Week 1: No Coupons

Due to an unfortunate coupon incident, I am taking the month of from couponing and focusing on buying local, healthy food at the Farmer's Market as much as possible.

This week, I cheated a little.  My husband and I had previously agreed that we would visit the grocery store for his father's weekly banana (long story).  This week, we had to get not just the banana, but the month's worth of cat food cans, and some brown basmati rice for a chicken and cabbage meal we'll be making later this week (recipe to come).  So we ended up spending a total of $9.67 at Publix.  Also, my sister is picking me up some blueberries and blackberries from Aldi for a total of $2.50.

Now on to the Farmer's Market!  We spent a total of $24.50 on the following:

1/2 gallon of raw goat's milk
1 bunch organic celery
1 head organic hydroponically grown cabbage
1 head organic hydroponically grown butter lettuce
1 bag organic hydroponically grown spinach
5 organic hydroponically grown tomatoes
2 organic sweet peppers
1 box organic grape tomatoes
3 organic parsnips
3 organic baking potatoes
1 head organic broccoli
1 avocado

So far, so good.  Now to use all of that yummy produce!

And it was actually easier on the budget than doing a full shopping with coupons.  (Let me just take this moment to say that this would obviously not be possible without a small stockpile created by the use of coupons.  I am not totally against the use of coupons.  This month is just for taking a break from the craziness and trying to eat a cleaner, less-processed diet without spending a lot of money.  *commercial over*).


Later this week, I'll share how we used some of this produce.  See you then!

Triumph Over a Dorito

As I mentioned in my previous post about couponing, I've been making some changes in how we eat around here.

Aside from the obvious reasons (Getting married?  The freshman 15 has nothing on you!), I've been reading a lot about food -- where it comes from, what's in it, etc.  Let's just say it has been rather eye-opening.

But change is difficult, and I had to start small.  In fact, as small as a tiny triangular chip coated with a bright orange cheese food product.

Let me be very clear.  I was never under the impression that a Dorito was health food.  I did not, in fact, give it much thought, to be honest.  I just found them irresistible.

When I was in college, my roomie and I would wait anxiously for the Doritos to go on BOGO at Publix.  We would then buy two bags and smuggle them back to our dorm room.  We would fill our plastic orange bowls to overflowing repeatedly, reveling in the cheesy crunchiness while we studied or watched TV.  The bag would never survive the night.

Later, when I got married, I remembered those magical nights and bought the BOGO Doritos once again.  Not surprisingly, my self-control was not much improved, and a bag of Doritos would not last much past the weekend in which they were bought.  My addiction continued...

One fateful day...I actually read the ingredients list on the bag of Doritos.  What was this??  Hydrogenated oils...and MSG??  Be still my soul!

I finally decided to. just. stop. buying. the. darn. things.  Not that I did not love them still -- I just didn't see that the trade-off was worth it.

As of this month, it had probably been a  year since I had eaten any Doritos whatsoever.  A thought of them had not even crossed my mind.

Then, I was out to lunch with my husband and in-laws and ordered a sandwich that came with chips.  Lo and behold, arising from the waitress's hand was the once-coveted red bag adorned with a fiery logo -- my long-awaited Doritos.  I considered whether to eat them or not, but I thought since it was too late to change the order, I might as well give it a shot.  One bag would not kill me.

As I popped the cheesy orange triangle into my mouth...I couldn't believe what my tastebuds told me.  "Ew"???  They were certainly not as good as I remembered.

"Maybe you really can change your tastebuds..."  I thought. 

And then I proceeded to eat the whole bag of chips.

Next lesson: "You don't have to eat it just because it's there..."

A Coupon Mishap... Redeemed

Once upon a time, I was an avid couponer.  I would routinely spend at least 30-60 minutes per week scanning ads, making lists, and clipping coupons.

Many circumstances conspired to interfere with this hobby. 

For one, it became a bit less thrilling as time went on.  Then, the downward spiral of the economy combined with the rising popularity of couponing began to affect the value of coupons that were available.  (For example, when I first started couponing, I could at least once per year find a coupon for 1.00 off chocolate chips.  Now the most common one is 1.00 off 2, and .25 ones have also been found).  Finally, I embarked on a journey to change the way we eat, and it really worked.  We hardly buy the processed foods that are profitable for couponing these days.

In any case, I somehow ended up with almost my entire coupon collection scattered across my office floor in an extremely disorganized fashion.  Even an INFP can only put up with so much!

Today, my long-suffering husband agreed to assist me in organizing the office.  As he sorted through the coupons, I exhorted him to look at the fold of the coupon inserts to see the date they were published.  Somehow, to him, this translated as "Look at the fold of the coupon inserts to see when the coupons expire." 

Alas, my entire collection of coupon inserts made its new home in the dumpster before I realized what was happening!

On the plus side, my office is now very clean.

Faced with a range of possible reactions, I chose not to freak out in this instance.

I will look at it as a new start.  A chance to begin again and really evaluate how I spend my time and make my shopping lists.  A chance to actually keep things organized.

We will begin by rebuilding the coupon stash and avoiding shopping at regular supermarkets for the month of January.  We will stick to the Farmer's Market and the health food store, hitting Publix only if we really need to.  And no, chips do not count as an emergency.

2013 beckons...  I'm not much for resolutions, but I saw someone posting intentions the other day, and I like that idea.  But instead of just intentions, I will be more intentional. 

And I think this is a good place to start.

Awake, my soul!

There's something about the Advent season that awakens me, a cold, brisk wind pushing across my soul.  Maybe it's the change in liturgy.  Or the change in seasons.  Or just change.

I find myself wanting to write again.  I look for the beauty that swells just beneath the surface during this season.  The anticipation is ripe, full, bursting with color and flavor.

This really has not much to do with Christmas as it is celebrated here.  Not shopping and crowds.  Lights and decorations only tread lightly, leaving not much of a footprint.  No, this is a mystery, full-fledged, waiting to break forth.

In Advent, we wait for what has already come, and we wait for what is yet to come.

And in that sense, Advent is not over yet.  Though Christmas has come, and Advent is another year away, still we wait.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Amen.

Peace from Chaos

Cleaning has never been my thing.

Cooking, yes.  Making a mess from art projects, definitely.  Sitting amidst the clutter lost in a book -- oh, yeah.

But cleaning has always seemed boring, repetitive -- something to be put off--indefinitely, if possible.  Dust seems to gather, dishes pile in the sink, a dark ring of dirt build-up forms around the rim of the sink, whether or not I attack it with the weekly or daily prescription of cleaning.

And what more important things I could be doing with my time!

Since I've had my own house, though, I've found some rhythm in the dailiness of these tasks.  True, I'm no model housekeeper, but there is something soothing about putting things where they belong, cleaning surfaces till they shine, sweeping away the crumbs from the meals of our lives.

Kathleen Norris echoes in my mind as I learn the liturgy of folding and putting away clean towels.  A sweet Sabbath peace settles over the house.

Tomorrow, the piles will slowly begin to reappear, the dust will start to settle, the dishes will pile up in the sink once more....

But tonight...

we will rest.

The Lost Are Found

I may have mentioned before that I am an INFP.

In other words, I can be scattered.  I am good at coming up with big ideas, but not necessarily following through on little details.  I get inspired.  Very inspired.  Then I get depressed when reality does not seem as inspirational as it should.

Also, I lose things.  Many things.

When I was very young, I would get stacks of books out of the library.  In classic INFP fashion, I would then straw them from one end of the house to the other, reading as I went.  Perhaps it is no surprise that on the day the books were due, I had some difficulty collecting them all to return to the library.

After that, my mom limited me to two books at a time.  I could usually keep track of both of them.


Remember the camera?  Yeah, me too.  Well literally, not a week after I wrote that post, I was packing for a beach vacation, and what did I find wallowing in the bottom of my closet among flip-flops and sneakers and sandals???  MY CAMERA!  Yes, the very same camera that was thought to have been lost in New Hampshire was really only lost in my closet.  And no, numerous interrogations have not yielded any information as to why it was there.  I literally had not seen it since that trip...

Then there was my J hook.  For those who do not crochet, crochet hook sizes are labeled in letters.  So a J hook is just a hook for crocheting that is medium-sized.

Anyway, last year sometime, I took a notion to teach myself to crochet.  Again.  (Another classic sign of an INFP -- starting projects and not finishing them.  Yeah.)  Well, the crochet pattern that I found required a J hook and some thick yarn.  I found the thick yarn.  But the J hook had mysteriously disappeared from my case of crochet hooks.  I vaguely remembered taking it out to do some project, but who knew where it had ended up after that....

I went to the craft store to buy a new J hook.  I ended up buying an I hook by mistake.  Then I gave it up and just used a K hook.  Alas...

Just yesterday, my J hook was resurrected from the bottom of a bag containing materials for loop weaving with a plastic loom.  Who would have guessed?

Rereading my blog posts, I noticed my enthusiasm at the beginning of the summer.  How much writing I would do with so much time in which to do it!

My last post?  A month ago!

Apparently, stress motivates writing more than lack of stress.  Who knew?

I think perhaps it is too late to change my personality.  I will always lose things.

But the sudden inspiration of finding lost things is all mine.  And I am OK with that.

My Camera is Back... and So Am I!

As you may recall, I left my camera in New Hampshire last September.

So, to punish myself, I had to wait until I could save up enough to get a new one.  Thus, my mostly picture-less posts up till now.

Fortunately for me, a lovely deal site called Plum District, offered an amazing deal where I could get a very basic camera for less than half price.

Needless to say, I jumped on it.

So now I have a camera again, finally! *cheering*  It is not a great camera, but it is a camera.

Not only that, but I am about two weeks into summer, which means I will have much more time to write.  Hooray!

Now, on to the story!

My sister, niece, and I went blackberry picking on Saturday.

Ellie was excited for her first time picking berries!

And also a little silly!

But very excited!

We had a great time wresting the berries from the bees and other crawly bugs.  Ellie alternated between running up and down the rows of bushes and finding berries that she could reach, announcing with gusto, "Here's a BIG, fat one!"

What else to do with delicious, fresh-picked blackberries but make a superb dessert for Father's Day?

I call it...

Sarah's Famous Berry Crisp

(adapted from a Blueberry Crisp recipe from Peas and Thank You)

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups of any berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and, of course, blackberries)

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

sprinkle of nutmeg

1/2 c. oats (can use gluten free)

2 T. almond flour (made from ground almonds -- you can use whole wheat flour if you like)

1/4 c. toasted almonds (I used the slivered almonds and toasted them in the toaster oven)

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. salt (optional)

2 T. butter

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Wash and drain berries and place in a small casserole dish or 8 x 8 baking pan.  If you are using strawberries, quarter them before placing them in the pan.

2.  Sprinkle berry mixture with two tablespoons of brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg.  If you like, you can also sprinkle some vanilla or almond extract over the berries at this time.  Mix well.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, almonds, remaining brown sugar, and salt.  Cut the butter into small pieces.  Use a pastry cutter to mix in the butter until the mixture has small chunks.

4.  Sprinkle topping over berries.

5.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Delicious!



 Indeed, it was well received by the Patriarch.  And also his loyal subjects.

So ends a blackberry adventure well begun.