STAY WARM....STAY HAPPY AND HEALTHY Keeping the winter blues at bay

  Its not often that I submit to the idea of winter, each day dressing as if the sun was going to come out, and as illogical that is, it get's me through the colder months...because the truth is that the sun is on it's way...it always is.  The colder months give us an opportunity to go within and close the doors on the past year, just like on the farm its from the darkness that the new seeds grow.  Winter serves us, it enables us to stop and focus, to re-seed, to start again... So use this time to look after you...don't give in to the winter colds and flu's, or the winter blues.

  

Get outside and get moving

 Make a commitment to your self to spend some time outside everyday, get fresh air circulating through your lungs, absorb some vitamin D, and move your body. Sweat. Breathe deeply.

Breathe through your nose

A large majority of people have a tendency to breathe through their mouth, this bad habit contributes to many associated respiratory problems, reduced CO2 content in alveoli of the lungs, and pathological effects due to suppressed nitric oxide utilisation including bacterial infections, depression and many other ailments. When we breathe through our nose, we utilise out own nitric oxide that is generated in the sinuses. Nitric oxide functions to destruct 

viruses, parasitic organisms, and malignant cells in the airways and lungs

 by inactivating their respiratory chain enzymes.

Eat whole

Trytophan is an essential amino acid that regulates serotonin in the brain, meaning that this mighty amino acid has the ability to make you feel good and keep the winter blues at bay.  Try foods like quinoa, raw pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds. 

GO GREEN

Its only natural in winter to crave warmer heavier foods, these foods warm from the inside, they also have a tendency to make people tired because alot of energy is diverted to  the digestive tract for digestion. Despite the need for warm foods be sure to include raw greens everyday. A green smoothie or a green juice will leave you feeling light and full of energy as well as nourishing you with vitamins and minerals. Try it for a week and see how you feel....the difference is amazing!

 This week we are all about green, check out our new recipes this week for green foods and enjoy better health.

  

Thank you all for your amazing support, helping to build a better food system,  

Angela

organic empire, local organic food, organic fruit, fresh organic vegetables,

  

Carbing out, the lowdown on carbs

Carbohydrates have such a bad reputation, touted to be the greatest evil and for the majority of the western world, there is good reason to avoid them because most of the carbohydrates in the standard western fare consist of highly refined, and concentrated carbohydrates that are devoid of any nutrition.  The carbohydrates in this form require no digestion, as they enter the body and are assimilated as sugars.  

Removing this essential nutrient, carbohydrates that is, though is truly not in your best interest, its most likely to cause fatigue, moodiness, lack of concentration, increased sweet cravings and weight gain.

  

NOT ALL CARBS ARE CREATED EQUAL......

But it's not all bad news, you see there are some amazing carbohydrates that provide the body with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, and unlike the nasty carbs, these carbohydrates provide the body and most importantly the brain with a slow steady stream of glucose.  There's more, the digestion of complex carbohydrates leaves no residual chemicals to be eliminated, once they are broken down, the only wastes are carbon dioxide and oxygen, unlike proteins and fats.  These carbohydrates we speak of will help you lose weight, will help you feel good and will nourish your body.

  

So let's look at what substitutions we can make....  less desirable for the more desirable, please don't discount these substitutions till you have tried them, especially the ones we have for the pasta.

organic empire, organic farm, organic food store, organic fruit, organic home delivery melbourne, organic Vegetables, 

  

Nice to be back, fresh organic produce straight from the farm, FREE JUICING CHART Part 1.

Wow its great to be back, hope that you have had a great summer break and are well on your way to creating the best year yet in 2013.  Whatever your goals, please make health your priority, I know that life can sometimes get in the way, but if you commit to 80% of the time doing the best that you can, you will be rewarded with good health...and this is the most important thing in the world..

We are committed to making you healthier, stronger, and happier, so in addition to delivering the freshest organic produce, this year we are going to provide you with health tools regularily to enable you to make educated change.  This week is part 1 of our organic juicing chart, (there will be 7 more to come) print it out, laminate it , do whatever, just stick it up and get juicing.  

Download it here

   

Our summer break was spent working a bit around the farm, we have done planting, and now we are harvesting.  Its so amazing, the more that you pick, the more that grows. We have some exciting news coming in the next couple of months, we are planting the seeds of something huge on the farm.

In the food store we have a freezer now and in the next week or so it will be loaded with amazing frozen organics, berries, vegetables and so much more.

The food school schedule will be available online in the coming weeks.

I must thank you for the responses that we received from our feedback forms, we have heard what you want and are responding.

NEW THIS YEAR

• There is a reduced delivery charge, only $6.95 per delivery under $100.
• Orders over $100 will receive FREE delivery. 
•  The store will be open longer hours and more days. Now open till 5pm on Monday's and Thursdays and we will also be opening on Sunday's 10-2pm.
•  We will also be adding the convenience of bulk purchases for dry goods.

 We are so happy to be serving you all again, and look forward to the best year yet.

As usual thanks for your amazing support, we are so grateful to build an amazing world with you,

  

Angela and the team at Organic Empire XX

  

"

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive

"

~

Harold Whitman

organic farm, local organic food, free juicing chart, free delivery, organic home delivery, organic home delivery melbourne,freshest organic food, organic fruit, organci vegetables 

Go slow eat some organic food

You know in our region, the Yarra Valley and the greater Melbourne, we have so many fine artisans, masters in their craft, that could rival any. We are so blessed to live where we live, to have access to some of the highest quality, nutrient dense foods in the world and we have a responsibility to our kids to preserve these producers for they are the ones that will save us all.  I know that I can be quite melodramatic at times, but its true.  Imagine, if your choices were to only purchase your foods from one of two stores, these stores stocking mainly mass produced, mass farmed foods, primarily fast foods....what do you think the future would look like...is that one where you are in control of your destiny... I don't know about you, but I don't think that scenario is healthy for anyone.  

 I know I constantly harp on about preserving food traditions, but its truly the single most important thing you can do for our food.  Cooking up a storm for your family and friends, does more than just fill the stomach, it fills the soul.  There is magic in a culture that values its food, and passes on this to their offspring.  These were the secrets of survival that stood the test of time and ensured starvation was kept at bay, and at least hunger was.  We are the first generation that mostly abandons this in favour of convenience and fast food, with research showing that our diet has changed more dramatically in the last 100 years than in the last 10,000 years of evolution.  Mostly not by choice, but need.  Our lives are so fast, that eating becomes refueling, more than it is enjoyment.  That's sad.  Make a stand, and make a change, you have the power in you!

It also so important to learn about where your food comes from, not only does this breed respect in the food (and reduces waste), but it also this connection that gives your food a face.  Meet some of our farmers here (this list is not complete, still awaiting some happy snaps of some of our other farmers;).

We are so committed to this, to fostering a community of people that want to learn, grow and share with the same common goal, to enjoy amazing food.  It's this passion, that drives us to create an independent space to foster this, our grocery lines in the store are produced from local artisans, our chefs, cooks and health professionals all local and committed to making your food the best.

So this week, we are going to go SLOW... FOOD, teach you how to make some sourdough culture for your bread, make biscotti, and a some other foods that have been around for centuries.  Join us on Facebook to learn more

Join us in preserving food, real organic food and place your ORDER NOW. 

FEEDBACK

Whilst we are on the subject of food...mmm am I not always, I was wondering if anyone has any special requests for cooking classes that they would like to attend at the farm.  Email us with your ideas...

IMPORTANT CHANGE

 Orders to the northern Suburbs, ie orders delivered on Tuesday's, will need to be made before 5pm Sunday's as of this next week.

  

THIS WEEK'S MENU

Ok so we had alot of requests for a high raw menu plan for this week, so tomorrow it will be available on the site.   

DON'T FORGET TO PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW.

GET A SMS REMINDER and BE ABLE TO TEXT ORDER  

Forgot to place your order??, register for our SMS reminder service and never miss getting the best organic produce delivered each week. REGISTER HERE.  Once you are registered you can then text through your seasonal box orders whenever you like.  How easy is that?  

DELIVERY DAYS

Don't forget that some delivery days and zones have changed, check here to see yours.  CHECK DELIVERY DAY/ZONES

  

To ensure you receive your delivery, why not ORDER NOW

  

WEEKLY PRODUCE REPORT

So the time has come, it is always pretty special when organic mandarins make an entrance into our lives, always right on time, when the Autumn variety of fruits tends to dwindle, these are the light. These are second picking, meaning that they are sweet and ready to eat.

We have fabulous ottway red potatoes...these are washed.  Yes its amazing.  These are a great all rounder potato too.

The organic leeks are amazing at the moment , flavoursome and huge.

Royal gala apples have now finished for the season, but don't despair it only gets better with Pink Lady apples being picked for us this week. Fresh from the trees.

  

 ORDER THEM IN OUR STORE NOW

Avocado, Apples, Banana,Fig,Grapes, Lemons, Nashi, Orange,Papaya,Pear,Plum, 

Artichoke
Asian greens,Avocado,Beans,Beetroot,Broccoli,Cabbage,Capsicum,Carrot, Cauliflower,Celery,Corn,Cucumber,Daikon,Eggplant,Kale,Leek,Lettuce,Mushrooms

,Onion,Onion, spring,Potato,Pumpkin ,Radish,Silverbeet, Spinach,Sweet potato,Tomato,Zucchini

 YOUR DAILY BREAD

    

  "You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself 

any direction you choose. 

You're on your own. 

And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...."

Dr Suess Oh! The Places You'll Go

We thank you for your support as always, we are very grateful that you are making your body healthier, your kids stronger and the world a better place to be.  

  

 Thanks you are awesome, look forward to serving you, have a healthy week

Angela Gioffre 

(Your nutritionist) and the team at Organic Empire XXX