Cucumbers, cucumbers, cucumbers. There are 3 zip loc bags in my fridge right now with variations on a cucumber theme. One is cucumber/feta/mint salad, another is filled with "quick pickles", and the third has a cucumber/yogurt/dill soup in it.
Each night we sit down to dinner and have 2 out of 3 cucumber sides as part of our dinner. The dinner usually also contains some combination of the following: bread (made at home or pita), a protein (meat for aaron, seafood or a bean spread for me), fresh sliced tomatoes or gazpacho soup, and fresh fruit. About every other night we go protein-less and opt for pasta or some quick fried veggies (eggplant and zucchini usually).
This has been the pattern for the last 3 or so weeks. Are we sick of it yet? No.
I'm finding that when you either grow your own food or pick it up from a nearby farmer's market you really don't get sick of eating the same things over and over. I think its a combination of 2 things:
1) You feel alot worse about wasting food when you see it grow from a seed, and
2) Food this fresh tastes so good that its hard to get sick of it.
And I think that the former of the 2 reasons also forces you to dig deeper for more recipes using a single ingredient. Not to mention that I do believe your body craves foods that are in season. Its hot outside, cucumbers are cooling. Go figure.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is this...
Growing our own food & eating things that are seasonal & local is what is changing the dinner dynamic of my family. It's easy to figure out "What's for dinner?" when you have a fridge full of fresh cucumbers. And I just can't help but get excited about eating tomatoes at every meal when they are so ripe and cheap at the farmer's market.
I'm not sure what got Aaron and I on this path, but I do know that it wasn't an overnight decision. And I've learned enough in life by now to realize that the things that stick and really affect change are things that happen gradually over time. We are not doing this to be better citizens, or more responsible members of the community, or to take up the current trend of "thinking green." We are doing this because it feels right.
I think part of the problem with making dietary changes is that we often feel we have to attach ourselves to some movement or diet or category of people to make a change.
"Oh, I'm a vegan" and "I'm definately a foodie" or "Our family really believes in the 'slow cooking' movement." And don't forget to slap that "Buy Fresh, Buy Local!" bumper sticker on the back of your car, announcing to the world that yes, you do buy fresh and local...in case anyone was wondering.
Life is so much easier when you just eat. And eating is so much easier when there are 4-5 cucumbers hanging off your fence every day.
