August 31, 2013 or "Eating Slightly Better"

Today I went to the farmer's market. I never used to go, but I have a friend who lives near the big one that's on Saturdays, and I live near the little one that's on Wednesdays, so we tend to go at least once a week to one of them (since she's on mat leave and I'm... employed temporarily, part time, and school hasn't started yet).
It's nice to walk around, even when I don't intend to buy anything (in fact, I believe that today is really one of three times I've ever purchased stuff-the other two were radish sprouts) because it's SO expensive. I'd love to say that I care about the pesticides blabber blabber blabber but really, that stuff is worth washing off when I can get everything so much cheaper from a regular (cough, discount) store and still have money to wash my clothes at the end of the day. Seriously, it's priced up that much.
Today, though, we bought as a group and split stuff, and it actually turned out cheaper than it would have otherwise. Not terribly cheaper, mind you. But, I got 12 fresh (tasty) corn cobs for 4$, since we split two dozen (and I've already frozen it for later eating and kept four cobs for dinners. I also got a bunch of peaches (that I've eaten three of today) for what, 6$ I think? So worth it, because the peaches at grocery stores are awfully hard, bitter AND expensive. These ones are melt in your mouth amazing.
I also got six apples for $2.50, because the old man selling them looked so lonely that I felt bad that no one was at his stall and therefore had to buy his apples. His pies looked amazing (he had a peach and custard pie that sounded like I'd eat the whole thing right then and there and an apple pie that was perfectly coloured), but I couldn't afford $7.50 for a pie that I could make for next to nothing with his $2.50 apples. Plus, I'm trying to eat more healthily, and a pie between two people is like a pizza between to people: really hard to avoid eating half of.
I also bought this funky squash because it was shaped funny (funnily?) oddly, like an alien saucer. That's how I pick my food apparently. "Oh, man, look how weird that thing looks. I wonder if it tastes as weird as it looks?"

Tell me you can't see this being mistaken for a UFO.

Apparently, it's slightly like zucchini but less strongly flavoured, the guy selling it said. Which is bad, because I hate zucchini. Passionately. It's always bitter and almost always slimy. But, whatever. It looks cool. Maybe I can chop it into a smoothie or something.


So, anyway, my whole point of this post was that if you take a friend, split the foods-and the costs. It's slightly cheaper, and it makes shopping more fun.

Chili-December 5/10

Firstly, I'd like to point out that I did use a title today. The reason that I never really use titles is that sometimes, I really just can't think of a title (you know what they say[mostly my mom]: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all). But other times I do think up titles that kind of just seem like the right thing to say. All I can think about right now is how awesome Chili is.

So that's the title.

I love chili. I'd like to point out that while I was sick and feeling gross, I made chili. A friend of mine who is picky with food sincerely enjoyed it. I'd say that's good :D

I made mine out of my head.

Chili:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 can kidney beans

1 can diced tomatoes

Some water (I think I used about three cups, maybe a little more-I think I added another cup later on since it was getting too thick for what I wanted)

1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, dried (to taste. I think I used a little more, but I didn't really measure)

1 packet reduced salt taco seasoning (Because I didn't have cumin or any of the other spices you're supposed to have)

pepper to taste

Brown ground beef in the soup pot if possible. If not, make sure to move over the ground beef runoff to the soup pot. Add diced tomatoes and kidney beans. I didn't drain either, feel free to do so; mine was quite watery after the fact and I think that this is why. Add some water so while it's cooking it doesn't stick to the bottom or boil down too much. Cook on med-high heat for about 20 minutes, hopefully it will start to bubble a little. Turn down heat to about a medium, maybe medium low; add spices. Cook for a while longer-about 40 minutes. Hang out.

Serve in one of the many ways that chili serves best.

The really awesome reason that I love chili is that it can be used in so many ways.

On Friday, I used it as chili. On the chili I put a dallop of sour cream and grated some cheese and some green onion on top of it, stuck two nachos (the cheap kind) on top, and served it as a chili. Makes sense, right?

Last night, I used leftovers as a chip-dip. Instead of a big bowl of chili, I put some chili in the bottom, mixed in sour cream, shredded some cheese and onion on top. (You could add a layer of lettuce if you'd like, too). Then I used some more nachos to dip into it. (You could use a flatbread, or any more healthy version of a crispy chip-like substance--I'm cheap, so compliments nachos it is).

Tonight, I'm eating a bowl of pasta, topped with chili.

A. MAZ.ING.

So tasty, my grama showed me that one. I wonder what I'll do with the awesome chili tomorrow?!?

Anyway, that was what was on my mind. I think it's time that I start the beginning of my Christmas crafts for the night. (This might post as the 6th, but it's actually the 5th. I worked all day, and then shopped for my brothers' and sisters' and parents' Christmas gifts.

Awesome.