BULK FOODS: AFFORDABLE & GREEN

March 2010 – Shoppers are looking for easy and affordable ways to go green as we approach the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in April, and are turning the bulk foods aisle in record numbers. Using minimal packaging and offering a cost savings of 30 – 96 percent over packaged products, bulk foods fit the bill for the budding chef or the environmentally concerned penny-pincher in 2010.

With the influx of new retailers offering bulk foods and double-digit sales growth in 2009, buying food in bulk is slated to be one of the biggest money-saving trends of 2010, according to the Bulk is Green Council.

Dedicated to helping consumers, food manufacturers and grocers learn about the environmental and economic benefits of bulk foods, the Bulk is Green Council recently reported that 2009 bulk food sales increased an estimated 15 percent over the previous year, with more than 1,000 retailers adding bulk food offerings nationwide.

"People are paying closer attention to the food they purchase," said Mark Devencenzi, a founding member of the Bulk is Green Council from SunRidge Farms. "They're shopping smarter and turning to bulk food for budget and eco-friendly alternatives that don't lack in quality."

Several consumer trends studies related to increased interest in cooking at home are driving the council's positive outlook. A 2009 survey by the Nielson Company found that 46 percent of Americans are going out to eat less often, 76 percent of whom don't want to sacrifice quality in the food they purchase.

"Bulk foods are ideal for use in home cooking, offering everything from rice to spices at a cost savings of anywhere from 30 to 96 percent over packaged products," said BIG council member Clair Sidman from the Hain Celestial Group. "And, with more than 6,000 retail outlets in America offering bulk foods, these goods are widely accessible."

Supporting the council's assertion that interest in sustainable products is also on the rise, Reuters reported that "four out of five people say they are still buying green products and services today – which sometimes cost more – even in the midst of a US recession."

"Bulk shopping makes it easy for consumers to go green in an affordable fashion," said council member Clint Landis of Frontier Natural Products Co-Op. "It's smart, sustainable shopping that uses minimal packaging and allows the customer to reduce waste by purchasing as little or as much as they need."

Founded in 2008, the Bulk is Green Council is made up of eco-entrepreneurs and bulk food leaders including the Hain Celestial Group, SunRidge Farms, Frontier Natural Products Co-Op, Trade Fixtures, and Lundberg Family Farms.

For more information on the sustainable cost savings realized by buying in bulk, visit www.BulkIsGreen.org

ABOUT BULK IS GREEN COUNCIL

Bulk is Green Council is an organization dedicated to increasing consumer, retailer and grocer awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of buying in bulk. Founded in 2008, the council serves as a research and advocacy group, conducting and publishing studies on industry trends and offering educational tools and resources online. The board includes industry leaders Hain Celestial, SunRidge Farms, Frontier Natural Products Co-Op, Trade Fixtures, and Lundberg Family Farms. Additional information is available at BulkisGreen.org.

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For more info on Shopping Green, see www.greatestfoodsource.com.

An Egg is For Life - Not Just For Easter

By Jamie Ogilvie

At this particular time of year everyone is probably thinking about eggs - the glossy chocolate variety that are usually encased in a large quantity of cardboard and plastic packaging or sometimes billowing cellophane with a big fancy bow. I've had eggs on my mind most of this year for a very different reason.

My 7 year old daughters' teacher (who will remain nameless) apparently spent the whole of his Christmas holidays building his own chicken coop in his yard and when back to school in January he decided to share his chicken raising passion with every little girl in class 2a.

So we've had the chicken coop, a pre-built one, I may add, for 5 weeks now and we have a mixed-breed family of 5 laying hens. A hen lays an average of 300 eggs a year, so we also have a great deal of eggs, which is probably why they are uppermost in my mind.

The egg has long been a symbol of rebirth, the life cycle and fertility. Interestingly its' symbolic power is rivaled only by that of the cock. It is the ability of the egg to create a new life that made it so mysterious to pagan believers. People used to believe the earth was shaped like an egg and early myths believed the yellow egg yolk, symbolized the sun, which in turn was viewed as a source of life. As eggs embody the very essence of life, they have throughout the ages been imbued with mystical properties of being able to divine the future.

Historically different cultures have their own traditions and beliefs concerning eggs. In Egypt eggs were hung in the temples to encourage fertility, in Germany farm workers used to smear their pitches with egg whilst digging the soil, as they believed the egg would help the ground to be more fertile. Some people shunned eating eggs or destroying them at all, for fear of harming fertility.

As Europe became Christian, eggs became a symbol of Easter and the resurrection of Christ. In the past, Christians gave up eggs for Lent, the 40 days that Jesus was in the wilderness. But even though people didn't eat them, the hens kept laying them! So people would hard-boil and decorate them which helped preserve them longer and serve as part of the holiday festivities. The egg is also part of the Jewish Passover holiday that takes place in the Spring, symbolizing sacrifice and rebirth.

It is therefore in the Spring, when everything is coming back into life after the winter, that the egg is most closely associated.

The whole chicken raising experience is positive, despite my original objections to the kids. I'm a very keen cook who likes good, fresh ingredients and we all love the difference in taste we are getting from our eggs. Eggs are so versatile and should be the star of your cooking all year round, adapting your culinary use of them to the seasons.

This year for Easter we're doing something different. We've bought a selection of egg cups to sit our freshly laid eggs in, once the kids have decorated them. We'll wrap them simply in brown paper and give them as gifts.

However, I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pretending that eggs are any substitute for chocolate.

Happy Easter!

To read more about eggs, raising chickens and egg cups with a difference visit Eggs are not just for Easter. -------------------------------------------------- For more resources on food, see www.greatestfoodsource.com.

How to Cook the Best Ham

By Ed MacDonald

Ham is one of those meats that are traditionally reserved for holiday gatherings. Why? Maybe because so few people know how to cook the best ham dish. If you would like to enjoy this delicious meat anytime of the year (or week), be sure to follow these simple cooking instructions for a fast and easy dinner that everyone will enjoy:

• Buy only ham that is a bright grayish pink in color and has a firm texture
• To prepare your ham for cooking, begin by trimming any excess fat from the rind - note: some cooks begin cooking their ham first to allow the fat juices to blend into the ham before trimming the fat away; this option is up to you, although it does make for a tastier dish.
• Score your ham by making diagonal cuts along the top and sides (be carful not to pierce the meat). This will help your marinade glaze soak through during the cooking process.
• If using cloves, add them now.
• Bake your ham in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes per pound (for precooked hams; longer for uncooked ones), or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160 degrees. Be sure to place it in the baking pan fat side up
• Always use a baking pan to allow the drippings to gather at the bottom of the pan for easier basting.
• Turn ham about halfway through the cooking process
• About 45 minutes before you expect your ham to be finished, remove from the oven and glaze.
• Once your ham has reached the proper temperature, remove from oven.
• Let stand for 15 minutes before carving to allow its internal juices to settle. Otherwise it could bleed much of its juicy flavor upon cutting.

As you can see, learning how to cook the best ham really only requires taking some effort to concoct a great glaze and take a little time to slowly roast your ham to perfection.

If you know how to cook, you can not only cook food traditionally reserved for holiday gatherings, you can cook dishes which are quick and easy, besides being tasty and healthy. But before you enter the kitchen, you need to know some simple and basic cooking tips. You can read numerous informative cooking tips at Best Cooking Tips ----------------------------------------------- For more Cooking Recipes, see www.greatestfoodsource.com.

Strange But Handy Things to Do With Bread

By Dave Manner

Bread is not just for toast or sandwiches anymore. There are some awesome things that you can accomplish with a couple slices of bread, or even just one. Here are some strange, but useful, examples.

If you have kids, you probably have greasy, dirty hand prints everywhere, especially on your walls. Walls aren't the easiest things to clean, though. That is, unless you have bread. Just rub a slice on your wallpaper, or your painted wall and watch the magic happen. Remember to cut off the crust, first, though, just to be sure that you won't scratch the paint.

Another great thing to do with bread is to use it to treat sore feet. If you have a corn or callus, why suffer? Just dip a piece of bread in a bowl of vinegar. Then, wrap it around your foot while you sleep at night. It might seem crazy, but it works. You can attach it to your foot with tape or put it in a plastic bag and hold that on your foot with rubber bands.

Finally, another great way to use bread to help you around the house is if you have an accident that involves shattered glass. Start by picking up all of the biggest pieces by hand, carefully. It's the tiny pieces that we want bread to deal with. Just press a piece of bread against the floor in the area. It'll pick up all the shards. Be careful while you're doing it, though. Also, make sure to throw the bread away immediately after, so nobody mistakes it for sandwich bread.

Dave Manner has been writing articles about food for the past two years. He also enjoys writing about home furniture, like why to use wine fridges to store your bottle collection and the benefits of an Avanti wine cooler. Dave Manner -------------------------------------------------------- For more on Uses for Bread, see the Greatest Food Source at www.greatestfoodsource.com.

Are You Ready to Take on Gourmet Cooking?

By Richard McDuff

Ok, you have mastered the standard cooking, are you ready to undertake some gourmet cooking? Are you ready master the art and intricacies of gourmet cooking? Do you have the patience to spend more time and more care on your cooking?

The best way to master the skills of gourmet cooking is to go to a cooking school to learn many of the skills required by form of cooking meals. Many good cooking schools employ cooks that have learned their skills in many different countries, especially from Europe and Asia in particular. Look for these schools to attend.

Many people who specialize in gourmet cooking will visit and train in other countries. Not only is it fun to visit other countries, but it is fun to enhance your skills as a cook and it is rewarding.

You will have to pay attention to detail if you are going to specialize in this form of cooking. Many people who eat these more expensive and labor intensive meals are rather picky, and will tell you what they think of their meal.

Not only will you learn to cook the food correctly, but you will also learn presentation, this is vital for people to really enjoy their meals. You will have to have an eye of an artist as well as their creativity.

While cooking good standard meals is enriching, cooking good gourmet meals while demanding they are also truly rewarding. Ask yourself whether you have the patience and the desire to master gourmet cooking.

Richard McDuff has been selling on the internet for 7 years. He has a website on cooking at #1 Meals on a Budget ----------------------------------------------------------- For more on Food Recipes, see www.greatestfoodsource.com.

Recipes For Valentine's Day

By Dyfed Lloyd Evans

The feast day of St Valentine (February 14th) is, traditionally, the day on which lovers send anonymous notes to one another, declaring their love and on which those in love prepare romantic meals for each other.

The feast day itself was established in 496 by Pope Gelasius I to celebrate the martyrdoms of one of two early Christians buried on the Via Flaminia north of Rome. In fact, it was only in the Middle Ages, through the words of Chaucer and his contemporaries that St Valentine's day became the day of lovers.

Regardless of the history, the day is now a major occasion for those in love and the recipes given below will, hopefully make the day go with a swing. Recipes are included here for Breakfast, Dinner and a Lovers' cocktail:

Ginseng Banana Muffins

Ingredients:
2 tbsp ginseng powder
2 medium bananas (very soft)
2 medium eggs
100g sugar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
210g plain flour
1 tbsp oil
1/8 tsp salt

Method:
Mash the bananas in a bowl then mix with the sugar and oil until thoroughly blended. In the meantime, stir together all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl then stir this flour mix into the banana mix and combine thoroughly.

Line muffin tins with baking cups then fill the well no more than 2/3 full with the muffin mix. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 175ºC and bake for about 15 minutes, or until well risen, browned on top an cooked through. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before warm before serving. (Makes 12 muffins.)

Rosemary Pesto Crusted Lamb Valentine Steaks

The lamb Valentine steak is a boneless double steak of lamb loin butterfly cut into very attractive and classy looking steaks.

Ingredients:
45g fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tbsp freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
40g dry breadcrumbs
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 lamb Valentine steaks (about 100g each)
2 tbsp olive oil

Method:
Begin with the pesto: Combine the parsley, rosemary, basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, extra-virgin olive oil and breadcrumbs in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper then set aside.

Meanwhile, brush the lamb steaks on one side with the beaten egg then spread the rosemary pesto evenly onto the egg-coated side of the lamb, applying it liberally. Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat then place the lamb Valentine steaks in the pan, setting them pesto side down. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the pesto mixture has browned lightly then turn the steaks over and continue cooking until done to your desired level of done-ness (about 4 minutes more for medium). Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with minted new potatoes and green beans or peas.

Passion Fruit Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients:
240ml Passion Fruit Blend Nectar, chilled
1/2 tsp Angostura bitters
240ml Champagne, chilled
ice cubes
4 fresh raspberries (or two strawberries, halved)
1 orange slice, halved

Method:
Divide the passion fruit nectar and bitters between two chilled champagne flutes. Top with the champagne then drop two raspberries into each glass. Garnish with the orange slice and serve.

I hope these recipes have given you a flavour of what you can create for your special Valentine's day and that you are now ready to find out more

Dyfed Lloyd Evans runs the Celtnet Recipes website where you can find hundreds more Valentine's Day recipes as well as information on Velentine's day and it's traditions. The site also provides a range ofCocktail Recipes (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) for all occasions. ------------------------------------------------ For more food recipes and information on food, see www.greatestfoodsource.com.

The Real Healthy Chocolate News

By Lloyd Gordon

It would appear that the dream of a chocolate that is truly potent with health enhancing properties, has finally been realised, and is set to arrive in the UK shortly. It has been scientifically tested and verified by a variety of highly credited bodies, to be genuine in all its claims. The company behind this revolutionary product, have patented a system of cold extraction of the cocoa solids and fats (cocoa and cocoa butter) from the cacao bean (chocolate's main ingredient).

This ingenious breakthrough allows the naturally high content of antioxidants to remain intact throughout the entire manufacturing process. Antioxidants serve to protect the body's cells from damage and slow down the ageing process. Scientific research suggest a proportional link between the amount of antioxidants present and the length the body's natural life. The traditional method of chocolate making requires heat and heat is the main destroyer of naturally occurring nutrients in vegetation. The powerful punch of the unadulterated cacao is further enhanced by the addition of the acai berry.

Found in the South American rainforest, this super food also boast ultra high antioxidant levels. Combined, this impressive partnership delivers a force of antioxidants that until now, has never been seen in any product of its kind. These unprecedented antioxidant levels have been certified by Brunswick labs after confirming the ORAC score (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of the final product. Often, ORAC scores for products, are given, based on measurements taken at the beginning of, or during the manufacturing process and not at the end, by which time, much of the antioxidant content can be lost. The chocolate is also said to be rich in epecatechins, Scientists believe epecatechins are the future force in combating four out of the five major diseases: stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.

As if the prior wasn't enough, It seems they haven't compromised on standard as far as the remaining ingredients are concerned. The turbo charged chocolate, doesn't contain any waxy fillers, as is often found in regular chocolate products, there are no refined sugars present, no negative fats, no caffeine, it's non dairy and gluten free.

And the claims go on: It's low in cholesterol, low glycemic, diabetic friendly, suitable for vegetarians and vegans and is also Kosher certified, and probably most importantly to chocolate lovers, is heralded as tasting absolutely delicious.

This seemingly formidable, super chocolate has been haled 'Impressive' by a commissioned medical advisory board and further validated by The Clinical University of Utah.

The Nevada based, family owned, company is just 3 years old, but in that time they have used there business and marketing expertise to develop a solid, debt-free business and a network marketing system that saw company growth of 300% in 2007. The company saw sales of 55 million last year and expect to reach 100 million this year. Their president says their target is to reach a billion in the not to distant future. This trend-setting product seems to have great marketability and its proven track record suggests it is set to take the UK market by storm.

The fact that it will not be available in any shops, and will be sold exclusively through networks, presents a good marketing opportunity for home business seekers and seasoned marketers alike. The timing is strangely fortunate, as chocolate is known to sit comfortably in the exclusive group of "Recession Proof" industries; in fact chocolate sales have been shown to be up in such times. Note; the company's sales were up by 40% in 2008.

With more innovative healthy-chocolate product lines set for future release, it is believed that individuals/marketers involving themselves with the product at this early stage, could stand to reap substantial rewards.

It looks like this company is single-handedly putting healthy chocolate well and truly on the map.

Lloyd Gordon is a webmaster with a real passion for the products he promotes and an philosophy of always striving to present good quallity products and services to his customers. To see the the great range of luxury chocolate products and chocolaty information and much more than you may expect, you should visit => http://www.chocolatetray.com