Food Waste Friday

No food waste this week: yay!

This was mostly due to buying fewer groceries and trying to use up what we already had. It's nearly impossible for me to let any of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) produce go to waste because it's so delicious. Plus it stays fresh longer, so we've usually got plenty of time to use it up.

Why should we care about throwing our food in the trash? On top of the fact that it's basically throwing money away, food in landfills has a huge environmental impact. You can read all about it at Wasted Food, Jonathan Bloom's blog about the issue. Americans throw away as much as 40 to 50 percent of the food that's produced. That's more than $100 billion worth of food that could go to feed millions of hungry people. On top of that, food that goes to the landfill contributes to methane emissions. Methane is more harmful than carbon dioxide, and it's responsible for about 20 percent of global warming.

So, if each and every one of us can reduce the waste in our household, we can start to have an impact on the larger problem. Kristen at The Frugal Girl has issued The Waste-No-Food challenge, where people take a photo of their food waste each week in an effort to focus on the issue and share tips for wasting less.

The challenge is working for us, although there have been a few setbacks. If you're new to this blog, I should mention that it takes most people weeks or months before they reach a point of no food waste. For most of us, our intentions to eat healthfully cause us to purchase more food than we can actually eat, and it ends up going bad.

How did you do this week? Do you have any great tips for wasting less? Please leave your tips, advice, thoughts and questions in the Comments section.

Thrifty Threads

Welcome to another installment of Thrifty Threads, AKA Most Stylish Compact-y Outfit, where readers model their favorite secondhand clothes.

A Compact-y outfit is anything used or recycled, from the Goodwill, a thrift store, or a consignment shop.

Today's model is Jenna, who bought this fabulous dressy dress for just $10 at Crossroads Trading Company in Seattle. Jenna lives in Spokane, but goes to Seattle a couple of times a year just to shop in their great thrift stores. She wore this beautiful dress at her graduation from Whitworth University, where the photo with her friends was taken. Since then, she's worn it to a lot of other fancy events like the Nutcracker ballet during the holidays, and her birthday dinner with her boyfriend.

Jenna just bought a new house (congratulations!) so she says she doesn't have a lot of money to spend on designer clothes. But that doesn't mean she can't be stylish. She says this is her most prized consignment store find, it's super soft and has a row of purple jewels along the waistline. It really is beautiful. It makes me want to hit the secondhand stores right now.

Good for you Jenna for buying a house and for wanting to change your lifestyle so that you waste less. Since you're starting to make wise purchases so young, you probably will be able to avoid the trap a lot of people get in when they get out of college and start racking up their credit cards and living beyond their means.

Readers, put on your favorite thrift store finds, take a picture, and send it to me. I would love to be able to do this segment every Thursday, for now I'm going to do it at least every other week as long as I get enough photos. So keep them coming! We want to see your fabulous finds of all kinds: dressy and casual, large and small, men and women. Thanks for participating Jenna. And click here to check out previous installments of Thrifty Threads.

Do you buy secondhand clothes? What's your favorite score? Can you believe she found that dress for just $10, something that probably cost 10 or 20 times that much new? Please leave your thoughts in the Comments section.

Salad Bar

Last night I came up with a super-quick and easy dinner. I call it "Salad Bar." It was a big hit with my husband, so we'll be incorporating this one into the standbys, especially during the summer.

When you want a light meal and prefer not to turn on the oven, try this. The best part is that it's ready in less than 10 minutes. I wish I would have thought to take a photo of it all laid out because it also makes a nice presentation. But I didn't even think about it for a blog post until AFTER it was such a success.

I had a really fresh head of red-leaf butter lettuce from our CSA, which I washed and "spinned" and tore up and placed in pretty salad bowls. Then I put several "toppings" in various little serving bowls: cherry tomatoes from our plants, sliced red onion, chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, dried cranberries, slivered basil, crumbled feta, gorgonzola, capers, and chopped olives. The freshly roasted beets were just for me. You can get creative here and use whatever you have in the house.

I placed all the little bowls with a couple of salad dressing choices on our table, and voila! A delicious summer meal. I think I'm lucky to have a husband who considers that a meal like I do. It's a great option when you've had a big lunch or date shakes in the middle of the day, like we did.

What are your favorite light summer meals? We'd all love to hear about easy choices, especially ones that don't require turning on the oven. Please leave your ideas and suggestions in the Comments section.

Cash for Clunkers

The "Cash for Clunkers" program started off with a bang yesterday. The idea is that you can take your old car to a dealer and get a coupon for $4500 to be used toward the purchase of a new, energy-efficient car. There aren't that many requirements, except that the old car has to really be a guzzler - to qualify it has to get 18mpg or less. And the car you purchase must get at least 10mpg MORE than that. You can get a coupon for $3500 if you raise your fuel-efficiency by somewhat less than that.

The program is supposed to spur sluggish car sales and encourage the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles. That sounds good. It's also intended to get the gas hogs and polluters off the road. Even better.

But here's the part that worries me: "Dealers must remove the engine and transmission of the cars that are turned in, disable them and take them to a junkyard." That sounds like we're leaving the task of responsibly disposing of tons of heavy objects to used car dealers. Am I the only one who's worried about this?

First of all, is it really better to junk those old cars, adding enormous (possibly toxic) waste to the landfills? And secondly, who will oversee that the process is done in an environmentally friendly way?

I couldn't find any analyses of these questions in my search last night, the day the program went into effect, but I'm going to continue looking. Please let me know if you find anything. I have a feeling we're about to see one of those "cash-strapped, recession-weary consumer" versus "sanctimonious environmentalist" arguments crop up. Like the one where we're all supposed to want gas prices to be so low that people can drive around in SUVs and Hummers, because, hey, that's their choice. As Americans. That really gets my goat. When you point out that in countries where gas prices are high, people drive more fuel-efficient cars, you're called un-American.

What do you think? Is there some way to head off this storm before it happens? Please tell me your thoughts in the Comments section.

CSA delivery: or, how to make Monday your favorite day of the week

Getting this delivery of local organic produce every two weeks has changed our lives! Cooking is more fun, and my husband is eating more fruit. On top of being better for the environment by cutting down transportation costs and supporting the local farmers, this stuff is much fresher, so it lasts longer, and it tastes absolutely delicious.

Here's a rundown of this week's bounty (I definitely need to consult the list because I don't know what some of it is): starting from the back and moving roughly clockwise is watermelon, bi-colored sweet corn, cavallion melon, red butter lettuce, a beefsteak tomato, zucchini, Ronde nice squash, cherry tomatoes, black grapes, homemade tomato sauce, plums, nectarines, red onions, rooted basil, and Armenian cucumber. Those purple goodies in the middle? Fresh Black Eyed Peas in the Shell. I've never seen those before.

I can't decide what to have for dinner tonight. I'm really excited about the corn, we'll have to eat that. Maybe I'll tackle those Black Eyed Peas, there are instructions on how to prepare them. And I'll definitely be referring to all the zucchini recipes I received from my readers when I cook that zucchini later this week.

I've posted today's recipe below, although we didn't receive eggplant, so something must have changed at the last minute. Our CSA visits four local Farmer's Markets over the weekend and picks the freshest offerings each week.

If you live in Los Angeles, this CSA operates through the restaurant and catering company Auntie Em's. This delivery costs $42, and we're getting it every two weeks, which is plenty for two people. I like what the owner has to say in this week's newsletter about the whole issue of trying to eat responsibly for our bodies and the planet: "I think that we should all try to do the best we can, and be proud that we're making a difference. Don't beat yourself up over the fact that you're not eating grass-fed beef, if you are buying organic produce, recycle, and are walking more places. It is really hard to do it all. But you can make good choices everyday."

I agree. And Auntie Em's is helping my husband and I make a good choice. I believe that many people making a lot of small changes has a greater impact than if a few of us become Ed Begley, Jr. (no offense to EB). The point is that you do what you can, and it all adds up. For me, the baby steps method works well so that I don't become overwhelmed. I can incorporate small changes into our lives like composting and eating local produce without a huge outlay of time or resources.

Becoming a non-consumer has led to a slew of other healthy lifestyle/good for the environment changes for me. What about you? Do you have a CSA option or Farmer's Market near where you live? Maybe you grow your own produce. Have you ever made Black Eyed Peas from the pod? Do you boil or steam fresh corn? Please leave your thoughts and questions in the Comments section.

Auntie Em's Delivery - Recipes

Auntie Em's Delivery - Recipes: "Eggplant and Tomato Salad"

1.5 lb. eggplant
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
Salt, to taste
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. parsley

• Preheat the oven to 475°F. Prick the eggplant several times with a fork or knife, then roast for 45 to 55 minutes, or until very soft. Remove from the oven and let cool until it can be handled.
• Peel the eggplant and place in a medium mixing bowl with the lemon juice and enough water to cover it. Let soak briefly, then drain the liquid and set the eggplant aside.
• In a pan over low heat, cook the tomatoes, garlic, and salt for about 15 minutes. Add the eggplant and other remaining ingredients and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes, or until the entire mixture is heated through.
• Serve as a salad or as a dip with pita bread."

Dancing Under the Stars

FREE STUFF ALERT: If you live in Los Angeles, the Paseo Colorado in Pasadena is hosting "Swing Dancing Under the Stars." This Saturday and next, July 25th and August 1st, the Paseo courtyard transforms into a dance hall. They put out a large wooden dance floor and the best local swing bands show up to play live.

That sounds like fun even if you don't dance, because you just know there will be some older couple really cutting the rug. If you feel like dancing but don't know how, get there early for a lesson at 6:30, before the bands play from 7-9:30pm.

Paseo Colorado
280 East Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-795-9100.

It's Friday...

... and our kitchen is still in a state of chaos due to our mini-remodel.

Which means the refrigerator and stove are in the dining room, cereal bowls are in the bathroom sink, and we're not cooking. Which has definitely led to some challenges in the area of avoiding food waste.

Do I sound like I'm complaining? Hardly. We got to eat out twice, and I didn't have to cook all week. Not that I ever actually HAVE to cook, but it's not very healthy to graze on Trader Joe's snacks for meals. Or to live on pasta and pizza, my husband's specialties. Plus we're getting a partially remodeled kitchen(!), which is a big improvement on the 60s-era model we moved into.

If you're new to this blog, every Friday I participate in the Waste-No-Food Challenge at The Frugal Girl. We try to limit our food waste by taking a photo of what gets thrown out that week. The idea is to FOCUS on the issue, and to sort of publicly commit to trying to waste less.

Not only are the many people involved in this challenge saving money by wasting less food, they're helping the environment by keeping it out of a landfill. You can read about the huge impact of all that food that gets tossed at Wasted Food.

I don't have a picture this week, but we did have a little bit of food waste. I just couldn't get in the kitchen to photograph it because I wasn't allowed to walk on the newly laid floor. My husband accidentally left out a partial pot of brown rice, and I found a rotten orange in a forgotten bowl in a corner of the reading room.

What I did right was PLAN before the madness. I shopped only for a few essentials, and I gave away a head of kale I knew would go bad before we could cook again. In my experience, the key to wasting less food has been: PLANNING, ORGANIZATION, and BUYING LESS FOOD.

Are you trying to waste less food? How'd you do this week? Please share your thoughts, tips, and ideas for wasting less in the Comments section.

Thrifty Threads

Welcome to another installment of Thrifty Threads, AKA Most Stylish Compact-y Outfit, where readers model their favorite secondhand clothes.

A Compact-y outfit is anything used or recycled, from the Goodwill, a thrift store, or a consignment shop.

Today's model is Sandy, who lives in western Canada and blogs at Into the Crockpot. Her blog isn't about crockpot recipes, though she does post a few of those. It's more a hodgepodge of this and that, or as Sandy describes it "a modern woman on a life journey... trying to lessen the load of debt, consumerism, and materialism... and all the good bits get thrown into the crockpot."

Some of those "good bits" are meal plans and recipes, her decluttering challenges, and photos of her adventures with her 5-year-old son. For example, just the other day they went to the beach... TWICE. I particularly enjoy her humor: for example, trying to get her husband on board with eating healthier and wasting less food, only to come home to a refrigerator jampacked with KFC. You can read about that struggle here.

Sandy found this great summer get up at Value Village, which isn't just for Canadians. Click here to find one near you. I definitely have Value Village envy, and have heard it talked about with much enthusiasm. Sandy describes it as a "thrift department store." She said she was hesitant to send in the photo (taken by her 5-year-old son, a running theme on this series) because she quit smoking five months ago and so she's put on some weight because of all the cooking and baking she's been doing. But she "gulped down her vain pride" since I advocate real women and real curves here on Thrifty Threads.

Congratulations Sandy! Gaining a few pounds is definitely worth the health benefits you'll get from kicking the habit. I did it myself 17 years ago, so I know how hard it is. And on top of all that good health, better smelling clothes and house, and the stress of trying to sneak smokes, Sandy says she's already saved $1000! Wow. That should be reason enough to give up cigarettes if you haven't yet.

This "ensemble" cost less than $5 at Value Village. A cute, comfortable summer outfit for less than the price of a double mocha. What a bargain. Thanks for sucking it up and sending in the photo, Sandy. I think you look great. And you're saving your lovely skin and smile from the ravages of smoking.

Readers, you know the drill. Put on your favorite secondhand clothes, snap a photo, and send it to me. You can find my email address on my profile page. We all want to see your fabulous finds. So don't be shy. Click here to check out previous installments of Thrifty Threads.

Do you shop at thrift stores? Do you have a Value Village near you? Tell me about your favorite secondhand scores. And let Sandy know you appreciate her willingness to "take one for the team," as she put it.

Interview in Your Daily Thread

The Los Angeles online magazine Your Daily Thread is featuring an article about my year on The Compact. Click here to check it out. Your Daily Thread is a great resource about green and sustainable living for Los Angelenos.

I met the writer, Danielle Davis, when we both had an article in The Simple Living Network newsletter a few months back. She asked if she could interview me and I agreed. It was fun to meet her, although strange for me to answer so many questions about myself.

She's a terrific writer, who also writes children's books along with her green living articles. Click here to check out her contribution to the Simple Living Network newsletter. She also has a blog called Less is More Balanced, which I love. I'll tell you all about it in a future post.

The gratefuls

My husband and I don't have kids, so I don't often post photos of cute children on my blog. But I can post pictures of my friend's kids, especially when I have something to say about them.

This is Lukas, the son of a good friend of mine. My friend will wonder why I'm posting a photo that's over three years old. Lukas turned 4 the other day and there are tons of adorable photos that are more recent. But I have my reasons. For one thing, it's one of my favorite photos of him, and perfectly captures his unadulterated joy. The other reason is because I love that we do that pose in my yoga class, and it's actually called "Happy Baby pose." And this post is about happiness.

I'm very interested in studies on happiness and what makes people happy. I find it interesting to wonder if it can actually be quantified. There's a lot of evidence that being grateful actually adds to our sense of well-being. And anecdotally, focusing on what I'm grateful for counterarracts the tendency to be constantly striving, wanting more, and wanting things to be different.

Sometimes Lukas and his mom practice what they call "the gratefuls" during dinner. They name something they're grateful for that day, or that moment. It could be one thing or five things. And one night when I was eating with them, when asked about his gratefuls, Lukas said, "I'm grateful that Auntie Ang is here eating dinner with us." It was totally unprompted and spontaneous. Now THAT'S something to be grateful for.

Being thankful for what's in my life, especially the people and relationships, gives me an immediate sense of calm. This is how I practice it: whenever I think of it - once a day, once a week, a few times a week, or a couple of times a day - I think of or write down 5 things I'm grateful for. I don't make it a chore, or a "have to" or another item on my "to-do" list, I simply do it whenever I think about it. And I like to call them "my gratefuls."

What I notice is that they are very nearly always the same: my husband, my friends, my family, the fact that I can walk and run and breathe easily and move my body freely, the fact that my husband and I are in good health, that kind of thing. When you pare it down to the essentials, what's important is hardly ever material. So I might be really excited about our beautiful new kitchen floor, but I'm grateful for a husband who worked so hard to make it happen.

What are you grateful for? Do you practice thankfulness, at a place of worship or on your own? Do you think it makes you happier? Please leave your thoughts in the Comments section.

Los Angeles Rocks at Recycling

If you don't think Los Angeles is serious about recycling, think again. It's not all sunshine and starlets here. According to a recent survey, Los Angeles was ranked the top recycler out of the 10 largest U.S. cities. We have an awesome recycling rate of 65 percent! Click here to see the list, which includes New York, San Diego, Chicago, and Dallas. We beat them all!

The great news is that Los Angeles has such a high recycling rate. But what's going on in places like Houston, with a 16 percent rate, and San Antonio, with a dismal 4 percent? Not such great news. As a nation, we've got a long way to go.

I had logged on to L.A.'s Department of Sanitation site to give you a few recycling tips and found that survey and list. Most of you probably already know this, but cities are constantly changing and updating what you can recycle. The best way to know what you can throw into your bins is to check your city's Department of Sanitation website. For example, we had an old refrigerator magnet that said we couldn't recycle things that we now can, like yogurt containers and styrofoam.

So make sure you're up-to-date on what CAN be recycled and what your city accepts curbside. And speaking as a Los Angeleno, Portland and Seattle: we're ready to take you on!

Where do you live and do you know the recycling rate? I was pleasantly surprised to find out ours was so high. Let me know in the Comments section. And I would love to hear from anyone who lives outside the U.S. When we stayed in England last year, they were lightyears ahead of us on this front.

Are you a non-consumer?

Are you a non-consumer? A conscious consumer? A Frugalista?

Or do you prefer another name, or no label at all?

Joining The Compact this year has made me somewhat of a non-consumer, but even that is relative since I still consume food, services like haircuts and an occasional pedicure, and dinners out. Also used items and wine. Oh, and I "consume" a weekly yoga class by paying the studio that runs it for the opportunity to be there.

I like the term conscious consumer, which implies a careful consideration of everything one purchases. Maybe you buy from a local bookstore instead of amazon, go to the Farmer's Market instead of the supermarket, or support a family-owned business rather than Wal-Mart. You make mindful purchases that support your values.

Another type is the Frugalista, who wants to live a fun and fabulous lifestyle, but without breaking the bank. A Frugalista, according to the Oxford University press, is "a person who lives a frugal lifestyle, but stays fashionable and healthy by swapping clothes, buying second-hand, growing own produce, etc." This type loves deals and freebies, and lives in a manner that bears no resemblance to deprivation.

Still others refer to themselves as frugal, thrifty, or resourceful. Some aren't ashamed to be called a cheapskate or a tightwad. They consider their habits a badge of honor, and think of themselves as smart.

This year I'm a non-consumer, and a bit of a Frugalista as well. If I'm frugal, it's to support a lifestyle where I can work less and by choice, and do things I love like travel and enjoy a nice dinner out. This article about a group of Maine residents for whom being frugal is nothing new was interesting. But a lifestyle that includes saving up for an Olive Garden dinner for your 50th anniversary 2 months in advance is frankly depressing to me. If you don't have the money, then that's fine. I'm not a believer in debt. But there are all kinds of stories of people who were stingy with their friends and relatives, not to mention themselves, their whole lives and left a pile of cash behind. I don't see that as anything to strive for.

I'm curious: how many of you are non-consumers or Compacters? Frugalistas? Are you unashamed to call yourself a tightwad? Or do you eschew labels altogether? Let me know in the Comments section.

Subscribe plus free concerts

I just wanted to let you know that if you want to subscribe to my blog, I've made it easier recently. So if you tried before and had trouble, you shouldn't have any difficulty now. Just type your email address into the box to the right, where it says "subscribe."

FREE STUFF ALERT: If you live in Los Angeles, check out the free summer concert series in Pershing Square downtown. The series runs through Aug 23rd several nights a week from 8pm to 10pm. The schedule:

Wednesday: Spaceland Under the Stars (INDIE MUSIC)
Thursday: Sounds of Summer with 100.3 (ALTERNATIVE/ROCK)
Saturday Night Pershing Square Downtown Stage (ROCK/80s)
Sunday: Swingin' Dance Bands (LATIN/ R & B/ VARIOUS)

Lawn seating. Click here for the complete schedule.

My favorite new recipe from the blogs

Welcome to an occasional series where I share a great new recipe with you. I actually tried this awhile back, and it's become a favorite. And I don't want to let the summer slip by without telling you about it.

This one comes from Jill at Mindfully Simple, and she calls it "Mindful Mama's Smooth Smoothie." I love smoothies, but all smoothies are not created equal. And this one's a winner. When you're in the mood for a tropical vacation, blend up one of these and take it out on the porch or the deck. It's the next best thing.

And it's healthy too! The strawberries are full of Vitamin C and antioxidants, pineapple is loaded with vitamins and helps build healthy bones, and coconut milk is good for your skin and hair and for stress relief. Also, this recipe calls for agave nectar, which is a great substitute for honey and other sweeteners.

Jill posts a lot of recipes, including a simple basic recipe for granola I've been using for months now and love, and others that I can't wait to try like enchiladas, chocolate chip banana bread, and noodles with peanut sauce. Jill is a mother of two teenaged boys who juggles that full-time engagement with work as a music therapist, gardening, planning vacations, home improvement projects, blogging, and scouring thrift stores and garage sales. She also has an etsy shop where she sells her lovely handmade jewelry. I was the winner of a beautiful beaded necklace, which I will be showing you as soon as all the elements come together: time, good hair day, husband with time for a photo shoot, etc. Go to Mindfully Simple to find out about other jewelry giveaways.

Something this delicious and good for you too, you have to try it! What's your favorite smoothie? Let me know in the Comments section.

Food Waste Friday: Refrigerator Cleanout

That's embarrassing. I thought we'd been doing pretty well so far, but a lot of these bottles and jars were hanging out on the door shelves, a little under my radar. We had to do a thorough cleaning out of the refrigerator this week, because my husband bought a new refrigerator. Yes, I did say new. He spent six weeks searching Craigslist for a used one, and even looked at two, but ultimately bought a discontinued model that was on sale. He's just as frugal as I am, but he's not on The Compact, so all I could do was encourage him to look for a used model. But since he's on a schedule, we ended up with a new fridge.

I can't say I'm unhappy at having a gorgeous brand-new stainless steel refrigerator. I would only be happier if it was this perfect, but we'd bought it from someone who'd gotten it just recently and realized they suddenly had to move, or they wanted a different model, or they were going on a nuts-and-berries diet and didn't even need a refrigerator. But I'm not complaining. My husband did a lot of work doing a mini-remodel on our kitchen, so I'm not going to give him grief about purchasing new appliances. But it does somewhat undermine my Buy Nothing New commitment, or at least make me feel a bit hypocritical when I talk about The Compact. So in case I haven't mentioned it: my husband is NOT doing The Compact, but he does support me in my commitment.

So back to this shameful display of bottles and jars. This is several years' worth, because some of these were 4 or 5 years old. In fact, the dressing with the hula girl was bought in Hawaii on a trip we took back in 2001. Okay, so this is really getting embarrassing. But I've come to the conclusion we don't really like or use jam or dressing that much. Obviously. My husband eats jam on toast occasionally, and I almost never eat it. I like it, but there are so many other things I'd rather have for breakfast. As far as the salad dressing, I usually make a simple dressing from scratch, so aside from the 2 or 3 favorites that we use often, these other more "exotic" choices get forgotten about.

I did manage to save a few jars of jam, some hoison sauce, and some garlic black bean sauce by consulting the excellent website Still Tasty. Check it out, you can find out how long almost any food will last before it needs to be tossed. Jam that still tasted good but was past the "sell by" date, I kept. And the hoison sauce and garlic black bean sauce are used so occasionally, and contain so many preservatives, I figure they're good for years.

I first found out about Still Tasty from my friend Kate over at An Exercise in Frugality. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, I highly recommend it. She posts a mix of useful information and thoughtful questions that I find very interesting and a bit different from other blogs. She offers ideas on how to make frappucinos at home, the many uses for baking soda, and creative parenting tips, to name just a few.

And as far as this week's food waste, at least I've learned something. We only need a couple of bottles of dressing, and one or two choices of jam. That way I don't think we'll be wasting any more condiments in the future. Once again, it's a matter of focus. I don't remember wasting mayonnaise or mustard or ketchup, or anything we actually use regularly. And by the way, I put all these through the dishwasher and am saving most of the jars. A couple of the plastic dressing bottles went in the recycling bin.

Have you been keeping track of your food waste? How did you do this week? It couldn't have been any worse than this. So fire away with your thoughts and questions in the Comments section. And if you want to know why you should even care, check out Wasted Food to learn about the consequences of sending rotten food to the landfill.

Wine Finds

It's way past time for another installment of Wine Finds, where I tell you about a favorite bottle of wine that costs less than $10. I'm not a wine expert, nor have I ever taken a wine course or even attended many tastings, but I do drink a fair amount of wine. And I know what I like.

This month's offering is a humble Merlot. I am of the opinion that a certain overhyped, overrated film greatly tarnished this old standby's reputation. And I think it was unwarranted. The biggest sin of Merlot seems to be that it is a blend of grapes. Since I'm a big believer in stews, mutts, potlucks, and mixed-race presidents, purity doesn't hold a lot of sway for me.

So if you still enjoy a nice Merlot on occasion, this is one of the best I've found for the price. It's from a California vineyard called Bogle, which also offers a very nice Old Vine Zinfandel. I'll have to check the price on that one. This Merlot generally sells for either $7.99 or $8.99 at either Trader Joe's or World Market. I would love to hear from out-of-staters about whether you can find this, and if you can buy it for anywhere near that price.

One of the things I enjoy about Merlot is its versatility. It's great to sip on its own, with appetizers (especially cheese and crackers), or with a simple meal. This Bogle is light and not too sweet, and has a variety and intensity of flavor. According to K & L Wine Merchants, "the deep cherry fruit hits both the nose and the palate upon the first sip, followed by soft hints of summer anise. Touches of pipe tobacco and spicy oak lend weight to the finish." So there you go: a nice variety and blend of tastes.

Let me know if you try this wine or if you have any favorites I should be reviewing. I'm keeping an eye out for some of your earlier suggestions and plan on posting a reader recommendation soon. Also, do you switch from red to white in the summer? We generally drink a lot more white in the summer than we do in the winter, but I still crave my glass of red wine, especially with pizza or pasta. Please leave your thoughts and suggestions in the Comments section. And click here if you want to check out previous installments of Wine Finds.

July baby steps challenge: composting- update

My baby steps challenge for July is to start composting. I wrote about my doubts and lack of knowledge a few weeks back, and you can read that post here. But armed with a lot of advice from my readers and a bit of research, I officially started composting last weekend.

I picked up this bin from the city of Los Angeles for $5. It's actually a worm bin, so it didn't have holes or any kind of drainage in the bottom. I've opted to wait on adding worms, and see if worms find their way into my bin as some people have said might happen. I just don't really love the idea of paying for worms, and having to touch them. Call me squeamish.

I stuck pretty closely to the composting method outlined by The Frugal Girl. Her bin is twice as large, but there are 6 in her family and only 2 in mine. If it fills up too fast, I figure I'll either get another one or go ahead and buy worms. A few people have advised me that vermicomposting - the worm bin method - works much faster.

This bin is out behind our garage and is mostly in shade. I cut holes in the bottom, although I was advised by one person to cut out the entire bottom of the bin. I don't think that's practical with such a small container. I want to be able to turn and dump the compost easily.

I'm still working on getting an interim container in the kitchen for scraps on their way to the bin. My Pillsbury doughboy cookie jar isn't working out as I'd hoped because the opening is too small. I'm skeptical about our Goodwill because the housewares section is sorely lacking, so I'll have to hit the garage sales this weekend and see what I come up with. I want it to look nice enough to sit out on the counter, but be large enough that I don't have to empty it every single day.

As far as where the bin is located, I had conflicting advice on that. Some people said part sun/part shade and others said complete shade. Maybe it depends on the worm thing. This bin will be mostly in shade, the sun that's hitting the bin in the photo is in the morning, and only lasts a couple of hours at the most.

If YOU want to start composting, I recommend looking up your city's Department of Sanitation for any bin giveaways or sales. They also have tutorials available online. Otherwise, all you have to do is find or buy a Rubbermaid container and drill some air holes into it. Secondly, I would consult this post at The Frugal Girl, which also references You Grow Girl. And finally, I would read the Comments section of this blog from my original post about composting here.

Believe me, if I can do it, you can do it. And by the way, you can do the vermicomposting on a patio, in a garage, or even inside your house in a closet or pantry. I don't know if I would do that, but I'm just passing along the information.

Do you already compost? Do you have any additional advice for me or my readers? Please let us know in the Comments section. And a great big THANK YOU to all the good folks who participated in my composting education.