Earth Hour and beansprouts

I keep writing blog posts and deleting them. You ever do that? Sometimes it’s enough to write something just for you. Once you’ve written it, there’s no longer any need to publish it. Sometimes I feel like that about everything I write, come to think of it. I wonder if this post will make it? J

Anyhow. I got sent an email about Earth Hour. And I took a look.  And I thought, yeah, why not?  It’s organised by the WWF and the idea is simple. On 31 March 2012, at 8.30pm (GMT), everyone turns off their lights for one hour, right across the planet. Now you can guess why I like this, huh, given that here in Dulverton we had our own mini Earth hour last week? 

It’s not just about saving electricity; it’s about thinking about the planet, about our current home and how we have a big global problem going on and that being NIMBYish, sticking our heads in the sand and saying ‘I’m alright, Jack’ ain’t gonna solve it.  Maybe it’s too late anyhow…  Maybe we’ve already reached the tipping point and swung over.  But still…it’s a beautiful world, it really is.  Just open your eyes and look around you.  While you still can.  

But anyhow. Earth Hour. Yes. Nice idea. The guys at WWF suggest you make it special.  Go somewhere awesome to watch the switch-off – like the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids of Gizeh, Sydney Opera House…  Or stay at home with candles and fire (so, much like most nights for me.. J) and cook a special meal (so, not like me…) 

They’ve got a bunch of chefs on-board to suggest ideas for cool cookouts. Some 'celebrity' (yuck). But I’m rather taken by the recipes of Ching-He Huang – obviously cos they’re vegetarian but also because I’ve never been wild on Chinese cooking (don’t get beansprouts, don’t see the point of water chestnuts) but these look quite…tasty. And I do so love to change my mind...

Red cabbage and edamame salad

Serves 4

50g shredded red cabbage

100g edamame beans (you can buy frozen)

1 medium Fresno chilli, deseeded and finely chopped.

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl.  Chill for 20 mins and then serve.  Yeah, I could do that!

And then she cooks up Veggie Mama – the monster of all stir-fries for Mother Nature.  But there’s way too much to type out here so I’ll link you to the vid…  Nice.

Sweet potato brown rice

Serves 4 to share

300g brown rice

400g sweet potato (peel and cut into small chunks)

600ml water

Wash the rice well, until the water runs clean.  Put all the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes.  Fluff the rice and serve immediately.

Then there’s pudding, of course…

And, finally, tea…

Bon apetit…