Monday, February 16, 2009

Mail Order Grass Fed Beef Delivered

Here is my Grass Fed Beef Story.  For a long time I would try and make my mother-in-law's (who lives outside of the US) traditional Maltese dishes.  They would never be bad, but they were never like hers.  In the meantime, I had been reading about the benefits of Grass Fed Beef so I decided to buy some and try it.  I happened to be making one of her dishes, Zucchini stuffed with beef.  I honestly wasn't expecting to taste a difference, I thought I would only notice a change in my health.  Wow! Was all my husband and I could say when we took our first bite of that stuffed zucchini...Finally we had the traditional taste we had been looking for in those recipes.  It hadn't been my cooking that was throwing off the taste of the dish, it was the bland, corn-fed beef.  Using The Grass Fed Beef in my dished not only had health benefits, it also tasted better!



Why Should You Buy Your Grass Fed Beef from Greensbury Market?

SUPERIOR DIET LEADS TO EXTRAORDINARY TASTE

Greensbury Market works with farmers that raise their livestock and poultry with an emphasis on taste. They do so without growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

These farmers have created innovative and unique diets that consist of a variety of green-growing forage. One of our ranchers admitted he spent more than 15 years fine-tuning the different types of grasses, plants and alfalfas he feeds his cattle to make his meat taste great.

If that sounds like a lot of work - it is. The cattle graze on different pastures and are fed different types of forage. The rich and nutritious combination of fresh plants stimulates the animals’ appetite to eat and they put on a healthy amount of weight. With more weight, the meat marbles and becomes more flavorful and tasty.

More marbling also means the steaks are more tender, but to assure they are as tender as can be, Greensbury Market only sells dry-aged beef.


Don’t just read about how tasty Greensbury Market meats are, try the Greensbury Sampler to taste a variety of our meats.

DRY-AGING FOR 21 DAYS INCREASES TENDERNESS AND FLAVOR

Dry-aging is close to becoming a lost art. Before meat production became ‘industrialized’ and ‘wet aging’ became the norm, this was the way beef was prepared. Wet aging was more cost-effective and consumers got used to the taste. Most consumers forgot what steak really tastes like.

These days, most beef suppliers can’t be bothered because dry-aging involves considerable expense. In organic, grass-fed beef, dry-aging is uncommon.

To dry-age beef, the meat is stored in a controlled refrigerated environment where humidity is kept at 85% and the temperature is between 34° and 36° F. During the dry-aging process water within the meat evaporates, leaving a concentrated rich, natural beef flavor. The meat’s natural enzymes break down tough connective tissue, leading to more tender beef.

Research from major universities indicates dry aging enhances the flavor and tenderness of steak. For this reason, dry-aged steaks are very popular in fine, high-end steakhouses.

Don’t just read about how tasty Greensbury Market meats are, try the Greensbury Sampler to taste a variety of our meats.

ALL GREENSBURY FARMS ARE CERTIFIED USDA ORGANIC…

All Greensbury Market farms are certified United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic. That means each ranch has been visited by a Government-approved inspector to make sure the livestock and poultry is being grown according to all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards.

The USDA organic label means a lot of good things. What it doesn’t mean is sustainability. It doesn’t mean a farm can support itself. It doesn’t mean what is produced on that farm isn’t ‘industrialized.’ It doesn’t mean the farm has a positive impact on the environment. And it doesn’t mean the animals raised on the farm are treated humanely.

This is one reason some people have started to say organic agriculture has drifted away from the original intent of the farmers that first rejected the chemical-industrial system.

But Greensbury Market has gone out and found farmers who have taken organic one step further.

Don’t just read about how tasty Greensbury Market meats are, try the Greensbury Sampler to taste a variety of our meats.

GREENSBURY MARKET’S ORGANIC FARMS ARE SELF-SUSTAINING

Greensbury’s farmers and ranchers not only receive USDA organic certification on their farms, they take organic to a whole new level. Their farms are completely self-sufficient and sustainable.

Most of the feed is grown on the farms. If grain is brought to the ranch, it is organic and used in minimal amounts to supplement the chickens’ and hogs’ diets. Cattle are only fed forage from the ranch.

Greensbury’s farmers and ranchers treat their animals humanely, allowing them to graze freely. They rotate grazing to allow the grass and soil to replenish naturally.

Organic to them means much more than just avoiding synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and unnecessary antibiotics and growth hormones. The meat products produced organically on self-sustaining farms have been called “Beyond Organic.

We didn’t invent the term but we like the way it describes the way our farmers take care of the land and animals and the beef, chicken and pork products we ship to you.

Farms that practice sustainable agriculture are good for the environment. By reducing their use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and using less fuel (to truck in pesticides, fertilizers and feed), they decrease chemical run-off and the dependence on foreign oil. These farms have a smaller carbon footprint and help replenish and rejuvenate the land for future generations.

The Greensbury Market farms do NOT use synthetic growth hormones nor antibiotics, which are commonly used by factory farms. Growth hormones are used to make cattle grow faster, but are thought to have negative health effects and contaminate surface and groundwater. The widespread overuse of antibiotics in farm animals has contributed to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and make it harder to treat human disease.

Don’t just read about how tasty Greensbury Market meats are, try the Greensbury Sampler to taste a variety of our meats.

GRASS-FED MEATS ARE THE HEALTHIEST MEATS ON THE PLANET

When compared to grain-fed livestock, grass-fed and pasture-raised meats are among the healthiest of protein sources on the planet.

Compared with commercial products, Greensbury Market meats offer more “good” (unsaturated) fats and fewer “bad” (saturated) fats. Grass-fed meats can have up to one third less fat as a similar cut from a grain-fed animal. Because they are lower in fat than grain-fed animals, grass-fed meat is lower in calories.

Grass-fed meats also have two to four times more omega-3s than meat from grain-fed animals. Omega 3s are heart-friendly, “good” fats that play a vital role in every cell in your body. People with ample amounts of omega-3s in their diets are less likely to have high blood pressure and 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack. In addition, omega-3s are essential for proper brain functioning and may reduce the risk of cancer.

Grass-fed meats are also one of the richest sources of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs). CLAs may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer. A Finnish researcher showed women with the highest level of CLA in their diets had a 60% lower risk of breast cancer than those with lower levels. Compared to grain-fed cattle, meat from grass-fed cattle contains three to five times more CLA products.

As we mentioned above, Greensbury Markets meats are raised without synthetic growth hormones and antibiotics. That means you or your family are not being exposed to additional hormones and antibiotics in the meat you eat.

So, as you have read animals fed a 100% vegetarian diet produce meat that is good for the environment and good for you.

Want to try the tastiest, healthiest meats in the country? Why not order a Greensbury Sampler today and taste the difference that grass-fed makes on taste.

Don’t just read about how tasty Greensbury Market meats are, try the Greensbury Sampler to taste a variety of our meats.

MASTERFULLY PREPARED AND PACKAGED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE

The butchers who prepare for Greensbury Market know when, where and how to cut the meat. They pay attention to details like whether to cut with or against the grain for optimal steaks and chops. All of our meats are hand-trimmed so they are perfectly portioned and are ready to cook.

All Greensbury meats are flash-frozen at the peak of their flavor then cry-vac packaged to preserve freshness, flavor, juiciness and natural vitamins and minerals. Each chicken breast, pork chop or steak is individually sealed so you can stock up and freeze them without having to worry about freezer burn and spoilage. In fact, Greensbury meats are guaranteed to maintain for up to 6 months in your freezer.

Greensbury Market ships your order to your front door via UPS. It will arrive in a recyclable Expanded Polystyrene foam container with dry ice. Inside, you’ll find your beef, chicken or pork packaged in boxes that are suitable for gifting.

When you finally cook your Greensbury Market order, the taste will match - or beat - any meat you’ve ever ordered at a high-end restaurant. We guarantee it.


Greensbury Market brings you certified organic meat for less.  Buy now and save on our delicious variety pack!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

9 Tips for Shopping the Clearance Section in 2009

If there is one thing I like, it is a deal. Throughout my life I've had varying degrees of disposable income, but no matter what my situation, I have a hard time buying something that isn't a deal even if money isn't a concern at the time. And now that the rest of the country seems to agree with me, I've created a list of tips for those of you making your first trip to the clearance section of your favorite store.

1. Approach the Rack with a Plan. Clearance racks are often overwhelming to people because all they see is a mass of different clothes thrown together without much organization. However, there is a system you can use to get through the rack efficiently. Before approaching the rack know what colors you like and what season you are looking for. If you know you like green and are looking for summer clothes, scan the rack first for short sleeves and then for color. Start scanning the rack...long sleeves, long sleeves, long sleeves, short sleeve. Ohh Short sleeves, check color - orange? Nope? keep going. long sleeves, long sleeves, short sleeves - check color - green? Yes, check price? Yes - ok, lets try it on. Use this method to quickly get through a rack of clearance items.

2. Shop off season - really off season
Most people know that you can get good deals on summer stuff at the end of August/Beginning of September. But you can REALLY get a good deal on summer stuff in November and December. So be patient and wait.

3. Don't forget online stores. Often people think that clearance deals can only be found offline, but if you buy off season at places like Amazon.com you can find some really good deals. Look for boots in June, swimsuits in November, you get the picture. Do a search for "[store name] coupons" and find some coupons for an additional amount off or free shipping. Check Craig's List for items you want. Just make sure to use the keywords "new" or "NWT." Try a service that can watch Craig's List for you this is a great way to find new items for a fraction of what you would pay in the stores.

4. Pick a few stores and track. There are some stores that you know you like. Visit these stores, sign-up for their email newsletters and take the time to learn how and when they mark things down. If you get to know the employees, ask them to shoot you an email when things go on sale.

5. Don't stick to your usual size. I usually wear a size 6 pant and medium top. However, I will scan the clearance racks one size up and one size down. There are two reasons to do this. 1. Items that are your size easily get misplaced in these areas and 2. clothes don't always run true to size. I recently bought an extra small sweatshirt (for $4 at Target) and a size 4 pants (for $5 at Gap). Not because I'd lost weight but because the manufacturer had obviously messed up the sizing of the item and made them too big for people who usually wear the size.

6. Don't be afraid to get your clothes altered. Pants especially. If you find a pair of pants that you like in your size, but they are too long. Buy them and pay the $7 - $10 it costs to get them hemmed. Most dry cleaners can do it for you.

7. Shop often. This may be too big of a temptation for some, but shop often and only buy when your deal fits that bargain. I have a general rule when shopping at my my kids I don't pay more than $5 per item (dresses excluded). My kids wear mostly brand-name clothing and this limit has served me well. If they offer good deals and exclusive offers sign-up for their brand credit card. If there is no annual fee and you pay off the balance every month you will save additional money.

8. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Don't rule out pricey stores because you think they won't have deals. I often find that "discount" retailers have less deals than department and name brand stores. I often find shirts, jackets, skirts, etc have higher clearance prices at Target than at Gap or Macy's.

9. Know the management. Many local and even national stores have flexibility in setting their sale prices. Find out which locations close to you are more generous in their markdown pricing strategies.

Recently, I was shopping at Gap (not the outlet) and for $5 I got a bikini for myself ($1 for each piece), a pair of shoes for my daughter ($1), a halter top for myself ($1) and a sweater camisole ($1). 5 Name brand items for $5, not bad! Bargain shopping is anything but boring.

Please add any tips you have.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Southeastern Michigan Organic Resources

If I have personally used one of the businesses listed below, there is a little * next to the listing. This list is a work in progress. PLEASE email me (j m a g r o  @  g m a i l . c o m) if you have a business to add to this list.

Dairy
Thomas Organic Creamery (you can also find them at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market)
Listing of places to purchase a share of a cow if you prefer unpasteurized milk in Michigan.

Meat
Creswick Farms (* Love them because you can buy their meat by the pound, you don't have to buy a whole portion of the cow.  And it is excellent)
Old Pine Farm (Meat CSA)
Heart Healthy Natural Beef
East River Organic Farm

CSAs
Maple Creek Farm (*Member 2006 and 2009 Seasons)
Nature's Pace Organics (* from the Rochester Farmer's Market)
Blue Water Organics (* from the Rochester Farmer's Market)
Locavorious (Winter CSA in Ann Arbor)
East River Organic Farm

Grocery
Eden Organics (* buy online or in stores)
Organic by the Case

Restaurant
Mind, Body & Spirits - *Certified Organic
Pure Food 2 U - Healthy Food Delivered already prepared to your door

Publications
Edible Wow

Nutritionist / Medical
Nourish MD

Online Resources
Local Harvest - Not a Michigan based company, but you can use the website to search for specific products in your area of the state.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Full Disclosure

This is my personal blog.

Occasionally I do product reviews.  Most of these reviews are on products I have paid for myself.  A handful of them are from products that have been given to me free of charge.

Here are the products I have received for free:
Organic Valley Butter
Organic Valley Hot Dogs
Organic Valley Canadian Bacon
Organic Valley Ground Beef

I spend a lot of time on this blog.  To compensate my time, I participate in affiliate programs.  If you buy a product from a company I am an affiliate for, I make a small percentage of the sale.  I am currently an affiliate for:
The Land of Nod
Mix My Granola
Amazon
Frontier Co-Op
ReusableBags.com
Mercola.com
Door to Door Organics
Greensbury Market

Advertisements:
I currently have ads from Google Adwords on my website and receive a very small amount of money for every ad that is clicked on.

I make every effort to not let the free products I receive or the affiliate relationships I have influence my opinions on the products I am reviewing.  I would never recommend a product that I wouldn't use myself.  Any post that has an affiliate link or mentions a product I have received for free after October 6, 2009 has been labeled Disclosure

I make claims about what I think is healthy on my site.  These are entirely my own views.  I am not a medical professional and you should consult with what you consider a trusted source.

If you have any questions, you can contact me at jmagro at gmail . com

Monday, December 15, 2008

Chocolate Panettone Recipe

Chocolate Panettone Cooling in the Pan

It all started with this recipe for American Panettone from the King Arthur Flour Blog. It is something I've always wanted to make, but never really got around to searching for a recipe. When I saw that recipe, I thought I can try this, and so I embarked on my Panettone journey. I knew one thing from the beginning, I wanted chocolate chips in mine because the traditional raisin panettone, isn't how we roll in this house.....it must have Chocolate!!

Version #1: I started with their recipe with two minor variations. I substituted the Whole Foods brand mini semi-sweet chocolate chunks for the raisins. And since I didn't have the Fiori De Sicilia that the recipe called for I put 1/4 tsp. extra vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. orange extract. It turned out OK, but it really needed some help. It was lacking that liquor sharpness, and the chocolate was too bitter - definitely needed milk chocolate, not semi-sweet. Everyone felt like they needed butter on it. It was too much like bread and not enough like cake.

Version #2: Same substitution for the Fiori Di Sicilia, but this time I added 1 Tbs. of Brandy, 1 Tbs. of Triple Sec and chopped up 2 Cadbury Milk Chocolate Candy Bars. Result was MUCH better, but.......after the first rise I put the chopped up chocolate and it all melted because the dough was still too warm coming out of the bread machine. The taste was good, but it was more of a chocolate swirl panettone than a chocolate chip panettone.

Version #3: I read in a book that it is better to make a starter out of organic flour, so I made the starter from the King Arthur organic all-purpose flour. The starter definitely had a better look and feel with the organic flour. This time, after the dough came out of the bread machine after the first rise (about 9AM), I put it in the fridge until I got home from work. When I got home (around 3:45) I took it out, kneaded in the chopped chocolate (3 bars this time), shaped it and covered it and let it rise on the counter until I put it in the oven the next morning around 8AM. This one was a success in our eyes! My official taster (my husband) said I got it right. He thinks it could be a little more moist, but as a friend brought up, no one is really used to tasting fresh panettone, we all eat stale, preserved Panettone that's been in a box for who knows how long.

In addition, when I cut up the chocolate candy bars, I put it in a plastic baggie and shook it so that the flakes fell to the bottom. I only kneaded in the big chucks and reserved the flakes of chocolate sprinkle over the top of the cake when it came out of the oven.

Here is my version of the King Arthur American Style Panettone.

Biga

* 1 1/2 cups Organic King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
* 1/2 cup cool water
* 1/16 teaspoon instant yeast

Dough

* 3 large eggs
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into chunks
* 2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 5 teaspoons instant yeast
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
* 1/4 Orange Extract
* 3 chopped Cadbury Milk Chocolate Bars
* 1 Tablespoon Triple Sec
* 1 Tablespoon Brandy

1. Make the biga, cover, let rise at least 12 hours
2. Add starter and remaining ingredients (except chocolate) to bread machine, process on dough cycle
3. Remove dough from machine, place in a buttered bowl, cover and put in fridge until chilled.
4. Take dough out of fridge, and kneed in chocolate. Make a ball, put a whole in the center and slide into a buttered angel food pan cake. Cover and let rise until warm +2 hours (preferably overnight)
5. Bake in a 350 oven. My pan/oven requires that I cook uncovered for about 25 minutes, then I cover with foil until about 47 minutes until the internal temperate is 190 fahrenheit as the King Arthur recipe suggests.

Enjoy .... :-)

Chocolate Panettone

Friday, October 24, 2008

Vegetable Sprinkle Pancakes

This is one of my favorite things to make the kids when my husband and I are eating something that the kids don't like to eat, like salad. 99% of the time they eat what we eat because I don't want to get in the trap of having to make two meals every night. But I just don't expect a 1 and 3-year-old to eat a bowl of lettuce leaves for dinner ;-)

I used to just called the veggie patties....that didn't go over well, so I now call them Vegetable Sprinkle Pancakes.

1. I scramble two eggs, add some Italian bread crumbs and cinnamon:












2. Then I shred and squeeze the water out of 1 large carrot (fine), 1 medium zucchini (fine), and 1 large potato (coarse):












3. Next I Mix it all together and make patties out of them:









































4. I cook them in a medium to medium-high pan for a few minutes on each side:












5. Then I add about 10 sprinkles and dust with cinnamon for the finished, kid-friendly product:


Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Bialetti Brikka 2 Cup Stovetop Percolator Review

In my previous post on my coffee journey, I briefly mentioned that I had transitioned to using my Bialetti Brikka. What I didn't really include is how coming to rely on this little lady for my coffee in the morning has been almost 5 years in the making.

You see the Brikka is not a precision piece of machinery. It has taken years of experimentation and a few replacement parts to get the coffee to come out consistently tasting the same.

When we first bought it we really had no clue what we had just bought. We were in Venice and our bed and breakfast had another Bialetti. We decided we would get one to remember Venice by (we usually buy things for the kitchen when traveling so when we get home we use it and remember our trips). Well, we walked into the store and the lady sold us this one.

We brought our little coffee maker home to see what we could turn out. The first time, and every time after all that came out was coffee spurting out the side like this:



So when we moved back to the US, I packed it up in a box and forgot about it until my latest coffee maker broke. I pulled it out and tried it again, hoping that a new stove might make a difference -- it didn't. I tried every combination of heat, water, coffee grounds and nothing would work. I finally thought to email the VERY helpful people at Bialetti Shop and they told me that I probably needed new rubber seals. So I bought the seals they suggested and it worked (kind of)...now it only leaks about 10% of the time.

Why does it still leak 10% of the time? I really don't know, but I don't care. Because even when it leaks, I have figured out a way to still get my coffee.

Here is my leaking strategy:

1. As soon as it starts leaking I put the heat up to high and turn the water on my sink to cold.
2. Once it has been leaking for about 15-30 seconds, I turn off the water, remove it from the heat and put in in my sink. Then it cooks just like it should. I don't loose that much coffee from the leaking and the coffee still tastes great.

A few tips I have noticed to make it not leak:
1. Your beans should be ground course
2. Your heat should be medium to medium high
3. Remove from heat as soon as you hear the first noise that says it is coming to the top.

Here are a few different views of the Brikka. First from the top:


























Here are the pieces that make up the Brikka:
















Notice that the coffee is ground a little bit coarse:















My final tip -- if you need to quickly make another cup, but the machine is hot, just run it under cold water for about 30 seconds, and then it should be cool enough to touch so you can open it up.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Free Learning Resources

I've been following loribourne for sometime on Twitter. She runs a website called Montessori for Everyone I never really clicked through to see what her site offered, until I went to the local Montessori school for a tour when deciding on preschools for my son. I discovered two things on that tour. First, that the Montessori method is a great way of teaching and second, that there was no way I could afford to send my son there.

We chose another preschool that I am very happy with but I still wanted a way to introduce my son to the Montessori way of learning because my son always counts 1, 2, 3, 9 - somehow the 4 always trips him up. So I found the free math Montessori downloads section of her website and got the "Cards and Counters Template." It is a super great resouce and has helped him alot. I put the tracing pages in a page protector sheet so he can use a dry erase marker and do it over and over again without wasting paper.

I haven't bought any of her paid downloads, but I plan to in the future, there are so many resources that I can't wait to use to help suplement my son's learning.


Friday, October 10, 2008

1,000 Cups Under the Sun - My Coffee Maker Journey from Drip to Sip

I was a late coffee bloomer. I didn't start drinking coffee until I was 20 years old - pretty late compared to most people. And when I started, I have a confession - I HATED IT. But I needed a source of caffeine to get things done while finishing up my degree, being an RA, and doing an intensive internship. I started with a little 4 cup automatic drip and stayed with the automatic drip until we moved to Germany....it was there that I developed my taste for great coffee (and wine for that matter). And so begins my coffee journey...

After Germany, we started with this pricey little model, The Jura-Capresso Impressa E8 which now seems to be discontinued.

























I was always happy with this, but never really felt that the coffee was as good as it should be for what we paid. In addition it is not cheap to keep up. You have to buy water filers ($20 each), cleaning tablets ($17 each), and other random upkeep tools. And now, 3.5 years after purchasing it, it broke. It is fixable, but Jura wants $250 just to look at it and to be honest, that is too much right now. So I find myself looking for an alternative....

So I pulled out two little stove top models that we bought while traveling around Italy...

This Bialetti Brikka we bought in Venice:

Bialetti 2-Cup Brikka

And this Shaki one from Rome:

Stovetop Espresso Maker

All three models mentioned above have one drawback, you can only make one cup at a time when you are having a group of people over. Thus, I think my next purchase is going to be a 12 Cup Bodum French Press. Any one have an experience with a french press? I've read that other people have problems with temperature loss, but I have an Carafe I can pour it into.

My next step is to investigate milk frothers, I bought this BonJour handheld milk frother, but the top and bottom don't fit together as you can see in the picture below so have to return it and get another one.

BonJour Primo Latte Milk Frother

Fish is Fish - Book Review


Now that my son is in preschool we have started the book order routine. I love reading to them and go to the library frequently but I really find it hard to not order 100 books every time it comes home. I obviously don't as we still have another kid who will be bringing these things home for the foreseeable future.

Anyway, yesterday an order came home and we've been reading Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni over and over again. I really like his books, but I find the illustrations in this book especially creative/thought provoking because when a frog comes back to tell the fish what he saw in the world the illustrations show that the fish's concept of these "creatures" is limited by his own experiences. I think this book is a good reminder for us "grown-ups" to remember that we may have had certain experiences in life, but these experiences shouldn't define all of our future perceptions.