Bee the Change
Today when I got to work, Bryan handed me a pamphlet emblazoned with “STOP GM ALFALFA”. After picturing a Hulk-like Little Rascal with a cowlick, I sat down to read about it.
Apparently, Monsanto has a genetically modified herbicide tolerant alfalfa plant that they’re trying to legalize for sale in Canada. It’s already in use in the United States. It’s ridiculous, because alfalfa already helps control weed growth, and is used by many organic farmers as a natural alternative to herbicides.
Ok, so it’s an unnecessary evil, but what does it mean in terms of our food supply? I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big eater of alfalfa. Well, alfalfa is the key ingredient in most animal feed. So any animal you eat, or any animal product you consume can be contaminated. As I mentioned before, alfalfa is also grown alongside other organic crops (like wheat, etc.) to keep down weeds and to fix nitrogen in the soil, eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers. Any crop grown alongside the genetically modified alfalfa can be contaminated.
Here’s the kicker, though: alfalfa is pollenated by bees – bees who fly from field to field, not bothering to check which ones are organic, and which are genetically modified. There’s a really cute, really informative video from CBAN (The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network) which follows a bee as she learns about GM alfalfa. It’s only 3 minutes. Take a watch:
You can help stop this from becoming a reality. Share the video, sign the petition, and even send a letter to the Minister of Agriculture directly from the CBAN website. Keep organic a reality in Canada. “Bee the change.”
Fun With Figs (and a GF Fig Newton Recipe!)
We have a new sale coming up, and in addition to telling our loyal blog-readers about it first, I thought I’d tell you a bit about the sale item in question: Figs! This week, our Organic Conadria Figs are on 25% off! To celebrate, I thought I’d find an awesome Gluten Free Fig Newton Recipe for you all to try. But first, a little about why figs should be a part of your diet.
In my house, the only time figs were mentioned was at Christmas when the eggnog (alas, not our Harmony Organic Egg Nog) would be flowing, and somehow the verses of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” got merged into a mock-opera “We wish you a figgy pudding . . .” I figured I’d better learn a little more about them.
According to Margaux over at Authentic Self Wellness, they are a concentrated source of phytosterols, which block cholesterol absorption and help lower your cholesterol levels. They also have a lot of potassium and manganese. Margaux recommends avoiding sulphites (as do I – preservatives are for the frog you dissect in science class, not for digestion), and luckily, our organic figs are sulphite-free!
Okay, on to the recipe! This recipe comes from a website I just discovered (read: was shown) called Elana’s Pantry. She specializes in healthy gluten-free recipes. As always, I’ve made minor adjustments using products we have here at Better Bulk.
And an easy shopping tip: did you know that some of our scoops here at Better Bulk are exactly one cup? It makes shopping for specific recipe measures much easier. Just ask, and we’ll point you in the right direction.
Gluten-Free Fig Newtons
FILLING:
1 cup Organic Conadria Figs
½ cup Organic Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed (about 4 lemons’ worth)
1 Tbsp Simply Organic Vanilla Extract
DOUGH:
2 ½ cups Blanched Ground Almonds (AKA Almond Flour)
½ tsp Atlantic Fine Sea Salt
½ cup Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave Syrup
¼ cup Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Molasses
¼ cup Soleil d’Or Grapeseed Oil
1 Tbsp Simply Organic Vanilla Extract
Place figs in a food processor and blend for 30 seconds until well chopped. Add lemon juice and vanilla, and process until a smooth paste results.
In a large bowl, combine ground almonds and salt. In a smaller bowl, combine agave, molasses, grapeseed oil, and vanilla. Combine the contents of the smaller bowl into the larger. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
Divide chilled dough into 4 parts. Between 2 pieces of If You Care TCF Unbleached parchment paper, roll out 1 part of the dough into a 10×4 inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. Spread ¼ of the filling evenly down the right side (lengthwise) of the rectangle, then fold the dough lengthwise, resulting in a 10×2 inch bar. “Mend” the seam so the bar is symmetrical. Repeat with 3 remaining parts of dough and filling.
Transfer each bar to a parchment paper lined baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, allow to cool slightly, cut bar every 2 inches to form fig newtons.
Makes 20 cookies.
Let me know if you decide to try the recipe, and how it works for you. Happy baking!
An Organic Experiment: When a Tomato Stops Being A Tomato
I don’t know about you, but ever since watching the video on sweet potatoes and “Bud Nip”, I’ve really been paying attention to which foods I buy organic. Tomatoes were one of the products listed on the “Bud Nip” list, so I made the switch. It amazed me how much more quickly they start to rot, but I didn’t realize just how much more until today.
Our friend Sarah brought by a tomato she bought one day at ANOTHER grocery store (we’ll forgive her, since we don’t carry tomatoes . . . yet). It wasn’t organic, and she forgot about it for a while. This is what it looks like today:
It’s still reasonably firm, with no smell. That tomato is probably 2, 2 and a half weeks old, right? Wrong. It was purchased January 7th, making it nearly 8 weeks old at the time of this post, not taking into account its trip from Mexico. It also claims to be “Pesticide Free”, yet that can’t be the only chemical we have to worry about if a 2+ month old tomato looks like that.
Ew.
Seeing the “live show” of this organic experiment definitely makes you think. If the chemicals can keep that tomato going long after it should have rotted away, what will they do inside the human body? Not sure I want to find out.
Strolling Down Nature’s Path
Over the past little while, we’ve been introducing you to the companies behind the products you love. Today, in honor of this week’s big cereal sale, I thought I’d tell you a bit about Nature’s Path. Quite frankly, I learned a lot about them myself today.
Pretty much all I knew about Nature’s Path was that they make cereals out of great ingredients with cute names like “Mesa Sunrise” and “Gorilla Munch”. Many of their cereals are gluten-free, and all of them use “real food” ingredients without preservatives or artificial colors and flavors.
Beyond that, I was stumped. I found their website and learned SO much more. I’ll start you off with their “vision”:
To be a trusted name for quality organic foods in every home; socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and financially viable.
Arran Stephens, Founder
As far as I can tell, they’re living up to their goal. In 2009, they were named one of ”Canada’s Greenest Employers”. That’s right. They’re Canadian, too.
In the 1930s, Grandpa Rupert Stephens was considered an “unconventional” farmer, using sawdust as mulch for his crops. In 1949, he and his wife purchased Goldstream Berry Farm on Vancouver Island, where their son, company founder Arran Stephens was born. The headquarters of today sit on that very spot.
There are many fantastic environmental initiatives that the company has taken including zero waste and carbon reduction goals, sustainability training, on site organic garden, and its EnviroKidz program, where “one per cent of the sales from this product line are donated to organizations that support species and habitat conservation”
On the Production of Organic
No, I’m not repeating myself . . . entirely. In an earlier post, I shared a video On The Importance of Organic. Today via Twitter, our friends @MediaHolistics sent us a link to a video by Sustain Ontario on organic farming in Ontario.
It explains how organic food is grown, produced, and sold around the province, and how organic agriculture ties in with sustainable, environmentally friendly agriculture. Watch for the team from Mapleton’s, where we get our exceptional ice cream, among other things. There’s also some really cute footage of baby chicks . . .
Organic Council of Ontario – Organic Food Production in Ontario from Sustain Ontario on Vimeo.
It’s about working with the land, instead of against it, to provide our province with the healthiest, safest, most environmentally friendly food possible.
Apples and Carrots and Pears, Oh MY!
While I could easily write an entire blog about The Wizard of Oz, today’s post is not about that (I know, I’m as heartbroken as you). It is, however, about one of my other favorite things, PRODUCE!!!
If you’ve ventured into the store lately . . . or follow us on Twitter . . . or “Like” us on Facebook (hint, hint) . . . you’ll notice that our all-organic produce section is expanding. Our sweet potatoes keep selling out in their first 24 hours (and rest assured: they’re constantly “on order”). We also currently have in stock: cabbage, garlic, ginger, butternut squash, acorn squash, white potatoes, carrots, onions, avocados, gala apples, and our newest acquisition, BOSC PEARS!
from http://www.foodsubs.com/Pears.html
We already talked in a previous post about The Importance Of Organic, so I thought I’d talk a little today about why our new organic pears are fantastic. Pears are loaded with fibre, which makes for a healthy digestive tract – something we all can appreciate. They’re also full of vitamin C, K, and copper. They’re a great immune boost this time of year, and they’ll help keep your heart in great shape . . . just in time for Valentine’s Day (womp womp . . . )
As with avocados and bananas, you can speed up the ripening process by putting them in a paper bag. And, something I just learned today, pears are considered hypoallergenic! Who knew?
Bosc pears in particular are great for cooking. Since I KNOW all of you will be rushing in to pick up your pears, I’ve linked some recipes and information from our favorite nutritionists below. As always, we keep our produce prices competitive. Come on in and check it out!
All About Pears from Margaux J. Rathbun
Butternut Squash Pear Soup from Joy McCarthy
And new to our nutritionist lineup, Toronto-based holistic nutritionist Elaine Brisebois of ilikerealfood.com She shares a Green Smoothie Recipe which can be made mango-, apple-, banana-, or PEAR-style. Check her out!
Secret Contest!
We’re running a contest right now for our online friends only. If you come into the store and quote the phrase “Eric Smells”, we’ll give you $6 off the price of a box of Emergen-C. 
Everybody needs a little vitamin support this time of year, in spite of the unseasonably warm weather (not that we’re complaining)! Let us know how you heard about our promotion when you come in (Blog, Facebook, or Twitter). Happy contesting . . . but only until Sunday, so hurry in!
Better Bulk Recipes: Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Confession time: I LOVE SOUP! It’s the perfect thing on a cold day . . . not that we’ve had many of those in Toronto this year. Split Pea Soup has always been one of my favorites but, as a vegetarian, it’s really hard to find a good one that doesn’t have lard as a primary ingredient.
Enter Amy’s Organic Soups from Amy’s Kitchen, Inc. We stock several varieties in store, my favorite of which is Split Pea. I’ve gone through about a tin a week for the past couple of months. It’s pretty fantastic. But I work in a bulk store. We have pretty much every ingredient listed on the can somewhere in the store. So I set off to make my own.
Using this recipe from 101 Cookbooks and the side of the Amy’s can as my base, I came up with my own vegetarian split pea soup recipe using (almost) exclusively Better Bulk products. The one product I used that wasn’t Better Bulk based was mostly an attempt to use up everything in my fridge. I use kale leaves a lot, but seldom have use for the kale stems, which are full of fibre and all the goodness you find in the leafy part. I added them to the soup (in place of the celery that Amy’s uses) and it was lovely.
BETTER BULK
RECIPES:
VEGETARIAN SPLIT PEA SOUP
1 tbsp Omega Nutrition Organic Coconut Oil (I used this brand because it has a neutral flavor – wasn’t sure I wanted coconut flavored soup)
2 large organic onions, finely chopped
1 organic carrot, finely chopped
1 cup chopped organic kale stems
½ tsp Atlantic Fine Sea Salt
2 cups organic green or yellow split peas (yellow are milder flavored, green are sweeter)
6 cups water
½ GoBio Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Bouillon Cube
Juice of ½ organic lemon
Pinch of Spanish Smoked Paprika
Melt coconut oil in a large pot. Add onion and salt until onions soften. Stir in carrot and kale stems. Add water, bouillon, and split peas. When it begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins-half an hour (until the peas soften to your liking. Ladle about a third of the soup into a bowl and set it aside. Puree the remaining soup in a blender. Mix the reserved chunky soup back in. You may need to thin out the soup with some more water. Add lemon juice and any additional sea salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with paprika and serve!
If You Care . . .
That sounds like a mildly manipulative post title, but fear not! “If You Care” is a new line of environmentally friendly kitchen and household products that we’re stocking amid the bulk.
If You Care is committed to protecting the environment by producing high-quality alternatives to conventional kitchen and household products. The materials we use are specially chosen to reduce their impact on our environment. We use unbleached paper, recycled materials and wood and paper coming from sustainably managed forests. We replace petroleum based ingredients with natural and renewable resources. We use paper from pulp and paper mills practicing the highest levels of clean water management. Every care is taken to ensure that each step– from factory to store shelf – conforms to strict standards for the conservation and protection of our greatest asset – the environment.
Even the packaging is recyclable, uses non-toxic glue, and is printed with vegetable-based inks. It is also specially designed to be as minimally wasteful as possible. All of the If You Care products that we currently stock are gluten and allergen free, and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Many are kosher, as well. 
The beauty of these products is, by being environmentally friendly, they’re also a lot more human-friendly than their conventional counterparts. Natural fibres and bleach-free materials mean that these products are a lot safer and healthier for the whole family. Here’s an overview of our new inventory of products:
100% Recycled Aluminum Foil - can be recycled over and over, and protects food from light, oxygen, humidity and bacteria
Parchment Baking Paper - FSC Certified unbleached paper, totally chlorine-free, excellent for baking and cooking
Coffee Filters (Basket and Cone, 3 Sizes) - unbleached paper, totally chlorine-free
Cheesecloth - unbleached cotton, no added chlorine, no toxins, all-natural, no artificial fibers, reusable, and naturally biodegradable
Twine - unbleached cotton, no added chlorine, no toxins, all-natural, no artificial fibres
Paper Snack and Sandwich Bags - unbleached, greaseproof paper, totally chlorine-free, not chemically treated, 100% renewable resources, no petroleum products.
Come be among the first to test out this fantastic new (to us) line of products and let us know how they work for you, if you care . . .
*UPDATE*: We now carry Unbleached TCF Large Baking Cups and All Natural Waxed Paper, as well
Which Soap Works For You?
One of our most popular products here at Better Bulk is neither bulk nor a food. It is, however, natural, and it smells FANTASTIC! If you’ve never checked it out, follow your nose to our selection of Soap Works soaps!
Each Soap Works bar is made with natural ingredients, many of which are all-vegetable, and each has different benefits associated with it. None of the soaps or ingredients are tested on animals.
Those of you familiar with our soap stock will notice a new member in our lineup, the lovely blue Pumice Soap. It comes with the highest recommendation by our friend Jack, a contractor from Jack of All Trades.
Pumice Soap is good for deep cleaning. It is recommended for gardeners, mechanics, smokers, and of course, contractors.
Hemp Oil Soap is anti-aging, and a source of Omega 3, 6, and Gamma-linolenic fatty acids
Tea Tree Oil Soap is a mild astringent. It is non-irritating, antiseptic, and anti-fungal.
Carbolic Soap is anti-bacterial and antiseptic. It can be used to fight acne, as a deodorant, and repels mosquitos.
Olive Oil Soap is ideal for face, body, and shaving.
Oatmeal Soap is a gentle exfoliator for a good complexion.
The Shampoo & Conditioner bar uses no detergents, and aloe vera as conditioner.
Sea Kelp Soap uses North Atlantic Sea Kelp, which is a great source of vitamins, organic minerals, and amino acids.
Liquid Glycerine Soap is perfect for those with allergies or sensitive skin.
Goat Milk Soap is good for those with eczema, psoriasis, or dry and sensitive skin.
Camomile Soap is an herbal treatment for normal to oily skin.
Cucumber & Calendula Soap is a cleanser, toner, and anti-inflammatory.
Bee Pollen Soap is made from pure bee pollen, a natural source of vitamins, minerals, protein, amino acids, hormones, and enzymes.
And last, but certainly not least, Aloe Vera With Vitamin E Soap. This is a very healing and soothing soap.
So come in and try one or all of Soap Works’ fantastic soaps! They’re free from the harmful chemicals you find in so many products these days (no sodium laurel, lauryl, laureth sulphate, or phosphates). Your skin is your largest organ, so take care of it as you would any of your others.
http://puresoapworks.com/
