Meatless Monday: Beautiful Brussels Sprouts

I went foraging just before Christmas. I had agreed to provide Brussels sprouts for the Christmas Day feast, my only contribution to the dinner, and I wanted my dish to be perfect.

I started at the farmers’ market. Brussels sprouts are a cold weather crop, after all. There were none to be found. Next stop was a small market where I found some packed in small tubs, but they were rather pricey and the outer leaves were yellowed. So, I headed for a chain. There I found a sign for Brussels sprouts as advertised next to an empty space where the sprouts should be. The produce manager said he would get me some from the back. He returned with three “swords” of sprouts over his shoulders. He told me that’s the way the sprouts had been coming in this season, on the stem, not trimmed and packaged.

They were beautiful, densely packed with tiny, firm, bright green little heads. I bought two, clueless as to how many I would need.

I found a place for the swords in the fridge, and the next day I trimmed the heads from the stalks. Here is the yield – enough to totally fill a one gallon ziplock bag!

On Christmas morning, I emptied out the sprouts, selected about 2 quarts on the smallest ones, washed them well, and spun them dry in a salad spinner. As instructed on the tag from the Salinas, CA grower, I cut a small “x” in the stem end of each sprout, to help the inside to cook as rapidly as the outside.

I prepared them as the Barefoot Contessa suggested, by coating the sprouts with oil, salt and pepper and roasting them in a hot oven. The only variation I made to her recipe [By now, you know I always have at least one.] was to use a cast iron pan instead of a sheet pan and to lower the oven temperature by 25°. I timed them to be done just before we left for dinner, placed them in a covered casserole, and then warmed them in my friend’s oven while we had appetizers. These sprouts were the best ever. 

Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea variety gemmifera), a member of the mustard family, originated in Belgium, where they may have been grown as early as 1200. The plant has a relatively long growing period, and requires a mild, cool climate to thrive. A late season crop, their taste is improved by frost.  

Brussels sprouts are rich in nutrients, particularly Vitamin C.

Freshly plucked from the sword, and roasted this simple way, the sprouts will taste nothing like the pungent-smelling, overly-boiled cabbages you might remember from your youth.

There is only one caveat. Warfarin (blood thinner) users might want to forgo this treat, or limit their intake to just a few. Brussels sprouts are also very rich in Vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting, counteracting the effects of the warfarin. Last year a heart patient in Scotland ended up in the hospital because he over-indulged. Doctors were able to stabilize him. 

Happy Monday! Happy New Year! Eat your veggies! Thanks for reading.

I often blog on food or food issues on Monday in support of Meatless Monday, one of several programs developed in the Healthy Monday project, founded in 2003 in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Meatless Monday’s goal is “to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.”

Saturday Short Subjects: Giving for Good

A few nights ago we watched Happy, a film in  which director Roko Belic travels the world in search of the answer to the question: What makes a person happy? He discovered some of the happiest people in some of the most surprising situations and places [surprising to me, at least, with my with First World Problems]. There was, however, a common characteristic among the happiest people the world over. They all found joy in doing good for others.

Doing a bit of good might be just the thing to lift your spirits if you find yourself in a post-holiday funk.

Here’s an easy way to get started.

Share the joy of Kiva, an organization founded to “empower people around the world with a $25 loan.” You can make a donation yourself, or share the joy of Kiva with a loved one.

The founders of Kiva “envision a world where all people - even in the most remote areas of the globe - hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others.” They “believe providing safe, affordable access to capital to those in need helps people create better lives for themselves and their families.”

Here’s how a gift to Kiva works.

• In brief, you, the lender, select a project from the catalog of loan requests available on the Kiva site, which includes information about the project and the person who is requesting the loan. You can peruse all the projects or narrow your search based on geographical area or project type. 
• You then add your donation to the funding request. 
• When the project goal is met, Kiva funds the project. 
• The borrower repays the loan. 
• Once your loan is repaid, you can make another loan, donate the money to Kiva, or get your original loan amount back.

Since Kiva was founded in 2005, nearly 867,000 Kiva lenders have provided loans totaling over $389,000, with a repayment rate of over 99%.

Kiva has achieved a very high rating from the Charity Navigator site. 

May we all find peace and happiness in the days ahead.

Why Saturday Short Subjects? Some readers may recall  being dropped at the movie theater for the Saturday matinee — two action-packed feature films with a series of short subjects (cartoons or short movies, sometimes a serial cliffhanger) sandwiched in between. Often the short subjects were the most memorable, and enjoyable, part of the morning. That explains the name. The reason behind these particular posts is that we are all short on time. My Short Subject posts should not take me as long to write or you as long to read (or try).

Thanks and Holiday Greetings…

to all of you who have paid this blog a visit, whether once or many times…

In unison we wish you a 2013 filled with 

peace, health, happiness, and excellent adventures.

The story behind this image?

This is what happens when you are inspired by an IKEA recipe card for marzipan confections but refuse to use red food coloring and find out that pomegranate juice, although it does stain a white shirt, does not color marzipan. By making the best use of what you have on hand (chocolate chips of various sizes and dried cranberries) you end up with a hybrid of Santa and Mr. Bill. [You’ve got to admit they are cute.]

Saturday Short Subjects: Counting Down to Christmas

It’s December 22, and we are all still here. This is a special, holiday Saturday Short for sharing a couple of fun activities for the young and the young-at-heart who are eagerly awaiting Christmas Day.

Last Saturday we attended a cookie swap at a friend’s house – bring 4 dozen, take home 3 dozen, donate 1 dozen to a good cause (in this case a shelter for battered women). I did my best to channel Martha the evening before and made dozens of crispy, round cookies with sliced almonds on top, which were meant to look like sand dollars when they were done. 

That Friday night marked the end of an extraordinarily sad day in Connecticut. I knew kids would be at the cookie swap, and I decided to do a no-bake decorated treat to brighten up my tray. Are these all-natural? No way! Healthy? Hardly! But they are so cute, and so easy. My husband had fun helping. The kids loved them. I imagine it would be a great project to do with kids and grandkids if you have some around. Here is what you need: 1 package of Nutter Butter cookies (48 in a pack), 1 tube of white frosting, 1 bag of small pretzels, and 1 bag of M&Ms. If you look at the photo, you can figure out what to do. When we ran out of brown M&Ms, we used blue. Maybe the kids will choose yellow or green. Who cares? Have some fun. 

+Google, the company which makes this blog possible, has launched a fun-filled site where you can track Santa on Christmas Eve, less than 2 days from now. Google Maps will allow you to follow Santa’s progress around the globe while learning a little about some of the stops along the way. But don’t wait until the 24th to check the site out. In the meantime, explore Santa’s Village where you can play some challenging games and request a special phone call from Santa to one you love.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Have a very merry Saturday. 

Why Saturday Short Subjects? Some readers may recall  being dropped at the movie theater for the Saturday matinee — two action-packed feature films with a series of short subjects (cartoons or short movies, sometimes a serial cliffhanger) sandwiched in between. Often the short subjects were the most memorable, and enjoyable, part of the morning. That explains the name. The reason behind these particular posts is that we are all short on time. My Short Subject posts should not take me as long to write or you as long to read (or try).

Meatless Monday: Two Fish Stories Worth Telling

The First Tale: An Historic Vote to Save the Menhaden 

On Friday, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)  voted to limit the total annual menhaden catch (TAC) to 170,800 metric tons beginning in 2013, a reduction of 20% from the average of landings from 2009-2011, and the first-ever catch limit for the fish. States will be required to close their fisheries when the state-specific portion of the TAC has been reached. 

The menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) is a species of herring, less than a foot long, also known by the names “bunker,” “pogy,” and “fatback.” Considered by many to be the “most important fish in the sea,” the menhaden has been overfished to just 10% of its historic levels. 

The Atlantic menhaden feeds by opening its mouth and allowing water to pass through its gill openings, which filter microscopic plants and small crustaceans from the water. A critical food source for wildlife, birds, dolphins, whales, and fish including striped bass and bluefish, the menhaden plays a vital role in the ecosystem of the Eastern Seaboard. 

A very oily fish, the Atlantic menhaden is considered excellent bait. Although not generally harvested for food, it is highly prized. Menhaden is processed commercially as chicken and pet feed, fertilizer, oil for paints, soap, ink, cosmetics, and for omega-3 fish oil, a dietary supplement. 

Virginia is the only state of the 15 members of ASMFC to allow a corporate fishing fleet to harvest menhaden; the fleet belongs to Omega Protein. According to an article in the Washington Post, eighty percent of menhaden harvested on the Atlantic coast are caught in Virginia. Thus, the new state-specific TACs are a game-changer. The 20% reduction passed 13-3 despite the protests from Virginia fishermen.

Tale 2: The fish you buy may not be the fish you think you are buying.

The Boston Globe recently hired the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario at the University of Guelph to test the DNA of 183 samples of fish to determine their species. A 26-nation consortium at the University compared snippets of the specimens' DNA against a DNA library for identification. The samples were collected from markets and restaurants across the eastern portion of Massachusetts, from Worcester to Cape Cod; 48% were found to be mislabeled. 

In several instances, escolar, which can cause severe gastrointestinal problems, was substituted for white tuna. Check out this fact sheet on escolar provided by Health Canada for an explanation of why this fish can inflict such distress in some people. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program suggests you AVOID many types of fresh tuna for sustainability reasons. Health concerns are another reason you might want to refrain from tuna at the sushi bar.

On that note, Happy (and Healthy) Monday! Thanks for reading.

I often blog on food or food issues on Monday in support of Meatless Monday, one of several programs developed in the Healthy Monday project, founded in 2003 in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Meatless Monday’s goal is “to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.”

2012: The International Year of Cooperatives

The United Nations declared 2012 the International Year of Cooperatives. 

UN international years are declared to draw attention to and encourage action on major issues. The International Year of Cooperatives was intended to raise public awareness of the invaluable contributions of cooperative enterprises to poverty reduction, employment generation, and social integration as well as to highlight the strengths of the cooperative business model as an alternative means of doing business and furthering socioeconomic development.

The year was launched at the UN in a program in October, 2011, shortly before New Haven’s Elm City Market, a co-op, opened its doors with 750 members. The market’s membership has grown in the last year to over 1710 today.

In November the UN held closing ceremonies for the Year of Cooperatives, which included a short film festival. The seven winning films raise awareness about cooperatives – what they are, and what they do – and encourage support and development of cooperative enterprises by individuals and their communities. Each of the films also highlights at least one of the 10 key messages of the International Year of Cooperatives:

• Cooperative enterprises build a better world.
• Cooperative enterprises are member owned, member serving and member driven
• Cooperatives empower people
• Cooperatives improve livelihoods and strengthen the economy
• Cooperatives enable sustainable development
• Cooperatives promote rural development
• Cooperatives balance both social and economic demands
• Cooperatives promote democratic principles
• Cooperatives and gender: a pathway out of poverty
• Cooperatives: a sustainable business model for youth

You can view the films here. I suggest starting with the 2 minute short, “What’s to Love About Food Co-Ops,” produced in the US by the National Cooperative Grocers Association, which playfully describes the many reasons why you should be a Co-Op member.

The film’s message, in short, is that co-ops sell a wide range of healthy food and are good for the local and regional economy. As a member of a new co-op myself, I can attest that being a member of a co-op has tangible and personal economic benefits. 

If you live in the New Haven area, it is easy to be a part of the co-op movement. Stop by the Elm City Market. Check out the photo wall of happy member faces. See if you can spot me there. Why not join me? You can be a happy member, too.  

Meatless Monday: Win-Win Holiday Shopping

I’ll never be hardcore enough to forgo holiday gifting. I’m not crafty enough nor do I have the time on my hands to make all my presents. 

I skipped the Black Friday (November 23) madness and started my holiday shopping by patronizing Small Business Saturday© (November 24), making a small contribution to the total of $5.5 billion U.S. consumers spent with independent merchants on that day.   

Alas, that was not enough, and, at this late hour, I still have more shopping to do.

I have one more trick up my sleeve — the gift of favorite foods. I have found several sites which may be of help. LocalHarvest, located in Santa Cruz, CA, was founded in 1998 by activist and software engineer Guillermo Payet. Here you can locate produce and other agricultural items (think honey, soaps, and wool products) in your area AND shop online for items not available locally or for items you may want to send as gifts. I described this site in great detail in a post dated last December. 

There is no middle man. Each item you order directly benefits small farmers who have products to ship and sell every day of the year. A gift purchased from a small farmer is revenue which provides benefits directly to the community in which the farmer lives.  

Another useful guide for those living in southern New England is FarmFresh, an online farm guide which will help you locate fresh produce and farm stands by zip code. In most cases you will have to visit the farm market or stand to make your purchase. 

At the high end of the gifting scale is Slow Food USA’s US Ark of Taste, “a catalog of over 200  delicious foods in danger of extinction.” Here you can discover products ranging from Traditional Sea Salt from Hawaii to American Rye Whiskey. It’s fun to browse these pages even if you can’t afford to purchase them.

Remember, a gift of a favorite food is a gift which will not be wasted. A purchase from these sources is a win all around. 

I often blog on food or food issues on Monday in support of Meatless Monday, one of several programs developed in the Healthy Monday project, founded in 2003 in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Meatless Monday’s goal is “to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal  health and the health of our planet.”

Worry-Free Wednesday

December 21, 2012 marks the end of the Mayan Long Count Calendar which some Doomsday Preppers believe is the Apocalypse.

For illustrative purposes: a copyright free version
of what is purported to be a Mayan calendar.

To dispel the rumors of Earth’s imminent demise, NASA has set up a FAQ page countering each dire prediction with scientific evidence supporting the agency’s view that December 21, 2012 will just be another winter solstice and NOT the end of the world as we know it. 

Check it out here. 

If are you still not convinced, check out the additional links at the bottom of the page.

Feel better now?

Happy Holidays!

Meatless Monday: GMO Round-Up

Updates on GMO Food Labeling 

California Proposition 37 which would have required labels on genetically engineered food sold in that state did NOT pass in November. Voters defeated the proposition  53.1% to 46.9%. Considering that the No Campaign, led by corporate giant Monsanto, spent $46 million opposing the measure,  while the Yes Campaign spent $ 9 million  supporting it,  the vote was surprisingly close. The Cornucopia Institute prepared this graphic clearly illustrating those for and against the measure. 

The measure passed in most of California's coastal and border counties (except to the west); support for the Prop 37 was particularly high in the mid-coastal region.  You can view county by county voting results here. 

Food activist Michael Pollan was one of Prop 37’s most vocal supporters. After the measure’s defeat, San Francisco’s Grub Street solicited Pollan’s thoughts. In short, Pollan expressed the view that although Prop 37 was defeated, the fight for good labeling would continue, “…Big Food is playing whac-a-mole with these initiatives all over the country, and it will continue and get very expensive…” Big Food is "feeling beleaguered by its increasingly skeptical and skittish consumers."

The next battleground state for GMO labeling is Washington where proponents of initiative I-522, The People's Right To Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, are working to gather the 241,153 valid signatures required to petition the state legislature to put the measure on the November 2013 ballot.

National coalition Just Label It! continues its efforts to get the Food and Drug Administration involved in this issue.

Finally, according to the Organic Consumers Organization, some 30 states are currently  working to require GMO labels.

Although the Prop 37 battle was lost, the war is clearly not over.

Happy Monday! Thanks for reading.

I often blog on food or food issues on Monday in support of Meatless Monday, one of several programs developed in the Healthy Monday project, founded in 2003 in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. Meatless Monday’s goal is “to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.”

Saturday Shorts: 12.1.12

Saving Paper, Saving Money, Saving Face…

’Tis the season for holiday greetings. Some you may need to send in a hurry, like invites to that last-minute party you’ve decided to throw. Maybe you want to share what’s been going on in your life with a photo that says it all. And let’s not forget those occasions scattered throughout the year like your mom’s birthday which happens to be tomorrow, or a loved one’s calamity which requires a care and concern card pronto. Let’s face it, most civilized folks have heavy greeting card needs.

Whatever your situation, let Paperless Post come to your rescue. Paperless Post is a service which allows the user to create and email cards and invitations from a large selection of templates for a wide range of occasions and situations. Since its launch in 2009, Paperless Post has sent over 60 million user-generated cards and raised $12.3 million. 

Most online cards will cost a coin (alone) or two (with envelope); a few without envelopes are free. There are even ways to help a cause by selecting a custom “stamp” for your envelope. Most designs are also available in paper at a cost of a dollar or two plus shipping (cards must be ordered in multiples of ten; minimum order of 10 cards). Unfortunately you cannot order one card and have it printed and mailed for you; if you’ve forgotten a luddite’s birthday you are out of luck. 

For signing up at Paperless Post using an email address you will receive 25 coins to get started. Sign up on Facebook and you will receive 5 more. There are various ways to earn coins, and if you use up all your free ones, you can purchase more via credit card. FAQs are answered here. 

What not take Paperless Post for a spin right now? The selection of holiday invites and birthday cards is quite good. There are a number of designs to which you can upload your own photos. The first dozen or so cards won’t cost you anything… Go on, make someone smile. 

Why Saturday Short Subjects? Some readers may recall  being dropped at the movie theater for the Saturday matinee — two action-packed feature films with a series of short subjects (cartoons or short movies, sometimes a serial cliffhanger) sandwiched in between. Often the short subjects were the most memorable, and enjoyable, part of the morning. That explains the name. The reason behind these particular posts is that we are all short on time. My Short Subject posts should not take me as long to write or you as long to read (or try).