RSR - Sustainable

Do not get me wrong. I am not trying to lecture anyone and I do not have the answers to all questions. In fact I do not even have all the questions. These are just my notes to myself to hold myself accountable.

I think cooking is a wonderful tool to pursue a sustainable lifestyle. It has an instant turnover, its outcome shows right away.

My interpretation of sustainable food is

• it has come from a sustainable source.
• it has been produced in a sustainable manner.
• it best serves my sustainability.

Let me start in revised order. Food is the ultimate means to help your body sustain. This is why i think it is essential to stop wasting food . A funny thing happened when I introduced sustainability into my kitchen. On the first week I lost 6 pounds. It was not intentional at all, it was the side effect of my cooking choices. I have reduced the amount I am cooking and i am more picky on what to buy which results in healthier nutrition but less calory intake.

Cooking in a sustainable manner requires low-power kitchen appliances and using as little energy as possible in the process. (I know, I am back to square one, reduce energy consumption but you cannot waste what you do not use.) There are lots of tips on how to cook on low power, but that alone will use up a whole post. I will also need to measure how much energy my appliances consume, so I will come back to this later, too.

I consider the farmers market a sustainable source. Not everything is organic and free range, but they are definitely local. Also I try to buy fruit, vegetables and even fish when they are in season. They are not only the cheapest then, but also they are at the peak of their vitamin and nutrition content. two birds with one stone.

I am also avoiding supermarkets these days because mass production undermines sustainability. I am replacing store bought spice mixes with my own mixes which is healthier (no sodium of any form) and gives me a great opportunity for expirement. Reading the packages always made me wonder why I should intake stuff I cannot even pronounce.

Here is the first recipe. I have it from a friend so the credits are not mine, but surely better than the store bought mix.

Ranch Dressing Mix

2 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon dried onion
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2.5 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon pepper
1.5 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix it, and use 1 tablespoon mix with 1c mayonnaise and 1 c yogurt.