Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Eighteen (Eggplant, Zucchini, Goat Cheese, Tomato Triangles)

Tonight we created a complete feast with varieties of pizzettes and fitayas. Recipe for tonight: Eggplant, zucchini, mushroom, tomato, mozzarella, herbed goat cheese fitaya.

Well, I learned something new today. Sweating vegetables. A friend from England visited and showed me how to sweat eggplant, zucchini (known as Courgette in England), and mushrooms. (Thank you, Natalie, or Nellie as they say in some parts)

Directions for sweating vegetables: slice eggplant, zucchini, and mushroom (all separately), place in dry hot pan on stove top, brown on one side and on the other until soft, drizzle with olive oil (not too much), add garlic, salt, spices to taste. (Set aside)

Ingredients: Two Spelt Right pizza doughs, double in size (you know the drill, one egg plant, two small zucchinis, 5-6 mushrooms, goat cheese, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes.

Sweat vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms), one type at a time. Set aside. Cut tomato into small chunks, set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 F

Divide dough, make 12-16 rounds, stretch or roll to 1/4 inch thick, place on lightly oiled baking pan. About 4-6 will fit on pan. Place veggies of choice (I recommend 1-3 varieties of sweated veggies plus a little bit of tomato for moisture) in center of dough, add desired cheese, make triangle with dough. Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

All guests gave this a two thumbs up. Olivia wouldn't try it (she went for the plain pizza), Spencer liked it, especially the eggplant. Still my favorite are the pepper pies (earlier post).

Definitely for a dinner party, not lunch because needs to be reheated.

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Seventeen (Empanada)

This recipe got a thumbs down the kids and me, so I am not going to share the painstaking directions. I attempted to make a South American empanada, but somehow it didn't come out as planned. The short of it, we shredded sauteed chicken with spices, boiled eggs, green olives and onions all chopped in. Made great empanada shapes, and whalaa, made dry funny tasting weird textured stuffer. Spencer's comment "what are the eggs doing in there?" Tim's comments, "well I didn't really give it a thumbs down, more of a thumbs sideways." Emma, "I didn't try it, but the blueberry one was good." I was too tired to try it, but the next morning I did. Verdict? Thumbs down. I need one of my South American friends to make another batch of these so we can save face.

Oh wait, NEW FLASH, Tim just had one for breakfast, added Mother's Mountain Habanero Heaven, Deadly Pepper Sauce, and said, "Hey, this is good!"

Saved by Mother's Mountain. Still need my South American friends to help with this one. Rommy, where are you?

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Sixteen (Walnut, Red Pepper Pies)

Before I post this recipe, I have to mention what a topsy turvy day this has been. > met some great people who have been very helpful along the way. Today has restored my faith in people - or at least some people. I will be posting some of my recommendations for doctors, engineers, bankers, etc., when I get through all of this....Will keep you posted. Will tell only the good, not the bad or the ugly.

As for the recipe, this is GOOD. An old time favorite. VERY VEGAN, except has a surprisingly meaty taste! and I believe Kosher too, PS, check out the article in today's Portland Press Herald on Kosher food, spelt right baked goods are mentioned as one of the few products http://www.pressherald.com/life/foodanddining/kosher-certification-can-open-up-new-markets_2010-04-28.html?searchterm=kosher

THERE IS AN ARABIC NAME for these, but I never learned it, so if anyone out there knows, please let us know. I call them Walnut, Red Pepper Pies.

Two Spelt Right Pizza Doughs, fully thawed, double in size (we'll give you a picture this time)
Two cups walnuts (measure and then chop finely)
Two medium red peppers
One onion finely chopped
Juice from two whole lemons
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Mix all ingredients (except dough) in medium bowl
Cut 12-16 even dough balls (from two doughs)
Stretch or roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick (more or less) rounds, place on oiled baking sheet
Place about 2 TBL of pepper, walnut mixture on rounds
Bake at 40-450 for 15-20 minutes or until dough is golden brown.

These are great hot or cold for breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner, or after dinner. Yum, yum, and yum. Always a two thumbs up.

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Fifteen (Spinach, Egg, Cheese Fitayas)

Spinach, Egg and Cheese Stuffers.

Olivia was very skeptical about this offering, but after taking a bite she said "they taste better than they look" Olivia gave it a one thumb up and one thumb sideways, Spencer two thumbs up, Dad's quote "superb". My sense, good but not my favorite...could have to do with the lousy day I had dealing with federal bureaucracy.

Ingredients: One to two Spelt Right pizza doughs, fully thawed and risen. Check earlier blogs for pictures, 4-5 eggs, 1/8-1/4 cup of milk, 1/2 onion finely chopped, 1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped or sliced, 1 package frozen chopped spinach, cheese of your choice (we used grated cheddar and chunks of mozzarella goat cheese), salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: In a bowl beat eggs and milk, set aside. In pan, saute onions and garlic on stove top with about 1-2 TBL olive oil, add spinach, continue to saute, once thawed, add in egg and milk mixture, mix until starts to solidify, add cheeses, continue to toss at low heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

Make 6 good size rounds per pizza dough. Stretch or roll out pizza dough to about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly oiled baking sheet, add a dollop of spinach mixture. Make triangle. Repeat until all doughs are filled.

Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes or until light brown. Contains dark green leafy vegetables, cheese, and spelt bread. For more protein and greens, make a salad topped with beans on the side. Vegetarian, but not vegan.

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Fourteen-Guest Chronicler

Here are some recipes by a loyal and creative follower, who is offering some ideas with VEGAN INGREDIENTS. "I was inspired by your blog post on making
pocket sandwiches with your dough. I made a couple different styles,
both vegan. One contains broccoli, red onion, and Daiya cheddar
cheese (Vegan, vegan!). The other is with baby bella mushrooms, baked marinated
(local) Lalibela Farm tempeh, also with Daiya cheddar (vegan, again).
...... Thanks so much for what you do. I'm an avid consumer
of the pizza dough as well as the bagels. Yum!"

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Thirteen: Guest Chronicler

Here's a recipe from a friend who allowed us to post it in our Lunch Box Chronicles.

"It's a recipe I've been using for years, and was originally designed for use with refrigerated crescent rolls. When I made it, I used one ball of dough... It's a little breadier than the original, but a whole lot healthier, too!"

Salmon/Tuna Turnovers

1 stalk celery
2 green onions
1 T butter or EVOO
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
3 T snipped parsley
freshly ground pepper
2 cans 6-8 oz tuna or salmon (wild or sustainably caught)
1 pkg Spelt Right pizza dough, risen as directed
milk
1 tsp poppy or sesame seed

Preheat oven to 425. In a small skillet cook celery and onion in butter or EVOO until celery is crisp-tender.

In a small bowl stir together celery mixture, cream cheese, parsley and pepper until smooth. Fold in salmon or tuna.

Make the triangles with the dough, approximately five of them. Divide the filling mixture among the triangles, fold up and seal the edges. Place on greased baking sheet, brush with milk and sprinkle with seeds if desired. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Substitution: I have chopped up mushrooms and used them raw in place of the fish for vegetarians. They are delicious either way! Would love to hear from the "thumbs" in your house...

Thanks to Diana for this great idea! We can't wait to try it ourselves.

- Spelt Right

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Twelve (Spelt Right Pita Rounds and Mediterranean Salad)

Pita Rounds (with a Mediterranean Salad)

The spelt pita is a great way to add something special to a meal or to use as a "pocket" for a cold sandwich.

Take one package of Spelt Right pizza dough. Let double in size in the bag. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Make 6-7 rounds, roll to 1/8 to 1/4 inch on board with finely ground corn meal (to keep it from sticking). Slide onto lightly oiled pan.

Bake until puffed and lightly browned! Here's how it looks through the oven window:

The beginning

Starting to puff

Puffed!


We made a Mediterranean Salad to go with the bread. This would be good in a small container in a lunch box or as a refreshing summer side salad. Yum!

Mediterranean Salad Recipe
Chop 3 small cucumbers, 2 fresh tomatoes (we used Backyard Farms), 1/4 c. Calamata olives. Combine.
Add juice from 2 fresh lemons, 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, salt & pepper to taste. Mix. Eat it up!

Mediterranean Salad with Spelt Pita

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Eleven (Spelt Right Monkey Bread)

Here's a great recipe for a treat or to impress your friends, family, and neighbors at brunch.

News Flash!! We have provided you a step by step one minute slide show on how to make these.

Ingredients: 2 Spelt Right Pizza Dough Balls, fully thawed to double their frozen size
1/2 cup organic cane sugar (I never using bleached white sugar)
1 tablespoon cinnamon (I use organic)
6 tablespoons real butter, melted (and purified if you would like). Purified means skimming off the impurities from the top of the melting butter and pouring off and using the clear butter, leaving the sediment on the bottom. Throw away the sediment. Also, known as ghee.

And, you will need a bundt pan or other pan with removable sides.

Preheat oven to 400 F

Lightly butter a bundt pan. Be sure to put a cookie sheet or other pan on the shelf beneath where you place the bundt pan because it will drip. Place melted butter in small bowl. Mix together cinnamon and sugar in a separate bowl. Gently pull apart the thawed dough and make 1/2 inch 1 inch dough balls. Then take the dough balls and dip in butter. See picture. Take the dipped dough balls and roll in cinnamon/sugar. Place the coated dough balls in bundt pan. Repeat steps until you are finished with the dough balls.

Bake at 400 oven. Remember to place a pan on a rack under the bundt pan because it will drip and make a mess.

Bake for about 30-45 minutes. Done when balls are not gooey in center. WaaLaa! The perfect treat for a gaggle of 7 year old girls visiting, or for a troop of teenagers over to watch a basketball game. Not a bad surprise for a brunch either.



Click Play Button to Start

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Ten (Spelt Right Apple Cinnamon Tarts)

After a day in Boston at the EPA Earth Day event and a day in Scarborough at the Hannaford Earth Day event, we are really too tired to be creative, but I am going to provide you a little tidbit on the health benefits of spelt. Spelt is loaded with Manganese, which is a trace element that helps to activate certain enzymes. It is known for its anti-oxidant qualities. Spelt is a great source of manganese. http://worldshealthiestfoods.com/genpage.php?pfriendly=1&tname=nutrient&dbid=77.

As for the lunch box treat, I took one Spelt Right pizza dough and let rise to double its size (actually this was a dough that I inadvertently left out overnight and then put back in the fridge for another two days). Other ingredients: two apples, 3 TBL organic evaporated cane juice (sugar), 2 Teaspoons organic cinnamon. Chopped apples finely, mix in sugar and cinnamon. Make three rounds (you will have extra dough that you can be creative with), place 1/3 of the filling in each round, shape into triangle. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until browned.

Again, we are too full to test tonight so will give you the rating tomorrow. Pictures will be posted tomorrow too.

In the meantime, eat well and sleep well!

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Nine (Olive, Goat Cheese Tarts)

We're giving you two options today. A fitayer or a Spelt Right sesame bagel. We did not have enough room in our bellies to sample the fitayers because we just returned from the Associated Buyers Table Top Show and have been nibbling all day.

First Taste: Great for a Light Dinner. Ingredients: One Sesame Mucho spelt bagel, Silver Goat Chevre Goat Cheese, Sliced Avocado, and Trader Joe's Olive Tapenade Spread (warned you about the TJ addiction). Directions: Toast Bagel to Desired Crispness or Softness (I love the versatility of Spelt Right bagels), spread on Goat Cheese, spread tapenade over goat cheese, place slices of avocado on tapenade. Enjoy!!! Yum, yum, and yum. I give this a personal two thumbs up.

Second Taste: Goat Cheese and Olive Tapenade Fitaya. Ingredients and Directions: One Spelt Right pizza dough, double in size. Divide dough into six equal balls. Stretch or roll to about 1/4 thick. Spread on goat cheese first and then tapenade. Shape into triangles. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. UNRATED. We were just too full to try this one! We'll let you know tomorrow.

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Eight (Spelt Right Calzones)

Today we are taking a short cut because this is going to be a very busy week. This week, we are promo-ing Spelt Right in several states. Wednesday, we are doing the Table Top Show at Associated Buyers in Portsmouth, NH (Associated Buyers is one of our distributors). On Thursday, we are participating in two Earth Day celebrations: One at the Environmental Protection Agency - Region One Celebration at Post Office Square Park in Boston, MA and the other at the Hannaford Supermarkets corporate headquarters in Scarborough, Maine. Friday, we will be demo-ing at the Whole Foods in Portland, ME; Saturday at the Whole Foods in Cambridge, MA Fresh Pond; Sunday at the Whole Foods in Cranston, RI and Providence, RI, and Monday at the Whole Foods in Wellesley, MA and Boston, MA (Symphony store)....

Pheewww we are tired just typing this.

Here's an easy-peasy Spelt stuffer. Calzone - Spelt Right style. Ingredients: One Spelt Right dough, fully risen; Erico's pizza sauce; low-fat mozzarella (we used Hannaford brand 16 ounce block). Allow dough to double in size, cut into 6 equal pieces, grate cheese. Lightly oil a cookie pan. Stretch dough or roll to about 1/4 inch thick. Put 1-2 TBL of sauce and grated cheese on dough. Shape into a triangle. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until brown.

Spencer gave these a two thumbs up. Olivia liked them, no rating. I give them a thumbs sideways to thumbs down. Very ordinary, but ok. Not my favorite, but definitely kid friendly. Can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Until tomorrow....

PS: Please read earlier posts about our reasons for insisting on feeding our kids only all natural foods, and why we eat spelt rather than common wheat. We're quite passionate about it for a good reason.

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Seven (Spelt Right Morello Cherry Tarts)

Tonight's creation is more of a dessert chronicle, but definitely one worth trying. I have to confess that I am a bit of Trader Joe's addict and can't help but stop there on my way home from Boston to Maine. I have some old favorites, but am always scouring the shelves for something new. Eureka! This week, I found Dark Morello Cherries in Light Syrup made in Germany. All natural, but still loaded with sugar.

Recipe: Organic Spelt Triangles Stuffed with Morell0 Cherries. Ingredients: Spelt Right Pizza Dough (let rise to double its size in the bag), 2 cups Trader Joe's Dark Morello Cherries, 1/2 organic evaporated cane juice, 1/4 cup organic white spelt flour (Vita Spelt brand).

You know the protocol if you have been following the chronicles. If not, here's a little direction. Cut the dough into six even balls. Set aside. In a small bowl combine cherries (without liquid), 1/2 cup of evaporated cane juice (sugar), 1/4 cup of organic spelt. Toss together. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare the dough on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, 4 can fit easily. Stretch dough gently by hand or roll to about 1/4 inch think. Place cherry mixture in center, about 2 teaspoonfuls. Try to squeeze out some of the juice beforehand. Create triangles. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. This is a messy one. The juice leaks from the cherries on to the pan so expect a little smoke in the oven.

Something about the cherries made the dough extra moist, really really nice. The kids were skeptical, but anxious to eat them. Although the limit is a two thumbs up, Spencer gave it a 6 and 1/2 thumbs up. Olivia was equally as thrilled. Their cherry stained faces were proof! A great alternative to a pie because this crust has very little fat and tons of nutrition with the spelt. In a word, yummmm!

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Six (Ghiradelli Chocolate Baked in Spelt Right Dough)

Here's a short and easy recipe. One package of Spelt Right dough and Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate chips. As always, let the dough rise to double its size. Make 10-12 small rounds, flatten to about a 1/4 inch thick. Place 8-12 Ghiradelli chocolate chips in the center. Make a triangle. Bake at 450 for 8-12 minutes. Yumm. Definitely not for lunch, but perfect for dessert.

This is a quick recipe, because tonight was movie and story telling night, with little time to be food creative (though I did make some homemade caramel). The movie was a fantasy involving a legendary character Barron Von Munchausen and his encounters with a sultan. The movie triggered a memory of a story that had been told to me by my father (who would be 89 if he were still alive). My kids were mesmerized. This family story is about my father's grandfather or great grandfather (my kids' great great or great great great grandfather) who was enslaved by a Sultan in either Syria or Lebanon. His destiny was grim, BUT, he managed to win his freedom by convincing the Sultan that he could fight a bear with his hands and survive. Being victorious over the bear, my great great won his freedom, which (as I told my kids), eventually led to the birth of my great grandfather, grandfather, father, me, and the kids! We thank the bear for the sacrifice!

In honor of the bear, my great great grandfather, and generational story telling, we pass on recipes from our family to yours.

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Five (Black Bean and Mango Spelt Stuffer)

Black Bean & Mango Spelt Stuffer

Dad and our two youngest, 12 and 8, made this new version of the classic fitayer (see earlier posts). We took a poll over breakfast and decided to go with a vegetarian Latin theme today. So, after a day of errands and exercise, we got down to work.

Starting with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, we sauteed some garlic and finely chopped onions with salt and pepper. Then, we added some rinsed organic black beans, sauteed a bit more and put aside. We made six balls out of our thawed spelt pizza dough. After flattening into round disc-shaped circles, we put some beans on each, chopped chunks of Australian cheddar cheese, and a few small slivers of mango. For good measure, we put a dollop of Salpica all-natural cilantro green olive salsa. Yum! Getting everything satueed, cut and opened ahead of time made the preparation really quick. Be careful not to overfill (it's tempting) because you won't be able to make your triangle folds. We also found that the warm beans made the dough really soft and a little harder to handle.

Kids gave it a rousing two thumbs up!

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Four (Ham and Cheese Fitaya)

Warning! These are not for the vegan and Kosher folks out there. I don't eat ham, but my kids do and they loved these.

Here's our next variation on our soon to be famous spelt triangles: the ham and cheese stuffer. Take a thawed Spelt Right pizza dough and follow the same technique as described in previous posts. We used Applewood Uncured Ham Steak (no nitrites or nitrates added) and cubes of aged Australian Cheddar Cheese. Chop ham and cheese in small cubes. Scoop about 2 teaspoons more or less in the center of the dough. Shape the triangle. See earlier posts for more explicit directions. Bake them at 450 for 10 minutes or until brown. These should be refrigerated or frozen if not eaten right away. Good if warmed with a microwave or toaster oven, but also fine cold. Two-thumbs up from everyone who tried them!!

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Three (Spinach Fitayas with Spelt Right dough)

HERE IS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE RECIPES that I've posted before. It always gets two thumbs up from everyone, but they are best reheated either microwaved or toasted (my preference).

Arabic spinach pies (fatayer)
(Makes ten 5- inch triangle fatayer-perfect for meals or parties)

Ingredients:
· 2 one-pound Spelt Right pizza doughs - let thaw in fridge and then double in size on the counter (keep in plastic bag). If you are in New England, you can find Spelt Right pizza dough in select Whole Foods or independent health food stores. If you can't find Spelt Right dough in your local store, ask them for it or substitute another dough (boo hoo!)
· 10 ounces fresh spinach (a typical bag) (rinsed, de-stemmed, and chopped finely)
· One medium onion (chopped finely)
· Juice from 2 whole lemons
· ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
· ½ teaspoon of salt
· ¼ teaspoon of pepper
· Feta or other cheese (optional)
· Pine nuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix the chopped spinach, chopped onions, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.

· Cut 5 even sized dough balls for each one pound dough ball for a total of 10 dough balls. You can make 6 per ball if you like.
· Stretch or roll the dough to about a ¼ inch thick (more or less) rounds and place on oiled pan.
· Place about 2 tablespoons of spinach onion mix in the center of a five-inch round
· Fold the three sides of the dough over the spinach to form a triangle. Secure the dough by overlapping the dough when forming the triangle and pinching each side together.
· Bake in 450 - 475 oven for about 20 minutes. They are done when the dough becomes slightly golden.
· As a variation, you can add a dollop of cheese and a few pine nuts on the spinach before making the triangle
· ENJOY!

(These freeze well)

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day Two (PB & J the Spelt Right way)

Here is a new twist on an old favorite. Follow the same directions with the Spelt Right dough as in Lunch Box Chronicles: Day One. We used only one dough for this recipe and made 10 small stuffed triangles. Ingredients: One Package Spelt Right Pizza Dough (or any 16 ounce dough of your choice - remember no white bleached flour, no hydrogenated oils and no HFCS), Natural Peanut Butter (we used Santa Cruz organic) and Jelly (we used Trader Joe's Organic Strawberry Preserves). Shape dough into flat rounds (See Day One), add a dollop of peanut butter and a dollop of jelly. Make triangle. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Yumm!!

Today's Judges: Olivia, age 8. Two Thumbs Up. (PS: She had this for breakfast, but it was made the night before)

Lunch Box Chronicles: Day One (Sloppy Joe Spelt Right Fitayas)

Let the project begin! Here is the first day of the Lunch Box Chronicles. No, we are not trying to be Julie in Julia and Julie - though the idea did give us a little boost.

We are trying to help parents and kids climb out of the doldrums of boring homemade school/home lunches and the disgusting highly processed school provided lunches. We are a family with a strict eating code: No artificial anything, no way, no how!







We are turning lunches into a slight geometry lesson. You need to know how to make a triangle out of dough (we prefer Spelt Right dough). We will use only ALL NATURAL ingredients and will endeavor to create 365 different lunch TRIANGLES for your sweet little ones! Sometimes, these lunch triangles may morph into a dinner triangle or a dessert triangle.

Our rating system is evolving, but we will start with two thumbs up for really good, one thumb up for pretty good, one thumb sideways for ok, but not worth the effort, and one thumb down for totally don't try this one.

DAY ONE: Sloppy Joe Fitayers. Ingredients: Every recipe starts out with two thawed one pound Spelt Right pizza doughs (you can use your own dough, but this is a little self promotion here). See the picture on how the dough should be thawed. Each recipe varies by what is stuffed inside. The stuffing for this recipe is 4-8 ounces grass fed ground beef (we like local), 1/2 onion chopped finely, 2 TBL extra virgin olive oil, a few tablespoons of your favorite pasta or pizza sauce (we used Enrico's this time), grated mozzarella cheese.

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil, add ground beef until fully cooked, mix in tomato sauce. Set aside. The dough balls can be cut into 6 good size or 12 small size balls. Lightly oil a cookie sheet or other flat cooking pan. Stretch out or roll dough balls to about 1/4 inch thick. Scoop 2 teaspoonfuls (more or less) of meat mixture on to dough ball, sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese. Shape into triangles (see pictures). (We are tricking you here because the photo is with stuffed spinach...that's the only picture we had at the moment, but wanted to show you the process)

Bake on cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 450 F. Done when brown. Can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated in toaster oven or microwave.

Judges today: Spencer - age 12, two thumbs up; Olivia -age 8, two thumbs up; Tim age - 49, one thumb sideways.....Simply not juicy enough for Tim, but the kids loved them! PS We made these for dinner, but think they would work great in a lunch box, especially if they have a chance to heat them up!

PS: We love suggestions....especially as we go along.

Perseverating on the distinction between expensive and not cheap

So, I am perseverating....Not a good trait, but one that I have. A recent article was written about Spelt Right and it was quite nice, but the last quote (which I'm sure I said, but meant in a different light) really bothers me. The article in the Portland Press Herald quotes me saying that "food should be expensive." Uggh, that makes me sound so exclusive and out of touch. I promise that is not what I meant and so I have been perseverating, worrying that the wrong message got out about what I was trying to say. So here I am using this note pad as my soap box (and also a bit as my therapy).

What I meant to say is that food should not be cheap. There is a distinction with the statement that food should be expensive. We need to nourish our bodies to live well and so often we take the cheapest route on our bodies, yet will spend mounds on things that don't impact us as acutely.

We are inundated with easy cheap options with all sorts of processed foods and we are getting sick, both physically and emotionally. Eating white bleached flour is just not good for us, nor is white bleached sugar, or high fructose corn syrup, or foods saturated with hydrogenated fats and other unthinkables. But, the reality is that all of these foods come to us in a very cheap form. They are designed to withstand heavy machinery, long distribution routes and lengthy stays on supermarket shelves. They often are made with government subsidized raw materials (wheat, corn, and soy) and their natural unsubsidized counterparts (i.e., spelt, olive oil, quinoa) cannot compete in the pricing. The margins on the cheap products are very high relative to the products that are made with quality ingredients.

So, my plea to you is simple, please before you make a statement that a product is too expensive to buy, read the ingredients, read the nutrients, and ask your body, are you worth it?