Crazy for soup!

Last weekend was the first ever Toronto Soup swap, and as you can guess, I've been eating a lot of vegetarian, gluten-free soups since. Okay, I might have added some sausage to one and sautéed up some cubes of prosciutto for another, but they've been the basis of a few meals this week.

On Walmart's healthy food initiatives

Some of you may have heard the recent news about Walmart's "healthy food initiatives," and, you may have wondered when I was going to either give the thumbs up, or rant and rave about it. Well, sometimes this Missouri gal likes to take her time in reacting until she knows what she's a thinkin'!

Food security is AWESOME

Calling all sustainable food system innovators! Do you have an idea that needs a little support to get off the ground? Would you like someone to hand you a lunch bag with $1,000 cash - no strings attached? The Awesome Foundation might be your missing ingredient. 

Keeping it in perspective

When I talk with my folks back home in Missouri, I hear about how many friends and family members are chronically unemployed and reaching the end of their benefits. I feel so much for those families and the decisions I know they have to make on a daily basis around food, etc. 

Shana's Saturday soup swap

After a relatively successful holiday cookie swap in mid December (I say relatively as I was unhappy that my ginger cookies with dark chocolate chunks were a bit dry), we talked about doing it again, as well as other things we could swap. Then I remembered an old post from notmartha.org about a Seattle Soup Swap event. A little bit of searching on Mr. Google, and I discovered that Saturday, Jan 22nd is the 5th Annual National Soup Swap! What do yah know? There are soup swaps planned all over the U.S. from Seattle to Washington D.C., to Kansas City (where FGE Melanie's parents live) to Corpus Christi, Texas!

Water on the Table

Will the global community define water as a human right, available to all, or as a commodity to be bought, sold, traded, and ultimately out of reach from the poorest people on this earth? Liz Marshall's documentary, Water on the Table, explores this question through a portrait of Maude Barlow and her tireless efforts to define water as a human right. 

Challenge for winter's dark days

I'd noticed a lot of people posting pictures of meals they'd made for their "Dark Days Challenge" on Twitter and on some blogs I read, and wondered what it was all about. A quick Google search lead me to Urban Hennery and their page about the 2011 Dark Days Challenge.

MLK and community gardens

Leave it to Grist's Tom Philpott to thoughtfully weave the history and legacy of the late, great Dr. King into the promise of local food and urban agriculture movements. As usual, I highly recommend you read the whole piece, but here's a little excerpt.

Busted

While cleansing, there are only so many "at home" activities to fill the time. So, I confess, late last night I was watching a little television on my computer via Hulu. In one of the breaks from Grey's Anatomy (yes, I like hot doctor sex shows), I caught one of the most simple, yet compelling Public Service Announcements (PSA) I've ever seen. 

I do like "practical"

Veterans to farmers

Today is Tuesday. Here at Folks Gotta Eat, we try and learn something new on Tuesdays. I've just been reading about a project that seems like a good use of USDA funding - the Farmer-Veteran Coalition.

Shana's resolutions and revelations

If you're gonna eat meat...

If you're going to eat meat, it's a good idea to get the information about the certifications out there that label meat as organic, free-range, humanely raised and slaughtered, etc. I tend to refer to the kind of meat I want to eat as happy meat.

What we can expect

What will the next quarter of a century hold? Well, this tushie of mine will probably get a little less firm, but what about in the world of things that matter? The Guardian just released 20 Predictions for the Next 25 Years. As one would expect, a few of the predictions relate to food security, health and overall prosperity.

Put your guilt to good use

It's that time of year again when some folks are feeling a tiny bit regretful for their indulgences over the holidays. I had a fairly moderate season (well, except that one night), but I completely understand the desire to reign it in a bit for a healthy start to 2011. I would like to offer up a slightly different way of looking at your January health and wellness resolutions.