Category Archives: lists

Oh hi hi hi

I swear to Jeebus I'm smiling.

So yeah, I don’t do transitions too well. I spent the last several months:

» Being super excited about moving to our new town! Winston-Salem, N.C., is home!!
» Looking for jobs and not getting at ALL excited at the idea of sitting behind a computer.
» Running running running! Up big hills, around beautiful neighborhoods!
» Getting bummed out at not finding work. What’s a girl gotta do?
» Letting my being bummed out bum me out. No more exercise.
» Getting work! At Starbucks. Interesting.
» Getting more work! At an amazing bakery in town (Camino), selling baked goods and learning how to make really good espresso drinks.
» Working two jobs and getting tired. And bummed about being tired. And eating because I’m tired. And still not exercising.
» Ooh! Just one job now! The bakery is such a good place to spend time, behind the counter or as a customer. I love going into work.
» Oh what? I kind of gained even more weight. And also am so-very(-too-too)-slowly getting back into good eating habits and an exercise routine. You know what that makes me? Bummed. Just a little.

So I asked my best friend (hiya, Mela!) what the heck to do, and she talked about how writing her blog and connecting with folks in her area has helped her find her center. You know what? She’s smart.

Time to get back into a routine. Time to get back to writing about it. Because I liked that part. I liked all of you and I liked having a way to stay focused on the things I decided were important to me.

Things I decided were important to me

1. Being fit. Is it being 30 years old? I’m not sure how else to explain that — even with an extra 20 pounds on my frame — I’ve been looking at myself during my weightlifting classes at the gym thinking “damn girl, you’ve got a fine ass,” and “look at those thighs! Tremendous!” So yeah, I’d like to fit back into my jeans, but more and more it’s clear that my underlying motivation for eating right and exercising has to be my overall fitness, not how much I weigh or what size those jeans are. So how to mark my progress? How about a 10K? By this time next week, my goal is to have signed up for an autumn 10K in town.

2. Whole food life. It’s not so much I’ve fallen off this wagon. But last we met, there was still so much I was interested in learning and exploring. I want to take up that adventuresomeness again — new grains, new fruits and vegetables, canning! Goal: To try one new something every week and report on it. It’s also time to learn how to make jams and pickles and put ‘em by. Goals for that to come …

3. Making a happy home. Our house is beautiful, but I struggle to implement the tiny home projects that keep floating through my daydreams. There are walls to be painted, closets to be organized, a bathroom that could use little touch-ups. Goal: By this time next week, unveil a tiny, tiny home project I can plan and implement by the end of April.

3. A handmade wardrobe. I have everything to learn and everything to make. What I might need is a little focus, and my new job at Camino might have offered it: I’d love to wear smock aprons for work — something cute with cap sleeves that I can get get dirty. So a goal! Within two weeks I want to have found a pattern and made my first smock apron. Do you think I could single-handedly bring the smock back into fashion?

Hey …

… This was nice. Let’s do it again. Oh, and Dawgface says hello.

Remember me? I'm here, too!

Day 54 of 101: Obviously weekly plans work …

… Because I didn’t set one up this week and I did eff-all.

Well, that’s not quite true. I ran three miles (thrice!). I even punched it to a 9:30-minute pace on my indoor run! (What?!)

I mean, I guess it *looks* like a hat. It needed so much help, though ...

I tried to sew a hat (muslin) and discovered that curved lines and easing together two pieces of fabric are a few steps ahead of my sewing game.

Chili, topped with goat cheese. Goat cheese makes me smile.

I made this mushroom soup and this chili. They were good. And they each took about thirty minutes. Make them in your own kitchen! You will eat well for a week.

I tried fresh figs. I loved figs fresh. I will eat more figs.

I tried fresh figs. For the first time in my life. How does one go thirty years on this world loving loving loving Fig Newtons and never being curious enough to try the fresh version?

Downward trend.

I kept up with my new food/exercise tracking tool: calorie count. And guess what? I lost weight. And guess what else? I feel really good. And guess what other thing? Now I’m all motivated to do food research so I can start working on increasing my intake of good nutrients like calcium, potassium, fiber, etc.

Be all that as it may, I did not enjoy my week as much as I did the two weeks previous, each of which I’d roughly planned on Sunday.

So may I take a little lesson? Planning time …

The week ahead

Two weeks ago I set up tons of three-week goals for myself, and they’re all coming due Sunday, November 20. That would be this coming Sunday. What I have left to do for those goals: sew a skirt/blouse, sew napkins; make ten (ten!) new recipes for my fifty-recipe collection; design stuff, and lots of it!; achieve a ten-minute mile outdoors.

Can I do it? I don’t know for sure. But I know I can try.

Monday
We’re gonna eat: Leftover chili served over quinoa
I’m gonna make: Mmmm, I think I’ll make some pumpkin pie. I’ll use this Gina’s Skinny recipe (and then fat it up). There’s also bread to be made.
I’m gonna write: About my health stats and workouts this week.

Tuesday
We’re gonna eat: Homestyle baked chicken! Alongside kale chips and roasted sweet potato.
I’m gonna make: All that food. Plus some napkins.
I’m gonna write: About my action plan to incorporate more healthy sources of calcium, potassium and fiber in my day (I consistently fall short on those numbers).

Wednesday
We’re gonna eat: More chicken! Also, baked oatmeal.
I’m gonna make: This baked oatmeal.
I’m gonna write: My day in food!

Thursday
We’re gonna eat: Broccoli mac and cheese, care of this recipe from 101 Cookbooks.
I’m gonna make: Mac and cheese. And I’m going to sew something that requires a pattern. A simple skirt, maybe?
I’m gonna write: About the old new me. It’s a thing.

Friday
We’re gonna eat: Leftovers!
I’m gonna make: I bet you anything I’ll still be working on that pattern piece …
I’m gonna write: My napkins!

Saturday
We’re gonna eat: Whatever the heck we want.
I’m gonna make: Hey. Nothin.
I’m gonna write: Links for you!

Sunday
We’re gonna eat: I bet we eat pancakes.
I’m gonna make: Lists.
I’m gonna write: A plan for my week ahead.

So, we think this plan’s gonna shake out, right?

Right?

Planning the week: it works!

I loved planning my week ahead last Sunday. It gave me the little bit of structure I needed to make the most of each day. Hey, here goes nothin’ …

Monday
We’re gonna eat: Homemade lasagna. Umm, not using homemade pasta because my arms are tired.
I’m gonna make: My padded laptop sleeve. (Wish me luck!)
I’m gonna write: Health stats and my workouts!

Tuesday
We’re gonna eat: More lasagna (lots of lasagna this week).
I’m gonna make: These spiced apple chips. We’ve had so many treat-y treats in the house (these cinnamon rolls were RIDICULOUS. Amazing and ridiculous). that I’m looking forward to a clean snack. Also, some more energy bars! They’re my new go-to pre-gym nourishment and I’m about to run out.
I’m gonna write: My perfect cracker recipe. Y’all, it’s delicious.

Wednesday
We’re gonna eat: Lasagna. Seriously, we have so much of it. Also, I’ll probably make some vegetables to go with it.
I’m gonna make: Design! Something! Let’s say, I’ll find some quotes I really like. And if I like the poster, maybe I’ll even print them up.
I’m gonna write: My day in food.

Thursday
We’re gonna eat: Quiche! Finally, something different. Specifically, this broccoli quiche (again, because it was yarmy).
I’m gonna make: Quiche! Also, any finishing touches to that laptop sleeve.
I’m gonna write: Running running running. And what goes on in my brain when I do.

Friday
We’re gonna eat: Quiche, please (we do leftovers a lot; it makes meal planning easy).
I’m gonna make: I think I’m going to plan details for the blouse/skirt I’ll make from a pattern. Also, I want to mess with my spreadsheets and squeeze more data from them. So that, too.
I’m gonna write: My laptop sleeve. Hey, if it’s good enough maybe I’ll make this more of a how-to and less of a beginning-sewist’s confessional.

Saturday
We’re gonna eat: Yum yum butternut squash pasta — another recipe from one of the cookbooks we have at home.
I’m gonna make: Oh, nothin’ but dinner.
I’m gonna write: Links for you! I hope you’ll like them.

Sunday
We’re gonna eat: I like not knowing. (But probably pasta leftovers)
I’m gonna make: Nothin’! It’ll be a chill weekend.
I’m gonna write: The new plan for the week ahead.

Day 40 of 101: Meeting little goals

A few weeks ago I was looking to bring more focus to my week, so I set some little goals for myself. I gave myself three weeks to finish them, and now my three weeks are up!

I think I did pretty well. Sometimes goal-setting gets overwhelming. “Will I really be able to finish all my projects? There’s so much to do!” I think I found the secret: modest, modest goals.

Sew another tote bag

Le bag.

Done! And I wrote about it, mostly about how I wish I’d made it a little different, to have that new-project thrill. C’est la vie and all that fine stuff.

Sew myself an outfit

This is me loving the dress I made.

I’m gonna call my “15-minute” dress an outfit. I still need to wear it out-and-about!

16 of the 50 recipes

See this dog? Her snout was inches away from my beer bread while I was taking photos. So I turned the camera on her and what does she do? “No, no. Not me. I wasn’t trying to eat your bread.”

I’ve made the recipes! I’ll be posting about them this week. In the meantime, don’t that beer bread look good? You should make some.

Develop a cycling snack for Patrick

What you see is honey, dates, oats, flax, almonds, cinnamon, chia seeds, and that's it!

I’m so, so close. I’ve got the flavors down, but I need to work on the consistency (it’s a bit too sticky to be convenient as on-the-go food). Still, I’m happy with the recipe as is for myself, so I’ll be posting it soonish!

New goals

This worked so well for me that I’d like to proclaim some new modest goals for the next three weeks:

» One sewing project each week. I already know I want to make a padded laptop cozy to match my new tote bag. And I want to challenge myself to following an actual pattern for a blouse or skirt. Finally, how about I make some formal napkins? When my friend Melizza started getting serious about sewing, she made a collection of great napkins (she sent me the blue ones!). I want to borrow from her ideas; maybe some of her good sewing juju will rub off.

» Another dozen recipes! This fifty recipe challenge is introducing me to so many good foods and new ways of putting them together. In fact, I think I’ll have to renew it once it’s done.

» 10-minute mile in the outdoors! This feels like the most ambitious goal — Patrick and I went on my first street run this morning and I could feel how much I slowed down on those hill climbs (it didn’t feel like I gained too much on the downhills, either). I’d like to run a solid 10-minute pace for the 5K we’ll do Thanksgiving morning.

» Design design design. When I started my 101 Days Project I definitely thought I’d be doing little design projects for fun. I haven’t done a single one! So, over the next three weeks I’d like to: design my own version of a few of those inspirational quote posters popping up all over the place; design holiday cards because … why not?; and design a logo for a personal project muh husbandman’s working on.

Hmm, these are feeling decidedly less modest. Let’s see how I do. (Pretty good, I bet.)

some things that inspire me (links)

I’mma see about this link-love-blogging thing.

I like it when bloggers *I* like tell me what *they’re* liking lately. And lord knows I bookmark enough interesting articles to keep me reading for a solid weekend.

Without further ado, just a very few of the stories/recipes/photos that caught my eye this week.

link lovin’

Shutterbean‘s “Fully Loaded Granola Bar“
I’m still experimenting with that recipe I stumbled upon in our ATK cookbook, but I need some outside inspiration for messing with the sugar/honey ratio and flavors. When I saw these, I knew I’d wanna use them for just that … {Photo from Shutterbean}

Oh She Glows‘ “Butternut Squash Mac ‘n Cheese: Two Ways“
Patrick just made us a delicious butternut squash soup. The flavor was perfect, and I can imagine it works exceptionally with a pasta dish. Not to mention it’s a way to get a m&c fix without the dairy (I always find myself better for limiting it in my diet). {Photo from Oh She Glows}

Working Out & Eating In‘s “Food Diary 2“
1: I like a photo food diary. 2: Overnight oats! I haven’t tried them yet, but they sound chewy and filling and delicious. And do you see that kale pizza with sweet potato crust? The more I eat healthfully, the more enticing these healthy versions of favorites sound … {Photo from Working Out & Eating In}

Sifting Through‘s “Pretty Tea Cups“
This is my very best friend Melizza, who moved across the ocean with her husband for an adventurous several years in London. We were roommates in the way back. I don’t know that if you’d told me she’d one day collect tea cups, I’d have quite believed it. Except that it’s perfectly Melizza. Because she has always been a hostess, and always given the utmost care to those she hosts. Tea cups are her. She is tea cups. {Photo from Sifting Through}

A Wolf’s Garden‘s “Hardscaping Turns Soft“
That’s my brother, who’s got one of those minds that absorbs absolutely everything it’s exposed to (I’ll write soon about the great information he shared with me regarding heart rates). Here he documents the work he’s put into the flora all around his house. One of my favorite writeups so far is this one detailing the landscaping he built, and how it changed over time. {Photo from A Wolf’s Garden}

still here! … & list blog: things i wanna do with this blog

To anyone who has been anxiously awaiting the blog entry wherein I explain how I use spreadsheets these days (the anticipation just *killing* you, right?), I’m still here, and I still plan to write about it!

where the hell have i been?

I’ve been doin’ all kinds of things: heading to the gym, making ice cream, making lists (in muh brain), making spreadsheets, making charts based on those spreadsheets, eating tasty & healthy foods, experimenting with granola bars.

I’ve also been having all kinds of ideas about what to write for this here food & do blog. To be honest, maybe too many ideas. Or maybe not that … maybe it’s that I’ve had an inappropriate and overwhelming urge to Do Them All Now, which has killed the basic urge to actually *start* a blog entry.

So how do I fix that? Baby steps.

First baby step, my ideas! (list score!)

some ideas for food & do

» recipes. Duh. *food* & do. I need recipes. And I want to post them. And I already have several I want to share (our spent-grain bread, granola bars, my crazy-ugly-healthy dinner bowls …). Just gotta do it. Which means photos (more on that later), note-taking, boiling-downing, appetizing!

» photos: take better ones. My photo skills are about like this: take a photo; it looks like the thing; share it with the world. I would my skills to be more like: set up the photo; adjust the light; muss camera settings; play with perspective; take a photo; edit photos; pick the best; share with the world! This is gonna take some self-educating and lots of practice. Time will tell …

» progress photos. lots of them. I’ve brainstormed a photo styling for the photos (making some decisions — like using a black-and-white format — that will help accentuate any little changes in my shape), and I have an idea of how to pull it off. The question remains: will my husband be ready to take the same photo of me nearly EVERY DAY until I say “when”?

» photos of meals throughout the week. Not a photo of every single meal I eat every single day, but maybe one photo of one thing/meal I eat each day (skipping days that are just *blah*). I think it’d: be good practice for my photo-making; inspire me to bring new (photogenic) foods into my life; fill the world with more-and-more food photos (which it needs, always).

» adventures! I am increasingly keen on bringing physically challenging things into my life: boxing, dance classes, long-ass hikes, serious bike rides (races?!), running?? Of course I would want to document my adventures. There are just *so many* … where do I begin?

» science of food & exercise. The more I move, the higher regard I have for healthy food. The more I move, the more I wonder how the hell it all works (how does the food turn into energy? How does my body feed off that energy? How does fat convert into muscle? WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING INSIDE MY BODY?!). I want to start reading about all this science stuff, and then I want to write about it. Not, like, a pro or anything. Just as one kind eater/exerciser/healthy-wannabe to another.

I think that sums it up. I think? There’s more. I think. I can’t remember it though. (See why my blog’s been so quiet?? This is what happens to my brain when I fill it with ideas … it stops working.)

OK. Off to figure out how to make all this stuff happen …

excited about this weekend

So many things to look forward to on a Saturday morning!

» Firstly, I’m excited that I’m excited on a Saturday morning. I can’t tell you how many weekends I’ve started totally down in the dumps, despite the fact that the preceding weeks were productive, successful, happy-making. The culprit? I’m guessing the end-of-week sugar indulgences and Saturday-morning pancake-breakfasty habits. Score one for making a healthy decision (the week in review & its lessons) and sticking with it!

» Yoga! Actually, Body Flow at the Y, which is apparently a mix of pilates, yoga and tai chi. I’m looking forward to the stretching and core workout I expect I’ll get out of this class. Also, it’s this morning (I’ll finish this blog entry and head out the door!), and I have a feeling it’ll be a great start to the weekend.

» Making more spent-grain bread, which I think Patrick and I should do our darndest to document so we can share it with you all in detail (and pretty pictures). This stuff is so good, I think we’ll make a double batch and freeze the finished loaves that will be in excess. Also? I’ll make some malt syrup from his leftover, unboiled wort! It’s earthy and sweet and I plan to use it in an upcoming batch of buttercream frosting for god-knows-what.

» A “real” bike ride. Patrick’s gonna lead me through my first “real” training bike ride. Meaning it’ll be long (I’ve asked him not to tell me how long until we’re done), and that I should attempt to pedal continuously (Patrick observed in a previous, casual ride that I coast a lot, which is a no-no for group road rides and if I plan to ever compete, which maybe I do …). I’m so looking forward to the challenge, and to spending quality time with Stinger.

» My first “follower” through blogger that I don’t know in real life! Liz Loses! I can’t tell you the little thrill I got at seeing that someone was following my blog who lives in Ohio (where I have never been), and who’s doing the kinds of things with her food and exercise that I aim to do. Thanks, Ms. Liz Loses, for making my day!

list blog: treating myself!

I think people who know me *very* well know that I’m not very good at treating myself to gifts, or even necessaries. I might even have some kind of a … thing … about it. I usually find an excuse why I don’t need / shouldn’t have / can live without something.

But you know what? That has *got* to change. I don’t know why exactly, I just know there’s something about it that’s wrong. Maybe it’s as simple as holding myself in high enough regard to say I deserve something, even if it is mildly frivolous (though I’m not one for frivolity in general).

And here we come to a new list. A list of things I’ve thought in passing that I’d love to have. I’m gonna keep this on hand and refer to it on occasion, perhaps especially on occasions that I think I’ve accomplished something important, big or small.

things i want!

clothes

I realized at some point I needed to make “clothes” its own category. I’ve never been a clothes horse, but I have always appreciated fashion. Most especially I’ve coveted good shoes (when I was a little girl in church, I loved getting the seat right next to the outside aisle, where all those returning from communion passed by and where I could subtly inspect their footwear as they did).

» new boots (Frye, please? Though I don’t know that they make them quite big enough to fit over my calves.)
» flats! Most of my shoes are cheapy Target buys that are totally adorable but that do no stand up to my whole shoe-wearing strategy, which is where them the hell out. I think something like these Frye ballets (I swear I’m not a Fryehound, I just think they present a nice example of classic styles).
» TOMs. I bought a pair and liked them two years ago, but I ran them into the ground … not to mention that I’d bought them in the height of my baking days. Before they became so raggedy I had to toss them, they’d gotten caked in flour and sugar. I’ll likely opt for the burlap, which I’d always wanted anyway, and which look slightly more durable.
» A pair of Raleigh Denim denims. The jeans are expensive, but they’re handmade in Raleigh, N.C., in a store run by a young couple who was running the (very small) retail floor when Patrick and I visited in early winter last year. Mr. Raleigh Denim was very helpful when Patrick was trying to figure out which pair to buy. And the care with which he wrapped the jeans was notable. He also said anytime we were in town, Patrick (or anyone who buys jeans from them) could stop by to have the jeans (which are sold in one length) hemmed to his liking. This’ll be the kind of purchase I made when I’ve reached my goal weight, and which will be one of the most satisfying rewards I can imagine.
» tights (oy, the runs in the ones I have now!)
» new gym attire … this should probably float at the top of my list. I really, really want nice gym clothes. And to look extra cute in it.

house & home
~~» nice, matching towels for our bathroom~~ Done! Patrick brought home a pair each of bath towels, hand towels and wash clothes from Target. Yay for matchy matchy!
» frames for some of our lingering Knoxville art
» bento boxes! I’m doing a good job of taking healthy lunches to work. I’d like to make them cuter and more organized with these magic little systems. (these vivo bentos are my favorite so far!)

pure pampering
» a manicure & pedicure (just once!)
» aveda skin care (especially eye cream. I’m getting old, y’all)

ummmiscellaneous?
» Nice headphones. I have weird ear holes. Those little earbuds that come free with every listening device you buy do NOT fit me. They fall out. They hurt if I shove them in (and then they fall out). I need good old-fashioned headphones. What I have now is, I think, some freebies we picked up on a plane ride? Something like that? And I have no idea what makes for quality. I just know what I got ain’t it. It’ll be a treat to find nice, comfy headphones that are meant to survive the sweaty lifestyle of a gym mouse like myself (phrase “gym mouse” totally stolen from Bailie at Adventures in Foodland, and I love it!)

I’ll add to this list as I think of more things, which I tend to do throughout any given day. Kinda can’t wait for my first big (or small) accomplishment!

since last we met …

… I’ve done some good things!

(list!)
> I cleared out my digital spaces. Gmail: empty. Google docs: streamlined & organized. Facebook friends: edited. Google Reader subscriptions: improved! All these pieces of data float, they’re weightless. But they tax my mind so much when they’re not meaningful, organized, utilized.

E-mail, for instance: I was using it to hold on to information (passwords, recipes, etc.). But I never actually searched my e-mail archives for those things regularly. And in any case, is that really what e-mail should be for? I mean, would I keep a big bucket in my house to store every piece of mail I got, just in case I’d need to refer to it? No, I’d level some importance on each piece of mail, and then *do* something with it. So that’s that. My e-mail *must* remain a weigh station until I figure out the usefulness of any given piece of correspondence, and then *act* on that usefulness.

> I signed up for the gym! I had my choice of a free gym membership in the town where I work (through my husband’s employer, who’s based in Blacksburg even though he works from Roanoke … where we live), or I could get a reduced membership at a gym where I live (though *my* employer, who’s based in Roanoke even though I work in the Blacksburg area. Ha!).

I love to save a buck, but the Blacksburg gym would have meant me adding to my commute (which is already 3 hours total every day), and carefully coordinating my (sometimes unpredictable) work schedule to make sure I get to that gym before it closes. Too many obstacles. And I’m honest enough with myself to know that I’ll use things like long commutes to excuse skipping my workout.

So it’s a membership at my Roanoke gym instead. And in fact, it’s a gym I attended when we lived here four years ago. Home sweet home.

> I went to the gym! It only took me about two weeks longer than it should have to actually sign up for the gym, so I was kind of proud of myself for waking up this morning and taking advantage of my membership immediately. 5 a.m. alarm. To the gym by 5:30. Thirty minutes on an ellipticalmadoohicky. Back home. It was short and sweet, and ultimately I want to *get* to the gym by 5 a.m., but I told myself I’d ease into it. Better I start slow and gain traction than start with a high bar and feel like I’m falling short.

> I tracked my Weight Watchers points all week. It took a little bit of effort, especially on the weekend when we took a great day trip to Charlottesville, Va., and I had to remember all my food choices. But I did it. And I was honest. And I was only 2 points over for the week. When I get on the right track with food, I know I’m in for a string of even *more* healthy decisions. So yay!

> I pre-tracked my breakfast and lunch for today. I’ve always found this helpful, and almost necessary to set up good food habits throughout the week. Not to mention that I can usually find a time to pre-track, but by the end of a day of looking *back* on food I ate and trying to record it, I find myself full of excuses for not doing it. Which tends to lead to more days of not tracking, which eventually leads to days of not actually making the smart food choices that tracking helps me focus on.

So, a pretty great start to the week. …

… *ahem* after this confession
My husband planned a pretty amazing weekend for us. I even drafted a sweet blog entry about how wonderful he is and what a productive Saturday and Sunday we had ahead of us …

And then I got in a crabby, crabby mood on Saturday. And it carried over into Sunday. This happened last weekend, too. And either I *hate* the weekends (???), or there’s something else going on. And I think I may have identified it: Saturday morning breakfast.

It should be a treat, right? First day of repose, lazy morning … “good” breakfast! Of … donuts! (It’s good because it’s delicious. Uhuh.)

But yeah, sugar in the morning … hell no more. Hell. No. More. Because I think it’s crashing my spirits right into the ground. Poor husband! He really did have a great weekend planned, and we ended up doing most of the things we intended to: drive to Charlottesville, with a stop at a brew-pub on the way (here’s his review of Blue Mountain Brewery); and then good coffee & walkin’ our sweet dog through C’ville. And there I was, pouting. Boooooo.

In any case, it’s a lesson for my future breakfast: if anything, I’ll make it bacon. Hold the sugar.

list post: grains i want to try

Whole grains are good for you, but I have to admit to being ignorant of most of them beyond the common: quinoa, corn meal, oats.

So I’m gonna start this here list and add to it as I discover more grains to try. Hopefully you’ll help me with that! In fact, I already *do* have some things to put on the list thanks to some friends on Facebook. …

the eatin’ grains list
(alphabetical order, of course!)

barley
buckwheat
corn meal (polenta!)
couscous (added 1/26)
farro (added 1/26)
oats
quinoa
quinoa, red
rice, brown
rice, forbidden
wheatberry (added 1/26)

things I’ve learned
“groat” It’s a fun word! It means “hulled grain broken into fragments larger than grits.” Thank you, Megan, for using this word!

quinoa can go sweet. I know very little about quinoa (at least as of now, as I set out to make this list). But I definitely only ever thought of it as a savory ingredient. Not so! According to my friend, Jennifer: “…delicious, hot breakfasts can include this! quinoa cooked with some water AND OJ, add raisins or craisins, cinnamon, YUMMY! I like some apple chunks in there too sometimes…” This opens up a new world!