Archive for February, 2010

Unrecipe of the Week

February 28, 2010

What better thing to do on a cold, winter day, than make homemade soup?
This vegetable soup is so easy to make, that it just isn’t worth buying the preservative and sodium-laden versions at the grocery store.

I cheated, and used some frozen vegetables. At this time of the year, certain things are not readily available, and the frozen varieties still contain the nutrients found in the fresh versions. Experiment with different combinations of vegetables. You really can’t go wrong here!

Homemade Vegetable Soup

Saute  a large, diced onion in a little olive oil, until soft.

Add diced carrots, celery, peas, spinach, corn and tomatoes. (I used canned San Marzano diced tomatoes and added the whole thing, including the juices).

Add 1 or 2 cans of red kidney beans, and / or cannellini beans, rinsed.

Fill the pot with chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Simmer the soup for an hour or two, until the flavors begin to meld.

Serve with a dollop of pesto for extra flavor.

Enjoy!

photo: Glasshouse Images

Alternative Packaging

February 21, 2010

We applaud these Canadian innovators who are creating safe, recyclable, plastic free alternatives for some of the modern conveniences that we use everyday.

O.N.E. / One Natural Experience is Canadian spring water, packaged in a paper box.

The tetra pack carton is BPA- free, and made mainly from natural, sustainable resources.

The profits from the sale of this product will be donated to a non- profit organization, and consumers are directed to a website to vote for the charity of their choice.

Kudos to organizers of New York Fashion Week, for giving out these great water boxes in the Bryant Park tents!

Another company doing their part for our environment and our health is Abeego.

This company has created a natural, hand crafted solution for food storage. Made from hemp/cotton fabric and coated with beeswax and plant extracts, these innovative wraps come in 3 sizes and shapes, with color coded string ties to identify the package’s contents. They are soap and cold water washable, and durable enough to be used many times.

Just by eliminating plastic water bottles, and plastic wrap from our daily use, we can dramatically cut our exposure to harmful BPA’s and help to save our environment at the same time. Not a bad deal, we think!

For more information on the harmful effects of plastic, read our post  Eliminate a Plastic Bottle a Day to Keep the Doctor Away (posted January 18,2010)

photos courtesty of O.N.E. and Abeego

Y-3 ‘s Prisoner of Love

February 15, 2010

Sunday marked not only Valentine’s Day, but also day 4 of New York Fashion Week. We are attending a few shows in person, and enjoying the rest (hundreds of them!) via computer screen in the comfort of the office.

Last night, we attended the Y-3 show, a collaboration between renowned Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, and active wear giant, Addidas.

Yohji never fails to produce a spectacle, and last night was no different. The standing room only show began with a laser light show, and a parade of models sporting layers of modern, yet casual pieces. The theme was a bit dour, with prison stripes and tee shirt graphics counting days of incarceration, with text such as “33 Years with You” and “23 Years in Prison- 20 = Y-3”, all to a remix of Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.”

Although the “prisoner of love” concept was a bit downbeat, the items were pure fun, with great capes, easy dresses, and the “it” pant of the year, the low crotch trouser, done for both sexes in comfy knit. In true Yohji Yamamoto style, the clothes displayed an asymmetry, unique sense of proportion, and in some cases, beautiful origami-esque draping, all with an active twist.

The finale featured a group of models wearing colorful coats, who dropped them at the end of the runway, revealing; yup, you guessed it: prison stripes! After, Yohji walked the runway, and knocked out a male model in a faux kickboxing match, and was subsequently taken down by a female model.

Yamamoto’s business has been battered around a bit in the recent economy, and last night, Yamamoto did what he has been essentially been doing all year; after getting knocked down, he picked himself up, and waved to the crowd as he triumphantly walked off stage.

All in all, interesting clothes, great theatre, and a lesson in resiliency. It’s all in a day’s work!

photos courtesy of style.com

Happy Valentine’s Day

February 15, 2010

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day !!
xoxo indigo jones

photo: Glasshouse Images

The Fabric of Peace

February 12, 2010

Friends Seminary has commissioned artist Derick Melander to create a textile sculpture commemorating this year’s Peace Week theme, “Beyond the Numbers: The Economics of Peace”.

The purpose of the installation is to highlight one thread of our waste consciousness: clothing.

The installation, which went up this week, encourages the average consumer to ask:
What does clothing signify in our culture?
How much of what we own do we actually use?
How much clothing do we really need?
How can we help clothe someone in need?
What are the environmental implications of discarded clothing?

The Friends Seminary community has collected more than 1500 pounds of clothing to create the sculpture. Last week, students, parents, faculty and staff folded and stacked the clothing to create the work, entitled “The Fabric of Peace”.

The installation will be dismantled at the end of February, and all of the collected items will be sent to Haiti for victims of the recent earthquake.

photo: Spencer Jones

Some Things Never Change

February 7, 2010

I had brunch with some of my college friends today, one of which I had not seen in over 20 years. We chatted as if we had seen each other yesterday, and spent time catching up on the last 2 decades since we last saw one another.

There were 6 of us that lived in the dorm together during our freshman year at F.I.T. Even then, we were all from different backgrounds, each seeking different things from life. Somehow, we formed strong bonds that seemed to transcend our diversity.

Over time, we all went our separate ways;  marrying, having careers and families. We drifted apart naturally, without malice.

Many years later, we have rekindled our friendship and are rediscovering the joy we experienced together so long ago.

All but one of us had a change of career along the way. There are successful marriages, a few divorces and one widow who lost her husband way too soon. There are 9 children between us, ranging from 6 to 24 years of age. We live in suburbs, big cities and outer boroughs.  Some of us have had successful careers, and others have pulled back to pursue other interests. There have been drug riddled relationships, and relationships that were not as “advertised.” There has been loss; of parents,siblings, a spouse and of career situation that  turned abusive.

We are a group that if we met today, would find nothing in common. But the thread that ties us together is the deep strength and resiliency to take whatever life gives us and toss it back. It is a group of women that share a past of being supportive and non-judgmental. We were always there for one another, and some how I believe that after all this time, we still are.

It’s funny how nothing ever stays the same, and some things never change.

photo: Glasshouse Images

Unrecipe of the Week’s Superbowl Mash-Up

February 4, 2010

Super Bowl Sunday is just days away and Super Bowl food is as much a ritual as watching the game itself.

Here at Indigo Jones, we thought we would publish an “Unrecipe Mash-up” of some of the recipes we have posted previously, as an upgrade to the junk food that is usually served at these gatherings.

Here we go….

If you like chips and dip, why not try Hot Artichoke Dip with Garlic Pita Toasts? (1/22/10)

Don’t wait for cold soggy pizza to be delivered, when you can be enjoying Mini Puffed Pastry Pizzettes with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese. (12/26/09)

Instead of peanuts, how about delicious Spiced Nuts? (11/11/09)

Why eat Buffalo wings with creamy blue cheese dressing, when you can enjoy baked chicken wings with Chinese BBQ Sauce? (10/13/09)

It’s all easy to prepare, yummy to eat, and better for you than the greasy processed foods they replace. Just add beer and enjoy!

photo: Glasshouse Images


%d bloggers like this: