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.).

"One thing I think that would be — I know would be a very creative policy is if we — is if we would buy food from local farmers as a way to help deal with scarcity, but also as a way to put in place a — you know, an infrastructure so that nations can be self-sustaining and self-supporting.

It’s a proposal I put forth that Congress hasn’t responded to yet, and I sincerely hope they do." 

                                                                            — George W. Bush, April 29, 2008

How about , as a start, subsidizing  small farmers with diverse crops that feed people in their region rather than giant agribusiness Mr. President?

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’.

Aboveground, leaf-eating insects prefer plants that have not yet been occupied by subterranean root-eating insects. Subterranean insects emit chemical signals via the leaves of the plant, which warn the aboveground insects about their presence. This messaging enables spatially-separated insects to avoid each other, so that they do not unintentionally compete for the same plant.

In recent years it has been discovered that different types of aboveground insects develop slowly if they feed on plants that also have subterranean residents and vice versa. It seems that a mechanism has developed via natural selection, which enables the subterranean and aboveground insects to detect each other. This avoids unnecessary competition.

Green telephone lines
Via the ‘green telephone lines’, subterranean insects can also communicate with a third party, namely the natural enemy of caterpillars. Parasitic wasps lay their eggs inside aboveground insects. The wasps also benefit from the volatile signals emitted by the leaves, as these reveal where they can find a good host for their eggs. The communication between subterranean and aboveground insects has only been studied in a few systems. It is still not clear how widespread this phenomenon is.

This research was carried out at the Netherlands Institute for Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) by Roxina Soler, Jeffrey Harvey, Martijn Bezemer, Wim van der Putten and Louise Vet. The PhD project, in which this study was carried out, was funded by the Free Competition of NWO Earth and Life Sciences.

…………………………  

For further information please contact:

• Dr Roxina Soler (NIOO-KNAW)
• t: +31 26 479 1412,

Ann Bell Stone  (a nominee for world’s cutest farmer) will be at the opening of the Lexington Farmer’s Market this weekend with their delicious organic chickens and spring vegetables.

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.

Today we roasted a certified organic chicken from Elmwood Stock Farm in Georgetown, KY (www.elmwoodstockfarm.com) on the "Wellness Cooking" segment on WLEX-TV.  Elmwood has been home to six generations of the Bell family. Today Cecil and Kay Bell reside and farm full-time at Elmwood. Cecil oversees his Black Angus cattle herd, makes hay, and maintains pastures, barns and on-farm construction projects.

Cecil’s son and his wife, John and Melissa Bell oversee all of the vegetable production, burley tobacco crop (they grow tobacco organically), partners in the cattle herd, makes compost, and manages the on-farm labor. John’s sister and her husband, Ann Bell Stone and Mac Stone, are more visible at farmers markets. They maintain the organic poultry, sheep flock, farmers markets, and CSA pickups of Elmwood products.

I started buying their chickens about 3 years ago when I first moved to Kentucky and it was love at first bite. What so special about these farm raised chickens? Raised outdoors on a green, grass pasture organic chickens have a higher amount of good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids. Organic chickens are also raised without antibiotics, hormones or steroids, with no GMO grains or animal products in their feed. Everything they eat is certified organic from the land they graze on to their vegetarian feed.

Chickens from Elmwood are butchered, cleaned and dressed by a small processor in Kentucky that is USDA certified organic inspected.  

Farmhouse Lemon-Rosemary Chicken

Serves 4 to 6

Marinating overnight saturates the chicken with lemon and rosemary and makes it extra juicy. You can also cook this on a rotisserie. Otherwise, roasting at a high temperature speeds the cooking and creates a crisp bronzed skin and juicy meat.

1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken, preferably certified organic or pasture raised by a local farmer
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock or organic broth

Remove any giblets and rinse the chicken well with water; pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a medium glass bowl. Mix together lemon juice, salt, pepper, oil and rosemary and rub all over the chicken. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, turning occasionally, 8 hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 450°F. Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and bake 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 425°F and continue baking 40 minutes, basting occasionally, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180°F on a meat thermometer, or juices run clear when thigh is pricked with a knife. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from roasting pan and place over medium-high heat. Add chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring until stock is reduce by half. After slicing chicken spoon pan drippings over chicken and serve.

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.

But prepared salad dressings are chock full of bad things like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, and all sorts of artificial ingredients. One of the biggest diet mistakes is making yourself a nice healthy salad and then ruining it with a glob of processed dressing (that’s likely been sitting on the store shelf a year or even two).

Instead, make your own jar of salad dressing once or twice a week – it’s cheaper too – and keep it in the fridge and ready for your next tasty and nutritious salad. And some day soon your greens will be even fresher and more delicious once the local produce arrives. Enjoy.

Simple Vinaigrette

This is my favorite vinaigrette. Rice wine vinegar is less acidic so you can use more vinegar and less oil for your salads. If you wish, add a couple of teaspoons of finely minced fresh herbs or substitute a different flavored vinegar. You can double or triple the recipe if you like.

Makes about 1/2 cup

1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk together the garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar, and lemon juice until blended. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil (this helps it emulsify). Dressing will keep, refrigerated, about 1 week. Use a small amount to drizzle over your favorite salad and toss lightly before serving.
 

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 my cooking segment on WLEX TV (www.wlextv.com for the video).

Red Lentil and Rice Soup

Serves 4 - 6

Red lentils are smaller than brown lentils and cook more quickly. This mildly spiced curry-flavored soup is brightened with fresh ginger. To add more heat, drizzle a little Asian chili oil in place of the olive oil. I found the lentils locally at Meijer’s but look for them in the international food section of your local supermarket. You can use brown lentils but add about 10 minutes cooking time for them to soften.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon finely minced gingerroot
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup drained and chopped canned tomatoes or chopped fresh cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic, carrots, ginger, and cumin and saute 2 minutes. Add the lentils, broth, and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are just tender, about 20 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and rice, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove about a quarter of the soup (about 2 cups) and puree in a blender. Return to pot and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little oil before serving.

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.

Also, eggs have gotten a bad rap in the past. They’re actually a nutritional powerhouse of protein and vitamins including hard-to-get nutrients such as choline, Vitamin K, and B-12. They’re only 75 calories each and while they do contain a good amount of dietary cholesterol it’s saturated fat that impacts blood cholesterol levels.

Penne, Ham, and Asparagus Frittata

A frittata is the Italian version of a quiche only minus the fattening pastry crust. It is a wonderful way to use eggs in combination with a healthy array of vegetables and lean ham, transforming them into a hearty meal that’s perfect for brunch or dinner.

Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus
7 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Large pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, optional
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 extra-large onion, thinly sliced
2 cups cooked penne
1/2 cup diced cooked ham
1/3 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Trim away all but 3 inches from asparagus tips; discard stems. Blanch the asparagus tips in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, and drain beneath cold, running water.
Preheat the oven to 425˚F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a fork and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Heat the oil and butter in a 9- or 10-inch heavy-bottomed (or cast iron) skillet.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and add the asparagus, pasta, ham, and parsley, and toss to combine. Pour the eggs over top. Cover the skillet and cook, without stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked around the edges.

Remove the lid and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Transfer to the oven and bake 5 to 7 minutes, until just cooked through. For a brown crust, place the frittata beneath broiler 1 minute. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 6 wedges.

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).

Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta with Shrimp

Cherry tomatoes are great in the off-season as they have a sweet tomato flavor the winter fruits sorely lack. Let them set in a bowl at room temperature until they are fully ripe.

Roasting the little tomatoes intensifies their flavor and is the basis for a great pasta sauce. You can also use the roasted tomatoes to make bruschetta, as a pizza topping, or as a sauce for fish. The best shrimp to buy for your health and the environment is U.S. wild caught shrimp.

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds red cherry or grape tomatoes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound thin spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)
1 1/2 cups cooked and peeled fresh shrimp
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
4 ounces shaved Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and garlic in a large oven-proof skillet over moderate heat. When garlic just starts to sizzle add tomatoes and salt and pepper. Place in oven. Roast tomatoes 20 to 25 minutes until they’re bubbling and collapse with pressed with a fork.

Meanwhile, bring pasta water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a collander and add to skillet with pasta. Crush the tomatoes with a fork as you toss the pasta with the sauce.

Add the shrimp, basil, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Toss with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

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

Guacamole
2 Hass avocadoes
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 English muffins

In a food processor pulse garlic, onion, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until chopped coarse. Add beans, cilantro, and bread crumbs and pulse a few times until just combined (should be roughly chopped but not pureed).

Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in walnuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in egg and stir until well combined. Form mixture into four patties. (If burger seems very wet, add about 1/4 cup more bread crumbs). Chill patties, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

When you’re ready to make the burgers, peel, pit and mash avocadoes in a medium bowl with juice and salt to taste. Place plastic wrap on top of mixture to block out air. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking; cook patties until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Toast English muffins. Place burgers on top; place a spoonful of guacamole on top of burger before topping with bun. Serve immediately.

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.

Why is wild salmon preferable to farmed?

Farmed "Atlantic" salmon, which is more widely available, is often raised with antibiotics due to overcrowded farming conditions. Salmon farms also create pollution along waterways, which affects the ecosystem and destroys fisheries for native species. Farmed salmon does contain more fat than wild salmon, however, it can also contains toxins that put you at risk for cancer. (There are some farmed salmon that are raised sustainably, notably in Scotland, but this is not the type commonly found in conventional supermarkets).

Why do Farmed Salmon contain more PCBs than Wild Salmon?

• Studies found that the fishmeal fed to farmed salmon is highly contaminated with PCBs.
• Because farmed salmon are "fatter" the PCBs are stored in fat and remain there for an extended period of time, therefore farmed salmon contain more PCBs.
• In January 2004, the journal Science warned that farmed salmon contain 10 times more toxins (PCBs, dioxin, etc.) than wild salmon. The study recommends that farmed salmon should be eaten once a month, perhaps every two months as they pose cancer risks to the human beings.

Wild Salmon can be found fresh certain times of the year, but is sold frozen nearly year round at natural food chains such as Wild Oats and Whole Foods Market, as well as larger supermarket chains.

Hoisin-Honey Wild Salmon Fillets

This is a simple recipe you can make in about 10 minutes. I used local honey from Midway’s Hosey Honey and Bourbon Barrel soy sauce to ‘localize’ it. Enjoy! This sweet-and-salty marinade is equally delicious with pork or chicken.

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Four 6-ounce wild salmon fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

   1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, honey and garlic.
   2. In a large, ovenproof, nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Place them in the skillet, skinned-side up, and sear over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 30 seconds. Flip the fillets and spoon half of the hoisin glaze over them.
   3. Transfer the skillet to the top rack of the oven and roast the salmon for 3 minutes. Spoon the remaining hoisin glaze over the fillets and roast for another 3 minutes. Baste the fillets with the glaze in the pan and roast until just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.

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