Vegetables against the Doom

This seems to be a struggling week, at least for me. On the one hand: urgently let's go back to normal. On the other bad, bad news abounds, and doesn't it just feel like we're in for another round of less joy than lately. The Rule of Six doesn't affect my social life, or lack thereof, but it isn't exactly joyful as a harbinger, is it?

Meanwhile, nutrition continues to be needed. It's still veggie week, but now I'm more tired and worried I'm also less keen on cooking. I've gone back to soup, which was my work lunch staple, and should be a sensible meal for cooler weather. I might even take it back to the office, if I need to go back to the office soon, which is now slightly more up for discussion than I like. 

German soup, made of sorrel. Sorrel is basically the anti-instagram food, turning from a nice bouncy handful of green leaves into a low, grey-green slurry when you wilt it. There is no preserving its original colour. 

I didn't take a pic of the wilted sorrel at its worst. It looks like a terrible cooking mistake. But when you add it to a really basic soup (make a roux of butter and flour, add plenty of stock, simmer for 10 mins till it's smooth), blend, and add a whisper of leftover sour cream, it looks edible, at least.

Sadly, I had some long-life emergency charcuterie that needed using up, so lunch was a bit more complex than planned. Oh no.

Last night, on the other hand, I really, really didn't feel like cooking. Tuesday is my day without any specific exercisey tasks - no yoga, no required shopping, no Long Sunday Walk (which used to be 4+ miles and last week was 7.5. Huh. I seem to have extended my range...). What I was supposed to do was trot to the library for a reservation (now able to go inside, giving Test and Trace contacts to my surprise, and not just receive orders at the door) and then home again. But I detoured via Tesco to buy precooked quinoa. To save me cooking the raw quinoa I already had. A low point in misdirected laziness, quinoa's an easy one to cook. Tsk.

Also, something has gone awfully wrong with my menu planning as it seems to be The Week of Fritters and I had no idea till I checked this recipe. Quinoa fritters instead of sweetcorn, obvs. But still, quite similar. Doh.

 

I had very little enthusiasm for making these, but they turned out to be lush - crispy from the fried quinoa, with mint and parsley, plus garlic and spring onion both in the fritter mix and in its accompanying sauce (which was yoghurt mixed with mayo and the herbs etc). Frittering is achieved with the cold cooked quinoa, a couple of eggs, some flour, a big squeeze of lime... They are more nutty and herby than anything else, and the sauce is a good foil even thought the flavourings are the same.

 

You definitely want salad with these, and tomatoes were particularly welcome. New Kitchen Basics, you continue to be excellent.