Meatless Monday: A Better for You Brownie

Thanks to my cousin Angela for sharing this recipe with me a few weeks ago. I finally made a batch to share with friends and they were a big hit.

These brownies are for everyone: brownie lovers, vegans, followers of a gluten-free diet, and anyone looking for a healthier, while still tasty, treat.

Here is the link to Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Black Bean Brownies. 

Yes, that’s correct! The surprising main ingredient in this delicious dessert is a can of drained and well-rinsed black beans. The beans plus 1/2 cup of quick oats take the place of flour in this vegan-friendly, lower carb brownie recipe.

Since I was in unfamiliar territory, I followed the recipe exactly, choosing agave for the sweetener and coconut oil for the fat. I used 1/2 cup of SunSpire Fair Trade 42% Cacao Semi-Sweet Baking Chips. [These delicious chips are available at the Elm City Market in New Haven. To find a store near you, enter your zip code here.] 

Check here for nutrition info provided by Katie.  The beans and oatmeal supply a significant amount of protein and fiber, something you won’t find in the typical brownie.

These brownies did not rise as high as the brownies I usually bake, and their appearance was a little nubbier. People noticed, but I followed Katie’s advice and did not share the secret ingredient until they had taken a bite. Quelle surprise!

As Katie warns, be sure to blend the ingredients well, using a food processor if you have one, and don’t skimp on the chocolate chips. 

One more thing — they are even better when topped with a small scoop of something frozen in the vanilla or coffee flavor range.

Try ’em, you'll love ’em!

Have a great week!

On Mondays I often blog on food, food issues, or gardening 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.”

Meatless Monday: The Mighty Avocado

The avocado appears on many Superfood Lists, for good reason. A heart-healthy fruit, it is rich in both polyunsaturated fats and mono-saturated fats, which help to lower cholesterol. Avocados are an excellent source of vitamins B6, C, E, and K, as well as folate, lutein, magnesium, and potassium. They are high in fiber and have been shown to boost the absorbency of fat-soluble nutrients in foods with which they are eaten.  

Check out these healthy facts about avocados (and a salad recipe) at WebMD. 

Thanks to a Member Appreciation Day at the Elm City Market a while back, when the giveaway was an avocado, a lime, and a head of garlic, I discovered that making your own guacamole is a snap. With a ripe avocado or two on hand, and a lime in the refrigerator, you can whip up a batch in no time.

When you make your own, the color is a lovely bright green, the taste is incredibly fresh, and you can make it is garlicky or as salty as you wish.

Make Your Own Guacamole 

INGREDIENTS

2 large avocados, slightly soft when squeezed

1 large lime

3 large cloves of garlic crushed (more or less to taste)

a pinch of salt

In a large bowl, mash the avocados with a fork (or a potato masher if you have one).

Add the juice from the lime. 

(An old-fashioned two-part glass juicer works really well.)

Add the crushed garlic.

Add a tiny bit of salt to taste.

This recipe couldn’t be much easier. I think you will agree that DIY fresh guacamole is the best you’ve ever tasted. Give it a try!

Guacamole is great on chips, but is also delicious in a bean/rice bowl, on a salad, or as a sandwich or burger topping. You can even enjoy it on its own, right out of the bowl. 

Enjoy!

Have a great week.

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.”

Meatless Monday: Going Irish without Corned Beef

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up on Sunday, produce bins are overflowing with potatoes, leeks, and cabbages, all on sale for the best price of the season. Staples of Irish cuisine, many will find their way into steaming pots of Corned Beef and Cabbage.

There are however, plenty of other options for celebrating this most Irish of holidays, even if you wish to forgo the meat.

Colcannon, for instance. A lesser known mainstay of Irish cooking, Colcannon is a hearty dish, in which boiled potatoes are mashed with cabbage or kale along with milk and copious amounts of butter. There are several variations, some of which include Irish bacon. 

I chose to try a Colcannon recipe posted in this week’s Elm City Market flyer. As suggested, I substituted 2 large parsnips (also on sale and grown in Massachusetts) for 2 of the potatoes. The cabbages were nice and firm this week (and on sale) so they won out over kale. 

The Elm City recipe would seem to be inspired by this one I found online at Simply Recipes.

NOTES: 

• Elm City substituted 2 leeks for the green onions.
• 3 cups of chopped cabbage is the yield from 1/2 of a medium cabbage after the outer leaves are removed.
• I chopped both the cabbage and the leeks in the food processor, and added the leeks after the cabbage had cooked for just 2 minutes; I cooked the vegetables in butter for a total of 5 minutes. 

The result? A festively light green dish with an absolutely delicious taste. IMHO, the parsnips imparted the perfect little kick. 

I opted not to add any additional butter to the mounds of Colcannon we ate last night. But the more I read about this dish, the more a lake of butter seems to be the authentically Irish way. When I heat up the leftovers, I do believe we will indulge.

Have a great week. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!         

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: Food in the News

Last week, Meatless Monday dropped off my radar. In the Northeast we were thinking about food and food foraging and food safety, but not in the usual ways. We were preparing for Hurricane Sandy — stockpiling non-perishable items, turning up our freezers, filling them with containers of water, and reading tips from the USDA about how long we could safely keep food should we lose power. 

There was one pre-storm warning which brought a smile. My husband watched a segment on the Weather Channel in which the commentator urged everyone to have plenty of non-perishable food on hand, but to avoid buying canned food in case of a power outage. Apparently she was not familiar with the old-school can openers which operate with human power.

Sandy has come and gone. We were lucky here. One week later, life in most of New Haven has pretty much returned to normal. And here I am with a Meatless Monday post and lots of topics to cover.

First…

Food Day. At Food Day - Food Action!, held on October 24 at Yale’s Peabody Museum, the New Haven Food Policy Council unveiled the New Haven Food Action Plan, a collaborative effort designed to make New Haven a city where:

• everyone eats healthy, affordable food, and no one goes hungry;
• food businesses are thriving, multiplying, and hiring local residents;
• people have the skills and knowledge they need to choose and cook healthy food; and
• collaboration is strengthened among residents, government, community organizations, and neighborhood groups to improve our food environment.

Hon. Rosa DeLauro, U.S. Representative for Connecticut’s 3rd district (and member of the House Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies), spoke on a variety of topics including the importance of SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) in lifting families above the poverty line, the need for a Farm Bill which supports farmers growing fruits and vegetables, what it is like to be a committee member representing a New England state, and the impact of the obesity epidemic on health care spending.

Second…

Storm Sandy took a bit of wind out of the sails of the weeklong birthday celebrations for New Haven’s Elm City Market. The market opened its doors on November 2, one year ago with 750 member/owners. Now 1674 members strong, Elm City Market was voted Best Local Grocery Store in the New Haven Advocate’s 2012 readers’ poll.

Finally… 

Tomorrow is Election Day. Besides electing candidates to public office, voters in California will be considering a number of propositions, including Proposition 37 which would require the labeling of all genetically engineered (GE) food sold in grocery stores in their state. If Proposition 37 passes, California will become the first state in the nation to require labels on GE food. You can read what Michael Pollan has to say on the issue here. Barack Obama and Rosa DeLauro have both expressed support for the consumer’s “right to know” what is in the food  he or she purchases. The rest of the country will be watching to see what happens in the West.

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.”

Meatless Monday: Greek Cucumber Salad

A couple of weeks ago, a recipe for Greek Cucumber Salad caught my eye. It appeared in the early August edition of the Co-Op Deals flyer, distributed at the Elm City Market. 

I’ve already made it twice. Best cucumbers ever!

Try it while the cucumbers are still in season and you know where they are grown. [Cucumbers are number 10 on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list.] 

Grab three good-sized cukes at your neighborhood co-op or farmer’s market the next time you shop (or from your yard if you are lucky enough). And while you’re at it, pick up some local feta, honey, and garlic. 

Greek Cucumber Salad would make a perfect side dish for a Labor Day gathering. Or, served on a bed of greens with some hearty bread, it becomes a complete meal. 

Two tips:

• Dried dill works fine. Cut the amount to one teaspoon, combine it with the liquid ingredients for the dressing, and make the dressing before cutting up the vegetables. 
• Assemble the salad just one half hour before serving if possible, allowing the flavors to mingle, while maximizing the crunch of the cucumbers and minimizing the juice.

My version with dried dill.

Enjoy!

Happy Monday. Thanks for reading. 

I often blog on food, food issues, or topics related to growing things 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: Feeling Crafty?

A few days ago, Elm City Market (now at 1561 member owners) tweeted the link to a DIY change purse. The purse’s base is a half-gallon milk or juice carton. How green is that?

The source is the Disney Family Fun site. Click here for the instructions which include a video, a template (which you can get by clicking on the highlighted word “template”) and very clear written instructions.

I tried this project before sharing it with you.

My OJ purse closed…

I have a few words of wisdom to share:  

• Adult supervision (and, quite possibly, intervention) is required. The adult needs to be somewhat crafty, i.e. know how to follow instructions and have a bit of patience. 
• Your scissors need to be sharp; the nursery school version will not work.
• It is easier to cut out the curved parts, particularly the circle, with an X-Acto knife.
• Firm Pressure actually means VERY Firm Pressure. And you should score repeatedly. Milk/juice cartons are very tough [as they should be].

Was this project a success? YES. And, the OJ cap does indeed keep the purse sealed.

Was it easy to make? Not really. It is harder than it looks to make the accordion fold.

And open with change inside.

Pros: 

• You can’t beat the cost of the materials. 
• The purse is very cute. And useful – perfect for holding lots of change for the parking meter. 
• And I don’t think anyone would steal it from a dashboard if it were left unattended.

Cons: 

• If you were considering this as an accessory for an evening out, I would probably say, “Forget it.” But you can be the judge of that.

Have fun, and have a great weekend.

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: A Month of Strawberries

Summer doesn’t begin for nearly a month, but for many Americans, the Memorial Day weekend signifies the beginning of the season. We gather with friends and family, fire up the grills, picnic, and share lots of food, including the first of the summer fruits – the strawberry.

In fact, May has been designated National Strawberry Month for some years now [at least since 1997 which I discovered through a Google search], inspiring festivals, celebrations, and countless articles and sites singing the praises of this delicious fruit. One of the most entertaining strawberry sites I found is one from the U of Illinois Extension Service packed with historical facts, nutritional data, legends and lore, growing tips and recipes. 

Eighty-five percent of the nation’s strawberries come from California, where the fruit is grown year-round. In 2010, over 2 billion pounds of strawberries were harvested in the state, with a value of $2.1 billion. It should be no surprise that the California Strawberry Commission (enacted in 1993) has a comprehensive site promoting the strawberry with details on its economic importance, its health and nutritional benefits, and  its taste and versatility (lots of recipes).

One topic not covered extensively in this site, however, is the use of pesticides in strawberry cultivation. The Environmental Working Group includes strawberries in the Number 3 spot on their “Dirty Dozen” list in their Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, updated in 2011.

The good news is that since I wrote about this topic in 2010, organic strawberries have become easier to find in supermarkets, including the Elm City Market, and their price has come down.

We’ve been enjoying them at my house all through the month of May. Local varieties are still weeks away, but I just can’t resist the seductive strawberry, especially at such an attractive price.

The new way I’ve discovered to enjoy them is — dessert as real food — fresh strawberries with sweet ricotta “cream.” Here is my recipe, tweaked from a couple of things I found on the internet.

Fresh Strawberries with Sweet Ricotta “Cream”

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups, sliced, fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese (I use the local Calabro from East Haven, CT)
• 1/8 cup low-fat milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar 
• 3/8 teaspoon vanilla (I use Baldwin’s made in W. Stockbridge, MA)

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk (or purée) all ingredients  EXCEPT strawberries in a pyrex measuring cup, metal bowl, or other freezer-safe container.
2. Chill in freezer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir.
4. Keep very cold until serving time. 
5. Place strawberries in two bowls or glasses. Spoon “cream” on top.

This dessert is best if you can have the topping finished as close to serving time as possible. This is a delicious treat without any of the guilt sometimes associated with dessert. By my calculations, based on the nutritional facts for strawberries, low-fat ricotta, and sugar, each serving provides 160% of your vitamin C, 18% of your calcium,  and 8% of your dietary fiber for a mere 142 calories. 

Go ahead, enjoy! This is a perfect dessert to contribute to your next pot luck.

Have a great holiday.

I often blog on food, food issues, or topics related to growing things 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.”

Meatless Monday: KYF

In recent weeks the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been much maligned for allowing “pink slime” to be served to school children and for greenlighting a GMO corn touted as “drought resistant,” the first fields of which will soon planted in test trials across the Western Great Plains. That’s a lot of bad press for a department celebrating its 150th year.

Screenshot of the Compass cover

On Leap Day, in the midst of all this controversy, the USDA released the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass. It should have been a shining moment.The Compasses showcases the work of the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative, which was launched in 2009 to coordinate the work of USDA’s 17 agencies and many staff offices that invest in local and regional food systems.  The Compass is an online multi-media narrative with case studies, photos, facts, videos, and an interactive map documenting USDA supported local and regional food activities in all 50 states.  

Farmers markets are a highly visible component of Know Your Farmer (KYF). The Compass states, “The number of farmers markets nationwide increases by 54% between 2008 and 2011, providing 7,000 venues for farmers to interact directly with consumers.” If you take the time to flip through the pages of the Compass pdf, however, you will soon realize that there is much more to the KYF story. KYF provided funds for a vast array of programs, projects, and purchases including: mobile meat processing units allowing small farmers to process their meat on site; high tunnels to extend the growing season; preservation of farm land; support for young farmers; and farm to school programs.

Grants were not confined to rural areas. Try out the interactive map for grants to urban centers. Click on New Haven and you will find three grants. 

• Zip code 06511 received one of the seasonal high tunnels. 
• The recently opened Elm City Market in New Haven was the recipient of a $4,000,000 USDA loan. 
• New Haven’s City Seed received a grant of over $73,000 for marketing and expanding membership services for the Buy CT Grown program.

I can attest from personal experience that this government money has made a positive impact in my city. I would imagine that citizens across the country would say the same. Let’s all take a moment to recognize KYF and the many other good things the USDA has done during its 150 years. 

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.”

Meatless Monday: Market Find of the Week…The Watermelon Radish

My “market find of the week” may not look like much from the outside, but if you cut one open, its inner beauty will be revealed.

I found this very large radish in the organic section of the Elm City Market, where it was being sold as a Watermelon Radish  (Raphanus sativus). 

Originally grown in China, it is also known as “Roseheart Radish,” “Chinese Red Meat Radish,” or “Beauty Heart Radish.” The pale pink to green to cream roots of Raphanus sativus are round and grow to a diameter of 4”. Its interior is bright magenta and looks much like the inside of a watermelon in color and texture. While by no means as sweet as the fruit for which it is named, this radish is not as “hot” as the more familiar red summer radishes. It has a milder taste with just the tiniest bit of a kick.

Watermelon radish is a winter vegetable. It requires cold growing conditions and does best when planted in the fall. The Chinese have long believed that this root has medicinal properties. The watermelon radish, while very low in calories, is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

This colorful, crispy treat makes a great garnish for a winter salad. And, unlike a tomato, it is now in season. I have read that watermelon radishes make a good addition to a stir-fry, but I suggest you try them raw first. No cooking is necessary to enjoy this gorgeous and tasty “market find.” A watermelon radish can really brighten up a dreary winter day.

Have a great week. “See” you next Monday.

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.”

Meatless Monday: Food in the News

Remember the online petition I started a while back? It was the petition asking Stop & Shop supermarkets to stop sourcing their frozen green beans from China. Well, it’s still chugging away. I have over 270 signatures now and I have just extended the petition deadline to January 15. I’d really like to reach my target of 500 signatures by then. Can you help?

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

While doing my holiday shopping, I discovered that with a little extra effort it is possible to buy many gifts manufactured in the USA (or at least North America), especially sox! [More on this after the presents have been unwrapped.] Whole Foods and the Elm City Market both carry organic frozen beans sourced from North America. It would seem that Stop & Shop could, too. Sourcing frozen green beans from a world away makes no sense.

On another note, for those in need of an artificial tree, including those who are allergy-prone or travelers during the holiday season, it would seem impossible to find an artificial Christmas tree NOT made in China. [Please correct me if I’m wrong.]

King Arthur Flour, whose products have been staples in New England pantries for years, is featured in an ad being aired by Google. If you’ve missed it on TV, you can catch it on YouTube. This is the short version; there is a slightly longer one as well

The ad, promoting Google Chrome, tells the wonderfully inspiring story of how this 220-year-old Vermont flour company has used the web to transform itself into a baking company known the world over.

New Haven’s Elm City Market now has over 1,200  member/owners.

Slow Food USA posted this link to an article at Civil Eats promoting ways to reduce food waste during the holidays.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

For the person who has everything, consider a symbolic gift in his or her name to Women for Women, an organization which helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives. By a couple who love to bake, I was gifted with a symbolic baking kit (rolling pin, flour, and tins designed to help women in countries like Bosnia and Afghanistan to learn the skills and get the tools they need to start bakeries) and my husband with a carpentry kit (for women in Kosovo training to become carpenters). There are many gifts in a wide range of prices including: fabric, carpentry sets, okra seeds, gardening tools, dirt…you get the idea.

And there is still time to order through LocalHarvest (the subject of last week’s Meatless Monday post). A number of vendors are offering free shipping on selected products from Page oranges to pecan pie.

Please come back tomorrow for some free stuff for kids and more last minute shopping ideas.

Happy Monday.

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.”

Meatless Monday: Farewell Summer. Hello Winter.

Indian Summer ended abruptly in the Northeast just over a week ago when Alfred dumped record amounts of snow in places less just a short drive from here. We were lucky along the Connecticut shoreline. As the weathermen explained it, the temperature of the water on the Sound was still too warm (in the upper 50s) to allow snow to accumulate along the shore. Right at the water’s edge, all it did was rain. In downtown New Haven we had to shovel a few inches of slush. The significant amounts of heavy wet snow falling on branches still covered with leaves caused numerous downed trees, limbs, and power lines over much of the inland portions of the state. At one point, nearly one million Connecticut residents were without power; as of Sunday night, some 114,000 CL&P customers are still in the dark.

The saddest thing for me was losing my backyard miracle. My two container-grown grape tomato plants, bought at a nursery school fundraiser, had been turning out a bumper crop of tiny, tasty fruits ever since mid-July. I had finally found the perfect thing to grow in my very small, mostly shady yard.

I had been hoping for a few more warm, sunny days so all the fruit on the vine-like branches would ripen. But when the slushy snow began to fall, I rushed out to pick everything over the size of a marble. The branches were sprawling and tangled. There were tomatoes everywhere. I should have worn gloves. Here is my yield. See how many? Monetarily speaking, these two plants paid for themselves many times over, not to mention the pleasure they brought me for so many weeks.

I am not a big fan of fried green tomatoes, so I’m giving my dad’s trick of putting green tomatoes in a shoebox with an apple a try. I know it works for larger, nearly mature fruit. The apple gives off ethylene gas as it ripens; the gas also ripens the tomatoes. One of the things that ethylene does is to stop production of chlorophyll, allowing the colors associated with ripe fruit to become unmasked. Ethylene gas is sometimes used to ripen fruit as it travels to market. You can read more here. 

I hope I can salvage some of my last tastes of Summer. It’s the first day of early darkness, and right now it feels like a long time until my favorite season rolls around again.

Back to Alfred for a second: If any of you were among the unfortunate ones whose trees sustained damage in the recent storm, this link is a fantastic resource for helping you determine if your trees can be saved. 

One more thing relating to my previous post: We got our shopping cart. We used it. And, in case you are wondering, the salvia is still in bloom because we brought it in during the storm and those really cold days. Not ready to say “good-bye.”

Have a great week. And remember that Tuesday is Election Day.

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.”

On My Radar 10.14.11

Passings. News. Happenings. Fall Clean-up Tips…Here are some of the items on my radar.

FAREWELLS:

Steve Jobs died on Wednesday, October 5, at the age of 56. The news spread instantly on devices of Steve’s design, and the world paid him homage in ways that would have been impossible without his vision. We mourn his passing and wonder what more would have been in store if Steve’s life had not been so short. On the day after his death it was reported that former Yale SOM Dean Joel Polodny had been recruited by Apple and Steve Jobs to plan a training program in which company executives will be taught to think like Jobs, “in a forum to impart that DNA to future generations.”

Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai died on September 25. In an era where women in Kenya were not educated and had little power, she was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree, and in 1977 founded the Green Belt Movement which has planted an estimated 45 million trees around Kenya. Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, reminds us to honor Wangari’s life by remembering what one person can achieve.

NEWS from ALL OVER:

On October 8, Denmark’s new “fat tax” went into effect. The nation imposed a tax on fatty foods, including butter, believed to be the first such action in the world, as an additional step to raising life expectancy of Danes. Denmark, as well as some other European countries, already has higher fees on sugar, chocolates, and soft drinks. 

Faster than the speed of light? A new discovery, if proven true, may upend our understanding of the universe and our concept of time. Researchers working underground in Italy in one of the world’s largest physics laboratories recorded neutrinos traveling at a fraction of a second faster than the speed of light, an event that is impossible in Einstein’s theory of special relativity.

NEWS from NEW HAVEN:

While New Haven is still no shopping mecca, it is no longer a shopping desert.

New Haven’s Apple Store opened on September 24 to jubilant High-5s from all the new employees. The first 1000 visitors received a commemorative black t-shirt.

New employees of the Elm City Market have begun stocking the store's shelves........ A soft opening is promised for members (currently at 688) later this month as soon as all the permits are in order. The Market still has job openings and is in particular need of a meat cutter. Members, there is a $50 gift certificate in it for you if you recommend the person who is hired. 

Common Ground High School raised $2,551 at the Community Day at Whole Foods in Milford last month. All of those funds will be invested in their core programs. That figure represents 5% of the net sales at that one store on September 21. That’s a whole lot of shopping!

New Haven’s Wild, Wild West. A query about wildlife sitings in Westville and Beaver Hills  (for those who don’t know, just a couple of miles from downtown) yielded a remarkable number of results including: plenty of woodchucks, the occasional deer, 4 wild turkeys trotting down the sidewalk, turtles, an opossum who ate all the baby robins from a nest right outside a window, and a red-tail hawk who swooped down and caught a squirrel at a busy corner. The woodchuck I reported earlier in the summer on the east side of town has not been seen since shortly before Hurricane Irene (at least by me).

On September 24, people around the world by participated in Moving Planet. In New Haven there were a number of events, including the planting of 44 fruit trees in Edgewood Park,  awarded to Friends of Edgewood Park as a prize for winning a national Communities Take Root contest sponsored by Edy’s Fruit Bars and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. A large part of the day’s theme was the celebration of alternative forms of transportation, and hundreds rode their bikes (and people-powered vehicles) through downtown streets, beginning and ending on the historic New Haven Green.

Even with the recent expansion of the City’s ambitious tree planting campaign and the new fruit trees in Edgewood Park, we are in the red this year. New Haven lost 1,250 trees during Hurricane Irene, and several were felled recently on Trumbull Street in preparation for the new storm sewer, one a very old London planetree. We watched with sadness as each limb was crudely sawed off… 

The new Connecticut chapter of Slow Food USA, Slow Food Shoreline, held its first event, a happy hour at Zinc, on Tuesday, October 11. You can follow them on Facebook  or Twitter. Now is a good time to join Slow Food USA. Through October 15, membership is give-what-you can, and the gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the generosity of a Slow Food USA board member. 

RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES:

E-Cycling for New Haven Residents

City residents can bring old electronics (any item can be plugged in, with the exceptions of light bulbs, batteries, and equipment containing refrigerants) to the Transfer Station (260 Middletown Avenue) Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon. All electronics collected during the month of October count toward New Haven's total tonnage in a statewide competition that rewards the community recycling the most electronics per capita during the month of October. The first prize is a $3000 scholarship for New Haven schoolchildren.

Community Shredding

If you live in CT, you can go online to locate shredding events in your area. 

Helping Hands Community Thrift Store & Furniture Bank is in particular need of beds and offers free pick-up in New Haven. Click here for a list of what they do and do not accept as donations. 

October 29

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Last year nearly 4,000 state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the nation participated in drug take-back  events, collecting more than 309 tons of pills. You can enter your zip code here to find a collection site near you. 

October 29

Last Fall collection day at HazWaste Central (Collections will resume mid-May, 2012) Free to residents of Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, East Haven, Fairfield, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge, CT. For details click this link.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 15

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Common Ground - 358 Springside Avenue in New Haven

Tour-Ganic: The Voodoo Fix Rocks for CitySeed & Common Ground! 

Common Ground - 358 Springside Avenue in New Haven

The Voodoo Fix, an LA-based genre-bending rock band with roots in blues, soul, and funk, is bringing their national Tour-Ganic to Common Ground. All proceeds from the concert will help CitySeed and Common Ground get good, local, affordable food to our neighbors who need it most. $10 suggested donation.

October 16

11 am - 2 pm

Cabot Creamery Cooperative Open Farm Sunday

If you live in NE or NY, check this link to locate a farm near you

October 19

5:30 pm -7:30 pm

New Haven Green Drinks

The Red Lentil, 25 Temple Street, New Haven

Theresa Labriola, Senior Associate, Northeast Fisheries Program will speak at 6:30 on the topic of the program’s campaign to implement new, more conservative, catch limits on menhaden, which have dropped to less than 10% of their original population.

October 24

First Annual Food Day 

“Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. We will work with people around the country to create thousands of events in homes, schools, churches, farmers markets, city halls, and state capitals.” Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) are the Honorary Co-Chairs for Food Day 2011 which is sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Click here to find an event near you.

October 28

Critical Mass Halloween Ride

Gather at the flagpole on the New Haven Green at 5:30

There will be costumes. Wear a helmet. Have a working light.

October 29

CT NOFA’s 2011 Annual Meeting

Noon - 4 pm, Common Ground High School

Farm Tour and Potluck

Special Guest Rep. Richard Roy will speak about his efforts to label GMO food in CT

BLOG NEWS:

I have had several visits from readers from Mississippi. I now have all 50 states, and every continent except Antarctica. Thanks.

Over 135 people have signed my petition requesting that Stop & Shop use American grown green beans in their Nature’s Promise line. I am trying to get to 500. Please click if you have not done so already.

TGIF. Have a great weekend. Come back soon.