Imagine having healthy meat protein in your diet, sustainably and without harm to animals. Based on current trends in the development of in vitro, synthetic, or living meat from animal stem cells, this should be a possibility for us within the next decade. Though the technology will take time to perfect and become accepted, it promises to allow a natural human diet without slaughterhouses or factory farms. It also promises food production with much lower resource inputs and environmental harm, including a lower overall carbon footprint. If you would like the benefits of a natural diet but avoid meat for ethical or ecological reasons today, this development promises new options for you in the future. Learn more about emerging “living meat” technology at Cultured Meat and In Vitro Meat.

With new U.S. guidelines allowing gentler cooking of pork, we mark the change with a meal of grilled ground pork over a melange of sautéed red onion, pea pods, and slivered almonds, along with mixed greens, grape tomatoes, and diced cucumber…garnished with parsley, marjoram, coriander, black pepper, and just a bit of anise. Learn more about the new guidelines at Pork Cooking Guidelines.

Stay home, make a nice breakfast, celebrate who you are…this one is a veggie omelet with mixed greens and berries…garnished with slivered almonds, parsley, paprika, coriander, and black pepper…

Spicy shrimp and veggie omelet with sliced mango and a handful of berries on a bed of mixed greens…garnished with pistachios, parsley, paprika, coriander, and black pepper….

The U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently released a report encouraging new polices to reduce salt consumption, based on research suggesting that a 35% reduction in U.S. salt intake would save 90,000 lives each year. One IOM member likened the need to reduce current salt consumption to that of trans fats. Based on the report, Harvard University and The Culinary Institute of America have jointly published a list of personal strategies to reduce daily salt intake, including greater vegetable consumption and use of flavorful herbs. Learn more about the IOM report and specific salt reduction strategies at Get The Salt Out.

Sautéed curry pork on veggies with mixed greens and diced cucumber, mango, and tomato…garnished with parsley, paprika, coriander, marjoram, anise, and black pepper…