Today the heat wave that has settled over the Twin Cities for nigh unto a week is beginning to lessen. By next week predictions of early fall weather are coming. It’s not a moment too soon for me. This heat has been incredibly tough. We have one window air conditioner in our living/dining area and it has been working overtime. But really if you aren’t sitting right in front of it you don’t feel the effects.

This has been  particularly difficult with cooking. I am so burned out from working in the fields and during pregrancy I often have a hard time cooking. I am only half joking when I saw my cravings are for something someone else has cooked. Add to that the intense heat of the kitchen as soon as I turn anything on and you see why mac and cheese, chips and crackers have been the order of the week.

Finally yesterday I hit on a winning solution that I didn’t feel guilty about.

Soybeans (edamme), sweet corn, carrots and cucumbers from our field accompanied with fried eggs from our chickens and lots of ranch dressing–for me my favorite is “goddess” dressing from Trader Joe’s. I only had to boil one pot of water and I cooked the corn first in it then took that out and added the soybeans. I cooked rice at the same time. From Mavis’ hair you get an idea how intense it has been.

Here Mavis is chowing down on her favorite, soybeans. Two loved the corn and eggs and Avril liked the cucumbers (my favorite too). Today it’s more of the same, maybe with a few tomatoes thrown in. I really wish we could figure out how to grow lettuce that didn’t turn bitter in the heat. I guess that is a good project for the off season.