Green Options

Organic red potatoes are in season and make a delightful accompaniment to any meal. Their bite size is great for all sorts of side dishes. These little lovelies taste good boiled and mashed, baked and browned, tossed in a summer salad or simply enjoyed on their own. Red potatoes are just as healthy as they are delectable. According to the World’s Healthiest Foods:

“Analysis of Red and Norkotah potatoes revealed that these spuds’ phenolic content rivals that of broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts, and includes flavonoids with protective activity against cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems and certain cancers.”

You’ve likely heard of Skin Deep, the cosmetic safety database which lists the toxicity of ingredients in personal care products.  But did you know there is now a similar database for food?

Nothing heralds summertime to me quite like watermelon. Reminiscent of childhood picnics and parties, this sweet, pink, fleshy fruit always cools me down on hot days. Did you know that watermelon:

• helps with inflammation?
• may help prevent asthma when eaten?
• is concentrated with amazing antioxidants?
• prevents colon cancer, diabetes and arthritis from developing?
• happens to be a a great internal cleanser as it’s more than 90% water?
• is a great source of vitamins A & C? 
• contains beta carotine?
• has a high lycopene content? 
• aids in free radical elimination and may prevent cancer formation?

Strawberries and cucumbers seem to be everywhere this summer and they make yummy accents to refreshing salads. Shown above is a simple salad packed with the following skin refreshing nutrients when eaten:

dvGreen designs sustainable events without sacrificing style. They show clients that they can reduce their ecological footprint while still throwing a beautiful party - one that just happens to be Green. By featuring organic food, flowers, and table linens; tree-free paper invitations; donating or composting leftover food; purchasing carbon offsets, and more, dvGreen creates incredible events that you can be proud of forever.

Danielle, founder and CEO of dvGreen spent several years as Event Director and later General Manager of L’Olivier, one of New York’s premiere floral design houses. The driving force in Danielle’s event work has always been her belief that parties are important. They are essential celebrations of life that allow us to freeze time and honor meaningful milestones. If we don’t mark these moments, then they risk going away forever.

It is this belief, coupled with Danielle’s very parallel feeling about the environment (if we don’t take care of it, the planet as we know it will also go away forever), that led her to launch dvGreen in 2006, a company that combines excellence in event design with the latest in sustainable practices.

Here’s is some great advice from dvGreen on how to go green for your next event.

Bare, exposed soil rarely exists in nature, so why should it be in your garden? Mulching with an organic mulch like straw will build healthy soil, conserve water, and help keep weeds at bay. In other words, it creates less work for you! Mulch is truly a gardener’s best friend!

It seems like all I’ve been doing lately is weeding and mulching. It’s taken longer than I wanted, but slowly but surely my garden beds are enjoying a nice layer of straw to help insulate the soil, form a layer that’s harder for weeds to penetrate, and retain moisture. I usually wait until plants are established before mulching, but I’ve recently learned about year-round mulching, which doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.

What is mulch? It’s basically any material (usually organic matter) that is used to cover exposed soil in the garden, and can be used for beds, containers, and even paths. Exposed soil can dry out quickly and be easily eroded by water and wind, so a covering helps keep it moist and healthy. The type of mulch you choose depends on the needs of the area you’ll be mulching, but I recommend staying away from unnatural materials like black plastic and choosing organic materials like straw, hay, decomposing leaves, rice hulls, or even dead & dried out weeds. Organic material will break down slowly and help add humus to the soil, making it richer and healthier for gardening.

Clean Plates NYC is the only nutritionist and food critic approved lifestyle book and guide featuring the healthiest, tastiest and most sustainable restaurants in NYC for both vegetarians and carnivores. With plans to expand to other cities and focusing on restaurants using local, organic and sustainably raised plant and/or animal products, this informative and easy to use book will change the way Americans dine out.
Jared Koch is the creator and co-author of this guide designed for busy people on the go. It introduces its readers to the concept of bioindividuality as well as the pros and cons of different dietary theories and types of foods encountered at restaurants.  The book provides practical tips and information on how to implement healthier and more sustainable eating into any budget, diet and lifestyle without sacrificing taste for nutrition.

“Jared’s nutritional advice in Clean Plates has the power to transform your individual health and our collective well-being.” Deepak Chopra, M.D., chairman and co-founder of The Chopra Centers for Wellbeing.

How do you like your eggs? The answer to that question used to be sunny side up, scrambled, or over easy. Now, it’s cage-free and organic, thank you very much.  Since I moved to London recently, I’ve noticed a greater level of public awareness regarding egg production and chicken welfare as compared to the United States.  Most supermarkets and chain restaurants, and even some giant multinational corporations, sell or use exclusively free-range eggs and prominently advertise doing so.

It’s certainly a big change from the United States, where cage-free eggs are generally available but are not as widespread in popularity as in the United Kingdom. It appears to be a slowly growing movement back at home, and it’s great news that some states have begun to pass laws improving living conditions for chickens. Unfortunately, we’ve still got a long way to go before reaching the level of public demand and corporate response for the right kind of eggs that can be found here in the UK.

Here are a few of the differences I’ve noticed with regard to egg production and marketing in the UK and the States.

Weeks ago I wrote “The Healing Dish: Shiitake Mushrooms and Organic Baby Bok Choy” and now I have a new healthy meal to share.

The other evening for dinner we enjoyed this soothing organic miso soup stewed with fresh ginger and napa cabbage, carrots and organic sweet potatoes, and delightful enoki mushrooms.

Healing ginger imparts a sweet, tangy, yet delicate flavor that soothes and delights the tummy. Napa cabbage is a nice stew vegetable and enoki mushrooms have a soft texture and delicious mild flavor. Carrots and sliced fresh sweet potatoes (or yams) make this miso very hearty.

Keep reading to learn the recipe and more about the healing powers of this simple dish.

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.

Shown here is the eggling I spotted in a hot San Francisco gallery one afternoon last week. All these tiny egglings need is a tap on the top, place in the sun, and a spot of water each day.

 This is the absolute perfect gift for that green-thumb co-worker that is having a lunch birthday this Spring. Also, if you’ve always wanted a kitchen herb garden, build a little shelf for them, or line up these eggs on a windowsill for quick and fresh spice snips on sandwiches, salads and sautés.