Will's on CNN!

One of our dearest Peas fans was featured on CNN today!

We've been so inspired by Will, by his life changing journey, but also by the way he writes about it (he's a exceptionally playful writer). We're so glad that our fries were a part of Will's journey and that he continues to enjoy them (and our new pizza too)!

Go Will! You amaze us :)

Edible Experiment: Homemade Yogurt

Make yogurt with your kids this summer for a refreshing, fermented, food experiment! Rich in protein and calcium for building strong muscles and bones, this cool, creamy treat makes an excellent snack on an active, summer afternoon. If your kids aren't into plain yogurt try sweetening this reci-pea with a homemade flavored honey (suggestions below).

Homemade Yogurt with Flavored Honey

• 4 cups of whole milk
• 1/2 envelope (5 grams) of freeze-dried yogurt starter such as Yogourment*
• Thermometer

In a pot on the stove, heat the milk to 180F, then remove from the heat. Let the milk cool to about 110F, then stir in the starter culture, whisk to combine.

If you do not have a yogurt maker, no problem. Transfer the milk mixture to a 1 quart mason jar or other glass vessel. Suspend a thermometer in the yogurt and cover with a damp cloth or piece of plastic wrap. Leave in a warm but not hot place (for example, on a sunny counter top or in a warm oven with the heat off). The thermometer in the yogurt should stay between 80-100F until the yogurt gels. This will take about 4 to 8 hours depending on temperature.

Refrigerate for up to 5-7 days.

Infused Honey:
This reci-pea is a great opportunity to use up those half empty jars of crystallized honey. Here are a few flavors that will help sweeten our yogurt reci-pea.

Rosemary Honey:
• 1 cup honey
• 4 sprigs of rosemary

Cardamom Honey:
• 1 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Vanilla Honey:
• 1 cup honey
• 1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise

Place the honey and flavoring of choice in a pint sized mason jar and heat in the microwave until it starts to boil. Turn off the microwave and let the honey cool for 30-45 minutes. Screw on the lid and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

*Yogourment can be found in the baking section at Whole Foods, or online

Indoor Herb Garden, Part 2: Storage

This post is a continuation of an earlier post called, Indoor Herb Garden, More Than We Bargained For. Here is an update of our herb garden:

The gang of pesky little flies that accompanied our herb garden while indoors was too much to take, so we relocated it. It's now in a backyard in the sunniest neighborhood of San Francisco (if such a thing exists!! We finally saw the sun yesterday after a long streak of foggy-and-in-the-50's days.)

The herbs don't seem bothered though. Look how they've grown!

Thyme, basil and parsley... oh my! And the bug problem went away, thankfully.

Great Way to Store Fresh Herbs

Whether we buy herbs from the market or accidentally pick too many from the garden, here's how we like to store our fresh herbs to get the longest life out of them.

Holding the stem ends, rinse the herbs under water to remove any dirt, then shake the bunch gently to remove the bulk of the water. Trim the stem ends a couple of inches, up to where the useful leafy parts begin (just to save space later). Using paper towels (or dish towels), pat each stalk of herbs very dry; be thorough!

Then, lay a couple dry paper towels out, overlapping each other slightly. Arrange the herbs in a single layer with the stem ends along one edge of the towels. Fold the excess towel over the leafy ends of the herbs. 

Starting at one end, roll up the towel-wrapped herbs, and store in a bag or container in the fridge. They should last a week or longer.

Have you been growing your own herbs or other foods this summer? Have any storage tips to share?

Beyond the Compost Part II

The big bags of carrots were on sale, cucumbers were 2 for $1... such great deals... you get home and realize you totally overbought. What do you do?

photo from: http://noteatingoutinny.com

We're always on the look out for more ways to reduce food waste at home. Learning from our own experience and reading about how other bloggers approach the issue, a proactive stance (recognizing an overabundance of a food before it turns the corner) offers the best results.

Here are the tricks on our current hit list:
abundance or wilted herbs -> pesto for pasta or potatoes, or freeze
abundance of cucumbers, beets, onions, lemons -> make pickles
abundance of oranges, carrots, celery... -> juice 'em
spinach, other produce -> blanch/cook it, then freeze it
leftover spaghetti -> bulk up a frittata
nuts -> make a spread, butter or dip

Here are some tricks to go beyond the compost by utilizing your scraps:
onions & carrot peels, ends and other scraps -> freeze for stock making
rind from hard cheeses -> freeze for soups (adds a salty bite)
citrus peels -> send down garbage disposal to clean/freshen it

Share the extra:

Another great tip for dealing with overbuying or overmaking is to share it. Invite an old friend over for dinner or take that loaf of banana bread (that those overripe bananas made) over to your neighbors.

Does YourPlate Look Like MyPlate?

Has the USDA's new MyPlate logo influenced the way you put together meals for yourself and your family?

Here's a snapshot of a lunch plate here at Peas HQ: veggie lasagna (grains), broccoli, greens and carrots (veggies), goat cheese (protein/dairy) and a nectarine (fruit) [not pictured]. Looking good!

Share a photo of your lunch or your kid's lunch with us!