A little over a year ago Time magazine proclaimed that ‘local food is better than organic,"  in an article I didn’t much care for. Someone must have given President Bush a copy…

Thanks to Aloma Dew of the Sierra Club for passing this along to me. Despite my deep trust in Aloma I had to Google the speech Bush made today just so I could believe my eyes. Somebody pinch me (not that the speech didn’t include some cluelessness re alternative fuels, the economy in general, etc.).

Not sure people realize the intelligence network utilized by insects in the garden but I always suspected it was more complex — and effective — than we ever realized. The following study was published on the site of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), which funded the research.

Insects use plant like a telephone

11 April 2008

Communication between subterranean and aboveground herbivorous insects.

Dutch ecologist Roxina Soler and her colleagues have discovered that subterranean and aboveground herbivorous insects can communicate with each other by using plants as telephones. Subterranean insects issue chemical warning signals via the leaves of the plant. This way, aboveground insects are alerted that the plant is already ‘occupied’.

If you can only cook one thing and do it well, let it be roast chicken. Roasting a chicken with just a few ingredients, especially one this good and green, is all that’s necessary, really, to enhance the deliciousness of a bird raised the way nature intended.

Make every day a salad day.

Here’s the recipe I prepared on Channel 18 WLEX-TV today. To view the video go to www.wlextv.com and click on ‘Wellness Cooking with Susie Quick.’

The best thing you can do for your health is to make sure you eat a wide variety of colors. The easiest way to do this is to eat a large salad for your lunch or dinner.

Red Lentil and Rice Soup

Lentils are a great legume to prepare. They are high in protein and fiber and cook a lot quicker than other pulses. Lentils are an important source of B vitamins, especially B3, which is essential for both a healthy nervous system and digestive system. They also have healthy amounts of iron, zinc and calcium and are a good replacement for animal protein when combines with whole grains. This soup is very simple to make and makes a nice meal. If you use vegetable broth it qualifies as vegan.

This is the recipe I prepared on WLEX-TV today using eggs from Jon and Norma Brumley of Waterworks Farm in Shelbyville, KY (above).

Local pasture-raised eggs come from chickens that get to enjoy life in the great outdoors and dine on greens, grubs and grains. The latest research shows these eggs have a healthier nutritional profile with elevated levels of Omega 3 fatty acids. Today we’re using these fresh local eggs from Waterworks Farm in Shelby County to make an Italian Frittata with penne, asparagus and ham. It’s a great dish to serve for Easter brunch or any day of the week.

Here’s the recipe I prepared today on WLEX-TV’s noon:30 show.  I also like tossing the hot roasted tomatoes with thinly sliced collard greens and crisp bacon for a delicious side dish. And this is the link to the video on the LEX website: www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7620219&nav=menu203_2_13.

I really like the Barilla brand multi-grain thin spaghetti for this, but you can use any shape. The multi grain ups the protein and it also has added Omega-3, which doesn’t hurt. The flavor and texture is infinitely better than other brands I’ve tried. Besides, Barilla is the pasta of choice of most of my Italian friends (even the ones who live in Italy).

Here’s the recipe I made on WLEX-TV today. These are surprisingly delicious and satisfying. You can also make small ‘burgers’ to serve as appetizers for a party.  The link to the video is here: http://www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7620219&nav=menu203_2_13

Black Bean Burgers with Guacamole

The addition of walnuts to these burgers makes them even more heart healthy. They’re as satisfying as a meat burger and very simple to make.

Makes 4 burgers

1 1/2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup coarse dried bread crumbs
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten

This is the recipe I prepared on WLEX TV today.

Eating fish is better than taking fish oil capsules

The Omega-3 fatty acids present in fish is something we all need more of in our diets to help fight heart disease and inflammation. However, the latest research shows that fish oil supplements are not as beneficial. Salmon – and the healthiest choice is wild salmon from Pacific or Alaskan waters – is a top choice both for flavor and for Omega-3s.

Keen Footware visited the farm last summer and filmed for part of a documentary they showed on college campuses. The purpose was to inspire college students to ‘Take a Stand’ and get involved in the sustainability movement.

The crew was really great and I think did a nice job on the entire project. I was certainly inspired by all the stories. (Still waiting on my free Keen footware, though!).

Here’s a link to info on their ‘Stand’ program and the documentary.

http://www.keenfootwear.com/stand/default.aspx