Stardew Valley #43: Super Meal

Ingredients: Bok Choy, Cranberries, Artichoke

Item Description: It's a really energizing meal.

I have no idea what a super meal is... but I thought it might be cool to do like a "power bowl" type salad with a grain base. We've got out Bok Choy/Pak Choi (same dif), cranberries, artichoke, and that leftover amaranth for the grain. Should be fine............?

I should start on these cranberries I guess, dont wanna have them raw after all.

Got the amaranth boiling away.

Defrosting some dragon fruit/pitaya on the side. This isnt in the recipe but I had some in my freezer and I thought it would be cool to go with, since "power bowls" often have stuff like this.

Oops the cranberries cooked faster than I expected! Ive put them to one side and im sauteeing the bok choy and the artichokes next. I couldn't get fresh artichokes so tinned will have to do. I don't know if these.. fry well..

I should add some seasoning. If its going to be all salady I thought maybe I should add some soy sauce and balsamic vinegar to the grain, and we've got salt and pepper too.

This grain is taking forever to expand... I forgot i might have had that issue last time with salmon dinner... I guess maybe they dont get that big either. Maybe i should have used bulgur or couscous... I guess its fine though?

Now for extra dressing im adding sesame oil, lime juice and coriander. I brought out some extra asian style dressing too but then I didnt think I needed it.

Eh it doesnt look as well cooked as I'd like, but it smells nice and flavourful.

Starting to wonder if I should have cooked these at all. Well, as a hot food fan these will go down easier.

It looks small and gritty, but itll have to do. The base doesnt matter anyway, its all about the veg!

*

It's super bad. The cranberries bring an obnoxious bitterness to the already bitter vegetables. I don't like the artichoke and it doesn't go with anything. The balsamic vinegar was overpowering. In retrospect it seems super obvious that I didn't have a good concept for this and I should have taken it in a way different direction, but I improvise dumb stuff all the time and the next 3 times it works out ill forget all about the times like this and I WILL NEVER LEARN ANYTHING.