Hot spot for avos this week… ripe and 99 cents at “To The  World Farm” veggie stand located at 655 Grand St. in Williamsburg (between Leonard St & Manhattan Ave)

We eliminate processed foods and meat!!

Found this article about what processed foods are on about.com – enjoy!

Question: What are processed foods?
I am having a hard time understanding what exactly is considered to be “processed food.” Do you have a list or something that would help me?
Jen – About.com User

Answer: Processed foods have been altered from their natural state for safety reasons and for convenience. The methods used for processing foods include canning, freezing, refrigeration, dehydration and aseptic processing.
We tend to think of processed foods as bad, but it turns out that many processed foods are not unhealthy. For example, milk would be considered a processed food because it is pasteurized to kill bacteria and homogenized to keep fats from separating. While some people prefer to drink raw milk, most of us should consume the “processed” version we find in our grocery stores.

Another healthy example of food processing is frozen vegetables. While fresh may be best, freezing vegetables preserves vitamins and minerals and makes them convenient to cook and eat all year around. Fruit and vegetable juice is also an example of a healthy processed food. In fact, some orange juice is fortified with calcium to make it even more nutritious.

Of course, there are a lot of processed foods that aren’t good for you. Many processed foods are made with trans fats, saturated fats, and large amounts of sodium and sugar. These types of foods should be avoided, or at least eaten sparingly.

Processed foods that may not be as healthy as fresh foods include:

•canned foods with lots of sodium
•white breads and pastas made with refined white flour, which are not as healthy as those made with whole grains
•packaged high-calorie snack foods, like chips and cheese snacks
•high-fat convenience foods, like cans of ravioli
•frozen fish sticks and frozen dinners
•packaged cakes and cookies
•boxed meal mixes
•sugary breakfast cereals
•processed meats
Processed meats might be some of the worst of these foods. Eating these meats may increase your risk of colorectal, kidney and stomach cancer. Processed meats include hot dogs, bologna, sausage, ham and other packaged lunch meats.
These processed foods and prepackaged meals are very convenient and popular. If you do shop for these foods, be sure to look for products that are made with whole grains, low in sodium and calories, and free of trans fats. Make sure you pay attention to serving size, too, and balance out the processed foods you eat with a delicious fresh salad and some whole grain bread.

Sources:

Larsson SC, Wolk A. “Meat consumption and risk of colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis of prospective studies.” Int J Cancer. 2006 Dec 1;119(11):2657-64.

Faramawi MF, Johnson E, Fry MW, Sall M, Yi Z. “Consumption of different types of meat and the risk of renal cancer: meta-analysis of case-control studies.” Cancer Causes Control. 2007 Mar;18(2):125-33. Epub 2007 Jan 22.

Larsson SC, Orsini

Last week we held our first ever “big” giveaway via our Twitter page (@freshfromFL) for locals in Tallahassee, where we are based. We gave away five big grocery bags full of fresh produce and cooking utensils. Fifteen other winners also received a goody bag as well.

I am happy to report it was a success and a lot of fun to do! Pictured below are four out of five of our winners. (It’s my fault for not taking a picture of one of the winners.)

Thanks again to everyone who participated and we look forward to doing more giveaways! And yes, that is a tomato costume. Many thanks to our coworker Pam for being our model!

134 million shoppers were expected to hit the stores Friday

By all reports so far, this year’s Black Friday was a bright one, with stores posting sales increases of over 40% from last year. 

As AC Nielsen predicted and we blogged about on 10/25, consumers are indeed driven to spend despite the recession.

Yet there is one retail segment not celebrating Black Friday:  supermarkets.  In the normally profitable fresh produce department (10%+ of total store sales) Black Friday delivers little green…dollars, that is. 

As retail expert Dick Spezzano, of  Spezzano Consulting Services, Inc., and former VP at The Vons Cos. (leading Southern California chain) , notes about the post-Thanksgiving doldrums:
 

“You’re coming off the #1 vegetable Holiday of the entire year.  Building back from that high can take a couple of weeks.”  In fact, from Black Friday to about nine days or so before Christmas is among the slowest sales time for the produce department.  He explains:

“We all experience the turkey and fixins’ left overs.  So, or the three to six days after Thanksgiving the consumer doesn’t  need to visit the supermarket.  This is especially relevant in a recessionary climate.  Also, families are busy Christmas shopping.”

Spezzano claims that many grocery chains don’t even run full ads on the weekend after Thanksgiving (grocery ads typically run Tuesday or Wednesday to the following mid-week).

“They’re wasting mark-down dollars because they don’t  get anything for the effort.”   While he says many will have a few ‘hot specials’ that complement left overs, like bread, mayo etc., store sales are definitely down from an average day. 

The sales pattern typically is as follows:  up to a high of of 280% on Tuesday and 250% Wednesday before the Holiday; down to 50-60% on Black Friday and then only climbing back to normal (100%) by the following Thursday. 

Some chains go creative to lure customers.  One California company created a “post-Thanksgiving sale” with a coupon for $25 off when you purchase $75 or more Friday through Sunday.  That’s over 30% in savings.

The sales downturn, however, is not just due to post-Holiday customer lack of interest in produce.   Fact is, there is just less to sell in the department during this time.  As Spezzano says:

“The summer fruit, melons, grapes, berries and more exciting products are gone, and we are at the end of the domestic and beginning of the import season.  Even with the increase in apple varieties and the start of the citrus season, you have less high-volume SKUs to sell.”

Here’s a thought for next Thanksgiving:  instead of or after heading to the mall, support your local supermarket’ s produce department.  You need that healthy stuff after all those carbs…and they deserve to have a Black Friday, too.

Glorious Produce: The fertile Central Valley north and south of Santiago pumps out tons of fresh produce year round. In Santiago alone there are 400 farmers markets in addition to central depots like Lo Valledor and the Vega Central. In all the cities and towns, there is always a market hawking the freshest fruits and veggies at HALF the price of any supermarket. We are so spoiled here to have such abundant food coming from the countryside. The variety of foods is staggering: cherries, apricots, asparagus, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, Chilean papayas, lucuma, apples, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, fresh artichokes, figs, chard, corn, half a dozen types of tomatoes, a dozen types of avocado, zucchini, eggplant, okra, peppers, chilies, faba beans, sweet potato, tons of greens from watercress to wild arugula and dandelion, the list is endless. Needless to say, having a whole foods diet here is pretty easy.

Hilly Topography: I love the contours of the rolling hills of the coastal mountains and Andean foot hills. Each bend in a road reveals a new micro valley (hence, all the good wine!). In the winter and spring, the hills turn emerald green with the rain. By February and March, the end of summer, they have turned a toasty color of caramel from the lack of rain. Last year in California as we drove from LA to Napa, we were blown away by the similarities in the topography of the California coast and Chile. Especially around San Luis Obispo, we could have sworn we were in the San Antonio valley and coast.

Temperature Oscillation: It may hit 95F at 4pm when the mercury is at its hottest in the summer time but by 10pm, the temperature will have plummeted to 55F. Perfect weather for sleeping with a soft comforter and an open window. It always, always cools off . This is one of the reasons for the great wines in Chile–and also why you must layer, layer, layer when dressing since you will put on and take off clothing depending on the time of day.

No Humidity: Growing up in eastern Pennsylvania, mugginess was part of the summer equation. I never really noticed it since A/C is a way of life. Upon arriving in Chile, I could hardly believe how comfortable it was to live in a climate with little to no humidity (minus some dry skin on occasion). Delightful in a word. Most Chileans who grow up in Santiago do not handle heat and humidity well. When my husband and I have been in Brazil or Florida in the summer, he just dies. The only way to beat the heat is to head into the A/C or strip down to a swimsuit. Not the case in Chile, just find some shade and instantly 10 degrees less.

Snow is Optional: Ok, I will admit it. I am so over cold winters and living in snow. As much as I am visualizing snow on Christmas Eve for our upcoming trip to the US (a nostalgic thing), the thought of shoveling, driving, and freezing every time I walk outside, umm, no thanks. My blood has gotten thin living down here and I like warmer weather. Even in the winter in Chile, it rarely drops below 50 for the day time high even though there’s abundant snow in the mountains. So if you want to play in the snow, all you do is go “up”.

No Bugs: Yes, that’s right. No bugs. That’s why you will hardly ever see screens in the Central valley. With the exception of some annoying flies and the occasional bee, you don’t see too many flying insects. A good fly swatter is essential.

Spring: One of my favorite times of year, the trees and orchards blossom into beautiful shades of white, pink, and fuscia, with colorful wildflowers like California poppies dotting the roadsides. The hills are still green from the winter rains, the sun feels a little warmer, the air smells fresh and sweet, birds begin to sing their praises, and asparagus and artichokes (quite possibly my favorite veggies) start to flood the markets.

Summer: Delicious in a word. The hot days, cool nights, and ample sunshine are just exquisite. I never, ever want to travel too far during the summers, especially since Santiago slows down and the traffic diminishes. It is balmy, breezy, and just gorgeous. Also the estación de la fruta, fruit season, when melons, berries, cherries, nectarines, and peaches abound. Literally on every Chilean table for dessert is a simple, tempting fruit platter.

Fall: I love fall because of two things: grape harvest in the vineyards and figs. Oh, those figs! Fig trees are in many backyards in Chile and in March yield tiny, sweet, earthy fruit that I make into my famous chutney, grill, stuff and roast with goat cheese, wrap in Serrano ham. As the harvest comes starts in wine country, the vines turn deep shades of gold and crimson red and the air fills with the sweet, musky aromas of wine fermentation. The light seems to become more golden too.

Winter: Winter is always hard for me because I miss the light. Short days feel like prison! In Chile however, winter means rain and I adore rainy days. I love sloshing in my Patagonia rain gear to the markets, then coming home to make a soothing cazuela, or pop open a delicious, soul warming Cabernet. After the rain, the Andes look so vibrant in freshly colored snow and the city air reminds me of the South with cool, fresh scents of invigorating eucalyptus and pine.

While Santiago and the Central Valley are amazing to visit year round (we have lots of Texan clients who love to beat the heat in July/August), other parts of Chile are ideal. Although the days may be shorter, in places like Patagonia, the winds stop and sun shines so you can do excursions in kayak, horseback riding on snowy mountains, and while in the Torres del Paine, you feel like you OWN the park. Atacama is sunshine year round as is Mendoza. But take me out of my Mediterranean climate–never. Maybe just a temporary relocation to California, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Greece, or Turkey.

I recently returned from a visit to San Diego where I spent Thanksgiving with my aunt and several cousins. Before I headed down south, I researched Farmers’ Markets in the area that we might be able to visit. I found an evening market in Ocean Beach that sounded pretty good so I proposed the idea of a visit the eve before Thanksgiving to the gang. “Sounds good” was the reply.  And, so it was that we headed out on the eve before Thanksgiving to explore the Ocean Beach Farmers\’ Market.

The first thing we saw as we approached the market was the llamas. If you’ve got little folks with you, who are under 75 lbs & 4 ft tall, they can take a llama ride. We didn’t have anyone who fit that description. But, there were some little folks who did and they were already taking a ride  so we spent a few minutes watching them before we headed out to explore the rest of the market. Like so many of the evening markets, this one has a festive atmosphere, like that of a street fair. There was a wonderful mix of things to see, to taste, to smell, to touch, and to hear.

There definitely was some incredible produce to choose from, we bought some green beans, baby carrots and baby chard. We also tasted humus from a vendor who had so many choices you could get full by just tasting. As we wandered along, I saw a sign for tamales, which I love. But, then I saw they also had something called a chili relleno taco. OK, even though we were going out to dinner, I said to myself, I have to try this. It was sooooooo yummy. I’m still thinking about that taco and hoping that I’ll get another chance to try one again.
We stopped several times to listen to various musicians and chat with vendors offering samples to taste. Half way down the block we marveled at the people gathered around the mini donut booth. We didn’t try any but from the length of the line they must be a favorite. My cousin ventured down a little side street lined with artisans with hand crafted items. She bought a beautiful hand crocheted hat that was her favorite color.

If you looking for a great way to spend an evening in San Diego check out the Ocean Beach Farmers’ Market. I know I’ll be headed back next trip down that way.

If you’re looking for certified organic products in Los Cabos, you’re in luck. Ironically, we’re one of the worlds’ leading producers of organic herbs (so I’m told) but finding organic produce in the markets can be a challenge. Unless it’s Saturday morning, and then you’re in luck!

On the San Jose side of the world there is a huge organic/local market during the winter months. I’ve not been (working girl), but have been on the radio often enough with Sabrina Lear and Claudia Velo to have memorized their website address: www.sanjomo.com. They have more than 60 vendors every Saturday, including organic products and local artisans. Sounds like a lot of fun, one of these days I’ll have to take the day off and go enjoy the scene.

In the meantime, I visit the smaller organic farmer’s market here in Cabo San Lucas. While our market may be smaller, it continues all summer long (although with a vastly reduced selection but that’s the nature of local markets, you get what’s in season). This market is held just outside the back gate of the Pedregal community. If you take the main drag through town (L. Cardenas) to the town square and then continue straight for about a block you’ll see the turn-off onto a cobblestone street. Just across from the El Camino school is the Mar a Dentro spa, the market is held on their grounds and when there are lots of vendors spills out onto the sidewalk. Most of the vendors sell fresh, organic produce and herbs. And they are sooo good! Today bananas were in season. While organic bananas might never win a beauty contest with their commercially-grown kin, they win it all on taste. The herb harvest is pretty dependable in all but the very hottest weather, with fresh basil, dill, mint, lemon grass and many other types sold in large bunches for 10 or 15 pesos. Tomatoes, baby lettuce, citrus of all sorts, sweet potatoes, squash and tropical fruits can be found. Today I even had my first look at fresh (not dried) Jamaica. Jamaica is hibiscus blossoms commonly used to make tea.

Many of the vendors also have fresh, homemade cheese called queso fresco; some have organic free-range chicken for sale. Artisan bread that looks lovely is offered as are tamales. The Cabo Pirogie ladies are usually near the entrance, try to stroll by their booth while they’re sampling their yummy pirogies and sauces. OK, so Chipotle Pirogie is not specifically a Mexican dish, we’ll adopt it. Yum! Some of the vendors bring plants, and there is often a booth or two of hand-crafted items. The Humane Society has a booth selling T-shirts and Caps, not organic but for a great cause. They also bring used books and the occasional adoptable dog. A flower grower sometimes comes and offers the only cut flowers in Los Cabos that will last more than a few hours without drooping. Her arrangements last at least a week.

All of the above are sold at very reasonable prices. The vendors will appreciate having small bills or coins: change is at a premium.

Even if you’re not a health nut, the organic produce will eventually spoil you. And it’s a great way to start your Saturday, if you don’t run into someone you know at the market you’ll quickly make an acquaintance. Just one of the little adventures that makes living in Los Cabos more fun.

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of REALTY EXECUTIVES Los Cabos. A Certified Home Marketing Specialist, she has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for nine years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on www.reloscabos.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541.

Search more than 2000 listings on the new www.lovecabo.net

© 2009 Carol S. Billups

How to build a portfolio:

• When starting out, do some work for free to get experience.
• Record important information, such as the dates of the job, parties involved, and your hours worked.
• List the project’s goals, show before and afters, and list your accomplishments during the project.
• Get recommendations from those you worked with.

Keep all this on file, and branch into two versions: one that has every detail of every project and another with just the summary and your accomplishments.

When applying for a position, you will need to tailor your portfolio to the job description. It’s worth it.

Photography: Randy Mayor

The day after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start thinking of making some turkey soup. A few years ago I ran across a recipe for a Turkey Pot-au-Feu. This is not your typical turkey noodle soup. In fact, it doesn’t even have noodles. Pot-au-Feu is a simple French dish of meat and vegetables simmered together. This version has lots of wonderful fresh winter veggies, from the Farmers’ Market, combined with tender chunks of leftover turkey, all floating in a rich broth. The finishing touch, fresh picked thyme from the garden. I love serving this with a hot crusty loaf of garlic Asiago bread and a glass of wine. This is the perfect after Thanksgiving dish.

Turkey Pot-au-Feu

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 cup quartered crimini mushrooms

½ cup chopped carrot

½ cup chopped leek

½ cup chopped peeled rutabaga

½ cup chopped peeled turnips

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

½ cup dry white wine

4 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth (or homemade turkey broth)

2 cups leftover cooked turkey, chopped (light and dark meat)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

½ teaspoon salt

Dash of black pepper

Fresh thyme sprigs

1.  Heat 1 ½ teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until golden. Remove mushrooms from pan.

2.  Heat 1 ½ teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add carrot and next 4 ingredients (carrot through garlic); sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until reduced to ¼ cup (about 1 minute). Add mushrooms, broth, turkey, chopped thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Serves 6 (1 cup size servings)

What to shop for at the Farmers’ Market:

½ lb crimini mushrooms

1 medium carrot

1  medium leek

1 rutabaga

1 turnip

garlic

fresh thyme

Today I checked out Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market. A year round Organic Farmer’s Market just a bit west of centre – Dufferin & Bloor. I have only shopped at a Farmer’s Market once or twice and living across the street from a Sobey’s got me feeling pretty guilty. I hate GUILT, but I’ve just finished reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma and it just got me thinking – even more than I already do – about eating organic, sustainably, and locally etc. I won’t get into it all here, but I thought I should figure out the closest option for me to buy local, organic.

The market was cute, maybe 15 vendors there today. There are 30 plus in the summer. I bought some seasonal produce for $7 – butternut squash, potatoes, yams, onions, broccoli, and carrots. I used half of this stuff tonight for dinner and it was delicious. The vegetables being noticeably more delicious than the ones I have bought at Sobey’s before.

I want to do this as often as possible and I buy organic in the grocery store as often as possible, but I can’t say I’m strict to these rules all the time. Why? I don’t know. Convenience, price… all the reasons most people don’t go to a Farmers Market or buy 100% organic. I don’t lose sleep over it at night or anything, but tonight maybe I’ll sleep just a little better.

I am Thankful for…family, friends, and delicious food! Especially chocolate chip pumpkin bread.

I woke up this morning to pancakes, the smell of pumpkin cheesecake, and the sounds of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade filtering up from the living room downstairs. There is nothing better than Thanksgiving!

Since the season for all things pumpkin is drawing to a close, I decided to feature some delicious chocolate chip pumpkin bread today. Though Thanksgiving will be over after today, and the decorative gourds will be composted and replaced fluidly with the glitter of holiday lights and wreaths, it doesn’t mean you can’t tote this yummy bread with you to holiday parties all the way through New Years!

The great thing about this pumpkin bread is that it is actually really healthy–and it’s delicious. It has no fat, and it’s full of beta-carotene and antioxidants from the massive amounts of pumpkin, and it’s made from whole wheat flour. It’s one of those tricky foods that doesn’t taste healthy or bland, though, because of the blend of delicious spices and the chocolate chips!

So, with that, The Top 3 Reasons You Should Bake This Delicious Stuff as Soon As Possible:

1. Pumpkin is one of the 14 SuperFoods

In their bestselling book, SuperFoodsRx, authors Dr. Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews advocate building your diet around fourteen staple SuperFoods (one of which is pumpkin!)–they claim you’ll have more energy and look better.

“Foods – the right foods – can actually change the course of your biochemistry. They can help to stop damage at the cellular levels that can develop into disease . . .”

So eat more pumpkin! This pumpkin bread is a great excuse.

2. It’s Easy–and (3.) Delicious!

It’s hard to find a healthy food so widely accepted. This bread, however, is sure to turn even the most adamant of pumpkin non-believers into a lover with just one warm, gooey slice! the best part? It’s so easy to make! It has 12 ingredients, most of which are spices, and the outcome is soft, tasty muffins or loaves that are perfect to serve up at home or give as “tasteful” gifts.

This recipe is the result of a trial-and-error quest for pumpkin bread perfection–about twenty batches were made to get it right! It’s unique to my family, so enjoy!

The World’s Healthiest Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup white sugar (light brown sugar can also be used as a substitute)

- 2 eggs

- 1 small can (15 oz) of canned pumpkin

- 1/4 cup water (Optional–if needed to thin the consistency)

- 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour (If you don’t have whole wheat, all-purpose flour works as well)

- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1/2 to 1 full cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C)

2. Grease and flour the muffin/loaf pan or use paper liners

3. Mix sugar and eggs, then add pumpkin and water. In a separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in over for 20-25 minutes.

Does your family have any special Thanksgiving traditions? What’s the most popular dish on the table? Share your Thanksgiving thoughts in the comments!

]]> http://imageryoflight.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/at-the-market/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:39:22 +0000 Sheila Creighton http://imageryoflight.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/at-the-market/

Locally grown flowers and gourds.

A view taken at the Trails End Farmers Market, London. This wonderful market is a great place to visit, especially on Saturdays when there are many more local vendors with a wide array of locally grown and produced products  – shop locally!

© S. Creighton 2009

Holiday leftovers don’t last long in our homes. Especially the Very Tasty Turkey Salad. (Chicken works well, too.) The trick is starting with a well-seasoned turkey. Stacey’s husband is from the island of Puerto Rico and taught us to make “pavochon,” a turkey seasoned Puerto Rican style that consists of ground garlic cloves, Sazón spices, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Grind those ingredients with a mortar and pestle, cut slits in the bird and rub the seasoning under the skin, atop the skin and inside the cuts. Let that sit for a day or two before slow roasting the bird in a self-basting turkey oven bag. The key here is LOW and SLOW.

Take leftover pieces of the bird and rip them apart or chop. To taste, add a bit at a time of the following: Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, chopped scallions, a sliced hard-cooked egg or two, diced tomatoes, pepper and salt. There are no rules with Turkey Salad; get creative!

What are you doing with your leftovers? Please share your ideas with other readers!

How Stacey Got the Shot: On the dining room table with natural light and foam core set up to bounce light onto the subject and fill in shadows. ISO 100, focal length 50mm, f/4, 1/100 second exposure.

Clearly, strategic planning is no panacea. Strategic planning is simply a set of concepts, procedures, and tools designed to help leaders, managers, and planners think and act strategically. Used in wise and skillful ways by a “coalition of the willing,” strategic planning can help organizations focus on producing effective decisions and actions that further the organization’s mission, meet in mandates, and satisfy key stakeholders. But strategic planning is not a substitute for strategic thinking and acting. Only caring and committed people can do that. And when used thoughtlessly, strategic planning can actually drive out precisely the kind of strategic thought and action it is supposed to promote.

Furthermore, strategic planning is not a substitute for leadership. There is simply no substitute for leadership when it comes to using strategic planning to enhance organizational performance. At least some key decision makers and process champions must be committed to the strategic planning process, or any attempts to use it are bound to fail.

In addition, strategic planning is not synonymous with creating an organizational strategy. Organizational strategies have numerous sources, both planned and unplanned. Strategic planning is likely to result in statement of organizational intentions, but what is realized in practice will be some combination of what is intended and what emerges along the way. Strategic planning can help organizations develop and implement effective strategies, but they should also remain open to unforeseen opportunities. Too much attention to strategic planning and excessive reverence for strategic plans can build organizations to other unplanned and unexpected—yet incredibly useful—sources of information, insight, and action.

The discipline necessary for strategic planning can be of two sorts. The first harkens back to Latin root of the word “discipline,” emphasizing instruction, training, education, and learning. The second embodies later interpretations of the word, emphasizing order, control, and punishment. Emphasis should be placed on education and learning, although there clearly are occasions when imposing order, taking control, and enforcing appropriate sanctions are appropriate. Certainly, key leaders, managers, and planners can best use strategic planning as an educational and learning tool, to help them figure out what is really important and what should be done about it. Sometimes this means following a particular sequence of steps and preparing formal strategic plans, but not necessarily. The ultimate goal of strategic planning should not be a rigid adherence to a particular process or an instance on the production of plans. Instead, strategic planning should promote wise strategic thought and action on behalf of an organization and its key stakeholders. What steps to follow, in what sequence, and whether or not to prepare formal plans are subsidiary concerns.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, and my Lectures.

WE WANT TO WISH  A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU WONDERFUL READERS: COLLEAGUES, CLIENTS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY! 

WE HAVE MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

Last week was a milestone for the food industry:  the Senate  passed the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 (S.510), also called the Durbin Bill.

The bill will still go through further modifications and votes, so is not yet law…but it is expected to become so in 2010, and other than health care reform, this is said to be a top Washington priority.

This has not been a welcome development for many smaller producers and manufacturers, who fear that they will go out of business due to the costs of compliance.   Receivers fear that it will also raise costs across the distribution system that will affect their margins. Yet there are industry groups out there attempting to mitigate this.

On the fresh side, organizations such as the United Fresh Produce Association (www.unitedfresh.org), for example,  have done an excellent job of representing this group before Congress, arguing that many suppliers need assistance to comply lest they go out of business.  

Tom Stenzel, United’s CEO, is committed to this approach to maintain the strength of the Bill, preferring to educate and assist its achievement rather than “water” it down for easier compliance. 

Like all other such documents, this bill is a weighty tome written in legalese only policy wonks can love.  The merits of each of its points will not be the focus of this blog.  However, stay tuned as we will address the bill’s specific points later and what they mean to you as a food marketer.

You know what makes me feel happy?  Seasonal produce.  Yep, seasonal produce makes me happy.  Here is a list of what is growing in Washington State until the end of November.  Maybe some of your Thanksgiving menus include some of these yummy items.  If anyone has a recipe to share, send it our way!!! Happy eating!

• Apples
• Asian Pears
• Beans
• Beets
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celeriac
• Celery
• Chard
• Collard Greens
• Cranberries
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Hearty Greens (Bok Choy, Kale, Mustard Greens)
• Jerusalem Artichokes
• Kohlrabi
• Leaf Lettuce
• Leeks
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Pumpkins
• Radishes
• Raspberries
• Rutabagas
• Shallots
• Spinach
• Turnips
• Winter Squash

Sí, intrépido lector. El sueño de la razón produce monstruos, y laciudadenllamas trae hoy una prueba fehaciente de ello. De la mano de Azucena, que acaba de descubrir las bondades de photoshop. Y es que a los tres segundos de verla recortando la cabeza de Herman Monster, supe que había creado yo mismo un monstruo. Ha sido como enseñarle a Bin Laden el uso del amosal.

]]> http://freshfromflorida.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/thanksgiving-sides/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:17:30 +0000 Sarah http://freshfromflorida.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/thanksgiving-sides/

I’ve never really cared too much about the turkey on Thanksgiving.  It’s the side dishes that I always look forward to.  Favorites: Squash casserole, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole… I think you get the idea. Unfortunately, all of these classic Thanksgiving sides are full of calories and high in fat.  Luckily you can make healthier versions of each dish that feature the same main ingredients.. it may even save you time when preparing your meal. Check out these different versions of classic side-dish recipes for Thanksgiving dinner:

Florida Honey and Ginger Glazed Carrots
Sunshine Sweet Potatoes
Squash and Tomato Gratin
Snap Beans with Red Bell Pepper
Fresh Creamed Corn
Snap Beans with Mustard and Country Ham
Spruced Up Mashed Potatoes
Celery Stuffing
and for dessert… Mucho Mango Bread Pudding

I used to make this vegetable pot pie when I was a student because it is easy and cheap. I made it for dinner tonight because I haven’t made it in over a year and a friend requested that I post something vegan. The original recipe, Incredible This-will-become-your-favorite Veggie Pot Pie, is from VegWeb. I was going to make an awesome nut loaf, but then I remembered I have only ever made it at other people’s homes because I lack a food processor and it is essential to that recipe. I’m posting the recipe as I tend to modify it below. In other news I really need to go buy some lamps/lights/fixture now that it is dark before dinner so I can take decent photos.

The recipe calls for a premade pie crust, but since I enjoy making pastry I made my own with vegetable shortening. So you can buy one or make one from a recipe you like.

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 potatoe
3 medium carrots
1 small zuchinni
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup broccoli
1 small red onion
8oz canned black beans, drained
1 package frozen spinach
garlic cloves, sage, rosemary, thyme
salt and pepper
2 tbsp flour or cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut all the vegetable into small pieces. I throw the potatoes and carrot into a dish and pre-cook them a wee bit (microwave or oven works). Do not fully cook them or they will be mushy when your pie is done. Toss all the vegetables except for the spinach in a bowl.

In a saucepan bring vegetable broth to a boil with the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Add flour or cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Then pour the sauce over the vegetables and mix well.

Fill the pie crust with the vegetables and top with the frozen spinach. Here is where the original recipe calls for vegan cheese. I find vegan cheese fairly gross so sometimes I grate some real cheddar on the pie at this point. Top with pie crust, crimp the edge and make a few slits in the top. Bake for 40 minutes in a 400F oven.

If you have read my “Who is Annie?” page you know I have been eating naturally for most of my life. I also have have been collecting, and receiving cookbooks as gifts, for most of my adult life, which is quite a while. Like most cooks, I have favorites. Favorite books and favorite recipes.  This recipe for pumpkin pie comes from an old favorite,  a 1971 paperback edition of, The New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook, by Jean Hewitt. My copy has been well used over the years. Favorite pages, have come away from the binding, and many of them are stained with splatters. The pages are yellowed, some dogeared or torn. It’s old and worn but still has much to give. At this time of sharing, I would like to share this favorite with you.

Look for one of those nice little “Sugar Baby” pumpkins at the Farmers’ Market. They’re perfect for pumpkin pie.