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| Eating local food can be better for your health, as well as the environment. |
Personally, I like knowing what is in the food we eat. The food we eat as a family has always been a battle I am willing to fight for, especially if it is something our children will be eating too.
Being a physical/health educator I have always had a connection with nutrition and of course physical activity. It wasn't until our oldest was born that I fully submersed myself in the whole concept of nutrition and the effects it has on our body.
For most of my life I placed a ton of trust in the recommended guidelines from the food pyramid, which became MyPyramid and now MyPlate. Then I read the book Skinny Bitch, which opened my eyes to the whole Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO). After reading and doing more research we decided that we would try following a pescatarian diet (fish, eggs, veggies,fruit, nuts/seeds, and grains), because at that time we were not able to find local grass fed meats.
Then our oldest our oldest was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and our eyes were opened to the whole world of blood sugar spikes. What was causing those spikes? I am sure you can guess...wheat, corn, fruits, juice, oats, rice, etc. So gradually we started to eliminate those foods which were causing huge blood sugar spikes and added meat back into our lives (protein is a "free" food for diabetics, meaning it does not contain carbohydrates).
Thankfully, we found a local farm that raises their animals they way animals should be raised (cows should eat grass and pigs and chickens should eat off of the land) . It truly is nice knowing that our meat has not been fed antibiotics or growth hormones. Believe it or not, but those hormones and antibiotics become part of your food, which eventually can lead to many health problems, antibiotic resistance being one of them. It is also nice to know that our meat is local and not from hundreds of miles away from our grocery store, decreasing the carbon footprint on the enviroment.
In closing, if you are not able to find a trustworthy place to buy your meat, choosing organic meat is second best. If that is still not an option, just make sure that the meat you are buying is free of hormones and antibiotics.
If you live close to our home town (Hagerstown, MD) and would like to know where we buy our meat, please feel free to ask in the comment section below the article.
In the mean time enjoy the recipe below:
Fall Harvest Crockpot Chicken
1.5 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 sweet onion, diced
1 pear, peeled and diced
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup chicken broth (optional)
2 bay leaves
Sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cinnamon
Layer squash, half the onions, pears, and cranberries on top. Add 1 bay leaf and some spices. Arrange a layer of chicken on top of the spices. Add another layer of spices and second bay leaf on top of the chicken. Add the remaining onion, pear, and cranberries. Pour the broth over the mixture (this is optional, to make the dish more like soup).
Cook on high for 3 hours and then on low for 90 minutes
A great cold weather meal! Happy eating!
Thankfully, we found a local farm that raises their animals they way animals should be raised (cows should eat grass and pigs and chickens should eat off of the land) . It truly is nice knowing that our meat has not been fed antibiotics or growth hormones. Believe it or not, but those hormones and antibiotics become part of your food, which eventually can lead to many health problems, antibiotic resistance being one of them. It is also nice to know that our meat is local and not from hundreds of miles away from our grocery store, decreasing the carbon footprint on the enviroment.
In closing, if you are not able to find a trustworthy place to buy your meat, choosing organic meat is second best. If that is still not an option, just make sure that the meat you are buying is free of hormones and antibiotics.
If you live close to our home town (Hagerstown, MD) and would like to know where we buy our meat, please feel free to ask in the comment section below the article.
In the mean time enjoy the recipe below:
Fall Harvest Crockpot Chicken
1.5 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 sweet onion, diced
1 pear, peeled and diced
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup chicken broth (optional)
2 bay leaves
Sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cinnamon
Layer squash, half the onions, pears, and cranberries on top. Add 1 bay leaf and some spices. Arrange a layer of chicken on top of the spices. Add another layer of spices and second bay leaf on top of the chicken. Add the remaining onion, pear, and cranberries. Pour the broth over the mixture (this is optional, to make the dish more like soup).
Cook on high for 3 hours and then on low for 90 minutes
A great cold weather meal! Happy eating!
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