A week without a box

When I'm away we tend not to get a box. Stephen won't eat that many veggies by himself even though his horizons are expanding. So last week, when I went camping with the Guides there was no box. This week, when I came back there was no box.

Everything I ate had to come from the garden or store cupboard (or the pizza box!) which isn't a hardship in my mind.

Before I went away I made some slow dried tomatoes from my box tomatoes, supplemented with a few early ones from the windowsill. The principal of slow drying tomatoes is that we don't have enough sun in the UK for sundrying them but the oven on low isn't too bad.

I chopped them up with some preserved peppers, and some fresh beetroot greens and popped them in some pasta and breadcrumbs.

The beetroot is ours, grown and nurtured on the balcony. And another night I roasted a couple of the beetroots in spices and stir-fried their greens. They made a tasty accompaniment and also made me very confused when I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the loo. 'oh yeah, I ate beetroot.'

Last night was the big clear out though. Oriental green cut from the balcony and tofu supplemented whatever veg I could find in the freezer. I ended up with peas, broccoli and yellow pepper. god knows what else lives in there.

Today there is a new box. I'm excited.