Monday, August 21, 2006 3:18 PM
Going Green
by Kristen
You’d have to be living under a rock not to notice the organic/sustainable/whole food craze sweeping the country. Chances are, you’re within ten minutes of an organic grocery store, whether it’s mega-chain or mom-and-pop. Here in New York, at least, local greenmarkets are trendy, celeb-spotting goldmines. Funny thing is, it’s not really a new phenomenon -- just something that popped onto the radar of the public consciousness -- and I think it’s fabulous!
Last April, I moved in with my OH (Other Half – we’re not married, but certainly face many of the same issues as newlyweds living together for the first time). He was born and raised in the city with parents who cooked one meal a night -- theirs -- introducing him to yummy, sophisticated food from day one. Me? I’m a suburbanite, raised on chicken nuggets, hot dogs and Juicy Juice. (I didn’t even try an avocado until I was 22 years old. He was clamoring for guacamole at age three.) Luckily, today our eating habits are more in line, and I’m trying to improve my cooking skills every day. The best trick I’ve learned so far? Fresh, seasonal, local products really do taste better -- use them as much as you can! Now, I’m not advocating that you run out and blow your paycheck on organic mustard seed or start making your own bread from scratch -- but next time you make that quick stir-fry, add fresh vegetables instead of the frozen mix (You can probably even find chopped veggies at the store, if you’re looking for total convenience). Skip the plastic-wrapped fat free processed cheese singles in favor of fresh cheeses found in the deli. Chop up a variety of colorful, fresh veggies and store them in plastic bags to snack on instead of relying on that bag of baby carrots for what seems like the ten-thousandth time in a row. Even if it’s not organic -- fresh food tastes better! I rarely use frozen vegetables anymore (especially in the summer), even when a recipe calls for it.
My current favorite snack: spreadable goat cheese on slices of cucumber (it sounds gross, but it is so, so good. OH, skeptical at first, loves it too).
Now that I’ve been doing this, I can’t imagine eating any other way. Thank goodness his parents made sure he came to the greenmarket as a kid -- we love going together! You can find a farmers’ market or organic store near you at www.LocalHarvest.org -- just type in your zip code. Nervous? Aim to try one new food each time you visit -- pick whatever looks best that day. And let us know your favorite fresh food snacks, meals or substitutions -- I’m always looking for delicious inspiration!
Ready to dig into all those greenmarket goodies? Here are some great summer recipes that take advantage of seasonal ingredients: http://www.thenest.com/articles/article_living.aspx?articleid=A50802142609