The Galveston County Daily News

HOUSTON — The FEMA trailers that came to Galveston County after Hurricane Ike are beginning to leave. As residents move back into their houses, the trailers that provided temporary housing are being hauled away.

Since the trailers were used for such a short time, there’s plenty of useful life left in them, but where and how?

A team of visual artists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology spent a year developing a sustainable agriculture vehicle from a used FEMA trailer. It will be in Houston on Thursday to demonstrate how to turn a symbol of disaster into something more positive and future-oriented.

“Leave it to artists to make something unexpected out of this,” Jon Lapointe, director of Side Street Projects, said.

Side Street Projects, an artist-run nonprofit in California, was selected by MIT to receive the FEMA trailer, based on their years of experience at mobile art projects. The trailer, dubbed the Armadillo because of its retractable ribbed rear section, will be used to bring arts education and horticulture project to neighborhoods with little other access to such endeavors.

The Armadillo grows vegetables and herbs in vertically arranged planters made of recycled materials. The self-watering planters are made from plastic bottles.

“On our tour, we’re showing people how to make hanging and vertical planters,” Lapointe said. “It’s easy enough that kids can do it, but grownups love making them just as much as the kids do.”

The Armadillo’s sloped rear section holds two large composting bins and also will serve as greenhouse.

“We’ll be able to start plants from seeds in here,” Side Street’s education director Emily Hopkins said.

The former living area of the FEMA trailer has been converted into education space.

“This will be our digital lab,” education director Emily Hopkins said. “In what used to be the bedroom, we’ll have tables and a work area.”

The Armadillo’s stop at Houston’s Discovery Green on Thursday, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., follows tour stops in New Orleans and Washington, D.C., where the Armadillo made a big impression on the National Mall just in front of the U.S. Capitol.

“We were visited by Smithsonian horticulturalists, staffers from the Congressional Budget Office and lots of tourists,” Lapointe said.

“Artists can bring unique things to the table. I believe the role of an artist in the 21st century is to be a collaborator, and the connections between art and horticulture are terrific.”

Currently, the vertical planters on the Armadillo are planted with a variety of seasonal, edible plants.

Container gardens are an easy way to grow kitchen staples such as spinach, basil and parsley.

To see these plants bring a second life to a reclaimed FEMA trailer, visit Discovery Green between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday. The Armadillo will be located on the Andrea and Bill White Promenade, between the lake and the fountain.

“We’ll give people the tour, have a series of workshops, and if anyone wants to volunteer to help with the workshops, we’d welcome that, too,” Lapointe said.

+++

Tomato-basil Fritatta

1/2 medium onion, minced 3 medium cloves garlic, pressed 2 tablespoons chicken broth, divided 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms 1/2 medium tomato, seeds removed, diced 3 large eggs 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil Salt and black pepper to taste

Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.

Heat 1 tablespoon broth in a 10-inch stainless steel skillet. Sauté onion in broth over medium low heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add garlic and mushrooms and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon broth, tomato, salt and pepper and cook for another minute. Stir well, and gently scrape pan with a wooden spoon to remove any slight burning.

Beat eggs well, and season with salt and pepper. Mix in chopped basil. Pour eggs over vegetables evenly and turn heat to low. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until firm. Cut into wedges and serve.

— Recipe from “The World’s Healthiest Foods,” by George Mateljan

+++

Spinach-tuna Salad

6 cups baby spinach 2 1/2 ounces canned light tuna 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 medium clove garlic Sea salt and pepper to taste

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste and heat until warm.

Drizzle over spinach leaves and top with tuna.

— Recipe from “The World’s Healthiest Foods,” by George Mateljan

+++

Parsley-crusted Salmon

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup chili sauce 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each)

Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, chili sauce, sugar, garlic, parsley and seasonings.

Put salmon on a plate and spoon mixture over salmon fillets, covering fish completely with sauce. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more to firm up coating.

Grill salmon skin-side down, covered, over medium heat, 8-10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.