Tuesday

This week I have been trying really hard to take advantage of the goodies in my garden and so I didn't buy many veg at the market on Sunday. Walking out into the patch this morning I had a sinking feeling, thinking what can I put together for lunch today? Not much lettuce yet, no ripe tomatoes, not even a strawberry to munch on. I'm a little tired of salad anyway, how do I spice it up a bit?

I had an omelette with chives and two iced coffees whilst I contemplated this. Then I remembered my New Zealand ski lunches. Of course, hot noodle soup!

Cut up a little onion, a clove of garlic, and a bunch of greens (a few leaves of Asian choy, some parsley, some chives), a small capsicum, add soy sauce and sesame oil, and a thinly sliced kaffir lime leaf, stalk removed. I also added some of my meat stock and half a teaspoon of my home made chilli paste. Add protein of choice - you guessed it, chickpeas - and more mung beans. Seal up and take to work with a packet of 2 minute noodles.

At lunch, find a big bowl, put the noodles at the bottom of the bowl, throw all the sachets in the bin if you have any respect for your own health, and add your own home made concoction. Pour boiling water over the lot and let steep for a couple of minutes. Microwave if you must but I prefer the crunchiness of semi raw vegetables (I have nothing against gamma radiation).

Slurp and enjoy!

Dinner. Again a little uninspired. I had the other half of the yummy rockmelon for a post work snack, along with a handful of nuts, and then found myself lurking on a bunch of feminist women of colour blogs which were quite an eyeopening education. Particularly after a really interesting conversation today over lunch with a colleague about rascism.

I've used up the chickpeas, but tonight it's one of my favourite veg of all: kangkung. I discovered these in Asia - probably Vietnam - and have been a fan ever since. They are also so easy to grow. I started my plantation by sticking a few stalks in a pot and then putting in a tub of water. Yep, it's that easy.

Fry some garlic, chilli and belacan (that's the smelly fermented shrimp paste y'all, but if you omit it you'll be sorry!) in some coconut oil then add kangkung and cook quickly. Eat with rice.
Yep, that's it! Seriously, the kids next door love it too (though I think I may have toned down the chilli for them).

No money spent today. Tomorrow it's lunch with friends, and we're trying a new restaurant. Can't wait!