greenUPGRADER » Food+Drink

Make Your Own Sweet Potato Dog Treats

Becky Striepe — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:25 +0000

I was at the grocery store the other day shopping for the week and I popped into the pet aisle to grab a can of wet food for our pup who's being a little finicky about eating lately. It was right there that I spotted them: organic cans of pureed pumpkin and sweet potato for dogs!

This is something I'd never seen before, so I did a little research. Apparently, sweet potato and pumpkin in moderation can be good for dogs who have unpredictable tummies. My dog tends to get car sick and she also barfs when she's stressed, so working a little sweet potato into her diet sounded like a great idea! If you do feed sweet potato to your dog, there are two things to keep in mind:

It's fattening. This should be a treat, not a major food source. For a small dog, a couple of tablespoons of sweet potato will do the trick. If your dog is larger, you can feed her 1/4 cup or maybe even 6 tablespoons a day.
Skin your sweet potatoes. The skin is full of fiber, and the idea here is to settle their tummies. Plus, if there's any mold at all on the skin, it can be bad for your pup.

A quick peek at the ingredients revealed that there was nothing particularly special about this food. All that's in them is the pureed veggie. And they were charging almost $3 per can for the stuff! That seems crazy to me. Instead of shelling out big bucks for a dog on the label, try these simple alternatives to expensive store-bought sweet potato treats:

Organic canned sweet potato or pumpkin. The kind you'd get to make pie is basically the same as the kind I saw in the pet aisle, but it costs over $1 less per can. Just make sure it's unseasoned and not salted. You want 100% sweet potato or pumpkin.
Cooked sweet potato. Microwave or bake a sweet potato, remove the skin, cut into cubes, and cool. My dog wasn't interested in eating the plain sweet potato, but you can also mash some up with their regular food to make it more appealing.
Dried organic sweet potato. Use your food dehydrator or your oven to dry strips of sweet potato. Need a recipe? This dog treats site has some great info on how to make your own, natural, dried sweet potato treats.

Do you guys make your own dog treats? I'd love to hear what homemade goodies your pups love best!

Spotted: Indoor Herb Garden

Becky Striepe — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:58 +0000

Like I mentioned earlier this week, I've been getting more into gardening, mostly growing my own food. It's tough to keep that up in the winter! Most of my plants have seen better days. Some of the winter greens, like bok choy and Swiss chard, are doing all right, but my food garden isn't nearly as diverse as it was in the spring and fall.

One of the best ways to keep growing food in the winter, if you don't have a green house or hoop house, is to keep some food plants indoors. I love this indoor herb garden, featuring mint, parsley, and rosemary all in one pot!

Mint really likes to take over whatever container it's in, so I'd probably keep the mint separate and replace it in this arrangement with something like basil or pineapple sage that's still hearty but also plays well with others. I love the idea of mixing up herbs in the same pot, though, to maximize what you can grow even in a small space.

Are you guys doing any indoor gardening this winter?

Image Credit: Remixed Creative Commons photo by kpaulus

Sustainable Goodies from Conscious Box – a review!

Becky Striepe — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:00:12 +0000

I am a total sucker for eco-friendly snacks and goodies, so when the folks at Conscious Box offered to send me a sample of their November box of goodies to review, I jumped at the chance!

The Good

It was super fun getting a goodie box in the mail. It reminded me of when mom would send me care packages when I was in college full of my favorite treats. The box even included a sweet note, just like the ones from mom!

Everything in my Conscious Box was vegan, which is a big plus for me. It's such a bummer to get samples of food and beauty products that I discover I can't try out. Here's what was in my November box:

A vegan cookie from Mary's Gone Crackers. I may or may not have eaten that while writing the first paragaph of this review.
Two samples of vegan lotion from 100% Pure. These little packets won't travel well, so I'll try them out at home instead.
Dried pineapple from Funky Monkey. That may or may not also already be in my belly.
CocoaWell energy caps. Dietary supplements for energy.
Two Kind bars. Kind makes vegan, whole food energy bars. They're delicious!
A juice pack from Honest Tea. This looks almost like a Capri Sun, but without the sugary juice inside. The tea is juice-sweetened, but the pack has only 40 calories, which is much less than those sugary kid's "juice" drinks.
Samples of Glee Gum. All natural chewing gum.
Mini bottles of vegan lotion and body wash from 100% Pure. They'll be great for next time I'm traveling!

I was definitely impressed with the caliber of products in the box and with Conscious Box's minimal packaging.

They do think quite a bit about waste, as well. Here are some deets on their packaging, from their FAQ:

As a company, we strive to operate with zero-waste. Every box contains recycled tissue paper and is made of recycled materials with soy-based inks. We encourage our users to upcycle their boxes or even send them back to us, where we’ll put them to use or have them sustainably recycled.

They also are members of 1% for the Planet, which means they're dedicated to giving back.

The Less Good

A couple of things about the box gave me pause. First, it's not terribly eco-friendly to have a monthly subscription of anything that you're shipping out. I looked through their site for information on how they offset the carbon from that shipping and couldn't find anything. That doesn't mean they're not doing it, but I didn't see that information out there.

While Conscious Box itself does a great job addressing the packaging problem, there was a lot of packaging in the box when it comes to the goodies inside. This comes with the territory when you're sending out samples, right? Smaller sized items still need to be protected from damage when they travel, so a box of tiny things is going to have a lot of wrapping. There was more plastic in my Conscious Box than I would have liked.

The Verdict

Overall, I was pretty happy with this box. While I'm not sure that a monthly subscription is the greenest choice, it would be a neat surprise to send to a friend or family member that needs a treat. I shared a photo of my Conscious Box at the top of the post, and I'd love to hear what you guys think, based on the photo and the list of goodies!

5 Ways to Reduce Food Waste at Thanksgiving

Guest Contributor — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:48 +0000

by Daniela Baker

According to Feeding America, a U.S. based nationwide network of more than 200 food banks and food rescue organizations, we waste over forty-one billion tons of food throughout the United States in 2009. Last week, Jocelyn mentioned a study by the University of Arizona in Tuscon, which found that the average American households waste approximately 14 percent of all food purchases. It is critical to review our relationship with food as we strive to create a more sustainable environment and reduce overconsumption.

When it comes to food, there's probably no more wasteful time of year than the holidays, and Thanksgiving in particular. The focal point of the entire holiday is sharing a large meal with family and friends. The holidays are a prime time to focus on reducing food waste, so what can you do to reduce food waste this holiday season?

1. Limit Your Purchases

Before you shop, be realistic about how much food you'll actually need for Thanksgiving dinner. Estimate what you need and then buy only slightly more. For example, if you think you need four pies, buy five, not eight "just to be sure!"

The exception to this rule is with frozen or canned goods. Since those have a longer shelf life, it's OK to stock up. Just make sure you keep an eye on the pantry and freezer and use what you have, so they don't spoil.

2. Use Leftovers Responsibly

Be realistic when assessing your tolerance for Thanksgiving leftovers. You'll probably get tired of turkey after a couple of days, and end up throwing the remainder out. It’s a better idea to freeze any remaining leftovers you won’t be eating after a couple of days.

The key is to really use it! Frozen turkey even several months old can still make a great pot pie for Easter celebrations!

3. Be Conservative with Packaging

This one isn’t so much about food waste as about waste in general. There really is no need to individually bag every produce item separately as you pick it up from the produce aisle. It is just a force of habit but certainly not necessary. Save some plastic and leave those potatoes loose!

Opting for whole foods, rather than heavily processed and packaged foods is healthier for your body and produces much less waste.

4. Donate Leftovers

While most food banks won't accept cooked or fresh food for donation, you can donate canned and dried foods. With the current downturn in the economy, more and more people are turning to food banks to help feed themselves and their families. Don’t let those canned and dried foods go to waste, donate them!

5. Tour Your Neighborhood

This may be easier for those who live in urban areas, but walk down any block and notice the number of homeless people living on the streets or in shelters who would be so grateful for your leftovers this holiday season - and all year round. They'd probably appreciate a turkey sandwich made from your leftovers a lot more than you would, right?

Daniela Baker is an eco-conscious mother of two and blogger at CreditDonkey. She helps families compare grocery credit card cash back at her blog. With Thanksgiving around the corner, she hopes this post will help you live a greener life.

The Thanksgiving Table. Creative Commons photo by lanemcfadden

Making the Most of Seasonal Fall Apples

Jocelyn J. Anne — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:00:29 +0000

One of aspects crucial to living a greener life is purchasing our foods as locally and seasonally as possible.

I have a feeling this is why I love the summer and fall seasons more than any others. I tend to live on fruits and vegetables during the summer months, and when it comes to fall my every other thought becomes apple-centric. I am also confident there is no smell more wonderful than that of baking apples. Except, perhaps, that of an apple baking in brown sugar and butter… But, more of that coming later… (stick with me!) For starters, let’s delve into the very basics: what apples are seasonal now and how to go about picking them.

October-November Apples

Even when it comes to late October and early November, your fall apple choices are still abundant and varied. Whether you’re headed out to your nearby orchard or you plan on perusing the local farmer's market, try to look for these particular varieties first:

Red Delicious (September – October)
Empire (late September – October)
Rome (late September – October)
Golden Delicious (early October)
Stayman (mid October)
Braeburn (mid October)
Cameo (mid October)
Fuji (late October)
Jonagold (late October)
Crispps Pink (late October – early November)
Granny Smith (early November)

Picking Well

If you plan on picking quantities of apples large enough to justify driving to a local apple orchard, pick-your-own options are by far the greenest, most sustainable way to go. Not only are you supporting local and cutting down all the cost and pollution racked up with hauling the produce, you will be able to more legitimately pick the ripest apples.

A good farmer can actually calculate when the apples are at their optimum ripeness based upon when the tree first flowered. Since the apples ripen from the outside of the tree in, you can even more specifically narrow in on which apples you should pick and which you should leave on the tree. As an extra bonus: if you plan on canning or preserving the apples, you can take advantage of using the bruised or fallen apples that might otherwise not be able to be sold (and maybe even get a discounted price on these).

After Picking Your Apples

When the apples are in your baskets and ready for home, do not wash them. In fact, you should even fully resist the temptation to get them cleaned up before you store them for the winter; this will only make them spoil faster. Unwashed apples can stay crisp for up to 90 days in a refrigerator. Minus refrigeration, your next best option is a cool, dark, mildly damp location. Humidity will protect your apples from withering or shriveling, but beware of taking this too far, as direct contact with water will spoil them.

One last word of caution on storing: if you have a common storage area for fruits and vegetables (like a root cellar), do not keep the apples near potatoes. As they age, potatoes release ethylene gas and this will ultimately make your apples spoil even faster.

Preserving Apples

While it’s nearly impossible to beat a crisp apple in the fall, there’s also little in my mind that tops pulling out a jar of canned apple pie filling mid-winter or taking a wintry hike through snow covered mountains with a bag of dried apple chips for some sustenance. If you are able to take advantage of picking large quantities of apples, I highly recommend you preserve them in some fashion (or fashions). This will give you that tantalizing taste of sweetness in those bleak winter months when the option for locally grown fruit likely becomes non-existent. If you’re in need, here are just a few ideas for what you can do with apples:

Make apple cider
Whip up some applesauce (frozen or canned)
Dry apple slices
Freeze apple slices
Make canned apple pie filling
Make apple jams or apple butter

Enjoy!

Finally: as promised: for the easiest, best fall treat ever, try the following, and enjoy!

Baked Apples

Apples (1 per person -- or 2!)
Brown Sugar
Butter or vegan margarine
Optional: walnuts, raisins, pecans

Directions:

Core out the apple centers to remove seeds. Place in a baking pan with approximately 1/4 inch of water in the bottom of the pan. Stuff the apple centers with brown sugar, butter and any additional "extras" you like. Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 45 minutes or until apples are completely soft all the way through. For optimum results, serve with a splash of cream or a dollop of ice cream!

Photo by Becky Striepe

Reduce the Waste from Your Morning Cup

Becky Striepe — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:00:41 +0000

Last week, I talked about the recycled, reusable coffee mugs that my husband picked up, so I was pleased as punch to run across this infographic on just how much waste you can avoid by bringing your own cup to the coffee shop. Check it:

I knew that those disposable cups were wasteful, but it's still pretty staggering when you think about how much waste they generate over a single customer's lifetime. More than half of Americans drink coffee every day, if even a quarter of them get theirs in a disposable cup, we're talking about close to 6 billion pounds of waste over 40 years - 1.5 billion pounds every single year.

Yikes! Imagine the impact we could make if we all started bringing our own cups instead!

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by Ian Sane

Graphic via Visual.ly

Recycled Coffee Mugs to Green Your To-Go

Becky Striepe — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:00:23 +0000

Getting coffee on the go can come with a lot of waste, but finding the right reusable to go mug can be a challenge!

My husband, Dave, and I are both big coffee drinkers, and that means that whether he's heading out to work or we're hitting the road for a vacation, we're most likely packing a to go coffee mug. The result is that Dave is sort of a collector of reusable mugs.

We've been through many, many reusable mugs in our house. Sometimes, they don't fit in the cup holder. Sometimes, they spill. Once, I donated some mugs because every time I drank from them, I got coffee on my nose. True story!

Despite donating so many mugs, we still have quite a stash of them, so when I came home from an out of town craft market to discover that he'd bought yet another pair of to go cups, I have to admit that I was not thrilled at first, but I'm coming around to this new set of mugs!

Aladding Sustain Mugs

I should note here that Aladdin hasn't sent us any samples, and we're not receiving any compensation from them for this review. So far, I'm really digging these mugs, and I thought you guys might, too!

The mugs he got are Aladdin Sustain mugs, and the first thing that gave me pause was that they're completely made from plastic. If you're a regular reader here, you know how I feel about plastic! But these mugs were different. According to the label, they make their mugs from a "proprietary mix of recycled plastics:"

Mug is made from 97% recycled food grade polypropylene containing 25% post consumer content and is recyclable where #5 plastic is collected.

97% recycled! Not too shabby. I was starting to feel a bit better about Dave's impulse buy. The mugs are also dishwasher safe, which is a big plus, and they say that they're microwave safe. Though I don't recommend microwaving plastic. Ever.

The mugs have a closure over the sippy part that snaps securely, and so far I haven't spilled coffee all over myself with these yet. That's a real feat, because I'm the clumsiest woman alive. At $10 apiece, they're pretty reasonably priced, too! Dave picked up our pair of mugs at Target, and you can also find them online at Shop Aladdin.