waste not want not.

I'm learning a lot these days.  Waste not want not is one of the big things, and I am learning it through food.  I believe God can teach us through anything, and He knows me and He's speaking my love language-- FOOD.  We started this beautiful CSA where we truly have a bounty of the FRESHEST food EVERY week.  I feel spoiled.  How awesome it is that we get to do this.  One of my goals with this adventure was not to be wasteful with what we have.  You see, I'm that person who buys a shopping cart full of produce only to remember it's in my fridge 3 weeks later and to dig the rotting pieces out, having to clean out my fridge of rotten produce juice-- not even knowing which produce item it came from or how long it's been there.  I do love produce, but I think I buy so much I forget about it all.  I hate it.  I hate that I waste that money.  I hate that I waste that food when there are people right here in my city going hungry right now.

So part of the deal when we signed up for this CSA was that we'd get fresh produce-- whatever it is they give us-- and I'll fix it for us.  I knew we wouldn't always like it.  I tried the radishes, really, I don't.like.them.  But we'll try it.  It's taken me awhile [a month] to get the hang of this, but I am getting it.  For the sake of transparency I thought I better share the whole truth here.  I'm doing better with using it all, or giving it to someone who will use it [enter those pesky radishes again, turns out my mother-in-law and sister-in-law love them.  win!]  But the first few weeks I wasted.  Especially week one.

Back here I wrote about week 1 and what I did with the swiss chard.  Glad I used that-- bummed I wasted a lot of it.

Week 1  

The Stats Week 1:

Broccoli -- wasted
Radishes -- wasted
Bok Choy -- wasted
Garlic -- wasted
Lettuce -- ate, delicious!
Swiss Chard -- made it, tried it, bleh.
Strawberries -- a.w.e.s.o.m.e.

Week 2  

The Stats Week 2:

Lettuce -- ate, delicious!
Squash -- ate, delicious!
Garlic -- wasted
Cabbage -- still in fridge, keeps well... I hope
Eight Ball Squash -- ate, delicious!
Spinach -- ate half, delicious!  wasted other half
Strawberries -- a.w.e.s.o.m.e.

Week 3  

The Stats Week 3:

Radishes -- wasted
Turnips -- made it, tried it, not bad!  [turnips get the Most Surprising superlative]
Broccoli -- ate, delicious!
Napa Cabbage -- made it, tried it, delicious!  [awarded Best Dressed superlative... you'll see why when I post this recipe]
Lettuce -- ate, delicious!
Strawberries -- a.w.e.s.o.m.e.  [I had already eaten them before I took this picture]

Week 4 [night picture]

 The Stats Week 4:

Cauliflower -- made it, tried it, bleh.
Potatoes -- in the fridge. excited to make!
Eight Ball Squash -- oh.my.goodness.  greatest veggie dish I've ever made.  recipe soon.
Cucumbers -- so fresh. so delicious.
Squash -- ate, delicious!
Radishes -- tried a bite of one.  gross.  gave to family.  glad they found a good, loving home.
Lettuce -- ate, delicious!
Arugula -- ate some, some still in fridge.
Kale -- still in fridge.  plans to make this soon.



Now that I'm at the end of this post, I think this  must be really boring for people to read.  If anyone has stuck around, do you have problems with wasting food?  Any tips for me?