Polenta-Potato Hash, Tuscan Style Green Beans

Tonight, I came up with the idea of making a hash with polenta that I cubed fairly small, and some frozen potatoes with red pepper and onion (really a Potatoes O'Brien). I started the polenta, which I had purchased as a prepared log, sauteeing for a few minutes, along with a very small interesting locally-grown garlic bulb that I had cut into small pieces. I then added the frozen potato mixture, as well as thin strips of seitan (most of a box). As the potato started being cooked and the polenta got slightly browned, I added a lovely small red bell pepper, cut into medium chunks.

A few minutes later, I served the hash, along with green beans that had briefly been sauteed and then served with some fresh lime juice, as well as salt and pepper. Wow - I loved the hash!

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Yesterday, we decided to have a relaxing day in anticipation of our anniversary coming up this Wednesday. We had great weather and enjoyed hiking the trails at nearby Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area with two good friends of ours (the Best Man from our wedding and his wife). We visited the newly opened Hillsborough branch of Weaver Street Market Cooperative grocery store, where my wife had a light, very early dinner and I had a little salad pumpkin pie. We visited my parents on our way home; my Mom offered some chickpeas that she had prepared, so I completed my here-and-there dinner by heating some stuffed Indian paratha bread and enjoying tomato slices and the chickpeas.

I also didn't cook on Saturday. We had a nice opportunity to see a beautiful classical Iranian concert by the Safahan Music Ensemble, an all-women group. After that, we stopped by Broad Street Cafe, a nice smoke-free club, where they have a number of items in a vegan menu. We had a good cheeseless pesto pizza with a variety of toppings.