I was having a “soap box” conversation with a family member at a recent birthday gathering about just exactly what does “organic food” mean and why it is important.  Also a hot topic of discussion was the lack of healthy foods, or should I say, the nutrient-void items being mass-marketed to families today.  I tried to inform said family member about the benefits of choosing and eating organic whole foods when my niece tugged at my sleeve, “What did the world do before we had organic?” she asked.  I smiled and told her that our foods used to be free of additives, preservatives and pure, but that over the last 60-plus years or so, natural organics have fallen out of favor to be replaced by highly processed foods and drinks.  “Don’t worry, maybe it will return,” she hopefully replied.  Out of the mouths of babes, it could be that simple!  “Wow, what an initiative that could be”, I said to my adult counter-part, “A Return to Pure Food”…  I then gleefully spouted that I could see this slogan proudly plastered on billboards, magazines, commercials, newspapers, bumper stickers and more!  Could this make people think twice about what they are eating and choose real food more often than not?

As a chef, I am witness to the huge growth as well as buzz around all things natural and organic.  There is a growing momentum of people who desire a return to pure food. My clients demand foods that are rich in natural nutrients and nutrient dense, free of preservatives and additives and contain products that are kind to the environment.   This demand is why the organic, natural food trend is growing by leaps and bounds.

As we continue to share information about the benefits of untreated/ non-altered foods, how to prepare them, and where to find/buy them, word gets around, changes happen and a return pure food is taking place.

I believe that knowledge is power and that what you don’t know can hurt you.  Did you know that as much as 70 percent of processed foods contain an ingredient that has been genetically engineered or modified?  Modified ingredients are found in just about everything we consume such as: corn syrup, canola and cottonseed oils, soy protein and lecithin.  The stream of ingredients in some foods is overwhelming, and often incomprehensible to us as average consumers.  Some should contain warning labels (much like what you might find on a pack of cigarettes!): “This highly processed, genetically modified food substance may cause cancer, heart disease, allergic reactions, learning difficulties, headaches and more!”

It can be EASY navigating the rough and additive-heavy waters of the grocery store when you buy as close to the real product as possible.  You won’t find high fructose corn syrup on the vine with fruits and vegetables, Vitamin D is naturally absorbed into the organic milk from a non-confinement cow that has access to the sun, and it needn’t be removed through pasteurization and then added back. The good stuff is in it, as a whole food product, vitamin enhancing need not apply.  A multitude of studies support buying local fruits and vegetables at their peak ripeness, as well as buying organic.  This leaves you with produce that is as much as 50% higher in polyphenols, antioxidants and vitamin C.  By supporting local and organic farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing, flavorful and abundant as well as healthy, variety.

We need to tune in to the world around us, educate ourselves to what is being added in our food, and know the sources of our food.  We need to join together and share our knowledge with others, advocate for fair food labeling and hold firm against practices like genetically modified crops, the influx of chemicals and preservatives into our food chain and into cosmetic and household products.  I invite you to share in the journey with many of us, and Return to Pure Food!

Chef Kelli Lewton-Secondino is a wife, mother, culinary educator and Real Food Advocate.  She is also the Chef-Owner of Pure Food 2 U, which prepares and delivers pure, organic meals.  She also owns and is the chef of 2 Unique Caterers & Event Planners.  Please visit  www.purefood2u.com or www.twounique.com for more information.

By Nancy Kaffer

What food labels mean

– Grass-fed. According to a United States Department of Agriculture standard adopted last year, meat marketed as “grass-fed” must come from animals fed a diet of grass or forage for its lifetime, with the exception of milk consumed before weaning. To claim an animal is grass-fed, it must not be fed grain or grain byproducts. Meat not marketed as grass-fed has likely been fed a diet of grain with a varying degree of grass or forage.

Chef Kelli Lewton-Secondino has launched a food delivery business emphasizing locally grown organic foods.

– Free-range. The USDA is less clear on this topic, providing guidelines only for poultry. According to the agency’s Web site, to mark a poultry product “free-range,” the producer must demonstrate that the poultry has been allowed outside access.
– Natural. A product can be labeled natural, according to the USDA, if it contains no artificial ingredients or added color and is only minimally processed in a way that doesn’t alter the fundamental product. The label, the agency notes, must explain the use of the term with regards to the specific product.
– No hormones/no antibiotics. Animals raised without the use of antibiotics may be labeled “no antibiotics added” if the producer can demonstrate the claim to the USDA. The same rule holds true for hormones in red meat. The agency notes that the use of hormones in pork or poultry production is illegal.
– Fresh poultry. A poultry product that’s never been chilled to an internal temperature below 26 degrees Fahrenheit can be advertised as “fresh.”
– CSA (community-supported agriculture). A community pledges to support a farm, typically by covering the farm’s operation and the farmer’s salary, according to the USDA, in exchange for a share of the farm’s harvest.
– Organic. Through the USDA’s National Organic Program, products can be considered organic under certain circumstances. Organic crops must be raised without using most conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers or sewage-sludge fertilizers, according to the agency’s Web site. Organic animals must be given organic feed and given access to the outdoors. Organically raised animals aren’t given antibiotics or growth hormones.
— Nancy Kaffer

Every weekend, Kelli Lewton-Secondino and her crew of chefs pull 16-hour days, preparing meals for more than 100 customers signed up with Royal Oak-based Pure Food 2 U.

The seven-month-old food-delivery service is an extension of Lewton-Secondino’s existing business, Royal Oak’s 2 Unique Catering, but with a new take. The chef had long been an advocate of locally grown, organic foods, and was ready to start a business modeled on her increasing conviction that healthy eating was the way to go.

With revenue for Pure Food’s first year projected at $550,000, Lewton-Secondino found a growing market of diners with a taste for fresh, healthy meals but a dearth of kitchen time.

Businesses like Pure Food are at the leading edge of a national demand for locally grown foods that’s spawning new businesses and increasing demand at existing operations.

It’s a trend that’s too new to have produced much hard data, but from grocers to farmers to state agencies, mention the increasing demand for local food and you’ll get a nod of recognition.

“If you go back to leaders like (national organic and gourmet grocer) Whole Foods Market, they’ve been talking about local and doing it for at least three or four years, but in the last year, we’re seeing it kind of explode on the consciousness,” said Neil Stern, a senior partner with McMillan Doolittle L.L.P., a Chicago-based retail consulting firm.

At Southfield-based Hiller’s Markets‘ seven area stores, local foods are marked with a mitt that represents Michigan, said Larry Krispin, grocery buyer for the chain.

“I think people are trying to buy more Michigan products and support Michigan, and I think it’s really taken hold just in the last year,” he said. According to Hiller’s Market, during the last fiscal year local products accounted for $16 million in revenue out of the store’s total 2007 revenue of $170 million. Krispin said the stores work with more than 100 Michigan companies.

“We’re seeing a lot more interest from a wide variety of sources,” said Dan Carmody, Eastern Market Corp. president and CEO.

“We have a steady stream of groups like local colleges and health care providers trying to source more food locally, and we’ve had a number of initiatives we’re working on with our fellow not-for-profits to improve accessibility of local food through nontraditional sources of food distribution.”

The market’s wholesale operation is about 90 percent locally grown food, he said, while the Saturday market that’s open to the public can be 40 to 80 percent local, depending on the time of year.

And profits are growing all the way down the food chain.

Michelle Lutz, co-owner of Maple Creek Farm in Yale, west of Port Huron, said she’s looking for revenue to grow from $430,000 in 2006, her best year to date, to a projected $550,000 this year. Maple Creek lost $170,000 in 2007, the victim of a severe season-long drought.

Lutz sells to high-end stores throughout the metro area like Orchard Lake-based Plum Market, to restaurants and also to individual customers through retail sales and farmers’ markets like Royal Oak’s.

“It’s not abnormal for me to move 20 tons of produce or more a week during the (growing) season, and to a small family organic farmer that’s a lot,” she said.

Expenses at an organic operation such as hers typically exceed those at mainstream farms, but Lutz said she’s able to compensate for the higher labor outlay to some degree because she doesn’t use costly petroleum-based fertilizer or pesticides, and tries to keep costs comparable to mainstream producers.

But Lutz is selling more than produce. Part of the sticker price includes a sense of security about the product,

“If I can get close to what (the average mainstream) consumer is paying, I find people don’t mind giving their money to me,” she said.

Lutz said that she might earn about 30 percent of the retail price of her products at a major retailer, while at a smaller, family-owned store the split might be closer to 50-50. Restaurants are about 60-40, but she sees her greatest profits in individual, direct sales.

Most of Maple Creek’s produce, she said, is sold within 80 miles of the farm with the farthest destination the Plum Market in Ann Arbor.

Smaller farms also report an increase in activity.

Robin Leonard of the Garden Patch Farm in Pinckney said she’s getting about five calls a week about her eggs and produce, and Diane Franklin of Rocky Gardens CSA in Davisburg in northwest Oakland County said all 51 farm co-op shares, priced at $560 each, were sold a month after she’d opened for sales.

Franklin said her annual revenue is about $25,000, typically reinvested into the farm’s infrastructure.

Julie LaPorte is another entrepreneur who’s capitalizing on the growing demands for local foods, providing a connection between local farmers and time-strapped consumers.

LaPorte, committed to a local diet personally, found herself making the rounds to several local farms on the weekends. When she started picking up food for friends, LaPorte realized she’d developed a business model and started Clarkston-based La Vida Local.

The fledgling home delivery service currently fills about 25 orders per week, placed online, from a database of about 100 members. Weekly revenue from her seven-month-old business hovers between $1,300 and $1,600.

Cutting out the middleman allows LaPorte to sell food at a lower price than a gourmet market, though she admits her wares exceed the mainstream market price.

“Raw cheese from Whole Foods is usually around $14 a pound, but my price is about $8.50 a pound,” she said.

LaPorte said her business has been growing slowly, but that she’s content to see growth that taxes neither her resources nor the capacity of the roughly 30 suppliers she works with.

Gary Kuneman, general manager of Scio Township-based Eat Local Eat Natural is hoping to fill the delivery niche on a commercial level.

Kuneman has been working on the project for about two years, building his supplier base, but started making sales calls last month.

“We’re chomping at the bit because we’ve got the suppliers,” he said.

Originally conceived as a home-delivery service, Kuneman said, his company will focus on delivering locally produced meat and dairy to restaurants throughout the area.

“We want to work with the small- to medium-sized producer,” he said. “It has to be a safe product. … Our primary objective is to make sure it’s safe and raised in a sustainable manner, the farmers don’t use chemicals on crops, or hormones and steroids to feed animals.”

About 40 percent of the agricultural commodities grown in Michigan are consumed in-state, said William Knudson, an agricultural economist at Michigan State University. The rest are shipped out of state or out of the country.

In a national 2006 survey of specialty food stores conducted by Chicago-based consumer, product and market research firm Mintel, 31 percent of the food items in specialty retailers were sourced within 250 miles of the store, Knudson said. Five years ago, he said, the company didn’t track that statistic, a sign of the increasing prominence of local food in the marketplace.

The number of farmers’ markets in the country increased by 82 percent between 1996 and 2006, with a 40 percent increase between 2002 and 2006, he said.

There’s no hard and fast rule regarding in- versus out-of-state food pricing, Knudson said — factors like whether produce is in or out of season can modify the price — but for in-season produce, locally grown can be cheaper.

Monroe County-based Calder’s Dairy and Farms, family-owned and -operated since 1946, is a familiar name to Southeast Michigan grocery shoppers. The dairy’s brands are carried in mainstream grocery stores and are fixtures at gourmet markets.

The dairy’s home-delivery service added more than 220 orders to its 1,500 home-delivery customers just in the first quarter of this year, said general manager Nicola Noble.

“Local” doesn’t always mean organic, Stern said, but it offers a sense of consumer security that “outside” products may not have.

“Locally grown has so many things going for it that are perceived as positive with the consumer,” he said. “If you start with the connotation of local, it typically means it’s going to be better-tasting. If you have the idealized sense of local, it’s the farmers’ market, which implies direct from the grower.”

Locally grown food also has a better environmental and sustainability reputation, thanks to the smaller carbon footprint required to truck foodstuffs shorter distances.

And in an age of recalls, local food may seem safer, Stern said.

“There’s traceability,” he said. “If you know where food is coming from, you think it may be safer. … That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be safer, but the implication is, “I know where this stuff is coming from.’ “

Noble said that changing Calder’s feed to an all-organic mix isn’t financially feasible — all the farm’s milk-producing cows must be fed on more costly organic feed from birth on before the dairy could qualify as organic — but said she thinks part of the appeal of the dairy is that customers are able to see the humane way cows are treated.

Ari Weinzweig, co-owner of Ann Arbor’s Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, has been at the head of the local, organic trend since Zingerman’s Deli opened in 1982.

For Zingerman’s, Weinzweig said, it’s about contact.

“I think our push is to know everybody we buy from, everybody we sell to, even if that’s your mail-order customer,” he said.

“And when we can make connections at that level it’s always for the better.

Nancy Kaffer: (313) 446-0412, nkaffer@crain.com.

Published: Thursday, June 26, 2008, 4:00 AM     Updated: Thursday, June 26, 2008, 4:16 AM

Erica J. Finley

Kelli Lewton-Secondino

One part passionate chef, one part business-savvy owner was the recipe for the start-up organic-meal-delivery service Pure Food 2 U. The main ingredient: Kelli Lewton-Secondino.

Lewton-Secondino’s 2 Unique Caterers & Event Planners headquarters in Royal Oak is now doubling as headquarters for Pure Foods 2 U, which launched on Jan. 21.

Lewton-Secondino, who has 16 years in the catering business, has a very health-oriented plan for her two-companies-in-one: Real, organic food is the way to go.

On the companies’ Web sites, users find menus, missions and articles on the benefits of eating farm-fresh foods.

The headquarters boasts a 4,500-square-foot kitchen area and offers cooking classes. The businesses have the ability to operate as a large-scale catering service or a community delivery service. Lewton-Secondino has big plans for her start-up and its sister company.

She recently talked with reporter John Turk about the future of Pure Food 2 U and 2 Unique Caterers & Event Planners.

Business Review: How has business been since you opened Pure Food 2 U?
Lewton-Secondino: So far, we double almost every week. There has been a great response from our customers, and some have even become regulars, although, there are no contracts or obligations for delivery. We only ask $5, and more for more distant locations. We’ve actually had people from Texas call already!

What is happening with organic meals?
There is an outpouring of energy toward this trend. Today, everything is genetically modified, and people are getting smarter and starting to ask questions. Many people don’t know what real food is like anymore, and I see more and more people wanting to eat healthier because of the benefits to their local economies, their health and to the environment.

Where does your target market lie?
It’s anyone who needs good food! Lately, it has been sort of family to family, but our target goal is to bring service to more people and to do that, I have to get involved with local corporations. Ours is a no-cost, value-added service; workers could pick up a dinner for their family on their way home from the office at no delivery charge to them.

What’s it like having two sister companies in one headquarters?
It would take around $600,000 to finance a new headquarters. The fact that 2 Unique Caterers and Pure Foods 2 U share resources, employees, overhead and expenses has many financial and emotional benefits. On one hand, 2 Unique Caterers has been a wealth of help to Pure Food 2 U, its subsidiary. Now Pure Food 2 U is starting to gain credibility in the “green” market for 2 Unique Caterers. The companies support each other.

Long-term goals for Pure Food 2 U?
We would like to become a true brand, be in community markets and possibly own stores and franchises. I don’t want to sound corny, but we are just trying to take it one meal at a time.

John Turk is a freelance writer.

Chef Kelli started her culinary career by attending Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts. After graduating from Schoolcraft College she worked in a number of fine dining establishments throughout the Metro Detroit Area before the start of 2 Unique. Chef Kelli has continued her association with Schoolcraft by serving as an instructor in the Culinary Arts and CES programs since 1993.

Chef Kelli, has become a leader in her industry; she is a regular guest on Fox 2 News, writes and contribute to numerous publications, recipient of numerous culinary awards and medals and is proud to have been of service to two U.S. Presidents, numerous professional athletes, celebrities, CEOs and wonderful customers over southeast Michigan and beyond!.

Kelli is now living in her full passion with the new division of pure food 2 U; cooking with REAL local, organic and sustainable foods which, in turn brings life to amazing prepared organic meals which nourish the mind, body, soul. She believes that is important that as a wife, mother, chef and culinary educator that she stands up and advocates for eating REAL foods. Kelli teaches numerous culinary classes including a series of organic natural food classes Kelli lives and works by the tenet that all finished food should be born from as close to the vine as possible. She is steadfast about using only the freshest ingredients and organic products from preferably local vendors. She has built her business on the principle of nourishing food, made with integrity, pleasing to the eye is memorable to the tongue and memory.

Detroiter, May, 2008 by Jennifer Baum

Chef Kelli Lewton-Secondino began a catering company while working full time as an executive chef. Two months later, she had so many orders coming in that she had to quit her full time job to focus solely on the new business.

Seventeen years later, the business is stronger than ever. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a true weekend off since,” said Lewton with a laugh.

That business is 2 Unique Caterers and Event Planners, a well known, gourmet, off-premise catering company that has a national scope.

“I’ve always been driven towards creativity and wanted an environment where I could explore, create and change things,” Lewton said. She trained to be a chef at the renowned Schoolcraft Culinary Arts Program and before opening her own business, mastered the trade while working upscale restaurants around the Detroit Region such as Opus One and Beverly Hills Grill. She also held the position of executive chef for Sysco Detroit.

Lewton was a multiple gold medal winner and a competing member Michigan Culinary Olympic Team and is a member of the American Culinary Federation. Although Lewton loves all things that involve producing food, she has a special affinity for garde manger – a French term meaning “the keeper of the food,” which refers to the task of preparing and presenting cold foods.

Despite having a wildly successful past seventeen years, Lewton admitted to running into obstacles occasionally. Sometimes, because she’s a woman, people assume her catering business is run out of her house. Not so. 2 Unique Caterers and Event Planners is run out of a 4,200 square foot building that boasts an office area with cubicles, a large kitchen and prep area and multiple food storage areas.

Food philosophy

When it comes to the food used to prepare their recipes, Lewton is pickly She’s built 2 Unique with the idea that everything is made from scratch, using all the best products available. “Good food made from scratch” is one of Lewton’s mantras, along with “eat like your grandparents did.”

2 Unique recently had an eight-step reverse osmosis water filtration system installed in the kitchen, which deminieralizes water using a semipermeable membrane at high pressure. Simply put, “It’s the purest water you can cook with,” said Lewton.

Lewton recently opened a new division of 2 Unique called Pure Food 2 U, which is essentially healthy meals for families to go. Clients place their orders each week by Thursday, and the food is prepared and ready for pickup or delivery the following week. The meal service, which launched in early February, centers on providing whole, organic foods to families on the go.

Although Pure Food 2 U is meant to be feed busy families and 2 Unique is meant to cater events, the nice part about combining the businesses is that the equipment, staff and processes are already in place, so Lewton has the capability to offer completely organic catering for large functions, as well.

More than just caterers

2 Unique offers more than just food for events; the company is equipped to do wedding invitations and flowers, book entertainment and lighting or anything else a client might need. “One time we even got Cirque Du Soleil to perform at an event and climb up 100-foot-high walls in the middle of a garden,” Lewton said, noting that they’ve coordinated events alongside nationally known entertainment.

2 Unique’s client roster is an impressive list that includes both George Bush Jr. and Sr. Recalling the function held by George Bush Sr. during George Bush Jr.’s first run for office, Lewton said, “He walked in the kitchen and said, ‘Who’s in charge here?’ And everyone was looking at me, and I was looking around. He walked up and put his arm on my shoulders and said, ‘Everything’s beautiful, thank you for what you’re doing for my son.’ High level people at events like that don’t usually eat, but towards the end of the night, the secret service came up and said, ‘He wants to take a plate,’ which was a huge honor.”

2 Unique operates with 12 full time and 15 part time employees. They also regularly use a contract service staff of about 50-60 people. Lewton also imagines that they’ll be growing again very soon with the addition of Pure Food 2 U.

For Lewton, a typical day includes an early start – she runs with her dog nearly every morning around 6:15 a.m. After that, some days a week she goes to Yoga, and then after that heads into the office. Lewton admits that her normal work day is 10-12 hours on most days. “Don’t get me wrong – I’m not a workaholic. I have a very specific goal; I’m not just doing this because I have nothing else to do. I won’t always have to run this fast, but while I can run fast, I might as well.”

Once Lewton gets to the office, she usually checks in with the kitchen first to identify any potential problems. “Usually you can walk into an operating kitchen and tell if something’s not working right,” Lewton said.

Before everything else, I’m a chef,” Lewton continued. “I had to learn everything else. I would love to just come in and cook, but as the company is growing, I’m doing things I never dared to dream I was capable of doing, like excel spreadsheets.”

So after checking in with the kitchen staff, Lewton generally goes through voice mail and email messages.

“We all work regularly with different clients,” she said. “I have a core group of clients who are always looking for something or asking for proposals.

“I’m the last stop for all of our office processes,” continued Lewton. “And I always do menu reviews – no event menu is presented to a client without my approval. Sometimes clients have an idea in mind of what they want, and I’ll take their ideas and expand on them.”

She admits that not all clients are created equal. “If I don’t think something’s right about what a client is asking for, I won’t take that job. I know what I am good at, and if you ask me to step outside of what I do, I have to really consider it.”

Some examples of past jobs Lewton has turned down include a request for all white food party (so as to not ruin expensive white carpet) or general requests to replicate an old family recipe. “It doesn’t matter what I do to that thing, it’s not going to turn out like your grandmother’s!” said Lewton.

Family time is important as well to 43 year old Lewton, who is married to architect Randal Secondino and has a 24-year-old daughter Lauyren in law school.

“Who could ever make the argument that it isn’t better to have the real thing instead of something fake?” asked Kelli Lewton-Secondino, who’s built an entire business around the idea.

Petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides are not good for your body of the environment, and supporting organic farming methods is an easy way to vote with your dollars against them. Not only have synthetic pesticides been shown to suppress the immune system, mess with hormone levels and damage the nervous system, they are known carcinogens. Modern agricultural practices also rapidly deplete natural resources and pollute the soil, water and air.

Where to find organic?

Most supermarkets are beginning to carry at least some organic produce, with stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes carrying an abundance of it. If you don’t see it at your favorite stroe, ask them to begin stocking organic produce.

RELATED ARTICLE: An Easy Benefit to Offer Employees

Pure Food 2 U is looking to partner with local companies interested in offering employees a unique benefit. Your office could become a weekly food order drop off point at no cost to you. Employees would have the option to place orders with Pure Food 2 U each week and have the prepared food delivered right to the office before it’s time to go home. For more information, contact Kelli Lewton-Secondino at (248) 549-5242.

Yield 4 servings

• 4 5-6 oz BBQ chicken breast (fully cooked) with your favorite bbq sauce
• 3 grilled or cooked pieces of corn on the cob or 1 cup cooked corn
• 1 cup or 8 ounces cleaned blanched green beans, bias cut 3-4 pieces per bean
• 1-2 heirloom tomatoes chunky cut
• 5 green onion sliced thin on the bias (reserve 2 TB)
• 1/2 of a red, yellow and green pepper medium dice
• 2 lbs very small; red skin or your favorite small potatoes roasted (if larger
• potatoes cut into smaller pieces, half or quarter before roasting.
• 2 Tb chopped cilantro
• Sea salt and cracker black pepper to taste

6 ounces lime cilantro vinaigrette

Method
1. Prepare chicken
2. Prepare potatoes by tossing with olive oil salt and pepper, roast at 375 degrees until cooked through about 20 minutes or more for larger potatoes pieces.
3. Mix cut veggies, herbs and potatoes with lime cilantro vinaigrette
4. Place chopped greens on serving platter, season with a sprinkle of S&P and a drizzle of vinaigrette
5. topped with dressed salad arrange bbq chicken on top and sprinkle with green onion garnish

Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette

• 6 Tb fresh lime juice
• 2 Tb honey
• 1 Tb Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp cilantro chopped
• 4 ounces olive oil

Wisk all ingredients together and season with a sprinkle sea salt and pepper

Wholesome Food Guidelines

1. Eat whole, natural foods.
2. Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.
3. Eat naturally-raised/ wild/ free range meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, and eggs.
4. NO- NO to highly processed foods and high fructose corn syrup, the jury is in, it spikes our insulin and is causing havoc in the USA and other industrialized countries
5. Eat whole, naturally-produced/organic milk products from pasture-fed cows, and/or fermented, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses.
6. Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils—coconut and palm.
7. Eat LOTS of fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, raw foods are loaded with enzymes that are most often destroyed or damaged during the cooking process. Eat all the colors of the rainbow and the rawer the better! Light steaming is the most nutritious way to cook your veggies.
8. Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.
9. Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.
10. Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.
11. Use herb teas and coffee in moderation.
12. Kick the artificial sweeteners!!!! ( www.sweetdecpetions.com ) try; Stevia, Xylitol or a smidge of Agave or Raw honey.
13. Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.
14. Use unrefined Celtic sea salt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite stimulation.
15. Make your own salad dressings using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed flax oil.

Plan 2 Shop

Planning your menu will make shopping, prep and cooking a snap. Make a weekly menu plan and stick to it! Create you shopping list from your menu plan. Remember to include snacks. Save weekly menu plans that work well and crate a rotation menu, with shopping list. To start it might seem like a little extra work but you will end up saving a ton of time, money as well as enjoying wholesome food which lends to vibrant health!
• Shop the perimeter of the store for real food
• Choose real foods. Real foods are foods found in nature that can be gathered, picked, hunted or fished
• Choose good fats –nuts, avocado, cold pressed olive oil, flax seed oil, wild fatty fish such a salmon
• Choose colorful carbs-such as fruit and vegetables
• Choose a variety of whole grains-organic oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, barley
• Choose a variety of proteins-meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, nut butters and beans (beans must be served with whole grains to make a complete protein)
• Read labels and avoid: high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, enriched flour, partially hydrogenated oils, margarine and MSG
• Every 4 grams of sugar is approximately one packet of sugar
• Unpackaged foods such as fruits and vegetables are good for you and the environment
• Try something new each week such as almond butter instead of peanut butter
• Introduce you family to a new fruit or vegetable each week ,eat rainbow colors!
• Nuts and trail mixes make a great substitution for snack foods such as chips, candy and other processed foods
• Make sure the foods that you choose will spoil or have an expiration date. Foods that last forever are not good choices
• Choose only foods that contain ingredients that you recognize and can find in your cupboards or refrigerator
• Less is more. Package foods with fewer ingredients tend to be less processed and contain fewer additives.

Breakfast Champ Wraps Yield 6 wraps

Make them for a few days vs. one day at a time!
• 12 eggs
• ½-3/4 cup raw or lightly steamed organic spinach (Or your favorite cooked or raw veggie’s)
• ½ cup organic mozzarella cheese (reserve and sprinkle on tortillas)
• 6~6inch sprouted or wheat tortillas
• Pinch of sea salt & pepper
• 1 Tb of coconut or Olive Oil

Method
1. Break eggs into medium bowl, season with S& P and whisk
2. Melt oil in pan lightly scramble eggs and add veggies remove from heat.
3. Spread tortillas out and divide cheese and scrambled eggs among them evenly
4. Roll tortillas and wrap in wax paper sheets, then in foil for latter reheating or mix cheese into egg mixture before rolling if you are going to eat immediately.
5. To reheat pop in preheated oven to warm or better yet, use steam basket in small pot with lid as it is very fast as well as energy conscious (takes about 2 minutes)

Extra Wrap Ideas

• Add below suggestion to the base
• Bacon & cheddar ~, add ½ cup shredded cheddar & 6 slices of cooked nitrate free bacon~diced
• Farmers Market~6 broccoli florets (blanched), 1 TB. Chopped herbs, 1/2 onion & pepper diced & sautéed
• ½ cups cooked wild mushrooms

2-Uniques Easy Lunch Box Prep

• Make your prep boxes just after grocery shopping. This allows you to make any meal quickly and easily during the week
• Prep ahead anything from your menu that will last at least 3 days-Marinades, dips, grains, cooked meats, salad lettuce etc.
• Peel and chop vegetables needed for upcoming weeks lunches Celery, carrots and potatoes should be stored in filter water
• Fill your prep boxes for your family size and their taste. Below are few ideas for prep boxes.

Salad Box: Place a paper towel on the bottom of the box to absorb extra moisture. Clean and chop lettuces, spinach, arugula and other greens. Cleaned greens will last 3 days unwashed greens will last 5.

Vegetable Box A : Celery and carrots cleaned, cut into sticks and stored in filtered water.

Vegetable & Grain Box: Sliced or diced peppers, onions, cucumbers, broccoli florets, cauliflower, peas, roasted sweet potatoes , asparagus and tomatoes. Cooked Quinoa, brown rice, jasmine or basmati rice, wheatberries,your favorite beans.

Fruit Box: Fresh fruit cut up combined or separate. Always keep pineapple separate. Wash berries and grapes last minute unless they are part of a fruit salad.

Protein & Cheese Box: Cooked, deli meats, chicken, fish if you like, tuna, and leftover meats make quick breakfast, sandwiches and topping for salads. Hard boiled, cheese cubes, cheese slices and shredded cheeses make great snacks and additions to quick meals.

From these whole foods make layered salads for lunch “quick cups” include; grain, veggies, meat and cheese if you like serve with a splash of your favorite dressing or vinaigrette!

• Tex mex; brown rice, beans, olives, tomatoes, hearty chopped greens, cucumbers & tomato scented cilantro ranch or vinaigrette
• Greek; quinoa, feta, cumbers, tomatoes, olives, beets, baby greens & vinaigrette
• 7 layers; brown rice, pea’s, cumbers, tomatoes, shred carrots, cheddar cheese & chopped lettuce and sliced egg. Vinaigrette or homemade ranch
Forget to make a meal plan no problem. Pull out a few different boxes and fresh food is at your finger tips-no cooking required.

Healthy Grab & Go Balanced Snacks

• Celery with nut butter or organic cream cheese and raisins
• Tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese and basil with balsamic vinegar
• Hummus or pesto with cut vegetables
• Deviled eggs with a piece of fruit
• Fermented peppers with raw sharp cheddar cheese
• Cottage cheese and organic apple sauce, piece of melon or pineapple
• String cheese with raw almonds
• 3/4 cup of berries with stevia whipped cream and a handful of raw nuts
• Nut butter with Banana
• Tuna, egg or chicken salad with rye crisp
• Roasted or fermented vegetables with pesto, raw or cottage cheese

Fondue for 2: MyFoxDETROIT.com

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1# bittersweet/dark chocolate
• 3 TB Chamboard or your favorite liqueur (Godiva, Bailey, Amaretto etc)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds, optional

Method
1. Heat Heavy cream in a heavy bottom saucepot over moderate heat until cream comes to a low boil
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add chopped chocolate. Let the chocolate stand in hot cream for a couple minutes to softe, then whisk  chocolate together with the cream.
3. Stir in liqueur and/or chopped nuts  and transfer the fondue to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small lit candle. (if fondue becomes too thick, add a smidge more hot cream until you reach desired consistency )
Arrange fun dippables such as:

• Pretzels, potato chips, dehydrated/dried veggies
• Marshmallows
• Strawberries, pineapples, bananas, orange sections
• Pound cake
• Dried fruits
• Cookies
• Brownies

2-Unique’s Sexy Lobster Fondue

• 1 clove garlic cut in half (rub in fondue pot before adding fondue and the discard)
• 3 Tb fine diced onion or leek
• 2 Tb butter
• 2 TB flour
• ½ cup dry white wine (box wine is great)
• 1 cup cooked lobster meat; (knuckle and claw would be great and they sell this at most seafood stores frozen.)
• 1 cup milk
• 12 oz swiss cheese grated
• 10 oz pasteurized soft swiss cheese
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 tsp onion powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of cayenne

Method
1. In Heavy bottom pan, sauté onion, butter & flour for a couple minutes and then deglaze with white wine, let simmer for a minute or two over medium low heat.
2. Add milk and chopped lobster, heat over medium until hot
3. Add soft Swiss cheese and then Gradually add grated Swiss cheese , stirring constantly until melted and smooth
4. Transfer to fondue pot
Fun Dippers:

• Sour Bread
• Pumpernickel bread
• Oysters
• Potatoes
• Thick cut potato chips
• Veggies

Whole Food Market Classic Le Gruyère Fondue

Serves 10
This is a very simple and delicious fondue starring the complex flavor of Le Gruyère. For an alcohol-free version, substituting apple cider for the wine which also produces a brilliant fondue. For other dippers, try slices of cooked mild sausage such as bratwurst, or seafood like cooked shrimp or scallops, and steamed cauliflower and carrots.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Le Gruyère, shredded
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 2/3 cups dry white wine Small loaf crusty bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces
• 24 bite-sized new potatoes, boiled until tender
• 2 apples, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces

Method
Toss Le Gruyère and cornstarch together and set aside. Bring wine to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in cheese and cornstarch mixture. Lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly in a figure-8 or zigzag motion, until cheese is melted and the mixture thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Place a fondue pot in the middle of the table. Pour cheese mixture into the pot and place over a gentle heat source. Arrange bread, potatoes and apples on a platter and serve with the fondue for dipping.

Nutrition
Per serving: 730 calories (200 from fat), 22g total fat, 13g saturated fat, 75mg cholesterol, 440mg sodium, 95g total carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 7g sugar), 32g protein

Chef Kelli Lewton from 2 Unique Caterers in Royal Oak cooks up some sassy sides for Thanksgiving. Plus, she offers up some turkey ‘do’s and don’ts’.

Do’s:

• Choose an organically raised free-range turkey if possible. It will taste better and definitely be much healthier than one raised on a factory farm.
• Thaw your turkey in the refrigerator (set it in a container or on a platter just in case something drips from packaging).
• Use aromatic vegetable like carrots, celery & onion for your roasting rack and then use to garnish sliced turkey platter
• Rub butter or olive oil under skin and stud with herbs and even ground celery carrot and onion to add extra flavor to your
• Stud turkey meat with small slits from a sharp knife and lard with herbs and or aromatic vegetable chards
• Brine your turkey, it help keep it from drying out
• Stuff your turkey loosely, immediately before roasting. Remove stuffing promptly after turkey is done. Following this procedure will ensure bacteria does not accumulate in the stuffing; however, if you want to be absolutely certain your stuffing is safe, you can opt to cook it separately from the bird or when you remove stuffing put in a spate dish and continue to bake covered fro and addition 2-30 minutes or until 165 degrees .
• Cut and de-bone leftover meat from turkey as soon as possible; store in small containers for rapid and uniform cooling. Use within 2-3 days.

Don’t:

• Handle other foods or objects if you have just touched raw turkey. Wash your hands thoroughly and ensure all preparation surfaces and utensils are properly cleaned immediately after use with sanitized cleaning solution such as bleach water.
• Do not stuff your turkey the night before. This is a HUGE no-no that could cause food poisoning.
• Do not overcook your turkey. Many do this to ensure it is thoroughly cooked. The result is usually meat that is too dry. You can serve a lovely, juicy, properly roasted turkey by following these guidelines:
  • 8 -12 lb turkey: roast 4 -4.5 hours at 325 F
  • 12 – 16 lb turkey: roast at 325 F breast side down for 2.5 – 3 hours, then breast side up for 2 – 2.5 hours (total roasting time: 4.5 – 5.5 hours)
  • 16 – 20 lb turkey: roast at 300 F breast side down for 5.5 – 7 hours
• Note: reduce roasting time by five minutes per pound when cooking an unstuffed turkey. Don’t forget to baste your turkey periodically throughout the cooking time.
• If the leg joint moves freely, the turkey is done. When in doubt, use a temperature probe inserted into the breast or thigh, away from the bone. The temperature should reach a minimum of 165-175 F you can also use the probe to test the temperature of the stuffing which should be a minimum of 165 F or 74 C.
• For addition information check out the Whole Foods Market web site and find a wealth of Turkey and holiday ideas and recipes

Fresh or Frozen/Fresh Turkeys
Allow 1 pound of turkey per person.
Buy your turkey only 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it.
Keep it stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook it. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak.
Do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. If not handled properly, any harmful bacteria that may be in the stuffing can multiply very quickly.

Frozen Turkeys
Allow 1 pound of turkey per person.
Keep frozen until you’re ready to thaw it.
Turkeys can be kept frozen in the freezer indefinitely; however, cook within 1 year for best quality.

Pure Food 2 U Autumn Turkey Breast Roulade with Pomegranate Glaze
Serves 10-12

1 whole natural or Free Range Turkey Breast brined
1 onion diced
1 cup (thin sliced fresh fennel)
3 stalks (diced celery)
½ cup diced apricots
½ cup dried cherries or cranberries
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 package 5 oz baby spinach
½ cup apple cider
3 Tb fresh chopped sage
3 Tb unsalted butter
1 Tb onion powder
1 Tb Sea salt
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Turkey Forcemeat
8 ounces white or dark meat cut in 1 inch cubes and very cold
4 ounces heavy cream
1 egg white
1 tsp sea salt
Pinch Cayenne Pepper

Method
1. Melt butter and sauté fennel and onion and wilt spinach, add remaining ingredients. ~ let cool
2. Fold mixed ingredients into dark or white meat mousse and spread evenly over pounded breast
3. Spread filling over breast meat and roll, tie roll off with twine to make an even roast log roulade. Feel free to use any stuffing of your choice
4. Sear roulade in smoking hot pan place on vegetable rack and roast about 40 minutes until internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees
*Time may very depending on size of breast and oven
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
• 1 gallon water

Vegetable Rack
2 carrots
3 celery stalks
Pomegranate Glaze
2 shallots
1 Tb olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup pure pom juice
2 Tb arrow root
4 tb orange juice
2 whole Pomegranates (cleaned)
Zest of 1 orange

Method
1.

Sauté shallots in olive oil until golden add chicken stock and Pom juice; reduce by half on high heat.
2. Thicken with 2 Tb arrow root dissolved in orange juice add 3/4 of the pomegranate seeds and continue to simmer on low for five minutes
3. Glaze turkey generously and baste occasional during baking, if turkey browns too quickly tent with foil
4. Serve with sweet potato gnocchi Sprinkle with remaining pomegranate seeds for garnish

Turkey Day Sassy Side Dishes!
From Chef Kelli 2- Unique Caterers & pure food 2 U
Michigan Cider Brussel Sprouts Yield 4 servings
• 2 cups Brussle Sprouts
• 2 Tb whole unsalted butter
• ¼ cup diced onion
• 6~ slices apple wood bacon ~diced
• ¼ cup dried cherries
• ½ cup apple cider
• Sea salt pepper

Method:
1. Bleach brussel sprouts in boiling salted water until cooked firm, cool in ice water bath
2. Slice brussel sprouts in half
3. In heavy bottom sauté pan, melt 1Tb unsalted butter , add diced bacon and brown over medium heat, until bacon starts to brown, add onions and sauté until golden, deglaze with cider and reduce down for a couple of minutes, add remaining Tb of butter and stir in brussel sprouts

Not your Grandmas Sweet Potatoes Yield 4-6 people
Fun sweet and spicy!
• 3-4 lbs sweet potatoes
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 3Tb PURE maple syrup
• 1 Tb cumin
• ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 & ½ tsp sea salt
• 2-3 Tb spicy chili oil (available in international section most grocery stores)

1. Cut sweet Potatoes into wedges, toss in mixing bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin
2. Place on baking tray and roast in 375 degree oven for 15 ish minutes, then cover with foil and continue to bake for another 10 or so minutes until cooked but not mushy
3. Arrange potato planks on platter and drizzle spicy chili oil & pure maple syrup over the top of potatoes

Mash Potato Bar Yield 10 servings

5 # Yukon Potatoes (base recipe)
Boil in salted water until tender but mush drain and:
Basil Mash
Take drained potatoes and mash with 1 stick unsalted butter, 1 cup of milk 2 Tb pesto, 4 Tb fresh chopped basil, 2-3 Tb sea salt, 1Tb fresh cracked black pepper and mash or whip. Garnish with a sprinkle of basil

Apple Mash
Take drained potatoes and add 1 cup of cooked apples mashed, 1 stick unsalted butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup of buttermilk 2 -3 Tb sea salt, sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Horseradish Mash
Take drained potatoes add 2-3 Tb sea salt, 1 Tb fresh cracked black pepper, 1 cup milk or cream, 1/3 cup horseradish

Carrot Mash
Take drained Potatoes add 2 cup cooked mashed carrots, 1 stick unsalted butter, 1 cup milk or cream 2-3 Tb sea salt, 1 Tb fresh cracked black pepper

Potato Pancakes (Yield 20-24)

Ingredients

* 1 leek stalked washed and cut into fine pieces
* 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and grated
* 1 Tb Fresh chopped herbs
* ½ tsp. Salt
* Pinch of Freshly Ground Pepper
* 1 Egg White

Method

1. Heat ¾ inch of canola or vegetable oil in shallow fry pan
2. Place grated onion in a fine sieve, and press out as much moisture as possible.
3. Combine onion and potatoes, chopped herbs, salt, pepper, and egg white in a medium bowl, and stir to combine.
4. Form pancakes by dropping about 1-tablespoon mixture on tray and flattening into disks into hot oil
5. Fry on both sides until golden
6. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel

Toppings
Top leek potato cakes with a dollop of horseradish cream and rest a tsp of trout/bacon mixture on top.

Smoked Trout with Bacon Horseradish Cream

Inrgredients:

* 4 oz flaked smoked trout
* 5 strips of bacon cooked & cut into small pieces
* ¼ cup of sour cream
* 1tsp white vinegar
* 2 Tb mayo
* 1 heaping Tb horseradish
* s&p

Method

1. Mix spices, mayo, vinegar, horseradish and chives, gently fold in bacon & smoked trout, top potato pancake with a dollop or let people assemble their own bar style

Apple Jack Chutney

Ingredients

* 1 cup chunky diced seasonal apples (green, Fugi, honey crisp are good)
* ½ cup brown sugar
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* ½ tsp ginger
* Juice of one lemon
* ¼ cup jack Daniels whiskey (optional) Or apple cider
* 1 Tb Whole unsalted butter

Method

1. Sauté apples in butter, deglaze with whiskey or cider, reduce heat to medium low add remaining ingredients and simmer until soft about 10 minutes (if apples seem to be drying up, cover with lid for a bit.

Chive Sour Cream

Ingredients

* ½ cup sour cream
* 1 Tb fine chopped chives

2-U Guinness & Stilton Fondue

Ingredients:

*2 oz butter

*2 oz flour

* 6 oz milk
* 4 oz Guinness
* 4oz grated Stilton
* 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
* 1 clove garlic, crushed or chopped
* Sea Salt to taste
* Pinch cayenne pepper

Melt the butter over low to medium heat and then stir in the flour, cook, stirring for afew minutes and then slowly add the milk. When milk is incorporated, gradually add Guinness. Continue stirring until boiling and you have a thick sauce. Gradually stir in the grated Stilton then add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve with crusty farm house style dipping breads, crackers and veggie sticks Note: The trick to this recipe is that all the ingredients need to be added and melted slowly together.

Authentic German Sausage with Sauerkraut and German Potato Salad

Serves 6 to 8 Try this traditional Bavarian recipe for your Oktoberfest celebration with plenty of dark rye bread and your favorite German Beer!

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds Yukon gold or yellow potatoes
* 1/2 pound nitrite/nitrate-free bacon
* 1 large white onion
* diced 1/3 cup safflower or canola oil
* 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard plus additional for table
* 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or to taste
* 1 bunch green onions, chopped
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 (1-pound) packages
* The Original Brat Hans Authentic German Sausages
* 4-6 cups sauerkraut Method

Boil potatoes (with or without peels) in salted water 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t let them get too soft–a fork should go in but the potatoes should not fall apart. Fry bacon and crumble into small pieces. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Cook white onion in the bacon fat until lightly brown. Thickly slice the slightly cooled potatoes. In a large bowl, combine bacon, white onion, oil, mustard and vinegar. Gently toss in potatoes and green onions. Season with parsley, salt and pepper. Heat sausages and sauerkraut according to package directions and serve with potato salad and extra mustard.