Sprouting the Beans

Both of my grandmother’s battled Breast Cancer, one of my neighbors recently was diagnosed, and I am sure you know someone as well who has undergone treatment...

A recent airing of National Public Radio’s Science Friday called the Ugly Truth About Food Waste in America made my jaw drop!!!!

-40% of the food produced in the U.S. is thrown out

-That equates to $165 billion of food in the trash

-The amount of food wasted today, is 50% more than what was wasted in the mid-70’s

Are you picturing mounds and mounds of food like in Shel Silverstein’s poem, “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout?” How about a few more facts...

I seem to have filled my “new free time” with lots of school-related projects.  During all of the hussle, there are lots of Sprouting the Beans stories spinning an formulating in my head… and soon they will make it to the blog. For now, I share with you a quick tip that has made packing much-loved kiwi in my kids’ lunches.  

We’re always looking for ways to increase our garden production and this year we expanded UP and tried out VERTICAL gardening.

The beginning of the school year is always busy for us. Pete is adjusting to a different schedule of teaching, the kids are back in school with Fall activities, and I have a variety of school and community commitments. I rely on easy or make-ahead meals to get us through the craziness! Here are a few of our current favorites:

I’ve been absent for a while.  First we were packing in all of the end-of-summer adventures, getting ready for school and this week I’ve been helping with the start of school.  Much of my time has been assisting with the lunch shifts.  I’m happy to say that there were no tears this year and a larger cafeteria space and individual seats provides for a more subdued environment (at least I haven’t left with my head spinning like in previous years).

As I get organized and back into the swing of writing, I share with you school lunch idea links, because if you are like me, I am trying to get back into the swing of packing and sending the lunchboxes out the door.

Without refrigeration our garden and deep freezer came in handy!  No need to refrigerate when you can pick your produce straight from the garden...

After a long hiatus, I am back! We're enjoying the beautiful end of summer weather and the bounty from our garden....

Due to our schedule the during the next month, I plan to change things up a bit and post food tidbits via Facebook. Like Sprouting the Beans on Facebook for the latest updates.

One of our quests this summer is to find ways to use all aspects of the produce grown in our garden. We've been harvesting lots of radishes and I thought if I can make a good pesto from mixed greens and garlic scapes, then might as well try radish greens. Mixed together with quinoa veggie curls and a garden side salad, it made another fabulous fresh and fast summer meal!