Main Exhibition Dish-Fresh Pasta Salad

Organic Prices-

Tomatoes: $1.99

Basil: $2.49

Pasta/Tortellini: $1.89

Onion: $1.69

Lime: $0.39

Non-Organic prices:

Tomatoes: $2.99

Basil: $2.79

Onion: $2.29

Vegetarian Recipe

When it come to our recipes, I think the requirements should include:

- 100% Vegetarian

- It looks scrumptious to eat

- 5 or more ingredients

My recipe: Fresh Tomato Pasta Salad

6 to 7 medium-size fresh tomatoes, diced* 1 large onion, diced 1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeno chile pepper (stems, ribs, & seeds removed), very finely diced** Coarse salt Juice of 1 lime 1/4 pound pasta of your choice (such as bowtie, corkscrew, penne, or rotini) Parmesan cheese, grated In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, chile pepper, salt, and lime juice. If your salsa mixture is too hot, add some additional chopped tomato. If not hot enough, carefully add a little more chile pepper. Let sit for 1 hour for the flavors to combine. NOTE: If too much tomato juice settles at the bottom, just pour some off before tossing with the pasta. Remember that the pasta will absorb juice as it sits. Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is done, drain and rinse with cold water; draining well before adding the tomato mixture. Transfer drained pasta into a large serving bowl. Toss together pasta and the tomato mixture. Just before serving, grate Parmesan cheese over the top. Always serve pasta salads at room temperature so the flavors will really shine. If you must refrigerate the salad, make sure to return it to room temperature before serving Serves many. Cite: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Pasta_Rice_Main/FreshTomatoPasta.htm

Abstract

My research examines details about how our growing population affects food shortage. As humans, we should put our focus on fixing this issue rather than being selfish and waiting until the destruction of the earth for this epidemic to end. One of my most significant findings includes information from a professor from the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, A.J Mc Michael. He quotes, "The spectrum of health-endangering environmental problems has become wider, and potentially much more serious, than was evident two decades ago." It includes greenhouse-related climate change, thinning of stratospheric ozone, land degradation and topsoil loss, depletion of groundwater, reduction in genetic and ecosystem diversity and acidification of waterways and soils." This only makes it clear to those who cause such affects to lessen their daily activities that harm the environment. Another finding that I thought was helpful was from an article titled, "Half the World's Population Faces Major Food Crisis by 2100." A quote that struck me from this was, "People could always turn somewhere else to find food, but in the future there's not going to be any place to turn unless we rethink our food supplies." This isn't a bold statement that's intended to scare us, but to educate us about how the way we're living now is going to take a toll on our children's lifestyles in the future. It's up to us to change the lifestyles we live today so that the mistakes we make aren't forever repeated. It's also up to us to either work on making enough food for the growing population or have the government step in and regulate the amount of kids a couple can bear. If this isn't what we want, than the environmental change we want to see has to start with us.

Bibliography:

A.J Mc Michael. "Global Environmental Change and Human Population Health: A Conceptual and Scientific Challenge for Epidemiology."

"Half the World's Population Faces Major Food Crisis by 2100, Science Study Finds, January 8, 2009 - FSE."

"Paul R. Ehrlich, Anne H. Ehrlich and Gretchen C. Daily
Population and Development Review, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Mar., 1993), pp. 1-32, Published by: Population Council"