Goals

I searched the web for "50 pounds of rice and beans" and didn't find my prose at the top of the list, or by page five for that matter.  I mostly found people's advise on how to store food in mylar lined plastic buckets for either the coming apocalypse or for the fulfillment of their Mormon commandments.

I did find some interesting blog/comment posts about people trying to do a No-spend Month experiment.  Typically this would involve not spending any money, or sometimes a goal of very little, during a whole month with the exception of a few things like rent and electricity and the like.

Having worked a serious budget for the last four months and seeing how much we "have" to spend each month made this sound like a laughable goal.  But I was reminded of something I recently heard on a piece featuring Ted Turner's successful career and charitable givings.  He said you have to set your goals high (as have a million other people I suppose).  So even if we've felt successful putting away some savings each month according to our budget, are we just coasting?  Could we put away a serious chunk if we really put our minds to it and set a big goal.  No-Spend November?

Reverse Course

I have let you down my rice and bean fans.  A whole week without a post.  The blogosphere is dismayed.  I have sinned!  I must atone.  I... I'll fill you in.  Over the last week we had for all intents and purposes some plainish rice and bean dishes.  And we brought out the old rice and bean salad, previously made for the Boardwalk outing, for Ev's Rockin' BBQ Baby Birthday Bash (no babies were barbecued in the making of this party).  Other than that the most shocking development is that we've started going backwards.  C is doing a science experiment, and now we're growing beans.  They're multiplying!

Rice and Beans for Everyone

I just placed a new link on the right side of the page.  I wrote the HTML code myself.  It's nice that the internet teaches you how to use the internet.  The Rice and Beans Foundation is a non-profit that distributes chickens and fruit, j/k, rice and beans to the needy in Nicaragua.  They source it locally which is good.  For $35 they can buy 100 lbs which I know makes quite a few meals.  Together rice and beans make a complete protein, provide complex carbohydrates and fiber, and they store well.  

Tonight's Dinner - Quinoa Pinto Bean Patties

I was going to donate $88 to 88bikes.org this month, but work set me back $30 for a baby shower and charity walk, so I chipped in for 100 lbs this month and will stick $88 back in the budget next month.  I'm not sure how Dave Ramsey feels about all the line item adjustments we make each month to the budget.  The $88 bucks has been getting bumped for months now, as has my new iphone.

One Hit, One Miss

You know how sometimes you throw together a few ingredients into a simple dish and the dish never comes together, but rather tastes like those few ingredients?  I was concerned we might get that with this cabbage and rice casserole that was glued together with a can of tomato sauce.  It surprised and came out good, and even better as leftovers.  It did have bacon, that could be it.  And it did have low expectations.

The half beef, half bean meatloaf however did not work.  Maybe when the Depression comes we'll applaud Emily for her ability to stretch that special meat purchase, but until then we probably don't need to hear from C again how we ruined her favorite meal and that we never make what she wants.

Meatless Dinners

Not that all our dinners have been or need to be vegetarian, but the beans do have a certain heartiness that leave me feeling satisfied, not craving meat like after some vegetarian dishes made primarily from vegetables.  And there is certainly something to be said about not hassling with meat.   I like not having to worry about getting to the chicken in the fridge before it goes bad.  I don't like frozen meat because freezing it reduces the quality, you have to take it out the night before and thus still worry about using it before it goes bad, and you end up with cuts in the freezer of questionable dates.  At $0.35 - $0.55 per pound for beans and rice before water is added .vs $4.00-$10.00 per pound for meat before water is cooked out, we're looking at a 10-20 fold increase in cost for meat.  That makes sense because I remember reading that you have to feed a cow 10 pounds of grain to make a pound of beef, or something like that.  And Emily and I think that the rice and beans might be easier to digest than meat.

Now, don't get me wrong, we're not going vegetarian.  In fact, as Emily was frying up the bacon at the start of the Polenta Slop a few nights back, we both were drooling over the scent and agreed that bacon would be the ultimate barrier to going vegetarian.  Ev, I'm sure you'd agree.

Last night's dinner...  Mexican rice and beans wrapped in homemade flour tortillas.  Really Honey, you're gettin' crazy.












Tonight's dinner, leftover rice and beans and vegetable enchiladas with sauce made from scratch (there's no stopping her).

Still chuggin

Knocked out a few more dishes, none of which deserve repeating.  I did some sushi rice styled fish molds that required cream cheese to get the long grain rice to stick together (temporarily).  E ate two, but C wouldn't touch them.  The tortilla rice bowls were too difficult to make and weren't great.  They have mushed beans with cumin on the bottom.  The beans and rice with vegetables certainly weren't exciting, though they turned into decent leftovers today with the addition of an egg and cheddar cheese.  Even Aunt Josie stopped by and helped polish it off.

Breakfast Rice

I suppose I could call it Rice with Zuchinni, Green Onions and Eggs, but that would be a silly title.  I've been wanting to fry up a batch Breakfast Rice since the experiment began, but we've been out of hot sauce the whole time.  Now that I've made a Costco run and returned with two 12 oz bottles of Cholula, let the hot sauce flow.  I envision having beans with the Breakfast Rice, or Breakfast Beans and Rice, but we didn't have any beans already cooked up.  And how long do you really want to wait for breakfast.  I like that it was fairly plain and a little bit mushy, reminiscent of the comforting warmth and heartiness of a nice bowl of oatmeal.

Weigh In

Looking over at the two bags of rice and beans sitting on the kitchen floor by the refrigerator, too big for a proper home, I certainly don't feel as though we're making much progress.  But after a short trip to the bathroom scale I find that we've worked through an impressive 4.6 pounds of beans and 3.4 pounds of rice.  That's a full eight pounds for those mathematically challenged.  16% gone like that.  I actually felt a twinge of sadness that we'd be through it so soon.  Ha!  Honeymoon is over and good luck on the next 42 pounds.

I had leftovers today from Emily's bean recipe from last night.  I think it wins the prize for worst recipe title.  It was pulled off of Epicurius and was titled Polenta with Cabbage, Beans an Bacon.  Technically, that was what it was, but I'd say it lacked a bit of imagination.  And it didn't look great either, looking like slop with a mucus-green hue (feel free to use that one Crayola).  My expectations were driven down so low that I was pleasantly surprised.  The polenta was creamy and the flavors were tasty (thank you bacon).  I'd definitely eat it again.

Spoon

It was a long Labor Day weekend.  Saturday found us at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz.  On Sunday I biked up to the Kings Mountain Art Fair, met the family, pounded a pancake breakfast (including the kids leftovers), and kept my purchases to a single item.  A beautiful handcrafted rice spoon made from Manzanita.  There was a similar looking spatula/rice paddle that had an even nicer grain contrast, but alas I had to acknowledge that it was better suited for stickier short grain rice.  I thought a nice spoon would add to the ritual of the rice and bean production.  And Emily thinks it will be nice to toss out the old wood spoons because she doesn't think the gunk in the cracks "adds flavor" to the dish.  Lastly, on Monday Aunt Josie took us all rock climbing for our first time.  Convincing the kids not to be scared went a long way in distracting myself from being scared.  I was feeling good until I looked down from the top.

Today, we had a nice simple dish of plain rice and beans with sautéed zucchini topped with parmesan cheese.  Just what I've been wanting, something simple.  Emily must have read my mind (or my blog).

Under the Boardwalk

Beautiful day in Santa Cruz.  Riding rides.  Playing in the surprisingly warm surf.  And feasting on a specially prepared rice and bean salad.  One of my favorites so far.  Rice, beans, fresh corn, red bell pepper, tomatoes, green onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper.  More than a side dish, it was a meal.

Double Bean Day

While waiting my turn for a haircut with my favorite $10 Pro-Cut lady on Grand Ave is SSF, who doesn't feel the need to make small talk with me, I thought I'd run into a new taqueria and see it they had tacos al pastor that were better than my favorite local joint.  Alas, they weren't even close, and you couldn't get them a' la carte.  You could only get them with rice and beans.  So I proudly ordered pinto.  And the beans and rice weren't great either.  And when I arrived home, another mexican themed bean dish, taco salad, with a tree-huggin california flair of kale.  Not bad.

Honey I'm Home II

One of the reasons I started Rice and Beans was to have a steady supply of wholesome calories at the ready.  I've been training for this Markleeville Death Ride, so I'm riding the equivalent of about 70 miles per week (part of that spin class which I do know we're traveling zero miles technically) and lifting another four days.  Having cut down on sugary foods for the most part, it takes a lot of calories and thus a lot of food to replace the burn.  I had pictured large helpings of plain rice and plain beans.

But again for the second time, the Magic Bean Fairy, which I'm beginning to suspect is Emily, has struck again.  I innocently soak a bowl of beans overnight, and when I arrive home the next day from work, viola, a tasty dinner.  Meaty Bean Chili wth Parmisian Rice Souflee.  Outstanding.