Eating Safe Food

Home chefs are leery about what to buy and cook these days thanks to Cylospora.One wrong bite and the whole family can be sick for weeks.Yet there are foods that are free of the nasty little parasite. You can make a dozen recipes with them.

Unless you're growing your own lettuce  stay away from any leafy greens. You can wash them but a better bet is getting frozen greens like spinach, broccoli and green peas.This also applies for peas and carrots too. These veggies are great in all sorts of cold salads.Just steam and then dress with oil and vinegar. Add garlic or onion powder for more flavor. Make them into stir fries too. This can ber served over rice or noodles.Condiments are safe so you can give this a dousing with soy sauce. Canned veggies can also be used in salads and cooked dishes too. Although fresh potatoes are safe because they have to be cooked before eating, you can used canned for easy salads like potato. Any potato is considered OK to ingest because they';ll either be boiled , fried, air fried or even grilled.You can easily make French fries to go with those grilled burgers or try a fancy scalloped for a elegant al fresco dinner.

Meats, poultry and seafood are also safe to eat and you may want to increase your use of them. If you're worried about talking in too much beef , plant based ones like Impossible Burger and Gardien 's are safe to eat. Hamburgers can take safe extras like pickles and sliced onion. Just omit the lettuce and if you;re eating out then tomatoes too. Chicken is another good sub in and it can be made into a salad with canned veggies along with extras like croutons and almonds. Deviled chicken and deviled ham are great mixed with mayo and make perfect sandwich fillers. What about seafood? It's fine as long as it's cooked. You can easily make Greek shrimp kebabs.These are kebabs marinaded in olive oil, spiced with dried oregano, paprika, fennel and cumin. Serve over rice if you want a  dip then also think Greek. Blend plain Greek yogurt with lemon juice and add dill and fresh chives (both are safe to eat.) Canned tuna is a summer staple. Think of having a Porvencale inspired tuna salad with cannellini beans. Use tuna in oil, and add a splash of vinegar. Dried oragano and rosemary gives it some zing. Serve with crusty grilled and oiled.French bread .

You can survive this outbreak and not get sick. Just wisely choose your ingredients and cook them. You'll have safe delicious dishes.

And Cylospora Rages On

 It is not a good summer for veggie and fruit lovers. Thanks to Cylospora, that nasty little parasite , everyone's favorite produce is now off limits. What to do> What to avoid? f you eat carefully you can beat this.

Many people still don;t know what Cylospora is.They often confuse it with salmonella or food poisoning. As far as digestive track upset (and that's the  kindest that can be written about both) both can cause a lot of trouble. Yet Cylospora is a parasite - and it relies on only humans to thrive. Animals are free from it.On the surface of any herb,veggie or berry the parasites lie dormant in pods called oocytes.One hundred of them can fit comfortably on a pinhead .Once swallowed they trek through the esopha  gus, then  to the stomach and finally landing in the intestines. The pods respond to everything from gut signals to bile to digestive enzymes. The parasites go straight to the small intestine's lining where they take over the cells. They make copies of themselves; after awhile they form egg like and sperm like organisms which mess up the intestinal lining/ They reduce nutrient absorption which can cause massive diarrhea in foods and water. How people get the parasite is by ingesting water contaminated with them. Germany hands can also cause it which may explain the large contamination.Infected workers touch fresh;y picked produces and ;eave the tiny pods behind. 

What can you eat during this outbreak?Fresh salads are definitely off the table. Yet there are so many delicious veggie meals you can make.If you do want fresh lettuce get the heads as opposed to the bag mixes.Amy stores have pulled these, namely from Taylor Farms off their shelves. Get the heads and then scrub thoroughly in warn water for a few minutes. DO NOT use soap or bleach when washing.This will just  ruin the taste.Then pull off two to three out leaves (you can also go as high as four for extra safety).This also applies to cabbage too. Lettuce from our garden or even a neighbors'garden should be safe to eat whole.Saute ,grill or roast vegetables. Gazpacho should be put on hold this summer while tomatoes Provencale and ratatouille should be on dinner rotation. Used canned or frozen fruits and veggies for recipes Start foraging local fruit trees and forests for wild apples and strawberries. Buy thick skinned fruits like avocados, bananas and  anything citrus. The skins save the fruit from the Cylospora pods and these should be discarded right away.

How long will cylospora be with us? That's hard to say. Yet play  it safe. Cook safe and eat safe and you should be all right.

There's Bounty In Drought

 Can a lack of rain produce jush plants and a bounty of veggies. Surprisingly yes.With the right management an overly dry environment can mean abundance.

Regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this in today's New York Times Food section. Arizona is one such state. It has little water resources yet draws in thousands of new residents per year.The sta te is experiencing serious water problems. The Colorado River, Arizoba's main source of water is dangerously low. This does not bode well for the state's farms and home gardens. Climate change is already parching soil and depleting aquifers, bodies of permeable rocks that can contain or  transmit water. This is bad fo the states' farm that provide lettuce and even hay , the last being sold to Saudi Arabia.Luckily there are solutions to combat this. Everyone from home gardeners to the larger farms are embracing old techniques and recycling in order to stay alive. There is even a gardening movement in PHoenix that is keeping city backyards verdant. Thanks to a company called Urban Far, Phoenix homeowners can learn to carefully  lay out their greenery , Vines cools off fruit and veggies, drip tapes als work as irrigators.

It's not just homeowners that are benefitting, Farms are too,. A primary goal of them is to restore land that has been damaged by synthetic fertilizers and neglect.There is a lot of composting which keeps food waste from rotting in land fills. NIna Sajover, a Slovenian immigrant atarted the Ajo Center in Sustainabie Agriculture on the Ajo reservation.She looks to the indigenous people of the area who have been growing crops in bad conditions for centuriesThey use dry farming techniques which relies on residual water to irrigate the crops instad of artificial means.It has proven successful with a variety of fruits adapting.Even cacti is growing well and is also being used in recipes. This will probably be the default way of farming for not only Arizona but parts of California, Texas <Nevada and Nw Mexico. Doing such means bossting up those states' economies.

Will this type of farming help in the future? It should. This is what Arizona's agri economy  will look like as climate change becomes more dire.

Your Scrap Garden

 Don't throw away those scraps! Those bits and pieces from veggies and fruits can be planted and regrown into more ingredients for your summer kitchen. It's a fun way to recycle along with being a thrifty one.

Most veggies can be replanted in your  garden or in pots.The alliums like leeks and scallions are easy to replant. Bunches come with small, white roots already sprouting. You can first plant them in a glass of water and then plant them in the garden or in a terracotta pot with good drainage.  Keep in mind these need a lot of bright sunlight. They can be placed by a window but outdoors is your best bet for growing healthy ones. what is great about them is that they just keep on giving. Pull them out, use them long green leaves in everything from sauces to soups and then replant the second generation of sprouts. Onions can also be grown from scraps or the whole veggie. Onions will start to sprout new growths if you leave in your crisper for a few weeks. Don;t throw them out. Add them to your garden too! Romaine lettuce, lettuce and bok choy can also be regrown. Save their stumps and place in a bowl filled halfway with water. You''ll start to see leaves after a few days!!!.That means it's time to plant in your garden. Potatoes and sweet potatoes can also be regrown too. Cut in half and place in a dark area like your basement.

Fruits are an easier regrow. All have seeds which can be replanted. Remember though that oranges and lemons do require warm weather. This is perfect if you live in states like Florida and California that have always been associated with the fruits Trees can freeze and damage can be done to both the blossoms and the fruit. You could grown them if you have a climate controlled greenhouse. If you 're in the northern part of the country,. then think apples and cherries along with peaches and plums.However most commercially grown fruit comes off of "grafted" trees. You may not get the same tasty fruit that you bought from your store. A Golden Delicious seed may not yield a Golden Delicious apple. You will get apples , and they'll still be delicious but they might be a Fuji or a Winesap.. The same is true with plums and peaches. Another point to remember is that it will take a tree two to three years to produce fruit. Still it's nice to even have a tree for shade. Make sure plum and peach pits are scrubbed free of any pulp and then air dried before planting.

Save those scraps!!!! They can be used to create a productive harvest and ingredients for your future meals. You'll be getting much more from your original buy.

Supporting The Smaller Markets And DIners

 This pandemic is still hitting the smaller markets and eateries. It's tough for any place to come back . Even the bigger establishments have troubles , struggling to make a profit.It;'s worse for the mom and op places.

Visit the smaller fruit and veggie stores or farmer's markets if you can. They usually sell produce for a fraction of the cost the chain groceries do. You can easily pick up a bag of plums for two to three dollars cheaper or score two heads of lettuce for only a dollar. Many of these smaller greengrocers also offer other products like breads, pasta and cookies. Some even have a small deli section like The Farmer's Market in my town, Saddle Brook, It's a great place to pick up a quick lunch or get the ingredients for a spaghetti dinner or stir fry. A few of these markets offer ethnic specialties too , such as tortillas or halvah, depending on the neighborhood.

Diners ,, such as The Bendix in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey also rely on loyal customers as well as take out orders,These places are wonderful if you're too tired or it's too hot to cook. They have a wide variety of different dishes, sure to please everyone's tastes. Diner burgers are actually better than the ones served than what the fast food joints have. The French fries are definitely better, since they're usually hand cut and fried up with each order as opposed to just sitting there in old oil. Many places also offer alternatives like sweet potato fries or a side of veggie and dip. You can also get French toast or eggs there at any time of day. Again McDonald's and Wendy's usually cut off the breakfast menu at noon.  Also diners customize lunch orders and throw in extras like cookies or rolls for loyal customers.

The smaller groceries and diners need our business. Help them out with regular visits.They'll greatly appreciate it> Not only that you'll receive good food at good prices.

A Burger's Best Friend Burger Buddy

 Eating a hamburger can be a messy affair.Grease drips out , lettuce or tomato can slide onto a clean short or worse pants. Not only that fingers can become grimed with everything from special sauce to juices. Luckily burgers now have a best friend in Burger Daddy. This is a big innovation in hamburger history by the innovators at Burger Buddy, namely Ismael  and Mohammed, who were hamburger affectionadoes themselves. They wanted something cleaner than a napkin that was  also environmentally friendly and reusable. How could they  make the burger experience neater? the answer was the Burger Buddy.

This is a two silicon semi circles attached by an accordion like strip that stretches depending on the width of the burger.

It makes it perfect for holding a Big Mac or Whopper, holding everything in, from the veggies to the cheese and bacon - and of course the burger. Also it''s perfect for larger sized rolls like Kaiser rolls, expanding to fit larger sizes.What happens when you get to the bottom of the sandwich? Just gently tug the ends of the holder and the sandwich pops up, ready to be finished.

I loves these,because it made devouring a Gardein Burger that much less messier and also easier. The plastic absorbs the heat so fingers stay cool. There was no drippy melted spread dripping all over me too. Burger Daddy can also be used for breakfast sandwiches and even doughnuts! Another plus is that it's very easy to clean and wash too. Burger Buddies can also be put into ovens up to 450 degrees Farenheit.They're easily stackable and packable so you can bring them to your local hamburger joint and eat your favorite burgers safely and less sloppily in the car. One is $13.59 at Amazon and makes a great present for any hamburger lover.

Burger Buddies are the neatest way , both figuratively and literally to eat a burger , doughnut or bagel. Buy a few today and save yourself and your clothes the mess. Good bye stains. Good bye greasy fingers. Hello a nice clean way to enjoy your favorite foods.

Donate Your Talents

The front line needs us. The ones unemployed and food needy need us. What can you do? Donate food. Donate your cooking and baking.

If you have a restaurant and extra food, see if you can donate to emergency and front line workers . People still need to eat and a hot meal, whether pasta, pizza or even a burger or BLT is much welcomed. There are non profit organizations out there that are paying for essential workers to eat. Contact your local ones to see if they want to partner with your eatery for this. You can also contribute to feeding those in need of meals' the homeless and the recently unemployed. Again there are non profit organizations that can pay for this and set up a tab. You could also deliver to the elderly's homes too. Donate any fresh food you haven't used to food banks or leave it out in bags for those to take. Any extra, bread, lettuce  and tomatoes can feed a family for a few days. If there's extra cake or desserts throw them in too. It'll be a treat to the kids. Also throw in those fun kids place mats and crayons. These would be appreciated by fraught parents looking for something extra for their kids to do.

If you're a good cook and baker  then think about donating your talent to helping too. You can create large family dinners for essential workers' families whose parents are on the front lines. Create easy to make care packages like lasagnas and casseroles. Rice and pasta dishes are also simple to whip up and pack. Create a few for neighbors who are on the front lines. There is nothing liked fresh baked goods. These offer not just good cheer but a heart felt thank you. Bake a few loaves of bread. It's not only soul soothing but versatile. It can be used for sandwiches, stuffing and even turned into bread crumbs when stale. Experienced bread makers can try different kinds like honey and sourdough. You can even try rolls which always go over big. Another comfort treat is a plate of cookies. There's nothing like chocolate chips , fresh from the oven, with gooey chips and crunchy walnuts. Vary the plate with homemade oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookies or blossoms.

This is the time for all of us to step up. Donate anyway you can. Use your restaurant's kitchen. Use your own kitchen to help our during this time.

A Sustainable Garden

It may be only late January but it's time to think about vegetable gardens. You can start planning a sustainable one for the Spring. Not only will you help in locavore cooking you'll be helping the planet too.

One of the most fun things about gardening is planning it with your family. Include the kids in it and they will not only learn more about green gardening they'll also take an interest in green cooking too. How to start? Give your backyard a really good look. Where do you want this garden? In a bright sunny patch? Out of the way of foot traffic? Bordering the patio? Of course take in consideration where  what you choose will survive. Then begin drawing up specs and  sketches about where you want the plants. Consider building small protective fences with repurposed wood along with building a compost heap for your food scrape and grass clippings. Next decide what you want to grow. Try opting for native climate-appropriate ones. You may want to check natural areas such as woodlands along with getting advice from local garden experts. The last is also the best bet for shopping for shoots and seeds. Make sure that your chosen veggies are hardy and high yielding inside your climatic soil and elevation.

What veggies should you grow? The ones that you like however there are certain ones that work well in a sustainable garden. Tomatoes are always popular and you can save the seeds for late summer planting or for the next year. They are so versatile, going from freshly eaten with just sea salt to sauces , sandwiches and salads. Cherry tomatoes are a fun grow for little gardeners and just a fun snack. Another easy grow are shallots. They have the same flavor as their cousin - the onion - and can be used in everything from salads to stir fries. A plus is that they take up half the space that the onion would in a garden. They also require less care too. Garlic is another easy plant and can even be raised in pots around the patio. The bulbs are an easy harvest and you can harvest one bulb while letting the others mature. As we all know garlic is one of the best additions to any savory dish. Try fresh bulbs in the famed Italian sauce aglia olio or roast garlic cloves on the grill, adding them to salads or marinades. Leafy greens meaning any kind of lettuce is a plus. They can be Romaine for Caesar salads or iceberg for a tasty wedge drench in blue cheese. Another veggie is the beet. This is an easy grow and can be made into a tasty sweet salad for summer barbecues.

It may be winter but it's time to start thinking of  sustainable gardens. Deciding what you want to do and want to plant will save time later on. Plot and choose now for a veggie patch that will not only benefit your family but also the Earth too.

Sharing

With today being Martin Luther King Day, it's time to think of sharing. It can be our time , gardens , talent, whatever have you. Food , the growing and preparing of it is a great way of keeping his wish for unity alive. It makes us a family, wed together with ingredients and recipes.

One of the best ways to honor Reverend King is donating time. The best is helping out at the soup kitchens in your area. Many just volunteer during Thanksgiving and Christmas yet it shouldn't just end there.  The needy are hungry all the time. Spend these weekends at your local soup kitchen along with Spring and summer ones  too. Suggest cookouts when the weather gets warmer. Urge stores to donate grills , and wood chips along with barbecue grub like dogs and burgers,along with cabbage for cole slaw and potatoes for potato salad. Donate time at the senior centers too and veterans home too. They made need help with events and parties. Another way of helping out is sharing home grown fruits and veggies. Start planning a slightly bigger garden this year. Any overage can be donated to both soup kitchens and food pantries.  Think about planting popular ones like tomatoes which can be used in everything from sauces to salads and lettuce, good for salads and sandwiches.As for fruit, fruit trees do take time to produce fruit. If you do want to donate some, then think about growing melons and strawberries  which can yield large harvests quickly.

Helping to cook also is a big plus to many kitchens. Another idea to promote unity is proposing community dinners where everyone comes and cooks. Grammar or high school gyms can be used for this as the school kitchens have more than ample room for a slew of cooks and bakers. Community dinners are a great way for new families to  mix with the town's veterans. Different dishes reflecting all the many nationalities can be made. It will be exciting as some taste shawarma and za'atar for the first time while others proudly serve  decades old family recipes such as meat loaf ,stuffed peppers and meatballs. A cookbook can even be made up with the featured dishes and sold with benefits going to the school. Bakers can feel good about whipping up a batch of cupcakes and/or cookies. Donate these to senior centers and veterans homes. You can also bake up loaves of healthy artisanal bread and rolls too which make for  healthier lunches and dinners. If there's a birthday , then bake a sheet cake that can be shared by all. You can also make an ice cream sheet cake during the warmer months too at your local centers and shelters.

Reverend King wanted this country to be unified with us blending together as one. What better way than with sharing food.It 's what brings us together.

Beyond Burgers Beyond Good

Recently there is a lot of buzz around Beyond Burgers. This next level of the classic veggie burger takes the food one step further - with real beef texture and taste. Is it true? Yes! It does taste, look and feel like the real thing.

I didn't set out to buy this latest craze in vegan eating.I had gone into my local Acme - which is rare -to pick up much needed Liquid Plumr (thanks to a dodgy bathroom sink).I did need something for dinner that night. The easiest choice was Gardein if Acme had it. However the Beyond Burger  pack caught my eye. I had to try  them.The patties are packaged the same as regular beef and turkey burgers in a yellow plastic tray with a clear wrap covering them. A quick glance and you wouldn't know the difference between them and the regular sort. The price is a bit steep - six dollars for a pack of two. Gardein's - my usual go to ,is only $4.99 for a pack of four. Morningstar Farms is $5.49 for a four pack.  I don't think Beyond Burger will be featured at any of my barbecues this summer. Even for a small party of five that's a pack per person which translates into $30 for the main course! Beyond Burgers will be only for very small get togethers  I'm thinking of turning the patties into Salisbury steaks with homemade mushroom gravy for Christmas. (a long way off, I know). They will be gracing a birthday party of three soon too.

Are they worth the price? Absolutely yes. You do get more meat, Each patty has the thickness of a quarter pounder.  I wish I had taken pictures of this  to show their meatiness. They fry up easily on an stove top grill- only taking about six minutes on both sides. The outside was a deep beefy brown  with the typical crispy exterior.The inside was tender and pink - the perfect burger. The taste was exactly the same as a regular beef patty  with a rich unami, mineral flavor. There's even a juiciness to it. What is this wonder burger made from? There's no soy or gluten in it. Surprisingly it's pea protein isolate that is it's base along with canola and coconut oils. Pea protein may sound new but it's been used for years in protein shakes and can add in muscle gain and weight loss.It also gives a feeling of fullness. To be honest eating just one was quite filling. Adding a bun, along with onions, lettuce and tomato would be too much. I'm looking forward to trying  their Beyond Sausage brats along with incorporating their crumbles into my homemade tomato sauce and chili.

Don't be on the fence about trying Beyond Burger. You'll be missing out on one of the greatest meatless products. Try it, You'll forget about beef with one bite.

Adding Oomph To The BBQ

We're officially at the start of barbecuing season. There's something fun about outdoor cooking, yet those burgers, dogs and ribs can be boring. Spike them and the traditional sides with different and new flavors It'll make for an exciting meal at the picnic table.

Hamburgers are a staple at any cookout. The best kind to make are the ones with chopped meat. With this you can add anything and everything to make them tastier. One crazy idea is putting an ice cube in the middle of a patty. Why? It melts, giving the burger a nice  juiciness .It won't have that dry crumbly, sticks in your throat texture. If you 're making these , remember just stick to salt and pepper as seasoning. Nix the onions. You want to have the full , flavorful juicy meat experience. Another filler is butter, which not only makes the hamburger juicier but also richer in taste.Use a knob of butter for a Wisconsin butter burger style let it melt on top. Another method is  first make balls out of the chopped meat, then add a teaspoon or small knob of butter.It would then be flattened and ready for the grill.If you and your family and friends like spicy burgers, then add a anywhere from 1/4 teaspoon ton one teaspoon of chili powder.If you want a different kind of heat, then add a drop or two of sriracha. Burgers can also get a lift by what 's placed on top of them. Instead of the usual tomatoes and lettuce, try a slice of avocado, or better yet, guacamole. Just spread on a thin layer so that the rich flavor doesn't overpower the burger. Another , healthier choice is wilted spinach and kale that's been sauteed with garlic and red pepper flakes.

Ribs are always on the menu at almost evrey  barbecue. The usual rib sauce consists of mixing ketchup with molasses and zinging it up with a dash of hot pepper. Instead think about adding bourbon to the mix. This requires two to three tablespoons  of it mixed in along side  apple cider, vinegar, and apple cider.Apple butter is added to this as a fruity sauce with a kick.Another variation has garlic and tomato sauce mixed with orange juice and ketchup. Sides are just important at a barbecue as the main dishes.Cole slaw is ever present at any cookout or picnic. Instead of glopping it with mayo, try a homemade salad dressing such as French or ranch. A healthier spin is using plain Greek yogurt zinged up with roasted garlic and lemon. Roasted corn is always welcome. Give it a Mexican twist by sprinkling cotija cheese on it.If you can't find this tasty Mexican fromage, then sub in Parmesan. It's first rubbing the ears with butter and then sprinkling the grated cheese on them.Potato salad is always a big treat. Instead of the usual German  - which is very good - try the more Mediterranean Sicilian style. Instead of mayo add olive oil and rice wine vinegar.Green olives and red onions round it out. A variation of this has tuna capers and a squeeze of lemon.Make it and pretend you're at the beach at the Taormina coast.

Barbecue season is here. Don't settle for the ordinary. Go out of the box and create a memorable,exciting cook out.

The Lettuce Dilemma

We now have a food crisis in the States, Thanks to the horrid drought season out in California, letuce is becoming not only scarce but expensive.This is also happening in Britain where even tomaotes are becoming rarer and rarer.There is definitely going to be a impact on how we shop and how we eat? What can be done?

The shortage has been going on for a couple of months now, since mid-February. Many home chefs have seen it with the expensive price tags on ordinary heads.A head of iceberg lettuce is a whopping  $6.00 while romaine fetches as high as $8.00. Prices have quadrupled since the bad growing season (which can easily be blamed on global warming) in California, which has gone from severe drought to severe flooding. The wild weather swings naturally would impact lettuce's growing season along with the growing seasons of   other crops such as cauliflower and broccoli.There is now talk of an upcoming peach shortage too, thanks to a cold snap that affected  peach orchards and newly  flowering trees.Luckily the Spring planting is just starting here in New Jersey and other Eastern Seaboard states. That means locally grown greens , veggies and fruits will be ready  - and better priced in the upcoming months.

What to do in the interim, though? You can still have salad but think other veggies kale is one of the few greens that is still affordable. Use it instead of iceberg or romaine .It makes an excellent Caesar salad. Add any chicken or shrimp to turn it into a main dish. Tomato are relatively cheap now, especially the vine ripes and grape varieties. Slice them up, add chopped cilantro and garlic along with olive oil and it's a nice starter or side to chicken or steak. Onions are also inexpensive . An onion salad is another idea  is grilling them and drenching them in a vinaigrette. You can even add crispy bacon to it for some color and crunch.Fresh peppers make an excellent salad base as well. Again  use them fresh or grilled for a technicolor greens dish. Use  red, green,and yellow ones along with corn niblets for a variety of fiesta salad.Peppers and tomatoes blend together well too. Try a bell pepper and grape tomato one. with a zingy dressing.

Yes, we're in the middle of lettuce crises. Don;t be bothered by it/ They 're plenty of sub ins that you can use until the local crops start springing up.

Foodie Footprint

Today is Earth Day, the day when we have to honor our planet as well as cleaning up our land and water. Yet foodies and home chefs can honor the planet all year round as well as reducing their carbon footprint.

One of the best ways to cut down on energy and pollution is buying local. This is easy as we head into the Spring planting and summer harvest season. Many groceries such as Stop & Shop, Acme and Shop Rite, here in New Jersey all by from local family farms. However, they also buy from South American and Mexican farms out of season too. Try to avoid these when you can. Another good place to source locally ground fruit and veggies is your local farmer’s market. They should be opening soon in cities and towns across America and offer a wide and delicious variety of garden variety and even unusual produce. Farmer’s markets are also great places to buy honey and all natural baked goods from family owned apiaries and bakeries , along with cheese and butter from local dairies. Of course the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint is planting your own. Add more green to the environment by growing tomatoes and lettuce along with onions and carrots. Include some herbs too  to add zing to your organic meals. One of the most impactful gestures is canning. Preserving your fruits and vegetables for eating during the winter is a great idea. You don’t have to rely on foreign imports when winter comes. Just go to your pantry and pull out the green beans or cherries you preserved back in July and August.

How do you make your kitchen more energy efficient? Use your microwave instead f your oven. It takes less energy to cook food because the appliance uses heat to cook the food not the atmosphere around it as a traditional oven would. A microwave can save up to eighty per cent of power used to cook or warm up meals in an oven. Yet many eschew microwaves because of the health controversies surrounding them. This is fine because there are ways to make a stove and oven more energy efficient. Just make sure that the flame is fully underneath the cookware. This also applies to electric stoves too.Also use appropriate size pans for the job. Oversized ones will eat up too much energy and heat. They’re also cheaper too.Another must-do is don’t pose in front of the open fridge , wondering what to eat or drink.It accounts for up to seven per cent of refrigerator’s energy used. Opening the door lets warm air in which makes the fridge’s compressor has to drive it out while returning to a normal temperature for storing food.Decide what you want before you open the door.Also have an organized one too. Rooting around in it is the same as posing in front of it.Put the more popular items up front and don’t overload both the top and bottom.

Foodies can also do their part in saving the planet. Buy local. Be resourceful .Most importantly  - DON’T waste energy when you cook or store food!

Fall Salads

Fall isn't what it used to be. By now, the days would have had a definite nip to them. It would have meant hot meals and hot drinks. Not anymore. Thanks to global warming - and yes, it does exist -s we're having summery weather and balmy breezes right up to November.How to survive? Adopt a summer menu. Eat salads - fall salads.

Tossing together greens and veggies many be a tricky aspect right now. After all,  it's not the height of  summer when there are daily harvests. The tomatoes are riper and have that glow  only a summer sun can give. Vegetable choices are limited. There aren't any fresh ears of corn or bright colorful peppers. What to do? Work with what the stores do have. Yes, there are tomatoes. They're just  not going to be the gems of two months ago. Canned tomatoes can be used in salads but they may be a bit juicy, depending on what brand is used. Luckily California can give us greens all year round. You still can make a lovely mixed greens salad using tomatoes and spinach or arugula. Canned veggies are never as good as fresh but they'll do. Add some canned corn along with sweet peas for some color and texture. Beet salad is always delicious  and the canned kind can be elevated by adding freshly sliced onions. It's a nice addition to even a fall picnic or tailgating party. A  chilled green bean salad is another refreshing side , especially when it's dressed with a crisp , classic vinaigrette. Even canned asparagus can be turned into a salad. Use a citrus based dressing to give it some dash.

What about combining fall fruits and vegetables?. The first is easy to do. Apples , pears and Concord grapes blend very easily into salads. One of the most delicious is a Waldorf salad. It is a blend of chopped apples, grapes and walnuts.Celery is the base of it and this can be bought all year round. It is versatile, Add chicken to it and it's a lunch or dinner. Without it , it makes a nice side to grilled chicken or even  turkey burgers.Apples also pair well with spinach and kale, Combine them in a salad with walnuts and dried cranberries. Pears are also popular right now. A delicious one is where slices are mixed with Roquefort cheese and any kind of lettuce. Be sure to use three kinds of pear,  the sweet, large Anjou, the brown, textured Bosc and the bright yellow tart tasting Bartlett. One spin on it calls for avocado ,or the alligator pear but this can be omitted.The salad is  served with a mustard dressing. Grapes can be added to any salad, They bring an earthy sweetness that goes with any green. Fall veggies are kind of limited however there is a lot to do with carrots and cabbage. These can be the stars of a salad or  supporting players. A chilled carrot salad is a nice palate cleanser at a tailgate party. A vinaigrette dressed slaw is perfect at any fall barbecue or picnic.Add some sesame seeds for crunch and flavor.


Fall isn't what it used to be.We still have shorts and flipflop weather til Halloween. Hot days mean easy eating. Create a fall salad, head to the beach or the park and enjoy a summery October.

Planting Your Meals

Despite the weather it is actually planting season, Many home chefs also become home gardeners to guarantee their summer cooking has fresh vegetables. Planning is key to a great garden along with planting what will be eaten most.

Everybody goes wild when they see those seed packet displays. There's so many veggies, herbs and even fruits to choose from. Hold back. That enthusiasm may result in buying and growing produce
you"ll  never eat . Ask yourself and your family what do they like the best. Tomatoes are always welcome because they not only go in salads but can be used in ratatouilles and sauces. Also family and friends always love to receive a bag or basket of fresh picked tomatoes too. Lettuce is another plant that's always in the  garden. Buy several different types of lettuce seeds to grow (however be warned,critters like woodchucks love to nibble on lettuce leaves).Carrots are another garden must because they can be turned into  a great side or part of any salad. They're also very easy to grow as well.Some home gardeners like to grow green peppers and then cook the harvest with Italian sausages or make them stuffed. If your family loves corn, then consider adding it to your garden plot.Just remember that corn does require not only space but extra care.If the family doesn't commit to it then the best bet is buying ears at your local farmer's market.

Herbs are always welcome plants in any yards. Again evaluate what you cook with and need, then seek those seeds.Basil is one of the most versatile herbs. If you use a lot of it , consider an entire patch of it or buying three or four basil plants to transplant. After all, it won't just be an addition to pasta sauces, but it will be used in marinades, topping pizzas and being made into the main ingredient of homemade pesto sauce.It';ll also be given to family , friends and neighbors who will be constantly asking for it for their own cooking.Rosemary is another herb that's much in demand and it can be grown in any garden. Home chefs will do well by planting garlic cloves in the backyard too. They're easy to tend to and yield amazing shoots that can be subbed in for scallions. Also the idea of using fresh garlic is very appealing to any home chef. Like basil, it can be used in almost every savory dish out there, from salads to roasts.Home chefs should also consider growing fruit such as berries and melons. Strawberries are always on every home chef and home bakers list for summer ingredients, Adding  fresh from the garden ones will amp up homemade  strawberry shortcake or homemade ice cream. Watermelon is a great summer must have and it's fun to have a slew of them in the back yard. Just remember that melons do take up a lot of land so plant accordingly to allow for their growth.

This is the season for planting. Make a list of what you cook with the most and then plant them.There's nothing better than cooking and baking with fresh from the garden ingredients.

Sleepy Time Foods

Springing forward time wise means a lot of good things. Spring is here. The days are longer with sunsets beginning at seven PM. Summer is just around the corner. However it also means being wide awake at eleven PM or midnight This screws up our Circadian rhythms and makes for a bad wake up call the next morning. What to do? Eat foods that will make you sleepy.A few bites and you’ll be craving your pillow and forty winks.

Just what foods will do the trick? One of the best is celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Extra herbal tea.It has soothing chamomile along with spearmint  lemongrass and hawthorn. Valerian, a long used sedative for millenia is also thrown in for guaranteed drowsiness.There are the other Sleepy Time blends such as the original recipe along with ones that have echinacea  and ginger. Another snooze inducer is that classic warm milk. It has tryptophan in it, the same chemical that’s in turkey. You can add a tiny pinch of nutmeg along with the smallest drop of vanilla extract for more flavor. Milk can be heated in the microwave so you can make it there without the threat of it being scalded. Surprsingly tart cherry juice can also bring on sleepiness , thanks to the release of melantonin. The juice can be bought at GNC or online rather than at your local grocery store. Everyone thinks that a cup of hot cocoa will do the trick but that’s a wrong assumption. Chocolate has caffeine which will keep you up all night along with sugar which again can keep a person from getting a good night’s rest.

As for foods, yes you could have a nighttime snack of that leftover turkey. It may be a bit too heavy though so consider lighter options. Pretzels can do the same job. They’re full of carbs which can make you feel sleepy. Another snack option are bananas.They’re chock full of Vitamin B 6 which is essential in the melantonin synthesis .They’re also loaded with potassium which causes muscles to relax. Have one two to three hours before going to bed.Peanut butter is another snack guaranteed to cause zzzs thanks to the nuts being high in niacin, an essential key in creating serotonin.. What you eat at dinner can also affect the way you sleep. This is when the turkey can come in handy, especially paired with a salad. Lettuce , along with kale and spinach are loaded with calcium which aids the brain in using tryptophan. Even hummus can help you fall asleep. It starts off as L-tryptophan once it’s been processed by the body but then turns to 5HTP which releases relaxing serotonin. Serve it with mixed veggies or toasted pita wedges.Fish such as tuna, salmon and halibut share the same Vitamin B6 as bananas along with being very high in tryptophan too. Eat any of the three to ensure a sound night’s sleep.

Don’t let this new time ruin your sleep habits. Eat the right foods before going to bed to feel drowsy .Doing such will guarantee a good night’s rest and an easier wake up in the morning.

Plotting Your Summer Garden

There's nothing like fresh veggies and fruits.especially If they're organic and from lovingly tended gardens. The problem is that most stores don't offer this.This is why a backyard garden and even mini orchard pays off. You get fresh ,chemical free produce at any time that you want it.Growing and gardening are also fun hobbies too, connecting you with nature.

The first thing to do is plot your garden. Ask yourself what you want to plant. If your family loves pasta and salsa, then think about growing tomatoes. There are all sorts and they're relatively fuss free to raise. If you want something simple, then think radishes, They're the first veggies that kids grow because they're easy to tend to and sprout quickly. Carrots are too, however they grow the best in sandy soil.Another snap to grow is lettuce . It can even be cultivated in containers for those that want the simplicity of a patio garden.

If you;re planning on growing squash and melon, then start clearing out your garden. These require a lot of space , Melon requires a warm soil about seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Maintaining an even temperature is easy, Use a permeable black tarp to keep the plants toasty during cool late nights and early mornings.It's also important to have good irrigation as well. Squash requires a lot of ground as well, however they are a bit easier to grow than their vined cousins,the pumpkin. As with trees. if you;re think of planting any fruit trees, then get saplings, They;re easier to tend to than planting by seed. Apple and peach trees.give you fruit as soon as they reach puberty.which is the second year. Strawberries and blueberries yield quickly and they basically easy to care for.

This is the time of year to start thinking about your organic garden. Choose the veggies and fruits you know your family will like.Also keep in mind about their facility to grow.. This will give you the best garden and the best produce to enjoy.