Sunday Shenanigans

Well, I went to the Ballard Farmer's Market yesterday. This is how crowded it was at around 10:45 A.M. and they opened at 10:00 A.M.! It was pretty hard for me to actually enter the throng. I remember years ago, like I'm talking eight or more years ago, I remember going to the Farmer's Market in Lake City, and it was a small affair where you could get some excellent deals, and I learned about a lot of new veggies that I had never heard of. Since it wasn't such huge crowds it was a very enjoyable time, and I looked forward to going every week. Unfortunately, they've now become much more of a scene than a market. People were socializing and taking group selfies way more than shopping. And unfortunately the people manning the stalls are pretty harried so there isn't a lot of interaction. I also noticed yesterday that the prices I saw weren't really any cheaper than a regular grocery. Anyway, I think I have to accept that Farmer's Markets are not my scene.

Almost all vegan!

 

This is a pretty new restaurant that opened in Ballard . It looks like it is almost all vegan. It's right on Market Street in beautiful Ballard if you ever visit Seattle.  I guess I should have used the zoom so you could really see the menu. Sorry still learning! But trust me when I say that this is almost a vegan restaurant!

I'm so excited! I've been wanting to get a picture of this restaurant for the longest, and it's always either my bus is coming, or I don't have my camera or phone, or there are too many people around and I feel weird, it's always something. But yesterday the stars aligned and I got it! This is the restaurant where I had my first ever tofu banh mi, or as they call it a Fried Tofu sandwich. It was love at first bite, and I dreamed of this place and this sandwich when I lived in dreary Erie. And it's still the same price as it was like four or so years ago!  This restaurant is also on Market Street if you ever visit. They also have amazing pho, and lemongrass tofu.

Sweet onion chives, purple sprouted broccoli, and some kind of potato

It's so purple!

Here's my tiny Farmer's Market haul. Unfortunately I didn't see any inspiring or unusual veggies besides this sprouted purple broccoli. Apparently they plant it in July, and it doesn't grow iontil now, or something like that. It thrives in the winter, and according to this website, it is a cousin of the broccoli. I'm not sure how I'm going to prepare it, but it's so pretty, and people were buying it by the armful, so I had to be part of the movement.

For a nice simple dinner to soothe my frazzled nerves, I made some curried lentils over rice. I sprinkled some of the sweet onion chives on top for color and flavor. I also added a little dollop of garlic tahini sauce, and of course sriracha. It really hit the spot. I've been eating so many potatoes that my little lentils feel left out!
Happy Monday!