Recently, I found myself navigating the aisles of my local grocery store, on a quest for chicken thighs to prepare for dinner – an ingredient I hadn’t purchased in quite some time, perhaps months. To my sheer astonishment and dismay, I was taken aback by the steep price for a mere four chicken thighs. This shocking experience triggered a deeper conversation between my husband and me about the principles of sustainability and the increasing cost of food. We’ve been actively exploring various ways to enhance our self-sufficiency and adopt environmentally friendly practices in our everyday lives.
We have a flock of dual-purpose chickens that provide eggs and meat, as well as a small flock of ducks. Our garden mainly grows tomatoes and peppers, which are our staples.
However, there will be more added this year.
Recently, during our evening discussions, we considered expanding our gardening repertoire. We noticed that our winter grocery lists often include essential vegetables like sweet peas, green beans, black beans, carrots, and corn. With that in mind, we’re excited to plan a new garden layout to grow these staples ourselves. I always find joy in drawing garden plans and imagining how each plant will flourish together for a bountiful harvest.
As I took stock of our grocery bills, a particular item popped out at me: honey. I frequently incorporate it into my cooking and baking, using it as a natural sweetener in my teas, and I realized it’s something we buy far too often. After much thoughtful deliberation, my husband and I have decided to take the plunge and delve into beekeeping this year. The prospect is thrilling and we are filled with anticipation, yet we fully recognize it will demand a substantial amount of preparation and diligent hard work to ensure we are ready to welcome our bees. Nevertheless, I believe that the effort we put in will be well worth it – not only will we save money on honey, but the presence of bees will significantly enhance the pollination of our garden, ultimately benefitting our crops and yielding better harvests.
I’ve also come to recognize that there are countless pathways to achieving sustainability, even for those of us living in urban settings. It’s becoming increasingly common for city dwellers to grow vegetables in containers, which opens up new possibilities for individuals with limited space. Many fruits can now thrive in pots as well, providing a delightful array of options for container gardening. For those just starting, launching an herb garden is an excellent choice; herbs can flourish in the smallest of spaces and will provide fresh, vibrant flavors for our meals all year long.
Throughout our journey toward sustainable living, I’ve encountered a significant learning curve. One of the most vital lessons I’ve discovered is the importance of pacing ourselves. I’ve made the blunder of being overly ambitious only to be met with a reality check. Each misstep has taught me invaluable lessons that I’ve applied in subsequent years, gradually helping me achieve much better results.
Although there remains a plethora of goals we aspire to accomplish on this journey toward sustainability, we are wholeheartedly committed to putting in the necessary effort and embracing the process. We recognize that there will be failures along the way, but we’re equally looking forward to celebrating our successes, however small they may be. Embracing a sustainable lifestyle is undoubtedly a journey with its ups and downs, and we’re excited to see where this new direction will take us.
On a lighter note, after numerous experiments in the kitchen, I finally perfected my angel food cake recipe, transforming it into a beloved tradition for my family, especially during birthdays. This cake is light and airy, melting delicately in your mouth with each bite. It’s an excellent way to utilize extra eggs, resulting in a fluffy texture that beautifully balances sweetness without being overly rich. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I do! As a tip, I always freeze the egg yolks that I don’t use. They work wonders in cookies, enhancing the richness if you add an extra yolk to your cookie dough. Happy baking!
Mile High Angel Food Cake
- Move oven rack to lowest slot. Preheat oven to 350º.
- Sift the dry ingredients together 4 times and set aside.
- Sift 1 ¾ cups of powdered sugar and set next to the mixture.
- Start beating egg whites and cream of tartar, beat until foamy.
- Once foamy, start adding powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding more.
- Once all sugar is added let the whites come to soft peaks. It should take 5-7 minutes at medium speed.
- Fold in dry ingredients ⅓ at a time. Fully incorporate between each add. Until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Fold in sprinkles.
- Pour slowly into the angel food cake pan, making sure it is even all the way around.
- Using a butter knife carefully run it through the batter to get out any air bubbles.
- Bake on the lowest rack in the oven at 350º for 45-55 minutes.
- Flip upside down on a glass bottle or if your pan has legs just on the counter. Let cool for at least 2 hours.
- Unmold from the pan set on a cake plate and let cool until completely cooled.
- Serve! Add your favorite berries or sauces and whipped cream.
Notes:
You can make this chocolate by omitting ¼ cup powdered sugar from the dry ingredients and adding ¼ cup cocoa powder and sift with the other dry ingredients.
You can also add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg to the dry ingredients for more of a fall flavor.
This cake can be stored covered for 3 days. But I don’t think it will last that long.
You can also add freeze-dried fruits to the cake after folding the dry ingredients in and gently folding them in.
Do not add fresh or frozen fruits to the cake; it will not rise.
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