cooking green(er)
i have read several articles/books lately on using cooking methods that are more “green”, and have been impressed with some of the creative advice. alas, i myself am more a practical than a creative person; however, i do have a few common sense tips of my own to give that are simple and will have you cooking “greener” by dinner tonight!
*make sure you are using the correct size burner. by using a burner that is even slightly larger or smaller than the bottom of your pan/pot, you are wasting a tremendous amount of heat energy!
*check your cookware often. any kind of warp on the bottom of a heating vessel leads to frustrating delays in cooking, and lots of energy out the window.
*keep an electric kettle around. i have touted the energy saving benefits of electric kettles for heating tea in a past blog, but i also know (from watching alton brown on food network) that nothing brings water to a boil faster or more efficiently! keeping one of these on your counter top will ensure boiling water for pasta, veg, whatever in seconds without wasted energy.
*spring for the energy star. we are all on a budget and trying to save money, so buying new appliances (large or small) may not always seem like the best move. if you have any doubt that your electrical appliance is performing at its best, shop around for a good deal on a new appliance with the energy star. you will save money on electricity over time, and countless hours spent fussing with a less than perfect appliance.
*do not buy used electrical appliances. this is hard for me to say, because i am the thrift queen and love to get everything i can second hand, but the truth is, if the appliance were working with proper speed and precision, it would not be in a resale shop (9 times out of 10). don’t wait till you get home to find there is a fray in the cord, or the models made 15years ago take three times as long to heat. trust me on this one – i know from experience! buy used, but not for electrical appliances!
