First Friday: Juju's night out

I brought Juju to First Friday last week for the opening night (re-opening) of From Pet Scratch Bakery/Pampered Pet Boutique. The bakery used to be around the corner on Washington Street, and has now moved to a larger location on Main, joining forces with Pampered Pet, formerly located in Shipshewana.

Lynn, from the bakery, has created some all natural and organic dog treats that really are beautiful. I keep trying to convince her to bake equally beautiful treats for people! Most of the dog treats are wheat- and corn-free, two grains that many dogs can't tolerate. I bought a dozen treats and a very special birthday cookie for Juju; she turned seven on November 3rd.

Here are some highlights:



Carob dipped bars and "Cupcake" cookies.

Snowmen! (That's yogurt icing)

Savory pizza treats. Okay, I did take a nibble of this one (hey, it's wheat-free!), and it tastes very pizza-y. All of the ingredients are posted, and are fit for human consumption.

"Donuts" and "Eclairs" with yogurt filling

Cookies! How cute are these? I love the cookie sandwiches with the insets of mittens or snowmen. Lynn is truly an artist!

"Whoopie Pies" and "Cannoli."

There are quite a few more versions, including the classic peanut butter treat. She's even created a little bite-sized, training treat and there are several selections for cats. Mail order is available, check out the website for more information.

This Sunday, November 14th, there will be an open house, part of Shop Outside the Box, encouraging holiday shoppers to buy locally, instead of at the giant box stores.

From Scratch Pet Bakery/Pampered Pet Boutique
108 S Main Street
Goshen, IN

Cheesy beefy mac

I needed to go to the store after work and pick up some groceries. Instead, I scoured the pantry and 'fridge and threw together this "everything but the kitchen sink" dinner.

Ingredients:
• One bag of rice elbow macaroni
• Half a bag frozen, chopped onions
• One pound of grass-fed ground beef (hidden in the back of the freezer, behind the frozen onions)
• Homemade cheese, with Italian spices and pepper-crusted (grass-fed, organic milk)
• Fresly grated Parmesan
• One cup of spaghetti sauce (Newman's Own Sockerooni)

Sauté beef and onions. Cook noodles until al dente. Splash and smear oil into casserole dish so nothing sticks. Drain meat/onions, add to casserole dish. Drain pasta, add to casserole dish, stir. Stir in crumbled cheese, sauce, top with Parmesan, put in pre-heated oven (350°) until heated all the way through and cheese melts.

Sure, I probably needed to make a bechamel to add to the mix, but this was improv. You don't think I would plan a meal like this on a hot, humid, summer night, do you?

Serve with green salad, have leftovers for lunch. And dinner. And maybe lunch again. Yum.

Echinacea

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Homemade

Go Green, Indiana!

Here I go, slacking on my posts again. It's been over a month since my last entry, so I'm borrowing from the INANP (Indiana Association of Naturopathic Physicians) website some info I compiled on living green and sustainable in Indiana.

1. Earth Eats a weekly podcast, public radio program and blog based in Bloomington, Indiana that features news and recipes inspired by local food and sustainable agriculture

2. Indiana Living Green an online magazine that is a fount of information, including calendars of events and farmer's markets and lists of CSAs (community supported agriculture) and local food resources.

3. Going Local includes guides to local farms and seasonal eating, food festivals, CSAs, and delicious, easy (and healthy) recipes.

4. Sustainable Indiana 2016 a Wiki that anyone can edit, listing green and sustainable businesses, job opportunities, and ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

5. Indiana Department of Environmental Management , since 1986, IDEM provides environmental oversight and technical assistance in communities and throughout the state

6. Michiana Green Pages a directory of socially and environmentally responsible efforts in the area that provide green products and services, and resources for community building, recreation, health, and healthy eating.

Don't forget Earth Day is just one month away!

White Bean Summer Salad

The inspiration for this summer salad came from the veggies from my backyard garden. My garden has been slow to grow, I'm not sure if it's due to the position in the yard or the late date of my planting. Always looking for something quick and easy to cook after a long work day, I harvested some of the fruits of my labor and came up with this simple, yummy salad.

White Bean Summer Salad
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed
1 english long cucumber, chopped into small bite-sized pieces
tomatoes (I used 2 small yellow Taxi tomatoes from the garden and one medium red from the store), chopped into small pieces
handful of basil leaves, thinly sliced

Add all ingredients into a large bowl, mix gently. Season with vinegar (I used balsamic, but red wine would work just fine), extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

I told you it was easy! Hoping more cucumbers appear, was looking forward to canning pickles this year.

The Little Seed - Tree Hugging with Style

Through the magic of Twitter, I discovered a wonderful store featuring environmentally friendly products for children. The Little Seed carries furniture, toys, books, and more, all organic or eco-conscious and incredibly stylish. The boutique is located in Los Angeles, but the website allows you to browse through the merchandise and shop online. The wooden toys are gorgeous, the polar bear rocker makes me want to be a kid again, and the soft toys...100% Egyptian cotton veggies? Too cute.

Be sure to check out the blog with essays, photos, and craft ideas, as well as articles to help prepare for a healthy pregnancy and a simple guideline to shopping for toys. There is even a link to become a fan on Facebook!

IMAGE BORROWED WITHOUT PERMISSION http://thelittleseed.com IT WAS JUST SOOOO CUTE.

Organic News

• Dr. Alan Greene ate exclusively organic food for three years, the amount of time the Department of Agriculture reports it takes an animal to be certified organic. A California pediatrician, Dr. Greene reported feeling more energetic and less ill since changing over to his all organic diet. Eating less meat balanced out the costs of buying veggies at farmers' markets and CSAs, but I'm thinking even though eating organic can be more expensive, the long term savings on healthcare makes it all worth while.

• My new favorite site, Treehugger, talks about the seven foods you must eat organic. I'd like to add to the list and include all dairy, eggs, and meat. If it's got fat, it's gotta be organic. Fat is where all the bad stuff is stored, the pesticides, the antibiotics, the toxins.

• My other new favorite site, ShopOrganic, is an Arizona based company that specializes in organic products for not just the kitchen, but the entire home. Check out their special diet sections, they even carry gluten-free and kosher supplements!

Fall for Eating!

Autumn is definitely here! The cool weather reminds me of walking through the Union Square Farmer's Market in NYC on my daily commute to work, admiring the varieties of apples and squash. Buying food that is in season is not only more affordable, it is also fresher and more nutritious! When cooking, add spices such as ginger and cinnamon to your recipes to further warm you on a crisp autumn day.

Food Network - In Season Now A resource for finding out what food is in season and how to prepare it!

Local Harvest Check out this website to find farmers markets, family owned farms, and even restaurants and groceries that emphasize local, organic food.

And speaking of local, Mixed Greens is a blog out of Seattle that shares wonderful information (including recipes) on sustainable living in the Pacific Northwest. I just learned that pears are best when picked unripe, so today I need to grab a ladder and investigate the tree in my own backyard. Eat Local Northwest blogs about sustainable eating and cooking in Seattle and Anchorage (yes, Alaska).

And just for fun...
The 100 Mile Diet Local is the new organic

In the news...

Butter is better? And so is meat? Just because it says organic, doesn't mean it's healthy? Check out the top 10 things you may not know about your diet.

That Stinks! Artificially fragranced products may contain toxic chemicals that can cause allergic reactions in some people. A study published in the Environmental Impact Assessment Review looked at products including laundry detergent, air freshener, and dryer sheets and discovered they all emit at least one toxic chemical. Find alternatives to freshening your room and your laundry.

Music as Medicine And finally, in an eight year study conducted by scientists at two British universities, experts have found rock drummers have the physical stamina of 'top athletes.' Blondie drummer Clem Burke took part in this research and has an organization dedicated to developing outreach programs targeted at 'overweight and disengaged' youth.

Eat Wild!

Find local, grass fed meats and more on Eat Wild. They have strict criteria for the farms they list, including stress-free, free-roaming environments for the animals. The website also provides a page with references, to answer those questions such as "But what about the environmental impact of raising cows?"

Enter your zip code on Sustainable Table website and find listings of local vendors who specialize in organic and/or sustainable edibles.

Fresher Fruits and Veggies

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE my biweekly delivery of organic veggies. Even though we order a small box, we often find some of the veggies go bad quickly and end up in the compost pile.

I found this great list on produce care, courtesy of Door to Door Organics. I suggest printing it out and posting on the fridge as a reminder how to tend to your precious produce! Of course, it's best to eat the veggies when fresh, so make sure you're eating your daily dose. Eat Local, a website out of Portland, Oregon, has some information on preserving locally grown/raised products.

Citrus is best kept at room temperature of 60-70 degrees and used within two weeks.
Berries and cherries are best kept covered in the fridge. Don't wash until you use them - too much moisture in the package speeds spoilage. Use within 2 - 3 days. Same for cranberries but they can be stored for a week.
Apricots, peaches, pears, nectarines and melons should be ripened before refrigeration. Cut portions should be covered before refrigerating. Use all within 3-5 days except melons, which should be used as soon as possible after ripening.
Apples are best kept in the fridge stored loose - they need to breathe to stay crisp. Use within a month.
Avocados and bananas are best stored and eaten at room temperature, but can be refrigerated after ripening. To speed ripening of green bananas, place them in a paper bag in a drawer, cupboard or other dark place with a wrinkled apple. If they still don't ripen after one week, they have been transported at a low temperature, and you might as well make chutney out of them. I place unripe avocados in a paper bag to speed up the process.
Eggplants, mature onions, winter squash, rutabagas and sweet potatoes are best kept moderately cool - no lower than 50 degrees.
Potatoes need a colder area of 45 - 50 degrees. A cool dry dark place is best. Use within a few weeks. However, they will keep longer.
All other fresh vegetables belong in the refrigerator:
Keep tomatoes uncovered and green beans and lima beans in their pods, or, if not in their pods, in plastic. They'll last 3 - 5 days in the fridge.
Keep corn in it's husk in the fridge. Eat as soon as possible because its sugar quickly turns to starch,causing it to lose its flavor.
Carrots, radishes, turnips, beets and parsnips should be stored in plastic once the leafy tops are removed. They'll last two weeks in the fridge.
Most other fresh vegetables store well in the crisper bin, but usually need plastic to avoid dehydration.
Broccoli, brussel sprouts, scallions and summer squash will last 3 - 5 days in plastic bags in the crisper. Spinach, kale, chard and collards have the same crisper life, but should be washed and drained thoroughly before packing in bags.
Lettuce, Salad Greens, Peppers and Cucumbers should be washed and stored in the crisper.
Cauliflower, Celery and Snap Peas don't have to be washed - use within a week.
Cabbage has a long fridge life of up to two weeks.
Asparagus is delicate and should be used within 2-3 days.