It's A Growin'

One would think an indoor garden would have been checked off of my to-do list much earlier in life.  The truth is, I've tried.  In Dallas, I managed to destroy three basil plants on three separate occasions.  And more recently, succulents.  Succulents?!  I killed unkillable plants!  It's a miracle that Clarke is still amongst us...

In a search to fill the blank wall in my kitchen, I found an Ikea inspiration ad from which I decided to steal almost every decor detail.  Two problems...  my negative green thumb abilities and zero natural light in my kitchen.  After more research, I found that I could overcome the natural light issue using traditional CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) bulbs as "grow lights".  And after more consideration, I decided I would overcome my planting inabilities with dedication.

The newest living additions to my home are basil, cilantro, and thyme.  If these puppies have a positive life status through the end of August, I'll add rosemary, dill, and chives to the collection.  I'll also consider replacing the target desk lamp with a more aesthetically pleasing stainless CFL hood.

This is a true Fashion Meets Function moment in the KV household!

Spaghetti? Sort Of...

A few weeks ago, a friend suggested a spaghetti squash recipe she made post kicking butt at the Boston Marathon.  I raided her leftovers and knew I'd give it a shot.

After a weekend of birthday/mother's day glutton, I was craving something veggieful.  And subbing a meal's primary starch with a veggie?  Well, that sounded right about where I wanted to be.  I scribbled down the ingredients and B-lined it to the market on my way home from the office.  

My excitement for the recipe grew as I realized my basket was only lacking two ingredients and I hadn't yet left the produce department.  And feta and kalamatas?  I barely had to brush the processed aisles to scoop those up!

This dish was a delightful main course, but could also be served along side a lean meat for a more "complete" meal.


Side Note:  Tastes even better chilled the next day.