Meatless Monday

Well, Saturday morning was spent running around like a chicken with my head cut off!
My little ones are not even to the soccer game/ballet lesson/birthday party/etc. age yet and I still was super busy Saturday morning. I did make it to the farmer's market bright and early to pick up my "bushel" of goodies from the CSA I signed up for last week. What a serious disappointment. My so-called bushel contained two small sprigs of oregano, a bunch of chives and a few asparagus spears. I am heart broken.

I was whining about it to my mother and she basically told me to suck it up, and that when signing up for the CSA I should have known that I was "participating in the risk". I hate it when she is right. The weather has been really, really mild here. I don't know what I was expecting...he can't magically coax food from the earth just because I cut him a check. The thing that really got my blood boiling though, is that he charged me for the plants I bought from him. I wanted to get a few more tomato plants and a couple more herbs to squeeze into the empty spaces in my garden. Couldn't he have throw in the marjoram for good will?

I am still optimistic about next week, and the items we did get look great so hopefully in the end we will all come out on top. The eggs are awesome, it is too bad I broke three of them on the way to the car wrestling L and E and the stroller and the plants and the eggs and, you get the idea. I am still supporting a local farmer with a family of his own, so maybe I will just consider this a charity case this week.

At any rate, here is what's for dinner tonight. It is Meatless Monday and the ingredients are all in my fridge and pantry.


Spring Tabbouleh

1 cup fine bulgur
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup peas, freshly shelled

1 garlic clove, crushed to paste with 2 big pinches of salt
juice of one lemon
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch chives, finely chopped
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil.

Put the bulgur in a medium bowl, add boiling water to the surface of the grains and let stand for about 15 minutes, just until tender. Drain and press out any remaining water and toss with a couple pinches of salt. Set aside.

Return the saucepan to the heat and bring the remainder of the water back up to a boil. Salt the water and cook the asparagus and peas for just about 20 seconds, just long enough for them to brighten up and lose a bit of their bite. Drain, run under colder water to stop the cooking, and add to the bulgur.

For the dressing, whisk the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil together and season with more salt if needed.

To the bulgur, asparagus, and peas add 1/2 the chives and walnuts. Toss with a big splash of dressing. Taste and add more dressing if needed. Adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the remaining chives, walnuts and chopped egg.

Serves 4-6.