Archive for Green Living
The 82nd Academy Awards, even Oscar is greener
Posted by: | CommentsSo did you watch the 82nd Academy Awards last night? Did you notice (when you weren’t grinning at images of George Clooney or Keira Knightley) that a number of the nominated films had an eco-theme to them? You probably spotted at least one as it was nominated for almost everything (9 nominations in all) including best picture but there were four films in total that had a semblance of green or environmental messages contained within.
Hollywood gathers every March to honour the most creative and talented movie-makers in the industry but last night marked the first Oscars ceremony that so many films which asked their respective audiences to consider matters green were all nominated. In years past the closest we tended to get to films with a global message about sustainability were typically apocalyptic in nature but last nights nominations asked questions both large and small about the way in which we live. So before I get started can you think of the four films that went before the Academy for consideration?
I’ll start with the most obvious, that being James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar. The film that has now broken all global box office records didn’t win the biggest prizes on offer for Best Picture or Director but in terms of influence you have to acknowledge the audience worldwide. In just 12 weeks the film has grossed some $2.6 billion and remarkably more than 70% of that is from markets outside the US making the film a record breaker in all markets. Has the green message of the film been lost on those who were captivated by the special effects? Research suggests no and that it was impossible to disregard the message in relation to the future of our planet - Cameron suggests the film was to be ‘motivational and ‘a cautionary tale’.
The second film you may have seen, as it received just the one nomination (best documentary feature) and also won it. The Cove was more than a film, it serves as a call to activism which you can certainly support via their website. I won’t give away everything as it’s a film that should be explored on a personal basis but the synopsis is as accurate as can be:
Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.
Our third green Oscar nominated film was a documentary that I reviewed on the blog back in November, and like ‘The Cove’ I heartily recommend that you take the time to rent or download a copy of ‘Food Inc’. It’s a film that at best will change the way you consume food or at worst will make you suggest others watch the film. We have to review the way we gather, raise and process our food. It really is as simple as that.
Finally something a little lighter but no less pertinent. I’ll even give you a clue that it was created from the book by the wonderful (and marginally subversive) Roald Dahl. Dahl had an uncanny knack of combining children’s stories with messages that reflected just how much the adults have taken us away from our goals as a society. If that seems a lofty goal for a kid’s film its because you’ve yet to see the ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ which manages to combine both. The film, nominated for best animated feature film and best original score features Mr Fox leading a campaign against a collection of evil farmers. You need to see it!
So if you are hoping to see the Oscar nominated films one wet weekend, why not start with these four?
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Meatless Monday with Porcini Parsley Pasta from Rachel Ray
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It is another Meatless Monday and we find ourselves asking the all important question: What’s for dinner? Well, here is an eco-friendly organic recipe, that is easy to make and the ingredients are readily available. This recipe comes courtesy of my favorite food-network-personality-turned-daytime-talk-show-host Rachel Ray. This recipe does say that you can use either vegetable or chicken stock, but please remember that if you want the taste of chicken stock without having meat in the pasta you can use an eco-friendly organic vegetarian chicken stock mix. Another way to make this an even healthier meal is to use either whole wheat or spelt pasta, whichever you can find in your supermarket.
Ingredients:
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 pound pappardelle or fettuccine noodle Pasta
- 1 quart vegetable or vegetarian chicken stock
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 large organic shallots, chopped
- 1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- A wedge of Pecorino Romano cheese, for grating at the table
Preparation:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain.
- While the pasta is working, in a saucepan, simmer the vegetable stock and porcinis until the mushrooms have softened, 15 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 7-8 minutes. Add the wine and reduce heat to low.
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Meatless Monday with Vegetarian Shepherds Pie
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Meatless Monday! Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative that represents an eco-friendly global movement to reduce consumption of animal products in favor of more plant-based meals to help combat global warming and improve personal health. Today’s recipe is courtesy of Food Network star Aida Mollencamp. It’s a vegetarian twist on a classic favorite – Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie:
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie – Serves 8
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium mushroom broth
- 1/3 cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into large dice
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 pounds cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
- 5 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 medium celery root, peeled and small dice
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and small dice
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and small dice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2/3 cup whole milk
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, wine, tomato paste, and flour until evenly combined and smooth. Stir in dried mushrooms and set aside to reconstitute, at least 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms before using, reserving liquid.
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with heavily salted water by 2 inches. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven on broil and place a rack in the upper third. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 3 to 4-quart Dutch oven (or oven-ready saucepan) over medium-high heat. When it foams, add half the mushrooms and cook, stirring rarely, until mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and set aside. Repeat to cook off remaining mushrooms.
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Happy Meatless Monday! As you may or may not know, Planet Forward has pledged its support to the Meatless Monday campaign – a non-profit initiative in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Meatless Monday is part of an eco-friendly worldwide movement to reduce consumption of animal products in favour of more plant-based meals to fight global warming and improve our personal health. This week, a tasty recipe from Canada’s popular top chef, TV host and cookbook author, Ken Kostick.
Ken has a fantastic new cookbook aptly named the $10 Gourmet: Restaurant-Quality Meals that won’t break the budget. This cookbook is a wonderful selection of recipes that are easy to prepare and combined with standard household ingredients, cost under $10. We’ve got a delicious recipe to share with you from Ken that features Portobello mushrooms. Portobello mushrooms are hearty and perfect as a replacement for meat in certain recipes.
Sweet Portobello Mushrooms Sautéed with Onion in a Balsamic Reduction (Serves 2)
Cost of ingredients: $6.65
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60mL) tbsp olive oil
- 3 large Portobello mushrooms, cleaned cut into lengths - $4.29
- 2 medium red onions, sliced - $0.80
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced - $1.56
- ¼ cup (60mL) balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp (2mL) dry basil
- ½ tsp (2mL) dry rosemary
- ½ tsp (2mL) chilli powder
- ½ tsp (2mL) sea salt
- ½ tsp (2mL) ground black pepper
Directions:
- Using a large sauté pan heat the oil and add all of the vegetables.
- Sauté the vegetables about 4-5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and allow the balsamic vinegar to reduce.
- Sauté about 3-4 minutes and serve immediately.
Low-Fat Option:
Use grape-seed oil.
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