Lisa Arose Lifestyle Expert

Organic & Natural Foods in the News

2009-03-25T08:05:00.002-04:00

Last week Michelle Obama, with the help of Washington DC school children, broke ground on a White House garden, one that will produce organic fruits, vegetables and herbs for the White House kitchen. This action sparked applause from supporters of the organic and natural foods movement, who predict the Obama administration's support of whole foods will help propel changes in our food production and distribution system, especially in our nation's public schools and inner cities, where whole, unprocessed foods can be scarce.

You can learn more about the whole foods movement in this New York Times article, and by atching the CBS 60 Minutes segment on Alice Waters.

For more in-depth study, check out the following reading list:

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser

Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America by Morgan Spurlock

Eco-Friendly Candles

2009-01-30T09:40:00.005-05:00

In these dark winter months, the glow of a fragrant candle can warm the room with its gentle light and scent. The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is turn on the fireplace and light a candle to create a serene space for silence, meditation or prayer. However, many of the commercially prepared candles available on the market contain petrolium and synthetic fragrances that can cause environmental damage and allergic reactions.

You can find eco-friendly candles at your local health food store, Whole Foods Market and other boutiques. If you have asthma or chemical sensitivities, check the label on your candles to check out the contents and ensure they don't contain synthetic fragrances or other potentially harmful compounds.

My favorite eco-friendly candle brand is from Ascents Candle Company. Their candles are beautiful, burn evenly and smell devine. One of my favorite scents is Renewal, made with essential oils of peppermint, rosemary and clary sage.

Ascents Candle Company, based in Seattle, Washington, makes and sells beautiful candles made from 100% palm based vegetable wax, pure essential oils, eco-friendly pigments and lead-free wicks. The owner and creator, Julianna Batho, sells her candles directly to her loyal customers at Seattle-area farmers markets and events.

I love these candles, so luckily for me I can still enjoy Julianna's candles by placing an order through her website. I recently received my order for half-a-dozen candles to warm these cold, Ohio days.

For more information about Ascents Candle Company, or to place an order, visit their website,

http://www.ascentscandle.com/.

Make Sparkling Water at Home and Save $$$

2009-01-29T07:24:00.006-05:00

I've never been a big soda junky, but sometimes plain water is just boring. Instead of soda, I tend to buy a lot of sparkling water. But at $2 or more a bottle, I had started cutting back--until I discovered the Soda-Club home soda makers that let you create your own sparkling water and sodas at home.

This is a fabulous, must-have kitchen gadget. In only 3 seconds, the sodastream machine carbonates plain tap water. If you want to make soda, you just mix in one of the dozens of flavors, from grapefruit to root beer.

I ordered the Fountain Jet Value Pack for $119.99, which includes the soda maker, 3 carbonator canisters and 4 reusable bottles. When my package arrived, the box also include a sampler pack of soda flavors. Each carbonator cannister can make 60 liters of sparkling water, so for $120 you are getting 180 liters of sparking water at about 66 cents per liter. The Soda Club website claims savings can go as low as 20 cents per liter, the longer you use the gadget.

I found the soda maker easy to use, and you can make your water as fizzy as you want to. It is environmentally friendly, since you are reusing the carbonating bottles. And best of all, you will never run out of your sparkling water. Just another way to get in your eight glasses per day.

For more information on the soda makers, visit the Soda Club website at http://www.sodaclubusa.com/.

Bison Chili for a Cold Day

2009-01-28T10:01:00.005-05:00

I'm sitting at my kitchen table, watching the snow pile up on the deck outside and thinking about a steaming bowl of chili and cornbread. A perfect antidote to being snowed in.

I make chili a thousand different ways, but this is one of my favorites. Bison, or buffalo, is a great alternative to beef. Compared to beef, it is lower in fat and calories and higher in iron and essential fatty acids. It is becoming more widely available in regular grocery stores. Try it, and I think you’ll like it. And it will warm you up from the inside out!

6 - 8 servings

2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
1 pound ground bison
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoons ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon molasses
1 bottle of dark beer
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes

Garnishes:

2/3 cup jack cheese, shredded
2 avocados, diced
3 - 4 green onions, sliced on a diagonal
½ cup sour cream

Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and ground bison and cook, breaking up meat until browned. Add the onion and garlic, cooking about 3 - 4 minutes or until the onions are becoming translucent.

Add the red pepper, salt, chili powders, cumin and dried oregano. Stir all of the ingredients together and cook 2- 3 minutes, stirring, until spices become fragrant. Add the beer, cocoa and molasses. Simmer until the beer has reduced by half.

Add the black beans and tomatoes. When adding the whole tomatoes, either squeeze and crush by hand as you are adding it to the chili, or pour into another bowl and break up the tomatoes with a spoon before adding them to the chili. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least an hour. Can be made up to two days ahead.

Ladle chili into a shallow bowl and top with shredded jack cheese, a tablespoon of sour cream, some diced avocado and sliced green onions.

This chili also freezes well. It will keep for up to 3 months.

Create Gifts of Meaning

2009-01-26T10:25:00.010-05:00

One of my New Year's resolutions--to turn up my creativity and make personalized gifts of meaning. In 2009, I believe we are all searching more acutely for our meaning and place in this world. What better gift than to share with your loved ones what they mean to you?

One way to do this is to make your loved one the heroine in her own story by writing an original storybook based on an experience, celebration, vacation or holiday. This creation isn't as daunting as it may seem, as there are many websites that do all of the formatting and printing for you. Simply upload your pictures, write your story, place your pictures and Voila! a unique, personalized gift your loved one will treasure forever.

This past Christmas, I wrote a fairytale for my neices, Harley and Scout, based on our trip to Disney World. I had fun putting the book together, and they loved being the stars of their own story. Now that week is forever captured for us, to remember and reflect upon our time together. To see an example of the story I created, click on the book below.

Here are some of the online resources you can use to create your own storybook gift. Have fun!

Picaboo
Snapfish
Shutterfly
Mixbook

Entertaining 101

2009-01-25T13:06:00.004-05:00

Obviously, your level of preparation for a party depends upon many factors—the number and type of guests, the occasion, the food, the budget. If you’re having an extravagant, special-occasion event you will prepare differently than if your neighbors are dropping over for an impromptu glass of wine. These tips are for the big party—those life events that you want to forever capture in your memory.

My number one tip--clear the clutter and you clear your mind. Clean out the closets and drawers, organize under the kitchen sink, and vacuum the bread crumbs out of the silverware drawer. A weight will lift from your shoulders. Do this several weeks before the big event—please don’t start at midnight when company is arriving the next morning, or it will cause more stress than it is worth.

Determine a budget. You don’t have to spend a fortune to carry off an elegant, delicious party everyone raves about.

A few weeks before the party, plan your menu to match your budget. Low budget-big punch items include things like grilled veggies, antipasti platters and bruschetta or crostini with homemade toppings.

Decide what drinks you will offer to guests. Make sure you provide interesting and delicious nonalcoholic cocktails as well as wine, beer and cocktails. When it comes to drinks, there are several ways to keep costs down. One, ask each guest to bring a bottle of wine or nonalcoholic beverage in lieu of a hostess gift. Set a price limit, so guests do not feel obligated to bring an expensive bottle. Two, decide on only one signature cocktail. This has two advantages—it limits the number of spirits you need to buy for the party, thus reducing your cost. It also allows you to make large batches of the cocktail ahead of time, making serving easier.

Have the carpets cleaned a few days before the party. It will make you feel better, and the house will look fresh.

Wash your front door and sweep the cobwebs from the corners of the porch and from around the porch light.

A few days before the event, get out all of your platters, glassware, silverware and serving utensils. Wash, polish and decide which platters will be used for which dishes. If you don’t have enough serving ware, you can get elegant, very inexpensive plain white platters at discount stores like Target, TJMaxx and Marshals. These discount stores are also wonderful for finding inexpensive linens and table accessories.

Make a complete grocery list of all of the items you will need for the party. Check them off as you purchase them. Try not to leave all of your shopping for the last minute. Pantry goods can be purchased days and weeks ahead of time. If you have children (or husbands) who might be tempted to snack on things like nuts, chocolate or crackers, you might want to hide them until the party. Just don’t forget the hiding place!

Make sure your guest bathrooms are stocked with toilet paper, fresh soap and clean towels. A discretely placed plunger is not a bad idea either.

If you are having overnight guests, make sure each guest has their own set of towels and individual soaps. Stock the guest bathrooms with toiletries and supplies they might have left behind, like lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, shaving cream and deodorant. Buy travel sizes they can just take home with them.

Place a bottle or carafe of water on each guest’s bedside table. It’s a nice touch for guests who may not want to wander to the kitchen in the middle of the night for a drink.

Use white, unscented votive candles. They are inexpensive and easy to replenish—and they won’t tip over if accidently bumped. Put candles everywhere to give an instant special air to the event. I usually buy these in bulk when I find them on sale, so I always have plenty on hand.

Keep flower arrangements simple – all one color is usually best, like a simple bunch of tulips in a short glass vase. Short, square glass vases can be purchased very cheaply at floral supply shops.

Create a timeline for preparing the menu. I usually find it’s easiest to start from the time of the party and work backwards, beginning with what needs to be prepared or finished at the last minute to what can be prepared hours or days ahead of time.

Prep as much of the menu ahead of time as you can. Veggies can be cut, dressings made, pasta cooked, desserts made….

The morning of the party, take a bath, do your hair & put on your makeup (if you normally do hair and makeup). Make sure your outfit is ironed and ready to be put on at the last minute. Lay out your jewelry and shoes, too. You won’t have time later in the day, even if you think you will.

Relax! If you’re not having a good time, your guests won’t have a good time. And if anything goes wrong, just laugh. It will make a great story.

Stocking a Healthy Pantry

2009-01-20T07:21:00.012-05:00

If making better food choices or losing weight is at the top of your New Year's Resolution list, then revamping your pantry is a good place to start. Keeping your kitchen stocked with healthy, organic, natural foods is good for your health and your waistline and contribute to living a long, healthy and active life. If you keep these items on hand, a quick snack or dinner is always within reach.

These are my pantry staples…

Cocoa & Dark Chocolate We’ve all heard the reports by now—dark chocolate is good for you, and the higher the percentage of cocoa the better. Dark chocolate—not milk chocolate or white chocolate—contains antioxidants and other properties that protect against heart disease and lower high blood pressure. Chocolate doesn’t have to be sweet, either—take note from Mexican mole. Sneak a few tablespoons of cocoa in your favorite chili or lentil soup recipe, or add to your barbeque sauce. You’ll be amazed at the flavor.

Greek Yogurt Once you try Greek Yogurt, you will never want to eat any other kind. Greek yogurt is thicker, richer and creamier than “regular” yogurt. Fage-brand yogurt can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and other gourmet food stores. I use it in place of sour cream as a topper for soup or an omelet or baked potato. Delicious!

Sea Salt Sea salt just tastes better, and it will make your food taste better. Regular table salt is processed to remove impurities, but seas salt is minimally processed and has more depth of flavor. Invest in a good sea salt and then taste it next to regular table salt. You won’t go back.

Ground Flaxseed Flaxseed is really good for you, with micronutrients that can lower blood cholesterol, prevent heart attacks and reduce the risk of cancer. Choose ground flaxseed instead of whole—its more easily absorbed by the body. Sprinkle on fruit and yogurt, blend into smoothies, or sneak it into baked goods.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil I use extra-virgin olive oil for almost all of my cooking. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that has been shown to reduce LDL, or the “bad” cholesterol. Extra-virgin olive oil has a great depth of flavor. Use a relatively inexpensive extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and a more expensive, complex one for salad dressings or drizzling over dishes. Despite conventional wisdom, you can even fry in olive oil—especially shallow frying fish or vegetables. If you don’t like or want the flavor of the olive oil (such as in baked goods) then use canola oil, which is another healthy oil.

Frozen Berries or Other Frozen Fruit Keep fruit in the freezer and you’ll always have a healthy snack available. Fruit is high in fiber and full of vitamins and phytochemicals that provide numerous health benefits. Blend frozen fruit with yogurt or soy milk into a fruit smoothie for an instant breakfast.

Preserved Ginger I love candied ginger. It’s a great snack and only a few pieces will satisfy that craving for something a little sweet and spicy. Ginger has many wonderful properties—it is suggested that ginger helps with morning sickness, motion sickness, indigestion and that is speeds metabolism. I don’t know if all of those are true, but it’s a good excuse to indulge in a few pieces of ginger a day. My favorite brand is “The Ginger People.”

Soy Milk The verdict on soy is still out in terms of its properties in preventing cancer and other diseases. However, evidence suggests, in small amounts, soy is good for you. Occasionally replace regular milk with soy milk in recipes. Vanilla soy milk is delicious in drink recipes, like lattes or fruit smoothies.

Whole Grains Not only are whole grains better for you, but they truly just taste better. Compare a bland, soft white bread with a nutty, chewy molasses-kissed dark bread. No comparison. Choose whole grains and your heart will thank you—they have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. And be adventurous—try Amaranth, Barley, Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Bulgur, Millet, Oatmeal and Whole Oats, Popcorn, Quinoa, Sorghum, Spelt, Triticale, Whole Rye, Whole or Cracked Wheat, Wheat Berries, and Wild Rice. All of these are whole grains.

Whole Wheat Bread This deserves it’s own category, because it is such a source of confusion. Many breads are desceptively marked “wheat” or “seven-grain.” Please don’t be fooled. Look at the ingredient list, and if the first ingredient listed is not whole wheat flour—the word “whole” must be there—then the bread is actually made from white flour and won’t contain the same amount of fiber and micronutrients. Also, while you are looking at the label, make sure the bread you’re chosing does not contain high fructose corn syrup. You will be surprised at how hard it is to find a whole wheat bread without high fructose corn syrup.

Dark Greens Dave and I actually served kale at our wedding reception—that’s how much we love it. It was one of the first dishes he cooked for me. Rich in flavor and full of nutrients, dark greens like kale, beet greens, collard greens, dandelion greens and swiss chard are versatile and delicious. And they protect against cancer—do you need more convincing?

Peanut butter Peanut butter is not just for kids. It is high in protein and energy, and contains elements that can help to reduced “bad” cholesterol, heart disease and cancer. I think it’s an essential pantry ingredient. Spread it on whole grain bread and you’ve got a complete protein and a filling snack. Mix it with some soy sauce and vinegar and other ingredients and you have an outstanding peanut dipping sauce. Just buy the natural peanut butter without added sugar or fillers.

Assorted Nuts Nuts, especially almonds and walnuts, make a healthy, satisfying snack or a crunchy, flavorful addition to salads and side dishes. While nuts are high in fat, it is the “good” kind of fat that can help to reduce blood cholesterol and protect against heart disease. Eat a small handful of nuts each day to add to your heart health.

Honey Honey is better than sugar. Not only is the flavor more satisfying, but honey actually contains antioxidants and other micronutrients that are good for your health. Research suggests the darker honeys, like Buckwheat, are the healthiest. Honey may help the body to absorb calcium, improving bone health; and raw honey may help relieve allergies.

Lemons Cooking with lemons—using both the juice and the zest—adds a lot of flavor to food and drinks with very little added calories. Lemons are also high in Vitamin C and other antioxidants. Substitute lemon juice for vinegar in your salad dressings, or just squeeze some lemon into your ice water for an early-morning pick-me-up.

Canned Tomatoes Summer smells like a ripe tomato just pulled from the vine, still warm from the sun—an astringent, green and slightly sticky scent. Tomatoes are jam-packed with nutrients, filled with Vitamins C, A and K. And, tomatoes are a precious source of lycopene, which research suggests prevents cancer and heart disease. Since ripe, fresh tomatoes are perishable and not always available, canned tomatoes are a good substitute. They have all of the nutrients of fresh tomatoes as they are picked at their peak of ripeness. Look especially for San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, which are delicious turned into a quick pasta sauce. Use canned tomatoes in soups, stir fries and salsas.

Red Wine Like dark chocolate, red wine is one of those sublime indulgences that doesn’t really need validation. But when the doctor says it’s good for you—it’s even better. Red wine contains antioxidants that reduce the risk for cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Cheese I love cheese. All kinds of cheese. Stinky cheese, aged cheese, young cheese, goat cheese, sheep’s milk cheese—I like them all. And luckily, in small quantities, cheese is good for you, since cheese is a good source of calcium. Just don’t overdo it. Keep an assortment of cheeses on hand for last-minute guests or for when you just don’t feel like cooking dinner. Hot, browned cheese toast on chewy whole wheat bread and a glass of red wine can be mighty satisfying.

Eggs Eggs are the perfect food, and the quintessential go-to fast food. Poached, boiled, fried, over-easy, over hard—they’re all good. Poached eggs over spring greens makes a perfect summer supper. And sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than an egg sandwich, layered with a crispy fried egg, bacon, greens and avocado. Yum. Not to mention, eggs are one of God’s perfect foods…. filled with protein, choline, folate, iron and zinc—all for only about 80 calories. It’s an easy and inexpensive source of protein. One note, choose organic eggs if at all possible. You really can taste the difference. And, if you break an egg into the frying pan and the white spreads out thinly on all sides, it’s an old egg—the rest of the dozen are better used for boiled eggs.

Beans Garbanzo, white, black, red, kidney—beans are a great source of fiber, protein, and nutrients like magnesium, selenium, and copper. Eating beans three or more times a week may help to prevent cancer and heart disease. Beans are a great addition to salads, side dishes, soups and dips. Canned beans are fine, but making your own pot of beans is even better, so you can control the sodium. Make a big pot on a Sunday afternoon, divide it into one cup servings and freeze up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave.

Boxed Broth Prepared stocks have come a long way—just make sure you choose the organic, boxed varieties. Some of the canned brands still contain MSG and other preservatives, which have been linked to ailments like ADHD. Keep chicken, beef and vegetable stock on hand for making soups, poaching vegetables & meats and making sauces.

Balsamic Vinegar Keep good-quality aged balsamic vinegar on hand to drizzle on tomatoes, add acidity to soups or sauces or make the perfect vinaigrette.

Fresh Herbs The addition of fresh herbs makes a dish pop with life. There is no substitution to fresh dill, rosemary or basil. Dried is a distant, distant third. And, herbs have essential oils that contain all kinds of magical, medicinal properties which are different for each herb. For example, culinary lavender promotes relaxation and has been known to alleviate migraine headaches when brewed in tea. Since fresh herbs can be expensive, the best source is to grow them yourself. All you need is a deck or a sunny window and you can have an herb garden. And, the more you harvest your herbs, the more they will grow. If you don’t have the time or inclination to grow them yourself, buy fresh herbs from the grocery and store them, wrapped in damp paper towels and then plastic wrap. They should keep for a week or more.

Inaugural Blog

2009-01-19T09:16:00.005-05:00

Welcome to the first posting for my new blog, where I hope to share simple, useful information and tips to help individuals create a beautiful, graceful, healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families.

Over the past 15 years, I have honed my skills as a lifestyle expert, holding positions as wife, stepmother of five, entrepreneur, community developer, volunteer, public relations consultant, interior design assistant, nonprofit marketing guru, researcher, fitness enthusiast, expert in public health promotions, writer, public speaker, talk show host, supporter of green living, furniture representative, personal chef and home entertaining maven. Whew.

Throughout my journey, I've learned many lessons and accumulated tips on creating a beautiful lifestyle. I am now sharing this information through my blog, and through my lifestyle consulting business headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio. I provide lifestyle consulting and assistance to individuals, families and small business owners, everything from party planning to strategic planning, from finding the perfect gift to stocking a healthy pantry.

Here's to the hope of 2009 and refocusing on reaching our full potential in our lives.