By Molly Blakemore

One myth about organic food is that it is too expensive. Given that organic food contains less water and 25-50% more nutrients, gram for gram, organic food is often cheaper than chemical food and chatarra, or junk food. It’s possible to be frugal and still support local organic farms. Here is a recipe for a three-course, gourmet, organic meal for a family of four for about $60 pesos per person. All ingredients can be found at the Via Organica tienda at Margarito Ledesma #2 Col. Guadalupe.

Vegetarian Green Enchiladas

Serves 4

3 Enchiladas per person

Ingredients

1 kilo organic tomatillos $25p
1 package organic tortillas $16p
1 bunch organic spinach, chopped $17p
2 cloves whole organic garlic $2p
3 cloves chopped organic garlic $3p
½ small organic onion, cut into large chunks $5p
1 organic Serrano pepper $1p
1 cup organic cilantro, cleaned $3p
2 tsp organic olive oil $2p
200g grated organic Manchego cheese $38p
1 cup organic sour cream $10p

___________

Grand Total: $122p

Directions

In a large pot of boiling water, cook tomatillos, whole garlic and Serrano pepper until soft (about 12 minutes).
In a blender combine tomatillos, garlic, Serrano pepper, cilantro and onion and blend until smooth.
Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat, sauté spinach and 3 cloves chopped garlic until al dente.
Mix together cheese and sour cream (or blend together with the tomatillo sauce).
On a Comal or in a skillet, heat tortillas,  flipping often until soft.
Roll spinach mixture into tortillas.
Set rolled tortillas in a glass baking dish in a single layer.
Cover tortillas with tomatillo sauce and cheese mixture.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Green Bean Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

½ kilo organic green beans $25p
5 organic radishes, sliced thin $4p
1 bell organic bell pepper, chopped $5p
½ small organic red onion $5
1 head organic lettuce of your choice $10
½ organic oil (olive, corn) $3
1 pinch organic Mexican oregano $2
2 tbs. red or white vinegar $2
1 clove organic garlic, minced $1
Salt and pepper to taste $1

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Grand Total: $63p

Directions

Steam green beans until al dente, about 10 minutes.
Mix oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper for dressing.
Toss beans, radishes, bell pepper, onion and any additional ingredients together with dressing.
Serve on a bed of lettuce.
Enjoy!

Optional Additions

Preparing a kilo of beans lentils and cannelloni and freezing them for later use is a cheap, quick and healthy way to add protein and fiber to a meal.

4 tbs. organic lentils, cooked and drained (1 kilo $28p)
4 tbs. organic cannelloni beans, drained (1 kilo $33p)
Feta or Ranchero cheese, crumbled (200 g $48p)

Sweet Potato Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 ½ cups cooked organic sweet potatoes $32p
2 tbs. organic flour $1p
2 tbs. unsalted organic butter $4p
2 cups organic milk $10
½ tsp. ground organic ginger $2
½ tsp. ground organic cinnamon $1
½ tsp. ground organic nutmeg $2
2 ½ cups water
Salt and pepper to taste $1

___________

Grand Total: $53p

Directions

In a heavy saucepot, over medium-low heat, cook the flour and butter, stirring constantly until roux achieves a light caramel color.
Add water bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
Stir in the sweet potatoes and spices, bring to a simmer again, and cook for 5 minutes more.
In a blender, puree the soup in batches and return to saucepot. Add the milk, and reheat soup.
Season with salt and pepper
Ladle into warm soup bowls and serve.

By Marion Nestle, The Atlantic, May 12, 2010

Thanks to Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times (“New alarm bells about chemicals and cancer”) for telling readers about a report on chemicals and cancer released last week by the President’s Cancer Panel.

I had never heard of this panel—appointed during the Bush Administration, no less—and went right to its 2008-2009 annual report (PDF).

The Panel says that the “risk of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated,” that “nearly 80,000 chemicals [are] on the market in the United States, many of which are … understudied and largely unregulated,” and that “the public remains unaware … that children are far more vulnerable to environmental toxins and radiation than adults.”

Evidence suggests that some environmental agents may initiate or promote cancer by disrupting normal immune and endocrine system functions. The burgeoning number and complexity of known or suspected environmental carcinogens compel us to act to protect public health, even though we may lack irrefutable proof of harm.

I’m guessing this report will cause a furor. Why? “Lack irrefutable proof” means the science isn’t there. In this situation, the Panel advises precaution. Check out these examples selected from the recommendations:

Parents and child care providers should choose foods, house and garden products, play spaces, toys, medicines, and medical tests that will minimize children’s exposure to toxics. Ideally, both mothers and fathers should avoid exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
It is preferable to use filtered tap water instead of commercially bottled water.
Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing … food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers [translation: organics] and washing conventionally grown produce to remove residues.
Exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feedlots can be minimized by eating free-range meat [translation: don’t eat feedlot meat].

Expect to hear an uproar from the industries that might be affected by this report. The American Cancer Society (ACS) doesn’t like it either (see Denise Grady’s take on the report, also in the New York Times), since the report implies that the ACS hasn’t been doing enough to educate the public about this issue. The ACS said in a report:

Elements of this report are entirely consistent with the recently published “American Cancer Society Perspective on Environmental Factors and Cancer” … Unfortunately, the perspective of the report is unbalanced by its implication that pollution is the major cause of cancer, and by its dismissal of cancer prevention efforts aimed at the major known causes of cancer (tobacco, obesity, alcohol, infections, hormones, sunlight) as “focused narrowly” … it would be unfortunate if the effect of this report were to trivialize the importance of other modifiable risk factors that, at present, offer the greatest opportunity in preventing cancer.

ACS says the Panel does not back up its recommendations with enough research. Maybe, but why isn’t ACS pushing for more and better research on these chemicals? However small the risks—and we hardly know anything about them—these chemicals are unlikely to be good for human health. Doesn’t precaution make sense? I think so.