Before I discuss food in detail and give you the sample recipes, I want to talk about the importance of choosing organic foods over non-organic. Organic food is sustainable food, if it is found locally or within a relatively short distance. It has been proven that if you have to ship organic food long distances, that it has a bigger environmental impact than buying local non-organic. However, you can often enjoy the best of both worlds.

Organic food, be it meat or fruits and vegetables, is food that has not been contaminated with pesticides, growth chemicals, antibiotics, preservatives, or any other synthetic drug or chemical. This means the food is much healthier. Here is a list of the top 10 benefits of eating organic produce:

1. Organic food tastes better. Well balanced soils grow healthier plants that taste better.
   
2. Certified organic products carry a guarantee. All food labeled organic must be in compliance with federal laws in both Canada and the U.S. and are grown and handled without the use of toxic chemicals.
   
3. Organic production reduces heath risks; 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides, and 30% of all insecticides are cancer-causing.
   
4. Organic farmers build soil. Soil is the foundation of the food chain. By building better soil, by avoiding the use of chemicals, plants are better able to resist disease and insects on their own.
   
5. Organic farmers respect our water resources. Water makes up 2/3 of our bodies by weight and covers 3/4 of the surface of the earth. We need it and groundwater supplies are currently suffering from pesticide contamination.
   
6. Organic farmers lead innovative research. They are researching, often at their own cost, to find new ways to reduce the use of pesticides.
   
7. Organic farming helps keep rural communities healthy. One of the only ways for family farms to survive now is through organic farming. They help provide employment and keep communities strong.
   
8. Organic producers strive to preserve diversity. They collect and preserve seeds and often grow unusual varieties.
9. Organic farmers work in harmony with nature. They understand that a wide variety of birds and insects help control pests and give balance to the ecosystem.
10. Organic goes beyond food. One quarter of world pesticide use goes to growing cotton. Most experts said it could not be grown organically, but organic farmers have shown it can be done.

Convinced? I hope so, because your health and longevity will be improved when you eat a complete or nearly complete organic diet.