Skinny Cow

Dessert of the week: a chopped banana, a handful of strawberries, some plain nonfat yogurt, and a sprinkle of Splenda. 

Probably it’s better with a drizzle of chocolate syrup (or a giant scoop of chocolate ice cream), but I’m trying to eat less crap. 

This concoction is the perfect accompaniment to an evening of Idol results.

Good riddance, Scott McIntyre.

Hello, little summer clothes.

watching the children and the garden grow

 

photo: gardengrowth.com

Victory of the day: Convincing Leprechaun that we should do the CSA program at Stone Soup Farm this summer. I’ve been obsessed with CSAs since I first discovered them a couple of years ago thanks to Barbara Kingsolver, but it never seemed particularly practical–I worried it would be too expensive, and a lot of times you need a car for pickup. Lately, though, I’ve been on this kick of saying “what the heck” to as many adventures as possible, and after talking to my buddy Stef about it last night, I think we’re going to hop on board.

If you’re not familiar with CSAs, the basic gimmick is that you pay  a certain amount of money up front to a farm for a percentage of the harvest over the course of a growing season. Every week you go and pick up your share for the week–a box of whatever happens to have sprouted from the ground over the last couple of days. Or, like I said to Leprechaun when I gave him the hard sell–a treasure chest! Of vegetables! Every week!

I was sort of worried about the cost-effectiveness of this particular endeavor, but when I did the math it turns out that a half-share works out, over the course of twenty weeks, to about what I’d pay for anemic tomatoes at my local Stop and Shop. So in addition to being community-friendly, this one’s wallet-friendly, too. 

Oh MAN I am already fantasizing about the kale.

Candy from Strangers

 

The other day the Quaker folks were giving out True Delights granola bars outside the subway, and I am not kidding when I say they truly were delightful. I had Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut, and before you are like “Well DUH they were giving that nasty kind away for free,” they were super tasty! Sweet but not gross, and reasonably filling for a snack attack. 

I don’t know exactly what the gimmick is here, since corn syrup is the second ingredient so it’s not like they’re particularly classy or good for you, although they do come in a slick black wrapper and are considerably more expensive than good old low-fat S’mores flavor. The Angelina Jolie of granola bars, if you will.

Anyway, they’re good, and if a stranger tries to give one to you as you climb aboard public transportation, you should take it, is what I’m saying.