Green Options » cooking

UK Study Links Processed Foods to Depression

Becky Striepe — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:36 +0000

A study that followed 3500 participants over five years found that subjects who at the “UK Diet” were more likely to develop depression.

Cook More, Shop Less

Rachel Shulman — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:39:14 +0000

With all of the attention being paid to the platforms of foodies like Jamie Oliver and Michael Pollan, you would think that Americans would cook more and rely less on fast- and processed-food.

The misperception that cooking is too time consuming turns out to be a major roadblock on our path to a sustainable national food system.

Cooking is not time consuming. Shopping for groceries, however, is.

One strategy for making cooking a part of your daily life is to maximize your cooking to shopping ratio.

Here are some tips on how to cook more and shop less:

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Gettin’ Crafty in the Kitchen: Home Canning

Becky Striepe — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:00:39 +0000

[Creative Commons photo via galant]

Have your tomato plants been producing like crazy? Are your cucumbers and green beans blowing up? If you’re producing more than you can eat, it’s a great time to preserve some of your summer bounty for winter! Here are some home canning tips, along with a great five-part series of videos on the topic!

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Cook Food: A Manualfesto for Easy, Healthy, Local Eating

Rhonda Winter — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:27:20 +0000

When I was in college I briefly dated a boy whose idea of a meal was eating cold meat chili from an open can. In retrospect, how and what he chose to feed himself provided a very telling insight into his character and values. How and what we eat shapes our lives and who were are. Nothing we do is more intimate; our meals sustain our very existence. When we choose to grow our own food, buy from local farmers markets and not eat highly processed packaged food, we are not only taking positive steps toward building and sustaining a locally based economy, but we are also lessening our collective carbon footprint upon the planet.

If you are starting to feel inspired to create some simple, affordable, tasty meals from locally available seasonal food, but are a bit clueless how to begin, Lisa Jervis‘ new book, Cook Food: A Manualfesto for Easy, Healthy, Local Eating, may provide just the help that you need.

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Crafty Green Book Review: Pretty Little Potholders

Julie Finn — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:53:40 +0000

As part of the Pretty Little series, Pretty Little Potholders has step-by-step instructions and some patterns for several very different kinds of potholders.

Since I won’t be wearing any of these potholders, this crafty green book review, unlike my review of Weekend Sewing or The Crafty Chica’s Guide to Artful Sewing, doesn’t have to think about whether or not the patterns are appropriate for my body. Instead, I’ll look at whether the patterns look like something I would actually want to make for myself or for gifts.

I’m also interested, in this review, in how amenable the patterns and instructions are to the use of natural or recycled materials. Are natural or recycled materials asked for, or, even if they’re not, can I easily see places in which they could be substituted?

Here, then, is what I decided about Pretty Little Potholders.

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Healthy Kid’s Snack Idea

Vanessa Brown — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:36:37 +0000

My family loves to cook together; we all love to pretend do be chefs and put on “cooking shows.” If you drive by my house at any given time don’t be surprised to see us lying in the grass, flipping through recipe magazines or reading a cookbook. The girls have been asking me to make “Nutty Jumbles” for a while. We eat a lot of nuts in our home for snack time and this is a fun way to spice up the same-old, same-old snack. I am careful with the amount of sugar we eat as a family but I figure if I’m lucky enough to have two little kids that will eat so many healthy things, they deserve some sugar… “just an itty bit,” as my daughter would say.

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Meal Planning for Part-Time Vegetarians

Vanessa Brown — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:36:24 +0000

For almost two years we’ve been eating vegetarian or vegan twice a week and seafood twice a week. I guess you could consider us part-time vegetarians. Eating this way keeps us from overloading our diets with too much meat or dairy and cuts down on our grocery bill. It forces us to eat more fresh produce and to shop locally so the produce actually has flavor.

It is extremely eco-friendly to eat vegetarian twice a week; eating meat takes a toll on the environment big time. The beef, poultry and pork industrial farms notoriously contribute to water pollution, use large amounts of fossil fuels and generate prodigious amounts of greenhouse gases. The United Nations has actually issued a call for citizens of the world to go vegetarian one day a week to curb global warming.

My girls love fresh veggies and fruit on their own, but I also like to puree it and add it to other meals. I’m not trying to hide it but it’s another great way to add more essential vitamins to their diet. When my girls were babies I made their baby food and always used organic ingredients. Their teeth came in quickly and they moved onto solids sooner than later, so both times I ended up with extra bags of frozen cubed baby food. I started adding the pureed butternut squash into their grilled cheese for lunch and whole grain pancakes for breakfast. During that time two cookbooks were released dedicated to adding pureed fruits and veggies to favorite recipes!

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“Vegan Rustic Cooking Through the Seasons” Brings Food Inspired by Vegan-Organic Farming

Gina Munsey — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:33:47 +0000

For days, the rain hasn’t stopped tumbling out of thick woolen clouds. Slowly crawling across the monochromatic canopy, these persistent clouds wrap their heavy grey fingers tightly around the leafy crowns of the brilliant rain-soaked trees. Even when I push back the patterned curtains as far as the window frame will allow, no light comes through the glass. The sound of raindrops crashing against the rooftop is periodically punctuated by sharp jarring claps of thunder.

Outside, brave little seedlings are gasping for breath while new blossoms hold their eyes tightly closed against the rain. Shoots of bright green grass struggle to keep their slim heads above water. I see an orange cat dart across the street. He struggles to maintain aloofness, but it is clear that the weather has taken a severe toll on his dignity. The mail retrieved from the streetside box is soggy and lifeless, the adhesive on the envelopes succumbing to the humidity. Even inside, newly washed clothes hang limply, moisture stubbornly clinging to the threads and fibers.

On a day like this, what better thing to do than to curl up with a book? I just received a brand-new copy of Vegan Rustic Cooking Through the Seasons, authored by Diana White of the UK’s Vegan-Organic Network, an organization whose fascinating farming methods go a step beyond traditional organic farming.

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Green Cooking and a Red Chili Recipe

Heather Dunham — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:27:24 +0000

After years of experimentation, I have come up with the perfect recipe for easy, hearty, healthy, stick-to-the-ribs tasty chili, right in the slow cooker. And I’m going to share it with you.

But first, let’s talk about what you can do to make your chili — and all your cooking, really — more “green.”

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Healthy Mini Cupcakes

Vanessa Brown — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:00:30 +0000

This is my daughter’s favorite food in the entire world. I have even heard her whining, “Little Cupcakes” in her sleep. I usually make a large batch and divide them into sections to freeze for a later date. These are the perfect healthy, organic and tasty little treat to make with your children!

She helped me make these this morning, here is the recipe:

1 1/2 cups shredded/grated carrots
1/2 cup ground nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup honey
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup flax seed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 1/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder

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Ditch the Teflon, Say Hello To Safe Cooking

Carlota Bindner — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:55:46 +0000

In her article, “The Essential Resource for Green Family Life: Healthy Child Healthy World“, Jennifer Lance mentioned the Healthy Child Healthy World’s advice on getting rid of Teflon in your kitchen. Teflon is the DuPont brand name for polytetrafluoroethtylene, or PTFE, a type of PFC that is used as a non-stick coating for most cookware. A PFC means that it is a chemical compound composed of fluorine and carbon atoms If you walk down the aisle at any store that sells pots and pans, or even in your pantry at home, I am sure you have noticed those wonderful non-stick pans that make cooking and clean up a breeze. Yes, they are wonderful because you do not need to use as much butter, oil, or whatever else you add to prevent food from sticking to the pan but have you ever wondered what happens as that nonstick coating scratched? What exactly is it that you could be adding to your food?

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Cooking with Fair Trade Products

Vanessa Brown — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:56:00 +0000

Image courtesy of AlterEco.com

As a family, we love to cook together, it is a wonderful time to have fun and bond as a family. Cooking with your children has numerous benefits: It teaches your children mathematics, gives your child a sense of pride and accomplishment, will help your children try new things and they are also more likely to eat what they help make. In our home we have a silly tradition of “dolling” ourselves up for cooking together. We wear fun bright aprons, put on our favorite lip gloss and dance around to our favorite music.

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Homemade Glue for Kids Crafts

Vanessa Brown — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:09:23 +0000

All-Natural Homemade Glue is a simple recipe to do along with your children that can keep for weeks in the fridge. My girls enjoy using it for all of their weekly art projects and I don’t get worried if my baby takes a taste or two! You simply mix 1 cup of flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 cups of water (you might need a bit more or less) and 1 tsp of vinegar. Then you warm it up on the stove till it thickens a little bit, let is cool and it is ready to use.

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Keeping Food Staples on Hand Makes for Healthier Eating

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:43:46 +0000

Editor’s note: The following post was originally published on Green and Clean Mom. “Green & Clean Mom can inspire you to try a little harder, be a catalyst for change and to offer you some new tips and news on how to be the green, sexy and sassy mom…I know you are!”

I like to watch those shows where the mom has this amazing pot roast ready when everyone comes home for dinner. The mom that can throw it all together perfectly and have the table set with cloth napkins.

I’m laughing a wicked mean laugh right now because I’m not sure who this person is or if they exist in real life.

Everyone I know is trying to make everyone happy, eat healthy and organic and not lose our minds! Take budget concerns into account, snacks and lunchtime food, it can be too much. Grocery shopping is not my favorite thing to do but I’ve learned that keeping the staples on hand from the local health food store make life much easier.

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Ten Tasty Ways to Veg Out

Becky Striepe — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:00:48 +0000

Cutting back on animal products in your diet is one simple step that can have a huge environmental impact.

A recent report from Greenpeace Brazil attributed 80% of the amazon’s deforestation to cattle production. Cincinnati is even encouraging residents to eat less meat to help combat climate change! Switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet is a tremendous way to help reduce your impact on the planet. If cutting out animal products all together seems a little extreme for you, even just reducing the amount of animal products in your diet can make a difference. Here are ten delicious ways to eat lower on the food chain!

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9 Healthy Winter Activities for the Kids

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:00:05 +0000

Winter is long where I live. Long. Snow and cold weather lingers from as early as October to possibly March. A long winter can translate into long days inside which leads to restlessness, more television, boredom, eating and more pounds…for the entire family. To help make the winter more active and healthy I have begun to employ some new tactics that help everyone watch less television, eat better and get some activity.

Winter sports and activities can be the cure. I don’t like winter and I don’t like cold or snow but it’s where I live and the other months are gorgeous.

I’m trying to embrace the season with a more positive attitude. With a snowy winter there are many healthy active sports that the children and I can enjoy. They get us out of the house and mean physical activity.

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We Have Our Fair Trade Recipe Contest Winner!

Low Impact Living — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:32:32 +0000

We would like to thank all of the delicious recipes that we received for our Fair Trade Recipe Contest in honor of Fair Trade Month in October. Although we may be a little late announcing the winner, it is well worth the wait since all of you have the chance to view the fabulous entries. We have also had the chance to try the recipes and let me tell you, they were yummy! The winner will receive a gift certificate from Buy Well Coffee.

Our winner for the Fair Trade Recipe Contest is (drum roll please):

Candy McMenamin from Lexington, SC

Not only were both her recipes absolutely wonderful, but in addition to using fair trade and organic ingredients, she went above and beyond by submitting 2 entries both using our sponsoring product of Buy Well Coffee products. Nice touch Candy!

Thank You again to all the submissions for the contest. Please enjoy the recipes listed below to help make your holiday meal a little more special.

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Chestnuts Simmering on an Open Stove Top. Jack Frost Nipping at Your Nose.

Gennefer Snowfield — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:27:40 +0000

When I was growing up, the silky sounds of Nat King Cole crooning, ‘chestnuts roasting on an open fire…’ was the hallmark of the holidays for me. Every time I would hear it, I’d get that rush of childlike exuberance that encapsulates the magic of the season, and makes you feel like anything is possible.

Yet, despite the fact that inordinate amounts of food were also synonymous with the holidays in my family (6 courses and 3 hours worth of dishes to be exact, by hand), we never had one dish with a chestnut in it. Not a one. For shame.

So, as I got older, and began to nurture my inner chef, I decided to remedy that travesty by starting a new tradition of savory chestnut soup to begin the descent into our annual colossal feast, much to my Grandmother’s chagrin who quite religiously served Italian Escarole soup. (And by religiously, I mean had served Escarole for 30+ years prior to my first course usurping; or usouping, as it were. OK, bad joke.)

But my soup was a big hit, and each year I’d add or change the ingredients, perfecting my chestnut prowess with new and interesting pairings. Needless to say, some years were better than others. The addition of raisins, for example. Disaster. Cranberries, however. Surprisingly delicious. And those tart little buggers are still the perfect complement to the soup. The cranberries, that is — not my family!

And now for the first time ever outside the hallowed halls of the Snowfield residence, I am sharing my coveted recipe for you to share, which now includes honey glazed grilled salmon, making it a hearty first — or even second — course for your own foray into holiday gorging and merriment.

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There’s Still Time! Quick, Thrifty, and Eco-friendly Christmas Crafts to do with Kids

Julie Finn — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:35:56 +0000

The best kinds of Christmas projects really are quick, thrifty, and eco-friendly. When a project is quick–it doesn’t require a lot of prep or clean-up, provides results in a timely manner, and is simple enough that everyone can contribute meaningfully–you can focus your energy on the interaction with your loved ones instead of on the project. When a project is thrifty–it doesn’t require a lot of pricey materials, and ideally utilizes stuff you already possess–the stakes are low enough that everyone can enjoy themselves instead of fussing about appearance. And when a project is eco-friendly–it makes primary use of natural materials and recycling–then you show your kids that being green is a worldview, not a fad.

The projects below are all quick, thrifty, and eco-friendly. And also? They’re fun.

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Green Diva’s Guide to Delicious Living: 5 Good Reasons to Go Nuts (or eat them anyway)

Megan McWilliams — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:53:44 +0000

In addition to being a nut job, I am a nut lover. I really haven’t tasted a nut I didn’t like - even the peanut, which is technically a legume. I feel dreadfully sorry for those who have the dangerous nut allergy. My fiance has an allergy to chocolate, which I’m actually jealous of, but that’s for another post . . .

Some history about our hard-shelled friends
There is evidence that nuts have been around feeding us and our ancient ancestors since prehistoric times. The oldest evidence are some walnut remains which were found in Iraq and are thought to be over 50,000 years old!

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