Guests:

PRESERVE PRODUCTS: Recycline makes Preserve®– a line of stylish, high performance, eco-friendly products for your home. As a company, we strive to combine socially and environmentally responsible business practices with groundbreaking design to create products that people feel good about having in their homes. We believe that choosing eco-friendly products doesn’t mean having to sacrifice quality, price, or performance. We believe they should make you feel good.

In 1996, founder and president Eric Hudson was committed to the need to use our earth’s resources more efficiently and responsibly. The developing plastic recycling market represented a great new opportunity to reuse our earth’s resources (plastics are made from oil and natural gas—making up roughly 9% of the world’s petroleum usage). However, at the time that Recycline was formed, there was a lot of concern that recyclables were not necessarily turning into new products. Seeing an opportunity, Eric started Recycline to reuse Earth’s precious resources and turn them back into products that people wanted. He worked with dentists, scientists and engineers to create Recycline’s first high-quality product from recycled plastics – the Preserve Toothbrush. Since then, Preserve has grown into a dynamic, green lifestyle company offering a range of products for almost every room in your home. Using innovative methods, we turn used materials into razors, colanders, cutting boards, tableware and more!

Tips and Links:

MAKE YOUR OWN SODA AT HOME! Here are a few links to some soda makers you can buy to make your own soda at home!  There's a long list of environmental benefits. The most obvious is that there are no bottles or cans to throw away or recycle. It's a great way to cut back on packaging, which takes resources and energy to make. Bottles and cans won't have to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to reach you. Each machine operates on the power contained in the compressed gas carbonators so it doesn't use electricity or batteries.

You'll also ultimately end up saving money. It costs about 20 cents to make a liter of seltzer and a little more for soda. Your up-front investment depends on which Soda maker you choose.  Here are a few examples to check out at sodaclubusa.com:

http://www.sodaclubusa.com/zipcheck.asp

Dark Green Tip #6912: Buy local food that is in season.

Winter in the northland - Local foods grown or produced in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota or North Dakota

• Handmade butters and hazelnut oils, dairy products like milk, cream yogurt

• Grass fed bison and rabbit

• Wild Rice

• Artisan Cheeses

• Local fish

• eggs

• beans

• jam

• maple syrup

• potatoes

• mushrooms

• hydroponic lettuce

Here are some great recipies to get you started!

Sweet Potato Fries

This recipe is from The Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook by Robin Robertson

SERVINGS - 4

INGREDIENTS

3 to 4 sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet and set aside. Peel the sweet potatoes then cut them in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Place the sliced potatoes into a large bowl and add the oil, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to coat the potato slices well and spread them on the baking sheet in a single layer.

2. Bake until the potatoes are lightly browned and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, 25 to 30 minutes, turning once about halfway through. Serve immediately sprinkled with the cranberries.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

Recipe courtesy of Waldy Malouf, chef/co-owner, Beacon Restaurant & Bar, New York City.

SERVINGS - 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced

2 Bosc pears, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup brandy

7 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium if canned) or water

1 large sprig fresh thyme plus additional leaves for garnish

1-inch piece gingerroot, peeled and grated

1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, for garnish (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger, for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the squash and carrots in a roasting pan large enough to hold them in one layer (or use 2), and toss with the oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, then add the leeks and pears. Toss to combine and continue to roast for another 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and browned.

2. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately add the wine and brandy, using a wooden spoon to scrape the vegetables and their caramelized juices from the sides and bottom of the pan. Transfer the vegetables and liquid to a large soup pot. Pour in the broth or water, adding additional water if necessary to cover the vegetables by 1 inch. Add the thyme sprig and grated gingerroot and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour.

3. Remove the thyme sprig and puree the soup either with an hand held blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor. Transfer the soup to a medium mesh sieve set over another pot. Use a rubber spatula to press the solids through the sieve. If the soup seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Just before serving, warm the soup over low heat. Serve in warmed bowls, drizzled with crème fraîche or sour cream, if desired, and garnished with the crystallized ginger and a sprinkling of fresh thyme leaves.

Carrot Cake

Warming cinnamon gives this cake its spicy and welcoming flavor.

Excerpted from Bob's Red Mill Baking Book by John Ettinger and Bob's Red Mill Family, Copyright© 2007, published by Running Press. All rights reserved.

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup unbleached white flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

1/4 cup crystallized ginger, minced, optional

PREPARATION

1. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan or baking dish, or line it with parchment paper.

2. Sift the flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.

3. Lightly beat together the oil and butter, then beat in the eggs. Whisk this mixture into the flour mixture to blend. Stir in the carrots and ginger.

4. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, invert onto a rack and cool. Frost.