Preserving the Rhubarb

Now my  list of things to be preserved over the harvest season has not been thought through enough, but there are a few things that need to be addressed now.   While the late summer and early fall is really when we need to be thinking about what we want to save for our cold winters, there are a few spring crops that need our consideration.  Rhubarb being the first on the list.  I want to experiment with a few savoury dishes this winter so I froze some chopped up rhubarb into two freezer bags.  Nothing more sophisticated than that.  Now I can through rhubarb into muffins, oatmeal and onto pieces of roasting chicken.  I wonder if the sour taste will replicate the notion of chicken and lemons?

Although the preparation can feel intimidating, I know I'll be happy to have this at the ready when it is winter and it is dark at 6PM.  Just wash the stocks, disgard the leaves and yucky ends and chop up into small pieces.  Place them on a towel to dry and then place them all in a large Ziplock freezer bag and suck the air out.  Place in the freezer knowing that in February we can experiment with some interesting recipes.

Nettle Tea

So, on Dr. Wiley's advice I decided to make some Stinging Nettle tea.  I love that there is tons of it right now available from my organic bin, it's very Ontario and I was happy to hear that it has so many health benefits.  This will be the first item that gets preserved this year, so I was very excited.  I took about two cups of nettles and spread them out on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven at 150 degrees for about an hour and a half.  They dried up really nicely and then I used a pinch to make some tea inside a tea ball.

As you can see it has a lovely green colour similar to green tea.  The taste however coincides with the notion that this is medicinal!!  It really tasted like tea made from dried up weeds.  I won't be drinking much of it now as the nettles are so fresh and plentiful right now.  I will however drink this once a week in the winter, but we're going to need to add honey.  I did not even bother asking Big Critic or Little Critic to try it! 

More preserving activities tonight!!  Stay tuned!

Nutritious Ontario! - A Naturopathic Doctor's Perspective

When My Backyard's Full first approached me to analyze her food plan, I though it would be easy to pick out where she cold improve. As a Naturopathic Doctor it is part of my job to identify potential nutritional deficits and deficiencies and help clients balance their meal plan and optimize their health. What I learned was that when it comes to vegetables, Ontario is tough to “beet”!

Here is my report:
Winter
If Andrea consumes all of the vegetables on her list on a regular basis, she will have more than enough nutrition for optimal health. Some common winter concerns that I regularly here are: will I get enough vitamin C without citrus fruit, iron without my greens, and potassium without my beloved banana? These concerns can be easily addressed with many of the foods on the list. For example, cabbage is extremely high in vitamin C and often overlooked for its nutritional content. Iron can be found in relatively high amounts in leeks and potatoes, and if combined with chicken, beef, or fish, you will get more than enough to meet the recommended daily intake. Potassium is plentiful in yams, squash, potato, and sweet potato so there is no need for that well traveled banana. For me, it is the sprouts and greenhouse lettuces that really round out this winter diet giving you the raw antioxidant power you need to get through the winter season.

From a vegetable perspective the winter list should give more than enough nutrition for a healthy lifestyle, however I have included a small list of tips to help get even more!

Spring
Spring is a time of rejuvenation and detoxification. The spring list should give you everything you need to maintain a healthy diet. I would however indulge in the asparagus and fresh nettles this season to help support liver and kidneys and prepare for an active summer! Remember to harvest nettles and dry them for tea all year round!

Summer
Summer is a time of abundant antioxidants. This is a time to overindulge in nutrient-dense foods. If the goal is to promote anti-aging I recommend juicing the readily available nutrient-dense vegetables like kale, beets, broccoli, celery, and carrots. The carotinoids and antioxidants found in the summer list help to protect skin from sun damage.

Fall
This is harvest time! Growing up in Niagara, in my opinion this is when Ontario produce is at its finest. Continue to focus on eating greens like rapini and brussels sprouts as winter is around the corner. Load up on Ontario tender fruit, but be mindful of pesticide use. Consider canning some peach salsa for a future winter treat!

Overall the local Ontario diet should give all the produce you need to eat a healthy balanced diet all year round!

Want more this winter? Here are my tips to maximize winter nutrition:
Iron:
1. Eat lots of lentils: high in iron, high in fiber!
2. Save your fall pumpkin seeds and eat them raw in the winter (they also make great nut butter)
3. Cook with Tumeric. By weight it is loaded with iron!
4. Drink nettle tea dried from the summer harvest: it is full of iron and other beneficial minerals.

Liver loving greens:
1. Make lots of green sauce. Freeze fresh pesto sauce and other herbs blended with olive oil, like sage and cilantro.

Antioxidants:
1. Eat your apples and pears raw. Most of your food will be cooked this winter season. Cooking can lead to the loss of some helpful enzymes and antioxidants.
2. Load your plate with sprouts, also full of beneficial enzymes.
3. Store some strawberry freezer jam this summer (low in sugar)
4. Freeze your blueberries and raspberries for delicious winter deserts and smoothies!
5. Decorate your plate with canned fruit filled chutney and salsa!

Vitamin C:
1. Hello homemade backyard tomato sauce! It is loaded with Vitamin C and the delicious flavor comes from the vine-ripened fruit!

Vitamin D:
1. Mushrooms are a significant dietary source of vitamin D and readily available in the winter.
2. Get outside and enjoy the sunshine as often as possible!
3. Consider a supplement or have your Vitamin D levels tested. Unfortunately most of us living in Ontario are deficient, and this is one supplement that I recommend for everyone.

Soluble fiber:
1. Consider consuming ground flax seeds and slow cook oatmeal. This will give you the soluble fiber you need to balance the health benefits of the insoluble fiber found in most fruits and vegetables.

Erin Wiley ND

Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Clinic Director
416-260-6038
ewiley@integrativehealthinstitute.ca
http://www.integrativehealthinstitute.ca/

Five Little Critics and a Bottle of Rhubarb Juice

I thought I would experiment with making rhubarb juice.  I put four cups of water, a cinnamon stick, 10 stalks of rhubarb and 1/2 cup maple sugar in a pot and boiled until all the rhubarb had fallen apart.  I then strained it all and place it into a bottle and called it rhubarb juice. 

The feedback was interesting.  My first taste of it let me know that next time, I will omit the cinnamon stick. Not necessary and it took away from the taste of the rhubarb.  When Little Critic saw me making it I told her I was making it for our trip away for the weekend where there would be lots of other kids.  Little Critic said "I think the kids will be mad at you for bringing this," but then she tasted it and stated that she really liked it and requested more.  Unfortunately, all four other Little Critics did not like the juice and did not request more.  This means that this recipe needs more work and that perhaps my Little Critic is not the most reliable source of things other little critics like.  Will need to expand the feedback loop when the recipe is controversial.  Big Critic is also known to be a bit more discerning, so we'll get his thoughts on the next rhubarb juice recipe. 

Nutrition - A Holistic Nutritionist's Perspective

When asked to write for "My Backyard’s Full," I was more than excited and thought what could I possibly add to this amazing project. As a holistic nutritionist and an advocate of eating seasonal and local, I wondered just how difficult this would be? Would the family of three be able to sustain this for a year? Are the nutritional needs of her family being met consuming only Ontario produce and produced foods?

As a nutritionist, I educate clients on the importance of eating locally and seasonally to keep us attuned to the earth; it’s elements and the cycles of nature. Seasonal eating provides the right type of fuel at the right time of year and our environment provides the best foods to support our health and keep us in balance. Our nutritional needs differ from season to season and nature provides the right nutrients at the right time of the year.

Spring is a time of rejuvenation, cleaning and healing. Green produce supplies our bodies with chlorophyll to help in the cleaning process. As we move into summer, an abundance of fruits and vegetables are prevalent as summer is a time of growth and activity. During the warm months our diet changes to lighter and fresher foods leaving behind heavier protein and fat foods. Hydrating and cooling foods are needed at this time of year and our bodies naturally crave this. Autumn enters and there is big shift in energy, climate and diet. This is the official harvest time in nature and our diet shifts to more cooked, richer protein and fat foods with fewer raw fruits and vegetables. As winter hits we crave richer, warming foods, to fuel our furnace to generate more energy to keep us warm. Root vegetables, squash, whole grains, and legumes are the mainstay of our diet during these cold months. When looking at each season and the food available during each season, it truly reflects our needs.

With that in mind, one question remains. Will the family of three meet their nutritional needs? The answer is yes. Eating locally and with the seasons can provide the necessary vitamins and minerals to sustain health, combined with whole grains, legumes, lean cuts of meat, dairy, nuts and seeds. Remembering that we are all unique and everybody’s needs are different. If you are introducing dietary changes, please consult a holistic nutritionist to determine what your body’s needs are.

Christine Nicholls
Registered Holistic Nutritionist
c: 647-966-8748

Christine@purelyu.ca

http://www.purelyu.ca/

 

Questions for the Experts

I sent the below to a Holistic Nutritionist, a Naturopathic Doctor and a Dietician.


"Help me in my quest to find a way to eat produce that comes from Ontario only. I have attached a list of fruits and vegetables that are available in each season. Can you review and comment on the nutritional gaps in winter and provide an idea of what fruits or vegetables from the other seasons could be added to the diet to fill those nutritional gaps."

Should be very interesting to see what we get back.

Tastes - Little Critic's Perspective

I've been amazed that I have been able to convince Little Critic that stewed rhubarb is a breakfast food.  I just heat some up in a pan with a little water and maple syrup and she eats it with a spoon.  I was shocked when she requested more "soup rhubarb," so this will definitely make the list of things that gets preserved for the winter.  There are lots of things on Big Critic's list that Little Critic likes but the additional things on her list are apricots, cherries, gooseberries, peaches, plums, raspberries and cherry tomatoes; notice a fruit theme?  I am also adding fiddleheads, cauliflower, kale, zucchini and eggplant to the list.  I know my two Critics won't eat them straight out, but I am creative enough to puree it and hide it in soups.

So, there we have it.  Step #1 complete.  This is the rough list of things that I know our family loves to eat and things I need to find a way to preserve.  Next up on the list is to look into the nutritional aspect of seasonal Ontario eating.  I've got to get moving on this as rhubarb, asparagus and fiddleheads are at the peak of their season now.

Fiddlehead Pasta Salad

This was such an easy supper and I had lots left over for lunches.  Little Critic loved it and Big Critic claimed it smelt garlicky despite the absence of garlic!  Fiddleheads are in season for such a short period of time, so get 'em while their here.  In the next week I'll be testing out a few options for preserving this precious vegetable so our urban family will have access to local fiddleheads in the winter.

When choosing fiddleheads, the principles are similar to asparagus.  They are all amazing, but the smaller ones are more tender and the larger ones tend to start to get a bit bitter.

• 1/2 pound Fiddleheads (Ont)
• W/W fusili pasta
• one hot house tomato (Ont)
• 1 can chick peas
• 1/2 English cucumber (Ont)
• 2 green onions (Ont)
• 1 TBS fresh oregano (Ont)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (Ont)

Wash the fiddleheads and cut the brown end off each one.  You don't need to remove much.  Bring water to a boil and cook the pasta in the water.  When the pasta is almost finished throw the fiddleheads into the cooking water to blanch them.  Drain it all into a colander and rinse with cold water.  Place the pasta and fiddleheads in a bowl and add the rinsed chick peas and chopped tomatoes, cucumber and green onions.  Blend the oil, vinegar and oregano with some S&P and pour over the pasta.  Toss and let sit in the fridge for thirty minutes to let the flavours mingle.  Enjoy!!

Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus and Spinach Pasta

Tonight was a quick and easy dinner, but Big Critic gave all positive feedback.  Little Critic got plain pasta tonight as we were running late due to Karate class.  I got the pasta from the St. Lawrence market.  The pasta is made on site and I've talked to the guy about where he gets his flour.  He says that most of his whole wheat flour is from Ontario but the white flour is from Alberta.  At least the environmental demands are lessened by shipping only the flour.  Later in this project I will try to see if I can find a more local source for pasta, but as it stands right now, Alberta wheat makes up the majority of our bread and pasta. 

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

• Asparagus (Ont)
• Goat Cheese (Ont)
• Prosciutto (not sure)

Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus.  Cut each piece of prosciutto in half and place a teaspoon of goat cheese in the middle.  Place the head of the asparagus on top of the cheese and wrap the prosciutto around it all.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 for twenty minutes.

Spinach Pasta

• 1 cup fresh Spinach (Ont)
• 1 hot house tomato (Ont)
• 2 green onions (Ont)
• 1 TBS Chives (Ont)
• 3 TBS of EVOO
• Pinch of S&P
• 1 lb of fresh pasta

Place a pot of water on to boil.  Chop the tomato, spinach, chives and green onions into bite sized pieces.  Add the fresh pasta to the pot of boiling water.  Heat a pan with EVOO.  Add all the vegetables to the hot pan and heat through just until the spinach is wilted and everything is warmed through.  Serve the veggies over the pasta. 

Tastes - Big Critic's Perspective

I thought I'd start with Big Critic as he is the harder of the two critics to please.  Not because he has a more limited palate than Little Critic, but because with Little Critic I can tell her that she has to eat two more bites before she is done; a strategy that fails with Big Critic obviously.  Additionally, I can fool Little Critic a little more by pureeing things and calling it sauce!

So, I had Big Critic go through the Ontario availability list and the good news is that he loves a lot of Ontario produce.  The bad news is that he does not like mushrooms, cabbage, parsnips, rutabaga, squash, turnip, rhubarb, cherries, cauliflower, celery, kale, peaches, rapini, zucchini, brussel sprouts and eggplant.  While there are things on his list that I love, this list is fairly typical of things that most people don't find high on the list of foods they crave!

Based on what he does like, I am thinking that I will find a way to preserve the following things: asparagus, strawberries, spinach, beans, blueberries, corn, cucumbers (pickles), peas, peppers and tomatoes.  Remember this is the beginning of the list.  This list will be shaped by Little Critics preferences and then also by the feedback I receive from some experts on the nutritional aspects of Ontario eating.  I'll be very interested to see how this develops.

Stinging Nettles

Don't be scared.  You can eat them!  Remember when you were a kid; those prickly green weeds that if you stepped on hurt your feet?  Turns out they are quite good for you and are a plentiful Ontario product.  I understand that Aboriginal people have always eaten nettles, but I also found a recipe for nettles in an Italian cookbook, so it is not so crazy a thing to eat!  My first attempt was to cook them in a little butter and garlic, but the result tasted like wet carpet.  This time I turned it into a frittata (a modification of the Italian recipe) and I quite liked it.  Little Critic had her mandatory one bite and I was able to convince her to eat two more when covered in ketchup and the promise of a square of dark chocolate.  Big Critic didn't eat it, but is taking for lunch, so I'll have to wait on his feedback.  Perhaps the quest for nettle recipes will have to continue! 

Nettle Frittata

• 2 cups stinging nettles (Ont)
• 1/4 cup of butter (Ont)
• 3 TBS of chopped chives (Ont)
• 8 eggs (Ont)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (probably from greece!)

Submerge all the nettles in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  They are safe to handle with bare hands now, so you can safely pull out any large stalks.  Chop them into small pieces and place to the side.  In a stove top and oven safe pan, heat the butter until melted and then add the chives and nettles.  After 2 minutes, add the well beaten eggs.  Shake the pan to evenly distribute and then sprinkle with feta cheese.  Place in a 375 oven for about 10 minutes or until a fork comes out clean from of the center.  Serve hot or cold with a side salad.  Enjoy .... or at least now that you did something healthy for yourself and the environment! 

Step #1 - What is available in Ontario?

I've decided to start the "what is available" analysis on produce.  I have a good feeling that Ontario dairy and meat are not an issue.  When it comes to Ontario grains and seafood, I have lots of questions, but that part will come next.  The thing that takes up most of our diet, or should anyway, is fruits and vegetables. So let's start there. 

To keep things easy, I have broken things down by season.  Monthly was too confusing!  I checked with Foodland Ontario and also with Front Door Organics, where we get most of our produce, to verify the list. 

So, here it is listed by the seasons.  I will use this list for the next steps of analyzing from a taste and nutrition perspective.  What is missing from seasons that needs to be saved from others?  This will help decide what needs to be frozen, canned, jammed and pickled. 

Winter
Apples, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Garlic, Leeks, Greenhouse Lettuces, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Potatoes, Rutabaga, Sprouts, Squash, Turnip.

Spring
Apples, Asian Vegetables, Asparagus, Carrots, Leeks, Lettuces, Mushrooms, Nettles, Green Onion, Onion, Radishes, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Spinach, Sprouts, Strawberries.

Summer
Apples, Apricots, Asian Vegetables, Beans, Beets, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherries, Corn, Cucumber, Currants, Garlic, Gooseberries, Kale, Lettuces, Mushrooms, Green Onion, Onion, Peaches, Green Peas, Snow Peas, Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Radicchio, Radishes, Rapini, Raspberries, Rutabaga, Spinach, Sprouts, Tomatoes, Zucchini.

Fall
Apples, Asian Vegetables, Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corm, Crabapples, Cranberries, Cucumber, Eggplant, Garlic, Grapes, Kale, Leeks, Lettuces, Melons, Mushrooms, Nectarine, Green Onion, Onion, Spanish Onion, Parsnips, Pears, Snow Peas, Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Rapini, Rutabaga, Spinach, Squash, Tomatoes, Turnip, Zucchini.

Upside-down Rhubarb Crisp

Spring rhubarb is in and I was able to grab about 6 stalks from the St. Lawrence market. I had a notion to make rhubarb crisp, but decided to go for a fancier look so I made it upside down. Big Critic took his obligatory one bite and replied “see, I don’t like rhubarb” meaning that I had two pieces for dessert. Little Critic got hers for breakfast and ate it all, so she must have liked it at least a little. I thought it was quite good, but I’m also looking forward to experimenting with other rhubarb recipes through the spring.

• 2 cups oats (Ont)
• half a cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ¼ cup butter (Ont)
• ¼ cup honey (Ont)
• ¼ cup maple sugar (Ont)
• Four stalks of rhubarb (Ont)

Place the oats and cinnamon into the food processor or Magic bullet to turn into flour. It doesn’t need to be really fine. Mix the oat flour, butter and honey together and place into a pie plate. It’s ok to use your hands for this part, but have everything ready, as you will be a bit sticky. Press the mixture into a thin layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Slice the rhubarb into tiny pieces and place on top of the oatmeal crust. Sprinkle the top with maple sugar. Use regular sugar if you don’t have maple sugar. Bake at 375 for one hour. If you don’t want to go to this much trouble, switch the order and don’t turn the oats into flour. Just put the rhubarb in the bottom of the dish with the maple sugar, and combine the other ingredients and place over the top. This will give you a more traditional rhubarb crisp. An enjoyable Ontario treat either way.

What not to get Mom for Mother's Day

Mother's Day is on Sunday and most of us leave it till the last minute to figure out a gift for one of the most special people in our lives.  A great gift idea always seems to be fresh cut flowers.  You can get them at most convenience stores and sometimes even from guys at the side of the road.  Be sure to remember however that these flowers come from Columbia, Equador and Holland.  For the same reasons that we would want to eat local food from an environmental perspective is the same reason we should consider avoiding fresh cut flowers for mom on Mother's Day.

Instead a good idea might be a vegetable seedling.  Most home and garden stores have them in stock now and every garden has room for a seedling or two.  A tomato or pepper plant will continue to give to mom all through the season; long after the fresh cut flowers have died off.

So, just as I was about to post this thought, guess what arrived at my office?

I guess this means that we, like all other Ontario families, are in transition and learning to be more local.  This year I feel so lucky to be so loved by my two critics, but next year I'll have to find a way to let Big Critic know that DeBeers opened up Ontario's first diamond mine in 2008.  I love all things from Ontario!

Lentil Salad

I’m out for dinner tonight, so wanted to leave something for Little Critic and Big Critic to eat. This Lentil Salad keeps well in the fridge and now it is a 50/50 chance only that they will order pizza in my absence! I had some dried Ontario Lentils in my cupboard, so thought this would be perfect.

• 1 ½ cups dried lentils (or use a can of lentils. No one will judge you!)
• 2 large heritage carrots (Ont)
• 3 radishes (Ont)
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach (Ont)
• 1 shallot (Ont)
• ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar (Ont)
• ¼ cup plain yogurt (Ont)
• ¼ olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Cook the lentils for 30 min in 3 cups of boiling water and allow them cool. Or just open up the can. Cut the carrots, radishes and spinach into bite sized pieces and place them in the bowl with the lentils. Place all the remaining ingredients into a blender or Magic Bullet. The shallot can be substituted for chives or green garlic if you have and the yogurt can be replaced with cream or omitted. Pour the dressing over the salad, mix and allow to stand for 30 min in the fridge before eating. Serve with a nice big piece of crusty bread.

What I need is a plan!

A way to think about the way in which our family home buys, stores and consumes our food. If we are going to eat only that which is produced in Ontario it is going to take some forethought and planning. First I need to think about what I don’t want this to be. This is not meant to be an exercise in absolutes. I want to do something that others can easily replicate. Will want to replicate. There will be exceptions. There has to be. For starters I don’t think that Ontario produces a healthy fat! I’m fairly certain olives for oil, avocadoes and nuts are not really grown anywhere near here!

I guess that begs the question. What exactly is on and off the Ontario grown list? That would be a good first step. I know Ontario has a lot, but I need to better understand what I can get and when I can get it. This is a question of distribution. But it is also a question of quality in terms of taste and nutrition.

Step 1# - Make list of available produce in winter, spring, summer and fall

Step2# - Get feedback from the Little Critic and Big Critic about likes and dislikes based on the seasons

Step 3# - Look at the list again with respect to nutrition. Talk to some experts.

It’s the time of year for Vichyssoise

I would describe my style of cooking as Julia Child meets the Urban Peasant. Remember that old guy that had a cooking show and he’d create these big messy meals that he appeared to make up on the spot with ingredients he had on hand? This is a dichotomy of styles, I recognize, however it works. I am not afraid to spend hours in the kitchen, or tackle recipes that have 100 steps, but at the same time, I don’t peel my potatoes before turning them into vichyssoise. An act that I’m sure has Julia rolling in her grave.

So, vichyssoise! This is the time of year for it! May is a tough time of year for us Ontarians. We still have some storage crops left over from last year, like potatoes and apples, but our spring crops are not yet plentiful. But we do have wild leeks. Leeks peek through as soon as the ground thaws and thus, creating a perfect opportunity for leek and potatoes dishes.

Start by frying an onion and some garlic in EVOO, but don’t over brown. Add potatoes and stock or water. Bring to a boil and when potatoes are soft throw in the leeks. If using baby wild leeks, you can use all of the greens, however if the larger kind, omit the tough green portions. Boil through and the puree in a blender or with a hand held blender right in the pot. Remove from heat and stir in dairy to thin it out. Skim milk makes it a nice low fat meal, but whipping cream makes it really tasty. Serve hot or cold.

What am I trying to accomplish?

I don’t know really. Last fall I had an amazing time canning tomatoes and pickles and I became very interested in the notion of being able to preserve a piece of summer in a jar. Summer, when the air is hot, the tomatoes taste of earth and sunshine and a wide variety of local produce is easily accessible. And when the cold days of February leave you worn and tired, you can make a quick warm tomato soup with the same fresh taste as last summer’s gazpacho.

So, I want to learn more. I want to pay attention to what’s in season for a year and try to understand what we should just eat lots of while it is in season and what can be preserved and eaten later in the year. Local is the new organic! Am I just a big cliché or is this how we all should really be eating? I think that the food we get locally just tastes better. I like the environmental notion, however it is taste and nutrition I am after. I don’t want to eat mealy fruit from California in the winter. It just tastes bad and I know it is not as healthy as the stuff that comes from my proverbial backyard!

Questions

How can I take on the challenge to eat only local food for a full year? Would I be able to feed my family all the nutrition they need if I had only meals prepared with local food? If I found that the local nutrition was sufficient, would they hate me for making all their meals with rutabaga and turnip in the winter? Could I possibly freeze, can and jam enough to fill in the gaps to make it healthy and interesting?

How would this challenge work? Who would even be interested? What would doing something really extreme accomplish? Suppose the challenge was to try to do something that everyone could do? Would it be possible to create a model that others could apply to their own lives?

What if the challenge was to eat only food grown in Ontario? Would it be possible for our urban family of three to have all their homemade meals made solely from what is grown and raised here in Ontario? What will happen to a mac and cheese eating three year old, a meat loving and kale avoiding husband and a busy working foodie mom if we take on this challenge?

How do I answer these questions? Where do I get started? Will I really be able to accomplish something like this? What would happen if I asked some of these questions to other people?