I'm taking my first environmental studies class ever now. I need to learn more about the basics. Can you help me?
What should I read? We learned about Pinchot and Muir last night, next is even more stuff. I want to learn!!!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Wheetabix
Wheetabix looks a bit like mini wheats but is bigger and the grains are larger and flakier. It absorbs the milk and almost turns into an oatmeal type of substance. I ate them in New Zealand for the first time and it has been years since I've had them. I forgot how much I liked them. And they are pretty cheap.
Routine Eating
This tends to happen: I buy a box of cereal or spinach and eat nothing but that until I run out. I have very little variation in my diet, but I don't know how to filter variation into my meals. Being a new homeowner. I am on a pretty tight budget (I feel the need to explain this to justify my lack of dough) and being really creative for every meal tends to get costly - at least in my experience. Then there is the lack of time. Working a full time job and a part time sales job with 1/2 time grad school status puts a damper on my social ( & creative cook) calendar. Enough of the 'woe-is-me' outlook. What can I do to change this? I think I must be sick of the chili I made two days ago already or I wouldn't be having this conversation in my mind.
On a lighter note, my water consumption has doubled since I put a prompter on my work calendar. Right about the time my tea is an inch from the bottom, I am prompted to fill up. *Gulp* goes the rest of my tea and I head for the Glenwood.
Food for today, Wed. Jan 6:
2 Wheetabix
Milk
Brown Sugar
Tea
Banana
Chili
spinach
mushrooms
dressing - I think some feta cheese vinaigrette?
water, water, water!
Tonight I am going to dinner with my best friend from high school, Sarah. We are going to check out al Vento, near my place in South Minneapolis. I am quite positive they do not have many local items, and maybe we will change restaurants at last minute.
Also, today my brother went into the ER due to a Crohn's related issue last night/this morning. He has been admitted and is staying hopefully only one night in the hospital. I am going to visit when I leave work today. His fiancé and my mom are up there with him now. Both Carrie's brother and my brother have Crohn's; a random occurrence that we discovered several years back.
My gramma has done a lot of research on this and what natural foods can decrease flare ups (my dad has Crohn's too) and found that a tablespoon or so of dried coconut a day can help. Along with macadamia nuts. I think I will look more into this again and see if I can help him. Carrie, have you heard of any remedies that have worked for your bro?
On a lighter note, my water consumption has doubled since I put a prompter on my work calendar. Right about the time my tea is an inch from the bottom, I am prompted to fill up. *Gulp* goes the rest of my tea and I head for the Glenwood.
Food for today, Wed. Jan 6:
2 Wheetabix
Milk
Brown Sugar
Tea
Banana
Chili
spinach
mushrooms
dressing - I think some feta cheese vinaigrette?
water, water, water!
Tonight I am going to dinner with my best friend from high school, Sarah. We are going to check out al Vento, near my place in South Minneapolis. I am quite positive they do not have many local items, and maybe we will change restaurants at last minute.
Also, today my brother went into the ER due to a Crohn's related issue last night/this morning. He has been admitted and is staying hopefully only one night in the hospital. I am going to visit when I leave work today. His fiancé and my mom are up there with him now. Both Carrie's brother and my brother have Crohn's; a random occurrence that we discovered several years back.
My gramma has done a lot of research on this and what natural foods can decrease flare ups (my dad has Crohn's too) and found that a tablespoon or so of dried coconut a day can help. Along with macadamia nuts. I think I will look more into this again and see if I can help him. Carrie, have you heard of any remedies that have worked for your bro?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
A Seasonal Look at Fresh Produce
Dang Sour Patch Kids. I resisted the urge and only had one little red one. So sour and sweet and exactly what I am trying not to eat. I suppose weaning myself might be the best approach.
Oregon has a great produce calendar, full of colored fruits and veggies. I was able to locate a MN pc, but its a little more straightforward. For your viewing pleasure. http://www.mda.state.mn.us/news/publications/food/minnesotagrown/producecalendar.pdf
I think I must be wishing spring was here, looking for gardening tips. Ten below in the mornings can get old pretty quick.
Oh! Also, I have invited my good friend Carrie to blog along with me, as she was the one that came up with the idea to create a food journal. Bonjour Carrie!
Oregon has a great produce calendar, full of colored fruits and veggies. I was able to locate a MN pc, but its a little more straightforward. For your viewing pleasure. http://www.mda.state.mn.us/news/publications/food/minnesotagrown/producecalendar.pdf
I think I must be wishing spring was here, looking for gardening tips. Ten below in the mornings can get old pretty quick.
Oh! Also, I have invited my good friend Carrie to blog along with me, as she was the one that came up with the idea to create a food journal. Bonjour Carrie!
Hi Foodies
It's me Carrie. I'm going to try my best to contribute the best things ever. I can tell you that today I ate hard-boiled egg white, but not the yolk. I don't like the yolk at all. I am starting to not even like scrambled eggs because it has the yellow color of egg yolk.
Urban Chickens
So yesterday, I resisted the ice cream. It was too cold outside to tempt me..
Today - Tuesday, Jan 5
Tea - Local from Wedge
Wheatabix from MA
Brown Sugar ?? (bulk @ Wedge)
Milk - IL
Water - II so far, going to fill up a 3rd glass when I click 'submit.'
Banana - Equador. So far, not so local. But relatively healthy.
And the bananas were fair trade, so I'm not supporting the havoc in the banana industry. (http://www.bananalandcampaign.org/JoinUs.html)
Unfortunately, bananas require the most energy to get to MN, coming all the way from S. America, but I have yet to find a replacement that is as easy and clean as a bananas to eat when sitting in an office - and they are relatively filling. Maybe I will just have to start bringing extra napkins, or do the messy work with other fruits at home.
Onto a different subject, I've been thinking a lot about urban chickens. After mentioning the eggs from North Branch, I thought I'd expand on the topic as there has been a lot of talk lately from urban gardeners/sustainable communities, about bringing chickens into urban areas. Organic, free range eggs are expensive at the store and in some cases, free range isn't the 'free range' you might be thinking. Instead of researching every brand available, wouldn't it be easier to collect eggs from your backyard? Many people may not agree with me - its a nuisance. I certainly wouldn't promote having roosters in the city. Anyone remember the chicken on the roof in the Sex/City episode? Enough said...
Anyway, I think realistically, hens could be ideal for urban backyards, granted you dont have 50 of them. I am thinking more along the lines of 3-4 (for my backyard, if in the future I decide to take this route).
Then you have to figure out what to feed them (aside from chicken feed, you can give them your left over food; non-compostable scraps like bread or compostable scraps - fruit cores), build an area for them to live - but they're pretty simple animals - an 'Eglu' for them to roost (if you don't want to build a coop) and an area where they can be outside on the grass, living, grazing, exercising away. (http://www.omlet.us/products_services/products_services.php?view=Chickens&about=the%20eglu)
Bonues include: frequent egg collection, and having chicken poop around to provide a great, natural fertilizer. From the video posted below, leaves can be raked into the coop for bedding and when removed, you can use it as a sort of mulch for your garden. Yard cleanup and a place to 'store' your leaves is never a bad idea...I can't stand to see all those bags of leaves in the fall, waiting to be dumped (even though Minneapolis has an organic collection, I haven't looked into where they actually go).
My problem is the killing part. I have a weak stomach when it comes to the actual slaughter and handling the meat. I could probably eat it, if it were already cleaned for me. But realistically, who is going to do that?
Interesting video from Britain:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2010/jan/01/ask-lucy-chicken-green-living
This topic might come up again, I have many thoughts on the subject - but this is enough for today.
Having to work tonight, my food is pretty much planned out for the day:
Chili from last night will be for lunch with a piece of Jewish Rye (Rudy's Organic Bakery in Boulder, CO)
Banana and more chili/bread for dinner.
Hasta!
Today - Tuesday, Jan 5
Tea - Local from Wedge
Wheatabix from MA
Brown Sugar ?? (bulk @ Wedge)
Milk - IL
Water - II so far, going to fill up a 3rd glass when I click 'submit.'
Banana - Equador. So far, not so local. But relatively healthy.
And the bananas were fair trade, so I'm not supporting the havoc in the banana industry. (http://www.bananalandcampaign.org/JoinUs.html)
Unfortunately, bananas require the most energy to get to MN, coming all the way from S. America, but I have yet to find a replacement that is as easy and clean as a bananas to eat when sitting in an office - and they are relatively filling. Maybe I will just have to start bringing extra napkins, or do the messy work with other fruits at home.
Onto a different subject, I've been thinking a lot about urban chickens. After mentioning the eggs from North Branch, I thought I'd expand on the topic as there has been a lot of talk lately from urban gardeners/sustainable communities, about bringing chickens into urban areas. Organic, free range eggs are expensive at the store and in some cases, free range isn't the 'free range' you might be thinking. Instead of researching every brand available, wouldn't it be easier to collect eggs from your backyard? Many people may not agree with me - its a nuisance. I certainly wouldn't promote having roosters in the city. Anyone remember the chicken on the roof in the Sex/City episode? Enough said...
Anyway, I think realistically, hens could be ideal for urban backyards, granted you dont have 50 of them. I am thinking more along the lines of 3-4 (for my backyard, if in the future I decide to take this route).
Then you have to figure out what to feed them (aside from chicken feed, you can give them your left over food; non-compostable scraps like bread or compostable scraps - fruit cores), build an area for them to live - but they're pretty simple animals - an 'Eglu' for them to roost (if you don't want to build a coop) and an area where they can be outside on the grass, living, grazing, exercising away. (http://www.omlet.us/products_services/products_services.php?view=Chickens&about=the%20eglu)
Bonues include: frequent egg collection, and having chicken poop around to provide a great, natural fertilizer. From the video posted below, leaves can be raked into the coop for bedding and when removed, you can use it as a sort of mulch for your garden. Yard cleanup and a place to 'store' your leaves is never a bad idea...I can't stand to see all those bags of leaves in the fall, waiting to be dumped (even though Minneapolis has an organic collection, I haven't looked into where they actually go).
My problem is the killing part. I have a weak stomach when it comes to the actual slaughter and handling the meat. I could probably eat it, if it were already cleaned for me. But realistically, who is going to do that?
Interesting video from Britain:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2010/jan/01/ask-lucy-chicken-green-living
This topic might come up again, I have many thoughts on the subject - but this is enough for today.
Having to work tonight, my food is pretty much planned out for the day:
Chili from last night will be for lunch with a piece of Jewish Rye (Rudy's Organic Bakery in Boulder, CO)
Banana and more chili/bread for dinner.
Hasta!
Monday, January 4, 2010
52.4% local
Shopping trip to the Wedge on Lyndale. I love how they break down the purchase to show what percentage of your sale went to a local product/company. Today was one of the higher ones as I purposefully looked for near MN foods. The Wedge doesn't consider eastern WI to be local, so I hit at 52.4%...nice! Decided chili would be good on a cold week such as this, so I made it with pinto, kidney, chili and black beans, onions, garlic and tomatoes. It turned out really well and now I have meals for the next few days.
For the rest of today's meals:
Chili
water
good chance I will have some of the ice cream in the freezer. Hey! At least its Kemps from St. Paul. Who'd have known?!
Now I will reward myself by reading in a nice, quiet house.
For the rest of today's meals:
Chili
water
good chance I will have some of the ice cream in the freezer. Hey! At least its Kemps from St. Paul. Who'd have known?!
Now I will reward myself by reading in a nice, quiet house.
COMFOOD list serv
I have recently subscribed to a list serv: http://www.foodsecurity.org/list.html. It is through Tufts University and subscribers (over 2500 all over the world) post information about Farm to Schools, sustainability, community gardening, farmers markets, food stamp government assistance nutrition programs, etc. Basically- everything that I am interested in, folded into one nice little mass email. Well not one, but maybe 12 a day. It does litter your inbox with lots of information, but I have learned so much from each one of the postings. Way to go Tufts!
Today for lunch:
Lettuce, dressing and mushrooms. Only know that the mushrooms are from WI.
Spaghetti with brown noodles and Minneapolis made 'Our Family' pasta sauce!
Finally got around to that glass of water. Drink more! Maybe I will put it on my calendar to prompt me in the mornings and afternoons. I did that last year and kept hitting 'snooze' - boy was that annoying.
Today for lunch:
Lettuce, dressing and mushrooms. Only know that the mushrooms are from WI.
Spaghetti with brown noodles and Minneapolis made 'Our Family' pasta sauce!
Finally got around to that glass of water. Drink more! Maybe I will put it on my calendar to prompt me in the mornings and afternoons. I did that last year and kept hitting 'snooze' - boy was that annoying.
What better time to start than now?
My New Years resolution started in 2009.
I became interested in the availability and quality of local foods and the effect it has on childhood nutrition. Studying this in my masters pursuit has pushed me to start eating how I preach. So here goes my first blog into a new decade starting with a food journal - to determine how much I consume (for my own personal curiosity) and how much I can purchase, grow and eat from a local and/or sustainable source.
Carrie B came up with the idea to start a food journal and she will contribute to my blog (hopefully!). I want to record the food I eat on a daily basis in order to help with my consumption.
Day 1 - New Years Day - Friday - Buffet at Marriott City Center, Minneapolis.
2 -3 cups 'fresh' mixed fruit (strawberry, boysenberry, cantelope, honeydew, pineapple)
hashbrowns
scrambled eggs
skim milk
water
water
onion and mushroom pizza
beer. maybe 2 or 3. Leinie's Sunset Wheat. The only thing I am certain that is produced in the midwest area. I think of local as MN, but most places include Iowa and WI and the eastern halves of the Dakotas. What do you think?
Day 2 - Jan 2. - Saturday
This is all from memory.. I could be forgetting something since technically today is day 4 (1/4/09 start of postings).
Pizza leftovers
Boca burger on Blue Cheese burger at Joe Sensors.
Water
potato chips
Last time eating there. yuck.
Ice cream
Today was a bad healthy food day.
Day 3 - Jan 3. - Sunday - Happy Birthday Grandma!
Farm fresh eggs from Mom & Bruce's in North Branch
2 eggs with toast.
Earl grey tea. I think its local.
bread with Hummus and local mozzarella from the wedge.
1 beer
pizza at Patina's inventory.
Reeses pieces
handful of kettle corn popcorn.
How am I going to resist the little candies? Its so tempting but cutting them out will be tough.
Day 4 - Jan 4. - Monday. The first real day. I am going shopping at the Wedge Co-op after work.
Earl grey tea.
Wheetabix - wedge
milk - Illinois - buying local tonight.
2 pieces of Jewish Rye bread - toast
butter - NJ.
And its only 10:54am.
I became interested in the availability and quality of local foods and the effect it has on childhood nutrition. Studying this in my masters pursuit has pushed me to start eating how I preach. So here goes my first blog into a new decade starting with a food journal - to determine how much I consume (for my own personal curiosity) and how much I can purchase, grow and eat from a local and/or sustainable source.
Carrie B came up with the idea to start a food journal and she will contribute to my blog (hopefully!). I want to record the food I eat on a daily basis in order to help with my consumption.
Day 1 - New Years Day - Friday - Buffet at Marriott City Center, Minneapolis.
2 -3 cups 'fresh' mixed fruit (strawberry, boysenberry, cantelope, honeydew, pineapple)
hashbrowns
scrambled eggs
skim milk
water
water
onion and mushroom pizza
beer. maybe 2 or 3. Leinie's Sunset Wheat. The only thing I am certain that is produced in the midwest area. I think of local as MN, but most places include Iowa and WI and the eastern halves of the Dakotas. What do you think?
Day 2 - Jan 2. - Saturday
This is all from memory.. I could be forgetting something since technically today is day 4 (1/4/09 start of postings).
Pizza leftovers
Boca burger on Blue Cheese burger at Joe Sensors.
Water
potato chips
Last time eating there. yuck.
Ice cream
Today was a bad healthy food day.
Day 3 - Jan 3. - Sunday - Happy Birthday Grandma!
Farm fresh eggs from Mom & Bruce's in North Branch
2 eggs with toast.
Earl grey tea. I think its local.
bread with Hummus and local mozzarella from the wedge.
1 beer
pizza at Patina's inventory.
Reeses pieces
handful of kettle corn popcorn.
How am I going to resist the little candies? Its so tempting but cutting them out will be tough.
Day 4 - Jan 4. - Monday. The first real day. I am going shopping at the Wedge Co-op after work.
Earl grey tea.
Wheetabix - wedge
milk - Illinois - buying local tonight.
2 pieces of Jewish Rye bread - toast
butter - NJ.
And its only 10:54am.
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