Wildnerness preservation bill passes the House

Great news on the environment front. Today the Congress passed a bill to set aside 2 million acres in nine states (from the Sierra Nevada mountains in CA to the Jefferson National Forest in VA) as protected federal park land, and the legislation is on its way to the President, who will likely sign it.

This is excellent news and comes on the heels of Bush's last minute whacks against the environment. The bill signals a new era during which land preservation and - hopefully - alternative energy development will both be top domestic priorities.

Not surprisingly top Republicans called the move a "land grab" that puts more power in the hands of government and increases our dependence on foreign oil.

Huh?

Why would we need foreign oil at all if we commit in earnest to green tech, which would unshackle us from our dependence on oil altogether and obviate the need to destroy remaining American wilderness to produce more of the stuff?

The New York Times again tackles agribusiness, organic food production and healthy eating

Excellent story in today's New York Times that examines the ugly realities of the American diet and the basic, inexpensive options available to anyone who wants to eat more healthfully.  The story, written by Mark Bittman, author of Food Matters:  A Guide to Conscious Eating, includes some alarming facts about the American diet, including:

* 7 percent of our calories come from soft drinks, more than we get from vegetables

* The top food group by caloric intake is now....sweets.  Yikes!

* Americans consume an average of 2 pounds of animal products per DAY

The article cites the great Michael Pollan, who's long championed the idea that we should eat more plant-based foods (he's not vegetarian or vegan) for our own health, and has advocated for locally grown, regional "food networks" as an overhaul of our agribusiness system of food production.  Pollan maintains that for our own health we must shift away from processed "edible, food like substances" and instead consume whole foods, increasingly from the plant kingdom. 

And while organic is preferable for those that can afford it, one need not buy organic food to maximize the health benefits associated with eating.  The key is to avoid processed food whenever possible, minimize meat and animal products and increase consumption of fruits, fresh vegetables and whole grains.

The article follows another great piece in today's Times that examines the whole food/locally grown food movement that may enjoy greater momentum given the Obama administration's common-sense approach to food production and human health.  

It's so encouraging to see these issues continually bandied about in the national press.

Super easy and totally delicious scrambled tofu recipe

So last night my brother called to say he'd bought a bunch of tofu but didn't know what to do with it.  Jim's a devout carnivore so needless to say I was thrilled to hear that he's, er, to-curious.  I gave him a quick and easy veggie stir fry recipe to try.  And I told him I'd post this simple and delicious scrambled tofu recipe as well.

I make this a couple times per week and it's an excellent way to use up some extra veggies before they're totally spent.  Sometimes I make it with the mushrooms, sometimes with kale, sometimes with cabbage.  No matter what I use it always comes out great.  This recipe is straight out of Isa Moskowitz's "Vegan With A Vengeance," which is about the only cookbook I can stand because the recipes are simple and there aren't too many steps (I'm impatient).

Here's the basic recipe, but remember it can be easily altered with different spices, veggies, etc. The most important thing is to use a non stick pan and drain the tofu well!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 medium sized red onion, chopped 

2 cups thinly sliced cremini mushrooms 

2-3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 pound extra firm tofu, drained well

1/4 cup nutritional yeast 

Juice of 1/2 lemon 

1 carrot , peeled (optional)

Spice mix:

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed between your fingers 

1 teaspoon ground paprika 

1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric 

1 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute the onions for 3 minutes, until softened; add the mushrooms, saute for 5 minutes; add the garlic, saute for 2 minutes.  Add the spice blend and mix it all up for 15 seconds or so.

Crumble the tofu in and mix well.  Don't crush the tofu, just kind of lift it and mix it around. You want it to remain chunky.  Let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often.  Add the lemon juice and the nutritional yeast and mix it up.  Grate the carrot and fold it into the mixture. Serve and enjoy!

Ban on downer cows

I'm thrilled to see the department of agriculture just banned downer cows from entering the food supply. Downer cows are those so weakened by the torturous conditions under which they're raised that they're unable to move or stand once driven to slaughter. Downer cows are at higher risk for mad cow disease, e. coli and several other nasty bugs.

In overviewing the ban in his weekly radio address President Obama called the current US food inspection system "a hazard to public health." I hope this strong statement means that more desperately needed reforms are in the works, from extending the downer ban to chickens, turkeys and hogs, to a greater Federal emphasis on food animal welfare that Californians, for example, demanded with the passing of Prop 2.

I'm also hopeful that the small but respectful news cycle sparked by the downer cow ban will lead more people to question why they'd ever eat meat at all. Let's hope!