Edible Anomalies in the Media

Finally, something eye-catching on a magazine cover that I'm very passionate about, post about regularly.  I like that National Geographic chose to do a special feature on food anomalies and food waste in their March, 2016 issue. The article discusses the global epidemic of food waste, and how recovery operations are on the rise in order to support increased food demand.

From the fruits grown in the jungles of Peru to the banana growers in Colombia, millions of tons of produce are wasted each year because of imperfections, in order to pass market standards of quality, aesthetics, and profitability.  From the time of picking to consumption, as much as 53% of fresh produce is wasted, discarded, or lost, mostly due to cosmetic imperfections. That means, only about 47% of otherwise safe, edible food lands on the dinner table.  It should not be too shocking, as we have adapted to a society that set standards of beauty, which we blindly follow. Sadly this also translates to our world of wild food sources.

Read about it in the March issue, a lot to gain from this article!

Reaping after Rain

There is something so wildly satisfying about sinking your teeth into freshly picked leafy greens.
If it was possible, I might even grab them straight from the stem, without even uprooting or detaching from fertile Mother Earth.  The beautiful spinach leaves after a generous rain, give off a hint of sweetness on the palate.  Everything seen here was grown from seed.

Rainbow swiss chard in all its glory...

Finally.... Zola, my rescue girl looks on as I display a small container planting of Italian arugula---naturally spicy to the bite. 

Edible Anomaly of the Week!

I just love fruit and vegetable anomalies! 

 I think they are worthy of our attention. Some people may think anomalies are just freaks of nature. Well, they are.  But they are also the very living, breathing fruits and vegetables that grew wild and undisturbed. They never succumbed to human regulations and modifications imposed on our primary food source. Anomalies may look funny, but are just as beautiful and fascinating (and in most cases delicious), as any perfectly round tomato!

This beautiful heirloom carrot came to me via a local store.  I am prepping for a mushroom and barley soup today that calls for carrots. I love how this one looks like a pelvis and a pair of lady legs! 

Food should always be fun, delicious, and, even at times, sexy and sensual! 

New Year's Failures

I think there's too much formality, unrealistic expectations, and ceremony involved in New Year's resolutions.  The excitement of a promising new routine, a positive outcome, or new habit soon fades and we're back to the same, if not, worse shape we were before the new year kicked in. That is why I gave up even mentioning resolutions quite a while ago.  However I will say that when small, realistic changes are made to the daily routine, they are more readily accepted into the lifestyle one wants to improve upon.

After a stressful hump of a new year--both work wise and personally-- I decided to recommit myself to juicing. This one habit can seriously brighten your day, your face, your prospects.  So I created an "aesthetic" devotional corner (cause asthetics do motivate), where the Menu Du Jour is always " le jus".
I do believe that if you make something pretty, and also give it the proper physical (or abstract) space it needs, chances are you are able to create more effective ongoing changes. For me, I am all about the senses I like to look at the gorgeous colors, touch them, feel them, smell them. And, finally......TASTE them! :)