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Earth Day and Going Green

Kari Ani — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:16:18 +0000

Since 1970, Earth Day has been observed every April 22 to help bring awareness to the struggle to help save the environment. While Earth Day was originally only observed in the United States, it is now celebrated in more than 175 countries across the globe. This means that every year, millions of people around the world unite in their efforts to curb their energy use, fuel consumption and take many other actions to positively impact the earth.

In a time where terms like “climate change,” “energy crisis,” and “ozone depletion” have become common use in everyday language, it is more important than ever that we all do what we can to contribute to the restoration of the planet. There are some simple things you can do in your daily life to help in the efforts, like recycling, using public transportation or walking rather than driving, or picking up any trash you see in public areas.

There are also ways you can contribute on a more global scale. Earth Day Network, the group that organizes global Earth Day events and causes every year, has put together a new campaign for this year’s celebration with projects focusing on many different areas. Here are a few of the many elements of the 2011 Earth Day campaign:

Women and Green Economy (WAGE) focuses on using the leadership of women to help stimulate a global green economy. WAGE was created because women make up over half of the world’s population and studies have shown that women also make 85 percent of all consumer choices. Therefore, as more women are constantly rising to positions of power worldwide, they have the ability to lead the way to a sustainable green economy.

Arts for the Earth is an educational program that strives to teach environmental education through museums and other arts communities. It will also encourage schools to create Earth Day programs.

The Canopy Project aims to plant millions of trees worldwide where they are greatly needed, such as in Haiti, Germany, and urban areas of the United States.

Green Schools, as the name suggests, intends to turn schools “green” by finding ways to make them run on less energy and at lower costs.

At Truly Organic Baking, we support all efforts to make our world a more livable place. To learn more about these and many other programs, or other ways that you can contribute time or money to the many great Earth Day causes, visit Earth Day Network’s website at www.earthday.org.

Honoring Earth Hour

Kari Ani — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:26:13 +0000

Truly Organic Baking is proud to support Earth Hour 2011, a global effort to bring awareness to energy conservation and global climate change. Since its inception in Sydney, Australia in 2007, Earth Hour has quickly grown into the largest single celebration of climate action in the world.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) organizes this annual event and encourages participants across the globe to “leave the lights off” for this hour of celebration. Such action leads to awareness of how we are using our planet’s resources, and so we are encouraged to power-down for this period of time on March 26th.

In this day and age of widespread energy consumption, individuals are challenged to find suitable ways to occupy their time while the lights are off for this time of celebration. Such challenges are sure to make an even greater impression on all of us who are accustomed to electronic entertainment, energy-consuming travel and, of course, electric lights.

Use your imagination to devise an appropriate way to celebrate this Earth Hour. A candlelight dinner, games at the table, or time spent outdoors in the evening make for good ways to raise our own awareness of the energy we consume, often without even noticing we are consuming it!

Saving energy and living green are admirable ways of participating in our global society without taking energy and other resources for granted. As important and fun as the global celebration of Earth Hour 2011 might be for us, the benefits of regularly using less energy puts us each in closer community with our neighbors near and far.

Let us reflect this year on the amount of energy we consume and on the quality of life we can ensure for ourselves, and for future generations, by paying mind to just how much we take from the planet and how much we can give back.

See national landmarks in over one hundred countries pledge support for conservation of the planet’s resources by switching off electricity on March 26 at 8:30 p.m., and let it inspire you to make energy-conscious choices so that every hour is Earth Hour.

Organic and Gluten-Free Soda Bread for St. Patrick’s Day, Any Day!

Kari Ani — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:27:09 +0000

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, everyone seems to be a wee bit Irish! While many are going green with dyed beers or corned beef and cabbage, celebrations of this seasonal holiday often leave gluten-free and organic gourmands out in the cold. Rather than sitting this St. Patty’s Day out, why not celebrate with an organic or gluten-free twist on a traditional treat?

Everything good doesn’t have to be off the table for folks with organic or gluten-free diets. In honor of the Patron Saint of Ireland, we would like to share two great soda bread recipes with you, one of which is gluten-free and the other organic.

Traditionally associated with St. Patrick’s Day and counted as a must-have of the Irish eating experience, the Irish came to identify soda bread as their own out of financial necessity. Bread leavened from soda ash was inexpensive and easy to make, and as poverty ravaged the countryside, soda bread became a staple in the Irish diet. Today, many enjoy soda bread as a traditional food.

Now that you know a bit about the origins of Irish soda bread, it is time to try this notoriously simple bread on your own. Because we do not package a soda bread mix, we’ve found two great recipes designed to meet the dietary needs of those who are organic and/or gluten free. These recipes will let you try your hand at creating that traditional treat the organic, gluten-free way!

The organic soda bread recipe comes from OrganicToBe.org and makes one 8 to 10 inch freeform loaf of bread. It’s referred to as a “wheaten” soda bread, and is easy to put together with a few simple ingredients. You can find the recipe here.

For those with gluten sensitivity, try this wheat and gluten-free version of soda bread from the Gluten-Free Goddess blog by Karina Allrich. Her recipe features millet and sorghum flours held together by a few other exotic ingredients. Read the gluten-free recipe in its entirety, assemble your ingredients and enjoy baking bread for your St. Patrick’s Day festivities!

Finally, we’d like to hear about your experiences with these organic and gluten-free recipes. Tell us what you think by sending us a message, or posting to our Facebook Wall!

Straight From the Truly Organic Baking Contact Form

Kari Ani — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:23:26 +0000

Truly Organic Baking customer Barbara M. found our products at a Safeway, then sent us this amazing message:

Thank you Kari for creating such an amazing group of truly healthy baking products!!!

We’ve just made the Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix with Pecan, dried raisins and cranberries. OMG, its the best Gluten Free product I’ve ever tasted after trying a multitude of products for myself and health conscious friends of my holistic ministry practice. Almost all gluten free products on the market tend to rely on Potato flour as a base which is bland, heavy and starchy, making gluten free, taste free. Now our experience with Truly Organic Baking…Wow!! Your gluten free products have a terrific combination of complex flavors and textures-real winners! You really stand out from the gluten free crowd, utilizing organic buckwheat flour, a high, flavorful source of protein and gluten free fiber, paired with organic brown rice flour, another nutritional powerhouse food. This combination makes your products real win! ners in both taste and nutrition. Bravo!! Truly amazing! Everyone wanted seconds!

Thank you again for creating magnificent organic gluten free products.

B.D.M. Holistic Health Practitioner and Detox Guide

Thank you Barbara for these extremely wonderful and thoughtful words! =)

Kari Ani Shiozawa

Founder & CEO

Truly Organic Baking, LLC

All-New Bakers Basics Gluten-Free Line of Organic Mixes

Kari Ani — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:01:46 +0000

Eating organic on a gluten-free diet is now easier than ever! To bring the wonderful taste of your favorite foods back to the table, Truly Organic Baking has added an all-new gluten-free selection of goodies to our Bakers Basics line of products. These organic options are made with organic ingredients that everyone can enjoy!

In addition to the organic products already offered in our Bakers Basics line, we’ve added four new gluten-free selections to bring even more fresh organic baked goods to you and your family. Our Gluten-Free Bakers Basics come in four different varieties. Choose from new Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix, Brownie Mix, Spice Muffin Mix, or Pancake and Waffle Mix for a wholesome and satisfying baking experience the whole family will love.

A classic favorite, Bakers Basics Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix lets you have your banana bread and eat it too! Great for breakfast, an afternoon snack or dessert, our Bakers Basics Organic Gluten-Free mix is sure to be a hit.

For the chocolate lover, we’ve made it easy to enjoy chocolate brownies without the guilt. Hot and fresh from the oven, they make an excellent snack on their own, or topped with vanilla ice cream! Of course, not everyone is as loco for coco as we are, and we’ve remembered these very important customers as we dreamed up our sumptuous Spice Muffin Mix. Ideal for serving as a tea snack or for an on-the-go option, this muffin mix is sure to become a pantry staple.

Last but not least, to make breakfast a breeze, we’ve crafted our own Gluten-Free Pancake and Waffle Mix. Whip up a batch of these Saturday morning favorites served with fresh fruit and real maple syrup, and watch them disappear like magic. No one will even know they’re gluten-free!

At Truly Organic Baking, we know a healthy organic diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Just because you follow a gluten-free diet doesn’t mean your food has to taste plain. Try one of our mixes, and remember how good organic and gluten-free can really be!

Would you like to learn more? To view our entire lineup of Bakers Basics products, visit www.trulyorganicbaking.com/shop/.

Baking With Gluten-Free Products

Kari Ani — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:40:04 +0000

Are you looking for a way to expand your gluten-free eating options? Until recently, most people were largely in the dark about gluten-free foods, but due to the rise of food-related allergies, more people are looking toward gluten-free options to regain control of their health.

Just because you’re living gluten-free doesn’t mean you have to give up on your favorite foods altogether. To someone trying to abstain from wheat, eating can become a major stress factor. However, all hope is not lost. Like all special dietary situations, the key to sticking with it is substitution, not sacrifice. While gluten-free baking can seem intimidating at first, with a few adjustments and a little help, it can be as easy as pie.

The most important part of successful gluten-free baking is to keep it simple. If you’re just beginning, it’s OK to start off with prepared items. At Truly Organic Baking, we carry a variety of tasty pre-packaged gluten-free mixes to steer you in the right direction. Store-bought baking and pancake mixes can be a serious stress-reducer for those new to the gluten-free lifestyle, and may lead the novice baker toward creating their own mixes from scratch.

Sometimes ingredients are processed in factories that also process other allergy-causing foods. Because of this, gluten-free foods can have dairy, soy, beans, sugar, or nuts. If you choose to purchase pre-made mixes, carefully read the label to check for potentially problematic ingredients. If you have dietary issues with lactose, soy, legumes, casein or nuts, make sure that these products are not present, or could be present, in your gluten-free foods.

Once you’re comfortable with preparing pre-packaged gluten-free foods, you can begin to explore making your own mixes. Your best bet is to find gluten-free cookbooks and recipes and try each one out with different flours. There are a surprising number of options out there, including rice, buckwheat, quinoa, coconut, and almond flours. Each of these has their own special characteristics, and learning about them will help you determine which will work best for you.

As with all forms of baking, practice makes perfect. When exploring gluten-free baking, remember to go easy on yourself. Because the ingredients have different properties than their wheat-created cousins, it can take some time to find the ones that work best for you.

For a wide range of gluten-free and organic baking products, visit our online store at www.TrulyOrganicBaking.com!

Truly Organic Baking Declared a U.S.A. Taste Champion

Kari Ani — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:36:32 +0000

We have some amazing news to share with you: Truly Organic Baking was declared a U.S.A. Taste Champion by the American Masters of Taste!

Northern California, February 15, 2011 – Truly Organic Baking, was selected as the winning product line in the “Banana bread mix, Banana bread mix, gluten free, Brownie mix, gluten free, Pizza dough mix, Scone mix, and Spice muffin mix, gluten free” categories for retail. Their “Bakers Basics Banana Bread Original, Banana Bread- Gluten Free, Scone Mix, Brownie Mix- Gluten Free, and Spice Muffin Mix- Gluten Free” were all judged Superior.”

“We commend the culinary commitment of the staff of Truly Organic Baking for the excellence and innovation of their product line. We applaud them,” commented Jesse Sartain (Master of Taste).

Thank you for making our Truly Organic Baking products a part of your healthy lifestyle choice!

Choose ORGANIC for the sake of the planet.

Truly Organic Baking Award Of Excellence.doc (525 kb)

Organic Whole Grains in Your Daily Diet

Kari Ani — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:18:15 +0000

These days, it seems like most people are looking for ways to improve their diets. Alarming numbers of Americans have become susceptible to illnesses like high blood pressure, chronic obesity, and diabetes due to poor food choices. Even President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are concerned with the nation’s eating habits and patterns. In response to this, they have both encouraged healthier eating habits for everyone.

For years, the U.S Department of Agriculture has been emphasizing the importance of whole grains as part of a healthy diet, but many people do not know what makes a grain whole. Unlike their refined counterparts, whole grain products contain the grain in its entirety. By consuming whole grain foods, we are able to take advantage of the natural benefits whole grains offer.

Whole grains are high in fiber, as well as a number of B vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, and folate. They are also a good source of minerals like iron, magnesium, and selenium, all of which are an important part of overall health and give us the chance to maximize the nutritional benefits of meals.

By adding the organic factor into whole grains, we increase our nutritional intake while simultaneously decreasing our exposure to chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers. Additionally, like other organic foods, organic whole grains are never genetically modified.

By choosing organic whole grains instead of refined grains for your healthy diet, you decrease your risk for a variety of chronic illnesses. When consumed regularly, the nutritional content of whole grains helps you to maintain a healthy weight, while lowering your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol.

It’s really not too difficult to incorporate the recommended three servings of whole grains into your daily diet. Try preparing meals with ingredients like brown or wild rice, oatmeal, and bulgur. Even some of your favorite foods and snacks (like popcorn and oatmeal) are naturally whole grains and can help you meet your goals. Alternately, look for packaged foods with “whole grain” written on the label, or listed near the top of the ingredients list.

If you would like to learn more ways to incorporate organic and whole grains into your diet, check out the USDA’s nutrition site at http://www.mypyramid.gov. Of course, you can always stop in and see what’s fresh and healthy at Truly Organic Baking. We love our organic whole grains and would love to share them with you!

Collective Cooking: Organic Foods and Community

Kari Ani — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:40:56 +0000

You have probably noticed by now that at Truly Organic Baking, we encourage more than just enjoying our healthy, sustainable organic products. That’s because it’s our goal to not only provide our organic products to our customers, but also to allow you to make eating organic foods of all varieties and brands part of your family’s lifestyle.

Food nourishes us and brings us together. When we are sitting around the table with our loved ones, we share more than just a meal. Eating organic foods together gives us time to talk and laugh, and to learn and teach. While eating together is a very important part of keeping us together, meal preparation can be just as important in establishing that sense of community.

Cooking together is a great way to make meals more fun. Rather than placing the responsibility of meals on one person, collective cooking gives everyone a chance to participate. When everyone literally lends a hand, it makes for a rewarding experience in which kids and adults alike benefit. Little ones can help with the simple tasks like washing vegetables or setting the table, and adults can show them the different parts of the meal coming together.

Collective organic cooking also makes it easier to host gatherings. Everyone can pitch in, even friends who claim not to have any cooking talents. Amateur chefs can exchange tips and recipes while providing live demonstrations, and your culinary-challenged friends can employ dishwashing skills, making final clean-up a breeze. (Just make sure you use environmentally friendly cleaning products!)

Before you plan your next organic meal, consider giving collective cooking a try. Brainstorm a variety of favorite dishes to cook up, or try the all-star menu featured below:

Family-Style Fiesta Style
Fish Tacos
Organic Black Bean and Corn Salsa with Tortilla Chips
Organic Guacamole (for tacos and chips!)
Refried Beans and Spanish Rice
Organic Salad Greens, Tomatoes, Cheese, and Sour Cream for toppings

This lineup will be sure to be a crowd-pleaser, and everyone can have a hand in making the organic goodies on the table. Use your own recipes, or look for organic versions online.

To get started, you can assign ingredients and tasks for the various dishes. Once everything is prepared, serve buffet-style and enjoy with your friends and family. You’ll soon understand the value of collective cooking, organic style!

For more information on the organic lifestyle and to check out an outstanding selection of organic products, visit us, Truly Organic Baking, at www.trulyorganicbaking.com.

How Food is Failing Us Today

Kari Ani — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:03:12 +0000

We’re in a sad state when a fictitious magazine character recognizes the disparity between our diets and our lifestyles before we do. That was the case recently when Mad Magazine’s Alfred E. Newman said, “We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.”

The trend of adding natural ingredients to chemical products, while simultaneously removing them from our diet, is alarming. Now more than ever, people are looking for ways to cut corners and save a little money. However, the food that you feed your family is not the budget area to do this. When we substitute natural foods for convenience foods or processed foods with artificial ingredients, we are setting ourselves up for disaster.

Food is intended to fuel our bodies with the substances we need for energy, strength and general sustenance, but the eating habits of today are a far cry from meeting these requirements. In spite of more than 1 billion overweight adults around the world, many of us continue to fill our bodies with empty calories. Our daily diets are over-saturated with saturated fats, refined sugars and processed foods, leading to a plethora of health concerns like diabetes, high blood pressure and fatigue, among others.

Though our modern meals are contributing to making us overweight, many of us are also not getting the essentials we need. By eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, we receive the energy to get through our day without crashing or craving unhealthy snacks. When processed foods are the staple, our bodies don’t get key nutrients like fiber or calcium, leading to malnutrition and other health concerns.

Over the long run, the time and money that convenience and fast foods were supposed to save us end up being put toward healthcare costs. Treatment of chronic illnesses as a result of poor nutrition takes its toll on us both physically and financially, in the form of medical bills and stressed bodies.

If life gives you lemons, don’t make furniture polish—make lemonade! It’s time we start taking our health more seriously by creating real meals with natural and organic foods. Let’s create traditions of health starting in our own kitchens.

For a variety of organic and gluten-free baking mixes to get you started on your way to a healthier lifestyle, or to continue your already organic ways, check out Truly Organic Baking’s online produce store by visiting www.trulyorganicbaking.com.