Among the numerous food-based scares that have surfaced lately (Salmonella from Spinach! And peanuts! And pistachios! Mercury in HFCS!), this one takes on a different flavor:  An infiltration of Israeli produce into enemy territory?!?

Fear and outrage spread recently in Tehran after Iranian authorities discovered that certain citrus fruit being sold there were marked as Israeli-grown Jaffa Sweeties.  Never heard of the Jaffa Sweetie? Click here to learn more.  Basically, It’s a deliciously sweet white grapefruit-and-pomelo hybrid, and is considered a citrus delicacy of sorts in some circles.

However, possessing, selling and certainly eating Israeli fruit in Iran is apparently assur (prohibited).  According to the BBC News, Hossen Safaie, the head of the Tehran Fruit & Vegetable Distribution center, was outraged at the presence of the fruit in his city and said his organization “will not allow those who want to make a profit ignore the Iranian citizens’ religious and revolutionary learning”. Ouch.

But wait…the saga continues with an interesting twist! Read more after the jump…

We’re about ½ way through Pesach and perhaps you’ve eaten chicken soup with matza balls four days in a row. Looking to mix it up a little bit, perhaps add some new flavors to your Pesach repertoire? Consider quinoa, or…not.

For the past several years, my family and I have enjoyed quinoa on Pesach (well, in truth, I enjoyed it; the rest of my family choked it down as a substitute for rice).  I vividly recall learning it was permissible to eat quinoa on Pesach; for me it was a hallelujah moment.  I’m not a big fan of KLP (Kosher l’Pesach) foods that attempt to imitate chametz (Have you tried Crispy O’s? Call me crazy, but I’m just not interested in paying $5 for a half-filled box of cereal that tastes like stale cardboard). I strive to make Pesach about eating simple, whole foods. Which is quite wonderful, actually. It’s amazing how satisfying and nourishing it is to eat earthy veggies, sweet fruits and basic protein, jazzed up with some good olive oil, herbs and spices. But it’s easy to get stuck in a Pesach rut, eating the same foods several meals in a row. There are just so many potatoes and eggs you can consume in 8 days, and some times you just need some whole grains!

Quinoa is technically not a whole grain, which is why many people eat it on Pesach. Click here for a technical definition of quinoa, but in a nutshell, quinoa, though cooked and consumed like a whole grain, is actually a seed.

Please read on. I’m going to end up talking more philosophy than food eventually…

Now that Purim has passed (unless you live in Yerushalaim or another walled city and celebrate Shushan Purim),the countdown begins. There is a full lunar month between Purim (the 14th of Adar) and Pesach (the 14th of Nissan). Which really isn’t very much time at all, especially when you’ve just been inundated with major chametz! Prior to Pesach, a Jewish home must be free of chametz. So, ideally that means you get rid of all your chametz. Uh-oh. Couldn’t resist that humungous tub of pretzels that was on sale at Costco the week before Pesach? Rest assured, the Rabbis have you covered. You can “sell” your chametz to a non-Jew for the duration of the holiday, keep it in a cabinet labeled “off limits” and “buy it back” when the holiday is over. I realize that sounds extraordinarily strange, but it saves you from say, having to toss a whole bunch of cookies. (Click here to learn more about selling your chametz-on line!)

If you’re reading the Jew And The Carrot, it’s highly likely that you’re interested in food and sustainability. So, when you’re making your mishloach manot you’re probably thinking about the health and quality of the food you’re giving your friends and making efforts to minimize waste as well. You may even be making hamantashen from scratch with homemade local jam canned from last spring’s berry harvest. (Kol HaKavod to Lisa Fine-decidedly impressive!)

There’s been a ton of buzz about the February 25^th NY Times article What’s Eating Our Kids? Fears About ‘Bad’ Foods, by Abby Ellin.

The article asserts that parents who are “vigilant about their children’s consumption of sugar, processed foods, and trans fats” and “try to stick to an organic diet” may be doing more harm than good. Specifically, Ellin suggests that parents’ “extreme obsession” with healthy food may lead to eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia nervosa and orthorexia (a term coined by Dr. Stephen Bratman to describe people fanatical about “righteous eating”).

I’ll admit I saw a slight glimmer of myself in the parents described in the article. (Big emphasis on “slight”, although you’d have to check with my kids for a truly objective opinion.) But come on, I’m a holistic nutrition coach-it’s my job!