Green Options » Kelli Best-Oliver

Green Options » Kelli Best-Oliver http://greenoptions.com/author/kellibestoliver/ Post archive of Kelli Best-Oliver Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:43:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en http://greenoptions.com/author/kellibestoliver/ http://greenoptions.com/wp-content/avatars/75.jpg Green Options » Kelli Best-Oliver Thrifty Thursdays: Save Those Seeds http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/10/23/thrifty-thursdays-save-those-seeds/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/10/23/thrifty-thursdays-save-those-seeds/#comments Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:43:51 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/10/23/thrifty-thursdays-save-those-seeds/

For this week’s Thrifty Thursday, the title is not referring to saving seeds for planting (which is an entirely thrifty activity for those of us that garden). Nope, I’m talking about the seeds that come inside those tasty winter squash, especially butternut squash and pumpkins. They make a tasty, fiber-filled, mineral-rich snack and are infinitely customizable to your own tastes. Learn how, after the jump…

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/10/23/thrifty-thursdays-save-those-seeds/feed/ Sweeten The Harvest With Butternut-Vanilla Bean Soup http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/10/22/sweeten-the-harvest-with-butternut-vanilla-bean-soup/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/10/22/sweeten-the-harvest-with-butternut-vanilla-bean-soup/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:18:55 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/10/22/sweeten-the-harvest-with-butternut-vanilla-bean-soup/

Although fall means the end of summer’s abundance of produce, the end-of-season crops are nothing to sneeze at. Butternut squash, with its earthy sweetness and versatility, can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. I whipped up this simple, hearty soup from local squash, then froze the extra for quick lunches throughout the season.

What makes this soup extra special is its creamy sweetness and vanilla flavor; it’s practically a dessert soup. You can alter the sugar to taste, but I like the hint of sweetness that the small amount listed here provides. Roasting the squash imparts a deeper, richer flavor as well. The recipe, after the jump…

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/10/22/sweeten-the-harvest-with-butternut-vanilla-bean-soup/feed/ Forget Hershey’s: Three Tips for Better Chocolate http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/29/forget-hersheysthree-tips-for-better-chocolate/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/29/forget-hersheysthree-tips-for-better-chocolate/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:31:02 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/29/forget-hersheysthree-tips-for-better-chocolate/

Hershey’s, in an attempt to counter rising food costs, has replaced the cocoa butter in many of its candies with vegetable oil, effectively changing their product from “milk chocolate” to “chocolate candy”. Cocoa butter is the ingredient that gives milk chocolate it’s creamy mouthfeel, and it will be noticably absent from Whachamacalits, Mr. Goodbars, Milk Duds, and Krackels, although Hershey’s claims that Hershey Bars, Kisses, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups will remain unchanged.

Sigh. Why bother with any of them? Although Hershey’s has made attempts towards more fair trade practices, they’re far from green or ethical. There’s several other ways to get your chocolate fix while supporting responsible companies. Find out how, after the jump…

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/29/forget-hersheysthree-tips-for-better-chocolate/feed/ Thrifty Thursdays: Save Bucks on a Bird http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/25/thrifty-thursdays-save-bucks-on-a-bird/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/25/thrifty-thursdays-save-bucks-on-a-bird/#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:48:35 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/25/thrifty-thursdays-save-bucks-on-a-bird/

Sorry, vegetarian and vegan Eat Drink Better readers. This tip is for the omnis! We recently made the move from a vegetarian kitchen to a sometimes-omnivorous kitchen. Without getting into the nuances of both my husband and my’s food preferences, we’re more likely to eat at home if I cook meat sometimes, and I’d rather save the money and eat at home where I can control ingredients. One thing I recently tried as part of this new arrangement was cooking a whole chicken. Why deal with a whole chicken when you can buy the convenient prepackaged boneless skinless breasts? Because you can save a ton of money by buying a whole bird. Find out how, after the jump…

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/25/thrifty-thursdays-save-bucks-on-a-bird/feed/ Have You Had The Vegetarian 100? http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/24/have-you-had-the-vegetarian-100/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/24/have-you-had-the-vegetarian-100/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:08:13 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/24/have-you-had-the-vegetarian-100/

Have you seen those food memes making the rounds of the blogosphere? A meme is kind of a “tag-you’re-it” of the blog world. Someone posts about something, then links to a few other bloggers they know, who are then tagged to do the same thing. It’s usually a list of questions to answer or a list to check off. These food memes are lists of 100 different food items that foodies of that persuasion should have tried, and bloggers identify which items they’ve actually tried, then add up their score. It’s an interesting way to examine just how adventurous your palate is and where you stand in relation to other food enthusiasts. There are three version of this particular meme: an omnivore 100, a vegetarian 100, and a vegan 100. I’m trying out the vegetarian 100 (and you can, too) after the jump.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/24/have-you-had-the-vegetarian-100/feed/ Easy Tomato Shallot Soup Recipe http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/23/easy-tomato-shallot-soup-recipe/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/23/easy-tomato-shallot-soup-recipe/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:43:48 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/23/easy-tomato-shallot-soup-recipe/

After reading Robin’s post last week on easy weeknight meals, I was craving that comfort food classic, tomato soup and grilled cheese. I’ve been eating it in various incantations since I was tiny, and I wanted a refined, yet simple version of soup. I looked through several cookbooks for a filling soup that only required ingredients I had on hand, and when I saw Deborah Madison’s Summer Tomato Soup, I knew I would try something similar. I literally made and enjoyed this dish today and wanted to pass it along.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/23/easy-tomato-shallot-soup-recipe/feed/ Six Cookbooks For A Better-Eating Kitchen http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/23/six-cookbooks-for-a-better-eating-kitchen/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/23/six-cookbooks-for-a-better-eating-kitchen/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:14:38 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/23/six-cookbooks-for-a-better-eating-kitchen/

Word on the street is that as the economy worsens, cookbook sales rise. Isn’t that American? Wouldn’t one think that cookbook check-outs at the library might go up instead? Perhaps it has. Chosen method of procurement aside, I’m not begrudging you the investment in a superior culinary tome–I spent too much time looking at one yesterday, although I was able to walk away without a purchase. But I also already have a good library of cookbooks at my disposal that I’ve picked up over the years that allow me to cook great meals, from whole foods, in my own kitchen. If you’re a fledgling home cook, or just someone looking to eat at home more to save a little money, here’s a list of comprehensive cookbooks, vegan, vegetarian, and meat-eater, that have proved themselves to me time and time again.

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/23/six-cookbooks-for-a-better-eating-kitchen/feed/ Driving With Cyclists: Six Rules of the Road to Keep Everyone Safe http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/19/driving-with-cyclists-six-rules-of-the-road-to-keep-everyone-safe/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/19/driving-with-cyclists-six-rules-of-the-road-to-keep-everyone-safe/#comments Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:55:37 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/19/driving-with-cyclists-six-rules-of-the-road-to-keep-everyone-safe/

Wake up, American drivers! With gas prices through the roof, you’re undoubtedly sharing the road with record numbers of cyclists. And guess what? Those cyclists have just as much right to the road as you do. If you expect them to obey the rules of the road, you’ve got to understand how to share that road with cyclists.

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]]> http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/19/driving-with-cyclists-six-rules-of-the-road-to-keep-everyone-safe/feed/ NY State Senator Almost Hits No-Impact Man, Calls Him A-Hole http://ecoscraps.com/2008/09/18/ny-state-senator-almost-hits-no-impact-man-calls-him-a-hole/ http://ecoscraps.com/2008/09/18/ny-state-senator-almost-hits-no-impact-man-calls-him-a-hole/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:56:20 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://ecoscraps.com/2008/09/18/ny-state-senator-almost-hits-no-impact-man-calls-him-a-hole/

Apparently, No-Impact Man Colin Beavan was riding his bike in New York City when he was almost sideswiped by a Mercedes. When he knocked on the window of the car to alert the obviously-unaware driver of his presence, the driver rolled down the window and said, “Get your hands off my car, you f***ing a**hole.”

The driver? New York State Senator Jeff Klein.

So you’re telling me you’re not going to vote for dedicated bike lanes, huh?

Read Beavan’s letter to Klein here.

]]> http://ecoscraps.com/2008/09/18/ny-state-senator-almost-hits-no-impact-man-calls-him-a-hole/feed/ Stumped for Dinner Ideas? Try These Four Websites http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/18/stumped-for-dinner-ideas-try-these-four-websites/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/18/stumped-for-dinner-ideas-try-these-four-websites/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:16:22 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/18/stumped-for-dinner-ideas-try-these-four-websites/

Sometimes when I think about what to cook for dinner, my brain hurts. There are just too many factors to consider, including: what’s in the pantry, what I feel like, what needs to be used up, what my picky husband will actually touch, what I would actually prefer. This is a result of living in a country where our choices and options regarding food are so mind-bogglingly vast for many of us. It’s terribly easy to fall into a rut of only eating five or six different dishes that you know you’ll like, but that can get so tiring. So what’s a conscious cook to do when looking for fast, healthy, meal ideas? Find out, after the jump…

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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/18/stumped-for-dinner-ideas-try-these-four-websites/feed/ What’s Your Dream For American Transit? http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/17/whats-your-dream-for-american-transit/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/17/whats-your-dream-for-american-transit/#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:11:56 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/17/whats-your-dream-for-american-transit/

Gas costs have skyrocketed, and with them, the cost of flying. This greenie isn’t 100% upset: with the cost of fuel increasing exponentially in the past few years, people are examining their transportation patterns and needs and trying to find cost- and fuel-effective methods of getting from Point A to Point B. Smaller, more fuel-efficient cars are selling well, and ridership on public transit is up. But for many Americans, particularly those in smaller cities and towns, public transit is non-existent. For those living anywhere but the East Coast, Amtrak is slow, unreliable, or non-existent. We’re a country for whom the cost of cheap fuel has promoted individual car use to the detriment of other forms of transportation.

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]]> http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/17/whats-your-dream-for-american-transit/feed/ Five Fall Foods That Will Boost Your Health (And Meal Ideas, Too) http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/17/five-fall-foods-that-will-boost-your-health-and-meal-ideas-too/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/17/five-fall-foods-that-will-boost-your-health-and-meal-ideas-too/#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:00:10 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/17/five-fall-foods-that-will-boost-your-health-and-meal-ideas-too/

>> Welcome Readers! Did you know that Green Options has 15 sites? If you like this post, please subscribe for our main RSS feed or the Green Options Newsletter!

When the summer heat breaks and the first cool days arrive, I feel melancholy, because it means the end of our local farmers market is nigh and the variety of summer produce will soon be gone. While I savor the rest of our ripening tomatoes, my thoughts turn to fall’s produce, with its rich red and orange hues, mirroring the turning leaves. Fall produce reminds me of rich, hearty dishes that fill you up during the harvest season. Here are five fall fruits and vegetables (and meal ideas) that are great sources of nutrition and the basis of many delicious dishes.
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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/17/five-fall-foods-that-will-boost-your-health-and-meal-ideas-too/feed/ Garden Recipes: Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/16/garden-recipes-slow-roasted-tomato-sauce/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/16/garden-recipes-slow-roasted-tomato-sauce/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:35:48 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/16/garden-recipes-slow-roasted-tomato-sauce/ Got tomatoes? Looking for a simple, delicious way to use those? Because we planted somewhat late, we’re at the peak of our tomato harvest, and last night I made my first pasta sauce from scratch from slow-roasted plum tomatoes fresh from the garden. Slow-roasting concentrates the sweet flavor of the tomatoes, transforming them into an entirely different entity. Find out how, after the jump…
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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/16/garden-recipes-slow-roasted-tomato-sauce/feed/ Eating On $1 A Day: Couple Lives Food Experiment http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/15/eating-on-1-a-day-couple-lives-food-experiment/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/15/eating-on-1-a-day-couple-lives-food-experiment/#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:15:27 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/15/eating-on-1-a-day-couple-lives-food-experiment/ I am totally fascinated and intrigued by lifestyle projects–you know, when someone radically changes their lifestyle for a set amount of time to make a point about something we might take for granted. I loved Morgan Spurlock’s Super-Size Me and 30 Days. I obsessively read No-Impact Man. Now, Kerri and Chris, two social justice teachers in California, are creating their own month-long experiment: eating for only a dollar a day.
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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/15/eating-on-1-a-day-couple-lives-food-experiment/feed/ And The Winner Is… http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/12/and-the-winner-is/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/12/and-the-winner-is/#comments Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:14:22 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/12/and-the-winner-is/ Thanks to all those who entered our stainless-steel food carrier giveaway. We had many comments detailing delicious lunches you choose to pack to school or work, most of which made my mouth water!

To pick the winner, we numbered the comments, starting with the Eat Drink Better comments (Shane Neuerburg being #1), then continuing to the EcoChildsPlay comments (Jen being #37) minus trackbacks. We used Random.org to generate a completely random number for the winner. See if you won, after the jump…
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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/12/and-the-winner-is/feed/ And The Winner Is… http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/09/12/and-the-winner-is-2/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/09/12/and-the-winner-is-2/#comments Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:14:16 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/09/12/and-the-winner-is-2/ Thanks to all those who entered our stainless-steel food carrier giveaway. We had many comments detailing delicious lunches you choose to pack to school or work, most of which made my mouth water!

To pick the winner, we numbered the comments, starting with the Eat Drink Better comments (Shane Neuerburg being #1), then continuing to the EcoChildsPlay comments (Jen being #37) minus trackbacks. We used Random.org to generate a completely random number for the winner. See if you won, after the jump…
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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/09/12/and-the-winner-is-2/feed/ Whole Foods Agrees To Increase Pay For Tomato Workers http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/11/whole-foods-agrees-to-increase-pay-for-tomato-workers/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/11/whole-foods-agrees-to-increase-pay-for-tomato-workers/#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:14:19 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/11/whole-foods-agrees-to-increase-pay-for-tomato-workers/ Whole Foods, following in the footsteps of Taco Bell, Burger King, and McDonalds, agreed this week to become the first grocery chain to improve working conditions and pay for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), tomato workers from Florida. Whole Foods will pay an extra penny per pound of tomatoes, and will work in conjunction with the CIW to establish modern working standards for its agricultural workers.
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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/11/whole-foods-agrees-to-increase-pay-for-tomato-workers/feed/ Thrifty Thursdays: Burn Treatment http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/11/thrifty-thursdays-burn-treatment/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/11/thrifty-thursdays-burn-treatment/#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:32:09 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/11/thrifty-thursdays-burn-treatment/ The other night, I was baking a sheet of puff pastry for a veggie-topped refrigerator pizza. Time got away from me, and I got the puff pastry out of the oven just as the bottom started to burn. Not wanting to throw the base of dinner away, and also not wanting to eat semi-burned food, I had to think of a way to get rid of the bottom of the burned crust. My successful solution, after the jump…
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]]> http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/11/thrifty-thursdays-burn-treatment/feed/ Mom Vlogger Tackles Teaching Kids Recycling http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/09/10/mom-vlogger-tackles-teaching-kids-recycling/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/09/10/mom-vlogger-tackles-teaching-kids-recycling/#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:19:17 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/09/10/mom-vlogger-tackles-teaching-kids-recycling/ We St Louis bloggers all know Mae Mason, otherwise known as MuthaMae. She’s the mother of a three who not only blogs, but video-blogs (vlogs) and produces her own online show, Word To Your Muth a. Mae’s blog discuss all kinds of parenting and family issues in a lighthearted, humorous way, and in her latest show, she tackles how to instill the value of recycling in her four-year-old and two one-year-olds…when she doesn’t really recycle herself. Best of all, she used Green Options to help her figure it out…
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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/09/10/mom-vlogger-tackles-teaching-kids-recycling/feed/ Host A Food Swap Party: Five Ideas For Themes You’ll Love http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/10/host-a-food-swap-party-five-ideas-for-themes-youll-love/ http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/10/host-a-food-swap-party-five-ideas-for-themes-youll-love/#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:59:15 +0000 Kelli Best-Oliver http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/09/10/host-a-food-swap-party-five-ideas-for-themes-youll-love/ Don’t have time to try new recipes? Want to have homemade value-added products on hand, but don’t have the time to make them all? The next time you and a group of foodie friends get together, make it a food swap.

You may be familiar with a recipe swap; I belong to an online recipe swap blog for local bloggers. A food swap is similar. Its a party where, based on pre-established guidelines, all guests provide multiple portions of food items, and each guest takes home a number of different items made by others. Food swaps are a great idea for two huge reasons: you can try foods/recipes you might not be familiar with or have thought of, and you can save a huge amount of time by making a large quantity of one item, but get the benefits of coming away with a variety of dishes and foods.

This can take many forms and themes. Here’s five themes to get you started, after the jump…
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