Slowing Down and Fueling Up

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Isaiah 55:2

Thanks to The Nourishing Gourmet's Nourishing New Year's Resolution Carnival I have compiled my family "fuel" goals for 2009. In this post I will exclusively list those pertaining to food. You can see my later post, "Abide Steadfast", that will list soul fuel.

Here are my 2009 Nourishing New Year's Resolutions and Plans:

1. Drink more water as a family. The Plan: I have already replaced beverages at meal time(lunch and dinner) with good ole H2O. I have a glass (for myself) next to the sink that I fill and drink when ever I get nearby(which is often). It comes down to turning on the faucet and keeping the fridge shut.
2. Replace and Reduce Cane Sugar. The Plan: Although we mainly use organic cane and turbinado sugar, after doing some reading, I think we consume too much. I plan to do some more reading about sugar/alternatives to find and use replacements. I already use molasses, honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup. I did buy sucanat at one time and now I am thinking to switch back to that vs. organic cane sugar. But the big thing is using LESS. The problem is coffee. My hubby lives on coffee. Coffee with sugar. So he needs to drink more water and less coffee hence achieving goal one and two simultaneously:) Read some great posts on sugar here: A guide to natural sweeteners, Sucanat and Rapadura
3. Waste Not. The Plan: I love homemade stock and I plan to see more of it. I have a big gallon baggie stuck in the freezer where all my scraps will go til stock day-Yeahhh! The not so stocky scraps (i.e. coffee grounds and egg shells) will go to the future compost pile. The hubby has to make a little fenced in spot first- too many friendly dogs out here in the country.
4. ER Meals. The Plan: Ever get exhausted and just eat out? For us that can be a problem. Not only are our choices limited (3 restaurants around here), but due to food allergies it's dangerous. Besides that, it is expensive and not so healthy. To avoid this dilemma I will have an ER Meal on hand for the weary days. When I'm feeling spiffy I'll make an extra meal and freeze it for future use. Like the lovely lasagna with whole wheat noodles at -2 degrees as I type.
5. Rise em Up. The Plan: This goal ties into my soul goal of spending quality time with the children. Once each month I would like to plan and prepare a meal with the children. This will be a place to spend time, have fun, and instruct them about nourishing ways.
6. Homemade Please! The Plan: For each 2 week meal plan I will include a homemade bread (like Ciabatta Integrale), a homemade juice (carrot ginger), a homemade pasta (whole wheat noodles), and a homemade stock. This will save money. This will let me control what's going in.
7. Green Thumbed. The Plan: I will add 2 new herbs and grow 2 veggies this year. Growing and having fresh herbs saves time and adds so much flavor. This year I would like to add chervil and caraway to the herb garden. Last year I grew heirloom tomatoes. Those are a must again this year along with an undecided...purple potatoes anyone?

That's it! Whew! I feel Nourished up already! Like I mentioned I will post later about my other goals that hubby and I complied for '09. Thank You Kimi Harris for the inspiration.