Chickpeas, Cherries And Climate Change

Our Green Living Group on Thursday was fun. Shirley brought a cake [recipe below] which was well received, as was Sharon's Lemon Drizzle. Numbers were lower than at the first meeting- a few folk can't commit to being there for every session. We worked through the material and had good discussion.
It was interesting to hear that one of the group uses a local organic veg-box scheme, and is very happy with the quality and variety of the contents [and the flexibility to ask for specific veg to be included/omitted] We also talked about doorstep deliveries of milk in glass bottles, and the new Christchurch Farmers' Market. Christchurch is about to get a ZeroWaste Shop too.

We were given our GLP folders, with all the info for all the sessions - there's definitely a lot to take on board. As I prepared earlier in the week to facilitate the session, I was conscious of the amount of statistics being thrown at us. And abbreviations such as GHG = greenhouse gas. I hadn't realised that 50% of GHG comes from the food industry. Well, people can live without plastic bottles and jet aeroplanes- but everybody has to eat!

I tried to make interpreting the numbers more accessible [not everyone has A level maths] and also took along a few books which I have found helpful [along with a homemade waxwrap and a veg bag] Other people had the same idea, which helped fill the resource table.
I'll try and précis the most helpful suggestions about changes in food choices in another post shortly.

Slimming World Chickpea Cherry Cake [gluten free]
1 400g tin of chickpeas
3 eggs
4 tablespoons sweetener
6 teaspoons almond essence
1 teaspoon baking powder
Stick the whole lot in a food processor and whizz til smooth
Pour into 7" cake tin 
Drop 10 glace cherries into the batter, distributing evenly throughout

Bake in oven, 40 mins at fan 180º