greenliving

Last week, my son was diagnosed with a severe allergy to nuts. Not just peanuts, but nuts of all kinds. Of course, the first reaction any parent has is probably, why him? We don’t have a history of allergies in our family and neither does my husband. My daughter is fine and can consume all kinds of foods, so why him?

The next step (once I recovered from the ‘why him, why me’ phase), is learning as much as possible about allergies, and nut allergies in particular. One of the things I’m trying to do is go completely organic. Yes, it’s more expensive, but I’m sure I can cut down on other stuff to pay for the food bills. Another way to make it more affordable is to cook/bake at home as opposed to buying processed, ready to eat meals. And this is actually much easier to do than one would expect, and not that time consuming. I’ve always cooked lunches/dinners, and our breakfasts usually consist of cereal on weekday and pancakes on weekends. So that part’s been easy and now it’s just a question of substituting organic for non organic food items. What I am beginning to include is baking cookies, making my own granola bars, muffins etc. So we can still have the stuff we love, just not out of a box. Much healthier and once I get the kids roped in to help, a lot more fun too.

So, why organic and will it help?

Organic refers to food that contains no preservatives, no added chemicals, fertilizers, coloring or additives and is not genetically modified.  With regards to meat, the animals are reared without any antibiotics or growth hormones.

The benefits of an organic diet are numerous. To name a few:

1. Organic food contains lower levels of pesticides – Up to 70% of pesticides which appear in conventional food are banned in the production of organic food.
2. Organic food does not have any synthetic additives- They do not have artificial food colors and flavors, preservatives, nitrates and sulphites, artificial sweeteners or monosodium glutamate (MSG). Food is preserved and sweetened naturally.
3. Organic food has significantly higher levels of nutrients – Depending on your choice of produce, organic food is shown to have higher amounts of salicylic acid and more Vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.
4. Organic livestock production does not use antibiotics or growth hormones- In a lot of cases, antibiotics or growth hormones are injected into cattle to make them larger, fatter and hence deliver more meat. In organically reared cattle, they are allowed to grow and develop at their own pace, and without any synthetics injected into their system.
5. Organic food is free of Genetically Engineered (GE) ingredients – Organic farmers do not use GE seeds or irradiation methods. Instead crop rotation and use of natural compost produces a richer soil in which to grown and harvest their produce.

As to will it help with curing his nut allergies? I don’t know the answer to that as yet. I do hope that my research and providing him and the rest of my family with good food will give me the positive answers I’m looking for. And till then, I know at least that they are enjoying a nutritious, healthy meal each time they sit down at my dinner table to eat.

Since I devoted an entire Blog to coffee drinkers, I think it’s only fair to do the same about tea junkies. And yes, while that may seem an unusually harsh term to describe someone who drinks tea (I can see you having visions of peaceful Japanese tea gardens, with people sipping cups of tea in a Zen-like state.), believe me, if you drink tea, you pretty much become its slave.

Nowadays, there are so many varieties; it fairly boggles the mind as to which one to choose. We know of vanilla chai and ginger-peach tea. But who invented chocolate-masala chai? Or pomegranate -hibiscus infused flavors? Honestly, what happened to a good old cuppa of regular boiled tea?

Growing up, we like the millions of our fellow countrymen (or, women to be more accurate), made tea the typical way - boil your water on a gas stove, chuck in some loose tea-leaves. While it continued to boil, add milk and sugar, which in most instances was between 2-4 teaspoons per person; to taste. And there you have it - a perfect, milky, sweet cup of tea that hits the spot! If you were sick, or on special occasions, you’d add crush fresh ginger, cloves, cardamom and even pepper to it, imbuing it with its own special flavor. In fact, when my husband and I traveled to India in 2003 on a tour to Rajasthan, we made numerous stops for cups of tea, boiled over gas stoves and served at roadside stalls. The saucepan would be kept on the stove the entire day, being refilled as necessary and with someone in constant attendance. And the flavor- unbeatable!

Over the years, loose tea leaves have given way to fancy tea bags in various flavors, including the strange above mentioned ones. And the packaging has changed to printed boxes covered in cellophane paper. Of course tea bags are convenient. But if you want to be truly environmentally friendly, give tea -leaves a go. And you can forgo boiling it over the stove, by investing in one of the many tea-pots that come with filters. President’s Choice has some great ones available, including single, smart looking tea-mugs with individual filters. Pour in your tea leaves and boiling water, let it steep, and you’re good to go. If you want flavor, add dried lemon or orange peels, ginger, apple or peach slices…you can be quite creative with your choices- including chocolate masala tea!

Nagendra Singh Ranavat’s special Masala Chai recipe, the Rajasthani way

2 cups water

2 cups milk

3 teaspoons tea leaves

1 cardamom

4 whole peppercorns

Small piece of fresh ginger

Sugar to taste

Pour the milk and water into a pan on medium heat. Bring to a boil and lower it. Pound the ingredients and add to the mixture. Add 3 teaspoons tea leaves and 3 teaspoons sugar (or to taste). Continue to boil it for 5 minutes. Strain and serve.

One of the first things I noticed when we moved to Vancouver, were the number of people who walk/drive around town with disposable cups of coffee. Gradually, I began to see the long queues outsides restaurants like Tim Horton’s, where cars would pull up and drivers order their daily fix. The time of day, or night, doesn’t seem to affect the lines and I’ve yet to see an empty window! I pity the staff who work it. They must be exhausted at the end of their shift!

I have nothing against coffee drinkers. I myself survive on endless cups of tea, but that’s just me. I do not drink tea outside, because I do believe that making a good cuppa takes a certain skill and patience, which are obviously not Barista* requirements. But I do have to wonder what makes anyone pull out of their home and drive straight through to the nearest restaurant for their coffee? Is coffee making an art? Do you need special equipment? Can all these drinkers not have the time each morning for their necessary cuppa? Do their offices not serve coffee? I would love to know the answer, so coffee drinkers out there, please enlighten me!

It’s strange that while we’ve embraced the recycled cloth bag culture, we still don’t flinch while ordering a beverage in a disposable cup. And with 85% of Americans drinking at least one cup of coffee a day, its big numbers we’re talking about. So, let’s do the math here – 1 cup per day x 5 working days a week x 4 weeks per month = 20. Wow, that’s a lot of disposables. Now, let’s add on the little plastic caps to keep the coffee from spilling and of course the paper trays, as the cups are too hot to be held by hand. And don’t forget the paper napkins….. you get the picture.

If you are a regular coffee drinker, please think of investing in a reusable cup. Might make you feel like a school kids and keep you away from the counter. But if you must spend your money daily on a takeout coffee, then check out this site – www.wearehappytoserveyou.com make a ceramic cup which they promise ‘looks like a typical paper cup for coffee, but is actually made of ceramic’. Reusable, ironically disguised as disposable, and yours for only $12.

*Barista: The Italian term for bartender, also used, for the person who operates the espresso brewing equipment (or makes other coffee drinks) at a café or coffee house.

My mother has spent the last 9 years of her life in San Francisco, but it’s only last week that I actually got a chance to go visit her. Considering Vancouver is just a short flight away, it seems a shame I never made the trip earlier. But this time, I was ready for a break and her 72nd birthday was a great opportunity to go visit.

The city is quite incredible. I mean, we all know about cable cars and windy streets, but what impressed me the most was how ‘organic’ the city is. Take the area my mother lives in (and no mum, I’m not giving out your address!). It’s on a busy street with tons of ethnic and diverse restaurants. One of the most popular amongst them is ‘Pauline’s Pizza”. They serve only pizzas and two kinds of salads, and both are made from herbs and veggies grown (organically of course) in Pauline’s garden. The wine is organic too. My delicious salad came complete with an organically reared ant, which I promptly set free to go graze on other organic delights.

Apart from Pauline’s, it’s heartening to see even the small delis serving some organic fare. And coupled with a healthy lifestyle (you have got to be fit to a certain extent if you want to negotiate the streets of San Francisco), I’m sure most city dwellers have a long life expectancy. A big thumbs up for San Francisco!

For more information on Pauline’s Pizza, visit their site at www.paulinespizza.com

So, this is something new I learned today - the average microwave, one that is not in active use on a daily basis, uses more energy to power its digital clock, than it does to heat up a dish! So, if you don’t really need that clock display, you may want to think of turning it off when not in use. Other ways you can save energy are by reheating on low instead of high power. And remember to cover the dish that’s being heated.

When cleaning your microwave, say goodbye to expensive cleaners and instead, dab on a little baking soda on a sponge and give it a good wipe down. The baking soda acts as an abrasive cleaner, while at the same time, absorbing any food odors that remain inside. Another great way to get rid of odors is to heat a bit of diluted lemon juice in bowl, for a few seconds. While still damp, wipe the inside surface. Your microwave will come away clean and nice smelling.

Hands up those of us who are slaves to take-out!

We all know that cooking at home is a far healthier and energy saving option. But most of us still lack the time to go home and cook that big nourishing dinner, and opt instead for the nearest take out joint or supermarket freezer section. If time is a problem, then try cooking over the weekends and freezing food in small batches, which can be reheated instantly. If you prefer fresh daily cooked meals, then there are loads of 30 minute recipes you can download from the internet (downloading will also save you from buying cookbooks that are rarely used completely), or borrow from the library. When cooking, try the following- instead of cooking your dish on high heat for the time given, switch the gas off 5-7 minutes in advance and let the pan, covered tightly, sit on the hot stove. The food will continue to cook on it’s own. This works well while boiling pasta and eggs too. Similarly, don’t bother preheating the oven unless you’re cooking bread, pastries or souffles. Incorporate stir-fries into your cooking. It takes the same amount of time and energy to do a stir fry, as it does to reheat a pre-packaged meal. And the results are definitely more tasty and nutritious as well. And finally, buy a slow-cooker. This is an excellent time and energy saver for the busy person.

For excellent 30 minute or less meals, some websites to browse are:

Simplified Living Online - http://www3.telus.net/slon/chef.html

Rachel Ray’s 30 minute meals: www.rachelray.com

Have you had your cup of coffee this morning? Or tea? Instead of boiling a full kettle each time you make your hot drinks, try filling a thermos with boiling hot water, and use that to make your drinks throughout the day. If you must boil fresh water, then use a measuring cup to fill up the exact amount you require. Boiling a lesser amount saves on the energy used to heat up the water.

Keeping your tea kettle free from lime deposits also makes it more energy efficient, producing quicker, low energy cups of tea and coffee. And of course, a bonus is that is gets cleaned.  To remove lime deposits, boil two cups of distilled white vinegar (depending on the size of your kettle) with a little water. Switch the kettle off and leave for awhile. The vinegar will help dislodge calcium deposits. You may need to give it a quick scrub with a long handled brush. Then, rinse thoroughly. Your kettle is now energy efficient, clean and you can actually taste the difference in your cups of tea/coffee.