Organic Cooking: Gregg's Wild Caught Alaskan Halibut with Mango Salsa and Sweet Potato Fries: Thanks to Donna Hay!

A Great Recipe with the Seasons first succulent wild caught Alaskan Halibut and organic sides of Sweet Potato Fries and Haricot Verts.

These thick cut Baked Fries made from Organically Grown Sweet Potatoes are healthy alternative to traditional fries. Simply peel, cut into 1/4" thick lengthwise pieces. Lightly brush cut potatoes with a combination of  sesame oil and vegetable oil, Salt with Sea Salt and bake until golden at 425 degrees.

Prepare the Mango Salsa with One Mango, minced, 3/4 cup minced cucumber, 3 Tablespoons minced Cilantro and 1/2 cup minced red onion, with a dash of fresh lime juice added at the end.  You can make this preparation in advance and refrigerate.

Fresh Halibut often comes with a layer of skin on it, so trim it off so the fish is clean, and the filets look uniform.  Then wrap the filets in a pre-soaked Cedar paper, which you can often find by the fish section at the grocer or fish market.   Place on a hot grill for 3-4 minutes, flip and cook the other side for the same amount of time or until the fish is flaking.   You can also use foil, but the point is to basically poach the fish.

Here is the finished product.  You can find out many more delicious grilling recipes at Fire and Flavor.

Dessert can be a simple puff pastry tart, which is so easy and so tasty!  get frozen puff pastry sheets in the frozen section of the grocer, pink lady apples or pears from the produce section....cut the pastry sheets in half and line with thinly sliced cored apples or pears, like above.  Dust with a tablespoon of brown sugar...Use a non-stick spray on a cookie sheet, Pop in the oven at 425 for 9-12 minutes or till golden brown.  Pull out of the oven, remove immediately to a cooling rack or serving tray otherwise they will stick to the cookie sheet.  Serve each tart in thirds, with a Tahitian Vanilla Bean ice cream...this is so good!!!  You have got to love Donna Hay!

Earth Day- Everyday- Earth Hour- Today! 8:30pm

"Fourty years after the first Earth day the world is in greater peril than ever"

photo courtesy inhabitat

Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs.  The Earth Day Network is stimulating millions to make personal commitments to sustainability. This is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and government to join together and create a global green economy.

photo courtesy loftlifemag

Core Issues

Sustainable Development. Action is needed to promote green building, organic agriculture and responsible building practices.  We must find new ways of living and growing in harmony with nature and with the earth's finite resources.

Climate Change is the greatest challenge but also has the greatest unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.

Energy. 50 percent of the energy we consume comes from coal.  The time to build a clean energy network is now.  Take action by pledging to attend a city council meeting and engage politicians locally and nationally to demand investing in renewable energy.

More on these issues along with water, recycling, green economy, conservation, advocacy, education and green schools and what you can do can be found at Earth day.org

Participate in Earth Hour this Saturday March 27 at 8:30 for one hour.  

 Take Action or Capture Your Action or Make an Hour Lantern

 

Art Chicago 2010

The world's leading emerging and established artists will come together April 30- May 3 to participate in an annual international fair of modern art at Art Chicago 2010.  This event will offer curators, collectors, artists and art enthusiasts a comprehensive survey of current and historic work, "from cutting- edge to modern masters in a wide variety of media including: painting, photography, drawings, prints, sculpture, video and special installations."  An opening VIP preview will be held April 29.

Merchandise Mart with projection by Jenny Holzer

Over 140 galleries will be represented at Art Chicago 2010, among them, Zane Bennett Contemporary Art who will host art by over 20 artists including Olivier Mosset (above) and  Pascal (below). 

I love these horses by Deborah Butterfield that will be represented by the Zolla/ Lieberman Gallery. 

A list of all exhibitors here.

Is Your Hand Lotion is Harming our Ocean? Think about whats it's doing to your body...

I don't know about you, but I prefer my ocean to look like this ...

rather than this...

"The Solution to Pollution is no longer Dilution"

According to the latest findings by Heal the Ocean in Santa Barbara, not only are our oceans in danger but so is our freshwater supply.  Their goal is to move toward reclaimed wastewater by adapting treatment plants to focus on reclaiming this water rather than dumping untreated chemical contaminants it into our oceans.  By doing so we could solve two problems:  stop widespread pollution of the ocean and address the lack of potable water needed to sustain the states future.

How can you help?

Take a look at what ingredients are in your everyday household goods.  If you can't pronounce it, you should not be putting it down the drain- OR on your body OR on your dishes, counter tops and floors-where your kids and pets spend most of their day.  

Before waste water treatment facilities will be able to start reclaiming water they will need to tackle one major issue: Chemical Pollution

Are You Aware?  Can you pass it along?

Antibacterial soaps, shampoos, pharmaceuticals and pesticides are found in our everyday products and are not only harming our oceans, but harming us as well!  Most of us are still unaware of the chemicals we are brushing our teeth with, rubbing into our scalp and onto our skin. Skin is the largest organ in our body, and if not for the ocean, do it for yourself and your family. Switching household products to Mrs. Meyers or Method is a great start.  They smell better anyway and actually make cleaning pleasant, I find the Basil or Geranium scented Meyer's counter top spray and dish washing soap to feel like aromaTHERAPY while I do my everyday chores. Filling the house with a pleasing scent opposed to the pine sol and bleach stench I grew up with is reason enough to switch. These products have recently made their way to major supermarket shelves and are therefore more accessible.

Try Tom's of Maine toothpaste and deodorants that are free of mercury and formaldehyde among other scary things.  Trader Joe's also has a great tasting non-toxic toothpaste.

Parabens and other toxic chemicals are found in most facial products, a great alternative to those is Apriori as previously discussed here.

We need to focus on the little steps we can do to reduce our carbon footprint and 

Heal the Ocean.

"Ocean Waste water discharge has become even more questionable as waste water contains a growing number of contaminants of emerging concern, and freshwater becomes more scarce."

Coastal communities flush away more than 1 billion gallons of fresh water everyday by discharging waste water into the Pacific Ocean. California Ocean waste water Discharge Report and Inventory examined the states 43 waste water treatment facilities and determined that only 312 million gallons are reclaimed daily for beneficial use.  

Hillary Hauser, executive director for Heal the Ocean says a major campaign is needed to raise awareness about the benefits of high-quality recycled water and its potential to be cleaner than many drinking water supplies.  Heal the Ocean officials are distributing the report to water agencies and state officials and feel the next step is to put together a campaign to find funding for treatment upgrades and a shift toward reclaimed water.  The report took half a decade to complete and can be viewed at Heal the Ocean's site.

While they tackle the larger campaign to find funding for treatment upgrades, we can all campaign to make smaller changes in what we are putting down our drain and on our bodies.  Please pass this on!  Help others Heal themselves and the Ocean!

Post Author for GloballyGorgeous

Tamara Wallop

Chicago River Runs Green on St. Patrick's Day

If your not from Chicago you may not know that every year on St. Patty's Day The Chicago Journeymen Plumbers dye the River Green. Really Green, but the dye they use is actually orange when they put it in the River

Here's a link to cool article in the Christian Science Monitor about the history and process of why this has become a Chicago Tradition on St. Patricks Day. 

New York City Firefighters Calendar is Out! I had a rough day!

I'm sorry but I had a rough day today....So I'm posting this to cheer me up..self indulgent?  I don't care!

Go here to purchase calandar and support  at the NYFirestore a portion of the proceeds benefit the Staten Island Burn Center. 

City of the Brave Calendar: A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each calendar benefit the Thomas R. Elsasser Fund.

Red Carpet Green Dress at the Oscars

James Cameron may not have taken home the big award at the Oscars this year but the women of his life certainly shined as ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow, took Best Director and Best Picture for Hurt Locker. I know, Old News..

What you may not have known was his wife Suzy, model, actress, environmental champion, educational activist and mother of five children also shined in her "green" dress.   It was the winner of her "Red Carpet, Green Dress" competition. 

"Caring for the Planet is always in fashion" 

 The competition provided opportunity to aspiring designers to MUSE's, globally green philosophy by applying environmental awareness into everyday lives. Designs were submitted by amateur designers to create a black tie dress made of natural/ organic or sustainable materials while encouraging these future designers to estimate their carbon footprints when creating their clothing lines. 

Winner was Jillian Granz, a senior with majors in apparel and textile design at Michigan State University

MUSE Elementary and MUSE Global emphasize respecting each child, the self, others, and the environment. Suzy Amis Cameron's hope is that the Red Carpet Green Dress will use the international language of fashion to begin a dialog of healing for humankind and the planet. 

"If there is to be true peace in the world, it must begin with the children" -Ghandi