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“How to make choices that are good for you and the planet. Understand the difference between local, organic, and sustainable. Also, gardening as a way of getting children excited about fresh foods.”
Summaries What is Sustainable Eating? Growing a Kitchen Garden Cooking Demonstrations
Sustainable Eating
Organic fruits and vegetables indicates that the crops were grown without any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
Organic food also does not involve genetically modified organisms.
Fertilizers and pesticides are made of fossil fuels, meaning that they release greenhouse gases into our environment.
Extra fertilizers in the soil run off into rivers, streams and eventually lakes and sea which causes a dead zone where there’s not enough oxygen to support marine life.
Pesticide usage can lead to its resistance and cause the emergence of superbugs.
‘Locally grown’ indicates that there are no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, no genetically engineered crops and no sewage sludge used in the production.
The closer you can get to your own kitchen garden, no matter how small that garden is, the better.
Buying local does not mean spending more.
When food is transported and stored for long period of time, the nutrients is reduced.
Whenever possible, buy organic, if possible buy locally grown or plant a small kitchen garden which is even better.
What does “organic” mean?
Organic is a term that is certified by the government through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The term organic does not always mean that the food is healthy, especially if the food is highly processed.
Pesticides and fertilizers are used to help us grow large amounts of food but they cause serious environmental and health impacts.
For meat and milk, organic grade means the animals did not receive unnecessary antibiotics or growth hormones.
Growth hormones are allowed in the U.S., but banned in the European Union, Canada and other countries.
Farm workers who are regularly exposed to pesticides can face health threats including poisoning, cancer, birth defects, and learning disabilities.
Organic food is better for the environment and the people.
What does “locally grown” mean?
Local food is fresher because they take less time to get to you.
They contain more nutrients and people often find that they taste better.
They also have lower carbon footprint as they didn’t travel as far.
Seasonal food is the cheapest at the height of the season when the supply is large.
Local food does not carry the same travel cost as food from far away.
Buying locally also supports your local economy, especially at the farmer’s market.
Healthy People – Healthy Planet
Choices that are healthiest for us turn out to be healthiest for our planet as well.
Limiting meat and increasing vegetables in our diet is good for our health and better for the Earth.
Modern methods of meat production harm the environment.
A closed loop system occurs when cow gets energy from the grass and grass gets the energy from the sun.
These days, cows are no longer grass fed but most of them are being fed corn.
Factories that run these are called concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO).
When cows eat corn instead of grass, they fatten up more quickly.
Cows in CAFO live in a very crowded condition so they are more likely to get diseases.
80% of the antibiotics used in the U.S. go to this kind of commercial production of animals.
Chicken is more energy efficient than beef and it also has less saturated fat.
Growing a Kitchen Garden with Rita Bottini
Gardening is one of the ways to get the children getting excited about eating fruits and vegetables.
Many seeds available in the market that come with information for gardeners.
Grab an empty pot, start filling it with slightly damp potting mix.
Tap it down a little bit but not too compact that it cannot breathe.
Basil is an annual warm season plant so it wants to be out in the garden in the summer.
Size of the seed determines planting depth to some degree.
Basil seed (pea size) would go half an inch to an inch deep.
Lightly cover the seeds after planting.
Basil seed should come up in five to ten days.
Use simple spray bottle to water the soil.
Growing a Kitchen Garden
Even with a small kitchen space, it’s still worthwhile to plant a few seeds.
Tomato beds is also not a bad idea.
Fish (for sustainable eating)
Children are more likely to eat fish if it doesn’t taste too fishy.
Garlic is a good way to get rid of fishy odor that some fish can have.
In the mayonnaise, add a bit garlic and some chives, and then some salt and pepper.
Lining a container with foil makes it easier to clean up afterwards.
For some fish, there’s a bit of a concern about mercury levels in them so try not to have them everyday.
Fish should be made with high temperature and short amount of time.
Slather the mixed sauce on the fish generously.
Put the fish in the oven when it’s ready, temperature could range from 400 to 500 degrees.
When the fish is cooked, it flakes apart nice and easy.
Usually the time it takes is about 15-20 minutes.
Soups (for sustainable eating)
Before cracking a garlic, use the flat side of your knife blade to give it a whack so that it cracks easier.
Ingredients required for this recipe: onions, garlic, carrot, potato, broccoli, cauliflower, baby zucchini, chopped chicken.
Carrots and potatoes take longer to cook than other vegetables in general.
Principle to go by when making soup, salad and stir fry: try to get as many colors in it as possible.
Don’t overcook zucchini because they tend to get mushy.
Never cut anything on a board that you’ve cut raw meat on.
Start by sautéing garlic and onion with some olive oil, heat is on medium.
When the onions turn brown, add in the chopped chicken and spices that you like at this time.
Salt, sugar and some lemon is then added to balance the taste.
Then, potatoes and carrots are added to the pot and cooked for a bit.
After a few minutes, add in all other vegetables and pour some broth over, turn up the heat and wait for it to boil.
After it boils, cover the pot with lid, turn the heat down and let it simmer for a while.
Steamed Vegetables (for sustainable eating)
Key to keeping the steamed vegetables nutrients intact is to use just a little bit of water.
Add a little bit of salt to the cut vegetables.
Don’t let it overcook, just soft enough.
Ingredients for making white sauce: butter, salt, pepper, milk, flour, grated cheese.
Melt the butter in a pan, when it’s almost melted, add a little bit of flour.
Make sure there is no lump.
Add the milk, some salt, and pepper.
Add the grated cheese.
When vegetables are done, pour the homemade white sauce over it before serving.
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Week 4: Sustainable Eating