Rotten Food is Gross.

After a crazy few days, Im trying to get my little vegetarian mission back on track. I came across this awesome article from Vegetarian Times Magazine. As Americans, we throw away an average of $600 dollars worth of food each year. Thats crazy! I admit, sometimes I buy veggies that find their way into the back of the fridge and dont come back out until I discover that they have turned a different color that they aren't supposed to be. So now what?! How do you avoid the waste and get the most out of each produce purchase you make? This article breaks down which produce to eat first and which pesky fruits and veggies make others go bad quicker.

Where to store what:
Some produce gives off higher levels ethylene, an odorless gas that causes produce to ripen and rot faster. By separating them accordingly, you can prolong those sweet tomatoes lives :)

Refrigerate These - Gas Releasers

Apples

Apricots

Cantaloupe

Figs

Honeydew

Don't Refrigerate These - Gas Releasers

Avocados

Bananas (unripe)

Nectarines

Peaches

Pears

Plums

Tomatoes

Keep These Away From Gas Releasers

Bananas (ripe)

Broccoli

Brussel Sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Cucumber

Eggplant

Any Leafy Green

Parsley

Peas

Peppers

Squash

Sweet Potatoes

Watermelon

Here is a very helpful chart to help you plan meals to avoid wasting produce and money!! This chart is assuming you were able to get fresh, healthy items that weren't already on their way out...

Eat First: Sunday to Tuesday Artichokes Asparagus Avocados Bananas Basil Broccoli Cherries Corn Dill Green beans Mushrooms Mustard greens Strawberries Watercress

Eat Next: Wednesday to Friday Arugula Cucumbers Eggplant Grapes Lettuce Lime Mesclun Pineapple Zucchini

Eat Last: Weekend Apricots Bell peppers Blueberries Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Grapefruit Leeks Lemons Mint Oranges Oregano Parsley Peaches Pears Plums Spinach Tomatoes Watermelon

And Beyond Apples Beets Cabbage Carrots Celery Garlic Onions Potatoes Winter squash

 I found these 2 charts to be super helpful and super informative. I certainly had no idea that carrots and apples shouldn't roll in the same crowd! Happy vegetarian eating everyone!!


<3 j


     

Stuffed Mushrooms!!

Hello Strangers :)

Sorry for being MIA for so long! We moved to our new house (YAY!!) and just got internet again! You never realize how much you rely on the internet until you done have it for like 3 weeks! Anywho, I made these tonight for the first time after combining a few different recipes that sounded yummy. The turned out delicious, so I figured I'd share!


And to be fair, this isnt the most beautiful, but my firm philosophy is that the messier your food is on your plate, the tastier it is :)

Stuffed Mushrooms!

18 good sized button mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I like the Italian kind)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
5 tbs extra virgin olive oil (the recipe calls for 5, but mine came out a little oily...)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a baking dish

1. Wash those mushrooms! Remove the stems and set aside. Be careful not to destroy your little mushroom cups! If there isn't a ton of room in the mushrooms, you can use a spoon to scoop out a bit extra...
2. Mince up the mushroom stems. Combine mushroom, parm, breadcrumbs, garlic, basil, oregano, 4 tbs olive oil, and salt and pepper
3. Fill each mushroom. I found that getting those paws dirty works much better than a spoon! Line them up in your baking dish and drizzle the remaining oil over the top.
4. Cover the dish with tin foil. Bake for 20 minutes
5. Remove foil and bake for another 7-10 minutes
6. ENjoY!!


<3 J

   

When to Buy Organic - The Dirty Dozen & The Clean 15

I found this article in VegNews Magazine and have since been living by it! Either commit this puppy to memory or (like me) keep it in your phone for easy finding!

The Dirty Dozen - Buy Organic
Apples
Bell Peppers
Blueberries
Celery
Cherries
Grapes
Kale & Collard Greens
Nectarines
Peaches
Potatoes (also happens to be one of the FDA's riskiest foods in terms of food borne illness and recalls)
Spinach
Strawberries

The Clean 15
Asparagus
Avocados
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Kiwi
Mango
Onions
Pineapple
Sweet Corn
(but the corn I get from the farmers market is leaps & bounds tastier than the junk from the grocery store)
Sweet Peas
Sweet Potatoes
Watermelon


I find a good rule of thumb is to actually pay attention to what you are buying. If the produce you are buying has a fairly sturdy skin (ie pineapple) then all those pesticides are going to have a much harder time getting into the good stuff you eat. Also, if you eat the skin of the produce, I buy organic for the most part.

I hope you guys find this helpful! When do you buy organic?!

The Ag Gag Bill....

Recently I have been reading about something that really ticks me right off. Several states, including Florida, Minnesota, Iowa, and New York have had bills proposed to prohibit photography on factory farms. This would mean that any evidence from undercover investigations would be criminal material. This also means that any information we are allowed to have would come straight from the people that want to sweep their horrors under the rug. Luckily, the legislation in both Minnesota and Florida have already been put to rest.

Talk about putting a kink in information sources.....