Edibly Fit News Bites 5

Edibly Fit - News Bites

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In This Issue Pick Up Schedule Green News Green Tip Inspiration Spotlight Jewish Food News Recipe

Pick Up Schedule at the JCC 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 8 Thursday, July 15 Thursday, July 22 Thursday, July 29 Thursday, Aug. 5 NOTE: On Aug. 5, due to the JCC Maccabi Games, pick up will be at The Digital Garden - address in Spotlight section.

Green News Water is a Precious Resource In all its forms, water shapes and nourishes life on Earth. Human communities and the world's unique biodiversity both depend on clean, secure sources of fresh water.

However, less than one percent of the Earth's fresh water flows freely, and burgeoning human populations are making unsustainable demands on this vital resource. Demand for fresh water is already outstripping supply in many regions around the world.

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Both biodiversity and human communities are at risk: an estimated one out of every six people on Earth has no access to clean drinking water; two out of six people lack adequate sanitation; and four out of six are afflicted by water-borne illnesses.

Living in Colorado, we are

Jewish Food News

by Mara Friedman 路 June 29th, 2010 This article is crossposted to Intermountain Jewish News and was written by Chris Leppek.

If you listen carefully, you might hear new and curious sounds emanating from the Denver Jewish community.

Such as a rake drawing its tines through freshly turned earth.

Or a hoe chucking its way through clods and weeds.

Or the hushed plinks of water drops falling from hoses to dirt.

Or, perhaps, even the barely perceptible whisper of a young plant springing forth from a seed in search of sunlight.

Gardens and small farms are appearing in the city in all sorts of unlikely places, including Jewish places - in the shadow of a synagogue, on newly-acquired land that might one day become a Jewish high school, on an empty lot amidst the hustle-bustle of downtown itself.

Although part of a growing national movement that values urban farming, organic food and a philosophical return to nature and hard work, these are Jewish gardens.

They are reminding modern urban Jews of their distant agricultural past. They are reconnecting them with the seasons and cycles of their own ancient religious calendar and providing precious opportunities to honor the commandments of their tradition and faith.

They are, in many ways, helping 21st century Jews rediscover something elusive yet powerful, something essentially human and mystical - the timeless harmony between man and nature.

In physical terms, raising crops is hard and unromantic work.

Bringing forth food from the land means getting dirty and sweaty, enduring blistered hands and sore backs, as it always has. It might also mean disappointment and loss when the weather is at cross purposes with the farmer.

But ask any of Denver's modern urban Jewish farmers whether they regret it when the summer begins to wane into autumn and the first crops are ready for harvest.

8/17/10 8:21 AM As they hold the fruit or vegetable they raised from a seedling in the spring, nurtured and supported during the summer and

Both biodiversity and human Edibly Fit - News Bites communities are at risk: an estimated one out of every six people on Earth has no access to clean drinking water; two out of six people lack adequate sanitation; and four out of six are afflicted by water-borne illnesses.

Living in Colorado, we are fortunate to have adequate supplies of fresh, clean water. But even here, we need to be aware that water is in finite supply.

Water is a scarce resource, so please do not take its availability for granted. Read Green Tips for suggestions on conserving water.

Green Tip From LisaTanguma

Reduce Water Waste I measured the amount of water wasted when water is left running while lathering up to wash hands and it came out to just under 2 pints per wash.

If JCC children, employees, and members wash their hands with the water on an average of 750 times per day (this is a low estimate) it comes to 187.50 gallons down the drain.

Turning off the water while you are actually washing your hands could potentially save 67,500 gallons per year. This is just under the amount it takes to fill up the indoor swimming pool. This small action could substantially cut down on water usage and reduce the amount the JCC pays for water.

Here are a few other simple ways that you can conserve of water 1. The Toilet Tummy: a durable plastic bag that you fill with water and hang on the inside of your toilet tank to save 3/4 of gallon with each flush.

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2. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Composting vegetable food waste instead will save gallons

sweaty, enduring blistered hands and sore backs, as it always has. It might also mean disappointment and loss when the https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_previe... weather is at cross purposes with the farmer.

But ask any of Denver's modern urban Jewish farmers whether they regret it when the summer begins to wane into autumn and the first crops are ready for harvest.

As they hold the fruit or vegetable they raised from a seedling in the spring, nurtured and supported during the summer and harvested in the fall, they'll be happy to tell you that few human victories are as sweet as theirs.

GAN Kehilati is Denver's first synagogue garden.

In fact, the small plot of land situated on the south side of the Hebrew Educational Alliance is so new that as of early June its small cadre of gardeners hadn't quite completed the first planting. HEA member Fred Karp, who came up with the idea of Gan Kehilati - which means community garden - a few months ago, says that this spring's late snow and cool spell put the farmers a bit behind schedule. Karp, a Denver attorney by trade and a longtime home gardener by avocation, chuckles, perhaps at how agricultural he sounds after only a few weeks in the dirt.

The HEA garden seemed to be an idea whose timing was perfect, he adds. After coming up with the basic idea, Karp ran it by the synagogue's board, executive director and rabbi and says he encountered absolutely no opposition along the way.

"The rabbi," he says of Rabbi Bruce Dollin, "responded very warmly to this idea." Rabbi Dollin, in fact, plans to incorporate the idea of the garden into his spiritual leadership, using Gan Kehilati to discuss Jewish perspectives on food, agriculture and related subjects.

Karp uses such modest phrases as, "It's so small as to be almost experimental this year." Yet, his pride in the new garden project is obvious. Composed of six raised beds about 12 by 5 feet each, the garden is located on empty land between the synagogue and the Thomas Jefferson High School baseball field. A "sort-of" committee of HEA members have signed onto the garden project and have already done a good deal of work, Karp says.

The volunteers roto-tilled the plot and helped set up an automatic irrigation system of drip and soaker hoses connected to strategically positioned spigots. The crops are varied and their selection is left up to the planters. So far, Gan Kehilati boasts budding crops of peppers, tomatoes, watermelons, cucumbers, brussel sprouts, broccoli and herbs.

Karp says not to expect a gigantic harvest, at least not this year.

"I don't think there's going to be an awful lot of food," he says, 'but this is part of a larger idea of investigating food. Rabbi Dollin plans to do some teaching on the Jewish aspects of farming and food. And if there is any surplus food, we'll be likely to donate it to the JFS food pantry or the food pantry at New Life Fellowship on Iliff."

If the idea catches on - and Karp hopes that it will - next year's8/17/10 8:21 AM harvest might be considerably larger. There is additional land available and the synagogue is already discussing the idea of garden expansion. Karp is asked why any of this is important.

1. The Toilet Tummy: a durable Edibly Fit - News Bites plastic bag that you fill with water and hang on the inside of your toilet tank to save 3/4 of gallon with each flush.

2. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Composting vegetable food waste instead will save gallons every time.

3. For cold drinks keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes down you and not the drain.

4. Shortening your shower by a minute or two can save up to 150 gallons of water per month.

5. Try washing your car on your lawn instead of the driveway.

Better yet take it to a car wash.

6. For fish lovers, use the changed water from your fish tank which is rich in nutrients to water your plants.

Inspiration Janice Silver

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This week Janice Silver, JCC Marketing director and CSA newcomer, was chosen as our Inspiration. Prior to joining Edibly Fit, Janice was unfamiliar with the concept. "I thought eating locally meant ordering pizza from the closest restaurant", stated Janice.

"Participating in Edibly Fit has been educational, too", added Janice. "I learned that Swiss chard is not a cheese, collared greens can be grown outside of Alabama and skeptical teenagers can be convinced that mashed turnips are really just potatoes with that something extra".

When asked why she should be our inspiration Janice explained, "I take the expression, 'You are what you eat' literally, and I'd rather be considered fresh and loose than chemically processed and over-packaged."

'but this is part of a larger idea of investigating food. Rabbi Dollin plans to do some teaching on the Jewish aspects of https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_previe... farming and food. And if there is any surplus food, we'll be likely to donate it to the JFS food pantry or the food pantry at New Life Fellowship on Iliff."

If the idea catches on - and Karp hopes that it will - next year's harvest might be considerably larger. There is additional land available and the synagogue is already discussing the idea of garden expansion. Karp is asked why any of this is important.

"It's good to know the sources of our food," says Karp, "It's local, it's fresh and it's nominally organic. There's also the fact that some of these foods will be vegetables that we're not necessarily familiar with from grocery stores. There will be a variety of things that we wouldn't be likely to shop for."

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Recipe Wilted Lettuce Salad Ingredients: One head of lettuce, chopped One or two bunches of green onions, chopped One half cucumber, peeled and chopped 1/4 lb turkey bacon 2 hard boiled eggs 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 Tsp sugar Fry turkey bacon until crispy, set the bacon slices on paper towels to drain. In hot turkey bacon grease, add tsp of sugar, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, and 1/4 cup water and cook on low heat.

Heat through, scraping bottom of skillet to loosen browned bits of bacon. While that is heating through, crumble bacon.

Hand tear one head of lettuce, one or two bunches of green onions, sliced hard boiled eggs and sliced cucumber. Add all to one large salad bowl. When wilted lettuce salad dressing has heated through, pour slowly over lettuce, stirring to completely cover and evenly wilt. Leaf lettuce or endive are fantastic in Wilted Lettuce Salad, but iceberg or other kinds of lettuce will do.

Garnish Wilted Lettuce Salad with turkey bacon bits and serve immediately. Wilted Lettuce Salad is best served while still hot.

You may also garnish this salad with croutons, if you wish.

SPINACH LASAGNA

16 oz cottage cheese 1 large egg 16 oz bag shredded Mozzarella 1 jar tomato sauce (organic) 1 package lasagna noodles 1 large bag of fresh whole spinach 1 - 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tsp. dry minced onion

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turnips are really just potatoes with that something extra".

Edibly Fit - News Bites When asked why she should be our inspiration Janice explained, "I take the expression, 'You are what you eat' literally, and I'd rather be considered fresh and loose than chemically processed and over-packaged."

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16 oz cottage cheese 1 large egg 16 oz bag shredded Mozzarella 1 jar tomato sauce (organic) 1 package lasagna noodles 1 large bag of fresh whole spinach 1 - 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tsp. dry minced onion

Spotlight

Preheat Oven to 350.

On the Digital Garden On Leetsdale

Cook lasagna noodles in large pan for 10-12 minutes or until half cooked. Drain and cool 10 minutes.

Stop by and see Leo Kacenjar's The Digital Garden on 4500 Leetsdale Dr., Glendale Co. 80246, just down the street from the JCC. The Digital Garden is a community-permaculture garden hybrid that is infused with digital media.

Rinse spinach under warm water and strain thoroughly. In mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, egg, half of the shredded Mozzarella, garlic, onion and spinach. Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan; put a layer of lasagna noodles, then a layer of half of the cheese / spinach mixture, another layer of sauce, noodles, and mixture; continue to layer and end with a layer of noodles, layer of sauce and rest of shredded cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until noodles are soft, removing foil at the last 5 to 10 minutes so cheese is crispy and brown.

The goal is to empower gardeners and visitors through community gardening, great programming and digital media to learn more about sustainable living and to stimulate a diverse range of discourse.

To learn more, visit www.digitalgardenleetsdale.com.

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