15 Minute Meals, Thur. November 2nd, 6:30-8:30PM, Everett Senior Center, Pacific and Lombard. All new recipes include Turkey with Artichoke Hummus Wraps, Shrimp Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta, Spicy Black Bean and Quinoa Salad, and more!
Registration: 425-257-8300 or http://signmeup.everettwa.org

NOTE! The above class was mistakenly scheduled in the catalog for Nov. 9th, and I will be in Mexico. So if you are signed up it is going to be cancelled.

Smart Snacks, Sat. November 4th, noon-2PM, UW campus. Are you looking for fresh ideas for healthy snacks that will stabilize your blood sugar and leave you feeling energized? Learn how certain foods and eating styles contribute to cravings, and how to select foods that will balance and sustain your energy level. We will discuss the effects of food on mood and energy, learn the three components of a healthy snack, and sample several delicious snacks that are easy to assemble and take with you when you’re on-the-go.
Registration: 206-68-LEARN or
click here

Smart Snacks, Monday, November 6th, 7-9PM, Spartan Gym Kitchen, Shoreline.
See above description. Registration: 206-418-3383

Holiday Appetizers, Monday, November 20th, 7-9PM, Jennings Park Barn, Marysville. This hands-on class shows you how to create an impressive line-up of easy yet elegant hors d'oeuvres to assist with your holiday entertaining needs. These recipes are delicious, easy to make and relatively healthy to boot!. Whether you are entertaining at home, or need ideas for easy, but elegant hors d'oeuvres to bring to parties this holiday season, this is the class for you! Bring to class an apron, chef’s knife, and paring knife.
Registration: 360-363-8400

Holiday Appetizers, Monday, November, 27th, 7-9PM, Spartan Gym Kitchen, Shoreline.
See above description. Registration: 206-418-3383

Holiday Appetizers, Thursday, November 30th, 6:30-8:30, Everett Senior Center, Pacific and Lombard. See above description.
Registration: 425-257-8300 or http://signmeup.everettwa.org

Gluten-Free Cookie Dough, Thursday, Dec. 7th, Discover U, Northgate. Are you dreading the holiday season because you are gluten-intolerant and can't eat cookies? Or maybe you find yourself cheating every holiday season and spend half your days between Thanksgiving and New Year's feeling sick and miserable for it? No problem, in "Gluten-Free Cookie Dough" make batches of several kinds of cookie dough to take home and freeze for later, including almond crispies, cherry chocolate chip, biscotti, pumpkin cookies and ginger snaps. Another bonus - these cookies contain no trans fats or refined sweeteners. Bring plastic bags or containers to transport your cookie dough home in.
Registration: http://www.DiscoverU.org or 206-365-0400

Everything You Need To Know About E.Coli And Organics

· Despite a number of inaccurate media reports, the recent spinach E.Coli outbreak has not been linked to any organic products. As expected,the outbreak has now been directly linked to a factory farm feedlot located adjacent to conventional spinach fields in California.

· This was the 25th E.coli outbreak in the California Salinas Valley in 11 years, demonstrating, once again, that industrial farms and feedlots and their toxic runoff are inherently dangerous.

· Studies show that factory-farmed cattle have 300 times more pathogenic bacteria in their digestive tracts than cattle that are allowed to openly graze in pastures.

· If you are concerned about E.coli, organic food is the way to go. The USDA national organic standards require organic farmers to carefully compost their fertilizer--made up of animal manure and plant matter--up to 160 degrees, so as to kill any harmful bacteria.

· Organic farmers can only apply this composted manure four months prior to planting.

· Conventional farms have no regulations specifying when they can and can't apply manure and are not required to destroy the harmful bacteria in the manure prior to spreading. In addition, it is perfectly legal to spread highly toxic sewage sludge on conventional farms, while this practice in banned on organic farms.

Learn more: click here
Source: Organic Consumers Association

Study Links Vegetable Consumption with Slower Cognitive Decline

A study of older Chicago residents, published in Neurology, concludes that those who eat plenty of vegetables experience less cognitive decline.
The study involved about 3700 participants aged 65 and over who were followed for 6 years. After adjusting for age, sex, race, education, energy intake, and other factors, researchers found that participants who consumed three to four vegetable servings a day had about a one-third reduction in their cognitive decline over the course of the study, compared with those who averaged about one serving a day.

The study found that green leafy vegetables were most strongly associated with slowed decline, whereas fruit consumption was not associated with the rate of decline. Commenting on the study in an Associated Press story, Dr. Meir Stampfer of Harvard's School of Public Health said, "The findings specific for vegetables and not fruit add further credibility that this is not simply a marker of a more healthful lifestyle."

Neurology abstract: click here
Associated Press story: click here

Cranberries

A cousin of the blueberry, this very tart, bright red berry can still be found growing wild as a shrub, but when cultivated, is grown on low trailing vines in great sandy bogs. The American cranberry, the variety most cultivated in the northern United States and southern Canada, produces a larger berry than the wild cranberry or the European variety.

Cranberries have long been valued for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Now, recent studies suggest that this native American berry may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raise HDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer.

Fresh cranberries can be stored in the refrigerator for several months. Before storing, discard any soft, discolored, pitted or shriveled fruits. When removed from the refrigerator, cranberries may look damp, but such moistness does not indicate spoilage, unless the berries are discolored or feel sticky, leathery or tough.

Once frozen, cranberries may be kept for several years. To freeze, spread fresh cranberries out on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. In a couple of hours, the fully frozen berries will be ready to transfer to a freezer bag. Don't forget to date the bag before returning to the freezer.

Source: www.whfoods.com

For Thanksgiving dinner this year, instead of the jellied cranberry in a can, try this delicious chutney that has tons of nutrition and can be made up to 3 days ahead.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

2 lb Gala apples (about 4)
1 medium onion, diced
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar or sucanat
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 lb fresh or frozen cranberries (2 cups), thawed if frozen

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Peel, halve, and core apples, then cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Stir together with remaining ingredients except cranberries in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish and spread in an even layer.

Roast apple mixture, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Remove dish from oven and stir in cranberries, then continue roasting until cranberries are softened and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Serve chutney warm or at room temperature.

Makes 6 accompaniment servings.