Making Your Own Bread

One of my nicknames is “The Dessert Queen” since for years I’ve enjoyed baking fun, even complicated desserts. But I never really got into bread making much. Other than the occasional batch of cornbread or biscuits, I very rarely ever made by own bread.

For close to two months now I’ve had the pleasure of making my own bread each week. Not every loaf turned out. I made some mistakes, but I’ve also had many successes and found recipes that work for me. There are a lot of advantages of making bread for yourself:

• You don’t have to look sideways at the bread in the store and wonder when it was really baked.
• You won’t have to deal with a pesky plastic bag or other packaging.
• You control the ingredients: organic flour, honey or sugar — no problem.
• You can give fresh-baked bread gifts!
• You can try great recipes like Organic Honey Oat Bread (My batch pictured above! Recipe from Jennifer.)

The only downside of making your bread, as I see it, is that you need to allow time for rising. If this is difficult for you during the week, make a couple of loaves during the weekend and store one in the refrigerator.

If you hate the kneading process, invest in a good stand mixer! I’m probably more lazy than I’d care to admit. One very probable reason I’ve recently started making more of my own bread is that I received a stand mixer as a gift. Making bread is much easier with a dough hook…

Another reason I started making my own bread was that a friend of mine, Jennifer at Growing a Green Family, started talking about how she wanted to get back to making more of her food from scratch to cut down on packaging. From scratch always taste better (don’t let the commercials for processed food fool you).

If you start making more food from scratch, you’ll notice something interesting happening: In the grocery store, you won’t shop the interior aisles as much. That’s where most of the canned and processed stuff lives. You may also end up with fewer items in your cart and a cheaper bill at checkout, not to mention more compliments from family and guests.

Do you have a favorite bread recipe?

(Image by Peggy Rowland)

Cooling Thoughts in Heat Wave

Densely populated areas like New York City can become “their own overheated micro-climates,” says CBS News. However, planted rooftops can dramatically help cool things down. Plus, they’re pretty to gaze upon.

Besides having a cooling effect in busy urban areas, container gardening or roof landscaping may also help provide relaxing areas for people who don’t live near green spaces.

So, they’re cool in more ways than one! Learn more about rooftop gardening on a budget at Green Home Guide.

News on Rooftop Gardens

Stuart Gaffin and his students at Columbia University are studying the cooling effect of planted rooftops. He says that green roofs cool like street trees. That’s great news for crowded cities with few trees.

According to Stuart (via CBS), the rooftops in Times Square and other NYC locations can do the work of  “20 tree-filled Central Parks!”

(Image via flickr/pnwra)

Are Produce Washes Necessary?

If you plan on peeling a vegetable, do you still have to wash it first? Yep, even the cute carrot you’re about to peel should be cleaned first, according to foodsafety.gov.

The government’s food safety website doesn’t encourage using commercial produce washes though. And I agree! How about you?

I’ve never used a commercial produce wash. A study by the University of California-Riverside found that commercial produce washes were only slightly more effective than water alone. The researchers didn’t believe it was enough to justify the purchase. I’ve also seen no proof that the washes don’t leave a residue on food.

Plus, do you really want another bottle of stuff under the kitchen sink? It takes up room, costs money and uses up resources. Taking an unnecessary item off your shopping list always feels good, for your wallet and the planet.

Safety tips for cleaning produce

Whether you use a produce rinse or not, don’t use your dish soap or bleach to clean produce. Since produce is porous, it can absorb detergents or bleach really well. A rinse or scrub under running water is the best thing.

Produce should be washed right before you use it. Washing before storage may cause spoiling.

Happy washing, peeling and eating.

(image via stock.xchng)

Recycled and Totally Reusable Plates for Summer

I wanted some fun, lightweight and very reusable plates for quick snacks this summer or anytime.

And I’ve been thoroughly pleased with my purchase: Preserve Everyday Tableware plates. Note, these are different from the On the Go plates which I haven’t tried. Everyday Tableware plates are meant to be reused forever. They aren’t designer disposables or cheapy plastic plates.

Cost: I paid $8 for my four-pack of 9.5-inch Everyday Tableware plates from preserveproducts.com by Recycline. I also ordered a Preserve cutting board and colanders that I’ll be reviewing here later. And I got a couple bonus trial bags of Annie’s Bunny Graham Friends with the order. I have to admit I’m now hooked on those little bunny-shaped grahams (thanks a lot), but that’s a topic for another post.

Eco Features: A big reason I picked these plates is that they’re BPA free. They’re also melamine free and made in the USA from 100% recycled materials. And if you ever stop reusing the plates, you can send them back to Preserve to be recycled again. For only about $2 per plate, it’s a good deal for the earth and you.

Other Fun Stuff: Besides all the eco-friendly aspects mentioned above, I also like the plates because of the fun color, but if apple green isn’t your thing, they come in midnight blue and pepper red as well. I also really adore the ergonomic handle on the side of these plates — handy! While Preserve’s On the Go plates are cheaper and meant to be used for parties, I can’t help thinking that the Everyday Tableware plates would be much better for parties. With that handle, you can walk around with the plates more easily.

Easy to use: Another big plus is that the Everyday Tableware plates are dishwasher safe. I’ve run mine through several times with no problems. And the textured bottom on these plates will help conceal knife marks to make the plates attractive longer. Plus, the 9.5-inch plates are the perfect size for a sandwich and fruit or other quick lunch goodies.  They’re also durable enough to handle more substantial items like lasagna. However, the one negative aspect I can think of is that these plates don’t appear to be microwave safe.

Accessories: Preserve also makes 16-ounce Everyday Tableware glasses and bowls, but I skipped those for now.

Recommended for: Anyone can enjoy these cute plates. You can take them out by the pool or on a picnic without worrying over them breaking. They’re also good for any casual meal at home, whether it’s in your kitchen or sitting out on the patio. And the plates are as kid-proof as you can get, not to meant lightweight. Use them to teach your younger kids how to wash dishes or set the table!

(plate image by me; deck chair image by sxc)

A Widespread and Very Ungreen Habit: Laundry Detergent Overdosing!

Whatever your feelings on doing laundry, chances are you’re probably overusing detergent.

I don’t mind doing laundry at all, but I have noticed that an ultra-concentrated bottle of  detergent never lasts for 32 loads like the bottle says. It’s my fault. Sometimes I measure, and sometimes I guess.

Whether you make your own detergent or buy it, not overdosing on detergent is one way to green your household.

According to a Wall Street Journal article, we’re all pretty much overdosing on laundry soap. The article, “The Great American Soap Overdose,” explains how we’re pouring too much soap for today’s high-efficiency machines and ultra-concentrated detergent.

To solve the problem of over-soaping (and the resulting dingy clothes and smelly machines), you’ll need to carefully measure with your own device or take a closer look at the hard-to-read lines on many detergent caps.

Some companies have recently developed easier-to-read measuring caps with bigger, staggered (not stacked) numbers, but others are still offering faintly marked caps.

You may have also noticed that laundry detergent measuring caps often hold much more detergent than you need. In a report last summer, Consumer Reports blamed the poor design of laundry caps for measuring woes.

Whether caps are designed to intentionally dupe consumers is up for debate, but you can squash your detergent overdose habit and be more green simply by paying more attention or substituting your own measuring device. Oh, and you have to actually measure, not just pour!

To learn more about possible laundry errors you’re making, mouse around on the fun interactive illustration at WSJ.

(image via sxc)

Delicious Way to Love the Earth

Isn’t it lovely how strawberries have heart-shaped insides? I’ve eaten lots of strawberries lately since I’m sticking with fruit for snacks, but now that homegrown berries have arrived, I’m in love all over again. If you don’t like naked strawberries, you can always put them in a parfait. I can’t think of a better summertime snack than a homemade strawberry parfait. If you’ve never had one, you’re missing out.

The recipe is easy: Add about one half cup of organic granola to the bottom of a glass. Layer on some organic yogurt. Sprinkle a bit more granola on top of yogurt if you please. Then add some sliced local strawberries grown naturally. It’s every bit as good as ice cream, and it’s earth-friendly, not to mention body-friendly!

Ingredients for Organic Strawberry Parfait

Go to your farmer’s market for the freshest local strawberries grown naturally. It makes a big difference. You not only support some very hard-working people, but you also get the freshest berries possible. Believe me on that one. I grew up on a farm and sold berries to people myself in my younger days. Ask for naturally grown strawberries. Some farms can’t afford to register for certified organic production, but they still practice organic growing methods. At a farmer’s market, you have the perfect opportunity to question the very folks growing your food, so do it.

Buy some Stonyfield yogurt. If you choose plain yogurt, you can also use it instead of milk for some excellent homemade cornbread! Why Stonyfield? They practice sustainable dairy production and are known to be humane to animals as well. Plus, it’s organic, so you get to do without the toxins.

Make your own organic granola or choose your favorite organic brand.

If you get tired of strawberries (though I can’t imagine that), try another in-season berry or bananas.

(image via sxc)

Mother’s Day Recipes: Chicken & Potatoes, Plus Sweet Ricotta Dumplings with Strawberry Sauce

Mother’s Day is May 9. Celebrate with a special Italian dinner.

Keep reading for the recipes from Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. But first, here’s a look at the Sweet Ricotta Dumplings with Strawberry Sauce. Mmmm…

Celebrating Mom This Mother’s Day
By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich,
Author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes

In my family, favorite dishes are always being altered according to what is available in the market and what is the best in quality — especially when I’m cooking. Family meals together are near and dear to my heart, and I am always looking for a reason to cook a big meal to share with my grandchildren, children and with Mother’s Day just around the corner, my mother Erminia, who we all fondly call “Grandma.” Continue reading »

How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth

How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth, edited by John E. Wade II, is a compilation of essays or speeches from 101 of the world’s most prestigious public figures, writers and thinkers. The book is organized in sections such as Peace or Prosperity. These are part of 10 elements identified by the editor as essential for achieving a heaven on earth.

Whether or not you really believe it’s possible for us to achieve such a blissful state on earth, you’ll still be inspired by the voices speaking to you from the book.

Contributors include Tony Blair, Ted Turner, Barack Obama, Al Gore, George Bush and many more. I especially liked Ted Turner’s touching speech, “The Lessons of Hiroshima,” included in the Peace section and originally delivered at the Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima in 2006.

Another interesting contribution in the Democracies section is Marianne Williamson’s essay, “A Mighty Wind,” which provides a thought-provoking historical context for President Obama’s speeches. There’s plenty for everyone among the 101 pieces chosen for the book. The essays are just two or three pages long, the perfect length for reading during a coffee break. Plus, the book would make an ideal graduation gift for college students!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of How to Achieve Heaven on Earth. Please see my privacy and disclosures page for more info.

Half of the editor’s royalties for How to Achieve a Heaven on Earthwill benefit Soliders of Love, a nonprofit focused on improving lives and communities by promoting the elements of the book: peace, security, freedom, democracies, prosperity, spiritual harmony, racial harmony, ecological soundness, health, and moral purpose and meaning. Keep reading for an excerpt from the book that will further explain these elements. Continue reading »

Saturday’s Stairs: Recipes and Tips

green LA girl made an eco-friendly peanut butter and jelly sandwich in honor of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, which was yesterday.

The Kids Birthday Fun Review has 8 fun Easter cake and cupcake ideas! Yes, you still have time to make some bunny cakes, so get up and get started…

Heather’s Bytes presents a recipe for cheesy tuna casserole. It looks like a yummy way to make tuna a bit more appetizing for kids and uh, some adults.

How Can I Recycle This asks how you can reuse or recycle contact lenses! Go see what the readers are suggesting.

Green Little Cat is reporting on Furball’s cat toilet training – day 9. (Warning, you’ll see a cat brownie in the photo!) And, yes, the cat is learning how to use a human’s potty. I’d love to try it when I have a bathroom to spare.

Interested in an Alice in Wonderland paper craft for kids? Growing a Green Family tells you how to download a mad tea party paper playset for a fun Saturday.

Now that it’s April, here are some March posts you may have missed at Light Green Stairs:

• Learn how to reuse greeting cards!
• Get started making your own homemade eco cleaners.
• Get ready to beat some disposable habits before Earth Day.

Springtime Recipes with Herbs

guest post by a favorite Italian cook:

Quick, Healthy, Springtime Dishes — Featuring Herbs!

By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes

The use of fresh herbs has exploded in the American kitchen today. I recall that as a young apprentice in Italy — at my great-aunt’s apron strings — for every herb we had in the garden, there seemed to be a pot on the stove to match.

Some herbs were better to cook with while others were better added at the end to a finished dish. For example, rosemary, bay leaves and thyme are mostly used for long cooking where their oils are extracted slowly out of their leaves. Sage, oregano and marjoram need very little cooking time, and herbs such as basil, parsley and mint are great to toss in raw at the end — just enough to release their refreshing aromas.

If you have small children a wonderful way to introduce them to the enticing aromas of herbs is to gently crush the herbs in your hands and let them smell. I did this with my grandchildren when they were very small and it’s a great way to get them excited about the world of herbs and food at an early age.

In fact, once you get your small children excited about herbs, introduce them to your own dishes. Here I’m sharing some of the quickest, and most child-friendly. Enjoy!

HERB PESTO
Makes 1 ½ cups

• 1 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
• ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup packed mixed fresh sage, thyme, and marjoram leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Wash the herb leaves in cool water and dry them thoroughly, preferably in a salad spinner. Combine the herbs and garlic in a blender and blend on low speed, slowly adding the oil while the machine is running, until the pesto is smooth and all the oil is incorporated. Add salt to taste.

Keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and use as needed. Pesto will keep refrigerated for up to 4 weeks or it may be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure there is a thin film of oil over the pesto to keep its flavor and color bright.

HERB FRITTATA
Serves 2 as an appetizer, 1 as a lunch dish
From Lidia’s Family Table (Alfred A. Knopf, 2004)

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and fresh herbs until just blended together.

Heat the butter and oil in the small frying pan until it just starts to sizzle, then pour in the eggs and turn the heat down very low. Cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes. The eggs will start to puff up and sizzle at the edges. Lift a corner of the frittata with a spatula, and check to see if the bottom has browned in splotches. When it has, flip the frittata over by giving the pan a firm, quick shake up and over toward you so that the egg mass dislodges and flips over in one piece. Or, if that unnerves you, turn the frittata over with a spatula. Cook the second side for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, again checking to see if the bottom has browned to your liking. Serve right away, or let cool to room temperature and cut the frittata in wedges.

BAKED FISH WITH SAVORY BREAD CRUMBS Continue reading »