Monday, September 11, 2006

How Pasta Saved My Sanity

Aside from unpacking, there's a lot to other stuff to catch up on when you've been away for two months, like yardwork. Our weekend was chock full of it. It seemed my busy work week followed me home this weekend, because once again I found myself very near dinner and not prepared at all.

I keep forgetting to put beans in the slow cooker overnight (my favorite way to cook them) so most beans weren't an option (I have to use lentils sparingly or they stage a revolt around here.) I couldn't make TVP because the new oven isn't here yet. Grr, what's a frugal veggie mama to do??

Friday night I made Mac Uncheese. Saturday evening I made pasta and topped it with pan fried eggplant, toasted walnuts, garlic and onion. Sunday I made Fettucini Alfreda from Vegan With a Vengeance. I suppose it was really nutritional yeast and walnuts that saved my sanity but the pasta sure helped.

3 comments:

Harmonia said...

I have on tried the Mac unCheese once and need to give it another try. :) I also have TVP at home and you've inspired me to research a new recipe to try! :) Pasta is always a life saver for me! I love it! I love the title of this post! Very nice indeed! Hope to "see" you soon!

Anonymous said...

I haven't cooked my beans in a slow cooker before, so I don't know how they turn out, but I love the results when I cook beans in my pressure cooker. I highly suggest getting a pressure cooker if you don't have one already, it saves a lot of time and fuel! I like using Lorna Sass' Complete Vegetarian Kitchen; there are a lot of pressure cooked recipes in it (as well as conventional directions).

Katie said...

Thanks Harmonia

Great idea James

Thanks for the tip primaryconsumer. I do have a pressure cooker and it is a lifesaver but when I can't be in the kitchen to monitor it, nothing beats a slow cooker. If you type "pressure cooker" into the blog search box in the upper left of the main blog page, you can check out some of my old posts on pressure cooker recipes.