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.