Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Green Divas Blog is Moving . . .

Hi Green Diva Bloggers!

We are slooooooowly migrating our content to our new URL - TheGreenDivas.com. That site is also set up as a blog, but there are a couple of odd quirks we are working out. I've posted a few new posts there, but we aren't quite ready for full-scale launch.

Please visit it, bookmark it and we hope to add all kinds of groovy features, including podcasts of our Green Diva Radio Shows.

Please check in here for updates and of course, until then . . .

eat. blog. be merry!
GD Meg

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Recipe - Salmon Marbella


Co-host of Green Divas Radio Show and foodie mentor, Green Diva Jen turned me on to the Silver Palate recipe for Chicken Marbella last year. I’ve had this cookbook forever, but I am not a huge fan of chicken, so I never tried this one.

Okay, every recipe as a story, right? I have to give a hearty blog shout-out to Jenifer’s Aunt Elaine, who introduced this staple into their family’s regular feast rotation years ago. I love Aunt Elaine for many reasons, but for introducing this recipe to Jen, I’m very grateful. Thanks Aunt Elaine.

After customizing the recipe (more garlic - of course - less wine, added dried cherries and sundried tomatoes), I made it with the chicken last year and my family loved it. This recipe has a full and robust blend of flavors from a mess of garlic and oregano to the capers, prunes, wine and vinegar. I LOVE the sauce. I just wasn’t in love with the chicken.

I started fantasizing about converting this for some type of fish. Here’s what I came up with . . . so far . . .

GD Meg’s Salmon Marbella Recipe
Ingredients
1 - 2 pounds salmon fillet (w/ skin on)
5 or 6 cloves garlic crushed
1/4 c. dried oregano
3/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 - 1 c. pitted prunes
1/4 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. sundried tomatoes (un marinated)
1/2 c. pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 c. capers (with some of the juice)
4 - 5 bay leavessalt & pepper to taste
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white wine
1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Instructions
Mix together first 11 ingredients (everything but brown sugar, wine and cilantro) and get salmon marinating in the mix (we marinated for about an hour and it seemed to work).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put salmon and marinate in large glass baking dish, then sprinkle the brown sugar on top of salmon and pour white wine around it.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until the fattest part of the salmon is done in the middle.
Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with rice pilaf and maybe something green.

Eat. Blog. Be Merry!

GD Meg

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Tea Time with Terra Keramik


Anyone who spends any time with me knows I don’t go for more than an hour during daylight hours without a cup of tea. So, any opportunity to test new tea-related products is very welcome.

I received this beautiful blue mug from Terra Keramik, a socially and environmentally responsible ceramics manufacturer that uses renewable energy and energy efficient clays. Everything is designed and produced by Felix Volger, founder and creative director, who personally signs every piece in platinum. Apparently, the production of tableware can be seriously detrimental to the environment. Terra Keramik has gone to great lengths to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about Terra Keramik’s sustainable manufacturing practices.

The tea/coffee mug in the picture above is indeed my very own, containing one of my very favorite green darjeeling teas from the Boston Tea Campaign. I love their loose teas, but I couldn’t enjoy it without my biodegradable t-sacs, which are essential to my loose tea ritual.
And yes, that is my cozy cat spooky snuggled on the pillow!

eat. blog. be merry!
GD Meg

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Green Divas Back on the Internet Airwaves


Green Divas Meg & Jen are thrilled to announce their return to their Internet Radio home-away-from-home, HomeGrownRadioNJ.com. We'll be doing a weekly, one-hour show every Thursday evening from 7 - 8pm EST.

Starting this Thursday, January 8!

Join us and hear some interesting bits, some musical bits, some funny bits and hopefully some informative bits about low-stress sustainable living. We are already lining up some awesome interviews from our local green heroes, to some very inspiring celebrity folks.

Click in, log on, listen up!

Happy HomeGrown Homecoming for the Green Divas!

Monday, January 5, 2009

5 Reasons to go Nuts (or eat them anyway)


In addition to being a nut job, I am a nut lover. I really haven’t tasted a nut I didn’t like - even the peanut, which is technically a legume. I feel dreadfully sorry for those who have the dangerous nut allergy. My fiance has an allergy to chocolate, which I’m actually jealous of, but that’s for another post . . .

Some history about our hard-shelled friends
There is evidence that nuts have been around feeding us and our ancient ancestors since prehistoric times. The oldest evidence are some walnut remains which were found in Iraq and are thought to be over 50,000 years old!

The almond dates back to 3100-1100BC in the region around Turkey, Cyprus and Greece. By the way, did you know that almonds are related to peaches?

Pine nuts have been providing powerful nutrition to those living in the ‘Great Basin’ region of the US for many thousands of years. According to PineNut.com, “Understand that the pine nut was to the people of the Great Basin what the buffalo was to the plains people.”

Another popular nut (other than me with some of my friends) is the pistachio. These also have been getting cracked open and savored for thousands of years, dating back 7000 years or so to the Middle East. Long used along with almonds by travelers because of the compact, but potent nutritional value, this nut inspired some interesting legends, including one that says the Queen of Sheba declared it an exclusively ‘royal’ food, forbidding commoners to grow and eat it.

5 Reasons to Love Nuts

1. Nutritional Power Food- High in protein, fiber, antioxidants and monosaturated fat (good fat) - good for the heart, lowering blood pressure AND reducing risk for type 2 diabetes.

2. Weight Control - According to an article found in Johns Hopkins Health Alert, people who eat nuts are more likely to weigh less than those that don’t. (just remember moderation is key here)

3. Easy, Awesome Snack Food - I like to roast my own favorites and mix them up with dried fruits to make a custom trail mix.

4. Vegan and Raw Foodie Approved - If you are eating vegan or raw for reasons of health, ethics or to reduce your carbon stamp on the earth, nuts are essential. (but, I really don’t know about ‘locally’ grown in some regions - I think those of us in the north east would suffer a bit on this one) See my cashew yogurt recipe.

5. Excellent Party Food- Tis the season, so get creative or keep it simple! (Just make sure to let your guests know in case someone has an allergy)

Some nutty links:
Detailed Nutritional Chart for Various Nuts
More Details on Various Nuts + Recipes
My Favorite Nut Loaf Recipe (based on Crank’s cookbook)


eat. blog. be merry!

GD Meg