Hey! It's Monday's lunch.

fruit salad 

raisins 

date roll

fig newman 

dessert hummus + plantain chips

THERESA'S FRUIT SALAD

cantaloupe

grapes

strawberries

peaches 

cucumber

fresh basil

raisins

I'm not sure if it's a thing or not but putting cucumbers in a fruit salad as well as the basil

tastes great! TRUST ME. 

Vegetable Geeks: a short-lived incarnation.

My first attempt at blogging came when I was invited to contribute to the Little Village website under the moniker, Vegetable Geeks. I wrote a couple of decent posts and then let it drop to the wayside like so many other projects. Click the links if you're interested in reading what I had to say back in 2010.

1.

Featured on the front page. :)
Broccoli Casserole Recipe: http://littlevillagemag.com/vegetable-geeks-my-comfort-food/

Dearly departed, Yoyo. 

2.

Woodland booty. 

Chicken of the Woods Noodle Soup.

http://littlevillagemag.com/vegetable-geeks-chicken-of-the-woods-noodle-soup/

3.

Baklava
http://littlevillagemag.com/baklava-for-the-sweet-tooth/

The Bent & Dent in Kalona, IA

My sister-friends, Sandy and Lisa.

I went on a glorious grocery shopping spree in Kalona, IA. The place is called Central Discount and it's such a fun place to hunt for awesome deals. It's mainly meant for the Amish community but people from all walks of life are drawn to this place for it's low, low prices. That's where the nickname the Bent & Dent comes in. Everything in the store is either damaged in some way or past its 'sell by' date.

There was a wide assortment of products and brands. I ended up finding many organic brands and food stuffs I see at the Co-op which I snatched right up. I personally avoid canned goods but found many other items of interest, mainly beverages and snacks. It's going to be so much easier packing my lunches for work now!

Central Discount is ran by Amish people and therefore only accept cash or check. The store is open three days a week Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. Get there right at 10 a.m. to try and beat the rush.

Other noteworthy stops in Kalona, IA: Stringtown Grocery and SISTERS GARDEN! 

My $37 haul:

Glug glug glug.
Look for oddities like this bottle of cashew fruit nectar.

.25¢ - $1.25

Haven't seen these since Puerto Rico.
YUM!
.50¢ 

Nice package.
.75¢ 

Sprouts: A How-To Guide.

Lentils: First Stage. 

So far, I have sprouted mung beans and lentils but there are various other beans and seeds that can be sprouted. My next sprouting adventure will be broccoli seeds from the New Pioneer Food Co-op. 

Even if you don't have much of a green thumb, sprouting beans is pretty much foolproof. What I love most about sprouting is the easiness and the quick yield. It's especially great having fresh food stuffs in the winter time.

Mung Beans

What you will need:

cheesecloth 

rubberband

mason jar / large jar 

1/4 C lentils or mung

1. Rinse your beans and soak them overnight or for at least 4 hours. Fill jar so that the water covers all of the beans. 

2. Drain the beans through the cheesecloth and fill the jar again. Shake and drain the water.

3. Repeat the rinsing every morning and every night for about 5 days or until desired length of 

sprouts.  

4. Remove cheesecloth. Store in fridge in an airtight container, preferably glass.

5. Cook sprouts in stir fry, throw them on salads, sandwiches, etc. 

Mung Beans: Day 2

Mung Beans: Day 3

I switched to a bigger jar!

Mung Sprouts! Day 5