Zip, nothing, nada

Zip, nothing, nada really about sums it up with respect to food provisions in my house. In order to help you truly appreciate this statement I would have to take a picture of my cupboards and refrigerator/freezer to help you really understand how I tend to live. (I thought about it, but...)

I was planning on going to my local co-op for lunch and groceries today. Instead, I changed my mind and decided to see how much longer I could wait it out. This example reminds me of a lovely friend of mine. She waits until the last possible second to refill her gas tank. I wait until I (we) cannot handle it any longer and need more food. The strange games we play to make our lives more interesting.

The last few years I have been on a mission to buy only what I need when I need it. This does not include handy bulk items like nuts, whole grains, frozen veggies & berries, virgin olive & coconut oil or other condiments. I LOVE having condiments around. Precisely for moments like these when there isn't much of anything in the house. I sort of pride myself on being able to craft "something out of nothing" with ease. I do like the idea of recipes, but as I have said before I tend to follow them loosely anyway so just pulling something together seems more fluid to me. Lately, I haven't been all that keen on cooking, going to the grocery store**, or crafting at all. Therefore, today is especially exciting considering I just bit the bullet and whipped something up. I think the inspiration is from all the April showers.

**Let me explain. I love the grocery store, however I tend to spend way too much time shopping and not enough time getting back to work! 

"Something like a soup..."

Ingredients -

• 1 piece of wakame (sea veggie)
• 1 piece of Kombu (sea veggie)
• 1 cup frozen Edamame (Soy bean - GMO free!)
• Pinch of Hiziki
• Handful of Bonito flakes
• 1 Bag of frozen Sweet Potatoes
• 2 Garlic Cloves - minced
• 1/2 cup chopped Leeks
• Umboshi Plum Vinager - A few shakes
• Nickel size of buckwheat noodles.
• 4 cups of water

1. Heat a quart pan with 4 cups water on high add a handful of bonito flakes.
2. Break up the wakame into tiny pieces and cut up the kombu into small pieces add to pot
3. Add the bag of sweet potatoes
4. Add the edamame
5. Sprinkle in some hiziki (quarter amount)
6. Put another pot on for the buckwheat noodles (you could add the buckwheat noodles to the soup, but it will loose its form). Follow the instructions on the label.
7. When the noodles have been simmering for 4 minutes toss the garlic & onion into the pot with all the goodness.
8. Once the noodles are done - rinse them in cold water. Turn of the heat on the soup.
9. Put a few shakes of Umboshi Vinager into the pot - stir and serve!
10. Makes about 6 servings (well the noodles about 2 as I was only serving me).

I cook with seaweeds a lot. Seaweeds are so nutrient & mineral dense that it is a great idea to add them to your diet! Try adding them to soups, stews, grains, beans or salads.