Osekihan!

This is what we brought for lunch today. Osekihan is a traditional Japanese dish composed of sticky rice and adzuki beans. I got the recipe here. It is simple but filling, with only gomashio (sea salt and sesame seeds) used as a seasoning. I also made a pot of Quick Boiled Broccoli and Stems with Toasted Sesame Seeds from Clean Food. This was an equally simple, yet tasty, dish. I always shyed away from eating broccoli stems in the past, but no more. Now I know the secret of preparing broccoli stems correctly: trim the skin off.  Believe me, it makes all the difference in the world.

Tomorrow is the Farmer's Market on the South Side, yay!!! I'm crossing my fingers and hoping it's better than the one in Strip District. I'd like a nice bunch of kale or maybe some ramps ... has anyone tried ramps before? There were some at the Co-op this weekend, and they were streaked through with a lovely violet hue. I hesitated about buying them without knowing exactly what to do with them ... but have since found a couple of recipes that actually call for ramps. So hopefully I'll get to try them before they're out of season.

And now for an obligatory  kitty picture. This is what happens to the paper bags I bring home from Whole Foods: impromptu cat tent madness!