| The first thing to pop into your mind is probably, "what | | | | organic ingredients. |
| does he mean by healthy cooking?" What I have in | | | | Organic ingredients generally go for more than |
| mind is that healthy cooking involves the preparing of | | | | non-organics, but if you are willing to do some leg |
| foods that not only recharge and rejuvenate the | | | | work, you'll pay less than you may expect. |
| family, but will also leave them better off than they | | | | A good way to save money is to do as much |
| were before. This can only be accomplished thru the | | | | shopping as possible at a farmer's market. Almost |
| use of organic ingredients. | | | | every town has a seasonal farmer's market. Some big |
| When I talk about organics, some people think that I'm | | | | cities even have a year round farmer's market. Prices |
| just talking just about produce. That's not true; there | | | | are lower because you are buying directly from the |
| are now organic versions of many animal products | | | | farmer. Usually, you can only buy fruits, vegetables, |
| available also. | | | | spices and eggs at these markets, but you should be |
| I advocate switching to organic ingredients for your | | | | able to beat the non- organic prices in the |
| cooking because most produce is sprayed with | | | | supermarkets. |
| pesticides and grown with chemical fertilizers, Animal | | | | Another way to get your costs down is to shop at |
| foods can contain growth hormones and antibiotics. | | | | discount chains because many of them now have |
| The hormones can cause premature maturing of | | | | organic departments. Even the big guys like Wal-Mart |
| children. Also, it's a fact that bacteria are increasingly | | | | have jumped on the organic bandwagon. |
| becoming resistant to antibiotics. Scientists say that | | | | Another sure way to cut costs of your healthy |
| one of the reasons that bacteriia have become so | | | | cooking is to scratch cook more often. A good |
| resistant to antibiotics is because of all the antibiotics in | | | | example is soup. Canned soup in the store usually has |
| our food. | | | | a lot of salt and other non- organic ingredients. Don't |
| Before buying organic ingredients, it's normal for people | | | | buy the package of chicken thighs. Purchase the |
| to ask one or more of the following questions; | | | | whole chicken ( organic, of course ) and then proceed |
| 1) How can I replace my whole menu with organic | | | | to do the honors yourself. Don't buy the salad in the |
| ingredients overnight? | | | | bag. Whenever possible, don't cook your vegebles, |
| Won't I pay a premium for organic ingredients? | | | | instead steam them if you have a recipe that says |
| How can I determine that an ingredient that I'm looking | | | | that they should be cooked. Steaming them will leave |
| at is a genuine organic? | | | | in more of the vitamins and minerals than high heat |
| The short answer to question #1 is, "you don't have to". | | | | cooking. |
| I recently read a book by Kevin Trudeau called," | | | | Remember, every time someone touches your food, it |
| Natural Cures (they don't want you to know about)". In | | | | will cost more. |
| it, Kevin recommends changing one ingredient of your | | | | To find the answer to question #3, all we have to do is |
| meals at a time to organic until eventually all of your | | | | look at the label on the package in front of us. To |
| cooking is with organic ingredients. I experimeted with | | | | know if an ingredient you're looking at is organic look |
| this technique and discovered that the my family made | | | | for the label that says, " USDA organic ". This means |
| the transition to organics a lot more easily then I | | | | that the food has been certified by the USDA as being |
| expected. So far, everything that I eat for breakfast is | | | | organic in origin. |
| organic and my other meals are made up of more | | | | This article has been meant to show you the logical |
| than half organic ingrediants. | | | | starting point in your quest to provide healthy cooking |
| The answer to question #2 is that unfortunately, | | | | for yourself and your family. In follow up articles I shall |
| organic ingredients usually will cost more. The number | | | | talk about such things as more reasons why you |
| of people that buy organic products has increased, but | | | | should buy organic ingredients and how to get refined |
| the numbers haven't increased enough to cause | | | | sugar out of your cooking. |
| economies of scale in the production and sale of of | | | | |