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If your idea of "eat local" is a paper plate buckling with hamburger steak, two scoops rice, mac salad and extra gravy, reconsider the term.

In this era of sustainability, "eat local" carries the weight of conscience, referring to consumption of locally grown and produced food. By that definition, there are few plate lunches to be found.

So what replaces them? And why?

There are many places to start and many perspectives to consider. For Hawaii farmers, the issue lies in their struggle to stay viable while we import more than 75 percent of our food, sending more than $3 billion out of state each year. For consumers, it’s about knowing where their food comes from, how it was grown, how nutritious it is. For the state, the concern is over food security. If a catastrophic disaster hits the isles and disables airports and harbors, how will everyone get fed, and for how long?

When it’s laid out this way, it’s clear that beefing up the local food supply is in order. But shifting the situation requires tackling some big issues, one of which is changing consumer habits – not an easy thing.

But here’s one way to start: Kanu Hawaii’s Eat Local Challenge, in which regular folks attempt to eat local for a week, beginning Sunday.

Kanu’s mission is to "create a sustainable, compassionate and resilient Hawaii by having individuals take personal kuleana in moving Hawaii in that direction," says James Koshiba, executive director of the organization.

Sound simple enough? Just go to the farmers market, buy farm-fresh veggies and local beef, cook ’em up, and you’re done – right? Not really. If you’re a stickler for "local," that means no rice, bread, shoyu or olive oil, for starters.

"This is to raise awareness about the local food system," says Koshiba. "The challenge is difficult to do, and people start asking why. … It raises awareness of bigger issues."

Ed Teixeira, vice director of State Civil Defense, spends his days addressing the big picture, and he’s already seen the impact of a sizable disaster on our agricultural infrastructure, which services some 7,500 farms, according to 2008 statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In 2006, a Big Island earthquake severely damaged North Hawaii’s three 100-year-old irrigation ditch systems, which bring water from the mountains to ranchers and farmers as far as about 20 miles downstream.

"It was a lot of work for government to repair," Teixeira recalls. "It took a lot of organizing federal, state, county, volunteer and donor help to get the water flowing again.

"Hawaii produces around 20 percent of its own food. That’s very, very low. The whole point is, when we get into a major disaster … what do we do for food? We keep telling folks to stock up on a week’s supply of food. With in-state resources on Oahu and in-home emergency kits, we have up to three weeks of food, if we’re lucky.

"We made a hurricane disaster plan with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), and it requires 1 million meals a day on Oahu," he says.

For Teixeira, there are clearly no magic bullets, but he does say Hawaii needs to make its food-producing sector a priority.

"We need to encourage continued agricultural investments," he says.

Though the ball of wax seems overwhelming, Kanu believes the campaign empowers people to instigate change because its focus is manageable.

"The first step for most of us is to understand the nature of the problem in a very personal way," says Koshiba. "We wanted to make the challenge accessible and personal."

Kanu took up the inaugural challenge last year, when members suggested it as a "fun thing" to try. Though planned and launched within just two weeks, some 800 members participated.

The event was a growing experience even for folks familiar with eating local.

Take Kailua resident Cherub Silverstein, who grew up on an organic farm on the Big Island. Throughout her childhood, her mother sold fruit, taro and vegetables to local grocers. She says her background definitely made it easier for her to navigate the challenge.

"I have knowledge of the local food available, and I know how to prepare things from scratch," she says.

Still, it wasn’t a breeze.

"Being away from my resources – they were not right outside my door anymore – meant I had to find and buy the food."

Silverstein’s strategy was to shop at a neighborhood farmers market, but it didn’t supply everything.

"Some people gave themselves leeway with the rice and bread, but I wanted to see if I could actually do this, so I cooked taro and ulu (breadfruit) for my starches. I got fresh local fish, ulu and taro at Tamashiro Market, a participating vendor. I used herbs from my garden, macadamia nut oil – though it was expensive – and ghee my mom made," she says.

This year, Silverstein will permanently increase the percentage of local food in her diet.

"I will start with the challenge week and go from there," she says. "I cook at home with 90 percent local fruits and vegetables and will be incorporating more local starches."

While the challenge was designed to be personal in scope, it quickly garnered widespread interest.

"We got calls from restaurants, markets and farms. The restaurants were willing to cook with all-local ingredients. Markets offered to put local items on special," Koshiba says.

This year, Kanu has acquired partners that can only cast a brighter light on the campaign: Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Foodland, Zippy’s, Whole Foods, Town and Downtown restaurants, The United Fishing Agency, Hawaii Public Radio, Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii and KTA Super Stores.

But it’s not only businesses that have been inspired.

When she started out, Vivian Chau was just another member of Kanu experiencing the trials and tribulations of eating local.

"It was definitely a challenge. It really made me look more carefully at where all our food is coming from," Chau recalls. "The important part is that it starts us asking questions."

One of the questions that arose for Chau was why everyone wasn’t shopping where local produce was available. "’Can’t afford’ was one of the reasons I came up with," she says.

Chau couldn’t see the sense in that, so she organized G.I.F.T. (Give It Fresh Today), a food collection booth that sits at Hawaii Farm Bureau’s Kapiolani Community College farmers market every Saturday. There, volunteers receive about 1,000 pounds of donated food each week from customers who buy a little extra to feed the hungry. Donations go to meals served by Unity Church and the Institute for Human Services. (E-mail giveitfreshtoday@gmail.com.)

"For (this year’s) challenge, IHS is going to serve one vegetarian lunch made with all locally sourced veggies. They’re committing to one meal. Even if you can’t commit to a whole week, try one day or one meal," Chau suggests.

In Chau, Kanu has its model of success: individual change that ripples wide and deep toward sustainability.

"The core message is that as consumers, we can be part of the solution," says Koshiba. "If we spend our dollars consciously, choose local over imported food, we’re strengthening our local food system. The more money we put in the pockets of local growers, fishermen and food producers, the more money they have to invest in infrastructure, and the more reliable our local food supply."

LOCAL WATERCRESS SALAD WITH GRILLED ISLAND GRASS-FED BEEF

Chef Keoni Chang, Foodland

1/2 cup Ho Farms grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon ginger, finely minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch Hawaiian salt, fresh ground
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 pound island grass-fed beef striploin, 1-inch thick
6 cups small local watercress sprigs (about 2 bunches, trimmed of lower stems)
1 sprig fresh dill, or torn basil leaves
1 5-ounce tub Hawaii Island Goat Dairy goat cheese
» Dressing:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
Hawaiian salt, fresh ground

To make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard and generous pinch of salt. Set aside.

In bowl, combine tomatoes, ginger, 1 tablespoon olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper; set aside.

Season both sides of steak with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Grill steak 5 minutes on one side. Flip and cook until other side is nicely browned, about 3 minutes .

Transfer steak to cutting board and let rest 5 to 7 minutes. Slice beef thinly.

Re-whisk dressing if necessary.

In large bowl, toss watercress, tomato mixture and sliced steak with enough dressing to coat.

Season with more salt and pepper and arrange salad in chilled bowls or plates.

Garnish with goat cheese and sprigs of dill or basil. Serves 2 as an entree, 4 as a side.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 4 side servings and not including fresh ground Hawaiian salt to taste): 400 calories, 30 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 600 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 32 g protein

PAPILLOTE OF MONCHONG

Chef Vikram Garg, Halekulani Hotel, from "The Hawaii Farmers Market Cookbook"

1 slice red onion
1 slice tomato
1 5-ounce filet of monchong
1 slice lemon
1 basil leaf, torn into pieces
1 ounce sea asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut 12-by-14-inch piece of aluminum foil and lay flat. Stack onion and tomato in center of foil, then place fish and lemon on top. Sprinkle with basil and sea asparagus, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Fold foil in half, and fold edges over to form tight, secure packet.

Bake 7 minutes; bag should puff up from steam trapped inside.

Transfer packet to a plate and serve immediately, cutting open with fork and knife or scissors. Be careful of hot steam.

Note: "En papillote" is the French term for baking food inside parchment paper. In fact, parchment can be substituted for foil. Foil packets can be cooked on grill.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 270 calories, 15 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 30 g protein 

HE’EIA FISHPOND LIMU SALAD

Paepae o He’eia

2 pounds of Gorilla Ogo, or any other ogo
1 tomato, diced
1/2 round onion, sliced
1 cucumber (optional)
Dried opae or dried cuttlefish, to taste
» Sauce:
1/2 cup shoyu
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon kochujan (kim chee paste)

Bring pot of water to boil. Blanche limu and set aside.

In bowl, mix sauce ingredients. Add ogo, vegetables and opae or cuttlefish. Mix well. Serves 10 or more.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 10 servings and not including dried opae/ dried cuttlefish to taste): 65 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, greater than 900 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 2 g protein

Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.

EAT LOCAL CHALLENGE EVENTS

Though the campaign starts Sunday, events have already begun. Here’s the most current lineup. Visit the website www.kanuhawaii.org for updates.

Sunday

» 3 to 5 p.m., Atherton Studio, Hawaii Public Radio: Brooks Takenaka of The United Fishing Agency will give a presentation on Hawaii’s industry, with an audience question-and-answer session to follow.

Monday

» 7 p.m., Bambu Bar 2.0: "Ingredients" screening and brief talk by director Bob Bates. $10 at the door.

Tuesday

» 5 to 7 p.m., Whole Foods Market, Kahala Mall: A "Do It Yourself Garden" by designer Greg Lee of 1st Look Exteriors, using certified organic seed starters from Whole Foods.

Next Wednesday

» All day: Sampling of local produce at all Foodland and Sack ‘N Save locations.

» 6 to 8 p.m., Atherton Studio, Hawaii Public Radio: A panel discussion on the state of Hawaii’s food systems, with Ed Teixeira from Hawaii Civil Defense, Claire Sullivan of Whole Foods Markets and organic farmer Charlie Reppun. HPR’s Beth-Ann Kozlovich will moderate. Seating is limited; sign up at kanuhawaii.org.

» 6 p.m., Whole Foods Market in Kahului, Maui: "Ingredients" screening. Free.

Sept. 30

» 6 p.m., Island School in Lihue, Kauai: "Ingredients" screening. Free.

Oct. 1

» 5 p.m., Whole Foods Market, Kahala Mall: Cooking demonstrations and a contest among award-winning students of Kapiolani Community College’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific.

» 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Pan American MOA, 3510 Nuuanu Pali Drive: Vegan macrobiotic chef Leslie Ashburn will highlight a variety of fast and easy dishes using local produce. $45, with special rates for Kanu members. RSVP at 398-2695 or leslie@macrobiotichawaii.com.

Oct. 2

» 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Whole Foods Market, Kahala Mall: In-store showcase of local produce, with appearances by local farmers.

» 9 a.m. to noon, Kainalu Elementary School: Kanu Hawaii and the Aina In Schools program will host a garden party and Eat Local Challenge potluck. Dress to get dirty and bring plates and utensils to reduce waste. Free.

Also

» Zippy’s will offer a Loco Moco made from local beef and eggs, with an option of ‘Nalo Greens.

» Get weeklong menus from Foodland stores at kanuhawaii.org and foodland.com. Ingredients can be purchased at Foodland.