Veganomics Lesson Nine: Stop food waste by utilizing leftovers.

Above: Leftover Zucchini Chowder gets new life by adding pasta.

What are leftovers? Leftovers fall into two categories:

(1) when you prepare a meal and there is still food left
(2) when you buy a certain item for a recipe but do not use it all (a can of tomato paste is a good example)

There are several strategies for putting leftovers to good use, the first being prevention (or portion control). Prevent leftovers by making only the amount of food that will be immediately consumed. This is especially effective with side dishes such as rice or noodles, where it is relatively easy to measure and prepare proper potion sizes.

Another strategies is to look for “cook once eat twice” recipes that are designed to create leftovers, then give you a second recipe in which to use those leftovers. This method also saves energy because the second recipe rarely calls for additional heating. Check out Love Food Hate Waste for “cook once eat twice” recipes.

Substitutions are another way to prevent leftovers by avoiding extra food purchases. Rather than purchase a vegetable or spice that you rarely cook with, find a suitable replacement from your own kitchen. Many cookbooks will list common substitutions or use an online substitution guide, such as this Common Substitutions Chart from Allrecipes.com.

Over the course of the Veganomics project, I have discovered most of my food waste is in the form of leftovers. Part of it is cooking recipes meant for 4-6 people when there are only two of us, but I am just as bad with restaurant or take-out leftovers. To help combat food waste, I have developed my own method for rescuing leftovers from the trash bin: salads, sandwiches, soups, and side dishes.

Salads: Leftover fruit, vegetables, and meat are great for tossing in salads. This was the inspiration behind Spinach & Quinoa Salad.

Sandwiches: Leftover meat, especially poultry, is great for making sandwiches (think Thanksgiving leftovers: see my post on Turkey all the time! ). Get creative and create “hot” sandwiches with warmed up vegetables and potatoes.

Soups: Turning sauteed vegetables and/or pasta dishes into soup is a great way to use leftovers. A dish like Stoplight Pasta is easily made into soup by adding chicken or vegetable stock. 

Side dishes: Create a side dish by adding pasta to creamy soups such as Broccoli Cheese or Zucchini Garden Chowder (made with cheese). Prepare 2-3 cups of pasta or rice, then add leftover soup and reheat. Add torn basil and fresh ground black pepper to enhance the flavors. Another option: strain out some of the liquid of a broth-based soup and add sauteed vegetables.

Homework: Get creative and turn leftovers into new dishes!

Veganomics Lesson Eight: Which is better, dried herbs or fresh herbs?

Above: Are fresh herbs better than dried? Continue reading to find out…

We’ve already learned how to check if dried herbs have gone stale, but are dried herbs even worth it? Conflicting reports from various sources are questioning the validity of dried herbs in the kitchen. Here is a breakdown of the differences between dried and fresh herbs:

Potency: The Food Network states that dried herbs are 3 times more potent than fresh herbs, but without the same “purity of flavor.” Other sources, however, contest dried herbs have no flavor and no place in the kitchen. The most common conversion rate is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.

Cost: Initially, dried herbs will most likely cost more than fresh herbs. A bottle of dried basil, however, will probably contribute to more dishes than a bunch of fresh basil. On the other hand, a potted herb plant can potentially yield unlimited uses for a slightly higher price.

Longevity: Dried herbs will obviously outlast fresh herbs, unless you can care for a potted herb plant. This can also depend on if the plant can grow at the rate it is needed for use in the kitchen.

Taste: Hands down, most any source will herald the taste of fresh herbs over dried herbs. A bit different from potency, fresh herbs have an earthy taste that dried herbs cannot replicate.

Verdict:From reading expert (and some not-so-expert) opinions, as well as my own personal experience, fresh herbs win. To make fresh herbs cost effective, try your hand at growing a small herb garden of your favorites. My personal choices: basil, mint, rosemary, and thyme. Other good choices: parsley, sage, and lavender (for no other reason then its lovely scent in the kitchen).

Homework: Start a small collection of potted herbs, starting with my new basil plant. I have kept it alive for almost a week! Next step: mint.

Above: Potted basil plant, a Farmer’s Market find for $4.

Veganomics Lesson Seven: Make learning about healthy eating fun!

Okay, this isn’t so much a lesson as it is a cool website for parents and children to play games about healthy eating. I found this game to be endlessly entertaining and addicting (I’ve gotten to level 9 but am yet to beat it). C’mon, try it…you know you want to!

PLAYNORMOUS
Fun Health Games

PLAYNORMOUS
Fun Health Games

Homework: Make healthy eating fun by playing a couple rounds.

Update: I have now made it to level 12 but cannot pass…yes, I have entirely too much time on my hands.

Veganomics Lesson Six: Calculate Carbon Footprint and Reduce Carbon Emissions.

The Carbon Footprint has a calculator to determine your carbon footprint and makes suggestions to reduce emissions. Also available: Business Carbon Footprint Calculator (companies can get certified for “true green” behavior).

Some facts and figures:  

• The average footprint for people in United States is 20.4 tonnes.

• The average for the industrial nations is about 11 tonnes.

• The average worldwide carbon footprint is about 4 tonnes.  

• To combat climate change the worldwide average needs to reduce to 2 tonnes.

My carbon footprint: 8.736 tonnes. I need to add a couple of notes, which are that (A) My apartment does not have natural gas and is all electric and (B) I used the figures from my new 4-cylinder sedan and not my previous V-6 sedan. Also, I do not travel much (and don’t really care to).

Your Footprint	Country Average	World Target

Some common and fairly easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint:

• Turn down the thermostat, even a couple of degrees.

• Turn off lights and only turn on lights when you absolutely need them.

• Turn off “standby” functions on televisions, laptops, and other electronics. Power down appliances when not in use. 

• Wash in cold water instead of warm or hot. If you are worried about germs, buy a detergent or bleach meant for cold water. Also, dry your laundry on the lowest heat possible.

• Only boil the amount of water needed (such as in a tea kettle). If you are only making one cup of tea, boil just enough water. Bonus: this will greatly reduce the heating time and you’ll have your tea sooner!

• Swap regular light bulbs for energy saving bulbs and save money while saving the planet.

• Reuse disposable products such as plastic bags and cups. Or, better yet, bring those eco-chic reusable bags to the grocery store and bring your own travel mug to the coffeehouse.

• Use a shorter wash cycle on your dishwasher and turn off the “heated dry” option if available. Only run the dishwasher on full loads.

• Unplug your cell phone as soon as it is finished charging. Also, to save battery life, only charge when you receive the “low battery” signal, then charge completely. You will extend how long the battery lasts as well as save energy by charging in concentrated bursts.

• Buy local produce as well as meat products and household goods.

• Follow the golden rule: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

• Use your fuel consumption by checking out this wikiHow article on How to Save Money on Gas.

• Ditto for electricity. Read 13 Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill from AOL Money & Finance.

These are simple, painless ways to reduce emissions and shrink your carbon footprint. What’s more, adopting these practices will also save money (particularly in gas and electric bills), making you economically savvy and ecologically smart.

Another way to help? Offset emissions by donating to carbon reduction projects, such as reforestation/tree-planting and clean energy. For reliable places to donate, read more about Carbon Offsets. When you determine your carbon footprint, the calculator will tell you ways to offset your emissions and the prices. The amounts are less than you think ($25-50 donations go a long way, I would need to donate about $100 annually to offset my entire carbon footprint).   

Homework: Implement simple yet effective strategies to reduce my carbon footprint.

I normally donate $100 a year to a cause of my choice. I’ve already donated to my cause this year, but I am considering setting aside an extra $100 to offset my carbon emissions.

Veganomics Lesson Five: Learn the Go Green Lingo! 

Do the buzz work of the green moment leave you scratching your head? Brush up on your vocab words!

Get hip to the definitions by visiting re:modern’s Green Modern Glossary of Terms and sift through Green Jargon and Terminology at Green Living Tips.

Some common terms:

Bright green: An optimistic outlook that technological breakthroughs will save the day, making life more comfortable and energy efficient.

Dark green: A pessimistic view of the future. It includes those who expect energy-deprived civilization to collapse and those who foresee a future that’s more like the past, in which food is grown locally and people reach their destinations on foot or by streetcar rather than by automobiles.

DIY: Do-It-Yourself. Creating things yourself without the help of professionals. A mentality that often goes hand-in-hand with recycling and conserving resources.

Eco-chic: A product or good that is both eco-friendly and hip.

Eco-friendly: An alternative to goods usually bought in most stores. These products are made with ecology and the environment in mind.

Fair Trade: A social movement that promotes standards for international labor and gives workers a sense of economic self sufficiency through fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged populations. 

Going Green: A phrase referring to individual action that a person can consciously take to curb harmful effects on the environment through consumer habits, behavior, and lifestyle. 

Greenhouse effect: The warming of the Earth’s atmosphere attributed to a buildup of carbon dioxide and other gases that retain heat and warm the planet’s surface.

Greenwashing: Greenwashing is a superficial nod to the environment that marketers and businesses that historically were not interested in sustainable concerns, are doing in order to improve their public relation standings with the consumer or public. Analogous to brainwashing. Don’t be fooled by dishonest companies employing greenwashing techniques.

Organic: Of or relating to a product that is solely made from plants or insects. Organic materials and products often carry certifications according to industry.

Shade grown: If you buy Fair Trade-certified coffee, tea and chocolate, it is usually shade-grown. This means that the products you buy provide shelter for migratory birds and help reduce global warming.

Sustainable: Actions and products that meet current needs without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Sustainability is a broad term and often refers to the desire to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural environments both now and into the indefinite future.

Head spinning or want some more? Check of Ideal Bite’s Biter Lexicon.

Homework: Next time someone talks about the Go Green! movement, talk the talk (and then walk the walk!). Tres eco-chic.