Does maple syrup REALLY come out of our taps here in Canada????

In the springtime we probably could rig it up somehow to have the syrup coming out of our taps - I'm sure anything is possible in todays age. ha ha We've got several places we can buy local maple syrup from.

For breakfast on Saturday we went to what we call the 'sugar bush'. A local family has been tapping trees on their land for 80 years and selling the syrup. They also run a pancake establishment there that is open for 4-6 weeks each spring while the syrup is running. So each spring we go for some pancakes and pick up a BIG jug of syrup. (In hindsight I should have taken pictures of the area for you) You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you we go thru TWO of these 4 litre jugs each year. We just don't use it for pancakes though. Dreena Burton's cookbooks use maple syrup to replace most of the refined sugar.....so most of my syrup is used in my baking. Another use I have for maple syrup is in my morning java. Instead of refined white sugar I put a big ol' heaping spoonful of maple syrup into my mug. (hint hint chile chews) A pretty good local alternative I must say.

Another treat I came home with from the sugar bush was some lip balm - in, of course, maple flavour - all natural - good for my lips and senses!

Soooooo we may not be able to grow bananas or mangoes up here in Canada - but we sure do have backdoor access to the best maple syrup on the planet!!

I'm baaaaaack!!!!

While on vacation I managed to read these two items: the latest issue of Vegetarian times and In Defense of Food. I'm always disappointed with vegetarian times but this issue was surprisingly good. I liked the article "Earth Day Special: How to eat for a healthier Planet." I just LOVED In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. Of course one gets more out of this book by reading Omnivore's Dilemna first, but the book was an easy read - I finished it in less than a day. It has sure lit a fire under me to eat more whole foods. We've always been good around here to eat meals prepared by moi instead of out of a package - but I totally disregarded some of our everyday items. Take my Soy Creamer for example; it has over 13 ingredients in it!! This book suggest not eating anything with more than 5 ingredients. Not only that, the soy creamer has some ingredients I can't even pronounce ( carrageenan - which is suscipiously always linked with MSG) Another everyday item in our household is bread. I was on a kick for a couple months where I made all our loaves in my breadmaker - but I put that on a back burner for awhile - well let me tell you - I will be getting that breadmaker back out! A typical loaf of whole wheat bread that I buy in our grocery store has over 12 ingredients in it! I don't even know what mono and diglycerides are??!! I'm guessing preservatives?? You know, the more I find out, the more FREAKED out I get! Ignorance is bliss sometimes? ha ha Anywho, for the days I don't make my bread from scratch I'm buying Ezekiel 4:9 bread. It is made from sprouted grains (no flour...wooohoo), has only sprouted grains, yeast, water and sea salt - nothing suspicious. But enough of that rant.

Also while on vacation I found this makeup by Physicians Formula - it is their newest line of organic makeup. I saw it here in Canada at our drugstore awhile back but it was way too expensive so I always passed it up. But while away I managed to snag it for 40% off! So these three items shown here cost me less than just one of them would have here in Canada. But the price isn't what convinced me to buy the products. Proponents against mineral makeup argue that it can dry the skin and look chalky. (And I agree.) Physician’s Formula has prevented this possibility by including moisturizing jojoba, olive and safflower oils--none of which are comedogenic--in the formulations, which give a creamy look. Eco factor: The Organic Wear™ line contains 100% ECOCERT® ingredients with no parabens, harsh chemicals or synthetic fragrance and dyes. They come in biodegradable packaging and weren't tested on animals. Those are the reason I bought them! I bought the loose powder, powder bronzer, and blush.....stuff I was out of. Bottom Line: I'm happy to have found worthy replacements that are good for my skin AND the environment without breaking the bank!

Diet Sweenteners can cause Obesity, Depression, Brain Damage

Okay, so we haven't left yet for our vacation! But soon - so very soon - YAY! In the meantime I've been reading about the scary realities of MSG and Aspartame! Crazy, scary shit I tell you! I am HORRIFIED to learn that that DAMN MSG is in just about every thing! Even the freakin' ketchup my kids consume!

This news can't be startling to anyone can it??? I think everyone has always known that anything artifical isn't good for us, and sooner or later, its going to creep up on us. Take me for example, now every time I drink a diet pop I break out in rash. It took approx. 15 years for that crap to accumulate in my system and tell me it's time to say bye-bye to it!

Read for yourselves the dangers of MSG and Aspartame:

http://www.naturalnews.com/022785.html

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/

Read Healthy Cookie's views on MSG too.

Happy researching!

Hiatus

We're heading off to the sunny south for some SUNSHINE and WARM temperatures. All this white shit on the ground here in Canada is starting to depress me. It was great for awhile - tobagganing, downhill skiing, ice skating......it's all fun and games for the first few months - then after that - I'd like to ask that white crap to "Get the f*&^ outta here already"! ha ha

Because we're flying I offsetted our carbon emissions at http://www.terrapass.com/.

"A carbon offset is a certificate representing the reduction of one metric ton (2,205 lbs) of carbon dioxide emissions, the principal cause of global warming. Although complex in practice, carbon offsets are fairly simple in theory. If you develop a project that reduces carbon dioxide emissions, every ton of emissions reduced results in the creation of one carbon offset. Project developers can then sell these offsets to finance their projects. There are hundreds of different types of carbon reduction projects. For example, a wind farm generates clean energy, which reduces carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants. In order to finance its operations, a wind farm can sell these reductions in the form of carbon offsets."

Next time you travel, visit this website and consider buying one of the certificates - we did! Talk to you when we get back!

photo courtesy of flickr.com