Summer Garden

I planted a garden in mid-May. I called it the Garden of Procrastination because I waited so long to decide whether or not I would plant a garden.

Olivia loves the garden center.

I bought cucumber, okra, basil, cherry tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, lavender, and citronella. 

And here is the garden currently.

The basil is thriving, the cherry tomatoes are starting to amp up production. I have a few okra pods. The heirlooms haven't done anything yet but they're not supposed to until late summer. So, hopefully soon! I have tiny, inch-long cucumbers. This is my best attempt at gardening, so far anyway. I think all the rain and cool temperatures helped me out.

For dinner I made the Polenta Bake with Spinach and Mushrooms from One-Dish Vegan. It didn't look that great. The polenta did not want to spread evenly over the spinach-mushroom layer.

Tasted awesome though, with some marinara spooned on top. I guess we don't always eat with our eyes. Sometimes just with our mouths and stomachs.

St. Philip

Over the weekend we wanted to try someplace new for lunch. We headed for St. Philip in South Austin. I was intrigued by their "beer cocktails" and had to order one. Local beer mixed with ginger syrup, lime, and orange - so refreshing! This needs to be my spring drink.

We started with some polenta fries, satisfyingly crunchy on the outside thanks to panko breading, and richly creamy on the inside.

I somehow forgot to snap a photo of the best part of the meal! Our other appetizer, the Golden Cauliflower, was even better than the pizza. Even better than beer cocktails! It's cauliflower tossed with herbed yogurt and pine nuts. That may not sound too exciting but it was amazing. 

OK, on to the pizza. I had the Wild Mushroom pizza, topped with mushrooms, idiazabal cheese and arugula salad. Like the cauliflower, all the flavors meshed together perfectly and made my mouth so happy.

There's a sweet little bakery attached to the restaurant. While the kids ran off some energy out on the patio, I snuck back in and got them some maple soft serve cones for dessert.

Thanks, mama!

I also selected a few gorgeous little treats to take home. Two things I'm a sucker for: interesting cocktails, and fancy desserts. Clockwise from top left, a cassis tart, chocolate gingerbread, lemon crumb square, and blueberry cheesecake layer cake. 

Game of Thrones Feast

So, I've fallen behind in posting, and the Game of Thrones season finale has come and gone. But my viewing feast was too good not to post about. I made dishes in honor of each of my favorite characters from the show.

First, Oberyn's Eyeballs (Roasted Grapes with Thyme on Ricotta French Bread). Ha! Kinda gross, I know. But I could not resist.

Next up, Davos the Onion Knight's Missing Fingers (grilled polenta fingers with caramelized red onion chutney.)

Then, the Hound's Chicken. Don't mess with his chicken, for reals. (Gardein chicken tenders with honey mustard/Veganaise dipping sauce.)

Finally, Sansa's Lemon Cakes (Lemon Maple Scones with Vegan Clotted Cream, from Vegan Yum Yum.) That girl loves her lemon cakes. I'd been wanting to make scones, and this recipe was so easy and rewarding! Aren't they cute?

The full spread.

This was my first time making a themed spread in honor of a TV show and I have to say it was pretty fun! Have you ever done a viewing feast? 

T-Rex Invasion

Breakfast was a peach and a banana, covered in almond milk and raw chocolate granola. A nice alternative to my usual oats.

This afternoon my friend Jennifer and I took our kids to see the T-Rex at Zilker Park. He was visiting the park as a promotion for a show coming up at the Long Center.

In the crowd there seemed to be a ratio of about 3/4 laughing/amazed kids to 1/4 crying/running away kids. Jackson and Olivia saw the T-Rex last year, so they knew what to expect.

Daring to relax in the park after the T-Rex lumbered off elsewhere.

For dinner I covered a base of polenta with sauteed onions, mushrooms and spinach, and marinara sauce. You can't really see the polenta in this pic but it was totally there.

Recent Eats

Just a rundown of some recent tasty dinners, before I forget where I got 'em from.

Stir-fry with hoisin-marinated tofu, broccoli, carrots and green beans, served over brown rice. All my favorite veg in one stir-fry...if only I'd thought to add Brussels sprouts!

Creamy Florentine Soup from The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe -- chock full of vibrant green spinach, and so delicious.

Scrambled Tortillas from Vegan Brunch. We loved the sauce, but the tofu and tortillas were mushy. Tony described a similar (non-vegan) baked dish he'd had, where the tortillas were layered on top so they had a chance to crisp up. I might try it like that some time.

Tofu Baked in an Olive, Grape and Herbed Marinade served over Creamy Polenta, from Let Them Eat Vegan. Isn't is gorgeous? The roasted grapes make it seem fancy. 

BLAT's with Light Life Smart Bacon, Veganaise, avocado, tomato and lettuce, on Kaiser rolls. My love affair with this sandwich never ends.

Veggie Pot Pie from La Dolce Vegan. An old favorite, not much to look at, but I love the buttery crust.

My little pioneers enjoying a sunny afternoon.