Et tu Wendy’s?

Black Bean Sliders
Picture by Walkingfox

 

Just as I was beginning a post this morning about a new product that makes my heart sing, bam the door slammed shut on me.

You see in my mail today, was a nifty story about a new Black Bean Burger being introduced at a select number of Wendy’s in Ohio.

But, regretfully when I started reading it, there was also a side story, that pointed to a quite unhappy situation.

It would seem that the about to become newest favorite eatery, Wendy’s, is embroiled in a mess over wages, with ugly insults being hurled, indicating that they may have participated in what amounts to slave labor with their employees.

Now, if the idea of a Black Bean Burger is new to you, please let me share this, my best friend at UCLA was married to the Manager of one of their top Campus eating places and he delighted in letting me know each week when he made them, knowing full well that I hated meat and loved this culinary treat.

I never did learn all of the ingredients of this delicious, decadent burger, but had been a huge fan of Black Beans for many years, so never cared a whole lot about what he put into them.

Moving to Florida basically closed the door on all of my favorite California vegetarian eating places, as I soon learned that they were not high on anyone’s totem pole here.

So, not willing to eat the Morning Star veggie burgers made with soy beans that have been processed with Hexane, a known carcinogen and pretty much a toxin/pesticide, I had given up hope.

That was until a few months ago, when shockingly I found a new Black Bean Burger from a previously unknown Company, at our local Wal-Mart.

Bringing it home was a challenge, as Walkingfox is not huge on doing without meat.

Surprise, he liked them and has become a fan, of sorts.

But being out on a shopping or other trip and hoping to find one was not to be, at least not here.

So, you can imagine my delight this morning seeing/reading this story about Wendy’s.

Joy quickly turned to sorrow, after reading that they are having similar salary and wages problems  with their employees as Waffle House is.

Right now the delectable Black Bean Burgers are only being tested in Ohio, near Wendy’s Corporate offices, but it looks like that may change quickly judging from the public responses to them.

Now if they can only get their employee/wages issues fixed, Wendy’s may yet become a new place to eat on the run.

And, if they don’t, then, as with Waffle House, we will not be dining there any time soon either.

So, dear Wendy’s, please treat your employees right, pay them right and this may after all, be only a rhetorical question, et tu Wendy’s?

 

Places to learn more:

Amid Call for Boycott, Concerns Rise That Eating at Wendy’s Supports Slave Labor

Why Wendy’s Vegan Black Bean Burger Isn’t Masquerading as Meat

Low Wage Workers Fast Food Forward Campaign

Worker wages: Wendy’s vs. Wal-Mart vs. Costco

Wendy’s “The Final Fast Food Hold-out”

Wendy’s salaries

 

Eureka, It’s Organic Bread!

Picture credit:  Eureka Organic Bread
“Worth Its Weight in Gold!”

 

If like me, you prefer and choose Organic Foods, you are more than just a little annoyed at the usual poor, or quite limited choices that are available in so many places still.

Especially here in what those of us from the West Coast often call, the Twilight Shopping Zone of Florida.

Since I began buying Organic Foods here, one much-loved item, has continued to remain elusive.

And until today was at the top of my list for first choice, thanks in part to my Dear Irish Grandmother, who had stuffed my fat little cheeks full, since I was able to sit up, this missing item was BREAD!

As I began this story today, I had not found any Organic Bread at the places here in Central Florida, where I/we normally shop.

That would be Wal Mart, Publix and a few other stores.

So seeing this story this morning was reason to cheer and share this great news with all of you.

Hello East Coast, Organic Bread is being delivered to a store near you as we speak.

Hooray, Organic Bread is finally available to the masses!

This Bread is USDA Organic, Certified Vegan and has no junk in it, that is a very good start.

Have just gone to their great website and used their handy product finder.

Glory be, this Bread is now at every Publix store in my area here in Florida.

Hallelujah.

This new Bread will be now and forever be included on my grocery list on every future shopping sojourn.

The three new choices include, my favorite before I even taste it, Grainiac,  Saaa – Wheat and Seeds the Day.

The Organic line of this wonderful company began in California, of course, in 2012.

Their Facebook Page is awesome and a link to it is below.

What a great way to introduce this completely wholesome, healthy Organic Bread, to the legions of us who have waited for so long.

The Company claims that their Organic Bread is:
” worth its weight in Gold.”

PS: Don’t let that guy on the package scare you, he really is quite harmless~

Actually, Nicole just told me that he is Archimedes the Ancient Greek God and the source of  the famous California saying:  ” Eureka I have found it.!”

Thank you Nicole for permission to use this awesome logo~

Eureka, it’s Organic Bread!

 

Places to learn more:

Eureka! Organic Bread Makes Its Debut On The East Coast

Discover more about Eureka! Organic Breads, visit www.EurekaBakingCompany

Their Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/EurekaBread

Eureka Bread

Eureka Grainiac Organic Bread

 

It’s Looking Up!

Organic Bananas, Carrots and Blue Corn tortillas chips made with Certified Organic Blue Corn.
These are regular favorites: the bananas go in our morning smoothie with assorted fruits, the chips are for our lunch.
The Carrots are for all of us.
All pictures by Walkingfox

 

Things have been looking much better lately at the two local stores where I normally buy our food, which are Walmart and Publix.

This week, for example, some very kind people, showed me the newest Organic sections in each of the stores and they were, I hate to admit, quite impressive.

Not only is Walmart trying harder, they actually seem to like hearing, thank you when they do something, as in bringing in a new Organic product that you like.

The newest purchases this week included Organics that were: fresh, frozen or packaged.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that.

I came home happier with my finds, than I have been in many weeks.

Now for the first time in a very long time, every meal that we have, has an Organic ingredient, or product in it.

The great new Organic Pasta Section at Publix is just awesome.

There are many varieties of both Pasta and Sauces galore and all are Organic.

Love it.

There are Organic things there from around the world and some,  I am delighted to say, are completely new to me.

Have you ever heard of Bavaette Lavorazione Artigianale?

It is an imported Spinach Pasta to die for!

I top it with a great Organic Basil Pesto mixed with the Garlic Alfredo from Newman’s Own.

There will be a picture here of it, when we have it next.

More good and inspiring news for we long-suffering Organic lovers here on the East side of Lake County.

There will be a new Aldi going in quite near to us soon and you can bet that I will be checking out their Organics.

We have not been to their store in the Villages since gas prices went up  and the store is nearly 30 miles away.

But the new one will be right here in our neighborhood.

Wahoo!

Aldi’s has always carried quite a few Organics and here’s hoping that the new store will have expanded on their already good selections.

It’s looking up!

 

Spinach Quiche

A perfect, for us, Spinach Quiche~
Picture credit: Walkingfox

 

This will be the first Recipe here for a good reason, it is one of our favorite quick dinners.

It would be perfect if all of its ingredients were Organic, but I buy what is available here~

To begin, assemble everything and try to use a bowl with a pour lip, if possible.

Rinse and drain the Spinach and set aside.

Crack five eggs into your bowl, then stir in your own personal favorite spices.

I add a bit of each of these three: California Style, Coarse Grind Garlic, Onion, McCormick’s Perfect Pinch, ORIGINAL All-Purpose Salt Free.

Next add the grated cheese and mustard, then pour in the half & half.

Finally add the rinsed and well-drained spinach.

Blend gently and pour into a frozen pie shell.

Bake and test with a knife half way in, to be sure it comes out clean.

We tend to like ours just a bit well done, so I add a few extra minutes for a nice brown crust.

Let the Quiche sit for 5-10 minutes, while you set the table, or other.

We like this with a loaded salad. ( Everything, but the kitchen sink)

Enjoy~

 

The ingredients are quite simple, please do try to buy as many Organics as you can find~

Preheat the Oven to 375ºF.

I Cup Organic Spinach (Rinse and drain)

5 Grade A Large Eggs ( Eggland’s Best, All Natural, Vegetarian Fed hens)

1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese ( We use Colby/Jack)

1/2 Cup Half and Half

1/2 Cup crispy, crunchy, Turkey Bacon, broken into small pieces ( I use Louis Rich or Oscar Meyer )

1/2 to I Teaspoon Dijon Mustard, to taste.

I Frozen pie shell ( I buy Marie Callendars )

Add your own spices, as you like.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown, tested and set, at 375ºF.

 

 

Welcome~

Your Coffee should always be Organic!
Picture: Public domain Wiki

 

This Blog is quite a broad departure from what I normally write about, which is Endangered Animals, Global Culture and Evil Corporations.

The impetus for beginning this Blog today, came from my continuing disappointment and failure to find anything, but a narrow range of real Organic products here in Florida.

As with today, all I wanted to do, was to find some Organic Spinach to use in a Quiche later this week, but it was simply not to be.

Wal Mart, which is where I normally buy much of our food from, always with an eye out for anything Organic, chooses not to carry Organic Spinach.

Today, lucky us,  they had Organic Bananas, yeah, once a month, this is their idea of a tiny reward, for the thousands of dollars that we spend there each year!

So, I had to, as usual, make a special trip and stop at a Publix to find it.

There are several places near us, that claim to carry Organic products, but upon discovery, they quite frequently are not.

Today, as a result of yet another frustrating trip in search of Organic anything and in what hopefully will not be a futile effort, to educate myself, perhaps find some like minds or kindred spirits along the way, this Blog begins.

This ongoing failure to find Organic anything, is only exacerbated by the fact that after living in Southern California for more than 30 years and having easy, convenient access to healthy Organic Food and countless other products,  coming to Florida is just so hard to adjust to.

People often  refer to this phenomena of coming here, as “culture shock,” but  in this case, it is ” food shock.”

The Journey will be a hopefully joint venture, or effort, with you and me.

I know that real Organic products are out there, but as the title at the top says:  finding it, aye,  there’s the rub!

We shall begin….