organic or not organic, that is the question

It seems as though we hear an awful lot about organic these days. And I don't know about you, but to me, organic translates to pricey. I want to buy local, and I do, as often as I can. I understand that we should know where our food comes from, and it is often less expensive. And I love wandering around the local farmer's market, choosing our veggies for the week. But there is so much talk out there about "organic", so sometimes I feel as though this is what I should be feeding my family. So I did some research. And it turns out that some fruits and vegetables are lower in pesticides than others. I did not know this. I never really considered this before, but fruits and veggies with thicker rinds or that you will be peeling anyways will have fewer risk of pesticide residue. I also learned that young children are more at risk to harm from pesticides than adults. Yikes.

So here is what I have decided works for my family, and my family's budget.

always buy organic:

celery
apples
berries
potatoes
lettuce and fresh spinach/greens
peaches
pears

maybe not worry so much about:

corn
onions
pineapples
eggplant
cantaloupe
watermelon


There are a ton more fruits and vegetables that didn't make either list, but you get the idea. It's hard, right? You want to always do what's best for your family, but there is so much advice out there and only so much money to go around...

I dare you to find the veggies in this tomato sauce!

Today for lunch Alex and I had leftovers from last night's upside down pizza casserole. It was just as yummy a day later as it was last night. I love it when a meal is as good as it is inexpensive- a true win win! One of the reasons this recipe was so easy to pull together was the fact that I already had the sauce made and waiting in the freezer. If you try making the extra veggie sauce you might want to double the recipe so that you have some waiting for you too!

upside down pizza casserole

1 pound very lean ground beef
2 cups extra veggie tomato sauce (see recipe below)
shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic (can use garlic powder or minced garlic)
Italian seasoning
1 tin refrigerated biscuits
spray butter or 1 tablespoon melted butter
garlic salt

cook ground beef and drain fat. mix in sauce, (you can also use jar sauce), garlic (chopped), and seasoning. pour into 2 quart baking dish. cover with cheese. flatten biscuits and place on top, with sides touching. spray butter spray or brush melted butter onto top of biscuits. season with Italian seasonings or garlic salt. add more cheese on top, if desired. bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until biscuits are done. be careful with the biscuits- they will look done on top but may not be done underneath- you may have to flip them over if they do not bake properly.

extra veggie tomato sauce

olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
28 ounces whole tomatoes (canned works great)
2 carrots, shredded
sea salt
black pepper
oregano
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 small zucchini, shredded

Heat the oil in a saucepan with the onions and garlic. Saute them until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, pinch of salt and pepper, oregano to taste, carrots, pepper and zucchini. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.

I find it is easier to puree the sauce with an immersion blender directly in the pot to minimize mess but you could use a food processor or blender. I use my immersion blender for everything! This sauce works well with whatever veggies you have wilting away in your crisper; you don't have to use what I have suggested. Leave out the carrots, add extra peppers or squash. It's all good! As long as you don't overtake the flavor of the tomatoes you should be fine. When you are ready to serve sauce, cross your fingers and say a little prayer that your family won't figure out your veggie secret.

 

The boys had this meal with mandarin oranges and my husband and I enjoyed a salad with ours. Easy, healthy, inexpensive, and yummy!