Outrageous Organic Ostracism

I'm in this clique of 'health nuts' now. Put there by friends and family. How nice of them! Say I'm a ravin', 'save the planet', 'organic vegetable eatin', liberal. Not at all who everyone thought I WAS! Humph! Never thought I'd see THAT day. The neat little slot I'm filed in contains others with the same 'strange thinking'. Not who I am of course. I care some. About myself. About my health. About my impact on 'everyone' and 'everything'. And visa versa too. So I'm chastised for it. I'm an outcast livin' in Outrageous Organic Ostracism hell.

And the other side is even stranger. I'm 'rich & famous' 'cause I eat organic. Put you in this slot 'cause everyone who eats organic must be wealthy'. Right? This is an exclusive club only some can afford... 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous'. A bloody marketing ploy. Was having a conversation with a couple of guys the other day. One said, "Having a pre-lunch carbo load of organic fruit loops." Another replied, "First of all, there are organic Fruit Loops? And second, they have carbs? The mind boggles." They first guy replied, "Whole foods sells organic fruit loops. Sure, they're $30 a box, but so good." I retorted, "Our local health food store has 'em for $5 bucks a box. You be getting ripped off son."  Healthier food doesn't have too cost a lot. Geez. He actually got mad and stomped off. I'm baffled. Must have blown his image or somethin'. Outrageous Organic Ostracism.

I'm just an average kinda gal, don't come near to rich. But gawd, the thought of livin', breathin' and eatin' 24/7/365 in a cesspool of toxic chemicals and pollution hit me like a ton of bricks. Gotta do something. So I'm livin' this organic, more conscious lifestyle, now. Right? And thinkin' I've got to deprive myself. Organic means healthy food. So have to stay away from of all the things I love. Like chocolate chip cookies. Ooohhh, I just love chocolate chip cookies... darn!!!

My roommate's birthday was coming up and I asked her what she wanted. She said, "Chocolate chip, pecan cookies. My favorite. I'd love that." I replied, "We're organic, can't make chocolate chip cookies." She said, "Yes you can. Organic doesn't mean health food it means naturally grown without added chemicals, pesticides and herbicides. You just use organic ingredients." Wow, I hadn't considered that. That's Right! Like my grandmother.

Made a big batch of organic chocolate chip pecan cookies. Same recipe I always used only organic ingredients, plus ground flax.  Organic is every bit as decadent and delicious. In fact I'd have to say they tasted even better.

Told a high school friend about the organic birthday cookies. He said, "Ah, organic dessert? Boy, I don't know. If you are going to eat dessert, 'ya gotta eat real stuff." I replied, "Organic, the new buzzword. Organic just means back to basics. The way my Gran Gran did things in her garden with manure, compost, worms... al Natural." I handed him a cookie. He took a bite, groaned and said, "Geez these are good. Gimme another!"

Birthday cookies gone. Everyone is pounding fists, stamping feet, shouting, "More, more, more. Make some more!!!" Need crowd control.

Here's my riotous recipe for your tasting pleasure:

Chocolate chip, pecan cookies

1 cup organic unbleached flour
1/3 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup organic unsalted butter (1 stick softened)
1/2 cup organic unbleached cane sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Madagascar pure vanilla extract
1 large organic egg
1 cup Fair Trade chocolate chips
1/2 cup local pecans (or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl sift together dry ingredients. In mixer, cream butter with white, brown sugar and vanilla. Add egg. when thoroughly mixed add chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 375 F, 9 - 11 minutes. Cool slightly. Dig in!!!

I'm happy. My stomach is happy... cookies! Yea! The earth is happy too. Another people/planet friendly solution.

If your grocery or health food market doesn't carry any of the ingredients request them. Ours will special order and stock it if enough folks ask. A source for Fair Trade chocolate online is New American Dream