Feeling Festive!

You might have noticed that it's that time of year again; snow's been falling, people are buying food like it's going out of style, there's lots of films on the telly and nobody dies in this week's Murder, She Wrote.

We'd like to wish you all a peacful and joy-filled Christmastime and a wonderful New Year!

Here's to 2011!

Tree hugging update

You might recall the post a couple of months back about the ConDem plans to auction off our national forests to private enterprises. This is, thankfully, still pending while they cut public services, state support for the vulnerable and the tax bills of certain retail groups and mobile phone service providers. The campaign to stop these plans from eventually going ahead, however, is not.

38 Degrees are still raising money for this campaign; they will be launching a media campaign to raise offline awareness. 80,000 (and more!) people have signed their petition and £15,000 has been raised for the campaign. Please, if you haven't already, consider signing the petition yourself. And then why not suggest it to two more people (or three or four or five?) and ask them to pass it on, too.

And while you're at the 38 Degrees site, have a look at their other campaigns. There's a lot going on, and will hopefully effect more change than chaning your Facebook profile picture.

Timely advice

"Been stuck indoors all week because of the snow?  Well, your body and brain are probably dehydrated with the wearing of forty layers of clothes and having the central heating on 24/7.


Here's a few ideas to help...

• Switch off all electrical equipment when you're not using it - don't leave it on standby.
• Put humidifiers on radiators. A wet towel will do!
• Drink at least one and a half litres of water a day.
• Create a mini-climate in your space with green plants (check that they're pet safe if that applies) or a mini humidifier or desktop air cleaner.
• Turn your central heating thermostat down by a degree (or two!) to reduce dehydration - and save energy and money too.
• Especially if you're working from home, don't eat your meals over your computer. If you can get out for a short break, a breath of fresh air will refresh you - and help you appreciate the warmth of indoors!

These - plus daily hemp oil internally and a good salt scrub once a week, followed by a good layer of body oil overnight to feed your skin - will help to allieviate the bleak mid-winter."

A call to action regarding Suppliment legislation

Do you take suppliments? A lot of people do, whether to boost their dietary intake or make up a deficiency, or for the health benefits.

If you do take suppliments, or indeed have ever taken or might yet take one, you will likely be interested to know that the EU is currently considering legislation that will affect food suppliments in myriad ways.

Instead of parroting what Consumers for Health Choice say, I will instead direct you to their website pages regarding the two parts of their campaign (Vitamins & Minerals; Nutrition & Health Claims), and hope that you will consider signing their petition.

Finally, we also hope that you might take the time to send the letter that CHC have suggested, to underline the point of the campaign.

This far and no further

The Independent ran a front-page story on Saturday, about something else the ConDem Coalition are up to. Understandably, welfare reform and the massive changes to the benefits system have thousands and thousands up in arms because so many of us can foresee a not-too-distant future in which the homeless charities are over-stretched (and entirely staffed by enforced volunteers, probably).However, this is not all that Cameron, Clegg, et al. are attempting to force upon us.

Animal welfare reforms, due to come into effect in mere weeks, have been scrapped. The Minister of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Jim Paice, also just happens to have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are; he part-owns a farm in Cambridgeshire.

Perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised that the Coalition put the interests of agri-business before the welfare of animals; when you only answer to bottom-line profit, everything else pales into insignificance. I can't help but wonder how long until meat production industry here in the UK becomes the same of that in the United States, especially as UK Health Policy has apparently been turned over to fast food companies.

Keep December 4th clear if you can!

Food for thought (sorry)

Set aside as far as possible a special time and place for eating, surround yourself with colour, pleasant sounds and good conversation.
Avoid eating if you are angry, worried, too hot or too cold, or before having a bath. These activities turn both your stomach and food to stone and so you are unable to digest.
Eating is a time to receive offerings in the form of food to nurture and revitalize your body and soul. Consider your vibration towards both the food, those in your  company and the work involved in bringing the food to you.
Choose the majority of your foods from local growers. This helps not only your local economy but also the environment, by using fewer resources for shipping and refrigeration.

- Louise

Louise's Top Tip

Now that it's winter and everyone's got at least a runny nose, this couldn't be more timely!

Feeling the cold coming on? As well as taking either echinacea or resistance support, have yourself a sweat bath to warm up the body and kill those nasty bugs.
Take a bath as warm as you can without burning yourself, putting in Epsom or bath salts along with black pepper and eucalyptus. Put a cold compress on your head (this is very important - you want your body to heat up, not your brain!). Stay in the bath for 20 minutes and then head to a warm bed with a good book or Radio 4 and a cup of ginger tea. You will sweat a lot but awaken feeling refreshed and alive once more.

The sanctity of an individual's private beliefs should be respected.

It's World Vegan Day!

If you're vegan, then you're probably well-versed in the ways that others might challenge your decision. If you aren't and are thinking about maybe making that transition, what have you got to lose? (Hint: not that much, really!)

Food-wise, today hasn't been especially different for me. I started the day with a (large) cup of fresh coffee, made with soya milk. Soya has a tendency to curdle in coffee, but there are a few brands available that are non-curdle. Because I was feeling a little lazy, I had a Nakd apple tart bar as a mid-morning snack. I don't eat much in the mornings, even though I know it's not the healthiest way to be. I'm vegan, not a saint! Lunch was lentil and apricot soup, with a small helping of roasted beetroot and squash salad, with a can of Whole Earth sparkling Elderflower. There was a second cup of coffee a little while ago, with some Sesame Snaps, just to ensure that I get through the rest of the afternoon and home again, without feeling the need to snack.

Dinner will be a tofu sandwich. The person who gave me that final push to veganism showed me how to make this, and it is as simple and easy as falling off a log, yet much more satisfying.

You will need: firm tofu, about half an avocado, two slices of bread, egg-free mayo, wholegrain mustard, whatever seasoning you like on your tofu.

• Cut the tofu so you have a thick slice. Given the usual size of blocks of tofu, your slice will be neatly sandwich-sized!
• Season the tofu, then grill or fry it, depending on how healthy you're feeling. The George Forman grill I bought years ago, and never used, turned out to be perfect for grilling tofu quickly.
• While the tofu is cooking, toast your bread, but only on one side, my dear.
• When the bread is toasted, spread a thin layer of  mayo on on untoasted side, and the wholegrain mustard on the other.
• Your tofu should be ready, so transfer it to one of the waiting slices of bread. Add the avocado, and then salt and pepper to taste.
• Close the sandwich.
• Eat. And enjoy!

I'm far from the world's greatest cook, vegan or otherwise, but there's few things better than a nice tofu sandwich. If you want something perhaps more adventurous, try the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

Gosh, I've made myself really quite hungry now...

Soapbox certified by the FSC

If you know anything about us at Grassroots, you'll have a notion that we care about things. Things like sustainability, fairness and a better future for everyone, rich and poor. (It might not be overstating it to say we care a shade more about a better future for the worlds' poor than the rich; they seem to be more than capable of getting the things they want, irrespective of cost to others, but that particular soapbox is not the one I intend to get on right now. Maybe another day, if you're lucky!)

The Coalition government have, since May, been courting controversy and criticism with just about every single new idea they announce as policy, and not entirely from the hardcore left-wing. I would like to take a moment to highlight a particular one that will, if they continue unhindered, have a far-reaching impact on the landscape; the sale of over half our national forests.

If this goes ahead, we could lose acres of our natural heritage and biodiversity. Forever. Once those trees are cut down, they're gone. And forgive my cynicism, but I'm not that confident that the incumbent government would be overly discerning when it comes to who to sell to. Environmental organisations may not have the same financial reach as private developers, and the government have indicated often enough that they see private enterprise as the defining feature of their ideal world.

However, all is far from lost! These plans are just that; plans. We, the people, can still voice our dissent. And it's not that hard, you'll be delighted to learn - just sign the petition at 38 Degrees. There is, of course, more that you can do, such as writing to your MP, but we all have to pick our battles or we'd get nothing else done, so please at least sign the petition. Thanks.

Squash-tacular

So there's no arguing that it's autumn now. The leaves are falling, the air is distinctly crisper, the sun (when it actually shines) has little trace of the warmth that has us all in short sleeves and light clothes in July. The clocks are going back next weekend (on October 31st - an extra hour in bed to recover from the Hallow e'en parties!) which marks the official end of British Summer Time. It's hard to not feel wistful for the sunshine and laughter of summer, and to not feel like the upcoming few months are best not thought about because of the seemingly endless cold and dark. Maybe that's just me though? But autumn is easily the most beautiful season; the colours of the leaves as they turn, unexpected warm days when the wind blows from... well, anywhere but the North, ruddy cheeks glowing from the cold, the sparkle of lights twinkling in the gathering dark around 5pm. The excitement of being on the way home, where it's hopefully warm and cozy, glowing enticingly in your mind's eye as you once again just miss the Underground train...

 

It's probably safe to say that, all things being equal, it's a season of comfort. It's also the season of squashes!

 

And there's so much more to squash than pumpkin pie; you can saute, roast, grill, bake or stuff squash; use it in soup, make a dip... there are easily as many possibilities as there are types of squash.

 

In the shop, as I type, there are red onion squash...

... harlequin squash...

 

... as well as blue ballet (the taste is reminiscent of chestnut), spaghetti (the flesh resembles the pasta, it's not just a clever name!), butternut and courgettes (yes, they are a type of squash!)

 

The kitchen have been making good use of the squashes too, as these stuffed squash will attest...

 

If all this talk of autumn and food has whetted your appetite, why not try this fairly simple recipe for Ginger Orange Butternut Squash?

 

Ingredients

• About 1 kilo Butternut Squash
• 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter (or butter substitute)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

 Preparation

1. Puncture holes in the squash several times with a knife or fork.
2. Place the squash on a microwave-safe plate and cook on high for 6 minutes.
3. Cut the squash into 4 even pieces.
4. Take out the seeds and pulp.
5. Return the pieces to the plate, cut side down, and cover with waxed paper.
6. Microwave on high for 8 minutes.
7. Turnover and microwave on high for 6-8 minutes or until soft. Scoop out squash and place in bowl; add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Enjoy!

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