Harvest Monday, December 23rd, 2013

Well I've got nothing. At least no harvests. But I have been using up my preserved harvests, so I'll talk about that instead. For some reason I bought a few avocados this last week. I was really craving them. So for two lunches I had Black Bean Guacamole for lunch. I used my black beans, onions, and garlic. I do still have a bit of cilantro frozen, but I bought fresh. I wish I'd frozen more. I'll use up what I have quickly enough, but whenever I see some really good looking cilantro at the store I'll snap it up. If only I had a green house like my mother, I could grow it all year long. It has to be my favorite herb. I am over wintering some, so I ought to have some next spring. At least that is the hope. It doesn't always live, but it is always worth trying as it grows so well in the springtime.

Another use for those avocados and the cilantro was some avocado egg salad. No recipe. But very salsa like. Again it used my onions and garlic. And on the side I had some homegrown carrots. I picked two huge containers of carrots. We've eaten one of the containers already and we are making inroads on the second. They will not last the year for sure.

The bok choy lasted quite a while, but the last was used in some wonton soup. Also from the garden were the carrots. And the wontons were made from Chinese cabbage and garlic from the garden.

I love Chicken Marsala. My favorite way to make it is to have my husband eat most of the chicken and I eat the mushrooms. Mark was talking about how people ate and about omnivores and vegetarians as he strives to cut them meat down a little in his diet. I'm very much an omnivore, but as this dish shows (and most of the above dishes) I don't eat mainly meat centric meals. When I make my husband a hamburger I usually eat my homemade bean burgers. We went out for Chinese food the other day and had Cashew Chicken. He picked out the chicken and I ate the veggies and cashews, with a little chicken added. I don't think I could cook vegetarian because my husband won't eat vegetables. How would he eat? And with my food sensitivities I'd never get to eat out again (except white pizza). Most vegetarian options include tomatoes, eggplants, or peppers. But the vegetarian option is a lot healthier which is my main reason for cutting down on meat. Like vegetable gardening my main reason for doing it isn't to save the world. But I do appreciate that side effect.

Next week will be the last Harvest Monday of the year and will be an overview of the tally and harvests. What went right and what went wrong.

Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to show off, add your name and link to Mr Linky below.