Food, Food & Drink, Guides, Holiday & Gift, Holiday Guides, Home, Kitchen, Kitchen Confidential, Lifestyle:
The 2012 ecofabulous Guide to Thanksgiving
The message that surrounds Thanksgiving is one we can all support — coming together to give thanks for all we have, apart from religious or political affiliations (a welcome act, especially this year!). Unfortunately, though, this holiday season creates more than just excuses for excessive eating: every week between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, we generate an extra million tons of waste. This Turkey Day and beyond, say thank you by finding greener ways to celebrate. And how to get started? Check out our latest ecofabulous guide to the most food-coma-inducing meal of 2012.
| Good Gobble: Hormone-free leftovers are much tastier! Amp up the taste factor at this year’s T-giving meal with a flavor-packed, free-range heritage turkey. (Looking for a vegan option instead? Have a bird-free feast complete with traditional tastes using a Tofurky) (prices vary). |
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| On the Sauce: Fresh certified organic cranberries combine with a touch of oranges, apples, and pecans to give this classic cranberry sauce a distinctively autumn flavor ($8.00). |
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| Mashed in Minutes: Forgo all that time it takes to scrub, peel, cut, and boil potatoes and opt instead for these organic and gluten-free mashed potatoes, which can be ready in as little as four minutes ($13.80 for a pack of six). |
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| Life of Pie: Start the foundation of your holiday dessert the easy way with a ready-made Wholly Wholesome Organic Pie Shell as its base (prices vary). |
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| Up to Scratch: Here’s another way for the almost-from-scratch baker to make a sweet finish faster: Fill up that pie shell with tasty organic pumpkin pie mix ($2.89). |
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| Mull It Over: Simmer some deliciously aromatic organic mulling spices with a favorite organic apple cider (or red wine for a little extra fun) ($5.50). |
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| Toast the Coast: Raise a glass in thanks for one of our greatest gifts — oceans and waterways — with Iron Horse Vineyards 2007 Ocean Reserve Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine, created with National Geographic to help save our seas. ($40.00). |
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| Serve and Protect: During dinner prep, shield yourself from spills, splats, and burns with an organic cotton apron, dishtowel, and oven mitt colored with water-based dyes ($30.00 for the apron and towel; $12.00 for the mitt). |
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| Holiday Heat: Spice up your seasonal gathering with a healthy dye-free wax candle scented with fresh pumpkin and notes of butter, sugar, and spices ($16.00). |
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| Put a Ring on It: Decorate with the welcoming colors of autumn using this organic wreath of preserved salal, a small evergreen shrub found on the Pacific coast ($69.95). |
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| Lap of Luxury: They look better than those of the disposable ilk, plus they’re always better for the earth. Make your table stylish and more sustainable with reusable certified organic linen napkins like these ($80.00). |
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| Come into the Light: Create a naturally dramatic centerpiece with this chic candelabra of driftwood that’s been sculpted and worn smooth by wind and seawater (starting at $239.00). |
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| Dish It Out: Present entrees and sides in this stackable set of efficiently created serveware by Haand studio. Elegant and minimal, the seven handmade pieces are available at a price that won’t bust your holiday budget ($17.00). |
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| Service with a Smile: Want to minimize cleanup? Choose a more-stylish-than-you’d-think compostable party kit that includes plates, bowls, tumblers, utensils made from organically-grown bamboo, recycled-paper napkins, and compostable waste bags (starting at $44.00). |
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| Love Your Leftovers: There’s nothing more satisfying that post-Turkey Day meals. Help keep everything from green beans to stuffing safe and at the ready in these portable and nearly unbreakable tempered glass containers ($17.99). |
