Our Produce Box

Stuffed Acorn Squash

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:28:00 +0000

Friends, I apologize for my absence here. My camera is broken! A disaster for a food blogger!

Searching through old photos, I found this (not-so-great) one of my favorite autumn dinner: stuffed acorn squash. Today a brisk wind is blowing the leaves from the trees, the sun is shining, the air is crisp: this dish is a perfect match.

The recipe fills a baked acorn squash bowl with sausage, apples, pecans, onions and cranberries and drizzles it all with maple syrup. Need I say more? It can be served as a main dish (one-half squash per person) or sliced up further as a side dish. It's prettier in person than it looks in the photo--definitely

Enjoy this autumn meal while I figure out this camera mess!

Receipe below; printable version here.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

2 acorn squash (about 1 1/2 lb. each), rinsed
8 oz. bulk pork sausage
1/2 c chopped onion
2 sweet apples such as Fuji (1 lb. total), peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/4 t dried thyme
3 T chopped pecans
1/4 c maple syrup

Cut each squash in half crosswise; scoop out seeds. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each half so it can stand upright. Place each half, cavity side down, in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until tender when pierced, 45 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, stir sausage until it is crumbly and just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off and discard fat. Add onion, apples, cranberries, and thyme; stir often until apples are tender when pierced, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in pecans.

Uncover squash and turn halves upright; fill equally with sausage mixture. Drizzle equally with maple syrup and bake, uncovered, until filling is slightly browned on top, about 15 minutes longer.

Slightly adapted from Sunset

Turn rice into entertainment: DIY I Spy Toy

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:41:00 +0000

A bit of a departure from the recipes today--although rice is featured!

If you don't already know the wonder that is an I Spy toy, allow me to introduce you. It is a small container--often a fabric pouch, here a bottle--filled with trinkets and poly pellets or another sort of filler. As you turn the container around the trinkets shift about and come into view for you to spy. A simple toy, but one that's oddly addicting. They're great for waiting rooms and car rides--any place a kid needs some distraction but can't run around.

There are some gorgeous handmade fabric I Spy bags out there that I've picked up as gifts in the past (my favorites are here). But I thought I'd try my hand at a cheap and easy homemade version. As it turns out, it's not hard at all to make your own I Spy toy.

You probably have everything you need already: an empty plastic bottle (it could be glass if your kids are older), rice, and a handful of tiny trinkets.

Start by gathering up whatever toy bits and other interesting small items you can find around the house. Just the floatsam and jetsam of a home with kids: the solo Barbie shoes, odd stickers, and lost buttons that sink to the bottom of the toy bin or hide beneath the couch. They only need to be small and lightweight. Heavier items--even something like a penny--tend to get stuck in the center of the bottle, which doesn't make for a very interesting spy hunt.

Next, take inventory of what you're hiding. My kids don't read yet, so I arranged the trinkets on a white sheet of paper and snapped a photo. Later I printed a wallet-size version and hung it from the neck of the bottle for them to use as a guide. For readers, you could just jot down a list of items.

Here you can see the sorts of things that went into our I Spy: a guitar pick, alphabet-shaped pasta, pony beads, paper clip, hair clips, a dry pinto bean and the missing head of a Lego guy. I used 24 items total.

Drop the trinkets into the bottle (in our case, a Vitamin Water bottle) and fill it not quite full of rice. The headspace at the top is important, to give the rice room to move about and reveal the treasures. (I think I even ended up pouring a little more of the rice out after this picture was taken.) If you're worried about kids unscrewing the lid, add a bit of glue under the cap as you seal it up.

Now you're ready to hunt! Tip, roll, and shake the bottle to make the treasures appear.

You can adjust the number of trinkets or the size of the bottle for older kids who are up for more of a challenge. The lower the trinket-to-rice ratio, the harder it is to spot one.

It was a perfect distraction on our recent long car trip. An adult would call out a treasure from the card for The Boy to find. Or sometimes he would just hunt on his own and excitedly report on things he spotted. The Girl mostly appreciated it as a musical shaker, but anything that occupied the kids was fine with us!

Zucchini-Crusted Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0000

I'd been holding on to this recipe for months, waiting for zucchini season to roll around. Zucchini-crusted pizza? So intriguing! I imagined the traditional bready crust with bits of zucchini poking through.

It turned out to be much different--which I would have realized if I had actually, you know, read the recipe before I started. What a concept!

It was more akin to a quiche. A quiche with pizza toppings. I know, right? The ingredients were simple:

Grated zucchini +

beaten eggs +

flour +

grated mozzarella + parmesan

We also added some fresh basil. I spread the batter into a tart pan, but a pie pan would work equally well.

We baked it around half an hour until golden brown. Then squinted a bit at the finished product, decided, "Sure, why not use it as a pizza crust," covered with our favorite toppings and returned to the oven until cheese was melted and the toppings were heated through.

It may not have been what I was expecting, but it was tasty. Much richer than our usual pizzas, to be sure. But it definitely worked a lot of zucchini into our meal and even earned The Boy's seal of approval!

Recipe below; printable version here.

ZUCCHINI-CRUSTED PIZZA

olive oil and flour for the pan
2 cups (packed ) grated zucchini (about 2 7-inchers)
2 eggs, beaten (fine to delete one or both yolks)
¼ cup flour
½ cup grated mozzarella
½ cup grated parmesan
Optional: pinches of basil, marjoram, and/or rosemary
2 Tbs. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Generously oil a 10-inch pie pan and coat lightly with flour. (You can also use a jelly roll pan.)

Combine zucchini, eggs, flour, mozzarella, parmesan, herbs, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl and mix well.

Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. About halfway through the baking, brush with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil (optional). Remove from oven. When it has cooled for about 10 minutes, use a spatula to loosen the crust from the pan, so it won't break later.

Top with your favorite pizza items and bake at 400 until heated through.

From The New Moosewood Cookbook

Deals!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 06:54:00 +0000

Two great deals to share with you on some of my favorite things:

Sunset--part shelter mag, part travel mag, part food mag--was my way to keep Pacific Northwest homesickness at bay when I was living in California. The featured homes are gorgeous and the recipes are always spot on; a good number of the ones featured here come from Sunset's online recipe library. A one-year subscription is just $5 right now at Amazon!

Oxo--makers of well-designed household gadgets galore--has a new website and its celebrating with a sale. We have more Oxo gadgets in our kitchen than I'm probably willing to admit. But they are all well-used and appreciated, especially the mango splitter, strawberry huller, and food mill. And my itsy bitsy mini measuring cup, which measures liquids by the tablespoon. Use coupon code OXONEW through 9/26 for 15% off and free shipping on all orders. Can anyone say "stocking stuffers"?

Watermelon Popsicles

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0000

The warm weather came back for one last September fling, so the kids and I decided to make our own watermelon popsicles.

We started with some yellow watermelon we had on hand. The kids get cutely excited about yellow watermelon. It tastes just like pink! But it's yellow!

We chopped up the melon and ran it through our food mill to purée and remove the seeds. You could also just start with a seedless melon or work with a strainer. The Boy enjoys the food mill--much less scary loud than a food processor and you get to crank the handle.

After adding a spash of lime juice, we poured it into the popsicle molds. A few hours in the freezer and we were done!

Ridiculously Easy Peach Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0000

This dessert comes together crazy fast, satisfies the urge for a warm sweet treat, and dirties just the baking dish and a paring knife.

Fill a baking dish with sliced,
peeled peaches

Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon
and lemon juice

Cover with crumbled gingersnaps

Bake and you're done!

Recipe below or printable version here.

GINGER PEACH CRUMBLE

1 pound frozen unsweetened sliced peaches or
3 cups peeled fresh peach slices
2 Tbs packed brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
½ cup crumbled gingersnaps (about 8 gingersnaps)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Evenly distribute the peach slices in the bottom of an unoiled nonreactive 9-inch pie pan or 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle the peaches with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Top with the crumbled gingersnaps. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the peaches are bubbling and tender when pierced with a fork.

Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with frozen yogurt or ice cream.

From Moosewood Restaurant Low-fat Favorites

Herbed Potato Salad with Green Beans and Tomatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0000

You'll have to use your imagination a bit for the photo above. Instead of the slightly overcooked potato lumps, picture firm red potatoes tossed with tomatoes, beans and basil. Now, doesn't that look tasty?

Despite the smushy potatoes it was still delicious. Our produce box had potatoes, beans, basil and tomatoes the other week and this was a wonderful way to combine them: the fresh veggie flavors overlaid with basil and the slightest bit of vinegar tang. A great salad to squeeze in to those final sunny September barbeques.

Recipe below; printable version here.

HERBED POTATO SALAD WITH GREEN BEANS & TOMATOES

2½ pounds small red potatoes, quartered
2 cups (2-inch) cut green beans (about ½ pound)
1 cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups diced seeded tomato

Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 10 minutesl (Ed.--Or much less than 10 minutes. Beware of overcooking the potatoes!) Add beans, and cook 6 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Combine basil and next 7 ingredients (basil through garlic) in a large bowl. Add potato mixture; toss well. Add tomato, and toss gently. Cover and chill.

From Cooking Light, June 1998

Impulse purchase

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0000

I ask you, how could I pass up something this adorable? How?

I've already grated a wee bit of cheese for a lunchtime garnish. Too. Cute.

Zucchini Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:42:00 +0000

I probably shouldn't admit this but when I see a bowl of freshly grated zucchini...

...I don't think, "What a tasty, healthy vegetable!" I think, "Oh, tasty, sugary baked goods!" Like zuchhini bread. And zucchini cake. And these awesome zucchini cookies.

The recipe include chocolate chips and walnuts and coconut. (It calls for raisins, too, but I would never sully such yumminess with horrid raisins.) They freeze well and can be eaten nearly straight from freezer. (Not that I would ever do that. Ahem.)

Recipe below; printable version here.

ZUCCHINI COOKIES

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup raisins
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to zucchini mixture. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto buttered cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, and transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes 5 dozen small cookies.

Source

Bulgur, Mint, and Parlsey Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

When I saw the large bunch of flat leaf parsley in the produce box I knew tabbouleh was in our future. Nutty bulgur, tart lemon, cool cucumbers and tomatoes--love it!

The Husband made this dish, so no prep photos today.

The flavor blends and intensifies the longer it sits, so make it a few hours ahead of time if you can. It was near divine when I scarfed down the leftovers the next day.

Recipe below; printable version here.

BULGUR, MINT, & PARSLEY SALAD

1 cup uncooked bulgur
1 cup boiling water
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped tomato
1¼ cups chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup chopped resh mint
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp black

Combine bulgur and boiling water in a medium bowl. Cover and let stand 30 minutes or until tender. Stir in juice, oil, and garlic. Cool to room temperature.

Combine bulgur mixture, tomato, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat.

Makes 8 1-cup servings

Source

Chili in Grilled Zucchini Boats

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Yesterday was too dreadfully hot to think about cooking, so we fired up the grill and tried something new. These are officially chili-stuffed zucchini, but we thought it was much more interesting to dub them zucchini boats.

Halve zucchini lengthwise and scoop out
the centers

Salt and pepper, then brush with garlic
and olive oil

The recipe has you make up a very basic mix of beans, cheese, cilantro and salsa, but you could substitute leftover chili for an even faster prep. I'll add a pinch of cumin or chili pepper the next time around.

The Boy declared that it was the only recipe I've ever made that he liked. I decided to accept the compliment without comment!

Recipe below; printable version here.

CHILI-STUFFED ZUCCHINI

4 medium-size zucchini
Salt and black pepper
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups cooked pinto or black beans (or 1 15-ounce can), drained
¾ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup salsa
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.

Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the centers, leaving about ¼ inch of flesh in the shells. (Discard the zucchini flesh or reserve for another use, such as making vegetable stock.) Generously sprinkle the zucchini with salt and pepper. Combine the olive oil and garlic and brush onto the zucchini, inside and out.

Combine the beans, ½ cup of the Monterey Jack, the salsa, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Stuff the mixture into the zucchini shells. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Monterey Jack on top.

Grill with the lid down until the zucchini is tender and the stuffing is hot, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully remove from the grill with a spatula. Serve at once.

Serves 4 to 8.

From The New Vegetarian Grill: 200 Flame-Kissed Recipes for Fresh, Inspired Meals

Pacific Northwest Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

We've dubbed this dish Pacific Northwest chili because it includes an item held in great esteem by many in these parts: beer. Also because all the veggies in it are grown around here (and are in season right now). But mostly the beer.

We tried this out when we were looking for vegetarian recipes to add to our repertoire, but it's become our favorite chili recipe. It is simply amazing in the summer when the ingredients are all fresh.

Recipe below; printable version here.

NORTHWEST VEGETARIAN CHILI

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp canola oil
2-14.5 oz. cans stewed tomatoes

OR (if you have a little more time and some fresh veggies on hand)

3½ cup tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped into large pieces

3 Tbsp onion, chopped

3 Tbsp green pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp celery, chopped

1 tsp sugar

dash salt

1 cup water
12 oz fine Pacific NW microbrew (or any alcoholic/non-alcoholic beer)
8 oz. tomato sauce
3-4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground pepper
3-15 oz. cans beans (mix of pinto and/or kidney beans), rinsed and drained (about 5 cups cooked, if using dried beans)
1½ cup summer squash or zucchini, chopped
1½ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

Saute garlic in hot oil for 30 seconds.

Stir in undrained canned tomatoes, beer, water, tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, ground pepper and beans.

OR (if using fresh tomatoes): Combine tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, sugar, and salt. Bring to boiling; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in beer, water, tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, ground pepper and beans.

Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in corn and zucchini/squash. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Top with your favorite chili toppings (we like cheese and cilantro).

Adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book

Dairy-Free Zucchini Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

I've been experimenting with coconut oil in my baking lately as a substitute for butter and shortening. It's naturally dairy-free and avoids the trans-fats in margarine. And--I was happy to discover--doesn't seem to make everything taste like coconut.

On a side note, we always have unrefined coconut oil in the house because I regularly use it to moisturize my daughter's super curly hair. I'm not sure what seems odder to me: that I use a food item on her hair, or that I cook with a hair product.

This is a basic zucchini bread using coconut oil, with a little whole wheat pastry flour slipped in for that whole grain goodness. Best enjoyed on the deck in the morning sun with a cup of good coffee.

Recipe below; printable version here.

ZUCCHINI BREAD

6 Tbs coconut oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups shredded zucchini (about 3/4 pound)
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts

Beat together the coconut oil and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each egg. Stir in the vanilla and zucchini.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Repeat with the remaining half of the dry ingredients. Fold in the walnuts, again being careful not to over mix the batter.

Divide the batter evenly between two greased loaf pans. Bake in a 375° oven for 40-45 minutes, until just on the under side of done. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

Makes 2 loaves.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

We're on vacation at the moment. Playing in the sand, spending time with family, and enjoying chocolate zucchini cake.

Why, Heather, you might be saying. That cake looks a little mussed. Like the top third completely separated from the rest of the cake and was plopped back on in a rush.

Eh, maybe. I refuse to admit anything. But it's vacation time and the cake still tastes great (the mix of cinnamon and cocoa is to die for).

Visit Simply Recipes for the recipe!

Dairy-Free Pesto

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

I think pesto is pretty close to perfection. So I embraced this dairy-free pesto recipe pretty much the minute I tasted it, since it meant we wouldn't have to kick pesto out of our meals for The Girl's sake. Not quite as rich as regular pesto, it still has that sublime flavor mix of basil, garlic and pinenuts. With no olive oil and no cheese involved, the recipe triples as a low-fat pesto recipe and vegan pesto recipe.

The equation begins, of course, with basil.

One cup firmly packed basil leaves +

one cup tomatoes +

one clove minced garlic +

one tablespoon toasted pinenuts +

one-half teaspoon salt

Blend it all together in a food processor or blender, and you're done! I make up several batches when basil and tomatoes abound in the summer and freeze it in one-cup portions.

Recipe below.

DAIRY-FREE PESTO

1 cup firmly packed basil leaves
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 Tbsp toasted pinenuts (toast 3-5 minutes at 350°F)
1/2 tsp salt

Blend ingredients in food processor until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Makes about 1 cup, enough for 1 pound of pasta.

From Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites: Flavorful Recipes for Healthful Meals

Bee-bim Bop

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

This is Swiss chard.

It is not, as I mistakenly believed last year, rhubarb. Although, in my defense, rhubarb looks suspiciously like Swiss chard. The purple stalks! The broad green leaves!

Thinking it was rhubarb, one year ago I tossed the (perfectly edible!) leaves and used the stalks to make "rhubarb" crisp. Which tasted like it was made from celery. Ugh.

Aside from learning what chard actually looks like, the most useful thing I've learned about it since then is that its leaves can be substituted for spinach in pretty much any recipe. It's not too tough and has a very mild flavor.

We used some of our first chard of this summer in bee-bim bop. I always enjoy this meal, even with all the pots and pans it dirties.

Believe it or not, this recipe came from a children's book. One day The Boy picked up Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park at the library. It's a bouncy, rhyming tale of a little girl happily helping make her family's dinner of bee-bim bop (which the book translates as "mix-mix bowl"), a Korean mixed dish of marinated beef, vegetables and fried egg.

A recipe follows the story, with instructions divided up for "you" (the child" and the "grown-up". After many, many readings of the book, The Boy was excited to taste bee-bim bop himself. It was a huge success! Love the marinade for the meat.

It is a time-consuming, multi-pan recipe. And I make no claims that I'm doing authentic Korean cooking here. But bee-bim bop has easily slipped its way into our regular stable of meals.

Recipe below; printable version here. Check out the book for a kid-inclusive version!

Photo credit (rhubarb): Sandy Austin

BEE-BIM BOP

2 cups white rice

Marinade
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions (scallions), chopped
5 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame seeds, roasted (optional)
1 Tbs sesame oil (optional)
1/8 tsp black pepper

Other:
1 lb. tender, lean beef (such as sirloin tip)
2 carrots (or more), julienned
2 pkgs. frozen spinach, defrosted, or 1 lb. fresh spinach or other greens (such as Swiss chard), washed
1 lb. mung bean sprouts
4 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper
vegetable oil for frying
ko-chee-chang (Korean hot-pepper paste, optional)
kimchee (Korean pickled cabbage, optional)

Rice: Bring 4 cups water to boil in saucepan. Add rice. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes until the rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed.

Meat: Mix marinade ingredients in large bowl. Slice the beef across the grain into very thin slices. Add beef to marinade bowl and stir. With your hands, grab handfuls of beef and squish all of it around for 2-3 minutes to tenderize. Set beef aside.

Greens: If using frozen spinach, squeeze some of the water out of it. If using fresh greens, cook for 2 minutes in a pot of boiling water, drain, and let cool for a few minutes, then squeeze some of the water out. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the frying pan and stir fry the greens for 2-3 minutes until tender. Empty the greens into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Sprouts: Boil one cup water in a large saucepan. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. When water boils, put bean sprouts into the pan. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and empty sprouts into a bowl.

Meat: Heat frying pan or wok over high heat for about 30 seconds. Add marinade and beef to pan all at once. Spread beef out in the pan and stir for 2-3 minutes until meat turns brown. Remove from heat.

To serve, put a pile of rice in the middle of a soup bowl or plate and some meat and vegetables on top. Be sure to pour a couple of spoonfuls of meat juice on your rice. Top with egg ribbons. Add ko-chee-chang (hot-pepper paste), if desired. Now "bee-bim"--mix everything together. It's ready to eat, with some kimchee on the side, if you wish!

Urban harvesting

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

One balmy evening last week my family joined 200 neighbors for some urban harvesting.

Urban harvesting tries to make sure none of the edible plants dotting cities go to waste. So many folks have the old row of apple trees or such that goes unpicked each year. A local group started up a brand new program in our town modeled after this one in Portland; owners of fruit or nut plants register their trees and vines with the organization. At harvest time, a group of volunteers meets for a picking party. You take home half of what you pick. The other half goes to a local food bank or soup kitchen.

It could be as simple as someone with a single cherry tree in their yard they know won't be harvesting themselves. On the day we participated it was hundreds of gorgeous old, organic blueberry bushes that for whatever reason aren't being used commercially right now.

It was a perfect summer evening. The late-day sun slanted across the field, kids popped berries into their mouths when they thought parents weren't looking, lighthearted laughter came from between the rows. We were pushing up against The Girl's bedtime, so we left fairly early after doing our little bit by picking seven pounds. Lots of the other pickers at the harvest party were still diligently picking as we drove away. And when the evening was done, over 1,000 pounds of fresh blueberries went to our local food bank, the other 1,000 went home with the satisfied harvesters, and all of it was kept from going to waste. Truly win-win-win.

Black Bean, Corn, and Zucchini Enchiladas

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

I love enchiladas. Mmmmm. This Cooking Light recipe revamps them up for summer, incorporating seasonal veggies and lightening them up without sacrificing their warm, saucy goodness.

The inside is a mixture of zucchini, corn and black beans, sprinkled with shredded cheese and wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.

Little bundles of tastiness!

The recipe includes instructions for making a homemade sauce. It is veeerrrry tempting to sub in the handy dandy can of enchilada sauce from the grocery store. But resist. The veggie filling is fairly bland--a sort of fresh, healthy base--and it's the sauce that really makes the flavor of the dish. And, other than the half-hour it simmers on the stovetop, the sauce goes together quite quickly--and can be made up to three days ahead.

Recipe below; printable version here.

BLACK BEAN, CORN and ZUCCHINI ENCHILADAS

Sauce:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained

Enchiladas:
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 cups diced zucchini
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole-kernel corn
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
8 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in broth and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and corn; sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in beans.

Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/2 cup zucchini mixture down center of 1 tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese, and roll up. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, zucchini mixture, and 14 tablespoons cheese.

Spread remaining 2 cups sauce evenly over enchiladas.

Cover with foil; bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

From Cooking Light, May 2007: Enchiladas, Sauce

Italian Zucchini-Tomato Skillet

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:00:00 +0000

The zucchini has arrived!

This little combo is one of my go-to basic side dishes in the summer. It's quick and doesn't involve the oven (too hot!). And I've found the tomato-basil-parmesan combo to be pretty palatable for most kids.

Let some garlic get the party started

Add the zucchini for a minute

The green onions get all up in
their business

Finish with tomatoes, basil,
and parsley

Recipe below; printable version here.

ITALIAN ZUCCHINI-TOMATO SKILLET

1 clove garlic, minced
1 T cooking oil
2 medium zucchini and/or yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices (2 2/3 c)
6 green onions, bias-sliced into 1-inch lengths (3/4 c)
1 c halved red and/or yellow baby pear tomatoes or cherry tomatoes (12)
3 T snipped fresh parsley (optional)
1 T snipped fresh basil or 1 t dried basil, crushed
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet cook and stir garlic in hot oil 30 seconds. Stir in zucchini. Cook and stir 1 1/2 minutes. Add green onions; cook and sitr 1 1/2 minutes more or till vegetables are crisp-tender.

Stir in tomatoes, parsley (if desired), and basil. Cook and stir 1 minute more or till heated through. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

From Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Quinoa Salad with Sugar Snap Peas

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Lots of sugar snap peas in the box lately! We eat most of them raw, nibbled as snacks or accompanying meals. But I've been looking for other uses for them.

This quinoa salad seemed like a simple summer side dish, one that would taste good cold. It went together fairly quickly.

Blanch snap peas and cut into
one inch segments

Boil up some quinoa and let cool
to room temperature

Toss quinoa and peas together with chives,
pumpkin seeds and a vinaigrette

I don't know what I was thinking when I pulled this recipe. I like quinoa, I like snap peas, I like olive oil...but I don't much like vinegar (with the notable exception of sea salt and vinegar Kettle Chips). This recipe uses a healthy chug of white wine vinegar as a major flavor. So why was I surprised not to like the taste of this salad much?

The Husband said it was good. The Girl seemed to like it. You'll have to take their word for it.

Recipe below; printable version here.

QUINOA SALAD WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS

1/2 pound sugar snap peas
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup minced chives

In a small saucepan of boiling salted water, simmer the peas until bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and spread out on a large plate to cool, then pat dry. Cut the peas on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces.

In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until all of the water has evaporated and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa, then transfer to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, combine the oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Add the peas to the quinoa with the pumpkin seeds, chives and dressing; stir. Season with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

From Food & Wine, August 2009

Zuppa di Verdure

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0000

When you discover last week's Swiss chard languishing in the crisper drawer (ahem), the only thing to do is make soup. Nothing is more forgiving to wilting greens than soup.

I decided to try a Mollie Katzen recipe I'd been hanging on to called zuppa di vedure (an Italian vegetable soup). Like most vegetable soups it has a friendly flexibility. You can swap out similar veggies to take advantage of what you have on hand. This time around I substituted sugar snap peas for green beans and skipped the mushrooms altogether.

It was lovely--much more charming than the picture above captures. It had a lightness fitting to the summer weather, with a flavor similar to minestrone. We served it with a crusty roasted garlic bread to dip into the broth. Yum!

Recipe below; printable version here.

ZUPPA DI VERDURE

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, minced
1 medium-sized stalk celery, minced
1 large carrot, diced
2 tsp salt
About 10 large mushrooms, minced or sliced
A handful or two of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 Tbs minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano or marjoram (or 1 Tbs fresh, if available)
2 to 3 stalks ruby chard, chopped (include stems, but keep them separate)
6 cups water
2 small (6-inch) zucchini, diced or sliced
½ cup (packed) minced fresh basil leaves
1 15 oz. can navy or pea beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained
3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Optional: tapenade, graced pecorino or parmesan cheese, slices of crisp toast

Heat 1 tablesppon of the olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and ½ teaspoon salt, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the mushrooms, green beans, garlic, oregano or mrjoram, and another ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté for a few minutes more, then cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the chard stems, and sauté again for a minute or two

Pour in the water and the remaining salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir in the chard leaves, zucchini, basil, navy or pea beans, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let the soup sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve hot, topped with a spoonful of tepenade, some grated cheese, and slices of crisp toast on the side, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Source: Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven: Over 200 Recipes for Uncommon Soups, Tasty Bites, Side Dishes, and Too Many Desserts

Cooking with Kids: Watermelon-Raspberry Slush

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 04:35:00 +0000

The Boy love love loves finding his monthly Highlights High Five magazine in the mail. Seriously one of the most genius Christmas gifts he's gotten (thank you Great-Grandma!).

It often includes a kid-friendly recipe that preschoolers can make (with a little adult help, of course). The August issue featured raspberry-watermelon slush. Think convenience store icees, only without the high-fructose corn syrup and artificial colors. In fact, this one uses nothing but fruit and a touch of lemon juice.

Blend 1/2 cup raspberries...

...with 2 cups watermelon and
a splash of lemon juice.

Freeze in a 2 quart dish...

...stirring with a fork every 30 minutes.

After about 90 minutes it was thick and slushy, ready to be dished up. So tasty on a warm summer evening! And The Boy was so proud that he had made us all dessert.

A healthier berry crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Fruit crisps are delightful all year round, don't you think? Warm apples in the autumn, tart berries over ice cream in the summer. And so easy to make, which always scores a dessert a gold star in my book.

This particular crisp is dairy-free, so The Girl can enjoy it, too. With the usual generous butter in the topping side-stepped, it also becomes low-fat: four grams fat per serving, compared to twelve in my standard fruit crisp recipe.

Mix fruit together with brown sugar
and tapioca

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar and
cinnamon for the topping

Stir together with egg white, vanilla,
juice and just a bit of oil

Coat berries with topping, bake
and enjoy!

Recipe below; printable version here.

(PS I like to double the cinnamon and add a touch of nutmeg.)

LOW-FAT, DAIRY-FREE BERRY CRISP

Fruit layer:

6 cups fresh or frozen fruit (sliced apples or pears, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, blueberries or any combination of above)
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp quick-cooking tapioca (not whole pearl)

Topping:

1½ rolled oats or Grape-Nuts cereal
¼ cup unbleached white flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg white
1 Tbs canola or other vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbs unsweetened apple or orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a bowl, mix together the fruit layer ingredients. Pour the fruit evenly into a non-reactive 10-inch pie pan or a 9-inch sqare baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg white, oil, vanilla, and fruit juice and then stir into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Carefully spread the topping over the fruit (be sure to cover the fruit entirely). Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the fruit is soft and bubbly and the topping is crisp and golden.

From Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

Sugar Snap Peas & Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:00:00 +0000

As much as we enjoy snacking on raw sugar snap peas, one can only eat so many. This dish caught my eye as a potentially interesting snap pea vehicle. It uses fresh peas as the base for a summery pesto.

I didn't make many changes, other than declining the recipe's suggestion to push the pesto through a mesh strainer. The dish seemed little harmed by my laziness.

Begin cooking one pound of snap peas.

In the middle of their cook time, remove one cup
of peas and run under cold water.

Cut the removed peas in half.

Mash one clove garlic with salt.

Purée remaining snap peas with
garlic mash, olive oil, and cheese.

Toss cut peas and the purée with
one pound of penne.

At dinner time, I added a chopped tomato and some shredded chicken and it became a main dish.

'Twas even better cold.

Recipe below; printer-friendly version here.

SUGAR SNAP PEAS & PASTA

1 lb. sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings discarded
1 lb. penne
1 medium garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with ½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (½ cup) plus additional for serving

Cook sugar snaps in an 8-quart pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes, then transfer 1 cup sugar snaps to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer cooled sugar snaps to a cutting board. Cook sugar snaps remaining in pot until tender, about 2½ minutes more, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Measure out and save 1 cup cooking water, reserving remaining water in pot.

Return cooking water in pot to a boil and cook pasta until al dente, then drain in colander. While pasta is cooking, cut 1 cup sugar snaps (on cutting board) crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Purée half of sugar snaps from bowl, half of garlic paste, 2 tablespoons oil, ¼ cup cheese, and ¼ cup saved cooking water in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids)~~, then force purée with a rubber spatula through a medium-mesh sieve into a large bowl~~. Purée another batch in same manner, ~~forcing through sieve into bowl,~~ and add cut sugar snaps.

Toss hot pasta with sugar snap sauce and, if necessary, enough of remaining ½ cup saved cooking water to thin sauce to desired consistency, then season pasta with salt and pepper.

From Gourmet, April 2005

Beans of Awesomeness (with Greens)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:30:00 +0000

I recently found Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson at our local library and spent an evening curled up with it on the couch. It's filled with luscious images that make you want to spend the day cooking (and eating). But as soon as I spotted this simple side dish using chard, I knew which recipe I would be trying first.

The official name is Giant Crusty and Creamy White Beans with Greens. I've affectionately renamed them the Beans of Awesomeness. Because that is exactly what they are.

I wish I were a better food photographer, so I could capture how delicious this dish is. The beans have a textured, almost crunchy outside with soft centers; the flavor of the greens quietly blends in among the garlic and olive oil. What's more, it uses simple, easy to find ingredients.

The author cautions against using canned beans, which apparently don't hold up well to sautéing. So sometime the day of or in the few days before, you'll want to cook up one-half pound of large dried white beans (notes on how to cook dried beans). I failed to think about the beans the night before, but got away with soaking them for five hours and cooking for one. I added a shallot to the stock pot just to make things a little more interesting.

From there, it all happens in a single skillet. Fair warning: you need a large skillet.

Sauté in butter or oil in a single layer
(this was too crowded)

Flip when beans begin to turn
golden and crusty

Add onion and garlic

Add chard, cooking just until wilted

The cookbook suggested serving the beans "over grilled slices of rustic bread rubbed with a clove of garlic and a fragrant extra-virgin olive oil." A homely bruschetta, if you will.

At this point in the meal, conversation stopped. Because we were too busy scarfing down tasty bean-topped bread.

The Husband declared he would happily serve the Beans of Awesomeness to guests. I heartily agreed. And in our house, that's about the highest compliment a dish can get.

Recipe below; printable version here.

GIANT CRUSTY & CREAMY WHITE BEANS WITH GREENS

½ lb. medium or large dried white beans, cooked
3 Tbs clarified butter or olive oil
Fine-grain sea salt
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 or 7 big leaves chard, preferably rainbow chard, leaves cut into wide ribbons and 1 or 2 stems cut into ½-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for topping

Drain the beans, then heat the butter over medium-high heat in the widest skillet you've got. Add the beans to the hot pan in a single layer. If you don't have a big-enough skillet, just do the sauté step in two batches or save the extra beans for another use. Stir to coat the beans with butter, then let them sit long enough to brown on one side, about 3 or 4 minutes, before turning to brown the other side, also about 3 or 4 minutes. The beans should be golden and a bit crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. Salt to taste, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the onion softens. Stir in the chard and cook until just beginning to wilt. Remove from the heat and season to taste with a generous dose of salt and pepper. Drizzle with a bit of top-quality extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.

From Super Natural Cooking: Five Delicious Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Foods into Your Cooking