Lianna's Blog

A resource for natural recipes, healthy lifestyle tips, innovative updates, and positive meditations. by Lianna McCurdy

[liannamccurdy]

Ethical Consumerism: Your Dollars at Work

The theory of dollar voting, or attributing every dollar spent as a vote for a set of values, is linked with ethical consumerism (purchasing goods produced ethically). As an individual spends money, dollars show support of the products they are purchasing. In a commercial industry based on supply and demand, there is an imaginable way one’s purchase choices can have an impact on consumer good options.

Based on the theory of dollar voting, ethical consumerism has an impact on ethically produced products in our market. If more people purchase “ethical products,” companies will see a demand for these products, and in turn incorporate ethical methods and standards for product production. With this in mind, would you rather spend money on “ethical products”—from products produced sustainably to fair trade certified—or just the opposite?

How much do you know about the products you buy?

Think about your weekly purchases. What do you buy? Where do you buy products? Do you know how the products you purchase are produced? Asking questions about the products you buy can provide information about how your dollars impact market options and how they’re produced.

According to Ethical Consumer, the five lowest ranking companies for ethics guidelines (human rights, animal rights, environmental concerns) in 2018 were:

Amazon

ASDA Walmart

Nestle

Tesco

Coca Cola

Companies such as the above may practice workers’ rights abuse, discrimination, unsustainable food sourcing or supply management, and even falsifying environmental data reports. When purchasing products from companies like this, the concept of dollar voting describes one’s investment in these practices. In sum, purchasing products from companies prescribed to unethical practices shows support in their methods. Though, for instance, it may be cheaper to buy products from companies with unethical practices, spending dollars have potential to make an impact on the practices of these businesses. Simply put, if one doesn’t purchase products produced unethically, the market may be moved to change its methods for the betterment of workers and our planet.

How can you become an “ethical” consumer?

To consume consciously is to be an ethical consumer. Purchasing less (or no) products from companies with unethical practices, and more from companies with ethical practices makes a statement about one’s values; ethical purchases count as a dollar vote for ethical practices.

To find out more about your products origins and business practices, look for labels like:

Fair Trade Certified—ensuring fair prices, living wages, and benefits for producers (workers).

Animal Welfare Approved—determining welfare standards for animals raised outdoors, on pasture or range.

Marine Stewardship Council—providing standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability.

Rainforest Alliance Certified—awarding farms, forests, and tourism businesses that generate ecological, social, and economic improvements.

Salmon-Safe—certifying business practices that keep urban and agricultural watersheds clean for native salmon in the Pacific Northwest (North America).

Keeping an eye out for labels such as these will give you a glimpse into a product’s ethical traits. Of course, there is always more in-depth research that can be done to learn about a product. Purchasing products from small businesses, farmer’s markets, divesting in unethical businesses (allocating funds to ethical businesses), and holding companies accountable for their practices are all counterparts of ethical consumerism. Your dollars can work in favor of sustainability, the environment, and overall ethical practices.

So, what are you voting for?

[liannamccurdy]

Earth Overshoot Day

July 29th, 2019, marks the date of this year’s Earth Overshoot Day—the day humanity has used more of the planet’s resources than it can renew in an entire year. Calculated by the Earth’s biocapacity divided by humanity’s ecological footprint, then multiplied by 365 (the number of days in a year), Earth Overshoot Day has been measured since 1970. This day has moved to an earlier and earlier date over the course of decades. In the year 1970, the date of our species’ expenditure of Earth’s yearly renewable natural resources was December 29th.

How does this happen?

Earth produces only so many resources in a specific period of time (in the case of Earth Overshoot Day, resource productivity is defined on a yearly basis). Our population’s demand for resources is significantly higher than the planet’s available resources renewed in a year’s time. We currently use up 1.75 Earth’s worth of resources every year to sustain our society.

What are Earth’s ecological assets and why are they important?

Earth’s assets are available to human populations in every region of the planet. They are defined by renewable and non-renewable natural resources, including but not limited to plants, animals, air, water, and soil. Ecological assets are directly linked to an ecosystem’s biocapacity, defined by Scientific American as “a measure of ecological productivity, [which] reflects the rate at which ecosystems renew and regenerate.” According to the Global Footprint Network, “On the supply side, a city, state, or nation’s biocapacity represents its biologically productive land and sea area, including forest lands, grazing lands, cropland, fishing grounds, and built-up land.”

However, these assets do not reproduce faster than human consumption depletes them. The exhaustion of these resources is something witnessed on a yearly basis: take this example from The Maritime Executive report, Europe Runs Out of Fish. On July 9th, 2019, the European Union ran out of seafood resources and now “must rely entirely on imports for the rest of the year to meet demand.”

What is an Ecological Footprint?

One can determine their Ecological Footprint by analyzing their use of resources. An Ecological Footprint can be figured on an individual level, and also on a grand scale, for instance as a city, state, country or entire planet.  Global Footprint Network outlines, “On the demand side, the Ecological Footprint measures a population’s demand for plant-based food and fiber products, livestock and fish products, timber and other forest products, space for urban infrastructure, and forest to absorb its carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.”

What can one do to reduce their Ecological Footprint?

There are many steps one can take to reduce their Ecological Footprint and #MoveTheDate of Earth Overshoot Day. Some steps include:

Participating in conscious travel like carpooling, biking, walking, or taking public transportation

Buying used clothing to reduce use of resources for new products

Planting trees, growing a garden, or participating in activities that boost ecosystem health

Reducing meat consumption

If you’d like to learn more about your Ecological Footprint, you can calculate yours here.

[liannamccurdy]

An Eco-Friendly Answer

Imagine the Earth’s landscape, rid of trees and flattened, a desolate crust of dry, cracked rock. This is the image of a world relying on agricultural, dry-land farming for food. Farming is crucial for humanity’s food safety, but at what cost? Our planet’s immense human population and massive need for food is, plainly, a direct relationship. An unavoidable result of this relationship is that demand for food increases pressure on Earth’s land ecosystems (think an increase in deforestation, pollution).

According to Volkert Engelsman of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, “‘We are losing 30 soccer fields of soil every minute, mostly due to intensive farming,’” and the UN reports that generating “three centimeters of top soil takes 1,000 years.” Farming of protein such as beef, pork, and chicken relies on agricultural feed crops, which utilize dry land space. A provable answer for feeding the world’s rapidly growing population is vital, one that has a smaller impact on our environment. That answer could be fish from sustainable aquaculture.

Why fish?

The wondrous biology of the fish makes it a more sustainable protein option than land-going animals. Since fish float, they do not burn as many calories as land animals. Take away gravity, and less work is needed to be completed internally to convert food into energy. According to the Global Aquaculture Alliance, “farming salmon is about seven times more efficient than raising beef.” Sustainable aquaculture feed options for fish have potential to positively impact environmental conditions—kelp, a type of macroalgae, for feed can be grown in the ocean, and these plants absorb detrimental greenhouse gases.

Sustainable farming of fish, hand-in-hand with ocean plant-based feed, takes some burden off of wild-caught resources. Instead of turning to finite ocean fish populations for food, fish farms can be used to grow protein. In addition, some current aquaculture methods rely on wild-caught forage fish populations to create feed for farmed species (like tuna, salmon or trout). If the aquaculture industry makes the switch to sustainable feed options, demand for forage fish could be reduced. This has a positive impact on wild predators and ocean ecosystems!

An important note: a healthy ocean is a crucial part of the Earth’s overall health. (This does make sense, as the Earth is covered by 71% ocean.) When biomass in the ocean increases, the temperature of our Earth decreases. This is due to carbon absorption by ocean creatures—when there is an abundance of life in the ocean (I mean, billions of organisms), the capacity for carbon metabolization is huge! A flourishing ocean ecosystem marks just the beginning of the chain of Earth-friendly (therefore, human-friendly) impacts.

The ability to grow fish in water, and more specifically, in the ocean, means that land resources need-not be destroyed for farming. As new aquaculture techniques and technologies appear on the market, the farming of fish has potential to become much more specialized and non-invasive. Companies like HATCH Blue are working to kick-start the development of sustainable, disruptive technologies in this industry.

As far as actually eating fish goes, fish are delicious and a wonderful source of protein. Fatty fish like salmon, trout, and sardines are high in nutrients like vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown eating fish can help with memory and brain function, and reduce risk of autoimmune disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Turning to sustainable aquaculture practices for a source of food won’t eliminate all land-based protein sources. However, overall, seafood is a feasible pursuit in the name of resource efficiency and environmental consciousness.

P.S. 

Don’t forget: aquaculture isn’t only about fish. Crustaceans and mollusks, like shrimp, crab, oysters, and clams, are part of the aquaculture world, too!

[liannamccurdy]

My Journey Into Aquaculture

By Lianna McCurdy

Did you know that because fish float and aren’t subject to gravity, some species require less feed than land animals? When I recently teamed up with HATCH, a sustainable aquaculture accelerator program, I dove head first into a world of aquaculture and sustainability. Now, my head is filled with fascinating fish and seafood facts, more than I have ever known! I am undeniably a seafood consumer, eating fish in various shapes, forms, and preparations nearly every week. Learning from HATCH and other noteworthy resources, I am on my way to understanding why my seafood and the aquaculture industry are so important.

I’m working to make sense of it all: aquaculture, sustainability, the future of our food, the future of our planet… the list goes on! So, I’ll begin this journey into aquaculture by sharing some essential points I’ve uncovered about the industry thus far.

Our Earth’s population is predicted to reach 10 billion by 2050, and our planet will be in need of a food resource that does not encumber its health. There won’t be enough agricultural land available to raise cows, chickens, pigs, or other livestock to meet the protein needs of our growing populace. The aquaculture industry is currently valued at around USD 180 billion, and expected to inflate to USD 224 billion by 2022. This is attributed to the growing demand for aquaculture developments worldwide, fueled by aforementioned population growth and inability to catch enough fish from wild ocean sources.

Right now, in the year 2019, aquaculture accounts for a little more than 50% of the world’s fish used for food. There is massive biodiversity within this spectrum and nearly 580 different aquatic species are being farmed via aquaculture methods. Aquaculture isn’t limited to fish—it also includes shellfish like shrimp and oysters, and even aquatic plants such as seaweed. The potential for aquaculture’s utilization as a primary food source is huge.

However, the current practices of the aquaculture industry are in need of sustainable reform. There are environmental impacts associated with aquaculture practices of some farming programs. For example, waste buildup from contained fish populations can cause algae blooms that deplete oxygen and create ocean dead zones (places where no life exists). Use of antibiotics and chemicals in fish feed can negatively impact nearby ecosystems. Important small-specie fish populations that feed larger fish are often exploited.

Aquaculture investors and accelerator programs like HATCH are investing in companies performing research and developing tech to create a fully sustainable aquaculture industry. Biology-focused companies such as Prospective Research are building microbiome modulators to replace antibiotics and medicated feed in aquaculture and agriculture. This means farmed fish populations have potential to be raised in a healthier environment with a reduced impact on ocean ecosystems. AlgaePro is growing a sustainable algae biomass for potential use as aquaculture feed, thus reducing the need to use fish to feed fish. Companies like Minnowtech, Wittaya Aqua, and Sensaway are developing technology to increase the accessibility of farming data, improving seafood farming conditions and management techniques. This work contributes to the goal of creating a sustainable solution to feed the world.

I have just skimmed the surface of the aquaculture industry. There are so many incredible discoveries to make about this essential area of commerce, and the learning only starts here. Right now, awareness is key. Every day, I am becoming more conscious of the necessary steps our fundamental industries should take to achieve sustainable innovation with the vision of positively impacting our planet.

If you’re interested in learning more about sustainable aquaculture, check out these TED Talks:

Mike Velings: The case for fish farming

Bren Smith: Vertical ocean farming - the least deadliest catch

[liannamccurdy]

Gluten Free Mac n Cheese

Though this recipe is filled with three different cheeses and butter, it incorporates almond milk, almond flour, and lentil pasta to remove any wheat-related ingredients! This decadent dish makes 4 very, very hearty servings and can be mixed with any additional ingredients to add extra protein or nutrition to make this side dish a full meal. I decided to add broccoli and chicken to this one!

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

Total cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 lb chicken breast (optional)

1/2 head broccoli, chopped (optional)

1 package Trader Joe’s lentil pasta

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup gouda cheese, freshly shredded

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded

Freshly shredded parmesan cheese for topping

2 cups almond milk

1/4 cup almond flour (or add to desired thickness)

3/4 stick butter

1 egg

2 tbsp dijon mustard (or to taste)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Ground paprika to taste

Tin foil

Instructions:

If you are cooking this recipe with chicken and broccoli, continue reading this section. If not, read below for only mac n cheese recipe (feel free to customize with other ingredients to your liking).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For chicken and broccoli:

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in medium pan on medium high. Cube chicken breasts and chop broccoli. Add to heated pan and cook until tender. Set aside.

For mac n cheese:

Cook lentil pasta per package instructions. Start the sauce when the pasta is cooking so it does not sit for a long time (gluten free pasta tends to stick together). Once done cooking, drain pasta and set in medium or large casserole-style dish. (Top with chicken and broccoli or other ingredients if desired and mix.)

To start the sauce, melt butter in medium or large saucepan. When butter is melted, add dijon mustard and almond flour. Be sure to consistently stir this mixture so it does not burn. Stir until brown. 

Once mixture is browned, add almond milk. Mix until hot, stirring consistently.

Whisk egg in separate small bowl. When almond milk mixture is hot, slowly add the whisked egg, stirring while you pour it into the almond milk mixture to ensure the egg does not clump.

The mixture should be a consistent, smooth texture. Once mixture is smooth, slowly add cheese (gouda and cheddar), stirring as you add the cheese. The cheese will melt slowly and create a thicker sauce.

Pour cheese sauce on top of pasta. You may mix the pasta in the sauce if you’d like, but I find it melts through the pasta pretty well.

Cover with tin foil. Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan, top with more pepper and paprika to taste. Set oven to broil. Broil for 5 minutes.

Your end product should have a delicious, crispy top and you won’t even be able to tell the dish is gluten free! This is quite a tasty, decadent dish (it might not be the healthiest because of all of the cheese, but you’re allowed to cheat a little)!

[liannamccurdy]

Portobello Mushroom Veggie Wraps

A quick and easy way to make d-lish vegetarian butter lettuce wraps! Makes 4 hearty servings.

Preparation time: 10 minutes (longer w/o food processor)

Total cook time: Approximately 15-20 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached

Ingredients:

2 portobello mushrooms, prepped and sliced

3 medium sized zucchini, cubed

1/2 sweet onion, food processed finely

1/4 head of broccoli, food processed finely

3 large carrots, food processed finely

1 head butter lettuce, washed and leaves separated

Garlic to taste, minced

Olive oil to taste or consistency

Freshly ground peppercorn to taste

Instructions:

In a large sauce pan on medium-high, combine prepped zucchini, onion, broccoli, carrots, garlic to taste, olive oil to fry and for consistency, and ground peppercorn to taste. Cook in pan until desired tenderness or consistency is reached. If you want to cook water out of vegetables, simmer on medium-low until water has evaporated.

In a medium sauce pan, coat with olive oil. Sauté minced garlic until lightly brown. Fry portobello mushroom slices until browned and cooked through.

Place mixed vegetable filling and sliced portobello mushroom in butter lettuce leaves. It’s a wrap!

[motivation-and-fitness]

One thing that I used to struggle with the most (and still do at times) is my confidence. I was the person who preferred to sit alone because I was so shy and didn’t want to have to interact …

[motivation-and-fitness]

original comic by sylviaduckworth

[fyp-psychology]

Eight Ways to Remember Anything by Alex Lickerman M.D.

Reference: Research-based strategies to boost your memory and keep it strong via psychology today

[bethikins-b]

artwork by Tori Press ( IG:  @revelatori )

[liannamccurdy]

Gluten Free Stir Fry Noodles

I’ve been looking for a gluten free substitute for my favorite stir fry Sapporo Ichiban noodles, and I’ve finally found it! In this recipe, I use the Thai Kitchen rice noodle brand (only ingredients in the noodles are rice and water), and a TON of veggies. I make my own sauce with this too (trying to stick to less processed sauce) and the outcome is filling and delicious. This recipe makes four large portions.

Prep time: 15 minutes (longer if you decide to marinate chicken)

Total cook time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

For noodles:

1/2 lb chicken breast

1/2 bunch asparagus (I used half of the regular bunch size purchased at Trader Joe's), chopped

1/2 head of broccoli, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

1 cup spinach leaves

1 package Thai Kitchen rice noodles, cooked per package instructions

3 tbsp olive oil

For sauce:

Coconut liquid aminos to taste

Rice vinegar to taste

Garlic, minced to taste

Honey to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

If you would like to marinate your chicken, do this first. Place chicken in a sealed container with coconut liquid aminos, rice vinegar, honey, and minced garlic, all ingredients to taste. You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours. For this recipe, I marinated my chicken for 4 hours.

Chop all vegetables and chicken into 1/2 inch pieces or to preferred size.

Heat wok-sized pan to medium with olive oil in pan. Add carrots, broccoli, asparagus, and chicken (with remaining marinade) to pan. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables have reached preferred tenderness and chicken is tender and cooked through.

While your vegetables and chicken are cooking, cook rice noodles per package instructions.

Uncover and add remaining vegetables (onion, spinach). Flavor to taste with recommended sauce ingredients. Of course, you are able to use whatever ingredients for seasoning you’d like.

Once rice noodles are cooked, add to pan. Mix and stir fry until desired tenderness has been reached.

Serve hot.

[healthyfoodcharts]

[mealpreponfleek]

[howtolossweight]

[liannamccurdy]

Simple "For Anything” Sauce

This simple sauce can be used on top of pizza, in pasta, or as a topping for any more Italian-like dish (i.e. chicken or eggplant parm). With a food processor, it takes about 5 minutes to blend up. Throw it on the stove for as long as you’d like and let it simmer for the perfect sauce to tie your meal together. This recipe can be made in larger or smaller quantities with adjusted ingredient sizes. This specific recipe makes 3-4 portions of sauce.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Total cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

5-6 nearly-overripe Roma tomatoes

6-7 large basil leaves

1/2 sweet onion

3-4 large cloves of garlic

3 tbsp olive oil

Freshly ground rainbow peppercorn to taste

Instructions:

Cut Roma tomatoes into quarters, or small enough to fit into food processor. Blend until creamy or until no chunks of tomato remain. 

Blend basil and garlic into tomato mixture in food processor.

Blend sweet onion into mixture in food processor.

In a small or medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Add tomato, basil, garlic, onion mixture. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until desired consistency is achieved. Add freshly ground rainbow peppercorn to taste.

[liannamccurdy]

Quick Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Hi there! I have been off of the radar lately, as I’ve been trying to hone in on some recipes for the new Simple Carbohydrate Diet I’m trying out with my boyfriend. We’re currently in the process of killing some bad gut bacteria! 

This recipe is gluten free and very basic, but holds together well as a pizza crust or bread foundation.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour (or finely ground blanched almonds)

2 eggs (you can go without the eggs or do one egg if you want the bread to be less fluffy)

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Other seasonings to taste (basil, thyme, etcetera)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a medium or large sized baking sheet with olive oil or butter.

Combine ingredients in a medium sized bowl until you reach a doughy consistency. You may have to add more flour to reach this consistency. Using a bit of flour, dust your hands and shape the dough on the greased baking sheet to your desired shape.

Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until desired hardness has been reached. If you are putting toppings on this piece of bread, bake for half the amount of time, add toppings, then bake for remaining amount of time. 

[spoonofconsciousness]

#WednesdayWisdom

9 Ways To Increase Your Intelligence Naturally

1. Exercise - healthy body, healthy mind. Moving into the body is a great way to promote healthy brain function as it releases endorphins and other chemicals which help to improve memory and cognitive function.

2. Vitamin B - linked to memory & mood. Being deficient in B vitamins can lead to a decline in our mental capabilities, some people even report having hallucinations as a result of having deficiencies in certain B vitamins. The best way to get these in our diets without supplementation is with turkey, beans, lentils & bananas.

3. Reading - learn from the greatest minds in history. Reading not only improves our ability to concentrate but it also allows us to acquire knowledge that can help us along our journeys from some of the greatest thought leaders of all time. Robert Green, Steven Covey, Frederick Nietzche & Napoleon Hill are authors that have shared great wisdom that has led millions to success.

4. Antioxidants - to combat free radicals in the body. Free radicals are chemicals that can be harmful for our cells, they can be accumulated naturally or with the foods we eat - the body’s defence against them is antioxidants. We can find antioxidants in foods such as red kidney beans, blueberries and cranberries - they also help to improve memory & problem solving.

5. Sleep - the body needs time to repair. The majority of us need 7-8 hours of sleep per day, during this time the body repairs itself and the mind can process the day’s events and strengthen the memory. Not getting enough sleep can cause us to have low mood, irritability and poor cognitive function.

6. Avocado - healthy fats. Avocados are made up of monounsaturated fats which are the good kind, these fats are used to create brain cells and they also increase blood flow. The brain needs blood to function optimally, so eating avocados can help greatly, they even help to reduce blood pressure.

7. Creativity - express yourself. Using the mind to create rather than just to get through the day-to-day stuff we go through improves our ability to think. Creativity also encourages other ways of thinking about problems we encounter because we are using different parts of the brain.

8. Vitamin E - a vital nutrient. Vitamin E is essential for brain health, a deficiency of E vitamins can lead to the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease as well as poor brain function. We can find Vitamin E in leafy greens, kiwis and nuts - adding these into our diets can help us to avoid mental decline in old age.

9. Meditation - clearing the mind. From approximately 8 years of age the left and right hemispheres of our brain begin to disconnect - meditation can help us to reconnect the hemispheres of the brain and promote whole brain synchronisation. Meditation also increases the brain’s ability to make physiological changes such as increasing grey and white brain matter - grey is for muscle control and sensory action & the white matter carries nerve impulses.

We don’t need supplements to become our greatest versions.

Peace & positive vibes.