Confessions of Low-Carbon Cooking

 
2010 LENTEN FAST FROM CARBON:

Living 40 days on a low carbon diet

Confessions of Low-Carbon Cooking...

To confess [kuhn-fes] is to acknowledge or avow by way of revelation.  This means, revealing the truth...whether it is flames in the oven or smiling family faces!  As eager as we are to adhere to the Lenten prescription of reducing our carbon footprints, the "cooks in the kitchen" face the tasks of baking, cutting, burning, grilling, slicing & chilling all the same.  Join us these forty days and forty nights of pondering temperatures, squandering ingredients and spicing up the spinach!  As one community, meat & veggie eater alike, we commit to the calculated costs of giving up our burgers & fries for the shared inheritance of an outcome of "abundance for all".  Our stories, whether ripe with success or laden with tight-fisted four year-olds will, nonetheless, inspire our readers to subscribe to a healthier, more environmentally conscious way of living and being in the world.  Good Luck!

Day 1: Zucchini Spoonbread, by Susan Steinberg

Everyone in my family loved this dish. My husband gave it "two thumbs up," my son gave it "1.75" but had just one question- "If it's called Spoonbread, why do we eat it with a fork?" My daughter gave it "three thumbs out of seven" (for someone who has never eaten zucchini, this is high praise--don't ask me about the three out of seven thumbs. . . a long dinner conversation ensued). Our golden retriever got to lick out the pan. His response? Four paws up!  This would be an especially low carbon recipe in the summer, when zucchini just keeps coming and coming and we can never find enough ways to cook it. It's hard to find zucchini in February around here, though, so the ones I used came from Mexico. But they were organic. I think that helps.

You could also use locally made cheddar cheese, but I couldn't find any in the time I had available, so I used organic Wisconsin cheddar. We had locally produced eggs on hand, so at least one ingredient came from nearby. 

It took me about thirty minutes to prepare, but that's because I took my time--another thing I'm learning to do.

My chef's hat off to our contributors!

Day 2: Greek Spaghetti, by Krysia Lynes 

Thanks, Susan for kicking us off last night.  I have not yet learned to buy zucchini in the winter here … where I grew up, there was a lot of price competition for produce … and I have yet to get over the sticker shock.  Zucchini at over $1/lb looks like price gouging to me.  Cabbage should be $1 each not per pound.  Same with winter squash.  But I digress.


So, I was pretty sure that I could get pasta on the table and that my family would enjoy it.  I even knew that I had some Pheta from the Chapel Hill Creamery in my fridge and that the other ingredients are staples in my kitchen … no carbon going to the grocery store for the missing items.
I have made a variant of Greek spaghetti pretty regularly – we mix part skim ricotta cheese into a tomato based sauce and it makes a nice rose sauce with a good creamy-ness.
This recipe was as easy as could be.  Mark knew that there were mushrooms in the fridge that should be used, so they got added to the recipe without harm.  Aaron, the 18 month old, was very happy with the whole wheat penne I substituted for spaghetti noodles.  He also enjoyed picking out the beans for special attention.  And he thought that the banana pepper slices I put out as a condiment were very tasty all by themselves.   And DJ is a good eater.  He thought this was a great dinner.  And I made some extra for tomorrow’s lunches.  Tupperware is wonderful.

Day 3: Spiced Carrot Soup, by Jill Edens

The big day was coming when we would road-test Chip and Philip’s recipe for a dinner with our friends Peter Carmen and Lynn Bodden from Binkley Baptist Church. We would be so proud to show off our congregation’s Lenten fast from carbon.

Rick likes the grocery store and volunteered to do the shopping. I was paralyzed by the ingredient list. Coriander seeds. Do I really want to buy them? I would have to commit. Rick pulls the cookbook out of my hand and writes down the ingredients.

"When you buy the ginger, you need fresh. It’s in the produce section. Ask for a ‘hand’ of ginger – small."

The morning of the big day I said, "This recipe can be reheated, maybe we should go ahead and put it together now."

Yes indeed, because had we waited, this dinner would have involved ordering out from Dominos – kiss low carbon good-bye.

"Heat seeds in empty pan until toasted."

"Where’s the dutch oven Ruth gave us?"

"I think it’s packed up with the Christmas stuff."

Rick pulls out everything in the closet. How do we end up with all this junk? We need to make a run to the dump.

Unwrap dutch oven. Heat on medium. Add coriander seeds. So far so good. Add mustard seeds. Seeds hit hot metal and explode all over the stove top.

"Did I say mustard seeds were small?"

"It’s in the Bible."

"Where’s the dust buster?"

"I threw it out, it wouldn’t hold a charge."

Turned down heat, try mustard seeds again. Perfect.

"It says you have to crush them."

Rick grabs the coffee grinder, "This will work."

"It’s full of coffee – coffee has a flavor."

Rick turns on the tap. (I’m not kidding.)

"Don’t wash it!"

"Here, a heavy spoon in a wooden bowl might work."

"You’re kidding."

"Hey, you’re the one with the little Michael Pollen book about how if our grandmothers wouldn’t recognize it we shouldn’t eat it. This is your big chance."

Meanwhile I fish the ginger out of the produce drawer. "Isn’t this the cutest thing? A hand of ginger. It’s really more like a mitten."

"A hand?"

"Yeah, what did you think it was called?"

"That explains why I was having such a hard time at Harris Teeter."

"Oh no, what did you ask for?"

"I wandered around the store asking people where to find a finger of ginger. That would explain the strange looks. Luckily Joan Pasley was there and took me right to it."

We locate the Sunbeam Le Chef Food Processor circa the Reagan administration. Plug it in and push the lever; it whirs to life. Good. Now the blades. Insert the plastic blade holder with the slicing blade. Check.

Deploy personnel.

"Rick can you peel the carrots and onions and run them through the processor? I’ll dice the ginger."

"Processor isn’t processing."

Turned out that the plastic sleeve on the blade holder was cracked.

Went through the junk drawer and located the Le Chef Processor Guidebook. Found yellowed order forms, from when people ordered things by mail. Also found the 800 number. After listening to the phone tree and making several selections, the cheery voice on the other end informed me that "our offices are now closed, please visit us at our website,

www.sunbeam.com. 

Rick was already online.

"Here it is."

I typed in to the search feature: Sunbeam Le Chef Food Processor. The website informs me, "no match found." I hit "contact us." And fire off an email to "our representatives waiting to help you,"

"Blade holder for Le Chef Processor cracked, can’t find accessories on your website. Please help."

Once again, using techniques common only to our grandmothers, we chop up the vegetables and simmer for 30 minutes.

Fortunately the processing blade still works and the soup purees beautifully and is stowed in the refrigerator for later this evening.

*A note about this soup – it’s divine! Requires only veggies and spices and very little fat – no added salt. Very healthy and yummy – a home run, Chip and Phil! Now that I have invested in a whole bottle of coriander seeds it will become a regular feature of Edens cuisine. (Of course, once Sunbeam sends me a new blade holder for the Le Chef.)

Carbon footprint:

1. Two trips to the grocery store.

2. UPS visit with new Sunbeam processor replacement part.

3. Untold gallons of hot water for cleaning up after cooking and eating not to mention power for appliances.

Conclusion. This is the purpose of Lent, to gain new habits, new rhythms for our lives. Yes, we will have to get our equipment in good repair and some new ingredients for the pantry, but 40 days is plenty of time for this tasty and healthy new start!

Day 4:  Pasta e Fagioli, by Krysia Lynes

Confession. I have fowl in the oven ... Mark likes turkey because it is "cook once, eat often" - and if you are going to have the mess of roasting and carving a bird, it had better be bigger than a duck ... or that's what he said.

But when I opened my big mouth and invited Doug and his family to dinner last night, I had forgotten that he has sworn off all animal products to try to get his blood lipids down without drugs ... AAGH!

Day 4 - Pasta e Fagioli .... looks OK ... let's do it. All right ... I don't have fresh rosemary and thyme, but I've got dried ... and I don't have ditalini, but I have elbow pasta ... that'll substitute ... white kidney beans - I've got red .

We'll be OK. The New York Times no-knead bread would be the correct accompaniment - but I don't have the 24 hour rising time, so I'll need to hit the store for some good bread, some good Parmigianino Reggiano and some flowers. I can do this. Some salad greens, too, I think would be really nice. Maybe I'll steal the vinaigrette from Day 12 ... who knows, I might sugar pecans if I find I've got the time ... Best add fresh ginger to that list. Phew.

Thanks Chip and Philip.  This is yummy and elegant and easy ... and really mostly from staples which means you can get it together without a huge fuss.

Saved my bacon!

* I have an addendum. I added a sweet potato into the blend of yesterday's carrot soup ... it added some nice body. My mom used to make a carrot and white potato soup (no onions)... dill was the predominant flavoring and she served it with a dollop of sour cream. A good variation.

Day 5: Mediterranean Spaghetti with Shrimp, by Justin Valas

Both Nadienka and I loved this dish. The Mediterranean Pasta with Shrimp will definitely become a regular feature of our spring and summer menus! Almost all of the ingredients we used are available from local sources- depending on the season. We did not make our own pasta, though we did use some organic whole wheat fusilli, which still counts I think. We even opted to avoid imported Greek feta and tried the domestically produced cow's milk feta. Being part Greek, I was a little skeptical at first, but in addition to being $3 cheaper than the imported stuff it was as delicious if not more. Though I have to admit to one small change I made- I love my food spicy so I added some crushed red pepper flakes to the shrimp while sautéing, which goes well if you want a little added kick!

One lesson Nadienka and I have learned is that the closer to the source you get your ingredients, the more fantastic the flavors are. A friend who tried some of the Mediterranean pasta dish told me "I usually just eat food because its energy, but this really grabs your attention." Going local or organic doesn't mean sacrificing flavor; you may in fact discover a whole new world of flavor!
Blessings and Peace-

Day 6: If you PLAN for it, it is a lot easier!  By Krysia Lynes

I think that it is really important to acknowledge that a big part of being able to make these recipes is that you actually have to have the ingredients and time and tools (and skills) to do it.  Mark was a career waiter until his early thirties.  He hates the smell of everyone else's dinner on him and in his clothes ... If we do go out, the first thing he does when we get home is shower and change his clothes.  He strongly prefers to eat dinner at home and to take his lunch to work.  If you plan for it, it is a lot easier.

 
On a small scale, this is exactly a manufacturing operation.  "Can't make it without the parts."  "Needs to cure for 24 hours before we can package it." "The processer is broken."  "Joe didn't show up to work today."   None of these are new problems.  There are a number of solutions that exist and some of them translate really well into the kitchen.
 
First things first: you need tools.  If you were a bakery, you would own a rising oven and a baking oven with humidity controls.  Your kitchen probably shouldn't have that.  A food processor is great if you are making coleslaw for the neighborhood picnic, but the clean-up of the machine is very often more work than chopping or shredding by hand.  And in a soup where you are going to puree any way, thin even slices is just a waste of time.  In a factory, if you are going to make a whole bunch of the same thing, a dedicated machine is great, but doing a 2 hour set-up for one piece is never a good thing.  The best tool is not always the right tool. 
 
In our kitchens, everything is a small batch - possible exceptions of holiday baking and canning your garden excesses.  The best tools are the most flexible.  Good cutting board.  A set of pots and pans - I think 3-ply bottom stainless steel so you can throw them in the dishwasher ... A good wisk.  A flexible silicone spatula.  A blender.  Cookie sheets.  Baking pans.  A colander.  And when was the last time you needed to order a spare part for you Henkels chefs knife?  You know, the stuff in your (great-)(grand)mother's kitchen.  The 8'x10' space where she actually cooked. From scratch.  And baked.  Three meals.  Almost every day.
 
OK, we have equipment, now what about the parts: the ingredients.  One way to look at inventory management is an ABC system: A - important and expensive items; B - less key, less expensive; C- inexpensive.  C inventory items are cheap enough that they just need to be on hand.  Let's start with the C items.  These include you spices - I think that the spice drawer is a wonderful invention because the stuff is there when you need it and you can find it.  This should also include things like vinegar, yeast, soy sauce, vanilla extract, baking powder and baking soda.  You just have them on hand, because they are so cheap and you use them so often that making a trip to the store for them is dumb.  The B items include bulkier staples or things that need refrigerator or freezer space but keep very well: barley, flour, legumes, pasta, TVP, oatmeal, raisins, rice, sugar, salsa, canned tomatoes, beans, tuna, canned fruit, corn starch, cornmeal, salad dressings, peanut butter, nuts, cornmeal/grits, onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbage, ginger, garlic, bananas, apples, oranges, lemons, limes, (soy) milk, eggs, cheeses, butter, tofu, crackers, tortilla chips, frozen peas, frozen corn, frozen chicken/shrimp/fish.  You will keep some on hand, but how much depends on the amount of space you have and your typical menus.  The A items are your meats (chicken or fish), specialty cheeses, bakery bread, soft fruits, leafy vegetables - they'll go bad if you don't use them and so you should plan your menus around when you are going to the store so that these will be fresh.  The A list items are also likely to be what you can get that is produced locally from the farmer's market.
 
It is really important to have what you need to make dinner on hand, because if you are going to the store to buy an ingredient, the temptation is to order in or go out for dinner or to buy a prepared dinner at the store - because none of us have that kind of time.  "And lead me not into temptation."
 
Having a magnetic pad on the side of the fridge to keep a shopping list works - "We are getting low on ... I'd better add it to the list" is how you can keep shopping trips to a once a week occurrence.  And it is good for the budget, too.  And you don't have the added driving so it's even lower carbon.
 
One of the things about trying to eat locally is that you need to plan around what is available - so a pleasant shopping trip to the farmers' market on Saturday morning can be followed by menu planning around that for the coming week over a good breakfast using those fresh local eggs and yummy bread you just bought  - and then if you build your shopping list (while browsing the weekly grocery store fliers) before you go to the store, you will be a lot more likely to get what you need to use all those beautiful locally grown and produced things during the coming days.  Doesn't  that sound like a pleasant ritual?  And this planning also helps you think about the order you are going to cook the meals in. ("I am going to roast this chicken so I can make soup from the carcass and that will go into Wednesday's supper and if I roast some potatoes at the same time, I'll have them as the side dish to heat up on Tuesday.  And on Monday I can use the left overs from the roast in a stir fry ... I should chop those vegetables today so I can just throw it together on Monday when I get home from work.")  If you need to marinade something, you'll know in advance.  And when you get home from work and can't be bothered to dream up what's for dinner, you won't need to.  You also minimize your time in the kitchen by planning ahead.
 
The next part is getting Joe to show up for work ... The required ritual is the family meal.  It is a really enjoyable thing to sit down at the table to share a meal as a family and discuss the day with those we love.  And children can help - perhaps with the cooking - but definitely setting the table, pouring drinks, tossing the salad, clearing the table, and loading the dishwasher.  They'll need kitchen skills, too.  It is good for everybody.  One of those multiple wins:  it is good for the budget, it is good for health (home-cooked meals are more appropriately portioned and lower in fat, sugar and salt), it is good for the children (palate development, vocabulary development, table manners), it is good for family.  As for time pressure, there are a lot of meals that can be ready in a half-hour - it takes longer to drive to the restaurant and park and get a table ... assuming that you have done some planning.
 

Day 7: What We Really Do, by Jill & Rick Edens

WHAT WE REALLY DO
 
A hearty 'thank you' to Krysia Lynes for venturing out beyond the 40.  This inspired me to confess what really happens when the Edenses eat at home.  And, yes, it is low carbon.
 
1. Get whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe's refrigerator section -- right by the cheese.  Follow the directions on the package.
 
2.  Go through your freezer, fridge and pantry and you will probably find:
 
    a) pizza or spaghetti sauce (crushed tomatoes also work so do sliced fresh tomatoes)
    b) onion (carmelize over low heat in olive oil on the stove top)
    c) shredded cheese (you probably already have some lurking in your refrigerator or freezer) or feta -- my personal favorite.
    d) any number of other food items that you need to use up: sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, olives -- you get the idea.
 
3.  Here's the deal breaker as far as we are concerned -- a pizza stone.  Don't buy it at a fancy kitchen store -- Target (and probably other big box stores) has it in the $18 range.
 
4.  Put stone in the oven and turn up to 500 degrees F.  While oven is heating form dough on one of those marvelous non-stick silicone baking sheets.  Turn oven to 450 and slide crust onto pizza stone.  Bake for 5 minutes.
 
5.  Pull crust out of oven sliding onto metal baking sheet for support.  Top with favorite pizza toppings.  Slide from metal baking sheet back onto pizza stone.  Bake for 7 minutes.
 
6.  You are done!  Fast, delicious and low carbon.  *Do not cut pizza while on silicone baking sheet!*  Slide off silicone baking sheet onto an acceptable surface for cutting.  Enjoy!

                                                                                                                                                      Day 8: Flat Bean Potato Soup & Some, by Krysia Lynes

Well, it has finally happened.  My brother's children are going to be Baptized.  I am a recovering Catholic, but my brother's children have been going in their un-initiated state to Catholic school - and no Baptism, no First Communion.  But I digress.
 
This is relevant because I dusted off my address book asked one of mom's friends if she would be a Godmother.  Sally knew that it mattered very much to my mother that these children be Baptized, and Sally is a good Catholic.  And in speaking to Sally, I could tell her how I frequently think of her when I am in my kitchen because I use a lot of the recipes I learned from her very often.  And while I didn't submit them for the Low Carbon cookbook, it is really because I had never written them down.
 
Sally immigrated from Croatia in the early 1970s.  Her cooking back home didn't include much meat because they just didn't have it: it was communist Yugoslavia at that time and it was largely unavailable and what was available was too expensive.  But I took them up not because they are meatless, but because I can usually find the ingredients for them in my fridge and pantry and they are tasty and filling with nice combinations of texture and color.
 
My mom loved her flat bean and potato soup.  The recipe is exactly that complicated: open a bag of frozen flat beans - or cut fresh beans into 2 inch lengths - peel and cut some white potatoes into largish chunks, fill pot with water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add some Vegeta  http://www.amazon.com/Vegeta-Gourmet-Seasoning-Sazon-Canister/dp/B0002AZWYC to season.  Cook until potatoes have softened.  Fresh parsley and/or dill are nice if you have them and you can substitute other vegetable broth powder.  Vegeta tastes great, but if you get headaches from MSG, you need to steer clear of it.  Very authentically Croatian though.
 
A dish that Sally taught me that I make very regularly is cabbage and noodles.  I use whole wheat egg noodles - anything else will do, too.  Roughly chop into about 1" squares a head of cabbage.  Put about 3 tbsp of oil into a pan and add cabbage sprinkled with about 1 tsp. salt and a generous amount of black pepper (at least a 1/2 tsp).  Cook until soft and well caramelized.  Once the cabbage is in the frying pan, boil the noodles.  Mix the two together and adjust seasoning.
 
You can find roast buckwheat (kasha) at the Weav or WF and it is a nice addition to cabbage and noodles ... another flavor and another texture.  But that is one of my variations.  Bittman put a recipe in the New York Times with bowtie pasta, chicken fat and buckwheat.  Very tasty.  http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E1DF1E3EF931A15753C1A96E9C8B63
 
Oh, and I made reference to the NYT no-knead bread in a different blog post ... and since it is also Bittman http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html
 
Perhaps I should buy one of his cookbooks.
 
Speaking of cookbooks, Dupree's Everyday Meals from a well-stocked Pantry http://www.amazon.com/Nathalie-Dupree-Everyday-Well-Stocked-Pantry/product-reviews/0517597357/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 is very good for recipes that are usable for everyday cooking without being dull and there is only one chapter devoted to read meat.  I would also recommend a Julia Childs book http://www.amazon.com/Julias-Kitchen-Wisdom-Essential-Techniques/dp/0375411518 instead of (or in addition to) the 2 volume Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  This slim volume is geared much more to the way people actually get a dinner on the table.
 
In the summer, when Hungarian peppers are available - the ones that are shaped like a smallish green pepper but colored more like a banana pepper (not quite as yellow) - soften an onion in a little olive oil, add roughly chopped peppers and add tomatoes.  Simmer until tender serve over rice or pasta or with potatoes.  Wow.  Sometimes simple food is just the tastiest.  Those peppers are really good stuffed too.  Since they can be hard to find, you can either grow your own or substitute banana or green peppers.  I do see them at the farmers' market in the summer.
 
Sorry for the Amazon links.  Clearly Amazon is not the only source for those items.
 
Happy cooking.

Day 9: What's for Dinner? By Krysia Lynes

This is the week!  Zucchini is on for $1.29/lb at Food Lion.  And eggplant at Harris Teeter is $1.49/lb.  Harris Teeter also has farm raised NC catfish for $4.99/lb and Texas Brown shrimp for $7.98/lb.  Food Lion has tilapia for $2.99/lb and also has $1.29/lb apples and pears and $2/lb strawberries.  Think you can find the HT roses for $5.99/dozen?
 
So here is my menu plan assuming I hit the grocery stores on Sunday:
 
Sunday - Day 5 Mediterranean pasta with shrimp - doubled for lunches
Monday - Day 10 Chipotle-infused Fish Quesadillas
Tuesday - Day 18 Spicy Soup with Day 1 Zucchini Spoonbread
Wednesday - Day 35 Ratatouille with rice and a green salad - again doubled for lunches the balance of the week or tripled for vegetarian lasagna
Thursday - Day 21 Egyptian lentil soup (or Day 38 Vegan split pea soup) with couscous salad (Day 14 or Day 31)
Friday - Day 16 Onion quiche (Prepare onions while Thursday's soup is cooking).  I like to let the edges of the crust flop onto the surface of the egg mixture.
Saturday - Farmer's Market surprise (maybe Day 20 West African Peanut soup if there are great sweet potatoes or Day 9 Kale and White Bean if I find kale and rosemary)
 
So Sunday's shopping list looks like:
 
Specials
Fresh herbs - Basil (or substitute dry) Parsley, Cilantro
Green, red and yellow peppers (red and yellow for Med. pasta - can substitute other veg)
Green onions
Shallots (or substitute green onions or onions)
Salad greens
Roma tomatoes - 2 lbs. (on the vine @ FL $2.49/lb)
Eggplants x3 (HT $1.49/lb)
Mushrooms 1 lb. (HT sliced 8 oz $1.89 ... @ $3.78/lb)
Zucchini x 9 small (about 1c/zucchini) (FL $1.29/lb)
Fish (FL Tilapia $2.99 or HT Catfish - local $4.99)
Shrimp (Texas brown HT $7.98 or FL BOGO $10.99/2 - $5.50/lb (non US))
Chipotle salsa (I found it at Target ...)
Strawberries - (FL $2/lb)
Roses - (HT $5.99/doz)
Pita or flatbread- (HT $2) ... better make sure I can make hummus, too or buy it ...
 
Staples - check your cupboards and fridge
Pasta
Rice
Couscous
Dry white and garbanzo beans (HT Organic $2/lb)
Split peas or lentils
Red lentils
Oil - Olive, vegetable, peanut
Salt
Pepper
Italian seasoning
Basil
Bay leaves
Oregano
Garlic
Cayenne
Curry powder
Cumin
Cinnamon
Coriander
Ginger, powdered
Rosemary
Turmeric
Broth
Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce
Mustard
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Ginger
Potatoes
Limes/lemons
Apples - FL $1.29/lb
Bananas
Canned tomatoes (HT Organic $2/28oz can)
Tomato juice or sub. tomato paste
Tomato paste
Roasted red peppers
Flour
Baking powder
Pie crust (10" deep)
Eggs
Olives - kalamata 4 oz.
Parmesan cheese (need the rind for Kale and white bean)
Feta cheese
Shredded cheese - swiss, cheddar or Monterey jack (BOGO at HT)
Butter
8" flour tortillas
Condensed milk or light cream (for quiche)
Pine nuts, slivered almonds or cashews
Peanut butter
Dried apricots
Raisins - golden, currants
 
The things I will need from the staples list are bananas, apples, pine nuts and dried apricots ... and I'll need milk, diet ginger ale and bread, too.  Probably pretty close to $100 if I buy 2 lb. of Texas shrimp and 1 lb. of NC catfish.

Day 10: Egyptian Lentil Soup, by Renee McBride

Krysia says in her recipe for Egyptian Lentil Soup, "Delicious. That's all." I agree! It's a very lemony soup, which I really like, but not everyone in my household was convinced on this point. You could easily reduce the lemony kick by putting a smaller chunk of lemon in the soup as it cooks.
 
Since lentils are a staple in our house, we were immediately attracted to this recipe. The only thing I had to buy for the recipe was a lemon, which I purchased as part of a larger shopping trip. For the broth, I made my own from some chicken necks in the freezer. (Necks from locally raised chickens. If you're going to eat meat, check out this resource for locally raised meat: http://www.farmtoforkmeat.com/.) Unfortunately for carbon imprint purposes, lemons are not in season in NC right now, so that lemon I bought at Trader Joe'swas clearly shipped here from somewhere. (You can see a guide to North Carolina fruit & vegetable availability at http://ncfarmfresh.com/availability.asp. For further info about eating local, including the ability to search by product, go to: http://www.orangecountyfarms.org.)
 
 
I prepared this soup two ways: with red lentils, as called for in the recipe, and with green lentils (because I ran out of red lentils). The red lentil version cooks more quickly and the lentils are quite soft, even with only about 30 minutes of simmering time. The green lentil version requires about an hour more cooking time than called for in the recipe, and you'll need to add extra broth as the soup simmers. Even with the extra cooking time, green lentils stay fairly firm. Both versions are tasty, but I definitely prefer the red lentil version. 

 Day 11: Roasted Winter Vegetables, by Renee McBride

I made this recipe with brussels sprouts from Trader Joe's, and carrots (Roberson Creek Farm, Pittsboro) and turnips (Fickle Creek Farm, Efland) from the South Estes Farmers' Market. This recipe could not be simpler or more delicious! I think you could prepare a wide variety of vegetables this way, using veggies that benefit from roasting in a hot oven, e.g. potatoes (white or sweet), fennel, kohlrabe (cross between turnips & cabbage and better tasting than either, in my opinion), chayote and other members of the squash family, onion ... and more that are your favorites. If you want to impress family and friends and spend next to no time doing it, prepare this recipe with fresh, local veggies! It will make a fantastic side to any main meat or fish dish. 

Day 12 Tofu Spaghetti, by Christine Thetford

I confess… I am a complete novice at preparing tofu.  I have enjoyed eating tofu in restaurant meals, but I’ve never once tried to make it at home.  I would like to learn more about it, though, which is why I felt drawn to this 3-ingredient recipe – it seemed like an easy starting place. 
 
Believe it or not, opening the tofu package was my first hurdle.  I had assumed I could just peel back the top of this mysterious square package full of liquid…  But after several attempts, the strong adhesive still would not budge, so I finally had to cut the package open!  Then I wasn’t sure whether to drain the liquid out, or whether the liquid was necessary to keep the special magical properties of tofu intact.  So I opted for draining just part of it. 
 
Since I was just cooking for myself, I only needed to use a small part of the giant block of tofu in the package.  I wasn’t sure exactly what the right amount would be, so I just started taking little bits off the edges, and crumbling them into the frying pan, until it mostly covered the bottom of the pan. 
 
Then I wasn’t sure what seasonings to add, or how long to cook it, or whether it was supposed to look any different when cooked…  So I added basil, oregano, salt, and pepper, and sauteed for about 10 minutes, hoping that was enough. 
 
When everything was ready, I mixed the tomato sauce (1/2 of a small jar) with the tofu, spread it over the pasta, and added a little parmesan cheese.  It tasted a lot like regular pasta + sauce, because the crumbled tofu didn’t add much flavor or texture to the mix.  It’s a good way to get an added protein boost in the sauce, but I guess I needed something more “chunky” to make it feel different than just plain sauce. 
 
The next day, since I still had tofu leftover to use up, I searched online for tips about cooking with tofu, and other easy recipes to try.  There was so much there to learn from!  I decided to try making the recipe again – this time with Fried Tofu instead of Crumbled.  
 
For the fried tofu, I drained and dried the tofu block between paper towels (including pressing some of the excess moisture out).  Then I cut it up into cubes, and marinated the cubes for 10-15 minutes in balsamic vinegar and seasonings.  I fried the cubes in olive oil while I steamed some veggies and reheated the rest of the tomato sauce and pasta.  When it was done, I decided that I really like the fried tofu option – it feels more “substantive” to me somehow.
 
I’m grateful that this cookbook/blog prompted me to learn more about making tofu – I think I will be making this and other tofu recipes more often in the future! 

Per Jill’s comment- buying an entire bottle of coriander seeds

Submitted by Jenny Shultz on Mon, 02/22/2010 - 7:20pm.

Per Jill’s comment about buying an entire bottle of coriander seeds for one recipe. One can buy spices in bulk at either Whole Foods or Weaver Street. You can buy just as much (or as little) as you need to try one recipe, so the price is incredibly low. I bought at least 30 spices at one time, enough to fill a normal spice bottle for each, for less than $10. I really think buying bulk spices ought to be part of this Lenten food experience!

Thanks and Peace- Zoe Ulshen