::I inadvertently found the Bantry Bay Farm blog over the weekend. I was looking for information on Bantry, Ireland but also found the link to the Bantry Bay Farm in Canada.

Not only does the blog have some decent recipes, they also have a web site which cites their aim as "creating a long term system of sustainable agriculture that supplies the local community with fresh, healthy food."

Located in New Brunswick, Bantry Bay Farm uses "techniques such as minimal tillage, minimal use of fossil fuels, crop rotation, green manures, and taking a plant positive approach to growing."

In addition they support Community Shared Agriculture (CSA), whereby "members buy a share of the produce at the beginning of the year and receive a box of food every week through the season. They can share the risks and rewards of farming and gain a better understanding of the real cost of their food, while knowing that they are investing in their local economy, culture, and food security. CSA also lets the growers focus on healthy, bountiful crops during the season as opposed to marketing the produce."

It's interesting to me to learn about people and communities growing local produce for the benefit of all, especially when the gardens created are based on sustainable agriculture practices. I doubt I will ever have the opportunity to visit New Brunswick and the Bantry Bay Farm, but the notion of their operation fascinates me and I hope to learn more from their web site and other sources.

I've added the Bantry Bay Farm Blog to my Blogroll.

This is an interesting idea:

• Meatless Mondays: Do Something Good for the Earth and Your Health

In recent years I have been slowly moving away from beef, not because I dislike meat but rather I find beef to be tough and fatty nowadays. I'm not one that likes to eat greasy, heavy food and prefer lighter fare such as salads, baked fish and stir-fry variations with plenty of vegetables. I can eat a bowl of steamed broccoli or Brussels sprouts for dinner and be quite content.

Chicken, too, is losing much of its allure. I still love chicken tenders (processed nuggets in particular), but over the last few years I've noticed that most chicken purchased at the grocery store contains more and more slender tendons that are difficult to manage (to chew and view). Perhaps it has something to do with major chicken producers using chemicals and antibiotics in their eggs and chicken products. Who knows?

Whatever the case, I would be perfectly happy to live on fish and vegetables the rest of my life. I'm not sure if that qualifies me as a vegetarian, but if so then that's the way the cookie crumbles (as it were).

From McCormick Kitchens:

Did you know that many spices and herbs are rich in antioxidants? Cinnamon, ginger, and oregano, to name just a few, rank right up there with today's most popular "super foods," like blueberries and pomegranates. These spices make it easy to get the health benefits of antioxidants.

I can do the cinnamon and ginger, but I've never been a big fan of oregano.

Other antioxidant-rich herbs and spices include red pepper, rosemary, thyme and yellow curry.

It is my intention and life's dream to go to Ireland someday. However, since I will not fly aboard any airborne contraption, I am pressed to find alternate modes of transportation to get there.

A few weeks ago I searched for sea transportation just for fun. I was able to find a cruise ship named the MS Rotterdam at the Holland America web site. The vessel begins in New York and travels through Halifax, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and St. John's Newfoundland before heading out across the Atlantic Ocean toward Ireland.

During my online browsing I found a tourism web site that features Newfoundland and Labrador. One of the pages included several recipes native to the area, such as Newfoundland Molasses Cake, Cod Au Gratin, Stuffed Caribou or Moose Heart (thank you no), Newfoundland Frittata, Bakeapple Jam, Fisherman's Treat (with no fish), Newfoundland Jiggs Dinner, and more.

Since I love blueberries, this recipe caught my eye:

Blueberry Pudding

2 C blueberries

1/2 C sugar

1 tsp. lemon rind

3 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1 1/3 C flour

1/4 C margarine

3/4 C milk

1/2 tsp. salt

Fresh cream

 

Combine blueberries, 1/2 cup of sugar, and lemon rind. Place in 9" baking pan. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. Make a hollow in the mixture, and add milk mixed with egg. Combine until flour is moistened. Place over blueberries. Bake 45 to 50 minutes in 350 F oven. Serve hot or cold with fresh cream.

The Newfoundland recipe section also contains a large archive.

Here is a selection of "sustainable" food blogs courtesy of Rebecca Blood via Bitten at the New York Times for your reading pleasure:

• Cooking Up a Story (videos)

• Culinate

• Eating Liberally ("the only way we'll ever get Rush Limbaugh to go organic is when he dies and rots — from radio host to compost")

• The Ethicurean

• The Green Fork

• Grist's Food Kingdom

• La Vida Locavore

• Obama Foodorama (diary of the Obama foodscape)

• Sustainable Food

I've added a few of them to my Blogroll.

My new favorite snack food: Cheetos crunchy cheese puffs.

I have one four-ounce bag per week. I know they are incredibly unhealthy and messy, but I love the little heart cloggers!

From Wikipedia:

Calories: 160

Calories from fat: 90

Total fat: 10g

Saturated fat: 2g

Trans fat: 0g

Cholesterol: less than 5mg

Sodium: 290mg

Total Carbs: 15g