Menu Plan

Monday Quinoa Black Bean Salad (46 Whitewater Cooks)
Tuesday Schezuan Ground beef and green beans (183 New Light Cooking)
WednesdayLentil Curry Wraps (132 New Light Cooking)(Didn't get around to this last week. Had waffles that night instead)
ThursdayTabbouleh Chickpea Salad (43 Whitewater Cooks)
Friday - Salmon Casserole
Saturday Pita Pizzas
SundaySausage and Perogies

Baking Bran Muffins with dates (Erin Cooks - these are the best muffins on earth, I use plain yogurt and add chopped dried dates to them)

Best thing last week? Bombay Wraps, soooo yummy. Also the first BBQ of the season was very much enjoyed.

Gardening | A fresh start

Hmmm, I'm typing one handed while holding a baby, so please excuse any typos!

Well, it's a new house with a new yard. I will be a better gardener this year! I will not kill all the plants. I will not let the weeds turn it into a feral mess (why don't weeds need watering?). Why will I be better? Because I am not pregnant this summer (knock wood). I just need to figure out how to garden while holding a baby who refuses to be put down even to nap. Right.

So here's the tour. The flower beds haven't been properly cared for in 10 years. They are dug up now, but these are "before" pictures.


Front of the house. Something pretty will be going on by the door. I have planted lettuce, shallots, swiss chard, kale and arugula. Not sure if the shallots will be happy being planted so late, but it's worth a shot as I love shallots. This side is almost always shady.


Putting a tepee here for beans


Side of the house. The rosebushes have had a severe haircut. They have also attacked both Craig and I. Evil! This side is getting peas (on a trellis) carrots and zucchini.


And finally the back of the house. Full on sunny. Herbs and peppers and tomatoes. Also some marigolds methinks.


What are you planting this spring?

I have returned!

Did you miss me? So now that I am done being pregnant and done with the crazy first six weeks of mommyhood, I find that my thoughts turn again to food. Sooooo good to be able to eat normally again! Here are my goals for food as I get back into the swing of things:

- Menu plan. I will go shopping once a week for food. That's it, no picking up something midweek. Partly because it's easier (we live out of town, and have a baby and blah blah blah) and partly because I am trying to stick to a budget of $100 a week. That might seem like a lot still, but for me it would be a big improvement.

- Cut down on the refined food. In hopes of cutting down on the baby tummy. I let this slip with the puking and the sleeping and the not sleeping. Time to refocus.

- To keep my garden alive. I will not be a bad garden mommy like last year!

- To continue to eat as locally as I can. I've been doing well at this actually. Still not buying produce from out of country and all my meat and eggs are very local. Some of my dairy. My oats and lentils and WW flour are all from a local CSA.


So here's this weeks menu plan, even though the week is almost over. I hope these will be fun to read and give you ideas, even if you don't have my cook books.

Monday Big Barn Bowties (pg 181 Rebar)
Tuesday Bombay Rollup (Rebar)
Wednesday Hamburgers & Apples
Thursday Sushi Salad with wild BC prawns
Friday Pita Pizzas
Saturday Lentil Wraps (132 New Light Cooking)
Sunday Ratatouille (made and frozen last summer)

Oh, if you aren't a reader of my other blog...here's the adorable reason for my absence: