Whole Foods-Aventura Having Party

Posted on 04. Sep, 2010 by Howard Salus in Green Events, Healthy Foods, Healthy Products

SEE WHAT’S GOING ON AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET, AVENTURA

By Nancy Powell Radlauer (PowellReviews@aol.com)

Sunday, September 19; Whole Foods Market 30th Birthday and awesome 80’s Party! 12 noon – 4pm FREE; Whole Foods Market is turning the big 3-0 and we’re celebrating by turning the clock back to 1980 when it all began! Featuring your favorite 80’s music, a birthday hat challenge and lots of silliness just to prove we’re still as young as we feel! Stop in for some birthday cake and ice-cream, and see if you can win the 1980’s Costume Contest or ‘Pin the Tail on the Grass Fed Cow’ for a chance to win a free gift card. Plus, while you’re loading up your cart with anniversary deals, kids will have fun with face painting, party hat making and cupcake decorating in the café. No birthday party is complete without party favors, so throughout the day,  customers who can answer our 1980s Trivia questions will get prizes.  And lots of delicious, highest quality natural and organic products to sample!

SEPTEMBER EVENTS:
• School Lunch Revolution: Salad Bar Fundraiser: Register Donation Campaign, thru September 29 This school year Whole Foods Market has partnered with Renegade Lunch Lady, Chef Ann Cooper for a salad bar fundraiser! Our goal? For every Whole Foods Market location (that’s 300 stores) to raise enough green to build 300 salad bars in local schools across the country. For every $2,500 we raise in Aventura, a local school will receive a “grant” of a salad bar from Chef Ann Cooper & F3! Local schools may apply at: http://www.saladbarproject.org/
• Wednesday, September 1; SPEED BIZ BREAKFAST: Hallandale Beach Chamber of Commerce; 7:30 am – 9 am; FREE for Members, $ 5.00 Non-Members; A morning of fast paced Networking with over 50 other businesses in our area – 3 minutes at a time. The early-bird gets the business!!!
• Thursday, September 2; Spice Up your Labor Day Weekend with Branford; 4–7 pm, Meat Department; Spice up your Labor Day weekend grill with Branford’s Originals! Come over to our meat department to sample our high quality, all natural grilling favorites while you meet and greet the creator of our very own LOCAL Branford’s Original Sauces. Who knows? If you’re lucky, he just may share a recipe or two with you!
• Friday, September 3; Health Starts Here Demonstration with Ira Luft, RN; 11 am–1 pm FREE; Trying to eat well, but not sure where to begin in the kitchen? Join Ira Luft, RN and Demo Specialist Nadeige as they teach us to prepare Tangy Bean Salad with Carrot & Green Onion Dressing.
• Saturday, September 4; Clean up with Hugo, from Hugo’s Naturals! 4 pm–7:30 pm; FREE; Join us as the award-winning Chef and Founder of HUGO NATURALS shares his philosophy of ‘food grade quality’ all natural body care products. He will be sampling his luxurious products and highlighting his newest additions to his collection, bath bombs and bath salts.
• Monday, September 6; LABOR DAY Forgot something for the grill? We are open 8am–10 pm for you.
• Rosh Hashanah – Shana Tova!  Sundown Wednesday, September 8; Ends nightfall Thursday, September 9; The words Rosh Hashanah mean “Head of the Year.” It is the anniversary of the past creation of the world, and Jewish tradition sees everyone as being created anew at this time every year. On Rosh Hashanah, it is traditional to eat foods that are sweet and nourishing. Come in and pick from the very best organic and natural additions to your holiday table. Whether it’s Challah, apples, local honey or a kosher dessert to round out your meal, we’ve got it.
• Saturday, September 11; Health Starts Here Demonstration with Ira Luft, RN; 12 pm–2pm FREE; Trying to eat well, but not sure where to begin in the kitchen? Join Ira Luft, RN and Demo Specialist Nadeige as they teach us to prepare Tangy Bean Salad with Carrot & Green; Onion Dressing.
• Sunday, September 12; Grandparents Day; Pick up a beautiful bouquet, potted orchid or fabulous dessert to share!
• Tuesday, September 14; Gluten-Free Basics Tour with Ira Luft, RN; 10:30 am–12 pm FREE; Are you or a loved one living the gluten free (GF) lifestyle and not sure what to eat? Not even sure what gluten is or where it is found? Join Ira Luft, RN on a journey through the aisles as he shares gluten-free choices and information for those on special diets. Sample delicious gluten-free products and find some new favorites. Don’t suffer from a limited selection or compromise on taste anymore! To RSVP; sign up at Customer Service, phone 305.933.143 or email  Vanessa.Hassele@wholefoods.com. Tour size is limited to 10 persons.
• Yom Kippur; Begins Sundown Friday, September 17, Ends nightfall Saturday, September 18
• Friday, September 24; Top 5 Wines @ 5 pm! 5–7pm TGIF! Stop by our Wine Department to receive a complimentary wine glass and sample up to 5 carefully picked wines and cheeses, each selected to start your weekend off right! Limit one glass per customer, while supplies last.
• Sunday, September 26; Seafood 101:  Harpoon Caught Swordfish, 1 pm–3pm; With fisheries around the world in search of finding more sustainable and environmentally friendly means of bringing their catch to market, fishermen are now returning to the ancient art of harpoon sword fishing. Stop by and learn about what Whole Foods Market is doing to ensure sustainable fishing, try a new recipe and taste a sample of this unique catch!
 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30; HALL-O-GREEN MONSTER MASH!
Join us for a GREEN-HALLOWEEN celebration featuring your favorite monster-mash music, a “Recycled~ Repurposed~ Reused Costume Contest” plus lots of zero waste party tips!
 
Whole Foods Market®, founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, is a leader in the natural and organic foods industry, is America’s first national certified organic grocer,  and was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” in 2008 by Health magazine. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement.
Thanks to its 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 12 consecutive years. There are currently more than 275 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & WildTM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP.  Wild Oats® and Capers Community MarketTM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc. Whole Foods Market Aventura 305.933.143

Christina Pirello Addresses the USDA

Posted on 28. Jul, 2010 by Howard Salus in Dining, Education, Environment, Healthy Foods

Quite recently, I had the privilege to testify before the USDA with my friend and colleague, Dr. Neal Barnard, president and founder of the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine.  I presented the following comments on the first draft of the USDA dietary guidelines, to be released this December.
I am honored to be here to comment on such an important topic.
It is no secret that our population is in serious trouble with obesity and chronic disease. Epidemics of completely preventable diseases threaten to destroy the very strength of this country.

The draft of new dietary guidelines shows an astute insight into actions needed and if observed by Americans, can dramatically increase our chances of reversing this seemingly irreversible tide.

The proposed guidelines go further than ever before toward guiding the country to a plant-based style of eating, but there are some topics that need addressing so that the new guidelines can correctly inform citizens about the choices available to them to live healthy lives.

While it would be utopian to think that the guidelines would recommend the elimination of meat and other animal products, vegetarian eating needs to become a more attractive option for people. As a 30-year vegan, I can tell you that I am one of millions of people who have no deficiencies nutritionally. I do supplement with vitamin B-12, but otherwise, a well-balanced and varied plant-based diet has served my nutritional needs nicely in my very active life.

In the draft there is plenty of complimentary language supporting the choice of vegetarian eating, but I think that stronger language is needed. In the section dedicated to nutrient adequacy, the question of what nutrients are over and under-consumed is posed.

The answer is easy. Americans eat far too little whole, unprocessed, fresh food, like whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds and far too many of the foods that every expert agrees are stealing their health: processed and cured meats, sugar and other junk food.

The idea is presented that little conclusive evidence exists to support the idea that a plant-based diet can better prevent disease than any other low-fat diet. In fact, there is plenty of research to support this as well as the idea that disease can be reversed with the use of a vegetarian diet and other lifestyle changes. One need only read ‘The China Study’ by T. Colin Campbell, PhD or look at Dr. Dean Ornish, whose work is so effective at treating and reversing disease that it has just been approved for coverage by Medicare. Further proof can be found in America ’s very own ‘Blue Zone’ in Loma Linda , California . Dr Gary Fraser, of Loma Linda University ’s Medical Center discovered that even among the Adventist population, the non-vegetarians had about twice the risk of heart disease than the vegetarians. So they dug deeper and discovered that meat remained the consistent contributor to heart disease, as it would because of the concentrations of saturated fat.

The real problem here in America however lies with marketing and food manufacturers. They seduce the public with fat, sugar and salt to trick the tastebuds into wanting more. They make a bigger profit and America loses.

The key to the success of the new guidelines is not fear-mongering but progressive thinking that moves us forward nutritionally speaking. The new guidelines need strong language that promotes the consumption of whole grains, vegetables and beans. And while I personally would love to see animal products, especially processed cured meats and dairy foods completely disappear from this new guidance, powerful lobby groups will never allow that to happen. There is a lot at stake for the manufacturers of animal foods, from subsidies to huge bottom line profits for their sales.

I think it is the role of this committee and the experts in the room to educate consumers as to the best choices for health and to demonstrate that a healthy lifestyle can be delicious, satisfying, affordable and far superior to any meal that’s served in a bucket. Americans are suffering at alarming rates from diseases that are nearly completely preventable and in many cases reversible. But we must free them from the stranglehold of marketing and subsidized foods. We can encourage them to eat their vegetables and fruit until the cows come home, but if it costs more to buy the ingredients to make a salad than to buy a Happy Meal, then all the work, research and findings are for nothing.

This committee has the power to systemically change the relationship Americans have with healthy foods like vegetables and whole grains. Healthy foods must be accessible to all Americans. An endorsement by this committee for healthy eating, with the focus on plant-based nutrition will create consumer demand which in turn will create the changes needed to turn the tide of disease that threatens to swallow us.

The draft that has been released is a great start, but I would respectfully submit that there is much to be done to move the country forward to a state of healthy fitness and a plant-based diet is the foundation upon which we can rebuild that health.

Thank you.

Christina Pirello, MFN
Emmy-Award winning host of ‘Christina Cooks’ on national public television
Best selling cookbook author
Chef Instructor, The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College , Philadelphia , PA
References:
The China Study, T. Colin Campbell, PhD, Benbella Books, June 2006
Healthy at 100, John Robbins, Ballantine Books, August 2007
The Blue Zones, Dan Buettner, National Geographic, April 2009
The Spectrum, Dean Ornish, MD, Ballantine Books, December 2008

Agave, Oy Vey!

Posted on 15. Jun, 2010 by Howard Salus in Healthy Foods

another learning-can-be-fun article by

Christina Pirello

To agave or not to agave; that is the question. It seems that everything today creates scandal and confusion…our food, our politics, our neighborhoods, how we exercise and now even our sweeteners, natural and otherwise.
A relative newcomer to the culinary world (but not the world) is agave nectar, processed from the agave cactus. It became quite popular with the raw foods community because it is processed at low heat, but in reality, about 30 degrees higher than most raw foodists would allow.
It seemed that this low glycemic sweetener was destined to be the next big thing in healthy cooking. Deliciously sweet, naturally processed, gluten-free, delicate enough for most recipes, it had it all. Or did it?
Some facts about agave: agave plants are crushed and the sap is collected in tanks. It’s heated to about 140º F for about 36 hours to concentrate the sap into syrup and develop the sweetness. See, the main carbohydrate in agave is a complex form of fructose, one of which is inulin. I know; I know, too science-y. Anyhow, the sap is not very sweet, so when the agave sap is heated, the complex form of fructose is hydrolyzed and then filtered to obtain the desired sweet flavor, from the dark to the lighter, milder amber. In sort, the complex fructosans are being broken down into fructose.
Based on my own research, I am not as in love with agave as I was in the beginning. I believe that it’s more processed than I originally thought and in that processing some of the vital nutrients that made it healthy for us are lost.
It is marketed as being low-glycemic and therefore safe for diabetics. Well, I say “Not so fast” on that one.  Not only is the whole glycemic index misinterpreted and mis-used, but agave is considered low-glycemic because of its high concentration of fructose as compared to glucose (only about 10%). My concern is that this ratio of 90%/10% is not natural. Even high fructose corn syrup only contains about 55% fructose and we consider that to be the Darth Vadar of food because of its high concentration of fructose.
And the big deal about fructose? Ay, ay, ay! While fructose naturally occurs in fruits and veggies, it is in small concentrations, so the liver can handle its metabolism. But when concentrated like it is in agave and high fructose corn syrup, an added burden is placed on the liver. Glucose, our body’s desired fuel is metabolized by every cell, while fructose is not. It requires the liver, which can lead to fatty deposits showing up in this most overworked gland. And since it’s metabolized by the liver, it is more likely to contribute to weight gain than other natural sweeteners.
Some studies also show that fructose can be indirectly linked to the inhibition of collagen and elastin production in the body.
And finally, this form of hydrolyzed fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals, so like sugar; it can rob the body of these nutrients in order to assimilate itself for use.
Now that I front-loaded the bad news, there is good news about agave. First and most important, its high fructose concentration is where its similarity to high fructose corn syrup ends. Agave is natural, while HFCS was invented, making it superior in quality.
Agave’s low glycemic index does make it an okay sweetener to use in small quantities. Its molecular structure allows it to provide sweetness without a ‘sugar rush’ and resulting crash…and no blood sugar spike. And it does make great tequila, so it can’t be all bad. (Kidding…)
Look, I have always found agave to be too sweet in taste, so I did not use it much in my cooking. But I have found it to be a nice alternative for people looking for a more intense sweet without sugar and a gluten-free option for natural sweetening.
Do I think you should throw out your agave and cower in fear? Nope. But I do think that I will stick with my old reliable brown rice syrup, which I have used with great success in both cooking and health for more than 25 years. After processing, brown rice syrup remains 50% complex carbohydrate, 45% maltose and 5% glucose. This strong polysaccharide structure allows brown rice syrup to be used by the body more efficiently and is less likely to store as fat. And it digests more slowly so you are less likely to crave more and more sweet taste and binge. You will be satisfied with less. And in most cases, it also is gluten-free, so read the labels before you buy if that is a concern.
Now that’s not to say you can use it without reservation. With about 70-75 calories in a tablespoon, brown rice syrup, like all sweeteners is calorically dense (about 60 in a tablespoon of white sugar) and can pack on the pounds if not used wisely. So while a better choice than white sugar, because it’s a polysaccharide, like all sweeteners, brown rice syrup is a treat, not a staple of life, as much as we would like that to be our truth. If it becomes a staple of life, you will have the waistline to prove it!
So…back to the topic at hand. Is agave healthy as a natural sweetener? In small amounts, I would say it’s okay, not the best, but okay. Is it healthier than HFCS? Yes, because it’s natural, not invented. Is it healthier than artificial sweeteners? Hell, yes, for so many reasons. Are there other options? Yup, from xlyitol to stevia, healthy, natural, low in calories. If you like them, go for it. And it’s vegan, as is rice syrup, so it ain’t all bad news. And as our modern food supply goes, you could do a lot worse than agave nectar.
I prefer (and will likely always prefer) brown rice syrup as my primary sweetener for baking, sauces, puddings and all things sweet.
So relax and enjoy the sweetness of life…
Let me know what you think? Comment section just below . . .

Never Eat Fish Again???

Posted on 24. May, 2010 by Howard Salus in Education, Environment, Florida News, Healthy Foods, featured

ENV is very proud to welcome Christina Pirello to our family of contributors. You will find her to be very knowledgeable, entertaining and not one to pull any punches. Please welcome her with your comments. But first, some of her illustrious background and her first article:

Christina Pirello, MFN, CCN

Christina Pirello, Emmy Award-winning host of ‘Christina Cooks’ on national public television, is a bright, free spirited, vivacious redhead who is one of America’s preeminent authorities on natural and whole foods with a radiant personality that only serves to make her message more powerful. She’s made it her purpose in life to show Americans that they can look their best and feel great too, by learning to eat natural, organic food.

Christina has written five cookbooks including the bestselling Cooking the Whole Foods Way, which was recently named the “Healthiest Cookbook of the Decade” by the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine; and is founder of The Christina Pirello Health Education Initiative and The Christina Pirello School of Natural Cooking and Integrative Health Studies.
Christina holds a faculty position at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, where she lectures as a professor of culinary arts. She also serves on the board of The Farm Market Trust, The Green Council of Philadelphia, The Chefs for Humanity Chef’s Council and is a member of IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs.
Christina earned both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Miami, and was awarded a Masters Degree in Nutrition in 2003.

“I’m honored to be a contributor to ENV Magazine.  While an advocate for healthy eating, I’m equally passionate about our environment and the quality of our food supply.  Watch for my regularly posted blogs and videos on ENV”.  -Christina Pirello

Need A Good Reason To Never Eat Fish Again?
Christina Pirello
Next time you have an urge for fish and chips, barbequed shrimp, fried clams, oysters on the half shell, grilled salmon, or any kind of fish or seafood for that matter…think about this,
“The oil you can’t see could be as bad as the oil you can”!
While people anxiously wait for the slick in the Gulf of Mexico to wash up along the coast, globules of oil are already falling to the bottom of the sea, where they threaten virtually every link in the ocean food chain, from plankton to fish that are on dinner tables everywhere.
“The threat to the deep-sea habitat is already a done deal — it is happening now,” said Paul Montagna, a marine scientist at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Hail-size gobs of oil the consistency of tar or asphalt will roll around the bottom, while other bits will get trapped hundreds of feet below the surface and move with the current, said Robert S. Carney, a Louisiana State University oceanographer.
Oil has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate of at least 200,000 gallons a day since an offshore drilling rig exploded last month and killed 11 people. On Wednesday, workers loaded a 100-ton, concrete-and-steel box the size of a four-story building onto a boat and hope to lower it to the bottom of the sea by week’s end to capture some of the oil. Crews also set fires at the worst spots on the surface Wednesday to burn off oil.
Scientists say bacteria, plankton and other tiny, bottom-feeding creatures will consume oil, and will then be eaten by small fish, crabs and shrimp. They, in turn, will be eaten by bigger fish, such as red snapper, and marine mammals like dolphins.
The petroleum substances that concentrate in the sea creatures could kill them or render them unsafe for eating, scientists say.
“If the oil settles on the bottom, it will kill the smaller organisms like the copepods and small worms,” Montagna said. “When we lose the forage, then you have an impact on the larger fish.”
Making matters worse for the deep sea is the leaking well’s location: It is near the continental shelf of the Gulf where a string of coral reefs flourishes. Coral is a living creature that excretes a hard calcium carbonate exoskeleton, and oil globs can kill it.
The reefs are colorful underwater metropolises of biodiversity, attracting sea sponges, crabs, fish, algae and octopus.
“In my mind, they are at least as sensitive to contamination to oil as coastal habitat,” said James Cowan, an oceanographer at Louisiana State University. “They are in deeper water, so they are kind of out of sight, out of mind.”
There are other important habitats in shallower waters, such as an ancient oyster shell reef off the Mississippi and Alabama coasts. It is a vital nursery ground for red snapper and habitat for sponges, soft corals and starfish.
Scientists are watching carefully to see whether the slick will hitch a ride to the East Coast by way of a powerful eddy known as the “loop current,” which could send the spill around Florida and into the Atlantic Ocean. If that happens, the oil could foul beaches and kill marine life on the East Coast.
“Once it’s in the loop current, that’s the worst case,” said Steve DiMarco, an oceanographer with Texas A&M University-College Station. “Then that oil could wind up along the Keys and transported out to the Atlantic.”
“We’re always wondering when we may reach the point where straw breaks the camel’s back,” Montagna said. “At some point you have to wonder if we will see catastrophic losses.”
Just a little something to wrap your brain around when you think about whether or not to eat seafood or fish of any kind ever again.
Finally, if this all sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, it’s not.  While this monumental environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico seems to be of less interest to newscasters these days, it doesn’t lessen the true impact to our planet.  Not talking about it won’t make it go away.
The true impact of this event to the planet, and to both animal and human life has yet to be revealed to the American people and the people of the world.

A New Culinary Discovery

Posted on 22. Apr, 2010 by Howard Salus in Dining, Green Business, Healthy Foods

Executive Chef Frank Jeanetti and one of his creations

By Howard Salus

Found a definite “ENV spot” the other night and had to make prompt comment.

The Palms Hotel &  Spa was the venue for a Green Party sponsored by the Everglades Foundation and Aveda celebrating Earth Day’s 40th anniversary.

Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed complimentary organic cocktails and bubbly, mini spa services, live entertainment and a trunk show with eco-friendly products. Event highlights included:

-     Essensia Restaurant & Lounge, known for its natural gourmet cuisine and cocktails,  served complimentary eco-friendly and organic cocktails and bubbly

-        AVEDA’S South Florida Clean Water partner, Everglades Foundation,  educated guests about protecting Florida’s waters and encouraging them to make a $5 donation to cooperate with their ongoing efforts to protect and restore the Everglades’ ecosystem

-        Live musical performance by Agape featuring Nadia Harris, a local Miami band well-known for their organic musical collaborations that blur geographical locations and sound barriers with their wide range of sounds including ska, funk, Brazilian percussion,  electronica, Latin soul,  classical and much more.

-        Complimentary neck and shoulder massages by The Palms Spa, Aveda’s only luxury beach spa in South Florida

I learned how dedicated to green The Palms is and I intend to have stories about this innovative location reported in ENV shortly.

My MAIN purpose at this moment is to relate how impressed I was with “Essensia” (it’s easy to understand why it’s defined as The Pure Essence of Taste), a fine restaurant that celebrates Natural Gourmet Dining and (Chef Frank) “”Jeannetti’s Indulgent Journeys: Culinary Creations From Farm to Table.”

What a pleasure it was to meet this dedicated and passionate artist! During casual conversation, I mentioned my attempts to adjust my life style leaning more to vegetarian and gourmet items. He proudly showed me his highly varied produce coming from only the Redlands and Homestead.  He excused himself and within minutes came back with this incredible plate (seen above) – a Chilled Organic Vegetarian Platter. It was amazing and so delicious! I made him write down the ingredients so I could share them with you. Ready?

Green and purple Chinese long beans, yellow and orange baby carrots, cipolini onion, saffron parsnip puree and watermelon radish, dark cherry bakane lavender honey vinaigrette.  Never did I realize how much fun it is to eat healthy.

I said it and I’m glad. Enthusiastic? You bet I am. There will be more about this fine restaurant, its illustrious Chef, the Spa and, of course, the beautiful Palms (located at 3025 Collins Avenue).