Ingredients of the week: Eggplant and Cauliflower

This week I made a fabulous dish which can work either as a vegetarian main dish or a side dish.  It incorporates lots of yummy and healthy ingredients:  veggies, beans, and rice.  Plus, it enabled me to use two ingredients I don't normally use!  I had it as a side with pork spare ribs, but it seems like it would be very versatile.  It is a bit of work (especially with so much soaking and straining), but I thought it was worth it.  Modification:  I forgot to get the yellow split peas, so I just upped the mung beans and lentils to 4 oz each.

Ingredient of the week: Swiss Chard

One of my personal goals is to try veggies that I've never had and to figure out how to make things that I thought I didn't like in a way that I do like.  I'm doing this because I want to broaden my palette, which will also enable me to eat in-season for effectively.  To that end, every few weeks I'm choosing one of these items to try.

This past week I chose a recipe that used swiss chard. The dinner I had with it was fabulous and I felt really good eating it.  This meal hit 2 of my goals: using a new veggie and shifting to brown rice (better for me when it's not simply plain).

Asian Marinated Steak and Stir-fried greens with Brown Rice:

Breakfast strategies

I'm pretty much off cereal for breakfast. I've been trying to include more whole grains into breakfast:

Granola and yogurt: my local co-op grocery store carries several varieties of granola mixes (in bulk! no wasteful packaging!) from a local bakery. A local farmer sells organic locally made yogurt at the public market. I usually eat about equal parts yogurt and granola, plus a piece of fruit. Great for on the go!

Breakfast couscous: this is a recipe found in Food Matters by Mark Bittman. It is excellent! You basically make a cup of couscous (it seeps for 15-20 minutes, so put it on while you're making coffee, hop in the shower, and both it and your coffee are ready!), which lasts in the fridge for 5 days-a week and yields about 4 servings. Then add an assortment of fresh and dried fruits. Since I'm in New York, I typically add half an apple, plus 3 of the following that I keep in the cupboard: dried apricots, figs, blueberries, currants, dates, and raisins, all purchased from the co-op in bulk, in quantities I determine. Top it with some assorted chopped nuts; I get nuts (again in bulk, in smaller quantities) such as pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and Brazilian nuts, and pulse them in the food processor. Drizzle some honey on the top, stir, and enjoy a sweet, delicious, local, fruit and grain breakfast!

Oatmeal: reliable, and much better when eaten less frequently because of incorporating the above dishes. Eat with fruit.

I also eat other breakfast foods I like that don't necessarily fit the grain goal; again, my goals are about incorporating more, not completely eliminating foods I like. So in addition to the above, which ends up being about 4 breakfasts, for the other 3 I'll eat (along with a piece of fruit) bagels, veggie and cheese omelets (made with local veggies, cheese, and free range local eggs), and breakfast sandwiches (made with locally made croissants, ham or bacon, cheese, and a free range local egg). Breakfast sandwiches are great for on the go; wrap it in foil and it stays warm for the drive!

One thing I still want to try from the Food Matters book is breakfast burritos, which will let me get veggies and rice or beans into my breakfast, which as I've mentioned, I struggle to eat. Plus, Bittman says they freeze well and make a good quick breakfast option and a good use of leftover veggies and grains.

Introductory Post

Hello readers! This is a new blog I'm starting to document for myself and to share with others different tips, techniques, resources, and recipes as I encounter them in my aim for more sustainable eating. You can read more about me and my goals for this blog on the Pages. I hope you enjoy what you read and I hope you will be able to share with me your tips and tricks!