and we will also provide you with cutlery so there’s no washing up afterwards.
Orders for lunch can be made by email at least ONE day before. You can either pick up your order from the Beach Club or have it delivered directly to your boat for an additional €10 charge.
Please note that Lunch delivery shall only take place before midday. Therefore should you require the food after midday, you will need to collect the food yourself.
Orders for dinner can be made by email before midday of the same day and can be picked up after 18:00. We cannot provide delivery for dinner orders.
Payment is required on delivery, by cheque or in cash, preferably in exact change. If food is picked up from Baia then one can come to the cash till at the upstairs bar and pay by credit card.
Although we shall carry out our best endeavours to ensure that delivery times are met we undertake no responsibility for any late deliveries.
Furthermore, we only deliver to areas surrounding Baia Beach, we kindly ask that during the delivery time you keep your mobile switched on and in your vicinity and that you keep on the look out for our delivery boat.
After receiving your order we shall send you a confirmation email. The moment that the confirmation email is sent, your order is complete. Should you fail to receive the confirmation email or a call from us, we kindly ask that you contact us to ensure that your order has been received and confirmed.
Should for any reason you wish to cancel your order we kindly ask that you inform us immediately or at least one hour prior to the collection/delivery time. Should you fail to notify us within the above mentioned time period, we reserve the right to charge you for the full cost of your order.
Download and fill in our order sheet (below) and return to us via email (you can take a picture and send it over – please make sure it is clear) or hand it in directly at Baia. Kindly make sure that the order form is signed and it includes the correct mobile number. If we do not manage to reach you on the mobile number provided, we will not be able to proceed with your food order. Alternatively you can fill in our order sheet at Baia and pay up front for next day lunch order or same day dinner order, provided that orders are made by midday.
Minimum order: €50


An event for the whole family. Fun, food, swimming, table tennis, music, and Wharton/Penn themed door prizes!
The Annual BBQ is catered again this year by Jim 'N Nick's Community Bar-B-Q!
This year's edition of the Annual BBQ of the Wharton Club of Charlotte is planned for the afternoon of Sunday, July 26th. Once again, Tammy and Andy Cohen will host us at their home, so come prepared to have fun and catch up with fellow alumni and friends.
The meal will be catered by Jim 'N Nick's, and will feature slow-smoked chicken, hand-carved bbq beef brisket, plus Jim 'N Nick's cheese biscuits and "scratch made" sides. The entrees will be kosher, and quarter-pound all-beef hot dogs will be available for children.
When you register, please let us know if you prefer a vegetarian entree so we can provide the correct quantity. Also, while infants are welcome at this event, don't include them in your family's head count unless you expect them to eat bar-b-que with the adults.
This is a "byo" event in two areas. If you plan to swim, please bring your own towel and swimsuit. Also, while iced tea will be provided, please plan to bring your own alcoholic beverages to enjoy in moderation with your meal.
As was done last year, the Club will hold the line on pricing through the end of June, but prices rise starting July 1, so sign up soon for the best deal!
Come and enjoy the best attended Wharton/Penn event of the year as we unwind and have fun at the Annual BBQ Bash! Register by using the link below.
Date: Sunday, July 26, 2015
Time: 4:00 to 7:00 pm
Location: Home of Tammy & Andy Cohen
4100 Carnoustie Lane
Charlotte, NC 28210


Breast milk provides the best source of nourishment for the early months of life. Mothers are encouraged and supported in breast-feeding and may choose to continue to breast-feed as the weaning diet becomes increasingly varied.
Children have high energy needs for growth and development. It is important that children are given energy rich foods that are nutritious such as cereals, breads, dairy foods, and meats, chicken and eggs. Foods from the first four shelves of the food pyramid should be used to replace foods from the very top shelf that are high in added sugars/fats such as chocolate, cakes and sweets.
Do not add sugar to home prepared weaning foods
Limit baby foods sweetened with added sugars
Suitable fluids include water (boiled and cooled for infants under 1 year). Natural mineral waters are not suitable for infants.
Fruit juices should be unsweetened, well diluted (1 measure to 4 or 5 measures of water) and given at mealtimes from a cup. Baby juices and herbal drinks are not needed, but if given should be used sparingly, and only at mealtimes from a feeding cup.
Colas, squashes, fizzy drinks and diet drinks are unsuitable for infants.
Foods should never be added to the baby bottle.
Baby Bottle/Nursing Decay
Parents/carers of infants should be warned particularly about the dangers of putting fruit juices or sugar-sweetened drinks into feeding bottles or reservoir feeders and giving these to the baby/toddler to hold, especially in bed. Such practices result in almost continuous bathing of the enamel with sugars and leads to severe and rapid tooth destruction, a condition described as baby bottle/nursing decay.
"Children should be fed and put to bed - NOT, put to bed and fed"
Do make sure that your child does not sleep with a bottle in his or her mouth
Do avoid all sugar-containing liquids in nap or bedtime bottle
Do encourage drinking from a cup
Do discontinue bottle feeding by your child's first birthday
Do avoid dipping a soother in sugar, honey or anything sweet before giving to your child.
Changes in eating habits due to relative independence from family influences and the influence of peers can result in changes in health behaviours and diet, specifically in relation to sugar.
Overall, there has been a slight improvement in the dietary habits of school-aged children in recent years: the 2006 Irish Health Behaviour of School-Aged Children (HBSC) Study reports a slightly higher percentage of children consuming fruits and vegetables more than once daily and a slightly lower percentage consuming sweets and soft drinks daily or more often, compared with 2002. The HBSC study also reported evidence of a social class gradient, with children from the highest social classes (SC 1-2) more likely to have frequent fruit and vegetables consumption and less likely to have frequent soft drink consumption.
The slight improvements in children's dietary habits are likely linked to similar changes in adult dietary habits revealed by the 2007 SLÁN. It can be conjectured that these slight changes in dietary habits stem from a greater population awareness of the health impacts of lifestyle behaviour, in light of the concern for rising obesity in Ireland. However, eating habits, specifically in relation to sugar, can be changed by peer influence as children gain relative independence from family influences. Overall, 39% of the children surveyed in the 2006 HBSC survey reported eating sweets and 26% drinking soft drinks daily or more frequently, with higher rates in the older age groups. The graphs below show the breakdown of daily sweets and soft drinks consumption by age group, gender and social class.
Suggestions for between meal snacks are fruit, crisp raw vegetables, sandwiches, variety of breads, yoghurts, low fat cheese, plain popcorn and scones
Cereals are excellent energy providers, but avoid the sugar-coated types
Milk, water, and sugar free squashes are suitable
Diet drinks in moderation can be an alternative
Health implications of soft drinks
Rising consumption of soft drinks is causing concern according to recent research in the United States. Particular concern is highlighted about the long term effects of soft drinks displacing milk in the diet of teenage girls. If teenagers do not get enough dietary calcium in these vulnerable years they increase their risk of developing osteoporosis in later life.
Dental Health Implications
The frequent consumption of sugar containing fizzy drinks not only put teeth at risk to decay but can also cause erosion of the enamel. This is due to their acidic content (see Tooth Wear for more details).
Fruit juices are an important source of vitamins in the diet. However, they should be taken with meals for two reasons. The frequent consumption of these can lead to enamel erosion and although pure juices may not contain sucrose they are rich in fructose and can also be cariogenic.
Adults and Older people
Loss of natural teeth is associated with poor nutritional status in the elderly. Consumption of sugars seems to be higher in older adults than in younger adults.
A tendency towards reduced salivary flow together with a higher sugar intake and increased gum recession, places the older person with natural teeth at greater risk of dental caries (root caries) than younger adults.
This population group tend to be frequent users of over the counter medicines, e.g. cough drops, laxatives, antacids and various tonics, which are generally high in sugar. The most important cause of dental erosion in adults is regurgitation and acidic drinks. Dietary advice for dental health for adults with natural teeth should be consistent with general health dietary guidelines.
Elderly people should be encouraged to eat a variety of healthy foods as snacks from the food pyramid.
The consumption of 8-10 cups of fluid a day is important for this age group.
Dental Health Foundation Ireland


Ontario's Outstanding Young Farmers Program relies on sponsorship to fund the program and to select a regional winner to compete at the national level.
The Ontario OYF program draws its finalists from all sectors of Ontario’s diverse agricultural industry. Many alumni are influential throughout our industry and we have a strong body of 100 alumni award winners over the past 30 years. Each year’s finalists represent all that is best in our industry. The success of these young farmers is due in part to the vast amount of support they receive from agribusiness. The enthusiasm for agriculture and love of family are common themes that bind us all together.
The Outstanding Young Farmers group is a rich and vibrant agricultural community of innovative, positive and progressive leaders. They face the challenges of agriculture head on with tireless enthusiasm that is rarely seen in other industries. OYF honours true excellence in agriculture. Sponsorship of OYF sends a powerful message to your customers as to the high ideals of your company. We want you and your company to join us in September 2017 as Ontario Outstanding Young Farmers celebrates excellence in agriculture.
Thanks to our 2016 Sponsors
Farm Credit Canada
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs
Canada's Outdoor Farm Show
Grape Growers of Ontario
Grain Farmers of Ontario
Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency
Glen Isle Farms Ltd.
Friends Of Ontario Region OYF
Beef Farmers of Ontario
Canadian Association of Farm Advisors
Christian Farmers' Federation of Ontario
Dairy Farmers of Ontario
Ontario Dairy Youth Trust Fund
Syngenta Crop Protection
Turkey Farmers of Ontario
Rural Ontario Institute
Special Thanks to GayLea for the donation of milk products to the event.
OOYF is a proud partner of The Agriculture Now More Than Ever campaign.


“History is mostly side effects’” historian Arnold Toynbee
“Nothing comes from nowhere…there is a story behind every happening
that is often more fascinating than the happening itself” Anonymous
I was listening to a recent episode of the Public Radio program Fresh Air, and Terry Gross was interviewing two people who had written a book on the food of the Great Depression. I have both taught and studied the Depression, and while not an expert on it, I do have a good general knowledge of the era. I know about most of the historical and economic events that led up to it, some key decisions that could have or should have been made differently, the different popular music of the time, and a lot of the personal stories of people of different cultures, colors, classes, and nationalities. But I knew very little about the food of the time and how that cuisine was not only a byproduct of the Depression itself but also a mirror of certain social attitudes, technologies, and emerging science. As usual, there was a story within and beneath the story, and it made for a fascinating 45 minutes of radio.
Terry interviewed Jane Ziegelman and Alex Coe, authors of A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression. They discussed how politicians, nutritionists, social scientists and civic planners tried to approach food scarcity on a nationwide scale. That was a huge endeavor in and of itself, but these players also wanted to do more. They wanted to create a cuisine that would not only provide hungry people with food and nutrition but also make an identity statement about the United States. The questions and problems connected to food scarcity tied not only into economics and health, but also into the nation’s fears of immigrants and rising social and demographic changes. The planners developed new ways to use institutions to address a nationwide problem, and they took clever advantage of the relatively new technologies of mass canned and frozen foods. They also tried to “help” millions of first and second generation immigrants in the county adjust to being “American’ by eating an “American” diet. This was as much about cultural identity as it was about food.
To that end, according to Coe and Ziegelman, “strange “ foreign spices were to be left out of recipes and prepared foods, especially spices that were too hot, strong, or, well “spicy.” Vinegar and mustard were to be limited as they might make people too “nervous or energetic.” Also left out and limited were foods that were too “textured’ an/or ‘rough.” Smooth, creamy, and what we today would call “bland” was the order of the day. If root vegetables were to be a part of one’s cuisine, they had to be either baked or smothered in a fairly tasteless sauce, preferably white. Calm foods were what was desired. There were recipes for pasta and spaghetti, for example, but in both the government recommended and prepared menus of the time, the pasta had to cook for some 25 minutes until it was a mush. And many of the recipes called for it to be mixed with white cream sauce, boiled carrots or other overcooked veggies. Nutrition and supply were important-taste was less than secondary. Besides, if it was too tasty, some planners thought, people might get too used to it and start depending on it. That, it was thought, might “weaken their will “to look for work; they would become too dependent on handouts.
This was also a time when public schools had become mandated, so feeding kids via school lunches was another way civic planners sought to address the food shortage. (We still do this today; free school lunches and vaccination programs are outgrowths of this approach.) But this was also another way to sell the American approach to eating. Kids of immigrants were not only learning English and how to be trained to work in US factories; they were also being taught how to grow up eating “American.” According to the planners, they were using the new science of nutrition and the new technology of being able to rapidly can, freeze and move food to help these poor and disadvantaged kids get food and good nutrition. But no one had been checking to see if these kids were already getting adequate nutrition in their meals at home and if the only food problem they had was inadequate supply. Immigrants and poor people in general know a lot about making do with little and creatively responding to scarcity. When Ziegelman and Coe looked at the typical Italian immigrant menu of the 1930’s they found that it had as much or more nutrition that many of the meals recommended and provided by civic planners. But for the planners, nutrition by itself was not enough; the students had to learn to eat less foreign and more American. As with many social problems, the backstory behind the problem was about much more than the problem. Solving the food problems of the Depression was about much more than just food.
There were some interesting side effects that came out of this Depression era approach to food. For better or worse, the growth of what was to be called “food science” really got started during this era. Canning and freezing food to be shipped and delivered to many different places was just the beginning. Frozen and canned foods became an important way of serving food in the 1950’s-just think of the frozen dinners that started appearing on the scene during the 1950’s and that still fill freezers in supermarkets today. As refrigeration technologies grew, it soon became possible to eat a strawberry in Connecticut in January or a spinach salad in Alaska in February. Today we are wrestling with the questions of GMO’s-Genetically Modified Food- bee killing pesticides, and more. All of these possibilities are outgrowths of what happened during the Depression. For better or worse it took off from there.
And there are many historians who attribute the success of the US military in World War II in part to the planning and organization that happened in response to the Depression’s employment and food problems. President Roosevelt’s Civilian Conversation Corps, for example, gave men employment doing the hard physical work of logging land, building parks, clearing swamps, etc. This developed their bodies and got them used to working as part of a squad and following discipline-essential qualities for a military. But they also needed to be fed to do all of that work, so the Corps made use of canned and frozen food and the “new American’ cuisine to efficiently feed the hundreds of thousands of men who were in the Corps. This meant that by the start of the war the US had a relatively large supply of men who were fairly well-fed and healthy and who knew about unit discipline. It also meant that the infrastructure for supplying and shipping large amounts of canned and processed food overseas was already in place by the start of the war. They needed only to develop an overseas component. According to these historians, then, responding to the food crisis as it did inadvertently helped the US government fight and win the war.
So once again, one event or happening in history had side effects that rippled through the culture with surprising and unexpected long range effects. That is not surprising; it is how history works and how cultures, peoples and nations function. To me this is one of the joys of history-to be able to trace some of the stories behind events, to make connections, and learn and to tell those stories. When we are able to do that we make some wonderful discoveries. For everything has at least one story behind it-nothing comes from nowhere.
A link to the Fresh Air story: http://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/2016/08/15/490049518/fresh-air-for-august-15-2016?showDate=2016-08-15
A link to LA Times story on feeding families during the Depression:


I'm on my fourth batch of macaroons for Passover. Love these because they're gluten-free but also because they're probably the easiest dessert I'll ever make. I don't know why I don't make them all year round, as what other cookie takes about 10 minutes to prepare?
Each time I make them, I add something different. I started off with lemon peel and vanilla extract. Second time, I subbed the vanilla extract for almond extract. Third time I used orange peel. And this last time, I added a little rose blossom extract, just because I'm always trying to think of things I can do with that bottle on my shelf.
Get creative when you make your own macaroons! Sprinkle chocolate on the top. Add crushed pistachios or almonds. Try lime peel. And don't just save them for Passover, especially if you're gluten-free.
MACAROONS WITH ORANGE PEEL AND ROSE WATER
Makes 2 dozen
4 large egg whites
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon rose water
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or cover with Silpat.
Stir together the egg whites, sugar, orange zest, almond extract, coconut and a pinch of salt until combined. Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop onto the baking sheet.
Bake 15-20 minutes, until the tops are pale gold. Transfer with a spatula to a rack to cool.


Enjoy a quintessential Kiwi experience, a delicious gourmet BBQ buffet meal and a farm demonstration in a stunning lakeside setting. Take in the stunning views of Lake Wakatipu and its surroundings as you cruise across the lake to the historic Walter Peak high country farm aboard the TSS Earnslaw Steamship.
Enjoy the ambience of the heart of the stately homestead while your Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant chef prepares a gourmet BBQ dinner. Your seasonal menu includes an extensive selection of local New Zealand produce, including succulent meats and a selection of delicious vegetables and salads. Complete your meal with your choice of delicious desserts, New Zealand cheeses, tea and coffee.
After dinner, watch the farm dogs in action with a sheep-herding demonstration and say hello to the other farm animals. Finally, cruise home under the southern stars and enjoy the fresh night air as the lights of Queenstown draw ever closer.


THE KITCHEN IS THE HEART OF GOOD HEALTH
Proudly made in the USA 🇺🇸
Our story begins in 2018 with a health-conscious team of nutritionists and cellular biologists drawn together by a shared ethos: food sparks change. Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are more than molecular compounds. They’re fuel. Strength. Life.
And life is lived in the kitchen—where real food and fresh ingredients are transformed into nourishing creations. For your skin. Your brain. Your heart. Your muscles.
We are pure, edible wellness, combining the goodness of the kitchen with breakthroughs in cellular science. In our pursuit to inspire more active days and beautiful moments, we offer you premium-quality supplements that make it easy for you to build the body and wellbeing you want.
Why Trust Body Kitchen™?
Your health supplements should be as clean and natural as the food on your plate. This philosophy exists within every Body Kitchen product, from sourcing the best quality ingredients to preserving the highest nutritional potency. We maintain transparency at every step between our farms to your pantry.
It’s not the easy way—but it’s the Body Kitchen way.
THE BEST OF THE BEST
Ingredients are not created equal. Our whole food extracts and proprietary ingredients are made from foods held to a higher standard of excellence. They’re nature made, pure and simple.
QUALITY IS LOCKED-IN
We use patented food methods to carefully dry, mix and prepare our fine ingredients. This ensures we preserve every ounce of color, potency and freshness, without compromising integrity.
ABSORB MORE, USE MORE
Some ingredients are symbiotic—they’re better together. We carefully pair star ingredients with nutrients that play a supporting role. Together, they improve how your body absorbs, uses and benefits from them.
BACKED BY RESULTS
Because we’re nutritional experts and scientists obsessed with how food affects health, we rely on proof. Our products are backed by evidence-based science that supports how they activate health and beauty.


The Classic in Aspen, organized by Food & Wine magazine, is an annual event that celebrates the world of culinary arts, fine wines, and the passion of renowned chefs. Held in the picturesque mountain town of Aspen, Colorado, The Classic brings together food enthusiasts, industry professionals, and connoisseurs to indulge in a weekend of gastronomic delights. Beyond the festivities and delectable meals, The Classic also offers unique insights into the business of great food and wine. In this article, we explore how this event has become a hub for culinary entrepreneurs and wine experts to showcase their talents, build networks, and drive innovation in the industry.
The Culinary Entrepreneurial Spirit
The Classic in Aspen serves as a platform for culinary entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas and food creations. The event hosts cooking demonstrations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops where chefs and restaurateurs share their culinary journeys and success stories. Attendees gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of the culinary business, inspiring a new generation of food entrepreneurs to take bold steps in the industry.
Networking and Collaboration
Networking plays a crucial role in the culinary world, and The Classic provides an ideal environment for chefs, wine producers, and food industry professionals to connect and collaborate. From intimate tastings to large-scale events, the atmosphere fosters meaningful relationships among participants. These connections often lead to collaborations between chefs and winemakers, creating unique dining experiences and signature products that reach a wider audience.
Innovation and Trends
The Classic serves as a breeding ground for culinary innovation and trends. As participants share their expertise and experiences, they also bring forth new culinary techniques, flavor combinations, and wine pairings. Attendees get a glimpse into the latest trends in the food and wine industry, and chefs often experiment with different ingredients and cooking methods, pushing the boundaries of their craft.
Showcasing Local Producers
The event also highlights the importance of local producers and their role in the food and wine industry. Chefs often source ingredients from nearby farms and suppliers, emphasizing the value of sustainability and supporting the local community. The Classic’s focus on local produce encourages attendees to appreciate the farm-to-table movement and the significance of fresh, high-quality ingredients in creating exceptional culinary experiences.
Education and Culinary Tourism
Beyond the world-class meals and wine tastings, The Classic offers a unique educational experience. Attendees learn about the art of food and wine pairing, the nuances of wine production, and the culinary traditions of different regions. As a result, many participants become culinary tourists, seeking out restaurants and wineries featured at The Classic in their future travels.
The Classic in Aspen is more than just a celebration of great food and wine; it is a vibrant platform for culinary entrepreneurs and industry professionals to connect, innovate, and showcase their talents. The event’s impact extends beyond the weekend as attendees take home new ideas, collaborations are forged, and culinary experiences are elevated around the world. By fostering a dynamic environment for networking, education, and collaboration, The Classic in Aspen continues to contribute significantly to the evolving landscape of the food and wine industry, inspiring both seasoned professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs to continue pushing the boundaries of culinary excellence.


Yogi Spiced Blackberry Focus tea combines invigorating Black Tea with Bacopa, a nootropic herb that supports clarity of mind and concentration. Traditionally-used Ayurvedic herbs Clove and Cinnamon gently warm and delight the senses, while Blackberry and Hibiscus Flower add bright, fruity flavor. Cup after cup, enjoy Yogi Spiced Blackberry Focus tea to help you feel alert and focused.*
Immerse yourself in the enriching experience of Yogi Spiced Blackberry Focus tea, an innovative blend designed to support focus. This unique tea pairs organic Black Tea with Bacopa, a renowned nootropic herb traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to aid mental clarity and focus. Each cup offers a blend of warming spices, including Clove and Cinnamon, which gently stimulate the senses, enhancing your tea-drinking experience. With each sip, you'll also enjoy the bright, fruity flavor of Blackberry and Hibiscus Flower, a signature blend that sets our tea apart from the rest.
Approximately 50 mg of caffeine per tea bag ensures that our tea not only tastes great but also aids in keeping you alert and focused throughout your day. Whether you need a morning pick-me-up or an afternoon refresher, our Spiced Blackberry Focus tea is a versatile choice that satisfies. Cup after cup, enjoy the trusted Yogi Spiced Blackberry Focus tea for an invigorating tea experience.
For over five decades, we’ve been making delicious, functional teas inspired by the ancient holistic healing philosophy of Ayurveda. Our diverse tea selection supports everyday well-being with specialized herbal formulas thoughtfully blended for both health benefits and appealing flavor.
Yogi is a Certified B Corporation producing more than 40 tea blends from over 100 organic spices and botanicals sourced from around the globe. With every ingredient we source, and every tea bag we make, we strive to support environmental sustainability and social responsibility. We do so by following highly selective sourcing standards, performing rigorous quality tests, mandating environmentally sound farming practices, and partnering with local communities. Through such partnerships, we want to empower our entire tea ecosystem to live healthy, vibrant lives. It is our hope that our commitment to goodness shines through in every cup of Yogi tea.
Spiced Blackberry Focus Tea (16 Tea Bags)
Bring water to boiling and steep 5 minutes. For a stronger tea, use 2 tea bags.
Organic black tea leaf, organic hibiscus flower, organic cinnamon bark, organic licorice root, organic stevia leaf, organic balckberry flavor, organic bacopa whole plant extract, organic clove bud, organic green tea leaf extract, organic nutmeg kernel, blackberry pieces, organic cinnamon bark oil


Denny's is a full-service pancake house/coffee shop/fast casual family restaurant chain. It operates over 1,600 restaurants in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Curaçao, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Denny's is known for always being open, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert around the clock. Unlike many other restaurant chains, Denny's does not close on holidays or nights, except where required by law. Many of their restaurants are located in proximity to freeway exits, bars, and in service areas. Denny's started franchising in 1963, and most Denny's restaurants are now franchisee-owned. In 1953, Harold Butler opened Danny's Donuts in Lakewood, California. Six years later, there were 20 shops in the chain and the company changed its name to Denny's. In 1966, the company went public, and in 1977, they introduced the Grand Slam breakfast. Today, Denny's locations serve breakfast, lunch...read more


Have you ever heard the theory that certain foods have a negative caloric effect, meaning they burn more calories during the digestive process than they contribute? (Celery and apples are often cited as examples.)
Turns out the negative calorie theory is a myth. But that doesn’t mean some foods aren't incredibly low-calorie and super-nutritious.
This delicate, peppery green is amazingly low in everything you don’t want, especially calories, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. 4 Calories per cup.
Asparagus is traditionally known as a detoxifying food, because it contains high levels of an amino acid that acts as a diuretic, flushing excess fluid out of your system. 27 calories per cup.
Broccoli is amazingly low in calories, but it always makes our list of the top superfoods for a reason. Calories per cup 31
Clear beef, chicken, miso, seafood, or vegetable broth is a dieter’s secret weapon, nourishing and filling your body for almost zero calories, especially if you toss in leafy greens and lean meat. 10 calories per cup.
Brussels sprouts are super-low in calories but loaded with cancer-preventing phytonutrients and fiber. 38 calories per cup.
Cabbage packs vitamins, minerals, fibers, and several phytonutrients thought to prevent cancer. 22 Calories per cup
Romaine lettuce alone is a great source of B vitamins, folic acid, and manganese, which helps regulate blood sugar and is essential for proper immune system function. 5 calories per cup.
Beets are sweet but have very few calories—so you can have something sweet without the guilt. They also are rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants. 37 calories per half cup.
Like other cruciferous veggies, cauliflower is full of cancer-fighting phytonutrients and is a great source of vitamin C and folate.
Black coffee is one of the lowest-calorie drink choices around, and it’s a great weight loss ally. Coffee alters levels of gut peptides, the hormones naturally released to control hunger or fullness.
Remember The Grapefruit Diet? There may be something to that. Studies reveal that, on average, women who consumed any amount of grapefruit or grapefruit juice weighed nearly 10 pounds less and had a 6 percent lower body mass index (BMI) than their non-grapefruit-eating counterparts. 39 per half fruit.
Meaty and incredibly low-cal, mushrooms are also incredibly diverse. White button, Portobello, shiitake, and Maitake are just a few of the varieties you'll find in your grocery store.
They contain lycopene, an antioxidant rarely found in other foods. Studies suggest that it could protect the skin against harmful UV rays, prevent certain cancers, and lower cholesterol. Plus, tomatoes contain high amounts of potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. 22 per medium tomato.
The potatoes skinnier cousin, turnips are a great source of fiber and vitamin C, and have a low glycemic load. We love them diced and tossed into soups or stews, or sliced raw and used in crudite (they taste surprisingly mild and crunchy!). 36 per cup.
A cleansing cruceriferous vegetable with the fresh crunch of salad greens and the powerful cancer-fighting properties of Brussels sprouts and broccoli, watercress contain sulforaphane and other compounds linked to lower disease risks. 4 per cup.
This miracle squash is the ultimate high volume food, meaning you can fill up on very few calories. It’s easy to grow, especially in the summer, packs lots of vitamin A, and is so simple to prepare raw or cook with you may want to eat it all year! 20 per cup.
Tender and flavorful, this leafy green is rich in iron, folic acid, and vitamin K. It also contains disease-fighting antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C, as well as the phytochemical lutein, which protects eyes against age-related macular degeneration. 7 calories per cup.
Lemons & Limes
Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C and, eaten whole, are a great source of fiber. 20 per fruit
Garlic fights colds, battles cancer, and may even ward off urinary tract infections. 4 per clove.


VEGETARIAN HOT POT — Serves 6
2 TBS Olive Oil
2 Onions, finely chopped
8 oz. Carrots, diced
8 oz. Rutabaga, diced
8 oz. Parsnips, diced
8 oz. Sweet Potato, diced
8 oz. Celery, diced
8 oz. Leeks, diced
8 oz. Kohlrabi, diced
2 lbs. Potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 C Vegetable Stock (available at Dough on Main)
2 small cans diced Tomatoes
4 TBS Lentils
3 sprigs Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 TBS
Olive Oil. Once hot, add Onion and a pinch of Salt. Cook 4 to 5 minutes
until softened. Add all diced vegetables, except Tomatoes. Put a lid on the
pan and sauté for 10 minutes until slightly softened. Remove lid. Add
Stock, Lentils, Tomatoes, Thyme and Bay Leaf. Stir to mix well. Simmer for
15 to 20 minutes to thicken. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
In a second pot, heat water and cook sliced Potatoes in boiling water for 1
to 2 minutes until slightly softened. Drain and put in cold water to cool.
Pour the vegetable mix into a large oven-proof dish (8″ x 12″). Arrange
Potato slices over vegetable mixture. Overlap slices, fish-scale style.
Drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle lightly with Salt and Pepper. Cook for
35 minutes until mixture is bubbling and the Potatoes are golden brown.
Serve immediately. Still great as a leftover the next day. Even for
breakfast, served with an egg on top.


Pre-heat the oven to 200°C
Wash but don’t peel the Elfe Potatoes.
Slice into 8mm thick slices (approx!).
Grease a baking tray with a little olive oil on a piece of kitchen towel.
Place the Elfe slices on the tray, drizzle with a tiny bit more olive oil, add some black pepper and pop in the oven.
Meanwhile, place a large piece of foil in a suitable, ovenproof dish.
Place the salmon fillet in the middle of the foil and add the tomatoes.
Drizzle over the runny honey, the soy sauce and add the green beans and sweetcorn.
Seal the foil into a parcel ensuring there is enough room for steam to circulate around inside.
Place this next to the potatoes in the oven and bake together for 30 minutes.
Super healthy and delicious!
Preparation: 10 mins
Cooking: 30 mins
2 medium sized Elfe Potatoes
1 salmon fillet per person
handful of green "French" beans
Handful of sweetcorn
2 small vines of piccolo or cherry tomatoes
1 tsp runny honey
1 tsp soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper


International trade fair for certified organic food and drink
Fair Name: International trade fair for certified organic food and drink
Fair Time: 16.11.2022 to 17.11.2022
Fair Place: Malmo Sweden
Company Name: NORDIC ORGANIC FOOD FAIR
The Nordic Organic Food Fair is the largest certified organic food and drinks trade event in the Nordic region. This is an industry event for trade buyers who are looking to source the best certified organic food and drink. Meet leading suppliers to the market including the best on offer from the Nordic region, international brands, and exciting new start-ups.


Welcome! Cane & Rye is open from Thursday through till Saturday.
We offer an extensive range of gins and exquisite cocktails at our beautiful boutique bar in the heart of Bridgend.
Our focus is to make sure you have the best experience possible when in our company. Partnered with one of the most extensive & premium back bars in the town & bringing only good vibes we are sure you will enjoy your evening with us.
EVERY SATURDAY AFTERNOON
We have our fantastic bottomless brunch every Saturday between 1:30pm & 5:30pm.
Bottomless selection of Gins, Prosecco & Cocktails as well as a choice of our delicious food cages.
Check out our menu below.
For more information on our brunch click here


With sales of CHF 91.6 billion in 2014, Nestlé is the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company. Headquartered in Switzerland, the company employs 339'000 people and has 442 factories worldwide. Nestlé products are sold in almost every country in the world. Nestlé is the worldwide leader in product categories such as soluble coffee, infant nutrition, bottled water, condensed and evaporated milk, ice cream, as well as chocolate and malt drinks, and culinary. The Group is also a co-leader in pet care.
For more information on Nestlé, please visit www.nestle.com


Your Choice for Change - Honoring the Gift of Heart Health for American Indians
Section Three - Help Your Heart! Control Your High Blood Pressure
This family plan can help you prevent high blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, it can help you lower it.
Will: "High blood pressure runs in my family. My mother has high blood pressure; she takes medication to lower it. My wife Sally has prehypertension and is now taking steps to prevent high blood pressure. My whole family follows a heart healthy eating plan and has a more active lifestyle to keep our blood pressures normal. I want to be a good role model for my children."
- Cut down on sodium.
- Buy fruits and vegetables for snacks instead of salty chips and crackers.
- Buy fresh, frozen, or no-salt-added canned vegetables.
- Choose fewer canned and processed foods like bacon, hotdogs, sausage, meat jerky, bologna, pepperoni, salami, ham, canned or potted meat, dried and packaged soups and noodles, pickles, and olives.
- Read the Nutrition Facts labels to compare the amount of sodium in food.
Tips on using the Nutrition Facts label to compare sodium in foods.
- Choose foods that have 5 percent or less of the Daily Value for sodium.
- Limit foods with 20 percent or more of the Daily Value for sodium.
- Limit your sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams (mg) or less per day.
Compare these Nutrition Facts labels on regular soup and reduced-sodium soup.
Which one is the better choice?Reduced-Sodium SoupRegular Soup
The regular soup has almost four times more sodium than the reduced-sodium soup.
Mary Has Learned Ways To Eat Less Sodium
Mary: "To make food taste good without salt, I use cilantro, cumin, fresh garlic, parsley, onion, green pepper, oregano, and even a dash of chili powder when I cook. Everyone in my family has gotten used to the taste of food with less salt."
Mary's Seasoning Recipe
Fill the saltshaker with this combination of herbs and spices, and use it, instead of salt, to flavor foods:
- ½ cup paprika
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried chili peppers
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper
- Cut back a little each day on the amount of salt.
- Use reduced-sodium bouillon cubes, soy sauce, and ketchup.
- Take the saltshaker off the table.
- Use a mixture of herbs, spices, and chili powder instead of salt.
- Eat heart healthy foods.
- Cook with more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Choose low-fat or fat-free milk products.
- Cook with lean meats, wild game, chicken without the skin, and fish.
- Choose unsalted nuts, seeds, and cooked dry beans.
- Cook with small amounts of fats and oils.
- Limit alcohol.
- Men who drink should have no more than two drinks a day.
- Women who drink should have no more than one drink a day.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not drink any alcohol.
- Watch your weight.
- Take steps to lose weight if you are overweight.
- Eat smaller portions and do not go back for a second serving.
- Be active for at least 30 minutes a day, and slowly increase to 60 minutes.
- Take your medicines.
- If you have high blood pressure, take your medicine(s) the way your doctor tells you.
- Do not share medicines with friends or family.
- If you cannot afford your medicine, let your doctor know. There may be programs to help you buy your medicine.
- Use notes and other reminders to take your medicine. Ask your family to help you with reminder phone calls.
- When you go to the doctor, take all of your medicine bottles with you.
* Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers: Talk to your health care provider to find out what types of fish are lower in mercury. Mercury may be harmful for your baby.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIH Publication No. 08-6340


Learning to trust your body to make good food decisions
Reprinted from the "Body Image" issue of Visions Journal, 2016, 12 (1), p. 37
“You are what you eat” is a phrase I hear often as a dietitian working in the food and nutrition field. I often feel it’s misused—or that it’s simply incorrect. We aren’t simply what we eat: we are so much more than our food choices, and food is so much more than calories. For many, food represents family, culture, pleasure, experience and exploration, as well as a way to fuel our bodies and function in our lives. Our emotional, social and physical eating practices—in addition to the foods we eat—are all important elements of our well-being.
There is a common misconception that you can look at a person’s body and know how they eat. Imagine we walk into a fast-food restaurant and see a thin and athletic woman eating a double cheeseburger with an extra-large order of fries and a milkshake. We might feel envious that she can eat that way and still maintain a lean build. We might assume she had done significant exercise that day to account for her meal, or that this is a special occasion or that she has a fast metabolism. Now, imagine we see another woman at the next table eating the same meal. This person lives in a larger body. Despite the fact that she is eating a meal identical to the one being eaten by the thin woman with the athletic build, we might assume that this second person eats at fast-food restaurants often. We might assume she is inactive, and we may have preconceived ideas about her health.
None of these assumptions is based on fact. We cannot know about a person’s health or experiences simply by looking at that person’s body. In the same way, we cannot know about someone’s relationship with food from the size or shape of his or her body.
We do not make these assumptions because we are bad people. Our assumptions represent widely held stigmas associated with different body types.
For my clients who struggle with disordered eating issues, early access to treatment and trained health care professionals is a key component in the recovery journey. Yet often my clients’ struggles go unrecognized—even by themselves—due to common social stigmas related to eating disorders and weight.
The truth is that there are no “good” or “bad” foods. Clients often try to challenge me on this, but I stand behind the idea that when we label foods as good or bad, we set ourselves up to mistrust our bodies and create an environment for emotional eating—in which we have emotional reactions to the food choices we make. If I eat something “good,” I feel proud, as if I am doing something “right.” But if I eat something “bad,” I might feel shame or that I can’t make that “mistake” again. If I associate certain foods with a fear that my body will change, then I will feel a need to compensate afterwards. I might become more concerned or rigid with my eating, increase my exercise or experience guilt and shame.
I often hear people justifying their food choices. For example, an individual might say, “I can eat this because I did the Grouse Grind today,” or, “I was bad today because I ate food X, which is bad.” These statements perpetuate stigmas about food and our bodies, and reinforce the idea that our bodies cannot be trusted. This creates a situation where people feel they need to be in rigid control of their own food or nutrition intake: they fear and mistrust their own body.
Certainly there are foods we might choose more often because they provide our bodies with more complete nutrition than other foods. Some foods provide us with different vitamins and minerals. Some foods provide us with more fibre or more protein than others. But all foods give us energy and fuel our brain. However, we eat for many reasons, not just health. We also eat for reasons of pleasure, culture, tradition, social interaction and comfort, and sometimes as a special treat for ourselves. By giving ourselves permission to eat for a variety of reasons (and not just for nutritional health), we create an environment where we trust and honour our body instead of viewing food with resistance and fear.
When it comes to educating my clients about nutrition, I rarely allow calories to be part of the conversation. Our bodies need more than a certain caloric target to maintain or support weight. We need a variety of foods from all the food groups to meet our carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin and mineral needs for good health. Engaging clients in conversation about the types of nutrition their body needs, focusing on what foods feel satisfying to eat and satisfy the body for longer, and about how we feel different when we have energy is more important than caloric number.
Our bodies know what to do with nutrition: we need to learn to trust our bodies’ cues. One of the ways I help teach my clients to trust their body is through the skill of mindful eating. Mindful or intuitive eating means paying attention to internal cues rather than external rules to guide our food choices. Like any skill, mindful eating needs to be practised.
The first step in mindful eating is to reject dieting. Stop buying into the idea that we need to make drastic, rigid changes to the way we eat in order to support our bodies. One way to become in tune with our bodies is to explore and learn about our hunger and fullness cues. If we slow down and take the time to listen, our bodies will tell us what they want and need.
When we listen to our bodies, the most important thing to do is to remove all distractions so that we can taste the food and experience the act of eating, decide what we enjoy instead of placing judgment on certain foods. When we eat what we really want, in an environment that is enticing and enjoyable, the pleasure of the experience will make us feel satisfied and content. This minimizes the desire to overeat.
Another important thing to do is to give ourselves unconditional permission to eat. If we tell ourselves that we “can’t” or “shouldn’t” have a particular food, we can experience feelings of deprivation. As with many things in life, we often want what we can’t have: feelings of deprivation can intensify into cravings, which often lead to bingeing. When we finally “give in” to foods that we have told ourselves we “can’t” have, we often overeat and experience feelings of guilt. And we promise ourselves to never eat this way again. Then, if we “give in” again in the future, our broken promise compounds our feelings of guilt.
We all need to challenge food “rules.” We need to stop believing that “we are what we eat” and start seeing the complexity of the human body and our relationship with the food we eat. Challenge the thought that you’re “good” for eating minimal calories and “bad” if you eat something you enjoy. You don’t have to eat a perfect diet to be healthy. You will not suddenly get a nutrient deficiency or gain weight from one snack, one meal or one day of eating. It’s what you eat consistently over time that matters. The relationship you have with your body is the only relationship you are guaranteed to maintain for life, so I encourage you to nurture and care for it. Your body knows what to do with nutrition: you just have to learn to trust it.
About the author
Ali is a Registered Dietitian with a BSc in food nutrition. She works in the Eating Disorders Program at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital and with the Looking Glass Foundation’s summer camp for girls. Her private practice specializes in disordered eating (www.ThriveBC.com). Ali is passionate about helping clients develop healthy relationships with food and body


Mini Flat Lay Edible Bouquet
AVAILABLE AUSTRALIA WIDE
Please note: This item will take 2-5 business days to arrive from sending date (please select the date you want the item to be SENT).
Our Mini Flat Lay Edible Bouquet is made of healthy foods and homemade vegan snacks with no added sugar, paired with carefully selected dried florals to send a unique gift arrangement, when you can’t be there in person.
The Flat Lay Mini Posy contains the following:
1 x 50 gram Peanut Butter, Almond and Coconut Granola tub
1 x large Apricot and Sesame Bliss Bar
1 x 10 gram Garlic and Smoked Paprika Spiced Popcorn
Box size: L: 24cm x W: 24cm x H: 9cm
Please note: due to COVID and seasonal variations our product may slightly differ from image pictured as substitutions may need to be made.


Joanne Slavin is a Professor in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She teaches Advanced Human Nutrition and consults widely in nutrition, food science, and sustainability space. She has authored more than 350 scientific articles on diet and health outcomes, topics including carbohydrates, protein, fats, snacking, regenerative agriculture, and the role of diet in disease prevention. Joanne was a member of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC). She is a Science Communicator for the Institute of Food Technologists (IDF), and a member of numerous scientific societies, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and the American Society of Nutrition (ASN). Dr. Slavin has BS, MS, and PhD degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a Registered Dietitian (RDN). She has given more than 400 scientific presentations around the world. Additionally, she grew up on a dairy farm and now owns and manages the Slavin Sisters Farm LLC, a 119-acre mixed use farm in Southern Wisconsin.


The true taste of Thailand
Check Out Our Menu
With a focus on fresh ingredients, flavourful spices, and palate-pleasing sauces, you’re sure to find something that will delight your senses.
For pickup orders over $35 before tax, save 10% when you pay with cash. Call us at (289) 674-6088 to order now!
Hours of Operation
Monday: 11am – 830pm
Wednesday to Friday: 11am – 830pm
Saturday to Sunday: 12pm – 830pm
989 Fennell Ave E #29
Hamilton ON L8T 1R1
Find us on Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes


Every weekend, we have started a ritual of making a Latte using our South Indian Filter Kapi apparatus. We obsess over our old stainless steel kapi filter, by washing it well and glazing the filter portion over the stove top briefly. Then we quickly grind our fresh coffee beans, measure three table spoons of coffee powder into the filter, and pour hot boiling water directly into the filter until it fills up to the brim. We don’t have a fancy steamer or a espresso machine. So we spend the next 5-7 minutes creating the foam or the froth in our coffee mugs. Since we use skim milk, creating the froth is slavish, hard labour. Once our coffee liquor, or the di-kok-shun as we call it, is ready to go, we pour it over our milk. Mix in a teaspoon of sugar, and it’s ready!
The last time we did this, I craved for the next step on the Latte ladder. The latte art heart. That creamy, chubby heart – right in the middle of your coffee.
We wanted that.
So we tried this.
But we ended with up with a drizzle of milk over the di-kok-shun.
But we have the next Saturday coming up soon.


Leafy Greens Gift of Seeds is part of the Sow’n Sow ‘Edibles’ seeds range and makes the perfect gift that is both rewarding to grow and delicious to eat.
This pack includes a mix of lettuce, spinach and rocket seeds to make the handiest, easiest greenery for any salad. There is nothing quite like tucking into your own home grown produce after nurturing and watching it grow.
Best sown from spring to autumn, simply scatter seeds in a sunny position and cover with a thin layer of soil.
The beautiful packaging features the artwork of Daniella Germain and includes a packet of mixed seeds, a plastic plant label and sowing instructions.
- 100% recycled paper
- Includes an illustrative plant label to mark where your seeds are planted
Varieties: Lettuce ‘lactuca sativa’, Rocket ‘Eruca sativa’, Spinach ‘Spinacia oleracea’
Also available as part of the Edibles Seed Gift Set


Nourishing: The Body, Mind & Spirit of Being Fed
I come from a long line of Southern cooks. We take our family recipes, cast iron skillets, and canning jars seriously. A great deal of pride comes with the delivery of a meal, whether it’s slaved over for hours or thrown together at the last minute.
My paternal grandmother, Louise, was a wiz in the kitchen and set a pretty high bar. A typical Sunday dinner at her house included her famous pan-fried chicken, at least six vegetable side dishes, perfectly risen yeast rolls hot out of the oven, and three or more desserts. She could make just about any dessert requested, but her pecan pie, angel food cake, and peach cobbler were the crowd favorites.
All this meticulously crafted food was my grandmother’s way of showing how much she cared for her family. She wasn’t just feeding us, she was loving each and every one of us through her food. We showed our gratitude and reciprocated her love with how many times we refilled our plates and how clean they were at the end of the meal. As her oldest grandchild, I figured out this gig pretty early in life. My clean plate meant I had a direct line to her heart.
My grandmother was a powerful influence on me in the food realm in part because we had so many years together—she lived to 97. But she was not my only influence. My mother grew up in a different sort of southern kitchen—less down home, more adventurous. My mom was always coming up with some twist on traditional southern meals with her willingness to try unusual ingredients.
Even though my childhood occurred in the 1970s, pre-packaged and fast foods did not invade my mother’s or my grandmother’s kitchens. Handmade and homemade may have lost favor in that era, but my mom and grandmother didn’t cave to the fads. I cannot remember ever having Tony the Tiger or a marshmallow wielding leprechaun grace my morning cereal bowl. Nor did Hamburger Helper or Chef Boyardee deliver my dinner. My grandmother’s version of “fast food” was to put her home-cooked meals in conveniently slotted TV dinner trays.
Loving Good Food is in My DNA
From the way my grandmother used food as a love language to the culture of creativity my mom cultivated in the kitchen, nourishing my body has been part of my DNA and a lifelong ambition.
Even when I was teetering on what felt like the poverty line in my first job out of college, I prioritized good food. My roommates at the time joked that I could probably have qualified for food stamps, but I would have used them to buy shiitake mushrooms, not bread and milk. I allowed myself to buy whatever nourished me even when I was counting every penny to make ends meet.
As a result, most of the people in my life consider me an “insanely healthy eater.” My kids would say I’m a “green freak” when it comes to the amount of vegetables I put on their plates. I’ve been known to sneak greens even into brownies (thank you zucchini!). And that was true for me well before my health crisis hit. Ironically, my eating habits were not something that put me in a high risk category for any health concern, which is perhaps one reason we missed the signs of my impending health crisis.
However, with my cancer diagnosis in 2014 came a full evaluation of my diet, and a new level of education on how food could harm or heal my body. Thanks to the education from my alternative medicine doctors, I found many opportunities for improvement. Tests revealed a few bad actors in my diet (e.g., dairy, soy) specific to my body. And cleaning those out has helped heal my gut, which was more out of whack than I realized.
Food as Medicine
But during the time when I was in active treatment, my diet became really restrictive and regimented. So much so that I didn’t feel like eating at all. I lost too much weight and looked like a shadow of my former self (and it wasn’t a good look). I loathed figuring out what I could and could not eat or drink for the sake of my healing body. I abhorred how much time it took to prepare a meal. Nothing was fast or convenient, and it was very hard to let anyone else cook for me. Going out to eat was a nightmare! Even worse was eating at someone else's house!
But luckily my food tradition held strong at my core and through experimentation I slowly found my way to a more sustainable and delightful diet.
Today, “Hunter-gatherer Paleo” is the best way to characterize my eating habits. That means I consume the following:
Organic vegetables (lots of them!),
Organic fruits (mostly low sugar berries),
Nuts and seeds, and
Sustainably produced meat and fish (in small quantities).
This way of eating also means I’ve pulled out the following from my diet:
Most grains (wheat, white rice, corn)
Sugar (my only exceptions are very, very small amounts of raw honey, coconut sugar, and dates).
I cook with coconut oil and ghee, and season with fresh and dried herbs and sea salt. I drink a lot of water and tea (green, white, pu-er, matcha) and have recently started brewing Kombucha—a fermented tea that replaces fizzy drinks and alcohol for me. Dark chocolate (85%) is my rare treat.
A Holistic Approach to Nourishment
But through all of this, I’ve learned eating and drinking are only part of my equation. Nourishing is really the key.
verb (used with object)
1. to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth.
2. to cherish, foster, keep alive, etc.
3. to strengthen, build up, or promote
If you read my post on my Thrive Cycle, you know “nourish” is a key part of my three-part filter along with playing and resting. And how I nourish myself really does represent more than what I eat and drink. It supplies what is necessary for my life, my health, and my growth.
It’s also how my mind fills with creativity,
my heart fills with love, and my gut fills with courage.
In the 10 months I’ve applied this filter to my life, I’ve made a lot of decisions based on whether an opportunity “nourishes” me or not. This filter certainly takes what I eat and drink to the next level. I’m pretty quick to say no to any food prepared fast unless it’s super high quality (and those rarely go together). And if I can’t pronounce an ingredient or understand how it’s produced, it’s an easy call on whether it qualifies or not as nourishment.
Of course, sometimes I forget to pull out my filter and I fall off my nourishment wagon—mostly when I’m "hangry." I occasionally sip more than my fair share off my husband’s wine glass or indulge in a wood-fired pizza crust (I’m sorry, but gluten free pizza crust sucks! I’d rather not have pizza at all!). And that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay because sometimes indulging is a form of nourishment.
With this new balance, I’ve found a new groove in the eating and drinking category. I enjoy being creative in the kitchen and wowing my family with stunning meals again. And my health continues to improve. It’s a slow process to rely on good food instead of medicine to heal the mind, body, and spirit. Patience and presence are required no doubt!
Thoughts to Noodle On
What foods or eating habits feel nourishing to you?
Do you have any foods or eating habits keeping you from thriving?
How can you cultivate a creative mind, a love-filled heart, and a courageous gut?
I’m thankful for the following resources that crossed my path during my quest to nourish and heal my body. They helped me find my way back to loving my food:
Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Juice -- a fellow cancer thriver’s approach to healing her body with food over medicine.
Dr. Robynne Chutkan’s The MicroBiome Solution -- a radical new way to heal the body from the inside out that taught me about the role of healthy bacteria.
Melissa Hartwig’s The Whole 30 -- an elimination diet plan that made it easy to identify and eliminate all potentially inflammatory foods.
Dr. Terry Wahl’s The Wahl’s Protocol -- a mind blowing account of healing multiple sclerosis with a heavy veggie Paleo diet that gave me confidence my food could be a healing force.


Order high quality fresh Grouper online and enjoy one of the most pleasant tasting fish available. Fresh Grouper has such a mild flavor, that people the normally don't like fish can enjoy a meal featuring Grouper. This mild flavored fish is hugely popular in Florida and is a great food source around the world. Available through the Amazon link below.
Nutritional values for Grouper
Fresh / Frozen Grouper - Mixed Species
Serving size - 3 oz. (85 g) cooked, edible portion
|Calories||Protein (g)||Fat (g)||Saturated Fat (g)||Sodium (mg)||Cholesterol (mg)*|


I don’t know when the tradition started in our family, but every year the week before Christmas we would have a baking day. Mom would put Christmas music on the record player and gather us together in the kitchen. We would spend the entire day baking goodies and singing along with the music.
I find it amazing that, events from so long ago still paint a vivid image in my mind. In my earliest memories of baking day we still lived in the little house on Val Verde. I can see Jo-Ann, a dish towel tied around her neck, standing on a chair in front of white metal cabinets. I was kneeling on a little wooden stool wearing a pink apron, one I made entirely by hand in a Blue Bird meeting. Carol-Ann was also posted at the counter nearby.
The Director, that was Mom, stood ready to hand out recipes, help with instructions and remind us to be neat and tidy. Over the years the venue changed but baking day prevailed until I married and moved away.
Without realizing it we learned about fractions as we halved and doubled the recipes. We learned to read a temperature gauge as we boiled various candy concoctions to the proper stage. And we learned to tell time as we timed the cookies in the oven.
We picked our favorites from recipes scrawled on 3 X 5 cards, torn from magazines or flagged in favorite cook books. We weren’t passive about which recipes we wanted to measure, mix and bake. We all had favorites.
Our family peanut butter cookie recipe had to be started early in the day. The dough was mixed, rolled into a couple of long rolls, and put into the refrigerator to chill. Later in the day the rolls were removed from the refrigerator and sliced and baked. I liked helping with the peanut butter cookies because I knew they were Dad’s favorite.
We stuffed dates with walnuts and rolled them in powdered sugar. We melted marshmallows and mixed them with Rice Krispy cereal. One year we might make fondant candy, another it might be some kind of candy made with butterscotch chips. But certain treats always found their way into our agenda.
We always made cocoa fudge. We used the recipe on the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa can. In later years we could afford to shell walnuts and add them to the fudge. To this day, I prefer fudge made from the cocoa recipe better than all of the other quicker and easier methods that have evolved.
Mom always made divinity. I can remember the year she thought she had cooked it long enough, but apparently she hadn’t. No amount of beating would make it stiff. We dropped it from spoons full onto waxed paper and it had to stay in the refrigerator until we were ready to peel it off of the waxed paper and eat it.
My favorite part of baking day, however, was making sugar cookies. Early in the day, one of us always mixed up multiple batches of dough. Like the peanut butter cookies, the sugar cookie dough had to be chilled. Near the end of the day, after the dough had sufficient time to chill and our other baking was complete, we sifted flour over the pastry cloth and the covered rolling-pin. We removed the cookie cutters from the jar. And only when everything was ready, did we remove the first ball of dough from the refrigerator.
We lined up the cookie cutters; the star, the stocking, the Christmas tree and Santa. We would have made all Santa’s and trees if Mom would have let us because they were the biggest. We discovered that if we mixed up the order that we cut them out, Mom didn’t realize that we were making a lot more Santa’s than anything else.
After the cookies were baked and while they cooled we cleaned up the mess in the kitchen. Then it was time to ice our cookies. Our icing recipe was a simple one. It consisted of a little milk, a drop or two of vanilla and a lot of powdered sugar. We divided the icing into at least four bowls. We poured green food coloring into one, yellow into one and red into one. The largest batch remained white.
The trees were iced green and sprinkled with something called ‘Decorating Decors’—little balls of colored sugar–to represent Christmas ornaments. The stars were usually just yellow, but the Santa Claus got the works.
We carefully cut raisins in half, one half for each eye. A little bit of red icing colored his cap. The white was added last. We sprinkled coconut on his beard to make it look hairy. The cookies were really pretty primitive, but we thought they were works of art.
After I married I moved away from my family. I bought a Santa cookie cutter so my kids could have the Santa tradition, complete with raisin eyes and coconut beard. It was a smaller cookie cutter and never quite made the grade for me.
Years later when
my parents decided to move closer to me, I asked my Mom about the Santa cookie cutter. She told me she thought that Jo-Ann had it. But she wasn’t sure. I was bummed. I really wanted that cookie cutter. I finally asked Jo-Ann if she was using it. She told me she had never had it. I was heart-broken to think that our special Santa was no longer part of the family.
In 2003 my Mother passed away. During the sad chore of cleaning out her apartment I discovered the Santa cookie cutter tucked in the bottom of a bucket of miscellaneous baking items. I now have possession of all four cookie cutters that we used as children. Recently I discovered the original recipe sheet from Swift’ning (a brand of shortening from years ago) in mother’s old recipe box.
I have no children or grandchildren living near so I seldom use my Santa now. It is old and the sides are wearing away, but I wonder if my friends would like a Santa Cookie.
Maybe this year I’ll bake some Santa cookies in memory of Mom.


An Italian Dream
Located North of Boston in Woburn on the Winchester Line, Sogno (pronounced Soñ-yo) is the place to gather with family and friends over a delicious meal inspired by the culture, history, and warmth of Italian hospitality. Evoking the feeling of gathering in one’s home, inspired by owner Ron Martignetti’s Sunday family dinners, Sogno offers comfortable spaces where all feel welcome to come together around the table. Come, stay, and return again and again.
Highlighting the authenticity and diversity of Italian cuisine, Sogno’s menu is designed to transport you from one region of Italy to another without ever leaving the table. With a focus on fresh ingredients, both locally sourced, made in house and imported from Italy, watch your meal being prepared in Sogno’s exposition kitchen. From inventive cocktails and cicchetti at the buzzing bar, to entrees inspired by all the different regions of Italy in the dining room, to the restaurant’s renowned Neapolitan brick oven pizza, you’ll enjoy old favorites while making new discoveries as you embark on the exquisite dining experience at Sogno.
At the Bar
From classic Italian cocktails like Aperol Spritz and Barrel Aged Negroni, to inventive offerings like the “Bocca Al Lupo” with bourbon and blackberries or the “Italian Magarita” with tequila, amaretto, fresh lime juice and Italian blood orange soda, you’re sure to find something that delights at the bar at Sogno. Nibble on authentic Italian cicchetti (small bites) for the true Italian Aperitivo experience. Relax comfortably in deep leather seats at the large rectangular bar, where you’ll find conveniences like purse hooks and ample plug-ins for mobile phones, as you raise a glass and catch up with friends old and new at Sogno.
From the Cellar
With a carefully curated list of outstanding wines from all regions of Italy, Sogno’s award winning wine list will take you on a journey across the Italian terroir. From the crisp minerality of Italian whites, to well-aged Italian reds, you’ll find both recognizable as well as lesser-known wines, all made from classic grapes of Italy. The wine list is rounded out with French champagne and a number of West Coast offerings. All wines offered at Sogno are made to elevate the flavors of the cuisine, and are sure to pair perfectly with your meal.
Treat yourself to the best Italian around Boston. We look forward to seeing you! Book online or call us at 781-625-1300.
Booking a reservation of 8 or more? Call us to book.
Sunday - Thursday
Lunch: 11:30am - 4:00pm
Dinner: 4:00pm - 9:00pm
Friday - Saturday
Lunch: 11:30am - 4:00pm
Dinner: 4:00pm - 10:00pm
304 Cambridge Road | Woburn, MA 01801