My Favorite Non-Milk Alternative

As hard as I try to hate meat, I just can't. All my tree hugging seems like it should translate into vegetarianism or veganism, but I simply can't take the steps necessary. I don't eat a lot of meat anyway, and it's convenient not to have to watch myself when I go over friends houses or to restaurants. I believe that the problem with meat is not on the principle of eating it, but in the cruel way industrially farmed animals are treated (but this is a discussion for another time).

Cutting to the chase.

While I believe in the concept, because I can't force the anti-meat and anti-dairy life completely upon myself, I try to make small choices that encourage me towards a healthier and more eco-friendly diet and lifestyle. (For the record, this means choosing to eat fewer animal products, whether that means directly [meat] or indirectly [milk, eggs, cheese].) I have never liked cow milk, so a few months ago I decided that that was one of the things I'd eradicate completely from my shopping list, both for flavor reasons and in the interest of boycotting cow cruelty in my own small way.

Ever since then, I've tried a few varieties of non-cow milk, including soy, rice and almond. Even hemp (BLECH), as I've mentioned. But almond is - by FAR - my favorite.



Almond Breeze, a brand put forward by Blue Diamond Growers, is the only almond milk I know of. It's also delicious. And - wait for it - half the calories of milk. The original version is only 60 calories per serving. It also comes in Vanilla and Chocolate. Unfortunately, it tends to be a bit more expensive than soy milk (which you can actually find for rather cheap, depending upon where you go), usually around $5, so I buy only every so often.

EDIT: I have since discovered you can buy this brand at BJs for $3 a half gallon. Now that's what I'm talking about!

For once, a non-Whole Foods spiritual awakening!

Now, I must give a shout-out to a recently discovered green jewel of a store in Flushing, Queens. I just got back from Israel and moved into my apartment with little to no food. For about a day I fretted and ate cereal. Then I realized I needed to venture out into the world and buy groceries. (If I had had my way, I'd starve for a few days until I could go into a Whole Foods in Manhattan.) But I'd been hearing about the Queens Health Emporium for months and had meant to go there all last semester of college, and I figured hey, perfect timing! Let me tell you, it was a religious experience.

http://www.queenshealthemporium.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=3A20595CF4BE438B8B88046DC554AF46



From this moment onward, I am calling this store my convenient Whole Foods of Queens. It has been open since 1984 and though obviously not as spacious or atmospheric as a Whole Foods, the QHE has a gigantic variety of organic, all-natural foods including vegetarian and vegan alternatives to things like meat and dairy. They are a bit more expensive than a conventional grocery store, as you can expect more earth-friendly products to be; however, you can find some good deals. I got two large bags of organic Gala apples and Valencia oranges for less than $3 each.

The rows are a little bit squished though, I will admit, because though the store is a decent size, it holds a lot. There is even a natural skincare section in there, and a whole counter of natural cosmetics. The first floor has produce, chocolate and energy bars, skincare and cosmetics, cereal, pasta, dairy, frozen food, etc. It also has an alcove where you can bag your own granola (there are tons of varieties and I must say, my Wild Blueberry with Flax is delicious), lentils, beans and nuts. The second floor has cookbooks and healthier versions of typical snacks like popcorn, chips, crackers and cookies. And not all of it is stuff you haven't seen before - QHE just picks healthy foods and stocks them. You will see Luna Bars, pita chips, Pirate's Booty, and TLC crackers. But you'll also see a whole array of crazy things like organically harvested honey, peanut butter, cereal and pasta sauce, as well as all kinds of milk, including cow, goat, soy, rice, and even HEMP (but don't try it - I have and it's gross).

I swear, I almost hyperventilated at the variety. Also, the staff behind the counter is very nice and helpful and had no problem packing my $130 worth of groceries into two large reusable bags and a backpack.

My three favorite purchases so far:
1) Dorset Cereals Super Cranberry, Cherry and Almond ($4 or so for a box)
This cereal is truly orgasmic. It's called a muesli, which means a mixture of grains, fruits, nuts and seeds altogether. In addition to dried cranberries, cherries and almonds, it has raisins and sunflower seeds. Trust me, it tastes like health, and health tastes gooooooood (it even makes high fiber taste good!). It is simply a flavor explosion in the mouth - the textured mixture of dry, crunchy and sweet really works - and I highly recommend a large bowl with some vanilla soymilk.



2) I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter ($5 or so for a jar)
Though its packaging isn't all that elaborate (hellooo primary colors), this is a great peanut butter alternative. I actually love peanut butter but I realize it's not doing me any favors, especially conventional brands. SoyNut butter is unmistakably not peanut butter-y in taste, and yet there's something very charming and delicious about it. Definitely worth a shot!



3) Galaxy Nutritional Foods Rice Shreds Cheddar Cheese ($3.19 for a bag)
I bought the cheddar, though I couldn't find a picture of it (the one below is mozzarella). This non-dairy, vegan cheese made out of rice is certainly different. It's a lot lighter and crumblier than milk versions, while still tasting very good. I added it to some brown rice tonight to make it cheesy, and loved it. Recommended for lactose intolerant people, vegans and those wishing to have a lighter eco-footprint.



The store is popular among Queens residents - I was there close to closing time (8pm) and it was still buzzing. For the interested, Queens Health Emporium is located at 15901 Horace Harding Expressway, Flushing, NY 11365.

A bit of reuse genius!

Everyone's heard that old adage about reduce, reuse, recycle. I happened upon a website that gives new meaning to the notion of reuse! The site is called "Reknit," and is run by Haik Avanian. Avanian's mother, apparently an avid knitter, will accept 30 orders per month to repurpose peoples' old sweaters into a new garment! Examples of new clothing items the orderer can receive include socks, gloves, scarves and hats. You do have to pay $30, but the website's gallery shows pictures of after-products and they are certainly well-made. I think it's a really cute idea. Now you can even sign up to "be a mom" and knit for the site.

If you're interested, check it out: http://www.rekn.it/

HOW IT WORKS (according to the site):


1.) you send an old sweater to my mom
2.) she unravels & reknits it into something new.
3.) a brand new, hand-made, one of a kind item is sent back to you.

Here's an example from January:

A hopeful introduction into home gardening...

Unfortunately for me, I know very little about gardening. But: I am determined to learn, and plan to plant my own extensive, brightly colored garden when I own a home a few light years from now. I've learned and preached so much about organic and locally-grown foods and have begun to buy them for my own eating pleasures, but this coming year I want to kick it up a notch.



This is a Windowsill Strawberry Garden from Clean Air Gardening (cleanairgardening.com). The website says: "Each kit includes a 13" galvanized windowsill tray, seed packets, potting soil and growing instructions. Just water the seedlings and leave them with plenty of indirect sunshine." Seems easy enough! I've also seen windowsill tomato gardens, along with strawberry, very commonly sold. Both on this website and in pharmacies like CVS the kits sell for about $10.

Just think about how amazing it would be that with so little effort, you could grow your own strawberries and tomatoes right on your windowsill, fresh and in abundance. Windowsill gardening is a one-time investment, too, and the fruits, veggies and herbs will just keep on coming. This is a vision I have for my own future, growing all the produce I love to eat right in my own home. That way you save money and have the advantage of knowing exactly where your food came from, and have a freshness guarantee!

And the notion of efficient gardening has been in the news lately.
Check out these roof gardens, or "green roofs":




EVEN MICHELLE OBAMA IS DOING IT! Go White House organic gardening!


I've been doing a lot of research on organic gardening (thanks, Planet Green!) and have a few resources you can use should you also have the itch like me:

1) 66 Things You Can Can Grow At Home: In Containers, Without a Garden
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/sixtysixthings-growhome-containers-withoutgarden.html
Did you know you can grow a whole variety of things right in your own home, including fruits like apples, cherries, bananas and even pineapple!; veggies like squash, carrots, cucumbers and a variety of leafy greens; herbs like paaaarsely, saaaaage, rosemaaaary and thyyyyyyme (shoutout to Simon & Garfunks there); and other healthy stuff like aloe vera and herbal tea? If you don't believe me, just click the link.

2) Your Complete Guide to Summer Vegetable Gardening
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/your-complete-guide-to-summer-vegetable-gardening.html

3) Top 35 Ways to Succeed at Organic Gardening
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/ways-succeed-organic-gardening.html
Includes tips about watering, pest control, lawncare, weeds and composting.

The most amazing thing since sliced bread!

There's a new trash can cruising the streets of Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and good old Philly, and it's mean, green, and solar-powered...



It's called the BigBelly Solar Trash Can, and I'm simply amazed at the concept. The trash can is effective in big cities because it automatically compacts what’s inside to save space and limit the number of times it needs to be emptied. It is able to reduce the size of the trash inside by 80 percent, and when the trash is compacted, each can is capable of holding 150 gallons of waste. Not only that, but it's solar-powered and sends a text message to city hall when it’s full and ready for collection. This means fewer scheduled collection times, which reduces fuel use and air pollution from garbage trucks.

In August of last year, Philadelphia replaced 700 downtown trash cans with 500 BigBelly cans and 210 companion recycling units (attachments that allow for the collection of recyclables like paper and plastic bottles). With the new system, weekly collection trips have dropped from 17 to five, translating into a savings of 70 percent – or $13 million over the next 10 years.

How does the BigBelly do it, ask you? Well, the power to compress waste comes from a 12-volt battery that is charged daily using a solar panel. The cans contain wireless devices that allow them to communicate with waste collectors.

Multi-faceted, effective, efficient...what's not to love? Already college campuses like Arizona State University and Georgetown University use the BigBelly...I'm thinking a major overhaul of Queens College in the future!

Source:
http://earth911.com/news/2010/05/25/solar-powered-trash-cans-save-cities-millions/