Wholegrain Blueberry-Sesame Muffins: by Finn's request! : D

This is my first time baking anything sweet since going raw, but the reviews are in and they get the approval of the toddler and picky adult male demographic representatives. ; )



Amounts are approximate because I cook by sight and feel more then measurement. Take heart because muffins are forgiving creations!


Wholegrain Blueberry-Sesame Muffins: (makes about 18 muffins)

2.5 cups stoneground whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. Baking powder (non-aluminum)
A pinch of salt
1 to 1.5 cups organic blueberries (we used frozen)
2 tbsp. Ground flaxseed
2 tbsp. Sesame seeds
1 tbsp. Chia seeds
3/4 or more (or less) sugar to taste
1-2 tsp. Cinnamon powder
1/4 cup olive oil

(Orange peel would go well, or lemon peel or juice if you are feeling the citrus vibe)


Bake on 375 degrees F in well-oiled muffin pan for about 25 minutes, until a knife inserted in center of the biggest one comes out clean. Turn off oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Take out and cool in pan 5 minutes, then carefully pry them out and cool on a wire rack!


Voila! Enjoy with smiles and gratitude, perhaps while looking ot the window, breathing fresh air and listening to bird songs, or your favorite tunes!

With all my love to all the universe!! ~laura

Why we should avoid GMO's from Organic Consumers' Association

Generation Monsanto (GM) - Why We Need Labels on GM Foods Now

Gen-M, the first Monsanto Generation of humans force-fed genetically modified foods hasn't reached reproductive age yet (they were born in the late 1990s). But, if a critical mass of animal feeding studies are any indication, the millennial generation, reared on Food Inc.'s unlabeled "Frankenfoods" can look forward to a long-term epidemic of cancer, food allergies, learning disabilities, sterility, and birth defects.

Corn (85% of U.S. production is GM), soy (91% GM), cotton (88% GM), canola (85% GM) and sugar beets (95% GM) are all genetically engineered by Monsanto to withstand massive doses of the company's glyphosate herbicide RoundUp, or else to exude their own pesticide, Bacillus Thuriengensis (Bt). RoundUp, the favorite weedkiller poison of non-organic farmers and gardeners, causes brain, intestinal and heart defects in fetuses. And scientists warn that RoundUp, the most extensively used herbicide in the history of agriculture, "may have dire consequences for agriculture such as rendering soils infertile, crops non-productive, and plants less nutritious." In addition, hundreds of thousands of US dairy cows are injected with genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone (developed by Monsanto) in spite of studies linking BGH with cancer, and longstanding bans on the drug in the EU, Japan, Canada, and most industrialized nations.

With genetically modified foods and crops threatening public health and the environment, not to mention the next generation's reproductive capacity, why isn't there a massive consumer outcry to restrain Monsanto's biotech bullying and ban genetically engineered foods and agriculture?

The answer is disturbingly simple. Collusion between Monsanto and elected public officials (including the current Obama Administration) has obscured the fact that almost all non-organic foods in the US contain GMOs. Despite poll after poll indicating that 85-95% of US consumers want mandatory labels on foods containing GMOs, Congress has heretofore listened to Monsanto and corporate agribusiness, rather than their own constituents. In the European Union, Japan, or South Korea, where GM foods must be labeled, there are no GM foods on grocery story shelves (and little or none served in restaurants), since most consumers would not buy them and a significant number would complain if they saw GMO labels on products. Consequently there are very few GM crops being cultivated in the EU (mainly a small amount of corn in Spain for animal feed).

Most Americans simply do not understand that 80% of non-organic supermarket processed foods (basically every product containing soy, corn, canola, cottonseed oil, or sugar beet derivatives) are contaminated with GMOs. While nearly everyone in North America has eaten genetically modified foods, only 26% believe that they have.

People don't think they're eating genetically modified foods because they have no way of knowing whether they are or not. Genetically modified foods aren't labeled.

If we're going to save this generation from reproductive dysfunction and save our farmland from the ravages of RoundUp, we need to stop Monsanto.

The first step is to protect consumers' right to know whether their food is genetically modified.

We need genetically modified food labeled now!

Write your Congresspersons and 2010 candidates for the House and Senate. Tell them to support mandatory labeling of all genetically modified foods.

TAKE ACTION>>>http://www.capwiz.com/grassrootsnetroots/issues/alert/?alertid=15154336&type=ML

Is This Factory Farming's Tobacco Moment?

Will Allen's article on Factory Farming- Is This Factory Farming's Tobacco Moment? A good read, pass it on to those that think the standard American cheap food cancerous way if life is normal and good.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_20581.cfm

natural method yoga- the definition

Natural Yoga- the methodology

Natural Yoga is a transformative practice that
inspires wellness and fitness in body, mind, heart
and spirit.

The four main points of Natural Yoga are listed
below. Each point builds on the last one.
Other frequent themes in class are non-judgment,
perspective, balance, compassion, choice &
acceptance.

Classes bring physical fitness & flexibility; meditation
via mindfulness practice; cardiovascular exercise
through deep breathing & a little mantra chanting;
& some insights and philosophy to inspire the heart.




Sadhana- living your yoga practice:

Yoga is a way of life- opening one self to the wisdom
& grace of nature, daily life and all living beings. Regular yoga
asana (pose) practice is key- once or twice a week or up to
everyday will strengthen your mindfulness and peace for life-
the ultimate yoga practice.

Mindfulness- unbiased observation of each moment:

As we practice mindfulness in yoga class & in the rest
of our life, it becomes the tool which helps us to see
the wisdom in all of our experiences. Mindfulness is crucial.

Avinabhava- we are inseparable from Nature, we are all one:

With our yoga practice & mindfulness we begin to see, feel,
know and live the truth of the inseperable, vast interconnection
that we all share. This includes our undeniable dependency on &
connection to the whole Earth as an eco-system. We are part
of the natural world, and the more our lives try to deny that truth,
the more we suffer disease & disaster. We need to live in a way
that blends sustainable & renewable resources, energy, & tech-
nology with a simpler way of life connected to nature’s rhythms,
including our diet. A whole food, plant-based (vegan) diet greatly
reduces our carbon footprint & our risk for many diseases.

Live a Love-Centered Life:

Once we realize our interconnection, we see that the happiness
of other living beings is as important as our own, it is the same. We
see their suffering as our own as well. We can make choices in life that put the welfare of the Earth first, because it will impact us all.

When we open our hearts in love to all of the joy and sorrow of life alike, we can truly live vividly. We can endure the ups & downs of life without suffering. We open ourselves up to see divine beauty everywhere, in everyone and everything.

Open, inclusive, unbounded love is ultimately what liberates us from suffering & negativity and brings us to a fulfilling life of deepest happiness, grace and joy.

Reading THE CHINA STUDY May Just Save Your Life!

Two years ago, dear friends of mine found out I was eating some dairy again and highly recommended that I read The China Study. I remember the strong feelings they shared about the book. I ended up turning vegan again of my own volition, and filed the book recommendation in my mind, but didn't seek it actively.

My veganism floundered & flopped in the face of 9 months of heavy nausea & strong aversions to my favorite dietary staple: beans. I drifted far and even for the first 6 months of Finn's life we've been using local cheese, milk & eggs.

I am always seeking ways to reduce our impact on the earth, so after much deliberation, we decided to go vegan again. I will share in another post the difference between "grocery store vegan" & "whole foods vegan", but we decided on a whole foods vegan lifestyle.

I finally felt the pull to read The China Study, for added inspiration. I deeply wish that I had only read it 2 years ago. It may have given me the power to have eaten even better for my baby & my self.

The China Study is loaded with the results of numerous studies, all professional and scientific, scholarly studies. Each study provides more & more weight to the theory that Western diseases (obesity, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders & more) are link to animal fat and protein consumption.

The correlation was so strong between cow's milk protein consumption and tumor growth that they literally could turn tumor growth on & off like a switch by raising and lowering protein levels!

We are told meat, milk & eggs are important for our health, so how can it be that they are killing us slowly? The meat & dairy industry have BILLIONS in clout to advertise, advise government recommendations & more. Oprah Winfrey was sued by the meat industry when she did a show on factory farming & said "that's enough to keep me from eating another hamburger again", because special laws are in place to protect the beef industry from libel. That violates freedom of speech, as guarenteed by our constitution!

I have heard of people adopting an organic, wholefood vegan lifestyle, using herbs and surrounding themselves with positive people & attitudes and curing their own cancer. I have seen a video years ago about this. The China Study helps me to remember & to believe.

The China Study talks about studies and through sheer bulk of such information, it provides a startlingly strong case for at least trying a whole food, plant-based diet for a month.

Please don't take my word for it, PLEASE READ THE CHINA STUDY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

I will say that in switching from a vegetarian to a vegan diet, before reading The China Study I noticed that my energy is better, I feel more clean & well, and my metabolism has picked up. I am not deprived, and by eating whole vegan foods, as the book states, you can eat whenever you are hungry, you can trust your body once again.

Animal agriculuture has been around 10,000 years, but humans hae been around for 200,000 years. We ate meat at times, but a token amount compared to the Western diet now. Mostly, we ate plants. Even with animal agriculture, we ate far less of our animal products, still a mostly plant-based diet. Eating excessive animal products was a sign of affluence and was known to be extravegant. That knowledge has been buried by the powers that be.

Please read THE CHINA STUDY and decide for yourself!