Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Eating Well Even When the Days are Longer and Time is Short

I hope everyone had a lovely Meatout 2012. March 20th always makes me miss volunteering at FARM headquarters in my beloved Rockville, MD. Sigh.

Here is good ole Illinois, we walked for new shoes, bought an umbrella, and loaded up with books at the library in 84 degree heat. What is up? I hate to complain because it has been truly beautiful out, but it is March people. How am I supposed to instill hope in the future, especially when it comes to climate change, for my kids when everything is blooming in March?

The warmer weather means more than an anxious twelve year old, it means living outside at the park*. I don't have my spring/summer cooking mojo on yet so this means eating after 8:00pm since we're outside until dark or after. This means quick throw together meals for starving cranky children so I've relied on a frozen veggies and some "time savers".
Time saver number 1 - World Foods Green Curry Sauce
I didn't really do anything to the sauce except follow the directions of canned coconut milk. I used tofu, mixed veggies (green beans, corn, carrots, and peas), and roasted white and sweet potatoes severed over brown rice. Not very authentic, but good enough for Dema to eat three helpings. It wasn't spicy enough for Rob, Parker, and me.
Time saver number 2 - World Foods Pad Thai Sauce
I wing my pad thai sauce and this was no except. I knew the little bottle wasn't going to be enough for the amount of pad thai I cook at one time so I went ahead and made a sauce. This time it had tomatoes, figs, almond butter, and the usual pad thai sauce suspects. More mixed veggies from the freezer (green beans, corn, carrots, and peas) and braised tofu. The kids loved the pad thai as usual, but they really enjoyed the hibiscus tea with kiwi. They went through nine kiwis (they all can to be put on the glass first).

I bought both sauces at World Harvest (yes, shopping there is dangerous for me because they always have something I need to try because it is accidentally vegan) and while I doubt I'll buy them again (I made my own pad thai sauce and just augmented it with the bottled sauce so it really didn't save time and the green curry sauce wasn't spicy enough) I could see how someone cooking for just one or two would find them useful.

*Speaking of "our park", our friend and awesome photographer snapped some pics of the kids this weekend at the park. They were wild as always so I'm amazed she was able to get so many nice shots.
Photo by Erin D
Photo by Erin D
Photo by Erin D

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