Little Homestead in the City - the Urban Homestead Journal » 100 Foot Diet http://urbanhomestead.org/journal One family's journey towards a sustainable, more self sufficient life Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:22:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 100 FOOT DIET CHALLENGEhttp://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/07/26/100-foot-diet-challenge/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/07/26/100-foot-diet-challenge/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:10:02 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=21858

"The challenge is simply to create a meal at least once a week with homegrown food. It’s a great way to improve your nutrition, become more self sufficient and decrease your carbon 'food print.'

"Food miles are important [because of] the carbon footprint that's hidden in our cheap food. It's like 'look at our cheap food,' but someone's paying somewhere for something because it's not cheap when you ship. [Food] coming from Chile or New Zealand, that's a lot of trucking. If you can't see [the cost] right off the bat on your bill, you're going to see it in the health care bill for the planet.” --  Jules Dervaes

We started this challenge a couple years back, and it was very popular and successful in getting folks to eat closer to home.   With more and more folks growing their own food, we figure it's about time we revive and relaunch this challenge!

Pick up your trowels and start growing your own groceries!

100 Foot Diet – Growing Closer to Home

It wasn’t that long ago (1940s) that people planted Victory Gardens when it became necessary for them, due to wartime shortages, to grow their own food. Now, it’s our turn.

If you want to fight against peak oil, climate change and our consumerist culture, then join us and start a living protest right in your own back (front) yards. Be the change, live the solution! Use your yard (or balcony or porch steps) not only to grow food but also to cultivate a healthier and more fulfilling life.

There have been 100 mile diet and other eat local challenges.  But we homegrown revolutionaries are upping the ante by reducing the mileage to a few steps – to right outside your back or front door.

The challenge is simple. Beginning as soon as you can, prepare a meal at least once a week with only homegrown vegetables, fruit, herbs, eggs, dairy products or meat, using as few store bought ingredients as possible.

The purpose is plain – the waging of an all-out fight against the forces that keep you dependent on the system of petroleum fueled food. The degree to which you rely on today’s artificial corporate structure determines the extent of your vulnerability. Resolve to lessen your dependence on outside food sources.

The result is revolutionary. As you take back responsibility for your food supply, you’ll experience the empowerment and fulfillment that comes from learning the basic skills of providing for yourself and your family.

Let’s sow the seeds of freedom and get our hands dirty to fill our plates.

:: Guidelines ::

A meal must be comprised of food grown on your property or garden plot (literally or figuratively within – 100 feet – of your front or back door). If non-homegrown ingredients are needed, then we suggest following these modified locavore guidelines:

If not from BACKYARD, then Locally produced (our "homegrown" addition)
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

:: Getting Started ::

If you are already growing your own.  Great than move on to the next step.

But if you are new then plan what food you can and would like to grow.

Your first meal might only have a few herbs from small pots growing in your window or sprouts sprouted in a jar.  Look around where you live and locate a space to plant a small garden.

Begin with “foolproof” plants, such as herbs. Also find out what your neighbors are growing and ask your local nursery which plants and varieties do well in your area. (Read Jules Dervaes's gardening advice in this recent Rose Magazine article.)

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, but still do most of the work yourself so you know what to plant the next year. Gardening for yourself is rewarding.

Garden as a family: “Especially when they bring it to the table, they’ll eat it if they grow it.”

Soil is the key to a successful garden. It is alive and needs to be well, so nurture it. It may take a long time to obtain healthy soil because nature takes a long time.

Be patient and never quit.

Barter Up!

Talk your neighbors on either side of you into gardening, too. Maybe they have an over-loaded lemon tree. Could you trade zucchinis for their lemons?

:: Moving Forward ::

Once you have planted your garden and have prepared a weekly homegrown meal, consider how you can expand your “farm,” increase your garden’s productivity, and, thereby, cook more homegrown meals per week. Then take a further step on the path to independence and freedom by learning to preserve your garden harvest (we'll be also relaunching our HARVEST KEEPER Challenge to help you with putting up the bounty).

:: Keeping Track ::

Keep track of your progress. If you wish, once a week you are invited to leave a comment with a link to your Freedom Gardens' profile or your own blog, or, if you don’t have a website, sign up for a free Freedom Gardens account or describe your meal in the comment box below and let others know of your progress.

:: Participating ::

If you like to take part in this challenge, post in comment box below. There is also a forum topic at Freedom Gardens for the 100 Foot Diet Challenge. (You need to sign up and log in to be able to post in the Freedom Gardens' forum.)

Participating on the Internet?

Feel free to use the ‘100 Foot  Diet Challenge’ image on your blog/site  if you are a taking part.  PLEASE REMEMBER when you use this image to  “SAVE AS”  to avoid using our bandwidth and LINK the image to the challenge here (http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/07/26/100-foot-diet-challenge )

And if you are a blogger who already participated in this challenge don't forget to update your links and images!

Spread the homegrown movement: share, email, post this challenge – the more people participating the better.

Planting a Freedom Garden means:

- More nutritious food & better health
- Food security
- Improving quality of life
- Saving money
- Reducing food miles, fuel & energy dependence
- Reducing excessive packaging and effects of climate change

Take control over the quality of your food and improve your health and immediate environment.

Let’s start right here, right now! And, remember, this growing & eating challenge should fun! Can you dig it?

:: Resources ::

Freedom Gardens - free social network for modern day victory gardeners

Freedom Seeds - non GMO and Monsanto free seed source

Homegrown Revolution - inspiration to get growing!

Little Homestead in the City - inspiration to grow and eat closer to home

Terms to search: biointensive, polyculture, square inch gardening, composting, soil re-mineralization, weekly meal wrap up for inspiration

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/07/26/100-foot-diet-challenge/feed/ 28 WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UP x3http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/04/27/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x3/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/04/27/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x3/#comments Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:38:18 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=19410 I admit, this is rather pathetic attempt at catching up to the last few weeks worth of eats.  In truth, it should be 4 weeks, but with outreach, Amy and other stuff I lost one week's meal entirely!   We ate well from the garden,  but I just didn't get a chance to write it down.  Oh well.

Actually this blog is not only our attempt in sharing our journey but it's a way for us to keep track and document ours.   Like a public diary, our online book of sorts.  It's a good source of reference for us as we look back on our journey.

These days I am always thinking, telling myself, that I will catch up.  I do hope so before being swept away by the tidal wave of "to dos."

For you web savvy folks you can keep tabs with us on Facebook and Twitter where we are more apt to give you tidbits of urban homestead happenings

Cooking in the sun oven (sold on our online store)

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK ONE

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner -potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - nettle pesto with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - radish, broccoli, pea stir fry
Dinner - avocado, squash pickle, raw cheese sandwich with coleslaw

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - green onion, peas, broccoli casserole with rice
Dinner - avocado, cucumber relish, raw cheese sandwich with coleslaw

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK TWO

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - leftovers

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - vegetable lasagna with salad
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce
Dinner -  tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK THREE

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

SATURDAY

Breakfast - crepes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - vegetable lasagna and salad

MONDAY

Breakfast - crepes with strawberry sauce
Lunch - vegetable lasagna and salad
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, carrots, peas casserole
Dinner - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - out

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/04/27/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x3/feed/ 12 FEBRUARY HARVEST TALLYhttp://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/07/february-harvest-tally/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/07/february-harvest-tally/#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:58:09 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=18897

Sorry, a little tardy on posting our harvest totals for February.

Here they are

Produce (fruits, veggies, herbs) 138 lb 13 oz

Eggs Chicken 63  Duck 19

Psst, join our growing (free) social network for gardeners

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/07/february-harvest-tally/feed/ 0 URBAN HOMESTEAD’S WEEKLY MEAL WRAP x2http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/07/urban-homesteads-weekly-meal-wrap-x2/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/07/urban-homesteads-weekly-meal-wrap-x2/#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:30:49 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=18801

Well, I definitely did a better job at taking photos of the last two weeks worth of meals.  Now that I am finally caught up, I hope to go back to just 'Weekly Meal Wrap Ups' minus the x2!

There's new things in season and that means new eats to enjoy - like peas, mushrooms, cabbage and more!

Oh, and for those asking, I posted the recipe to the skillet granola a few years back - here's the link to the recipe again.

SATURDAY

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Filming

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - avocado , lettuce, squash pickle sandwich with pac choi, radish salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - avocado , lettuce, squash pickle sandwich with pac choi, radish salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread

out

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with dried tomatoes, pickled garlic, peppers and green onions with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce, mushrooms and pasta topped with Parmesan cheese with salad, radishes


SATURDAY

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner -flour tortillas with broccoli, mushroom, green onions and cheese with salad warmed in the sun oven

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli cheese casserole with salad
Dinner - avocado, lettuce, squash pickle sandwich with cabbage pac choi slaw

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - potatoes, broccoli, cabbage with herb lemon butter
Dinner - broccoli, green onion cheese casserole with salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli cheese casserole with salad
Dinner - herb pizza crust topped with pickled garlic, green onions, tomatoes, peppers

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - pac choi, peas, green onions with CA organic grown rice
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with pac choi, radish salad

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/07/urban-homesteads-weekly-meal-wrap-x2/feed/ 3 WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UP x2http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/02/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x2-5/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/02/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x2-5/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:03:55 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=18727 Our readership is growing by the day, so a warm welcome to all you new readers.

For those of you who are internet savvy you can follow happenings on the urban homestead on FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

Weeks are going by so fast, by the time I turn around I am already behind in posting our week's worth of meals.   Oh well, better late than never I suppose.

A reader had a suggestion (a good one) so will take his advice.  He suggested have a disclaimer on each weekly meal wrap up that says something to the effect:

"All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified"

Will save some time and repetitiveness - a good thing, so thanks for the tip Cody!

Oh and once again I did a rather pathetic job at photographing the meals (too busy taking critter and garden photos!)  I'll do better next time (I hope)

I know many of you will be shocked that we changed breakfast eats.  Yep, I told you change was coming - gotta use up all those jars in the cupboards.

Guess you can tell by the menu what was in season, surplus this week - broccoli!!!!

SATURDAY

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from Sat dinner
Dinner - broccoli, green onion soup

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, green onion soup
Dinner - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, green onion soup
Dinner -broccoli cheese casserole with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - broccoli cheese casserole with salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - baked squash with salad
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Thanks to a recent gather we had loads of extra organic split pea soup (thanks Harold!)  and guess what was for dinner?  Yep, you guessed it - soup!

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner -potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - avocado, lettuce, squash pickle raw cheese sandwich

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - broccoli cheese casserole
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/03/02/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x2-5/feed/ 2 WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UPhttp://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/14/weekly-meal-wrap-up-56/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/14/weekly-meal-wrap-up-56/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:33:14 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=16713 Last weeks our meals were altered a bit due to the frosty veggies and downpour (we got over 4" of rain here at the urban homestead!!!!)  We dug into the pantry and used up some of the dried beans we had stocked up.

Despite the rain and cold we did, though, enjoy a winter treat of homegrown tomatoes and cilantro and, of course - squash!

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade buttermilk pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade spanish rice with black beans and raw cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday dinner
Dinner - homegrown/homemade pumpkin soup

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftover pumpkin soup
Dinner - homegrown salad with macaroni & cheese

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade lentil loaf topped with homemade ketchup with organic rice
Dinner -leftover lentil loaf topped with homemade ketchup, rice with mashed homegrown squash

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftover lentil loaf topped with homemade ketchup, rice with mashed homegrown squash
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, black beans, raw cheese, homegrown tomatoes, cilantro and homegrown/canned marinated green peppers

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - raw grilled cheese sandwich with homegrown/made jalapeno jelly, homegrown tomatoes/homemade-grown zucchini pickles
Dinner - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - raw grilled cheese sandwich with homegrown/homemade jalapeno jelly, homegrown tomatoes/homemade-grown zucchini pickles
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese and homemade no knead bread

:: Field Hand Appreciation :: PB $10   Thank you for your support!  Would you like to support change for change - here's how.


]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/14/weekly-meal-wrap-up-56/feed/ 1 WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UPhttp://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/09/weekly-meal-wrap-up-55/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/09/weekly-meal-wrap-up-55/#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:55:20 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=16512 I certainly didn't do a good job taking photos from last week's meals here on the urban homestead.  Guess I was too busy taking photos of other things!

With the garden in a semi hibernation, we are enjoying more simple "one pot" meals like soup.  And with an arsenal of trombonico squash stored in the garage we do not yet tired of mashed/smashed squash - yet.   Ask me in February and I may change my mind!

This week on the urban homestead our menu will definitely change because of the frost damage - more soups, squash and dipping into the dried bean stash in the pantry!

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes
Dinner - potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - raw grilled cheese sandwich with homegrown tomatoes/homemade-grown zucchini pickles
Dinner - leftovers from potluck (someone brought a BIG pot of soup!)

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown squash with homegrown salad
Dinner - homegrown squash with homegrown salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - raw grilled cheese sandwich with homegrown tomatoes/homemade-grown zucchini pickles
Dinner - homemade homegrown cream greens soup

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown cream greens soup
Dinner - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftover pizza with homegrown salad
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese with homegrown salad and homemade no knead bread


]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/09/weekly-meal-wrap-up-55/feed/ 2 NOVEMBER HARVEST TALLYhttp://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/08/november-harvest-tally/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/08/november-harvest-tally/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:29:19 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=16513

"The Freedom Garden Harvest challenge was started to get more people growing food and also adding up what they grow and harvest, instead of going to the store. Many are surprised by the amount of food that they can actually grow in a small space."

From our 1/10 acre plot, our November harvest weighs in at

Produce (fruits, veggies, herbs) 471 lbs

Eggs Chickens 45     Ducks 20

Pretty good, considering.   Thankfully we some of the summer veggies held on a little longer giving us a bump in the poundage!

For the year, the combined tally of 4,703 lbs produce  917 chicken eggs  816 duck eggs and we still have December to go!  Also not bad consider what a bummer year it was having to deal with weird weather issues which brought on bug issue.

The Freedom Harvest Challenge is winding down, though our collective growing efforts failed to reach the goal we feel this challenge really encouraged folks to food closer to home.

What's your harvest tally?  Care to weigh in?

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/12/08/november-harvest-tally/feed/ 2 WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UP x2http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/11/29/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x2/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/11/29/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x2/#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:32:14 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=16217 Since I am like a week behind in posting meals that we've enjoyed on the urban homestead, am going to combine the week before and last week's meals.  aka "two weeks' worth"

Enjoy!

Summer vegetable medley

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade rice (homegrown peppers, tomatoes) with homegrown red peppers and cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday
Dinner - homegrown roasted eggplant, red peppers with pasta

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - OUT
Dinner - CA grown organic rice with homegrown squash, red peppers and greens

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese
Dinner -OUT

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftover pizza with homegrown salad
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese with homegrown salad

Winter squash

Tropical treats from our backyard and trades other fellow gardeners/farmers in the area

Chopped tromboncino squash

Wild rice (thanks to Erik from Minnesota ) pilaf with smashed squash

Melon (from Farmer Sergio), homegrown pomegranate and pineapple guava salad

Another huge tromboncino destined for the pot

Squash with pomegranate syrup and tangerine (from Janice K) salad

Vegetarian thanksgiving

Watermelon from Farmer Sergio

Colorful and tasty salad (Tangerines from Janice K - thanks!)

Last week here on the urban homestead was squash week!  Squash for lunch, squash for dinner.  I don't know about you but with the cooler weather one can never have enough, warm and tasty winter squash!  Definitely getting our daily allowance of vitamin A (beta carotene) from the squash and Vitamin C thanks to the citrus and tropical treats.  Also enjoyed few unseasonable treats for this time of year- melons courtesy of Farmer Sergio.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade rice (homegrown peppers, tomatoes) with homegrown red peppers and cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday
Dinner -OUT

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homegrown winter squash with homemade wild rice pilaf (wild rice courtesy of Erik in MN) made with homegrown celery and herbs

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown tromboncino squash topped with homegrown/made pomegranate syrup, homegrown salad topped with tangerines (trade with Janice K) and homegrown pomegranates
Dinner - homegrown tromboncino squash with homemade wild rice pilaf (wild rice courtesy of Erik in MN) made with homegrown celery and herbs

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homegrown tromboncino squash with homegrown salad topped with tangerines (trade with Janice K) and homegrown pomegranates

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese
Dinner - homegrown squash, homegrown salad with tangerines (from Janice K) and tofurkey

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/11/29/weekly-meal-wrap-up-x2/feed/ 4 WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UPhttp://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/11/22/weekly-meal-wrap-up-54/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/11/22/weekly-meal-wrap-up-54/#comments Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:00:07 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=15903 The cooler temps (just had our coldest temps last night - 30 degrees) shorter days have got the guys digging in fall crop and me digging through my stack of favorite recipes to deal with the (coming) onslaught of fall veggies and trickle of summer veggies that are still holding on.

Living Like Little House on the Prairie

I am also on a mission to try some new squash recipes (to deal with the stack of tromboncino squash)  Of course those recipes have to have not to many extraneous ingredients as our pantry is pretty similar to that of our pioneer peers (the Ingalls family)   Just the basics - flour, rice, oats, sugar and a few dried beans.

Limiting oneself to what's growing in the garden and just a few essentials for us modern pioneers is an exercise in simple, low impact and seasonal eating.

With the upheaval in the economy, concerns over where our food comes from their 19th century ways of life are new again.

Has your shopping and eating habits changed are you making more of your meals from scratch -  care to share?

Ok without further adieu here's THE WEEK BEFORE weekly meal wrap up.  I am a little behind!

Oh and sorry about the lack of photos. I had issues with my camera and used another and for some reason the photos came out fuzzy.

Oh well, so you are just going to have to use your imagination on this one.

Look at these beauties - green, red and yeller peppers!

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade rice (homegrown peppers, tomatoes) with homegrown red peppers and cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday
Dinner - baked homegrown winter squash with homegrown salad topped with homegrown tomatoes, red peppers and pomegranates

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - stuffed homegrown peppers (homegrown herbs and organic ca grown rice) with homegrown salad topped with homegrown tomatoes and red peppers
Dinner - grilled homegrown red peppers, eggplant with pasta and parmesan cheese with homemade herb lemon sauce

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - grilled homegrown red peppers, eggplant with pasta and parmesan cheese with homemade herb lemon sauce
Dinner - homegrown tomatoes and red peppers with pasta and cheese with homegrown salad topped with locally bartered tangerines (thanks J for the trade)

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade chili (homegrown tomatoes, red peppers) with homemade cornbread
Dinner - homemade chili (homegrown tomatoes, red peppers) with homemade cornbread

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade chili (homegrown tomatoes, red peppers) with homemade cornbread
Dinner - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftover pizza with homegrown salad
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese with homegrown salad

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/11/22/weekly-meal-wrap-up-54/feed/ 3