Let the gardening begin!!

Today we attended our first community garden workday of the season.  Given that the temperature was 38 degrees, I decided coffee and donuts should accompany these proceedings.  What brings people together better than hot beverages and fattening pastries?  Since neither of these victuals were available, we warmed ourselves by shoveling dirt and turning lots of leaf mulch into our vegetable bed.  Brrr...even my toes were numb.  

This time last year, we were still on the waiting list for our precious plot so I'm excited that our bed is prepped and we're almost ready to plant in March!  Carrots, lettuce, spinach and spring onions here we come!!   I didn't take any pics at the workday but here is one from last year if you want to see our little plot. 

This year, we're going to make an attempt at "square foot gardening" and maybe some vertical plants like tomatoes and cucumbers.  We are also hoping to plant a few more veggies from seed just for practice. My favorite part about the garden is that Jonathan and I do it together and we both enjoy it.  There's something cool about physical outdoor toil and of course the delicious veggies to be coaxed and reaped. Mmm...salsa, salad, coleslaw, veggie fajitas, more salsa :)

A mini-harvest from last year.

Friday night unwinding

I'm sitting here on a stool at the bar in our kitchen watching Jonathan  expertly sauté portobellos, peppers and onions for veggie fajitas.  I'm enjoying two of my favorite indulgences: cold cider and blue corn tortilla chips w my absolute favorite jarred salsa as of late. 

I had two wonderful night shifts in a row and am so grateful to be reminded (even on a night shift) that I do love my job.  It constantly challenges me to better myself and hold my standards high to help those in need.  I know I'm not saving the world or most of the time even saving lives but most of us who are in pain and frightened need encouragement and care.  It still feels like a privilege to be the one to give that.  

I'm also grateful that after a night shift followed by 4 hours of sleep, my husband is willing to cook for me and I get to be the one who is cared for.  

Pantry creation

  We were supposed to have left over Moroccan Shepherds Pie (yes you read that right)for dinner.  But lentils and spinach and sweet potatoes that have lived in a freezer for 2 weeks sound better than they look.  So, after a short 6 hour post-night shift sleep I got up to raid the pantry for a better dinner. 

Here's what I found: 

1 can of artichoke hearts

1 jar roasted red peppers  

1/2 bag of gluten free rotini pasta

That sounded fast and potentially edible to me so I got to work boiling water for pasta and sauteéing some yellow onions slowly.  I also found two slightly multi-eyed Yukon potatoes in the fridge and chopped them in cubes w rosemary, oregano, garlic powder and a bit of olive oil for a quick 25 min roast in a 400 degree oven.  Italians eat potatoes and pasta in the same meal, why not us?

Once the onions were soft and a teensy bit brown, I dumped in the roughly chopped artichokes, red peppers, and good bit of dried basil, oregano, and garlic powder as well ax salt and pepper.  Once warm, in went the pasta, mix it u and voila!!  Made up Italian-ish vegan dinner for two!!!  It was actually pretty darn good.  Fresh garlic would have put it up one more notch.  

Sorry no pics but no time and this meal was not that photogenic.  Ciao! :) 

Happy first day of spring (waaaahhhh)