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)