The October Unprocessed Vault: Day 23

Amy Holan is the author of Seasonally Seattle, a blog about eating within a 250 mile radius of the Seattle area for an entire year — on a budget. As part of her project, she’s been researching Heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables, and today she shares some of what she’s learned.

"How do you eat such great meals when you’re so admittedly broke?"

Snacks are the perfect vehicle for expanding your family’s palate because they are relatively low-pressure and low-commitment.

Instead of soaking the mustard seeds in the traditional wine, beer or vinegar, choosing whey or pickle brine introduces the health benefit and keeping qualities of lactic acid bacteria into your condiment.

The Growing Experience supports a vibrant CSA program, provides produce to local restaurants, and has just started a weekly onsite Farmers Market.

The word Kosher means "good" and "proper" and so the Kosher dietary laws offer us a diet to maintain our spiritual well-being, our moral and ethical fitness.

Over the seven years I’ve been writing about thriving gluten-free, I’ve found some pieces of celiac lore that just won’t die, even once completely disproven. For October Unprocessed, it’s time to put them out to pasture, permanently.

Bob Moore is one of my personal heroes — not just because he started a terrific company with great products, but also because he’s living proof that a person and a business can be successful by being and doing Good. Read on for our conversation.

Commercial pectin is in fact derived from natural sources, usually apples or citrus rinds. However, they’re pretty opaque about how it’s made, so we cannot know if they pass the Unprocessed sniff test. Fortunately, you can make your own DIY pectin easily at home, with no special equipment.

We know the United States has a problem with ultra-processed foods, and we can point to the well-documented health effects of overconsuming these foods. If the food industry wants to hijack and reframe the dialogue on processed foods, it is important for health advocates to have an alternate strategy that clearly communicates the importance of making room for whole, unprocessed foods.

Canned cranberry sauce probably brings back memories of your childhood Thanksgivings. Step up your cranberry game and try this healthier, grown-up version!

Rather than blocking your nose, closing your eyes, and drinking a glass of slimy sludge that looks and tastes like swamp water, use this fool-proof formula that will help you create savory smoothies that look and taste amazing.