Fresh Start!

Welcome, and thanks for reading! I've just moved into my new apartment and decided that this would be a great time to start something new. So this week is my first week of eating strictly local, apart from what supplies I had left over (which, of course, I'm not going to waste) After combing various grocery stores in the area, I have a fairly decent stockpile of fresh and local produce that I can't wait to start playing with.  My first local meal was a delicious stir-fry, made completely of local ingredients!

Springtime in Halifax Stir-Fry:

A few handfuls of (leftover) chick peas
One whole onion, diced finely
Three leaves of ripped up baby bok choy
Few sprigs of parsley
A handful of (leftover) pasta
A spoonful of salted butter
Lots of medium aged gouda (flavoured with local herbs)

Cook chick peas until soft, if bought dry, and cook pasta al dente in a separate pot.  Drain and cool both when cooked. Heat up a pan to about medium heat (we don't want to burn the butter) and sweat the onion in the butter. When the onion has begun to caramelize, throw in the rest of the greens and cook them all down together, allowing the flavours to mix nicely. The best part about using baby bok choy with butter is that it absorbs the tasty butter flavour while still staying relatively crunchy, adding a nice texture as well as the pretty leafy look. Now, add in the pasta and chick peas to warm them. Ideally, the chick peas will lend a meaty texture to make the stir fry a little more satisfying. Toss the whole mix a few times, and serve in a bowl or large plate, with or without rice. I didn't use rice and it was perfectly filling. Generously grate in the gouda (or whatever salty cheese you have around) while the stir-fry is still hot and toss the whole thing a few more times. The cheese should be melty and delicious when you serve the stir-fry. Nom nom nom. Delicious.