Friday Special

"THE USUAL SUSPECTS"
Have a great weekend!

Friday Special

10 Vegetarian Chili Recipes !

How did Meatless Monday go? Did you take the pledge and stick to it? 

We love this free Chili Cookbook from the Meatless Monday Campaign featuring 10 recipes such as Cajun Chili Cups, Cozy Cashew Chili, and Sweet Potato Chili Over Cous Cous.

Monday Chili e-Cookbook:  : http://bit.ly/mondaychili

FRIDAY SPECIAL

Meatless Monday - I Dare You !

The Monday Campaigns is a national movement backed by leading public health schools that dedicates the first day of every week to health. Every Monday, individuals and organizations join together to commit to healthy behaviors that help end chronic preventable diseases.

Why Monday? It’s the January of the week, the perfect time for a fresh start. People are more likely to begin exercising, start a diet or quit smoking on Monday than any other day. It’s a call to action built into every calendar – 52 chances a year to live a longer, healthier life!

Why Meatless?

Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.

Read about these benefits below. But keep in mind that just going meatless is not enough. That’s why we give you the information you need to add healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives to your diet each week. Further, if you do eat meat on other days, we strongly recommend grass-fed, hormone-free, locally-raised options whenever possible.

Health Benefits

• LIMIT CANCER RISK: Hundreds of studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk. Both red and processed meat consumption are associated with colon cancer.
• REDUCE HEART DISEASE: Recent data from a Harvard University study found that replacing saturated fat-rich foods (for example, meat and full fat dairy) with foods that are rich in polyunsaturated fat (for example, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds) reduces the risk of heart disease by 19%
• FIGHT DIABETES: Research suggests that higher consumption of red and processed meat increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• CURB OBESITY: People on low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A recent study from Imperial College London also found that reducing overall meat consumption can prevent long-term weight gain.
• LIVE LONGER: Red and processed meat consumption is associated with increases in total mortality, cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
• IMPROVE YOUR DIET. Consuming beans or peas results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat.

Environmental Benefits

• REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation. And annual worldwide demand for meat continues to grow. Reining in meat consumption once a week can help slow this trend.
• MINIMIZE WATER USAGE. The water needs of livestock are tremendous, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. Soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound.
• HELP REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE. On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein. Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.

Friday Special

Three Reasons to Love Ampelos Wines

from the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association as published on www.sbcountywines.com   "Ampelos" (a Greek name meaning "vine") truly represents the focus of Peter and Rebecca Work which is a shared belief, that all great wines are made in the vineyard. Good grapes produce great wine. As winemakers and farmers, they believe that taking care of and respecting the environment is essential in producing excellent wines.    Ampelos is one of the first vineyards in the US to be certified SIP (sustainability in practice), organic and biodynamic.   The estate vineyard has been planted with those varietals that showcase the location, soils and climate at the site. They are thrilled that those best suited to the Ampelos vineyard are those grapes which are their favorites! The varietals they have planted are Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache and a little bit of Viognier, based on extensive clone diversity to provide their "spice cabinet".   Click here to visit the Ampelos website    Click here to read about our focus on farming and the Winery of the Week page

Sustainable - in for the long term   Sustainable farming utilizes the principles of ecology - the study of relationships between organisms and their environment. It has been defined as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last over the long term."   Sustainable farming is far more encompassing, and more difficult to define, than either organic or biodynamic practices. Sustainability looks to protect both natural and human resources, and oftentimes a sustainable farm will also be organically or bio-dynamically farmed. In addition to farming, sustainability includes practices to enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends, make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources, sustain the economic viability of farm operations and enhance the quality of life for farmers, their community and society as a whole.   Our winery of the week, ampelos, for instance has installed solar power for their vineyard and home. Read about their farming practices here.    Vineyards and wineries can become SIP (Sustainability in Practice) certified.The comprehensive rules for SIP Certification (known as Standards) address many interrelated elements of the whole farm system. Habitat conservation, energy efficiency, pest management, water conservation, economic stability, and human resources are some of the key elements of the program. The Standards look at the farm in its entirety: the worker, soil fertility, cover crops, wildlife, native plants, irrigation, and more. Click here to check out the Standards for certification and learn more about this program.