Life 360 Coach

Tag: Food

  • Onion & Poppy Seed Bagels

    Makes 12 Onion & Poppy Seed Bagels
    Prep: 3 h (including rising) – Cooking: 35 min
    Ingredients
    • 2 red or brown onions, finely diced
    • 15 ml (1 Tbsp) olive oil
    • 1.5 L (6 cups) whole wheat bread flour
    • 10 ml (2 tsp) active dry yeast
    • 12 ml (2½ tsp) salt
    • 30 ml (2 Tbsp) sugar
    • 625 ml (2½ cups) warm water
    • 1 egg, beaten (for glaze)
    • 60 ml (¼ cup) poppy seeds

    Instructions

    1. Sauté the onions in olive oil until golden, then cover, lower the heat, and caramelize for 15 minutes. Cool.
    2. In a large bowl, mix 1.25 L (5 cups) flour, yeast, salt, sugar, warm water, and cooled onions. When it forms a shaggy mass, turn onto a floured surface and knead, adding remaining flour, until smooth and very elastic.
    3. Let rise in an oiled bowl for ~1 h, or until doubled. Punch down, divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape into tight balls, then poke a hole with thumb and forefinger to form rings.
    4. Place on a floured surface, cover, and let rise 20 min.
    5. Boil a large pot of salted water. Boil bagels in batches of 4 for ~2 min, turning every 30 sec. They will puff up.
    6. Preheat oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Drain bagels, place on oiled baking sheets, brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake 25–35 min until deep golden.

    Benefits

    Whole wheat flour contains the bran, germ, and endosperm, which are missing in white flour.
    It offers significantly higher nutritional benefits than white bagels made from refined flour.
    Poppy seeds can be replaced with sesame seeds. Poppy Seeds contain healthy fats, minerals, unique antioxidants, and protein.
    Sesame seeds, especially Black sesame seeds, contain lignans and have liver-protective and anti-cancer properties.
    Onions contain quercetin, a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant flavonoid. Other healthy bioactive compounds: antioxidants, prebiotic fibers, and unique sulfur compounds, alliin, allicin-like compounds that are anti-cancer, antibacterial, and protect your heart
    The fiber in the whole wheat is great for your gut microbiome – soluble fiber is food for the microbiome. In contrast, insoluble fiber helps with peristalsis and colon cleansing.

    Read about the benefits of  Sourdough

  • A Guide to Pesticides in Produce

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    The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen: A Guide to Pesticides in Produce

    The “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” are annual lists published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization focused on environmental health.
    These lists are based on analysis of USDA and FDA testing data for pesticide residues on conventional (non-organic) fruits and vegetables.
    The Dirty Dozen highlights the 12 items with the highest pesticide levels, recommending you prioritize organic versions to minimize exposure.
    The Clean Fifteen lists the 15 items with the lowest residue levels, for which conventional options are generally safer.

    The most recent full lists are from the 2024 EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce (released in March 2024), which draws on tests conducted between 2022 and 2023.
    As of November 2025, the 2025 guide has not yet been released—EWG typically updates it annually in spring based on the prior year’s data.
    When available, you can find it on the official EWG website.

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    2024 Dirty Dozen (Buy Organic When Possible)

    These items showed the highest traces of pesticides, with 95% of samples containing residues and some having up to 23 different pesticides:

    1. Strawberries
    2. Spinach
    3. Kale, collard, and mustard greens
    4. Grapes
    5. Peaches
    6. Pears
    7. Nectarines
    8. Apples
    9. Bell and hot peppers
    10. Cherries
    11. Blueberries
    12. Green beans

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    2024 Clean Fifteen (Conventional is Usually Fine)

    These had the lowest pesticide residues, with nearly 65% of samples showing no detectable pesticides and no item exceeding three types:

    1. Avocados
    2. Sweet corn
    3. Pineapples
    4. Onions
    5. Papaya
    6. Sweet peas (frozen)
    7. Asparagus
    8. Honeydew melon
    9. Kiwi
    10. Cabbage
    11. Watermelon
    12. Mushrooms
    13. Mangoes
    14. Sweet potatoes
    15. Carrots

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    Tips for Use: Aim to eat more fruits and veggies overall—pesticides are a concern, but the health benefits outweigh the risks.
    For the Dirty Dozen, opt for organic to reduce exposure by up to 80%.
    Note that items like sweet corn and papaya on the Clean Fifteen may include GMO varieties, so choose organic if avoiding GMOs.

    Sources