Wow, my post about the Hudson Valley Seed Library received lots of hits! Good to know that y’all are interested in gardening and such – I’ll be sure to share more garden updates and pictures this summer. The first of my seedlings sprouted yesterday, a tiny, bright green curlicue just peeking up above the soil. The weather’s been a bit erratic lately, so I haven’t been leaving my plants on the balcony – I’m afraid they’ll get drowned in the downpours we keep getting. But that means that they don’t get a lot of direct sunlight, so I’m a little worried about them. The one hardy seedling gives me hope, though, and today I took a chance and left them outside, so cross your fingers that nothing tragic happens to them and that my one little sprout has some friends soon!

Although I’ll be able to eat my own home-grown veggies soon enough, for now I must rely on produce from the farmers’ market and the co-op. Lately I’ve been on a big veggie kick. It’s not like I was terribly deficient in my vegetable consumption, but lately I’ve been cutting down on purchasing pantry staples and instead filling my bag with fresh produce. This is partly pragmatic – I’m moving in a couple months (!) and don’t want to cart around pounds and pounds of every kind of grain known to humankind – and partly because I’m inspired by spring and its delicious vegetables.

Last night, I enjoyed a meal that featured veggies and also helped me use up some of that aforementioned grain stash. I made the Cauliflower Manchurian from Everyday Happy Herbivore, added some peas, and served it over brown rice.

Cauliflower galore!

Everyday Happy Herbivore continues to impress! This is such a simple meal; the only real work is whisking together the sauce ingredients. The result is a spicy, tangy, flavorful dish with flavors you can adjust to your taste. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, especially if you’re smart (not like me) and cook up lots of rice on the weekend.

What’s your go-to method for eating cauliflower? When I’ve got time, I love to toss the florets in olive oil and sea salt and roast them to crispy perfection. So good.