A New Perspective

New things that have never been seen before can be revealed with just a change of perspective. This is the type of mindset that famous French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand held when he released his first documentary film, Home.

The film is a commentary of the impact that humans have on their cumulative home, Earth. What makes Home stand out is that it gives viewers a new look at their home, as the whole film is shot in an aerial perspective. With the film, Arthus-Bertrand shares his love and concern for the beautiful world. Interestingly, given the nature of the film, the whole production was carbon offset with sums of money that was paid towards providing people with clean energy. Below is the trailer that was released for the film:

The whole film was released by Arthus-Bertrand to the world for no cost, and it can be viewed on various video streaming websites.

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DIY Project: Repurpose a Light Bulb!

Ever wonder what you can do with a burned out lightbulb? Here is a creative and eco-friendly idea found on instructables.com that will help you repurpose your old lightbulbs into mini terrariums or planters! One IMPORTANT note: make sure NOT to use fluorescent light bulbs as they contain phosphor which is toxic.

First, follow these steps on how to hollow out a lightbulb. Please make sure an adult is nearby to supervise these steps. Then go ahead and fill your mini terrarium with moss, soil, and rocks from your backyard! To stand up your lightbulb, some ideas include using an aluminum ring from an old hard drive, or constructing a stand from a piece of wire.

Get creative and have fun with this project!

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Meatless Monday: Sweet Potato Burritos

Happy Monday! As always, we bring you a tasty meatless recipe for your enjoyment. Eating even one meatless meal per week can help reduce your environmental footprint, and is healthy, too!

Sweet Potato Burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups canned kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
• 12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
3. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve.

Recipe and picture originally posted on All Recipes.

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Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Banana Squash

Happy Monday! Once again we bring you a delicious and healthy meal!

Did you know?– a quarter pounder is worth more than 30 average American showers. Eating less meat can help save water and reduce your ecological footprint! (source: National Geographic) Here is a tasty meatless recipe to enjoy!

Autumn Stuffed Banana Squash

Ingredients:

1 Banana Squash (or a few smaller squash of your choice), halved, seeded, and ends chopped
3-4 Tbl olive oil
3 c. cooked quinoa (I cooked mine in veggie broth)
juice of 1 lemon (add a little zest for extra flavor)
2 apples, cored and chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1 c. pecans (thinking of toasting these in the skillet for a few minutes next time so they maintain more crispiness)
1 c. raisins
Sage, 1 Tbl. fresh or 1 tsp. dried
sea salt and pepper to taste
optional veggie cheese of choice to sprinkle on right before serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rub 1-2 Tbl olive oil onto flesh of halved squash.  Rub in salt and pepper (to taste).  Lay flesh down on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes (30 for smaller squash.)

2. While it bakes, add 2 Tbl. olive oil, onion and celery to skillet.  Cook until softened and shimmery.  Add sea salt and pepper to taste.  In a large bowl toss apple with lemon juice.  Add quinoa, pecans, raisins, sage and sauteed celery and onions.

3. Pull the squash out of the oven, flip over and fill with quinoa stuffing.  Cover with foil and bake for another 30-45 minutes, or until flesh is soft in the center.

Recipe and picture originally posted on Good Clean Food!

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Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Chickpea, Beet, and Apple Panini

Happy Monday! Start off your week with this delicious panini.

Here are some statistics about a the meat alternative to this vegetarian delight, the cheeseburger. According to Open the Future, 66 to 3000 grams of CO2 emissions are produced per cheeseburger. This does not include emissions from the restaurant operations and energy from driving to the restaurant. “Estimates for the average American diet range from an average of about one per week, or about 50/year.” Replace what might be your weekly burger with a healthier, savory sandwich.

Chickpea, Beet, and Apple Panini

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
8 slices sesame semolina bread (8 oz.)
1 medium golden beet, peeled and sliced
1 Granny smith apple, thinly sliced
¼ cup broccoli or radish sprouts
4 Tbs. prepared black olive tapenade

Directions:

1. Pulse chickpeas, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and tarragon in food processor until chunky.

2. Spread chickpea mixture on 4 bread slices. Top with beet and apple slices, and sprouts. Spread remaining 4 bread slices with tapenade; close sandwiches.

3. Spray panini with cooking spray. Coat skillet or grill pan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Place panini in pan; weight with smaller-diameter saucepan weighted with 2 cans. Cook 3 minutes. Flip, replace weight, and cook 2 minutes. (Or cook 4 minutes in panini maker.)

Recipe originally posted on Vegetarian Times.

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Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Mondays: Eggplant Panini with Pesto

Happy Monday!

Check out the Center for Investigative Reporting’s video on the Hidden Costs of Hamburgers as part of the their Food for 9 Billion challenge.

Eggplant Panini with Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, about 12-14 oz
• kosher salt to taste
• olive oil spray (I used my misto)
• 12 oz french bread (or baguette), cut into 4 pieces
• 4 slices part skim mozzarella cheese (Sargento )
• 2 tbsp skinny pesto 
• 8 thin sliced tomato

Directions:

Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the eggplant slices on a paper towel and season with salt; set aside about 30 minutes. This will help draw some of the moisture out of the eggplant. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Preheat panini grill. Lightly spritz eggplant with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. When the grill is hot, grill eggplant about 7-8 minutes, turning once half way through. Set aside. Slice the bread open and place 3 slices of grilled eggplant, 1 slice of mozzarella, 1/2 tablespoon of pesto, and 2 slices of tomatoes on each sandwich.

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Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Grilled Eggplant, Grape Tomato, and Feta Salad with Basil, Parsley, and Caper Sauce

Happy Monday!

The 9 Billion states that protein production through the consumption of livestock requires 8 times as many fossil fuels to be produced than protein derived from plants. Get your daily protein this monday from our tasty Grilled eggplant recipe!

Grilled Eggplant, Grape Tomato, & Feta Salad with Basil, Parsley, & Caper Sauce

Ingredients:

8 medium-sized Japanese or Asian Eggplants
olive oil, for brushing eggplants
salt and fresh-ground black pepper for seasoning eggplants
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup crumbled Feta (or more)

Sauce Ingredients:

(This makes much more sauce than you need for the salad, but it’s good on any type of grilled meat, grilled vegetables, or sliced tomatoes.  The sauce will keep more than a week in the fridge.) 
2/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup parsley leaves (flat or curly)
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 T Dijon mustard
3 T capers
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high.  (You can only hold your hand there for a few seconds at that heat.)  Wash the eggplants if needed and cut off both ends.  Cut the eggplants lengthwise, brush both sides with olive oil, and season the cut side with salt and pepper
2. Lay eggplants on the grill cut side down, and cook until you see nice grill marks (about 5-7 minutes.)  Turn eggplants and cook about 5 minutes more on the other side, or until eggplant is softened and nicely browned.  Remove eggplant to a cutting board to cool.
3. Make the amazing sauce while the eggplants cool.  If needed, wash and spin dry the basil and parsley leaves.  Slice the garlic cloves, then use a food processor fitted with a steel blade to chop the basil, parsley, and garlic.  Add the Dijon, capers, and lemon juice and process until ingredients are well blended; then add the olive oil and process about 30 seconds more.
4. Cut grape tomatoes in half.  When eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut it into slices about 1 inch thick.  Gently combine the eggplant and tomato halves in a bowl and stir in enough sauce to coat the ingredients (about 1/4 cup).  Stir in the crumbled Feta and serve salad warm or at room temperature.
5. Even though tomatoes are best when they haven’t been refrigerated, this was not bad after it had been the fridge overnight.  It didn’t last much longer than that though.

Recipe originally posted on Kalyn’s Kitchen.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Watermelon Gazpacho

Happy Monday! A recent study from Imperial College London also found that reducing overall meat consumption can prevent long-term weight gain. Improve your health by reducing your meat intake and  having at least one vegetarian meal per week.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 6 cups coarsely chopped seeded watermelon
• 5 ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
• 1 rounded tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup whole toasted almonds
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chipotle sauce
• Salt
• 1/4 sweet white or red onion, finely diced
• 1 cucumber, seeded and diced

Directions:

1. Blend 2 cups of the watermelon in a blender until liquid. Add the rest of the watermelon, the tomatoes, paprika, garlic, almonds, balsamic vinegar, and chipotle sauce and blend until smooth. Transfer the soup to a bowl and taste and season with salt.
2. Chill for an hour before serving. Garnish with a spoonful of the onion and cucumber dice.

Recipe originally posted on Lucid Food.

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Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Chocolate Fudge Zucchini Cookies

This Monday splurge a little with this delicious chocolate cookie recipe! In the United States, 80% of aquatic habitats in streams have been harmed and negatively impacted by the grazing of livestock. Help to reduce your impact by having a meatless meal every week. Take a look at our previous posts for main dish inspiration.

Chocolate Fudge Zucchini Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose Gold Medal flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use Chobani 0%)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars. The mixture will be thick and resemble sand-that’s ok. Add the yogurt and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.

3. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.

4. Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes or until cookies are firm. Remove cookies from sheet and cool completely on wire racks.

Note- squeeze the shredded zucchini in a paper towel and pat dry to remove the excess water before using.

Recipe originally poster on Two Peas & Their Pod. 

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Meatless Monday: Broccoli Curry Udon

Happy Monday! Once again we bring you a delicious and healthy meal- we hope you enjoy our new meatless recipe!

Give up meat for one day out of the week to decrease your risk of contracting cancer. The Cancer Project claims that countries with a higher intake of fat, especially fat from animal products, such as meat and dairy products, have a higher incidence of breast cancer.

Broccoli Curry Udon

Ingredients:

• 8 oz dry round udon noodles
• Olive oil for sauteeing (I use a spray bottle of oil)
• 1 pound broccoli florettes (6 cups)
• Medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Big pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 cups vegetable broth mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons curry powder (see note)
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Here are some extra ingredients and variations of the recipe you can try!

Shiitake & Red Bell Pepper
Omit onions, use half the amount of broccoli
Saute 8 oz thinly sliced shiitakes for 5 minutes
Saute a thinly sliced red bell pepper for 5 minutes

Bok Choy
Use 2 lbs bok choy in place of the broccoli
Saute the bok choy stems for 5 minutes
Add the leaves and saute 3 minutes more

Tofu
In addition to the veggies, saute diced extra firm tofu with a pinch of salt and pepper and add it to the noodles.

Directions:

1. First boil water for the udon. Cook udon according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat a large pan over medium heat. Saute broccoli in a few sprays of oil and a pinch of salt for about 7 minutes. Keep covered while cooking, lifting the lid just to stir a few times. In the meantime, prep everything else.
3. When broccoli is done, remove from pan and set aside. Next saute onions in a bit of oil, with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes. You want them to retain some crunch. Remove from pan (transfer to the same bowl as broccoli to cut down on dishes). Now you’ll make the sauce in the same pan.
4. Saute the garlic and ginger in a little oil for about 1 minute. Mix in the red pepper flakes. Add the vegetable broth/cornstarch, the curry powder and soy sauce. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Let thicken a bit, for about 3 minutes. Mix in coconut milk and turn off the heat.
5. Add noodles to the pan and mix to coat. Then fold in the broccoli and onions. Divide between bowls and top with garnishes (if using) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Recipe originally posted on Post Punk Kitchen.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!