Your Earth Day Challenge

 Today is Earth Day , a day to reflect on our impact on the environment. Instead of thinking, let's do. What can we do in our kitchens to help combat climate change? Let's try to reduce our culinary carbon footprint by large and small actions.

One of the easiest and most delicious ways is reducing your meat intake.Think Beyond Burgers instead of the real beef and turkey ones. Anyone can easily adapt to a meatless diet thanks to such companies as Beyond Burgers, Gardein and Morningstar Farms. Gardein has made the most inroads in the faux meat industry. Try their Chik'n and Rice or Italian Wedding soups. They taste exactly like Campbells and Progresso brands. Their turkey is the best , even beating out the bird itself for flavor. what about reducing our egg and dairy intake? Both industries are off shoots of the meat industry. You're still contributing to hurting the planet by having them. Try Just Egg, which is made from mung beans for your yolk fix. You can make great scrambles and omelets from it along with using it in baking. Almond milk is a great sub in for dairy and there are also other nut and oak milks too. as for the kitchen, reuse leftovers. This has been a common kitchen practice for centuries, yet some have gotten away from it. Use and reuse. For really stale foodstuffs,t hink about giving it to your local wildlife or start a compost heap.

Consider yourself a green  home chef already if you have an air fryer. It may produce more energy than a toaster oven but it's still more energy efficient. This is due to them cooking food faster and no preheating.An air fryer is also fifty per cent less energy consuming than an electric oven and thirty-five more efficient than a gas one. Using your air fryer will also lower your utility bill by a few dollars.You'll also create tastier food too thanks to the air fryer producing crispier foods.As much as people complain about microwaves these do save up to eighty per cent of energy. Try to use it to cook sides and reheat leftovers. It also doesn't heat up a kitchen like a stove does so it does help you cut back on air conditioning.Of course some leftovers and frozen foods do call for the oven. Frozen pizza tastes better if its' been baked in a hot oven as does garlic bread. To save energy while cooking think sheet pan meals. This allows you to cook the main course and sides all together on one pan.

You can easily make your kitchen and eating habits greener. It's easy and delicious. It's just being thoughtful with your choices for ingredients  and how to cook them.