Last day of EcoChallenge! I'm hoping to keep my activities going beyond today, though.
Not long after I moved to Portland, I had a roommate with whom I'd share meals. We weren't making much money, so cooking was on a shoestring. One of the dishes he made was a faux African peanut soup, which I revived yesterday. There is no recipe, you just add the ingredients to taste, and I love it!
Canned or boxed crushed tomatoes Coconut milk Peanut Butter Chopped kale Cooked rice Salt & pepper Some kind of chili spice (Sriracha or similar)
Put all ingredients in a crock pot or in pot and cook them together on low heat until well blended. So easy, cheap and tasty! And animal-free!
For my walking yesterday I went to the Lan Su Chinese Garden on my lunch break. I have a membership. The garden is wonderful this time of year (or any time of year, really). 15 min to walk there, 30 minutes in the garden, 15 minutes return.
While I did make a dent on my freezer food, I did eat at restaurants more than I thought I would and bought additional food, to go with what I had in my freezer and cupboards. I think I could have done better and will continue to try to clear out my cupboards and freezer.
Indigenous speaker and activist Winona LaDuke says that, "most indigenous ceremonies, if you look to their essence, are about the restoration of balance — they are a reaffirmation of our relationship to creation. That is our intent: to restore, and then to retain balance and honor our part in creation." Why is balance important to sustainability?
Balance is about allowing the earth’s life support systems to continue. It’s about restoring our relationships to the earth and to each other. It’s about balancing our desires for “more” with the needs that all beings have to thrive.
Last day of the EcoChallenge! I’m feeling confident that I’ll stick with meal planning and will be more thoughtful about what I buy. I’ve also appreciated the prompt to learn more about environmental justice and indigenous peoples in our region. Thanks, NWEI!
My meat-less recipe search continues - turns out my sons do not like the texture of beans. Any suggestions on ways to add beans with a different texture?
All kinds of beans? What about chickpeas? They are a little firmer than others, and you can roast them with oil and spices to make a crunchy snack or salad/soup topping. Would hummus or refried beans work for them?