Lakeside Foodies

🍃 Some say that those in Gary, Indiana live in a food desert, so I am researching The Region and beyond in order to build a well stocked pantry as my oasis. Back in my hometown with fresh eyes and a pack of hungry mini foodies, I am exploring Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland for treats and ideas to share with fellow Lakeside Foodies for great food right at home.🍹

[globalriseofblackpeople]

Chef Babette Davis Makes Vegan Soul Food And It’s Delicious!!!

67 years old

[socokitchen]

[socokitchen]

What helps Mom?

COMPLIMENTARY GIFT BAG OF GROCERIES SO SHE CAN TAKE A TIMEOUT!

Okay, didn't mean to yell. 💚😁 I just realized it's that simple.

I am delivering fifty dollars worth of groceries to a Mom in Gary, Indiana so that she can take some time off. Yep, sounds good. Let me know if you have a Mom in mind (1st time pregos count as well 😘) and I will choose Sunday April 7th at noon.

[myvegetarianblues]

Fruit cups: pineapples, strawberries, mangoes and grapes…. about $1.40 each. How much does a fruit cup cost in the store? 🤔 Stop paying for the convenience of pre-cut fruits and veggies, you’re spending too much.

[socokitchen]

[myvegetarianblues]

I thought I knew what it meant to be a vegetarian, but apparently I’ve been doing it all wrong. I thought it was just as simple as just giving up all animal products and that was it. I knew I wasn’t doing it right when I wasn’t losing weight, but I chalked it up to not exercising. The whole time, I’ve been explaining to people, “Just because I dont eat meat doesn’t mean I eat healthy”. But that alone is the issue. Because I’m not eating meat should be more of the reason that im eating healthier. For the last few weeks I’ve been reading Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and I’ve been learning so much more about myself. In that same time, I’ve noticed for a vegetarian I really don’t eat alot of fruits, veggies or beans for that matter. Taking a very seriously look at the type of foods I do consume, I’m confused how I’m a vegetarian. (LOL). My diet mosly consumed a vegan and vegetarian meat substitute, plenty of rice, french fries and a small amount of veggies. What was I doing wrong? I know that the biggest killer was not having enough time to cook. I would buy fresh veggies and they would spoil before I found enough inpiration to cook a meal. Or I would get stuck in a runt and it was easier to eat something quick and already prepared. Needless to say, Im ashamed of myself. While reading Eat To Live, I’ve learned so much about myself and my eating habits and things that I need to change to not only eat better, but to lose health weight and become a better healthier verison of myself. In the next few weeks, I will be changing my whole vegetarian diet and lifestyle. In-turn, I will post more about my learning from Eat To Live and how I will incorporate the changes into my everyday life. The great thing about this lifestyle change though… I haven’t gone back to eating meat (never will, thats dead lol), and I’m willing to make a change to be a better me. This is a whole learning experience but I will be a better vegetarian.

[socokitchen]

Thats It right here! See an issue, look into while being forgiving of yourself and do better in the future. 

[nbcnightlynews]

Green Garden Bakery in North Minneapolis is completely run by teens. They create desserts using vegetables and fruits to make healthy food more enjoyable. Access to fresh produce in the North Minneapolis neighborhood, which is considered a food desert, can be scarce. The teens bake healthy foods, while also giving back to the community through donations and mentorship. Watch Tammy Leitner’s story here, or head to our website for more: https://nbcnews.to/2tZE6D4

[socokitchen]

This is EXACTLY what I want for the City Life Center in Gary, Indiana! Like duuude, from the farming to the cooking. A reputable, comfortable place to hang out while making a difference in the city.

[chicagofooddeserts-blog]

Combating Food Deserts

There is no one solution to deleting food deserts from our city. But there is a nonprofit that has committed the last decade to trying. Growing Home is a Chicago organization that has four organic gardens in neighborhoods considered to be food deserts.

For their part, Growing Home contributes to the fight against food deserts in multiple ways: first, they are pioneers of the Chicago community gardening movement, improving the environment through their four gardens; second, they have a CSA program as well as a weekly farmer’s market booth in neighborhoods in or near food deserts, so that the individuals have access to local organic food at a low cost; and last, they use organic urban agriculture as a job training method, taking on interns from disadvantaged neighborhoods for each of their four gardens. 

Growing Home is trying to snuff Chicago food deserts by going to the source–providing individuals and communities with equal opportunities of access to resources like fresh food and job training, all in the name of helping the local environment.

[socokitchen]

When Urban meets Agriculture... ooooh yeeeah! #FistBumpBro

[greenhacks-deactivated20241111]

1) Flip an old shirt inside out. 2) Sew the bottom together. 3) Snip off the sleeves & neckline. 4) Ta-da! A quick and easy grocery bag.

**Sew the sleeves & other fabric scraps together to make a dishrag.

[veganfoodblog]

Shopping tip

The ShopWell app is very convenient. You can scan foods with your smart phone while at the grocery store and see if those items meet the filter requirements you have put in place under your settings. You can choose “vegan” as one of your filters, but there are other options you can choose from as well such as “gluten-free.” You can also choose what you’re specifically looking to increase in your diet (protein, iron, vitamin a, vitamin c, etc.) and/or what you’re specifically looking to decrease (trans fat, disaccharides, sodium, etc.)

Select “vegan” as one of your filters in the app. If the food you scan is not vegan, the app will recommend that you avoid it and then offer a list of alternative options that better meet the requirements you’ve listed under your food settings. You can change the settings at any time.

While the app is not for vegans only, it makes vegan shopping a lot easier and can help people customize their diets to better fit their health needs in general.

The app is also free!

Just something to keep in mind. So far, it has really worked for me.

[socokitchen]

Meijer Grocery Deals 12/30-1/5

+ Spice Islands Pink Himalayan Salt, 4.5 oz    Final Price: $0.44

Spice Islands Spice or Seasoning from Smart Source on 11/11                          Spice Islands Spice or Seasonings from Smart Source on 12/9

+Kellogg's Cereal, .4-18.7 oz  Final Price: $1.50

*Kellogg’s coupon at kelloggsfamilyrewards.com                                                   * Kellogg’s Cereals or Pop-Tarts, 8.4 oz or larger at coupons.com            *Kellogg’s Cereals/Pop-Tarts Toaster Pastries 8.4 oz or larger at meijer.com

+Crystal Light Powder Drink Mix, 0.6-3.2 oz     Final Price: $0.99

*Kool-Aid or Country Time Powder Drink Mix, 18-20 oz                                    Buy 4, save $2.00 instantly

+ O, That's Good Frozen Pizza, 22.8-24.1 oz      Final Price: $2.50              

*Buy 4, save $2.00 instantly, O, That’s Good Frozen Pizza Smart Source on 12/2

​+Fairlife or SuperKids Ultra-Filtered Milk, 52 o  Final Price: $2.49 each, buy 2 

*Fairlife Milk 52 oz, Meijer Digital Coupon at meijer.com

+ Cool Whip Topping, 8 oz     Final Price: $0.75                                                  Buy 4, save $2.00 instantly

​*Use Fairlife Milk 52 oz coupon at meijer.com

+ O, That's Good Soup, 16 oz  Final Price: $2.49 

*Buy 4, save $2.00 instantly, O, That’s Good Soup or Side Smart Source 12/2

+Florida's Natural Refrigerated Juice, 52 oz  Final Price: $2.00 each, when you buy 2

*Florida’s Natural Not From Concentrate Orange Juice 52 fl oz or larger from SmartSource in paper on 11/11

+ Screamin' Sicilian Pizza, 20.2-25.05 oz        Final Price: $3.99

*Screamin’ Sicilian Premium Product coupon at screaminsicilian.com

+ Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup, 10.75 oz            Final Price: $0.69 each when you buy 4 

*Campbell’s Condensed Soups from Smart Source on 11/4

+Pillsbury Crescent, Cinnamon, Orange or Sweet Rolls, 8-13.9 oz                Final Price: $1.55 each, when you buy 3   

*Pillsbury Refrigerated Baked Goods Product from Smart Source on 11/11

*Pillsbury Refrigerated Baked Goods Products from Smart Source on 10/21

*Pillsbury Refrigerated Baked Goods Products from Smart Source on 12/2

[socokitchen]

🍅🥑🧀🍞 Serves 2

2 avocados (peeled, pitted, & cubed)

2 - 3 tomatoes (cubed) 

1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese (cube)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. basil (dry or fresh)

salt & pepper (to taste)

_____________________

Put the cubes of avocados, tomatoes, and mozzarella in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Add basil, salt & pepper. Mix lightly and eat at room temperature with toasted bread. You can even refrigerate leftovers with a splash of lemon or lime.

[food-porn-diary]

My last leftover turkey salad sandwich

[socokitchen]

Yes!!! 😋

[food-porn-diary]

Curry Bath Soup

[socokitchen]

How deliciously cute!

[havephonewilltravel]

A Fritto Misto of fresh asparagus and squash blossoms from the the Green City Market in Chicago

[socokitchen]

🤔 A food oasis can be defined as any place where people have the best possible access to healthy options and eating environments.

Food Oasis :: Washington State Department of Health

I AM in the process of creating a Food Oasis right here in my kitchen, the SoCo Kitchen, in Gary, Indiana.

I grew up in Gary and back then you couldn't tell me that I was not loving with a Home Chef. Despite the variety of restaurants at the time, my grandmother cooked almost daily. Being a Southern woman I think this was just how you did things and I am so blessed to have witnessed it. Her kitchen was a restaurant in itself so my food options felt endless.

I feel like no matter where you live you can change your reality. Food is one thing that can be simple, luxurious and creative. A delicious meal is good for you, to you and can be apart of an evening ritual to relax the mind and prepare you for the next day.

[socokitchen]

Campaign Plant Power

One of my most proud Mom moments are when the kids eat veggies and water with no problem! Getting them this way was pretty easy, I just made it tasty and keep them involved. Carrots get paired with snap peas, red pepper strips and a ranch dip along with frozen grapes. Seeing my kids work in the garden and heartily eating salads is pure pride! I have given them a leg up in health with the fact that they reach for the produce plate all on their own.

With Autumn arriving I figure it is time to up my produce game since side dishes will soon be a holiday priority. Usually salads and party like produce platters keep everyone set with the raw foods they need. I am ready to get gourmet and make produce feel like a star like pairing smoky bacon and garlic with fresh brussel sprouts and parmesan.

I'm figuring you have some fragrant, flavorful dishes paired with fresh plates then meat can be easily reduced or even eliminated from a meal.

[brownbeautylife]

Getting a quick lesson on canning from my mother. She made giardiniera (Italian relish) with mixed pickled peppers, celery, cauliflower & olives.

[socokitchen]

Life Goals right here My People!!

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#Food #NwiLiving #GoodFood #EatWellMyFriends #HomeChef #Yummy #SoCoKitchen #SouthernComfortNWI

[food-porn-diary]

2tier 6:4inch cake: Vanilla flavour with raspberry spread

[socokitchen]

Regal