As much as I love CSA, and the weekly infusion of farm-fresh seasonal local produce, there's a point where it just gets exhausting. I started a veggie board to remind me what I had on hand, to keep my impulse buys in check at the markets, and help me think of recipe ideas. And I have several crisper-clearing wonder dishes, like corn chowder and vegetarian chili that use TONS of veggies all at once. But even those aren't keeping the squash (and potatoes and garlic and peppers and tomatoes...) at bay this year.
You see, we've had some schedule changes, and more often than not this CSA season I've just been cooking for myself. (Well, and my child, if you count making PB&Js as cooking.) Thankfully, this change was temporary, and soon we'll be back to dinner as usual. I liked this post by Mark Bittman on cooking for one. I've been pretty anti-recipe lately, and have just been cooking things and mixing them in sort of random fashion.
This one, for example. It was a mix of leftover rice, black beans, baked sweet potatoes, pesto, purple basil and toasted pine nuts (which I overdid here, by far).
I didn't use a recipe for the pesto either, and way overdid the garlic (apologies to coworkers who had to be in close proximity the following day!).
As much as I love discovering fantastic new recipes (including the best squash recipe ever), when it's just me, it doesn't matter if it's perfect. It just needs to use some vegetables and be healthy, filling and edible. So, I've embraced a new laziness creativity.
What are your favorite solo meals?
Ohh! Wanna have this recipe! This one looks so new, and I want to add this on my list, 'coz I've been a vegetarian for three years now. And I wish my kids, will get to like this, too! =P
Posted by: Timothy Eastwood | June 06, 2011 at 11:07 AM