In the Salt Lake County Area?

You can now check the cookbook out from the library!

Here's the direct link

http://ipac.slco.lib.ut.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=12G4W40098126.16572&profile=dial&uri=link=3100018~!1022418~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=subtab13&menu=search&ri=3&source=~!horizon&term=Jones%2C+Amy+Cox&index=PAUTHOR

Thank you to whoever requested that my book be there! There are 4 copies in circulation.

How Old Do You Think This Woman Is?

A walking advertisement for clean living....

direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdeC3OJJIzA

My New Love

It was on sale AND I had a coupon, making this a steal at $1.50.

What is Korma sauce? I didn't know until I tried it. Basically the best yellow curry sauce ever. Honestly, I normally don't like pre packaged sauces, but this one curled my toes.

Sauteed julienne'd carrots, some broccoli, onions, and whatever else floats your boat. Mix in the sauce, lay over a bed of rice. I wish I was getting some sort of commission for this free advertisement, but I'm not.

Follow Up on my Poll Post

Well, my poll went in a different direction than I thought. But, were I to vote, I would have voted both. Driving by this place sent off both red flags and hopefulness.

Fresh Market....sounds so, well fresh, doesn't it?

I drove by this place 2 weeks ago. The sign had replaced the Albertson's sign that used to be there. For a moment, my heart was a flutter. Could this be my new shopping haven? After all, my nearest 'natural grocery store' was a half hour away no matter whether it was Whole Foods, Good Earth or Sunflower. Everything was inconvenient and required me to plan a whole day of outings around going there. So I had some hopes of this being my solution.

When I was finally able to check it out, I went with the thought that I would be okay if this store was not what the logo was trying to make me believe it was. When I got out of my MAV (Mormon Attack Vehicle for all you late comer's) and started walking towards the door, I paused as I looked up.

"Pharmacy"

Okay, what health food grocery store has a pharmacy, eh? Big sigh. Immediately I shook my head, but proceeded forward on the off chance this was some sort of 'hybrid' store. Then I looked at the products being peddled by the front door. Snow shovels and chimney sweep logs. Not exactly evoking anything resembling a health food store. Just go in Amy, maybe SOMETHING is worth looking in to.

And then I stepped inside. It was Alberstons. Not in name, but it was the same layout, same signage for the sales, same brands, same everything.

What wasn't the same? My respect. Not towards Albertson's. See, some of their stores were bought out by Associated Food Stores, hence this location is now a Fresh Market. But my respect for the directions grocery stores were going. As I walked up and down the aisles (I was there anyway, might as well look around a bit, plus I needed OJ) my annoyance and disappointment grew. I kept on saying to the oldest, "Man, this makes me mad".

The deception had reached mass scale. No longer is it the subtle, minute deceptions of - I don't know - Tropicana trying to make it's 50/50 juice look healthy, or even domestic (I don't want my oranges from Brazil, thank you). It's not even the more laughable attempts like 7 Up marketing itself as "all natural" as if it were a superfood juice product that is good for you. It's now big, bold, loud and plain insulting.

These big food stores know what they are doing. They don't want to fail. They hire plenty of graphic artists, market specialists and they know what sells. The organics industry grows by leaps and bounds every year, even in the depressed economy, organics are capturing more and more of the market place. They know if they make themselves look more appealing in terms of health, they will get more customers. But they have no real commitment to health, only to their bottom line, and their lack of change shows it.

It's a slap in the face to all of us who are committed to this lifestyle and frankly it's deceptive marketing and a lie. While I'm not suggesting they change their name to "The Store That Will Sacrifice Your Health In Order To Make The Largest Profit We Can", I am saying, don't try to be something your not. The name 'Albertsons' told me exactly what I needed to know, thank you. You were likely founded by a man with the last name of Albertson, and you're probably a typical grocery store that I won't be able to find everything I need at. I can respect that. I don't like it, but I can respect it, and am even willing to buy a thing or two there without feeling insulted.

Hey Fresh Market, us granola types value honesty more than cute logos. We enjoy being looked at as more than a robotic consumer. You don't know it (yet), but we have brains. Do you?

Anti-Depressants: Stroke, death, increased suicide risk, now no better than sugar pill?!

Watch the Good Morning America Clip. Obviously America's been sold a bill of goods on these meds. I don't agree with everything the clip says, he's way too PC and CYB (cover your bum)for my liking, but I do agree you need to go off of antidepressants carefully.

Are Anti-Depressants Over-Prescribed?

Anti depressants have always been on my hit list with big pharma. I had two acquaintances in high school who comitted suicide while on them. The more I ponder on them, the more I think that these meds leave you more vulnerable to the adversary's influence. I'm not saying the meds are inherently evil, but I just think they are spiritually risky.

As someone who has dealt with depression to the point of thinking the world would be better off without me (and I was tempted to try anti depressants), I understand the angst and temptation that lies there. But as this person, I also want to give others hope that they can recover without these meds. I did it, and countless others have too, and so can you.

Poll!

If you drove by a store that looked like this, what kind of grocery store would you think it was?

A health food store

A regular ole store, like Smiths or Alberstons

ugg boots

New Study Confirms: Organic Food is Far Healthier Than Conventional

New Study Confirms: Organic Food is Far Healthier Than Conventional

Movie Review: Food, Inc

I know, I know. I am way behind on seeing this one. I wanted to go see it when it was in theaters for the half second it was there. But because it was only there for a half second, I didn't get to it. And because we don't have a netflix or a Hollywood/Blockbuster acct and only rent movies from the Redbox, again I didn't see it. But my oldest wanted to rent movies from Hollywood video for New Years Eve, so I went and I was so excited to see Food, Inc there.

So, I'm giving the movie a thumbs up...go see it. I'm putting it in the same category with Super Size Me and King Corn, but NOT in the same category as the Fast Food Nation movie, which stunk. Food, Inc was entertaining, well shot, well researched, and easy to understand. Of course, like Super Size Me, it was at times gross, but honestly.....it's a hard truth that needs to be dealt with. Where our food comes from. And that 'where' is sometimes the most abhorrent places on earth.

I wish everyone would go see these movies, but as one of my relatives put it....they don't want to know because frankly, they want to consume what the want to consume and have no investment in 'the system'. I get it, people don't want to take responsibility for themselves because they think it will require a major shift in lifestyle.

In fact, it doesn't take a major shift. Very small, insignificant changes can make a HUGE difference in multiple areas.

First and foremost, their health. Nothing tastes better than health freedom, as Julia said in one of my post comments.

Secondly their pocket book. My neighbor, Mia, told me about going to the store once and upon checkout the customer in front of her looked over her cart contents (which was all healthy stuff), and said something to the effect, "Isn't it expensive to eat that way?" To which she replied, "Well, you're going to pay someone for the way you eat, might as well be the food producers". True that. Cheap food isn't cheap at all. You pay for it with diabetes, cancer, what have you. In fact, in the movie, one woman was faced with a horrible choice....buy healthy food and cure her husbands diabetes, or buy his diabetes meds and buy crappy food. If she chose healthy food, she risked her husband dying in the process of trying to save him. Wouldn't it just be better to buy healthy food in the first place?

Thirdly, it changes the food industry, our government, better farming practices, immigration ....the list goes on

So, one little thing, like buying organic milk or eggs instead of conventional, CAN make a huge difference. It's $1-$2 more, but a health care and societal cost savings of way more than that.

This movie was great, and was a very easily digested . Anyone can understand and incorporate the advice in this movie, it's just a question of whether or not they want to.

So the question now becomes, do you want to be sick or healthy? Watching this movie is one simple step towards health. Oh, and plant a vegetable, will ya? I am grateful that these types of films are coming out and being supported. Heaven's knows we need them.