Stew Again!!

Food thought of the day...

If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple you are not hungry. North America is an overfed, under nourished population.
Credit i'm sure goes to Micheal Pollan of whom I love.




In the winter we eat alot of stews and soups. Mostly it is paired with bread saved in the freezer for such an occasion from the Big Dipper or the Bakery. If I am slumming it I will get Ace bakery bread from the grocery. On occasion, we pair i will tortilla chips- and tonight was that night.


BLACK BEAN + BUTTERNUT SOUP
 1 Tbsp. coconut or extra virgin olive oil Coconut if you have it- smells divine.
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped (heaping 2 cups)
3 cups cubed butternut squash (sweet potato would be good too)
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cocoa powder Apparently I am out so I used some 60% dark chocolate bar. I think the cocoa would be a reall2w1y nice contrast to the hot peppers- too bad I didn't have any. pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper I used some dried hot pepper from the CSA
2 cups cooked, black beans (about one can, rinsed and drained)
salt to taste


In a heavy bottomed pot, warm the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until just beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cabbage, squash and broth. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 15-20 minutes for the vegetables to cook. I shut if off for an hour at this point to take Maya to dance. Add the spices and the beans and stir. Let everything continue to cook another ten minutes for the flavors to blend. Salt to taste. At this point, I did a few pulses with my immersion blender through the soup, because I wanted to thicken up the broth a bit. This is optional, but makes it seem a bit thicker. You could alternatively, run just a bit of the soup through a blender or food processor, and add it back in to the pot. OR a sprinkle of cornmeal will help thicken it as well.
I used the immersion blender for the count of 10

Dinner Tonight!!

Food thought of the day....
You put your money in what you value. I value what I put in the only body I am going to get soo I spend lots of money on food. There is no food budget.
Thus, if it is healthy and good for me I really don't care what the cost is.  That goes for chocolate as well- cause really cheap chocolate is disgusting, as is cheap food.

1. Fresh from the CSA greenhouse spinach- just cause I wanted something green on my plate.

2. Leftover salad from a potluck.  I didn't have any pistachio nuts cause Luke ate them. Didn't have any fresh herbs to add so I didn't. So instead I added sea weed cause I found it in the cupboard and hemp hearts cause I like them.

3. Celeriac and Potato Gratin- From the CSA newsletter
-1 celeriac -Peeled and sliced thin
-1 large potato-Peeled and sliced thin
-2 cloves glaric minced
-250ml each chicken or veggie stock and milk or cream
-1Tflour
- Na and pepper to taste

Mix it all up and cook for 90min in 375 oven. 8x8 dish uncovered.
I used half a celeriac and instead used rutabaga cause I love them.

Food

I kinda get the picture that people don't really know how to cook. I have read that the cure for childhood obesity isn't gym class but home economics class.

Nor do people really know what to eat, especially not involving meat. When I am in conversation with people it comes up that we don't eat really alot of dead animals but at the time I can never really convey what we eat, so I thought I might just blog about it.

Anyways,  here is dinner tonight.
Main Course
It was 5:15 before I even thought about dinner sooo it was a quirky thrown together from fridge contents.
$5 for 500g spinach and cheese ravioli
'Sause'
-CSA onion
-CSA spinach
-50% off red pepper for a minor blemish
-75% mushroom cause they looked slightly off

Saute with olive oil and white wine vinegar. Would have used real white wine but I didn't have any.


Muffins
From The Loonyspoon Cookbook gifted by Robi. Page 287 -Pumpkin Spice Muffins

1 1/4c flour
1/2 Whole wheat flour ( I used a bit of spelt, white, and coconut  to make 1 3/4c total)
2 t pumpkin pie spice ( I used a little of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger)
1 1/2t  baking powder
1t soda
1/2t salt
1c pumpkin ( We had cooked squash on hand so we used that)
1/2c yogurt
1/2c maple syrup
1/4c melted butter
1 egg
1t vanilla
1c grated carrots
1/2c  mini chocolate chips ( We had some high quality chocolate orange chocolate that Maya was desperate to use)
1/2c walnuts ( Used those or pecans)

Mix wet and dry separate then mix. Add in carrots, chocolate chips and nuts. Bake 20-22min.  at 375. Makes around 12.

Song of Delight

So in love with this song, if I was a singer I would sing it with anguish from failed past relationship, but alas Luke is my only love and we all know what kind of a singer I am.
Actually, being a bad singer hasn't stoped me yet.. again apologies all round for those you have to listen.

Sale

There was a sale last week at the grocery.

$1 for a 113gram box of Crunch N' Munch.

That wasn't a good thing.

The Help

Recently read The Help and watched the movie tonight with Maya.

Well that was a teachable moment.

I am currently encouraging her to form a resistance movement against all the 'safety' rules on the playground at school that are designed to crush imagination, proselytize compliance, and fatten all the children up.

Fail

So Luke when did you last change the Furnace filter?

And yet another job falls on Anne.


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Coffee

This morning I woke to Luke telling me we were out of coffee filter. I moaned and said "What am I going to do.' Luke just shrugged and replied that he was busy today.

I hope he enjoyed his Tim Horton's. As for myself, I retrieved yesterdays coffee filter from the garbage rinsing off unknown debris and re used it.

Maya's mind

As thought up by Anne . -candy -fashion -not sleeping -'want to watch something' -'I'm relaxing, just let me finnish my Archie comics'


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Anne's mind

As thought of by maya. -heathy food -tidying up -running -sleep -'you have to be productive' - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Run4rKids

Cause I have no self control and and a sucker for peer pressure and really am nuts I ran around a 232metre track for six hours.
Thats 227 times. fro 52k.  I should mention I have not done any distance since October. It hurt alot. In fact it was easier birthing Ever.

But I did it. I am stronger for it.
I sang alot- public apology here for me being obnoxiously loud. I have really good lung capacity.
Feels good to have done it, on no training, Like I have a base in there somewhere, and I know now that 50 miles will not be that hard.
Monday... feel fine. Guess I am getting a hang of this going long.

Writings

i just wrote this to Evers teacher and thought it was funny... enjoy.


Yes to the sound book and library book. Not to the report card. I am sure it somewhere but it has fallen victim to too much paperitis.
As well the plastic zip locks are not welcome in this house as they always end up out of  the back pack and someplace where I have to put them away. Thus is due to the inability of people in my house to close zippers.  Thus I am simplifying my life and getting rid of what I hate. I can sew a fabric catch all if required but really I would rather if the endless papers just get crushed up in the backpack, seemed to work fine in my childhood.

I just took some cold medication thus rambling. Hope you enjoyed.
Thanks,
Anne

Christmas Drama

So I really don't go to church much. Mostly cause I have a job that feeds us that requires me to work many Sundays. And sometimes I go races on Sundays and some days I just go running instead. Hence a certain disconnect with the church as a community. I do try. I read the bulletin online, make an effort to chat when I am there but well. You know when you are the odd person out.

One way to connect is to be involved. And again I try. We were involved in a small group that folded.  I had hopes for the kitchen ministry team. Been called once, couldn't make it. Honestly, I am loud, and  have way to many opinions. Sometimes people don't want me there.  To be honest I hate kids ministry so I don't do that even though people have looked down on me. I do like drama and as I wasn't working Christmas this year I wanted to be involved with whatever the church was doing for Christmas. So I read the bulletin in hopes of reading a call for volunteers for those who wanted to be involved in the Christmas production.

Long story short, there was no call. Luke mentioned to somebody I wanted to be involved and thus I played a role in the walk through Bethlehem. Mainly, I was cast for my personalty. I was glad to be involved but what about everybody else?
What about the newcomer who has no connection? Are they stuck being always an observer because they are shy? Because nothing was in the bulletin.

I have made another observation. As Luke is on ministry counsel I do hear him say that there is a lack of people being involved and it is hard to get volunteers for things. The people I saw also at the drama were the usual crew. What I am thinking is it is the same people are  always being asked to do things and then those people are the people who are getting burnt out and then quiting but there is not another crew of people coming up.

I thought being part of a community is sharing the jobs that have to be done. Making connections. I know i don't fit in. I don't know how to fix it. Really I am just about at the point where I don't want to try anymore. Maybe the church is too big, maybe I am to be someplace else.  A friend told me of her grandparents who through out their lives attended different churches, doesn't sound pleasant but where I am at isn't pleasant either.

I think more communication equals more belonging, and thus community which most everybody wants, and other than that I don't know.

The thing is I feel I am getting community, I have a great crew of running friends whom I have shared many good/bad times. But I do feel a void, lack of spiritual connection with those who share the same Christian values i have.

A little heavy for non emotional me. Well aware.

Thoughts, perhaps from a person south of me?

Oh the picture is Christmas related. Our tree from the sketchy tree farm out of town. A handy long term investment if you got a bit of land I think. The bike was Maya's Christmas from Kijiji.

Resolutions 2012

First a check up on 2011....

• Drive less Ongoing- see below.
• Surf the Internet less Fail miserabley
• Spend more time at work doing work related reading/ note taking. 50/50 Success/fail
• Attend more concerts Somewhat a success. Attended more plays. Actually didn't go to any concerts. I need more friend to go with. Friends??
• Clean and organize the basement 100% Fail.
• Blog more Really I don't know what more I have to say.
• Run 2011km in 2011 Success!
• Run with people more Success, but always room for more improvement.
• Volunteer at races Fail
• Don't do races that I really don't feel the love for/ have done really well at before. Win
• Become a OAT Triathlon coach Fail

2012

• Be more generous.
• Be really intentional about the races I do. Think before I register. Think in advance so I don't have to pay last minute fees.
• Drive less. try to do more walking/running to the store. Don't let the nagging kids get to me with their laziness.
• Run more frequently- even if it is even for 2k- just get out and do it. Don't be afraid to drive to a location if I know I will get a good run in.
• Be more intentional about doing good to the earth. Consume less. Really try to concentrate on what I already have prier to new purchases. Ie. fabric.
• Read more.
• Less Internet. The iphone isn't helping this at all. Maybe there is an app for this.
• Blog more- I am sure I will think of something.
• Volunteer at races.. maybe at the races I don't want to do.
• Clean, organize and save for renovating the basement. Marry a handy second husband for success.