Eat All Your Veggies! (And Fruit)

If you're wondering what to do with all those fruits and vegetables you got from the farmers market, check out some recipes here: http://www.wvfarmers.org/recipes.html.  There are lots of delicious meals and treats you can prepare to make sure that none of your fresh produce goes to waste.  Here's one recipe that I tried with that big basket of peaches we bought.  It was fun and easy to cook and those peaches were just as delicious cooked as they were fresh.

Peach Cobbler Paula Deen, Food Network.

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.
Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.
To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

A trip to the Farmers Market

I have always heard that it is best to buy local produce, and I was curious to find out if shopping for produce outside the walls of the grocery store would be cheaper. So, last week I researched some local farmers markets, found that there is one about 2 miles from here, and made a date with my family to go and check it out.

The Central City Farmers Market opens at 7:00am and continues until all produce has been sold, so my plan was to get up early Saturday morning to avoid the heat and get first pick of the produce. But, try as I might, getting up at 6:00am and getting ready to go out with a five month old baby (and a sleepy husband) is not always easy.  When we arrived around 10:00am, however, the market was bustling and there were plenty of fruits and vegetables still to choose from.

While I was on the hunt for some green peppers,  my husband disappeared to a stall selling hot peppers, and before I had turned around he was already handing over some cash.  After that we found some nice tomatoes that were $3 for a bowl, and some green peppers which were a steal at $1 per bowl.  But, the best purchase we made had to be the peaches from Floyd's Produce and Flowers (pictured above).  As you can see they looked absolutely wonderful.  The colour and feel of the peaches were exactly as they should be, and the fragrance was divine.  We had already decided to give these peaches a try at $5 a basket when the vendor asked if we had tasted them yet.  She gave each of us a piece to try and, if we truly hadn't been sold before, we would now.  They were the sweetest, juiciest peaches I have ever tasted.

We were able to get a few items on our list, plus some fruit, but we did have to go to the store to pick up some extra items that were not available at the farmers market. Really, we should eat only what is available at a local farmers market because these are the fruits and vegetables that are fresh and available during the current season where you live.  If they are not available, this means they cannot be grown, or harvested locally, so any produce you buy at the store that is out of season has been imported and is not likely to be as fresh.

It was a little overwhelming at first because there were several sellers to choose from and each had their own price.  At the grocery store you are left alone to browse and put what you want in the cart without any interaction from staff, but at the farmers market you have to interact with each seller on every item you want to purchase.  In a way, shopping for the best deal on fruits and vegetables at the store is easier because each fruit or vegetable is placed together in one area.  At the farmers market you have to go to each stall to compare prices, feel and appearance.  However, you also can't barter at the grocery store and you know the fruits and vegetables are not freshly picked that day.  Chances are they have been picked, packaged, shipped, and stored, and then regularly dusted with a spray of water to keep them looking fresh.

The big question is - will shopping at the farmers market save you money?  At $1.00 per bowl, which contains around 6 medium sized green peppers, I know we could not have got this cheaper at the store.  In fact, a pack of 3 at our local grocery store costs $2.00.  Individually, they cost around $0.50.  We frequently buy tomatoes for around $3.00 a pack and we purchased double that amount for the same price.  Not only were they cheaper, but they last longer too.  The reason is because, when you buy produce at the store it has already been stored for a while.  In fact, you don't know how long ago the fruits or vegetables were picked, but at the farmers market where everything is picked that morning, you can rest assured that it will be in your refrigerator with a far greater lifespan than store bought produce.  So, if you're concerned about having too much, trust me, it won't go to waste!

I recommend looking into seasonal recipes to go along with your fruit and vegetables.  That way you can adapt to eating seasonally and build a good repertoire of meals to enjoy based on what is available locally.  Even though our farmers market is relatively small compared to others further away, we still plan on going back for our produce staples, at least until the market closes for the winter.  If you have never been to one, I encourage you to seek one out in your area and give it a try!

Why save money?

For me, saving money where I can is important because with one income and three mouths to feed, clearly we are on a limited budget.  But, why bother shopping for the best deals and even buy generic groceries if your income isn't quite so limited?

It's all about choices.  When money is not an issue it's easy to just grab whatever you want off the shelves.  I know when I have had more disposable income that I have been more inclined to splash out on that expensive brand of make-up, or finally get that iPod I've wanted.  But, mindless buying means that you are not paying attention to your options and making informed decisions.  Just because you have the money doesn't mean you should buy that iPod, or buy the expensive brand of anything.  And, the worst kind of mindless shopping is the infamous impulse buy.

We've all been there whether it be groceries, clothes, electronics, even gum, at one time or another you have picked something up that you didn't plan to and purchased it.  If you know anything about marketing, you'll know that chances are the store you purchased from saw you coming a mile away.  It's common knowledge that grocery stores place small, relatively inexpensive items such as magazines, candy bars, and gum near the registers, so that you get a good look while you're waiting in line to pay.  I have been known to buy a candy bar because I've waited too long to eat, but the most common item I grab at the register is a bottle of water or soda. 

I have been terrible at making sure I stay hydrated lately, and we often shop for groceries after I get off work, so it's a common occurrence that I find myself to be in desperate need of something to drink by the time we are checking out.  Two bottles of water, soda, or whatever (because the hubby has to get one too, of course!) cost around $3.00.  Let's say you do this once a week, that's $12 per month, and $144 per year!  It gets worse if you factor in any other time that you pick up a quick thirst quencher of the 16oz variety.  For example, how often do you grab a cold drink when you stop by the gas station to fill up?

The crazy thing is that you can buy a 32oz bottle of soda for less than $2.00, so we are simply paying for the convenience of being able to grab a cold drink on the go.  If you have never tracked your expenses, or haven't done so for a while, I strongly recommend doing so for a couple of weeks, or a month.  You would be surprised how much you can spend when you are not paying attention.  It's a bit like eating without keeping track.  Sometimes you don't realize how badly you have been eating until you write it all down for a week or so.  In order to live a more conscious life it's important to be aware of of all your expenses so that you know where you stand and can then begin to make better choices.

It's not just about saving money, it's about being conscious of how your decisions impact your life, and in turn, impact the world.  Perhaps you have determined that you're okay with splashing out on new clothes every month, but wouldn't you rather put that money you spent on drinks at the gas station toward coffee with a friend, dinner with your significant other, or that new suit?  Or, perhaps there is an organization or church that you have been wanting to give a donation to, but have yet to find the money in your income to give.  Your values and goals are your own, but if you become more aware of what you are spending and where you can save, then you can spend in better alignment with those values and goals.

30 day Challenge: Generic Vs Brand Groceries

This month we have decided to focus our attention on our finances.  Part of living consciously means being aware of what is happening in your life, and where you can make positive changes. So, over the next 30 days, we will buy only generic, or cheapest alternative groceries.

This week, instead of grabbing our usual brands from the shelves, we looked for the cheapest alternative.  Our rules were: 1) If a comparable generic version was available we had to buy it, and 2) If a generic version was not available, we were to find the cheapest alternative available. The above picture is a small sample of some of the choices we made. 

I was surprised by the lack of generic items available for some of our common meal ingredients.  I had anticipated almost all of our purchases being generic, so I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see a buggy full of "great value" products.  We did, however, make some interesting discoveries. 

The greatest saving was buying Great Value dairy products such as margarine instead of our usual brand.  A large tub of Country Crock sets you back $3.38.  Seems reasonable, especially considering how long it lasts, but the Great value brand only cost us $2.14, which is a saving of $1.24. A half pound block of swiss cheese was $1.06 less than the brand alternative, and we saved $0.90 on sour cream. This is coupon savings without the hassle of clipping and using them!

Some of the other Great Value products were only 10 cents cheaper than its brand equivalent, and it was sometimes harder to justify buying the generic product instead of our usual brand option.  I won't go into the five minute debate in the frozen dessert isle, but let's just say that we walked away with a tub of generic ice cream.  It's understandable that such a small saving could cause you to rethink buying generic.  As we concluded, however, 10 cents here and there soon adds up, and if you're trying to save money, or the product is just as tasty and nutritious (or innutrtious, as the case may be) then there are some good overall savings to be made.

In the interest of full disclosure and honesty, I have to say that I did not buy the cheapest coffee.  The ONLY reason is because I have already tried just about every brand available, being somewhat of a coffee connoisseur, and I have figured out which ones offer the best flavour, freshness, and value for money.  (In case you are interested, it is Seattle's Best!)  

One discovery we did not expect to make was that one or two of our usual products were actually cheaper than the generic version.  For example, the Birds Eye Frozen Stir Fry vegetables cost $1.78 compared to the Great Value alternative, which was $1.88.  We also bought a frozen ready meal, which was $3.68 compared to Great Value's $6.00.  So, something to keep in mind when shopping for the best deals on groceries is that generic isn't always cheaper. 

It would also be a good idea to consider alternative brands besides generic.  Pillsbury yellow cake mix was $1.00 compared to our usual Betty Crocker cake mix at $1.14, and the Pillsbury icing was $1.50 compared to the Betty Crocker icing which is $1.62.  I would like to have bought generic bread because at $0.78 a loaf that would have been a tremendous saving, but they did not have a whole wheat option.

This was just the first week of shopping consciously for the best deal on groceries and I have to say that we did notice an immediate difference in the overall cost.  The last time I remember spending close to this amount was during a difficult financial time when we were eating a lot of eggs, pasta, and PB&J's. This time we were feasting on steak sandwiches, cous cous, chicken, enchiladas and more. We didn't need to buy any cleaning supplies or other household items this time around, so it will be interesting to see what happens to our bill during our next trip to the grocery store.

In the beginning

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.^a 2The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”

And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. ~ NLT

It is easy to sink into a comfortable routine where time passes and, with limited awareness, we carry out our daily tasks.  But, living without the conscious experience can make our lives formless and empty. Sometimes you can feel that something bigger is right in front of you and, yet, you cannot seem to reach out and touch it. 

I know, for me, over the past few years life has felt a little shallow and lacking in direction at times. I have a lot of ideas and passion, but have felt limited in my ability to bring about real change. Perhaps, I have simply become lazy, or maybe I have learned that my choices are more limited than they actually are and, as a result, I have come to believe that I am incapable of living the life I want for myself and my family. Recently, though, it has occurred to me that you have to awaken what is dwelling beneath the surface - your true potential; your true self - and begin taking control of the things that are yours to change.

Living consciously means being aware of every aspect of your life and being proactive about the steps you take.  It involves making thoughtful choices instead of passively allowing the pieces of your life to come together.  Though I believe there is a time for waiting, I also believe that there is a time for action, and often that is lost on many of us. 

My husband and I both have goals we would like to achieve, and hopes for our son's life too.  In order for us to achieve those goals, we have to make some important changes in our lives.  A few months ago we cancelled our cable television subscription, and I can honestly say that I do not miss it one bit.  Not only has it saved us money, but it has also helped us to look at our time differently.  Currently, we still have a Netflix subscription (though that may change soon - watch this space!), so we do still watch certain television shows as well as movies, but we have a considerable amount of control over what we watch now, and no channel surfing!

We have identified some important areas that have been holding us back from achieving our goals, and as we work through these issues and begin to live a more conscious existence, I will be taking note of all our changes, how they affect us, and report my findings here.

I hope all our readers will enjoy reading about our journey, and that you may even begin on your own path to living consciously.