Miscellaneous...

I'm so happy it is August.  My CSA box this week should be over-flowing (I hope).  I am hoping to finally bust out the dehydrator that Mary Therese and family gifted me...I have big plans!

My New Moon resolution for this month is to de-clutter.  This is something I strive to do every month, but it seems that for as much clutter that I get rid of, I seem to attract new clutter.  So this month I thought I'd start in the boys' playroom.  I think I finally worked that room into a manageable space.  I don't think it will ever look clean on a daily basis (since they play in there every day), but at least it will be easier to pick up and organize.  My next mission is the upstairs bedroom, and that is going to be a hard one.  It's easy for clutter to accumulate up there since we can just close the door.  So we'll see how that goes...

I also have another unofficial New Moon resolution for this month, and that is to simply reduce the number of tofu-based meals I make per week.  I am NOT, in any way, worried about soy consumption, but it occurred to me a couple weeks ago that I am using tofu and tempeh about 4 times per week, and while I still don't think that that is  a bad thing, I would like my seasonal veggies to be the center of our dinners, especially in this season of abundance.  It's just so easy to make, say a yummy BBQ tofu, then have veggies and rice on the side.  So instead of on the side, I want the veggies to be the centerpiece.    That doesn't mean I am giving up tempeh bacon or stir-fried tofu (no way!!), I am just reducing the frequency of its appearance on our dinner plates.

This month's Daring Bakers challenge is very exciting!!  I am still waiting for my opportunity to make it, hopefully late next week.  I'll be posting my results at the end of the month.

Luka and Cas have been my kitchen helpers lately, and I have a couple cute pictures to post, which I will do when I have a moment.  Cas likes to stir things, and Luka is getting really good at using a measuring cup.  He tries to find opportunities to add chocolate to everything we make (smart boy!), and he practically knows Dreena Burton's chocolate chip cookie recipe by heart.  It's a lot of fun having these two little guys cooking with me!  While I dream of them becoming big-time vegan chefs when they grow up, I'll settle for them knowing how to feed themselves.

It's Farmers Market Day, so the kids and I are going to head out soon and see what tasty treats we can find.  I just love this time of year!