Tag: food

Categories
Eco Eats

Stop Wasting Food: How To Extend Your Produce Shelf Life

produce-vegetables-food-organic-healthy

Food waste is one of the most important environmental issues that our world is facing today. In the US alone, 40 percent of all produced food is thrown away. An average American family will waste over two thousand dollars worth of food per year. So many resources are used up to produce food that these statistics are more than a little bit worrying. When we throw out food we are not only wasting money, but also  water, soil, energy and even farming space. Maybe you can’t do much to stop big chain stores from wasting produce. But you can make sure that your family gets to eat what you buy, by extending your food’s shelf life.

produce-storage-shelf-life-vegetables

1. The old paper towel trick

If you buy more carrots and lettuce than your family can consume quickly, you may have found that they become soggy after being stored in the fridge for a while. To help them retain their crispiness for longer, all you need is a paper towel. Store your carrots and lettuce on top of several layers of paper towels inside of your fridge. If your produce come sin a plastic bag, perforate the bag before putting it inside of the fridge, you shouldn’t be able to see any condensation inside the bag.

2. Don’t store everything in the fridge

Some fruits should always be kept at room temperature, not only because their life will not actually extend when stored in the fridge, but also because they might actually cause your other produce to go bad faster. Avocados, bananas, apricots, oranges, pears, melons, peaches, plums, tomatoes, kiwis, pineapples and nectarines should be kept outside of the fridge. This is because they produce ethylene gas, which causes nearby vegetables to spoil quicker.

3. Keep your fridge clean

Not only should you throw out food that has gone bad, you should also wipe down your fridge at least every week. Pay special attention to the veggie crisper or wherever you keep your vegetables. This is because bacteria built up on the fridge surfaces can help speed up the process of spoiling and make your veggies go bad faster.

4. Keep your onions away from the potaties

Some foods are not good friends. Onions and potatoes are sworn enemies. Even if both of these vegetables should be stored at room temperature, try your best not to store them right next to each other. This is because they give out a chemical that can make other produce spoil quicker, so this will significantly reduce their shelf life.

5. Choose your wrappings

Celery, green peppers and broccoli will keep for much longer if you keep them wrapped in tin foil inside your fridge. They will retain their crispiness and be just as delicious as the first day. Mushrooms, on the other hand, should be stored in a paper bag or wrap instead of plastic or foil.

Categories
Eco Eats

Your Favorite Restaurants Ranked For Antibiotic Use

Chipotle-burrito-Mexican-grill

We all want to eat clean and keep ourselves healthy while caring for the environment. Unfortunately, that usually means we have to make all of our meals from scratch, as that’s the only way to be sure of what’s in our food. There’s no need to be so strict, though. If you are running late or you are just really tired, popping by the nearby fast-food place is understandable, as long as that’s not your every day diet. And some restaurants are better at the “clean food” than others. Antibiotic use is one of the most pressing issues when it comes to food production, as widespread use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance (or “superbugs”, as the media loves to call it),  which poses great health risks for humans. Just in case, here are your favorite restaurants ranked for their antibiotic use.

restaurants-fast-food-chains-antibiotic-use-ranking

Chipotle – Delicious, filling, delicious… who doesn’t indulge in Chipotle once in a while? Perfect for lunch or a late-night snack run, Chipotle is always there for you and your spicy food needs. It also has the best practices when it comes to antibiotics. It has publicly stated that most of their meat and poultry is produced with no routine use of antibiotics, so munch away.

Panera – Soups, salads and amazing sandwiches, Panera is a favorite for work lunch and maybe a cup of coffee with a croissant. They rank this high on the list because they have publicly affirmed that the majority of their meat and poultry is produced without routine use of antibiotics, so you can continue to enjoy their fantastic, if slightly overpriced sandwiches, knowing they are antibiotic-free.

McDonald’s – The old Mickey D’s already has a policy in place that limits the use of antibiotics on its chicken, and it has implemented a timeline to get completely rid of antibiotics in chicken in the next two years. However, this policy does not extend to beef and pork that are also served in the restaurant. Investors are pressing down on Ronald McDonald to fix that, so it’s possible that we’ll see a new policy covering pork and beef in the future.

Chick-fil-A – The fast food chain has a policy that limits the use of antibiotics in all its chicken. Which is a good thing, since that’s their main appeal. They have pledged to be completely antibiotic-free by 2019 and are taking action to meet the goal.

Dunkin’ Donuts – They rank pretty low on the list because, even though they have a policy to limit antibiotic use in their meats, they do not have a clear timeline to implement it. For now, you’ll probably want to stick to their coffee and donuts.

Starbucks – While the chain has made several statements supporting the “responsible use of antibiotics”, they have failed to implement a clear policy to eliminate antibiotics from their meats.

Categories
Eco Eats

Overnight Oats That Are Healthy And Delicious

overnight-oats-recipes-fruits

What are overnight oats? They are simply the easiest, most delicious way to have a healthy breakfast waiting for you every morning. And the best part is that you can pretty much customize the recipe to fit your tastes. Here are some ideas.

overnight-oats-banana-cocoa

Banana-Cocoa Overnight Oats

This recipe will keep in the fridge for up to three days, so you might want to adapt it to make it in larger quantities. You will need two cups of rolled oats to mix with 1 ½ cups of milk (you can use almond milk if you want). Add half a cup of yogurt, one chopped banana, two tablespoons of cocoa and one tablespoon of honey or maple syrup for sweetness. Mix all the ingredients together and stick them in the freezer overnight. When you wake up, take a portion out, top with nuts if you want and munch away. This is a great breakfast choice because it will fill you up with healthy fats and proteins and it contains slow-digesting carbs that will keep you going until lunchtime.

Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats

This recipe is like an apple pie for breakfast, but in oat form. Mix half a cup of rolled oats with half a cup of milk, a quarter cup of plain yogurt, a quarter cup of apple sauce, one teaspoon vanilla extract, one teaspoon maple syrup, half a teaspoon of cinnamon, half an apple (diced), a pinch of ground cloves and a tiny bit of ground nutmeg. Leave in the fridge and come back in the morning for breakfast that will make you think of the holidays.

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Veggies for breakfast? Check. Breakfast that tastes like desert? Also check. Healthy breakfast? Super check. Blend two pitted organic dates, half a peeled banana, one peeled and chopped carrot and a cup of your favorite milk, dairy or non-dairy. Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a quarter teaspoon of ground nutmeg, a quarter teaspoon of ground ginger and a pinch of ground cloves. Mix with half a cup of rolled oats and let it sit in the fridge overnight. You can top with chopped walnuts, raisins and coconut flakes before eating for an even better experience.

Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats

These oats don’t contain actual shortcake, but they do taste like ice cream, which makes them perfect for the kids. Mix 12 chopped strawberries, two cups of rolled oats, one and a half cups of milk, half a cup of Greek yogurt, one tablespoon of strawberry jam and a quarter teaspoon of vanilla extract. Keep in the fridge covered overnight and enjoy the next morning while still cold. You can substitute regular milk for almond milk if that’s more to your taste.

Categories
Eco Eats

Up Your Summer Fruit Game, Like, Right Now

fruit-salad-summer-slices

Fruit salads are so last summer. Simply putting some fruit in a bowl and eating it with a fork is not enough anymore. If you want to jazz up your fruity summer treats, here are some great recipes to up your summer fruit game.

summer-fruit-popsicle-homemade

Bomb fruit popsicles

All the refreshing taste of popsicles without all that added sugar, this easy treat is a must for any freezer. The best part is that you can make them any flavor you want, all you need is fruit and fresh fruit juice. Slice up your fruit and mix some berries in for good measure. Arrange the mix inside popsicle molds and pour your favorite juice until you fill them up. Now stick them in the freezer and wait around six hours until they are frozen solid. These are perfect to make once and keep in your freezer for those moments when you are screaming for ice cream but still want to avoid extra sugar.

Banana blueberry vegan ice cream

Speaking of ice cream, you can make it yourself using only two ingredients. Slice up two bananas and stick them in the freezer overnight. Put the banana slices in a blender, add half a cup of blueberries and blend away until you get a smooth, uniform consistency. Keep it in the freezer and munch away while watching Netflix. You can make other flavors by replacing the blueberries with other fruits and even adding cocoa powder to make chocolate ice cream that is way healthier than Ben & Jerry’s.

Leftover fruit smoothie

Whenever you go overboard and buy way more fruit than you are able to eat, you can save some to make leftover fruit smoothie. Before your fruit goes bad, grab those you know you won’t eat, slice them up and freeze them. Next time you are craving fruit, take your frozen slices out, mix them with some fresh fruit and add a tablespoon of honey if you want to sweeten the deal. Now blend them with some fruit juice until you reach perfect smoothie consistency. You can mix up the ratio of fresh and frozen fruit to get the texture you want, remember that the more frozen fruit you add, the thicker the smoothie will be.

Two ingredient berry jam

This is the easiest jam recipe ever. It only takes an hour to make and it will result in delicious homemade jam you can keep to eat on breakfast toast or give as a gift to impress people. You need two cups of fresh raspberries, blueberries, cranberries or any kind of berry you want. You can even mix and match. Put them in a pot on medium heat and mash them a bit so the juice come out. Depending on the texture you like, you can turn them into complete mulch or not. Cook them until they have a uniform consistency, then add one cup of sugar without taking the pot from the fire. Try to add the sugar slowly while sprinkling it over all the berries, but trying to avoid the sides of the pot. Stir and cook the mixture together until it has reduced by ¼ of the original volume.

Categories
Articles Eco Tips

Clean Food: Produce Free of Pesticides

pesticide-produce-vegetables-farming-organic

Not all of us can afford organic produce. Sure, it’s healthy, clean and a better choice over mass-farmed vegetables, but it’s also more expensive. And as much as we’d love to eat exclusively locally sourced, ethically farmed, organic produce straight from the farmers’ market, sometimes Walmart’s produce section will have to do. Luckily, we can still avoid pesticides by choosing the right ingredients.

organic-food-produce-Dirty-Dozen-Clean-Fifteen-pesticides

 The Environmental Working Group releases a report every year on the state of organic produce and food in America. The paper examines the pesticide content in more than 48 food items, both locally produced and imported. But even if the report goes well into detail, people usually just pay attention to its two master lists. The “Dirty Dozen”, that recounts the twelve more contaminated products, and the “Clean Fifteen”, with the fifteen items with less pesticides. These lists are a great guide to eat healthy on a budget. If you can’t afford to buy all your produce organic, you are better off splurging on the products that normally carry more pesticide content.

 The Dirty Dozen

 Let’s start with the vegetables you want to avoid unless you know their source. The EWG found traces of pesticides in two thirds of all produce, but who are the worst offenders? Apples. Innocent, delicious apples tested positive for agrochemicals in 99% of the samples. They were closely followed by 98% of peaches and 97% of nectarines. Samples of grapes and bell peppers showed traces of 15 different pesticides each, while potatoes had more pesticides by weight than any other vegetable. The list is completed by strawberries, celery, spinach, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and cucumbers.

 While not in the traditional dirty dozen list, the EWG found several leafy greens like kale and hot peppers tested positive for extremely harmful insecticides. They do not have a high enough concentration of pesticides to be on the list, but the toxicity of the chemicals pushed the EWG to recommend buying organic as well.

 The Clean Fifteen

 On the flip-side, avocados proved to be the cleanest product, showing detectable pesticides in only 1% of the samples. More clean produce includes 89% of pineapples, 88% of mango 82% of kiwi, 80% of papayas and 61% of cantaloupe, that showed no residues of agrochemicals. If you want to stock up your pantry, you should also look for sweet corn, cabbage, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, onions, grapefruit, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and eggplant.

 If you want to eat cleaner and healthier every day, your grocery shopping has to change. Try to buy your produce from different sources, which will limit your exposure to a single pesticide. Besides, if you try to buy seasonal veggies from local markets, you are guaranteed to get fresher produce with less chemicals. Once you get home, remember to always wash your fruits and veggies thoroughly and, if you are not buying organic leafy greens, it is best to cook them for consumption.

Categories
Articles Eco Eats

Use 3 Ingredients Already In Your Kitchen To Detox And Energize Your Day

apple-ginger-lemon-healthy-smoothie

We all know the importance of a good, healthy breakfast to start the day right, but who has the time to make elaborated breakfast every day? Not me. And probably, not you either. Luckily, there’s a very easy, extremely effective recipe you can try. All you need is a blender and a few ingredients you already have in your kitchen to make the perfect breakfast smoothie.

 What you’ll need:

  • 4 Apples

  • 1 Lemon, peeled

  • 1 Tablespoon grated ginger

 Instructions:

  1. Cut the apples and the lemon into medium-small pieces
  2. Put them in a blender or a juicer with the grated ginger and mix them until you have a smooth consistency.
  3. That’s it.

 I told you it was easy. If you want, you can add a few fresh mint leaves or a spoonful of honey for a little extra flavor, but that’s up to you. You can drink one cup of this delicious smoothie over breakfast every day to improve your digestion, flush toxins, increase your energy levels and even help you with weight loss.

apple-ginger-lemon-health-drink

 How does it work?

 The three main ingredients of this power-smoothie have been proving time and time again to provide a lot of health benefits when consumed regularly. Lemons, for example, is a natural antiseptic that can be used to treat throat infections and respiratory disorders. It has also been linked to a lower blood pressure and a better blood vessel function, and it is thought to even help with weight loss. But that’s not all, because lemon, like all citric fruits, is filled to the brim with delicious Vitamin C. This means that lemon will help you boost your immune system like no other. And on top of all this, lemon is deliciously refreshing, not a bad way to start the day, huh?

 An apple a day keeps the doctor away, as my grandma used to say. Apples are delicious and provide natural sweetness to this drink, but that’s not all they do. They are easy to digest, high in fiber and low on calories, which makes them great if you are trying to lose weight or decrease the bad cholesterol in your bloodstream. Besides, they are packed with antioxidants, which will really improve your cardiovascular health and reduce risk of stroke and respiratory diseases. If that’s not good enough for you, apples are linked to reduced risk of cancer. How do you like them apples?

 Finally, ginger is widely known to soothe digestive problems. It’s not a coincidence that your mom made you drink Ginger Ale whenever you had an upset stomach. This delicious root reduces nausea, dizziness and regulates your digestive tract. But that’s not all, because there is some research that shows taking ginger regularly can reduce joint pain caused by arthritis and improve mobility. On the other hand, there are some studies that link regular ginger consumption with reduced menstrual pains for more than 60% of women, that’s about the same as ibuprofen, but completely natural.

 So there you have it. A three-ingredient smoothie that can supercharge you for the rest of the day and keep you healthy in the long run.

Categories
Eco Eats

3 Delicious Heart Melting Eco-Recipes To Gift On V-Day

heart-shaped-foods-Valentines-Day-egg-toast

heart-shapped-food-love-panckaesEveryone knows that to get to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Tell that to Lisa who just went straight to the heart and is now single in a mental ward. Gosh! Some people take everything really literal. Enough about that, especially when Valentine’s Day is almost here. What better way to show your love then by baking something sweet and tasty to share with your significant other. No baby, you are not baking yourself. The special part of the gift is that they are all eco-friendly. So they are eating something healthy and lovely.

Here are three delicious heart melting eco-recipes to gift on Valentine’s Day.

1. Finger Licking Good Hors d’oeuvres – Get all of their favorite organic snacks (fruits, chips, nuts).  Set them aside. Now get the blender out. Blend all of the following ingredients together.

  • One heaping tablespoon of organic Fair Trade cacao powder
  • Flesh of one young coconut
  • Organic agave nectar
  • Fresh coconut water
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • One capful of organic, Fair Trade Vanilla extract
  • Couple pinches of sea salt

Pour it into a serving bowl and let the dipping begin. Plus chocolate is an aphrodisiac. You are welcome.

fruit-dipped-chocolate-pretzel-snacks

2. Aphrodisiac Salad – This one is simple and flavorful. It has six ingredients that are aphrodisiacs. All you need is:

  • One bag of organic baby arugula
  • One large red bell pepper (diced)
  • Two medium or one large avocado (cubed)
  • Half a cup of toasted pine nuts

Put those all into a bowl. The dressing is so delicious. All you need to do is mix: extra virgin olive oil, honey, and one organic lemon, 1 clove of garlic, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper. Pour it over the salad and eat. It is so damn good that even a carnivore would fight for it.

3. Bread Cuddle Heart Breakfast – You need organic bread, organic butter, organic egg, and organic cookie cutter (just kidding). The cookie cutter needs to be in the shape of a heart. Cut out the heart shape from the center of each bread slice. Butter both side. Butter the baking sheet. Put the bread slices evenly on the baking sheet. Crack the eggs in the heart shape. Put in the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes at 350F. They are so cute. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Serve with organic fruit on the side.

heart-shaped-foods-Valentines-Day-egg-toast

Now you have three wonderful eco-friendly Valentine’s Day recipes they will surely love.

Feed your love something sweet on Valentine’s Day. They will surely be saying yum and will come back for more. Now if you cannot bake, then you are sift out of luck. Seriously though, all you need to do is go to Godiva and buy some chocolate covered strawberries and some wine from ABC Liquor. It is that simple. Plus throw the box away and say you made them yourself. They will never know. Love can have its white lies sometimes. I guarantee that your significant other will adore all three recipes as much as he adores you. Just don’t go asking Lisa, and Kelly for advice.

Categories
Eco Eats Eco Tips Lawn & Garden

Food Gone Wild: Super Usefull Foraging Tips

foraging-plants-lavender-weeds-hands

forage-food-edible-guy-picking-plantsThere will come a day when you are lost in the forest, or even worst, the wild, and you have nothing to eat. Well you have your fingertips, but that is just disgusting, and also a bad habit. Anyway, if you are afraid of finding yourself truly lost and starving then you need to learn about foraging for food. I mean if squirrels can do it…so can you. Let Mother Nature feed you her essence. Why start foraging? Well…food costs are rising, edible plants in nature are free, they give you nutrients, and some are used for medicinal purposes.

Here are some beginner tips on foraging.

  • Tip 1: Do not eat everything that you see. Curiosity killed the dumb brat for a reason. Some plants can be poisonous.
  • Tip 2: Know what environment you are going to end up hiking. Suit up properly too. Gloves are your friends.
  • Tip 3: Bring a bag. Use it to keep your foraging finds.
  • Tip 4: Before you eat the plants, test them out to see if they do not upset your stomach and make you plant one in the toilet.
  • Tip 5: No seconds, my dear. Let the area you picked plants from have a chance to grow back.
  • Tip 6: Stay away from highway, nuclear, and landfill plants.
  • Tip 7: Read twice, pick once. That is the foraging motto…for me. Some plants can fool you, so read the books twice and cross-reference it with other plants to make sure you are eating the right one.
  • Tip 8: Make sure you are not allergic to specific plants. Rub a bit of it on a small area of your arm and then some on your lips. If you are not dead, then go ahead.
  • Tip 9: Be thoughtful. There are some endangered species of plants. Read up and find out which ones they are. The last thing you want is to eat the last one of its kind.
  • Tip 10: Do not make a mess. Littering is frowned upon.
  • Tip 11: Mushrooms are great to eat, but some can kill you on the spot. Always have a picture book of edible plants or food.
  • Tip 12: If you do not know if something is edible then do not collect it.
  • Tip 13: Make it a daily routine. Explore different areas to forage for new items.
  • Tip 14: Bring a camera to take pictures of plants, fruits, herds, weed, etc. that you find to keep track of what is in your environment.
  • Tip 15: Say thank you to Earth for giving you great natural nutrients.

So when you are out and foraging for your food, make sure to follow these tips. Remember that just because Mother Nature is giving you free food; it does not mean that you cannot repay her back. Plant some new seeds or throw some seeds in the wind and let nature take its course.

Categories
Eco Eats

Holiday Choco Cookies Even Santa Will Want To Steal

chocolate-chip-cookies-treats-yummy
http://ow.ly/FtZLV
chocolate-chip-cookies-treats-yummy
http://ow.ly/FtZLV

With the winter season here there are many treats that you can imagine making. Sweet or savory; my taste buds do not mind. One thing different this holiday season is that I have gotten on the eco-friendly trend. A better planet means a better holiday season for not only me but for you too. Look for some new eco-friendly treats to make this Christmas. They are so easy to make and great to enjoy with everyone. Just because it has eco-friendly in the recipe name it does not mean that it will not be as delicious as the original. The treat will only be made using products that are safe for the earth.

Try this delicious cookie. You will surely love it.

Eco-Friendly Choco Cookie

Here is how you make them. Get two separate bowls; one for the dry ingredients and another one for the wet ingredients. Sift the almond flour, sea salt, and baking soda together. Add in the chocolate chips (you can use chunks if you prefer). Stir well. Now add in the grape seed oil, agave nectar, and vanilla extract all together. Mix well until you get a cookie dough texture. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat their sauna to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Roll 1 inch balls and place them on the parchment paper. Place them 2 inches apart from one another. Using the bottom of the 1/4 cup measurer, flatten the cookie balls a bit.

Bake for 8 minutes, and then take them out to cool off for 20 minutes. Eat and let your mouth have an orgasm.

These cookies are one of many eco-friendly holiday treats that I have enjoyed recently. I have eaten Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Banana Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, and Vegan Fudge.

Yesterday I had Peanut Bites. I used whole grain bread and cut eat slice into four pieces. Then I spread homemade peanut butter. I then finished each decadent piece with fresh fruit slices like kiwis; grapes; strawberries; and bananas. They were delicious and it kept me from using that sugar packed jam.  I cannot to wait to indulge my taste buds with healthier yet delicious treats that are earth-friendly.

Hopefully you too can try these yummy eco-friendly choco cookies. They are easy to make, and they are easy to make disappear. Everyone will fall in love with the flavorful bite of chocolate in each cookie. You can easily give these away as a gift too. Recycle one of your aluminum foil boxes. Cover the box with newspaper and put parchment paper in it. Line the cookies in and close the box up with twine. A perfect homemade eco-friendly gift for anyone. Just keep it away from the pets who love to sneak under the tree.

Categories
Eco Eats

4 Eco-Friendly Fall Treats

orange-banana-fall-treats-pumpkin-food
http://goo.gl/u85JtD
green-apple-wet-fruit-food
http://goo.gl/sxvaXO

Fall is here once again and with it comes some awesome holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Jack O’ Lanterns, trick or treat candies and pumpkin pies are just some of the things we have come to expect around this time of the year. But it does not have to be all about sugar and chocolate. (Who am I kidding?) There are several eco-friendly treats that you and the kids can enjoy for the fall season.

Your first instinct might be to buy a bunch of those assorted bags of candies at your nearby Wal-Mart, Target or K-Mart. Yep. The truth is that most of those candies are toxic; well not in the sense that if you eat one you will die. The materials that are used in their construction are harmful to the environment and let us not mention the fact that a lot of the people making them are doing so under some questionable working conditions. So for Halloween this year, why not go for the healthier eco-friendly alternative?

Granola Bars might not seem like the ideal choice for a trick or treat bag but it is healthy with a number of vitamins, proteins and fiber to keep your kid regular.  Best of all, because Granola bars are made with natural ingredients you will not have to worry about any of those difficult to pronounce ingredients on the back of the label that you might be feeding to your kids or your neighbors’ kids. Just make sure that that manufacturer of the granola bars does not use GMO, which are genetically altered materials like yeast, insects, plants, fish or mammals.

Now for the next item, I know apples get a bad rap. Some think apples are too healthy while others are simply traumatized by the story of Snow White and the delicious red apple given to her by the evil queen that put her in a death-like sleep. But that is fiction. In reality, apples, especially green ones are delicious. They are great for your teeth and they do not have any of that extra sugar and artificial ingredients that can make your child obese or as I like to call mine, fluffy like a marshmallow. To ensure that you are being eco-conscious, pick only organically grown apples from your local market.

Another great treat that can get you through the fall season is an orange-ganic snack. All you need are 3 oranges and a celery stick. You start by peeling the oranges and placing them on a plate. Then you cut the celery stick into 3 pieces.  Then ease each celery piece gently into the center of the orange where it splits and voila! Instant treat! It looks like a pumpkin but taste like an orange. Orange you glad it tastes good.

orange-banana-fall-treats-pumpkin-food
http://goo.gl/u85JtD

With Halloween practically done and over with for the year, you are looking at a lot of pumpkin seeds left behind. Of course you can always use the pumpkin that was once your carved Jack-O-Lantern to make a pumpkin pie or you can buy a new slice of pumpkin at your local store to make a pie too. Just do not throw those seeds away. You can actually roast pumpkin seeds, let them cool a bit and then suck on them. It has a natural sweetness to them that is absolutely delicious. If sucking on pumpkin seeds is not your idea of a good time, you can always turn good old Jack into pumpkin cookies or pumpkin muffins too.

Who could have imagined that fall treats, particularly those typically seen during Halloween, could be healthy, eco-friendly and organic?