Comments on: my favourite deadly sin is gluttony

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:41:53 +0000

Ah, the dreaded meal planning. It can be so frustrating! my husband has Celiac Disease and a soy intolerance and my 2yr old daughter seems to have an intolerances as well, my son who just turned 1 hasn’t shown signs yet so for us that means a gluten free home is the easiest solution. No wheat, oats, barley etc etc. You wouldn’t believe what they put wheat into! Even vitamins and shampoo. Ugh. I am an expert label reader, I have to be.
We try very hard to buy local but like mentioned above it can be very difficult during the winter. We also buy bulk in the summer and freeze fruit to make into fruit smoothies over the winter with yogurt, juice, frozen berries and fresh fruit. Yum! We also make enough at dinner that we eat the left overs for lunch the following day. Chicken, fish, turkey and just a small amount of red meat are staples.
I love the crock pot blog I’ve used it many times! I also recommend the gluten free goddess, she has marvelous recipes and has a million food allergies so her stuff is always interesting and inventive.
Our food budget is already ridiculously high because gluten free its expensive and very time consuming to make so many things from scratch so we buy organic when we can. Being in Calgary there are some companies that deliver organic on a weekly and biweekely basis that we’re thinking of trying out, expensive yes but maybe worth it in the time saving department.

By: Lani

Lani — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:06:36 +0000

hi bon-
i read animal vegetable miracle too (loved it!) – last winter and then became obsessed with getting everything local. but i live in ct where there are farmers markets even in the winter! then i got pregnant and it all went out the window. food that didn’t make me go yecchhhh came first, organic second and local third. i hated cooking throughout the pregnancy and barely liked food. i got so lazy, i lived on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. i’m a foodie. it sucked.
but i’m back on track now and working hard to do my part with local/organic etc. while pregnant i also became a meat eater again which helps now. so many more options- using ground turkey & chicken & sausages. i wish i had good suggestions for you. i can’t wait to check out the crock pot website- i have one and haven’t ever used it in like 2 years!

By: nessa

nessa — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:09:38 +0000

We do a CSA which gets us from June through October. We have a lamb and 1/2 pig in our freezer right now. We shop the farmer’s market in April and May and as late into the fall as possible.

Other than that, we don’t eat as much fresh foods in winter. We can and freeze a lot to help get us through and we eat squash and potatoes and a lot of bread. We buy citrus in the winter too. It’s not local, but it is in season and we buy so much local the rest of the year that I can rationalize it in my head.

By: magpie

magpie — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:16:27 +0000

It’s a tricky one. I’m nowhere near as far north as you – but the farmer’s markets around here have nothing but apples and potatoes at this time of year.

I do have a stash of stuff in the freezer from the summer, everything from corn off the cob, to blanched greens, to applesauce. And there are still carrots and cabbage in the fridge, the last of my CSA produce.

And I think about the issues you raise on a regular basis – such that we’ve switched to a milk man, and are buying most of our meat in bulk (we, with some friends, bought a whole cow last summer).

By: Ally

Ally — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:38:43 +0000

I don’t know anyone who eats canned apples but applesauce is easy to can and is yummy throughout the year. We can a bunch of it during the fall, some from our own trees and some from the farmer’s market apples. The smell of applesauce simmering on the stove– that alone will make you happy, like you just did something good, even if you can’t put your finger on what.

And now, here’s the cookbook that changed my life, and I’m not exagerating: “Simply in Season.” Google it and then order it right now. Get the spiral bound copy if you can (I got the regular but saw later it’s available in spiral, so it lays flat on the counter). This cookbook is organized by color which corresponds with the four seasons– lime green for spring, orange for fall, etc, then a brown section for “any season.” I’ve learned to eat so many things– mostly veg– that I never thought I’d enjoy, to wit: squash and grean beans. Most of the stuff in my “local” supermarket (the one that claims to have stuff only from local farmers, local being defined pretty broadly but at least not including overseas) corresponds with the seasons in the cookbook. The recipes are delicious and not too time-consuming, including many for homemade bread, which I’d never made before I bought this book but now make at least one time a week. Can I stop typing now? Please just buy the book or I’ll have to get it for you.

By: woman in a window

woman in a window — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:40:09 +0000

I’m still so busy trying to cover all four foodgroups (is that right? There are four, right?) That there’s little left in me to worry about the rest. We try…that’s the best I can say, we try.

By: trish

trish — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:51:45 +0000

oops- hubbie just pointed out that it’s more traditionally made with mutton! (Although the local greasy takeaways have made it with sausage (not so nice) or corned beef).

By: trish

trish — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:48:36 +0000

I hear you – but I’m too tired to comment on what my beliefs are (sleep and wine?). But in terms of food ideas – have you heard of stovies? Like stew but better and my toddler’s favourite food in the world.

cook a chopped onion in butter until translucent
add 3 medium baking potatoes (sliced)
2 carrots
1 parsnip (or turnip or nothing)
4 oz of stewing beef already cooked (I cook it with the onion) or leftover roast beef if we’re lucky.
about 100mL of stock
salt and pepper
put the lid on, cook on medium heat stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes when it’s turned into a soft mush.

Eat with oatcakes and beetroot. Honest, it’s heaven and very local to North East Scotland apparently but could easily be made with food local to you!

By: Mad Hatter

Mad Hatter — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:10:44 +0000

Well, I am eating nothing but sandwiches and freezer food right now so I am of no help at all. I do, however, promise to bring Fair Trade chocolate this weekend. It’s the least I can do for having wreaked such havoc with your conscience.

By: JuliaKB

JuliaKB — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:21:01 +0000

I know that I have been way too half-assed about this. I try to buy all my meat kosher, which helps with ethics, but not completely (there is movement for a special heksher symbol that would be entirely ethical and kosher, but it will take time and effort for it to show far and wide), and not always with the footprint. I try to buy fruits and veggies as close to us as possible, but sometimes the lure of the Costco price is too much to pass up… I keep trying, though.
My great shame this past year? If you must know, it’s that between being on bed rest and then a new baby and a funky thyroid, I never did make it to the farmer’s market at all in 2008. At least here it’s pretty easy to be sure that I can’t do worse in 2009. Ever the optimist, I know…
Oh, and my crockpot is coming down tomorrow. It’s time for some one pot meal deals…