The Third Plate
The Third Plate is one of those books that fall into the category of “if I read only one book this year, I need to read this.” Written by Dan Barber, the chef and co-owner of Blue Hill, a restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, also a restaurant located within the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture (a four season farm and education center) in Pocantico Hills, New York, The Third Plate is one of the most comprehensive and interesting books linking chefs to suppliers to farmers and producers to seed breeders. Sounds dry? It isn’t. In fact, the book is a page turner. Think Anthony Boudain:Parts Unknown meets Michael Pollan for a four course meal after absorbing the Farmer’s Almanac and telling everyone else in the restaurant about all the magnificent places they’ve visited, the food they’ve tasted, and how that food was grown. Read more 
Where Does $1 to Vita Nova, Inc. Go?
Vita Nova, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization based in West Palm Beach, Florida that operates three (3) programs to help youths 18-25 years old transition to independence. The three programs include:
- Vita Nova Village: A residential (apartment) program that has a capacity of 29 young adults who age out of foster care yet still need assistance with life skills, education, employment, and counseling.
- Independent Living Services: A program funded by the State of Florida to help young adults (16-25 years old) learn the skills and resources they will need to become independent adults.
- The Oasis Center: Provides a quick connection to work, housing, and healthcare assistance with county providers for young adults who didn’t come out of the foster care system or qualify for the Independent Living Services program.
Chocolate Covered Blood Orange Slices (DIY)
Necessity is the mother of invention.
EHChocolatier of Somerville, Massachusetts made a decadent treat called Blood Orange & Chocolate but ran out just before Valentine’s Day after being named one of the best chocolatiers in the country. Desperate for more of these treats, the only way was to make them myself.
I could have bought blood oranges, sliced and dehydrated the pieces but instead I placed an order with Simple & Crisp – a Seattle, Washington-based company that specializes in dried fruit crisps with a cracker-like texture – for a few boxes of their Blood Orange Dried Fruit Crisps. Read more
SuperSeedz
Big things come in small packages.
Pumpkin seeds are nutritional powerhouses with a concentrated source of 7 vitamins (E, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, and folate (folic acid), 8 minerals (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, and zinc), anti-oxidants, and amino acids. These seeds are also packed with protein (5-7 grams per ounce) and fiber (2-3 grams per ounce). Read more
The Homemade Vegan Pantry
Join the homemade revolution.
One of the most fantastic aspects of adopting a plant-based diet is being part of a rapidly growing community that introduces new products nearly every day along with cookbooks on how to make delicious plant-based food. Years ago, just a few vegan cookbooks lined a shelf at the local bookstore but today the shelves are filled with vegan cookbooks – a testament to the growing popularity of this wholesome, nutritious diet. Read more
Where does $1 to Hippocrates Health Institute Go?
The Hippocrates Health Institute (HHI) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) that operates out of a 50-acre tropical setting in West Palm Beach, Florida that provides educational and instructional services to teach individuals how to live and eat healthier. Specifically, HHI has been operating since 1987 and offers three programs:
- Life Transformation
- Health Education
- Cancer Wellness
Through the Door of Life
When Sam Harel Price, 21 and a junior at Oberlin College died on March 24th following a suicide attempt on her 21st birthday, I struggled to help my daughter cope with the death of a friend she loved. Loss leads to grief but asking why a smart, compassionate, and beautiful person would take her life when she had so much to look forward to, help us understand the importance of compassion and acceptance in this world. Read more
Superdelegates and Animal Farm Revisited
All animals are equal. ~George Orwell, Animal Farm
Americans pride themselves on the democratic principle of “one person, one vote.” Well, sort of. Registered voters cast their ballots for a presidential nominee in the primaries leading up to the political conventions where the party representative is formally nominated by the delegates, not the voters. Read more
Plant-Strong
We’ve been so hoodwinked and bamboozled by the meat, milk, and egg industries that the majority of people, including well-meaning but misinformed doctors and nutritionists, haven’t a clue that the best and most healthful sources of protein come from whole plants.
Plant-Strong is the new title of a book that was originally called My Beef with Meat (2013), a New York Times Bestseller. The original title was clever and catchy (the brainchild of a marketing executive in the publishing house) but the words never quite reflected the author’s style (positive) or his approach to living a plant-strong life, which is inclusive. Read more
The Sweet Potato, Tofu, and Mushroom Bowl
Because you know I’m all about that bowl
‘Bout that bowl, no plate
I’m all about that bowl
‘Bout that bowl, no plate
I’m all about that bowl
“Bout that bowl, no plate
I’m all about that bowl
‘Bout that bowl…bowl…bowl…bowl
Paddock Post 