What would the world look like in 2050...

if we answered the call to save the planet?

This question was asked to several green leaders in a recent article from Whole Living Body + Soul Magazine in their going greener guidebook.

Jeffrey Hollender, the co-founder of Seventh Generation imagines, "A SHIFT FROM DISPOSABLE CULTURE. In 2009, we came to understand that any product that consumes resources or creates waste- yes, even recycled paper towels- isn't sustainable. Although we are proud that our original products did less damage than their conventional counterparts, we worked to change the portfolio of what we sold. For instance, when we think about laundry, we now focus on fibers less likely to get dirty than on how to constantly clean them. We've envisioned a diaper that consumes a tenth of the resources. Our need for bathroom tissue hasn't gone away, but today's TP helps clean and purify the water when you flush it. Bottom line: Anything that requires disposal at the end of it's life span has to provide a greater value beforehand."

Joel Salatin, author and proprietor of PolyFace Farms in Swoope, Virginia, claims that "A HEALING ETHIC PREVAILS... Healing- not money- serves as a primary success yardstick. Farms in 2050 enjoy a newly energized and vibrant soil community that has reinvigorated our plants to preindustrial-era nutritional levels. These nutrients satisfy our bodies so we no longer crave Twinkies and Dunkin' Donuts. Pasture-based meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs rich in carotenes and omega-3s stimulate our brains to reach their full genetic potential. This has induced creativity, learning, and emotional balance and has emptied out hospitals and pharmaceutical treasuries. With a healing ethic dominating the food system, the sacred farm-to-fork relationship has fostered a culture that respects and honors an animal's natural behaviors, the land, and the people who depend on it. Transparency- the inherent integrity created when neighbors can see what goes in the front door of a farm and what comes out the back- has fundamentally transformed our food system."

Creativity isn't only for the arts and technology. Let's start imagining where our choices that we make today can bring us in the future. A girl can dream can't she?

Saving the environment, while saving money.

What I won't promise is "saving you time". If you're thinking about switching to Green to save on waste and pare down on your spending, then good! In my painting business I was given some good advice when dealing with customers:

You can only pick two: Cheap, Fast, or Quality. (Hereon referred to as the 2/3 rule.)

Same holds true everywhere, I've found. You can have convenience, thrift, or the job done right, but you can't have all three. Green only has one formula: we will be obliterating "convenience" from our vocabulary and sticking with quality and cost-effectiveness. It's a call to go back in time, not revolutionize the world with another invention. It's a change in lifestyle, one of quality that lives within it's means.

Think about the string of word pictures that come into your mind when you imagine convenience: Fast food, remote control, instant oatmeal, microwaves, freezer meals, quick dry, take-out... Take the 2/3 rule with the food you eat, which two are you picking? Please, let us stop skimping on quality for the sake of cheap and easy!

It also involves the other conveniences that our lifestyle dictates that we can't live without. Things like paper products. The invention suited for those who are not willing to wash their own dishes or towels. (Before you think I am being self-righteous- this comes from experience- earlier this year, with my husband in grad school, me working and going to school full time, two kids in elementary school, another in preschool- we were taxed big time. One luxury we afforded ourselves was the paper plates rule. It made life easier. We needed fast more than anything!) It concerns me that we are a generation who is not willing to care and clean up after ourselves on so many different levels. Shows like Clean House and Clean Sweep are now extremely popular because we can't own up to our own messes on a daily basis.

So convenience means: packaging, manufacturing, one-time use, disposable, marketing, consumable, etc. Grocery stores and big manufacturers like "consumable items". Especially the ones they think we cannot live without. Things like paper towels, napkins, shampoo, detergent, soap, cereal, bread. They all come in a package, they are not reusable in anyway, and cannot be refilled. Now, I am not saying stop washing your hair and quit using toilet paper. I am here to be a voice of reason and encouragement towards living a greener life, not hammer down a bunch of rules none of us can follow!

In our house, we have eliminated the paper plate and implemented our collection of inexpensive plastic plates for casual meals (bought at Target 4/$1). Because we no longer purchase paper plates which cost roughly $6 per month, we'll save about 70 bucks this year. The paper napkins have given way to cloth, which are not only nice to look at, but teaching the kids some table manners nearly foreign to them in this day and age. We have cut back considerably on paper towels by using bar mop towels to wipe down the countertops, and hand towels to dry hands. Granted with all this cloth, I am doing maybe an extra load or two a month, but the savings of money and waste make up the difference. We have walked away from disposable cleaning devices like Swiffer and opted to use the mountain of mismatched socks like my mom used to.

One product I really enjoy is Simple Green. It's been around forever, and is extremely concentrated and non-toxic. I keep a couple of spray bottles left over from countertop sprays and pour in a tablespoon of Simple Green and fill the rest with water. A gallon jug costs about $8 and will last your forever. Because it is concentrated, and comes in such a large package, the manufacturing and transportation costs are dramatically lower. If diluted, you may only buy one jug every couple months to clean your whole house. That is a TON of savings when you factor in how much household cleaners can eat up a monthly grocery budget. You can clean everything with it. Floors, toilets, counters. I used it in my painting business to clean baseboards and door jambs, spilled paint on carpet (oops), and soak my brushes in it. Actually, I recently found a stash of brushes that were not cleaned after a job and still had paint on them from 4 months ago. I soaked them in full-concentrate for a few days, and now are all workable and soft.

I have found that with just these changes in lifestyle, I can save a little bit of money and know that I am not adding to my garbage heap when I keep my house clean or cook a meal. Take a look at your habits, what is expendable? Could you live without the convenience of the dishwasher if it saved you money on water and electrical bills? How about cloth diapering? Sadly, my conscience wasn't swaying me strong enough to invest in cloth diapering until my third was already born and the disposable habit had been ingrained. I am going to look into fabric recycling to make sure that when these rags and cloths have had their wear, I can send them to be broken down to become home insulation or fabric shopping bags or some new boutique line of clothing.

Hopefully, we can move past creating new inventions that bring moderate change, and dig deeper to bring the change within us about by working hard and being responsible.

Green

It's the buzz word of the last few years. Everyone is now becoming more eco-friendly. In fact, my kids have both come home with assignments to create art from recyclable products. My daughter came home demanding on composting and threw whole mango peels and lemon rinds into the garden (which I later plucked out and threw over the fence to the rabbits, not that I didn't want to compost, it's just we weren't set up for it...yet). They are teaching it at the schools, creating entire networks in our cable line-up about it (Planet Green), and marketing more and more products with "green" in the title.

So, what's to come of all of this? Nothing. Nothing will come of all of this hype unless we actually do something about it. Obviously, there is huge profits in it for the big producing giants who are featuring all natural and green products. Which is completely backwards since it's our consumerism that has gotten us in this mess in the first place. Let me be clear, just because a product is labeled "green" because it features orange oil instead of bleach- does not neccisarily make it "Green". It still comes in the same type of packaging and is distributed by the same means as it's conventional counterpart, which doesn't exactly win me over for it's benefits to the environment.

New packaging and different recipes are not the solution. The solution will be manifested when we, as consumers, begin to change our daily habits that are inflicting harm on our surroundings and continually filling our planet with the excess consumer waste that we accumulate everyday.

I am currently reading a fascinating collection of essays by Wendell Berry called "The Art of the Commonplace". In his essay "Think Little", he describes how change can be effective. Rather than relying on Big Government to provide our solution with new laws and plans which will achieve little and lead to a "persistence of the problem, and the enlargement and enrichment of the government". He suggests that change can occur within the walls of our own personal lives, by executing our passions and concerns into activism.

Here is an excerpt:

"The citizen who is willing to Think Little, and, accepting the discipline of that, to go ahead and on his own, is already solving the problem. A man who is trying to live as a neighbor to his neighbors will have a lively and practical understanding of the work of peace and brotherhood, and let there be no mistake about it- he is doing that work. A couple who make a good marriage, and raise healthy, morally competent children, are serving the world's future more directly and surely than any political leader, though they never utter a public word. A good farmer who is dealing with the problem of soil erosion on an acre of ground has a sounder grasp than any bureaucrat who is talking about it in general. A man who is willing to undertake the discipline and the difficulty of mending his own ways is worth more to the conservation movement than a hundred who are insisting merely that the government and the industries mend their ways."

And his solution to the Green movement?

"I can think of no better form of personal involvement in the cure of the environment than that of gardening. A person who is growing a garden, if he is growing it organically, is improving a piece of the world. He is producing something to eat, which makes him somewhat independent of the grocery business, but he is also enlarging, for himself, the meaning of food and the pleasure of eating. The food he grows will be fresher, more nutritious, less contaminated by poisons and preservatives and dyes than what he can buy at the store. He is reducing the trash problem, a garden is not a disposable container, and it will digest and reuse its own wastes. If he enjoys working in his garden, then he is less dependent on an automobile or a merchant for his pleasure. He is involving himself directly in the work of feeding people."

(Amazingly, he wrote this in 1972. It resonates even today.)

So, the summary of my rant? Obviously, change will not come easily. It will require a personal commitment of indivduals to vow to change their lifestyles. We are coming off the heels of an extremely self-motivated, indulgent generation. It is time to remember what hard work is, and understand that our purpose lies within working hard, peaceably, and to the honor of God.

As the storm subsides...

In the last few months, my personal and extended family has suffered many hardships. It seemed the challenges in everyone's life were cropping up and appeared to be insurmountable. In the midst of these bouts of turmoil, our local area in Texas finally got some much needed rain. When the storm arrived, it was heavy. The ground was so parched, dry and hardened that it refused the drenching rain, and flooded it downstream. Flash floods persisted for days. The rain eventually softened, and continued for 3 or 4 days- something we hadn't seen in years.

As the rain softened, so did the ground. It is now so much more receptive to my bare feet as I walked in the backyard, even days after the rain has stopped. In my lawn, a fresh crop of clovers blossomed where the Bermuda grass had died out from the drought. My vegetable plants, which I had considered "too far gone" have been rejuvinated. The leaves of the eggplant grew exponentially, the tomatoes began to show signs of life again, and the seedlings began bursting out of the soil in preparation for a late fall harvest.

With all this change, and the needed change my family is seeking, God laid on my heart this beautiful image of how we can be hardened through periods of life. Once hard-hearted, nothing can penetrate our outer crust. And then- the storm hits. Sometimes they are violent, crashing storms that disrupt our lives, rip away our top soil, and even disturb those downstream from us. At first nothing penetrates, but with the continual storm still existing, the circumstances may let up a bit, but they're not gone. That's where the softening takes place. What's left after the tough skin of our souls has been washed away or sloughed off? New, fresh, youthful, resilient, shiny skin. Skin so fresh it glimmers. Fresh soil.

Eager to begin a new thing, our heart immediately activates when the storm clears and the sun comes out. This time is so fertile. It's almost alarmingly fertile. Anything can take root. New seeds of hope and life, or weeds of destruction (just like the clovers). Both good and bad flourish in newness. Both require judicious care in order to cultivate the desired outcome. What can grow is either a fruitful plant- long neglected but eager to grow, or a rampant weed- never dealt with properly in the past and now threatens to take over all good life. It's up to the gardener to cultivate his choice crop. He should react swiftly to the weed before it takes over and kindly, gently, and diligently work hard on the heels of God's healing storm to bring back to life the fruits of his faith.

These storms, often seen as inconvenient, troublesome and devastating can be the very thing to correct and replenish our lives. This boost of power has saturated the ground far more than we could ever accomplish with self-administered watering. The once barren ground is now softened and humbled, it is ripe for pruning, fertilizing, and continued watering with the life-giving water.

Crepes- naughty, little crepes

Warning: these are in no way healthy for the body, but extremely beneficial for the health of the soul.

At a recent visit to DaVinci Gelato, I was tantalized by a picture of their crepes, filled with chocolate, topped with strawberry and chocolate drizzle and a beautiful showering of powdered sugar. Because we had just filled up on gelato, we didn't order any, but I made an immediate plan to serve them the next morning.

Crepes are actually very easy to make. They take hardly any ingredients as well. Here's my version, adapted from Mark Bittman to match that glorious photo I admired:

Crepes with Chocolate and Strawberry

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Strawberry Sauce

3 cups frozen, unsweetened strawberries

1/4 cup Evaporated Cane Juice or sugar

Combine both in a small saucepan. Heat on med high until strawberries have defrosted, stir occasionally. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to med low. Continue stirring, watching the heat so as the mixture does not boil over. It is finished when strawberries are completely soft and mushy. Smash further with a potato masher or whisk. Set aside.

Chocolate Sauce

2 oz. dark (bittersweet) chocolate*

1 tsp unsalted butter

Heat both on med low, stirring occasionally to melt together. Once melted, continue stirring and warming gently.

*You can also use milk chocolate or Hershey's Syrup- I am a huge dark chocolate fan and will opt for it's richness over anything.

Crepes

1 cup all purpose flour

Pinch salt

1 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

powdered sugar

While chocolate is melting, combine dry ingredients for the crepe batter. Beat in the eggs and the melted butter. Warm a flat or shallow non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt a pat of butter on the center. Spoon 3-4 Tbsp of batter onto the center of the skillet. Swirl around to spread it out as thin as possible.

The batter will dry before your eyes; when the top is no longer liquid, about a minute, turn the crepe and cook the other side for 15 to 30 seconds. The crepe should brown only very slightly and not become at all crisp.

Place individual crepe on a plate and spread the strawberry compote and chocolate sauce in the center. Fold in half and then in half again to create a triangle. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top.

This should make about a dozen good-sized crepes.

Cooking Club

Several years ago, I read an article in Better Homes and Gardens about initiating a cooking club. I really enjoyed the idea. I do get excited about sharing a common purpose with a group of women. I especially like it if participating in something make my life a little easier with the added benefit of spending time with people. Plus, you walk away with great recipes from friends!

There are a lot of businesses that are cropping up like this in town. Super Suppers comes to mind. I've heard of a group of women getting together, having some wine and assembling a slew of meals. I think it's fabulous, plus all the shopping and cutting is done for you. I have never done it because we seem to have more time than money at this point. I can afford to spend 45 minutes putting together a healthy meal, but not every night. I have to admit, between all the fantastic reports of healthful meals, you'll find Mickey Mouse-shaped chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly, and pizza take-out. Having some reliable freezer food and a well stocked pantry would save both our gut and our wallet.

Despite my enthusiasm for this project idea, I never did get this enterprise up and running. After mentioning it in several circles, I didn't find a group of women who either had the time or the passion for cooking that a group like this requires. I did pull away from the article several good recipes that have become staples in our house. I mention particularly the meatball recipe. I love that I can create a decent meatball- actually a lot of decent meatballs- throw them in the freezer and pull them out for dinner, all ready to add to a dish. In fact, I have a large container of ground turkey already thawing in the fridge for this very purpose!

An absolute favorite recipe is the meatball sandwich. It is a totally different meatball sandwich than the typical marinara and cheese saturated hoagie roll. This recipe is more refined and has amazing flavor. I highly recommend it. Even the guys will love it!

I hope to get a cooking club up and running someday, especially since life seems so busy and isolated for me lately. A congregation of friends cooking together is something our generation never experiences. With fragmented family schedules and after school activities, it's hard enough to even get a family together at the table. I think this is one way to give mom a little social recharge time and benefit a hectic dinner schedule.

Comment if you're in the area and interested in batching together passion for cooking, family togetherness, and friendship. Maybe we can make this idea work after all!

Lentil Soup w/ Prosciutto

With the recent cold front, it brings the habits of winter out in all of us. Yesterday, while I was wrapping up a painting job and loading the truck, I smelled a faint aroma of a wood-burning fireplace. Okay, it's still September, we live in the south- the winter has not befallen us. I laughed at the zeal for the change of weather. I think all of us are feeling a bit nostalgic with our warm soups, fires in the fireplace, and quiet afternoons spent reading and drinking hot tea. I think all of Texas has gotten a bit romantic about the idea of fall arriving this week.

Rather than light up a fire, I indulged the inner longings for winter by creating a hearty winter soup. Browsing through my How to Cook Everything cookbook, I glanced at all the delicious soups. I noticed, amazingly, that I could possibly have the ingredients for about a half a dozen soups. Of course, soups were the staple when it came to surviving winter in centuries past. Preserved stocks, canned vegetables, dried beans, carrots and potatoes (which are winter crops here). A winter soup is very natural in the scope of what's available when cooking in season.

This recipe is actually a hybrid of split pea soup and lentil soup. It began with the diced prosciutto I had leftover from another meal last week. I really love split pea soup with ham, but the pantry contained no dried split peas, so the lentils took center stage.

Lentil Soup with Prosciutto

Cook Time: 1.5 hours

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup diced prosciutto

1 small onion, diced

2 cups dried lentils

1 carton organic vegetable broth

1 carton organic chicken broth

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 small carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch sections

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add prosciutto and saute until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add onions to the pan and saute until soft. Next, add lentils, stocks, carrot, bay leaf and thyme.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Continue to let it simmer on med-low for about an hour. You are looking for the consistency to thicken. After about 45 minutes, add in the prosciutto. When I did this, the water content decreased significantly after about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to low, and continue to simmer until the lentils and carrots are soft. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

If you'd like a smoother consistency, consider using and immersion blender or transferring about 3/4 of the soup into the blender in two small batches. (Noteworthy warnings: be careful with the hot soup, it will expand and likely blow out the top of your blender if you blend on high. Another thing: blending will cause this to look strangely similar to diarrhea- that's what happens on the color wheel when you mix orange and green!)