Sunday, March 3, 2013

waste


Frugality.
Creativity.
Ingenuity.
The kind that comes
from that phrase I embrace
from days of old...
"making do."

But it is more than that 
really.
I have been drawn to articles
and documentaries
that not only point a finger
and bring on HUGE
bouts of guilt
but also inform
how we can reduce waste.
Food waste in particular.
I won't blow you away with statistics
(go watch Dive!)
I will say I am trying to be more
conscious
mindful
aware 
of what is happening in my little
kitchen
and resting on the axiom
that one person can make a difference.
Maybe those around me will
observe and do
when they have kitchens of their own...
and so on and so forth.

The funny part of my story
is that I thought I had stumbled
into my own greatness.

This is how it happened.

One evening we had spaghetti and salad for our dinner.
Leftover pasta noodles.
Enough salad for half a person.

Now back in the day
I may have
(just maybe...mind you)
decided to toss it.
I had learned that when there is pasta
and no sauce
I would store it in the frig
to toss another
moldier day.
And the salad
well
 there wasn't enough for anyone really.

This day was different.
Or maybe I was/am different.
I looked at those bits of spaghetti
and romaine
and saw 
Lunch Potential
(there's that word again)
The next day I added some
more greens
in the form of frozen peas
grated carrots
topped it with raw cashews for a
boost of protein
and consulted my Whole Foods
recipes for a sauce that needed
revising due to
availability.
Tossed it all together.
Ate in the goodness.
So yummy.
And felt rather impressed with myself
for being so creative with my food.
Not only that
but I have made this a regular practice
in my kitch and have
loved the results.

Genius I tell you!

I wanted to share my story with
all of you
hoping to inspire.

I sat on that idea.
Tweaked it.
Waited.

Now
on my second time
around the block at
Whole Foods Kitchen Workshop
Heather donates
each lunch section
to what she calls
the Buddha Bowl.
Apparently
what I have been doing
has a name
that I wasn't aware of.
In my experimentation
I thought I had discovered
something
new
and
exciting.

Ha!
Add a slap in the face
reality check.

With further investigating
I found that
The Bowl
is a regular practice for
vegan types.

It just makes sense
to blend all those healthy
ingredients
together
and give it a splash of
something extra special
to bring it all together.

Ah well.
I may not be the first to share the news
but I am still a genius
in my own right.
Learning through trial and error
and finding what works for me.

Some other things I have 
started doing to eliminate
food waste
here in my little corner...

composting...a given.

rotating the food in my frig
to see what has been pushed
to the back and eat before
expiration
(which isn't always reliable)

Purchasing in amounts that
will be used or
stored
for freshness
(beware of Costco surplus)

Freezing soups
and meals to be eaten
at another time.

Using as many leftovers
as I have on hand
for Big Salad
nights...
always a fan favorite!

Staying 
"on budget"

Delaying full-on grocery shopping
and "little visits"
until the pantry is bare.
I love challenging myself to
make a meal with
what is available.
Try it sometime
it is very
empowering!

This list is still growing
and will be updated
as soon as
that spark of ingenuity
hits me!

Not that others haven't been hit sooner!

Enjoy life's ah-ha moments.



2 comments:

  1. So funny...the title of your blog post is the title of this week's chapter in my book club (7: An experimental mutiny against excess by Jen Hatmaker. I hereby give you permission to change the name of that dish to the Blessings Bowl. :)

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  2. I like that so much better. With the subtitle: My bowl runneth over!
    OMGoodness! I think we have a book idea...let's run with it before someone else does!

    ReplyDelete