May 2011 | Simple, Good and Tasty

How My Garden Grows

Posted in Family & Home, Farms & Gardens on Tue, 05/31/2011 - 6:00am by lee -

Did you look at the header image for this post? I mean, did you really, really look at it? Did you notice the 3-inch pea plant poking up in the back? The tiny little green strawberries? The radishes and greens? That's my organic garden, friends. My garden.

I know, I know -- it's not cool to brag, and I don't mean to boast (but "I'm intercontinental..."), but of all the life challenges I've taken on in the past two years, growing a successful organic garden has always seemed like the one I was least likely to achieve. It's still early, you're probably thinking, don't take that victory lap quite yet.

And still, looking at my garden makes me a little bit giddy. Here's a little bit of back story:

Hey Boy, Don't Eat All the Rhubarb

Posted in Family & Home on Fri, 05/27/2011 - 6:00am by Lawrence -

As the farmers markets begin to roll and my garden grows among the weeds I am given the wonderful reminder of why we should always enjoy these events with friends, family and children. I can't quite say why exactly, but when we share the process of growing and obtaining our food with people we love, the food itself becomes more enjoyable.

Lessons Learned From My Paleo Diet Experience

Posted in Out & About on Thu, 05/26/2011 - 6:00am by Yael Grauer -

In my previous post, I wrote briefly about the Whole30 and some of the reasons to (temporarily) adopt a very strict version of the Paleo diet. After 30 days, I came to several realizations that I feel would apply to anyone trying to stick to food guidelines for various reasons -- be they Paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, or local. Here’s what I learned:

Understanding the Farm Bill Starts Here: All Our Articles in One Handy Place

Posted in Farms & Gardens, Out & About on Wed, 05/25/2011 - 6:00am by lee -

The 2012 Farm Bill, a wide ranging bill that covers sustainable farming, organic food, big ag, food accessibility, and much, much more, will affect each and every one of us. Sadly, most people don't understand what it is or why it matters, and even fewer feel empowered to get involved and make a difference. Over the past several months, Simple, Good, and Tasty has published a series of articles about the Farm Bill, attempting explaining the issues in basic, understandable terms. These include:

Two New Projects from Victory 44's Erick Harcey

Posted in Out & About on Tue, 05/24/2011 - 6:00am by Kristin Boldon -

A lot of people have told Chef Erick Harcey what he can't do. He was about to open a restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis when the financing fell through. He found a place in North Minneapolis instead. The day he opened Victory 44, someone asked if he had sweet potato fries on the menu. When he said no, they said he'd never make it. In 2010, he reorganized away traditional servers and said the chefs would serve the food. Both the press and diners said it would never work. Harcey acknowledges the chalkboard menu on the wall and the tag team service, especially when the restaurant is busy, can make for an uneven experience. Yet fans and regulars praise the ambitious, changing menu, with healthful portions of high quality food at reasonable prices.

Heartbroken Yet Hopeful: One Beekeeper's Advice for Starting Your Own Colony

Posted in Farms & Gardens, Out & About on Mon, 05/23/2011 - 6:00am by Debbie Morrison -

I’m heartbroken. Last fall, I meticulously prepared 13 healthy honeybee colonies for the harsh Minnesota winter ahead. Sadly, only one hive survived. The cause of their demise is complicated. The poor little honeybee -- on whom we depend for one-third of our food supply every day -- is greatly challenged in so many ways. Numerous diseases, nasty and unavoidable Varroa destructor mites, starvation, condensation, and the ever-expanding problem of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) plague these amazing creatures, and saving them continues to be a herculean task.

Wild Idea Buffalo Company Aims to Restore the Great Plains One Bite at a Time

Posted in Out & About on Fri, 05/20/2011 - 6:00am by lee -

Wild Idea Buffalo Company, based in Rapid City, South Dakota, is a company on a mission. According to their website:

Wild Idea Buffalo Company is more than a meat company. It is a vision of environmental health, animal health and human health. It is driven by people like you, who care about the foods we eat and the world in which we share.

I was exceptionally lucky to spend a few hours eating buffalo and talking shop with the great folks behind Wild Idea last week (full disclosure: after a delicious five-course bison dinner, I was sent home from their event with buffalo jerky and a copy of Dan's book, Buffalo for the Broken Heart). The team is easily as passionate about biodiversity and sustainability as they are about good food, and it shows.

Minneapolis Schools Says "Good Riddance" to Chocolate Milk

Posted in Family & Home, News & Views on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 6:00am by Shari Danielson -

Last week, I was granted three more reasons to be glad I moved to Minneapolis seven years ago.

(Full disclosure: I don’t live in Minneapolis proper, but in a suburb 15 minutes west of the city. But when I travel and people ask me where I’m from, I always proudly proclaim “Minneapolis.” )

Alex Roberts and Lucia Watson Are Cooking Me Dinner on Saturday

Posted in Farms & Gardens, Out & About on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 6:00am by Laura Zimmermann -

What did you have for dinner last night? Cold noodles and a banana? Me too. Got something planned for tonight? Bagels from Common Roots if the guys meeting in the conference room leave any over? Me too.

I don't mind. I'm saving myself. I know that on Saturday night, I'm having a fabulous dinner cooked by a bearded James Beard awardee and a French knight. Yes, Alex Roberts (Alma, Brasa) and Lucia Watson (Lucia's) are making me dinner. In a mansion. No, not my mansion.

Susan Power's "Rawmazing: Easy Raw Food" Really Is Rawmazing

Posted in Books & Media, Out & About on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 6:00am by Gabriela Lambert -

When our fearless editor, Lee, sent out an email to the SGT writers asking if anyone was interested in reviewing a raw food cookbook, I jumped at the chance. I didn’t know much about raw food, aside from the obvious, and envisioned myself learning how to carve flowers out of carrots and arrange basil leaves around a plate, just so. I figured raw food was, you know, pretty. I soon learned that there are more than aesthetic reasons for eating raw foods, and Susan Powers does a great job of explaining the health and environmental benefits on her website, Rawmazing. In short, cooking food destroys or alters valuable enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that we need for our health, so preparing foods without cooking them gives our bodies what they need “to thrive, not just survive.”