Thursday, November 5, 2015

November 5, 2015 - Day 3 Welfare Food Challenge

Thursday I usually head out with my running/walking group (Thursday Morning Gang - TMG) and then we go somewhere after for breakfast. I considered not going but that seemed to be playing into the idea of social isolation (which many people on a low income will doubtless experience because unlike me they may not belong to a group where the fact that 30 out of 31 people are eating at the cafe makes it okay for the one who is just having water). I got up and announced why I wasn't eating.

I am not really sure what people thought - I could see some people thought that it wasn't their problem how difficult life is for people on assistance. Others commiserated but passed on various stories they'd heard about the integrity of agencies trying to help the needy as well as stories from friends about how those in need were 'picky' about what was being offered. And of course more than one offered me some of their food which I politely refused. It was a good discussion and hopefully if there is time I will also bring it up tomorrow when I attend an Island Health event in their Knowledge to Action series.

Today is going okay - I am typically splitting each meal into two parts to try and keep hunger pangs at bay. I'm also drinking my 'fruit refuse soup' inspired in part by the work of Cinda Chavich (so the peel of the banana I have for breakfast as well as the core of the apple, a dash of cinnamon and boil all with water for a few minutes) - having this slightly sweet, warm drink is helping. I also put the chopped up banana peel into the lentils and it was perfectly okay - after boiling it has no taste and blended in with the spicy lentils perfectly. And the potatoes - oven roasted with salt, pepper, oil and fresh rosemary - are heavenly. I am looking forward to them for dinner. The lentils expanded amazingly in cooking - I had measured out 1 lb (454 grams) and when I weighed out the finished product it was ~2kg. Something to keep in mind. Here's a photo of my wonderful potatoes.






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