Hi-Rawkus

There has been more chatter about the zapping of our beloved greens, starting with spinach and iceberg lettuce with romaine lettuce, tomatoes and peppers possibly next in line. Deja Vu? It seems the disconcerting prospect of irradiation is becoming a reality. Why oh why choose not to be more aggressive on eradicating sources of contamination (bad farming practices and unsafe food handling) and instead opt for such a drastic measure to “control” harmful bacteria, which will in no way guarantee pathogen-free produce? [quadruple “Gah!”] Supposedly, the irradiation process does not leave behind any radioactive residue or cause much damage to vegetation nutrients or texture (if you can believe that). So far Dole is the only food company that has been confirmed in testing the irradiation process for possible use on lettuce. Currently, there is no further information on what other companies will implement the procedure.

Rest assured, retail establishments are required to label irradiated leafies as “irradiated”, “treated by irradiation” or “treated with radiation” and marked with the international radura logo (pictured left) either directly on the item or the item’s outer packaging. However, irradiated leafies do not require labeling once they have been included in food preparations.

Thankfully, organic foods are safe from being treated with gamma rays. The National Organics Standards ban the use of irradiation on any products that are certified organic. If there was ever a time to seriously consider buying your food from local and organic markets, this would be it. Additionally, growing your own produce and sprouting are two ways to be sure you are provided with food the way nature intended.

See the Associated Press article for extra information.

Living Intentions nut blends have quickly become a new favorite. If you remember how disappointed I was when my beloved Spicy Macadamia Nuts reached extinction, you may have some idea of how excited I am to have discovered these new yum-yums. Warm thanks to my sweet friend Rawbin for gifting me the Mesquite Pod Maple Walnuts (pictured above spilling out of the bag). If I don’t stop munching them, I fear they shall disappear before end of Monday!

Oh… You didn’t want to know how each nut selection tastes, did you? [wink] The walnuts are sweet with a nice hint of savoriness. Have you ever eaten traditional candied walnuts? Well, the Mesquite Pod Maple Walnuts are not as sugary as that but can definitely satisfy a sweet craving. I think they’d be scrumptious sprinkled on top of a salad, eaten with ice cream, or even added to a pie or tart crust. The Sun-Dried Marinara Almonds & Pistachios blend is pretty intense with a slight hickory-smoke-like flavor, probably from the tamari. I think they’d be wonderful mixed in pasta or as a garnish for a creamy soup.

And, of course, I ate a bit more from each bag of goodies as I typed this…naughty me! [kool-aid smile]

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A note to strict raw foodies: Living Intentions does include in their products a few ingredients that are not raw. For example, the maple included in the walnut blend and the tamari included in the almond/pistachio blend. Their reasoning is based on the flavor attributes of those particular ingredients as well textures or other characteristics that aid in product creation. You can read more about it in their Q&A section here. You’ll have to check out their six other blends to see which one/s might best suit you. I’m betting that if and when you do give their treats a chance, you may well GO NUTS too!

To learn more about Living Intentions, visit their site, livingintentions.com.

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A few tips…

The listed ingredients amount to roughly five ounces of salad dressing. Double or triple the recipe as needed.

A microplane works great for fine grating the ginger.

The ingredients can also be mixed by hand. With a little elbow grease, the end result should be pretty close to that of a blender or mini-prep food processor. Use a spoon or the back of a fork to mash up the avocado until it becomes as smooth as possible. Next, integrate the agave nectar, olive oil, grated ginger, and Celtic sea salt. Last, use a whisk to whip the orange and lemon juices into the mixture, small increments at a time, until the the dressing becomes fluffy.

This simple salad dressing can also be used as a base for other creations. To make a more savory version, add onion and/or fresh or dried herbs.

Enjoy!

A simple buckwheat crust topped with fresh basil, a savory nut cheese, thyme-infused peppers, marinated onions, Pickled Buttons, and fresh tomatoes. “Mmm-MM!” Finger-lickin’ good! We even indulged in a few slices sprinkled with hot pepper flakes. Gotta have a little hot stuff. [smiley wink]