There’s been a lot of press lately about the environmental impact of purchasing locally grown foods. Logically, buying locally grown fruits and vegetables would seem more environmentally conscious than purchasing a basket of strawberries from halfway across the world. According to journalist Stephen Dubner of Freakonomics Radio, and a handful of economists including Tyler Cowan, author of the new book, “An Economist Get’s Lunch”, however, it’s not. If this is, indeed, the case (you can listen to Dubner’s arguments here), what incentive do you have to continue to eat locally? Kathrin and I wrote a list of the top reasons why we eat locally to share with you here. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “On Buying Local”
Month: April 2012
Lamb, the Other Red Meat
The vegan, vegetarian, meat-eating debate continues to rage as we face increasing obesity issues, and environmental struggles across the country. The choice to remove meat from your diet is a personal one, and we won’t pretend to be versed enough to attempt to convince you one way or another; however, for ourselves and our families, meat is a product we choose to consume sporadically (and perhaps more often for the children) in a conscious fashion. In generations before us, the local butcher could tell you the provenance, name and hobbies of the animal where the meat came from. These days, factory farmed meats are ubiquitous, but a little research and choice about the meat you eat will go a long way towards improving your health. One way we attempt to get variety in our meat consumption is by choosing less popular meats. To do this, we go for lamb instead of beef. As it is a less popular red meat, it is less likely to be factory farmed. The trick to lamb is knowing how to cook it quickly, and deliciously. That’s where we come in. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Lamb, the Other Red Meat”
Braising Greens
With the winter months behind us, and the beautiful early spring leafy greens in full bloom in farms and gardens across the country, it is high time we praise a relatively new addition to modern healthy cooking, the braising greens. Found in produce sections across the country, and at farm stands near you, braising greens are a mix of the leaves and stems of several different plants, including chard, kale, dandelion, chicory, and collards. While it requires some dedication to have at multiple meals in a week, these greens are so versatile, healthy and abundant that it is worth the extra effort. To make it easier on you, we’ve included simple several recipes for braising greens for you to try. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Braising Greens”
Asparagus Has Sprung
One of the things I learned from my mother when I was a child is that if a fruit or vegetable has a relatively short growing season, the best thing I can do is eat as much of it as I can when it is fresh so that I can enjoy it before it’s gone. And so it is with asparagus. Spring is here and those beautiful green stalks have poked their heads out of the ground; join us in eating as much as we can for the short time that it is fresh. And so that you have enough recipes and reasons to inspire you, we’re sharing some of our favorite ways to prepare asparagus, and a few fun facts on how healthy this delicious vegetable is. Asparagus will only be available fresh and local for a short time, so get to a farm stand near you and buy them before they are gone. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Asparagus Has Sprung”
Come and Cook with Us 