Canned sardines are on the menu

Yes, those are canned sardines in my cupboard. Most people's reactions would be "eww" and that's my reaction, too. But I keep reading about the benefits of eating small fish. Sardines are healthy (full of omega 3s), low in mercury (since they're at the bottom of the food chain) and sustainable (they aren't overfished). So this week after hearing an interview with a fisheries professor on Fresh Air, I blogged that I would try them.

Today at my local farmers market, I was heading out with a bag overflowing with produce when I saw the fish guy. I usually walk by his stand because the fish he sells is local and fresh ... ie: expensive. But today I stopped to see how much he was selling salmon for ($18/ lb). As I read the board listing the fish he had for sale, near the bottom I saw sardines. At $3 a pound they were a bargain. But thankfully "OUT" was written in red letters next to the name. I took that as a sign that I shouldn't try sardines this week.

But my next stop was the Whole Foods across the street to get the rest of my groceries. As I walked along the back aisle I came face-to-face with a display of sardines. I couldn't ignore the message: I had no excuse to not buy sardines.

But as with all shopping, there were choices and I didn't know what to buy. I tried calling my sister because she had told me she likes canned sardines, but she didn't answer. So I went with skinless and boneless over smoked and packed in water instead of oil. Then when I got home I noticed that they're from Morocco so they might not be as environmental as I thought. According to Seafood Watch, the "greenest" sardines are from the Pacific.

I found this article from The Atlantic about sardines becoming more popular for basically all the reasons I'm considering (I mean, going to) eat them. The author is a fan, so although he prefers fresh over canned, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. The box says "ready to eat" but even though I came home hungry, I didn't rip open the can and dig in. Besides the ick factor I'm trying to overcome, I don't know what to do with them. Should I eat them with a meal or as a snack? I'm waiting to hear back from my sister to get her advice. For now, they'll stay in my pantry.

Two takes on sardines

One of the things I really enjoy about blogging is the conversations it starts with my family on topics that don't normally come up. Like, I don't usually ask them about their fish preferences. But after my post yesterday about wanting to try eating smaller fish because they are healthier for you, my sister and dad both shared personal stories about eating sardines.

When my sister was in college she lived for two years in Portugal. The interview I heard on Fresh Air mentioned that grilled sardines are popular in Portugal, and sure enough she said she ate them all the time. In the seaside Vila do Conde, "The women used to walk through the town early in the morning with baskets of sardines on their heads. I can still hear them yelling, 'Sardinas, pecininas' (small sardines). They are quite delicious when grilled and I've even eaten them canned here because they are a great source of minerals, especially calcium."

All right, I'm sold. I'm so trying some sardines. Maybe I'll start with canned sardines since that would be easier. But wait, then I got an e-mail from my dad with a different take on sardines. I like the way he tells stories (maybe I got the writing bug from him), so I'm going to quote his whole e-mail.

"OK so here's a little story from when I was a yute, er, youtthh. I used to hang out over at David Sanford's house because they were a cool family and of course mine was not. Mr. Sandford ate canned sardines, so there were times when I was at the Sanford house and I would eat canned sardines too. Ugh. I can't believe now that I actually ate them. No to sardines. Double no to anchovies (they stink). And herring? - forgetaboutit."

Delicious versus ugh. Hmm, well I guess to each his own. I'll have to try for myself to see who I agree with.

Grilled sardines anyone?

Driving home from work today, I caught a segment on Fresh Air on a topic that is close to my heart -- or rather, stomach. Terry Gross was talking to Daniel Pauly, a professor at the University of British Columbia, about the best fish to eat both for your health and the environment. I wanted to embed the video but apparently I'm so computer illiterate that I couldn't make it work (or I need a new computer). But here's the link to her interview on the NPR site: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120049590

I've blogged about this before so some of what he said was familiar: wild Atlantic salmon is best; eat fish low on the food chain like sardines and mackerel, etc. But I learned a few new tidbits, like the reason wild salmon is better for the environment than farmed salmon. He said salmon farms don't produce fish, they consume fish since salmon are carnivores and eat fish lower on the food chain. So in salmon farms they grind up fish to make food for the salmon, for a net loss of fish. The good news is that catfish and tilapia (which I like to eat) are herbivores so those are good farmed options, along with shellfish (oysters, mussels, clams).

He's concerned about overfishing and made the point that sushi and sashimi used to be only for special occasions but now some people eat it every day. He made the dramatic comparison that eating a tuna roll is as bad for the environment as driving a Hummer.

But the line that got me was: "I think we should act as citizens, not just as consumers." Now I kinda want to take a stab at eating those low-mercury, small fish that Europeans eat, but that have a stigma associated with them in this country like anchovies, sardines and herring. Anchovies make me think of greasy pizza and my only association with herring is the phrase "red herring" (which I learned from one of the best movies ever, Clue). And sardines, well ... canned sardines, need I say more? I'm embarrassed to say that I don't even know what these fish look like, even though I'm sure my eyes have passed over them in the fish counter. But I'm making a promise to myself that I'm going to try one of them. If Europeans like them, they can't be that bad. I'll let you know how it tastes.

The one-year Ziploc challenge

I moved into my apartment a little over a year ago, in mid-September 2008. My move has been a convenient way for me to keep track of how much stuff I use. I've realized what a good deal Mrs. Meyer's concentrated all-purpose cleaner is because I still have the same 32-ounce bottle I bought a year ago for $8 (it's about two-thirds gone, although I probably would have gone through it by now if I was better about washing my floors). But I'm most proud of my Ziploc bag habit. I've had the same two boxes of sandwich and freezer bags since I moved in and they are nowhere near being empty. I've used 18 out of the 54 freezer bags. Of the 125-count sandwich bag box, I've gone through probably 30 or so (don't feel like counting all of those).

How have I cut back? Well, about a year ago I wrote a post about an article I read that mentioned a family that used the same sandwich bag for a year by washing it every time. I knew that was too drastic for me but I did start washing and reusing bags more than I had before. My co-worker, who had told me about the article, said that as my New Year's resolution I should try to limit myself to one box (not one bag for god's sake) for one year. Instead of waiting until New Year's, I decided to keep track of how many bags I went through in my first year of living in my apartment.

I don't use plastic produce bags that often -- only when I'm buying loose items like green beans but never for things like apples or broccoli (I don't understand people who put their bananas in a plastic bag. Is that supposed to keep them fresher or something? Seems like such an obvious waste to me). But I usually have a few on hand so I use those instead of sandwich bags and I reuse them as much as I can. I also re-use bread bags several times before they eventually get a little too worn and then I recycle them. I've also been using more plastic containers to hold things like nuts I take to work or half an avocado that I stick in the fridge. Now my most common use of Ziplocs is for raw chicken that I store in the freezer. It icks me out to think of reusing a bag that held raw chicken so those are one-time-only bags.

I feel good that I've cut back because I remember how often we'd run out of sandwich bags when I lived with roommates. Even though we were recycling most of them, it felt like such a waste. And it's really not that hard. The only annoyance is the cluster of wet bags littering my counter as they dry. I now see the reason for the bare-tree looking bag drying rack that I saw in a Gaiam catalog. At the time I thought it was a ridiculous and unnecessary invention. Now I admit, I kinda want one. Convenient that Christmas is coming up. I think it would make an excellent stocking stuffer. Anyone, anyone?

Which plastic containers are best?

I talk to my mom every Monday morning because it's my day off and since she's in sales I can usually catch her at home while she's getting ready and answering calls. Like many mother-daughter relationships, our conversations can meander in numerous directions, often ending on a path I didn't expect. Today after we'd gotten the usual dating, work and rugby updates out of the way, we got talking about her weekend purge of old clothes and shoes, which led to our unanimous approval of discount stores like Marshalls, to her saying she bought glass food containers on sale the last time she was there. She finally got rid of her old Tupperware containers, some she's had for 25 years. Yikes, that's bad, but at least she knew they needed to be thrown away and were so old they could be leaching chemicals into her food. She doesn't microwave her plastic containers but she does pour hot soup into them so after many years of use, I'm sure they were not safe anymore.

She said she also wanted to buy new plastic containers since she didn't want to have only glass ones, but planned to do some research into which ones were safest and didn't contain the chemical BPA (bisphenol A). I remembered a useful article I read a year ago in National Geographic's Green Guide magazine. I bought the magazine when I moved into my apartment so I could find out which kitchen gadgets and items were the greenest. I still had the magazine so I just looked over the article again.

It recommended glass, ceramic and stainless steel, plus for lighter options that are easier to carry to work, it suggested "stainless steel or reusable storage containers made from #5 polypropylene plastic, but avoid exposing plastic to heat." The items they recommended included GladWare round #5 plastic bowls with blue lids and Ziploc "Twist 'n Loc" #5 plastic containers. I must have studies this article carefully because I have the Ziploc containers. I like them because they're the perfect size for storing leftovers and snacks for work, although a little small to pack a full meal into. But I also forgot the cautionary advice about using single-use yogurt and butter containers. They can get scratches that are hard to see, and you should store only cold food in them, not hot food (heat speeds deterioration). I've been collecting and using old yogurt, cottage cheese, butter and hummus containers since I moved in and since I've been here a year, it's probably time to rotate out the old ones with new ones.

I couldn't find that article on the Green Guide website, but I did find a handy plastic containers buying guide. So Mom, I've saved you some research time. Check it out before you hit Target (or Marshalls again) to update your kitchen.

Fishy business part 2

Two months ago I posted a blog entry that began: "Today I ate a tasty meal of catfish, corn on the cob and sauteed new potatoes." I am nothing if not consistent because today's blog entry could have began almost the same way: "I just finished a delicious dinner of pan-fried catfish coated in soy flour with broccoli and roasted potatoes on the side." My blog entry from August was about a Washington Post article on the "greenest" fish, based on fishing or farming practices, the energy used in transport and overfishing. But I commented at the end that while helpful, the article didn't take into account health factors like mercury levels. So today is the follow up.

I came across a great website by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. Their "Fish List" tells you which fish pregnant women (and as an extension everyone in general) should avoid because of high mercury levels. I searched for "catfish" and was disappointed that it fell under the "eat no more than one serving per month" category. Good thing I haven't eaten it since that August entry!

These fish have low mercury levels:
Blue crab (mid-Atlantic)
Croaker
Fish Sticks
Flounder (summer)
Haddock
Trout (farmed)
Salmon (wild Pacific)
Shrimp

In cross-referencing the EWG list with the Seafood Watch list of ocean-friendly seafood, I'd say the big winner is ... (ding, ding, ding) ... wild Pacific salmon. It gets high marks for being an excellent choice in several categories. It's good for the environment, has low mercury levels and is recommended by doctors because it's high in healthy omega-3 fats.

I was sad to see canned tuna on the EWG "avoid" list because that's been a staple in my diet my whole life. I remember many Sundays when my mom would make classic tuna sandwiches with mayonnaise, onion and celery. For some reason they always tasted better when she made them. Then when I became an insolent teenager I'd make her set aside some of the tuna in a bowl so I could make it less fattening with mustard and just a little mayonnaise. As a college student and later as an adult I experimented with new ingredients like curry, raisins and nuts. I can't imagine how many tuna sandwiches and tuna salads I've eaten over the years, thinking I was being healthy.

But how much canned tuna is safe to eat? I plugged my weight into the EWG's handy tuna calculator and the result said that women of child-bearing age should eat no albacore tuna. Chunk light tuna is lower in mercury.

But as an alternative, the fish besides wild salmon that both lists consider the best choice are blue crab, farmed trout, flounder and shrimp (as long as they are not imports). I haven't cooked with crab, trout or flounder before so I have some new types of fish to experiment with. I'll keep you posted on how it goes. There may be more blog posts in the future that begin with a scrumptious menu.

Tasteless avocados have me pining for the farmers market

I've been a bad blogger. It's been over two weeks since my last post because it's harder to find the time now that rugby season is in full swing. I'm also not doing as many good things for the environment that would be worthy of a post. I'm in my daily driving routine to work and on the weekends I've had rugby games so I haven't made it to the Sunday farmers market in a few weeks. My routine is pretty much wake up, get ready for work, drive to work, drive to rugby practice (or go running), come home, cook something that resembles a meal in under five minutes because it's late and I'm hungry, maybe take a second shower of the day, go to bed. Then wake up, repeat. Sorry, Earth.

I wish I had made it to the farmers market this week because I accidentally bought avocados from Chile at the grocery store and am now feeling the guilt. To make it worse, the one I cut into tonight was TERRIBLE. I was too excited by the 65 cent price to notice the country of origin. I also didn't realize that the two bright green avocados I picked out weren't ripe yet so it was like trying to cut plastic. And it might as well have been plastic since there was no taste either. I'm hoping that the other one will taste better if given a few days to ripen but I'm not holding out much hope. How fresh and flavorful can a vegetable be that came all the way from South America? I've gotten pretty good about reading country of origin signs when I'm buying seafood, so this is a reminder that I need to pay closer attention in the produce department too, and not get sucked in by the sales price.

In a related topic, I liked this story in the Sunday LA Times about a woman who planted a vegetable garden in her front yard a year ago. It reminded me of my sister, whose husband planted a garden along the side of her house in Temecula. They moved last year and I hear (via her blog!) that he's planted another one at their home in Dallas. I'm jealous of her abundance (or what I presume is an abundance based on the success of her garden in California) of tomatoes, squash and basil. It's sad that it's not easy to get reasonably priced fresh produce without having a garden of your own. No wonder eating healthy is so hard. Who wants to eat an avocado that tastes like plastic? Not I, not I.

30 years of farm food in LA

A few days after I railed against a Times op-ed criticizing foodies who encourage people to eat at so-called pricey farmers markets, it was nice to see a positive farmers market story in today's paper. The story, about Los Angeles County celebrating 30 years of farmers markets, was written by Mary MacVean. It said that L.A. is soliciting ideas for how to make farm food more available, with the winning idea being a central hub where farmers could bring their produce to be distributed by electric trucks to neighborhoods. I know what my suggestion would be: longer hours. OK, that may be unrealistic (how long do tomatoes stay fresh sitting under a tent in the bright sun?) but with Long Beach's Sunday farmers market closing at 2 p.m., I can't always get there in time, or forget about it until 1:30 p.m. when it's too late to go. So even though I didn't make it to the market this week, it was nice reading this article and dreaming about the meals I'll make in the future with farm fresh food.