Sunday, April 22, 2007

Cleaning Produce

I buy lots of fresh produce, between the farmer's market and all those quick runs to the grocery store. I've always looked for the best way to clean them, and I think I've finally found the answer.

I first noticed the Lotus machine over a year ago. I happened to be walking by a store in the mall, and felt compelled to go in and check it out. I wasn't the only one. There was a big crowd quickly forming around this machine. This is how it works: you put your fruit and veggies in the bowl and top with tap water. The machine infuses the water with ozone to neutralize up to 99.9% of bacteria and pesticides on foods.

I wound up getting the machine last summer, just in time for all the fresh summer berries that I needed to prepare for my pie book. I literally ran 50 pounds of berries through it; the berries came out plump and juicy.

It works like a charm, taking just a few minutes to run a batch of produce through it. I even find that the produce stays fresher longer once it's been sanitized. It's a very cool machine for anyone that is looking to safely clean their fruits and veggies without chemical cleaners. As an added bonus, it also comes with a separate squirt bottle that you can fill with tap water to clean and sanitize your home (chemical free). We clean all of our wood floors, door knobs and countertops without the need for harsh chemicals (killing bacteria with the ozonated water).

This machine really works. I'm not a spokesperson for this company, but I certainly use it everyday. Now I can eat my veggies worry-free.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Vegan Kimchi

It was hard to decide what to blog about first. But after an afternoon of kimchi making, the answer was clear.

It's very hard to find vegan kimchi, if not impossible. Kimchi usually contains seafood, which is why we started to make our own. Crispy, crunchy, spicy, delectable kimchi. I could (and often do) live on the stuff. My kids like to eat it as an after-school snack.

Rather than posting the recipe now, we decided to film our kimchi making adventure. Stay tuned, as the video will be posted soon on the website. Look for it on the "cooking show" page (recipe included). Then you too can make up a big batch of vegan kimchi!