Welcome once again for another week's round-up of eco-foodie news, tips, links & recipes. Each week I glean tasty bits from the various blogs & sites I follow outside of the Kos-verse and bring them together here for your perusal. If you have a good tasty bit to share let us know about it in the comments!
And now for this week's mystery gadget:
What is this?
News
An Apple a Day Really May Keep the Doctor Away
THURSDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Fruits and vegetables whose edible sections are white may lower your risk of stroke more than other fruits and vegetables, Dutch researchers report.
Every 25 grams per day of white fruits and vegetables consumed led to a 9 percent decrease in the risk of stroke, and apples and pears were the most commonly consumed "white fruit," according to the study, published in the November issue of Stroke.
Harvard's New "Healthy Eating Plate" Provides Alternative to USDA's MyPlate
Recently, another version of the plate emerged. The Harvard School of Public Health just released its Healthy Eating Plate, which they say "offers more specific and accurate recommendations...than MyPlate." The group also notes that its plate "is not influenced by the food industry or agriculture policy" (with the implication that the USDA's recommendations are influenced by these political opinions).
Can A Stove Save Lives, Forests and Africa's Economy?
Numerous companies are designing and producing cleaner stoves—the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves lists several. Many tackle the pollution problem by burning biomass more efficiently than open flame, thus consuming less wood and spewing less smoke. A few, like the BioLite stove, offer extras like electric power, enough to charge a cell phone and a fan that further helps reduce the poisonous plumes. But moving people away from wood-burning stoves altogether could solve several issues at once.
Egypt inches towards far-reaching food subsidy reform
Now the country's post-Mubarak government is inching toward far-reaching reforms of the system. No one talks of scrapping subsidies altogether -- the uprising against Mubarak was partly fueled by anger at the deep divide between rich and poor. But experts say the financial burden could be reduced and cash more usefully spent on strengthening the agriculture sector.
Major Rivers Have Enough Water to Meet Food Needs
A study of 10 river basins in Asia, Latin America and Africa released today from Recife, Brazil, found there’s “clearly enough” water, and the issue is one of inefficient use and unfair distribution rather than scarcity, the Challenge Program on Water and Food, or CPWF, said in a statement.
Thirty Years After the Original, a New Study of Organic Agriculture
Thirty years ago, the Rodale Institute set out to prove that organic farming methods work just as well as the conventional ones common at big farms across the country. The institute began the Farming Systems Trial, a data-driven project to compare the yields of organic and conventional wheat, soy, and corn crops. Its latest analysis shows that not only do organic yields match conventional crop loads, but organic methods do a better job of maintaining the health of a farm’s soil.
What's In That Wine Glass May Not Prevent Aging After All
The links between red wine and longevity aren't nearly as strong as they once seemed, according to new research in the journal Nature. In fact, the research calls into question the whole mechanism used to explain wine's power to extend life.
Deadly Cantaloupes Underscore Food Safety Needs, Advocates Say
At least 13 people have died in the U.S. from listeria infections linked to Colorado cantaloupes, with 72 people in 18 states ill with listeriosis traced to the tainted fruit, the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said yesterday in a statement. More illnesses are expected because people can become sick as long as two months after eating the contaminated produce, Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, said today.
Home & Garden
The Many Benefits of No-Mow Grass
Introducing Mercado: The Official Summer Tomato Farmers Market Bag
This looks like a wonderific shopping bag for all your produce needs. I totally want to get one!
A large compartment on the inner half of the bag holds your bigger, sturdier produce like kale, onions and cauliflower.
The outer half of the bag is composed of two smaller pockets made from a soft nylon mesh, which is held open and rigid by a wire frame. This prevents the sides of the bag from collapsing in and bruising softer items.
Saving Pennies or Dollars? Juicing and Blending
Start Your Thanksgiving Cooking Early
Harvesting and Saving Seeds
Tips for cool Season Vegetable Gardening
Non-Toxic Way To Clean Stainless Steel Pans
13 Handy Cooking and Baking Substitutes for Missing Ingredients
Eco-Friendly Paint Brands You May Not Already Know
DIY Project: homemade cutting boards
Recipes
Bechamel sauce recipe
Anyone here remember being taught "white sauce" in Home Ec way back when? This is it folks, the classic, one of the "Mother sauces" that provides so much goodness! With simple additions such as cheese or mushrooms this sauce is actually quick and easy to make and use in all sorts of dishes.
7 Spins on Guacamole
Curried Celeriac Soup
Roasted carrots with sesame ponzu vinaigrette
Truffled Brussel Sprouts with Hazelnuts
Late Summer Succotash with Soybeans
Khichdi with Eggplant Fritters
Khichdi is "a sort of one-pot comfort meal of rice, lentils and vegetables" in Indian cuisine.
Easy Awesome Eggplant Tian
Gooey Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie Bites
Applesauce cake with caramel glaze
Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake
cross-posted to firefly-dreaming and Original Cin's