Inside PBS Blog

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, now is as good a time as any to brush up on ways to be more eco-friendly in the kitchen - without sacrificing taste, of course, or busting your budget.  We reached out to Chef Michel Nischan for advice.

Chef Nischan teaches viewers about earth-to-table cooking in his award-winning "Homegrown" segments on PBS's The Victory Garden, the longest-running gardening show on television.

One of the cornerstones of Nischan's food philosophy is the importance of buying local ingredients. Doing so "supports the local economy (and) enriches neighborly relationships," he says. He also notes the benefits of buying local to both human and environmental health. Plus, Nischan says, local food simply "tastes amazing."

Yes, but is it affordable? Doesn't supporting local and other eco-friendly food sources mean spending more? Nischan suggests simply doing what you can - for example, trying to buy a portion of your Thanksgiving ingredients from a local farm market.

Here's an edited transcript of our email discussion:

Engage: How do you spend Thanksgiving?

Chef Nischan: With my family at the Dressing Room restaurant.

E: Do you cook Thanksgiving for your family or are you tired of cooking by the end of the day?

CN: I'm never tired of cooking. My family comes to the restaurant as we cook for many families.

E: What are your top tips for people who want to eat more healthfully, but
aren't willing to sacrifice flavor?

CN: Buy seasonal local ingredients and cook fresh veggies and fruit in season. These always taste best and need minimal processing. Salt, pepper or a little local honey is all you need.

E: What are your tips for a healthy and affordable organic Thanksgiving?

CN: Work with whole grains like faro, spelt, black barley for stuffings instead of processed breads. Start with a puree soup like pumpkin as it is filling you can then use a smaller bird.

E: What is your most eco-friendly tip for the holiday season?

CN: Don't drive. Stay at home and cook with local ingredients.

E: We have heard that it is not safe to cook stuffing inside of a turkey.  Is
this true?

CN: Saute the stuffing and make it hot. Stuff the bird with hot stuffing and it's perfectly safe.

E: Any innovative ideas on decorating the Thanksgiving table?

CN: Use heirloom hard squash like blue hubbard and cinderella pumpkin, pots of live rosemary, whole root vegetable and whole chestnuts. Sprinkle the center of the table with whole fresh cranberries and cinnamon sticks.

E: What are some creative ways people can use their leftovers?

CN: Turkey pot pie, turkey a la king, turkey breakfast hash (diced turkey mixed with leftover mashed potatoes and griddled in a skilled.)

E: What should someone start planting in their garden now for a home-grown holiday next year?

CN: Garlic, potatoes, parsnips.

For more gardening tips, check out the Victory Garden site.