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A year ago, I drank the koolaid and hopped on the all-organic bandwagon. I would sneer at conventional apples, and flinch away from Dole spinach. Ah well, I was young and foolish.Is that an organic farmer?
If people want to buy organic, go for it, that's what capitalism is all about--consumer choices--...but after doing my own research, I can only conclude that conventional produce is not going to kill me. And it is easier on my wallet.
I'm not anti-organic. But as a snarky sceptic, I really hate this automatic reverence that organic food seems to command.
Yet I've always had problems concisely summarizing my arguments on organic food. So, much to my exultation, I found a podcast that summed up EVERYTHING.
For any curious, here is the podcast script that is a nutshell of my views on organic.
Some of the topics he addresses:
- The "Natural" fallacy
- Pesticides and fertilizers (both in fields and in us)
- Use of farmers
- The actual owners of many organic farms
- Crop output
Really guys...until I read a scientific study confirming conventional bell peppers led to the birth of a two-headed baby, I'm going to save my money and continue freaking out the Whole Foods people by asking where the conventional pears are.
That said, I completely support local produce and animal products. Vegetables that were picked yesterday, organic or not, are much more tasty and nutritious than what you will find in a store. And they taste way better. And you're supporting your local economy. So farmer's markets rock my socks (except the highway-robbery kind where they want to make you feel guilty for shopping at Safeway).
Enough of my soapbox high-riding. Just what have I been shoving in my gob lately?
Barbecued chicken with pear, spiced with cinnamon and cumin, and topped with Apricot Stilton Cheese. Served with a side of zucchini pasta with carrot-miso dressing and a sweet potato with almond butter.
Lentil Scramble
Beluga lentils scrambled with eggs, basil, and spinach, and topped with more Apricot Stilton Cheese. This stuff is crack.
Half cottage cheese, half goat's yogurt, with blueberries, walnuts, and a Vita Brownie.
Ahi Tuna Steak (in all of its mercury-laden glory) with spinach, carrots, and cukes, topped with carrot-miso dressing. But the real weird one was the side dish--wheat berry sprouts mixed with pepitas, bee pollen, and sea salt. What can I say, I'm
Eggs scrambled with wheat berries, strawberries, blueberries, and zucchini, spiced with basil and cinnamon, and topped with bee pollen, hemp seed butter, and almond butter. Served with a kiwi and Greek yogurt.
Spread of Cups
Not a main dish, but romaine lettuce filled with Sophia's miso hummus, cukes, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
For this puppy, you'll just have to pay close attention to Sophia's blog!
Mouthwatering with a side of yum sauce? Pasta with a sauce made of walnuts, almond milk, bread, Parmesan, olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, salt, and paprika, all tossed with parsley. Served with a tasty side salad. I made this with a new friend, so it tasted even better!
9 comments:
Eating organic is so hard and confusing. I do it because I want Maya (my 4-year-old) to grow up without pesticides, etc. For her organic is worth the extra $$. For me? I'm not sure if I'd bother as much!
i love pasta sauce made with bread. yum yum yum!!!
great pics! i agree, people get way too into the organics thing, but for me it's worth it to spend the extra dough on certain items. fruits like apples, strawberries, peaches and certain veggies tend to be really full of nasty pesticides and waxes so those go on my "must buy organic" list. if i can by things like grains and breads at a reasonable price (often at teh farmer's market) then i do,b ut i'm not going crazy over buying organic gummy bears or something. guess what, they're still candy! lol
I'm with you 100% on the organics! I'm not opposed to the concept of organics, but the fact that the regulations are so loose means that produce grown organically is only a smidgen better for the environment than regular produce (people make a big deal about the "no pesticides," but let's get real--even organic farmers kill the bugs with chemicals! They just choose their chemicals from a narrower list).
And all the processed stuff labeled "organic" is just ridiculous. If you're going to pride yourself on buying organic snack bars made from nothing but walnuts and dates, you might as well get in the kitchen and stick some walnuts together with pureed dates! Silly people.
Organic food is an issue about which I feel quite ambivalent. On the one hand, I do feel that it's better for the environment not to use pesticides (which tend to kill off perfectly innocent wildlife as well as 'pests') but sometimes it can be taken to far and enter into the realms of snobbery, as you say. Quite simply, some products are worth paying the extra for and some just aren't. I generally go by which tastes better or looks better on the shelf - sometimes it's organic, sometimes it's not. Moving beyond the realms of the psychosomatic, I have found that some things such as Butternut squash and watercress genuinely are nicer, but whether that's because their countries of origin are more local as opposed to their organic nature is still open to question (obviously something will be in better shape if it's not been air-freighted across three different time zones). Thanks for bringing up this issue for debate! I think it's always best to view any 'movement' with a cynical eye.
And that pasta! Looks just divine, and I don't like walnuts...I may have to try that one for myself using nut. yeast instead of parmesan. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
<3
~Jess~
Agree with you totally...I think pesticide free is better but all in all its better to get fresh local produce vs the govt certiified organic. Yumyumyumyumyum! I totally
Mmm...organic farmers. ;)
That brownie breakfast sounds amazing, I'll have to try that.
The bottom line is that the organic movement has brought us one step (albeit a small step) closer to a more sustainable, healthy agricultural system. The biggest reason to promote organic agriculture is not the health benefits for the consumers of the food, but the health benefits of the land. And yes, the term "organic" is not well defined, well regulated or well understood. But at least the conversation and awareness of the issues have started. 10 years ago, most people would have no idea what was possible wrong with industrialized food monoculture. We are not there yet, but it's a step in the right direction.
I'm all about the local produce. I used to be hard core organic is better, but really, I've eaten conventional fruit and veggies for a significant portion of my life, and I'm still kicking!
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