Best Protein Choices for the Environment

Here are 5 Best Protein Choices for the Environment:

1. Milk
On the abbreviated top 10 list, milk came in with the lowest carbon footprint (lentils were lowest on the list of 20). However, the EWG looked at the carbon footprint of 4 ounces of milk—that’s only half a serving. So a full cup would be twice as high.

2. Beans
Beans are a smart protein choice. They give you fiber and healthy nutrients, such as folate and iron, and are very low in saturated fat. They’re also one of the best choices for the planet. Unlike animal-based proteins, beans have fewer carbon inputs and outputs (with animal proteins, growing crops just to feed the animals significantly adds to their carbon footprint).

3. Tofu
Tofu’s carbon footprint (roughly one-third that of beef) largely comes from growing the soybeans and then processing it into tofu. Please keep in mind that if the label doesn’t say it is 100% USDA Certified Organic or non-GMO, there is a good chance it was made from genetically modified soybeans.

4. Eggs
Feeding chickens, and the energy used on poultry farms, adds to the carbon footprint of eggs. But as far as animal proteins go, eggs’ carbon footprint is relatively low. In addition to protein, eggs give you some vitamin D and lutein and zeaxanthin, which are good for eye health. Although eggs contain some saturated fat and cholesterol, eating one a day shouldn’t raise your cholesterol levels.

5. Chicken
Chicken is the best meat choice, but on the full list of 20 foods, chicken ranks 6th meaning that its carbon footprint is still higher than plant foods and tuna. From an environmental and health perspective, though, eating chicken is better than eating beef.

Sundanese Salad (Karedok)

Vegetables :
100 g cucumber
100 g bean sprouts
3 cabbage leaves
100 g string beans
25 g basil leaves

Sauce :
200 g peanuts, roast
2 red chilies
1 cloves garlic
5 small chilies
1/2 tsp kencur
1 tbs tamarind juice
1 tbs palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
* 1-2 tbs vinegar
* 150 cc hot water

Garnish :
Emping crackers

Boil beansprouts and string beans.
Slice cucumber, cut string beans into 3cm pieces, and chop cabbage leaves into thin slices.

Grind red chilies, garlic, small chilies, kencur, peanuts, palm sugar, salt shrimp paste and vinegar in a blender.

Add tamarind juice and hot water into above grinded spices , mix until smooth.

To serve, place all vegetables on a plate add emping crackers on top.

How long can you freeze food?

How long will that casserole or whole chicken last in the freezer? According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, food stored in a freezer set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit will stay safe indefinitely. But that doesn't mean the taste and texture will remain the same.

Here is a guide to how long you can freeze foods before you sacrifice quality. Keep in mind that quality does deteriorate the longer food sits in your freezer, so aim to defrost sooner rather than later.

Bacon: 1 to 2 months
Breads: 2 to 3 months
Casseroles: 2 to 3 months
Cooked beef and pork: 2 to 3 months
Cooked poultry: 4 months
Cookie dough: 3 months
Fruit: 8 to 12 months
Frozen dinners: 3 to 4 months
Hot dogs: 1 to 2 months
Lunch meats: 1 to 2 months
Sausage: 1 to 2 months
Soups and stews: 2 to 3 months
Uncooked chicken (parts): 9 months
Uncooked chicken (whole): 1 year
Uncooked steaks, chops, or roasts: 4 to 12 months
Uncooked ground meat: 3 to 4 months
Vegetables: 8 to 12 months

Smashed Sweet Fried Beef (Empal Gepuk)

600 gr beef shanks, cut into 4 big pieces
4 dried bay leaves
1 stalk lemongrass, take the white part and bruise
650 ml coconut milk
2 1/2 tsp salt

spices (blend) :

7 cloves of shallots, sliced then sauteed
5 cloves of garlic, sliced then sauteed
5 candlenuts, toasted
1 cm ginger
2 cm fresh galangal
3 tsp corriander
60 gr brown sugar

Combine all the ingredients in "spices" together and process in a blender or food processor until smooth.
In a big pot, stir in beef shanks, coconut milk, blended spices, bay leaves, lemongrass, and salt.

Bring them to boil, then cook on low heat (simmer) until the beef is fully cooked and the liquid has decreased by half (about 2 hours)

Remove the pot from heat. Cut the beef chunks according to the meat pattern into 2 cm slices.

Heat oil in a sauteeing pan, then fry the beef with the remaining liquid until all the liquid is drained.

Try These 10 Brain-Boosting Foods

A good diet improves your health, but also boosts your energy. Create a shopping list of these must-have endurance foods recommended by Dr. Mike Moreno, author of The 17 Day Diet: A Doctor’s Plan Designed for Rapid Results.

1. Beef, extra lean: High in iron, a mineral that improves memory, alertness and attention span.

2. Beets: Contains phenylalanine, an amino acid that helps relay signals from one brain cell to another.

3. Blueberries: Excellent source of antioxidants and “anthocyanins,” compounds thought to help protect brain cells from toxins, improves use of glucose in the brain, and promotes communication between brain cells.

4. Broccoli: Packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients that help protect brain tissue from toxins.

5. Carrots: High in beta carotene and other natural substances that help protect brain tissue from toxins.

6. Chicken: High in tyrosine, an amino acid required for the production of the alertness chemicals dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. When your brain is producing these, you think and react more quickly, and feel more motivated, attentive and mentally energetic.

7. Citrus fruits: Contain vitamin C and other antioxidants that help maintain sharp memory and help brain cells resist damage.

8. Edamame: Contains phenylalanine, an amino acid that helps relay signals from one brain cell to another.

9. Eggs: High in the B vitamin choline, which helps with memory.

10. Egg whites: High in protein, which can improve alertness by increasing levels of norepinephrine, which helps keep your brain at its sharpest.

Chayote and Shrimp in Coconut Milk (Labu Siam dan Udang Masak Santan)

2 pieces chayote, slice into matchsticks form
3 tbsp peeled shrimp
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp minced chili (sambal ulek)
1 bay leaves
A piece of galangal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chopped palm sugar
400 ml coconut milk
Cooking Oil for frying

Heat oil and saute garlic until fragrant, put the onion, saute until wilted.
Add shrimps, cook until shrimps change color.
Add the minced chili pepper, bay leaves, and ginger, stir-fry until fragrant.
Enter 1/2 part coconut milk, salt and sugar, simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add sliced chayote, cook until the chayote quite soft and the flavors mingle.
Add the remaining coconut milk, bring to a boil again.
Serve.

Foods that Boost Your Mood

There are many healthy and delicious choices that do boost one's mood while also providing sustained energy. The list of Happy Foods are as follow:

Oatmeal

Complex carbohydrates such as those found in oatmeal boost serotonin production. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that contributes to the regulation of mood, appetite and sleep. Oatmeal and other whole grains also contain the B vitamins thiamin and folate as well as zinc, all of which are believed to help improve mood in people suffering from depression. Added bonus: The carbohydrates derived from whole grains are slowly released into the bloodstream to provide hours of energy.

Other sources: Whole wheat bread or pasta, brown rice.

Turkey

Turkey contains high levels of tryptophan, an amino acid necessary for serotonin production. It's a common myth that the tryptophan in turkey knocks you out after a big Thanksgiving dinner -- in fact, the drowsiness is more likely to be a function of plain, old over indulgence.
Other sources: Eggs, chicken, beef, pork, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds.

Spinach

Low levels of folate have been linked to depression. Spinach is a great source of this beneficial B vitamin.
Other sources: Lentils, Swiss chard, black beans, asparagus.

Salmon

According to a University of Pittsburgh study, people who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids had a greater volume of grey matter in areas of the brain associated with the regulation of emotions. They concluded that this could explain their role as a feel-good fat. The body cannot produce its own omega-3s (which also help to prevent heart disease, reduce inflammation, guard against stroke and offer other health benefits), so grill up a piece of salmon for your daily dose.
Other sources: Sardines, mackerel, eggs, flaxseeds.

Strawberries

Strawberries are packed with antioxidants, substances that are great for the brain and can boost mood and memory. Antioxidants are micronutrients that battle the free radicals that cause cell damage in the body. The Mayo Clinic recommends that that we get them from food, not supplements.
Other sources: Blueberries, cranberries, prunes, pinto beans.

Chocolate

Dark chocolate is another antioxidant powerhouse. Okay, so most of us don't need an excuse to eat it, but here are some reasons not to feel guilty about your fix: Not only does chocolate contain antioxidants, it also stimulates endorphins (the body's own natural pain killers) and boosts serotonin. Chocolate is high in fat and sugar, but, luckily, you only need to eat about a half an ounce a day to get the benefits.

Langga Roko Traditional Grilled Fish (Ikan Bakar Khas Makassar)

2 rabbitfish* 1 kg
5 tsp tamarind juice
4 cm turmeric, smashed
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp oil for frying
banana leaf

*ikan baronang

Blend :
10 pcs red onion
3 cloves garlic
5 pcs red chili
5 pcs hazelnut
1 tsp coriander
2 slices galangal
2 stalk lemon grass
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp tamarind water

Clean the fish, rub the fish with tamarind, turmeric, and salt, set aside.
Heat oil and saute the blended spices until fragrant.
Enter the fish, stir briefly. Lift.
Place fish on banana leaf.
Grilled over hot coals until cooked.

Gambang Bread (Betawi Traditional Bread)

1½ cup Java red sugar, grated*
¾ cup Water
3 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs dry
¼ cup milk powder
¼ tsp Salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp vanilla powder/vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
100 gram margarine or to your taste.
3 Tbsp sesame seeds

*or substitute with palm granulated sugar, but the texture would become a little bit drier
**the more the margarine, the softer the bread. Many people like it chewy, original recipe is 200 gram

Boil Java red sugar with water until dissolved and hardboiled. Set aside and let it cool.

Mix flour, breadcrumbs, milk powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla and egg yolks. Blend well. Pour in sugar syrup, knead until well blended.

Blend in margarine, knead until well blended.

Form the dough into ball shaped, cover with pastic sheet. Set aside for about 30 minutes at room temperature until the dough becomes dry and easy to roll.

Uncover, form the dough into round oval shape, each weighed 75 g. Arrange them on greased cookie sheet, give space among them as they will rise.

Brush the surface with water, sprinkle with sesame seeds. tips: don't flatten the oval shape.

Bake in a preheated oven at 150 Celsius for 30 minutes until done.

High Pressure Cooked Milkfish (Bandeng Presto)

3 fresh milkfishes (1 kg), remove gills and stomach part
1 tablespoon tapai yeast (read below), grounded
2 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoon tamarind water
10 bay leaves
10 cm galangal (see: opor ayam), sliced and pounded
2 1/2 litre water

Spices (Ground) :
14 cloves red onion
7 cloves garlic
4 cm ginger
4 cm turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
150 g big red chili peppers, boiled
10 small green chili peppers, boiled
8 cloves red onion, boiled
4 cloves garlic, boiled
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon terasi (shrimp paste), fried

Banana leaves for wrapping
Egg’s white or flavoured flour

Slice the stomach part of the fishes. Clean them up using water and let them dry.
Smear the fishes with tapai yeast, salt, and tamarind water. Leave them for about 1 hour.
Smear the fishes with grounded spices evenly.
Put bay leaves and slices of galangal on top of the fishes.
Wrap with banana leaves so that the fishes are easy to lift from the pressure cooker.

Pour 1 litre water into the pressure cooker. Put a sieve on top of the cooker
Arrange the wrapped fishes ontop of the sieve.
Cook until the cooker hissed, 30-50 minutes depending on the type of pressure cooker you use.
Let the cooker cool with open lid.
Pour water again and cook until the water is no more.
Take out the fishes and let them dry.

chili sauce :
Heat vegetable oil.
Sautee grounded spices until the sauce smells good.
Put into plate and let it cool.

Serving :
Smear the fishes with egg’s white or flavoured flour.
Fry until golden brown.