I’ve been experimenting with pesto lately, and tonight I finally succeeded–that is, except for its overwhelming saltiness. True, I wasn’t exactly following the recipe, but I distinctly remember adding precisely the amount of salt prescribed. Perturbed, I scrutinized the recipe again. Oh. There it was: 1 tsp kosher salt. Argh! I used my special, fine sea salt.
You [...]
Archive for August, 2007
The Subtleties of Salt
Posted in Cooking on August 28, 2007 | 2 Comments »
Lamb. It’s What’s For Dinner.
Posted in Cooking, Recipes on August 26, 2007 | No Comments »
A couple of months ago, while ordering some organic beef through Paidom Meats (www.paidom.com), I spontaneously added ground lamb and lamb shoulders to my shopping cart. After all, I love a varied diet. Once my order arrived, though, I realized I had no clue what to do with my lamb. I grew up eating it once per [...]
Green Cleaning
Posted in Avoiding Toxins, Green Living on August 25, 2007 | 1 Comment »
If you’re in the business of preserving your health and the environment, evaluating your cleaning supplies is essential. Most “normal” household products–from disinfectants to laundry detergent to air fresheners–contain a number of toxins and irritants. The artificial fragrances can cause headaches, irritate mucosal linings, and exacerbate existing allergies. Petroleum-based ingredients obviously further our dependence upon oil, a [...]
Effects of Genetically Modified Crops
Posted in Health on August 10, 2007 | No Comments »
I received my monthly newsletter today from the Institute for Responsible Technology, and I wanted to share it with you. http://www.seedsofdeception.com/utility/showArticle/?objectID=1418 While all of the studies cited used rodents, not people, as test subjects, the findings are incredibly disturbing. The mice and rats experienced everything from stomach, intestinal, and liver abnormalities, to high death rates, [...]
Food Miles
Posted in Green Living, Health on August 9, 2007 | No Comments »
Here is a really fascinating article on how the distance food travels impacts our carbon footprint. Not surprisingly, it’s significantly more complicated than the blanket statement, “the closer to your home it’s grown, the better.” Sometimes you serve the environment well by buying lamb raised in Australia. To find out why and how (my two [...]
Further Thoughts on Avner’s Article
Posted in Green Living, Health on August 2, 2007 | 2 Comments »
(If you haven’t already, you may wish to read yesterday’s post, “Is Organic Really Better?,” before continuing with this one.)
After discussing the article over dinner with my husband and doing a little more research, I’d like to add to my comments from yesterday.
One of Avner’s major arguments against foregoing chemical and hormones in the food supply is [...]
Are Organic Foods Really Better?
Posted in Green Living, Health on August 1, 2007 | 2 Comments »
Jackie Avner believes otherwise. In her (or his?) article, “Reasons You Should Buy Regular Foods,” Avner argues that organic growing and raising practices are harder on the environment, animals, and humans than conventional methods.
First, because their growing and harvesting methods are comparatively inefficient, organic farmers consume more land and fossil fuels than their conventional counterparts. In one [...]
