Who Needs Toast?

I like a toast soldier as much as the next guy, but this is a great way to get more flavour and vitamins if you favour an eggy breakfast.


I started with a sliced onion, half a bell pepper, diced, and a chopped hot pepper in a nonstick pan. A regular pan will work also; just add water in small increments to keep it all from sticking. After it got going a bit on medium heat, I added about a cup of chopped kale.

Once all this was softening, I chopped and added two ripe tomatoes – one red, one yellow. Once it came to full heat, I cracked in four eggs, reduced the heat to medium-low, covered the pan and cooked undisturbed, save occasional checks until the eggs were done.

Quick, easy, and tasty. To veganize I might substitute cooked kidney beans or tempeh for the eggs.

Peppery Goodness

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Last night we were craving comfort food after a day of digging – preparing the garden for a first year’s veggie-growing in the new house. It was chilly out, so stuffed peppers fit the bill.

The oven was set to 350F.

We started by hollowing out two peppers and taking a tiny slice as necessary to make them sit straight. Then we sautéed the chopped pepper tops and a couple of stalks of celery, as well as an onion, in chili garlic oil. Next we added some frozen corn til it was a bit toasted. Lastly, we stirred in black beans (home cooked and frozen until needed – defrosted in the microwave) and some cooked brown rice (same story).

We filled the pepper shells and poured 60ml or 1/4 c of marinara on top. They were baked in a lidded, foil-lined casserole for 45 minutes. Then, removing the lid, we grated some extra old cheddar on each. 10-15 more minutes to melt, and they were ready, along with a fresh salad.

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Mushroom and Marinara Pasta

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Hurry! It’s nearing the end of the year…too much to be done and not enough time to do it in. This is the perfect dinner for that sort of day.

We cooked some whole wheat pasta. Meanwhile, we sautéed a couple of cups of mushrooms, part of a bell pepper, a stalk of celery, and half an onion. Then we tipped in a cup or so of marinara (ours was made and frozen in the summer, but store-bought works, too)!

Let the sauce simmer while the pasta cooks. Then add the drained pasta to the sauce, toss, and let stand for a few minutes for the flavours to absorb.

Serve with some grated Parmesan cheese, and then hurry along to wherever you need to be.

On the Urban Farm

What makes the feast even more walkable is when some of the food comes from our own back yard. We’ve been starting tomatoes and peppers indoors, and last week we were able to really get things cleaned up and going in the garden. (The indoor veg will start hardening off in our mini greenhouse this week).

We’re looking forward to some peas – the shoots are finally out of the ground (just!) after a slow, cool start.