Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Week Plan Wednesday

Wednesday- Homemade whole wheat pizza, broccoli florets, & baked acorn squash.  That's another weird menu, sorry.  I felt I needed two veggies, and since the oven was already on...  Sometimes these things happen.

Thursday- Soup au Pistou, which is kind of like chicken soup with roughly chopped pesto mixed in.  It's French.  It's tasty. 

Friday- Penne with tomato, tune, and Lemon.  From a book called New Light Cooking published in 1998 by the Canadian Medical Association!  Thanks, Value Village!

Saturday- Cheese fondue.  Lots of veggies and leftover bread from Tuesday to dip in it.

Sunday- Quiche for the 70's themed lunch after church.
Miso soup with carrots, mushrooms, chicken, and brown rice vermicelli. 

Monday- Spinach and mushroom calzones.

Tuesday- Potato and Cauliflower curry.  Bread, although maybe I'll try for some naan.  Did I tell you a friend of mine found me a cheap-as-free pizza stone?  So happy! 

Monday, September 17, 2012

How much of a Hippie are You?

Based on a conversation with a good friend this afternoon, we're going to scientifically* calculate how much of a hippie you are.  Give yourself one point for every beginner behavior, two points for every intermediate behavior, and five point for every advanced behavior in which you regularly engage.  Post your total in comments, and let's see who wins.**

Since it's just me compiling this list, I'm probably missing important things.  I've intentionally left out stereotypical "hippie" indicators that are not useful (for example, tie dye).  Also, as neither "free love" nor drug use is particularly counter-cultural anymore, those don't make my list..  But you tell me, what other hippie behaviors should I add?

*this is totally unscientific, but you knew that already.
**is a high score or a low score the winner?  A bit hard to tell, that one.
EDITED to add a few good suggestions from reader PatienceRose.

Beginner Hippie Behaviors
Recycling
Composting (give yourself 1extra point if you live in an apartment)
Wearing no or minimal makeup
Not shaving
Baking your own bread
Substituting local honey for sugar
Shopping at thrift stores or garage sales
Installing rain barrels
Using cloth napkins
Breastfeeding (give yourself 1 extra point if you breastfed any given baby past their first birthday and 2 extra points if you nursed past a second birthday)
Line drying clothes
Walking, biking, or using public transit (give yourself 2 extra points if you don't own any motor vehicles)

Intermediate Hippie Behaviors
Participating in Community Supported Agriculture or shopping primerally at farmer's markets
Joining any kind of Co-Op
Buying ethically raised meat
Eating vegetarian or avoiding processed foods
Removing most or all of your lawn
Garbage picking or dumpster diving
Using a menstrual cup or reusable pad
Using cloth diapers
Sleeping in a family bed
Avoiding chemicals on your body (commercial soap, lotion, deodorant, etc.  Give yourself an extra 2 points if you have eliminated these chemicals.)
Avoiding chemicals in your home (commercial cleaning products, dryer sheets, air fresheners, etc. Give yourself an extra 2 points if you have eliminated these chemicals.)
Eliminating your television
Canning or otherwise preserving your own food


Advanced Hippie Behaviors
Living in a commune
Living in a home smaller than 400 square feet (give yourself an extra point if you have children living there with you)
Growing all your own produce
Raising livestock or poultry
Raising bees
Participating in an established token or barter economy (give yourself an extra 5 points if you established it)
Eating vegan, eliminating processed foods, or subscribing to another diet that requires a detailed explanation of what you can and cannot eat (paleo, raw food, etc.)
Unschooling
Planting beneficial plants on property that doesn't belong to you (a.k.a. guerrilla gardening)
Harvesting or recycling your gray water
Using cloth toilet paper
Naturalism
Living "off the grid"
Solar cooking
Eliminating your fridge

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Week Plan Wednesday

Wednesday- Roasted potato and sweet potato wedges.  Cherry tomatoes.  Amazing roasted cauliflower.  Remember the recipe: smear a cauliflower with mayonnaise and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, bake until soft and nicely browned.  This time I broke the cauliflower into florets first.  Holy cats!  I literally ate half of a cauliflower standing over the stove waiting for The Hubby to walk home from the train.  The only reason there was any left by the time he got home was The Munchkin's insistence that Daddy DOES like cauliflower and I SHOULD save some for him.  Yum!

Thursday- Chicken chili verde in the crock pot.  Corn bread.

Friday- I intended to make burgers last Friday, but ended up making pizza instead.  Not entirely sure how that happened, but c'est la vie.  We'll do burgers and coleslaw today.

Saturday- We're going to a barbecue for dinner.  I'll bring something dessert-ish, but I'm not sure what

Sunday- Soup and Pie business meeting at church!  Doesn't your church do themed food business meetings?  They should.  It's a super tradition.  I'll make cream of broccoli soup. 

Monday- Spicy green beans.  Pan seared chicken.  Rice pilaf.

Tuesday- Vegetable stew with north African flavors.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

We Plan Wednesday

Wednesday- Pasta with chopping board parsley pesto (basically, chop the ingredients all together on a cutting board instead of processing in a machine), garden tomatoes.

Thursday- Sesame green beans, fried rice.

Friday- Burgers, a huge salad, s'mores.

Saturday- Pasta salad using the leftovers from Wednesday and with a  whole bunch o' fresh veggies.

Sunday- Leftover everything!!  So awesome!

Monday- Pasta with homemade roasted vegetable and tomato sauce.

Tuesday- Coriander and orange red lentil soup.  Garlic buns.