Yes, that’s right cork…that thing that is hopefully present in the wine you are buying and not plastic or a screw cap! To be sure, when shopping for wine keep an eye out for the little acorn symbol on the bottle signifying that cork has been used.

Why you ask? Because unlike plastic corks and screw caps, real cork is a sustainable product from the beginning of its production until the end.

Some quick facts from the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance:

• Cork is a natural, renewable, recyclable and biodegradable material that is obtained through an environmentally friendly harvesting process. Trees are not cut down to harvest cork; rather, the bark is stripped by hand every 9-12 years. Cork oak trees can live up to 300 years!

• Approximately 6.6 million acres extending across Portugal, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Tunisia and France, the cork oak forests support one of the world’s highest levels of forest biodiversity, second only to the Amazon Rainforest.

• Opting for screw caps and plastic stoppers directly causes the loss of sustainable livelihoods as the cork forests are a vital source of income for thousands of families.

Once you’ve finished that great bottle of vino bring your corks to our Specialty department where we have a Cork ReHarvest recycling bin. The cork that is collected by Cork ReHarvest does not go back into wine bottles; it is ground up and used for other products. The Corks Forest Conservation Alliances’ hope is that “By increasing the awareness of the value and usefulness of cork, we hope to be creating greater demand.”

Whole Foods Market now has an exciting new resource available. We have just released the Health Starts Here 28 Day Challenge.

  This is a free online service that includes:

• menu plans  
• cooking tips and video’s
• 4 weekly newsletters

 Be sure to check out this simple and convenient source of guidance and inspiration for everyone looking to take their health to the next level.

 http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthstartshere/28daychallenge.php

February is American Heart Month; cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States with the condition affecting millions of Americans and their loved ones. Avoiding highly processed foods and those high in saturated fat and sodium is the foundation of a heart healthy diet!

At Whole Foods Market the Health Starts Here 4 Pillars of Healthy Eating provide a simple and effective nutritional guideline to utilize when shopping and preparing meals.

Four Pillars of Healthy Eating

• Whole Foods

Eat whole, unprocessed foods. We believe that food in its purest state — unadulterated by artificial additives, sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives — is the best tasting and most nutritious food available.

• Plant-Strong

No matter what type of diet you follow — including those with dairy, meat or seafood — reconfigure your plate so the majority of each meal is created from an abundance of raw and cooked vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains.  

• Healthy Fats

Get healthy fats from whole plant sources, such as nuts, seeds and avocados. These foods are rich in micronutrients as well. Work to eliminate (or minimize) extracted oils and processed fats.

• Nutrient Dense

Choose foods that are rich in micronutrients when compared to their total caloric content. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. For guidance on this, look for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) scoring system in our stores.

~Diane

February 25th, 2012

As our store’s Healthy Eating Specialist I am available to conduct shopping tours and consultations to support you in your journey towards health. Please email diane.tyrrell@wholefoods.com for more information.

How About Homemade Truffles?

Who doesn’t love chocolate? In honor of one of the biggest chocolate-consuming holidays of the year I want to share an amazing recipe starring the cacao bean!

Our Health Starts Here® Chocolate Truffles have been hugely popular with team members and customers from the first time I made them in the store.  That special someone will never guess they are absent of sugar, dairy, and oil –so you don’t need to tell them until after they dig in and enthuse over how delicious they are!

If the dough is crumbly, add a little water until it is more of a paste. If you can’t find hazelnut extract feel free to use almond extract instead –I always do! 

Chocolate Truffles

Try these truffles for an indulgent dessert that contains no dairy, refined sugars, or added oil; and instead gets its deliciousness from dates and nuts!

Ingredients

1 ½ cup raw walnuts

½ cup chopped dates

½ cup date paste

¼ cup cashew butter

¾ cup cacao powder

1 tsp hazelnut extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup coconut flakes

Method

Place walnuts into the food processor using the “S” blade. Process nuts until they resemble a flour-like consistency. Next, add the remaining ingredients and process again until well mixed. The batter will be sticky, so you will need to refrigerate it for a few hours before you can roll it into truffle balls. After the mixture has hardened in the refrigerator, roll 1 tbsp size balls and then coat with coconut flakes. Store in freezer for up to one month or in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

MAKES 24 TRUFFLES

~Diane Tyrrell