Comments on: Plastic Challenge: Katie M, Week 2

By: Katie M

Katie M — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:23:04 +0000

rebecca, that’s a great idea for the cream and i am willing to try it, since this seems like the most common occurring culprit. i did also see the scramble egg idea earlier but forgot until now. i did find the textured vegetable protein and made “Garden burgers” and a “meat” loaf, both well received by hubby so things are looking good on that front.

i am still struggling with being brave enough to ask to use my own container for take out. i think i will start with the friendliest places first and work my way up.

the convenience foods thing is definitely more obvious when you have to count every piece of plastic it creates. my positive update is i have been making my own granola bars for 4 weeks now (with varying degrees of success) but since i like to bake it’s has not been too much of a hassle.
i have had 2 failures at baking my own bread, but refuse to give up!

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 02:46:03 +0000

Hi Katie. When I look at your list of things you would be willing to give up, I notice it’s all mostly convenience foods. Have you noticed that too? Eating whole foods can be a big change when you’re not used to it, but ultimately, it’s more satisfying, I think.

By: EcoCatLady (AKA Rebecca)

EcoCatLady (AKA Rebecca) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 19:59:01 +0000

I wonder if you could get real cream in glass instead of the coffee creamer. You can always add a drop or two of real vanilla or hazel nut extract for flavor. I used to love that coffee creamer stuff, but since I’ve been making efforts to go “all natural” I now can’t stand it, it just tastes like chemicals to me.

I am totally with you on the takeout thing. Maybe I’m just a total chicken, but I never realized how great my fear of being looked at like I was a freak was, until I contemplated trying to get my favorite Chinese restaurant to let me bring my own containers! I mean, half the time they can’t even understand me well enough to get the order right! I haven’t braved that one yet.

And I also know what you mean about cooking for other people. My boyfriend is a big fan of the fake meat products too. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately (still not sure which it is) I’ve developed a severe allergy to an ingredient that is commonly used in those things, so I was forced to find alternatives. And since it was a medical issue and not just more of my “crazy green stuff” my boyfriend was quite willing to experiment. We’ve actually had great luck using scrambled eggs in recipes where you’d normally find hamburger. You have to add a bit of extra seasoning in order to get it to taste right, but the texture is generally pretty satisfying, especially if you cook them thoroughly before you add them to the recipe.