Vegetarian Week

For the past few weeks I've been so inspired by Courtney's A Life Sustained CSA posts and her amazing cooking skills that I decided to make vegetables the star of the show for a few days.  We always have veg with our meals but this week it has been the main attraction, so to speak.
Rémi chose the menu mainly from River Cottage Veg Everyday
and it went something like this...

Chick Pea Pasta with Mint and Almond Pesto

I have tons of mint in the garden so this was a much cheaper alternative to using basil - which I will never have lots of as it wilts and dies when I go near it!

Green Beans & New Potatoes in Spicy Coconut Milk and Dhal

No close up here as I managed to overcook the green beans thus giving them that pale green canned veg look, very un-appetizing!  Then to add insult to injury I carbonized the caramelized onions in the Dhal!!

Pizza

No particular theme, just using up bits from the fridge - red pepper, spinach, chestnuts, feta, parmesan...

Leek and Chestnut Risotto

Sweet Potatoe & Peanut Butter Gratin with Couscous Salad

This was a big hit!! yummy and colourful, with enough left over for lunch the next day!

Friday evening, after no comment all week from Richard, I asked him what he thought of this weeks dinner menu- 

"no meat, I need meat!"

AHH!!

So armed with my 'savings' (I spent less on groceries this week!) off I went to market to buy a BIG chicken.

"Farm chicken or chicken?" asked the vendor

"Farm chicken or what"!

No, I'm not that naïve.  I know perfectly well that the 'or what' was a battery hen.  But am I the only one who finds it a sorry state of affairs when you have to specify that you want a bird that actually has had a farm life - you know, eating bugs, walking in the grass etc etc? 

I also popped into the supermarket for some chipolatas as Richard wanted to have a BBQ, but resisted the urge to ask the butcher guy details of the former living conditions of the pigs, as I knew I wouldn't like the answer.  Richard did a fairly good job of semi burning the meat but despite this,with every mouthful made 'yum yum um this is so good' noises.   Ok I get it, no more completely vegetarian weeks!

Oh and this was much appreciated by everyone, even if it was meat free

Pumpkin Teabread & Cheese