Brrrrrr, it’s cold outside – Let’s warm up with some comfort foods.
It’s chilly and it seems to be staying that way. We all seem to be understandably hunkering in, tightening our budgets and looking for comfort in these unpredictably predictable economic times. So this week we’re going to cozy into the recipes with budget friendly ideas to warm us up and use what’s both in our GFB bags and what needs to be used up in our fridges and freezers. We’ll talk a bit about food storage for our winter root veg that get us through the hunger gap and how to extend your meals to get more bang for buck, all while reducing food wastes and costs.
This weeks bags highlight a few of our local farmers. North Star brings us leeks and carrots. Peninsula Kiwi brings us, none other than the lovely kiwi and Littlest Acre brings us both lettuce and braising greens.
Littlest Acre Organics is a family farm growing 40+ crops on 2 acres. They specialize in high-quality soil-grown produce and pasture-raised non-GMO eggs. You can find them at 5650 Oldfield Rd, Victoria or reach them at littlest.acre.csa@gmail.com
Peninsula Kiwi can be found on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/peninsula_kiwi/ where you can learn more about them and how they use their kiwi’s on the Saanich Peninsula.
Some Kiwi facts they share:
Kiwis grown on the Saanich Peninsula. Grown locally to be enjoyed locally!
– Kiwis are a superfood, packed with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
– Two kiwis per day will support your immune system, digestion and energy levels thanks to a healthy amount of vitamin C, fiber, and low glycemic index.
– Kiwis have double the amount of vitamin C than an orange, and more potassium than a banana!
– Great for snacks on the go or to go into meals and smoothies.
– Store next to a banana to ripen quicker, or keep in the fridge to store longer..
What’s in your bag this week?
Standard ($30.00): *green cabbage, BC org. potatoes, *org. Rainbow carrots, *onions, org. yams, mango, org. BC Ambrosia apples, org. Collard greens
Standard Plus ($40.00): *green cabbage, BC org. potatoes, *org. Rainbow carrots, *yellow onions, org. yams, mango, BC org. Ambrosia apples, org. collard greens, org. *leek, org. broccoli
Sustainable ($40.00): org.BC potato, *onions, org. *kiwi, org. oranges, org. BC Crimini mushrooms, org. *braising mix, org.*leek, org.*lettuce mix,
Cultural ($30.00): *yellow onions, org. yams, BC org. potato, *Savoy cabbage, banana, mango, org. collard greens, *org. garlic
Staples ($30.00): *green cabbage, BC org. potatoes, *org. Rainbow carrots, *local yellow onions, org. banana, org. Navel oranges, Org. Ambrosia apples, org. broccoli
Fruit ($25.00): Org. *Ambrosia apples, org. oranges, *kiwi, org. banana, mango
BC – Only ($30.00): BC potatoes, *onions, *cabbage, *org. Rainbow carrots, BC Crimini mushrooms, BC org, Ambrosia apples, *parsnip, *leek
*local, BC, organic
***Note: Some items may change due to circumstances out of our control but the value of the box will always remain the same.
Wet Weather Reminder — Bring your cloth bags or totes! Don’t forget to bring along your reusable grocery bags or totes to avoid the soggy demise of our paper bags if you’ll be hitting the elements on the way home. Even just getting to the car during this soggy season could be lethal for your produce — we want it to make it all the way home — not playing a game of 10 pin on the sidewalk!
Click on the picture to go to the link and learn tips for storing produce longer.
Root Greens Note: Save all the greens from your root veg. Wash up, blanch and freeze to use in soups or stir fry’s later Or use right away in pesto for dip or pizza night.
How many ways can you stretch one meal?
Click on the picture to go directly to the link.
Click on the picture to go directly to the link.
A few other great resources for using up leftovers to create a second meal:
All Recipes: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/14503/everyday-cooking/everyday-leftovers/
The Lean Green Bean: https://www.theleangreenbean.com/ways-to-use-leftovers/
Casa Mia Tours: https://casamiatours.com/10-traditional-italian-recipes-using-leftovers/
The Cooks Pyjamas: https://thecookspyjamas.com/hate-food-waste-60-of-the-latest-ideas-for-leftover-food/
Watch the following video for some great tips on reducing food waste at home:
A use it up meals:
Click on the picture to go directly to the recipe.
Curried Red Lentil Soup by That Vegan Babe
This soup is a great way to use up what you have in your larder. Those droopy carrots and shriveling onions will be perfect in a soup where their appearances will go unnoticed and their flavours will still pack a punch of nutrition to fill you up. Other veggies you might use up in this recipes might include: kale, other mild greens, turnips, yams or sweet potatoes, parsnips, radishes, and other tubers. Lentils are a great budget friendly, protein packed with nutrition and perfect for extending a meal. 1/2 C. of lentils is equal to 12 grams of protein. Check out the protein calculator for the recommended daily protein needs per day. https://www.calculator.net/protein-calculator.html
Remember, meat is only one way to meet your daily protein needs – there are seeds, nuts, veggies, dairy, eggs, beans and other legumes and whole grains.
While this is a quick soup on the stovetop, if you’re like me you’re busy and looking for ways to speed things up even more so you can spend more time with your kids or put your feet up for a bit. I sauté my veg, onions and herbs in the bottom of the Instant Pot, then dump in the remaining ingredients, give it a stir and push the soup button…and walk away until it’s ready.
Click on the picture to go directly to the recipe link.
Roasted Vegetable Soup – Smooth & Creamy by Beat the Budget
This recipe is a great way to use up veggies getting limp in your veggie drawer or your cool storage room. Don’t have or don’t eat tomatoes, no worries, use squash. Switch up the herbs and spices to create a different flavour profile. This pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese sandwich. There are some great Vancouver Island and BC cheeses to try. Here’s a list of BC Cheeses. Not to worry if you’re vegan. There are new vegan sliced “cheese” by companies like Violife, not a product of Canada but a product of Greece. There are other brands now found in our local grocery stores, though I’m not sure of their country of origin…yet.
Roasting your veggies is key to adding depth to your veg and it’s future soup form. As it carmelizes in the heat of the oven, the sugars disintegrate and a nutty, elevated taste, adding a new flavour depth to your dish. Cut your veg into long, slender pieces, providing for the most
Click on the picture to go directly to the recipe link.
Ella’s Family Veggie Stew by Deliciously Ella
This is another great recipes for using up extra veggies. Criss Cross your potatoes and stuff them with this filling stew to extend the meal or use for left overs. The lentils and chickpeas give it a punch of protein to fill you up and provide that healthy comfort we crave on a cold day. This stores well in the fridge for several days where the depth of flavour increases or stores perfectly in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Waste free freezer storage: Freeze your left overs in meal size containers vs. bulk in order to avoid further food waste. If you know you’ll use extra for lunch left overs the next day, increase the size of your freezer batch.
Have you read that chilling or freezing potatoes lowers their glycemic index? If you’re cooking bulk roasted potatoes to freeze follow these directions to reheat them in your oven or air fryer. TIP: Don’t defrost them first! Freezing potatoes roasted will also extend their shelf life and save you money during the “hunger gap” when we mind find our potatoes shriveled, soggy and growing eyes. The hunger gap is the period during early spring when there is little or no fresh produce grown and we rely on storage crops to get us through.
Click on the photo to go directly to the recipe.
Creamed Braising Greens (or Collards)
Skip the spinach and try this nutrition packed freshly picked dish. It takes like the promise of spring and the slow end of winter. This recipe also works well with collards, kale, chard and other mustards.
Note: A lot of greens will cook down quickly, you made need more than you think for this recipe, especially given that this dish can be a surprising hit around the dinner table.
Click on the photo to learn more and to register.
I’m not a vegan myself, yet adapting some vegan practices are one healthy way of saving money while eating deliciously.
The Vegan Family Kitchen is offering the following workshop this week. If you’re interested, check out their other workshops each month too.
Do you want to get better at improvising healthy plant-based meals with more ease, fewer grocery runs, and less waste? A carefully curated capsule pantry is the minimalist approach you need to compose a diversity of meals from wholesome plant foods and fresh produce.
In this month’s free workshop, you will learn
🛒 Which essential ingredients to keep on hand
💸 Simple strategies to save money on your grocery bill by combining staple foods
🏺 How to store ingredients increase the odds of using everything you buy (and minimize spoilage!)Thursday February 27th, 2025
at 11 a.m. Pacific time
2 p.m. Eastern
click here for your time zone
*They’re hoping to offer a replay for those who can’t make it.
Example of another photo voice committee hard at work on a beautiful community project just like ours – Come join us and be part of the fun!
Seeking Community Members to join the Photo Voice Selection Committee
.Please let us know your availability in the form provided here. We’ve extended the deadline. Your participation would mean a lot to us.
- Selecting the photos from the 579 submissions to include in a public exhibition (e.g., 100 photos in total).
- Identifying key messages to highlight about Fernwood.
- Sharing ideas for the public exhibition.
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Having fun, viewing photos, and enjoying tasty snacks!
Click on the picture to go directly to the link.
Spread the Love Film Festival
Join us TODAY for our annual Spread the Love Film Festival and premiere anti-bullying themed films created by youth filmmakers & vote on your favorite one. 
Upcoming Workshops – January to June 2025 – Beat the rush and book your spots!
Get involved with the Compost Education Centre by participating in one or many of their fabulous workshops. We attended their recent workshop on microgreens in the wee garden hut and it was fabulous.
Registration is found here: https://compost.bc.ca/get-involved/public-workshops/
Click the picture to go to the event.
Mark your calendars – Fairfield Repair Cafe is happening April 5th, 2-5 pm.
Hosted by the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association at 1330 Fairfield Rd., Victoria, BC, Canada, British Columbia V8S 5J1
This is a fantastic way to keep your household and personal items out of the landfill, learn new skills and save money. These events have been a highlight for our family over the years. We always learn something new and it saves us from replacing another household item. We always meet the most interesting community members. As you can only bring one item you might want to plan ahead for the next one on June 7th, same time, same place.
Click the picture to go to the event.
Also at the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association – The Clothing Swaps – Saturday, March 1st, April 5th, May 3rd, June 7th – 10 am – 1 pm.
Click on the photo to find the link to free days and other events at the Greater Victoria Art Gallery.
Current Exhibit: From Warhol to Banksy
Free Gallery Days: The first Saturday of every month from 10 am to 5 pm, and every Thursday evening from 5 pm to 9 pm are Free Gallery Days at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
Find these and other Banksy originals at our current exhibition “From Warhol to Banksy” among artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Takashi Murakami, Andy Warhol, and Tom Wesselmann.
Image Credit: Various artworks attributed to Banksy, Courtesy of the Paul and Tracy Mitchell Collection | Photos courtesy of the AGGV.
Check out the City of Victoria Gardening Workshops: Winter 2025 Community Rec Posters1 (1)