I’ve been enjoying nutritious, delectable pecans all month, thanks to a packet sent by the Georgia Pecan people (November is their big month). Here’s my favorite breakfast that keeps me going well into the lunch hour: Whisk 1 egg and a little milk in a shallow bowl, then add cooked brown rice, about 1/3 cup or so (not so much that it’s thick). Top with a handful of broken pecans, chopped red apple, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Cover with another dish and microwave for 2+ minutes, until the egg is softly cookedy. Super delicious, healthy, and satiating.

Also, for Thanksgiving, I made this recipe for Brussels Sprouts in Sage Butter, with toasted pecans, and it was a big hit … even for people who might otherwise sneer at brussels sprouts!

Every so often, readers ask us why we don’t do a Delicious Living cookbook. Well, we’ve finally done it! And this holiday-focused collection is completely free and available for download right to your personal computer. Check it out for your last-minute Thanksgiving needs and healthy, delicious ideas for the rest of the season. There are over sixty recipes: some classics and LOTS of new favorites. It’s our way of saying thanks for reading.

Download the Delicious Living Holiday Recipes cookbook.

As always, let us know what you think of our recipes in our Recipe Feedback Forum.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last May, I was lucky enough to attend the Cooking for Solutions tasting event in Monterey, California—a celebrity chef-studded blitz of delicious seafood, meats, veggie dishes, desserts, and (last but not least!) organic and biodynamic wines from northern and central California. A few of those wines made a lasting impression. If you’re looking for something special to serve with Turkey this Thursday (or throughout the coming holidays) I highly recommend a few that I tasted that night, plus some other go-to favorites. Salute!

Chappellet >> Napa Valley Chardonnay or Mountain Cuvee

Ceago >> Cabernet Franc Del Lago or Late Harvest Semillon

Five Rivers >> Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon

Frey Vineyards >> Petite Syrah or Zinfandel

Heller Estate >> Meritage or Chardonnay

Bonterra >> Viognier or Merlot

Benziger >> Sauvignon Blanc or Sonoma Valley Port

Frog’s Leap >> Zinfandel or Frogenbeerenauslese (their version of Trockenbeerenauslese)

Peirano Estate >> “The Other” White or Red blends

Lolonis >> Orpheus Petite Syrah or Antigone Chardonnay

Do you have an organic or biodynamic favorite not on our list? Tell us by posting a comment below.

Now that my son, Sam, is home for Thanksgiving break (having recently given up gluten and feeling SO much better, finally), I’m looking for new foods to have on hand that he’ll like. These picks get two thumbs way, way up: more

The EPA is (finally) considering action on defining products using nanotechnology as pesticides.  The EPA opened a 60-day public comment period in response to a petition filed by the  International Center for Technology Assessment (ICTA) which demands the agency stop the sale of numerous consumer products with nano-silver. Classifying nano-products in this way helps develop parameters around how nano can be used and how consumers can be informed that a product is a nano-product.  Currently there is nothing that regulates consumers be notified that a product using nanotechnology be identified as such.    

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Monday’s NY Times featured an op-ed  that addresses the recent (and ongoing) melamine incident in China and the occurrence of melamine in the US food system.  It led me to consider how often in the last year it has been noted publicly (mass media) how insecure our food system is in the US and how blasé we react to the corruption of our food system. While agribusiness quietly infringes on our right to grow food by patenting seeds (preventing unauthorized seed-saving) and organic standards remain confusing, we remain — on the cultural whole — uninformed.

Deep breaths…think happy thoughts…

There is hopeful work being done by two organizations that are petitioning to have an organic garden on the lawn at the White House – Eat the View and the WHO (White House Organic) Farm Both organizations refer to the history of White house agriculture as part of their inspiring case.  And the videos do a great job of furthering their cause while bringing a glimmer of hope to a very dim future of our food system. Check them out at: http://www.eattheview.org/videos.

Here’s a beautiful, earth-friendly, waste-free wrapping alternative for your holiday gifts: ZenWraps. Based on the Japanese technique called furoshiki, these gorgeous, reusable, biodegradable fabric wraps (made with 100% organic cotton, hemp, or silk) make gift giving an eco-pleasure. The ZenWrap website provides simple online wrapping instructions, and there’s no tape, ribbon, or tools required. I’m a sucker for pretty wrapping paper, but when I read that holiday waste increases landfills by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Years, I was delighted to learn about this low-impact holiday option. They’re created by mom and Iraq War veteran Tamara Czarnecki (who also sells reusable shopping bags at Organic Bag Lady).

If you haven’t yet converted to reusable shopping bags, here’s a pretty distressing visual argument for why to stop using plastic bags once and for all. WARNING: This link is graphic.

I just finished eight days of a nine-day cleanse. (I decided not to continue on to the last day of fasting.) Do I feel better than I did before? Not yet — I assume it will take a few days before my digestion and energy return to normal. I’ll say this, though, there’s nothing like not eating for two days to make you re-evaluate your diet. I craved all sorts of ethnic foods during my detox, but the reality is that I learned I felt better when I ate less (and my energy during the day didn’t suffer). And I haven’t craved sugar in days. Still, I would recommend something a little lower key.

I admit it, I’m a cheese fanatic — in moderation, of course, but to me there’s nothing more luxurious than a good cheese plate with fresh fruit or preserves (try this Apple-Plum Chutney), toasted or spiced nuts, and wonderful whole-grain crackers. Just in time for party season: the all-natural-ingredients President Brie Log, cleverly shaped so it slices easily and sits cleanly on a cracker. (The President website also has good ideas for putting together a classy, delicious cheese board.) For more cheese-selection ideas, natural chef Akasha Richmond recommends “a perfect party tray” (at the bottom of that link). Also try this supereasy appetizer for Baked Goat Cheese with Apples & Cranberries — a winner in last year’s DL recipe contest.