Farfalle with Shrimp and Salmon

This recipe has been chosen for my upcoming book, "Rustic Modern Cuisine". To pre-order your copy, please click here.

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Arsenic In Rice

www.huffingtonpost.com - September 20th, 2012

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration may consider new standards for the levels of arsenic in rice as consumer groups are calling for federal guidance on how much of the carcinogen can be present in food.

So far, FDA officials say they have found no evidence that suggests rice is unsafe to eat. The agency has studied the issue for decades but is in the middle of conducting a new study of 1,200 samples of grocery-store rice products – short and long-grain rice, adult and baby cereals, drinks and even rice cakes – to measure arsenic levels.

Rice is thought to have arsenic in higher levels than most other foods because it is grown in water on the ground, optimal conditions for the contaminant to be absorbed in the rice. There are no federal standards for how much arsenic is allowed in food.

Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in two forms, organic and inorganic. According to the FDA, organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic – the type found in some pesticides and insecticides – can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period.

How much organic and inorganic arsenic rice eaters are consuming, and whether those levels are dangerous, still remains to be seen.

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Gluten-Free Chorizo Pork Vegetable Noodles

1 packet wide rice noodles

1/2 pound fresh extra lean ground pork

1 link ground chorizo

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 cup fresh baby spinach

1 small white onion chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Sea salt and black pepper

Cook rice noodles according to instructions on the packet. Drain and set aside.

Add three tablespoons of olive oil to a pan on high heat. When hot, add onions and garlic. Saute until soft (about 3 minutes). Add chorizo and ground pork, saute until cooked (about 5 minutes). Add vegetables, saute a further 3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Add noodles. Toss to combine. Season to your taste with salt and black pepper. 

Serve hot with extra olive oil drizzle over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs (optional).