Meatless Monday After a Weekend Away

A long weekend away doing Nana Sadie Rose things...very busy, and very tired.

So the easiest thing to fix is a Vermont Hunter Cheddar Cheese toasted on Rosemary Sourdough with steamed pattypan squashes...

And then...to sleep, perchance to dream - oh heck, I'd rather NOT dream, but sound sleep would be really good!

It's Meatless Monday!

The next few Mondays my meals will be much the same for me...simple, fast to prepare, and full of the bounty that's at the Farmers Market right now:
I'm spending long hours at the sewing machine, creating stock, so pick-up food is the order of the day.

So here again, my new favorite tomato - the Heirloom Purple Cherokee - on two slices of locally baked rosemary sourdough with a touch of mayo (I'm sorry for you purists, but it's the fat-free jarred mayo; thankfully, I like that) and salt and cracked pepper. Along side you can see a block of my favorite cheese ever: Vermont Hunter Cheddar. This cheese, at room temperature has a bite that many don't like, but I was raised to consider it the finest there is. While in Vermont last weekend, I picked up a block, but it's been long enough that I forgot that the wax it's encased in needs to be encased in plastic or foil to protect surfaces...sure enough my carryon/knitting bag has black wax inside it.
:(
I will work on that. But this meal is simplicity personified.

And wow. Was it ever good.

The next couple of weeks I'll be slammed as I work feverishly to prepare for, and then vend at the National Capital Cat Show. I'll be hosting a booth near the front door, so do come and visit if you're in the Northern Virginia area. We'd love to see you! (One night, will be La Madelienes for dinner, and I make no promises, but often it's reasonably easy to eat Meatless there! I'll try to remember the camera!)
(((hugs)))

Watch...and Learn...

Meatless Monday - Chana Masala

I mentioned last week that I was having vegetarian at a local Indian restaurant after my yoga class. I did and it was wonderful!

I had Chana Masala, and a tomato/coconut soup (must search for recipe), along with naan...I found this recipe for Chana Masala which looks a lot like what I had, with, of course, jasmine rice.

We had such fun, seeing off the daughter of one of our members who has spent the summer in class with us. She's off to college, and we wanted to share a celebratory meal in her honor.

It's Another Meatless Monday...

I missed last week...I'm so sorry, but I did eat meatless, I promise (I'm doing this many more days than just Mondays, too...)

But I have a photo:

This meal included a mess of fresh green beans from my sis-in-law's garden. Now I have to admit that while I use the Southern term of "mess" to describe the large bag she brought me, I do not cook my green beans Southern-style. I simply cook them in water with a little salt, then serve them with a bit of butter and freshly cracked pepper.

I had 1/2 a sweet potato, too. I wrap them in aluminum foil and cook at 425 for 60 minutes...they're melt-in-your-mouth soft and sweet. Add a touch (a small one) of butter and a bit of salt and pepper, and yumm....

The corn and grape tomaotes and the Artisan Bread were from the chain grocer, but I didn't have a chance to get to the Farmer's Market this weekend. I'll make a better effort to do so next week!

Now, tonight? I'm going to one of our Indian restaurants...and I'll report back next Monday on the vegetarian meal I have...okay?

Meatless Monday...Farmer's Market Edition

I visited the Roanoke City Farmer's Market this weekend for the first time all summer (yes, I know I'm awful, and I really do love the place, but I despise having to pay to park so I do visit other Markets that don't have that drawback, but Roanoke's was the first and is the best, no argument).

I brought back a few things. I'm trying really hard this year to remember that it is just me, and I don't have much freezer space or time to put by. Still I tend to overbuy anyway...without applying the brakes? I'd have bags and bags of stuff and be overwhelmed (like last year with the CSA) and I'm trying hard to keep that in mind:
I picked up all three sisters, tho only two are here. My favorite October beans (or "shellies" as my Mom called them) cooked up nicely with a teaspoon or so of olive oil, freshly cracked pepper, a touch of salt and about a tablespoon of dried rosemary in the cooking water. I adore them and was promised the farmer who had these would have many many more all the rest of the summer - I might have to put some of these by, as it's just my favorite bean in the world (I take after Mom in a lot of ways, but when I eat these, I remember the simple delight she had in them and it's a lovely memory!). There were two ears of yellow/white corn, too, and the yellow squash was fabulous.

This is the primary reason I love the Roanoke City Market - because I can stop at On the Rise bakery for their amazing Rosemary Sourdough bread.

But then, as I wandered thru the marketplace, I suddenly heard my name, and lo and behold there was friend Sandra, who helps a friend of her's at his farmstand booth every weekend. Now I have another reason to go down there. What amazing produce!

Sandra immediately told me I had to try one of these:


Saturday and Sunday I had this for lunch, making it a purely meatless weekend (breakfast is always meat-free):
The peaches made my mid-afternoon snack extra special. I'm not a huge fan of peaches, except when they're fresh, in season, and eaten out of hand. This is a good year for peaches, apparently!

And the Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato? OMG. No joke, it's amazing. As soon as I took my first bite, I phoned Sandra and asked her to pick up a couple more of the treasures for this week. I added just a touch of fat-free mayo to the sourdough bread and tomato...I think I'll be stocking up on them each week as long as they last. Hmm...wonder if I can grow two or three of these plants next summer on the front stoop? (Those of you who've been here awhile know perfectly well that it will be a pitiful attempt. I just don't get enough sun...better to plan on every Saturday morning from July into September being at Sandra's friend's booth, right?)

Oh...And Sandra dropped off some of her fresh, home-grown basil on Sunday afternoon, and I made pesto, and added a few leaves and some mozzarella to the sandwich - it was equally amazing...

It's Meatless Monday AGAIN!

I was thinking salad, I was craving Mexican. Taco salad? Vegan style? Well...

I ended up tossing together what I had (wish I'd had a lime or lime juice, but I didn't) and came up with this:

I tossed in:
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained (and I patted them dry with a towel, too)
1 ear of yellow corn cooked and removed from the cob
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/3 of a Vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 a bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeno (frozen from my CSA share last year), seeded and chopped

I seasoned with smoked paprika, cumin (probably 1 tbsp or more), a touch of hot sauce, and lemon juice and olive oil - I can't give you actual amounts, b/c (1) I didn't measure, and (2) I think probably you'll want to season to your own preference.

(I like mine spicey!)

And then I carefully mixed it all up (those black beans tend to mush if you're too forceful!). I tossed broken up multigrain Tostitos chips and romaine in a bowl and added the mixture on top.

Next time? I think I'll make up a bit of salsa and fat-free ranch dressing for a topper and add in some (non-vegan) sharp cheddar shreds.

Meatless Mondays - Veggies

I'm not sure you can tell what's on the plate (well, except that obviously there's an ear of corn!

My meatless meal tonight was veggies: On the right, the thing that's probably not obvious at all is a roasted white patty pan squash. Then there's the corn, and of course a garlic baguette with seasoned olive oil. I had nectarine for dessert.

So what is it with me? I seem to put many many white, yellow, pale, blah, beige sorts of foods on my plate. Or at least it seems to me as if there's a lot of it. (On the rare days I eat anything animal based (other than dairy - oh! There's that white stuff again) I eat chicken. White.Meat.

Hmm...I do eat carrots and winter squash, sweet potatoes (hmm...yellow, orange)

And tomatoes (red).

But Mom always taught me to have something green on my plate.

Oh well. In past weeks? It's been some sort of salad, so I guess it's okay that tonight's meal is blah, ho-hum, beige...right?

(oh, that black stuff? I'm totally enamoured of freshly ground pepper...)

In The Realm of Far-Fetched Fantasy...

I often dream of this for my retirement.

Of course, these days, the thought of spending the $$ for fuel to travel around the country combined with the limited balances in the IRAs - can anyone afford to retire anymore? - has me cringing in the midst of my daydreams.

(But you know? I've got a bit of a crush on the pink and white one with the vintage kitchen chair in front! Only I'd have nothing but pillows of barkcloth roses and lace inside!)

But there is the fact that these are pint-sized homes and one can park them as much as one can drive them. That little tidbit offers a glimmer of hope that living this way might be an option one day...(and who knows, maybe there'll be some sort of renewal energy source someone creates to work around the combustion engine in order to power them?)

Hmm...I'm thinking the SW (New Mexico) for the winter, and perhaps New Hampshire or Maine in summer? Now to whittle down the yarn and fabric stash to fit inside this tiny wheeled wonder...oh and then teach the cats to walk on a leash!
*wink*

Meatless Monday - Dinner Out!

So it's Mealess Monday again, and I'm expecting company. Dinner will be in a restaurant today, so will either be Buddhist Delight at a local Chinese place, or perhaps salad bar and baked potato at a local chain restaurant.

Sometimes, you just gotta go with the flow, you know?

Oh...and breakfast is a "fast food" sandwich I make myself:
Thomas' high fiber English Muffin
1/4 c Egg Beaters w/ shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Morningstar Farms veggie-sausage patty

It's really good, and only 5 points on Weight Watchers. Holds me over for a long morning, as well.
Happy 4th of July holiday weekend, if you're still enjoying a day off today!

Another Meatless Monday Salad Day...

I visited a newly forming farmers Market last week and was pleased to see the people in attendance, the vendors being patronized, and the quality of the food. I purchased beets, Swiss Chard, and a summer squash.
When I got home, I immediately put the beets in to roast with rosemary and olive oil, and then tossed the chard into boiling water for that night's dinner. The beets I knew would take a lot longer, so when they were done (and forgotten for a few hours in the cooling oven!) I just put them in the fridge for the future.

So for Meatless Monday, I was able to pull them out, chop them into a mixed mesclun green salad, add in a tablespoon or so of feta cheese and a couple of tablespoons of chopped walnuts. A quick vinagrette later (did you realize you can get the last vestiges of mustard out of a container by adding a bit of vinegar (balsamic or white - choose whatever) and shaking it into the container? The mustard mixture forms a base for vinegrette that's got some substance to it - that is, as long as you don't use that yellow stuff! I added in some canola oil (the flavor of the mustard would overpower olive oil) and then some rosemary to continue the flavor I'd already used with the beets.

It was a delightful salad! With our weekend temperatures posting close to 102, a cool salad keeps me from heating up the kitchen and that agrees with me completely! Someone at work (who doesn't get - or agree with - the warming of the globe or the level of commitment it takes to be an evironmentalist) asked why my upstairs was hotter than down, "don't you have air conditioning?"

Yup...I do. I also push it way up when I'm not home, and it's pretty high (77) when I'm there.

So I don't make the heat pump work harder to cool the house by heating up the kitchen (well, not often anyway...)

I promise I bought this baked item! A lovely mini-loaf of banana bread I picked up at the farmer's market.

I didn't save any. It was good.

Obviously, I Can Do This...

I'm a sewist and Knitter (yes, with a capital K), who must have huge amounts of cotton fabric and yarn in my stashes, and I'm also an armchair environmentalist who can only step up and do what one aging Nana can do from her overwhelming sense of duty, but very limited available funds and energy, so I'm going to make some knitted dishcloths and small fabric handtowels for this project:

How can you even watch the news footage in the Gulf and not be moved to do something - at least for me, anything is better than sitting by and feeling so helpless. Finally, today? I found something that *fits* with who I am, and what I can offer!

Thank you, Green Phone Booth

Yoga Night and Meatless Monday!

I have no photo yet for Meatless Monday - I'm making my own stuffed portabella mushroom cap after yoga tonight, tho' so I'll post a photo (if I don't inhale it, first). (I'm planning on sauteeing red bell pepper, olive oil, leeks and Italian seasoning, stuffing the cap, and then tossing feta on top to broil...hope it turns out as well as I think it will!)

In the meantime - because I'm going straight from work to pick up my 92 year old friend to go to yoga class together - I made sure to have a snack that will keep me going till after class tonight: Kefir. I'm not in anyway affiliated with that site, but I love their low-fat version - in strawberry, tonight. I once picked up a 1 cup bottle of it at the co-op and have saved the bottle, dutifully refilling it from my much larger one for ease in carrying to work (I know, I should reuse a small glass jar and recycle the plastic, and I will, promise, as soon as I empty one!). A cup is only 3 points and with the extra calcium, my bones are really benefitting, too.

edited to add photo and comments!
Here it is...my own version of the quickie portabellas I've been picking up at the grocery store for "fast food"

It turned out well, but yes, it does take longer to fix - I did everything I said above, except that I used orange peppers (2 slices, chopped) about 1 tablespoon of chopped leeks (from the CSA share last fall that I froze), a large garlic clove, chopped (also from the CSA last fall), and oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Then about 2 tablespoons of feta - and I broiled it for probably 8 minutes in my toaster oven.

That's summer squash from the Farmer's market, and a serving (I slice those slices thinly to go farther!) of artisan olive bread with olive dipping oil (Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning flavors it). Dessert was fruit, but I ate a peach out of hand (I know it's not local, but oh it was good) with a few blueberries...and didn't get a photo of that.

A great Meatless Monday!

I Could Not Say This Any Better...

So I'm going to LINK it, instead.

This has been a crazy week, so I haven't posted much, either here or on my knitting blog. Tomorrow is a family yard sale and I'm going to be sending out into the world many things I no longer need to new homes that hopefully can use them. I know I'll be repeating this event in the fall, too. My goal is to rid myself of much that is weighing down my thought processes and my living space.

But I hope I'll have a little time on Sunday to review the post above, and the links embeded there and come up with a compact list of not less than 10 things to begin doing myself. Because we do each need to make a commitment to changing our behavior if we want to see the change we'd like in the world.

If you decide to join in as a result of that post? Let me know, okay? I'll be very interested.
Happy Weekend.

Wow the Weeks Fly By - It's Meatless Monday Again!

Over the weekend, a friend and I made a roadtrip to a small town about 45 minutes away to celebrate World Wide Knit in Public Day with a few friends at a yarn shop there. The shop is next door to a farmer's market and you know I had to visit with an eye towards Meatless Mondays, right?

I picked up potatoes and green beans (oh they were beautiful) and whipped up another batch of a meal that makes me think of my Depression-era Mom and her sisters and the vegetarian dishes I grew up with:

(they usually added milk to this, but I don't. I rarely have milk in the house, for one thing, and when I do, I tend not to add it to foods)

I got fresh summer squash, too. There was a huge storm that knocked out my power so I couldn't enjoy this on Saturday night but I whipped it up for tonight's dinner and there are plenty of leftovers for Monday. What do I do? Simple - boiled potatoes and green beans with just a touch of butter, salt, and pepper. I steam the squash and season the same way.

Why mess with perfection?

I had more of the artisan olive bread and olive oil as a complement to this meal. If you're wondering, yes, my meals tend to be pretty simple; I save the fancy stuff for when I'm out to eat - let the pros mess up the kitchen, is my motto!

Which you can see here in my knitting blog post for the WWKIP day event. We stopped at a new restaurant that we've heard about and I have to say the bruschetta was fabulous - and totally veggie, tho' not vegan.

Meatless Monday on a Yoga Class Night!

You get another of those super fast, what can I pick up at the grocery store, meals tonight for Meatless Monday! Tonight is yoga class, so I can't eat before, and when I get home the meal has to be light - I don't want to eat much after class, and besides sleeping on a full stomach isn't my idea of a good night's sleep, either!

This is a salad from the so-called "olive" bar at my local Kroger:

Still, it's pretty wonderful...a curried couscous salad, with wheat berries and small white beans. A delightful, lightly spicy concoction that I tossed over salad greens and then added in slivered yellow peppers and halved grape tomatoes.

(If it weren't Meatless Monday, a salmon fillet would have made a nice main dish, with a smaller salad.)

I have no way of knowing how many Weight Watchers points are in this, but I tend to err on the higher side just in case.

Happy Monday!

What's Water Got To Do With It?

(to paraphrase - What's Love Got To Do With It?)

Do you ever think about all the plastic in our lives? Does something like what's happening in the Gulf ever make you think of plastic? Do you have any idea how much petroleum is in the plastics we use daily?

If you've ever drunk a pre-packaged bottle of water? Read this:
Responsible Plastic explains this more concisely than any other place I've seen. (And yes, I did read all the way through it. *wink*

If you don't have a refillable water bottle? It's time to buy one.

If you have a problem remembering the reuseable grocery sacks in your trunk? It's time to get one of those that stuffs into their own tiny selves and fits in your purse.

If you haven't had the nerve to ask the Chinese Take-out place to please put your to-go meal in your own carry-away To-Go Ware or other rewashable, reuseable container? Please find your backbone!

Wow. That's some impact on the environment! (And if we all do those 4 things? THAT's what love's got to do with it...

As we used to say in the 70s - Love Your Mother!
(Mother Earth)

Memorial Day Meatless Monday

I wonder if there will be lots of us doing "meatless" today, or if it will be a day that folks think they can skip?

After all, what's Memorial Day without the required cookout?

In my world, tho' Memorial Day is a regular workday - not at my place of employment but at my home business. Often I'm slammed trying to get bag orders filled and stock put back ahead of a July show. This year? The show isn't on the agenda, but there are still orders to fill, so my "cookout" becomes an indoor quick-fix event:

A Morningstar Farms Black Bean Burger (yes, there is cheese on it) on a Sandwich Thins wholegrain "bun," broccoli slaw, and fried potatoes (in a little olive oil and with green onions, red and green peppers all chopped with the potatoes, it's just 2 Weight Watchers points). In fact, using a low fat coleslaw dressing that entire meal up there is 8 points for the entire plate. I had points left for mixed berries and fresh pineapple (1.5 total there).

A patriotic meal in record time!

I hope your Memorial Day is not just meatless, but relaxing. Please keep all those who serve our country's interests or have given their lives for our benefit and their families in your thoughts!

Do You Feel Hopeless?

The catastrophe in the Gulf has weighed heavily on my mind for weeks (as I'm sure it has your's). I've never been to the area, but that doesn't mean I'm unaware of the incredible importance it holds in the ecosphere. I've been feeling totally overwhelmed and not quite sure what to do to make a difference other than redoubling my efforts at using less petroleum. I've begun to revisit my wish to take public transit as often as possible, and have decided to do a trial run this weekend, stopping downtown at the Farmer's Market, too.

But it's not enough (will anything ever be enough?).

I happened upon this site last night and decided to join up. Matter of Trust is an organization that, among other things, utilizes pet hair and animal fiber (alpaca, sheep!) to stuff pantyhose (even those with runs) to create booms that soak up the oil. They even have a study in process that evaluates whether the oil-soaked booms can then be used to be a fertile ground for mushrooms to reprocess the gunk into something useful. I think the results of that will be fascinating, and I'll be watching to see what happens there.

Right now, they need pantyhose. I've emailed to see if knee highs work as well, because I haven't worn pantyhose in years. Still. I'm going to be collecting The Meezer's and The Tonks fur in a bag to send them when they need more. If we all had a bag of it ready when the call went out? Wouldn't that be a phenominal way to make a difference with something that otherwise would end up in the landfill?

I feel a bit more positive. Organizations and groups that RETHINK this whole process of stuff? Well, that's my favorite kind to support.

And I'm going to keep on rethinking my own daily activities to see where else I can make adjustments to reduce my own need for plastic, petroleum...STUFF!
You?

Wise Environmental Choices....

I've been taking baby steps for some time to make smarter choices environmentally. There are plenty of things I've done with the primary focus being to reduce my electric bill (and while I'm sure it would be higher had I not done these things? It sure doesn't seem to be inching downward much - but so go the rate increases, eh?),

I've mentioned in previous posts that I'm trying to find interesting new places to visit (blogs and websites, mostly) with a focus on wise stewardship, environmental activism, and consumerism, too. So when I find something interesting and new, I like to let you all know...

The Conscious Shopper has been mentioned before. I like her style, I love her posts. She's totally committed to reducing her environmental footprint and helping all of us do the same...and right now? She's having an interesting contest.

Another place I visit often is Fake Plastic Fish. Don't you know, she's having a contest, too?

I can't imagine that I could ever get to the point of using no plastic, but because of her blog, I've rethought many things I do. I've finally started buying milk from our local creamery - in returnable glass bottles! I am using the Co-Op for that purchase, but even our local Kroger carries it. I don't use milk a lot, but it's nice to have this option...and the glass bottles are also a happy childhood memory!

On Fake Plastic Fish today, you'll also find links to this post over at Plastic Manners. An interesting addition to the typical Reduce, Reuse, Recycle mantra, she adds Rethink, Refuse to the three others. Then another addition I like that I've seen elsewhere - like my Ravelry Trash to Treasure group that does so - is Repurpose.

It's all about stopping, not doing the knee jerk reaction of just reaching and buying. Do you need that? If so, is it made from plastic? What will you do with it once it's empty? Can you recycle it? Reuse it? Repurpose it? If not, is there an alternative to the plastic?

With oil spewing into the Gulf, in a castrophic mess that will be with us for years, can we reconsider petroleum-based products completely? What LITTLE thing (or BIG thing?) can each one of us do? I'm planning to take the bus to the Farmer's Market every Saturday for local food, beginning this weekend...See? baby steps.

I know sometimes it feels like one person can't make that much of a difference.

But frankly, I'm coming around more and more to feeling empowered that I can do something at least...it's better than the overwhelming sense of futility that washes over me when I see photos of the coast covered in red slime...

What about you?