Menu week 43

Pasta
with vegetables and creamy tomato sauce

Falafels
with aubergine and sweet potato rolls (NEW!)

Potato and cabbage bake

Quiche
(broccoli, mushrooms, and peppers)

Celery and cheddar cheese soup

Royal vegetarian breakfast

We had a royal brunch meal last weekend which was totally satisfying and very tasty! So, what was in it?

- Boiled new potatoes
- Fried egg
- Fried mushrooms
+ grilled in the grilling machine:
- Halloumi, chilli and aduki bean burger (from Cauldron), plum tomatoes, and baby sweetcorn cobs

Gardening

The weather has been very kind to us in the past few weeks and it has been perfect for clearing out the garden before winter. Trave has removed a big tree and a bush which were at the far left corner at the bottom of the lawn, which we will convert to an additional vegetable patch. He has also mowed the lawn probably for the last time this year, and trimmed the hedges.

The only things left growing in the garden are the raspberries, the apple, and the purple sprouting broccoli which should be ready to harvest in March.

For my part, I have weeded the front border and planted various bulbs which should flower at different times between February and August: snowdrops, crocuses, tulips, irises, anemones, and alliums. They should be sprouting amongst a grassy type plant, a yellow rose bush, a lupin, and two heathers. Let's hope it looks pretty and colourful!

Menu week 42

Brown rice and pearl barley stew
(sprouted seeds, leeks, mushrooms, Russian kale, tomatoes)

Sweet potato curry with basmati rice (NEW!)

Cauliflower gratin (NEW)
(also with tomatoes and potatoes)

Split pea and parsnip soup


Cereal galettes
with mashed potatoes and broccoli

Menu week 41

Winter Stew

Pizza
with creme fraiche, pepper, mushrooms, courgettes, and mozzarella

Cauliflower and Broccoli soup


Rice and lentil casserole
with carrots and potatoes

Menu week 40

I had dinner with overseas visitors a few times that week so did not cook very much.

Vegetarian breakf(e)ast (Saturday, for brunch)

Midweek Medley Curry (NEW!)

Stuffed mushrooms,
served with potatoes and broccoli

Kidney bean risotto

Cooking for guests

We have friends and their two young children coming for lunch last Sunday, and this is what we ate:

Tomato and lentil soup

Home-made sausages,
served with broccoli, potatoes and carrot mousseline

Tarte tatin (NEW!)

It was a success, and even the children ate their food! (and became a bit hyper-active after the caramel-topped tarte tatin...)

Menu week 39

Falafels with broccoli (no photo)

Omelette with mushrooms and spinach, served with quinoa

Layered vegetable gratin

Kidney bean risotto (NEW!)

Moscow

I went to Moscow for work a few weeks back. Only for a few days, I did not have much time to visit as I had several meetings outside of the city during a trade fair, but I managed to spend a couple of hours down town and see Red Square and the outside walls of the Kremlin. Both very impressive.

I was also impressed with the Metro, which is sparkling clean and has trains running every 2 minutes.

Being in a car was a bit of an experience: if I had paid attention I could have learned a few swear words that the taxi drivers was constantly shouting at other road users. Being a pedestrian and trying to cross the road is not an easy task either...

Shame I did not have more time to see more and be able to get a feeling for the place. I would love to go again.

I have also enrolled in a Russian evening class, where I go every Thursday night. I almost took on Russian as an optional extra at university, but decided for Spanish instead. As I may need this language for work, I have decided to give it a try!

Brick wall surrounding the Kremlin and separating the Kremlin from Red Square, with the Lenin mausoleum on the left-hand side of the tower in the middle

State Historical Museum, on Red Square

St Basil Cathedral, Red Square

Department Store, Red Square