Making Do With What You've Got...But You Can Microwave Quinoa!

Just because we made the pledge to eat more responsibly a few months ago now doesn't mean that we still don't have some slightly more irresponsible food lying around. Particularly those items in our freezer. However, I think one of the most irresponsible thing one can do with food, responsibly acquired or not, is waste it.

So this is how I ended up baking this delicious pre-seasoned pork loin for dinner. It comes from Shaw's and had been sitting in our freezer. It was an excellent bargain. Normally $10, it had one of those $3 off stickers on it, and it was already on sale at about $7. So $4 for nearly 2 pounds of pork, preflavored. Not too shabby. However, this best I can say about this pork is that it is "all natural." What does all natural mean? Well, that depends; I don't know, and neither, I suppose, does the FDA. Seriously, however, there were no chemical additives or artificial or synthetic ingredients in the pork. Not so bad, when you think about it. No promises, however, about what Mr. Pork ate while still alive, his living conditions, and whether he was treated with anti-biotics. Oh well.

Accompanying this were some delicious snow peas obtained from our CSA. I can't tell you what they cost, because I purchased a subscription, paid for in full a few months ago, which means I am paying $335 for fruits and veggies during a 26-week growing season. I get several items every week. It's been a pretty good deal so far.

Last but not least is quinoa. Pronounced KEEN-WAH, it's pretty delicious stuff. I tend to be more flexible about the locality of my dry goods, particularly grains, because they take much less of a carbon footprint to get here, with no special refrigeration, etc. required. It's a delicious, nutty grain, and it's high in protein and fiber. A box may cost close to 2.50, but seriously, this stuff stretches much farther than couscous. A quarter cup prepared is more than enough for 2.

My favorite thing about Quinoa? YOU CAN MICROWAVE IT. Just follow the directions on the box. I promise. It's just as good that way.

So, in conclusion, what did I do to cook this meal? Stick a thing of pork on a dish and stick it in the oven, removing at the right time. Rinse some peas, stick them in a steamer insert with some water and steam. Microwave quinoa. Pretty easy stuff. And, if we're honest, a significant improvement in responsibility from our normal eating habits.

Enjoy!