Vanilla Mousse Cheesecake...Made Organic!!

Ok...first of all...for all the organic haters (ah-hem...my husband ;)...substituting with organic products does not = tasteless. I repeat...organic does not equal tasteless! Too many people think that if you're buying organic products then they probably taste like cardboard--which is simply untrue! First off...a fat is a fat is a fat! It still gives your mid-section some jiggle if you eat too much of it, and it still comes from the same part of a plant or animal that organic fat comes from. Whether it's an 'organic' fat or not, it is still a fat. Same goes for carbohydrates...sugar is sugar (only better tasting when it's organic!). You will find that there are no hydrogenated oils/fats in organic foods, though, because these fats are totally different...not natural (more on this later). What I'm saying is, just because something is labeled 'organic' doesn't mean that the fats and carbohydrates have been eliminated and it has no flavor. Quite the contrary, my friends. Portion control is still necessary with organic foods though, don't think that because it says 'organic' that you can eat as much as you want of the product because it's 'healthy'.

So, I made this cheesecake the other night...using all organic or all natural products (yep, even the 'cool whip' was organic!) and started a discussion with my husband about why I feel so strongly about feeding my family the most natural and organic foods possible. He was like, "you're making cheesecake...with organic ingredients...aren't you totally contradicting your reasoning for using organic ingredients by putting them in a cheesecake? It's like an oxymoron. 'Organic' Cheesecake." Oooooooh, he must be under the impression that I use organic to cut down on my calorie intake or something...ooooh, honey, have I got some 'splaining to do for you! Although, at one time, I was sure that he was clear on my reasoning for removing most over-processed, conventional foods from our diet...but apparently not. As he picked up the tub of  TruWhip (aka, 'cool whip'), he read "no hydrogenated oils" across the top. "See, I mean, what does all this mean anyway...'no hydrogenated oils' (and bless his heart for trying so hard to pronounce the word hydrogenated), that means nothing to me." I gasped, "What!? Means nothing to you!? Oh my...." Okay, time to teach my diabetic husband a thing or two about nutrition (by the way, nutrition classes should be required for all diabetics. It's nearly impossible to change your carb-loving eating habits if you don't understand why you have to change them...but I digress :) So, I take this golden opportunity to explain how partially hydrogenated oils are equal to trans fats...these are man-engineered poisons, they do not exist in nature...and they are nasty, disgusting, processed fats that stick to the walls of your arteries like wax and cause build-up, which over a period of time leads to high blood pressure, clogged arteries, heart disease, strokes, which ultimately could lead to medical interventions like heart stent placement, coronary bypass surgery, being placed on more medications, and so on and so forth. And then he asked the question that made my heart flutter and my eyes twinkle-- "Oh....well....if this stuff is so bad for you, then why isn't it illegal to put this stuff in food?" TAA-DAAA! Bingo, my man!!!! This just reinforced to me why not everyone feels the same way I do about natural & organic...because they just don't understand it yet. So, why IS it legal to drowned our daily nourishment in disgusting poisons that are killing us!?!? Because it's cheap...because someone discovered how to do it and thought he was a genius...and because our society has developed an addiction to this type of taste. So, I'm here on my soapbox, urging everyone to pay close attention to the hydrogenated fats that you're including in your diet. You really will feel aaaamazing when you eliminate these toxins from your life! If you're craving some fat in your diet, at least aim for the natural kind!


Since we're on the topic of fats, I'll pass along this natural fat recipe for some cheesecake I made the other night. By no means are these fats 'good for you', so remember moderation. This cheesecake is so amazing...and yes...absolutely 100% filled with fat!! I am such a sucker for cheesecake!! BUT, I guarantee there are NO trans fats in my cheesecake!

Give this one a try--

40 Vanilla Wafers (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
4 pkg (8 oz ea) organic cream cheese, softened, divided
1 cup sugar, divided
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp vanilla, divided
3 eggs
1 tub TruWhip (organic cool whip), thawed

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 8 or 9 inch springform pan.
Beat 3 pkg cream cheese, 3/4 cups sugar, and 1 Tbsp vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 50 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely in pan.
Beat remaining cream cheese, sugar and vailla with mixer in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in TruWhip; spread over sheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours. Remove rim of pan before serving cheesecake. Serve with fresh berries or alone--either way it's delicious!!



I took the exerpt below from a website I was browsing that I can't remember the name of, but I believe it's reliable information on hydrogenated oils/fats. I know many people who don't care about the chemicals they put into their bodies, with the mentality of "Hey, I feel just fine eating the foods I eat." Just think of how much better you could feel if you didn't ingest these toxins! We all complain about being tired all the time...or can't sleep well at night....or just don't have any energy...or our memory is terrible...the list goes on and on. Our bodies are in a constant state of inflammation. I am determined it's diet related. Enjoy the read!

Why not consume partially hydrogenated fats or oils? Because by the definition of "poison," partially hydrogenated fats and oils are poisons. Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines "poison" as "any substance which, when relatively small amounts are ingested ... has chemical action that may cause damage to structure or disturbance of function, producing symptomatology, illness, or death." (1) Partially hydrogenated oils do not exist in nature. Partially hydrogenated fats and oils are processed versions of naturally occurring fats and oils. In nature, most dietary fats and oils exist in a structural form which is called the "cis" form. When these natural cis form fats are processed by bubbling hydrogen gas through them at high temperatures, they become partially hydrogenated which changes their structure to the "trans" form. The natural cis fat has a bend and the processed trans fat is a straight molecule. See figure 1. This difference in cis and trans shapes is of major significance. When eaten, fats and oils are incorporated into cell membranes altering the composition of these delicate structures. When they interact with normal fat metabolism, they disturb function in a most deleterious manner. Hence, these substances meet the definition of a poison." Trans fats interfere with important, normal functions by inhibiting enzymes which are necessary for the body's normal metabolism of fats and they keep doing it for a long time.

When you eat normal cis fats, the body metabolizes half of them in 18 days. When you eat trans fats the body requires 51 days to metabolize half of them. This means that half of the trans fats you eat today will still be inhibiting essential enzyme systems in your body 51 days from now.

Food, Inc

I highly recommend this movie to all!! It's not a huge budget film, so naturally it isn't playing at all theaters, but I'm sure you can find one close to you! As you probably know by now, I have become a HUGE natural & organic food advocate, so this movie couldn't have been released at a better time! I know some of you (okay, a lot of you) don't give a flip about watching a movie that details how the most important substance of your existence is produced, but keep that in mind--FOOD is the most important substance of your existence!! I think this movie will surprise and inspire you!

Enjoy the trailer at least!!

Jackpot

I hit the jackpot with organic coupons! I found a site that listed a ton of organic websites that have printable coupons--I listed them on my blog under Organic Coupons Sites. I just briefly looked over each of them but haven't tried printing from these sites yet...I'm sure they work just fine since most of them are manufacturer websites.

My couponing has fallen by the wayside since our transition to mostly organic or at least all natural eating. I'm pretty excited about these coupon sites I found though. Every penny counts!

I'm also growing a garden this summer with my sister at our mom's house. I'm really looking forward to this!! My mom always has a huge amount of veggies from her garden every year--plenty to freeze & can. She makes the best tomato soup I've ever tasted! We're always asking her for more throughout the year--looks like I'll get my own stockpile now. ;) I'm also looking forward to learning the art of canning and freezing--yes, I think it is an art--and a fabulous way to eat fresh, naturally grown, pesticide-free vegetables all year 'round. I hope our garden produces enough to donate a good amount to our local food banks as well--I'm sure we'll have plenty! I am so attracted to the idea of using our earth in its purest form to feed and nourish our bodies. Man I sound like a hippie, but its so true ;) Better look out, I might buy a cow next and learn how to make my own yogurt from her milk...and I'll make cheese...and sour cream...and ice cream...and coffee creamer.... Ha! There we go, a cow in my backyard in suburban Dublin-and we thought Portia had big....nevermind, off topic! :) Stay tuned for updates on my first garden--let's hope I have a green thumb!

Organic Websites

A few organic baby-food related sites that I've checked out...if you're interested!

I spent some time just browsing through these websites and have book marked the most interesting ones to share. :)

The Organic Report
Organic Center
Horizon Organic: Dr. Greene's Corner
Horizon Organic: Raising Organic Kids
Stonyfield Farms: Have A Cow (This one cracks me up! I'm following Pumpkin ;)
Dr. Greene: 5 Ways to Buy Organic on a Budget (I was drawn to this one of course;)
Dr. Greene: Organic Central

Other Sites:
Mayo Clinic: Is organic baby food better than regular baby food?
USA Today: Parents with pesticide fears turn to organic baby food
Dr. Sears: Family nutrition

The more I read, the closer I get to "spring cleaning" my fridge & starting fresh. I believe there is a family lifestyle transformation in the works. ;) More on this later ...

Homemade Deliciousness :)

Ava's Favorite of the Week: Green Peas!

Here is the "recipe" from my homemade baby food book .... for those who are interested!

Prep: For fresh peas--wash and shell peas. Discard pods. For frozen peas--no prep necessary.
Cook: Place peas (2 to 3 10 ounce packages, or 1 & 3/4 fresh) and 2 Tbl of water into microwave safe dish. Cover with saran wrap. Cook 6-8 minutes. **I only used a 1 lb bag of peas so only microwaved about 5 minutes.** Let stand 5 minutes. Peas are done when they can be easily pierced with a fork.
Puree: Place peas and cooking juices in blender (or food processor) and puree. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water as needed to develop a smooth texture.
Pour: Spoon into Fresh Baby trays. **I use plain old ice cube trays. I also use some of those little cups with lids--Gerber Graduates or something similar.**
Freeze: 8-10 hours or overnight. Remove from trays, place in storage containers or freezer bags, and return immediately to freezer. **Makes perfect individual serving portions--at least for now. Ava's tummy is still tiny:) **

Something neat...
This book gives you ideas on veggie combos that peas would be good to serve with and certain herbs and spices that would be good to mix in as well, once she is a bit older--this book suggests around 8-10 months, but I like the idea of keeping it simple.

Frozen baby food will stay good in the freezer for months, but for the sake of freshness the earlier you use it the better!


Homemade peas compared to store bought peas... mmm mmmm which would you prefer!:)


I don't think you really realize it until the two are next to each other. The homemade peas are definitely more nutrient packed!


Green beans. I will add more water next time ... these are a little thick.


Butternut squash purees beautifully!


I couldn't help but taste this stuff while I was making it. :) The squash was definitely my favorite!

And the consensus is .......



Lip-smackin' good!! :)

And, She's Off ...

Well, this is it ... our lives will never be the same again ... our little peanut is MOBILE. She just tackled the skill of rolling from her back to her belly this week. Now she's all over the place! She's like a little tumbleweed. :) She has rolled into the coffee table and conked her head, banged her head on the hardwood floors, gotten stuck in her activity gym on top of her toys, and gotten real up close and personal with Portia and our kitty, a little too close for my comfort--Portia is 140lbs of pure love-but is rather clumsy at times. So her life is much more exciting these days! She's learning cause and effect ... and what it feels like to have an "ouchie" :) It is so fun to watch her grow and develop.

We've also moved on to carrots. :) That's a fun time ... I've learned that what goes in bright orange, must come out bright orange, from both ends. Ava actually doesn't seem to like the carrots--maybe because that's her first non-green food? I'll keep trying them...she'll get used to them I'm sure.

Which brings me to my next topic --- making baby food! I have decided to make all of Ava's food from organic produce ... as long as I possibly can! I feel like her virgin intestinal tract doesn't need to be invaded by food that may have traces of pesticides, steroids, fungicides, yada yada yada. Babies absorb so much more of that junk than adults because they eat about 6 times more fruits and veggies than we do as adults. I want to provide her with the most naturally grown substances that I can and after doing my fair share of research I think organic is the way to go for us. No added preservatives, no added sodium, no pesticides, just pure and natural fruits and veggies made with TLC by mommy!

I wondered at first if I would have the time and energy to put into making all of her food. For those of you who are wondering, I can get all of her food made and in the freezer in about 20-30 minutes one night a week. It's totally worth it to me! I use a great book called, So Easy Baby Food. It's available at Whole Foods Market and I'm sure you can buy it at Barnes and Noble or any bookstore too. There's not much to it when it comes to making baby food, but this book helps those (like me!) who don't know where to start. Nutrition is outrageously important when it comes to an infant's neurological and immunological development. I don't think infant and childhood nutrition is given the attention it deserves. The type of food that goes into a baby's tummy will mold her future nutritional tastes and behavioral development. I feel great knowing I'm doing my part for her future health and development by choosing the best foods for her now. I also hate that her virgin immune system is shocked with 4 vaccinations every two months for her first year of life, but I haven't quite figured out how to get around that one. Oh, I could go on and on and on about this! Does that mean that I think anyone who doesn't feed their baby organic produce are awful non-caring parents? Nope ... just that I am pleased with what I'm doing! Different strokes for different folks, right? :) Okay, that's my soapbox for the day! ;)

Some cute pics ... enjoy!









Just a quick video of Ava's latest skill :)

Organic Food Coupons

Just found this one ... its going to be one of my favorites! I like to buy a lot of organic products but I find these items a little pricey if I don't really hunt around for good deals. So here's a good coupon site for organic products ... if that interests you :)

• www.mambosprouts.com