Kashi Wellness Hub

Kashi Wellness Hub http://www.kashi.com/ Helpful articles about healthy lifestyles from Kashi.com en-us Tickle Your Taste Buds with Texture Crispy, chewy, soft, firm, creamy, smooth and crunchy &mdash; a food’s texture adds sass to your cooking and puts a smile on your face. From crunchy carrots to chewy sourdough bread and creamy soup, texture plays a big role in making food taste better. Taking on texture in your kitchen can be fun. Put your food processer on pulse, get out your mortar and pestle, grab your grinder and cook with ingredients that are bursting with texture.1 Here are 7 ways to start your adventure: <ol><li>Grits, polenta and cornmeal. All are words to describe a versatile food that adds creaminess, chewiness and volume to your recipes. Grits take on the flavor of what you pair it with, just like tofu or rice. Experiment by mixing it with Southern ingredients such as cheese, gravy or butternut squash. Or for an Asian flair, create a stir-fry with onions, peppers, mushrooms, shrimp and soy sauce. Combined with foods you like, the possibilities are endless.</li> <li>Seeds. Add a nutty flavor, spice and texture to your favorite foods with this naturally crunchy ingredient. For a punch of personality &mdash; plus a dose of fiber and ALA Omega-3’s2 &mdash; add Chia seeds to breads, cookies and smoothies. Sprinkle poppy seeds on salads or add sesame seeds to your cookie recipe. Eat sunflower seeds raw or toasted as a healthy snack. Try our <a href="http://www.kashi.com/recipes/279">Indian chickpea dip</a> recipe , loaded with cumin, coriander and yellow mustard seeds.</li> <li>Chocolate chips. This is a feel-good ingredient that you can chunk, ground or shave for texture. Decorate a cake with shavings, put big chips in cookies and create confections with melt-in-your-mouth smoothness. Use dark chocolate with 65 percent or higher cocoa and take advantage of its antioxidant content.3 Try our <a href="http://www.kashi.com/recipes/64">Kashi&reg; Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Cooked Bread Pudding</a> recipe.</li> <li>Coffee and spice grinder. Meet your two-in-one friend that makes coffee one day and grinds spices the next. This handy gadget helps you control the spiciness in your go-to recipes. Pull out your spice grinder to add a dash of flavor to any dish and delight your taste buds with instant texture and flavor. Give it a try with our <a href="http://www.kashi.com/recipes/47">Curry Snack Mix</a> recipe featuring nutmeg and ground cloves.</li> <li>Ice. Shave it, crush it and mold it. Ice puts the zing and texture into any refreshing drink. If you miss old-fashioned cubes, make your own using a vintage ice-cube tray. Freeze lemon, lime, mint or orange in the cubes and then garnish your soft drink, lemonade or party drink with your colorful, crunchy creations.</li> <li>Eggplant. This gorgeous purple vegetable takes on a variety of textures to suit your recipe. Grill it and turn it into a crunchy vegetarian sandwich or eggplant salad. Roast it and then puree with garlic, lemon juice and tahini to create <a href="http://www.kashi.com/recipes/146">Baba Ghanoush</a> a classic Middle Eastern dip. Bread it and serve eggplant Parmesan. </li> <li>Grains. There’s a whole lot of grains going on. Choose from a variety of grains, including barley, farro and quinoa. Whole grains give everything from bread and pasta to cereal and salads a chewy texture and nutritional boost. There are as many grains as there are recipes, so experiment until you find one you like. For a spicy twist, try our <a href="http://www.kashi.com/recipes/303">Chai-spiced Kashi&reg; Whole Grain Pilaf</a> recipe.</li> Footnotes: 1 Scott-Thomas, Caroline, “The impact of texture on taste perception,” Food Navigator USA. <a href="http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science/The-impact-of-texture-on-taste-perception">http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science/The-impact-of-texture-on-taste-perception.</a> Accessed 4/3/2012. 2 Resources, “Omega-3 Chia Seed Extract,” Valensa.com. <a href="http://www.valensa.com/resources/Omega-3-Chia-Seed.php">http://www.valensa.com/resources/Omega-3-Chia-Seed.php</a> 3 DeNoon, Daniel, “Dark Chocolate Has Health Benefits Not Seen in Other Varieties,” WebMD Health News. <a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate">http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate.</a> Accessed 3/8/2012. Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/tickle_your_taste_buds_with_texture http://www.kashi.com/articles/tickle_your_taste_buds_with_texture Taste Puts the Fun in Food When we experience these five basic categories of taste, our favorite foods come alive with personality. <ol><li>Sweetness. Those of us with a sweet tooth look forward to the words “Dessert is served.” But it doesn’t take dessert to satisfy a sweet tooth. Some people enjoy foods naturally rich in sugar, such as honey, mango, carrots, milk, raisins and dates.</li> <li>Bitterness. Sometimes you have to take the bitter with the sweet. Even though it seems counterintuitive, many of us enjoy bitter foods and beverages, including coffee, unsweetened cocoa, marmalade, beer and bitters. And with a touch of a sweet ingredient such as honey or evaporated cane juice to take the edge off, bitter doesn’t seem so bad.</li> <li>Saltiness. The word immediately brings to mind some of our much-loved snacks and main dishes. Cheese and crackers, mixed nuts and many of our favorite recipes taste better with a little dash of salt.</li> <li>Sourness. It’s the acidic taste in foods. Some foods such as fruit are just naturally sour. Take grapefruit, lemons, cranberries and kumquats, for example. The sweet news about sour ingredients such as lemon and vinegar is that they can balance out other flavors in food.</li> <li>Umami. In Japanese, the word means “delicious,” and umami is best compared to the savory taste of meat. You’ll find the taste of umami in aged cheeses, asparagus, poultry, red meat, ripe tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, grains and beans.</li></ol> <h2>Irresistible taste combinations</h2> When we combine seemingly contrasting flavors, our food takes on a new, more interesting personality. Here are just a few ways we combine some of the five basic tastes in recipes: <ol><li>Sweet and salty. Caramels with sea salt. Peanut butter and strawberry preserves. Home baked French fries with organic ketchup. Melon with prosciutto. These are just a few of our favorites. You can make your own snack mix with dried goji berries (or other berries), dark chocolate chips, <a href="http://www.kashi.com/products/heart_to_heart_cereal_honey_toasted_oat">Kashi&reg; Heart to Heart&reg; Honey Toasted Oat</a> cereal (naturally sweet) and your favorite nuts. Nuts on their own can be the perfect salt-sweet combo, as well. Try combining small spoonfuls of rosemary, salt and cayenne with Demerara sugar in a small bowl and use it to coat your favorite nuts to create a classic crunchy appetizer.</li> <li>Sweet and sour. Many Asian foods combine sweet, sour, salty and bitter with a good dose of spice thrown in. Traditional recipes say it all &mdash; coconut and lime soup, pad Thai with sweet vegetables, chicken stewed in soy sauce and sweet jasmine rice. Even the condiments throw in sweet and sour &mdash; sweet chili sauce and salty fish sauce.</li> <li>Sweet and bitter. Indian cooking is similar to Asian because it incorporates many tastes at once, including sweet and bitter along with colorful spices such as the traditional curry. Cumin seeds, a key ingredient in curry recipes, give Indian dishes a bitter, nutty taste and a powerful aroma that many people associate with Indian food. A good curry recipe could also include sweeter spices such as ginger and cinnamon, and contrasting spices like mustard, dried chilies and fennel seeds.</li> <li>Sweet and savory. Classic tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches, tofu stuffed peppers, bread pudding &mdash; there’s just something about the contrasting combination of sweet and savory that tickles our taste buds.</li> <li>Umami. It’s earthy, savory and rich to the taste. Chefs braise, roast, stew and sear meats to bring out the umami. For example, searing creates a well-done crust on the outside of fish. Any food that’s aged, fermented or cured &mdash;including cured meats, sourdough bread and wine &mdash; also tends to be rich in this taste.</li></ol> Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/taste_puts_the_fun_in_food http://www.kashi.com/articles/taste_puts_the_fun_in_food Kashi's Response to Recent News Kashi's Response to Recent News Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/kashi_s_response_to_recent_news http://www.kashi.com/articles/kashi_s_response_to_recent_news Jeff Johnson Elaborates on a Few of His Favorite Subjects There’s a lot going on in the organic food industry right now. We sat down with Jeff Johnson, Kashi nutritionist, to get the latest on GMOs, happiness and the future. <ul><li>What's your role at Kashi, and how long have you been with the company? I lead our Natural Lifestyle team, which is responsible for our food and nutrition standards along with our cause and sustainability initiatives. I’ve been nurturing the Kashi vision for about 12 years.</li> <li>Why is the Non-GMO Project Verification process important to you? I’ve always been passionate about creating positive change in the food system. Non-GMO Project Verification provides an important and credible way to help people choose food that will help fuel that change.</li> <li>How is Kashi active in the non-GMO effort? We’ve been involved in creating positive change in the food system since 1984 when the company was founded. We were among the first companies that chose to avoid things like white sugar, partially hydrogenated oils, synthetic colors, flavors and preservatives and use expeller pressed oils instead. In 2004 we began significantly ramping up our use of organic ingredients, which has increased sevenfold since then. Now we’re partnering with the Non-GMO Project to achieve Non-GMO Project Verification, which is another important step in our journey.</li> <li>Organic food is huge with consumers. To what do you attribute this growing demand? Ultimately, people just want to know more about their food &mdash; who made it, how it was made and where it came from. Once you start asking questions, it kicks off a cycle of curiosity that just keeps going, which is just awesome. It sounds cliché, but it goes back to that old saying of “the more you know, the more you know you need to know.”</li> <li>When you look out 5 or 10 or 25 years, what do you see for Kashi? Down the track I see Kashi leading the way for helping people achieve superior health in a way that’s highly enjoyable. By doing that, I believe that we will not only turn on a wider audience to eating well, but we’ll also pave the way for many other food companies to do the same with us.</li> <li>What is the timetable for more foods to be verified? We will continue taking a phased approach to achieving Non-GMO Project Verification. Some will be verified quickly and others won’t. There are significant challenges associated with achieving Non-GMO Project Verification. In many cases, the scale of the crops we need are not available so that means we need to plant new crops and await those growing cycles. In other cases, because of the dominance of GMO crops in America and cross-pollination &mdash; both of which are outside of our control &mdash; it may take years to achieve. At the same time, we have been very successful at increasing our organic ingredient supply significantly over the last eight years along with Non-GMO Project Verification recently on seven of our cereals, so I’m confident we’ll continue to make steady progress on this journey.</li> <li>What is your idea of perfect happiness? A sunny day at the beach with my family and friends. A playful 4- to 6-foot combo swell running along with a plethora of surf craft on hand to ride. Great food, music and smiles until the sun goes down. It doesn’t get much better than that.</li> <li>What do you love about working at Kashi? My friends. Kashi’s been like a family to me over the years, and I love working with the team toward the common purpose of promoting a natural healthy lifestyle.</li></ul> For more information on GMOs, visit <a href="/nongmo">Kashi’s Non-GMO Project Verification</a> page, visit us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kashi">Facebook</a> or stop by <a href="http://www.nongmoproject.org/">NonGMOProject.org. Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/jeff_johnson_elaborates_on_a_few_of_his_favorite_su http://www.kashi.com/articles/jeff_johnson_elaborates_on_a_few_of_his_favorite_su Full Steam Ahead: Three Reasons to Cook with Steam Do you want to cook an easy, wholesome meal without spending all day in the kitchen? Well, eating healthy can be fast and flavorful with the right cooking method. Explore our quick, nutritious dinner ideas and discover the natural benefits of cooking with steam. <ol><li>Healthy foods become healthy meals. If you’re sautéing vegetables or pan-frying fish, you’re not always making the most of those low-calorie foods. Fortunately, steaming requires no added oil or butter, which makes it a healthy, natural way to cook delicate foods. Try lightly steaming your vegetables in order to retain most of their key nutrients, which are typically lost due to overcooking. Healthy dinner idea: Tangy Lemon and Dill Vinaigrette Green Beans<a href="http://www.kashi.com/recipes/235">View recipe &gt;</a> </li><li>Quick to cook means quick to the table. Meetings run late, games run long, and sometimes time just runs out. That’s why cooking with steam is the easy choice for quick, healthy meals. Plus, because you can cook everything in a single pot right on the stovetop, cleanup is a breeze. Make sure to position the food in a single layer to guarantee the fastest, most evenly cooked results. Quick dinner idea: Creamy Cauliflower Puree with Fresh Herbs <a href="http://www.kashi.com/recipes/130">View recipe &gt;</a> </li><li>Tasty flavors stay that way with steam. Some cooking techniques can weaken an ingredient’s natural flavor, but steaming is a gentler method. Because the food never actually touches the liquid, it’s less likely to jostle, overcook, or absorb too much water. That’s why the food retains its shape, color, texture, and flavor. You can also add aromatics such as herbs to help impart flavor as the food cooks. Tasty dinner idea: Earthy Mashed Roots with Buttermilk and Chives <a href="http://www.kashi.com/recipes/140">View recipe &gt;</a></li></ol>Remember, next time you want to prepare a quick, wholesome meal, consider cooking with the power of steam. It’s the healthy, natural cooking method that’s big on taste and convenience. Share some of your favorite recipes, insights, and techniques in the comments section below and join the conversation. Want to learn about new Kashi&reg; Steam Meals? Cook flavorful, crisp vegetables, tender chicken and our Kashi&reg; 7 Whole Grain Pilaf or Pasta in just minutes! <a href="http://www.kashi.com/search/category/Product?query=steam%20meals">Meet the meals &gt;</a> Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/full_steam_ahead_three_reasons_to_cook_with_steam http://www.kashi.com/articles/full_steam_ahead_three_reasons_to_cook_with_steam Kashi and the NON-GMO Project We’re excited to share an update on our work with the Non-GMO Project, North America’s only third-party verifier of non-GMO foods. Seven of our foods are now officially Non-GMO Project Verified including Autumn Wheat, Cinnamon Harvest, Island Vanilla, Strawberry Fields, 7 Whole Grain Flakes, 7 Whole Grain Puffs and 7 Whole Grain Pilaf. This is the first step in our phased approach, and we're committed to this journey! Check out our product pages at Kashi.com or search for Kashi at www.nongmoproject.org for updates as we continue to verify our foods. Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits, Autumn Wheat thumbnail Autumn Wheat Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits, Cinnamon Harvest thumbnail Cinnamon Harvest Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits, Island Vanilla thumbnail Island Vanilla Strawberry Fields, Original thumbnail Strawberry Fields Kashi Flakes, Original thumbnail Kashi Flakes Kashi Puffs, Original thumbnail Kashi Puffs Kashi Pilaf, Original thumbnail Kashi Pilaf What are GMOs? Genetically modified organisms (GMO) are organisms that have been created through genetic engineering. This process combines DNA from one species with another and is different than traditional crossbreeding methods. As a relatively new science, there is controversy regarding the impacts of GMOs. What’s Kashi position on GMO? Kashi believes people should have the ability to make well-informed choices about what they’re eating and what foods they’re sharing with their family, including choosing foods that do not contain GMOs. That’s why we’ve partnered with the Non-GMO Project to begin verifying our foods as non-GMO. Do you knowingly purchase GMO ingredients? The foundation of our foods is our unique combination of seven whole grains which are not grown using GMOs. However, factors outside our control, such as pollen drift from nearby crops and current practices in agricultural storage, handling, and shipping, has lead to an environment in North America where GMOs are not sufficiently segregated. As a result, some of our foods may contain GMOs. How long do you anticipate the process taking to verify for your entire portfolio? Timing for Non-GMO Project Verification can take up to several months and depends on many factors including how many products a company enrolls at one time and the level of evaluation required for each ingredient. We are continuing to take a phased approach to verify our foods. What foods will this affect? Seven of our foods are now officially Non-GMO Project Verified including Autumn Wheat, Cinnamon Harvest, Island Vanilla, Strawberry Fields, 7 Whole Grain Flakes, 7 Whole Grain Puffs and 7 Whole Grain Pilaf. A number of our other foods are currently being verified by the Non-GMO Project. As our foods complete the verification process we will share this information through our product pages on Kashi.com. This information will also be available on the Non- GMO Project website (http://www.nongmoproject.org/consumers/search-participating-products/search-by-name/). Why has GMO become a hot topic? Increasingly, people want to know more about where their food comes from and how it was made so that they can make informed choices. Are foods that contain GMOs harmful to your health? The scientific community has not established a causative link between GMO and any impact on human health. Which of your products are organic? Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits, Autumn Wheat thumbnail Autumn Wheat Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits, Cinnamon Harvest thumbnail Cinnamon Harvest Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits, Island Vanilla thumbnail Island Vanilla Strawberry Fields, Original thumbnail Strawberry Fields Is a non-GMO or organic product healthier than one that is strictly all natural? Not necessarily. There are many factors that determine whether a food is “healthy”. Nutrition, farming practices and environmental impacts are all factors to consider when making a decision about whether a food is appropriate for you or your family. Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/kashi_and_the_non_gmo_project http://www.kashi.com/articles/kashi_and_the_non_gmo_project The Power of You It&rsquo;s hard enough to figure out why one day a child will eat her carrots and the next, they are &ldquo;icky,&rdquo; but we parents get a lot of extra &ldquo;help&rdquo; feeding our children, too. For instance, we never know quite what to say when our first-grader&rsquo;s lunchbox comes home still full because her friend shared the chips and candy in her lunch. As our child reminds us, sharing is supposed to be good, right? If moments like these sound familiar, relax. There&rsquo;s good news. When it comes to what your kids eat, you are a superhero! Maybe you aren&rsquo;t leaping tall buildings while holding a stalk of broccoli, but you have far more influence on your child&rsquo;s diet than it feels like &mdash; enough to help overcome some food fights over time. Here are just a few of your super powers that can help win over other influences, not just for today&rsquo;s lunch, but at every stage of your child&rsquo;s life: You can help your kids love veggies before they are even born! A current study published in Pediatrics showed that babies&rsquo; taste preferences are influenced by the foods their mothers eat during pregnancy1. In the study, babies born from moms who ate carrots every day preferred cereal made with carrot juice instead of water. Think of pregnancy as the one time in our children&rsquo;s lives where we can get them to try all the vegetables we want them to &mdash; without any struggle! If you eat your vegetables, your young kids could eat more of them, too. Research published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concludes that how many fruits and vegetables you consume is the strongest predictor of how many fruits and vegetables your child will eat when he is aged two to six2. This does mean you have to eat your vegetables, too! Your influence still counts when your child is a teenager. We parents may suddenly become totally uncool in these years, but the same IOM research showed that if we eat more healthy foods, our teens still do, too2. Just don&rsquo;t tell them that. On average, we parents directly influence at least 72 percent of our kids&rsquo; diets throughout their childhoods into adulthood3. For those of us who cook and eat healthy, our &ldquo;nutritional gatekeeper&rdquo; influence averages higher, up to 87 percent, according to Brian Wansink&rsquo;s research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association3. The portion of our children&rsquo;s diets that others influence, according to the research, tends to be preferences for snack foods and treats, not the core of children&rsquo;s daily meals. All in all, you actually do leap some pretty tall obstacles, even armed with broccoli. The key is remembering your super powers and keeping an eye on the long-term goal of raising a mostly healthy adult eater, allowing for those &ldquo;sometimes foods&rdquo; along the way. References 1. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Beauchamp%20GK%22%5BAuthor%5D">Beauchamp GK</a>, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Mennella%20JA%22%5BAuthor%5D">Mennella JA</a>, Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, &ldquo;Flavor programming during infancy.&rdquo; Pediatrics. 2004 Apr;113(4):840-5. 2. Committee on Food Marketing and the Diets of Children and Youth, J. Michael McGinnis, Jennifer Appleton Gootman, Vivica I. Kraak, Editors, Food Marketing to Children and Youth, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. 3. Wansink, Brian, &ldquo;Nutritional Gatekeepers and the 72% Solution,&rdquo; Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106:9 (September), 1324-6. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/the_power_of_you http://www.kashi.com/articles/the_power_of_you Fool-Proof Ways to Prepare Delicious Veggies For Your Family There is a misunderstanding that I think we as moms have (unfortunately) come to accept, and that is: &ldquo;kids don&rsquo;t like to eat vegetables.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s too easy to get stuck in a rut or mind frame that our children will fight us through a meal in order to avoid having to put something green on their plate. If you&rsquo;re reading this, know that you are one of the parents that can be part of the changing of the tide. And if you are enjoying Kashi foods, then you already recognize that nutritious, wholesome foods like colorful veggies, whole grain cereals and snack bars with all natural ingredients can taste great, too. While it may be easier to get our kids to enjoy a bowl of Kashi® Cinnamon Harvest® organic cereal for breakfast in the morning, I want you to realize that a cucumber salad can become a loved snack by kids as well. Below are a few tips to keep in mind when planning meals and snacks for your young ones: Don&rsquo;t Ask, Just Offer One of the first ways to get our kids to eat better is by using the &ldquo;don&rsquo;t ask&rdquo; approach. When you get home with the kids after school—and they&rsquo;re at the peak of hunger—and you ask, &ldquo;Would you like some carrot sticks?&rdquo;, you&rsquo;ll most likely hear:&nbsp;&ldquo;No! Can I have a cookie or some chips?&rdquo; However, if you have cut-up veggies ready to go and put them out on a platter with some hummus or a high-protein yogurt dipping sauce, you&rsquo;ll see them disappear. Presentation Really Makes a Difference!&nbsp; Food color and presentation make a big impact on kids as well. To make a veggie plate seem more enticing, add breakfast radishes (not spicy; they are pink, red and white) cut in halves or quarters, yellow bell peppers cut in strips, celery, carrots and cucumbers. Lay everything out on a cutting board or big platter with sauce in a colorful bowl, and the look and feel will appear more festive. One of my daughter&rsquo;s favorite after-school snacks is a cucumber salad. I simply cut a cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut it into quarter-inch slices, drizzle with a bit of liquid amino acids (tastes similar to soy sauce but it&rsquo;s made from a mix of fermented veggies) or tamari and sprinkle with sesame seeds. With this recipe, she polishes off a whole cucumber in no time! Be Prepared&nbsp; If you&rsquo;re going to be running around after school and know you will have a hungry bunch with you, have cut up fruit on hand that won&rsquo;t get squishy. A bag of apple slices or orange slices will give them energy. Also try freezing natural yogurts in the tube to make a quick push-up ice pop that will&nbsp; provide protein and typically less sugar than an ice cream treat (parents should always check nutritional information). When dinner time rolls around, be sure that veggies are always part of your meal—whether it&rsquo;s a salad, asparagus, Swiss chard or broccoli. Providing fresh vegetables is key to helping our kids develop an understanding of how great real, natural foods can taste. On this note, avoid vegetables from a can as much as possible. There is no comparison from a green bean that you steam versus one that has spent hours being poached in a tin. Don&rsquo;t Over &ldquo;Mush&rdquo; Veggies When Cooking Most veggies can be cooked in less than ten minutes. I believe one of the reasons that many kids think they don&rsquo;t like to eat their greens is because they have had them over cooked in the past. A high heat oven (450 degrees), a bit of extra virgin olive oil and a dash of salt will quickly change the way you feel about preparing veggies and the way your family feels about eating them. I hope you find these tips helpful, and I&rsquo;m looking forward to answering any questions and learning some personal tips you have to help your family eat healthy! Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/fool_proof_ways_to_prepare_delicious_veggies_for_yo http://www.kashi.com/articles/fool_proof_ways_to_prepare_delicious_veggies_for_yo What My Parents Taught Me About Feeding My Child My parents both played important but different roles in shaping my openness and expectations around food. Inside the house, the world of food was ruled by my mother and health with a keen eye for nutrition was law. You&rsquo;d never find a cupboard of sugary cereal options or drawer with a candy stash in my kitchen. When I asked for something sweet I&rsquo;d hear, &ldquo;eat a piece of fruit&rdquo;. Pork baked with onions and apples and a green side salad is a recipe I had so often as a child I can still smell it just by picturing the plate in front of me. Outside the house is where my dad took over. His number one influence on me was sharing his love of trying new things. In an attempt to enforce this passion for new culinary experiences he enacted the &ldquo;try it before you decide you don&rsquo;t like it&rdquo; rule. Whether it was an Indian curry, Southern-style grits or a Mexican torta, I was expected to take a bite and report my impressions prior to being excused from further participation. The only memory I have of this technique backfiring was when I tried a raw oyster. The slippery mouthful of shellfish slid down my throat so quickly I didn&rsquo;t have a choice in the matter of tasting &ldquo;a bite&rdquo;. I&rsquo;m sorry to report that this was my first and last experience with raw oysters. Now that I have my own child, I use the influences from both of my parents to shape the lessons I pass along to him. Make what you want them to eat both a regular ingredient in your meals and widely available in your kitchen. I gained a deep appreciation for food and its ability to impact health from my mother and I pass that appreciation along to my son everyday through the foods I purchase and cook. Dark greens, blueberries and avocado show up in everything from oatmeal to side salads and pasta at my home. We have a tiered fruit basket hanging right next to his highchair and we name off the fruits while he eats. Don&rsquo;t assume they won&rsquo;t like it. Now that I&rsquo;m an adult I really appreciate the messages I received from both of my parents about trying new things. I make a conscious effort to get excited for his first bite and am sure to talk about all the things I like best about that particular food. The creaminess of hummus, the color and sweetness of warm, sliced beets. Playing up the unique elements of a particular food makes the eating experience fun! Don&rsquo;t sneak it in (at least not at the beginning). Just as my Dad was eager to include me in his food explorations, I try to give my son the full experience of each food he tries (except perhaps for the sliminess of raw oysters). Instead of mixing a new ingredient in with something I know he already likes, I make it a prominent addition as a way to expand his palate to a range of flavors, colors and textures. Expose them to as much as possible. Although my Dad took a very hands-on approach to this, I&rsquo;ve expanded the ways in which I expose my child to new foods. Introducing him to people from different cultures, reading books on travel and wandering the bulk food section of our local grocery store are all ways I&rsquo;m expanding his exposure and interactions with the beauty of food and food culture. While we definitely have days where cheese slices, bananas and bread are the only items my son is willing to entertain, I have every faith that the lessons I&rsquo;m sharing with him now will go a long way to shaping his appreciation for real food and the diversity of flavors, textures and ingredients Mother Nature has to offer. Just as I am still amazed by how delicious a simple meal of fresh fruits, vegetables and grains (topped with some awesome olive oil of course) can taste, I love seeing him enjoying real, natural foods. Kids pick up a lot from parents &mdash; even eating habits. My mother's love of real food and my father's passion for trying new tastes helped me discover my own healthy appetite and guide me today in feeding my own son. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/what_my_parents_taught_me_about_feeding_my_child http://www.kashi.com/articles/what_my_parents_taught_me_about_feeding_my_child Age Appropriate Tips to Get Your Kids Cooking Sometimes it can feel like it&rsquo;s more trouble than it&rsquo;s worth to get our kids in the kitchen with us. If they are little, we worry about them making a big mess or hurting themselves. If they are older, it could be their attitude or lack of interest in hanging out with mom or dad. My daughter is now 16; and if you have a teenager, you too may be experiencing the blank stares he or she gives when entering the kitchen. Then there are the growth spurts and hormones that seem to disengage them and tangle up the teen brain from remembering how to even make a piece of toast! The good news is that if you get your kids in the kitchen early, they will learn skills that will stick with them all through their lives and help build a foundation of healthy eating. They can also end up becoming a big help to you while you&rsquo;re preparing family meals. The other thing to remember is that if they are involved in the meal making process, they are much more likely to want to eat what they helped create. Beyond Baking The most common cooking activity we have our kids start off with in the kitchen is usually baking. It&rsquo;s easy to get a little one to get involved in making chocolate chip cookies or brownies. However, I want to emphasize that when kids are able to help create the more savory dishes,&nbsp;they will build culinary skills and confidence that will last a life time and will contribute to their more helpful and variety-filled diet. Grocery Shopping Partners There are pluses and minuses to having your children shop with you. On the not-so-positive side, we tend to spend more money (some figures as high as 30 percent more!) when we shop with our kids. Part of this is because we succumb to their demands for sugary cereal, soda and other unhealthy snacks. However, the pluses outweigh the minuses when we look at what&nbsp;we can teach&nbsp;our children about healthy ingredients. Always start in the produce aisle when shopping with your kids. Have them be involved by picking out ingredients by the color: &ldquo;Go grab something red or green.&rdquo; This sets them up to be part of meal planning and will start to broaden their horizons (and our own). Also, most produce floor clerks will let you taste a sample of the produce—ask them if you and your children can try a cherry tomato or a slice of a new variety of apple. It becomes a healthy field trip if you have a few extra minutes. Learn Health Benefits of Ingredients Together This is a reminder to all of us that our children actually do listen to us when it comes to issues related to their health. So don&rsquo;t forget to teach them along the way! For example, dark greens are a great&nbsp;source of calcium that build strong bones; carrots are a great source of Vitamin A, which we need for healthy eyesight; berries are wonderful antioxidants; etc. Kids will remember these health tips long into their adult hood. When asking them to help plan the menu plan for dinner, ask them to look something up: What are the health benefits of mushrooms? How about asparagus or brown rice? This puts them in the position of &ldquo;expert&rdquo; for the evening and enables them to teach the family something interesting and helpful about the food you are all about to eat. Below are some age-appropriate cooking activities you can enjoy with your kids to encourage their participation and appreciation in the kitchen: Ages 2-5 <ul> <li>Picking fresh herbs (taking thyme leaves off of stems, plucking basil or parsley leaves)</li> <li>Stirring dry ingredients together</li> <li>Filling measuring cups and spoons with ingredients</li> <li>Shelling beans (fava&rsquo;s, summer peas, etc.)</li> <li>Taking grapes off of bunches</li> <li>Peeling fresh garlic</li> <li>Putting ingredients into the blender for salad dressings and smoothies</li> <li>Tearing lettuce for salads</li> </ul> 6-10 (all of the above, plus:) <ul> <li>Cutting tomatoes with a small serrated knife (supervised)</li> <li>Cracking eggs</li> <li>Coating meats with dry rubs and marinades</li> <li>Making basic pastries</li> <li>Cutting kale and Swiss chard (supervised)</li> <li>Making hummus</li> <li>Washing fruits and veggies</li> </ul> 11 and above (all of the above, plus:) This is the age that most kids can start cooking simple meals. They will still need supervision when using a knife, and if they are anywhere near open flames. Some easy meal ideas include: <ul> <li>Scrambled eggs</li> <li>Burritos/tacos</li> <li>Salads</li> <li>Hamburgers</li> <li>Pasta </li> <li>Chicken breast with spice rub (using a press grill)</li> <li>Whole grain muffin &ldquo;pizzas&rdquo;</li> </ul> For centuries, skills in the kitchen have been passed down from generation to generation. Over the past several decades, it seems this has become less and less a tradition. Let&rsquo;s be part of the movement to empower our kids to grow up and be able to cook, care for and nourish themselves and their families by passing up the drive-thru and preparing nutritious and delicious meals! Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/age_appropriate_tips_to_get_your_kids_cooking http://www.kashi.com/articles/age_appropriate_tips_to_get_your_kids_cooking The Benefits of Organic Gardening Putting fresh fruits and vegetables that you&rsquo;ve nurtured on your family table is immensely satisfying. Gardening naturally or organically helps maximize a garden&rsquo;s value safely and leaves a smaller footprint on the earth. Natural methods require a little advance planning &mdash; especially if you&rsquo;re transitioning from a conventional garden &mdash; but offer many benefits, among them: <ul> <li>Fostering a diversity of insects, birds, and animal life unaffected by chemicals </li> <li>Avoiding storage of and contact with toxic chemicals</li> <li>Supporting your produce's highest flavor potential (many people believe organic fruits and veggies taste better than conventionally grown varieties</li> <li>Preserving heritage plants by growing what's native to your area</li> <li>Enjoying the health and spiritual benefits of maintaining and taking pleasure in your garden and consuming more whole foods</li> <li>Reducing waste and environmental damage from artificial fertilizer run-off</li> <li>Conserving water and limiting soil erosion</li> <li>Recycling herbicide-free organic garden matter, which also reduces landfill</li> <li>Delivering flavorful, pesticide-free fruits, vegetables, and herbs to your table</li> </ul> Whatever your starting point, by following some simple guidelines, you&rsquo;ll see more value from your home garden: <ul><li>Buy and plant foods you really enjoy eating</li> <li>Focus on high-yield fruits, vegetables, and herbs</li> <li>Work with varieties that flourish naturally in your climate and region</li></ul> Learn more about <a href="http://kashi.com/articles/how_to_grow_a_high_value_natural_home_garden">How to Grow a High-Value Home Garden</a>. Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/the_benefits_of_organic_gardening http://www.kashi.com/articles/the_benefits_of_organic_gardening A Better Buzzkill: Natural Insect Repellents Wearing long sleeves, socks, and pants instead of shorts can go a long way toward protecting you from insect bites. But sometimes we need extra protection from mosquitos, ticks, and other critters and find ourselves turning to chemical insect repellents. Luckily, there are some natural alternatives for bug protection. <h2>DEET</h2> Sticky, smelly skin is usually the price you pay for extra protection against biting bugs. That’s because the majority of insect repellents used today contain DEET (short for N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), a chemical agent with a scent even mosquitoes find offensive. It&rsquo;s one of only a handful of insect repellents recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be effective at warding off bugs, but its environmental and safety credentials have been investigated by environmentalists, scientists, and health-minded parents. <h2>Environmental effect</h2> DEET is so ubiquitous, the chemical can be found in waterways all over the world; the more urban the area, the more likely DEET is found in the water. Although very few studies assess its long-term effects, some research indicates the chemical can be toxic to some aquatic life and birds. <h2>Impact on your health</h2> No one doubts DEET&rsquo;s effectiveness, but many ask at what price? Prolonged exposure to the chemical has been linked to neurological damage in a handful of children, and skin irritation has been reported in prolonged use of DEET. Couple that with the fact that DEET has been shown to dissolve plastic and vinyl, and it&rsquo;s no wonder why some scientists and consumers are turning toward natural alternatives that may be safer to leave on your skin all day long. <h2>Natural alternatives</h2> For the natural repellent with the most scientific backing, look to lemon eucalyptus oil, the sole natural ingredient to get the EPA&rsquo;s endorsement. Numerous studies show that it works just as effectively as low levels of DEET (7 percent to 15 percent concentrations) by masking the body&rsquo;s natural odors. Look for a 30 percent to 40 percent concentration for maximum effectiveness. The most ancient natural remedy isn&rsquo;t on the EPA’s list, but some Asian and African cultures swear by neem as an effective bug repellent, and some studies support that, though a higher concentration is needed to match the effectiveness of DEET or other repellents. Azadirachtin, the active ingredient in neem, masks body scent and changes the taste of your skin. Other natural essential oils shown to have bug-warding abilities include oil of citronella (found most often in candles, though it is somewhat effective on the skin), rosemary, and lemon verbena. One recent study indicated that a compound in sweet basil (eugenol) might also be as effective as DEET against ticks. To make your own natural repellent, simply add three drops of pure essential oil to a teaspoon of a carrier oil such as coconut or jojoba. If you choose to go the natural route, you can also look for a bug repellent that contains many of the ingredients mentioned above as well as other natural extracts. &ldquo;Natural products that use herbs, such as neem, and essential oils for outdoor protection do not have just one &lsquo;active ingredient,&rsquo;rdquo; says Autumn Blum, cosmetic chemist and founder of Organix-South which makes neem products. &ldquo;They contain many compounds to co-create the symphony of information used by plants to ward off infestations of insects, microbes, and fungi.&rdquo; A few products to try: <ul><li> Burt&rsquo;s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent </li> <li>TheraNeem Herbal Outdoor Spray </li> <li>All Terrain Kid&rsquo;s Herbal Armor Spray </li></ul> <h2>Insect repellent tips</h2> Be sure to apply early and often. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not how much, but how often, you apply botanical remedies that will offer the more dramatic benefits,&rdquo; explains Blum. Most herbal remedies need to be reapplied at least every 90 minutes. Wear lightweight long sleeves, pants, and wide-brimmed hats if you&rsquo;re outdoors for long periods of time, and encourage your children to do the same. This simple step will offer protection from both bugs and the sun. As an extra precaution, wear light colors, since bugs are more attracted to dark-colored clothing. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/a_better_buzzkill_natural_insect_repellents http://www.kashi.com/articles/a_better_buzzkill_natural_insect_repellents Five Green Things You Can Do Today Green living may start a fresh way of thinking for you, and many aspects of it are simple to follow and can save you a little of your hard-earned money. The small steps count &mdash; they&rsquo;re the ones that will make the planet a better place to live for years to come. Here are five things you can do today to get started: <ol><li> Pay your bills online. You not only save paper by not writing checks and mailing envelopes, but you also reduce fuel consumption by the trucks and planes that transport the checks. </li> <li>Adjust your thermostats. This applies to heating and air conditioning units as well as water heaters. </li> <li>Change your light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use one-quarter the electricity of regular light bulbs and last several years longer. </li> <li>Buy locally grown food. Whenever possible, reduce the amount of fossil fuels it takes to get your food from the farm to your table. </li> <li>Start a carpool. Cut down on fuel emissions and save yourself and a few other people a lot of money on gas. </li></ol> Ready for more? See <a href="http://kashi.com/articles/tips_for_greener_living">Tips for Greener Living</a>. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/five_green_things_you_can_do_today http://www.kashi.com/articles/five_green_things_you_can_do_today Omega-3 Fatty Acids The benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids are emerging as more and more studies are done. Along with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, they have been associated with brain development and creating more radiant skin. Yet not all omega-3 fatty acids are the same. Understanding the different types of these long chain fatty acids and what they do can help you decide the best foods to include in your diet. <h2>What Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are</h2> You&rsquo;ve probably heard of good-for-you monounsaturated fat found in foods such as olive oil. You know that the saturated fat in butter should be used in moderation. Omega-3 fatty acids fall into a third group, polyunsaturated fat, which plays an important role in every cell of the body. There are two categories of omega-3: land plant-based and marine-based. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is land plant-based; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosapenteonoic acid (DPA) are marine-based. While both categories contribute to good health, each originates from different sources and offers different benefits, so it&rsquo;s wise to eat a mix of both. <h2>What Omega-3 Fatty Acids Do</h2> One of the most studied benefits of omega-3 includes reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. The Institute of Medicine recommends 1.6 and 1.1 grams of ALA per day for men and women, respectively, as recommended adequate intakes. The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fish per week (roughly 8 ounces or a total of 250 milligrams of EPA and DHA per day), for primary prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke. Evidence also suggests that even higher doses of marine-based omega-3 may improve blood triglyceride levels and lower blood pressure. Consuming DHA is especially important for pregnant women as research suggests DHA helps support brain development. This is a bit of a balancing act, since pregnant women are also advised to eat only those fish and seafoods lowest in methyl mercury. The good news is that sardines, which are low in methyl mercury, are chock full of omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids may bring even more benefits. Their role in vision (our retinas in particular) and even neurological and mental health are currently being researched. <h2>Marine-Based Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids</h2> To maximize the benefit of eating seafood, choose the fattier DHA-rich fish that are low in pollutants including: herring, wild Alaskan salmon, barramundi, canned Pacific albacore tuna, farmed rainbow trout, wild oysters, and sardines. These fish feed on microscopic plants in the ocean, which are the original sources of DHA. With advances in technology, DHA can now be extracted from these plants in the form of algal oil. Foods such as milk and orange juice are sometimes fortified with this oil and make for good fish alternatives. (Note, however, that eating fish and seafood instead of DHA supplements means you also get protein, iron, and vitamin B12.) For more on healthful, sustainable seafood, see the Monterey Bay Aquarium&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_recommendat ions.aspx">Seafood Watch</a>. <h2>Land-based Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids</h2> ALA is the land plant-based source of omega-3 and can be found in concentrated doses in foods such as flaxseed oil, canola, wheat germ, hempseed, and soybeans, plus walnuts, flaxseed, and soybeans. Nutritious foods made with these ingredients also offer significant sources of ALA, including salad dressing, tofu, granola, some breakfast cereals and energy bars, and eggs from flaxseed-fed hens. To make sure you&rsquo;re getting the recommended amount of ALA, aim for 1-4 servings of these foods daily. ALA provides an additional source of DHA and EPA in small amounts by the body converting about 10% of ALA into DHA and EPA. However, this amount should not be relied upon as the only source of omega-3. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/omega_3_fatty_acids http://www.kashi.com/articles/omega_3_fatty_acids Why, When, and How to Snack We all know the temptations: the bowl of chips at a party, the candy bar sitting in the vending machine. But snacking &mdash; and snack food &mdash; isn&rsquo;t all bad and can be good. The key is to be mindful about why, when and how you snack. <h2>Why Snack? </h2> Snacking makes up a third of the calories Americans consume today, and the majority of these calories are coming from empty calories, like soda and candy. When snacking right, research shows that snacking between meals can help with managing weight, keeping your energy up and providing important nutrients to the diet. In busy lives, snacking can &ldquo;fill in&rdquo; nutritional areas we may have missed during rushed or quickly prepared meals. A quick sandwich at lunch? Add more veggies to your day at snack time. Planning on a big salad for an easy dinner? Have some whole grains with fiber during snack time. <h2>When to Snack? </h2> The easy answer is; when you&rsquo;re hungry. But many of us have difficulty ferreting out that distinction. We eat for all kinds of reasons that have nothing to do with hunger: emotional needs, habit, avoidance, you name it. Snacks can be particularly vulnerable to this type of &ldquo;mindless&rdquo; eating because they&rsquo;re not within structured meal times. Yet obviously they still count in the daily calorie and nutritional budget. Rather than relying on the clock (or an involuntary reach for the peanut bowl), trust your body&rsquo;s <a href=" http://kashi.com/articles/tips_for_identifying_hunger_cues ">hunger cues</a>. Even a moment&rsquo;s pause to ask yourself why you want to eat can help you curb &ldquo;subliminal&rdquo; snacking. Learn more about <a href=" http://kashi.com/articles/know_your_hunger_cues ">Hunger Versus Appetite</a>. <h2>How to Snack? </h2> How you snack is as important as why and what you snack. Follow these snacking rules to keep your snacking tied to curbing hunger and not biding time. <ul><li>Turn off the TV if you&rsquo;re going to have a snack. Studies show that people who eat while watching TV eat more food.</li> <li>Keep snack food &mdash; even healthy snack food &mdash; out of plain sight to help keep from munching when you&rsquo;re not actually hungry. Store snacks in the cupboard, not on the counter.</li> <li>Measure out snack portions to keep from overeating. A serving-size snack of nuts, for instance, should fit in the palm of your hand. A serving of popcorn is equivalent to 3 baseballs. </li> <li>Eat slowly and mindfully to help feel satisfied from your snack. If you&rsquo;re eating almonds, munch on one at a time instead of popping a handful all at once. When you&rsquo;re eating chocolate, tune into the sensation of it melting on your tongue. </li></ul> <h2>What to Snack on? </h2> Healthy snacks can take many forms from nuts to cheese to chocolate. Highly refined treats like candy, soda, potato chips and pretzels may not stay with you as long and may cause you to reach for another snack to keep filling the gap between meals. As with all meals, it&rsquo;s best to focus on whole foods. See <a href=" http://kashi.com/articles/healthy_snacks_for_every_craving">Snacks for Every Craving</a> and <a href="http://kashi.com/articles/super_healthy_snacking_for_kids">Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids</a> for great healthy snack ideas. If you want to become a healthier eater, don&rsquo;t abandon snacks. Just snack smart. Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/why_when_and_how_to_snack http://www.kashi.com/articles/why_when_and_how_to_snack Edible Ideas for Drought-Resistant Landscaping You don&rsquo;t need to sacrifice beauty or usefulness to make your garden drought-resistant. Drought-tolerant plants can bring color, shade, and texture to your landscaping while also providing your family with fresh and truly local food. To maximize your chances for green-thumb success, shop for varieties that are bred for your local climate. Talk to a local nursery knowledgeable about local cultivars or shop at online stores that specialize in regional varieties. Here are some great ideas for drought-tolerant, edible plants to get you started. <h2>Drought-tolerant herbs</h2> A well-filled herb bed is one of the most cost-effective of tricks up the home-gardener&rsquo;s sleeve. Store-bought green herbs are costly, but homegrown herbs are inexpensive, easy to care for, require minimal soil inputs, and take up little space. Plus, you simply can&rsquo;t beat fresh-picked herbs for flavor. Many popular herbs, such as lavender, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, and mint, require little water to thrive once they are established, which makes the savings even greater. To maximize your herb production and minimize your water bill, separate drought-tolerant herbs from those that require regular watering, like parsley and basil. That way you can focus your watering efforts solely on the herbs where it&rsquo;s needed most. Find great ways to use herbs in our <a href="http://kashi.com/articles/all_about_herbs_increase_flavor_with_savory_pairing">All About Herbs</a> article. <h2>Sunflowers</h2> Nothing says summer quite like majestic sunflowers nodding their vibrant yellow heads in the balmy breeze. While most gardeners plant them for their towering beauty, they also provide food in the form of their seeds. Pick the flower when its back has turned brown and the seeds will dislodge easily by rubbing two heads together or by rubbing one head with your hand. Although they are drought-tolerant and don&rsquo;t need much water to survive, theses food-producing flowers will do best if they receive at least one inch of water per week. In most parts of the country, that means just a bit of supplemental watering in the summer&mdash;with no worries about dry conditions if you leave on vacation for a week or two! <h2>Serviceberry bush</h2> The serviceberry has been providing people with a tasty blueberry-like fruit long before Europeans brought their own species of berry plants to the United States. This unusual bush produces showy clusters of white flowers in the spring with blue to purplish fruit later in the season. The serviceberry shrub will eventually grow to be between 6 and 18 feet tall, making it a lovely alternative to a fence that will provide some shade and privacy. The bush will grow well in full sun to partial shade. The tasty berries attract birds, so if you plan to eat the fruit, be sure to cover with some netting before they ripen. <h2>Fig trees</h2> Originally from the dry Mediterranean, fig trees are a natural choice for regions with warm, dry summers and mild winters. These beautiful trees grow to be quite large&mdash;and pruning to control size can negatively impact the otherwise ample fruit production. If you have the space, these deciduous fruit trees can be a great way to provide cooling shade to your home and yard in the summer while still letting in much-needed light in the winter. <h2>Other low-water, edible plants</h2> This list of drought-tolerant edible plants is by no means exhaustive. A wide variety of plants&mdash;including artichokes, blackberries, muscadine grapes, and citrus trees&mdash;can thrive in low-water conditions while still producing food. When searching for low-water food plants that will thrive in your area, it pays to ask around. Your state&rsquo;s agricultural extension service, local nurseries, and master gardeners can provide you with a wealth of information. And don&rsquo;t forget about the neighbor whose garden is the envy of the block. Most gardening enthusiasts love sharing the knowledge they&rsquo;ve gained through years of experience. Remember: Even drought-tolerant plants will need regular watering early on to get them established. Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/edible_ideas_for_drought_resistant_landscaping http://www.kashi.com/articles/edible_ideas_for_drought_resistant_landscaping Make Your Home Heating System More Efficient According to the U.S. Department of Energy, over 40% of our home energy consumption can go towards heating. Even if you&rsquo;re not building a custom home or putting in a new heating system any time soon, there is plenty you can do to make your existing heating system more efficient. Remember, one sure and simple way to reduce energy use, no matter what type of system you have, is to lower your thermostat a few degrees and put on a sweater! <h2>Weatherproofing for energy efficiency</h2> This first line of defense in heating your home efficiently is to maximize the heat you have and prevent heat loss. Whether you take it on as a DIY project or hire a professional contractor, weather-proofing your home can help to conserve energy and cut down on your heating costs. <ul><li>Add insulation. Consider laying insulation in the attic or blowing insulation into the walls.</li> <li>Caulk doors and windows. It&rsquo;s cheap, fast and it really works to cut drafts and keep in the heat.</li> <li>Double-pane windows &mdash; real or temporary. While it&rsquo;s great to upgrade to dual-pane windows whenever possible, if that option is not available, consider putting plastic on your windows for the winter, especially if your home has single pane windows. Plastic sheeting is basically an inexpensive form of a storm window, creating an air pocket between the window and the plastic sheeting. This buffer zone acts to keep frigid air where it belongs &mdash; outside. The sheeting can be applied to either the inside or outside of a window. Inside installation is a fairly easy process involving double-sided tape, shrink wrap plastic, and a hair dyer and is fairly easy. Exterior installation is somewhat more technical, and can include stapling or nailing the plastic up with small wood strips around the perimeter of the window. Also, a wood frame can be fabricated and the plastic applied to it while on a flat work surface. The frame can then be attached to the exterior window trim using screws or clips to hold it in place. The frames can be removed in the spring and stored for re-use next winter.</li></ul> <h2>Maintenance</h2> Maintaining your current heating system will help combat energy loss. If you are like millions of homeowners across the country, you probably heat with some type of forced air furnace. A yearly inspection of your furnace by a licensed expert is highly recommended. A visual inspection of your filter once a month, especially in the winter months, will tell how often it needs to be changed. A clogged filter will cause your blower to work harder and stay on longer, adding extra wear and tear to the unit along with using more energy than is necessary. The filter is located at the furnace and should be easily recognizable. If it is dirty, change it! Ducts should be in good repair with no cracks or holes that can allow heat to escape. If holes or cracks are encountered, they should be repaired with metal, sticky backed tape, available at any hardware store. If, upon visual inspection, any mold or mildew is encountered, then a duct cleaning is almost certainly in order. This procedure is best done by a licensed professional. <h2>Programmable thermostat</h2> Another great way to save precious dollars and energy is to install a programmable thermostat. This relatively inexpensive device (between $30-$50) allows you to preset times and temperatures so that you are heating your home only when needed. Program lower temps when you are at work, then have another setting kick on the furnace before you get home to have a warm and toasty environment upon your arrival. More expensive versions ($80-$100) allow for different settings for individual days of the week, like weekends, for example, when you might require more heat during the day. Installation of a programmable thermostat is fairly straight-forward. But remember to turn off the breaker to kill the power to your thermostat before attempting any new installation! Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/make_your_home_heating_system_more_efficient http://www.kashi.com/articles/make_your_home_heating_system_more_efficient Making Friends Friends provide physical and emotional support through life&rsquo;s highs and lows, they give our experiences context and fill in where partners might leave off. <h2>Importance of good friends</h2> Multiple studies suggest that having friends helps reduce stress and may help lower blood pressure. Simply talking with friends can release calming chemicals in the brain. The benefits of friendships don&rsquo;t stop there. Scientists have observed that people with abundant social relationships have longer life expectancies than those who are lonely: friends may actually help us live longer lives! How could this be? Caring friends not only listen, but they may encourage better habits &mdash; noticing when we need rest, exercise, or a job change. <h2>Find new friends</h2> Make new friends by opening up and trying new things: <ul><li>Activity groups like hiking clubs or dance classes will hold your interest and potentially lead to more intimate relationships.</li> <li>Book groups and night classes are good friend hunting grounds for those with a love for deep conversation. </li> <li>Volunteering can bring you into contact with those with similar values, providing fertile ground for the growth of a deeper connection. </li> <li>Digital groups and chat rooms can provide support for those dealing with limited time. Some sites, like girlfriendcircles.com or letsbefriends.com match up friends by interest and location much like a dating service. Post an open invite for a group walk, coffee caucus, or interesting event on your Facebook page and see who shows up! </li></ul> <h2>Make the Friend Thing Happen</h2> You&rsquo;ve found new places to meet people, but how do you turn new acquaintances into friends? <ul><li>Pay attention to your energy. Is there is someone with whom you might want to spend more time? Do you feel better about yourself after talking with this person? Does your life feel more open when you think about spending time with them? </li> <li>Watch for signals. Is there a mention of a possible get-together? Pick up on cues, or make the first move yourself. </li> <li>Diversify! As we grow older it’s crucial to make connections with people of all ages. Interests change, and having a cadre of friends of many ages can help to keep life interesting and lively. </li></ul> <h2>Be a good friend</h2> The key to keeping friends is being a good friend yourself: <ul><li>Be an all-weather advocate: When tough times come, be a willing listener. Providing a safe haven in hard times will give your friendships the foundation you both need to weather challenging times. </li> <li>Keep the air fresh: Clearing the air of resentments and grievances as they arise is crucial to the health of all relationships. As tough as it might seem, deep trust arises over time from the resulting shared understanding. </li> <li>Listen up: Make an effort to suspend the desire to give advice or interrupt. Friends may not always resolve their challenges the way we ourselves might &mdash; or even the way we&rsquo;d want them to. Opinions can influence, but judgments may offend. </li> <li>Opt-out only: Establish a routine with a friend on which you can both depend. A 6 a.m. walk on Fridays before work? A Sunday tennis game and cold drink? Even a short 10-minute call once a week can keep the juice in a long-distance friendship. </li></ul> Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/making_friends http://www.kashi.com/articles/making_friends Kashi™ 7 Whole Grain Pilaf Serving Suggestions Kashi&trade; 7 Whole Grain Pilaf is an excellent springboard for getting creative with your cooking and eating more delicious whole grains &mdash; just ask renowned natural foods cookbook author, Mollie Katzen. Mollie likes to use the blends of seven whole grains as a base and let great flavor be her guide. The instructions for cooking the pilafs are on the packages so all you have to do is add your favorite ingredients &mdash; mix and match as the seasons and your tastes allow &mdash; to create a wide variety of dishes. Some of Mollie&rsquo;s favorites are: <ul><li>Breakfast Pilaf Sundae using nuts, dried fruits, chopped fresh fruit, and milk or yogurt added to the pilaf </li> <li>Mushroom Pilaf with sautéed garlic, red onion, and mushrooms mixed in with the pilaf <li>Pilaf &ldquo;Taboulleh&rdquo; with fresh mint, pine nuts, and lemon juice</li> <li>Sweet and Savory Pilaf of fresh parsley, green onions, dried currants or blueberries, chopped dried apricot, and almonds</li> <li>Pilaf Burritos combining pilaf with beans, salsa, and your favorite burrito toppings in a whole wheat flour tortilla</li></ul> Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/kashi%E2%84%A2_7_whole_grain_pilaf_serving_suggestions http://www.kashi.com/articles/kashi%E2%84%A2_7_whole_grain_pilaf_serving_suggestions Eco-Friendly Fabrics: Impact Facts Choosing eco-friendly fabrics &mdash; whether clothing or bedding &mdash; necessitates understanding the different impacts textile production and distribution can have. A multitude of processes and decisions, including economic, social, and environmental impacts are involved. While there are no easy answers, we&rsquo;ve pulled together a primer on the most important issues to consider when researching eco-friendly fabrics. <h2>Environmental impacts </h2> Environmental impacts are pervasive across the entire lifecycle of each product and can include energy use, fossil fuel depletion and greenhouse gas production from: <ul><li>Raw Material Extraction and Processing. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is produced by ruminant animals including cows, sheep, alpaca, and camel as they are raised for wool, leather, cashmere and other materials. </li> <li>Production Phases. Energy is used to power machinery, spin fibers and produce cloth (predominantly from man-made and synthetic fibers); synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester and acrylic are produced from fossil fuels; agrochemical inputs (fertilizers and pesticides) used for raising natural fiber crops are usually derived from fossil fuels. </li> <li>Use Phase. Energy is consumed in washing, pressing, and drying garments. Natural fibers often take more energy to wash and dry than synthetic fibers. </li> <li>Transportation. Fuel is consumed to physically transport goods between each stage in a product’s lifecycle. </li></ul> Land and water can be contaminated by toxic chemicals that arise from: <ul><li>Raw Material Extraction and Processing. Pesticides and fertilizers are used to raise natural crops (especially in conventional cotton production) and may degrade soil quality while uncontrolled runoff contaminates watersheds. </li> <li>Production Phases. Treatment, dyeing, finishing and laundering processes use and may release substances into wastewater that could be harmful if not properly treated. </li> <li>Use Phase. Laundry detergents use and release chemicals into waste water, which may be harmful if the wastewater isn't properly treated. </li></ul> <h2>Social impacts </h2> Social impacts are often concentrated at the raw material extraction and production phases of the textile and garment lifecycle. Clothing and textile companies often source from regions of the world where labor (and environmental) standards are lower than in the United States. The relatively unskilled labor requirements and limited regulation and monitoring of labor practices can lead to employee exploitation, unsubstantial pay, unhealthy or unsafe working conditions and other issues of serious concern. Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.kashi.com/articles/eco_friendly_fabrics_impact_facts http://www.kashi.com/articles/eco_friendly_fabrics_impact_facts