June 2010
F as in Fat: Obesity in America
Yesterday, The Trust for America's Health (in partnership with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) released it's annual report: "F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010".
Not surprisingly, the report found "troubling racial, ethnic, regional and income disparities in the nation's obesity epidemic":
ComFest Food!!!
As a regular Comfest attendee, I am so pleased at the variety of food choices available. I usually go to the festival for one day each year and am glad to know that there will be foods I can eat...and feel good about eating. This year I went for a day and a half and was able to sample a variety of foods. On Friday, I was there midday and enjoyed a Sesame Spring Roll with ponzu sauce from Dragonfly and Del's Favorite Tofu Wrap from the Wellness Forum. These two booths were convienently located right next to each other so I knew this would be a hot spot for me on Saturday.
Ask the Chef
I have written before on our blog about how much I enjoy The New York Times' health blog "The Well", as it features really healthy recipes that are heavy on whole foods, usually call for few ingredients, and often feature seasonal produce. One of the writers for the blog, Martha Rose Shulman, was featured in an "ask the chef" column several weeks ago, and I just found it today. It has got some great answers to questions that many of us have about eating and living well. I have posted a sample question below from the colum...if you'd like to read more, click on the following link:
consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/insert-credit-martha-rose-shul/
You Could Win Jack Johnson Concert Tickets!!!
Only 5 non-profit organizations were selected by Jack Johnson to be featured in his concert’s ‘Village Green’, and Local Matters is one of them! Not only is this a great opportunity for Local Matters, but it is for you
too!
Jack Johnson also donated tickets, which we are giving to you! To find out how to win a pair of tickets, make sure you are subscribed to our newsletter (located on the right side of our website) by Thursday, June 24th and the details will be sent to you.
How I Spend My Summers
Last summer I was given the great opportunity to work at Godman Guild in the Weinland Park Community Garden (WPCG) as an assistant supervisor to 15 youth in their Summer Teen Employment Program (S.T.E.P.) used to employ hundreds of youth at different job sites around the Columbus area. In this position last year I had the pleasure of meeting a lady who is now MY supervisor here at Local Matters (Trish). She saw the dedication that I had to the kids in the program and thought that I would be a great fit as a Food Educator.
So now, a year later, as school days have ended, I started my transition back to Godman Guild for work in the WPCG now as SUPERVISOR. (whoo hoo!)
Indian Spiced Black Beans, Rice, and Naan
I would love to share with you one of my favorite ways to season black beans to enjoy with rice, and Naan. I was first introduced to Indian cooking in 1996. I loved it immediately, all the warm spices, and rich sauces. I began to incorporate many of the Indian spices into my cooking, my favorite mixture of spices being, Garam Masala. For more information about garam masala (what it means and what it's made from) please see the wikkipedia link below.
Fathers Day, let's give them our best...
I really enjoy being a father. Having the privelege to be a dad has been one of the most fulfilling things I have had the pleasure to do. I also teach Food is Elementary in local schools. Teaching young children the benefit of healthy eating choices as well as giving them a window into many different cultures and cuisines that go along with that diversity is pure bliss. Throughout this past year I have seen how our curriculum broadens children's view of food and the choices they will make in the future. It is serious work, but most of all it's just fun. I have a unique window into the effectiveness of our program and how it really does change our student's perspective of food. My son, Jack who is 8 years old, was in one of my classes this past school year. I loved being in his classroom every week and it was obvious that it was pretty cool for him to have his dad teaching a weekly class.
Local Summer Fun
This summer provides many opportunities for great adventures and you can find them while supporting your community and local farmers.
Farmer’s markets are a great way to try new food, get fresh food, and support local farmers. If you want to figure out what foods are in season in your area, go to What’s Fresh Near You. Just select your state and the time of year to see what foods are fresh and in season near you and the foods that are in season from surrounding states. It also provides a few recipes you can make with the in-season food! 
If you are looking for a night out, there are several restaurants in Central Ohio that are both delicious and serve locally grown food. Another good way to have fun this summer is to visit local festivals and enjoy the atmosphere.
Unhappy Meals
This is my first week of work at Local Matters so I began reading articles by Michael Pollan to help get in the right mindset. One of his past articles, Unhappy Meals, caught my eye since my family and I are working on eating healthier.
In the article, his main piece of advice is to eat “food”. Pollan describes “food” as natural substances, not packaged and processed foods. He suggests eating only food that your great-great-grandmother would recognize as food, which rules out many popular brands.
Pollan then goes on to explain nutritionism and the role the government, scientists, and journalism have played in society’s perception of eating healthy.
In the article, Pollan provides nine easy and logical methods to begin eating the right way.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Here's a gluten-free peanut butter cookie recipe that usually makes my gluten-free friends' eyes light up! My partner, Julie, came up with this recipe and it has been a winner at many a pot-luck.
Dry Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup almond meal
2 1/2 cups bnrown rice flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups oats
Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup agave (cactus syrup)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
