Its funny how we take for granted the things we need the most. Being a commodity that is as abundant as water, people fail to realize that there are problems with California’s water system. As one of the largest states, California has one of the largest water systems in the country, which serves over 30,000,000 people. In addition California is the largest producer of a multitude of crops and supplies over half of the fruits and vegetables in the country. However despite the importance of the water system, it is becoming unsustainable. As California is faced with drought and a growing population, it is becoming increasingly important that that public educate themselves about the complexity of the water system.

 Last week I was able to go to a water forum in Berkeley CA, presented by Les Dames D’Escoffier International, San Francisco chapter, and the San Francisco Professional Food Society in conjunction with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers and Sustainable Agriculture Education. The moderator was Tina Cannon Leahy; Principal Consultant, California Assembly, Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. Panelists were Laura King Moon, Barry Epstein, Brian Leahy, Tim Ramirez and Dave Runsten. Each came to introduce what they do, and highlight the un-sustainability of the water system.  It was surprising to find out that substantial amounts of water are being redirected from agricultural use to domestic consumption, and that Government subsidies for water on farms has also steadily decreased over the years. The California Water Bond, a water bill with the intention of addressing some of the water issues in California, was removed from the ballot of 2010 and postponed to 2012 because of its unpopularity. Perhaps indicating that the public is not ready to address this important issue.

The forum left me thinking that our water system is an important topic that I didn’t know enough about. It also left me wondering if people would act differently if they knew more about our water system. Some people do know about the importance of water and have made efforts to promote local water use. An example is Amanda’s restaurant on Shattuck street in Berkeley where local water is used to make its fresh sodas and beverages. But how about the people who don’t know? Would they act differently if they knew how state water is being used? Would they save more water?

 For more information on California water click here.

I often neglect to reflect on the reason for the Memorial Day Holiday. My grandfather died in World War II, so today I think of him and the ultimate sacrifice that he made to protect innocent people. His purple heart inspires me to do the most I can to make this world a better place, one that he could my grandfather would be proud of.

I don’t personally know many people who have sacrificed their lives for their country, but I have met inspiring folks and organizations that make devote themselves fully to their communities. I’d like to acknowledge some of them today.

* Marissa LaMagna works tirelessly to promote green businesses in the Bay Area through her non-profit Bay Area Green Tours.
* Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, the rest of the California legislature, and the folks in Sacramento have such a task ahead of them to balance the budget. I visited our state capital this week when Assemblymember Skinner recognized me as Small Business Owner of the Year for her district. You can help small businesses and the state of California by shopping locally.
* The Bread Project is a non-profit job-training program. The delicious chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies at Amanda’s are made by the Bread Project team.
* The Berkeley Food & Housing Project provides beds and meals for over 85 people per day.

Today, please join me in appreciating those who have given their lives in war and in devotion to their communities.

Enjoy your Memorial Day,

On the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, Amanda’s Feel Good Fresh Food Restaurant hosted a table talk about Sustainable Sourcing for Fast Food with BEACN, a consulting group at UC Berkeley, Lee Bassian from Bassian Farms, Tom Franier and Mike Rose from Semifreddi’s Bakery, Tony D’Amato from Bay Cities Produce, and Ariane Michas from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers. The event was inspired by the BEACN team’s consulting project that helped Amanda’s to make goals for a more sustainable future. The student representatives discussed the importance of local, natural, food, and fair trade food items. Conscious consumers have the ability to improve the world through their food choices. One of the best ways to do this is to ask a lot of questions and to inform yourself to make better decisions. According to their survey, there is an increasing number of people who show interest in organic foods and more people are going to farmers markets.

The second portion of the event was a Q&A session with a panel of experts from different fields, including meat, produce, and baked goods. One of the panelists commented on Amanda’s Restaurant and how the goal of the restaurant is not just about serving food, but also about educating its customers so they can make conscious decisions. One of the key themes of the event was how to make these great sustainable options less intimidating, less elitist, more down to earth, and more affordable.

The panel was successful in educating and those who attended were happy with trying a free burger as well as a new pickle recipe that Amanda’s is soon to release. Amanda’s was generous enough to allow attendees to try out a new, potential ingredient: grass-fed beef burgers. The beef was juicy, well cooked, and tasty overall. Amanda’s also announced that locally-owned Semifreddi’s bakery is now supplying whole wheat vegan hamburger buns specially designed for Amanda’s. Lee Bassian explained that grass-fed beef has less cholesterol, more vitamin E, and more monoglycerides, opposed to triglycerides, which makes it less fatty. The new pickles have a one of a kind flavor and simple, all-natural ingredients.

Other topics that were discussed include how to balance a business and its social mission, understanding where your food comes from, and the importance of building a close relationship with your supplier.

Almost 20 years ago, my best friend and I launched the Environmental Club at our high school. We sold Earth Day T-shirts to raise money for the Amazon rainforest and started the recycling program in our school. Since then, I’ve become increasingly moved by Earth Day. Because of our early high school activism, I was inspired to launch a business that was founded upon environmental values.

Two years ago, before my restaurant opened, we had the chance to serve our Amanda’s Organic Apple “Fries” to students at UC Berkeley. Last year we had a celebration at my restaurant. And this year, Earth Day feels more special than Christmas or Passover to me. Since it is the 40th Earth Day, there is a lot going on:
* Berkeley’s Ecology Center is celebrating their 40th anniversary
* My restaurant, Amanda’s Feel Good Fresh Food, is holding a panel today from from 5-6pm on “Sustainable Sourcing for Fast Food” where we continue to improve our committment to the environment
* The City of Berkeley is celebrating Earth Day with a Festival on Saturday from 12-5pm in Downtown Berkeley’s Civic Center Park.

Finally, my high school best friend is having her second baby boy today, an Earth Baby!

Is this really a good deal?

When I was a kid, my mom taught me a very valuable health and economics lesson at the grocery store.  I would always look at the great value offered by family size cereal boxes, meat packages, and juice containers, and I would point them out to my mom.  She would walk down the aisle, pick out the smaller (worse bang for your buck) cereal box and continue shopping.  Being the opinionated loving daughter that I still am, I would of course have to point out that she was not making very good use of her money.  She explained to me that the value package would be worth her money if we had a big family, but that our small family of four would not, and should not, eat that much cereal(or milk or meat…) in a week before it would go bad.  It might be a better deal for all of that food, but it is not a better deal to spend $5 instead of $3 if we are going to throw half of the big package away.

The other food lesson my mom taught me was to NOT eat everything on my plate if I was full.  I know… it is crazy.  It is wasteful to throw food away, but it is also wasteful to eat more food than my body needs.  Ideally, of course, that large quantity of food would not make its way onto my plate in the first place, so that somebody else could eat it, but that is just not always the case.  As an adult, I make my own food decisions.  That includes how much I will buy at the grocery store and how much I will eat off of my plate, but it also includes where I will chose to eat when I go out.

As a Team Lead at Amanda’s I am very conscious of this value vs. portion size dilemma in our society today.  Some customers complain that our burgers are too small, or that they could buy a half pound burger somewhere else for a better value.  Do  we really want to eat that much burger in one meal?  Do you end up throwing it away in the end anyway?  One of Amanda’s neighbors, Saul’s deli, recently struggled with their decision to make pastrami sandwiches with better ingredients, but smaller.  Does it really make sense to pay more for excess?

Back in middle school, my friends and I loved going to Taco Bell for a few tacos or a burrito. My favorite item on the menu was the Cheesey Gordita Crunch. Not only did the name sound appetizing and manly, but the taste was excellent. From the soft gordita on the outside, to the crunchy taco on the inside, it had the taste and texture to make me quite a happy camper. I didn’t care about the high calories or how bad this taco was for me; I wanted my stomach to feel the sweet satisfaction.

Today, I still crave some of the things I ate growing up as a teenager.   I may have grown out of those habits of eating whatever tastes good, but I still am tempted by Taco Bell.  If I’m this tempted, what about the rest of our country? Obesity is such a problem in America, other people must be tempted by Taco Bell and giving in even more than I do. Considering the taste, proportions, price, and convenient locations, Taco Bell might be a regular place to have lunch for some people . Changing bad habits like these can be difficult at times of economic struggle and when people need to grab food then go.   So, what’s the solution?  We need quick, convenient, affordable and delicious meal options that don’t have the horrible ingredients and portions of the traditional fast food joints.  Check out the blog posts we’ve made on some better-for-you options here.

Eating right and in the right amounts have been drilled in us since grade school, but why do we still seem to eat too much sometimes? CNN.com has gathered the top three reasons why we overeat and ways to overcome them.

We’re not getting enough shut eye:

Sleep deprivation results in a lower levels of the hormone leptin, which signals satiety, and higher levels of the hormone grhelin, which signals hunger. The combined result of the hormone imbalance? A 24% boost in appetite, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. To curb your appetite after a restless night, eat complex carbohydrates and lean protein for long lasting energy to get you through the day and try to prioritize a good night’s sleep. 

We’re too stressed:

When our bodies are stressed, we produce the hormone cortisol to help restore homeostasis. Cortisol, however, can boost your appetite and cause your body to store more visceral fat. Stress reduction techniques, such as yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises should help reduce chronic cortisol exposure.

We’re hardwired to crave fatty foods:

It almost seems unfair, but our brains are working against our diets because of evolution. Our ancestors needed to find palatable, high energy food to survive and our brains have been in that mode ever since. This means that the mere sight of a food can cause a craving. To fight your cravings, just don’t tempt them. Keep junk food out of your pantry and out of sight.  

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what if you find yourself too busy to grab something 

before work? Luckily, restaurants like Amanda’s offer quick, healthy breakfast options that you can easily pick up on your way to work or school. But in case you’re not convinced to take that extra time out of your day, here are our top 5 reasons to eat breakfast:

-Curb Cravings: Eating breakfast saves you from caving into your cravings later in the day, when you’ll be tempted to nosh on high-calorie, non-nutritious snacks. 

-Build Better Eating Habits: Starting the day with a healthy meal sets the trend — you’re more likely to keep eating well throughout the day.

-Boost Your Energy: Breakfast breaks your fast from the previous night and provides your body with the energy and nutrients it needs before lunch.

-Maintain Weight Loss: Researchers from the National Weight Control Registry found that 78% of people who’ve lost weight and maintained it for at least six years eat breakfast. 

-Enhance Cognitive Function:  Studies show that children who eat a balanced breakfast perform significantly better on standardized tests than those who did not eat breakfast at all.