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Simple Spring
Side Dishes
#1:
Asparagus Vinaigrette
1. Steam asparagus spears
until tender but not mushy.
2. Prepare dijon vinaigrette
dressing:
- Mix 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard with 3
tbs balsamic vinegar, and stir well.
- Add 2 tbs olive
oil and stir again.
- Add 1 tbs water
and mix until smooth.
3. Pour dressing over asparagus and serve hot or cold.
4. Garnish with hulled sunflower seeds or sliced fresh red bell pepper.
#2:
Tangy Yams
Makes about 4 servings.
1. Cut a large yam
into 3/4-inch cubes.
2. Cut 1 medium onion into medium-size pieces.
3. Mince 2 garlic
cloves.
4. Heat 1 tbs olive
oil in a large fry pan and add the minced garlic. Heat until pungent.
5. Add chopped onions
and cubed yams, and saute until tender.
6. Season with garam
masala (available in the spice aisle) to taste.
7. Sprinkle with
2 tbs orange juice.
#3:
Simple Caeser Salad
Makes 4 large servings.
1. Place the following dressing ingredients in a large salad bowl:
- 1 large clove
garlic, pressed
- 1 tbs worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tbs extra virgin
olive oil
2. Stir dressing well.
3. Add 20 romaine
lettuce leaves, torn into bite-size pieces and toss.
4. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup shredded parmesan or romano cheese.
5. Toast 1 slice of whole wheat bread, cut it into cubes for croutons,
and sprinkle on top of the salad. (optional)
Creative
Earth Day Activities
Here
are some ways to celebrate Earth Day this year...and don't forget...make
every day Earth Day!
-
Plant a tree. Visit http://www.kidsface.org/pages/plant.html
for details.
- Pack
a waste-free lunch. See www.wastefreelunches.org
for ideas.
- Eliminate
disposable "doggie bag containers" by taking your Laptop
Lunch or other reusable container to restaurants.
- Take your own bags to the store when you go
shopping. When you're asked whether you'd like paper or plastic, the
answer--"neither"-- will make you feel good!
- Organize a group clean-up or join a clean-up
effort in your area.
- Measure your ecological footprint at www.earthday.net/footprint/index.asp.
- Take a virtual tour of the Arctic Wildlife
Refuge at http://earthday.wilderness.org.
- Download a printable copy of the EPA Happy
Earth Day Coloring and Activities Book at www.epa.gov/region5/publications/happy/happy.htm.
- Turn off lights and appliances when they're
not in use.
- Carpool whenever possible. When you can, walk,
ride your bike, or take public transportation.
- Use scrap paper in your printer whenever possible.
- Use salvaged materials for art projects. For
project ideas, visit www.kinderart.com/recycle.
- Start a compost pile or worm bin. Check out
www.wormwoman.com for supplies
and instructions.
- Look into the possibility of switching to
solar power.
- Buy organic.
- Purchase produce
directly from a local farm by joining a CSA (community supported agriculture).
It's fresh, wholesome, convenient, and great for trying new foods.
To find a farm near you, visit www.localharvest.org/organic-farms.
- Forward this email to friends, family, and
colleagues, and encourage them to subscribe.
Laptop
Lunches in the News
It's
Earth Day 2004. What's for Lunch?
Laptop
Lunches Reduce Landfill Waste, Help Schools Save Money
Santa
Cruz, Calif. - March 22, 2004 - With American parents relying heavily
on the convenience of prepackaged lunch items and foods wrapped in disposable
wrappings--like baggies, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap--it's no surprise
that lunchtime trash is among the top two leading sources of school
waste.
In fact, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
has estimated that a child who packs a disposable lunch leaves behind
67 pounds of waste per school year. That equates to 1.2 billion pounds
of annual lunch waste for the more than 64,000 U.S. public elementary
schools alone!
And discarded packaging is not the only culprit. Food waste is being
hauled to landfills in record amounts, mainly in single-serve packages
that, once opened, cannot be saved for later. "During our Earth
Week trash audit last year, we found a lot of unopened and barely eaten
single-serve packages still containing cheese sticks, yogurts, chips,
and crackers. Drinks were a problem too with unopened and nearly-full
juice boxes, pouches and cans at the top of the list," says Santa
Cruz, CA parent, Laura Everett. "The kids can't wrap the food back
up, so they toss it in the trash instead."
But Obentec, Inc. (www.obentec.com)
has made it "cool" for kids to pack waste-free lunches. The
complete Laptop Lunch system features a set of colorful, reusable food
containers, a refillable drink bottle, and stylish utensils--all packed
inside an attractive carrying case. It even comes with a book of lunchmaking
ideas.
"There's no
mystery to packing a waste-free lunch," says Obentec CEO, Tammy
Pelstring. "Once you make it part of your routine, it works great."
In addition to recommending Obentec's Laptop Lunch System, Pelstring
offers the following tips for packing waste-free lunches:
- Get your kids
involved. Even young children can participate in some way.
- Buy foods in
larger quantities and recycle the packaging at home.
- Purchase lunch
items from bulk bins and reuse plastic bags.
- Keep plenty of
dried fruit and nuts on hand.
- Reduce your preparation
time by maximizing leftovers.
- If your mornings
are rushed or hectic, pack lunches the night before and store them
in the refrigerator overnight.
Packing a waste-free lunch not only reduces landfill waste, but it costs
less too. A child taking a prepackaged lunch to school spends an average
of $4.02 a day or $723.60 per school year compared to $2.65 a day ($477.00
per school year) for a child who packs a waste-free lunch--a difference
of $246.60 per person per year!
But that's not all.
When families pack disposable lunches, schools pay higher waste removal
fees. Since fees are based on volume, schools that generate more waste,
pay more to have it hauled away. Packing a waste-free lunch reduces
the volume of trash and thus helps schools save money. After all, if
everyone in the U.S. packed a waste-free lunch, 1.2 billion pounds of
lunch waste would be diverted from the waste stream. That's a lot of
trash, and that translates into huge savings for our families and our
nation's schools.
Laptop Lunches are available online at www.laptoplunches.com
and through select retailers nationwide. For a complete list of Obentec
retailers, visit www.laptoplunches.com/retail.html.
For more information on waste-free lunches, visit www.wastefreelunches.org.
What Works...Success
Stories
- "I
am very pleased with my Laptop Lunch. Packing lunches in the morning
is now a pleasure. Staff at my daughter's nursery school have commented
what a good idea it is. It would be really great to see your product
sold in the UK one day. For now I will pass your details onto any
friends who show an interest in your product."
--Leonnie
Harrison, UK
-
"Great
newsletter! I loved the recipes and food label suggestions. I
actually read the entire thing!
Thanks!"
--Susan
Crow, USA
Do
you have a success story to share? Email it to us at newsletter@obentec.com.
Earth Day Specials
In
support of Earth Day 2004, Obentec is pleased to offer discounted Laptop
Lunch products to schools and other organizations interested in reducing
lunchtime waste. For more information, visit www.laptoplunches.com/schools.html.
Featured Web Site:
www.obviously.com/recycle
Do you have a box,
bag, closet, or even a whole garage full of stuff that you're hoping
to recycle one of these days? For recycling information on just about
an item you may have--from eyeglasses to inkjet cartridges--check out
www.obviously.com/recycle.
This resourceful Web site provides recycling guides and links for consumers
in the US and Canada. The information is suitable for materials in regular
household quantities. Their goal is "to help make recycling so
easy and automatic that it blends into the flow of everyday life."
May Highlights
Wholesome desserts,
composting tips, and bulk bin basics!
© April 2004, by Obentec,
Inc.
REPRINT PERMISSION
Feel free to reprint
or forward this newsletter with the following acknowledgement and contact
information clearly visible: "Thank you to Obentec, Inc. for permission
to use this copyrighted material. For more information, contact Obentec,
Inc. by email at info@obentec.com
or by phone at 831-457-0301, or visit their Web site at http://www.obentec.com.
Reprint permission granted with this full notice included."
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