Two sustainable kitchen rules I follow are to choose non-toxic materials and to go with reusable when possible. I’ve been pretty successful at finding convenient alternatives for just about everything. Except for one: how to replace plastic zip lock style food storage bags. What can I use instead of plastic food storage bags? I…
Wondering how to cook goat? Here’s a braised goat recipe for a shoulder chop, or any cut suitable for braising. It’s a lovely meat that tastes much like beef, yet raising goats can take fewer resources than raising cattle.
What do you think of prunes? This amazing pairing of lamb and prunes is guaranteed to give you a new perspective on this humble ingredient. Many people in the US are not so familiar with prunes as a gourmet ingredient. Prunes are something old people eat to stay regular, right? We can take a…
Jamu is a traditional Indonesian tonic taken as medicine for all kinds of ailments. Make your own refreshing turmeric Jamu to rev up your digestion and immunity this Spring. Jamu has a history that goes back hundreds of years in Indonesia. There are many different recipes for various medical issues, and these recipes were handed…
Many people come down with colds, flu and sinus infections when the seasons change. Here is a recipe for Chinese ginger chicken broth that, with a little bed rest, will have you feeling better in no time. Ingredients One organically raised, ethically sourced whole chicken (giblets removed). For guidelines on buying healthy, humane chicken, check…
Heritage breed turkeys taste richer, but can dry out when cooked. Here is an easy and delicious marinade that delivers a flavorful, moist turkey breast without a lot of fuss. I am excited to see BN Ranch heritage breed turkey at the market, a real seasonal treat. The BN stands for Bill Niman (of Niman…
Our top six tips for a healthy, sustainable and locally sourced holiday dinner. Save money, avoid waste and enjoy a wholesome, humane feast.
Enjoy the last weekend of October, Halloween, Toussaint (All Saints Day). Here are our favorite food links and recipes for your weekend web surfing.
This year on October 27, firecrackers will sound throughout the streets of India, as well as many other countries around the world, in celebration of Diwali—the festival of lights. But as modern lifestyles have picked up pace, the quality of the traditional festival foods has begun to change as well. One of the principle Hindu…
These seasonal garden soups will help you make the most of September’s bountiful harvests as you transition into autumn. Potato and green chili stew by vegetarian cookbook author Deborah Madison Summer greens and rice soup (pictured above) September garden soup Vegan leek fennel walnut soup Wild nettle soup, for those who like…
Thick, creamy homemade coconut yogurt made from coconut flesh—without the fillers and thickeners found in store bought coconut yogurt. If you do this entirely from scratch, it takes time and labor. In my opinion, the result is unquestionably worth it. There are also some shortcuts that will let you make this yogurt quickly. Many people…
Juicing is an excellent way to detox from the excesses of the holiday season and start the new year healthy and light. January is the perfect time to reset your eating habits after a season typically filled with indulgence. Replacing either breakfast and lunch, or breakfast and dinner, with freshly pressed juice is an easy way to get back your energy and clarify your system. My favorite juice this time of year is made with two rosy apples (not green), one red cabbage, one lemon (preferably Meyer) and an inch of fresh ginger or fresh turmeric root. Make sure to…
Full Circle Neat Nut Walnut Scour Pads Who knew that walnut shells could be so useful? These scour pads are tough enough to handle pots and pans without scratching. Sponges and scouring pads made from plant material take less energy to produce These pads are made from walnut shells, so they are non-toxic and break…
This smoothie tastes a bit like a mango lassie. It’s made with raw, whole food and includes no additional sweeteners, no dairy, nuts or soy. Sustainable Food | Clean Eating | Raw Whole Food Smoothie To make this raw food smoothie, you’ll need to get your hands on some raw young coconut meat. You can…
This South Indian rice dish is easy to make and, besides being delicious, also has the added benefit of turmeric, a powerful anti-inflamatory. Ingredients 2 cups long grain rice, such as Basmati a few curry leaves 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/4 tsp asafoedita (hing) 1/4 tsp whole mustard seed 1/2 cup chana dal 1 tsp…
Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is a remarkably delicious way to ease stress and boost your immune system this flu season. Many of you are familiar with the health benefits of echinacea and goldenseal, especially their ability to strengthen the immune system and ward off the flu. But if you’ve ever drunk them in…
A chicken stock recipe for serious eaters and serious cooks. Rich in flavor and high in nutrition, this stock will make everything you cook unmistakably better. This is the indispensable ingredient in so much good cooking. You’ll be amazed at how a truly well made stock will elevate all it touches, from rissotto to soup, braises…
Some people mistakenly believe that buying organic or sustainably raised chicken or poultry means they don’t have to worry about Salmonella. Following proper kitchen protocol when handling poultry can help you reduce the risk of food poisoning. Every year, a million people in the US are sickened by Salmonella. Nineteen thousand of them end up…
How to make classic pumpkin bread, and an adjusted recipe that you can give as a pantry gift I’ve noticed a trend in bakery pumpkin bread. It seems to be getting sweeter, with more fat added, resembling a ginger cake more than a traditional pumpkin quick bread. Here is a recipe for classic pumpkin bread that I’ve been baking since I was a teenager. I prefer this recipe without added nuts or chocolate chips, but if you like these in pumpkin bread, feel free to add it. If you are using store bought canned pumpkin puree, make sure it is…
This warm, easy and satisfying dish is perfect as lunch or a light dinner, or as a side dish. Braised escarole with bacon and mustard There are so many leafy greens to eat, and so little time! Don’t get stuck eating the same rounds of spinach, chard and kale. Perhaps you’ve never eaten escarole, or…
A blender is a quick cook’s best friend and sauces can be made in a snap. Sometimes you just need a sprig or two of a herb, such as cilantro, and yet you have to buy it in a huge bunch. That’s one reason I grow nearly all my own kitchen herbs, but last…
The health benefits of turmeric juice are many, it really is a superfood, even if it looks like an orange mummy finger. If you’ve not tried it already, here is another jamu recipe that will also give you a solid helping of greens. Feel free to substitute other greens or herbs. It’s been unseasonably hot…
A delicious vegetable side dish that takes nearly zero prep time. Just throw it in whole. Here’s how: Buy an organic cauliflower, or better yet, grow one. Preheat your oven to 325 F Rinse, drain and pat dry your whole cauliflower. place head up on a baking sheet (with sides…if it’s a totally flat cookie…
Next time you’re roasting veg or meat in your oven, throw in a sliced lemon or two. You’ll be amazed at what heat and some good quality olive oil will produce. One way to enjoy citrus fruits is to roast them in olive oil, sprinkled with good sea salt. You can slice them very thinly,…
Avoid chemicals and fake flavorings in store bought Eggnog this season by making your own home made eggnog with real food ingredients Valeria, author of the blog Beets ‘n Bones, put together this whole food eggnog recipe for her family. After reading the labels of prepared eggnog available in stores, which contain industrial fillers and…
Even though this recipe only uses a half stick of butter, the banana bread smells and tastes amazingly buttery. Chunks of high quality dark chocolate and whole pecan halves make this an indulgent treat with afternoon tea. This banana bread has a wonderful, tender texture and is not overly sweet. It’s better the day after…
Cooking Notes Start with cold water. Put all your ingredients in a pot, fill with cold water and then bring to a boil. Don’t boil the water first. I’m not a big fan of long-cooked vegetables. They make a tasty broth, but eating them? Nah. I throw out the veg once the pot au feu…
Like many of us, Jenn Sebestyen, author of the Veggie Inspired Blog, found herself with plenty of holiday leftovers. So what do you do with your gorgeous home made cranberry sauce? How about transforming it into a treat you can enjoy for breakfast, with tea or as dessert. Jenn shares this whole food, vegan recipe…
Make this easy, natural, non-toxic multi-purpose kitchen cleaner with lemon peels and white vinegar. Sustainable Food | Reuse and Compost | Non Toxic Kitchen Keep a glass jar filled with white vinegar in your kitchen cupboard or on the counter, and throw your lemon peels in it. Make sure to keep the lid on tightly. …
Perfectly tender and medium rare all the way through, here is a method perfect for a thick lamb shoulder chop. Sustainable Food | Clean Eating | How To Cook Sous vide is technically cooking under vacuum seal, but here is an easy method I use that requires no vacuum and no special equipment. What you’ll…
This easy to make spiced lamb burger recipe can be enjoyed in pita, on sesame buns or converted into small meat balls for small plate appetizers.
by Dane O’Leary Whether due to personal health reasons or to be more conscious of our effects on the environment, some of us worry about the toxicity of health and beauty products, pesticides and preservatives in food and produce, and the leaching of chemicals. Buying organic has extended to most areas of our lives, so…
Nightshade vegetables may be secretly making you sick Okay, Death may be a bit extreme here, but you would be surprised how many people have a sensitivity to common nightshade vegetables. You’ve heard of the Deadly Nightshade. Hikers and foragers learn to avoid the tasty looking, yet poisonous, berries on this wild growing plant. But…
Cinnamon Almond Baked Oatmeal TheHealthyApple.com Warm, crunchy, tart and sweet. An indulgent way to wake up this weekend. Amie’s recipe is gluten free, dairy free, vegan and soy-free, and packed with flavor and nutrition. Butter Hummus HomeMadeMommy.net Try this delicious hummus recipe, made with butter. The recipe starts with whole, dried chickpeas instead of canned.…
My housemate recently had one of his wisdom teeth removed. It wasn’t impacted, so the surgery was fast and clean. He needed to have soft, healing foods for the first two days. Here are some suggestions on what to eat after getting your wisdom teeth removed. Pumpkin potato soup Ingredients One small roasted pumpkin…
Many people think of crepes as being French, but cultures all over the world enjoy their own style of crepes. Here are some crepe recipes to spark your imagination. Crepe recipes Classic Crepes Suzette Delicate Lacey Crepes Basic Crepe Recipe Chinese Jian Bing (with duck eggs) Chinese Scallion Crepes Vegan Everyday Veggie Crepe Recipe (vegan) Vegan…
While it’s better to recycle than send rubbish to the landfill, it’s even better to start with whole foods. That way you make compost, not recycled packaging. I enjoyed a refreshing smoothie today and when I went to clean up, I realized a happy fact: all I had was compost.
Here are a few excellent, easy to follow recipes on how to make your own jam to your preference: preserved in the freezer, fresh in the refrigerator, or one that has a long shelf life in your pantry.
Although there are a plethora of books written on how to compost, before you start at home it is important to understand how composting works and the different methods that you can employ. As a form of waste recycling, composting at home is a great way to decrease the amount of refuse entering our already…
The household cleaning isle at your local grocery store will try to convince you that every thing in your house requires a specialized cleaning solution of its very own. There are specific cleaners for ovens, drains, tarnished silverware, and even a special wash to remove pesticides and wax from your fruits and vegetables. But why…
Skip the weird flavors, cheap ingredients, chemicals, high price and packaging. Making salad dressing from scratch is easy.. Making your own salad dressing is healthier because you can control what goes in, as well as the quality and freshness of those ingredients.
Looking for something fast, fresh and healthy to spice up this week’s meals? Try one of these versatile, no-cooking necessary sauces that can be used as a marinade, a dip, a salad dressing, and in some cases even a side dish.
Here’s another example of how you can enjoy healthy organic food on a budget. When you think of eating organic, you probably don’t think of a meal for two for less than $5. Here is a real life example of what an inexpensive, nutritious and organic meal looks like.
Here’s an easy and delicious recipe for braised oxtail, an often overlooked cut in the US. This recipe can also be made with bone in short ribs, but I hope you’ll take this opportunity to experience how tender and flavorful oxtail can be. Ingredients Oxtails (pasture raised and 100% grassfed beef); here I’m using almost…
I hope all of you are putting up emergency stores against power outages, extreme weather events and natural disasters. I’d never thought about dehydrating potatoes until recently, when I read Maggie’s blog post. I prefer to eat fresh foods, so wouldn’t normally bother with dehydrated potatoes. But for an emergency pantry, or if I found…
Use an inexpensive dehydrator to make the most of a season’s harvest, and to make sure your pantry is stocked with high quality, real ingredients. It’s easy to dry your own fruit using an inexpensive dehydrator, and the taste and nutritive value are much better than store-bought dried fruits.
Join me in my kitchen for an easy autumn favorite made from local, organic and homegrown ingredients. Today’s real food lunch is a braised grassfed lamb shank with mint and delicata squash. Unlike most people, my main meal is lunch rather than dinner. That can pose a problem, since lunch transects my workday, but luckily…
When you look at your grocery bill as a whole, you’ll find that processed foods are often the leading driver of your expense. This is especially true when it comes to condiments—all of those tasty additions that are not quite necessary but have the ability to just make a dish. Learning how to make pickles is easy and will save you money while giving you more control over what you eat.
Save money, reduce packaging and make sure you are eating the highest quality ingredients by making your own dairy and non-dairy yogurt from scratch. Here are some DIY yogurt recipes and suggestions to get you started.
Here are a few hand-picked recipes on how to make broth that will ensure that your freezer is always stocked with the most versatile, healthy kitchen staple to have on hand.