Meghan - Day 7

Today is the last day of our challenge, I am sort of sad. I think this is going to be a gradual change as I still have local products that I am going to continue to use and lots of people that I would still like to talk to about their experience with growing and producing locally. 

Spelt pasta with chicken cacciatore and veggies 

I started out with some of the rye bread that I bought from Quail Farm's along with some honey from Okanagan Honey this morning. Also had some grapes and an Aura apple. Lunch consisted of cheese, hazel nuts, celery and carrots. Dinner was chicken cacciatore with carrots, celery, garlic, spinach and home made tomato sauce along with the spelt pasta that I purchased from Quail Farm's. Very tasty and the only difference from what I would do normally is have some olive oil in the pan while sautéing the veggies. I can see what a difference that makes though, my veggies became more dehydrated this way then sautéed and I felt like the tomato sauce was trying to revive them a bit. Nonetheless it tasted great and looks good too! For a night snack I had an Ambrosia apple and some pumpkin seeds.

Herbs from the garden

I helped my mother a bit with cleaning and sorting of her herbs from the garden today. They all had to be washed and any unhealthy bits had to be taken off so they could be either dried or put in the freezer. She had basil, parsley, mint, oregano, thyme, rosemary and chives which you can see in the picture took up a large part of the kitchen island. It's a big job prepping them all but it's better then seeing them go to waste.

Spelt berries (kernels) cooked

I also prepped some food for Tuesday, which is my long day at school, which will include my spelt berries (kernels). I am used to cooking with wheat berry (which can be found as hard wheat berry or soft wheat berry) which is just the kernel that flour is made from. We use it in salads all summer as a source of grain and protein to help keep you full longer and healthy. So it was an easy step fro me to try spelt berry. I brought 1.5 cups to boil in 3 cups of water and then let it simmer for 45 mins or until they are soft. The shell cracks off and you see the white fetish and you know it's done. It has a bit of a nutty taste but if you eat quinoa you will find this taste to be mild. Something to think about adding to our pantry and now that you know it can be found locally then all the more reason to try it!

Today I met my fruit and veggie requirements, my grain requirements, meat requirements but only made part of my dairy requirement.

Meghan - Day 6

Today is oatmeal day and it's so good. I can't believe how different these fresh oats taste compared to the stuff I normally by at the store. I am so happy I found these and that I get to enjoy them. My only concern is that most mornings I just do not have enough time to cook and eat oatmeal. Oatmeal is not something you can't eat fast, it's a slow meal but does sustain you for a while after so a great option when you have time. I was going to use the fresh apple sauce but really felt like blueberries so added that to my oats. I have to say I missed having cinnamon but that's okay, I can have that next time.

Oatmeal with hazel nuts

I went to the Farmer's Market this morning. Talked to lots of interesting people. Picked up some spelt kernels (berries) which I am going to cook up like rice and add them to a salad and or have with my stir fry. I also bought some beef from Vale Farms in Lumby.

I learnt something very important about fresh eggs today while being at the market. So I have been hard boiling them and I guess that making hard boil eggs is not advisable with fresh eggs, because they are very hard to peel and the inside membrane is hard to remove. I experienced both of these challenges, and I just assumed that it was because I had not cooked them long enough or something. But I guess fresh eggs need to sit for at least 5-6 weeks before they become good to hard boil. Fresh eggs are meant to be cracked and cooked. Important lesson. Now I don't have the space to save eggs for several weeks so as easy as it would be to keep buying fresh eggs which I would love to do, I am going to have to give up some fridge space if that's what I want to do.

Bought some rye bread that was grown and made in Vernon at Quail Farm's which is the same place that I got my spelt pasta from. I had that for a snack today with some local honey from Okanagan Honey in Kelowna which was really tasty. 

Brussels sprouts grown on long thick stalks - who knew!

Lunch was on the go so had some hazel nuts, an egg, cucumber, celery, carrots and an Aura apple. Sadly dinner was not within 100 miles because I was out celebrating my material grandmother and my paternal grandfather's birthdays, they both turn 93 years old. It was a bit weird eating rice, didn't realize how much I missed it.

Today I met my fruit and veggie requirements, my grain requirements (hurray!), some meat alternative requirements but didn't make the dairy requirements.

Juliana Reflections and the Future

I am really glad we did this challenge! I feel like even in a week, my eating habits have improved, I feel healthier, I have more motivation at the gym, I have more energy, I got to meet people in the community who make my food. My food had a face this week and that feels nice. My food was environmentally sustainable this week and that also feels nice! I was forced to try new things like parsnips, and also I have beets still to cook that I never got around to. I don't feel that a week of doing this has made us experts but it has opened my eyes to the possibility of this diet as a permanent lifestyle. I feel like we're just getting started and already the week is over. I still have tons of local veggies to finish up. I was surprised to be wrong about the cost of eating locally. I know it would be different if I had a whole family to feed but the vegetables and fruit I bought were often at par and even cheaper than buying them from Superstore. Milk, eggs and other proteins especially cheese were more expensive but they last a single person quite  while. My suggestions for anyone who wanted to give this a try would be...

1. Try to recruit some friends....It was amazing to have Meghan and Amy to do this with because we could give each other tips on where to find certain things, recipe ideas, moral support and encouragement. Together we could also reach more people and spread the ideas of the 100 mile diet further.

2. Start in Spring or Summer....Start when the markets are open and thriving so that you don't get discouraged by a lack of variety! If you start in the spring or summer then you'll be way more prepared to successfully make it through the winter with canned goods, jams, dehydrated foods etc.

3. Try new things!....Don't stick to your usual shopping list, try new vegetables, you'll learn a new skill and might even find something you really enjoy eating! Like beet leaves, edible flowers, dandilion leaves, parsnips etc.

4. Plan & Prepare....Make sure you set enough time aside to meal plan and prepare foods so that you have a few things to take on the go such as Meghan's pumpkin seeds or nuts. Try making homemade granola bars or easy things to grab when running out the door. Have your veggies pre-washed and chopped so that meals wont take too long and make you feel like you're always in the kitchen.

5. Meet the people who make your food... Don't just buy your local produce from the supermarket, go to the farmer's markets and orchards, farms etc and meet the people who make, grow and produce your food. They often have neat stories and your food becomes more personal. This enforces your reasons for doing the 100 mile diet and promotes success! It is also community building and easier to recommend a face to your friends than an item in a grocery store.

6. Read "The 100 Mile Diet"....This was a great source of comfort and knowledge for me as we went through a week of many adjustments and hard choices. It feels good knowing that sugar cravings and frustrations are part of the process and Alisa and J.B are vocal about their struggles but they succeeded and you can too. They also have amazing recipes and food ideas. Their stories will make you laugh and encourage you to keep going. It is also a resource you can recommend to your friends who are interested in what you are doing.

7. Support Restaurants who serve local...Many restaurants in Kelowna serve local foods, support these as a way to treat yourself to not having to cook. Raudz downtown is known for using foods that are in season and from farms in Kelowna. The Train Station pub on Clement uses almost exclusively local foods including beef, cheese, ice cream and beer.

8. Eat by the Canada Food Guide...Make sure a Amy did, that you are eating enough of the different food groups so that you don't become lacking in nutrients. It is important to eat a variety and not just what is easiest or cheapest.

9. Don't sweat the extra bucks....Spending a little extra on certain items is a reality of this lifestyle but there are things to think about, for example you'll probably not be eating out as much which saves you money such as forgoing the daily Starbucks or Timmy's run or grabbing a treat at the mall, you will be losing weight which can also save you money depending on your lifestyle, and you're giving to your community which gives back to you.

10. Finally, tell people about what you are doing....this is a movement and it doesn't help the environment or the community if only one person is doing it, it's a group effort. Having said that, it doesn't take everybody doing it to make a difference. People responded really well when I told them what we were doing and expressed interest in making changes that would be better for the environment and the community. Maybe you'll inspire someone to eat not within 100 miles but within BC at least, or maybe within Canada, every little bit helps.

Juliana Day 6 and 7

I got over my sugar cravings and breakfast probably helped. I had a wonderful smoothie with Dutchman milk, a raw local egg, local raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. This breakfast goes down easier than the oatmeal but keeps me full for a shorter time. I'm also used to putting bananas in my smoothies for sweetness which I miss.

For lunch I was at my parents' house and scrambled for something local. Nothing. Nothing in their house was local except  a box of apples in the garage from my Grandma's tree in Summerland. So I recruited my sister and we did some peeling! I made a delicious apple sauce. I was hungry soon after. I think Meghan has the right idea, lots of small meals throughout the day. My suggestion if we'd been doing his for longer would be to at least carry a ziplock of nuts in my purse to help between meals. Dinner was leftovers once again as I raced off to work.

On Day 7 I awoke to make a tasty omelet with spinach and feta cheese. For lunch we were invited to Jake's parents' house and we had to eat what was made for us...homemade pizza which tasted amazing! This of course was not local but I couldn't ask my mother-in-law to specially make my meal especially since it was a spontaneous invite so I couldn't even bring my own ingredients. Spontaneity does not partner well with the 100 mile diet! For supper I steamed some broccoli, carrots, parsnips (which I have never tried before), and sauteed up some mushrooms and Chicken. This was accompanied by fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. I definitely taste a huge difference in the flavour of some of the vegetables that are organic, local, such as the cucumbers. They were long, English cukes but had a tougher skin than usual and   a far stronger aroma of fresh cucumber. They tasted more bold than the ones I typically buy from Superstore I was really surprised.

AMY - Reflection

Well, if you told me a week ago about all the delicious, wonderful things I would be eating on this challenge I probably would have called you a liar. Fresh veggie sauce, smoothies, buttermilk buns, roasted chestnuts, local wine, cheese and apples are some of the best things I have eaten, not just in the past week. I have also been watching the 100 Mile challenge for mission BC, as kind of supplemental learning throughout the experience. I was able to keep pretty close matching their 100 days to my 7, to conclude with the final episode today. I know that their experience was much longer, took a lot more effort and was more of a learning experience than mine, but they also had support from James and Alisa, as well as one another. I would defiantly do this challenge again, perhaps for 100 days, down the road. However I don't think I am in a great position to do so now. Local food can be more expensive, especially if you buy organic, and it takes a lot longer to cook from scratch than from a box. I did not expect my family and friends to do this 7 day challenge with me, but the fact that they weren’t made the experience a lot harder. I always had to think ahead, instead of getting hungry at 5 and making dinner for 6, I pre thought almost all of my meals a day or two days in advance to make sure the chicken was thawed, or I had fresh veggies or cheese or other ingredients I would need. 

In the films there was one family, the Peter’s, who I feel I most identify with. Sherida Peters had some cooking experience going into the challenge, but was pushed out of her shell and out of her comfort zone in order to meet the challenge requirements and put a good meal on the table all the time. I also had some previous cooking skills, and I consider myself a pretty good cook - for specific meals. Trying new things is hard, especially cooking new things without a recipe. I had to do this with almost everything I made. Although the website I previously mentioned was helpful in looking up meals by ingredient, I frequently discovered the recipes shown had ingredients that I hadn't found locally.

I thought the Weremchuck-Williams did extremely well on the challenge, by diving right into the idea of 'where does this food come from?' I know the exact location of most of my food, the eggs, the tomatoes, blueberries, carrots, onions, potatoes and more. If I did this challenge again I would love to be able to spend more time on it, look at the sources of all my food and try making more on my own. Visiting places like bee ranches, orchards, farms, and other local food providers could have made this more rewarding. 

The things I found out that I did not like about the challenge were the people who did not accept what I was trying to accomplish. Some people were very discouraging, and it was hard to bounce back from that. Other people would say things like "that is not possible", when I was asking about things like bread. I think overall, if we were to really succeed with eating local food, the community would really need to come together and all provide support for one another. Local meals are healthy, and very very tasting! It's not a limit on what you can eat, it's a healthy alteration of your lifestyle. I really think people need to know where their food comes from and be ok with that. If you're food is out of your garden, perfect you know exactly how it got on your plate and you won't take it for granted when you buy an apple in January. If the food you eat is packaged processed food, how can you really know how it was made and what it went through to get on your plate? Ergo how can you appreciate it and know what health affects it may be causing you? If you know where you're coffee beans are grown and where they are ground to be turned into powder, than I feel it's alright to have that, so long as you're trying to be more local. This idea also cam acrross in the 100 Mile diet 100 day mission BC challenege when a lot of families signed up for 50% local or 80% local. This is trying to eat more local, learning about where your food comes from while still enjoying the things you might miss on the challenge. I think 50-80% depending on the season would be a fantastic goal for my future, and although I don't plan on regulating it or blogging about it in the near future, I know that these 7 days have procided a strong learning curve for me, and like most of the families in Mission, I know I won't go back to eating the same diet as a week ago, and I am happy to report, I did not cheat once!! I was able to eat ONLY 100% food grown and produced within 100 miles of here shown on my map for all 7 days. And I know that in the future, I will have more respect for the food I eat, I will cook more and I will have increased knowledge of how food is grown and how local it is.

AMY - Day 7

I can't believe it's day 7! I feel good, maybe because the challenge is almost over, or maybe because I have been eating fresh local meals, or maybe because I have learned a lot about where my food comes from, or perhaps because I have improved my skills in the kitchen?

Could be all of the above. Today I had a smoothie for breakfast, and put in a few frozen cherries from our tree this time to mix it up. I had an apple and cheese for a snack, and for lunch I made quiche! I looked a few recipes to get an idea of what to do, but none of them used 100% local ingredients that I had in my kitchen, so I ended up winging it. They stuck to the pan quite a bit, despite me covering the edges in flour beforehand! Apart from being a bit tough to get out of the pan they were really good! The shell was not as flaky as you would expect, but I liked the taste of whole wheat in them.

For dinner I had spelt noodles with fresh pasta sauce. I put the rest of the canned tomatoes with green onion, lots of basil, some parsley, onion, peppers, garlic and fresh tomatoes in a blender, and added this mixture to some bbq'd chicken I had heating in a pot. I grated the last of my mozzarella with some fresh cheddar and put in on the dish. It was so good! The sauce does not taste like my usual pasta sauce, but it was very good because of how fresh it was and I could add the exact ingredients I wanted to.

I plan to have a final snack or frozen blueberries later on, and in the next few days I will incorporate "non-local" food back into my diet. There are 2 main things I have been craving, and those are tea and chocolate. The tea is something I have a lot, especially on a cold evening and I have somewhat replaced it with warm chestnuts and wine, but tea is one of my favourite things! And chocolate, I have only been craving because my family has been eating it right in front of me! Ah it was so hard not to just grab a piece and be done with it, but  I was able to resist, and I feel like it will taste even better the next time I have some, which will probably be within the next couple of days.

Overall, this experience was extremely worth it, and I would recommend doing 100 mile meals or taking the challenge for a few days, or a year! Knowing where you're food comes from and how it's grown, and even who is responsible for growing/producing it is really important!

AMY - Day 6

I cannot believe day 7 is almost upon us! Although a week is a short time, I feel like I have learned so much already and it's opened my eyes to how much more we all have to learn about our food, where it comes from and how it's grown!

Today I had two small breakfasts, I had apples and cheese, and blueberries and yogurt. For lunch I had what I call, 'fresh egg salad sliders'. I had the usual buttermilk buns rolled in oats, which I paired with egg salad. For the egg salad I boiled 2 eggs, sliced them, paired them with chopped pepper, onion, leek, and fresh white cheddar. and ate the egg on the bun to complete the 'slider' idea. And of course put some kale on the side for nutrition and aesthetics I got every kind of food group in this meal, and I was pretty proud of it.

For dinner tonight I tried a similar thing to yesterday, I was out all afternoon so before I left I put the beans and tomatoes from Mary, potatoes,onions, leek, chicken, carrots, wine, rosemary and water into the croc pot and let it cook for a while. I made some more fresh buns and had this for dinner. This included everything except enough dairy. However, I will probably have another snack this evening, apples and cheese or blueberries or roasted chestnuts and wine... mmm.

I am excited for tomorrow, and I know that some of my habits and all of my knowledge will carry on past tomorrow.

Meghan - Day 5

Today I was at home, so took the time to make a nice brunch and prepped for the next few days. I had originally wanted to make an omelette but realizing that it would stick to the pan, so I decided to go with a scrambled eggs instead. I added broccoli, peppers, onion, tomato sauce, spinach and some cheese after it came off the stove. I had another pizza crust so cut it up into smaller pieces and put a few on the grill to toast them up. Also BBQ some chicken breasts (which I will use later in my cacciatore) and some potatoes with onion and rosemary.

Had a good size breakfast/lunch with the toast, eggs and veggies and the potatoes and onions. Had a snack of grapes and a pear this afternoon before I headed out to pick more grapes to put in the freezer before they completely wilt away.

The picking of the grapes was not hard but it was the sorting, cleaning and then pulling them from the stems that took way to much time. I wanted to flash freeze them on cookie sheets and then will put them in bags after they are frozen so we can eat them as a snack or put them in smoothies later.  I also took some of the kale from the garden and blanched that in hot water for all of maybe a minute before removing it into ice cool water to stop the cooking. I then took the kale and put them in muffin tins so they will freeze into little pucks so they can be added to tomato sauce or soups of just sauteed in a pan, whatever you feel like. By not fully cooking them I am still getting all the nutrition value of being fresh but can store it for longer by being frozen. Also gathered from the garden some herb and put those in freezer bags, so that I can add them to soup, stews or can defrost then chop up and roast with other veggies. I am thinking well into the winter so by doing this now, I can have on hand and not need to buy produce that's coming from far away.

For dinner I really didn't feel like cooking so had some of the potatoes and onion, BBQ chicken breast on salad (lettuce, greens from the celery, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber) with some purple beats. For a bed time snack, I had a few hazel nuts but I don't know if this cut it for enough food today, will know if I wake up hungry eh. For today I met my fruits and veggie requirements, some dairy and some meat and only half of the grain requirement. I think tomorrow morning, oatmeal and apple sauce is calling me.

Meghan - Day 4

Leftover pizza - tastes great

This morning I woke up hungry! Not the best way to wake up in the morning but it did get me out of bed and going faster given that it was 6:30am. I was going to have any normal breakfast of a hard boiled egg but I know that was not going to cut it so I had some left over pizza for breakfast. I know doesn't sound that great but I was in a hurry and had to eat something along with my egg. It did sustain me though until I had lunch 5 hours later. 

Today is another long full day at school so had make up a salad the night before with lettuce, greens from the celery, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and goat feta, also had a slice of pizza too. I also had carrots, celery and an Ambrosia for my snack which I actually ate most of along with my lunch, mostly because it had been so long and it would be another several hours before I would be out of my lab class and able to eat again. After class I was hungry again and also feeling a bit off as I had not had enough protein; only the egg in the morning, a bit of cheese on both slices of pizza and the bit of feta on my salad, so definitely not enough. Came home and a few slices of cheese along with my dinner of leftover pizza and salad. 

Mary's colourful beans

My evening snack, as I didn't want to wake up hungry again was some hazel nuts, some local sunflower seeds and grapes that came from a friend's parents yard. The sunflower seeds actually came from the UBCO Preservation Farm and Research Initiative, my roommate works on the team and has had the sunflower heads drying on our living room table for the last few days so it was great to finally taste them once she had harvested them all. I can't get over how they taste so much better then the dried ones we are use to. Fresh is always better but these taste so nice. Definitely recommend trying some if you even have the opportunity or of course plant some in your yard, their sunny heads are sure to make you smile and when they are finished you can eat them, all around good for your health.

Also wanted to share that Mary gave us some lovely beans from her garden and a few that her son had dried (another source of protein, wonderful). They look so tasty I have set them up to soak overnight so can cook with them tomorrow. Also Mary gave us a jar of her canned tomatoes, they look so yummy. I will split them between the three of us tomorrow so everyone can enjoy.

 

Mary's canned tomatoes

AMY - Day 5

Day 5 was really good, I ate well today! I had oatmeal with blueberries and milk for breakfast, (which was all food groups again), and I am learning that not every food group has to be separate, for example quinoa (not that I found it locally but in general), has a lot of great things for you like protein and it's more of a carb as well! Anyways, for lunch I again had snack foods, apples, cheese, peppers, roasted chestnuts. I find with the dense buns that I only need a little bit of grains to be full, like 2 or 3 buns with dinner maybe and that fills me right up. For dinner I had a thick stew, I put beans, chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, a splash of wine, rosemary and water in a croc pot this morning and it cooked while I was away all day, the perfect solution! Today was probably my favourite meal yet! (Although those chicken skewers were pretty good as well). I made the same style of buns when I got home, but cooked them on a lower heat, and rolled them in oats before putting them in the oven! They were really good! My dinner came out a lot more flavourful than I expected, usually I see chicken broth and spices in this kind of recipe but since I made mine up it didn't include these things. Which means my goal of the day can be checked off! Also, since I lacked with bread at lunch, but had extra cheese and vice-versa in dinner I would say that my meals today did pretty well in relation to the Canadian Food Guide! This weekend I want to try and make something new, perhaps like Julianas quiche or a pizza like Meghan.

I have been using All Recipes to look up common recipes with whatever ingredients I desire! It's a pretty cool system, if you have a few foods in the fridge to use up but don't know what dish to make with them this will generate common or popular recipes with the foods you choose!

Meghan - Day 3

Today is Day 3 for our challenge and so far I have to say things have been going well. Still have not met my grain requirements each day but hopefully starting today that will change. Started the morning our with another hard boiled egg, a pear and some mint tea (which was mint that I dried from our garden). Then I was off to the Farmer's Market to meet Amy and hunt around for other sources which I had been told about. Sadly the bread producer that I had been told about by two friends was not at the market on Wednesday so Amy was not able to buy any bread but we did get to chat briefly with Wolf from Green Croft Gardens who had both oats and whole wheat flour! Hurray! I bought some oats but had to be realistic about if I was going to have the time to make anything out of the flour, so declined on that. Both of these along with buckwheat flour, rye and spelt were from Wolfgang's Grain and Flour in Enderby. We also talked to a friend a mine at the market and he told us how to make our own butter which may be very cool but we need to find some whipping cream to do that. He said you can make the butter the old fashion way by putting it in a bottle and shaking it until you see the water and the cream separate. This does require time and a strong arm so if you do not have either it can be done in a mix master as well. Just whip it up past the soft peaks and let it go until you see the water and the cream start to separate, add a bit of salt and or any herbs for flavour. As I have not come across any local whipping cream yet, still no butter but interesting to learn and would be neat to try it.

Lunch was at school on the run again before starting work. I had made up a salad with lettuce, greens from the celery, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, squash seeds and goat feta from Carmelis which I bought at the Okanagan Grocery on Gordon. I do not understand why when we get celery at other locations then from the farmer themselves that they remove the greens. I want to know what they do with it as I really enjoyed having it to put in my salad along with my lettuce and spinach. It's just like when you put the greens from the beats in your salad, so tasty but not done that often. I wish I could see more of that but I guess what this tells me is I just need to keep buying from the farmer and cut out the middle person. Snack during the day was some cheese and an Aura apple.

Homemade 100 mile veggie pizza

Dinner was late, which by the time I got home, prepped and was sitting to eat it was over an hour later. I am not complaining just that eating at 8pm is not ideal for you to sleep well. Anyway, for dinner I made up a pizza with the pizza crust that I had picked up at the Farmer's Market on Sat. On my pizza I put the tomato sauce that I canned last year (as I am still trying to use it up having done such a big batch), zucchini for my parents garden, bell peppers, spinach and mini tomatoes all from the market. Along with cheese from D Dutchman Dairy. I did it up in the oven and it smelt so good I wanted to eat the whole thing but I restrained myself so that I could have it for lunch and dinner the next day. For today, I met the fruit and veggie requirements, dairy requirements, most of the grain requirements but not any of the meat or alternative requirements.

Juliana Day 5

Today I went back to oatmeal for breakfast. The one nice thing about it is that it keeps me really full for a long time! It was tempting today to put cinnamon and sugar on top. I really noticed the sugar cravings kick in today. I was craving sweet things like never before, I was even craving juice and I don't even like juice. I noticed that keeping super hydrated helped to curb the cravings slightly. Today was also a leftovers day, I had my crock pot stew for lunch. I'm not sure if it was the cravings getting to me today or what but I was not into it today. I really wanted to give up today just like when you have a bad day on a diet but I pulled through right until dinner. I was rushed to get to work and I needed dinner but I'd already had leftovers and was completely unable to eat the same thing yet again. I quickly scrambled some local eggs with cheese on top. I put it on top a non-local bun:( I needed the carbs for work, I just couldn't serve all night hungry. I felt so guilty but I'm using the failure to see where the weakness was in my planning and preparation and realize that was it, my planning for today was weak due to a lack of time. I would really recommend that anyone who wanted to successfully complete a long period of time on "The 100 Mile Diet" needs to set aside a proper amount of time for preparation, we obviously started this at an inconvenient time as small markets are closing up, and produce is becoming more scarce. A good time to start this diet would be in the spring or summer. I've also found that the more people you tell he more advice you get and the more tips about where to find the best local food. For example my mom told me about a great butcher in Summerland who you can buy half a cow or a full cow. She usually goes in on one side with another family. It works out to $1.79/lb and that includes all types of meat (t-bone steaks, sirloins, ground beef) A quarter of the cow fills up a freezer and  a half of meat and costs $300. Another lady I know told me about some great markets on Gordon street. The more people you talk to the more advice you get and the more people begin to think about making changes to their own food choices. So, I failed a little bit today but the importance of planning and preparation has been reinforced for me. Tomorrow is a new day:) Thank you Mary for the canned tomatoes!

Juliana Day 4

Yay Day 4! Today I started off the day with a delicious smoothie (milk, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and a raw egg, all local of course) It tasted like I was having dessert for breakfast which was a nice treat. It was just nice to have something different from oatmeal. Alisa and J.B's rule is that if they traveled they could bring home something from within 100 miles of where they were staying. I have a bottle of vanilla extract from Mexico that I bought from a market and brought home so I put a tsp of that in my smoothie as well.

Lunch had to wait until after school again so I was starving!!!! I tried Amy's little "bread" things she made from local flour, honey and buttermilk, they were actually so good!!!! The carb taste was so comforting. That's the thing with cutting grain out of your diet, it feels like you're never eating comfort food. When I got home I made goat cheese stuffed chicken breasts with steamed broccoli and carrots and some mashed potatoes.

For supper I sauteed up some mushrooms and cut up some fresh tomatoes. I put this with goat cheese over lettuce, topped it with local alfalfa sprouts and had that for dinner. I was hungry all night though so I should have included some more protein. My clothes are starting to feel really loose.

Ryan Donn

Getting into the spirit of local, I downloaded some local music to listen to with dinner. Ryan Donne is amazing! I also took the bus to work:) Tomorrow my goals are to get a bit more protein and eat a little more so I'm not so hungry.

Meghan - Day 2

Today I started by leaning on the food that I prepared on Monday as I had a long and busy day at school. Breakfast was a hard boiled egg, and another purple smoothly on the way out the door. I know I should have enough time to sit and eat but I am not a morning person so I tend to sleep until the last possible minute. So I eat on the run. On Friday I hope to make a slow breakfast and sit and relax while enjoying the morning, fingers crossed. I had made up a salad the day before and had shredded the chicken breast so that along with my grilled zucchini, tomatoes from my patio container garden, cucumber from the Farmer's Market and my roasted squash seeds I would have something to sustain me midday when hunger starts to set it. My goal is never to get to the point when I am so hungry though that I need to eat and as such I have lots of small meals throughout the day normally. I sort of believe in the 6 small meals a day philosophy but that's really hard to do when you have to pack food for 8 hours and haul it around with you all day.

Lunch on the go

Anyway, the salad for lunch along with some cheese and an apple for the mid morning snack had me set, plus I knew we were going to be having a great healthy snack during our seminar presentation in the afternoon so I may be able to get all my small meals in for the day. During our seminar, we offered the class, some colourful local carrots, celery, broccoli, Ambrosia apples (story to come below), some D Dutchman Dairy cheddar cheese from Sicamous which I have found at Jimmy's Fresh Meat Market, Choices and Natures Fare. There was also rice crackers and bean dip which I had to pass on but looked good and appeared to be enjoyed by all. Great work team for putting together such a thorough snack and thinking of everyones dietary needs.

On Tuesday nights I visit my maternal grandparents for dinner before I go to class again, so it was hard to call them up (at 84 & 93 years of age) and say, you must provide me with food within 100 miles but they had heard from the grapevine that I was doing this so we did have local potatoes, turnips and a parsley, mint and green onion salad that was local and the chicken was free range organic but I don't think it was local. But as Juliana pointed out, the original rules for the 100 mile diet as laid out by the book say that if you are invited out, you can eat was is served, so luckily there are only two times this week (which had been set a long time before we decided to do this diet) that I will have to eat what is served.

After class was finished I had a little snack of hazel nuts before bed. I am noticing that when you have to do something with your food source so that you can eat it, that you tend to eat less of that product, which is what I am finding with having to crack the hazel nuts myself. Maybe it's just the time that it takes for each action which gives your body a chance to say "hey, I am satisfied" or not, but it is something to think about, conscious eating which I wonder how many of us actually do. For today, I met the fruit and veggie requirements again, meat and dairy for sure but still no grain. Going to the Farmer's Market in the morning so hopefully I can find something.

So on a side note, I though I would share the story of the Ambrosia apple to you, on the off chance that maybe you have not heard of it or even tried the apple (which I can not recommend highly enough).  Ambrosia is what they call a chance seeding as it's a fluke of nature. This random shoot surfaced in Cawston BC in the orchard of Wilf and Sally Mennell. Year after year, pickers would see this apple as different and eat it for themselves, even though pickers tend to not eat apples often. Noticing its popularity, the Mennell's propagated trees for testing and patented the variety to ensure that it could be developed as a new product. Ambrosia is now grown not only in British Columbia, but in other parts of Canada as well as in the US, Italy, Chile and New Zealand. The Mennell's named the variety Ambrosia, meaning "food of the gods", for its honeyed sweetness and juicy crunch. Ambrosia is bi-coloured with a luminous pink/red blush over a creamy background. It is low in acidity, a honey like aroma, crispy and yet juicy at the same time. It is also a slow browning apple after cutting making it great for lunches, salads and cheese plates. Ambrosia are available now through April and can be bought at many vendors around town. If they do not have it ask the produce manager to bring it in.

Source: Ambrosia Organic Growers (http://www.organicambrosiaapple.ca/)

AMY - Map

Here is my, approximate, 100 mile map which I made on day 0 but I have forgot to post it online! So this is the area we are working with.

AMY - Day 4

Wow I cannot believe it is day four already! I feel like I have a lot to still discover. This morning I had oatmeal, with honey, milk and blueberries in it. It was reaally good with the frozen blueberries! They added so much flavour! This meal gave me something from each food group, as oats do have some protein. Lunch was again a snack lunch, I had chopped apple with cheese, "jingle bell" peppers, roasted chestnuts and the biscuits from yesterday! So I nailed every food group again.

This evening I attempted to fix up some pasta for dinner, I cooked the noodles that I had made, however I believe I did not roll and cut these noddles thin enough, so they were slightly uncooked in the center, which was unfortunate but it still tasted pretty good! I made sauce from chopped tomatoes, carrot, some kale, some basil, and garlic. I boiled chicken, and mixed it with the sauce and heated it all up together. I grated a bunch of cheese, including mozzarella and dill cheddar and put it on the noodles under the sauce for the gooey texture. Overall, the meal was pretty successful! Don't mind the nearly empty glass of wine... the meal took a while to cook. :)

Today I got a fair amount of cooking experience, just like the Mission BC families had in episode four, where they reach and pass the halfway point. Some of the people who have not done much or any cooking, get to experience the kitchen! Although I am no foreigner to the kitchen, I have regular meals which I cook, none of which I am able to do while on this diet so I have done a lot of experimenting and new recipes. Previously, I have relied a lot on rice or quinoa, and sauces. Now I can not use these ingredients, and have learned to cook more with fresh ingredients like vegetables and fresh chicken. The other difficulty cooking is finding protein, I have been vegetarian previously, and a couple years ago decided to include chicken and turkey in my diet once again. However, these are the only meats that I eat, making protein slightly harder to find for me. Though I have realized how many ways one can eat chicken, and it has only been a minor issue in my diet this week!

I completed my goals from yesterday, I cooked fresh pasta (next time I will cut it smaller) and I decided what to do with those beans! Tomorrow I plan to make a stew in my crock pot! Which is my big goal for tomorrow. Today I was out all day, and didn't eat until close to 8pm. Usually I have dinner at about 6, so I was pretty hungry! Tomorrow my goal is to make a delicious stew or thick soup which I couple perhaps eat with spelt noodles. Many more adventures in the kitchen to come!

Meghan - Day 1

So today is day 1 of our week long challenge. At this point, with my fridge plum full, I think I could stretch this out longer as I don't think I am going to eat all this in just one week but we will see how the week goes both from a health stand point (am I going to be hungry all the time) and from a financial one (am I going to be broke). Today was not a school day so I think that made it easier but at the same time, allocating enough time to actually put full meals together and thinking about the rest of the week seemed to take more time than normal. I am thinking that's because I have chicken as my protein instead of quinoa and chicken needs a few more minutes and a level of awareness of food safe practices (which I do have) to cook and consume.

Breakfast smoothly

Lunch on the go

For breakfast I didn't want to completely steer myself away from a green smoothly but I did need to find a few more things to put in it as I could not use almonds, chia, hemp seeds (all sources of protein), banana or orange juice. Thus my green smoothly turned out to be more purple/brown, which I know doesn't sound that appetizing, but it ended up pretty good all things considering. I added tomatoes, carrot, celery, kale, apple, pear, yogurt, blue berries (frozen from the summer which we bought locally) and water.  The new additions to my smoothly were the yogurt and the tomatoes so that changed the consistency a bit and of course the colour. It was not the same as having a banana in it but it served its purpose. I also had a hard boiled egg (which is my norm for breakfast) from Okanagan Hill Farm just up on Dilworth Mountain. Lunch was on the go while working on my seminar project with my team. It consisted of another hard boiled egg (I don't normally do two in one day but had little option for protein), some Gouda cheese from Jerseyland Organics in Grand Forks (same company as the yogurt I bought from Lakeview Market) which I picked up at the Farmer's Market, carrots, celery, tomatoes and an apple (Aura Golden Gala to be precise, one of my favourite local varieties - its a white/golden apple but super crunchy and it's in season now and you can get it at the Farmer's Market from Gambell Farms or at their fruit stand in Winfield).

BBQ chicken breasts, zucchini and salad

In the afternoon a fired up the BBQ and cooked up some local Okanangan chicken breast which I purchased at Johnny's Fresh Meats, zucchini from my parents garden, also had beats from the Farmers Market and a big salad. I wanted to dress or favour the chicken a bit so I cut some oregano and thyme from my patio container garden and added that after I took the chicken off the BBQ (as before would have just burnt it). I was challenged by not having olive oil and or balsamic vinegar to put on my zucchini and also noticed the chicken sticking to the grill a bit more than normal. Still tasted good in the end though.  At the same time I prepped my lunch and breakfast for the next day as I am at school from 8-4, so long day and need to have enough food on me to not go hungry. After work (which is in the evening) I cracked into some hazel nuts for a snack and had a local pear that I picked up at the packinghouse on Cement Ave.

Overall, the day felt like a normal food day. I didn't eat anything that I would not normally eat, just did without a few things. Met all my fruit and veggie requirements, dairy and meat requirements just not the grains yet. I do have pizza crust for Wednesday's dinner but hopefully by that time will have found some oats or other grains too.

Juliana Day 3

Wow, I just looked at Amy's pictures of her dinner skewers! I'm going to start eating at her place I think...
So, I officially cannot eat plain oatmeal another day, I did today and I'm done, no more. I think I'll try to make a berry smoothie like Amy's been doing, I have local raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries frozen from this past summer. For lunch I did another stir fry with the usual suspects, lots of local veggies etc. I was so disappointed today because I got to the farmer's market at 1pm, thinking they were open until 3 or so, but they actually close at 1 so I missed it:(


For dinner I threw some things together in the crock pot and it turned out amazing. I took a recipe I have used before for Tuscan Beef Stew and made it into Kelowna Pork Stew. I used local garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, red wine, pork, onions, and basal. It was delicious:)

My husband made cookies today which was cruel, they smelled so good, but I abstained.  I also really wanted a cocktail after work so I visited the Old Train Station Pub where they have only local beers on tap, a local wine list, and even local vodka! (the vodka tastes like crap on its own but in a mixed drink you cant tell) The train station's bartender was amazing and showed me things on the menu that I could order which are local, the list was extensive, they even have ice cream from Carmelis, the goat farm in Kelowna.

One thing I've really noticed about doing this project is that it has made me aware of other things in my life that I could be reforming. I've been thinking about my decisions more carefully and seeking alternative choices. For example, I've been planning on surprising Jake with a trip to Vegas for his birthday this year, we all know that Vegas isn't best known for its environmental friendliness. I found however that many hotels even some of the larger ones have won awards for green practices and positive environmental choices. The Bellagio was one of them and they even have a special conservatory garden. I don't know if they grow food there I'll have to look into it more carefully. I was also extra sensitive to the amount of driving I've been doing lately and wondered if I should try doing a year without a car. So, my point is, is that doing something like the 100 mile diet has made me aware of other things in my life that I could change to promote a greener lifestyle.

Today in "April" of "The 100 Mile Diet" book, I really got into. This book is such a great read because its kind of like a diary of their lives not just an account of their food consumption. Alisa is quite humorous as well, she includes stories from her life that have shaped the way she eats, cooks, shops for food, etc. I started thinking about the way I've been raised on food...every meal had a vegetable or salad, a protein and a starch with a glass of milk. Some variation of this was what we ate almost every night. My mom used to can everything, jam every berry, dehydrate multiple fruits and occasionally make homemade bread. When I look at how they eat now, I don't think my mom even still has her canning pot. She hasn't made jam since the 90's and Sun Rype sells fruit snacks so why bother? For my mom it has become a convenience factor and as she has concentrated on her career she has stopped loving to preserve and plan with food. I'm in that stage of my life where I'd really like to learn to can and jam etc, I wonder if I'll lose that like she did? Can I keep local food a greater importance to me than convenience? The other change that led to the death of the canning, jamming, supermom is the move we did to a brand new house. We went from a house with hazel nut trees, a huge walnut tree, a massive cherry tree, an apple tree with over 10 varieties grafted onto it, a pear tree, an Asian pear tree, a nectarine tree, an apricot and a peach tree, a really big plum tree and a large space for a garden where my mom grew corn, sunflowers, beans, peas, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkins, yellow watermelon and even popcorn! The new house has a lawn the size of a garage and you're only allowed to have a certain kind of tree in the yard. This is sad. One year after we moved, the new owners cut down almost all of our beautiful fruit trees, my mom cried. They had fed us for so many years, been part of our lunches, our gifts, our time together pruning and raking and making bonfires out of the prunings and it was hard to look inside the big backyard and see a flat space with a lot of grass but no character.

Alisa includes recipes throughout "The 100 Mile Diet" as well and emphasizes the difficulty it was adjusting to repetitive food and missing things she'd eaten almost everyday like bread. I could use some bread about now:)

AMY - Day 3

This morning I again made a smoothie for breakfast, and it was very tasty! I added more blueberries this time for a slightly thicker shake. With this I got lots of fruit, and dairy products but no grains or protein. After class today I went to various locations in Kelowna in order to find my groceries to complete my dietary needs for consumption. I went to Johnny's Meat Market for chicken and cheeses, the farmers market supplied me with oats and flour (made in Enderby by Wolfgang's Grain and Flour) and vegetables like kale and peppers. Meghan was kind enough to provide me with a variety of herbs from her garden to take home as well. I than went to Choices to pick up some milk, but the only local milk they had available was butter milk from d'dutchmens dairy. I had hoped to go to a honey farm, to see how they collect the honey from bee's, however the one I planned on visiting was closed, or too busy today so I went to the Jammery instead. The honey they have there is local, from Keremeos. I asked about the honey because I noticed tons of variety on the shelves. They had the regular, runny honey, as well as creamed honey, and a variety of flavours like Ice Wine, Blueberry, Strawberry and Peach.There fruity varieties are all made from local fruit concentrates! I was able to try a sample of the Ice Wine flavour, and it was very sweet and tasty. I also learned that honey does not go bad, as bacteria cannot enter the substance and thus it is great for cuts and scrapes! I also went to Arrowleaf Cellars, a local vineyard and winery very close to my house. This is a small business which is family owned, and I got to sample a couple types, and purchased a white and a red from the First Crush collection. Mission completed! I got everything on my list from yesterday, although I have to do something with this wheat...

For lunch I had snack foods, I had apples with cheese, some red wine and roasted chestnuts! This met every requirement except grains. After looking for an extended period of time for some recipe of bread that had no yeast, no baking powder or soda and no butter, I gave up and decided to conduct an experiment. I mixed my whole wheat flour with some buttermilk and honey and made a thick dough. I then rolled this into small, flat shaped balls and put them in the oven for 15 minutes or so. They came out warm and smelling good, they smelled a lot like plain wheat, but they buttermilk and honey really added flavour! They were also very dense but very satisfying and definitely a whole lot of grain servings to check off my Canadian food guide today. I also am in the process of making my own pasta, whole wheat egg noodles to be precise. I have made the dough, and rolled and cut about half of it into pasta strips to make into a meal later on.

For dinner today I was feeling pretty confident in my experimental abilities, from the chestnut roasting to biscuits and pasta noodles. So I made breaded chicken skewers. I sliced up the chicken and put it in a mixture of flour and oats, than into buttermilk, and back into the flour and oats. I than stuck it on skewers of rosemary stems from the herbs I got, with a combination of local peppers and onions to add flavour as well, I than stuck some herbs into the chicken for more flavour. I put this breaded chicken and veggie skewer combo in the oven to bake, and proceeded to warm up some of my biscuits from earlier. I put cheddar cheese with the biscuits, and layed some kale down under my fresh chicken skewers to give the meal some aesthetics (and more veggies), paired the dish with a lovely white wine and was happy as a clam! Dinner included food from every group, and a fair amount of it all, so it was very successful!

Overall, today was full of experiments and trials, and lucky for me they all turned out well. I feel like I am really improving on cooking skills, as I am pushed out of my comfort zone for nearly every meal. Tomorrow my goal is to make pasta noodles! And hopefully decide how to consume those delicious looking beans!

- Amy

Juliana Day 2

This is the second batch, and we ran out of the local cream

Jake is showing off some tasty local wine from West Kelowna

Today was my tricky day...Jake's Birthday! I stayed true to my 100 mile breakfast (oatmeal again) which was inconvenient today because I was running late and oatmeal is harder than cereal to eat quickly. I also didn't have time to prepare lunch which resulted in not eating until class on Tuesday (thank you Meghan for the local snack!!) For Jake's birthday dinner I brought over local peppers, onions, mushrooms, eggs, cream, and cheese for the quiche we had but a few other ingredients such as the flour, shortening, margarine, the pecan pie we had for dessert, etc were not local. If I was following Alisa and J.B's rules from "The 100 Mile Diet" book,  then I wouldn't have "failed" today because they even made the exception of eating what was prepared for them when invited over to someone's house.

Pecan pie the ultimate cheat

Ready for the oven!

Thinking about that makes me feel less guilty:) Tomorrow its back to business 100% though and it should be easy since I don't have school. I'm going to head to the farmer's market if I have time and pick up some more items and see if I can throw some more variety into the diet. Tomorrow's mission is to find eggs!

AMY - Day 2

Today is day 2! Finding and preparing meals is getting easier now that I have a couple days under my belt. Although not all of my idea's turn out quite the way I want them to. This morning I attempted to make potatoes, hashbrown style, with onions and eggs and tomatoes and cheese. However, I was in a bit of a hurry and by accident, didn't fully cook the potatoes! I still ate the breakfast, but the potatoes were still slightly raw in the middle, not my most successful meal. This met my fruit and veggies, protein and some dairy needs for a good meal, but again no grains!

For lunch I had snacks during my classes as I had no breaks throughout the day. I brought some pasta leftovers, an apple, concord grapes, a bunch of cracked hazelnuts and chopped up carrots! I also had the amazing snack consisting of cheese, apples, celery, and wonderfully coloured carrots brought in by today's seminar group in Food Systems class. I also got some lovely beans from Mary and family, (of which many are currently soaking!), which I intend to use within the next day or two. So lunch provided me with every food group, but lacking slightly in the grains.

For dinner I again used up leftovers of yesterday, adding more milk and lots of cheese and baking it in the oven until nice and golden brown on top. And my desert/snack of the day was the most delicious! I put a bunch of frozen blueberries in a bowl and simple dolloped yogurt on top of them. The yogurt started to freeze slightly and became a similar consistency to the frozen blue berries, it tasted like blue berry ice cream! Dinner and snack were very well spread in relation to the Canadian food guide.

I have a grocery list for tomorrow, which I really hope to complete. If I am able to get everything I desire on the list, I will not need to eat eggs with nearly every meal any longer, and will be meeting my grain requirements for each day! In the second episode of the 100 Mile diet challenge in Mission BC, the participators find need for salt, honey, wine and wheat. Salt is something we have decided to let go, as it is in so many foods, and can not be found within 100 miles. Honey, Wine, and Wheat or grains are all on my list tomorrow, and hopefully I will be able to find these things! 

- Amy

Juliana's Day 1

Day one isn't over until I'm asleep because right now I want to snack so badly!!! If only I had local crackers or rice cakes or something to put Carmelis goat cheese on I'd be set!

So day one went really well! Breakfast was tough because I have to have the same breakfast everyday to regulate my blood pressure which drops really low and makes me feel fainty. I usually have cereal but I found some oatmeal at Quality Greens from Enderby! So I had that with some Dutchman Dairy milk from Sicamous. Lunch consisted of a delicious vegetable stir fry and some  Little Straw Cuvee Noir from here in Kelowna. The stir fry had locally grown bok choy, broccoli, tomatoes, bean sprouts, carrots, mushrooms, onions and garlic! For dinner I had a pork steak from Vernon with baked goat cheese from Carmelis on top and some more steamed, local broccoli. I really missed having a homemade latte today but I have so much energy I feel like I don't even need it.
Yesterday, I did all my prep by checking out a few grocery stores that carry local foods such as Quality Greens and Choices Market. The girl from the deli at Quality Greens helped me find sausages from Vernon, they had a ton of variety. Their produce was extremely varied for locally grown produce and not any more expensive than buying imported produce. I definitely thought it would be a lot more expensive to stock up on local foods. At Choices, Manager Patrick gave me a tour of the meat, dairy and produce section pointing out all local foods, where they were from and what I could eat. He was extremely helpful with finding meats and milk. Carol in produce introduced me to the farms they have partnered with and it was really cool because they know their suppliers really well. The relationship really enforces the community building aspect of this diet and reminds me of the "100 Mile Diet" book by Alisa Smith and J.B MacKinnon that I am reading to supplement this diet with. The couple really get to know the people behind their food which creates some really need bonds and friendships. Tomorrow is going to be difficult because its my husband's birthday and I'm hoping I can be strong!! Wednesday I'll be hitting up the farmer's market and Urban Harvest to meet some of the local producers of the Okanagan's food so I'm really excited for that. Today was an easy day because I was home all day working on projects so I had time to cook meals and plan my eating schedule, tomorrow however I'll be in school for six hours and then going straight to my husband's birthday party so I'm going to have to be super organized to make it through the day on local food.

In addition to this blog I am reading through the "100 Mile Diet" as mentioned above. This Vancouver couple began the 100 mile diet because of statistics that were beginning to bother them. Such as the fact that our food travels an average of 1500-3000 miles from farm to plate! Their concern began largely for the environment and the effects of pollution from transportation including transporting food. The couple believed that it would be easy at first and so far they are just learning the challenges that are posed by only eating from within 100 miles. They do allow themselves a few rules, if they are invited to someone's house they eat what is made for them, if they travel they are off the hook and if they travel they can bring back food from a 100 mile radius of that spot. Realizing that they could no longer have the popular brand and snack foods, condiments or sauces they loved and when their first dinner cost over 100 dollars they seriously doubted if it was possible. I can't wait to read more:)

AMY - Day 1

Today was the first day of our 7 day long 100 mile food challenge! This morning I began by picking tomatoes from my garden for breakfast. I cooked these in a 'non-stick' saucepan with eggs and lots of cheese to make an omelet. I also made a smoothie, using yogurt, milk, concord grapes and frozen blueberries from the summer. Toast would have made this breakfast much better, as I do not particularly like eggs taste on their own. However, I have yet to get bread which is 100% local so I powered through. The smoothie was actually quite delicious  and I plan to have it again. Breakfast included protein, lots of vegetables and lots of dairy.

For lunch I had a variety of things. I brought concord grapes, apples, yogurt, and a variety of nuts includeing hazelnuts, a couple chestnut and heart nuts. While attempting to crack these shells, I have discovered our nut cracker is in need of replacement. I pinched my hand or fingers about the same amount of times that I actually got the shell of a nut. In this meal I had lots of fruit, protein and dairy but again no grains.

Dinner was probably my favorite and most experimental meal today. I cooked spelt flour noodles in a pot of water and added potatoes and carrots, which I got from Gambel farms in Lake Country. When cooked, I put these in a dish with a mixture of onions, garlic, an egg and milk and topped it with cheese. I also had some fresh carrot on the side. This was my most successful meal, and I plan to repeat it or something similar. It had lots of grain, some protein, veggies, and dairy. And as desert/snack I had a bowl of frozen blueberries.




I have been watching the documentary on Mission BC's 100 mile challenge, and have found many similarities already. The first day is hard, because you realize what you can't have which you normally would have. I also plan on taking some of their ideas, such as the potato patties or hash-browns for breakfast. The hardest part of the day was watching other people eat and cook food, which was perhaps better tasting than mine and not be able to have it. Overall, today I did well on my food groups, I had enough vegetables/fruit, enough milk, and enough 'meat' products but I was missing about 4 or 5 servings of grains!

The Canadian Food Guide
Which I am using as a source of information
 to help measure my success.