Our back yard tree is flowering. It does this before turning into leaves, so pretty. These flowers do not have a nice smell though. I have also cleaned out and prepared the planters on our back porch to bear beautiful flowers for us soon. DD is glad she can get her bike out!Meal Plan:
*keep using green beans and cauliflower from my freezer: chinese chili garlic green beans and a curried dish with red lentils and the cauliflower over brown rice
*Something with organic adzuki beans (spontaneous buy) - any suggestions?
* Quinoa spring salad like that posted by Vicki at the vegetarian family blog
*A white bean garlicy soup including nettles from Vegan Feast Newsletter
*Taco salad with taco'd lentils me*t
*Tomato Soup - I forgot 6 gallon bags of tomatoes in the bottem of a freezer at the bakehouse, I thought I had used my stock from last year, to be served with grilled sandwiches.
* I also rediscovered that I had strawberry rhubarb jam and peach puree on my top shelf. I have pulled out a jar of each of these to use this week.
*A tofu omelet with greens and soy feta cheese
*Muffins, chocolate covered raisin bran muffins (new)
*Big Breakfast Cookie (redo of an older recipe I have made before)
BUYING CLUB ORDER IN TOMMORROW: I have been waiting anxiously for it and feel like my cupboards get bare. My buying club isn't a store that I can go to. I have grouped with other health conscious familes in my area who order one time monthly and then when the truck comes in with our goods (two weeks later) we unload the semi at distribution. Together as a group we get "food store" prices (about a 40% discount from what I can pick things up at a health food store). One bad thing is that we must buy in cases, one good thing is that there are enough of us that we can often split a case with several others. Some items I am looking forward to include: split red lentils, currants, firm tofu, guiltless gourmet corn chips, soy yogurt, quinoa grain.
Other shopping needs:
Since my garden greens are not up yet, I will be purchasing some organic romaine lettuce again for salads and organic baby carrots. I haven't planted any because only I like it, but am looking forward to the farmers market and getting some arugula and raddicho for salads for a change.
ON ANOTHER NOTE:
I noticed a chain grocery store near us is getting in more organic produce. While I am thankful for the availability I get concerned about how little the farmer makes when selling to a chain store. Being a vendor at a market I have heard of the small prices offered to the grower and the difficulties of supplying a local store, some are family farm friendly others care less. No one gets rich growing, but family businesses and lifestyles that support family values do die without that lifeline.
Leslie at Eat Peace Please blog recently shared her bookshelf and library finds. She was passionately impressed with one book called, Hungry Planet (amazon.com link) by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. This is a beautiful book with its large colorful photographs introducing families from all over the world and their food. I had to be on campus yesterday and stopped at the library, so I checked it out and have read the first three chapters. One concept that totally grabbed me is commercially packaged conveniece goods in the hands of poverty stricken children who need real food and real nutrition. In a poor area being "modernized" with the progress of fast food restaurants and workers who need convenience food, two children have a package of ramen noodles. One child opens the package and starts eating the crunchy noodles while the other opens the seasoning packet and dumps it into his mouth. Is this progress? Are the children in our country receiving better nutrition even if they are able to cook the convenience noodles? Cheap JUNK for occassional fast meals, who is benefitting here?
Want to know more about Midweek Munchies ?
Check out Harmonia's Hut.
11 comments:
I got that book (Hungry Planet) out of the library, too, Dori, and it is fascinating, if somewhat disturbing. The statistics at the end are interesting, too, about cost, etc.
strawberry rhubarb jam sounds GORGEOUS!!
I just had to say that!
Hi Dori: I enjoyed reading your list and plans for meals -- I'd like to come over for tomato soup! I almost fell out of my chair when I read your title...you must come see my midweek munchies.....
Hi Dori! Can you post your recipe for tomato soup? I haven't found one I like well enough yet . . . I'd love some inspiration!
Hi,
I enjoyed reading your post and your garden looks so beautiful.
I got another card book of Peter Menzel,People & Posessions,published by New Internatlist. He spent one week with families from different countries and took their photos with all their possesions at their house. It was an interesting study to look at the world with this perspective.
Mmm soy feta cheese in a tofu omelet sounds delicious! I think I just figured out how to use up the rest of that feta in my fridge...thanks Dori!
I think there's a book like what Isil's talking about by the same author of Hungry Planet called "Material World", similiar concept.
Dori, I read your comment on my blog -- I hope your kitty comes back soon, too! I'll be thinking about you, and him!
Hi, Dori!
Are you talking about United buying club? I recently considered it and have talked (phone) with the person who started the group I'd be joining, but I'm not really sure how much I'd be involved. Whole Foods Market prices are just too competitive even with a buying club and our co-op membership and discounts.
I still like to join for "community" sake.
I have that book "Material World" and everyone who cares to look at our books has seen and enjoyed that.
Gorgeous tree!
Dori, I made an adzuki icecream once,lol. It was good actually and fatfree :).
It was very simple. I'll look to see if I still have it and post it at Vegan Feast Forum, if you want. Maybe it will give you ideas anyway. It's used in a lot of sweet dishes.
I think Bryanna uses it in an Asian dish ?? Can't remember. I had a Chinese tamal-type one from a restaurant. I guess it's sort of like the sweet tamal made with raisins, etc.
Post a Comment