food – Page 8

Before the Bravery

a.) Is this a dude or a lady?
b.) It’s so strange I just HAD to use it.
Gotta love royalty-free images.
c.) SERIOUSLY, though! Transgender, maybe?
If so, rock on!

It takes a lot to make a huge change in your life, and something that’s insanely personal — in this case, FOOD — can be a tad daunting. We have recently made the flexitarian switcheroo, meaning that we eat some (not much) meat on weekends, but are fully vegetarian during the weekdays.

And, guess what. It’s actually sticking.

It could be that our bodies are feeling less “heavy” after our weekday meals. It could be that we’re not eating anything particularly unusual or out of our comfort zone. It could be that we’re not doing it “right” — I’m not forcing tofu or veggie burgers onto the hubby (although I have both in my fridge…biding my time!). It could just be that I’ve figured out a comfortable way to manage our weekday meals in a familiar way.

I’m going with that last thought. Yeah. I’ve figured out a kind of equation for our dinners that help me get through the week without feeling like “Ugh, I can’t wait to eat meeeeaaaat this weekend!!!” Actually, I feel incredibly guilty and tend to cook only one type of meat to last the weekend (our other meals are meat-free or a leftover of that item). Yet, I’m still a bit of a scaredy cat (hence the title — ain’t feelin’ brave yet!) when it comes to cooking outside of my comfort zone.

Breakfast is easy — we’re “eat this everyday” sort of people. Dave, toast and tea. Me, cereal or toast. (We eat a ton more on weekends.) Why is it that we’re so comfortable eating the same breakfast everyday, but we MUST have a different dinner? People are weird, folks!

Lunch can be challenging, but we’re doin’ it. Sometimes it’s a leftover from the night before (yyyesss!!!). Other times, it’s a continuation of my usual snack-like lunches (which I started back when I was pregnant) — usually a combination of the following: organic cheese stick, apple/banana, tortilla chips (GMO-free corn, yay!) maybe with hummus, a handful of peanuts, a granola bar (non-GMO, organic), PBJ sandwich (natural, few ingredient (ie “real food”) bread, organic PB & J, and this is if no leftovers are available), and when I remember it, carrot sticks. Oh, and whole milk organic vanilla yogurt (we can’t go plain yet) with berries and maybe a few dark chocolate chips for a morning snack. It does the trick for my still-nursing, still-pretty-hungry body. The hubs usually figures out his own much smaller meatless meal.

Dinner is the road bump and could very well be a deal breaker. But, here’s my strategy lately:

– One night, pasta with marinara sauce and a green salad. (Somehow, it’s often Monday nights. Hello, “Antiques Roadshow”!!)
– One night, pasta with garlic, oil, parmesan cheese, veggies and seasoning and a green salad.
– One night, frozen all-natural pizza and a salad.
– One night, “breakfast for dinner.” (Pancakes, french toast, or eggs (probably more of an omelet with some veggies) and toast, maybe some sweet potato hash browns.)
– One night, homemade soup and salad or grilled cheese. (I’m into the sammy…Dave’s into the salad. What can I say? I married a salad guy.)
– One night, just one big ar$e salad. Gotta give into the temptation, I suppose.

Sure, there are other things we eat and I’ve been trying to come up with one new recipe each week (or so, depending on how busy we are), but these are the recipes that I have in my back pocket for those nights that I don’t feel like makin’ ANYTHING. The big thing that I’ve noticed is that if you plan a lot more when you’re shopping, not only does it make your food stretch longer (and lessen your waste), you’ll at least have a mental picture of the meals you’ll make. When you’ve got a big ol’ question mark on your forehead, you’re more apt to revert to your old ways, no matter what your life choices may be.

Last week, I made a couple of bunches of on-sale asparagus help us through a couple of omelets (I even asked Dave this weekend if he wanted meat in his and he said he didn’t care one way or the other…of course, I left it out) and some sides. When it reached the point of “crap, it’s gonna go bad in 5 minutes”, I parboiled what was left and threw it in a freezer bag. Now, I’ve got a quick quiche dinner in the back of my head with a frozen organic pie crust, the asparagus, some onions, cheese, eggs and a bit o’ milk when the need arises. It feels good to have an extra ace up my sleeve. Very good.

I also threw together some broccoli cheddar soup that was pretty darn good that served several dinners AND lunches. Use whatchya got! Odds are, it’ll be tasty. The same goes for the excess carrots I had a couple of weeks ago — soup, there it is.

Oh, and I know it’s not the *healthiest* thing in the world (and I can’t list how many horrible things are probably in it), but we have discovered a couple of vegetarian items on our local Chinese menu that help on those nights that I REALLY can’t cook. Say, like last week when I went to the theater to get all covered in paint only to arrive home wicked late to a husband who had more work to do (for his job), a baby in a fowl mood (hungry/tired, lots to do), and a front door knob that picked the perfect moment to fall off in my hand. You know. That kind of night. Broccoli with garlic sauce and veggie lo mein (or was it chow mein…) to the rescue. (Sometimes some Buddhist delight thrown in for good measure.)

I’m sure as time goes on, and as I discover the subtle nuances of tofu, I’ll share some more recipes that are actually unique and yummy, but until then, we’re all in this together! Sometimes you need some easy fixes to get you out of a bind.

Meaty Choice

I’ve been volleying the idea of vegetarianism around in my head (and even publicly, here and here) for awhile. We’ve mastered, in a loose way, Meatless Mondays — although they’re not always Mondays — but we haven’t taken a larger leap than that. I’ve even recently explained why we’re not vegetarians.

But something seemingly small and unimportant made me snap. I was watching a news story about the bird flu in China (which is being spread by chicken consumption) when the background video showed a man grabbing a bird out of a small cage full of numerous chickens.

Now, I’m not an idiot. I know that when I eat chicken, that chicken was once living. But, for whatever reason, when I heard the sound of the bird screeching, I was struck — not only did it sound like my baby crying, it was screaming for its life. It knew what was coming, and it couldn’t do anything about it. My stomach turned and I started to cry.

Since then, I’ve decided to cut back to eating meat on weekends. This all started earlier last week, so it hasn’t been a long adventure yet, but let’s just say it’s Saturday…and I haven’t had meat yet today (or the rest of the week). I’ve got a freezer full of meat that will need to be used up, so I’ll have to get around my guilt to do so, but I’ve never been good at going cold turkey, so giving myself the leeway helps.

The neatest thing is that when I finally told Dave about it, and found myself getting upset yet again, he immediately agreed and was on board; almost like he was waiting for our family to take the step.

And, much as how we’ve treated Meatless Monday (adjusting the day accordingly, just making sure to include more vegetarian meals throughout the week), we’re going to adjust our vegetarianism according to circumstances. For example, Hadley’s birthday party will be on a Saturday, and it’s shaping up to probably be a barbecue. Because of this (and because one of our issues is the fact that we’ve got very much carnivorous families), we’ll plan on eating meat this day; there may be other family events that fall M-F, so we’ll thus plan.

So, I suppose we’re taking flexitarianism up a notch. We’re also still lacto-ovo vegetarians, in that respect. Still eat eggs (from humanely treated chickies) and pasture-fed milk, yogurt and cheese. I could never give up cheese. It’s my weakness!!

I think the biggest challenge will be figuring out lunches; breakfast is easy, and dinner’s getting there, but work lunches can be a bit of a tough time. I’m still researching a lot of websites for meal ideas, but I’m sure I’ll be sharing what’s working for us. But, seriously, it’s become a lot easier to order delicious vegetarian options when going out ‘n about.

So, that’s an update on our meat-eating. (Side note: Second choice for post title: “Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?”)

My School Lunch

Hey, look! Another food post! Maybe food is easier to focus on food than real life lately. So, without further ado, I’d like to share…lunch.

Wow. This totally sounds like I’m Instagramming my life away. Ha, suckas, fooled ya — I don’t even have a smartphone (yet?) let alone Instagram. Neener neener. Still, it seems like a pretty dull post, right? Again, I need me some dull lately! Things have been too (literally) crazy! Last Thursday was the day that the shooting standoff ended, and since we hadn’t slept home, I didn’t have a lunch to bring. Unimportant details in the midst of important happenings. But, isn’t that life?

Usually, I bring any combination of items to make a full-blown meal (or snack-from-10:30-til-1-or-’til-I’m-not-hungry). Always an apple, probably a granola bar, usually some yogurt and an organic cheese stick, then something leftover from dinner (or some all natural lunch meat and chippy chips). Whatev.

This particular day, I finally partook in…dun dun duuuuuunnnn…SCHOOL LUNCH!!!

Why was I so nervous?

Maybe because the previous school I worked for had what can only be described as the Lunch Nazi (in relation to the Seinfeld comparison, not REAL Nazis. You don’t wanna get me started.) He withheld food, referred to students in inappropriate ways and generally produced mild anxiety attacks everyday when lunchtime rolled around. I used to eat school lunches everyday, and it was amusing to compare with my friends/colleagues who received a larger lunch and who got gypped. ‘Cuz someone ALWAYS got gypped.

I think the cafeteria ladies thought I was nuts for falling all over myself to get a simple meal. I was even shocked when they didn’t blink over my handing them a $10 bill (the only bill I had on me). That would’ve produced a major eye roll and even some ribbing in the good ol’ days.

SIDE NOTE: Mind you, I LOVED my old school. Don’t get me wrong here. Okay, back to the regularly scheduled program.

Here’s what I got (aside from a crappy cell phone picture):

From top left: Apple (wrapped in plastic…wasteful, but I’m assuming there’s a state mandated reason for it), chocolate milk, fruit punch, burger with the fixin’s, sweet potato fries (with ranch).
Sure, the milk had salt, cornstarch, carrageenan and “vanillin” (why?!) but the fruit punch was all juice (albeit concentrate) and generally speaking it was a healthy option. I loves me some SP fries and the bun was whole wheat (which I hear lots of kids gripe about these days). I could get nit-picky and complain that nothing was organic and the meat wasn’t grassfed (or probably free of hormones, ick), but on a day like this, beggars can’t be choosers.

And, y’know what? I lied in that picture. I totally had a “Little Debbie” peanut butter wafer snack thingmajigger, too. ‘Cuz, y’know what? We’re alive and I can.

Once In Awhile, I Cook

Every once in awhile, the stars align and I actually cook a substantial meal for me and the hubs. When I say “stars align”, I actually mean that my baby-mama exhaustion subsides (enough to cook), my mind is able to plan ahead enough to have all ingredients on hand, my mood rises, and the temperature demands I turn on the oven. How my mother did this at least once a week (of course, she always cooked for us, but we had a huge, rivals-Thanksgiving meal every Sunday) with four kids and no spouse is miraculous to my tiny brain.

I recently had a friend ask where I get my grassfed meat. Generally, when we’re at a farmers’ market (at this time of year, the all-year Cooperstown indoor choice), we stock up, big-time. I make this meat stretch quite a bit. We don’t do very much in terms of beef, but I’ll occasionally use the ground beef (way cheaper) for chili or shepherd’s pie.

Unfortunately, between time restraints and other obligations, we’ve been unable to get to any farmers’ markets or co-ops. At times like these, when I know we haven’t had a “meat ‘n potatoes” type meal in awhile, I opt for meat that doesn’t hit all of our checkpoints. It may not be grassfed. It may not be certified organic (my local grocery store doesn’t stock organic meats…hmph) and is fed a “vegetarian diet” (I assume this means it includes corn, probably genetically modified…double hmph). But, it was treated humanely and without the use of antibiotics. Gotta weigh the options sometimes and make unfortunate compromises. It’s not worth starving, I suppose.
A couple of Sundays ago (not daylight savings; the one before that…yeah, it’s taken awhile to write this!) was one of those times. I’m trying to maintain a semblance of a grocery budget by allowing myself only to use the cash I’ve withdrawn for this purpose, so since it’s early in the month, I *wisely* took a look at all I’d like to have on hand for a few weeks. So, the aforementioned meat was purchased; this time, a pork tenderloin, some boneless pork ribs (Crock Pot time, baby!), and some stew beef. See? All things that will make at least two meals. Oh, and I already have some ground beef, chicken breasts and a wayward turkey breast in the freezer, for the record. 😉

I went off-the-cuff (once again) for the meal since I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for in my cookbooks. The meal was: mustard maple roast tenderloin with carrots and mushrooms (a way to add flavor but not force the shrooms down Dave’s throat), an all-natural boxed rice pilaf I needed to use up, and wassail-inspired homemade applesauce. Here’s what I did for the pork and applesauce (and, if you try this, please be forgiving — my memory is like an open window; things fly in and out willy nilly; feel free to say “yo, wait, that temperature sounds wrong” and I’ll probably say, “I bow to you. You are correct. I’ll go stand in the corner for 30 minutes now. And probably nap.” Also take note that I like to “wing it” when cooking.):

Roasted Pork Tenderloin
– ~1 lb. pork tenderloin
– a teensy bit of salt, good amount of pepper
– dijon mustard (or we happened to have a beer and balsamic mustard spread that I’ve gotta use up)
– a drizzle of honey
– sprinkle of rosemary (or sage)
– extra virgin olive oil for pan and veggies

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse and pat dry the pork tenderloin, then coat with mustard, honey and seasonings. Bake, uncovered, for about 35 to 45 minutes or until internal temperature is about 160°F. I also used the roasting pan to roast some baby carrots and mushrooms (also in olive oil and seasonings).

Side note: To get the pork more caramelized, you can quickly brown both sides in a pan before putting into the oven, but lower the cooking time and keep checking for internal temp.

Wassail Applesauce
– 4-5 apples (more or less, depending on how much you want to make), peeled, cored and cut into chunks
– 1/4 tsp. each cinnamon and nutmeg
– 1/8 tsp. cloves
– splash of orange juice

Combine all ingredients in pan. Bring to boil, lower heat and allow to simmer until apples are soft. Mash with potato masher (you want to keep some of the texture). Add water if you need it looser.

Why I’m Not a Vegetarian

I’ve read a couple of articles and blog posts about vegetarianism lately, which got my juices flowing (ew. Visual.) and my thoughts drifting back to our eating habits. I’ve talked about my thought process on this before, from flexitarianism to partaking in Meatless Monday (and a follow-up) to my first ever post about our thoughts on Food, Inc.

Our hearts are torn. We’re passionate animal lovers. We live in a relatively rural area with tons of active hunters, and we’re not altogether crazy about it. Our area’s biggest job provider is a gun factory. (Let’s just say the governor’s abrupt push-through gun control act has plenty of folks up in arms…pardon the pun…around our surrounding towns.) Yet, I’m in favor of gun control insomuch as semi-automatics are simply unnecessary for any non-military purpose and the concept that our forefathers were dealing with muskets when they worked on the Constitution seems telling. So, sure, I’m a bit of a hippie.

So, why am I still a dang meat eater?

I don’t crave it. I don’t demand I eat it with every meal. I’m not “carnivorous.” But, I am stubborn. And a tad lazy.

One thing I’ve learned about myself, especially thanks to the awesome self-analysis offered by doing this blog, is that I can only change if it’s gradual. I’m not able to maintain a gung-ho, all-at-once life change, especially if it’s one that involves an immense learning curve and lots o’ planning. Exhibit A. Yeah, that didn’t work out so well.

I gave up coffee while pregnant (and still abstain), but I wasn’t addicted beforehand. Not that I’m addicted to meat, but it’s definitely a lifestyle. Definitely.

I’m Irish-American. We were raised with meat ‘n potatoes. The only time we didn’t have meat at the dinner table was Friday during Lent or when we’d have the rare pancake for dinner (although sometimes we’d have bacon…sometimes not). It was practically taboo NOT to have meat on our plates. Spaghetti must contain its accompanying meatballs, after all.

Not that it was a bad way to grow up. However, as we’ve learned more about the state of slaughterhouses and the food system in America, it’s difficult to eat without considering not only where the food started (and how it was treated), but what it might be doing to our bodies. As it is, I can no longer eat Taco Bell or McDonald’s without getting sick in some way.

The meat we do consume is, at its very basic, not given hormones and hopefully humanely treated. My number one priority, above it being organic, is how it was treated. If I had my way, all of our meat and poultry would be grassfed (not given a “vegetarian diet” which could include genetically-modified corn), lovingly cared for, humanely killed, and organic. It seems an easier feat to achieve in Europe (even with its Mad Cow and what not) than America, which is insane. Oh, and don’t get me started on seafood; that’s impossible to track and it’s a challenge to find anything to feed the family. A Mediterranean diet is harder to grasp than you’d think.

So, it stands; we’re omnivores. We eat less meat than most, but I still feel like a slave to my routine. I’d love to find still more *simple* vegetarian recipes to try to push out my meat-based meals. (And not the hippie kinds. Ones that I can give to the hubs without him thinking a second thought. Ones that blend in with our relatively traditional usual fare.) I’d also hate to be that daughter or DIL who throws a wrench into the works at family gatherings and stuff.

I don’t foresee this always being the way. After all; we’ve got a kid. And, if I know kids, and if he’s anything like this, he’ll be a motivator. If he takes after us, he’ll be an animal lover, too (he’s already nuts about his kitties and the doggies he gets to see at his grandma/sitter’s everyday). I can just see the day when he makes the correlation between what we’re eating…and the fact that it once moved.

Why is it that I can see changing for him, but in the meantime feel like it’s too daunting a task? The things we do for those adorable dimples. Maybe we should start our “slow and steady” race sooner rather than later. Oh, and if we ever take this route, I foresee practicing lacto-ovo vegetarianism — one that involves consuming eggs, milk and honey (as long as they’re collected humanely…not sure if there’s a honey standard, LOL) but no meat, poultry or seafood.

Baby steps, though. Hadley-sized steps.

Give It a Go Gardening

I’ve grown gardens for three years now. Oops. Let me rephrase that: For the past three years, I have grown small amounts of veggies and herbs with varying levels of success.

The first year was probably the most successful as far as my ability to maintain the thing goes. In retrospect, we only had one raised bed that year to contend with and while we had some issues with tipsy tomatoes (overgrown!), for the most part we had a great “harvest” and thoroughly enjoyed the luxury of fresh herbs in every single meal, awesome salads, and generally super-powered recipes. ‘Twas awesome.

Our second year, we upped the ante with a second bed. It was another successful year, but not nearly as much as the first. I’m not sure if I didn’t tend them enough or whether the weather was less of a friend that year, but we had some misses. Clearly I must’ve gotten lazier, too, since I didn’t take any pictures (or, at least, I can’t find any…I KNOW we took some for the blog, but they’re MIA).

In 2012, however…well, let’s just say it was a miracle that we got anything planted and tended at all in the first place. Vegetation was the last thing on our minds with the new baby. So, while we used both beds and had a row of potted herbs and tomatoes, we didn’t pay daily attention to them. Sure, we had a handful of improved meals and stuff, but by no means did we supplement our veggie intake with homegrown wonderfulness.

This year, of course, I’m hoping to do better. I don’t want to make grandiose statements ‘cuz I know I’m not good at sticking to them. Better to be honest with oneself (and try not to feel guilty about it) than make wondrously overreaching statements publicly only to bite the dust. So, the spring/summer/fall of 2013 will be what I call the season of giving it a go, hence “Give It a Go Gardening.”

What am I gonna give a go? Well, my ultimate goal is to just not suck out like I did last year. Sure, I’m going to have a one-year-old in tow, but I see that as a smaller challenge than 2012. He was just so dang fragile (and needy). This is why a goal or two of mine may not seem garden-related, but, boy, are they!

“Give It a Go Gardening” – 2013:
– Find a carrier for Hadley to “accompany” me on my daily watering trips. That kid’s humongous. Not fat, mind you…but tall and pudgy (juuuuust right!) and, well, BIG for his age. We tried one hand-me-down carrier in the beginning that let me help set up the garage sale a bit, but he’s since become less of a sleeper and I can’t seem to get my Moby wrap to work for us. So, instead of giving up, I say “Let’s try a different approach!” I KNOW there are carriers out there meant for larger kids, and I’m gonna find me one of ’em!

– Grow whatchya know. This is a big ol’ learning curve situation, but why the hell grow something if you’re not going to eat it and enjoy cooking with it?!?! I’ve never had kale (as far as I know, LOL) in my life, so that’s something I’d rather buy from a farmers’ market or a sale at the grocery store to try; if we like it, then maybe next year. Do we use tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, peas, and a plethora of herbs? We sure do.

– Taaaake a loook, it’s iiiin a boook (totally just showed my students a Reading Rainbow…why should I have all the fun having that song stuck in my head? Share the love, people). I’m doing lots of reading while the ground’s still cccccccold. Hoping to learn what the best practices are for my neck of the woods, and whether it’s even worth it to grow certain items. I’m also wondering how to start seeds (see below) and if it’s worth it to find cheap-o grow lights (to start them in the basement…keeping the cats AWAY).

– Is my mother right??? I’m a tad nervous because I’d love to start the whole garden from seed (a. more control over what gets planted when; b. cheaper; c. easier to find organic options), but my mom insists that she hasn’t had any luck with this and that she only gets “spindly” plants. I *usually* take my mom’s word as gospel, but I’d love to know for myself if it’s true.

– Purdy flowers or hardworking num-nums? We have lots of planting areas (beds?), particularly foundation areas that have normally existed as aesthetic spots. Last year, we were in the land of begonias. This year, I’m wondering whether to use these spaces for growing herbs or veggies, keep them purdy, or mix it up (some of each). We also have space towards the back of our property next to the garage that I’m considering — there’s a trellis hanging out that is begging for use, so maybe it’ll be the home of some peas or green beans or sumpin’ sumpin’. Also considering planting some zukes and potaters in a couple of ugly piles down there, but I’m a tad concerned about our friendly neighborhood cats leaving some piles of their own…if ya catch my drift…which I think ya do.

– FINALLY getting some proper gutters!!! Like with the Hadman’s carrier, you may be asking, “Meg. Dude. Why is this even relevant?” Dude, it totally is. Any time it rains, we get tiny (and sometimes not-so-tiny) trenches in the dirt/mulch/plants below our roof lines. I’ve been bugging the “men” in my life for a loooooong time that we are in dire need of a gutter system (it’ll also help with our cellar moisture issues; we don’t flood, but it’s wetter than I’d like). It sounds like our begging will finally be answered this year, even if we have to hire the dang project out. This will mean I can actually plant veggies (or flowers, whatev) without having to worry about them getting drenched or damaged under the eaves. Now, if only we had enough cashola to replace the driveway….

– Hand-in-hand with the last two notes, we’re getting some growth OFF the ground! I’ve got a strawberry plant that has multiplied, but wouldn’tchya know? We haven’t eaten one. Single. Berry. Why’s that? Chipmunk thief. (I assume it’s a chipmunk. Tiny bite marks. Could be a bunny.) So, I’ll be doing either a hanging plant or building some sort of over-the-edge-of-the-deck type of planting system for the strawberries and possibly some other plant(s). I’m also thinking of putting our herbs on a tray rather than on the floor of our deck since a) it’ll be easier to water them and b) when I look out our back door, I’ll SEE them and be more APT to water them!

– Take chances…but not too many. Sure, I’ll “grow whatchya know” (only stuff we’ll EAT), but not EVERYTHING we eat. For example, asparagus is a perennial that takes a few years to truly get goin’. God only knows how long we’ll be at our current place, and the odds that we’ll get to enjoy our labors are slim. Potatoes, however, will be a new venture for me; one that sounds a tad easier to undertake.

– Compostin’. Our original composting attempts were successful, for the most part, but with the harsh winters we experience, it was a bear to maintain, so it’s fallen into “disrepair”, as it were. I’d like to come up with a more user-friendly system and start addin’ some browns and greens again. We were lucky enough to receive a big ol’ composting bin type thingamabobber from some friends for F-R-E-E(!), but I’m not sure it’s the right size for our yard currently. As it is, I’m sure the neighbors think our Rubbermaid container full o’ holes (looks kinda Bonnie and Clyde out there) in the backyard is nutsola. Either way, once this stuff dries out a bit in the spring, we can hopefully use up the last of it, ditch the current container (or use it for something else…?) and figure this dilemma out.

So, that’s it for now…ha. That’s it. As if it’s not enough, lady?! Sheesh. It’s nice to get my thoughts out on paper…er…out for the world to see to organize my thinking a bit. I’ll probably draw a zillion garden plans before I land on what *might* work for us, but I’ll try to share what I come up with.

If anyone has a gardening background (be it for food or aesthetics), PLEASE let me glean some knowledge from your experience!!! Feel free to share your thoughts in the “comment” section and I shall kiss your feet and bow to you…if you’re into that sort of thing.

The Great Milk Switcheroo

Okay, so it’s not THAT great. The milk switcheroo actually wasn’t one of those clouds parting, angels singing, drop everything moments. I just kind of asked Dave (many moons ago) to grab some regular old organic 1% for me since, I believe, it was one of those “sick house” weeks (we’ve had a couple weeks in a row of that lately! Ugh) and it wasn’t worth driving out to Utica to get our usual glass bottle.

And it just kind of stuck. You know we LOVE the idea of reusable (GLASS!) bottles and helping local farmers. The fact that it reminds us of a time gone by doesn’t hurt. But, the milk we were getting wasn’t organic. As Dr. Oz says, you can’t wash your milk the way you can your fruits and veggies. (Not that I’m an Oz nut, but this one makes sense.)

We’ve landed on our “new norm” of Organic Valley grassfed organic 1%. I know a lot of folks say to drink whole…or raw…or unpasteurized…or not at all! There are a ton of thoughts on it, but for our family, currently, the fact that it’s grassfed, the cows are humanely treated, and it’s organic (AND with no GMOs) are the main points. When the Hadman is drinking whole one day, maybe I’ll just buy the whole and be done with it.

If I could find a local source of grassfed milk (I won’t say certified organic because organic practices are important to us; the rigamarole farmers have to go through to obtain it is bunk, especially considering what mainstream farmers DON’T have to go through to use steroids, low-quality feed or GMO feed, at that) that came in glass jars, I’d be one uber-happy mama! Still searching, but for our current “it’s a miracle I get a shower every 2 days” lifestyle, this works.

Much like the Great Butter Debate (and oil, for that matter), there are tons of schools of thought on the topic, and everyone seems to think they’re right. I’m not saying that we’re right; I’m just saying what currently works for us. Heck, everyone has their own interest — some are anti-waste (hence reusable glass bottles), some are raw/whole foods, others are anti-fat. Where do you stand?

On a side note, can I just say how totally bummed I am that one of our awesome local resources, The Foodshed Buying Club (God knows how long before that link doesn’t work), has closed shop? I’m even more bummed that Dave and I may be part of the cause. We had discussed signing up for it (paying $20 to sign up per year, then being able to order and pick up everything from grassfed meats and cheeses to seasonal veggies, etc) but there was never a good time as far as when we thought we’d be getting the most use out of it. Winter didn’t seem wise since there’s way less produce to offer, and summertime brings with it the fun of farmers marketing. Alas, we never got to share in the awesomeness. Plus, they offered some wicked classes, like for food preservation and cheese making. I’m hoping that wasn’t my only shot at such classes! Gotta keep my eyes peeled — if anyone has any leads, hit me up!

Lunchy Lunch Lunch

It’s one of those vacation days that you find it to be a miracle that you got a shower (while popping your head out every 8 seconds to keep the baby from wailing) or O-N-E load of laundry folded or the baby to sleep for a brief nap. The “who calls this vacation? At least I’m not at work” kind of days. So, clearly, it was also a miracle that I ate anything that didn’t involve a spoon and a jar of peanut butter.

When such a miracle occurs, even if it’s a bowl of frickin’ cereal, you wanna brag. I, however, managed what I’m calling a burrito quesadilla. What makes it a burrito? Because it’s got leftover brown rice and black bean salsa (you could use re-fried beans but I wanted to get rid of this stuff).

Here’s the recipe:

Burrito Quesadilla (serves one hungry mama or two normal people)
– two whole wheat tortillas (wish I could find these with minimal ingredients)
– 1/4 c. corn and black bean salsa (Paul Newman’s, in this case)
– a few handfuls of leftover pre-cooked brown rice
– a couple of Tbsp. feta cheese
– 1/4 c. (+/-) grated cheddar
– dollop of plain Greek yogurt and regular tomato salsa for garnish

Build as you would a traditional quesadilla, smearing the black bean salsa on one tortilla, then the rice, then cheese. (I was going to sprinkle some chili powder and cumin on at this point but I was doing this with the baby in one arm, so…yeah. I forgot.) Place second tortilla on top and cook on an oiled grill pan for a few minutes on each side (medium heat). Slice and serve with salsa and yogurt (and guacamole or avocados, if you have them). Enjoy!

Call it the magic of silently falling snow (yes, meteorological friends, I know it’s science, not magic…and, yes, I know numerous meteorologists, don’t you?) or the baby mix I’m playing on iTunes, but let it be known that a person CAN write an entire blog post (including edited photo) with a napping baby on her lap (and left arm). I almost considered leaving “spoon” as “spoob.” And do not ask why I won’t venture to put him down or my eye may start to twitch.

Solid, Liquid, Schmushy – It’s All the Same!

Wow. I just re-read that title and totally realized that it could easily apply to the little monkey’s diaper presents. Oops.

Anyhoo, in a recent post about the types of fat that we consume, I mentioned that I had purchased a buttload of coconut oil. For weeks, I just stared at the plastic jar of Crisco-resembling stuff, too intimidated to take the plunge.

Then, one morning I decided to make myself eggs. Since I wasn’t making them for my husband (I’m often fearful of making something he doesn’t like; he wouldn’t mind, I’m sure, but it’s the perfectionist in me), I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try it out. I threw a pat of it in my pan, tossed in our humanely-treated chicken eggs, seasoned and stirred.

They were fine. Well, they were really good, but not by any stretch exceptional. I wasn’t expecting anything extraordinary, so I was ultimately pleased that they didn’t taste like coconut (I like coconut, but don’t think my eggs should really taste like it) and it acted just like I would expect butter to act…albeit a tad more liquid. Well, of course — it’s oil, after all.

Since the eggs, I’ve used the stuff to make banana bread and for pancakes, and probably a couple of other lightly-fried stuff I’m not remembering. To use it as liquid oil (in both the banana bread and the pancakes), I melted it and just added in the amount called-for by the recipe. The coolest part is that coconut oil doesn’t get altered by heating and re-heating, so you can just throw any leftover melted oil back into the container and once it reaches room temperature, it hardens back up. (It may be a little softer than the rest of it, but it goes from clear back to white, which entertains me to no end. Wheee! So cool!!) Hence the weird title of my post.

When I made pancakes, I also threw it in the pan to fry them up, too, and it worked wonderfully. I’ve read in different places to use butter or vegetable oil, and over the years I’ve done both. The neat thing here is that it turns into a completely clear oil (even lighter than veggie oil), so it works just as well as the vegetable oil, but I know that it’s more healthful (note I didn’t say healthier; I’m happier with the health benefits I can get from something rather than focusing on fat content, etc — although this stuff is awesome for bettering one’s cholesterol :-)).

I know there’s a lot more that can be done with it, from salve on a wound to hair conditioner. You can use it in place of butter (which I should try with the rest of my banana bread, but need to get over the “this looks like Crisco…” feeling, LOL). Seriously, here’s 101 uses from Wellness Mama. Even if you don’t want to use it, read all the stuff you can do with it! I just read that it can increase a Mama’s milk supply…wonder if I have to take it straight or if cooking with it is enough of an intake. Either way, I’m becoming a fan!

Has anyone else taken the jump to try coconut oil? Whatchya think? If you’re considering it, what’s keeping you — I’d love to hear!

Locavore Challenges

I only wish we could eat and live as locavores, knowing that what we consume comes from within a 50-mile radius. Wouldn’t that be great? In theory, better for the environment, better for our wallets, better for our health (and, often, taste buds). Heck, the dream would be to grow and raise 90% of our food.

But we’re living with limitations. Not saying this as an excuse; just stating a fact. Time, money, space, and happiness (ie raising Hadley, loving on the kitties) are all important factors. Y’know. What they call “reality.” Damn you, Reality.

So, instead, we try to find locavore haunts whenever possible; restaurants that serve locally-grown and/or -raised food. Even those that just serve SOME locally-sourced foods works for us. We’re not picky.

It was pleasantly surprising to see how easy it was to eat almost completely locally when we were in Vermont (I heart the Vermont Fresh Network!). And it’s awesome to see more places that do serve local fare and support farmers and other local providers. But, in our neck of the woods, things are still…um…lacking. So, there’s one “challenge” as referenced by this post’s title. Clever, eh?

That being said, this makes it easier to “challenge” myself to try to review what locavore joints we DO have in the Mohawk Valley and surrounding areas. We eat out so infrequently, don’t expect this to be a weekly thing, but this should be a good way to push us to try out some establishments that we’ve heard about but haven’t put on our “go here next” list.

Plus, you know we love supporting places that follow this trend when traveling, too, so you never know what joint we’ll try next. Be sure to “like” Meg, Acting Out on Facebook if you have any suggestions of places we should try, be they in Utica or Cooperstown, Burlington or Boston.

Oh, and one cool point of my reviews? The hubs and I always order different entrees. You know I always steal a bite…or two.

Speaking of hubs, check out his blog about our little one’s night terrors lately. They’re no joke (but I like to think that he won’t be psychologically damaged in the long run…I hope, at least).