Did you know many fields where kids play in the US are sprayed with harmful pesticides? The movement to get rid of toxic chemicals in playing fields and public parks is spreading across the country!
This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield. All opinions are our own.
Did you know many fields where kids play are sprayed with pesticides?As you know, Alex and I are passionate about avoiding chemicals in food. That’s part of why we started this website in the first place! This space is devoted mostly to recipes and cooking inspiration, but hear me out on this one. Did you know many fields in the US where kids play are sprayed with pesticides, including sports fields, playgrounds, and parks? Yikes. We didn’t. After becoming parents to sweet Larson (our model for all of these photos!), we’re even more passionate about doing everything we can to make sure he and all kids around us are safe and healthy.
The other day I jumped on the phone with Stonyfield Organic’s founder, Gary. This guy is ultra passionate about organic food–and organic playing fields and parks. So Stonyfield has launched a new initiative called StonyFields. They’re providing resources about how to make a dent in this issue, and even partnering with 35 cities across the country to help clean up playing fields (one of them might be yours)! What I love about Stonyfield is that they care about the entire solution to making our world a healthier place, not just one piece of the puzzle. They want to help families and communities avoid toxic chemicals in their food and beyond.
Hearing Gary talk about this new project made me want to jump up and down and shout YES! (Yeah, I’m a nerd about this stuff!) Because if I care about getting chemicals out of the food we eat, I should care about getting them out of where kids play, too. Right? The good news is: the movement to remove chemicals from playing fields is spreading across the US. And just like organic food, organic fields are a Win-Win. Communities that have converted to organic fields find that over time, it saves money. Learning about this has made us even think about the chemicals on our backyard, too. Keep reading for more about StonyFields and what you can do to help!
Watch Stonyfield’s videoThis issue is complicated to explain, but Stonyfield’s video does a great job explaining a complex issue in 2 minutes! Watch below.
Our tiny tree hugger!
What’s the problem with pesticides?Here’s what we’ve learned: 26 million kids play on fields in the US, and most of the fields are sprayed with a mix of harmful chemicals. Some of the most common chemicals in what is sprayed can be potentially carcinogenic (according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer). When kids run and play on these fields, they’re directly exposed to these chemicals by directly inhaling them, getting it on their skin, and even tracking it into the house on their sneakers. Kids are more sensitive to the harmful effects of chemicals because they weigh less and their organs and detox systems aren’t fully developed yet.
If you’re like me, you might be wondering why pesticides are used on fields in the first place?! Herbicides are used to control weeds. Insecticides are applied to kill a variety of bugs and grubs that can create problems in playing field management. And fungicides are periodically required to control fungal pathogens. However, all of these pesticides can be phased out when fields are managed organically! That’s where StonyFields comes in: keep reading.
The StonyFields project is launched by Stonyfield to partner with communities across America to make all fields organic by stopping the use of harmful pesticides on playing fields. Their goal is to help communities across America convert to organic field maintenance, and empower families everywhere to make change locally and in your own backyard.
Stonyfield is partnering with 9 cities across America to help them convert to organic fields! Here is the list of cities:
Salt Lake City, Utah Burbank, California Tustin, California Costa Mesa, California Houston, Texas North Miami, Florida South Portland, Maine Portsmouth, New Hampshire Dover, New Hampshire Hyattsville, MarylandThis StonyFIELDS Movement Map shows how the movement to get rid of toxic chemicals in playing fields and public spaces is spreading across the country, both with Stonyfield initiative fields and other fields in the US. For many communities, it started out of health concerns, but many of these communities have also found using organic lawn practices saves money too!
If you’ve made it this far, you may be thinking: What do I do now? Here’s a few things you can do to be part of the solution for organic fields:
Change your own community. If you’re super passionate, you can start the dialog in your own community about converting playing fields to organic. If this is you, go to Stonyfield’s guide on how to change your community.Nominate your community! Stonyfield is giving out grants to 10 cities across the US! If you nominate your city or town, you’ll have a chance to win this grant. If this is you, click here to Apply for a Donation! Someone please nominate Indianapolis!Clean up your back yard. There’s no place better to start reducing pesticide use than in your own garden or yard! Ready to start learning about an organic lawn? Click here for 3 Tips for Healthier Lawns and Gardens.
Any questions?
OK, this was a lot of information about a subject that’s a bit outside of our standard recipes and healthy eating inspiration! However, it’s something we’re passionate about as healthy eating means healthy living, too. Please let us know if you have any questions. Also, we’d love to know: do you think about this topic? Let us know in the comments below.
A Couple Cooks - Recipes for Healthy & Whole Living
Try this quick and easy creamy avocado hummus recipe that makes a delicious dip you can enjoy anytime you crave hummus, avocado, or both!
The world is obsessed with avocado. And you know what? I couldn’t be happier!
When people obsess over healthy foods, I’m happy.
I can’t help it, that’s just how I am.
I have a question for you. What’s the first recipe that comes to your mind when someone says avocado?
Is it guacamole? Or is it avocado toast?
I bet it’s one of the 2. However, there are countless avocado recipes you can try. Give me a sec and I promise I’ll share an amazing avocado spread recipe with you so you might even think Avocado Hummus first next time.
You know something else that people love a lot?
Hummus.
Again, happy foodie over here. Happy HEALTHY foodie actually because, you guessed it, hummus is good for you.
I’m betting you already know where this is going, but I had to make you just as excited as I am about this avocado hummus recipe.
No, seriously, you should be excited because when you mix the world of guacamole with the world of hummus, you create a magical world full of healthy fats and deliciousness. No need to choose between these 2 worlds anymore. Not to mention that making hummus at home is easier than you think so you don’t have to buy hummus from the grocery store if you try this healthy hummus recipe.
HOW TO MAKE AVOCADO HUMMUSI know you are just excited as I am so let’s talk about the healthiest and yummiest hummus that exists in the hummus world. Yes, I’m talking about avocado hummus.
What do you need for this avocado hummus recipe?
Chickpeas Avocados Olive oil Tahini Lime juice Garlic cloves Cumin Sea salt Black pepperYou know the ingredients now, so it’s time to learn how to make avocado hummus.
All you have to do is to add all the ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth.
Congratulations, you just learned how to make avocado dip!
It wasn’t hard at all, am I right?
ARE YOUR AVOCADOS RIPE?But wait, since this avocado spread recipe requires ripe avocados, I have to teach you how to tell if an avocado is ripe.
If you are new to the avocado party, you should know that avocados don’t ripen on trees. They are dark green when they are harvested and they change color when ripe.
How to tell if an avocado is ripe…
Check the color of the avocado. If the avocado has a deep purple (almost black) color, you’re probably holding a ripe avocado. Color can be misleading sometimes so place the avocado in your hand and give it a gentle squeeze to check firmness.Is the avocado still firm? It’s not ripe yet.
Is the avocado soft, but doesn’t yield under pressure? Your avocado still needs a day or 2 to be ripe.
Does the avocado yield when squeezed gently? Your avocado is ripe and ready-to-eat or ready to be transformed into avocado hummus. Congratulations.
Tip: When you buy ripe avocados, make sure you use them within a day or 2. If you want to use avocados later on during the week, buy fresh avocados that aren’t yet soft. Fresh avocados take 4 to 5 days to ripen at room temperature.
Other avocado secrets you might find helpful:
To avoid overripe avocados: Refrigerate them and/or use them ASAP. To speed up the ripening process: Put the avocados in a paper bag alongside a banana and let set overnight. WHY ARE AVOCADOS GOOD FOR YOU?Are avocados THAT good for you, or is everyone obsessing over them for nothing?
Yes, avocados are good for you. They are actually incredibly good for you.
Let’s see why…
Avocados are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin C, B vitamins, and other vitamins you need Avocados are high in minerals, including potassium (a mineral that keeps your blood pressure under control) and lutein (a mineral good for your vision and eye health) Avocados are low in sugar Avocados are high in fiber Avocados are high in fatWAIT! I know what you’re thinking. How are avocados good for you if they are high in fat?
Yes, I’m a mind reader now. Are you so impressed?
And the answer to your question is – avocados are high in monounsaturated fat. That means good fat. So good, in fact, that it actually helps in lowering your bad cholesterol level. That happens only if you eat avocados in moderation, which you should do anyway because avocados are high in calories.
Next mindreader question: What is Tahini? Hot dang, I’m on a roll!
Tahini is what gives hummus that earthy flavor we all love so much. But tahini offers more than flavor. It’s actually a great source of protein, amino acids, iron, zinc, calcium, and omega 3 fatty acids.
Ok, this is probably not the answer you were looking for, but at least you know what you’ll miss if you skip tahini.
Now, to really answer your question – tahini is a paste made of ground up sesame seeds. It’s essentially sesame seed butter.
In grocery stores, it’s often located near the nut butters. You can find tahini in most grocery stores but you can easily make it at home if you want.
It’s actually very easy to make your own tahini if you follow a few simple steps…
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup of sesame seeds to the skillet Toast the sesame seeds until they are golden brown. Stir constantly to make sure you don’t burn them. Once toasted, let the sesame seeds cool for a couple of minutes. Add the toasted sesame seeds to the food processor with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend until you get a paste. Add more oil if needed and blend again until you reach the desired consistency for your tahini.So easy!
WHAT TO DIP IN HUMMUSHummus is a great appetizer and, if you serve it with veggies, it’s also a super duper healthy snack. Fresh veggies, like carrots, celery, and bell pepper are great for dipping in hummus.
However, you can also enjoy your hummus with tortilla chips or pita if you prefer something other than veggies. My personal faves are carrots, cucumbers, and pita. So dang good.
Let’s see, I’d say it depends on how much avocado hummus you make and how fast you can eat.
Oh, you mean how long is hummus good for if you don’t eat it in the first half an hour after you made it?
Well, in that case, avocado hummus will last up to a week in the fridge, if stored properly.
Storing hummus properly means transferring it into an airtight container, drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top of it to keep it moist and then store it in the fridge. To absolutely make sure it doesn’t turn brown on you, you can also press down a sheet of plastic wrap closely to the top and press the air out around it to avoid any oxidation.
You learned about avocados, you learned about avocado hummus, but this avocado adventure doesn’t have to stop here. To continue it, I have 3 more healthy avocado recipes that are just as delicious and as good for you as this avocado hummus.
AVOCADO, TURKEY & HUMMUS WRAPIs hummus good for you? Yes, it is and you know that. You also must know that you can use hummus to make this delicious Avocado, Turkey & Hummus Wrap.
The Avocado, Turkey & Hummus Wrap is quick, healthy, yummy, made with a few simple ingredients, and perfect for lunch. Get the recipe.
STEAK COBB SALAD WITH CREAMY AVOCADO CILANTRO LIME DRESSINGYou might think salads are not your thing but you have to try this Steak Cobb Salad With Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing anyway.
You wanna know why? Because this is not your typical salad. Nope. Not at all. It is a healthy salad filled with delicious ingredients. But it’s also more than that. It’s filling, satisfying, and absolutely delicious. Get the recipe.
PERFECT AVOCADO TOAST WITH SOFT BOILED EGGI hope you already know that avocado + toast = perfection. If you didn’t know, where have you been for the last years? Anyway, never mind, try this Perfect Avocado Toast with Soft Boiled Egg and tell me what you think.
And if you need more reasons to try the Perfect Avocado Toast with Soft Boiled Egg, here there are: it’s easy and quick to make, it tastes amazing, and it makes the best breakfast ever. Or the best snack. Or both. Get the recipe.
Get the best of both worlds and instead of choosing between guacamole and hummus, make Avocado Hummus. This dip is packed with all the healthy fats and deliciousness!
Add all ingredients (minus garnish) to food processor.
Blend for one minute or so until it’s smooth.
Garnish this avocado hummus with crushed red pepper flakes and chickpeas and a drizzle of olive oil.
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