Fresh and Local Food with Chef Kirstin

Eating local doesn’t have to be an all or nothing endeavor. Being practically, not perfectly, green means buying whatever amount of local produce makes sense for you and your family.

Forgive us for being obsessed with a professional celebrity chef who is on an eternal quest for the perfect brownie and is also VERY CLEVER! Kirsten Uhrenholdt is the culinary talent behind Laurie David’s Family Dinner project. She’s realized that many of her green actions are things she wants to do anyway!! We think this is charming because it’s so much more fun to make a change or start a new routine when YOU WANT to. Here are TEN Practically Green actions that make Kirsten very happy — and please don’t miss her recipe for Grilled Watermelon Salad at the end!!

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Selfishly good.

I just did the practically green quiz… and I am feeling pretty good about my greenyness, but I have to admit most of the green things I do are purely selfish and don’t merit much of an award. To prove my point I am going to share with you a few of my daily good deeds.

1) I try to buy most of my fruits and vegetables in season.

The green reason is that I won’t be forcing a poor pink strawberry to pollute the winter sky all the way from peru to my kitchen in November.

(The real reason is nothing beats the taste of a fruit or vegetable eaten when it is in season, and the better it tastes, the less I as a chef have to do to it before putting it on the plate… and I still get to take the credit.)

2) I also stick with organic produce. The green reason is that the only “spices” in the food I cook should be the ones I add: pesticides are not in any of my recipes.

(The real reason is that I grew up on a fruit farm in the 70’s, and for many years I and my family members were the ones who had to spray those pesticides, back then where I grew up there were no organic farmers, or organic choices… it is time to feel lucky and support the farmers now. )

3) I am slowly changing my menus to vegetarian. The green reason is that it is just better for the planet and better for our bodies. Plain and simple, cutting back on meat is one of the greenest, and kindest things we can do for each other and the earth we walk upon… (And that is the real reason, too.)

4) Bringing glass back into the kitchen. I LOVE canning jars (see…http://thefamilydinnerbook.com/your-green-table/2011/02/13/our-valentine-to-the-jelly-jar/) I use them to store most of my leftovers, to freeze soups and sauces, to store my dry goods like beans and grains, I even layer beautiful desserts and salads in the huge ones. The green reason is obvious… treated with respect, glass jars are sturdy, heat and microwave proof, and recyclable…plastic not so much. (The real reason is they are just so good at making the fridge, pantry and myself look organized!  And the lids always fit, big plus.)

5. My new aprons are all soft untreated linen. I used to use all white aprons, which made me look pretty angelic, but needed to be washed in boiling water with bleach, so I switched to linen.

The green reason is that my new aprons just need to be washed in cold water and are an organic fabric.

(The real reason is I am pretty hot in my new wheaty-back-to-nature-zaftig look.)

6. Dish cloths… I love them, I use them for everything, mopping up spills, wiping down stoves, whirling around salad greens… even as a napkin from time to time. The green reason is it saves me from using paper towels.

(The real reason is I hate paper towels, the way they feel, the way they look, they way they fill up the trash… however they are still in my kitchen, so…)

7. My paper towels are recycled, the green reason is that they are recycled (duh),

(the real reason is the warm brown color looks a 1000 times better in my kitchen than white ones with the goofy patterns.)

8. I use cloth napkins… the green reason is… just imagine the pile of napkins we as a country produce every single day! All those fast food, happy birthday, dinner napkins with their paper and die, and plastic wrappings lying in one big soggy heap. Ug! I say use the back of your hand or a cloth napkin!

(the real reason is I also hate the feel and look of paper napkins… and once I gave myself permission not to iron cloth napkins, and I give you this permission too, I have not gone back, wrinkles are beautiful).

9. In my big city, I grow a small vegetable garden, and several fruit trees. The green reason is that there is no more local nor in season produce that what I grow myself.

(the real reason is it is so convenient and tasty! I always have fresh salad greens steps away, my herbs don’t come from a plastic clam shell, but are vibrant and fresh, my tomatoes are sweet and tart, warm from the sun and always at hand. )

10. I compost… but I am still working on that one, the green reason is it will (hopefully) create soil out of my scraps.

(the real truth is my compost still looks like twigs and sticks… but I am working on it, or the worms are… I think.)

My point with this list is that the more I learn about the green choices we are supposed to make, the more I realize that these choices all benefit our lives immediately and directly, so come on friends, let’s all be terrifically selfish and make our choices green….

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Grilled Watermelon Salad with feta, mint and lime

Grilled water melon is juicy surprise, raw and crunchy on the inside… smokey and caramelized on the outside… toss it with salty feta, tangy lime and bright mint and you have a perfect salad for picnic dinners with crickets and fireflies.

8 slices of seedless watermelon, each the size of a small deck of cards

2 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil

5 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided

4 slices of feta cheese, about 4 ounces total

A small handful fresh mint leaves

3 cups of greens (arugula, watercress or mache)

A nice sea salt

Toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

To make 4 servings

Heat up your grill (or grill pan), until it is very hot.

Pat the melon slices dry with a paper towel and place them on the grill. Grill on one side only, without moving it, until grill-marked, about 2 minutes (you want to keep the inside raw so try not to overcook).  Toss the greens with 3 teaspoons lime, the olive oil and a few pinches salt. Put the greens on a large platter and top with 4 pieces of watermelon, grill-marked side up. Top with the feta, and then the remaining melon.  Drizzle the remaining lime juice over the watermelon. Garnish with mint, pumpkinseeds and a sprinkling of salt.

Cook’s tip:

Add a little cayenne for spice

Replace the melon and feta with grilled peaches and fresh mozzarella or burrata

You can ask Kirsten a question via email @ kirstin@thefamilyfinnerbook.com. See her recipes and ideas here — and in the book of course!

In case you were unplugged/on a desert island last Thursday evening, we had an amazing online event with Rodale News and Babybites via Twitter and Facebook. As the party progressed, we saw that we were launching a new online community: #SummerMoms!!

Our first recap is all about snacks and picnic food. We cannot possibly reprint ALL of the fantastic ideas in ONE blog post. Here are some highlights. We hope you’ll check out the full conversation via our Facebook page OR on Twitter with the #SummerMoms hashtag — and please join in!

This piece of the party transcript is annotated with helpful PG Tidbits!! e.g. Avoid food packaging and cling wrap containing PVC.

Enjoy! And please contribute your favorite ideas!

More #SummerMoms Ideas Coming Soon! Thank you.

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Q1: What is ur go-to packed picnic/snack during the summer?

@emjnj: I live by @bittman’s 101 Summer Salads. It was printed a couple of years ago in @nytimes. Love!  (PG: We love too! Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/dining/22mlist.html?scp=1&sq=bittman 101 salads&st=cse)

From "101 Salads" by Mark Bittman, nytimes.com

• Anything from my CSA/the farmers’ market   (PG: here’s PG’s CSA action: 20 points!)
• Strawberries, my son loves them!

• Rainbow fruit kabobs, veggies/dip, and crackers/cheese  (from @Eatingrainbow)
• Frozen, organic grapes!   (Why is organic important? Check the Dirty Dozen: twelve conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide levels—even after peeling and washing.)
• Lots of berries and grapes. My 2 year old loves grapes!
• Picnics aren’t picnics without blueberries! Well, really any berry will do. :)

LOVE foraging for free fruit in the neighborhood! http://t.co/A4eAjgb (From @RodaleNews)

• Watermelon!
• Sliced watermelon! Perfect for hot summer days! :)

We love the resources over at ZisBoomBah Great ideas on kid–friendly veggies http://ow.ly/5pbW0 (From @KidsCookMonday)

We LOVE Kettle Organic Chips, a must-have in our picnic basket! http://ow.ly/5m8Pa (Yay for tasty chips “without transfats [partially hydrogenated oils], artificial flavors, preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup… with USDA organic certified chips, it also means the corn, corn oil, potatoes, & soy oil found in pretty much all packaged foods won’t be genetically modified.” More here.)

• fruit kabobs, homemade pita chips & various dips; watermelon slices  (From @FamDinner)
• Picnic snack has to be fruit. Right now we’ve got cherries up here in WA. If UR lucky, you have ‘em 2. (From @CelebrateGreen)

Crisp refreshing natural/organic wine! Hello, biodynamic rose. @AlexandraZissu. (From PG: “You just want a glass of wine, but hang on…. Before you sip, there are a few things to consider for you and the environment: farming practices, how the wine is made, and the impact of transporting the resulting bottles.” For the complete action please click here.)

Wine glass from Riedel.com

• fruit fruit and more fruit! lots of cooler bags & ice packs help!
• oooh! frozen grapes are a good summer snack too!
• we love kind bars (PG: YES! We do too and we just submitted them to Practically Green as a recommended product!!)

PG Tip: “When shopping, always read ingredient lists. Snack bars have an extraordinary number of unregulated nature/natural claims on the packaging when the ingredient list reveals clearly that the products are not what they claim. This can be frustrating and challenging, but soon it becomes second nature.”

From @Famdinner: And we love @latejuly chips! have you tried them?!? They’re our new fave this summer. We’re all obsessed over here!

@Huntstevens:  We love their new chips. Super favorite! Especially Sea Salt! RT @AmyBurba: @famdinner My kids love @latejulyorganic snacks

(PG: we were all pert thrilled when @LateJuly herself arrived at the party a few minutes later!!)

• @Life360:  We love to keep it easy with fresh veggies & some peanut butter!
• @MomsCAF: Agreed! Fruit is super portable! RT @aroundtheplate Picnics aren’t picnics without blueberries! Really, any berry will do
• Nothing better than a fresh fruit salad for on-the-go munchies http://ow.ly/5m96e Some melon? Berries? No Pesticides please!  (PG: Check the Dirty Dozen! Check the Dirty Dozen!)
• Whole grain salads, basil pesto, just-picked cherry tomatoes. All family-friendly. @alexandrazissu
• So many great ideas! Carry snacks from home in WEAN CUBES http://bit.ly/k22yNJ They’re reuseable, glass, and seal tightly!  @GreenDepotLLC

• @Famdinner  And love frozen bananas on a popsicle stick – sometimes dipped and frozen with chocolate too for a real treat!
• @Amygaerlan: Fruits, frozen gogurts, and string cheese
• @MomsCAF: My grandmother used to freeze bananas that were half-dipped in dark chocolate. It was a fabulous on-the-go dessert!
• @Eatingrainbow  Here’s a pic of Rainbow fruit kabobs from my guest post @GreenHalloween http://greenhalloween.org/blog/?p=1920

• RT @babybites: @CelebrateGreen @alexandrazissu oh yes, pesto is GREAT!

FINALLY:

• @CelebrateGreen: Homemade “Gorp” – Raw mixed nuts and dehydrated fruit.

And the reply, from @MommyPosh:

@CelebrateGreen homemade “Gorp”? that sounds interesting… never heard of that combo

*   *   *       Thank You, Inspiring & Inspired Summer Moms!        *   *   *

Join Meatless Monday and eat vegetarian once a week.

Selecting one day a week (it doesn’t have to be Monday) when you eliminate meat from your diet altogether helps reduce your carbon footprint and save resources like fresh water and fossil fuel. The more people having Meatless Mondays, the greater the eco-impact.

This is one of my favorite actions because with all the splendid plant-based recipes around it’s easy to do and so impactful: one day without meat every week = 20 points!

My family’s meatless discovery: Field Roast Grain Meat Company sausages….

I just now submitted this as a recommended product on Practically Green!!! You can do the same! *** ANY registered user can submit their favorites for our team’s consideration. (Click here to review Practically Green’s Recommended-Product Guidelines.)

***   To get ready for our Summer Yummers theme this week, we caught up with Meatless Monday impresarios Chris Elam and Tami O’Neill at the Monday Campaigns’ HQ in NYC.  ***

1) Why Monday?

After we started Meatless Monday it became clear that there was more to it than simple alliteration! Monday is almost universally recognized as the beginning of the week; it’s the day we dust ourselves off after a weekend of indulgence and set our intentions for the next seven days. What better time to encourage people to work on healthier habits! Research has shown that people are not only open to health reminders on Monday, but that weekly prompts can lead to real, long-term change.       In 2005 we saw the success of Meatless Monday and introduced Healthy Monday, which includes initiatives on fitness, nutrition, smoke cessation, childhood obesity and more. We also encourage bloggers, schools and organizations across the country to make Monday work for them by creating their own campaigns.

2) What’s the most fascinating/cool takeaway about a Monday’s potential for behavior change?

The common perception in our culture is that Mondays are something to dread, so it might come as a surprise that so many of us are open to a change in routine! It turns out that 70% of people like the idea of weekly health reminders and Monday is the day they’re most likely to take healthy steps like starting a diet, beginning an exercise regime or quitting smoking. {More: http://www.mondaycampaigns.org/home/about/our-research/}

3) What’s next? Do you have additional Monday campaigns planned?

The Monday Campaigns is ever expanding to suit all sorts of preventative health needs! We just launched The Kids Cook Monday, which focuses on getting families to cook and eat together once a week.

We’re also planning a new initiative called Caregiver’s Monday, encouraging those who care for others to take time for their own health.

As for Meatless Monday, we’re always working to spread the movement, so be on the lookout for new supporters near you! If you’d like to start a Meatless Monday in your school, workplace or community simply log onto www.MeatlessMonday.com for information, including toolkits to help you get started.

Check out the site for the MLM’s numerous partners — bloggers, restaurants, schools, colleges, companies and celebrities associated with Meatless Monday!

Tami O'Neill of Meatless Monday

The Monday Campaigns is a non-profit public health initiative encouraging individuals and organizations to start the week with a focus on health. To learn more about Meatless Monday, follow them on Twitter (@MeatlessMonday) or find them on Facebook (Facebook.com/MeatlessMonday).

With Farmers’ markets in full swing in all 50 states, it’s a great time to get picky – I mean thoughtful — about meat eating. You might be interested for your health, for your wallet, because it’s good for the environment, or just because. We’ve got lots of practically green ideas about meat, including Joining Meat-Free Mondays to eat vegetarian once a week. Regular readers know we’re obsessed with finding the best resources for thoughtful carnovory, such as the Applegate Farms website and Alexandra Zissu’s new book about Well-Raised Meat. Meatfree Mondays is a popular movement to reduce meat consumption by one day a week — and we’ll focus on that next Monday.

As a preview, we want to introduce you to Robyn O’Brien and to chef/food writer Kim O’Donnel, who inspires her.

“My life began in a high chair gnawing on a T-bone,” Kim says. Fast-forward four decades, and Kim has written a book called The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores will Devour.  

Kim O'Donnel (Photo: Myra Cohn)

Kim describes her muse, Mr. Sausage: “the person who cannot imagine not eating some kind of meat every single day”:

“I knew I had a great idea, but my challenge was how to get the Mr. Sausages of America to try it. We know that 96% of Americans are eating meat, most of them every day. But there’s a very interesting food dynamic going on at the table. That small percentage of vegetarians and flexitarians are no longer the lone freaks at Thanksgiving. .. so I started smoking and roasting plant ingredients and incorporating them into recipes.”

Cut to Robyn O’Brien, “a Texas native raised on Twinkies,” the author of An Unhealthy Truth, legendary food activist and allergy mom extraordinaire, who describes her own family’s transition to reducing meat in their diet on her blog this week (excerpted with Robyn’s permission).

“I’m not good with recipes…. [but] when our youngest was diagnosed with food allergies, I suddenly realized that the processed food diet that I was feeding my family was loaded with all kinds of foreign proteins, artificial dyes and things that our grandmothers would never have recognized. And I had to take a crash course in cooking.

…. in a constant effort to save money in order to buy more fruits and veggies (which are annoyingly priced so much higher than processed foods because of the way that we’ve structured agriculture in this country), I also had to learn how to reallocate the family budget…. So instead of buying meat for dinner one night a week, we decided to go meatless. It felt kind of radical in the beginning, after all, I’d been born and raised on meat at every meal.  … But one night a week, who could argue with that? It was perfectly in line with my 80/20 Rule: four out of five nights, we’d keep it business as usual, and on that fifth night, we were going to go meat-free.

Robyn discovered Kim: “And as I flipped through her cookbook that includes recipes for things like “Egg in the Hole” and “Reliable Stovetop Rice That Even My Husband Can Make,” I realized that I’d finally found a cookbook that I’d keep.

Robyn O'Brien

Here’s Kim’s recipe for ChickPea Crab Cakes. (“When I came up with this I thought, I KNOW Mr. Sausage will like this,” Kim says.)

CHICKPEA “CRAB CAKES”

True story: Less than two weeks before this manuscript was due, with most recipes edited and determined fit for public consumption, I pan-fried a batch of my falafel patties for me and my husband, Russ. He took one bite into his falafel-on-a-bun and looked at me with all seriousness. “This falafel looks and eats likes a crab cake.” He was right. With thirty combined years of living in Washington, D.C.—crab cake central—we could both see that this chickpea patty had Chesapeake potential. With the wild eyes of a mad scientist, I immediately went to work, replacing Middle Eastern falafel spices with Old Bay, the iconic Maryland seafood seasoning that’s had a cult following for three generations. Out with the tahini, in with a yogurt rémoulade and horseradishy cocktail sauce that transport you from the Mid-East to the Mid-Atlantic. The result: Downright crab-shacky.

Kitchen note:  Dried chickpeas are a must for this recipe; the canned version are simply too soft and patties will fall apart.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried chickpeas

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (not quite 1 large onion)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, or 1/4 cup each, chopped

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable oil

8 soft hamburger buns or English muffins

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Cover the chickpeas with water and soak for at least 8 hours at room temperature. (If your kitchen is very warm, you may want to place in the refrigerator to minimize chances of fermentation.) Drain and set aside. You will end up with 2 cups soaked chickpeas.

Using a food processor or heavy-duty blender, pulverize the chickpeas, using the “pulse” function. Pulverize until the beans just form a paste that sticks together when you squeeze it in your hand. Be careful not to overprocess the chickpeas; too smooth, the batter will fall apart when cooking.

Add the rest of the ingredients (except the oil) and combine using the “pulse” function. After being pulsed approximately twelve times, the batter will be somewhat grainy and speckled with herbs.

Refrigerate the batter for about 1 hour, until firm.

Meanwhile, make the yogurt rémoulade or cocktail sauce (details follow).

Remove the batter from the fridge and shape into patties, using a scant 1/3-cup measure. Be careful not to overhandle the batter.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the patties on a plate or baking tray and cover with plastic wrap. Return to the fridge and chill for an additional 10 to 15 min- utter.

In a shallow 12-inch skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium-high heat. Gently place the patties into the hot oil in small batches (don’t crowd the pan) and fry the first side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. (If you’re the impatient sort, set a timer and relax. These things don’t like to be fussed with.)

Gently turn onto the second side and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking tray to finish cooking in the oven for 8 minutes. (Before frying the next batch, heat the remaining oil.) The patties will have a somewhat drier appearance on the outside, which is a good thing.

Serve on a bun with the rémoulade, cocktail sauce or a schmear of mustard-mayo.

Yogurt Remoulade

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plain yogurt (if you like thick sauce, look for Greek- style yogurt)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Squeeze of 1/2 lemon

2 to 3 cornichons or bread-and-butter pickles, diced

1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce

1/8 cup onion or shallot, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

In a small mixing bowl, stir the yogurt with a fork, to loosen. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Taste for salt, acid, and heat, and season accordingly. This is an ad hoc sauce open to all kinds of kitchen improv. Have your way with this one!

Recipe credit: From the book The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook by Kim O’Donnel.  Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group.  Copyright © 2010. www.dacapopresscookbooks.com

Personally speaking, an amazing aspect of Practically Green’s magic is seeing your Facebook Friends there.

1. For example, here are my Facebook friends who have already Switched to a Reusable Water Bottle:

2. I can see where my friends have rated products

– oooh, seeing their recommendation makes me want to B U Y !!

3. Click back to my personal PG dashboard: I can see my friends in my News feed there. PG alerts me when they earn a badge or complete an action:

4. I see a bunch of my friends at the top right of my PG home page… there they are!!

5. I can click the “See all your friends” link to see all my Facebook friends who have connected to Practically Green. (Sigh … glad they’re here…)

6. They’re here in my Facebook friends group!

7. If I like, I can see what my Friends have on their Action plans and see what actions they’ve completed — and I can see who’s got the most points! (Priscilla is rocking!!)

8. I can see the cumulative Impact of my Friends’ group:

9. How to connect Practically Green with your Facebook? It’s easy: click on the button at the top right of your Practically Green home page:

P.S.  Not to worry, unlike some other sites we know, Practically Green will only share news on your Wall when you want.

***   ***   Your green journey is about to become a lot more social and fun!   ***   ***

Have a look at these colorful lunch containers and you’ll see why we’re so excited to launch the Back to School Badge with Goodbyn!   To win the badge, complete any 10 of the actions, including:

Switch to a reusable lunch-box.

Why is this is a smart idea?

“The average child produces 67 pounds of trash from lunch a year, which is over 15,000 pounds per elementary school. By switching to a reusable lunch-box as well as utensils, napkins, and bags, you can greatly minimize the natural resources used and the waste created every day.”

We caught up with Goodbyn’s founder, Erin Franczyk, to get the scoop.

“I have three girls – the oldest is now a freshman in college – so I have been making lunch for a LONG time. One day I was making lunches, as I said, every morning. I happened to be reading the book Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough.  

{We knew what was coming next… this is one potent read.}

“Pulling the baggies out of the box, one by one, I was struck by all the garbage I was creating. That morning, I got the girls off to school, sat down, and began a computer search for a lunch box that was well-designed, that would solve this problem. I couldn’t find anything!

“Please understand that my background is in design. I wanted something cool, innovative, fun. I didn’t see anything and I began to wonder if this was a space, an opportunity. I casually asked my girlfriends whether they’d use reusable cointainers for lunches. They told me, ‘I’d buy it in a heartbeat!’

“At the time I had a little jewelry business. Well, I thought it was a business. Now I realize it was a hobby. I hooked up with an old business partner, Rob, and in January 2008 we formed the company. We found a design engineer, Miguel.

We wanted to reinvent the lunchbox!

“Kids lose parts, or they leak, or they can’t open them or close them. Our boxes have multiple compartments but only two pieces. Two: that’s it! Then, we wanted to make it possible to personalize these lunchboxes. So we issue a new bunch of stickers every year. Kids like that it’s funky and fun.”  Here’s a set designed by Erin! They even include an “I’m allergic to….” Sticker! Everything’s BPA- and phthalate-free, top-drawer dishwasher safe, and 100% recyclable.

Back to the colors: green apple, strawberry, blueberry?

“I had to be talked into that,” Erin says. “I didn’t like the idea of naming the colors. But people are loving it, and I think it gets them thinking about the food they’re putting in.”

“We wanted to be the lunchbox with the lowest possible carbon footprint. So we make everything in the USA. This lunchbox is not traveling the globe before it gets to your house! And nothing is going to the landfill.”

“We choose our partners very carefully,” she says.

We’ll take that!! Thank you, Erin!

Enjoy ordering Goodbyn products from Practically Green!

Follow Goodbyn on Twitter @goodbyn and on Facebook: facebook.com/Goodbyn – and when we say FOLLOW, this time we really mean it: Erin and her family are on a cross-country trip and blogging all the way. Today they’re having contest to guess which National Parks they’re visiting, based on photos like this one:

Where in the world is Erin's daughter??

It’s Summer, and the Living is Healthy!

Practically Green is throwing a

Summer Online Social with

Babybites and Rodale!

Thursday, June 23, 9 to 10 pm EST

Topics: Kids’ Health & Everyday Products and On-the-Go Eating

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Amazing Goodies:

Personal Q&A with PracticallyGreen’s Founder, Susan Hunt Stevens (email/phone/skype) @huntstevens

Gift certificate for brunch for 4 at L’artusi restaurant, New York  @lartusi

25%-off at Kaight NYC for 24 hrs for all participants (code TBA at party) @kaightshop

Complimentary nutrition consulting in person or online with the NYC-based @NutritionTwins

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Be there via Twitter and/or Facebook!  Your choice! Party with us on our customized chat box on the Practically Green Facebook page. If you’re partying via Twitter, please use http://ow.ly/5n2iY, hashtag #summermoms

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Special Guests

Alexandra Zissu, Author, Editorial Director of Practically Green @alexandra zissu

Laurie David’s Family Dinner team @famdinner

Susanna Schultz of Green Depot @GreenDepotLLC

Corey Colwell-Lipson of CelebrateGreen & GreenHalloween @celebrategreen

Tami O’Neill of Meatless Mondays & Monday Campaigns @MeatlessMonday

Leah Zerbe, Editor & Lifestyle Expert from Rodale.com

RSVP: Leave your Facebook name or twitter handle in the comments section below to RSVP.
Ex: Twitter- @emjnj OR Facebook- Elise J.

babybites.com, @babybites, facebook.com/Mommybites                                                                                                                                           Rodale.com, @rodalenews, facebook.com/rodalenews

PracticallyGreen.com,@practicallygrn, facebook.com/practicallygreen

Sustainable Caterer Julia Frost of Chive Events Shares Tips for an Eco-Friendly Picnic, by Jan Devereux

Summer is picnic season, but if you’re committed to leaving a small footprint whenever you go insects aren’t the only annoyance: picnicking can generate an amount of trash that packs a pretty big sting. So, I was wowed recently when I attended a picnic birthday party for my friends Annie and David and discovered it was designed to be a 100% sustainable, zero waste event. About 80 friends and I feasted on a healthful, locally sourced outdoor supper and not a single trash bag was needed. Every bit of waste went into one of two receptacles — recycling or composting — that left with the caterers at the end of the evening.

I was so impressed with the mouth-watering seasonal spread and its elegant, eco-friendly presentation that I had to learn more about my hosts’ sustainable caterer, Chive Events of Beverly, Mass. I talked with Julia Frost, the eco-savvy entrepreneur who launched Chive in 2009 with her designer-sister Jennifer and their chef-friend Lindsey Wishart. Julia was delighted to share some tips on casual, yet sustainable, entertaining, along with a recipe for an delicious summer entree: fishcakes with arugula pesto (see below).

Chive Women

First off, the picnic plate: kick the paper and plastic habit and switch to dinnerware made from renewable materials and pack re-usable utensils for on-the-go dining.

Chive Events uses VerTerra Dinnerware, biodegradable plates, bowls and serving dishes made from pressed palm leaves. VerTerra is lightweight enough to pack in a picnic hamper, durable enough to put in the oven or microwave and compostable. Julia cited another benefit: producing VerTerra products has created new jobs and revenue in India; no trees are cut down and instead of being burned, the fallen palm leaves are combined with water to make VerTerra’s products. Instead of plastic utensils, Chive uses Aspenware, a brand of compostable wooden cutlery made from North American birch and aspen fiber. And, it almost goes without saying that if your party menu is sustainable, your decorations should be, too; Julia credits her sister Jennifer with designing eye-catching, all-natural decorations that are as eco-friendly as the food on the table.

Plating Chive's fishcakes: YUM!! (recipe below)

To complement their locally sourced, seasonal menus, Chive Events serves eco-friendly beverages. As an alternative to soft drinks, Julia suggests SIPP, a new line of sparkling organic fruit juice blends. At the birthday picnic I attended, Chive’s bartender mixed SIPP cocktails in mason jars. Chive also suggests serving organic wine and locally brewed beer (in a keg for a large group).

Finally, as a thrifty small business owner committed to practicing sustainability, Julia understands that the most effective way to manage waste is prepare only the amount of food the guests can realistically consume. The Chive team works closely with a handful of small, local farmers and CSAs, and Julia says, “I can’t bear to see the beautiful food that my suppliers have worked so hard to harvest go to waste.” The silver lining is that Chive’s food scraps are composted by a local outfit that supplies the compost used by the CSA where Chive buys most of its produce. From farm to table to compost, and all the way back around again — that’s sustainability in action!

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RECIPE: Fish Cakes with Arugula Pesto, shared by Chive Events

Our favorite fish to use with this recipe is haddock or cod with a mix of fatty tuna or bluefish; in-season striped bass and summer flounder are also delicious!

Fish Cakes:

Chop the fish into tiny pieces with a very sharp chef’s knife (1 pound of fish will make 4 fish cakes).

Combine the chopped fish with:

2 large eggs

lots of favorite herbs (dill, chives, scallions)

juice and zest of 1 lemon

5 TB stone-ground cornmeal

salt and pepper

Mix well and form into 4 equal cakes.

Heat a few TB olive oil in skillet and fry on each side about 4 minutes.

Arugula Pesto:

in a food processor, blend:

2 cloves garlic,

2 cups packed arugula

1/2 bunch of basil

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

Add olive oil in a steady stream until puree is smooth and consistent.

Serve fish cakes warm with lemon slices and a dollop of arugula pesto.

Note on today’s guest blogger: Jan Devereux writes regularly for Practically Green — her most recent post was about how she Substituted or Eliminated an Air-Freighted Food Item. Jan is busy with work, her three kids, husband, global concerns, etc., yes, but she’s totally obsessed with her new puppy, Eddie. And HELLO: looking at him, who wouldn’t be?!

Switch to an all-natural shaving cream, and after shave, and cream, and balm.

In honor of Fathers Day, and for all the beloved men out there, we decided to test Weleda’s men’s product line. We’re already obsessed with Weleda’s baby products, Skin Food (Demi Moore’s favorite), Pomegranate serum and creams – and the combo of rose oil and aloe lotion is to die for.

But we had not tried the Men’s Care items.

With ingredients like almond oil, organic pansy extract, witch hazel, biodynamic aloe, marshmallow root extract, organic jojoba seed oil, and goat’s milk, we were pretty confident that even our ultra-discerning crew would approve.

But first: What makes a man’s product a man’s product? Is it scent? Is it that men’s shaving products need to be different than women’s? Aren’t all of the Weleda products great for both sexes?

Carrie Ruelhman

Savvy Carrie at Weleda answers:

Some products are specifically formulated for men, like our Shaving Cream, which boasts sweat almond oil and pansy extract to soothe, calm and condition skin during shaving. Our After Shave Balm contains myrrh, which has astringent properties and acts as a mild, burn-free antiseptic to calm small razor nicks. It also contains vitamin-rich aloe that nourishes and soothes razor burn. Truthfully, women can also use this product after shaving and they will reap the same benefits. So what really makes our Men’s Care ideal for—well, men? It’s the wonderful fragrance that’s formulated with men in mind. We use a blend of pure essential oils from sandalwood, sage and bergamot to give our Men’s products a handsome, herbal fragrance.

We bought all four: Shaving Cream, Smooth Shave Toner, After Shave Balm, and Moisture Cream for Men. (Full disclosure: later, Weleda’s PR firm sent us extras.) We passed them around the PG team and here’s the raw feedback. Bottom line: THUMBS UP!

Rajiv: i loved the metal tube vs plastic of others. good scent, not too man-ly. not american (not a bad thing). might have worked better than just vaseline. not as greasy.

Chris: “I found it very refreshing – and it smelled really good as well”

Editorial Director Lexy Zissu pinged us back: “The man o’ my house already uses the sage spray and the face cream. Loves both. Not a fan of the salt toothpaste (which I like).”

Ingredient: Sage (Salvia Officinalis) Leaf Oil

Kristen, our multi-talented Penn intern, conducted this interview with her friend Ryan (pictured here):

Possible next Weleda model?

How does this compare to the product you usually use? “It feels better than my Gilette Fusion. It smells better, too.”

What about the smell? “Smells relaxing. Do I get to keep it?”

No. What else do you have to say about this product? “It gets the job done … Guys… we really don’t care about this stuff. As long as it gets the job done, we’ll use it. “

While using Weleda After Shave Balm:

How does this product compare to your usual product? “Sometimes my face burns — it doesn’t burn with this.”

How does it feel? “It felt like really cooling on my face.. It really didn’t burn that bad either.”

Products editor Rebecca:

I had my husband try out Weleda’s aftershave (great excuse to get him to shave!) and this is what he had to say:

First and foremost he said he would use this product because it did not have an overpowering, strong, intense fragrance like most after shaves out there.  It liked that the fragrance was light and subtle with a lemon-y/citrus-y and refreshing feel. Added that it felt good after shaving and didn’t irritate his skin – he has sensitive skin.

I like how it smells too – but I am a sucker for citrus!

From our most persnickety colleague (shhh!), Jason: “It was softer and stickier than the normal shaving gel…. easier to shave with. How do I feel? Like I can skip down the Champs-Élysées with a croissant in one hand and my laptop in the other.”

One final guinea pig: my husband Jack. Talk about old school: he’s a creature of habit, very stubborn, and VERY particular: for decades he’s used a bespoke blend of avocado oil and honey that he hoards from a shop in London. He tried the After Shave Balm and the Moisture Cream. His comment: “Refreshing!” “Anything else, sweetie?” I asked him. “Refreshing!” he said. That was it. And a few hours later, his face still smells like freshly mowed grass by the seashore.

Drink Eco-Friendly Wine, by Mollie Chen

Wine glass from Riedel.com

As a longtime list-maker, I love the Practically Green approach. They take a very large task (greening your lifestyle) and break it down into bite-size action items. Because of that, I can just pick an area of my life and start checking boxes. And where better to begin than with my wine glass?

Now, I am an excellent wine drinker, but I know next to nothing about organic and biodynamic wine. While I incorporate locally grown, organic food into my diet as much as I can, I know how complicated those designations can be. So I did a little research.

Eco-friendly wine falls into a few categories: certified organic wine, which uses grapes that are grown without any pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and is also sulfite-free; wine made with organic grapes; and wine made according to biodynamic principles.

Oregon sunrise

Some regions are further ahead than others: for example, Oregon vintners have been heading in the organic direction for years. In 2009, the state created the Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine (OCSW) brand, with the goal of making it easier for consumers to identify and buy organic and biodynamic wines. Their website has tons of helpful information, including a list of participating wineries. I happily discovered that Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir, which I already love!, is certified. I’d been going green without even knowing it! I also downloaded Organic Wine Find’s useful wine locater to my iPhone so that I can easily search for organic wines at local wine shops as well as on Wine.com. Technology rocks, huh?

OrganicWineFind.com app

Another way to be a green drinker is to drink local. In that respect, I’m covered: I love North Fork (NY) wines, especially since I visited the wineries there and had a chance to chat with the winemakers themselves. Jamesport Vineyards makes fantastic reds, especially East End Cinq, a ridiculously affordable and delicious everyday red, while Shinn Estate has a gorgeous Sauvignon Blanc and delicious Chardonnay — perfect for summertime sipping.  

Note on our Guest Blogger: Mollie Chen is the Director of Content at Birchbox, a new beauty startup. Before that, she was an editor at Condé Nast Traveler and a freelance travel and food writer for Bon Appétit and Tasting Table. Find Birchbox on Facebook: facebook.com/BirchboxMonthly and follow them on Twitter @birchbox. Mollie tweets @molliechen.

Roughing It at Camp Laugh A Lot

Perfect photo on the cover of GreenChild mag

When our friend Jeanine told us that she hosts a neighborhood kids’ camp out every year in the Connecticut ‘burbs, we were pretty enchanted. Frankly, we’re fascinated:

Who else invites a crowd of kids to sleep over outside their house overnight?

We begged her to elaborate:

“Jeanine: Please will you send us a post, a quip, even just a quick email on your annual campout and what you do to make it green! ASAP. The basic idea is SO cool: get kids outside — and outside their usual box! You don’t need to go to the Galapagos, you can do this right in the back yard!”

Here’s her reply:

We are excited to celebrate Camp Laugh A Lot’s 5^th Anniversary.

Camp Laugh A Lot was formed immediately after I finished reading Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods.

It started with one small tent, me, my daughter, and a couple of neighborhood kids — and it has grown into a mini tent city, with 20 kids (ages 5-9) and several more adults… all craving campfire food, chasing fireflies, sing alongs and the sound of crickets lulling them to sleep.

We use mess kits, reusable bottles, solar lanterns, 100% recycled toilet paper (haven’t gotten as green as using leaves yet…maybe that is a “PG next action step to take”), bandanas for our napkins. Everyone helps make dinner; hobo stew, corn on the cob, watermelon and s ‘mores. We go swimming, play hide n’ seek, cops and robbers…the kids’ imaginations run wild. The camp counselors (parents) enjoy back to basics with a side of decadence, a real plate and fork and libation of their choice. The campers and counselors laugh a lot!

Did I mention, all of this fun happens in our backyard?

Jeanine Behr Getz is Founder of Kids Think Big and the author of Think Green! She and her family (and their lucky neighbors) live in a town that-shall-go-nameless in southwestern Connecticut.

Turn down hot water heater to 120 degrees, by Lynn Stone aka Smiling Green Mom

Have you ever thought about your home’s water temperature? I mean REALLY thought…. aside of “there better be enough hot water for my bath and my glass of red wine to sit in tonight”?

Well, truth be told, I had not either! I mean, my husband did — he always takes care of the temperature of this and that, setting thermostats, adjusting the furnace and all that “man-stuff” like taking out the trash. I am totally not labeling jobs as “sex-specific” but this is just the way it works out for our family! (Note To Self: add “rub wife’s feet” to hubby’s man-job list.)

Okay so now I feel a bit ashamed that I had not thought of this – so to make up for it, I am going to make sure I get the word out via Practically Green! As with everything in the world of green living, I fully support the “do your best, small steps matter” theory and recognize this as just another step in a greener direction! *glass is half full.*

So yes, water temperature DOES matter and not only does it protect your small children by safe-guarding their bathtime from burns or scalding of TOO hot of water…it’s eco-smart too! By lowering your water temperature by just 10 degrees, you can save in your energy costs by 3% – 5% as well. By reducing your thermostat below 120 degrees, you will have less corrosion and mineral buildup in your pipes and inside the water  heater itself – helping to maximize efficiency and extend the life of your water heater!

Image Credit: http://www.sundropjewelry.com/growinghome/

We can think of no better directions on How to Adjust your Hot-Water Heater than these, which you’ll find on Practically Green:

In order to turn down the water temperature on your hot-water heater, you must first locate the water heater in your house. The water heater is usually a large, white storage tank with a couple of main pipes sticking out of it. The pipes lead to a furnace or boiler and to your home’s water distribution (piping) system. Look for a temperature-control knob along the side of the water heater.

In most cases, the control will allow you to switch the setting to ‘warm’ or something similar, rather than to another temperature. Do this and you should be all set. To test if this action actually brought the water temperature down to 120 degrees, you can run the hot water at a faucet that is furthest from the water heater in your house and take the water temperature with a thermometer.

According to energysavers.com,

“Consult your water heater owner’s manual for instructions on how to operate the thermostat. You can find a thermostat dial for a gas storage water heater near the bottom of the tank on the gas valve. Electric water heaters, on the other hand, may have thermostats positioned behind screw-on plates or panels. As a safety precaution, shut off the electricity to the water heater before removing/opening the panels. Keep in mind that an electric water heater may have two thermostats—one each for the upper and lower heating elements.

Mark the beginning temperature and the adjusted temperature on the thermostat dial for future reference. After turning it down, check the water temperature with a thermometer at the tap farthest from the water heater. Thermostat dials are often inaccurate. Several adjustments may be necessary before you get the right temperature.”

Photo: http://damonique.blogspot.com

Back to Lynn:

So you see — it really is an issue for all of us to keep in mind. There are several excellent reasons and benefits with reducing your household water temperature to below 120 degrees…and another good one? Well, with all the money you will be saving each year — you can buy yourself a stellar bottle of red along with a few extra bars of non-toxic, organic soaps to soak with! I love it when green means extra pampering, aaaah!

Author Note:

Lynn Stone blogs at smilinggreenmom.com. Follow her on Twitter @ smilinggreenmom and join her on Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Smiling-Green-Mom/.

Healthy Green Grilling, by Susan Hunt Stevens

My husband is the grill guy in our family. As a result, the grill has largely escaped “healthy green scrutiny.” However, I recently read a CNN Health article, “How To Make Grilling Safer” that suggests a little time and attention on how we grill is in order. Just a few simple steps can greatly improve the health and sustainability of your outdoor cooking.

1. Ditch charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid for better outdoor cooking options
If you still use charcoal and lighter fluid, you are exposing you, your family/friends and neighbors to lots of harmful chemicals. What to do?

SunOven.com

Green: Use eco-friendly briquettes and a chimney starter instead of lighter fluid.

Greener: Use a gas grill.

Greenest: Use a solar oven. (a what?! Yes, it’s an oven powered by the sun. How cool is that?!)

2. Choose healthier meats
I love burgers and hot dogs. I don’t love hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, or GMO-feed. You can avoid all of that by choosing organic meats. Our partner Applegate has organic hot dogs, organic burgers and for those of you that want to avoid red meat, organic turkey burgers. You can find Applegate in Whole Foods as well as many other supermarkets like Publix and Safeway. You can check Applegate’s store locator on their site and they do sell online.

Want to learn more about meat? Check out our own Alexandra Zissu’s new book, The Butcher’s Guide to Well-Raised Meat.

3. Pick vinegar sauces over sugar-based sauces
Grilling protein-filled foods such as meat and fish creates two kinds of chemical compounds that may contribute to cancer: heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). One way to cut down on PAHs is to look for vinegar or lemon-based sauces, or make them yourself! These act as an “invisible shield” to change the acidity of the meat and prevents PAHs from sticking.

4. Use more eco-friendly grill tools
Need grill tools? Choose durable options made from recycled or renewable materials. This set from Verde is gorgeous and made from recycled steel and bamboo.

5. Experiment with fruits and veggies
Have you ever grilled a peach? A red onion? Fruits and vegetables can be delicious off the grill and don’t create the same chemicals as meats. And reducing overall meat consumption, even just one day a week, can be very impactful. Use summer grilling as your first step to joining Meat-Free Monday.

So for this Father’s Day consider giving a gift that he will love and that improves the health and sustainability your grill. It’s a win-win for everyone!

PS: Grilling not the right Father’s Day gift theme for the dad in your life? Check out these other ideas from our blog:
Father’s Day: Cookbooks make a perfect Daddy gift
Order a Handsome and Ecofabulous Custom Carryall from F.Rock for Men

Today’s guest blogger is a home-comforts guru, and today she writes on a simple, effective concept: RE-USE. Vicky Sanderson’s approach is an ideal end-of-the-week reflection… and we hope’ll you enjoy it. You might even be inspired to check out our terrific new Healthy Home badge sponsored by Mythic Paint!

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Looking for a simple way to start a greener life? It’s easy. Just watch what you buy!

It would be hard to find anyone who doesn’t want to live a greener life. But it might be equally difficult to find consensus about what that means. Does living green require, for example, reducing energy use and switching to a carbon-neutral alternative fuel? Is it about ensuring that the home is free of materials that off-gas, and eliminating chemical cleaners?  Downsizing from a McMansion to a smaller-footprint home? Buying only sustainably grown, organic foods? Or do we have to hit all those buttons at once to be green?

There are so many angles from which our environmental challenges can be attacked that making choices can be confusing — even overwhelming. But there’s a universally earth-friendly action that’s easy to understand — and execute. It’s simply to consume less. When you can’t do without, consider refreshing and reusing an item you already have, or buying second-hand. When it comes to home design, doing so can be a shortcut to one-of-a-kind décor that makes a personal style statement. Here are three simple ideas for making do with what you’ve got:

Vintage linen makes excellent hand-towels, and looks pretty in a distressed wooden box

Two of my pet peeves are liquid soap and disposable hand towels. But if there’s lots of traffic in a main-floor powder room, you need to keep guests clean — and green. My solution is to buy large vintage linen napkins, and plunk them in an old wooden tool box.  No real need to iron them — just line-dry them in the sun (which kills bacteria!). I add prettily wrapped or boxed soap.  The boxes are then used on my vanity to hold hairpins, tweezers and lipsticks – all that necessary but slightly unsightly girlie stuff, which I stack on a tray, made from an old cabinet face and two handles from Stanley’s excellent hardware collection.

Flickering candlelight adds atmosphere to any space — indoor or out. But you don’t have to spend on matching tea-light holders or candlesticks to get your glow on. Use old Mason jars, which you can pretty up with stick-on words or graphics. Tea-lights also look wonderful in vintage glassware (especially cut glass or crystal), so rather than throwing out your mis-matched stemware, toss a tea-light in each and group them for a great effect.

Mason jars with stick-ons from WallTalk www.walktalk.ca

In many homes, there’s a stash of old picture frames tucked away somewhere, just wasting time. Next time you need a mirror, see if you can’t find something from your collection that’s about the right size and shape. Paint it out if you like, preferably using leftover low- or no-Voc paint. Then get your local hardware store to cut a piece of mirror glass and pop it in. Presto Chango — you’ve got an inexpensive, and unique, vintage mirror. If you have to replace older decorative interior doors, consider turning them into full-length mirrors. And if you have to tear out old cornices or decorative friezes, why not give them a second life as, say, a handsome shelf?

A mirror made from a fireplace insert from Artefacts www.artefacts.ca

An old door becomes a glam full-length mirror. Picture courtesy of Artefacts

Author bio:

Home product specialist Vicky Sanderson writes a weekly column called Hot Home Products for The Toronto Star. Recent pieces include Manly Gifts for a Special Father: Dad Deserves more than a Hand-made Card and a Tie; and Fired Up: Celebrating the Barbecue. Vicky blogs at On the House on all things home and decor related. She’s a popular speaker and expert, and you can follow her on Twitter @VickySanderson

Lightbulbs: A Picture Says a Thousand Words.

Credit: F. Martin Ramin

Steamy hot weather in Boston: it’s easier than ever to realize that the hotter the bulb to the touch, the more inefficient it must be.

We’ve blogged on inefficient bulbs previously (thank you, Brian Clark Howard), and we have three actions that give you points for switching yours to CFL or LED.

Frankly, we’re still conflicted.

Conventional “Edison” incandescents are inefficient, we know that. OUT. CFLs are more efficient, and they aren’t all THAT expensive. But they contain mercury, which is hard to recycle and dangerous on contact.

If price were no object, we’d outfit the whole house in LEDs…. BUT: the price is more what you expect to pay for a pair of decent shoes, not a lightbulb. And the light quality is not perfect — is it, really?

As Practically Green’s Product Editor Rebecca Sama reasons,

Rebecca Sama

“LEDs are superior, but they do have a higher up-front cost. I suspect two years from now, the costs will come down and they will be more mainstream, but for the time being I lean towards explaining the pros/cons of each and letting the consumer/reader decide… it is incredibly exciting to see how the technology is taking off and all the ways that manufacturers and designers are incorporating LEDs into their light fixture designs.”

Last week we pounced on an illuminating (sorry) story by Gwendolyn Bounds in the Wall Street Journal:

“…most of today’s incandescent bulbs will be phased out (some specialty bulbs are exempt) by 2014 and replaced by more efficient alternatives. While cheap at 25 to 50 cents a pop, incandescent bulbs waste nearly all their energy in heat output.

“The light-bulb industry now faces a daunting task of re-educating shoppers who are still in the dark about their choices. A recent survey by General Electric Co. shows three-quarters of consumers have no idea about the new regulation and impending changes.”

The article was illustrated with an infographic that we reprint above, with permission from the iridescent photographer F. Martin Ramin.

More on Bounds here. And here’s tip from her re: the halogen-incandescent option pictured #2 from left in the photo above.

Wendy Bounds

Another point I think is worth making – and which has been lost in this whole debate - is that people don’t actually have to give up incandescent technology if they like that kind of light. They can use new incandescent/halogen bulbs which are currently on the market and meet the new standards. And they are relatively cheap at about $1.50 to $2 a bulb. So for folks who don’t like CFL and can’t afford LED, there’s another alternative that very much is like the bulb they are using now.

What do you think? Have you switched the bulbs in your house? Your office?

Can I please tell you that for someone who never really thought of herself as a sausage gal, I LOVE the organic sausages that Applegate Farms makes.

Yes, I love that they are organic. Who wants to eat chemicals? And yes, I love that my entire family ages 2 to 72 is ravenous for them.

And yes, I love that they are so versatile! They’re happy thrown on the grill or sliced into a pasta sauce. This andouille is the perfect spicy touch for a sophisticated Italian cipollini fish stew.

Here’s Scrumptious Sausage Lasagna:

Meet Pennsylvania chicken farmer Stan Miller whose toddler son was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer. That changed their eating style: “the non-organic food was killing us, so we went organic, and last night we celebrated his 25^th birthday.” Perfect for Fathers Day:

Recycling Tips for Al Fresco Summer Parties, by Sarah Kite

Sarah Kite is Director of Recycling Services for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, where she oversees the progress of the statewide municipal recycling program and manages the general operations of the state’s Materials Recycling Facility. She writes a popular column called “Trash Tutorial” for The Providence Journal. Sarah contributed a wonderful post here in December about Holiday Garbage. Today we offer her thoughts on recycling as it relates to the season of outdoor partying and family fun.

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Now that it’s beginning to feel a bit more like summer here in the Northeast, dining al fresco suddenly seems like reality again. Not that anyone needs an excuse to throw a party, but luckily June brings the inevitable crush of graduations, celebrations, and school’s out shindigs. All of which bring an equal crush of hot dog bun wrappers, Styrofoam meat trays, veggie scraps, and condiment containers.

1) Just as you prep your meal, prep your recycling stations too. You’ll need a bottle and can receptacle, a plastic bag container, and if you compost, a big bowl for food scraps. As with any successful recycling program, education is key. Putting the kids in charge of making signs for the recycling stations is a great way to involve them in the party prep while you get the food ready. Collages, sculptures, or plain-old hand drawn signs are all you need to help your guests know where to dispose their recyclables.

2) Think BIG for beverages: Generous pitchers of lemonade, kegs of beer, bottles of wine — all help to reduce the amount of single-serve beverage containers that have to be recycled.

3) Ask your guests to BYO drink glasses! Invite your guests to bring a favorite wine glass, beer mug, or “Archie and Friends” jelly jar — a glass that means something special. As the beverages flow, so will the stories of gatherings gone by.

4) Avoid using paper plates and plastic silverware: This means using washable dinnerware or serving hand-held finger-foods. Tacos, wraps, burgers & hot dogs are all great plate-less meals. Mini kebabs make perfect “pickies”, and the wooden skewers are compostable (after washing any oils or marinades off). For more substantial kebabs, use metal skewers instead of wood. The metal skewers are reusable, won’t burn, and will conduct the heat more efficiently through the meat and vegetables.

5) If you do decide to use paper plates, please know that not all paper plates are created equally. Plates advertised as “compostable” may still contain a plastic (polymer) binder. Read the information on the bag and pay close attention to any word with an “-ethyl” or an “-ene” in the description. If there isn’t any information on the package, go to the company’s website to make sure you’re not inadvertantly trying to compost plastic. Also, remember that oils, dairy, and meats are not conducive to most backyard compost piles. Unless your compost pile gets extremely hot, you won’t be able to sufficiently break down the oils. The pile will attract pests and animals that, although they certainly enjoyed the leftovers of your BBQ, will cause you quite a headache the next day. Washing oils, dairy, and meats off the paper plates defeats the purpose using them.

6) Rethink Napkins. Paper napkins may be convenient, and they may be made from recycled content, but they are not recyclable themselves. The fibers of the napkin are too short to be recycled, making them only good for the trash. And ever notice that people don’t usually take just ONE napkin? It’s always two or three at a time, and then those extra napkins blow around or get used up quickly because they’re so small. And honestly — paper napkins are just plain scratchy.

It’s really a snap to make your own cloth napkins. Here are no-sew and quick-sew versions! Note: use scraps of linen, cotton, or equally absorbent fabric. No rayons, polyesters, or blends because they simply won’t get the job done. I’d use a minimum 12” square of fabric, but feel free to use as large a square as you like.

No-Sew Cloth Napkins (pictured above)

Cotton fabric (as a quilter, I always have fat quarters lying around and they work great) and Pinking shears

Cut the fabric into a 12” square (or larger to suit your taste) with the pinking shears. The pinking shears create a saw-tooth edge that will resist fraying.

Quick-Sew Cloth Napkins

Cotton fabric (well-worn, well-washed men’s oxford or flannel shirts are perfect)
, Scissors, 
Ruler or tape measure, 
Iron
, Sewing machine (optional)

If using a shirt, cut off the sleeves, collar, and button bands (Don’t throw away! Use these to tie up climbing plants, tomatoes, or sunflowers). Measure the remaining fabric to determine how many same-size napkins you can expect. If using fabric yardage, one yard will yield four 18” squares (finished napkin size 16 ½” square).

Fold the raw edges 1/8” and press with the iron. Fold all edges again ¼”, press with the iron, and sew around all edges.

Finis!

Father’s Day is seriously one of the best holidays ever, right? What Dad doesn’t love being fêted? And who doesn’t love spoiling Daddy — especially on one special day!

For the Dads we know, the best kind of Sunday afternoon party probably includes the keywords grill, eat, watch baseball game, golf (or fish, garden, surf, nap, read newspaper or otherwise decompress), and, possibly, beer.

This week and next, we’re excited about covering some of the most fun and inventive ways to go practically green for Father’s Day.

First: FOOD! If the Dad in your life is serious about his healthy food habit — from choosing hormone-free milk to busting the artificial food coloring in the pantry – take ten minutes to cruise our Food actions database with him!

Today, with Meatless Monday in mind, we give a nod to Dad’s increasing interest in veggy options. Because, after he’s read Practically Green’s locavore actions (and if he’s further inspired by foodie fathers like Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman, or Eric Schlosser), he just might be interested in expanding his repertoire on the grill and onto his plate.

So here are three of our favorite recent cookbooks. All of these guides for the practically greening palate are sturdy, handsome, and wonderful. Just like Daddy!

***Note: do you have a cookbook to recommend? Submit it right on the action page:

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Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi. Yotam Ottotlenghi’s book is a best-seller in the UK and has just been released in the United States. ““Meat should be a celebration, not everyday,” he says. He’s a “vegetarian pin-up,” according to The New York Times, but he’s also a meat-eating chef who “wants drama in the mouth.” The book is drop-dead gorgeous; Daddy will love it.  The Simple Art of Eating Well won the 2011 James Beard Award for best Healthy Focus Cookbook. Trust us on this one: 400 best recipes from the Charlotte, Vermont, culinary mecca.

edible: A Celebration of Local Foods. From Edible Communities, you know: the amazing and ubiquitous regional magazines — from Aspen to Vineyard, and fifty states in between.

P.S. If you’d like to keep your eye on great recipes and cookbooks all year long — and if your Dad has a special dish that deserves wider recognition – enter him at food52.com, which holds recipe contests every week and an annual Piglet Tournament of Cookbooks (Plenty was the 2010 runner-up.)

P.P.S. Please suggest your favorite Fathers Day cooking gifts here or via Facebook (www.facebook.com/practicallygreen) or Twitter @practicallygrn!

DEET is a four-letter word that’s on the label of many mosquito repellants. It keeps away pesky (and possibly disease bearing) skeeters, but the list of potential hazards seems to grow every year.

We’ve heard all sorts of alternative mosquito repellant techniques: stop eating bananas during mosquito season; surround yourself with people who are larger than you are; place electric fans strategically to blow them off course. And now: lemon eucalyptus oil. lemon eucalyptus oil? you say, wouldn’t that be better as a salad dressing?

Here’s Susan Hunt Stevens with the skinny on Switching to DEET-free bug spray:

Last Sunday, I went to a Little League game in a very buggy park. We have to be careful, because our corner of the U.S. is known for Lyme Disease and West Nile. One of our fans, covering herself in bug spray, said, “Susan, I’m sure this stuff is nasty! Will you do something on bug spray?” So we got to work on a new action and just published it today: Switch to natural DEET-free bug spray.

Here’s what we found in our research:

1. DEET, the somewhat-controversial active chemical in most bug sprays, is a registered pesticide. It is considered safe and effective by the EPA and CDC as long as used correctly (following the very LONG list of rules — including not using it under clothing).

However, the Harvard Medical Family Health Guide encourages going DEET-free. Canada prohibits DEET in concentrations greater than 30%, and bans it entirely in cosmetics, including sunscreen. DEET gets a “5″ (moderate concern) from the Environmental Working Group. Scientists are most concerned about nervous system effects, but studies also show links between pregnant women using DEET and birth defects.

2. Here’s the good news: the CDC says that lemon eucalyptus oil is equally effective to DEET. The EPA also found no adverse health effects from lemon eucalyptus oil except if it gets in your eyes (although note it isn’t recommended for use in children under 3). Other natural oils, ranging from geranium oil to citronella, can protect against insects, although these may need to be applied much more often as they wear off quickly.

Be aware that products marketed as “lemon-eucalyptus-based” may still contain DEET.

3. We were able to find several natural alternatives to DEET-based bug sprays, also screening out those containing artificial fragrances or other concerning ingredients. We then filtered for products with good reviews and across a range of prices (and ages!).

Susan and her Family off the baseball field

4. What now?

If you have gone or want to go DEET-free, commit today or add it your plan.

If you have a DEET-free, natural product you use, recommend it. If you use one of these already on the list, rate it.

And test out our new sharing button or tweet or like the action so everyone you know can choose a healthier way to keep away those bugs too!

Have a great, bite-free summer!

Did we mention how much we love working with our Editorial Director Alexandra Zissu?

I am not sure how she does it all. I suspect she has no sleep, perhaps she has an identical twin. How else could she produce Practically Green’s actions, write occasional pieces for The New York Times, consult on healthy living, advise her mother on wallpaper, think of putting her woolens into the freezer in moth season (i.e., now), play in afternoon puddles with her kindergartener? And always look so stylish when we skype? (And I think she might be married to some sort of a celebrity, too….)

I may never know. But on top of all that, Lexy’s book The Butcher’s Guide to Well-Raised Meat, is about to come out. Every carnivore on your list should own it. It’s just in time for grilling season and Father’s Day, and we want to announce it to the world. (Click here for a meatball recipe…. For The Perfect Steak, see p. 175. For Bite-Your-Tongue-Tacos, p. 185. For Chicken Rub: p. 216. I could go on and on.)

*          *          *       OVER TO LEXY:      *          *          *

There is tremendously much to be gained from exclusively buying and eating meat from animals that were raised sustainably: it’s better for the animals, it’s better for the earth, it’s better for the farmers, it’s better for us. I believe so strongly in this that I devote an entire chapter to understanding what this means and how to obtain it in my second book, The Conscious Kitchen. But one chapter wasn’t quite enough. Which is why I spent the past year and a half plus writing a book, my fourth, The Butcher’s Guide To Well-Raised Meat: How To Buy, Cut, And Cook Great Beef, Lamb, Pork, Poultry, And More, with Joshua and Jessica Applestone of Fleisher’s Grass-fed and Organic Meats in Kingston, New York. It comes out June 7^th and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Beyond the writing there were visits to farms, slaughters, slaughterhouses. I watched countless animals being broken down from whole to parts (oddly ballet-like and beautiful to see burly men and women find and coax out cuts like constellations in a sky of flesh); a lost art in a world of shrink wrapped meat parts in supermarkets. I even donned a mesh apron and attempted to carve a little myself–it’s a lot harder than it looks.

I once went on a trip to a Wal-Mart with Jessica, one of her apprentices who now owns a shop in L.A., and the master butcher who has taught generations of chefs at the Culinary Institute of America. There we read packages for three straight hours, getting a true sense of what conventionally-raised meat looks like. Back at the shop, Jess walked the apprentice through a taste test: the Wal-Mart meat versus what she sells. I balked, refusing to put conventionally-raised meat in my mouth. There was a little tension that day, but I think everyone understood it was my deep conviction and understanding of what happens to conventionally-raised animals that made me the right writer for this project. Kept in cages and pens, hopped up on drugs (scary hormones and antibiotics), and fed the most horrible genetically modified crap imaginable.

It is amazing to me that the general public knows so little about what they eat, and yet willingly dines on — and feeds their children — meat from truly unhealthy animals containing residues of these drugs and this feed. We are what we eat. We are also what the animal we ate ate, too. If I served you a plate of chicken shit, would you puree it and spoon-feed it to your baby? No. But this is considered acceptable cattle feed, according to our government. And we offer those cattle to our families. I. Cannot. Put. That. In. My. Body.

Sustainable isn’t a government defined or third party certified term, unlike USDA organic. The key factor in something truly sustainable is therefore human interaction: I know my butcher and they know their farmers and their slaughterhouse guys and how they operate. This trust is better to me than USDA organic. I know the right questions to ask anyone selling at the farmers’ market to see if I also trust them. It’s clearly not as deep of an understanding as I have with my butcher, but we describe in The Butcher’s Guide To Well-Raised Meat the sort of questions you want to have answered to establish a similar trust. I prefer meat from local small farm pastured animals to something that might be raised on a big farm far from where I live, then frozen and shipped to me, even if the latter has been certified organic.

Finding sustainably raised meat can be a challenge. But in The Butcher’s Guide To Well-Raised Meat we explain how to find it no matter where you live. So if you don’t happen to live in and around the Hudson Valley, or near Brooklyn, where Fleisher’s is opening a second shop in September, you can still find well-raised meat near you. Just because something is local doesn’t mean it is automatically sustainable. You’re looking for healthy farming practices that don’t harm the environment, humane animal treatment, support of farming communities, fair wages and treatment for laborers. And you need to know your producers so you can trust what they’re saying about pesticides and fertilizers, hormones and non-therapeutic antibiotics. Fleisher’s doesn’t freeze and ship; that’s unsustainable.

Consumers can play a big role in what is and isn’t sustainable. Not only should we be seeking out sustainable meat, but also we shouldn’t be eating tons of it. Raising animals for food is an energy intensive experience. To lower the impact, we can reduce how much we eat. This will also help even out the cost of switching from conventional (cheap) to sustainable (more expensive) meat. We have great tips in the book on how to eat pastured meat on a budget. Being a conscious consumer means understanding that if you’re buying from people who are raising and selling whole animals, it’s sustainable to eat the whole animal. There is only one hanger steak on an entire steer. So if you get to a shop or a farmers’ market and there is no hanger left, that’s why. Don’t walk away because you didn’t get what you wanted; it’s the rare person that gets the hanger when you’re not buying boxed conventional meat. Buy something else. Ask what else tastes similar that is still available, or what else might be good. And don’t forget to ask for cooking instructions or check out the recipes in The Butcher’s Guide To Well-Raised Meat. Something that was outside roaming instead of penned up all of its life will be leaner and more muscular and therefore need to be cooked differently.

Enjoy!

P.S. Just noticed the tiny tagline on Lexy’s website, an enchanting stream of consciousness rivulet: “research obsessed writer trying to help you make the world a better eco friendlier place one simple nontoxic step at a time for us and our children and their children and the earth we share”. Exactly.

Early bird reviews:

“Particularly handy are the easy-to-use guides that reveal the best cooking methods for specific cuts of meat, ensuring that you’ll never make the mistake of deep-frying a cow spleen again. Let grilling season commence! TimeOutNewYork

“…clear, useful instruction on dealing with cuts of beef, lamb, pork, and poultry, interesting meditations on sustainable dining, and a dozen or so recipes thrown in for good measure.”
 Publishers Weekly