Yuletide French Toast

The inspiration for this festive breakfast hit me this weekend when I bought my first carton of Silk Nog of the holiday season. This thick, delicious vegan beverage has eggnog flavors -- with none of the yucky stuff! It's wonderful to drink straight but can also be used to dress up other foods for the few weeks it is sold each year.

½ cup unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup Silk Nog

1 teaspoon expeller-pressed canola oil

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

6 slices whole wheat bread

ground nutmeg and powdered sugar

1. In a flat shallow bowl, whisk together flour, sea salt, soymilk, oil and maple syrup. Let batter sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

2. Warm a lightly oiled griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Dip one slice of bread in batter and coat completely. Place on hot griddle.

4. Cook until the first side is lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Turn over and cook the second side until lightly browned.

5. Plate and sprinkle with nutmeg and powdered sugar if desired. Serve with warm maple syrup immediately.

6. Repeat with remaining slices of bread.

Produce and Your Purse

New research by the University of Washington was released this week reporting that the cost of healthy, lower calories foods is steadily on the rise. In fact, fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains have jumped nearly 20 percent in the past two years.

Scientists found that the foods which are less energy-dense -- generally fresh fruits and vegetables -- are much more expensive per calorie than energy-dense foods -- such as those high in refined grains, added sugars, and added fats. The prices of very calorie-rich foods stayed stable or even dropped slightly, the researchers found.

It's almost as if the universe wants us to eat Doritos. But you must resist!

But there are plenty who are giving in to temptation, a lower shopping bill and consequently, obesity. Have you ever peered into others' shopping carts when you waited in the check-out line at the grocery store? I always see lots of processed foods, sodas and other generally unhealthy fare. Meanwhile, I note that the people behind me in line seem to be scowling when I check-out with my piles produce that always seem to take the cashier a long time to look up and enter.

"Is this cilantro or parsley?"

"What's a kiwi?

Sigh.

Even with the higher prices and the grocery store scowls, I plan to continue finding ways to eat healthy, whole foods. I hope you will, too!

How to Help Baby Like Fruits And Veggies

Newswise (12/03/07) — Moms, want your baby to learn to like fruits and vegetables?
According to new research from the Monell Center, if you’re breast feeding, you can provide baby with a good start by eating them yourself.

And, offer your baby plenty of opportunities to taste fruits and vegetables as s/he makes the transition to solid foods by giving repeated feeding exposures to these healthy foods — regardless of whether you’re breast feeding or using formula.

“Vegetable and fruit consumption is linked to lower risks of obesity and certain cancers,” says senior author Julie A. Mennella, PhD. “The best predictor of how much fruits and vegetables children eat is whether they like the tastes of these foods. If we can get babies to learn to like these tastes, we can get them off to an early start of healthy eating.”

The study, designed to test the influence of early sensory experiences on the development of healthy eating patterns, is published in the December 2007 issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Mennella and co-author Catherine A. Forestell, PhD, studied 45 infants, 20 of whom were breastfed. The infants, who were between the ages of four and eight months and unaccustomed to eating solids other than cereal, were randomly assigned to one of two groups.

One group was fed green beans for eight consecutive days; the other was given green beans and then peaches over the same period. Acceptance of both foods was assessed before and after the repeated exposure period.

The results revealed that breast-feeding confers an advantage for baby’s acceptance of foods during weaning — but only if the mother regularly eats those foods.

During their first exposure to peaches, breast-fed infants ate more and for a longer period of time, compared to formula-fed infants. Questionnaires revealed that mothers of breast-fed infants ate more fruits than did formula-feeding mothers, suggesting that the enhanced peach acceptance of their infants might be attributed to increased exposure to fruit flavors through breast milk.

However, both groups of mothers reported eating green beans and green vegetables infrequently, at levels below current recommendations. Accordingly, there was no difference in the amount of green beans eaten by breast-fed and formula-fed infants the first time the vegetables were offered.

“It’s a beautiful system,” says Mennella. “Flavors from the mother’s diet are transmitted through amniotic fluid and mother’s milk. So, a baby learns to like a food’s taste when the mother eats that food on a regular basis.”

In both groups, repeated opportunities to taste green beans over eight days enhanced acceptance of the vegetable, increasing intake by almost three-fold.

“Babies are born with a dislike for bitter tastes,” explains Mennella. “If mothers want their babies to learn to like to eat vegetables, especially green vegetables, they need to provide them with opportunities to taste these foods.”

The researchers also found that babies’ facial expressions did not always match their willingness to continue feeding, noting that infants innately display facial expressions of distaste to certain flavors.

They urge caregivers to provide their infants with repeated opportunities to taste fruits and vegetables, focusing on the infant’s willingness to eat the food instead of on their negative facial expressions during eating.

Product Review: Celebration Roast

Thanksgiving has come and gone... and no turkeys were harmed in the making of my dinner! Isn't that a good feeling?

I usually enjoy Tofurkey or just gobble up a delicious plate of "side" dishes at Thanksgiving dinner but this year my husband and I tried Celebration Roast made by the Field Roast Company.

The celebration roast is a faux-meat style loaf stuffed with mushrooms, squash, apples and other yummy vegan bits. It warms quickly and slices well. And nestled among mashed potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce on my holiday plate, it did look festive.

I thought it was delicious and nearly ate the entire mini-loaf myself (four servings). My husband, who is not wild about faux-meat products, ate a piece with Thanksgiving dinner and then was content to eat sides (and pumpkin pie!) for leftovers Thursday night and all day Friday. He said, "It was OK -- better than Tofurkey." (Did I mention he was a man of few words?!)

I agree. It has a lot more flavor and a better texture than Tofurkey. Also, the mini-loaf is sized more conviently for feeding a smaller veggie crowd.

Check out Celebration Roast for one of your upcoming holiday meals over the next few weeks.

Grade: B+

Photo credit: Veganstore.com

Apple Crisp

Yesterday was my husband's birthday and we had a few friends over to celebrate. Instead of the traditional cake, I made apple crisp to follow our dinner of salad, chili and cornbread.

It seemed to be a hit. The six of ate the entire pan of apple crisp -- there wasn't one bite left to photograph! Instead, all I was left with was bowls licked clean! One guest, an immigrant from France, said it was only the second time in his life that he was served a fruit crisp that he actually liked. Pretty high compliments from a man who has eaten his share of amazing French desserts.

Actually, I can't take all the compliments. This old-timey recipe was my grandmother's. I tweaked it just a bit to "veganize" it. I love serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla Soy Delicious -- pure comfort food!

Filling:
4 cups apples, sliced (use organic and/or local if possible)
1 tablespoon milled cane sugar

Topping:
1/3 cup unbleached flour
1 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons melted Spectrum margarine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Place apples in baking dish and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss to coat.

In a small bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in melted butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake for 30 minutes or until apples are tender.

Product Review: Harney & Sons Fine Teas' Holiday Tea

My new favorite obsession is Harney & Sons Fine Teas' Holiday Tea. I can't stop drinking it!

This magical holiday elixir is a fragrant blend of black tea, holiday spices, orange peel and almond. It's so warming and delicious brewed strong with a teaspoon or two of pure milled sugar. YUM! It's just the right taste, just in time for the holiday season.

I found it at Barnes & Nobles but its also avaiable at fine food stores and online.

Try it. I promise you won't be disappointed. I predict you'll be drinking it all winter long and giving away this wonderful tea as gifts, too!

Grade: A+

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Sticking with our pumpkin theme, I whipped up a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie that you'll want to try. It makes great use of leftover pumpkin -- or a good reason to open a new can! You might even want to make this nutritious beverage on Thanksgiving morning for a light breakfast that will hint at the pumpkin pie to be served after the holiday dinner.

To make this smoothie thick and frosty, you'll want to plan ahead. Freeze 1/2 cup pumpkin puree at least eight hours or overnight before you want to whip up this delicious drink. It works best to freeze the pumpkin in an ice cube tray, making about six cubes.

1/2 cup pumpkin puree, frozen in ice cube tray
2 cups Silk Pumpkin Spice soymilk or vanilla soymilk
1 tablespoon milled cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of ground nutmeg
pinch of ground clove

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Puree until completely smooth.

Makes two small smoothies -- or one big one!

Veggie Heroes Sweep "The Veggie Awards"

The December 2007 issue of VegNews is on the stands, touting the best of veggie living in their "Veggie Awards 2007."

I was so pleased to see four of our very own Veggie Heroes taking top prize! If you want to learn more about these compassionate Super Stars, be sure to click on the links below to read exclusive interviews.

Company of the Year: Tree Huggin' Treats (Joel Schantz)

Personality of the Year and Favorite Cookbook Author: Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Cookbook of the Year: "The Joy of Vegan Baking" (Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

Favoite Veg Blog: Fat Free Vegan (Susan Voisin)

CONGRATULATIONS!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Toasted Pecans

Here in the mountains, we are waking up to frost and low morning shadows creeping across the valley. These kinds of early November days get me excited about the upcoming holidays and all the wonderful foods that appear for just a few short weeks.

Pumpkin pie is a truly big deal in my family but this nutritious vegetable doesn't need to be completely relegated to resting in a flaky crust. It's versitile and can lend a Thanksgiving vibe to lots of other foods.

And these chilly mornings before Thanksgiving are the perfect time for piping hot pumpkin pancakes. I had fun creating this recipe with Silk soymilk's newest flavor: Pumpkin Spice. But it will work equally well with vanilla soymilk if you can't find this specialty drink -- or if you just want to make it after the holidays are over!

And don't throw away the remaining pumpkin in that can -- we'll use it later this week, so stay tuned!

2 tablespoons chopped pecans
¾ cup unbleached flour
¼ cup cornmeal
½ tablespoon ground flax seed
2 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
pinch of clove
1 cup Silk Pumpkin Spice soymilk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Place pecans in a small dry skillet. Toast over medium heat until just fragrant -- about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.

Add soymilk, pumpkin and maple syrup. Mix until just combined.

Lightly spray a large skillet with cooking oil and warm over medium-high heat.

Measure about 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot skillet. Flip pancake when bubbles appear and burst on the upper surface, about 2 minutes. Cook for another 2 minutes or until set.

Serve immediately with warm maple syrup.

Christian Vegetarianism

By Veggie Hero Lorena Mucke

Atlanta, Georgia

As a Christian, I feel we are called to be good stewards of God’s Creation and God’s animals are an important part of it. With their incredible diversity in appearance, behavior, and habitat they reflect God’s infinite creativity and love for them. We learn about God’s love for all creatures in the Bible, where God’s concern for animals is very evident. God forbids cruelty to animals, made a covenant with animals as well as humans, all creatures share in the Sabbath rest and the Bible even describes animals praising God and present in eternity. I believe that vegetarianism is a biblical ideal, given the completely vegetarian Garden of Eden and the Isaiah prophecy of a vegetarian world at the end of time. Jesus even described himself as the Lamb of God and referred to the love of a hen for her chicks as an analogy to describe his love for the Church.

Sadly, God’s animals are largely abused in today’s society. More than 95% of farmed animals live in factory farms, in which they are unnecessarily subjected to extensive pain, suffering and fear, and who are also denied of their God-given rights and instincts. However, with the indiscriminate exploitation of animals we bring misery to humanity as well. The typical meat-based diet in America, contributes to the national rates of heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, certain cancers, and to the 15% obesity rate in children and 30% in adults. Food poisoning from eating animal-based products is very common. Industrial agriculture contributes substantially to pesticide use and water pollution, as well as to depletion of land, water, and fossil fuel resources.

We are made in God’s image of love and we are called to reflect His love onto all Creation. A love for all creatures implies respect and reverence for their lives, and raising animals for food does not reflect love, respect or reverence. We are blessed with a tremendous variety of plant-based foods and most of us can live a fulfilling life without consuming animal products. A plant-based diet helps us to participate actively in the reconciliation of God’s Creation and to put Christ’s teachings of love, compassion and mercy into practice. By transitioning to a vegetarian diet, we are being good stewards of our bodies, animals and the environment.

When I sit down for a meal, and ask God to bless the food, I feel at peace in my heart knowing that no animals had to suffer or die for it. Becoming a vegetarian and later a vegan has helped me deepen the sense of justice, compassion and respect that I feel for all creatures, especially for all those who are brutalized in today’s factory farms for the sake of profit and taste. The Christian Vegetarian Association website beautifully summarizes it: “A vegetarian diet can be a powerful and faith-strengthening witness to Christ's love, compassion, and peace, and most importantly shows the world that plant-based diets represent good, responsible Christian stewardship for all God's Creation.”

-- Lorena Mucke is a wife, mother and event coordinator and newsletter editor of the Christian Vegetarian Association. In addition, she runs a Humane Education Program in Atlanta, Georgia, called The Ethical Choices Program. Through this program, Lorena visits high schools and summer camps giving presentations regarding the issues surrounding modern agriculture.

World Farm Animals Day

Around the world today, millions of Hindus will celebrate Gandhi Jayanti -- or the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. Of course we know Gandhi as a deeply spiritual man who personified non-violent action for social change. And like most Hindus, Gandhi wa a life-long vegetarian. In fact, Gandhi was well ahead of his time in espousing a simple vegan diet, which he followed for periods throughout his life, when not plagued by ill health. In his autobiography, he recounts being constantly frustrated when told by doctors that he needed to return to eating dairy food to restore his health. Faced with eating dairy food or giving up the movement to liberate his peope, Gandhi was forced to choose the greater good -- much to his chagrin.

Today, he remains a role model not only for Hindus but for all people seeking liberation for the enslavement of sentient beings. In his honor, World Farm Animals Day is celebrated around the globe with events to draw attention to the plight of animals raised for food.

Why not join in a local celebration? Or maybe you could find your own way to take the next step. Are you vegetarian? Try going vegan for one day? Already vegan? Could you share tasty meal with a friend and gently talk about your choice? I know we can all find ways to contribute to honor Gandhi and to help save the animals.


Photo credit: wikipedia.com

Mulled Cider

Here in the Appalachians, autumn is beginning to steal into the coves and hollows. I wake up each morning to cooler temperatures and find the evening hours of darkness growing longer. The dogwood trees are beginning to turn a burnt maroon and I can catch glimpses of orange bittersweet blooming along the fence rows.

This morning I had my first steaming mug of mulled cider. For me, it's a sure sign that the season has changed.

In my family, autumn was all about the apple harvest. After days of picking, my Grampy usually took some his apples to the local cider mill to be pressed (that's him in the picture). Mostly, his bushel upon bushel of Yellow Delicious apples were sold or stored for eating through the winter, but he also always made a bit of cider. Once when I was young, I accompanied him to the mill.

It was one of those magical autumn mornings when the air was brisk but the sun was warm. I recall the camaraderie of the farmers as they greeted each other and cued up to have their apples pressed. As usual, Grampy was joking with the neighbors and teasing me. I remember bees buzzing about, drawn in by the rich fermenting apple smell from the piles of pulp. Mostly I remember the golden amber juice spilling from the press into gallon jugs. Oh and that taste! Nothing in the world tastes quite as lovely as freshly pressed cider.

Grampy’s cider went straight into the refrigerator in his garage, which is where the bushels of apples were stored. The whole place smelled like an orchard – even in the depths of winter. And as the winter months marched on, that cider was changing. It fermented and bubbled and turned into hard cider. By spring, some of the cider had turned from hard cider into cider vinegar. We used that tangy vinegar for salad dressings and for making pickles during the summer months.

As summer began fading into early fall, the cycle was complete and it was time to begin picking apples once again...

1 gallon fresh, local cider
1 orange, sliced into rounds
2 cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg, broken into large pieces
2 teaspoons whole all-spice
2 teaspoons star anise
1 teaspoon whole clove

1. Place all ingredients in a large stockpot and cover.

2. Warm slowly over medium heat until steaming and hot.

3. Keeping covered, reduce heat to low and serve hot.

If you want to make just one mug at a time, look for pre-packaged mulling spices at your local health food store bulk herb department or gourmet food shop.

Product Review: Cinnabon Cinnamon Crunch Cereal

I know. I can't believe it either but I am profiling something made by Cinnabon on this relatively healthy eating site. But just hear me out.

Cinnbon's Cinnamon Crunch cereal tastes awesome and is good for you, too! These tasty little cinnamon-roll shaped nuggets are lightly sweet, smell wonderful and are chock full of good ingredients: whole oat flour, whole brown rice flour, turbinado brown sugar, fruit juice concentrate, wheat flour, wheat starch, cinnamon, honey and canola oil. Pretty good for the company that brought artery-clogging sweet treats to malls and airports across America.

Other reviews online gave this cereal lower marks for having "weird" ingredients or for not being "sweet enough." Give me a break! I know that you, dear readers, won't agree. Give them a try!

Grade: A

Applesauce

I love autumn! And I love autumn cooking.

This past weekend I went to my favorite local apple orchard and loaded up on apples and cider. Their fragrance filled the car on the way home and made me dream of all the wonderful ways to put these amazing fruits to use.

There are alot of complicated apple recipes, but there are many simple ones, too. And those simple ones taste absolutely divine. For instance, if you can peel an apple, you can make applesauce.

Here's what you need:

apples

water or cider

cinnamon

pure vanilla extract

sea salt

milled cane sugar

1. Peel, core and dice a bunch of apples -- just fill your favorie stock pot nearly to the top.

2. Add a tablespoon or two of water or cider (don't go overboard here -- a tablespoon or two really does the trick). Add a dash or two of cinnamon, a few drops of vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir and cover.

3. Bring the whole mixture to a bubble over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low, remove lid and let simmer until apples break down and are very soft (the length of time it takes for this to happen depends on the kind of apple you are using). Stir often.

4. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

5. If you like chunky sauce, you're done. If you like smooth sauce, puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Eat some while it's still warm (this is a wonderful treat) and store the remainder in the refrigerator.

YUUUMMMM!!!

Chocolate Devotion Cake

Recently I was asked by a colleague to contribute a unique cake for her daughter's wedding reception. Immediately this recipe came to mind. It's a delicious chocolate-lover's treat that I've made countless times. I perfected the recipe for the wedding of my dear friends Todd and Jeanett in 2003. Even though their wedding was vegan, they wanted a handmade groom's cake. I was happy to lend a hand.

Now, you can make this, too -- but don't wait for a wedding! It's good anytime and not hard to make!

2 ½ cups unbleached flour

1 ½ cups milled natural cane sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

dash of ground cinnamon

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup strongly brewed cold decaf coffee

¾ cup expeller-pressed canola oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

½ tablespoon vanilla

1 cup tempered non-dairy dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a fluted Bundt pan with baking spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together applesauce, coffee, oil, vinegar and vanilla.

Slowly add dry mixture until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan. Bake until a probe comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes, invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.

To decorate, melt chocolate in a double boiler. Drizzle melted chocolate over cake. Finish with organic, edible flowers, if desired.

Biorefining of Corn Brings Gelatin Production Into the 21st Century

Newswise (08/23/07) — Scientists are reporting an advance toward turning corn plants into natural factories for producing gelatin to replace animal-sourced gelatin widely used by the pharmaceutical industry for manufacturing capsules and tablets. The advance, described today at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, may lead to a safe, inexpensive source of this protein for manufacturers who now rely on material obtained as a by-product of meat production.

Today, production of gelatin, a jelly-like substance, relies on the same fundamental methodology employed since commercial production began in the 17th century: Gelatin is derived from the break-down of collagen, which is a component of skin, tendon, bone, cartilage and connective tissue of animals. While there are no naturally occurring plant sources of gelatin, scientists have successfully modified plants, such as corn, to have a gene that results in the production of “recombinant” gelatin.

About 55,000 tons of animal-sourced gelatin are used every year to produce capsules and tablets for medicinal purposes. Plant-derived recombinant gelatin would address concerns about the possible presence of infectious agents in animal by-products and the lack of traceability of the source of the raw materials currently used to make gelatin. However, finding ways to recover and purify recombinant gelatin from plants has remained a challenge because only very low levels accumulate at the early stages of the development process.

Now, scientists at Iowa State University in Ames and FibroGen, Inc., in South San Francisco say they have developed a purification process to recover these small quantities of recombinant gelatin present in the early generations of transgenic corn. The method uses a four-step recovery system to separate the recombinant protein from other corn proteins with sufficient purity that its structure and composition can be verified, says Charles Glatz, Ph.D., a chemical engineer at Iowa State University who directed the work.

“Protein production from transgenic plants is a challenging process, with potential pitfalls all along the way,” Glatz says. “It is important to develop methods in the early stages of the development program to purify gelatin to demonstrate that it can be produced properly.”

The studies establish transgenic corn as a viable way to produce gelatin and potentially other products, Glatz says. In time, researchers may also be able to develop a variety of “designer” gelatins, with specific molecular weights and properties tailored to suit various needs of products containing gelatin.

“Corn is an ideal production unit, because it can handle high volumes at a low cost,” he says. In addition the recombinant gelatin is free from the safety concerns of using meat byproducts.

The purification process relies on chromatographic and filtration techniques, building upon methods developed by FibroGen to recover recombinant gelatin produced in yeast.

Glatz says ultrafiltration allowed the group to take advantage of the size difference between the recombinant protein and other corn proteins.

“This step greatly reduced the process volume for later chromatographic steps, and was crucial to achieving a high purification factor.”

The group is now working to refine the method and boost the overall recombinant protein yields in corn, he says. Though the procedure requires more testing, Glatz says the technique could someday be used to produce high-grade gelatin in a safe and inexpensive manner.

Overall costs could be further reduced by combining the production of gelatin in corn with the extraction of non-protein parts of the grain — such as oils and starches — that are now grown and harvested for biodiesel and ethanol production, he adds.

“Corn wouldn’t be planted for its gelatin alone, but those products could help off-set the cost of biorefineries that use corn to produce other products,” he says.

Cheng Zhang, a doctoral student at Iowa State University, presented details of the new purification process at the American Chemical Society meeting.

Product Review: Yummy Earth Candy

Looking for a truly delicious candy without all that "yucky stuff?" Then you need Yummy Earth Candy! These awesome candies come in a wide assortment of flavors -- from Pomegrante Puckers to Wet-Face Watermelon -- and are made with some of the best stuff on earth. They're perfect for veg*ns and those of us who wish to avoid high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and artificial colors. And best of all, they taste fantastic! I can't keep my hands off the pomegrante ones!

I was also impressed by the customer service Yummy Earth provides. I sent an e-mail via their web site's online form asking about an allergy concern. Within three hours the co-owner of the company e-mailed me back with complete information! Now that's impressive!

If you can't find Yummy Earth candies at your local healthy foods store, you can order them online. Thank goodness!

Grade: A+

Bamboo Rice

I love trying new foods and wasn't disappointed when I prepared a lovely pale green rice called "Bamboo Rice" for dinner last night. This short-grain Chinese rice is infused with natural bamboo juice and has a light, herbal flavor reminiscent of green tea with hints of jasmine. It cooked up quickly, was slightly sticky, and best of all, retained its lovely green color. It tasted delicious under a steaming mound of stir-fried vegetables -- and was a fun twist on dinner!

Look for it at Target sold under the store brand "Archer Farms" or at your local gourmet shop. It's a colorful addition to your pantry.

In the News

Today's news has unusually high number of troubling animal stories --

Group says sharks face extinction due to soup
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19827244/

Boat runs over whale in view of sightseers
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19828605/from/RS.1/

Video shows fishermen killing dolphins
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19813646/from/RS.5/

Manatee, calf released off Fla. Keys
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19827252/

Vick indicted on dogfighting case
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-07-17-vick-indicted_N.htm

Dolphin and Iraq veteran share wonder of prosthetics
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-07-17-dolphin-iraq-veteran_N.htm

"Meat-Sweet" Diet Raises Risk of Breast Cancer in Asian Women

Newswise (07/10/07) — Postmenopausal Asian women who eat a “meat-sweet” or Western diet are at greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who eat a “vegetable-soy” diet, according to a new study. The findings mark the first time an association between a Western diet and breast cancer has been identified in Asian women

The study, published in the July issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, involved women in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. Eligible cases included all women 25 to 64 years of age who with a new diagnosis of breast cancer from August 1996 to March 1998. Controls were selected from the Shanghai Resident Registry of permanent residents in urban Shanghai.“The issue [of diet] is of particular relevance to women in Asia, for whom breast cancer rates are traditionally low but increasing steadily in recent years,” explained Marilyn Tseng, Ph.D., an associate member in the population science division at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

The transition in breast cancer risk has been attributed to environmental factors, possibly the incorporation of Western dietary pattern foods into traditional dietary habits as a part of broader, societal socioeconomic changes. However, the association of dietary patterns with breast cancer risk has not been studied previously in Asian women.

Through in-person interviews with the Shanghai study participants and residents of Shanghai, researchers established the existence of two primary dietary patterns—the “meat-sweet” diet and a “vegetable-soy” diet. The “meat-sweet” diet includes various meats—primarily pork but also poultry, organ meats, beef and lamb and with saltwater fish, shrimp and other shellfish as well as candy, dessert, bread and milk. The “vegetable-soy” pattern is associated with different vegetables, soy-based products, and freshwater fish.

Of 1,602 eligible breast cancer cases identified during the study period, in-person interviews were completed for 1,459 (91.1%). In-person interviews were completed for 1,556 (90.3%) of the 1,724 eligible controls.

The “meat-sweet” pattern was significantly associated with increased risk of breast cancer among overweight postmenopausal women. Specifically, high intake of the “meat-sweet” pattern was associated with a greater than twofold increased risk of estrogen-receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer among these women. The results showed no overall association of breast cancer risk with the “vegetable-soy” pattern.

“Our study suggests the possibility that the “meat-sweet” pattern increased breast cancer risk by increasing obesity, Tseng said. “Low consumption of a Western dietary pattern plus successful weight control may protect against breast cancer in a traditionally low-risk Asian population that is poised to more broadly adopt foods characteristic of Western societies.”