Eating local reduces carbon footprint, waistline
If you've made the choice to eat more regionally raised meat and locally grown produce, chances are your pants fit more loosely than they did at the beginning of the year.
Third-quarter results from The Splendid Table Locavore Nation, a yearlong study on eating sustainably, found that many of the participants have dropped weight and seen other health improvements.
Newly slimmer participants credit the exercise involved in gardening, eating more conscientiously and walking more as a sustainable choice as the reasons for the drop in pounds. Another participant documented reduced blood pressure.
When Locavore Nation began, 15 participants from across the country agreed to buy or obtain 80 percent of food items from organic local/regional and seasonal sources within 500 miles of their homes. Spices are exempt. All keep food journals to measure progress and note difficulties, resources and local trends. Most are adhering to a 100-mile distance for purchases.
Nine months into the study, nine out of the 12 remaining participants said their grocery bills are lower or the same as last year due to gardening, conscious food choices, lack of wastefulness, buying in bulk and preserving food. A majority also reported driving less than usual.
For more about the Locavore Nation project and to read the participant's blogs, head to splendidtable.publicradio.org/locavore_nation.
Have a heart: Speaking of local, Addison-based The Pampered Chef is continuing its tradition of supporting anti-hunger groups by offering a copper-finished Round-Up from the Heart Trivet.
For each $12 trivet purchased, the home-products company will donate $2 to Feeding America. Over the years the company has contributed more than $13 million to feed the nation's hungry.
The trivet can be purchased at pamperedchef.com or at an in-home cooking show.
While you're online or at a show, check out some of the company's other fall products, like the bamboo square bowl (an ideal serving piece for $19) and the round baking stone, now with contoured handles to make it easier to take to and from the oven (13 inches, $21.50).
Spice it up: If you like to add a little oomph to your food, consider entering Silver Spring Foods' "Bring the Heat" recipe contest.
You have until Friday to submit a recipe that features Silver Spring Horseradish. The company, the world's largest grower and processor of fresh horseradish, has a variety of prepared horseradish products, including cranberry, beet and wasabi-inflused flavors.
Three finalists will compete in a cook-off, with the winner receiving a set of Calphalon cookware and a private cooking class for 12 friends at the Calphalon® Culinary Center in Chicago.
Local restaurateur and Top Chef champion Stephanie Izard will be among the judges for the cook-off.
For the fine print and to enter, head to silverspringfoods.com.
She's everywhere: Just weeks before she judges the Silver Spring contest, Izard will be among the chefs featured at Food & Wine's Entertaining Showcase.
Izard, along with wine guru Brian Duncan of Bin 36 will host a wine-and-food pairing seminar; master mixologist Adam Seger of Nacional 27 will discuss cocktails and trends. Chefs preparing nibbles for the evening include Grant Achatz of Alinea, Graham Elliot Bowles of Graham Elliot, Art Smith of Table Fifty-Two and Paul Virant of Vie.
The event runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 200 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago. Tickets cost $110 in advance at foodandwine.com/chicago; $125 at the door. A portion of the proceeds benefit the magazine's Grow for Good charity.
Free baking class: You read that right. King Arthur Flour is bringing its expert bakers to Palatine on Thursday, Nov. 13, for two free baking classes at Hotel Indigo, 920 E. Northwest Hwy. (right off Route 53).
The noon class will focus on sweet and savory breads, while the 7 p.m. class will touch on festive cookies and pies. Each two-hour session will include baking tips and tricks for sneaking whole grains into your holiday treats.
No need to register, but if you want more info, check out kingarthurflour.com.