Letters to the Editor
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Just my opinion
I detest quinoa and tofu, and I won't eat them. I like barley and chard, so I do eat them. I am not a vegetarian, and I have no intention of becoming one.
That said, I live in Portland, OR where organic food is a far bigger deal than anywhere in California. I can drive to the places that raise the animals I eat to assess how they are raised. I eat organic food as much as possible which is most of the time. I eat almost no processed food - yes, that includes Annie's MacN Cheese which, while organic, is a processed food. I make my own Mac N Cheese. I also have not been inside a fast food restaurant in more than 30 years much less have eaten their food. I eat at no chains. Not everything is local because of climate, so we get lots of organic food from CA and Italy which is the most advanced country in Europe with regard to organics.
I will admit to exceptions. You just can't make decent Chicken and Dumplings with whole wheat flour. We've tried. Sucks. So, we use a little organic but processed white flour to meet the taste requirements. Also, Parmiggiano Reggiano is not organic but there is no adequate replacement - ditto for Proscutto di Parma.
With regard to another poster, why 45 minute prep times? I work 70 hours per week, and I take the time to prepare food the way I want it. Slow food, as it were.
Full disclosure: I have enough income to do what I want regardless of cost which most people cannot do. Still, it is possible to incorporate healthy food in your diet even with lower incomes. In Oregon, organic food is about 10% more expensive than non-organic, and you can get a wide array of organic foods at Safeway. I don't know what to say about people who don't even have access to this kind of food. I wish you did.