Image credit: bdearth, used under Creative Commons license.
When I wrote about
goat as a less destructive alternative to beef, the responses ranged from supportive to outright disgusted. So I'm sure this latest suggestion will land me in equally hot water, especially with the rather scary looking
vegan zombie. But with meat consumption continuing to grow worldwide, it is only pragmatic to look at both reducing demand
and finding more sustainable ways to raise meat. And one of the most promising ways of doing the latter is to start farming, and marketing, alternatives to beef. So what about yak burgers, anyone? ...
Photos by Jaymi Heimbuch
The jalapeño-raspberry jam from Ann's Raspberry Farm, located in Fredericktown, Ohio, is as tasty as it is inspiring. Soon after my first sampling, I was moved to make this
Raspberry and Serrano Sangría and the ideas haven't stopped there. The jam is that good! It's also good with a capital "G," it was this year's
Good Food Award winner for the farm's commitment to naturally grown produce. Enjoy these fries with a buttery Chardonnay and please make enough to share.
...
Photo: Kelly Rossiter
This delicious pear soup is the perfect bridge between the late summer harvest and the need for a warming soup on a cool evening. Not only that, it is the perfect bridge between
sweet and savoury. You won't see a lot of dessert or sweet recipes here in my column, because I just don't have a sweet tooth, but this was just the right mixture for me. My one regret is that I didn't have
blue cheese, so I substituted
gruyere. I'll have to make it again while pears are still in season, because blue cheese and pear is such a fantastic flavour combination....
Photos by Jaymi Heimbuch
Call me weird, but I enjoy frozen desserts more in the winter than I do during the summer. And after developing this
Watermelon and Tomato Gazpacho recipe, I was excited to mix up watermelon and cilantro again. Enjoy this sorbet with some champagne. ...
Photo: La.blasco/Creative Commons
The
most eco-friendly juice is the one you squeeze by hand after plucking fresh, ripe fruit from the organic trees growing in your backyard.
But if you don't have the space, time, or knack for making your own apple, cranberry, carrot, or tropical juices, then these nine brands offer healthy organic versions low in sugar yet boasting flavor-packed taste. Plus, all have a corporate commitment to sustainability.
We'd still suggest squeezing your own fresh orange juice, though, if only because it tastes so much better.
...
Photo: Kelly Rossiter
I've been know to make pesto from lots of things like
kale and
asparagus, in addition to the classic basil pesto, but it never occurred to me to make it with cherry tomatoes. The tomato plants in my garden are producing quite a serious amount of cherry tomatoes, and it's been a bit of a challenge to keep up with them. This recipe was such a terrific use for them, fast and easy to make, with the wonderful flavour of ripe tomatoes front and centre....
Image credit Breast Cancer Fund
A new study from the Breast Cancer Fund shows that
BPA is found in canned foods marketed specifically to kids. This should be no surprise to TreeHugger readers; we have been talking about
BPA lining cans for years. All of the manufacturers are looking for substitutes for the stuff, but haven't found a decent one yet, particularly for products containing tomatoes. Over at
Parentables, our chemist Christine has two words of advice:
Don't Panic....
Photos by Jaymi Heimbuch
Growing up, the cucumber was a culinary staple. It was prominent in many of the Armenian dishes my mother made and, well, it has now become a staple at my house. This is my go-to cucumber recipe; it's simple, quick and tasty. Enjoy this salad with a glass of Pinot Grigio.
...
Image credit: The Perennial Plate
The extreme weather of this summer was both dramatic and devastating here in the US. But the news cycle being what it is, our attention has moved on to other issues and other stories. Meanwhile, residents, businesses and especially farmers are left still trying to pick up the pieces. And it is a problem that is only likely to get worse as our climate gets more unstable.
Luckily, some farmers have CSAs and community backing to fall back on. Others are not so lucky. ...
Seeded, malted bread. Image crdit:
Flickr, Francis Storr
A market for locally grown wheat and for bread made from it has emerged in Massachusetts. Although it is
very small market, it represents a remarkable turnabout in the history of food in America. Before railroads came to the West, wheat was abundant in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. The Great Plains were discovered to be a more productive bread basket and wheat farmers from the Dakotas to Kansas soon dominated US markets. Later, still, wheat became a global commodity. As it stands now, few have the privilege of knowing whose blood, soil, and sweat and tears went into the top and bottom of their sandwich....
Image via Vimeo screenshot.
The setting of
Kris Hofmann's short film
Breakfast is a child's bedroom, with a bookshelf of stuffed animals beside a desk with a set of wooden blocks that depict a bucolic farm scene. The narrator begins by describing the life of a chicken named Harriet, who "would have been more than happy if she was not crammed into a windowless shed with 50,000 of her friends."
And so
Breakfast becomes something of a horror film, one that reveals the connections between our morning meal and the realities of factory farming....
Image credit: Paul Wheaton
As my plan to
transition my garden into extreme Lazivore mode for a couple of years takes shape, I am sure others are planning on ramping up production next year. And as part of those plans, many will be dealing with that most irksome of pest—the slug. Unless you are squeamish, you can always look at
training chickens to eat slugs. But there are other options available.
Contrary to popular cliche, sometimes the best defense is simply a good defense. Why not gig a moat?...
Image credit: Ecofilms Australia
When I wrote about
one farmer's approach to encouraging a selective community of :"weeds", it seemed to touch a nerve with many readers. Rather than pursue weed eradication at all costs, it seemed so much more sensible to understand the role that weeds play in our farm/garden ecosystems, and to adapt our weed control methodologies accordingly.
For one Australian farmer, it's as simple as mowing the lawn. But that's just one part of a renegade farmer's mission to understand the land. ...
Photo: Emma Alter
Mark Bittman had a terrific article in yesterday's
Sunday New York Times about the myth that fast food is cheaper than nutritious meals you make at home. It wasn't anything new to me, as I've been proselytizing about cooking healthy, frugal meals at home since I started writing for
TreeHugger and later
Planet Green. My recipe today of pasta with kale and garlic is a perfect case in point....
Water scarcity is certainly an issue for growing food in some areas, but a new report, published in
Water International says that the world's major rivers basins will have enough water to provide enough food for the growing human population over coming decades. In fact, if (and only if) efficiently and equitably managed, there will be enough water to double or triple food production.
...
Photo credit: Distillery Serrallés, USA
Rum has long been a favorite spirit for bartenders looking to
mix a crowd-pleasing cocktail. Indeed, drinks like the Mojito, Cuba Libre, and Piña Colada are staples at hip bars, college parties, and Jimmy Buffet concerts alike.
In spite of this popularity, however, the energy and resource-intensive process of producing rum is rarely considered. Though the practice of creating alcohol from a sugar base is thousands of years old, some distilleries are taking a hard look at the impact of their business—and implementing innovative solutions to make it better for the environment....
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