Busy Weekend = Little Cooking

We had a busy weekend, so there wasn't a lot of cooking going on. Friday night we took the kids to the Zoo for the World's Largest Halloween Party. They had a great time. Mairin took her friend with her, so we took the kids out to dinner before we went. We went to our favorite quick and kid friendly Mexican fast-food, Q-doba. They have a few vegetarian choices, the vegetarian nachos seem to be my favorite at the moment (although they are loaded with fat.......I guess we all deserve a little fat now and again don't we??).

Saturday was/is errand day for us. So, our day started at the Farmers Market. Next week the market goes on hiatus for the winter, and it's slim pickin's there this time of year. I got some peppers that I needed for the chili we'll be having later in the week. I bought up all of the lima beans that they had left so I could freeze them. We got a few zucchini, a few potatoes, and some green beans. I wanted to get some eggs, but I didn't need them and we had a long day of errands left to do, and with temperatures in the mid-80s it didn't seem like a good idea to let eggs sit in my car all day. Next week we'll hit the market with the intention of buying everything we can that will freeze well and use it over the next few months.

Next we hit the bookstore to use some gift cards our girls got for their birthdays. And, while we were there, I picked up my copy of Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan. So, expect to see a few meals by Dreena in the days and weeks to come!

Rob has taken up biking, so after the farmer's market, we headed to the mall to pick up some gear that Rob needed for his big bike ride on Sunday. By that time it was lunch, so we decided to eat at California Pizza Kitchen. They too have a few vegetarian choices, so it wasn't difficult finding something to eat. I had the Mediterranean salad, which was delicious. Of course, I did get the standard "are you sure you don't want chicken on that?". Am I the only one that gets that "you must be crazy" stare when you order a meal without meat??

Finally, we made it to Whole Foods Market to finish our shopping. I really need to start doing my shopping at Rainbow Blossom and support local business, but Mairin would be devastated. Whole Foods is one of her favorite places to go, when asked if she wants to go out to eat, and where, the answer is always "Whole Foods".

Well, by the time we finish all of this it's evening already, and I don't feel much like cooking. So, we had our old stand-by, spaghetti with sauce from a jar. I could make this everyday and my whole family would be happy. My kids and my husband eat spaghetti like it's going out of style. While it's a really boring meal, and completely uninspired, I love that all I have to do is boil some water and open a jar and I have a meal that puts a smile on everyone's face.



Sunday, my mom and I went outlet shopping.....my kids were in desperate need of some fall/winter clothes. I knew that after a day of driving and shopping that I wouldn't feel like cooking when I cam home. However, we'd had more than enough junk, what with all the eating out we did this weekend. I really wanted to make my family a home-cooked meal. Enter, the slow cooker. We had No Hurry Vegetable Curry, from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly, however, I didn't have any ground coriander, so I skipped adding the 1/4 tsp of that. I also added 1 cup of coconut milk, instead of the 1/2 cup that the recipe calls for. When I got home I could smell the curry from the garage. It smelled like a wonderful Indian restaurant. I cooked up some basmati rice, while Mairin put on a fashion show with all of her new clothes.

We ate the curry over rice, with a little mango chutney on the side to mix in. I'll have to say, it wasn't the best curry I've ever eaten. But it wasn't the worst either, and the fact that the slow cooker did most of the work makes it a sure bet that I'll be making it again, although I'll do some adjusting to the recipe next time. The addition of the sweet, hot chutney really made the difference, and I think I'll just add it directly to the curry as it cooks.