Together We Stand

I really like the idea of community. I like helping community, being part of and connecting with community, supporting community. At the farmers market here there is an organic farm stand. Jess and I have become members to it. What it is is a farm that is local and all organic. You become a member and each week you get a basket full of fresh produce. You can pick the size basket you want (that determines how much your membership is). Depending on the crop that week, you get tons of fresh, organic foods. People have been getting like 35 pounds of food a week this summer because the crops are doing so well. We have joined for the fall season. I am super excited to be getting fresh veggies every week. Part of the deal is that you have to go and work on the farm for eight hours at some point in your membership (membership is twelve weeks). They do this so people can become part of helping grow their food and see where their food is coming from. I think it's a wonderful idea, and I can't wait until Jess and I go and work our hours. That was part of what I liked about the deal. It's cool to know that there is a farm here that a lot of the community helps with to grow our food. And we are part of it. I am glad that we have the opportunity to do this sort of thing, and to be able to teach our children where our food comes from...not only that but help grow it!

The making of...

Has anyone tried to make baby cereal before? I got a recipe that tells me to grind up the rice in the food processor until its a powder...well, either it just takes a really long time or I am doing something wrong. Can anyone help?

This looks like fun. Do it if you want to...if not, that's cool. It's from the Bittersweet blog.


Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Post a comment here once you’ve finished and link your post back to this one.
5) Pass it on!

1. Natto
2. Green Smoothie
3. Tofu Scramble
4. Haggis
5. Mangosteen
6. Creme brulee
7. Fondue
8. Marmite/Vegemite
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Nachos
12. Authentic soba noodles
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Taco from a street cart
16. Boba Tea
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Gyoza
20. Vanilla ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Ceviche
24. Rice and beans
25. Knish
26. Raw scotch bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Caviar
29. Baklava
30. Pate
31. Wasabi peas
32. Chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Mango lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Mulled cider
37. Scones with buttery spread and jam
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Fast food french fries
41. Raw Brownies
42. Fresh Garbanzo Beans
43. Dahl
44. Homemade Soymilk
45. Wine from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Stroopwafle
47. Samosas
48. Vegetable Sushi
49. Glazed doughnut
50. Seaweed
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Tofurkey
54. Sheese
55. Cotton candy
56. Gnocchi
57. Piña colada
58. Birch beer
59. Scrapple
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Soy curls
63. Chickpea cutlets
64. Curry
65. Durian
66. Homemade Sausages
67. Churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Smoked tofu
69. Fried plantain
70. Mochi
71. Gazpacho
72. Warm chocolate chip cookies
73. Absinthe
74. Corn on the cob
75. Whipped cream, straight from the can
76. Pomegranate
77. Fauxstess Cupcake
78. Mashed potatoes with gravy
79. Jerky
80. Croissants
81. French onion soup
82. Savory crepes
83. Tings
84. A meal at Candle 79
85. Moussaka
86. Sprouted grains or seeds
87. Macaroni and “cheese”
88. Flowers
89. Matzoh ball soup
90. White chocolate
91. Seitan
92. Kimchi
93. Butterscotch chips
94. Yellow watermelon
95. Chili with chocolate
96. Bagel and Tofutti
97. Potato milk
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Raw cookie dough

Very Nutritious

I have found that since I became a vegetarian, I have become a way better eater. My family has gotten healthier foods, as I have been more aware of things I purchase. When you don't eat meat, you have to make sure you get your proteins and such from other sources. I am particularly careful about that because I am breastfeeding, and have a small toddler that I want to make sure he gets all his vitamins and nutrients. We have also been eating lots more whole grains, including whole wheat flour for my baking needs. A good breakfast idea for a little one is a whole wheat waffle with natural peanut butter on it (peanut butter made with nothing but peanuts). Fantastic foods also makes this taco filling that is really good. It's in a purple box, and you can find it in a lot of grocery stores at health food stores. I have also found that I like soy ice cream. I have toyed with the idea of just cutting out dairy, but I don't know what I would do about cheese. I like soy milk, at least we have tried the chocolate soy milk before, and we have liked that. I also know of various things that can replace eggs, but with cheese it is a different story. I use cheese a lot in our meals, and although I know there is soy cheese out there...I don't know if I can find it here easily, if it's too expensive, or if it even tastes good. Does anyone have suggestions on the issue? Also, there is my son to think about. He starts preschool on Monday, and I don't think the cook would be very happy with me if we became vegan. They already know we are vegetarians. There is actually one other vegetarian in the preschool, a Hindu boy, but his mom makes his lunch. I guess I could do that for Ty. Speaking of Ty, I have to go...it's story time at the library today and none of us are ready. It's my last time taking him for a while since I start back school on Monday.

The cheapest way

I only spent $16 on groceries this week. That's for the whole week. Eating a vegetarian lifestyle is not only healthier for you, but it's cheaper! I have also found a cool vegetarian/vegan magazine. It's called VegNews. The August issue is devoted to music, and they interview a few musicians that are vegetarian or vegan. Erykah Badu is one of those people. I really like her music and things she stands for. She's a cool chick. Here's an interesting fact:

"While millions of human beings, mostly children, starve to death every year around the world, "livestock" are fattened on grains so that privileged people can eat their butchered bodies. Every bite of meat takes food away from a malnourished baby."

-Mat Thomas "VegNews" Magazine

That alone should make you think twice about eating meat or at least eating so much of it.

Total plus: I found out about a chiropractic doctor that goes to my church. She has an office in town, and she takes my insurance. It will only cost me $22 to go see her. She gives a 30 minute massage before she does her thing. That's cool. Now I get a massage and my back worked on. Major plus. I tell you, having small kids does a number on your back...or at least mine.

The taste is dying...

So I went to chick-fil-a today. I really like that restaurant. Always have. We were out and about this morning, and still so at lunch. I had a coupon for a free chicken salad sandwich, so off we went. Well, I must say. I haven't eaten meat in a few weeks, and when I ate my chicken sandwich, it wasn't as good as it use to be. I think my taste pallet is growing away from meat. I cook all veggie stuff here at home, and when we go out (which isn't much..i like to cook) I have ordered veggie stuff. I haven't had a craving for meat, so I haven't eaten any. When I first started researching about the industrial farms and all, I contacted Chick-fil-a to ask them where they got their chicken. While they informed me that they keep very close eyes on their chicken farms (who knows if they really do), I haven't really wanted to eat there. So today was an indication that I might really be a vegetarian. I have not classified myself as one, because who knows. But I think I am starting to see that I don't really like meat that much anymore. It's like if you stop drinking coke for a while, then you go and drink one, it doesn't taste as good to you.

Deals 101

There were several good deals in the walgreens ad this week. They had coupons for free film developing, 99 cent batteries, bathroom tissue, and joy & dawn dish soap, 25% off printer cartridges, and several 9 cent coupons for back to school supplies.

Meat or Not to Meat..that is the Question

I don't know if I can eat meat anymore. I mean, I am sure I can..but I have been watching all these videos on how they treat the animals in the industrial farms. It's horrible. I know not all farms are like that. And truefully, I think God gave us meat to eat...but when these farms treat the animals so badly, it's really not worth it. I think I need to do research and see where the meat is coming from in my favorite restaurants, and maybe i can even find a farm around here that treats their animals well and kills them in a decent way. We eat 95% of our meals meatless, so if we did choose to go veg. then it wouldn't be a big jump for us. I have decided to start buying cage free eggs and organic milk. At least I know those animals are taken care of.