Learning about food: Learning about myself

Learning about food: Learning about myself

There was a time in my life when I didn't really think about food.  I did not usually eat breakfast (only coffee) and some days I didn't eat dinner either.  Food just wasn't that important to me. And I never could understand why I did not have as much energy as my friends that played sports, or why I was never excited to go do active things.  I remember one particular day when my friends and I tried running in the morning and my blood sugar became so low that I got sick and blacked out!

During college I started exercising a little through required P.E. courses and intramural sports.  I tried running and even used the gym at my university.  Along with education about physical exercise, I took some nutrition courses in college.  I started really caring about what I was eating, knowing that it was directly correlated with how I felt. 

This is where "Foodie Studie" came from.  I enjoy learning about how food can empower my body and defend against sickness.  It has also been an important part of my journey to learn how the consumption of food is tied directly to the preservation of this planet.  This blog is a way for me to reach out and meet others with those same interests and concerns.
Although I am not a university student anymore, I am still learning about life- how to maintain balance in it, and how to enjoy it fully with the things and people I love most.

So, in the spirit of continuing education, I will share a recipe for sweet potato hash that came about this morning in my kitchen, mostly by accident.

Sweet Potato Hash

2 grated sweet potatoes
1/4 cup diced onions
3/4-1 cup kale, finely chopped
2 tbsp coconut flour
2-3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
3 eggs
1 cup soy milk
garlic, salt, pepper, cumin to taste

1. Combine the potatoes, onions, kale, coconut flour, and spices

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, 3 eggs, and milk.

3. Combine the dry and wet ingredients, mix well.

4. Heat a large frying pan on medium.

5. Fry with coconut or other oil to prevent sticking- cook until browned and fluffy.

Enjoy!

Office Grub: The Diet of a Secretary

Since I graduated college and began working an office job (8 hours a day sitting on my bum), I have had to become even more conscious about what, and how much, I am eating.

Less activity = Less caloric needs

However, my tummy doesn't always like that.  She still wants to eat like I was when I walked/biked several miles each day, took kickboxing classes 4 days a week, and lifted weights on top of that!

In order to transition into this new situation without feeling grossly sluggish or overfed, I have had to make a few changes.

1.  Smaller snacks and larger meals.

I was eating 6 small meals per day, but I have found that simply eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with small snacks (of 150 calories or less) works a little better.  I don't have to bring Tupperware to the office, and I feel less anxious about when I will get to eat next because I am full for hours.

2. Strategic placement of snacks in the desk.

If I put cocoa roasted almonds in my desk drawer, you can bet they will be gone in a week or so.  This means that having healthy, appropriate foods nearby is a must.

3. Incorporating more activity in my daily routine.

Because I am no longer walking to classes every day, I have to incorporate more physical activity into my life; i.e. running up the stairs, doing squats at my desk, stretching every hour, doing leg lifts in my chair, maintaining good posture, etc.  This may look ridiculous to co-workers, but it certainly makes me feel better!

This post is a little more about the fitness/health side of being a foodie.  Feeling your best is important, and there are lots of ways to maintain optimum health in all of life's situations.

How do you stay healthy and feeling great at work?

Sweet Potatoes!

Want to know why Sweet Potatoes are so awesome?

1. Grown locally; check the farmers market!

2. High in Vitamin A, which is needed for new cell growth, healthy skin, hair, and tissues , and vision in dim light, and Potassium, which is essential for maintaining proper fluid balance, nerve impulse, muscle and heart function.

3.  Delicious - They aren't called "sweet" potatoes for nothing!  These babies taste fantastic without all the standard butter and sour cream that accompanies white potatoes. This means you can eat something tasty without the added fat calories.

My favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes:

Microwaved - cut slits in the potato and pop it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes (depending on the potatoes size and your microwave settings), and enjoy!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries- These are not fried, but rather cut Julianne style to look like french fries.  Just mix the cut potatoes with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and place them on a baking sheet in the oven!  Sound good? Check out this detailed recipe.

Hash Browns- Shredded and pan fried.  MmmmMMmm.  Here is a Paleo version!

Pan Roasted- Cube the potato and sautee in olive oil until they get crispy brown on the outside, but soft in the middle.  Mix with other nutritious vegetables like peppers, onion, and kale for a hearty addition to any meal!

What are your favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes?  Share them here and I'll try the recipe!

On Eating Meat

Lets get personal.

Do you get a little emotional when you see animals die?  Do you swerve to avoid hitting squirrels?  Do you refuse to eat anything that still has eyes?

I certainly do.  The summer I interned on a family farm, I helped to process the chickens.  That meant cutting off the heads and feet, scalding and plucking the feathers, gutting, and packaging them.  I did all this, but I could never bring myself to actually do the killing; that is, to slit the throat while the chicken was upside down in a cone (like to the one on the bottom left) on the tree.  I couldn't even look at them while they died.  It seemed so...inhumane.

If I couldn't do the job, I shouldn't be eating the animal- right?

But the trouble is, I truly feel I need to eat meat.

Some say that humans have evolved to eat meat, and we are designed to function off of the rich protein source.  For example, Loren Cordain, author of The Paleo Diet, believes there is scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that humans should eat much more lean meat and far less grains.

I personally  feel significantly stronger, have more stamina, and feel more satisfied when I eat meat.  This is helps to support my active lifestyle and keep me energized for activities like biking, kickboxing, lifting weights, playing with my dog, etc.

Ozark and Me in the woods of AR

[Isn't he cute?!]

But besides my aversion to killing animals, which makes me believe I should not eat sentient beings, I have also learned of the environmental impact that eating meat, especially industrially produced meat, can have.  For example, cattle farms are a large reason for deforestation in the Amazon. And some of the farming practices of animal feeding operations can cause water and air pollution of many kinds.  

So the BIG question I have to ask myself is: can I practice an eco-foodie, kind lifestyle while eating meat? 

And the truth is, I am still not sure.  

But the closest I have come to feeling better about it all is eating meat that is produced in a more environmentally responsible way and allows the animals more freedoms and a slightly more natural lifestyle than the industrial farms do.  The only meat I can be sure is produced in this way is made close to home by farmers that I know and trust.  

So while I am still contemplating the impact my meat consumption has on the environment, I am trying to make concessions by consuming more meat from local sources rather than industrial animal feeding operations.

It can be difficult to always know the best choice for myself and the environment, but if I continue to be informed on the issues and practice, as best I can, a lifestyle that is kind to the world, I believe it can make a positive difference!

What are your thoughts on eating meat?

Window Gardens

Don't have a space for a garden?  

No problem!

Through collaborative efforts, this group has created the R-D-I-Y  (Research and Develop it Yourself) network, and are figuring out ways to grow hydroponic gardens inside their city apartments. 

Check it out at TED talks!

Time for Planting!

The time for planting has arrived!

Now that finals are over there is more time to tend to the garden.  My garlic is coming in nicely already, and I just put in some heirloom Cherokee Blue Mustard seeds, basil, and Malabar spinach.
With the help of Herb, the friendly dinosaur--->
I think it will be a successful, humble, summer crop.

I hope the rest of you are finding time to take in the beauty of summer, and eating the good food that comes with it!

If you are interested in having a garden this summer, consider getting a plot at the community garden!  (Contact the All Saints Episcopal Church in Russellville for more information)

Earth Day at Arkansas Tech University

Extra Love for the Earth This Week...

Earth Day celebrations were hosted by the Campus Environmental Coalition at Arkansas Tech University this week.  The turn out was great and the events were a blast!

Here are some pictures taken by the talented "Green Shoe'd Photographer," Liz Chrisman. 

Bike tune-up station

Yoga on the lawn

Slack-lining with drunk goggles

Why Settle for Central Park When You Could Have A Food Forest?

Seattle is planning to build the first "food forest" where the beautiful scenery will be entirely edible, and FREE to anyone who wants it.

How cool is that?

Click here for the full story!

Spring, Seed Swaps and Soy Sauce

Spring is peeking her head out from under the heavy blanket of winter.  

Can you feel the warmth?

Seed Swaps

I have been to several Seed Swaps, mainly for my research on sustainable agriculture in the region, but I also just really enjoy them. 
Seed Swaps are an old tradition where farmers save heirloom seeds (those that have been passed through many generations) and they "swap" the seeds with other farmers.  This practice keeps the seed banks alive, which is important not just for nostalgia  but for the livelihoods of many people.  
The Seed Swaps are fun atmospheres where a novice grower like myself can learn a lot, and get free seeds! 
Even if I don't have any to swap, the farmers are usually happy give me some in hopes that I will continue the tradition of saving seeds.


To the right is a picture from the Hot Springs Seed Swap which was held in the Art Church.

Conserving Arkansas' Agricultural Heritage (CAAH!) is an organization that helps to start these swaps.

Soy Sauce 

I have also had the pleasure of dining with my Chinese friends who cooked a fantastic dinner with shrimp, chicken, and veggies like bok choy. These recipes can be easily adapted to local ingredients (except the asian flavorings) like chicken, bell peppers, and kale. 

 Local food is exciting!

Start watching the farmers market, it will soon be ripe with delectable vegetables.

Happy Spring My Fellow Foodies!

Your Trash is the Earths Treasure

Don't you dare throw out those coffee grounds!

Did you know that most of the food you are throwing in your trash is entering landfills where it contributes to carbon gas emissions?

In a time not so long ago, people saved their food scraps and put them back into the earth where they could properly decompose and return nutrients to the soil.  Composting has become somewhat of a lost art.  My heart breaks when I see food thrown into the plastic lined trash, never to lend itself to the making of that beautiful dark soil which allows for crop abundance.

The Good News...

You can compost!  Simply find a place in your local area that does composting, may it be a neighbor or a community garden, and start saving your scraps.  I like to use an old butter bowl to keep mine in, and I simply save everything that is allowed (pretty much all organic substances besides meat or bones, but here is a good list to look at if you are unsure)  I take the compost to our community garden once a week.

Here is what the Sierra Club has to say about composting.

Now Do it!

Victory Gardens

If you are an environmentalist and you eat food, this post is for you!

We are all in a fight against unsustainable food systems that damage our planet and poison our bodies.  It can be hard to know where your food comes from, and if it was grown in an Earth-friendly way.

So, when it comes to getting the best food, healthy and safe for Earth, the best way is to do it yourself.

Plant a Victory Garden!

Victory gardens were popularized during World War II in an attempt to reduce pressures on the public food supply, which was strained by the war.  Women and families were encouraged to plant vegetables, herbs, spices, and to can food for the winter.

Our current globalized, industrial food system is not so strained by the current war, but there is still cause to plant a "Victory Garden."  The fight is not with other nations, but with the big and nasty industrial model that supplies Americans with the majority of their food.

Gardening is not just for your grandma!

Planting a garden is not just a way to combat the system, it can be a source of pride and enjoyment as well.    It is a long standing cultural tradition, a knowledge that should have been passed down from previous generations.  Somehow we missed the memo...  But it is not too late!  Look for a group in your community that is actively gardening and join them.  There is much to learn about growing produce, and it can't all be done in one season.  But the sooner you get out there and try, the closer we are to victory.

Here are some things to check out if you want to learn more about why we should grow gardens, or why the industrial food system is harmful.

http://www.takepart.com/foodinc
http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com/reasons-why/

Peace, Love, and Good Food

Is Coffee Your Daily Grind?

Get buzzed, not trashed.

Spring semester has begun on college campus, and the local coffee shop is calling your name.

Between the cafe lattes and delicious dark roasts you grab on the way to morning class, there can be a build up of those convenient to-go cups.  Some are made of paper, such as the ones Starbucks gives to customers, and these are recyclable.  However, some are composed of Styrofoam, which are not recyclable.

While I encourage you all to recycle the cups that you are able to, I want to share a few green ideas to take you coffee shop regulars even closer to an eco-foodie lifestyle.

1. Bring your own mug.

     When you are able to, bring your own travel mug to the coffee shop and ask if your drink can be put it instead of a disposable to-go container.  Chances are that the business would be happy to save the extra cup and oblige your environ-mentality.

2. Reuse the disposable cups.

     As long as the cups do not sit too long with a sugary drink in them, they are still good to be used again.  Simply give the cup a quick rinse and save it for the next time you want a morning pick-me-up, or if you are sending a friend off with a nice cup of cheer!

3. Ask for a non-disposable mug.

     If you are planning to sit in the shop and enjoy your hot drink with some light reading, ask them to put your drink in a non-disposable mug, such as a ceramic cup.  This will save you the hassle of having to deal with the leftover container, and save the shop a few pretty pennies as well.

The coffee we enjoy regularly is produced through the bounty of Mother Nature, so let's be sure to thank her by enjoying the gift in a more responsible way!




Do you know a good way to incorporate environmentalism into the coffee shop?  Share your ideas here so we may all learn the best ways to love the Earth through the love of food- and coffee!

Green Is Good

Green is good, green is great!

Bloomsdale spinach from the local farmers market found its way into my dinner salad. Mixed with some wonderful home-grown greens it was a healthy and environmentally friendly salad.

Remember, spinach is a super food, packed with nutrients like vitamin A, K,, C, Niacin, Zinc, and protein.

Eat up!