The Red, White, and Green

There’s something so quintessentially American about cast-iron cookware. It actually originated in China over 2,500 years ago, but I always picture cowboys cooking a big ol’ Dutch oven (the real kind) of beans over a nice toasty campfire.

I love cast iron because when well seasoned, it’s naturally nonstick (no yucky PFOA). And in our throwaway culture, it’s nice to know a Lodge pan will last long enough to hand down to your grandchildren.

I knew chili would be served at the Super Bowl party I attended yesterday, so I busted out the cast iron corn stick pans and baked up a double batch.

Cast iron pans, brushed with butter/oil and preheated

In goes the batter, already sizzling

Corn sticks!

Cast Iron Corn Sticks

Makes 28

1 1/2 cups of Bob’s Red Mill stone ground cornmeal (medium or coarse grind)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, and vegetable oil. Whisk together until ingredients are just mixed.

Brush cast-iron corn stick pan with oil or melted butter and heat in oven until fat smokes. Fill molds and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with plenty of butter.

I’ll be eating the leftovers for today’s Meatless Monday breakfast.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Taco Bell‘s new Beefy Crunch Burrito probably isn’t the healthiest thing, but it’s pretty straightforward, right? Just a tortilla stuffed with ground beef, rice, nacho cheese, sour cream and a sprinkling of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos for that extra bit of pizzazz.

Think again. A closer look reveals that the fast-food nightmare contains no fewer than 150 ingredients. Just for fun, I thought I’d list them here for you here. Oh, and as an homage to the first chapter of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, I highlighted the ones made from corn in orange.

Tortilla: Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour (Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine, Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Ground Corn treated with Lime, Vegetable Oil (contains one or more of the following: Corn Oil, Soybean Oil) with TBHQ and Citric Acid (to preserve freshness), contains 2% or less of the following: Salt, Calcium Propionate and Potassium Sorbate (to preserve freshness), Furmaric Acid, Dough Conditioner.

Nacho Cheese Sauce: Cheese Whey, Nonfat Milk, Canola Oil, Modified Food Starch, Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Natural Flavor, Maltodextrin, Salt, Jalapeño Puree, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Caseinate, Vinegar, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Lactic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Color Added (Including FD&C Yellow #6), Citric Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate.

Seasoned Ground Beef: Beef, Water, Seasoning [Isolated Oat Product, Salt, Chili Pepper, Onion Powder, Tomato Powder, Oats (Wheat), Soy Lecithin, Sugar, Spices, Maltodextrin, Soybean Oil (Anti-dusting Agent), Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Caramel Color, Cocoa Powder (Processed With Alkali), Silicon Dioxide, Natural Flavors, Yeast, Modified Corn Starch, Natural Smoke Flavor], Salt, Sodium Phosphates.

Fritos Flamin’ Hot Flavor Corn Chips: Corn, Vegetable Oil (contains One or More of the Following: Corn, Soybean, Sunflower, or Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil), Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Salt, Buttermilk Solids, Wheat Flour, Whey Protein Concentrate, Romano Cheese from Cow’s Milk (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Tomato Powder, Monosodium Glutamate, Onion Powder, Whey, Garlic Powder, Dextrose, Sugar, Disodium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Natural Flavor, Spice, Citric Acid, Parmesan Cheese (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Artificial Colors (including Yellow 6, Red 40), Disodium Inosinate, and Disodium Guanylate.

Reduced Fat Sour Cream: Cream, Milk, Modified Corn Starch, Nonfat Dry Milk, Maltodextrin, Carrageenan, Locust Bean Gum, Lactic Acid, Gelatin, Guar Gum, Mono And Diglycerides, Citric Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Vitamin A, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), And Natural And Artificial Flavor.

Rice: Water, Seasoning: Salt, Maltodextrin, Tomato Powder, Potassium Chloride, Natural Flavor (With Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Sunflower Lecithin), Spices, Dehydrated Onions, Dehydrated Tomatoes, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika [Color], Citric Acid, Dehydrated Green Bell Peppers, Dehydrated Red Bell Peppers, Extractive of Paprika [Color], Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Garlic Extractives (Contains Modified Corn Starch, Corn Starch), Onion Extractives (Contains Modified Corn Starch, Dextrin, Corn Starch), Less Than 2% Silicon Dioxide Added To Prevent Caking. Rice (Raw): Enriched Precooked Parboiled Long Grain Rice [Rice, Niacin, Ferric Orthophosphate (Iron), Thiamine Mononitrate (Thiamine), Folic Acid]. Oil: High-Oleic Low-Linolenic Canola Oil, TBHQ (To Protect Flavor), Dimethylpolysiloxane (An Antifoaming Agent).

Michelle Obama can talk about her anti-obesity initiative all she wants, but until her husband decides to do something about corn subsidies, Americans don’t stand a chance.

–Jennifer Grayson

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A rare treat: American beef consumption is down 20 percent since 1985. Photo via Flickr: thebittenword.com

Nearly one-third of Americans are now aware of the Meatless Monday movement. That’s remarkable news, considering that just two years ago, national awareness was half that. A number of less-meatatarian approaches have sprung up in that same time as well, including weekday vegetarian, The Flexitarian Diet, daytime vegan, and the “meat as treat” Mark Bittman approach.

The question is: Is the less-meat-for-the-planet message seeping into the consciousness of the American public, or is this just another hyped fad, like low-carb dieting? (Which, if it comes back, certainly won’t help the plant-eating progress.) Are we really swapping our steaks for soybeans?

Maybe. Overall, we are eating less meat. According to USDA projections, annual consumption of red meat and poultry will fall from over 221 pounds per person in 2004-2007 to less than 206 pounds in 2012. Beef consumption, in particular, is on the down-and-out: It’s declined nearly 20 percent since 1985. That’s good news for our arteries, since we’re now eating 20 pounds less of the saturated stuff a year. But our preference for poultry is growing: Chicken consumption increased by nearly 30 pounds a year over the same time period.

This may, of course, be more about the economy, less about the environment: When times are tough, people simply can’t afford to eat as much meat. No bones about it.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Tonight is the first night of Chanukah, so I thought I’d share my favorite latke recipe — made with sweet potatoes. I adore this version of the holiday classic because a) I’ve always been obsessed with the sweet, starchy root vegetable (I actually turned orange as a baby from eating too many) and b) they’re in season right now, so I can buy them at my local farmers market.

They also fit right in with weekday veg: Because they’re fried, latkes make for a pretty filling meatless meal. For a healthier version, bake them on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 40 minutes (flip halfway through). But I say why not celebrate the miracle of oil?

Just feel free to chase them down with a glass of sustainable kosher red wine.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Serves 4

3 medium sweet potatoes, coarsely grated
1/2 onion, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (substitute rice flour for GF)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
canola oil

Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Using a coarse grater, shred potatoes into a large bowl. Add onion, egg, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly until well blended.

In a large skillet, add enough oil to generously coat bottom and heat on high until glistening. Drop potato mixture by rounded spoonfuls into pan; press with back of spoon to flatten.

When edges appear brown and crisp, flip and cook for a minute or two more. Remove from pan and place on paper towels or a brown paper grocery bag (clever reuse!) to drain.

Serve immediately, or place on a cookie sheet in a warm oven until you’ve fried up the whole batch. Serve with sour cream or apple sauce. Happy Eco-Chanukah!

–Jennifer Grayson

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Now that I’ve surpassed Meatless Monday and am giving weekday veg an honest shot, I’ve found myself relying more on grains to get the calories I need. That’s not so easy though, since I try to eat gluten-free most of the time. I’ve never actually been diagnosed with celiac disease, but I just don’t feel great when I eat wheat.

Obviously, I’m not alone: Judging by the number of gluten-free foods flooding the marketplace, you’d never know that only 1 percent of Americans are actually suffering from the disease.

While there are plenty of gluten-free substitutes for foods that normally contain wheat (pizza crust, pasta, bread), I’m not much of a fan; I’ve always thought it’s much tastier to embrace the foods of cultures that are naturally GF (e.g., risotto rather than pasta; biryani instead of naan).

That is, until I discovered Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta. Made from a blend of organic corn flour and organic quinoa flour, this isn’t some mushy gluten-free excuse for a pasta — this is the real deal. And believe me, I’ve tried a lot of GF pastas. They all suck. Ancient Harvest tastes like real pasta, the texture is like real pasta, plus it’s high in fiber so it really stays with you. I find mine at Whole Foods, but you can order it online here. Buon appetito!

–Jennifer Grayson

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Domino's Pizza was one of the 'restaurants' that received money from USDA to push cheese sales. Photo via Flickr: The Pizza Review

Last month, I discovered that dairy may have a higher carbon footprint than chicken. Now, another reason to go milk-less on Mondays: It turns out the US Department of Agriculture — through an agency called Dairy Management — is spending millions of dollars to help fast-food chains like Domino’s Pizza force saturated-fat-laden cheese down our throats. This, despite an effort by that same agency to lead the fight against obesity, which now afflicts 1 in 3 Americans.

From The New York Times:

Urged on by government warnings about saturated fat, Americans have been moving toward low-fat milk for decades, leaving a surplus of whole milk and milk fat. Yet the government, through Dairy Management, is engaged in an effort to find ways to get dairy back into Americans’ diets, primarily through cheese.

Americans now eat an average of 33 pounds of cheese a year, nearly triple the 1970 rate. Cheese has become the largest source of saturated fat; an ounce of many cheeses contains as much saturated fat as a glass of whole milk.

When Michelle Obama implored restaurateurs in September to help fight obesity, she cited the proliferation of cheeseburgers and macaroni and cheese. “I want to challenge every restaurant to offer healthy menu options,” she told the National Restaurant Association’s annual meeting.

But in a series of confidential agreements approved by agriculture secretaries in both the Bush and Obama administrations, Dairy Management has worked with restaurants to expand their menus with cheese-laden products.

Why is no one talking about why the market is saturated with all this saturated fat to begin with? Our current factory farming system — which includes the use of genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST) to increase milk production in cows — has driven down the price of dairy products, but it’s also made it so that more and more needs to be sold so that our nation’s dairy farmers can earn a living. It’s as simple as supply and demand.

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: www.bluewaikiki.com

Like a lot of vegetarians/flexitarians (I’m the latter), I rely on dairy for a big chunk of my calories. When I was pregnant, my calcium cravings were particularly intense: I could easily clear a four-pound tub of yogurt a week. But all that’s over since I discovered my little lady is sensitive to milk; as long as I’m breastfeeding, it’s good-bye gelato.

After giving up milk products for a month now, I started wondering: What impact does going dairy-free have on the planet? Factory farms aren’t just for meat, after all; there are 9 million dairy cows in the US, and the methods used to produce conventional milk (organic is only 1 percent of the market) take their toll on the environment. (Not to mention human health — see last week’s Eco Etiquette.)

And that’s when I discovered a very inconvenient truth: According to a recent study, chicken has a lower carbon footprint than dairy. Should Meatless Monday now also be Milk-less Monday?

–Jennifer Grayson

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Photo via Flickr: Clay Irving

Is Gulf seafood safe to eat? FDA and NOAA have maintained since the spill that it is; this, despite congressional testimony in August that revealed that some of the more crucial testing had not been conducted.

(My favorite reassurance comes from the Q & A section of the FDA site: Available information indicates that the dispersants being used to combat the oil spill do not accumulate in seafood and therefore there is no public health concern from them due to seafood consumption. Really? I think I’d like to hold off until I hear more about that unavailable information.)

Well, here it is, via HuffPo:

Researchers testing the waters off Louisiana in June found hugely elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, some of which are known carcinogens.

The researchers from Oregon State University say that a device taking samples just off the shore of Louisiana’s Grande Isle registered a 40-fold increase in PAHs between May and June.

What’s worse is that the sampling device was specifically designed to measure the fraction of PAHs in the environment that could make their way through a biological membrane.

“This is a measure of what would enter into an organism,” said Kim Anderson, an OSU professor of environmental and molecular toxicology.

I don’t like to say I told you so, but I told you so. For the full read, click here.

–Jennifer Grayson

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I’ve noticed that I have an easier time whipping up vegetarian recipes (for Meatless Monday and the rest of the week) when I have time to visit my beloved farmers market and stock up on fresh, local fruits and veggies. Part of the reason is that I tend to overbuy a bit when I’m there, since everything is so mouthwateringly beautiful (and reasonable!); and once my fridge is packed with produce, I feel compelled to not let any of it go to waste. (After, all I’ve met the farmers face-to-face who’ve worked so hard to feed me!)

Turns out I’m not the only American with a fondness for the farmers market: There are now 6,132 farmers markets nationwide — a 16 percent increase since last year, and an incredible 114 percent increase over the past 10 years. This, according to the Department of Agriculture‘s newly updated National Farmers Market Directory.

The region with the most growth? The Midwest, which saw states like Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio increase offerings by up to 77 percent.

Not surprisingly, the Golden State still leads the pack, with 580 farmers markets; rounding out the top 10 are New York (461), Illinois (286), Michigan (271), Iowa (229), Massachusetts (227), Ohio (213), Wisconsin (204), Pennsylvania (203), and North Carolina (182).

It may seem surprising to see a surge of farmers markets in a bad economy, but I say these results blast the bias that shopping for local (and even organic) food is somehow a privilege reserved for those with a big enough paycheck for Whole Foods.

–Jennifer Grayson

Do this now: Click here to find a farmers market near you.

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Meatless Monday sounds like a pretty simple lifestyle change: One day a week, swap out the meat in your diet for healthier, plant-based foods. But what if you live in an area without any access to plants (i.e., fruits and vegetables)?

It seems inconceivable in a land of plenty like the US, where 40 percent of all food is thrown out, but an estimated 23 million Americans live in areas known as food deserts — that is, places with little or no access to food beyond what can be purchased on a Dollar Menu. Forget the farmers market; these neighborhoods don’t even have a supermarket.

So how can people in these places (who are usually lacking a Whole Foods budget) start eating more fresh produce?

Have them grow their own, says New York City–based organization Adopt-A-Farmbox, which builds and donates planter boxes made from 100 percent recycled materials — complete with organic soil and seeds — to local schools and community institutions so they can start their own urban farming projects.

The inspiring initiative is already collaborating with several schools in Manhattan and the boroughs (including Children’s Workshop School, Brooklyn Brownstone School, and the Garden School in Queens), but needs your help to break the cycle of diabetes and obesity for the approximately 3 million New Yorkers living in food deserts. Click here to donate.

–Jennifer Grayson

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