Farmer's Market Bounty, a Special Meal, Chocolate Fun!

Hi Everyone,
Sorry I haven't posted for a few days - I've been busy! I just got home from a 5 1/2 hour yoga workshop! Phew! I was looking forward to cooking, but I can't say I was too disappointed to walk in and see Musty with a bag of Chinese delivery. :) Here are a few highlights of interest:

Well, I gotta say, the food here in Northern California is just so insanely amazing. Here's what I brought home from the farmer's market one day this week (I go at least once, sometimes twice a week). It's all organic, and all local! Rutabegas, English cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, little gem lettuce, asparagus, chard, kiwis, 2 grapefruits and a pomelo, and STRAWBERRIES! Oh yeah! I -heart- strawberry season!

2 nights ago I spontaneously made this wonderful, wonderful meal! hoorah! I've had a little tube of that pre-made Trader Joe's polenta in my cupboard for quite a while now... waiting for inspiration. First, I sliced up a red onion into a bunch of rings, and started slowly caramelizing them in a 1/2 tsp or so of olive oil (I used a special porcini mushroom olive oil, for extra flavor). Then I cut up about 4 tomatoes, into 1/4 inch slices and started them roasting in the oven at 400 degrees. I drizzled them with a very little amount of oil (Hot Tuscan Olive Oil) and sprinkled a little bit of salt before popping them in the oven. Then I cut 8 discs from the polenta tube, about 1/2 inch thick and sauteed them in a little olive oil. Meanwhile, I started a quick steam sautee of my big huge bag of spinach, with a couple cloves of coarsely chopped spinach. When the tomatoes were almost done, I sprinkled on some fresh, chopped rosemary. Yum! I made some little timbales with my polenta discs... A polenta disc, a scoop of tofu ricotta, a couple roasted tomatoes, a little more ricotta, another polenta, more ricotta, and topped with another tomato or two. I served with some steam-sauteed garlicky spinach, fresh corn, and extra roasted tomatoes. Musty declared this to be one of the best meals I have ever made. Right on!

I don't eat that much chocolate - but I was really in a mood for it this week! So I got us a bunch of different ones to sample and enjoy: Terra Nostra Rice Milk Truffle, Terra Nostra Raisins and Pecans, Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Mink, & Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Blueberries. Both of us agreed that our favorite was definitely the Rice Milk Truffle bar - which sort of surprised me because I am a big fan of dark chocolate. It was so so good, creamy and yummy!

Here is the last remaining piece of the "Versatile Vanilla Cake" from Fran Costigan's book "Great Good Desserts Naturally." My nephew was over again yesterday, and he wanted to make a cake. What a clever little guy - he knows I can't turn him down if he asks to bake sweeties! I really, really like this book by Fran Costigan - the desserts are very yummy, she uses no refined sugars and lots of whole wheat pastry flour - so as long as the little guy and I are baking, I don't feel too bad about him eating this. It was also meant to be a layer cake, so we both kept one little thin layer. I love the simplicity of the white frosting and the sprinkles! Cute.

Also - check out this deal! The other day I accompanied Musty to "his" store (i.e. the "normal" grocery store, as compared to all the natural foods stores I frequent). Around here, even all the normal stores have pretty extensive natural foods selections (which is awesome!). Anyhow, as he was sampling a free piece of chocolate (not vegan), I noticed a freezer case full of discontinued items for 99 cents each! I looked inside and they were all organic hippie products! I got a bag of organic edamame, organic corn, an Amy's brand Indian Korma meal, and a whole entire Tofurkey meal!!! For 99 cents EACH! I was so excited I could hardly believe it. If we had more room in our tiny freezer, I woulda bought more.

Hopefully I'll do some more cooking soon, & have more stuff to share with you all!