To Melt the Ice in Our Hearts

We just recovered from some record-breaking cold. According to the Albuquerque Journal, places in New Mexico like Angel Fire and Eagle’s Nest had the coldest lows in the nation last week. Here in Albuquerque, the cold crippled our government and school systems. Our governor actually declared a state of emergency because there were some communities in New Mexico that did not have gas to heat their homes. I know that there are places in the country that experience this every year, but we desert people are not accustomed to this. At least not since 1971, which is the last time it was ever this cold. I think that small catastrophes like this, although uncomfortable, bring out the humility in us. Sometimes we need a lesson that affirms we cannot or will not control everything except our attitudes.

I did not feel sorry for our family at all as I turned the thermostat down. We have options like blankets and wearing more clothes. If our gas was turned off, we had a place to go. I thought about those who were without. What did our homeless people do to withstand this cold? I know that some definitely put themselves in hospitals or jail. I read another blog post, in which the author explained how she drove around to find a homeless person in her neighborhood because she was worried about the person's condition in these frigid temperatures.

It made me think about a story I read as a child and again to my son, The Little Match Girl. The story is about a poor young girl selling matches in the street on a cold winter night. Since she was unable to sell the matches, she ends up finding a nook and lights the matches envisioning warmth, food, and love. The next morning, passersby find her dead. It is a story that hopefully brings out compassion in people. It teaches us that with a warm attitude, we can really live our dreams. I connected this story to the scripture I heard at mass yesterday, “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? Compassion=salt. When we reach out to each other—including husbands, wives, families and friends—we season each other. We have full flavor. We are not bland. Salt will melt icy hearts. Now on to commit this to my own daily dealings and I will start with breakfast.

Breakfast with Confidence

I know that it is only the second week in grad school, but I am still really excited about meeting new people and listening to new ideas. Although I am proud to be accepted into grad school, I am quite humbled. I feel like I am starting all over again, but what is great is that I can express my ideas in a collaborative effort that might actually help others. Currently, I am reading, reading, reading. Most of what I read is well, dry. So much of it is filled with scholarly jargon and I too have been guilty of writing this way. It is embarrassing to admit. I am so glad that the authors of my research design textbook think so too. They actually make light of it and I am so glad because I give a little chuckle while I read.

I did come across some very interesting but alarming articles that discussed food insecurity. Food insecurity not only affects the poor, it affects all of us. Think about it. In the past few years, our country’s supposedly trusted food producers underwent the largest recalls in U.S. history because of contamination or the company’s failure to inspect their products. Spinach, beef, candy bars, peanut butter, and eggs were the largest. As a result, Congress passed a food safety and inspection bill of 2009 in September, which gives the FDA the power to initiate recalls instead of asking the companies to do so after people get sick. Additionally, this bill requires that food processors and producers pay a fee for inspection services. Sounds good right? I thought so until I read that this would adversely affect small farmers and these small farmers are not the folks guilty for poisoning us. Thankfully, the bill was revised to exclude smaller producers. Thankfully for me since I am planning to sell my produce this summer and the last thing I want to do is poison anybody. We take food security for granted, but these past few years have been eye openers.

Food insecurity is also the fear of being unable to afford access to uncontaminated nutrient dense foods. This is especially true for the poor. I like to buy organic foods that are in season. When I do this, I know that I don’t have to worry about pesticides or hormones. I also know that I am purchasing foods that are more likely to be local so my carbon footprint won’t be so darn big. Most importantly, I am purchasing food that tastes better and are at their peak nutritional value. I prefer to support Community Supported Agriculture like Los Poblanos Organics or Beneficial Farms. However, I notice that my grocery bill is higher when I do this and I will pass on these foods because they are often too outrageously priced for our working class income. For the poor, it is more cost effective to get more for the money. Sometimes this means buying high caloric processed foods like those terrible 99 cent Totinos pizzas. Unfortunately, a can of asparagus is cheaper than fresh asparagus. This bothers me because access to fresh healthy food is a privilege rather than a need. It has been this way for centuries, but haven’t we progressed since the mid ages?

Purchasing and preparing healthy food for my family is a way that I show love and caring. I know I am not alone in this. I would feel inadequate if all I could afford to feed my family is baloney sandwiches on white bread, but there are some who do this because they feel they have no other choice. I think this hurts culturally as well. Have you heard the term, “Mexican steak sandwich?” This is why I feel so strongly about community gardening and finding ways to make a little go a long way but there are roadblocks and I will talk more about that later.

As much as I don’t want this to be a preachy blog, I am going to suggest some good ways that I eat breakfast on the cheap. My favorite is oatmeal. For the most part is cheap for a large canister and in bulk form. It has nutrient dense calories and plenty of fiber. One has the choice to dress it up with versatility. I also really enjoy eggs because they are cheap, versatile, and nutrient dense. Beans, yes, beans for breakfast!

Here are some of my favorite, fast, and cheap breakfast ideas. Please share yours.

Peanut butter oatmeal (Add 1 tablespoon of any nut butter to instant or regular oatmeal, with ½ cup of milk and a tsp of sweetener of choice, I like honey.) It tastes like a peanut butter cookie. This doesn’t even cost a dollar. 2-5 minutes tops. Add bananas to make it sweet and omit honey.

My version of migas (two corn tortillas fried up in olive oil, pour in one beaten egg, pour ¼ cup of salsa or chile, a small handful of cheese) Add a glass of juice or a piece of fresh fruit and you hit all the major food groups.This is less than a dollar and takes about 5-10 minutes to make.

Whole wheat toast or tortilla with a slice of tomato and a fried egg in olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and tobacco or chile powder. This takes 5 minutes is also less than a dollar.

Plain or vanilla yogurt with a handful of walnuts (I don’t mind them if they are not toasted) a teaspoon of honey or agave nectar and fresh fruit like banana. This is actually more than a dollar unless you buy the yogurt in bulk. This takes the less time.

Refried beans in olive or canola oil dished up on a whole hard roll or even a bagel topped with ¼ cup of salsa and small handful of cheese w/ fresh fruit. Less than a dollar and about 10 minutes to make.

Remember that breakfast means breaking a fast and we are blessing ourselves when we give our body something healthy and be part of the quest to help end food insecurity.

Comfort Food

First, I have to spill it in review of the week. I officially was accepted in my graduate program, but I really had to hit the ground running. I go part-time, but it is intense. I am humbled at so much that I do not know that I feel a little insecure about it. I have been reading and writing and researching, but I have not found my niche. Time management has been a struggle and I am trying to find a part-time job. In this economy, that is not an easy task especially if one is picky about schedule. The most exciting event this week had absolutely nothing to do with my life, thank God because it involved some ex-boyfriend of some other lady dousing himself and vehicle with gasoline, driving into her home and lighting a match. Thank the lord that no one was seriously injured. The boyfriend lived two blocks from me and he spoke with me all summer about girlfriend. I often tried to avoid him because his topics were awkward. The girlfriend lived four houses down from me. Let's just say it was quite the sight to see. I was blown away to know that something that seemed to be pure gossip turned out to be a cry for help. I feel a little guilty in some way. He was a very lonely person and a Viet Nam veteran. Although what he did was seriously violent and psychotic, it indicates some serious emotional pain.

With all this, I needed a little something that had nothing to do with school. I took my kids to the library. (I know, how does a library have nothing to do with school?) Well, if one checks out a book purely for enjoyment, that's how. I checked out French Women for all Seasons by Mireille Guiliano, which is a supplement to the best seller, French Women Don't Get Fat. The best way for me to explain this book is that it is a concept book to enjoy all things beautiful about being a woman. She asserts that the path to a healthy life and trim figure is to enjoy foods at the peak of their season and to stop denying pleasurable foods or feeling guilty about indulging a little and I stress "little." She uses zero science and includes rich desserts in her recipes. She also includes tidbits and advice for fashion, which is unlike any diet book I have ever seen. My favorite is that she makes sure to include a glass of wine with every dinner. Now I read all sorts of diet plans and I have to say that this one was very refreshing. She discusses portion sizes and includes numerous fruits and vegetables in her sample menus. She ridicules American diets because we eat in such a rush and that our food ways are often a battle and source of guilt other than a comfort and pleasure if done in moderation. Eating for need and pleasure rather than eating for need, want and/or guilt is her motto.

I can see many dieters, dieticians, and some medical professionals outraged at her motto except she is not saying to eat for comfort and many of us do it. I often question the strict dogma about eating for comfort. Since birth, humans eat for comfort. It starts from the comforting sensation of suckling and feelings of touch and smell. This doesn't just go away. However, I also remember reading research stating that toddlers eat until they feel satiated even if they like the food. They simply stop eating so easily. This stops somewhere around three years of age. We eat to comfort ourselves or because we are bored. We also eat in social functions, which is also comforting. Now I definitely don't agree with eating for boredom, but the other two, I am not so sure about. I am a believer that eating as well as cooking can be artistic and that there are a variety of foods that will match moods. Let's just hope the mood isn't always, "I had a bad day at work." or "My boyfriend and I just got into a fight." Even worse, "Let's have an eating contest?"

If I eat for comfort when one of these moods strike, I integrate food for comfort. I try to say, I had a bad day at work so I think I will make myself something special for dinner or I may have a cup of ice cream with fresh bananas for dessert. If my husband and I fight, I might indulge in some cheesy pizza with veggies. As for eating contests, I will lose. This morning, I am cooking up one of my favorite breakfasts, oatmeal with stewed prunes. It is very sweet and very healthy. I use juice, orange zest and a little red wine to stew the prunes. This is comfort food for me. So if some emotional pain strikes, eat a little something. Stay away from the booze and of course the gasoline. You could indulge in my favorite comfort foods of all time, beans and rice.