Gourmet Guru Blog | Benefits of Organic Food - locally grown food, wholesome food, all natural food, farm to table, all natural foods, green foods

Imitation Meat

February 27th, 2012 | Posted by orens in all natural foods - (0 Comments)

One of the fastest growing sectors of the wholesome food world is imitation meat. With more people identifying as vegetarians and flexitarian’s (semi-vegetarian) the market for imitation meat products is growing. The number has grown from a handful of veggie burger and veggie dog brands ten years ago to hundreds of brands making veggie sausage, chicken, duck and virtually every other meat product.

Restaurants have been adopting to the trends as well as food retailers. Most restaurants offer some kind of imitation meat. People are increasingly finding out you don’t need to eat meat to get that meaty taste and fullness. This trend is sure to continue as more people turn away from or limit their meat intake.

This represents a good opportunity for food manufacturers and restaurants. With more people seeking these foods out the market is increasing. Stay ahead of the trend by keeping stocked on all sort of imitation meat. It’s no longer acceptable to have one vegetarian choice, people want variety and if you can provide that they will go elsewhere.

Although most imitation meats are made of tofu or seitan people are trying new things every day. Some new imitation meat products are being made from mushrooms, quinoa, and a host of other ingredients. What will the future hold for wholesome foods? Certainly a lot more variety.

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The New York Vegetarian Food Festival

February 22nd, 2012 | Posted by orens in all natural foods - (0 Comments)

The New York Vegetarian Food Festival is set to kick off March 3^rd and 4^th. The festival is an important event for those in the health food world. Companies will be networking, connecting with their public, testing products, and discussing the finer points of food politics. Thousands of food patrons in the New York area will be in attendance scoping out the latest tasty health foods.

The New York Vegetarian Food Festival features food manufacturers, distributors, restaurateurs and food patrons. Companies will be unveiling all natural food products for the first time. The best of the fest is certain to create buzz on the web and in world of wholesome food. Vegetarian taste makers and food journalists are sure to be in attendance as well.

Some of the biggest names in the world of food are sponsoring the event. Whole Foods,Yves, and the National Gourmet Institute are just a few of the organizations sponsoring and attending the event. It not too late to get a booth at this year’s festival but you have to act quickly. The costs of booths vary; individual tickets cost $5 – $15, depending on which events you want to attend.

I would highly recommend the festival to those in the world of wholesome foods. It is a good indicators of the trends in the food world and a great way to network.

Preparing for Spring’s Bounty of Wholesome Foods

February 13th, 2012 | Posted by orens in all natural foods | locally grown foods - (0 Comments)

Spring will be arriving soon and with spring comes some of the most bountiful harvests of green foods.

Fresh fiddleheads will be arriving early in the spring. I would suggest snapping some of these tasty guys up during the few weeks they are available. They are rich in antioxidants and they taste great. The fresh ones are only available in the early spring, before the ostrich ferns mature. Alas, part of spring’s joyous beauty is its fleeting nature.

Spring also bring an abundance of fresh peas. Yellow pea, snow peas, mushy peas, sweet peas and more are going to be hitting the market soon. Nothing is tastier than a cool bowl of split pea soup on a hot day. Did I mention that peas are rich in lutein, fiber and vitamins? This green food packs a nutritional punch and the different varieties can put a fun spin on your favorite dishes.

One of my favorite varieties of spring seasonal wholesome food is edible flowers. These tasty morsels not only look great, they taste great. Throw them in a salad to give it a flavorful kick and bit of color. There are so many variets of edible flower, each one with its own unique taste. Make sure to try some this spring.

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Small Changes, Big Results

February 6th, 2012 | Posted by orens in all natural foods | locally grown foods - (0 Comments)

People often don’t realize that small changes to their daily and weekly routine can lead to big pay-offs health-wise. Carving out just 20 minutes a few times a week for cardiovascular exercises, replacing a few meals a week with green foods, and choosing all natural snack foods over processed ones can mean big health benefits.

Snacking is where a lot of people pack on the extra calories without even knowing it. Foods like chips, soda, candy and cookies give you the instant rush of energy, but then quickly make you sluggish. You hunger is also not satiated for long, so you need to snack again. Try an all natural food snack like almonds or granola. They are healthier and will fill you for longer. The same is true for soda. If you need a natural boost, make some tea or coffee. Even if you add sugar it will be much healthier than a soda.

When it comes to meals try to incorporate as many vegetables as possible. Start every meal with a salad so you fill your belly with some veggies. Instead of having starchy foods with your main course like rice or potatoes try having some spinach, baked carrots, or peas.

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Wholesome Food for Mental Well-being

January 30th, 2012 | Posted by orens in all natural foods - (0 Comments)

The effects of wholesome food on the body are well known and well documented. Fruit and vegetables fight diabetes and heart disease, boost the immune system and lead to overall greater physical health. Increasingly, however, scientists are linking a healthy diet with improved cognitive function, better mood, and increased concentration. Some even believe that certain foods can generate white matter in the frontal area of the brain (the section dealing is reason, judgment and problem solving), though more research is needed.

A healthy diet has been linked to overall better mental health. More specifically however, certain vitamins (and the wholesome foods that deliver them) are being correlated directly to certain brain functions. Vitamin B12, for example, has been linked to happiness and energy. Although B12 is obtained from eating meat, it is also in tofu, seitan and soy milk.

Fish oil has also been linked to increased brain functions like concentration and problem solving. Mothers taking fish oil (who pass it to their babies in breast milk) see faster mental developments in their kids. Elderly adults taking fish oil are less likely to suffer dementia and report feeling sharper.

Science is only now beginning to explore the benefits of organic food and healthy diet in regards to mental health and wellness. Just another reason to put down the chips and pick up the carrot sticks!

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Tofu and Seitan

January 24th, 2012 | Posted by orens in all natural foods - (0 Comments)

Many people fear cutting back on meat because they don’t think a meal is complete without it. Vegetables, whole wheat, seeds, beans, and nuts can fill you up for just as long as meat can. If you are used to eating meat, however, there are lots of tasty meat substitutes that will satisfy.

The most widely used meat substitute is tofu. Tofu is a very popular wholesome food. Tofu is a curd made of soy beans. Firm tofu is almost 11% protein (soft tofu is around 5.5%). Tofu has the protein that gives you that same full feeling you get from eating meat. Tofu can be thrown in to almost any food. Tofu steak, sausage, burgers, and hot dogs taste as good as their meat counterparts but are much healthier and better for the environment. Try using tofu in your next meat dish and see how it works out.

Seitan, which is wheat gluten, is another wholesome food used to substitute for meat. Seitan is often substituted for duck, chicken and bacon. Seitan is around 14% protein but that number varies depending on the type of seitan you use. Like tofu, sietan can be added to almost any dish to give it a protein boost.

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Whole Wheat

January 16th, 2012 | Posted by orens in all natural foods - (0 Comments)

Many people find the hardest part of maintaining a healthy diet is staying away from white bread and other white flour products. White bread, white rice, and pasta are pretty unhealthy. They break down to sugar in the body which then turns into calories. They also don’t have the fiber and folate of whole wheat.

Luckily there are more and more alternatives every day. Brown rice or whole wheat pasta tastes almost the same as regular pasta. It also keeps you full for longer because whole grains take longer to break down in the body than regular carbohydrates. There are lots of good whole wheat bread selections you can make as well. Whole wheat pita and pumpernickel bread are flavorful and satisfy the same craving as white bread. Check with your local bakery, chances are there are many whole wheat breads to choose from.

If you are worried about giving up cakes, cookies, and other doughy sweets, you should look into vegan baking. Vegan backing uses a lot of whole grains, apple sauce, peanut butter and other wholesome foods in lieu of butter, and white flour. Vegan baking also tastes great. With many recipes you won’t be able to tell the difference between vegan and non-vegan sweets. Add whole wheat to your diet of all natural foods and you will be even healthier.

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Dark Leafy Greens

January 9th, 2012 | Posted by orens in all natural foods - (0 Comments)

Trends in the world of wholesome food come and go. Nutritionists are constantly finding new reasons to favor one food over another. Although trends change, one family of foods is constantly ranked among the healthiest, and has been for years. I am talking about dark leafy greens. Dark leafy greens are the vegetable family that includes spinach, broccoli, kale, and Swiss chard.

Dark leafy greens are rich in fiber, folate, anti-oxidants, and vitamins A, C and K. They help prevent cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. They also make your skin look great. In short, they are just about the healthiest all natural food you can eat.

Many people look for ways to incorporate more dark leafy greens into their diets. One thing you can do is add mustard green or spinach to your salad. These greens are much healthier than ice berg lettuce and more flavorful. You can use them anywhere you would use lettuce; they taste great on sandwiches, in wraps, and even raw with hummus.

If you are trying to get fussy kids to eat their dark leafy greens, combine them with other foods. Spinach can easily be thrown into pasta or a casserole. Broccoli and be stealthily incorporated into a tasty stir fry. Get creative.

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Can we Reverse Heart Disease with Wholesome Food?

December 26th, 2011 | Posted by orens in locally grown foods - (0 Comments)

The benefits of organic food (more specifically organic fruits and vegetables) have been tested time and time again. It is a fact that these foods prevent cancer, improve mood, increase longevity, and keep people at a healthy weight. A diet rich in all natural foods is also a great way to reduce levels of bad cholesterol (LDL Cholesterol).

Until recently it was thought that a healthy diet could help prevent and control heart disease but not reverse it. This knowledge, however, is now being challenged. Some doctors and nutritionists now believe a diet rich in dark leafy greens, mushrooms, onions, seeds, and other wholesome foods can actually reverse heart disease. The notion of reversing heart disease was almost unthinkable 10 years ago and is still received skeptically by many in the medical community. Although more research is needed some medical practitioners believe that these dietary restrictions may go further than preventing disease and can actually repair the heart. Former President Bill Clinton has gone vegan in the hopes of improving his hearth health, a decision based largely on this emerging research.

Although we will not know for years if heart disease is reversible, one thing is clear; a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables will improve your health.

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Getting Enough Protein while Eating Green Foods

December 19th, 2011 | Posted by orens in all natural foods - (0 Comments)

Many people who cut down their intake of fatty meats for more green foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables worry they won’t get enough protein. This is especially true if they workout or live an active lifestyle. Although some vegetarians don’t get enough protein, this can easily be avoided. There are a lot of green foods out there that are filling and rich in protein.

Beans are a great source of protein for people avoiding meat. In fact beans and rice together create a complete protein, just like the kind you would get from chicken or beef. If you are looking for a great after workout meat to fill you with protein go for lentils or beans.

Nuts are also a great wholesome food rich in protein. Nuts make a great snack because their high protein content makes them filling. Chips, pretzels, and other starchy snacks don’t give you much in terms of health benefits and chances are you will be hungry again shortly after you consume them.

If you are looking for ways to add protein to your diet just go online and research recipes with lentils, nuts, and beans. Also remember there are lots of vegan and vegetarian protein supplements.