Showing posts with label Ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ideas. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Crocktober is Here!
Ciao readers! Sadly I don't have plans to share a recipe for today, but I would like to announce that it is officially Crocktober in the Guerilla Kitchen. Naturally I didn't decide this before yesterday's crock-potted stuffed acorn squash story went up, but now it's for real. Look forward to all-crock-pot-all-the-time posts from GK this month. Soups, stew, spiced cider, hot cereal and more stuffed squash are on the way, but I can appreciate a challenge and welcome any recommendations!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Reflections on Veggie Week & A New Resolution
I haven't done the most fantastic job of documenting the second half of Veggie Week here at GK, but I want to say that I consider it an unequivocal success. With a little planning, a consideration for nutritional balance (which we should all be doing anyway), and a sense that what you are doing is important, it was barely even a challenge. I never felt as though I was missing anything, and I felt that I was making principled, conscious choices that translated into meaningful decision-making. Okay, I admit that I am taking a Leadership class right now that has me all wrapped up in examining and clarifying my own values and corresponding actions, but again I say, we should all be giving our daily choices this kind of thought. In this case, our daily bread.
There was a small corner of my mind where I wondered, when deciding to go meat-free for seven days, if this would prompt me to give up meat altogether. I think that vegetarianism on ethical grounds is a noble choice, and I admire and respect anyone capable of daily placing their beliefs before their whims, desires and habits, but at this moment in my life, I think a slightly more flexible commitment is in order: I have decided that I will consume meat (beef, pork and poultry) no more than two times per week (probably 1 time, on average) and seafood not more than one time in the same period. Since it is eminently attainable and grounded in the intersection of my tastes and beliefs, this is a meaningful choice in my life.
And there is another truth to this: Money. As a graduate student working part-time who will soon be living on her own (a story for another day), money is a constant consideration. Vegetarian meals are generally less expensive to prepare, and will surely be a part of my everyday life. For some people this would probably feel like a sacrifice, but for me, it feels like an opportunity. There are lean times in all of our lives, and I welcome the challenge to eat well and often without breaking the bank. But yes, when this student goes home to visit family, I plan to abide by the resolution I've made. It's not just about who is footing the bill.
I can't pretend to know what the future holds. GK has forced me to confront many of my beliefs about food, and solidified my long-held beliefs about the importance of what we eat. But writing this blog has also lead me to recognize that just as my life situation is changing and will continue to change, our habits must change in step with our ideas and beliefs. If you say that your planet and your health are important to you, what are you doing daily to further these dialogues? To put it simply, you have to walk the talk. I hope many of my omnivorous readers will consider embarking on a Veggie Week of their own.
There was a small corner of my mind where I wondered, when deciding to go meat-free for seven days, if this would prompt me to give up meat altogether. I think that vegetarianism on ethical grounds is a noble choice, and I admire and respect anyone capable of daily placing their beliefs before their whims, desires and habits, but at this moment in my life, I think a slightly more flexible commitment is in order: I have decided that I will consume meat (beef, pork and poultry) no more than two times per week (probably 1 time, on average) and seafood not more than one time in the same period. Since it is eminently attainable and grounded in the intersection of my tastes and beliefs, this is a meaningful choice in my life.
And there is another truth to this: Money. As a graduate student working part-time who will soon be living on her own (a story for another day), money is a constant consideration. Vegetarian meals are generally less expensive to prepare, and will surely be a part of my everyday life. For some people this would probably feel like a sacrifice, but for me, it feels like an opportunity. There are lean times in all of our lives, and I welcome the challenge to eat well and often without breaking the bank. But yes, when this student goes home to visit family, I plan to abide by the resolution I've made. It's not just about who is footing the bill.
I can't pretend to know what the future holds. GK has forced me to confront many of my beliefs about food, and solidified my long-held beliefs about the importance of what we eat. But writing this blog has also lead me to recognize that just as my life situation is changing and will continue to change, our habits must change in step with our ideas and beliefs. If you say that your planet and your health are important to you, what are you doing daily to further these dialogues? To put it simply, you have to walk the talk. I hope many of my omnivorous readers will consider embarking on a Veggie Week of their own.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Vegetarian Week in the Guerilla Kitchen
If you've read this blog before, you know that I'm generally very interested in meat-free meals, partly out of sheer curiosity and partly as a means of being a more responsible resident of the planet Earth. (And if you haven't read GK before, Hi! My name is Genevieve and I'm sort if a pretend-sometimes-not-really-vegetarian). So, since much of the food I prepare is meatless anyway, Brady and I decided to take on the challenge of one full week, meat-free, and chose this week for the experiment.
I'm not going to delude myself into believing that I could, or will give up all meat forever and always, but there are so many reasons today to consider cutting back on our individual meat consumption. Historically, the more we are able to produce, the more we consume, and become accustomed to consuming, to the detriment of our health and environment. Today, there is nearly three times as much chicken meat available per capita in this country than in 1950, with individual beef consumption reaching a staggering 90 lbs per year, representing a steady increase from the opening of the first McDonalds restaurant about twenty years earlier. The point is, we haven't always eaten this way, and the amount of meat that many of us are eating is far beyond what we have evolved to need for optimum health. One of my biggest beefs (hah, hah) with meat production, though, is the amount of water needed to get a steak from the "farm" (factory) to your plate. If every American ate beef one less time this week, we could save over 467, 592, 039, 000 gallons in just seven days* - Over 4.5 trillion gallons. And that would be pretty cool, right?
Like many people, I grew up in a household where a meal wasn't considered "complete" unless it involved some form of meat. My parents had the best of intentions, of course, like most do: They wanted their kids to get the best nutrition possible so that we might grow up to be strong and healthy adults. But knowing what we now know about the global effects of meat production and alternative protein sources, maybe it's time to be more conscious about these choices. We love and admire them, but we are not our parents, after all.
This veggie-week idea presents a bit more of a challenge for Brady since he tends to grab lunch near his office, but thanks working on the UPenn campus, there are lots of delicious veggie options. Thank goodness for those ethical-vegetarian college kids.
I am certain that I will not be able to blog about each dinner individually, so here's a run-down of the plan for the week:
Looks good, right? I don't think I'll be missing meat at all. Maybe you don't feel the need to go all-veggie for a full week, but maybe you'd like to commit one or two days to alternative protein sources. Take a shot at it - small changes make a big difference.
Quote of the Day: Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. ~ Albert Einstein
*Calculation based on the US & World Population clock (311,728, 026) x 1,500 gallons per lb. of beef from water-use infographic.
I'm not going to delude myself into believing that I could, or will give up all meat forever and always, but there are so many reasons today to consider cutting back on our individual meat consumption. Historically, the more we are able to produce, the more we consume, and become accustomed to consuming, to the detriment of our health and environment. Today, there is nearly three times as much chicken meat available per capita in this country than in 1950, with individual beef consumption reaching a staggering 90 lbs per year, representing a steady increase from the opening of the first McDonalds restaurant about twenty years earlier. The point is, we haven't always eaten this way, and the amount of meat that many of us are eating is far beyond what we have evolved to need for optimum health. One of my biggest beefs (hah, hah) with meat production, though, is the amount of water needed to get a steak from the "farm" (factory) to your plate. If every American ate beef one less time this week, we could save over 467, 592, 039, 000 gallons in just seven days* - Over 4.5 trillion gallons. And that would be pretty cool, right?
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| Click here for the full-sized version |
Like many people, I grew up in a household where a meal wasn't considered "complete" unless it involved some form of meat. My parents had the best of intentions, of course, like most do: They wanted their kids to get the best nutrition possible so that we might grow up to be strong and healthy adults. But knowing what we now know about the global effects of meat production and alternative protein sources, maybe it's time to be more conscious about these choices. We love and admire them, but we are not our parents, after all.
This veggie-week idea presents a bit more of a challenge for Brady since he tends to grab lunch near his office, but thanks working on the UPenn campus, there are lots of delicious veggie options. Thank goodness for those ethical-vegetarian college kids.
I am certain that I will not be able to blog about each dinner individually, so here's a run-down of the plan for the week:
Saturday: Arugula & alfalfa sprout salad with chickpeas, walnuts and strawberries
Sunday: Portobello mushroom cheeseburgers
Monday: Chickpea-salad pita sandwiches
Tuesday: Sesame-peanut noodles with broccoli
Wednesday: Quinoa corn chowder
Thursday: Black bean taco salad
Friday: Tofu scramble with peppers, onion, carrots & spices
Saturday: Cheese tortellini with fresh peas, summer squash & red onion
Looks good, right? I don't think I'll be missing meat at all. Maybe you don't feel the need to go all-veggie for a full week, but maybe you'd like to commit one or two days to alternative protein sources. Take a shot at it - small changes make a big difference.
Quote of the Day: Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. ~ Albert Einstein
*Calculation based on the US & World Population clock (311,728, 026) x 1,500 gallons per lb. of beef from water-use infographic.
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