Eat. Drink. Better.

Eco-conscious and green consumers around the globe are increasingly aware of the carbon footprint of their food choices, but what about the water footprint?

As water becomes an increasingly scarce global resource, the focus turns toward analyzing how much water it takes to grow particular foods.  Increasing awareness of the amount of water various foods require can help consumers make educated choices for the most environmentally conscious products.

Not surprisingly many of the same attributes that make for smart environmentally friendly choices also make sense from a water consumption perspective.  Not eating meat, choosing locally grown organic foods, and growing as much produce as possible in your own backyard are also the best choices for using the least amount of water.

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I confess, I’m slow to change.  At least when it comes to cooking.  A devout recipe follower, I measure my cups and teaspoons and follow recipe direction as if they were sent from above.

Until this week, when I finally took our new solar oven out of the box.  We bought this Global Sun Oven last winter to use at our farm and B&B, Inn Serendipity, with all good intentions.  No plug in required, just open it up and heat up and bake.

Which is where I got stuck, as I would not only be cooking out of my box, I’d be cooking out of my kitchen.  But my husband, John, helped by setting it up for the first time, conducting a mini-science project that even our seven-year old could handle of angling it to garner maximum solar gain.  I had one of my new favorite pies ready to stick in the oven (“Strawberry and Rhubarb Streusel Pie” – recipe below), and took it outside instead. Read the rest of this entry »

[Creative Commons photo by nicubunu]
From the land involved to the waste produced, conventional dairy production has a huge environmental impact. Not only is conventional dairy not great for the planet, it’s not so great for you. You can do yourself and your body a favor but cutting back on or cutting out the dairy in your diet.

Whenever folks learn that I don’t eat dairy products, there are certain questions they seem to always ask. One of the most common is:

But don’t you miss chocolate?

The assumption is that chocolate has to contain milk, and that’s just not true at all. What makes chocolate….chocolate…is cocoa butter which despite its name is a plant ingredient. There are tons of companies making great dark chocolate that is 100% vegan and 100% delicious! Finding vegan chocolate is as easy as taking the time to do a bit of label-reading. While you might not be able to just grab a Hershey bar, you don’t have to live a chocolate-free existence, either. Here are just a few tasty options:
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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.”

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This twist on classic pizza ushers in summer with a tender gluten-free crust, garlicky oven-roasted tomato sauce and the zing of fresh herbs.  You could top this with homemade mozzarella cheese or soy cheese, but what if you’re avoiding both dairy and the highly-processed soy isolates found in many cheese alternatives? Is it even possible to imagine – much less create and enjoy — a pizza without wheat and cheese?

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The dawn of summertime — just over a week away — calls for barefoot lunches, iced coffee, blossoming flowers, and colorful produce. And what better food to showcase summer’s brightness than a refreshing, cooling coleslaw? Purple cabbage, white-stemmed chard, orange carrots, and green zucchini combine for the perfect combination of crunch and tang.  This naturally wheatless dish is bursting with color and packs a powerful serving of Vitamins A, C and K.

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It might not be Monday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sneak in some meat-free, carbon friendly eats at your weekend barbecues!  While burgers and hot dogs might be traditional, they’re certainly not doing the environment–or your health–any favors.  Why not surprise your hosts or guests by providing some unexpected and delicious vegan options at your next summer get together?  Here are my favorite ideas for meat and dairy free barbecue dining:

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My favorite vegan, GMO free margarine is Earth Balance.  It works well with the many allergies and celiac in our family.  Because soy is among the eight most common allergens, Earth Balance now has a soy free spread and to get the word out we get to give some free coupons away.

Earth Balance Soy Free Spread is vegan, all natural, free of gluten, lactose and soy, has zero grams of transfat and is a great source of omega 3’s.

Here’s our favorite recipe for a gluten free, dairy free, vegan treat which everyone loves. We always bake with Earth Balance.  The best part is no one knows these goodies are healthy (sweet, yes… but also chock full of good stuff) unless you tell them! Read the rest of this entry »

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. Read the rest of this entry »

Minerals are essential for optimum health. Due to the Standard American Diet, many of us are lacking in these vital nutrients. Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in mineral-depleted soils can result in a lack of minerals in the body which can lead to an onslaught of health problems as well as food cravings. Minerals help to regulate a variety of processes in the body including helping to create enzymes, hormones, skeletal bones, skeletal tissues, teeth and fluids. Calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, sodium, potassium, magnesium, fluoride, sulfur, copper, and chloride are examples of some of the most prevalent minerals you may be lacking.

Whenever possible, it is always best to get your vitamins and minerals from actual food. As one of the most nutritious foods on this planet, sea vegetables contain all of the minerals needed for optimum health. Sea vegetables offer your body 10-20 times the minerals of land plants, plus the added benefit of a range of vitamins. By adding sea vegetables to your diet, you can help your body meet its nutritional needs naturally. In traditional Chinese healing, sea vegetables correspond to the winter season and to the kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder and reproductive organs. The strengthening, balancing and cleansing properties of sea vegetables are known to help these organs. There is a great deal of documentation on the health benefits and medicinal properties of sea veggies. They are known to reduce blood cholesterol, remove metallic and radioactive elements from the body, contain antibiotic properties, counteract obesity, strengthen bones, teeth, hair and nails, aid nerve transmission, improve digestion, soften hard masses, tumors and fibroid tumors, and are credited with anti-aging properties.

How can you get more sea vegetables into your diet?

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