I have instigated two things into my life to try to help myself eat a better diet, hopefully lose some weight, and be healthier over all even if I don’t succeed in getting thinner. I think these two things will also help my local economy and local agriculture.
I have stopped bringing into my home food stuffs that I cannot control myself from eating. So I do not bring in cookies, cakes, sugar, peanut butter, prepared salad dressing, most bread. I must confess right away that the coffee is staying at least for the time being. I will buy on occasion a particularly good loaf of bread from the farmer’s market, as I find that without peanut butter I can somewhat control my consumption. I do have ingredients (flour,baking powder, olive oil etc), but not much in the way of prepared foods, other than cereal. I am buying local foods like cheese and yogurt and the bread. Though these may be more expensive I find I can afford them because I am not buying heavily packaged, premade products that cost more than they are worth and contribute negatively to the environment both in processing and the garbage they produce.
I joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) for the first time this year. As it is only me at home I am sharing it with my daughter’s family. This does two things: (1) forces me to consume more and different veggies; (2) helps to support local farms. Joining the CSA was not that expensive and when I go the farmer’s market I hedge so much over what and how much to buy that I usually go home fairly empty handed except for the wonderful pastries that are sold there. Now I have eaten watercress for the first time, found that radishes are ok, and I’m looking into what to do with kale (at least I think that’s kale).
When I go to the supermarket I fall prey to the lure of packaged foods high in sugar, fat salt and mono,di,sorbo,gly fructose whatever that is in there. Hey I love a Twinkie as much as the next guy (though I am sure they tasted better back in the 60’s when I had to walk up hill both ways in two foot of snow under the burning sun to get them yes I am that old). Sometimes it would seem just so much easier to pop a frozen mock dinner into the microwave hence I don’t own a microwave either (or a toaster or a toaster oven – though Big Wally had a toaster/toaster oven combo appliance that just looked so tempting). I have limited space and money so I limit my accoutrements. I find I do very well with a fry pan and a couple of saucepans.
This morning I had a wonderful omelette with 2 eggs, some chopped broccolli florettes, and some wonderfully rich creamy cheese from sheep’s milk. MMMMMMMmmmmmm! And no garbage except for the egg shells which are going to the compost pile.
This afternoon I went to lunch with a friend at one of our local independent bakeries. I had a wrap made with bananas (bananas have a huge carbon footprint so next time I will go with apples), peanut butter and rasberry jalapeno jam and granola etc. OMG! I haven’t had peanut butter in about a month. It was like eating heaven! So if I don’t over indulge at home I can really enjoy it on occasion.
That makes living with less more!
Herd About It?
By Ana Grarian
I have instigated two things into my life to try to help myself eat a better diet, hopefully lose some weight, and be healthier over all even if I don’t succeed in getting thinner. I think these two things will also help my local economy and local agriculture.
I have stopped bringing into my home food stuffs that I cannot control myself from eating. So I do not bring in cookies, cakes, sugar, peanut butter, prepared salad dressing, most bread. I must confess right away that the coffee is staying at least for the time being. I will buy on occasion a particularly good loaf of bread from the farmer’s market, as I find that without peanut butter I can somewhat control my consumption. I do have ingredients (flour,baking powder, olive oil etc), but not much in the way of prepared foods, other than cereal. I am buying local foods like cheese and yogurt and the bread. Though these may be more expensive I find I can afford them because I am not buying heavily packaged, pre-made products that cost more than they are worth and contribute negatively to the environment both in processing and the garbage they produce.
I joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) for the first time this year. As it is only me at home I am sharing it with my daughter’s family. This does two things: (1) forces me to consume more and different veggies; (2) helps to support local farms. Joining the CSA was not that expensive and when I go the farmer’s market I hedge so much over what and how much to buy that I usually go home fairly empty handed except for the wonderful pastries that are sold there. Now I have eaten watercress for the first time, found that radishes are ok, and I’m looking into what to do with kale (at least I think that’s kale).
When I go to the supermarket I fall prey to the lure of packaged foods high in sugar, fat salt and mono,di,sorbo,gly fructose whatever that is in there. Hey I love a Twinkie as much as the next guy (though I am sure they tasted better back in the 60’s when I had to walk up hill both ways in two foot of snow under the burning sun to get them yes I am that old). Sometimes it would seem just so much easier to pop a frozen mock dinner into the microwave hence I don’t own a microwave either (or a toaster or a toaster oven – though Big Wally had a toaster/toaster oven combo appliance that just looked so tempting). I have limited space and money so I limit my accoutrements. I find I do very well with a fry pan and a couple of saucepans.
This morning I had a wonderful omelette with 2 eggs, some chopped broccolli florettes, and some wonderfully rich creamy cheese from sheep’s milk. MMMMMMMmmmmmm! And no garbage except for the egg shells which are going to the compost pile.
This afternoon I went to lunch with a friend at one of our local independent bakeries. I had a wrap made with bananas (bananas have a huge carbon footprint so next time I will go with apples), peanut butter and rasberry jalapeno jam and granola etc. OMG! I haven’t had peanut butter in about a month. It was like eating heaven! So if I don’t over indulge at home I can really enjoy it on occasion.
This really does sound wonderful — esp. the bakery wrap! Where do you live? I’m guessing out West or the NE, and not Kansas.
Down here in the South, they have no idea how to present such healthy food in a restaurant, though I wish they did. I just came back from a trip to N. Ca. and absolutely loved the food in every restaurant! And the easy availability of farmer’s markets.
In my area — you get your produce under plastic wrap.
Another good article, Ana. We’ve been trying to do the some of the same, but it’s difficult since our local city stores don’t offer a wide range of unprocessed food, or food where you know that it has not been tainted by GM, irradiation or chemicals. Still, we seek out the farmer’s markets for fresh produce, and there are more of them now than there used to be, so that’s encouraging.
As apartment dwellers, we also don’t have access to a compost heap, but we try to recycle where we can.
Everything you described sounds tasty, except for the raspberry- jalapeno jam. I like hot food but — wow!
The raspberry jalapeno jam is really very moderate, especially if you use a little in a sandwich. I think it would make a good condiment with lamb or turkey dinner too.
I have a friend who raised her family in Geneva Switzerland. There composting is available (and I beleive required) even in apt. bldgs. There is one chute for real trash and another for compostables. They even compost disposable diapers. Perhaps as our big commercial compost companies get more successful, more towns and cities will offer it.
I am rying to do some composting in a small container in my apt. If it doesn’t work I can at least add it to my neighbors pile.
This really does sound wonderful — esp. the bakery wrap! Where do you live? I’m guessing out West or the NE, and not Kansas.
Down here in the South, they have no idea how to present such healthy food in a restaurant, though I wish they did. I just came back from a trip to N. Ca. and absolutely loved the food in every restaurant! And the easy availability of farmer’s markets.
In my area — you get your produce under plastic wrap.
Another good article, Ana. We’ve been trying to do the some of the same, but it’s difficult since our local city stores don’t offer a wide range of unprocessed food, or food where you know that it has not been tainted by GM, irradiation or chemicals. Still, we seek out the farmer’s markets for fresh produce, and there are more of them now than there used to be, so that’s encouraging.
As apartment dwellers, we also don’t have access to a compost heap, but we try to recycle where we can.
Everything you described sounds tasty, except for the raspberry- jalapeno jam. I like hot food but — wow!
The raspberry jalapeno jam is really very moderate, especially if you use a little in a sandwich. I think it would make a good condiment with lamb or turkey dinner too.
I have a friend who raised her family in Geneva Switzerland. There composting is available (and I beleive required) even in apt. bldgs. There is one chute for real trash and another for compostables. They even compost disposable diapers. Perhaps as our big commercial compost companies get more successful, more towns and cities will offer it.
I am rying to do some composting in a small container in my apt. If it doesn’t work I can at least add it to my neighbors pile.