Food Bank Challenge and Concert

I'm loving this blow-by-blow video record of food bank challenger Jarred from the band All of the Above... Start with episode one and work your way through to episode six where Jarred invents "ritzdogchos" with the dwindling contents of his food hamper. Hilarious. Can't wait for episode seven tomorrow. Saturday is the fundraiser concert Songs for Supper at the Refinery. See it on facebook.

How do I love lentils...

... let me count the ways.

#1 - Lentil sprouts on a tuna salad sandwich. Sprouting the lentils adds a whole lot of nutrition to an already nutritious food, plus turns a tuna salad sandwich into a vector for my local diet.

I discovered this lovely combination last week while taking the Food Bank Challenge. My food hamper included a tin of tuna and enough lentils to feed a battalion.

Want to sprout your lentils? Follow these instructions.

Food Bank Challenge

It's over (at midnight)! We ended our one-week Food Bank Challenge with lentil burgers. Pretty darn good and appropriate to this blog, since the lentils came from a local farm.

So, here are some guidelines for the next time I'm asked to donate an item for the Food Bank:

1. Avoid foods that have to be cooked. No Stove Top Stuffing.
2. The exception to 1. is foods that are cooked simply in boiling water. Pasta is good. Include a sauce.
3. Give tinned fruit. There was no fruit in my food basket. What I wouldn't give for a tin of peaches right now.
4. Don't give food you wouldn't eat yourself. That goes for cheaper quality brands.
5. Don't give food that is about to expire. I've eaten a lot of old bread this week.
6. Include something quick and filling for that bread - peanut butter, jam, cheeze whiz, nutella...
7. Think of the children. Give them a healthy treat - raisins, cheese sticks, etc.
8. Energy bars might be a nice touch. Tasty, quick, filling, easy.
9. Desserts. [Cancel #9 - I've since learned there are no cookies or other desserts in Food Bank baskets.] I haven't eaten sweets for a whole week, except in pre-sweetened oatmeal poridge. My sweet tooth is pouting...
10. Be generous.

Want to know more? Read the Food Challenge blog.

Food Bank Challenge

Day 3 of the Food Bank Challenge and I'm snacking on uncooked Stove Top Stuffing. Sheesh... Tonight I canned 10 jars of corn salsa. Thankfully the Food Bank diet lasts just one week!
foodbankchallenge.com

Food Bank Challenge

It's Day #1 of the great Saskatoon Food Bank Challenge! For one week, participants are eating off the contents of a typical food basket. It looks like plenty of food -- but the wrong food. Lots of bread but no fruit. Quite a few veggies but little protein. (It's a misconception that every food hamper contains peanut butter!) No sweets what-so-ever.

As for locally-grown food, I'm pleased to see potatoes, carrots and lentils. Still, I've pretty much exchanged my local diet for a poverty diet. But just for a week. Check out the Food Challenge blog.