FOOD matters to share with you - 27APR2020

I'm watching a lot of videos these past weeks... some about food, some on farming, some about communities.  I wanted to start sharing my activities as I do them, to get my blogs going again, and see where it all goes.

This is  #My2020PatreonChallenge year... I am trying to find  ONE MILLION  people to support my creative and business and recycling quests ---  before GOD calls me home.  It's my lifetime "Bucket List" and I hope to get these projects started enough to keep them going later.  My personal quests are more in the art and crafting areas.  I hope to get some of those done, too.


Over the months since I started this quest, I have been forced to learn new things about how the internet works, how to reach people, how to figure out the amount I can do on my own until I can hire help, and more.

This past week I rented two documentaries on related topics, and watched "reruns" online of another.

URBAN FARMERS  -- I can only find a rental link... when I watched it, the cost was $1.99 for 48 hours of viewing access... I watched it at least twice.  This is about food issues in New York City... about food deserts, farmers markets, CSA's, and other efforts to make sure there are healthy food choices in NYC, especially for the poor.
https://www.amazon.com/Urban-Farmers-Rachel-Knopf-Shey/dp/B071XBMHKP/ref=sr_1_2

A SIMPLER WAY   --   this is about an experiment in Australia to build an eco-community. It is mostly young people and how they learn to live as a team, solve problems, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/Simpler-Way-Crisis-Opportunity/dp/B07DNJXGQ7/ref=sr_1_1

MODIFIED  --  this is a really good food documentary from Canada.  It also helps to see the politics are the same in their nation as ours.
https://www.modifiedthefilm.com/




Tonight I was watching Plant Pure Nation again.  I couldn't remember if I had watched it already, and it turns out I have.  It was good to be reminded.

PLANT PURE NATION
https://youtu.be/yBKnG9Y0owQ


Since I watched the "original" movie from this same group of people, FORKS OVER KNIVES, I have been trying to find a way to change my eating choices.  I am not currently able to give up ALL the foods they want you to give up, but I am trying to eat less, and trying to find the  5%  that was cited in the movie as the least amount to eat.  (The study was milk protein, but the same protein is in meat and other products. I believe that is what the movie stated.  It is my goal anyway.

In the movie tonight I noticed they said in the past we use to eat about 100 pounds of (meat?) protein products a year per person. Then they said we now eat twice that much, about 200 pounds of protein sources. There are issues with what we now eat because of the "science" that has happened since the first record... genetic alterations, pesticides, pollution, farm management, and more... so the comparisons can't really be equal.  We have to do what we can with all these records.

It made me wonder if I could use that old record as a guide for how much animal proteins to put in my budget.  That has been an issue for me since I started this goal.  I have pared down my food purchases to cream cheese, grated cheese and sandwich meats, with other choices added to that amount along the way, and efforts to keep eating other favorites occasionally. (kielbasa, herring snacks, pepperoni, eggs, other cheeses, and fast food treats)

Dividing the 100 pounds by twelve months, I found a monthly allocation of about 8.5 pounds.  It has always been a goal to shop weekly so I can control my protein choices, so I decided the first goal would be five to six pounds a month, so I have some flex in my choices.

To make it 5% of my food intake, I used 5 pound for the protein and 95 pounds for the rest of my plant foods... veggies, fruits, whole grains, legumes (beans), and nuts. That came to about 3 pounds a DAY.  I have no idea yet what that would be!  BUT, it is a place to start.

The Whole Foods Plant Based diet doesn't want you to use any cooking oils, fats like butter, sugar, or salt either.  I'm having a bigger battle with this part of the changes.  I love my popcorn made with oil currently, and butter with my homemade garlic salt.  I make a homemade dressing for my salads that has oil in it.  I use sugar in my coffee and other things, like oatmeal.  I am reducing my salt, a little... as much as I can.


As I find recipes I can make a part of my daily life, I get better at the battle.  I use to buy four packages of cream cheese a month, on average.  I have been getting by with two sometimes. Other times I make a trade... cream cheese for a wedge of parmesan cheese, or sandwich slices of Swiss cheese. Now that I have a reasonable idea of how many pounds I can use for my purchasing decisions, I hope it will be easier for me.


The bigger issue is finding recipes you like, that you can afford, that don't take a lot of special equipment to make...

Using "chia eggs" instead of real eggs is a learning experience.

I use added water when I make my oatmeal so I don't need milk in it anymore.  But I do still use sugar.  Maybe I will try to eat it without sugar in the future... as a way of reducing my intake.

I'm looking for more grains to eat... beginning to eat more quinoa, wanting to try polenta and millet and wheat berries.

I have always loved sprouts, but have to get into the process of making them again.

I am going to learn how to grow microgreens for my salads and other dishes.



We have problems in our nation because of huge agribusiness influence.  I don't know how we will compensate for them.. I know how hard it is to be poor and have no choices about what you can eat... and no place to grow your own food supplies.

I hope to share more food posts with you this year.
When I learn something, I want you to learn about it.

Let's see where this year takes us.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us


https://twitter.com/work2gather
https://facebook.com/DeborahMartin.2014
https://pinterest.com/work2gather

These are the social media spaces I am developing.
Facebook will eventually have more pages for special topics... maybe.