With the NFL season underway and rapidly heating up, articles surrounding NFL-related topics are obviously trending.  Well, that got me to thinking, and then to reading, and now to sharing what I’ve learned…

credit: www.sportslogos.net

credit: www.sportslogos.net

As a New York Giants fan myself, I find it painful to share what I am about to, but since this blog is dedicated to the sharing of knowledge surrounding all things green, I find I have a duty to my audience.  The Philadelphia Eagles are leading the charge for greener football organizations, and more teams should be like them. There! I said it, and I refuse to ever repeat myself.  Nonetheless, the sustainability enhancements that the Eagles’ decision-makers have made should be admirable to any football fan, regardless of team colors.

On the roof areas of the stadium and parking lot at Philly‘s Lincoln Financial Field, over 11,000 solar panels work each day to generate energy for the stadium.  And if that’s not good enough for you, rest assured that those solar panels work in partnership with the 14 wind turbines on the top of stadium, which continuously help to pump energy back into the area’s power grid, even when the sun goes down.  So, how big of an impact could these small touches have on such a huge venue?  Factually, their impact is sufficient enough to propel Lincoln Financial Field to its current standing as the only carbon-neutral, off-the-grid stadium in the country.

This is obviously no small feat, but one we should look forward to other teams replicating soon.  As awareness continues to grow, the responsibility to implement change is increasingly taken by the professional sports organizations of today’s world.  With only three years under its belt, the Green Sports Alliance meets every year in NYC, providing one such outlet by which the sports industry’s leaders can gather for the collective exploration of options to better current practices and the furthered progression of green programs.  More and more changes are being seen as a result of new idea generation and new standards for comparable venues, and hopefully we will soon reach the point in time where the nature of these eco-friendly practices moves from future conception to modern convention.  Food for thought.

For fellow NY Giants fans, and even those of the NY Jets, here is some [older] information I dug up on our venue, MetLife Stadium.

travcranberry.With today marking the first official day of the Autumn season, I figured this week’s recipe should be a tribute of sorts to summertime cookouts with friends and family, but more importantly to distract us, at least in the northeast, from the idea that this is only a few months away.

Below is my fresh take on chicken salad, a summertime staple and favorite of barbequers across the country. One of the main differences in my interpretation is that it utilizes fresh cranberries, which are harvested in the fall (therefore linking the summer and autumn in one fell swoop of a recipe. See how clever I am!), and have shown the ability to prevent urinary tract infections. In addition, researchers are investigating whether the potent berries are beneficial in the prevention of stomach ulcers.[1] Needless to say, cranberries can have a profound impact on your health, which only makes this delicious ingredient even sweeter, and worthy of a highlight in my interpretation of chicken salad.

Now, without further ado here is the chicken salad that will make you think twice on this traditional barbeque staple.

Ingredients:

Canola oil for coating
Salt and pepper
Garlic and onion powders
1-1/2 chicken breasts
¼ of a red onion
1 clove garlic
1 small stalk of celery
½ jalapeño pepper
5 leaves fresh basil
1 tablespoon of parsley
¼ cup unsalted peanuts
¼ cup fresh cranberries
1 wedge lime
1 cup of mayonnaise

Method:

Step1: Clean the chicken wash and dry.  Rub oil over it (preferably canola oil because it does not add flavor to the chicken, but will help to tenderize and break down the protein), sprinkle some salt, black pepper, onion, and garlic powder to both sides of the chicken.

Step 2: Grill chicken on the barbeque.

Step 3: While chicken is cooking, cut up the vegetables including onion, garlic, celery, jalapeño, fresh basil and parsley.

Step 4: When chicken is finished cooking, let cool to room temperature, cut into cubes and mix in with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for an hour and serve cold.

*In this recipe the mayonnaise acts more as a binder rather than a central ingredient. This is to highlight the rest of the ingredients in the recipe, while still staying true to form as a traditional chicken salad*

Makes about three servings                                                                                       


[1] http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=145

Autumn Equinox

Credit: Turnerbooks.tbpcontrol.co.uk

Autumn equinox officially begins at 4:44 p.m. today. This is a great time to celebrate a season rich in delicious food (fruits, vegetables, specialty recipes), beautiful and refreshing weather, fun times with fall festivals, sporting events, family time walking, leaf watching, relaxing and taking time out for self.

What is the autumn equinox?

The time of the year when the sun is directly over the equator.  This year it occurs on September 22nd at 4:44 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time.  After today, the days will become shorter, with the shortest day of the year occurring on the first day of winter.

What does the word equinox mean?

The word equinox comes from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night).  On the day of the autumn equinox, day and night are approximately 12 hours each.

We here at LGBG invite you to celebrate the season with us as we continue to learn, inform and share all things green.

“There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

English: Fall in Napa Valley

English: Fall in Napa Valley (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This Sunday, September 22nd, is the autumn equinox, signaling the official start of fall, and we here at LGBG would like to mark this occasion by discussing ways to put green in your fall season.  While many of us lament the passing of spring and summer with warmer temperatures and opportunities for longer days with outdoor activities and parties, as well as easier access to local fresh fruits and vegetables, we must not forget that the autumn or harvest season is a wonderful time for the same, often in greater abundance.  We do acknowledge that with vacation time over and children back in school, we often have to work a little harder to live green, but the opportunities to do so are present in the fall.

Perhaps the first and most important step to have a green autumn is to view the new season as a time for change and welcome the chance to embrace this period.  Here is a list of good and green things about autumn that we hope will interest you.

  • The fall is a great time for outdoor activities.  With cooler temperatures, walking, running, jogging and biking activities are more enjoyable.  Youth football, soccer and field hockey seasons are in full swing, and the children get to hone their skills while getting good exercise.  This is a great chance to get in the game– kicking or throwing the ball around with your children is good for the whole family in terms of exercise and time spent together.  Also, while children are attending practices, this is a perfect time to go for a walk or run.
  • Football also is a huge fall attraction.  Hosting a college or NFL football party or celebrating a child’s team with a focus on healthy green fare or simply having a family party where each family member prepares a green dish can be a lot of fun.  As a bonus, take your game outside and throw the football during halftime.
  • Autumn is an opportune time to enjoy many delicious foods and to experiment with recipes.  This is the time of color, and that color transcends to fruits and vegetables, whose nutritional benefits are well documented.  Scientific evidence shows that pigmented fruits and vegetables are rich in phytonutrients — compounds that fight off free radicals that cause cancer and that can increase the risk of heart disease and other enemies to the body that cause diabetes, osteoporosis and more.  Of particular note is the fall apple harvests and fall festivals celebrating the apple with enjoyable offerings.
  • The autumn season provides each of us an opportunity to realign with nature.  While we often scramble around enjoying the warmer months, now is the time to slow down, use the cooler evenings as a time to rest, relax, read, meditate and spend time on yourself.  Take the time to enjoy the changing leaves.  Hiking with family and walking pets can be very relaxing.

Autumn is a very special and beautiful season, dramatically ushered in by that big harvest moon.  To embrace this time with its bounty in nutritious food and opportunities for great family fun, as well as the chance for self introspection and renewal, is to live green be green.

Heavens Garden

Sources:

1.  http://www.care2.com/greenliving/seven-food-colors-of-health.html.
2.  http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6480/5-Tips-to-Stay-Healthy-in-Autumn.html.


  

The Millennial Trains Project, a traveling incubator designed by 26-year-old Georgetown University graduate, Patrick Dowd, is pioneering innovation through contemplation and collaboration via a symbolic train ride from San Francisco to Washington, DC, with 10 other stops along the journey.  Dowd’s inspiration for this endeavor came as a result of observing the Occupy Wall Street movement while working in New York for JP Morgan when he questioned whether the dissatisfaction of so many young people could be channeled into something positive.  Having participated in a similar train project involving young entrepreneurs while traveling as a Fulbright scholar in India (the Jagriti Yatra), Dowd decided to undertake a similar venture in the United States.

In the spirit and mindset of a true Millennial, Dowd did not allow his lack of experience deter him from planning this project.  As an innovator, he made the project about ” ‘vision and passion’ and daring to fail,” rather than being burdened by finances and “business plans.”  He set a goal to find backers, railroad cars and innovative passengers willing to take the trip.  Dowd first set out to find sponsors for his plan and was successful in getting the support of Betsy Broun, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  She then assisted him in networking and bringing other sponsors aboard, including the Norfolk Southern rail line.  Dowd was able to locate two 1953 sleepers and a 1948 domed observation car.  Also, he was able to secure the services of some chefs to prepare delicious meals for the passengers.

With the functional details in place, Dowd then went about selling his idea of a train ride across the country for young innovative entrepreneurs, offering a unique opportunity to connect with the landscape, each other and other businesses and entrepreneurs along the way.  Using social media platforms, he garnered the attention of many interested people, and the individuals selected to go were the first ones who were able to pay for the trip, with many of them raising the funds through crowdsourcing on the Internet.

Of course the idea of a whistle-stop train crossing America carrying someone who wants to deliver a message or engage citizens is not novel.   Perhaps the most famous whistle-stop tours were those used for the presidential campaigns of Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman.  With limited access to face-to-face contact because of transportation limitations in terms of traveling time and with lack of televisions in American homes, whistle-stop train tours were effective in maintaining personal contact with citizens.  The unique idea in the Millennial Trains Project is that this whistle-stop train is “a campaign that is not trying to elect anyone,” but rather about “reimagining what we can do as a country over the next 10 years.”

As President Barack Obama stated in his speech celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, “change does not come from Washington, but to Washington.”  The Millennial Trains Project is symbolic of the movement underway in which the Millennial Generation is quietly making a difference and bringing their ideas to Washington.  This project also is founded on the recognition that this generation is not the group of slackers as they are often portrayed by former generations.  Rather, with their extensive education, technology skills, networking abilities, willingness to compromise and innovative spirit, they are the pioneers of a new era that is focused on justice, social and economic equality, environmental protection, sustainability, improved living conditions for all people, and acknowledgement that happiness in life is important.

We here at LGBG will be following the three upcoming trips scheduled by the Millennial Trains Project, and we will keep our readers informed of any developments or opportunities to participate in this worthy project.

Source:   Leiby, Richard (2013, September 10).  Thinking Things Forward.  Millennial Trains Project is an incubator powered by ideas.  The Washington Post, pp. C1, C2.

Deviled eggs are a staple for NFL Sunday football, and this recipe adds shrimp and bacon to the mix, making this a particularly tasty treat.  The addition of instant potato flakes gives extra body to the filling.  Any extra yolk can be sprinkled over a spinach salad, adding another healthy and delicious dish for your football celebration.  An added plus is that this dish can be prepared the day before and chilled until game time.

This dish can be made healthier by purchasing eggs from local farmers.  Also, be mindful of your shrimp purchase by buying shrimp raised here in the United States as opposed to farm raised products imported from other countries, particularly southeast Asia where the seafood may have been treated with high levels of antibiotics or may not have been inspected.

deviled-eggs-ck-1599652-x

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr (Credit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1.  8 large hard-boiled eggs shelled.
2.  1/4 cup instant potato flakes.
3.  1/4 cup of fat-free mayonnaise.
4.  1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives.
5.  2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.
6.  1/4 teaspoon salt.
7.  1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
8.  1/8 teaspoon of ground red pepper.
9.  1/2 cup of cooked medium shrimp peeled and chopped.
10.  2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
11.  3 slices of center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled.

Directions

Cut eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks. Place 4 yolks in a medium bowl; reserve remaining yolks for another use. Add potato flakes and next 6 ingredients (through red pepper) to yolks; stir well. Stir in shrimp and parsley. Spoon about 1 rounded tablespoon shrimp mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle with bacon.

Source:  Julianna Grimes Bottcher & Ann Taylor Pittman, Cooking Light 
APRIL 2007

 

If you are planning to have a special, healthy menu that satisfies those with discerning tastes, I suggest that you make this dish part of your Sunday NFL celebration.  You definitely will be a hit, and win or lose, everyone will be happy and smiling.  Figs, especially the fresh ones, are a good source of potassium.  They help lower the blood pressure (which is especially important if your team is losing).  They are a rich source of manganese and Vitamin B6.  Also 8 oz of figs have only 37 calories.

Balsamic Fig Glaze for Grilled Chicken Kebabs

Travis4 

 

 

 

Travis3

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs of fresh organic figs
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • ¼ Spanish onion
  • ½ jalapeño
  • ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Serving size 10 cups

 Directions

Travispic1 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 1: Place figs on the grill on high heat for 15 minutes or until figs have a nice char on the outside and begin to break apart

Step 2: in a large pot sauté the chopped onion, garlic and jalapeño in olive oil for five minutes.

Travis5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3: Add whole grilled figs, balsamic and apple cider vinegars, along with cumin, coriander, paprika, ginger, salt and pepper into the pot. Bring pot to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow mixture to simmer for 30-45 minutes until desired texture.

*Note: this recipe also works well if you desire vinaigrette for a salad with the desirable cooking time being 25 minutes.

Step 4: Allow glaze to cool for 15-30 minutes.

Step 5: Blend mixture until smooth.

Travis6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6: Place grilled chicken on skewers, dip in fig glaze and enjoy!

 

The return of football season is, as President Calvin Coolidge put it, a return to normalcy for many of us: the fantasy football leagues, the trash-talking amongst friends, the stats, and of course, what football discussion would be complete without discussing a factor that on occasion eclipses the importance of the game (especially if you are a Jets fan like myself), the tailgate. Even if you are not at the game, though, Sunday football is always an occasion to treat yourself and continue in many ways that great summer barbecue-potluck tradition.   We here at LGBG feel exactly the same way. However, despite popular belief, just because we are going big, we do not have to go against the environment. It is actually incredibly easy to make great food for Sunday football and still be eco-friendly. The eco-friendliness of one’s food depends merely on how it is prepared and how it is served. Today I am going to help walk you through making a great recipe, while still doing our duty as citizens committed to a greener world. With that said, let us get down to business so we may move  on to the more important part, eating.

Some may call me a heretic, but a great place to start to ensure an eco-friendly recipe is not to bring the grill with you to the parking lot or to turn it on at home. Simply put, burning charcoal is terrible for the environment and for those around you. A natural gas grill would be a better option for those who are environmentally conscious, but the best option is to skip it altogether. This, however, as my recipe will show, does not mean we will not have a mouth-watering dish that will be the talk of the crew (also a great release for your passive-aggressiveness against your neighbor, Steve). Everyone loves his potato salad with bacon in it; however, you know he buys it from that gourmet deli two towns over, but you are too much the man to be petty about these things. You have to beat him with your own two hands. Maybe that way your wife will stop talking about how many more vacations Steve and his family get to take. I don’t know, this is how the suburbs work right: mellow drama, hidden rivalries, and “friendships” based on convenience).

Now that we’ve eliminated the grill, we still need to figure out the specifics of serving our mouth-watering dish. The simple and common answer is to go out and buy a large number of plastic utensils and paper plates.  It may be the easy option but the momentary convenience of this option results in both wasted money, as well as a contribution to waste in our landfills (if they even reach them). The eco-friendlier, as well as cheaper option, is to merely bring your own plates and utensils. While it may mean more cleanup at the end of the day, you are doing yourself and the environment a favor.

Now we are getting to the recipe itself, but before we start cooking, we need our ingredients and if we want to eco-friendly we want them local.

In the process of buying local for Sunday football, you can benefit yourself, your community, and the environment: locally grown food tastes better, has a greater and more beneficial impact on your local economy, and reduces your carbon footprint. The longer it takes for food to reach your plate, the less nutritional value it holds for you. Food purchased at big box stores, unless noted as being locally grown, has usually been in cold storage for days.  The food you purchase at a local farmers market has typically been picked in the last twenty-four hours, and as such, has a greater nutritional value than food that has been in cold storage. This ties in with the taste factor; locally grown food tastes better. It is picked at the peak of ripeness, and you have it on your plate within a day of that. With regards to produce that has been put in cold-storage, it has most likely been picked while still green and gassed in order to make it ripe. Simply put, fresher is always better.  Another great benefit of buying local is the benefit to your local community. By buying local, you are pumping more money into your local economy which will have a greater multiplier effect than if you were to buy from a big chain store. You are supporting a local business whose entire infrastructure is based in your area, and as such, all of their expenditures take place in your local economy; this is as opposed to a big chain store whose produce comes from all over the country and through overhead sends a great deal of the money spent in these stores to areas other than the local economy.

It is also important to recognize the beneficial environmental impact that buying local provides. The ingredients of the average American meal travel 1,500 miles to reach your plate.  By switching to one locally grown meal a week, Americans could save 1.1 million barrels of oil. Overall organic local systems leave a carbon footprint equivalent to 40% of that of non-locally grown food through cutting out long transportation, as well as utilizing organic methods.  Furthermore, when you buy local, you are promoting more open space in your area. You are giving a viable economic reason to have more space, which is carbon absorbing as opposed to carbon producing high rises or commercial/industrial districts. If you don’t know where to start when looking for locally grown food or farmers markets, http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/ is here to help you.

Lastly, we come to the recipe, which I freely admit is not my own. You can ask the editor (my former roommate), I am the farthest thing on the spectrum from a Chef so I have turned to more capable hands.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Nachos

GDE-PasstheSushi-twoIngredients:

  • 2 chicken breasts, about 3/4 lbs.
  • 2-3 tbs chipotle sauce (found in the Hispanic food aisle near the adobo pepper in chipotle sauce – otherwise, just pulse some of those with the sauce and use as a substitute)
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed (I store my extra in the fridge in an airtight container to throw onto salads and in other things throughout the week)
  • Tortilla chips
  • 1/2 red pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 green pepper, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 – 1 cup shredded cheese of choice (just discovered a chipotle Cheddar that I’m kind of obsessed with)
  • 4 scallions, chopped, green part only
  • 1 jalapeno
  • Sour cream, guacamole, salsa

 Preparation:

Place the chicken in a slow cooker with chipotle sauce and barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on high for 3 – 4 hours, or until easily shred with a fork. Reduce heat to warm setting, shred chicken, add additional barbecue sauce if desired. Stir in the black beans.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In an oven proof skillet, or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, arrange a single layer of chips. Top with 1/2 of the pulled chicken, peppers, onions and cheese making sure to go from edge to edge. Cover with another layer of chips and repeat with the top layer. Cover everything with cheese.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with scallions and jalapenos. If using a skillet, place a hot mat on the table and serve right from the skillet and serve with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa for dipping.

Enjoy, and remember it is you who makes this eco-friendly and you who empowers the sustainability movement through your wallet! Also, I hope the Jets beat the Bills in Week 3, and I hope the editor allows this through.

Sources:

http://passthesushi.com/slow-cooker-barbecue-nachos/

http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/

http://observer.com/2008/05/the-environmental-benefits-of-organic-and-local-food/

http://www.bidmc.org/AboutBIDMC/EnvironmentalInitiatives/ConserveEnergyandFuel/eatlocallygrownfood.aspx

Okay, so when dealing with eco-friendly recipes, there are several very loosely defined rules to abide by.  This recipe here is simple, fresh, and can be made with some home-grown ingredients, not to mention it is also extremely tasty.  Here we go…

INGREDIENTS:

2 – 2 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed down

3 – 5 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin preferred)

1 cup walnuts (about 1/2 cup finely chopped)

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano (or parmesan cheese)

1/2 cup heavy cream

pepper & salt to taste

First, you want to

Generation Y

Generation Y (Photo credit: علي – ali)

Criticism of the Millennial Generation (Generation Y) by its predecessors appears to be rampant on many fronts.  Generally, young people today have been characterized as lazy, politically apathetic, economically informed and self-consumed.   Upon closer inspection, it appears that the basis of these complaints generally lie in the potential upheaval of business as usual that is on the horizon in terms of  the Millenials’ values on politicseconomicsculture and the environment.  Clearly, the overall values of the Millennials differ significantly from those of the previous generations in many significant ways:

  • They are more charitable.
  • They are more global minded.
  • They are more tolerant of racial, ethnic, political, social and economic differences.
  • They are more informal.
  • They are more educated and receptive to technological advancements.
  • They are more adept at multitasking.
  • They embrace networking.
  • They are more environmentally conscious.

Growing Up In A World Shaped By Technology

The Millennial Generation (ages 18-30) grew up in an environment that was much different from that of their parents and grandparents.  With the development of personal computers, smart phones and tablets, this generation has easy access to the Internet, which immediately delivers information and news, accompanied by vivid real-time images devoid of the filter of time delay and editorialized reporting.  The competition to be the first to deliver breaking news has resulted in an onslaught of sources of information, such as traditional news wire services, social media platforms, including, but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc., and even individual messaging services on personal camera-equipped smart phones.  These technological advances allow those who use electronic devices to access factual information, examine the sources of the information and form their own conclusions about political, social, cultural and economic issues.

In his book, The Greatest Generation, Tom Brokaw stated, “It’s easy to make a buck.  It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.”  It seems that the Millennials have taken this advice to heart.  To a large degree, they have shown great interest in being different (than previous generations) in order to make a difference.  Consequently, the Millennial Generation has matured into a group of self thinkers, who resist previous generations’ perceived notions of success and value, particularly ownership of stuff.  Millennials are more likely to resist moving to the suburbs and buying expensive houses and cars.  They often enjoy urban living and are pleased to have access to green energy-efficient buses or to walk or ride bicycles.  A meal does not have to include meat for many of this generation.  They are more likely to be environmentally conscious and to recycle and reuse.  They love to travel and are more likely than their predecessors to visit other countries.  Most importantly, Millennials are independent thinkers, whose truth does not have to be based on a preconceived consensus.

This brand of thinking is a major problem for the previous generations, who worry about passing the torch on to this “irresponsible” next generation.  How do they have the audacity to destroy this great society that has been built on the sweat and labor of so many dedicated citizens?  The answer here is that the Millennials have identified the missing link to our very survival, namely sustainability.  They see the prior generations manipulated by corporate greed, political gridlock, racial, social and cultural intolerance and the burdens of materialism— ownership of too much stuff, overwhelming debt, depression and unhappiness.  They choose not to participate in a political system that is consumed by partisan interests and burdened by ill will, contention and gridlock. They reject value defined by ownership of material things.  Rather, they prefer to collect experiences as opposed to objects, to enjoy the world’s natural resources rather than deplete them.

There is a quiet revolution going on, a grassroots movement that is gaining momentum.  The Millennial Generation is leading an upheaval of business as usual, and this is what the world needs, a new path to healthy lifestyles and environmental consciousness.   Perhaps we all should stop and pay attention to this movement.  To do so is to live green, be green.