eating my veggies

[kindkit]

Thanks to my new job (in a fancy co-op supermarket, where one of the employee perks is being able to buy blemished or slightly old produce very very cheap), I'm learning how much difference it makes to have access to good-quality, super-affordable vegetables and fruits.

The other day for breakfast I had blueberry pancakes with a warm strawberry and blackberry sauce, because I just had that many berries that needed using. And today I made a soup of chicken, rice, leeks, a vast quantity of white beech mushrooms, watercress, and baby spinach and arugula. Tomorrow I'm going to make a pasta sauce with sausage, fresh heirloom tomatoes, red bell peppers, and basil. Lots of basil! I love basil, but I could almost never afford to buy it. 

Also, I have a fennel bulb that I will probably roast. Also, Meyer lemons are amazing. And ruby grapefruit is delicious, who knew?

Somehow, having access to more fruit and veg means I want to eat more fruit and veg. I don't entirely understand the psychological thing happening, but it has to do with the stakes being lower. It's safe to use things up, instead of hoarding them until they go bad. And if I try something and don't love it, it's not a big deal, because I don't feel like I've wasted money.

It's also kind of fun to grab a bag of whatever's available, bring it home, and figure out what to do with it. It's like being on one of those cooking challenge shows.

*wondering if gin + grapefruit juice + tonic would be as yummy as it sounds*

Comments

drink idea

[dialecticdreamer]

I don't drink often enough to have an opinion on the grapefruit juice and tonic with gin, but I do suggest the grapefruit juice with the tonic water as an alternative to sodas.

[st_aurafina]

I'm glad the new job is working out, at least in as far as getting produce. It's so nice to have access to good produce!

ruby grapefruit is delicious
It's so good!! I came late to loving grapefruit, when I was really sick in 2015 and all I wanted was salmon and grapefruit. (I was obviously lacking some specific nutrients, IDK.) Try it in a salad with feta or some salty cheese like that - it is so good!

*wondering if gin + grapefruit juice + tonic would be as yummy as it sounds*
I think it probably would be. Please report back.

[glinda]

Yay for your new job with its excellent perk! :)

I'm not generally a grapefruit fan but I do vastly prefer pink grapefruit to white grapefruit so I'm now curious to try ruby grapefruit! I have previously enjoyed gin & pink grapefruit juice, so I feel you should try your proposed gin cocktail and report back!

[batdina]

re the drink, the short answer is "yes".

[(Anonymous)]

Warning though: people who take prescribed medication probably should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice, because it potentiates the medication. You'd think there would be protocols for using it safely to make exorbitantly priced prescriptions last longer, but noooo....

[st_aurafina]

This only counts for some medications, though. There should be a warning on the label for it. /pharmacist taking four prescribed medications that do not interact.

[tree_and_leaf]

Right - my mother's on a blood pressure drug that interacts with grapefruit, and doctor, pharmacist, and label alike mentioned the grapefruit thing.

[executrix]

Sorry, that was me above wrt grapefruit juice, I just got logged out.

[tree_and_leaf]

That's excellent! (I have never had a Meyer lemon, because you can't get them over here, and I've always been really curious. I do miss the North African grocer I lived near in Oxford, they had the best lemons I've ever seen in the UK).

I hope you enjoyed the drink! Grapefruit does go pretty well with gin.

[halotolerant]

Oooh yes like Ready Steady Cook which was one of my all time favourites as a child *g*