sweet potatoes!

The day started with frost and leaves falling like snow, but ended sunny and crisp. I turned local apple slices into "leaves" for the boys...
Ryan & AJ's lunches: Tofurky & vegetable rollups on flax lavash wraps; apple slices; peanuts.

We had lots of sweet potatoes from our last farm share, so I used them in two recipes tonight...sweet potato fries, and in burgers. I had leftover rice in the rice cooker so it all just came together with whatever I had...Sweet Potato & Bean Burgers

1 1/4 cups chopped raw sweet potato
1 small onion
3-4 garlic cloves
1 small poblano pepper, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tsp. salt
1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed & drained
3/4 cup cooked rice
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1-2 sage leaves, chopped (about 1 tsp.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, finely chop sweet potatoes, onion, garlic & poblano pepper. Add remaining ingredients and process until well combined.
Spray a baking sheet with olive oil. Plop a handful of burger mix into your palm and form it loosely in a burger shape, then schlep it onto the baking sheet! Bake 35 minutes, carefully flip over with spatula, then bake another 15-20 minutes until crisp on the outside.


Pea Tendrils & Carrots

1-2 T. olive or canola oil
1/3 of a vegetable bouillon cube (or use vegetable broth instead of water below)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled & shaved into thin strips
4 cups (a few large handfuls) pea tendrils
1/3 cup water
2-3 T. white wine
1 T. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

In a large pot or saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic & bouillon. Mash bouillon & cook for about 30 seconds. Add carrots, pea tendrils & water. Stir and cover for about 2 minutes. Remove cover, add wine & parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat & serve.

Day of Darkness

Seriously, everyone slept in due to the extremely dark, rainy weather. My photos have dark shadows no matter where I take them (nope, no lightbox, sorry...I'm lucky I can keep track of the camera). Outdoors I could snap lovely photos of giant mushrooms and mold and slugs and mosquito breeding pits. I don't recall "tropical rain forest" in the description of our property when we bought it seven years ago! Soon we'll be able to call it waterfront property if this rain doesn't let up.

Nevertheless, the boys went to farm camp amidst thunder and downpour, spending most of the day on blankets doing projects under the big share pickup tent. They went out briefly in between storm cells to hunt for worms.

They used their new
Wrap-N-Mats for their
sandwiches today. A bit
steep at $5.99 a piece from
Stop & Shop, but a really
neat idea. They're just a
cotton print on one side
with a velcro tab attached,
and a layer of plastic inside.
Just wipe it off if it's just
got a few crumbs, or give it
a rinse if it's messy. And
best of all, when it's unfolded
you have an automatic
placemat for your food. I'm
sure those who sew could
make these in a jiffy.
Ryan & AJ's lunches: smoked Tofurky, soy cheese, lettuce, mustard, Vegannaise sandwiches on 12-grain bread; empty bowls for Stone Soup; red lentils to add to Stone Soup; a sidecar bento for sharing of snap pea crisps, new pickles, & black raspberries.

At home I spent much of the day cooking up farm food. I also made this quick dish for lunch while stuff was cooking. It's a recipe that easy to pull out of the pantry when pressed for time, and a favourite for potlucks...

Black Bean & Corn Salad

2 cans black beans, rinsed
& drained
1 can corn (or 2 cups fresh
or frozen corn), drained
1/2 of a green bell pepper,
diced
1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 a seedless cucumber (or remove seeds), chopped
2 green onions, chopped

1/8 cup olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sugar
1/2-1 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
In a small measuring cup, mix remaining ingredients. Pour into bowl & toss well. Chill.