Buzzwords – Do you know what they mean?
Do you care if your food was raised in a pasture, lived in a cage, or if grass was part of the diet of the animal on you dinner plate? When you see terms on food product labels indicating “pasture-raised,” “cage-free,” “free-range” or “grass-fed,” do you know what these terms actually mean?
Local
Typically, these products travel less than 400 miles from where they are produced. “Local” may also include products produced within the same state they are being sold. According to Matthew Burch, of OKC-based Urban Agrarian, “local food is more about how something is grown than if it comes from a strictly defined geographical region.”
Cage-Free
Most egg-laying hens are housed in long
barns and are further enclosed in “battery cages” which may contain 4-7 chickens. Cage-free hens are still housed in long barns but also have free access to food, water, and the ability to roam the barn. However, they often don’t have access to outdoor areas.
Free-Range
Unlike cage-free eggs, free-range eggs are granted some time outside but spend the bulk of their time in cramped housing. Free-range hens do not require a defined time spent outside, outdoor space conditions, or particular feed type. Free-range also does not indicate chickens are humanely raised like many people are led to believe.
Pasture-Raised
This term is limited to omnivores who don’t gather all of their daily nutritional needs from plants alone. Pasture-raised animals spend most of their time roaming 
and foraging different areas of farms but are still fed grain-based feed when necessary. Locally, The Wedge Pizzeria in OKC, uses a third party certified pasture-raised chicken on their pizza! Look for Global Animal Partnership (GAP) and Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) certifications on these meats.
Grass-Fed
This term is limited to ruminant mammals, i.e. cattle, sheep, and
goats
. These animals eat plant-based diets alone, but may be fed grains when plant-based forage is absent. These products may be certified as “American Grassfed” by the American Grassfed Association, indicating a plant- based diet. Keep in mind AGA does not require all products also be certified organic.
USDA Organic
This is the only USDA policed and regulated product label that 
farmers and producers spend years working to acquire. USDA organic certification indicates the product is free from genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). For produce, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides are not allowed and the same guidelines apply for areas organic-meat animals graze on. Hens must also be fed non-GMO feed and cannot be given hormones or antibiotics.
-HM
I tried Cultivar in Automobile Alley. Cultivar is a “farm-to-fire” Mexican dining experience that I absolutely enjoyed. The menu included fresh tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, salads and more. The food was fresh, with priority given to local ingredients, and included fun
gadget, for us to play with! The Zoodler, which is similar to a Veggetti or Spiralizer, cuts various vegetables into long, thin spirals. The Zoodler cuts into 2 sizes of noodles, one similar to spaghetti and the other similar to linguini. Eggplant and zucchini were on sale the week I tried our Zoodler, so I decided to make eggplant parmesan.
sauté with some olive oil and pepper. My “noodles” were topped off with baked eggplant coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and spaghetti sauce. I tried to dry out my noodles with just a towel and no salt, but you can see the noodles added extra water to the plate.
snow cones were $4 and the pup-cone was $1, making it a fun and affordable cool treat. Keep an eye out for Katiebug’s at OKC’s food truck Friday’s and in Edmond off of N. Broadway. Looking for something else to cool off with? Katiebug’s also offered craft sodas and frozen hot chocolate. They were family friendly, had fun yard games, and flavorful homemade snow cones without the additives and preservatives! -HM
due to their significantly lowered resting metabolic rates (RMR), which resulted from their severely limited caloric intake. This change in their RMR is called metabolic adaptation and averaged ~500 kcal per day lower than expected in season 8 contestants. In addition to their lowered RMRs, the contestants also produced substantially less leptin, a hormone that controls hunger.
are frequently right inside the door, on the way to the bathroom, or near soda machines, taking advantage of high foot traffic areas. They’re also strategically placed at eye level for kids and waist high where adults will see the whole array. These snacks may sound appealing and easy, but keep in mind they are low in nutrients and high in sodium, fat, and all the microbes floating around in the air!
a good goal is not to exceed 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day and keeping closer to 1,500 milligrams per day is ideal. Cooking at home, eating whole foods, and checking food labels are great ways to monitor sodium intake. American Heart Association also recommends limiting the “Salty Six” in our diet.
made from soybeans, which are grown in Asia, South America, and North America. Soy products, such as tofu and miso, are often associated with Asian cuisine, but there are many ways to eat soy. You can eat immature green soybeans as edamame or the mature brown soybeans, which are used for most processed soy products.
oymilk is thick and creamy like animal milk, and comes in sweetened and unsweetened variations. Soy coffee creamers and cheese are other dairy alternatives. Soy is frequently used as a meat alternative. Common brands to look for in your freezer section include Boca and MorningStar. Burger patties, crumbles similar to ground beef, soy hotdogs, and soy “chicken” are available. In general, tofu and soy meat products will typically absorb the flavor of whatever you decide to season it with.