Did you know that I recently started recycling? I know. And before you all get up in arms about the baby polar bears, and how I am (was?) a discredit to Seattle-ites everywhere, let me clarify. It’s not that I’ve actively been destroying the environment. It’s more that I take the Jim Gaffigan approach to recycling, in that I’ll go out of my way to avoid using anything I’d have to recycle. (This is surprisingly difficult, when you’re a lit student with a diet coke problem.)
(Sidenote: for the life of me, I cannot find a youtube video for Jim Gaffigan’s “Recycling,” but I HIGHLY recommend you all look into it.)
But anyway, this new recycling thing. One problem with being friends with someone from Bellingham (hiiiiiiii Amanda!) is that all people from Bellingham are dirty hippies. And dirty hippies will openly mock you for owning umbrellas/drying your hair/using deodorant or Pantene Pro-V. But when it comes to recycling, it’s apparently GAME TIME. There’s no mocking so much as open hostility. On Saturday I got in trouble because Amanda found a diet coke can in the WARDENNIAL OFFICE trash can, since I am occasionally IN the wardennial office, it had to be my fault. (It was, for the record, EZRA’S coke can.)
So it came to pass that my overwhelming laziness was in direct conflict with my desire for a quiet life. And it turns out that my desire for a quiet life is stronger than my laziness. I agreed to start recycling, IF Amanda could come up with a recycling system that’s cute enough to be appealing.
So since I’ve finally caved on this, the foundation of hippiedom, I thought I should explore other hippie pastimes (ones that still allow me to shower and wear preppy headbands). In that spirit, I bought some ground flaxseed today. I’m not entirely sure WHY I did this, unless you count my freakish obedience (I read in Good Food magazine that it’s super good for you). But I have concluded, since it’s a ground seed, is brown, and looks suspiciously healthy while at the same time being generally flavourless, that it must be at least a vaguely crunchy purchase. And let me tell you, I was feeling pretty smug about the purchase until it dawned on me that I might be allergic to it. I don’t typically have a problem with seeds, but then BRAZIL NUTS are allegedly seeds, and a brazil nut is a surefire way for me to get an epi-pen straight to the facepiece. As a result, I am eating approximately four grains at a time, until I either a) determine for sure that I’m not allergic to the flax or b) build up an immunity to it (similar to Wesley’s immunity to iocane powder in The Princess Bride). The only minor difference is that a flaxseed immunity will be of very little use, should I ever find myself in a battle of wits with a Sicilian. Pity.
Nevertheless, I am for sure going to start demanding that people call me “The Dread Pirate Roberts of Flaxseed”.
1. Thank you for alerting me to a new post. I was not disappointed.
2. Is flaxseed odorless, tasteless, dissolves instantly in liquid? I’d really love it, I mean really-please-if-you-love-me-you’ll-do-it-and-blog-about-it, if you took a small canister of flaxseed and held it up for someone to smell and then told them, “What you do not smell is flaxseed.”
3. Your lack of recycling until now *does* surprise me, but your need to have it cutified does not. I eagerly await pictures of recycle bins mod-podged with unicorns and motivational quips.
I’m fairly positive that flax is safe for people with tree nut allergies. Also, many nuts (almonds, walnuts) are actually classified as seeds. But flax should be safe. Do a little Googling!
Also, you can use ground flax seed as a egg replacer in baking! If you mix like a tablespoon with 2-3 tbsp of water and let it sit for ten minutes, it forms a creepy gel that will add moistness (and fiber!) to your baked goods. Replaces one egg. Good in muffins and breads. Hooray, vegan cooking! It is also wonderful with yogurt and granola. Keep in in the fridge so it won’t go rancid. And, continue blogging more because it makes me a happyface.