Mom Goes Green

To me, Thanksgiving has always felt like the holiday with the greatest “green potential”. There are no gifts, costumes, candy or extra, elaborate frills.  It’s simply about family gatherings, feasting on the bounty of the season and giving thanks for everything we have.  There are so many ways to avoid over-abundance… (well, with the exception of over-eating!)

Everything from the decorations, to the food, to the clean-up can be exceptionally green.

Here are the things to keep in mind:

1. Invitations – forgo the paper invitations and send Evites instead.  You’ve probably already handled this task, but this rule goes for any gathering!  And if you do need to mail invitations, look for those made of recycled paper.
2. Decorations – in many cases, you need only walk into your own backyard: leaves, acorns and twigs can be turned into amazing arrangements. Combine them with colorful gourds, indian corn, squash and apples and you’ve just captured the season!  Afterward, compost or add them back to nature.
3. Food – visit your local farmer’s market for all of the most amazing produce.  Go organic.  Think acorn squash, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, apple and pumpkin pie! And seek out an organic, hormone-free, steroid-free turkey (if it will be a part of your feast).
4. Drinks – serve organic drinks or consider a local brew… or, if you’re lucky (like me!) and surrounded by local wineries, a local wine!
5. Tableware and serveware – stop saving “the good dishes” and silverware!  Use them!  Glasses, cups and stemware?  Get them out! Forget the disposable “anything”.  You can even score inexpensive cloth napkins and table coverings at any dollar store.
6. Consider the temperature – ovens heat a house quite quickly… and so do lots of people… so turn down the thermostat or, in warmer climates, keep ceiling fans circulating or windows open to keep the indoors comfortable.
7. Recycle – that should go without saying, but just remember to make it happen.  Cans, jars, containers, bottles, anything and everything possible.
8. Don’t waste leftovers – keep only what you know your family will eat.  Send the rest home with your guests.  Start thinking about containers now (no styrofoam plates or plastic-wrap, please!).  You can even ask guests to bring their own glass or ceramic dishware… why not?! And if you compost, toss in those food scraps.
9. Clean-up – use your dishwasher, but make sure you fill it first.  For the big jobs, you’ll need to use some elbow-grease, but be sure not to leave the tap running endlessly.  And get out your green cleaners.  You can get back to “shiny & clean” without harsh chemicals.
10. Although it has nothing to do with being green… give thanks. Ask everyone at your table to share a thought. It will certainly put happiness in the air, and that’s absolutely free!

Now, if you need some of those ‘leaf, acorn and twig’ decorations I mentioned, email me… and then back up a truck… I have enough in my own backyard to supply your whole neighborhood!

Food seems to be a hot topic for Mom Goes Green lately, but again it seems there’s good reason… food producers continue to want to alter our foods to make it more profitable for them, but are they risking our health in the process?

Quite frankly, genetically modified food scares me.  When you mess with nature, it seems obvious that it opens the floodgates for unknown risks.  I want no part of that.

The latest concern?  Salmon.  It seems the FDA is on the verge of approving AquaBounty Technologies’s request to create mutant Atlantic salmon by artificially combining growth hormone genes from a Pacific salmon with DNA from an eelpout. This will make the salmon mature in 17 months (as opposed to 30 months) in “farm” settings (Note: this does not apply to wild-caught salmon).

Just as alarming is the fact that the FDA will NOT do its own testing but will rely on information provided by none other than AquaBounty Technologies themselves… the company that wants approval!!!  Adding insult to injury, this genetically modified salmon will NOT have to be labeled and identified as modified, so you will have no idea what you are consuming.

Change.org has posted a petition to speak out against this pending approval from the FDA… if you feel compelled to add your signature, please click here.

My recent post about the Seafood Watch Guide already indicated that our best choice (for both health and environmental concerns) is Wild Alaskan Salmon, but more than anything, I’m telling this story so my readers can be aware.  KNOW where your salmon comes from because, yes, … something smells fishy…

I’ve long since concluded that I believe organic foods are all-around better for us.  I’m also a firm believer that they tastes better as well.  And whether you buy all organic or stick to the “Dirty Dozen/Clean 15” list to select what you buy, we’re all likely spending good, hard-earned money on good, nutritious food…

But sometimes a dilemma looms… how do you get the kids to actually EAT IT???

Well, Mom Goes Green has a fun little set-up that I use to encourage my kids to snack better and it’s well worth sharing.  This came to me by way of my Juice Plus+ rep and she swore by it… now, I swear by it too.

The trick:  a muffin pan

No, I’m not kidding.  Each day, I serve up a muffin pan filled with all of the best snacks and I “serve the rainbow!” I fill each compartment with colorful, healthy snacks – everything from fruits (fresh and dried), to veggies, to healthy snack crackers, pretzels and nuts, to cheeses and cereals.  Certainly the “snacky” things seem to go first, but they’re excited to see what is served each time, and when it’s gone, it’s gone.  Inevitably, the fruits and veggies get consumed too, because they know that those are the snacks of the day and if they want to snack, that’s what’s offered.

There’s a saying that “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink”, but when you give them a fun rainbow of choices, the odds might get a bit better!

Eggs have been getting a lot of bad press these days, and for good reason.  Two massive egg farms, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farm (that house 7.5 million(!) egg producing hens kept in cramped, filthy conditions), are to blame for over 1,500 people contracting salmonella poisoning.  I can’t say that I’m surprised.

Research has shown that hens in these farms are more likely to produce contaminated eggs than free-range and organic hens simply due to the horrendous conditions where they are forced to spend their days and the cheap, unnatural grains they are fed, that often include the bi-products of other animals.  Add to that the antibiotic use on these poor hens (that destroys the healthy microflora in their systems) and, you guessed it… even more susceptible to contamination.

We always eat organic, free-range eggs due in part to this exact reason, PLUS when you consider that organic eggs are said to have three times more omega-3 fatty acids, twice as much vitamin E and 40% more vitamin A than non-organic eggs, it seems like a no-brainer, regardless of a little extra expense.

In a previous post I also reviewed all of the confusing terms that go along with egg selection and you can take a look by clicking here!  Eggs are truly an amazing source of protein and vitamin D, but when they’re organic you know that they are produced without antibiotics, steroid and growth hormones too!  Those are certainly some things and I would prefer to keep out of my family’s diet!

So be a “good egg”… buy good eggs, consume good eggs… and yes, I mean the organic kind!

Last night while having a family dinner on our back patio (in the middle of a discussion of our pending “kids’-back-to-school dread”) my husband and I had the following conversation:

(Husband:) “This dinner is fantastic!”
(MGG:) “Yea, it’s good!”
(Husband:) “No, really.  It’s fantastic!  Is it all organic?”
(MGG:) “Well, of course, honey.”
(Husband:) “No, seriously.  Never buy anything that isn’t organic again!”
(MGG:) “I try not to.  It is good.”
(Husband:) “Honestly, organic food is amazing!”
(MGG:) “I agree!”  (*smile*)

Have you ever found yourself in one of these conversations or at least thought about the same thing yourself?  Well, I have thought about it and, obviously, we’ve discussed it as well, and I couldn’t agree with my husband more.  I DO think it tastes fantastic!

I’ve never seen research that would either prove or disprove our belief, but I can’t help believing it is true.  Not so much with organic grains or more processed foods, but especially with fresh fruits, veggies, meats and dairy.

Somehow I can’t help but believe that when pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, steroids and growth hormones are left OFF of and OUT of our foods, they are much more “as nature intended”… unaltered, unmodified and, simply, more natural.

Maybe they aren’t more nutritious, but when they taste better and don’t have harmful additives, aren’t they just… well… better?

In the words of my husband… “Really… seriously… honestly?”… what do YOU think?

I’ve really, consciously, tried to put more seafood into regular rotation on our menus around the MGG house… not always easy with little kids, but most of the time they go along with the program!

My biggest concern, however, has always been knowing what to buy.  It’s really not so cut-and-dry and you can’t just memorize all of the do’s and don’ts since it really matters ‘how and where’ it was raised/farmed or caught. Yes, that’s the tricky part.

Luckily, while on vacation, I discovered a fantastic resource that’s the solution to my woes.  My discovery came in the form of a nifty little pocket guide called Seafood Watch, compiled by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The guides are broken down by regions of the country based on the seafood most commonly found in those areas.  The intent is to help us purchase healthy seafood from sustainable sources… and THAT puts my mind at ease.

They’re really easy to understand too, because there are three categories “Best/Good/Avoid” and they’re color-coded green, yellow or red (obviously for “Go/Caution/Stop”!).  The recommendations are science-based, peer reviewed and use ecosystem-based criteria… again, another sigh of relief!

All you need to do is go to their Pocket Guide page, choose your region, print a copy and put it in your pocket… then voila!… questions answered. And if you happen to be a sushi lover like me, they have a great Sushi Guide too.

So get moving on those lean proteins and omega-3 fatty acids … with a pocket full of information it will taste much better with a side of “peace of mind” too!

Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy fabulous, fresh produce. Whether you’re raiding your local farmer’s market or buying the usual organics from your grocery store, you want to make sure you get the “most” out of everything you buy.

Sadly, the nutritional content of today’s conventionally-grown produce is believed to be dramatically decreased from 30 years ago (the vitamins, minerals and proteins are dwindling, due in part of the use of synthetic fertilizers that make them grow faster and inhibits the absorption of nutrients!) so this is another little testimonials for “going organic” too.

But whether your produce is conventionally-grown (afterall, the “Clean 15” is often considered) or you go 100% organic, there are a few helpful tips to get the “most” out of your produce:

• “Fresher is better” – all produce begins to lose nutrients are soon as it’s harvested, so consume it as soon as possible after you buy it. The rule of thumb should be one week maximum (plus, you must consider where your produce “originated”), so plan for what you need and don’t overbuy, even if it will “keep”.
• “Bigger isn’t better!” – choose smaller pieces of fruits and vegetables instead of the largest ones in the bunch.  Plants have limited amounts of nutrients to pass on, so if the produce is smaller the nutrients are more concentrated.
• “Keep it together, people!” – while pre-washed, pre-cut, and pre-prepped fruits and veggies may sound appealing (and convenient!), skip them… this causes them to lose nutrients as well.  And don’t do a lot a prep, cleaning, chopping or cutting at home until you actually need to consumer them either… no need to set those nutrients loose!

My kids have always been great eaters when it comes to a variety of fruits and veggies, but whether for us or our kids we all know every bit matters, so use these tips to make the “most” of every precious bite!

Dinnertime at my house over the summer months gets dramatically easier, because much of the cooking is done via the grill, so it means I can pass along some duties to my husband who proudly takes the roll of “Captain BBQ”!

We’ve always owned a propane grill and never, ever go the route of charcoal or (perish the thought!) lighter fluid!  (EEK!)

To me, the propane choice seems like a no-brainer, but is it really? 

Take a look at the facts:

• Overall, propane grilling creates a smaller carbon footprint than charcoal grilling, by about a third.  (win: propane)
• Charcoal comes from renewable resources, but propane does not.  It comes from non-renewable fossil fuels. (win: charcoal)
• Carbon monoxide levels from charcoal grilling can be as high as 105 times as much as propane grilling.  (BIG win: propane)
• The “burn time” for propane is much less than charcoal.  It only needs to be “on” when you need it.  Charcoal must burn until coals are hot and then you need to wait until it burns out before the cycle is done, and it creates gasses all the while.  (win: propane)
• Charcoal often travels a far, far distance (and creates extra emissions) before it even reaches your grill, but “not so” with propane… it’s most likely local. Plus, producing charcoal creates even more emissions than actually burning it!  (win: propane)
• Lighter fluid for charcoal is a petroleum distillate that emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when burned.  (win: propane)

So, I’d say we’ve been making the right decision, especially with that last VOC issue!  But just remember that what you toss on the grill matters too – preferably local organic meats and veggies!  And when it’s time for clean-up, baking soda and warm water does wonders too!

Now, fire up that grill and let’s get the cookout underway! (I’ll be right over!…)

Any trip to the produce department of a grocery store can give you moments of anxiety when you hover between the organic and non-organic section.  In a perfect world, they would be equally priced and you wouldn’t even have to give it a thought, but alas the world isn’t that perfect, is it?

A few of my most read posts detail Environmental Working Group’s lists of the “Clean 15” and the “Dirty Dozen” – the fruits and vegetables that are very low in pesticides (clean) and those that receive and retain an extraordinary amount of pesticides (dirty).

Now I’ve learned that EWG has actually updated these lists for 2010!  I can’t explain the exact reason for some shifts but there have been changes nonetheless.  So here, without further ado, are the lists that you’ll want to know for that next trip to the store.

“The Clean 15” (BEST – this produce is acceptable to buy non-organic)

–  asparagus       –  grapefruit             –  pineapple
–  avocado         –  honeydew melon    –  sweet corn
–  cabbage         –  kiwi                     –  sweet peas
–  cantaloupe      –  mangos                –  sweet potatoes
–  eggplant         –  onion                   –  watermelon

“The Dirty Dozen” (WORST – this produce should always be purchased organic)

–  apples            –  cherries                 –  peaches
–  bell peppers     –  grapes (imported)   -  potatoes
–  blueberries       –  kale                     –  spinach
–  celery             –  nectarines             –  strawberries

In our other non-existent-perfect-world we would all have a local, organic farmer’s market a short walk from our homes that made every fruit and vegetable we want available at a cheap price, but alas… that’s not likely.  So print it, memorize it and when you need to make choices, know that you can make the wisest choices possible.

Each and every day, I “cook up some love” in the kitchen by way of plenty of home cooked meals.  While they may not be gourmet, they are loving prepared to keep my family healthy and nourished.

But there are also some very simple ways to cook up some conservation too… by way of not overconsuming energy and resources.  At first glance it may not seem like much, but add it up over time and you’ve also cooked up some conservation!  Give these simple tips a try:

• Skip preheating the oven – if you are roasting, broiling or baking for an hour or more, don’t preheat.  It simply isn’t necessary.  You can also shut off the oven 5 minutes before your cooktime is complete… the oven still holds the heat and keeps on cookin’!

• Use the right size pots and pans – small pots and pans on large burners waste energy and resources.

• Use lids – yes, a covered pot of water does reach boiling quicker than one that is uncovered.  And crank it up (as long as the flames aren’t escaping the sides). Water doesn’t need to slowly reach a boil, so get it rollin’!

• Use the microwave – whenever a microwave can be used for cooking or to do the early steps, use it!  Microwaves use 4-5 times less energy than your oven.

• Prepare only what you need – while cooking up a tremendous batch of whatever you’re serving may sound like a good idea at the time, make sure it will actually get consumed instead of eventually winding up in the trash or disposal.  If not, food obviously goes to waste but all of the resources to produce that food got wasted as well.

See… simple! Happy cooking and conserving!…