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I recently wrote a letter to my two state Senators as well as my Congresswoman concerning the affects that US food production has on energy and agriculture. In summary, the key is to “grow local, go local,” meaning grow your crops for the local community and shop within the community. This philosophy, if supported by the communities around the United States, can have a large impact on the direction our environment is headed in. If you’d like, feel free to copy my letter and address if to your representative. It is also easy to copy and paste the letter into the “Written Contact Form” found on your Representatives personal website, which saves you paper and a stamp! Thanks for your support; let’s keep working to educate our community about the importance of growing locally (and organically!).

Dear Honorable [Representative's Full Name]:

I have travelled the world choking on exhaust fumes on the island of Curacao and fighting my way through thick layers of pollution in Mexico City and each time my trip is over, I appreciate so much the fact that I can come home to a clean environment, the United States; much of this is thanks to you and lawmakers alike for continuously striving to raise our standards of practice. I am writing today to inform you of the environmental concerns that I have for the food production industry in our country and how we can change the destructive fate of our beautiful environment for generations to come.

In statics, most would agree that 50% can make a tremendous difference, so in order to make a noticeable difference in our environment, for simplicity’s sake, we are going to reduce our country’s energy output by 50% in this example. Let’s assume that some variables are out of our control, such as individual’s daily caloric intake, which on average is 3,800 (if we lower that number to 2,500 we can cut energy output from food production by 30%). Also, the consumption of junk food can only be controlled by the individual so we have little control unless new legislature slows the production and marketing of it; it is commonly agreed upon that consuming products like such should be reduced at least 80%. These shifts in reducing caloric intake and junk food consumption would greatly reduce our food production, processing and packaging, and transportation costs and energy that is quickly destroying our country, and our planet’s, beautiful environment that I appreciate every time that I return back home. Since these are variable we can control, production, processing and packaging, and transportation, these are the variables I would like to discuss.

“What does it mean, to cut energy by 30%, by 50%, by 80%, what is this energy you are talking about?” This was my first question when entering into a higher-level education about the affects that food production has on our environment. Production is the piece of the puzzle, in which we aim to reduce by 50%. This can be done if we allow U.S. subsidies to encourage farmer’s to grow more than one crop, including livestock (for this example). Livestock alone produces over forty five million tons of nitrogen from manure and when they are kept together at feed houses, their manure goes to waste, leaving our country with the second best option, to manufacture chemical fertilizers. Introducing legislation that encourages and supports farmer’s to grow and distribute locally can drastically reduce the energy created from the manufacturing of chemical fertilizers, in addition to the energy used in transportation because farmers are encouraged to only produce one crop (the average energy output from the distance a crop travels before it is processed is 400x the amount of calories the crop and packaging contains).

Processing and packaging is also a variable we can control and is directly related to the way farmer’s produce their crops. If we could encourage and support U.S. farmer’s to grow multiple crops and distribute them locally, we can cut down on transportation and packaging costs and energy dramatically, because everything would be done in-house, or at least close to home. When we package and preserve our crop in steel cans, there is about as many calories of energy used to make the steel can as there are calories in the crop being contained (about 320 calories for a 16 oz. can). If we sell our crops locally, there is no need to preserve and can our food items because there is no worry about spoilage since the crops are not travelling to another part of the country, or world. Processing and packaging in addition to transportation is a variable that we can reduce also by 50% in supporting local farming alone.

By supporting legislation that encourages and supports farmer’s to grow more than one crop as well as distribute their product locally can and will greatly affect the energy output of our country. This will keep our country as beautiful as you and I remember it every time we step outside and can see clearly for miles and jog on trails without having car exhaust completely engulf our lungs. Thank you for taking the time to care for our environment and show your support via legislation for the bettering of the future of our environment.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

I recently watched the Oscar award winning documentary, “The Cove,” which documents the slaughtering and shipment of beautiful bottle-nose dolphins in what’s referred to as, the cove, in Taiji, Japan. Richard O’Barry, the dolphin trainer for the once popular TV show, Flipper, demonstrates a massive amount of courage in his gripping documentation of the fate of these dolphins in Japan. Each year in Taiji, the Japanese “fishermen” slaughter 23,000 dolphins in one cove alone! These dolphins, which are extremely high in mercury (toxic levels) are either sold to places like SeaWorld to live in captivity for the remainder of their lives, or they’re slaughtered among their brothers and sisters and intentionally mislabeled as a high quality fish in the markets including being fed to children in the school lunch programs.

I often encounter people that choose to not eat “meat” which they categorize as coming from land animals; “The Cove,” presents a totally new perspective on our fishing industry and how healthy seafood actually is for humans due to the high mercury levels that fish consume through their food chain (which humans in turn consume). The FDA should require that the tender cuts of meat that we see nicely packaged in the store be required to have an attached DVD on fishing and farming practices throughout the world; because so much killing happens behind closed doors, we must spread the word and expose to the people around the world just what they are consuming and supporting when they choose to consume what was once living, breathing, playing, and loving.

Documentaries like, “The Cove,” are always a great reminder that we all share this planet and even though we are all from different countries, this Earth belongs to all of us. I highly recommend watching this documentary and supporting the dissemination of this critical information to all of the people you love and care about.

This documentary is available for rent on Netflix, and the website is available here: The Cove

Other important websites to visit are:

Save Japan Dolphins

Dolphin Slaughtering in Taiji (Ocean Preservation Society)

Contact Authorities, the Japanese Consulate, local dolphinariums, and SeaWorld

Thank you for being so caring!

Chocolate Peppermint and Caramel Covered Pretzels and Salted Popcorn

{Vegan. Gluten free. Sinfully sweet and salty.}

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Sunspire chocolate chips (vegan and gluten free)
• Peppermint extract (several drops) (option is to use several tablespoons of peanut butter)
• 1 cup Raw coconut nectar
• 1 bag of popcorn
• 1/2 bag Glutino pretzels (Gluten free)
• 1 sheet parchment paper
• 2 cookie sheets
• 2 Tablespoons celtic sea salt (optional)

Directions:

• Double boil the chocolate chips and peppermint extract until the chocolate is smooth and creamy.
• While the chocolate is melting, line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Dip all the pretzels half way into the chocolate and lay flat on the parchment paper on one cookie sheet.
• When all of the pretzels have been dipped, roll the popcorn (and lightly stir medium sized batches) in the remaining chocolate.
• Lay the popcorn on the second cookie sheet.
• Take the bottle of raw coconut nectar, and drizzle over both trays, so it covers all the popcorn and pretzels.
• Shake two tablespoon of salt over the popcorn, if you used “unflavored” popcorn. I like to sprinkle another tablespoon of salt over the pretzels just to kick up the flavor even more.
• Stick both cookie trays in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Once the chocolate has cooled, peel the popcorn and pretzels off of the parchment paper, and stick in an over-sized bowl. Warning: the “caramel” is a sticky delicious mess!
• Serve cool and make sure you have napkins close by; forks and bowls aren’t such a bad party option either. This is an unforgettable snack; take my word for it!

Happy Sunday and footballing to all my U.S. friends! xoxo

All you need to make several servings are:

• Several shots of espresso
• Almond milk (as much or as little as you like-I use unsweetened)
• Stevia drops (chocolate flavored) several drops to your liking
• Raw cacao powder (a couple tablespoons-full)
• Light agave syrup (several tablespoons)
• Ice

Put the liquids in a VitaMix (blender) first and then follow the liquids with the cacao powder and ice. Blend everything together all at once and that’s it! I chose to top the drink off with some raw cacao nibs for an extra punch of fiber (11 grams per serving!) and because I prefer some crunchy texture in my smoothies.

My first time making this, I drank waayyyyy too much of the Chocolate Espresso Shake and was beyond high off of caffeine. So if that’s what you’re going for, then by all means! But I have to admit, the caffeine-high was fun while it lasted, and next time, I’ll stick to one 8 oz. glass!

Bottoms up!

This is the burger of all burgers. An homage to all my skinny, low-carb eating South Beach friends. Here she is. The Cheeseburger in Paradise made me moan so loud it made my gay neighbors jealous. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Burgers (I use Wild Wood Organics in their Southwest flavor)
• Heirloom tomato (regular tomatoes work too)
• Cucumber, thinly sliced (or pickles)
• Avocado slices
• Green, yellow, orange and red peppers and onions (for sauteing)
• Mexican fiesta mix (Whole Foods spice isle)
• Olive oil (for sauteing veggies)
• Ketchup and mustard (I like dijon mustard)

I heated (medium-high heat) a Southwest SprouTofu Veggie Burger by Wild Wood Organics (gluten free vegan burger) in a pan with a pile of Daiya Cheddar and Pepperjack cheese on top.  I put a lid over the burger(s) so that the captured heat would help the cheese melt over the burger.

As your burger’s cooking, place two pieces of lettuce (I use two so that the lettuce covers the entire burger and keeps all the juice in) on a plate and start piling your goodies in. I like to put a thick slice of heirloom tomato on the bottom, followed by slices of fresh avocado, thin slices of cucumber (or pickles if you prefer), and a big spoonful of sauteed peppers and onions (I saute them in olive oil, salt, and a Mexican fiesta mix–which you can find at Whole Foods). Then I squirt some (organic/ no fructose) ketchup and dijon mustard over the top, and flip my burger into the lettuce wrap, cheese side down.

Fold the edges of the lettuce over and don’t let go of the burger until you’re done; it’s a juicy sloppy unbelievably delicious mess and I can’t wait to eat it again.

Here’s a video of the burger I made last night: Cheeseburger in Paradise (video)

All you need is a bunch of bananas and chocolate (I like Enjoy Life chocolate chips–vegan and gluten free). Pre-freeze thin slices of the banana (freezing banana takes no time at all), double boil the chocolate chips and dip the frozen banana slices into the melted chocolate. And Boom. You’re done.

The chocolate will harden within seconds and you can serve immediately–or pack them away in the freezer for all the, “I’m crazing chocolate moments!” …which seems to happen more often than not in this household!

I love to freeze a bunch of them and let them sit out for 10 minutes before I serve them. THIS is a DIY party HIT! Good thing the NFL made it past the lock-out this year: this is definitely a recipe I’ll be serving up in the fourth quarter. …there is a fourth quarter, right?

Admittedly so, I had to think for a while about where on earth my local firehouse was. With the help of this handy website, I found it in a snap: http://www.localfirehouse.com/departments

Join me in celebrating and remembering the lives our American heroes this Sunday.

God Bless America!

Coretta Scott King became a vegan after she was inspired by her son Dexter’s friend, human rights activist, Dick Gregory.

In Dick’s memoir, Callus on My Soul, he wrote:

“I had been a participant in all of the ‘major’ and most of the ‘minor’ civil rights demonstrations of the early sixties. Under the leadership of Dr. King, I became totally committed to nonviolence, and I was convinced that nonviolence meant opposition to killing in any form. I felt the commandment ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’ applied to human beings not only in their dealings with each other—war, lynching, assassination, murder and the like—but in their practice of killing animals for food and sport. Animals and humans suffer and die alike. Violence causes the same pain, the same spilling of blood, the same stench of death, the same arrogant, cruel and brutal taking of life.”

Make a cup of hot green tea (with caffeine) and pour it over a bowl of dried oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quick Oats–gluten free). Add in a tablespoon of raw turbinado sugar (the perfect sugar for warm foods and drinks)–or liquid stevia, and drop in some of your favorite dried fruits mix; I like raisins, craisins, golden berries, and goji berries. So there you have it, caffeine, whole grains, and antioxidants all in one meal!

Enjoy!