Creating a sustainable kitchen is as simple as becoming a sustainable kitchen consumer. When we make intentional purchase decisions that don’t have a negative impact on the environment – it just feels good. My children’s generation is acutely aware and impressively proactive regarding consciously making decisions that better the planet -and frankly, their enthusiasm is contagious! Simple shifts in our buying habits, such a choosing reusable over single use products, higher quality products that are designed to last, and ethical brands all contribute to a rewarding, sustainable lifestyle. Here are four things to keep in mind that will make being a sustainable kitchen consumer a breeze.
What to Do
Choose Reusable/Recyclable In our kitchen we favor reusable over single use products. Glass and/or silicone storage containers and organic cotton vegetable bags are small investments that make a big difference in reducing our carbon footprint.
Quality Over Quantity When you invest in kitchen essentials that are built to last – there is less landfill waste and repeat purchases (so you save money in the long run). I love to think of my Kitchenaid stand mixer or favorite Le Creuset Dutch Oven finding continued usefulness in of one of my children’s or future grandchildren’s kitchen – thus extending the product’s lifecycle.
Ethical Brands Just as important as investing in well-made products is choosing kitchen products made in ethical ways.By supporting sustainable brands, your positive impact on the environment continues. Some of our favorite ways to choose brands is using the reuse and reduce qualifiers. Bees Wrap is a reusable wrap that reduces household waste, and Lafco candles come in beautiful vessels just waiting to be repurposed.
Buying Locally One of the most important ways buying locally helps the environment is by reducing your food miles. By shopping locally, you are purchasing goods produced in your local community. By cutting down on these miles, you are reducing the environmental impact of your food. So go ahead and indulge at your local farmers market, and frequent grocery stores that stock locally made products.
A Farmer’s Market Inspired Menu
Tomato, Burrata, & Basil Salad
Ingredients
- 5 medium-large vine-ripe tomatoes
- 8 oz burrata cheese
- several large pinches LadyBug Picnic sea salt
- 8-10 leaves fresh basil, julienned
- freshly ground black pepper
- balsamic vinegar
- good quality olive oil, for drizzling (we prefer basil olive oil, if you can find it)
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash tomatoes and cut into thick slices.
- Season with sea salt blend and a few grinds of pepper.
- Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over the tomatoes.
- Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes, to taste (we like a lot).
- Tear burrata cheese letting the stracciatella center release and place over the tomatoes.
- Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.
BBQ Beer Chicken Skewers with Avocado, Corn & Feta Salsa
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of your favorite beer
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- kosher salt
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
Corn and Feta Salsa
- 1-2 jalapenos
- 2 cups grilled or steamed corn
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- whipped or mashed avocado, for serving
Instructions
- In a pot, combine the beer, ketchup, honey, dijon, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder and about 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium- high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, until thickened.
- Combine the chicken and about 1/2 cup BBQ sauce in a bowl, tossing to coat.
- Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Take skewers and thread the chicken pieces on. Grill the skewers until lightly charred and cooked through, turning them occasionally throughout cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes total. Alternately, you can roast the chicken at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
- At the same time, grill the jalapeño until lightly charred, then give it a rough chop and toss with the corn, cilantro, basil, chives, lime juice, lemon juice, and vinegar. Season with salt then toss with the feta.
- Serve the chicken with the salsa, whipped avocado, and fresh herbs all on the side.
Perfect Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake with Whipped Cream & Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup egg whites from 10-11 large eggs
- 3/4 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (we love Cup-4-Cup)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, separate egg whites and allow to sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, process the flour, cornstarch, and powdered sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Process the granulated sugar slightly, about 5-7 pulses (you don't want to turn it into powdered sugar, just a little finer than it is normally. Set aside.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until start to foam, then add the salt and cream of tartar.
- Add the vanilla and almond extract and continue whipping on high speed.
- Add the granulated sugar slowly, about 1 tablespoon to the egg whites while they are whipping. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Slowly fold in the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time with a spatula. Do this carefully and slowly so the egg whites don't deflate (this is the key to good angel food cake). Scoop into an ungreased 10-inch round Angel Food cake pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes until golden. Immediately invert the pan onto a cooling rack. Cool completely, then run a knife along the edges of the pan and carefully plate the cake.
- We serve this a huge bowl of good old-fashioned Cool Whip original whipped topping, and seasonal berries. Enjoy!
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