News of the Week

1. This was the first week in the CSA season.  We got a bunch of spinach, cilantro, leeks, green onions, asparagus, and dried chickpeas, split peas and barley.  I have no idea how to cook chickpeas. Beloved and I are determined not to waste anything we get through CSA for the summer.  Many new recipes will be tried, I'm sure.  Yesterday I made a vegan split pea and barley soup.  It was...  okay.  Took forever on the stove-- three hours!  Can you cook split peas in a crock pot?  Today we had huge spinach salads for lunch.  It really was good, much better spinach than I have evereaten before.  We've both noticed a, hmm... a changein our digestive systems just a wee bit today.  (Is that TMI?)  I am annoyed with my body.  What, like it's never seen veggies before?  Have I been eating so few vegetables that my colon feels it must protest this dramatic change?  Sheesh...

2. This morning I turned on Sesame Street for the boys.  I got much more done in that one hour than I usually would.  When it was over I was in the middle of putting away laundry, so I just started another one off the DVR.  Heck, it's Saturday...  When that was over Sparkle said, "Please, Mom, can we watch some more TV?"  I told him, "No way, buddy, that was two hours!  It's beautiful outside, time to get your shoes on and head out."  And he said, "But, Mom, me and my brother like to melt our brains!" 

He didn't protest too much about turning off the TV though.  Later he told me, "Next Wednesday when it's my share time at school I'm going tell my class that I got to watch TV all day!"  I really, really hope he doesn't.  I'm counting on him forgetting by then about his magical two hours straight of TV time. 

I wonder how this summer will go.  It's not hard to leave the TV off at home generally, but of course we're at work and school most of the days.  When the boys and I are home this summer it might be different.  I'm going to try to avoid TV if I can, but I'm also not going to feel too horribly guilty if they end up watching more than usual.

3. Our neighbor's dog was killed by coyotes last week!  They took the dog for a walk out on a hill not far from our house and let him off the leash.  The neighbor lady said two coyotes came out of nowhere and killed him in a few seconds!  Holy crap!  Thank goodness their kids were not with them.  The coyotes didn't carry the dog off or eat him.  Maybe they were scared off by having people nearby or maybe the dog had wandered too close to a den or something?  Regardless, I think we'll stay out of that area.  Hmm, I think I just figured out why no one around here has outdoor cats.

4. We've been going to our church for about nine months now.  This is a lovely stage in our church-relationship, I must say.  We've been there long enough that we know people fairly well, we're not totally "new people" any more, but we're still new enough that we haven't felt like we have to volunteer to staff the nursery or anything like that.  Enjoying feeling mostly a part of the group, but not having to work too hard at it... 

We are lazy church-going people, apparently.  In my head I absolutely know that we must contribute to the community in order to be part of it, that service to others is 100% critical for anyone who says they want to be like Jesus at all...  But, dang, that "community" part is so much work!  So time-consuming!  I know that even if it seems mostly like an obligation at first that we will be happy to get to know people better and develop real friendships (and that even if we don't at first, it's not optional) (and I'm not sure yet in what ways we'll end up serving), but to be honest we're realizing that we've enjoyed the easy-ness of being on the fringe of involvement. 

Comments

[Heather.PNR]

You can definitely cook split peas in the crock pot, and chickpeas, too. It's the only way I ever do beans anymore. After you cook the chickpeas you can freeze them in can-sized portions, then figure out what to do with them later in the year. That's my CSA approach. :)

[tafel]

It works best if you soak the chick peas overnight first - or "quick soak" by bringing them to a boil and letting them stand about an hour. Then put them in the slow cooker. Here is a good recipe http://www.eatingwell.com/search/?q=squash+chickpea

[tafel]

oops wrong link, it's
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/squash_chickpea_lentil_stew.html

[Janell]

Hi, I'm Janell--I came across your blog a week or so ago. Your boys are adorable! I am an adoptive mom too - my younger daughter came to us through foster care and it has been an amazing journey.

Chick peas are a great for meatless meals. After they're cooked you can season them like taco meat, mash them, and make tacos. Yum! Good luck getting all the veggies in. :)

[Anna]

chickpeas ! Make hummus after you've cooked them, one of the best dips ever!

In Italy we make summer salads with cooked chickpeas, onions or chives and tuna, makes a very healthy salad!