Sunday

A solitary strawberry whilst watering the vege garden, an iced coffee, an omelette with chives and asparagus for breakfast, then off to the Farmers' Market for my week's supplies.

2 small rockmelon ($2), a bag of cucumbers, a dozen eggs, a couple of onions, a zucchini and a kaffir lime ($10), a bag of locally grown garlic, 2 avocados ($8.40), a tub each of goat's feta and haloumi ($13) then into the supermarket on the way home for a kilo of Aussie sultanas ($7.45). That's my shopping for the next week done.

Time to make another batch of thai curry paste. This time I went a bit easier on the chillies - fresh red ones straight out of the garden - after I went a little overboard on the quantity last time and gave myself heartburn! I still have a freezer full of chillies from last year and the plants are madly producing more. I'm drying some for camping trips and one of the ladies at the market says if I have a fresh supply during winter she can sell them. Who knows, I may be bartering for veg this winter.

I forgot to buy coriander, which is really hard to grow here in Geraldton. The heat makes the plants bolt to seed very quickly, except during our mild winters. However, I'm trying something different to see if I can grow them year round. I only planted seed on Friday so we'll have to see how they go..


So, chilli paste made and my arms having had a good workout pounding everything in the mortar, it's time for lunch, but I'm not that hungry so half of a small rockmelon will suffice. I cannot describe how tasty and juicy it is - so much better than a store bought rocky.

Too sore and tired to brave the wind today I've been planting more vegetable seeds and installing shelves in the laundry. Not to mention a little nap and finishing a book about Sicilian food. A case of the munchies mid afternoon solved with more nuts, then an early dinner.

This is a variation on a Turkish stuffed eggplant dish, but because I only have a teeny tiny aubergine I decided to make a few alterations. Chop half an onion and a clove of garlic and fry in olive oil. Add chopped tomato and capsicum, a handful of sultanas, another handful of cooked chickpeas and some cinnamon and sugar and cook for about 5 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from heat. In a small dish layer the grilled eggplant slices with vegetable mix and top with some haloumi. Bake in oven at 200 degrees for 12 minutes. Top with chopped parsley and a drizzle of  olive oil.

Nom nom...wash down with a hearty glass of vino rosso!

Money spent today on food: $40.85