Tag Archives: Cooking:

6 Delicious Weeds that You Can Eat

by FosterVDFiz Posted on April 22, 2019

The availability of nutritionally-dense food that is free from the clutches of corporate agriculture companies like Bayer AG and Monsanto is a growing concern to many people. And, while food security is indeed something to take seriously, few people are aware of their own already-available food growing in their yards.

That?s why I?m launching FoodHouseProject.com, a food adventure site in which my husband Curtis and I are combining his extensive food security background with my love of nutrition and disgust for Big Agra, and combining our love of foraging, gardening and food, in general to turn our neglected old farmhouse built in 1890 into the ultimate food-growing home. We will showcase the abundance of food all around, demonstrate how easy it is to forage or grow more of your own food to save you money, boost your nutrition, reduce your ecological footprint and start the ultimate revolution in which we reclaim our food sovereignty from Big Agra.

While I encourage you to start growing your own food, either sprouts, microgreens, container-tomatoes or full-blown gardens, I also hope you?ll take a look at the food that?s already around you, in the form of wild edibles, or weeds, as most people call them. Here are some of my favorite weeds that offer delicious and nutritious, as well as free food.

Daisies

Hard to miss, these pretty flowers often pop up in our lawns if we let the grass grow a bit. While they can be a bit bitter, both the leaves and the flowers are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. Don’t eat the ones you find in floral bouquets as they’ve likely been sprayed with toxic pesticides.

Dandelion Greens, Flowers and Roots

Even if you?re not familiar with foraging, finding dandelion greens should not be a problem. They?re almost everywhere. Choose the small leaves as more mature leaves tend to become bitter. The immature leaves can be added to salads, soups or saut?ed like spinach, along with a little garlic, olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of sea salt for a delicious side dish. The flowers can be added to salads and eaten raw. The roots are absolutely delicious when roasted, ground and added to smoothies or steeped as you would tea. They have a slightly chocolate-coffee flavor, which is why blending them with a handful of cashews, a dash of stevia, some almond milk and a little ice makes my favorite smoothie. Dandelion helps to boost the kidneys and liver.

Dandelion leaves, flowers, stems, and roots are edible

Lamb?s Quarters

Not just for grazing sheep, lamb?s quarters are found in plentiful quantities in most people?s lawns and make a delicious alternative to spinach. Add them raw to salads or saute them in a little olive oil and sea salt for a tasty plate of wild greens.

Nettles

You won?t miss these herbs, particularly if you try to pick them without gloves. That?s because the fine hairs along the stems of the plant will give your skin a bit of a sting when you touch them. However, when they are cooked, they lose their stinging sensation. You?re left with one of the most nutritional greens you can eat, which are great in soups and stews. Nettles boost your overall nutrition but also help fight off seasonal allergies, which are a nuisance for many people this time of year.

Nettles are nutritional powerhouses that are delicious additions to your diet.

Plantain Leaves

Found in most lawns, you?ve probably stepped on these plants hundreds of time without consideration for them. Yet, they are an excellent addition to your diet. Chop and add to salads, soups or saute them as you would spinach.

Plantain leaves make a delicious alternative to spinach.

Red Clover Leaves and Flowers

Easy to spot when in flower thanks to their purplish-pink flowerheads, red clover leaves make an excellent addition to salads, soups or can be saut?ed for a delicious plate of wild greens. The flowers can be added to salads or infused in boiled water to make tea.

Red clover leaves and flowers are edible.

If you?re not 100% certain you?ve identified the correct plant, it is best not to eat them. If you?re unsure, you might find an herb walk or foraging course helpful. Of course, stay clear of lawns near highways or any that have been sprayed with pesticides.

7 Ways to Eat an Earth-Friendly Diet

by TZTLurlene Posted on April 18, 2019

Since 1970, people around the globe have been celebrating Earth Day on April 22^nd.? Considering the state of our planet and the political, corporate and industrial forces that seem intent on destroying it, everyday should be Earth Day. Our world needs more care and healing and, in the absence of true leadership from elected officials and the business elite, it is up to ?the little people? to lead the way.

In honor of Earth Day, here are seven ways you can eat an earth-friendly diet:

1) Grow your own food

It sounds crazy, but something our ancestors did naturally for millennia has now become one of the most significant acts of revolution we can undertake. At the turn of the previous century, most American households grew all or most of their own food. As late as the mid-1980s when they passed away, my grandparents purchased staples such as flour and salt at the grocery store but grew everything else.

How did we get so far removed from this natural act? The short answer is this: we have been told for decades that buying your food in stores is a sign of affluence. Now that food production is industrialized and run by companies equally interested in chemicals, buying food in stores is increasingly associated with obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other diet-related diseases. Do yourself a favor and take charge of your personal food supply. Whether you have a balcony, a backyard or an acreage, give it a try. You?ll be surprised how easy and rewarding it is and you?ll be even more surprised at how much delicious, fresh food you can get out of even the smallest spaces.

2) Eat local

If growing your own food just isn?t feasible, consider stocking your pantry with locally-grown products from markets and independent grocery stores. Many smaller produce markets and even some health food stores stock fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and prepared foods from local producers. Not only do you support your local businesses and keep dollars in the local economy, you cut down on the amount of food that needs to be shipped into your community from elsewhere. Less shipping means fewer trucks on the road and fewer fossil-fuel emissions into the atmosphere.

3) Buy food from local farmers

Buying directly from local farmers ensures that your food doesn?t make the lengthy trip to your grocery store, a trip which causes untold pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. You?ll be rewarded with much more nutritious food as well. That?s because food quickly loses its nutritional value after it has been picked. Those precious first days in transport causes a significant loss of nutrients.

4) Eat more plant-based foods

No matter how some people try to spin the facts, the reality is that a plant-based diet is far better for the planet than to use the extensive resources required to grow meat and poultry. Additionally, plants actually absorb carbon dioxide emissions while animals emit them. The bonus is that countless amounts of research shows that plant-based diets are far healthier for your body as well. A study published in the American Medical Association?s own online journal JAMA Network, found that eating a plant-based diet was more effective than other diets to lose weight. Another study published in the journal Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases found that a plant-based diet slashes mortality risk from heart disease by a whopping 40 percent. A plant-based diet is healthier for you and the planet.

5) Choose chemical-free or organic

Buying organic means that you?re not supporting chemical-based agriculture. When you buy organic, or better yet, grow your own food organically, you?re helping to ensure that many acres of land will not be sprayed with toxic chemicals?chemicals that have been linked to many diseases, including cancer.

6) Drink purified tap water

Choosing tap water over bottled water helps to ensure that billions of plastic bottles don?t end up in landfills, roadsides or waterways. Even the simple act of carrying your own reusable water bottle that you refill can help make a difference to the level of plastic pollution on the planet.

7) Eat fewer packaged and processed foods

Making your own food from scratch isn?t just better-tasting and healthier, it reduces the amount of waste in landfills, as well as the amount of packaging that needs to be processed even if it is recycled. It?s a simple act but just choosing foods with less packaging, or better yet, no packaging at all, will make a big difference to the planet.

Chicago just posted all the climate data deleted by Trump’s EPA.

by MiraAdzmrd Posted on May 8, 2017

It’s not often you meet someone who doubles as a mathematician and a professional chef. But Hari Pulapaka, a tenured professor and four-time James Beard Award semifinalist, says his careers are a natural pair; they both demand problem-solving and a lot of creativity. Now, he’s tapping those skills to tackle a big issue in the food industry: waste.

Pulapaka was raised in a family of five kids, in working class Bombay, India. They ate modestly and didn’t throw much away — just banana peels and the occasional potato skin. But in American culinary school, almost half the food was tossed out, he says. “It blew my mind.”

Now at the helm of Cress restaurant in DeLand, Florida, Pulapaka is setting a better example. In the last four years, he and his wife have cut down a huge amount of food waste: about 16,000 pounds, he says. They’ve done it by engaging their community. Every week, a local farmer swings by to pick up Cress’s food scraps for pig and chicken feed, as well as compost. That same farmer then sells vegetables at the local farmer’s market, grown in — yup, you guessed it — Pulapaka’s compost. Pulapaka also recycles his cooking oil and uses every part of his vegetables and fish. Stuff that other restaurants throw out, like veggie tops, pop up in Cress’s pestos, chutneys, salsa verdes, sauces, and soups, he says.

Pulapaka sets an inspiring (and exhausting) example. “I can’t work at this pace forever,” he says. So what’s next? Maybe opening his own cooking school. You can bet his students won’t be throwing much away.

Meet all the fixers on this year’s Grist 50.

Source:

Chicago just posted all the climate data deleted by Trump’s EPA.

Posted in alo, Anchor, Casio, FF, G & F, GE, LAI, ONA, PUR, Ringer, Uncategorized | Tagged american, Casio, community, Cooking:, farmer, g & f, india-they, lai, Ona, Ringer, Stuff | Comments Off

Goodbye peer review, hello industry review.

by Mammie7571 Posted on May 8, 2017

Meet all the fixers on this year’s Grist 50.

View this article:

Goodbye peer review, hello industry review.

Posted in alo, Anchor, Casio, FF, G & F, GE, LAI, ONA, PUR, Ringer, Uncategorized | Tagged bombay, careers, Cooking:, creativity, india-they, james-beard, politics, professor, trump nation | Comments Off

"Spirit Cooking" Explained for the Non-Insane

by ErnestAutry Posted on November 4, 2016

Mother Jones

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When I got home from lunch this afternoon, I switched on my tablet to see if anything had happened while I was away. I got this:

A very good summary of today’s top bullshit story https://t.co/tGqKOD1upA

— Roy Edroso (@edroso)

November 4, 2016

If you see a reference to “Spirit Cooking” anywhere, this is what it’s all about. Apparently conservatives have lost whatever few marbles they had left.

See original article here:

"Spirit Cooking" Explained for the Non-Insane

Posted in FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged afternoon, anything-had, Cooking:, dtd, happened-while, lai, marbles-they, november, rec, spirit-cooking, whatever-few | Comments Off

5 Ways to Make a Small Kitchen Feel More Spacious

by DanutaSievwrigh Posted on August 16, 2016

How to make a tiny kitchen look huge was the original idea for this post. Why did we reject it? Simple. Theres already a ton of articles on how to change your kitchens appearance cluttering up the blogosphere. Tile the floor diagonally, install open shelves, put up lots of mirrors, and yada yada yada.

Well I dont know about you, people, but I spend a heck of a lot less timelookingat my kitchen than I do actuallyworkingin it. (Thats not to mention dodging my son and my Jack Russell rescue as I scurry around my cozy 75-square foot space.) Its about time for some new tips on how to make your minuscule kitchenfeelmore spacious, practical and comfortable.

Work with your kitchen traffic patterns

Yes, its an inevitable fact of life. Someone near and dear to you will be seized by an uncontrollable urge to grab a drink or a snack from the fridge just when youre frantically putting a few final touches on the piece de resistance for tonights dinner party. Dont sweat it. One very helpful DIY hack to help you cope with your households traffic flow:reverse your refrigerator door, so that it no longer opens right into the middle of your limited work area.

Maximize cabinets

Get rid of kitchen clutter and keep your essentials close at hand so that you can work effectively. Extend your storage all the way to the ceiling withcustom cabinetryor your own DIY containers. If your kitchen is truly microscopic, make sure that youll have enough room to open a ladder or stepstool when you need to access this area. In the corner spot, install a lazy Susan or even better! pull-out shelving or drawers, for easier access and cleaning. Use those skinny slices of space next to the refrigerator and under your base cabinets; install a sliding storage tower and toe-kick drawers, respectively. Save an inch or two more of precious kitchen real estate with integrated drawer pulls.

Go vertical

Dont overlook the square footage available on your walls. Hang up a magnetic strip to mount a prized set ofchefs knives well above floor level; this will keep them safely out of reach of small children, yet close enough for your own convenience while youre busy taking care of kitchen tasks. In a similar vein, make use of utensil hooks and perhaps a case for storing wine. And why not cast a vote in favor of bringing back the oh-so-handy-but-no-longer-trendy pot rack?

Choose efficient furnishings

Any furniture that you absolutely must squeeze into your kitchens petite footprint should be scaled down and simple to stow away when its not needed. The perfect example is your seating folding chairs and stacking stools rule! In place of a kitchen island, try the flexible solution of a fold-down table or shelf, or a butcher block-topped cart on wheels.

Ventilate

A small kitchen can turn into an awfully stuffy, unpleasantly humid and generally claustrophobia-inducing place to beunless its well ventilated. If you do a fair amount of cooking, dont forego a range hood in order to save space; however, do opt for a slim line, low-profile style. In addition, you might consider installing a ceiling-mounted electric fan. This is an energy-smart way to improve air circulation and supplement (or replace) your air conditioning. To clean and cool the atmosphere in your kitchen, grow half a dozengreen plantsin hanging pots.

By Laura Firszt,Networx.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Excerpt from:

5 Ways to Make a Small Kitchen Feel More Spacious

Posted in FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, PUR, Radius, Uncategorized | Tagged area, Cooking:, eco-friendly tips, household hints, networx, russell, Simple:, small kitchen, small space living | Comments Off

Hotel Chain to Grow Its Own Produce at 1,000 Locations

by ArlieMSZaecq Posted on April 21, 2016

As food prices soar, a growing number of foods become genetically modified or sprayed with pesticides and nutrient content in our fruits and vegetables drop, its no surprise that food gardening is experiencing a renaissance. So it should come as no surprise that one of the world’s largest hotel chains plans to grow its own vegetables at 1,000 hotel locations to cut food waste and increase food sustainability.

The Paris-based AccorHotel chain includes: Novotel, Ibis, Pullman, Sofitel and Mercure. The company estimates that growing its own fruit and vegetables will cut its food waste by 30 percent with a goal of cutting food waste entirely.

What the company cannot grow at its 1,000 urban hotel gardens, it intends to source locally, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility commitment. Called Planet 21, the companys attempt to cut food waste by growing its own produce is just one of the areas it intends to become greener, increasingly sustainable and more community-focused.

Additionally, it intends to renovate or build new buildings as low-carbon buildings, increase innovations to boost sustainability and improve its engagement at the community level, among other goals.

According to a news story, AccorHotel has already cut water consumption by nearly 9 percent, energy consumption by 5.3 percentand carbon emissions by 6.2 percent over the last 5 years.

Obviously food waste and food security are major issues that both corporations and individuals need to address. As someone who already maintains a large fruit and vegetable garden and is in the midst of removing my front lawn to grow more produce, I know from experience that the current state of our food supply has been a big motivator for me. Im increasingly disturbed by the amount of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) in a large volume of produce available at grocery stores. And Im equally concerned about the pesticides that have been linked to brain diseases like Parkinsons, Alzheimers and Lou Gehrigs Disease (known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS).

Now, lets hope that many other hotels, restaurants, cafes, other businesses and individuals chime in to do their part to improve food security and to reduce food waste. While there are countless things we can all do to green up the planet and transform the quality and scarcity of our food and resources, here are a few suggestions to get started:

* Replace some or all of the lawn in your yard with fruit trees, vegetables, culinary or medicinal herbs. Of course, be sure to check bylaws in your area to ensure there are no legal issues, particularly if you dig up your front yard. Most food plants look lovelier than the monoculture we call grass and contribute far more to our health and the health of the planet.

* If you dont have a lawn or garden area you can still grow more of your own food in pots on a balcony or as part of a rooftop garden. These gardens not only boost our food supply and reduce transportation costs and carbon emissions from food transportation, they also help to create beautiful sanctuaries where we can get some relaxation in our hectic lives.

* Choose organic food as much as possible. Organic is less polluting to the environment and our bodies and doesnt contain GMOs. Plus, its how things grew for thousands of years. Pesticides and GMOs are recent phenomena that, contrary to what the companies manufacturing them may tell you, have not proven themselves to be worthy additions to agriculture or gardens.

Id love to hear your suggestions as to how we can boost our food independence, security, and reduce waste. How are you taking steps toward food independence?

Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is a certified herbalist and international best-selling and 19-time published book author whose works include: Be Your Own Herbalist: Essential Herbs for Health, Beauty, and Cooking (New World Library, 2016).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Originally posted here:

Hotel Chain to Grow Its Own Produce at 1,000 Locations

Posted in alo, FF, GE, LAI, LG, New World Library, ONA, organic, oven, PUR, Radius, Uncategorized | Tagged company, Cooking:, hospitality industry, lai, new world library, planet, radius, world | Comments Off

Upbeat and High Lonesome With Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones

by Alison O'neil Posted on April 11, 2016

Mother Jones

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Teddy Thompson & Kelly Jones
Little Windows
Cooking Vinyl

Missing Piece Group

George and Tammy…Porter and Dolly…Teddy and Kelly? Teddy Thompson (son of Richard and Linda) and Kelly Jones have a ways to go before they’re recognized as the next great male-female duo, but this winning twosome is off to a fine start with Little Windows. Blending their plaintive voices in seamless, high-lonesome harmonies that would do the Everly Brothers proud, they explore love’s many complications in memorable country-pop tunes both jaunty (“Wondering”) and mournful (“I Thought That We Said Goodbye”). Long on atmosphere and short on pandering nostalgia, despite an old-school vibe, songs like the dreamy 3:00 a.m. ballad “Don’t Remind Me” would inspire goosebumps in any era. Here’s to a long partnership!

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Upbeat and High Lonesome With Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones

Posted in Anchor, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, Radius, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged Cooking:, everly, everly-brothers, george, goodbye, jones, mixed media, music, public, thompson, wondering | Comments Off

20 Unexpected Ways to Use Apples

by MauraMaryjdoi Posted on October 8, 2015

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20 Unexpected Ways to Use Apples

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Tom’s Kichen: Pasta Fagioli with Winter Vegetables and Bacon

by UlrikeFensterma Posted on January 17, 2015

Mother Jones

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Pasta makes a great showcase for a season’s bounty—and not just in spring, despite the famed dish spaghetti primavera. I recently found myself in possession of some excellent butternut squash and collard greens from Austin’s Boggy Creek Farm, as well as gorgeous bacon from the throwback butcher shop Salt and Time. So, sweet (squash), pungent (collards), smoky/umami (bacon): elements of a great dish. To round it out, I decided to add white beans to the mix, using a method I recently picked up from the Los Angeles Times’ Russ Parsons: Without any soaking, you cook the beans in a covered pot in an oven heated to 350 F. Within two hours, I had perfectly tender, flavorful beans to bolster my pasta. (You can also just open a can, of course.) Grate a little Parmesan cheese and open a bottle of sturdy red wine, and you’ve got a dinner satisfying enough to overwhelm the winter blues.

Vegetarians can forgo the bacon and cook the collard greens in olive oil along with a rehydrated and chopped-up chipotle pepper, maintaining the smoke while adding a blast of heat.

Pasta Fagioli with Winter Vegetables and Bacon

1 large or two small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (a tricky task, but easily accomplished with a sharp knife and proper technique, laid out here)
Some extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 or 5 slices of bacon, preferably from pastured hogs, cut into half-inch chunks
3-4 cloves of garlic, smashed, peeled, and minced
1 large bunch of collard greens, stemmed and chopped
1 pound of pasta (I used Bionaturae whole wheat spaghetti)
1 1/12 cups cooked white beans (Russ Parsons’ no-soak method here; you can also substitute 1 can of beans)
Plenty of fresh-ground black pepper
1 bunch parsley, chopped, and crushed chile flakes, to garnish
A chunk of Parmesan or other hard cheese, for grating.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Dump the squash cubes onto a baking sheet and give them a few glugs of olive oil, a good pinch of salt, and a lashing of black pepper. Using your hands, toss them to coat them evenly with oil, and then arrange the cubes in a single layer. Bake them, turning once or twice, until they are tender and beginning to brown, about 40 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, put a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook it, stirring often, until it is brown and crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted soon, setting it aside. With the bacon fat still in the skillet, add the garlic. Cook it for a few seconds, stirring often, and add the chopped collards. Using a spatula or tongs, toss them well, coating them with fat and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of water. Turn heat low and cover the skillet, and let the collards cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender.

When the squash and collards are both well underway, cook the pasta using the low-water method. Reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta.

In a large bowl, combine the squash, collard greens, beans, and the cup of pasta cooking liquid. Dump the hot pasta over, and gently combine everything using a tongs or two big spoons. Add the parsley, a pinch of chile flakes, and several grinds of pepper, and taste for salt, correcting if necessary. Pass the Parmesan and a grater at the table.

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Tom’s Kichen: Pasta Fagioli with Winter Vegetables and Bacon

Posted in alo, Anchor, Casio, Citizen, Everyone, FF, G & F, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, organic, oven, PUR, Radius, Uncategorized | Tagged anchor, citizen, Cooking:, fagioli, king, organic, parsons, radius, Using, vegetables | Comments Off

Tag Archives: Cooking:

Daisies

Dandelion Greens, Flowers and Roots

Lamb?s Quarters

Nettles

Plantain Leaves

Red Clover Leaves and Flowers

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1) Grow your own food

2) Eat local

3) Buy food from local farmers

4) Eat more plant-based foods

5) Choose chemical-free or organic

6) Drink purified tap water

7) Eat fewer packaged and processed foods

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