Recipe - World's Best Oatmeal

This morning, I was eating World's Best Oatmeal for breakfast while flipping through my Jamie Oliver Jamie at Home book, and thinking about how I relate differently to food than I did a year ago.

Let me explain.

These thoughts came as I was savoring my delicious breakfast and looking at the beautiful pictures of food in the book (printed on paper made from sustainably managed forests). Jamie, known for being a real cutie-pie, is also known for being a champion of real food, sustainably-produced, and without lots of chemicals, preservatives, and weird stuff that pollute both our bodies and our ecosystem as our food is produced. But the real treat about this kind of food, and a fact that Jamie celebrates in his books, is that it just tastes better.

That alone is reason enough to change one's eating ways. Since I've cut back on processed foods (and I am by no means perfect at this -- I love a Taco Bell burrito as much as the next person) I've noticed that the deliciousness factor in my meals has really gone up.

Take oatmeal, for example.

As a kid, I wasn't a huge fan of oatmeal. I learned to like the instant kind, however - you know, the kind that comes in a little packet with cinnamon and sugar dust at the bottom. As long as everything natural was disguised in my oatmeal, I was happy.

Take a look at the ingredients list for one brand of instant, though:

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, SUGAR, RAISINS, CHOPPED DATES, WALNUTS WITH BHT ADDED TO PROTECT FLAVOR, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, OAT FLOUR, GUAR GUM, CINNAMON, NIACINAMIDE*, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, REDUCED IRON, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE*, RIBOFLAVIN*, THIAMIN MONONITRATE*, FOLIC ACID*.

(If you're wondering what BHT is, it's a food additive that's also used in cosmetics and jet fuel. I guess they aren't joking when they say that oatmeal gives you fuel for your day)

I tried to re-create what I love about instant-flavored oatmeal (sweet, fruity goodness) while cutting the preservatives. And what do you know, not only was the result chemical free, but it is hearty, satisfying, and much yummier than the instant kind (and takes about the same time to prepare once you've cooked the almonds).

World's Best Oatmeal

Ingredients

(Note: look for ingredients that have no additives and only a single ingredient.)

raw almonds (you're going to roast a bunch in the oven and save some for later, so I'd get a nice big handful)

1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats (I like McCann's)

1 cup organic milk (you can use water, but milk provides protein and lots of nutrition)

dried fruit (I like cherries and blueberries - if you buy them in the bulk area of your super-market, they will be packaging-free and have fewer additives)

organic dark brown sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. While doing so, roughly chop the almonds. Put them in a baking dish and cook for around 15 minutes, or until they are toasty brown. When your house smells delicious, it's time to check on them to make sure they don't burn.

When the almonds are done, let them cool. You will use about a tablespoon for the oatmeal. Put the rest in an air-tight container and place in the fridge for other oatmeal breakfasts or to put on salads or in curries.

Put the oatmeal and milk in a DEEP, microwave-safe bowl. If the bowl is shallow, you will get oatmeal all over your microwave. Microwave for 2-3 minutes -- experiment to get the consistency you like. I go for 2 minutes, 15 seconds, because I like mine a bit milky.

When the oatmeal is cooked, add about a tablespoonful of the almonds, 1-2 tablespoons of dried fruit, and 1-2 teaspoons of brown sugar. Sit down with your favorite book, and savor the world's best oatmeal.

Even Polygamists Love the Earth

While watching Big Love, HBO's show about a modern polygamist family, the other day, I noticed that one of the wives was using Seventh Generation window cleaner.

It just goes to show, when it comes to saving the earth, everyone has a part to play.

Eco-Chic ... or Geek?

No matter how important it is to produce less waste and use less energy, I still sometimes feel a bit like an outsider from "normal" society when I'm holding up the line at Starbucks to bust out my re-usable mug (which, let's face it, I forget as often as I remember. But I am trying). Being eco is chic if you're in Hollywood and can afford a Prius, but you can end up getting shot with eye daggers by the person waiting behind you at Safeway as you unroll all of your Envirosax.


Despite this fact, I've found a few great re-usables that I wanted to share with you. I think they're more chic than geek, and if they're not, well - who cares? The geek shall inherit the earth, right? Isn't that how the saying goes?


My friend Jenny gave out these fabulous portable flatware sets by To-Go Ware at her wedding:




The utensils are made of bamboo, which is renewable. I love that the set includes chopsticks, because eating grocery-store sushi with a fork is just no fun. And, even better, the set comes in this handy carrying case:

It includes a mini-carabiner so you can clip it to your backpack and make all the cool kids jealous.

Plus, it is such an awesome idea to give these out at a wedding, upending the tradition of giving the bride and groom flatware.

I have been trying to get into the re-usable mug habit when I go to Starbucks, although I admit, I find it difficult to remember the mug all the time -- I never know when the urge for caffeine will strike. To motivate myself, I got this personalizable mug, made by Aladdin.

Their website includes templates to which you can add your own photos, so you can change your mug with the seasons. It has a no-spill top, which is handy for klutzy types like me. And they have a few sizes, so you have a choice of whether you like your drinks tall or grande.

Now ... I just have to remember to take my re-usables home, so my desk doesn't start to look like my friend Edlyn's ...

Time to take those home and wash them!

Recipe - Eggplant "Cannelloni"

So ... maybe you made a New Year's resolution to eat less meat (a great way to be healthier and sustainable-er). Maybe you have always been a vegetarian. Or maybe you're just looking to try something new.

Well, here is the recipe for you!

Cannelloni (the name means "large reeds", which is quite evocative) is a sheet of pasta rolled around something yummy - usually cheese. However, many pastas contain ingredient lists a mile long, so those of us who try to stick to Michael Pollan's "eat food" rule can find them troublesome. That's why this recipe is so great: instead of pasta, you use eggplant as the wrapper for your filling. I really enjoy the creamy consistency of eggplant; the key is to make sure it is completely cooked. Raw eggplant kind of tastes like a chewy mud pie.

I've adapted a few recipes to make this one, and you should feel free to adapt this one yourself. Once you get down the process of cooking the eggplant, you could fill it with many different things.

Eggplant Cannelloni

For the "cannelloni":

You'll need:

2 large eggplants

Olive oil, butter or cooking spray

A cookie tray or jelly roll pan

Pre-heat the broiler.

Chop off the ends of the eggplants, peel them, and cut each one, length-wise, into four (or more) slices of 1/4-1/2 inch thickness. (There's a picture below if you'd like to see what the slices look like)

Prep your pan by rubbing it with olive oil or butter, or spraying with non-stick spray.

Place the eggplant slices on the prepared pan and cook them under the broiler for 5-10 minutes or until they are a lovely golden brown.

For the filling:

You'll need:

1 15 oz. package of ricotta, part-skim ricotta, or fat-free ricotta cheese

Your favorite veggies, diced (i.e., chopped really finely). I used one scallion, 1/4 of a red onion, a big handful of spinach, and a few stalks of parsley. (I think kalamata olives, sun-dried tomato, and basil would also be a winner - with goat cheese! Or, if you are fancy, some sort of middle-Eastern inspired something with yogurt and mint ... really, the possibilities are endless. I would not, however, try chocolate chips and raisins. That just wouldn't go with eggplant.)

Salt and pepper

Other spices that you like

Saute any onion-like veggies in a pan with oil until they are translucent -- this cuts their harsher flavors.

In a nice, big bowl, mix together the cheese, veggies, and herbs.

Shake out the salt and pepper into your palm. You want a dime-sized amount Got it? Good. Throw it into the bowl and stir. Add other spices. I would keep all measurements to about 1/4 of a teaspoon.

To fill the "cannelloni":

You'll need:

Your eggplant slices, all golden-y and toasty

Your filling, all mixed up

Tomato sauce (I used one 15 oz. can of O Organics Tomato Sauce, which I doctored with salt, pepper, and oregano)

1/3-1/2 cup parmesan (or other Italianate) cheese, shredded

A baking pan which has been prepared with olive oil, butter, or cooking spray

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pour half of the tomato sauce into the baking pan and spread it around evenly.

Take your eggplant slice and put it on a plate or on the counter. Spoon the filling onto the wider end, like this:

Starting at the wide end, roll up the eggplant. The filling might squish out, but that's okay. Stuff it back in (should I have mentioned earlier that you should have clean hands for this?).

Place the roll into the baking pan, seam-side down.

Continue doing this until the filling and eggplant slices are all used up.

Spoon the remaining sauce over the top and spread it out. Then sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese topping is golden-brown.

Serve and voila! No one will know it's not pasta.

(Okay... so that's a total lie. It's obvious that it's not pasta -- but it's better than pasta.

It's eggplant!)

No One Wants to Be a Dirty Hippie

Face it, greenies.

Eco-activism has a certain image.

And that image is accompanied by an aroma ... the aroma of patchouli and unwashed clothes.

I admit, I was raised by hippies. I like the smell of patchouli. For a busy city girl, however, who is often in elevators, smelling like you've just come from Woodstock is a no-no. Natural types have told me that once they stopped using deodorant, they stopped having b.o. Hmm... I live in one of the hottest swampiest cities in America. I'm not going to test that theory out.

I am, however, committed to trying to use beauty products that are safer for my health and the environment.

In researching the safety of deodorants and anti-perspirants, I found that there wasn't a lot of agreement - some say aluminum might be implicated as a neurotoxin, others say it's safe. Some say talc may cause cancer, another says no. Basically, however, I'm working from the theory that, no matter what, life's better with fewer potentially-hazardous chemicals on your skin. Therefore, as part of my New Year's resolution to choose cosmetics, skin, and hair products with hazard levels lower than 5 on the Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database, I started looking at what products I'm using to de-stinkify.

Usually, I use Lady Mitchum Clear Gel Antiperspirant. Depending upon the fragrance you choose, Skin Deep rates it a 1-3. That's low-to-moderate hazard! Huzzah! Choose unscented if you want a 1 - fragrances have all kinds of scary chemicals in them. I've found that this product does the job. On the hottest of summer days, a re-application is often necessary, and you do want to let it dry before you put on a black T-shirt. Otherwise, I've found that it beats out the others I've tried.

I don't need no stinkin' aluminum.

However, I did want to see if an aluminum-free deodorant could do the trick as well. I didn't want any sissy stuff, though, so I picked out Tom's of Maine Natural Long-Lasting Deodorant. It is supposed to last for 12 hours, ,but I've found that a mid-day re-application is often in order. I chose the lavendar scent, and I like both the scent and the smooth application. I find it to be good for my skin, although I noticed on some review sites a few people said it was irritating. While I don't think it would be great for summertime wear or working out, in the winter it has been a worthwhile find.

Of course, there are those who say that we should just be less uptight and get down with our natural aromas, man. And all I have to say about that is: you go right ahead and see how that works out for you.

Keeping Cozy in the C-c-cold

With much of the country facing record cold temperatures this week, due to an Arctic blast, it may seem difficult to smile - particularly with a gust of wind blowing in your face. However, there are a few good things to think about in this cold season:

Photo courtesy of the Weather Channel.com

• Delicious citrus fruits are in season. Yesterday at the market, the produce aisle was piled high with grapefruits and Meyer lemons, limes, boxes of Cuties (clementines), blood oranges and cara caras. Eating fruit in season means that it was probably produced closer to home, which means less travel, which means fewer greenhouse gases. Out-of-season citrus fruit is usually produced a whole world away, which is why it often tastes like cardboard. Blood oranges are a particular favorite of mine. They are great to eat plain, and the juice can be mixed with sparkling water, or try out the Blood Orange Martini I wrote about the last time these gems were in season. (If you'd like to know more about which fruits and veg are in season around the calendar, click here).

• You can cuddle under a blanket. The Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 68 degrees during the day during the winter, and decreasing it at night. You can set it even lower if you're not at home. This saves you cash and saves the planet. You may have heard that setting it lower actually uses more energy to warm the house back up once you turn it up. This has been proven to be false. So go ahead and turn your thermostat down just one or two degrees to start to feel the savings, and if you get cold, you can snuggle under a blanket, with a furry friend, or a honey.



• You can wrap your hands around a mug of tea. Tea is healthy of course, especially real (non-herbal) teas. It can also keep you warm (while you cuddle under a blanket). Celestial Seasonings, based out of Boulder, is known for its social responsibility and earth-friendly packaging. Their teas are also readily-available and affordable, making tea a good winter beverage choice.



• You can stay home and everyone will understand. Staying home means saving gas which means saving fossil fuels. And when it is this cold outside, you've got a great excuse to watch some TiVoed episodes of Dollhouse or watch that foreign film that's been sitting in its red Netflix envelope for months.

Green Reading Round-up

Here are a few great articles and websites I wanted to share:

• At The New Yorker, Nick Paumgarten tells us all about "Food Fighter" John Mackey, the founder of Whole Foods Markets. Mackey's an interesting character, as he's a fiscal conservative hippie (one of those "only in Texas" characters). If you shop at Whole Foods, or if you buy organic at Wal-mart, Mackey's been instrumental in shaping the options you have for natural and organic eating.
• In the Southwest Spirit magazine (yes, an airplane mag!), Paul Heller writes about "The Happiest Man on Earth." Apparently, that man is Logan Woods-Darby, a 24-year-old who has been raised in a unique manner, allowed to pursue any interest he chooses. The author goes on an ultralight hike with Woods-Darby, and the article will make you reflect on how much each of us really needs to be content.
• Alicia Silverstone starred in my ultimate guilty pleasure movie Excess Baggage. I know this is a strange choice, but its combination of very weird plot, a cutey (and also weird) Benicio del Toro, Red House Painters' song "All Mixed Up", and some of the most awesome production design I've ever seen, make it an annual must-watch for me. That has nothing to do with green living ... but Silverstone is a vegan activist and her lovely website thekindlife.com, is a wealth of recipes, stories about the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, a healthy, positive vibe.
• I always enjoy the musings of Eco-Yogini. She has been trying a lot of the same green-living changes that I have, and she's full of inspiration and challenges.

Happy reading!

Coming up soon: my adventures with eco-friendlier shampoos and deodorant! Could be disaster ...

A Whole New World ...

Saturday morning I decided to watch a bit of one of my favorite movies - Terrence Malick's masterpiece, The New World. It had made it onto the AV Club's top movies of the decade, which made me remember, hey, I love that movie.

If you're not familiar, The New World is a re-telling of the John Smith/Pocahontas myth - which sounds like it has to be some kind of colonialist b.s. Fortunately, Terrence Malick is all kinds of cool - not only a visionary filmmaker, but a deeply-spiritual storyteller whose movies explore the relationship between humankind, God, and nature. With Colin Farrell (one of our most underrated actors, in my opinion, probably due to his propensity for mullets) and Q'orianka Kilcher (Jewel's cousin!) in the lead roles, this movie spends little time on the whole "Indian-princess-throws-herself-on-white-man" part of the story, and focuses on the spiritual life of the hero and heroine. Sounds like it could be boring, but trust me, it's not.

Then, Saturday afternoon, I went to see James Cameron's Avatar. You may have heard of it. Imagine my surprise when I realized I was seeing the exact same movie that I had watched that morning -- only with blue CGI aliens instead of people. Colonialist gets lost in woods. Colonialist is going to die. Colonialist is saved by hot native chick. Hot chick's father tells her she has to teach the colonialist "our ways." Then there's some running around in the forest and stuff blows up.

Now, I don't mind a story re-tread (Owen Gleiberman at ew.com addressed Avatar's lack of an original story in this recent column). "Stranger in a strange land" is one of the classic plots, going back further than old Ulysses sailing around and visiting the lovely ladies of the Mediterranean. However, there was just something about Avatar that didn't jive with its message. Both Avatar and The New World explore how newcomers take the first steps to destroy a lush and natural world, even as they enjoy its wonders. And each film explores (one more deeply than another) the spiritual devastation this wreaks upon its heroes. That's a great, green message that all of us can learn from.

It seems to me, however, that Cameron undercuts that message by creating a whole world from computers, including the bodies of our hero and heroine. Just as he's saying, "learn about the world, and how everything is connected," he sends moviegoers the implicit message, "but, hey, if you don't, with my computer-generated wizardry, I can create a 3D world that's brighter and more awesome than anything on earth. And it will have dragons."

So while Malick is really trying to get us to see the world around us, constructing a story not only from the relationships of the main characters, but also from shots of waving grasses, trees creaking in the wind, and rivers as smooth as glass; Cameron takes moviegoers away. We don't really learn to see when we watch Avatar (although true-seeing is one of the film's themes) because what we do see onscreen makes it unnecessary for us to use our imaginations.

So if you have the chance, rent The New World, to see, in the words of the AVClub.com, how Malick, "treats the humans and their environment with equal interest, showing them all as part of an unstable order. ... throughout, Malick integrates every visual and audio element of the film into a meditation on one difficult question: 'Shall we not take what we are given?'." And then go see Avatar, and see if it moves you to consider your earth in a new way, or just makes you say "gee-whiz."

(I really enjoyed Avatar, by the way. You know, dragons are awesome. And it would be fun to ride one.)

The Year of Living Beautifully

I am a girl.

I am not a "girlie-girl" or a "high-maintenance girl" but I'm most definitely a girl. I have always believed that a woman should not leave the house without lipstick, although I eschew most other make-up. I blow-dry my hair, use moisturizer, and am trying to be better about filing my nails, which look like an 8-year-old boy's and are just as dirty, sometimes.

I am also a girl who watches a lot of sci-fi, listens to a fair smattering of hard rock and rap along with her Lilith-Fair folk, and who just taught her nephew to say "Andy Lau" and "Takeshi Kaneshiro." Which is to say, I believe that being a "girl" is delightfully fun since the Third Wave of feminism opened up the possibility of both sparkly eyeliner and ass-kicking co-existing in the same universe.

So. What does this mean for my new year's resolution?

It means I believe that I should be able to look cute and kick pollution-heinie at the same time. Since my (very late, I admit) discovery of the Cosmetics Safety Database, I've come to realize that I'm slathering my skin with a lot of chemicals that I don't really understand. And thanks to the relentless work of columnists like Nicholas Kristof, I've come to be a bit scared about what such chemicals are doing to us. And to frogs. (Click the link. Read Kristof's column. Trust me.) And to our planet.

This new year, then, I'm resolving to begin converting my beauty products to ones that are safer for the environment and for me. This means that I will:

1: As each beauty product runs out (I don't want to replace them all at once, because that would mean a lot of extra packaging waste) I'll check the hazard level on the Cosmetics Safety Database.

2: I will replace each product with one that has a hazard level of 5 (out of 10) or lower.

3: I will write about product on these digital pages.

As I said, I am a girl.

I want to find products that are safe. But I'm not going to lie. I want pretty hair and skin. I want to be able to have blue eyelids if I choose to. It's my prerogative, as a lady. And I won't use a product that's environmentally-friendly but doesn't do its job.

After all. I'm worth it.