The good news is that I've managed to whittle down all those veggies in the fridge far enough so that this weekend, I actually NEED veggies. The bad news is... Well, there isn't any bad news. The weather was gorgeous, my garden is growing, and every meal was drool-worthy!
Stirfry and Rice - It just looks like Spring, doesn't it? As usual, I just start pulling food out of the fridge: a carrot, a couple mushrooms, some onion, a little squash, don't forget the chard, here's some broccoli, and the cabbage. Everything gets chopped up and tossed in a frying pan with a little drizzle of olive oil, then a pinch of salt, stir in a little cooked rice... Voila! Veggie stir-fry and rice, and just about everything is local (both the salt and squash are not local, but everything else is). Mmm! Local taste good!
Vegetable Soup and Rye Bites - Any time I have an overabundance of veggies, I just whip up a pot of soup and then can it so that it's ready for a quick meal any time (with no veggies ever going to waste). The problem is, that with such a wonderful and steady (year-round) supply of fresh, local veggies, I actually have to make an effort NOT to buy foods so that I can occasionally dip into all those canned veggies, soups, and stewed tomatoes lining the pantry shelves. Well, this week the soup was calling to me so I pulled out a canned of all-local, homemade veggie soup that I canned early last fall. Looks like there's mushrooms, potatoes, spinach, purple hull peas, onions... and probably a bunch of other goodies in there from another season's harvest. All I know is that it was delicious even 8 months later... especially 8 months later now that purple hull peas haven't been in season since last summer. Mmm. And that's some of the rye bites (homemade rye bread, spices, and olive oil) that I purchased a couple weeks ago at the farmers' market that make wonderfully spicy crackers.
Not pictured were the local strawberries at breakfast, many more delicious stir fries with both local rice and local wheat berries, my homemade tortillas made with flour from the farmers' market and rolled with my homemade local peach jam...
You know somehow eating locally makes the simplest of meals the most mouthwatering. Trust me, I'm no chef and you don't have to be when you eat local. The food? It just speaks for itself.
Hope you're enjoying some wonderful local foods in your neck of the woods. As always, Happy (and mindful) eating!
6 comments:
Yum as always. I've been on an oatmeal kick lately. Oatmeal with strawberries and a bit of maple syrup. It's like dessert for breakfast.
Beany - Thanks! Mmm. Oatmeal! But I can only eat it raw or in pancakes for some reason. Love it though and it sounds great with berries!
Did you say, "squash"??? I haven't had squash in forever. Even as I try to eat locally, the vegetables and fruit are the things I tend to cling to in the seasons. I broke down and purchased 1/2 a pig for the freezer. It is all natural, vegetarian raised, so I can eat it without feeling terrible about it, even though it is more about feeding the masses in an 8 person household now. I guess my morals are difficult to deal with, but eating animals that eat animals really feels abysmal. Where you have found that eating affects your health directly, I am more affected by what I believe and perceive to be the right or wrong way to do things(with several shades of gray in between).
At any rate, there is a ham for Easter. It will go with potatoes, and lots of vegetables.
I received broccoli, herbs, lettuce, a tomato, bok choy, spinach, beets and many greens from Vicki's CSA drop yesterday.
Do you like chard, Heather? Because that is one thing I cannot really fix here since both me and my hubby are not fond of it. Let me know, I'll bring it Saturday.
Also, Cathy was asking if she could start selling at the Farmer's Market. I am trying to encourage her. She wants to sell cheese.
The peaches are in bloom now, the grapevines are full of leaves, the new asparagus is coming up, the seeds are coming up, too. It is going to be a pretty good year, I think, but then, we really need a good year...
Tammy - I love chard and I don't have any in my garden. If you need to get rid of it, I'm your girl. Thanks!
Have Cathy download an application from the market website (or I can give you one on Saturday). If she downloads, go to the website:
http://www.brazosvalleyfarmersmarket.com
click on the vendor tab, the paragraph at the top gives you a link to vendor info. Right now, the fee is $60 for the year (April 2009 - March 2010. It would be AWESOME to have fresh cheese at the market!
That chard is all wilty. I'll save it in the frig next week. My frig barely has room, so I kept it out(I composted it)...but I can assure you I'll save some next week, but I will take a look in the frig and see if I have anything that needs to be used(that we won't get to in time--I think I have some spinach) After the lasagna, I'm done with spinach for now-lol.See you tomorrow.
Tammy - Thanks for all those goodies today! I'm gonna be eating good this week!
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