2011 Learn Go Do - Reflection

February is here, and so I wanted to take a few moments to reflect on my progress on my list of 2011 resolutions. I view resolutions not as something to start on January 1st, but as an ongoing list of the ways I want to better myself, which could be started at any time. I divided my goals into 3 categories: Learn, Go, Do (Click the link above to see the whole list).

Learn:

I have two knitting goals this year: to learn to do short-row shaping and to learn to knit lace. To that end, I chose the "February Lady Sweater" pattern.

This is not the one I'm knitting. The one I'm knitting doesn't look like anything yet. This is the finished one. You can grab the pattern FOR FREE from Flint Knits. Huzzah for free!

I've shied away from patterns involving lace for a long time. While I know all the stitches needed for knitting lace, I've felt like I've lacked the patience. However, I've tackled a few in-depth cable projects over the past couple of years, so I think lace is within my abilities. (For you non-knitters, thanks for suffering through the previous sentences).

Anyway, I haven't actually started the lace part of the sweater, but I'm almost done with the top portion. Lace, here I come!

Go:

I thought that the easiest of my goals would be to go to a new restaurant each month, especially because I travel regularly for work. And I love to eat. However, I can only half-count my January attempt: I went to the "bistros" in a couple of hotels in San Antonio and Austin. Lately, a bunch of restaurant chains that cater to business travelers (like Hyatt Place and Marriott Courtyards) have begun serving a little bit more than bags of pretzels, but a little bit less than meals. While I guess these "restaurants" were new to me, the point of this goal was to revive my culinary adventurousness, and these hardly counted in that vein. I met the letter, but not the spirit, of my goal.

Do:

So, I acted on a few of my "Do" goals:

• I finished the first draft of the novel I started for National Novel Writing Month. That felt like a big accomplishment, especially because I started it on November first. I'm going to add "Revise my novel" to my 2011 list of goals.
• I renewed my commitment to sustainable eating. I've been doing lots of cooking at home, eating lots of vegetarian goodness, and have even flirted with vegan cooking. Traveling for work remains my biggest sustainable eating weakness, but I tried to make (at least a few) better choices while eating away from home.
• Exercising. Fail. I started strong but got sidelined by two major colds. However, since I got one of the colds from my beautiful nephews Ian and Nelson (ages 2 years and 2 months, which means a lot of slobber), I don't feel too bad about it.
• Finish one item from my big household to-do list every two weeks. Another fail, but a valiant attempt. My first item was to replace the drip-pans on my stove burners. I measured the ones I had and set off to the store. However, it turns out you have to know the type of burner you have, and then it was too late to return home and go back to the store (plus -- NOT green). I'll be returning to this item this weekend.

What's up for February:

I'm traveling to Washington D.C. and possibly the Bay area, so a new restaurant seems to be in the cards. I'll begin the lace-knitting portion of my sweater, and as soon as I kick this cold, I'll be out walkin' for exercise. I'm preparing for one of my "Go" goals: a trip to Spain in March! Which will help me with one of my "Learn" goals: Improve my Spanish (I'm best at language learning through osmosis). I need to do some research to make the most of my time there.

Bamboo U - To-Go Ware

First of all, before jumping in to praise bamboo To-Go Ware, I just wanted to thank the lovely Kaimoana, one of Light Green's Australian friends, for reminding me to share with you concerns about the processing of bamboo to create bamboo fiber for clothing and yarn. Processing bamboo can have harmful effects, because the hearty wood has to be broken down into pulp. Read the article linked above if you'd like more information. Due to the fact that it grows much more sustainably than cotton, it's still a good alternative. Thanks, Kaimoana!

Now ... to continue talking about fun bamboo items. I've mentioned this one before, but it's worth another look, because it's awesome.

To-Go Ware sells bamboo utensil kits that you can carry with you. The kit comes with a fork, knife, and spoon, all in a handy-dandy case that you can clip onto your lunch kit or bag. It may seem a little nerdy to carry your own utensils with you, but when you think about all of the plastic (think: petroleum product!) spoons, knives, forks and sporks that end up in landfills.

To-Go Ware also offers a variety of re-usable food carriers and cups. Thanks, Jenny, for introducing me to them.

Thundersnow!

Two men enter ...

DC right now isn't exactly Thunderdome, but on my visit this week I did experience my first thundersnow (a snowstorm with lightning and thunder).

I'll be returning to regular posting soon with some more thoughts about bamboo!

Bamboo U - Stitch Nation Yarn

Just like pandas, I'm a big fan of bamboo. It has many sustainability benefits -- it's relatively easy to grow, and involves fewer pesticides and fertilizers than other materials. Plus, it's a renewable resource. This week, I'm featuring some of my favorite bamboo products.

Today: Stitch Nation Bamboo Ewe Yarn.

Knitting is a fabulous hobby. "Idle hands are the devil's work," is a favorite saying of grandmas, and knitting is like devil-repellent. However, it can be expensive, particularly if you want to use yarns made of more sustainable materials.

Stitch Nation Yarns, though, are affordable and 100% natural. Red Heart, the company that has spawned a million ugly acrylic sweaters, has partnered with Debbie Stoller (author of Stitch 'N' Bitch) to create a line of yarns made of natural materials.

I'm "wool-sensitive" (I break out in an attractive rash if wool touches my bare skin). This means that I often use yarns that are wool/acrylic blends. Most bamboo yarns are just too expensive. That's why Bamboo Ewe is so great. It is a bamboo/wool blend. It has a soft, silky sheen. And it's affordable and easy to find at common craft stores such as JoAnn Fabrics and Michael's. I love it when big companies get on the sustainability bandwagon. I don't care if they do it out of the goodness of their hearts or the fatness of their wallets. When sustainable products are available in the suburbs, I know we're going mainstream.

Bamboo U - Bass Square Paddle Brush

Have you ever wished that you had a personal hair dresser with burly forearms to give you scalp massages?

Hmm... no? Maybe that's just me.

Well, even if you haven't, you can now simulate that fabulous scalp masseuse with a hair brush! It's the Bass Large Square Paddle Brush, and it can be purchased for about $10. Not only does this brush work wonders on your hair, but it helps the environment because it is made from 100% bamboo.

Bamboo is a super-cool member of the grass family (no, not that kind of grass). It has many benefits beyond providing the setting for kung fu fight scenes.

Even in ancient China, they understood the benefits of bamboo... for kung fu fighting!

Bamboo is a renewable resource that can be grown in conditions that would thwart many other plants. It can also be used to create products that are often made from petroleum products (like hair brushes).

This week, I'm going to be featuring some fun bamboo items, but take my word for it when I say that this hair brush is one of the best.

"Flirting", Food & Friends

Flirting.

It means to show casual interest in something. If you're flirting with that cute bartender, you have a little mini-romance that lasts a few minutes. You meet, the relationship develops, you break up ... all before he puts that gin and tonic on the counter. But ... there's always the possibility of a longer-term romance.

Alicia Silverstone suggests that you can also flirt with a plant-based diet. My friends Jenn, Amanda and I have started a supper club to have little romances with the wonderful recipes in Alicia's book The Kind Diet. (Click here to visit Alicia's website, The Kind Life -- if you've read this blog for awhile, you know that I'm pretty enamored of Alicia's recipes).

Our hostess, mixing miso.

Why is it kinder to eat a plant-based diet? Well, one reason is that it's better for the earth, and hence for everyone living on it. Jenn, Amanda and I all have long-term commitments to various levels of greener eating (I'm the lightest green, because I eat poultry; Amanda is the greeniest, because she's a vegetarian).

Jenn hosted the first supper club meeting, and she chose "Rice Waffles with Vegetable Melange" for dinner -- except none of us had a waffle maker, so we made pancakes instead.

Jenn and Amanda pore over the cookbook.

All of us took part in the cooking. I was in charge of the vegetable-chopping; Amanda took control of the pancakes; Jenn directed the whole operation.

We were a little nervous about the pancakes. They were made with whole cooked brown rice, and we weren't sure how they would cook up. After a little trial and error, however, we got beautiful, golden-brown pancakes:

The vegetable melange included carrots, onions, broccoli, and seitan, which is an alternative protein made with wheat gluten. Seitan is probably my favorite meat substitute; it has a consistency a lot like chicken. In fact, the concept of this dish reminded me of a Southern classic: chicken and waffles. Only this meal was a lot healthier, for us and for the planet. And who doesn't love using the word melange? Melanges are cool.

The meal turned out to be delicious and innovative. It was wonderful to take a break from work, to cook and share stories with friends. In fact, this was how enjoyable the evening was:

I promised Jenn and Amanda that I would post this silly picture of myself if they were going to be featured on the blog!

We had such a great time that we're planning to do it again in a couple of weeks.

Meatless Monday* - The Salad-Hater's Guide to Veg

Or, how I learned to stop worrying and love the carrots.

OK. I don't love carrots. I never have. And I don't like peas either. Or green beans. A sad little pile of random veg on the side of my plate is the worst. But I was taught to eat my vegetables, and that you should have salad with dinner every night. For years, I simply accepted these facts, and used the strategy my mom taught me when I was little: eat your veggies first to "get them out of the way."

Little did I know, I was missing out on a world of veggie goodness. I realized last night, as I was chopping sweet potatoes, onions, jalapenos and red pepper for the beautiful "Red Lentil Thai Chili" from the Post-Punk Kitchen, that my relationship to veggies has changed for the better. And it happened when I realized: hey, I'm adult. I don't have to eat salad!

Sustainable eating means less meat, more of everything else. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. But attempting to eat more sustainably doesn't mean that you are now relegated to rabbit food.

If you think that you're a veggie hater (or live with one), here are a few ways to get more veggies in your diet:

• Give yourself a pass on the things you really don't like. Within reason. While you shouldn't cross the entire plant spectrum off your shopping list, choose a two or three things that you won't force yourself to eat. For me, it's those dastardly peas and iceberg lettuce.
• Expand your color palette. I used to work with a woman who said she wouldn't eat anything green - meaning vegetables. Luckily, veggies come in so many other colors! If you have had bad experiences with green vegetables (like the soggy green beans in your elementary school cafeteria... which I *cough, cough* actually kind of like) start experimenting by trying to bring other colors to your plate. I'd recommend starting with orange. Just trust me on this one.
• Get rid of the veggie sides. Remember what I said about the heap of veg on the side of my plate and how much I dislike that? Well, it turns out that I like almost all vegetables when they are cooked in a soup, stew, pasta sauce, etc. The truth is, you can put more veggies in almost any recipe. Sure, some nutrients get cooked out, but it's better than no nutrients. Just remember that if you add veggies to a recipe, particularly a baked recipe like lasagna, you are also upping the amount of liquid. Adjust any liquid content slightly.
• Go ethnic. I don't know if Americans invented the plate with the meat, the potatoes or bread, and the cooked vegetable side, but we sure did perfect it. Most ethnic cuisines, however, incorporate healthy and tasty vegetables into main dishes and don't relegate them to sides. It's only their Americanized versions that remove the veggies.
• Go local. Farmer's markets and co-ops often have an array of interesting vegetables that are seasonal to your area (I know, I know, for those of you in colder climes, the farmer's market might be closed right now). Community-Sponsored Agriculture, or CSA, is another great way to experiment. You pay for a weekly or monthly "share" from local farmers, and then you receive a box filled with goodies. You never know what you might get, so you have to experiment!

How do you feel about veggies?

* Meatless Monday is a movement to increase awareness of sustainable, meat-free eating, by eating meatless meals on Mondays. So alliterative!

Dark Days

I'm not going to comment extensively on the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and District Court Judge John Roll today.

However, I do want to mark this event somehow. I am a liberal who grew up in a conservative town. I know that political debate can be both heated and civil. It's when that debate sinks to the middle-school level -- name calling and truth bending -- that we ignite events like today's.

I don't really know what to say. I've written and deleted several things. All I know is, all of us who believe in prayer should pray. All who don't, should think good thoughts, send positive vibes, or whatever.

You know that saying, "it's always darkest before the dawn"? That may be true when it comes to nature. But when it comes to human society, we have to create the light. Otherwise, the darkness only deepens.

Once upon a time ...

... there was a giant plastic garbage pile.

Catfish, shut up, you might be thinking. It's Saturday morning, and you're already getting depressing.

That's true. I just watched this delightful and nostalgic French video in which kids try to guess what obsolete technologies might have been used for (the kids get pretty close; you can see the prior stages of technological evolution in all of these items).

The video made me all mopey, though. Technology is changing faster and faster. I mean, the rotary-dial telephone was used for decades. My sister has a vintage one that still works. New technologies, however, not only become obsolete, but they tend to be more fragile. We're forced to replace them because they don't last and it's actually cheaper to buy new than get things repaired.

Sigh. That's enough thinking about sad things. Think I'll go play with my new phone now.

In Which I Share the Secret of the Sustainable Shopping List

This is a nerd post. It's about one of those little, nerdy things that makes me happy. And that is: my shopping list.

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to re-commit myself to healthy and sustainable eating. Anyone who reads this blog knows I'm a teensy weensy obsessed with healthy food. So why, oh why do I need this re-commitment? Why do I need to renew my vows to broccoli? (Because broccoli didn't cheat on me, friends. I cheated on broccoli).

How did it happen? Slowly at first. Just little things. A cookie from the tray at the office. French fries in the airport. And before I knew it, it was dark-thirty on a North Carolina morning and I was biting into a Bojangles Cajun chicken biscuit for my breakfast and thinking what could be better than this? (Not much, actually).

So, I need to lose some weight, get healthier (hear my arteries screaming?) and really get back into the healthy eating practices I have written about at length in these virtual pages.

Keeping this resolution had to begin with planning. And planning to cook is one of my favorite things, just short of actual cooking.

I begin by thinking about what I'm going to be doing during the week and how many meals I will eat at home. To be more sustainable, one has to cook more and buy fewer processed and packaged foods. The fun part, however, is thinking about what those foods are going to be. I get out the cookbooks and start perusing.

What's that cookbook upside down? It's The Gorgeously Green Diet by Sophie Uliano, a great book with six easy principles for eating sustainably. And recipes. This week I made the delicious and easy "Lemony Chicken Thighs", and followed Sophie's advice to buy the thighs from the butcher counter, instead of pre-packed in a foam tray.

Once the meals and snacks are planned, it's time to make the shopping list. And here's the magical secret of the sustainable shopping list.

Divide your paper up into sections, giving yourself the most room for the foods that are healthiest and most sustainable. Give yourself the next largest space for minimally-processed and packaged foods, like canned goods. And save just a little room for the most highly-processed and least sustainable: meat, dairy, frozen, and breads.

Set up your shopping list in this way, and you have a visual reminder of the principles of more sustainable eating, as Michael Pollan outlines them: "Eat food (not processed crap. My addition). Not too much. Mostly plants."

Plan in hand, you're ready for sustainable shopping.

Meatless Monday* - Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Do you ever daydream about food? Well, I do. But because I'm a big food nerd, I don't daydream about chocolate or mac & cheese. For about a month, I've been thinking about curry butternut squash soup. I'd never had it before, and I didn't have a recipe for it -- it just sounded like a great idea.

And it's exactly the sort of thing to start off the New Year: healthy and sustainable. The big secret, however, is that even though it will help you keep both your health and green resolutions, you'll feel as though you're still eating decadent holiday fare.

This soup is a mash-up of several different recipes, and has a velvety, rich texture due to the fact that you add pureed butternut squash and yogurt. The puree adds a robustness that makes you forget that this food is vegetarian.

Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients**

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 tbsp. curry powder

1 medium-large butternut squash. Cut off the top third and hold on to it -- you're going to use it in a minute. Peel, de-seed, and cube the remaining 2/3.

1 red or yellow pepper, chopped

Red chili flakes, pepper, salt, or other spices you desire

1/3 c. plain or Greek yogurt (skip this if you'd like to make a vegan version)

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. brown sugar

32 oz. container of vegetable broth

1/3 c. basmati or brown basmati rice

Bay leaf

1/3-1/2 c. dried currants

Garnishes:

Chutney

Yogurt

Toasted, slivered almonds

Step 1

Cut the top third of the squash into large rounds, about an inch thick, and put on a plate. Place these in the microwave and cook until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Don't overcook. (You could bake these if you don't have a microwave. Ahem, Mom.) Set aside.

Step 2

On medium-high heat, heat the olive oil in a big soup pot. Add the onions, garlic, and celery. Saute until transparent. Add curry powder and saute about 1 min. more, stirring.

Step 3

Add the cubed butternut squash and yellow pepper. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and saute about 10 min, or until the veggies begin to soften.

Step 4

Scoop out the soft insides of the squash you cooked in the microwave. Put this in a blender, along with the yogurt, ginger, and brown sugar. Puree. Add a little of the vegetable broth if you need more liquid.

Step 5

Add the puree, along with 2-2 1/2 cups of the vegetable broth to the pot. Stir. Add rice and bay leaf. When the mixture is boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer about 20-30 min, or until the rice is soft and the liquid is reduced by about half.

Step 6

Add the remaining broth and currants. Stir. Keep over heat until heated through.

Serve with the garnishes and enjoy.

* Meatless Monday is a movement to increase awareness of sustainable, meat-free eating, by eating meatless meals on Mondays. So alliterative!

** Of course, your meal will be more sustainable the more organic and local choices you make in your ingredients

In 2011 ...

It's 2011 - holla! (I've resolved to use more retro slang in the new year, dudes and dudettes! As if such a thing was actually possible).

It's taken me a couple of days to get my new year's resolutions in order; I needed some time for rest and reflection (read: time to lie on my couch moaning that I will never, ever stay out until last call again). However, I've come up with a list of intentions for 2011, and I've arranged them into categories - Learn, Go, Do.

Hmm... maybe I can turn this year into a memoir, and then they can make it into a movie. Only thing: I need to meet a guy worthy of being played by Javier Bardem. If you know anyone, have them send me a C.V.

So, here they are:

Learn

• How to sew in a zipper
• How to do short-row shaping (it's a knitting thing)
• How to bake bread (yes, my body has been overtaken by a young Victorian woman who created my resolutions for me)
• Improve my Spanish

Go

• To Spain! (This is already in the works -- I'm heading to Madrid and Barcelona in March)
• To at least three American cities I haven't visited before (should be easy; work takes me all over the U.S.)
• To at least one new restaurant per month

Do:

• Finish the novel I started during National Novel Writing Month; I have about 10,000 words to go, I think.
• Blog 3x per week -- more info on this soon
• Work up to exercising 5x per week; I'm going to start with 3.
• Tackle one item from my big to-do list every other week. This list involves things like finding a place to recycle my old microwave and the paint that the former tenant of my apartment left behind.
• Renew my commitment to eating more sustainably.

This might seem like a rather long list, but a lot of these are things that I used to do regularly, but have gotten away from in the last year or so.

My biggest goal of the year, however, is a doozy: I want to move. I'm not sure exactly whether it will be a cross-country move or a cross-town move, but I need a slightly larger, more adult place, and one that is more energy-efficient. Unfortunately, my brain resists this resolution because I hate moving (I mean -- is there anyone who really likes wrapping each dish individually in newspaper?). However, I think it's important. Feel free to advocate that I move to your locale!