Sneak in Veggies and Omega 3

Here is a great pesto recipe that I use in my house and my 4 and 8 year old love.

1 cup fresh basil (or fresh/frozen see post)
1 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup walnuts (I used a bit more even)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil drizzled in as you blend

*Blend in food processor and mix in your cooked pasta!! YUM

How far did that come from???

Ok, so here is a work up of my produce in miles from my last shopping trip.  I was CRAVING fresh produce because it has been so long.  I broke down and bought some fresh fruit and veggies.

Sorry the pictures isn't perfect.   Even as an estimate it is crazy to see where the food came from, how far it traveled and how much that would cost me to drive.  AND THIS IS JUST PRODUCE.  I know all of that other "stuff" traveled quite a bit to get to me too.

Check out to the right, I have added an Amazon widget where I will place some of my favorite products that help me in my journey to eat healthy while being a full time teacher and mother of 2. First up is a book that really got me started on my locavore mission.  It is inspiring and fun to read.  Check it out!

Shopping trip

One major downfall of using a farmer's market is that if you are busy during the 5 hours it is open, once a week, than you don't get to go.  That's what happened to me this week so I was stuck getting everything from the grocery store.

 

I broke down and got bananas (organic at least) and strawberries.  Neither are at all local or in season but I was missing them terribly.

Locavore Shopping

Here are my groceries for this week as I try to live local.  I have the last of my CSA for winter from a local farm and my farmers market haul this week.  There was a stop at the grocery and, I admit, some weak purchases, but I am working on it.

CSA = Community Supported Agriculture 

My last pick up for winter. 

Apples, Chilies, Onions, Potatoes, Wheat Bread, Garlic, and Apple Muffins PLUS Oranges and Grapefruit ,
$33.00 (two week supply)

Farmer's Market stop - $33.00

Beets, Spinach, Lettuce, 2 bags Green Beans, 2 kinds of Cheese, Ground beef, Honey Wheat Bread, Cheese curds, Cookies, and Flour 

Grocery Store - $49.00

Peanuts, Goldfish, Applesauce*, Noodles*, Parmasean, Chicken Stock, Walnuts, Broccoli*, Organic Chicken, Ham, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Cheese*

*(For my son's birthday party)

Price total -$99.00 this week

Storing my homemade granola

Getting ready to cut the bars!

Thinking about starting a business in granola bars.  

What do you think?

  Voila... Breakfast or snacks for the week.

I have to thank Melissa again for the idea and recipe. 

I love this!

Make my own chilli powder...? Yikes

This week in my CSA share I got three stems full of cayenne peppers that were partially dried.  What the heck was I to do with dried peppers?  Well after a bit of research I decided to make my own chili powder.  I have been moving away from the traditional spices because there are all sorts of chemicals and preservatives in them.  I have bought a few organic spices that we use often (cumin, garlic, cinnamon and parsley).

1.  Cut off the tops of the peppers and take out the seeds (unless you want it really hot)

2.  I finished drying them in the oven.  They were partially dry already

3.  Shook out any remaining seeds :)

4.  Put them in the food processor and grinded to powder

 

5.  In a dry jar I added  (The jar on the left is the mixture, on the right is just the cayenne)

• 1Tablespoon cayenne powder
• 2 Tablespoons cumin
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon cloves

Happy First Day of Spring

Well it is finally here!  The first day of spring and I decided to 'spring clean' my blog to welcome in the new season.

I am excited to be on the verge of fresh local produce.  Trying to eat local in New York is very difficult in the winter.

This is my second year to attempt a garden.  What you see here is my pepper plant.  They take soooo long to germinate that you must start them early.  18 weeks is what my seed packet said. I didn't get any peppers last year.

I have a small raised garden.  It is one way to make the trip shorter from food source to table.  Gardens are alot of work though and I rely on my farmer's market and local farmers' road side stands more than on my little garden. There is a certain pride, however, when you can say you grew what you are eating.  Plus my sons get a kick out of it too.

Guilty Pleasure

Should I feel guilty because there are aspects of  'simpler' times that I want (less processed food without chemicals added in) but I don't want to give up all of the modern day conveniences?

Can we eat healthy in a responsible way. A way that is reasonable both in time and money and protects the environment too?

What can we do?? Here is one idea I have.  Try to think about one of these next time you eat or buy food.

• Buy food that is as close to you as possible (those oranges from Brazil??? too far away)
• Eat what is in season (I know it is tough during the winter but try)
• Support your local farmer (Farmer's Market or CSA)

Eating or buying food locally saves fossil fuel.  It takes alot to ship those strawberries to New York from California. 

Do your part by knowing how long your food traveled before you ate it.  Besides, the fresher you eat something the better it tastes and the better it is for you!

My tips to read labels

 

Made with My Cool Signs.Net

Become an educated consumer.  Read the ingredient list!
Some of my tips.. 

1. Do your best to know what you are eating. My goal is to recognize 85% of the ingredients.
2. Pick one ingredient you don't recognize and look it up online.
3. Try to avoid any dyes 
4. Eat the real thing!  Food in its original state is best.
   
5. I Avoid (Partially Hydrogenated Oils) and (TBHQ) These are preservatives and forms of trans fat even if the label says 0 grams

Food Inc. - Ignorance isn't always bliss

Photo by Kathleenleavitt licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Awhile ago I watched the PBS documentary entitle "Food Inc".  If you watch this movie it will change the way you look at food.  I am not saying that you will be moved to change the way you shop for food and eat it, but you will have to at least think about it more.  For me it was all about chicken! 

Photo by me'ntedogs licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

I now think of chicken as a once a week option not an every other day option.  I also appreciate eggs more and get mine from a local farm instead of the industrialized variety.  You wouldn't believe how much better they taste.  The yolk is so yellow and delicious.  Try some today! You won't be sorry.  AND maybe you will appreciate the little ole egg more too.

Farm to Table even in Winter

This is what I got today in my winter CSA from

Thorpes Organic Farm

East Aurora, NY 

This summer I was so good about buying locally and then WNY winter!!  I went to the grocery store and was faced with all that produce with stickers from who knows where.  Thanks to my friend Leah I learned of this farm where I could support a local farmer and get some produce during the winter months.

• Oranges and Grapefruit (they bring up from their farm in Florida just for me! :) There were over 100 oranges in this box plus 10 grapefruit

• Red Potatoes
• Apples
• Onions
• Garlic
• Turnips
• Radishes
• Daikon (new veggie to me) My research has reveal Asian veggie for stir fry but if anyone has a good use for it please let me know

We also get credits to buy baked goods today I got ...

• Cinnamon raisin bread
• Chocolate, Chocolate Cookies

TOTAL :  $50.00
@.99cents/lb that box of citrus would cost me $40.00 at the grocery and not even organic.  It was worth the hour drive for me to feel better about the produce in my fridge.

Can you find a local farmer to support?

State of the Union

          STATE OF THE UNION - CAN I HELP?

My head hurts after listening to the State of the Union! Don't get me wrong it isn't in a bad way. I feel a little like what people must of felt like after listening to JKF ask what we could do for our country. I know, I know, but I am at a turning point in my life. I want to do what I can to make this world a better place. What can you do?

I bought a winter CSA from a local farmer. 

What is a CSA?  Community Supported Agriculture

Is there one in your area?  Let me know.

My new Blog/Mission

 

photo by Meffi

Hello world,
I am on a journey to be a better member of the food chain.  It is difficult to know what to do in order to be a responsible consumer.
"The Omnivore's Dilemma" according to this book we are just like the hunters/gatherers of the past who could have eaten whatever they could see whenever they could grow, catch or pick it.  But it wasn't always safe.  What if you ate a poisonous mushroom and died. Well today we are faced with a similar challenge.  We can eat whatever we want no matter the season or region you live in. Just head to the grocery store and gather away!  Well just like back then it is possible to make a choice that will kill you.   Not immediately but slowly!

WHOA! - We need to be educated consumers.  We need to read labels, understand where the food comes from, know about what is in the food, etc, etc, etc,

I'm no expert but I have been working on this for awhile now.  I am also not perfect.  I don't eat all organic, I'm not a true locovore (eating only within 100 miles of me), I succumb to the pressures of being a working mom and needing convenience food,  I have a 4 and 7 year old who want candy and cookies that I can't always make.

Well I am going to try and share what I can do.  My posts may be short and to the point.  I don't have time like today to go on and on.  But I am going to try to share my knowledge to whoever is interested.  Is it possible to feel good about what you eat and still feel like it isn't overwhelming.