Earth Day/everyday
Tzimmis & sushi are two ways to celebrate Earth Day. Some tips that will save the world and your pocket book!
Apr 12, 2006
Earth Day is April 22. It's a time to think about the Earth and what we can all do to make this world a better place. As cooks, we can shop smarter and better. Using fresh ingredients is a start and recycling whenever we can.
To celebrate Earth Day here are two simple recipes from other sides of the world both using the Earth's bounty.
TZIMMIS
It's called Tzimmis, an old European dish that you can make differently every time. It's a mixture of fruit or vegetables either baked or fried and a colourful addition to the table. It has the Earth's goodness of carrots, celery, apples and yams. It's a recipe that you can adjust to the seasons and use whatever you have on hand.
- 6 cups carrots - parboiled or in microwave for 2 minutes on high with a tablespoon of water
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 cups apples peeled and diced
- 1 medium yam peeled
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar or sugar substitute.
- 2 cups water
Preheat oven at 350
Slice carrots into small circles. Dice celery. Chop up the yam. Place all
ingredients in a large oven baking pan and bake, give the pan a stir after a half hour, bake for a half hour longer, till tender.
Better Shopping For The World And A Better Taste.
- Buy local. If you buy local produce, you'll not only get fresher fruit and vegetables but it will cut down on the shipping and transportation pollution.
- If you eat meat (and I do) look for grain fed, free range.
- Look for organic or free-range eggs. They make a better omelet.
CUCUMBER AND AVOCADO SUSHI
This is a variation on the traditional sushi but with a modern North American twist. Use just about any ready to eat vegetable for the middle or try steamed asparagus.
- 3 ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 cups steamed sticky long grain or sushi rice
- 2 sheets of dried sea -weed (also called sushi wrap)
- Sesame seeds
- 6 small wedges of cucumber
In a small saucepan on medium heat stir together white vinegar, salt and sugar. Stir till sugar and salt dissolves. Fold vinegar mixture into rice with a wooden spoon. Put rice in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let cool.
Place a piece of plastic wrap over a bamboo -rolling mat. (You can buy them at specialty stores or use thick aluminium foil or wax paper). Place one dried seaweed sheet on top of the plastic wrap. Press 1 cup of rice covering the dried seaweed sheet leaving a 2 inch margin on the top. Sprinkle sesame seeds liberally across over the rice. Cut cucumber into six wedges about 1 inch long and place them along the bottom of the sheet, creating around a 2 inch border. Using the bamboo rolling mat and plastic wrap you can now carefully roll the sheet with the rice inside.
Makes two sushi rolls - and 24 individual pieces.
Variation- Make the avocado sushi the same way except turn the rice part on the seaweed plastic side. Put dabs of mayonnaise on the bottom of the sheet on the rice free side. Cut six ½ inch wedges of avocados and place them over the mayonnaise. With the bamboo rolling mat and plastic wrap roll up the sushi with the rice on the outside.
Cut the sushi width wise into 3 inch sections. Dip in soya sauce and enjoy!
Save The World, Save Money!
- Buy in bulk and not only safe money but also cut down on packaging.
- Re-usable shopping bags. Many shopping centers and markets have them, and offer discounts every time you use them.
- Refill. Bring your own mug to your café instead of using plastic or paper.
- Use filtered tap water rather than bottled water, if you can. This will not only safe you money but it saves on shipping pollution, and excess bottled water.
See my article on Spring Celebration
What better way to celebrate Earthday/Everyday than with a picnic
For more information about seasonal foods and celebration, blogs, articles, and please answer my poll see Seasonal Cooking
