My Version of Fast Food

Yesterday there was a story on the MSN front page regarding the most unhealthy fast foods.  To many that may be in the same arena as saying the least intelligent of reality TV show contestants (how do you choose?) because lots of fast foods are unhealthy but I’ll be the first to admit, there are some better options than others.

I always like to click on these stories and try to figure out why they pick one sonic burger over another.  Usually it is solely based on fat content and not sugar or preservatives but that’s another issue completely.

In 2005 and 2006, researchers asked 600 adults and teens why they eat so much fast food. Three of the top four responses were it’s quick, easy, and affordable. Taste came in third, with only 69 percent of respondents listing flavor as a factor in their fast-food love. -MSN story

Ok, I get it, I get it- Americans are lazy and fat, fat and lazy.  We’d rather get in our car, start of the engine, drive 2 blocks to the McDonald’s, sit in the drive through line with a dozen other smucks who’s engines are still running, order the #3 with biggie sized fries, snatch the paper bag with ketchup, salt, and pepper, sit there smelling the aromas the entire two blocks home, get out of the car, waddle into the house, replace the the body in the couch indentation, and take a bite of something that only sort-of, kind-of tastes good.  According to the study above, taste is not the most important factor.

That whole mess doesn’t sound too convenient, but that’s just me.

I do eat fast food however.  I eat my kind of fast food– no double arches, no secret sauce, no red headed cartoon lady pushing it on me. Each morning this week and last I toss my stuff in my are and walk around the back of my house with a plastic bag.  I pick my day’s salad from my garden in about 1 minute, hop in my car, and drive to work.  That’s fast.

I’m really proud of what is in my garden now- tomatoes, peppers, and various squash about to fruit, arugula, swiss chard, mustard greens, a plethora of herbs, onions, strawberries, and whatever else I planted back a few months ago.

Here are some pictures of my garden in progress:

Getting Started- The first days of my garden. All with help a whole lot of help from Greg the Caveman.

Bed #1- the long bed, after I finally began planting

Beds # 2 and 3- After initial planting

These final pictures were taken last night as I did a little weeding and planted bed #4 with wildflower seeds in anticipation of the rain storms that would come.

Second half of Bed #1- more toms, arugula, and other salad goodies!

All the beds with the newly planted wildflower bed.

Bed #1 with basil, other herbs and 3 very big tomato plants ready to fruit!

Second part of Bed #1- more tomatoes (I can't help it, I keep buying them), mustard greens, arugula, and various other salad goodies!

ARUGULA!!!

Squash, cucumbers, broc, and cauliflower

Onions, pepers, and....cant remember what else I put in here :)!

And the result of hard work from both Caveman and me?  A wonderfully taste salad for lunch everyday- made in my back yard, no chemicals, no preservatives!

Yummy!

I am also very lucky to have Greenling, a local organic food delivery service here in Austin.  As I began this post, they showed up with my bounty of all local veggies.  I got all this to add to my salad for a mere $34 (that includes a $2 tip I add for the driver).  Now that’s a deal!

Beets, oranges, turnips, carrots, lettus, kohlrabi, onions, swiss chard, zuchinni....