Tomorrow is the last day of our local farmer's market. In the last couple of weeks I have fallen woefully short of my goal of cooking with only fresh, local produce. With my husband working longer hours, it's harder to get dinner ready without pulling out the last string of my unraveling patience with my two girls. So, these last two weeks I have opted for sanity rather than sustainability, using more frozen than fresh and making way too much mac 'n' cheese.
Even though I haven't eaten exclusively local as I planned, I call this season a great success. With a little extra planning, discipline and self-forgiveness, I was able to feed my family some spectacular food, support my community, and rediscover the excitement of cooking creatively.
In the morning I'll go to the market in the cold and say goodbye and thanks to the farmers and vendors who have fed us all summer, and I'll start looking forward to the spring, when I will undoubtedly start this adventure all over again.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Fish, Greens, and Rainbow Pepper Salad
I blew through much of my weekly veggie stash for dinner last night. I had frozen tilapia--I am not a true vegetarian. I think I might be a lacto-ovo-pescatarian, though pescatarian is about as proper a word as rage-aholic ... Anyway, I also had a drawer full of greens, green and plum tomatoes, young onions, and five beautiful bell peppers, all different colors. So here's what we did.
Tilapia over Tomatoes and Mixed Greens
Chop a handful of collards and a bunch of swiss chard leaves. Chop the chard stems separately, along with 2 or three young onions, whites and tops. Also chop two small green tomatoes and three plum tomatoes into 1-inch chunks. Melt 1TB butter and 2TB oil in a skillet. Add the onion, chard stems, and tomatoes and cook until chard is soft.
Meanwhile, season tilapia fillets with a little salt and pepper or lemon pepper seasoning. Spray a pan with oil and add fillets, then add enough white wine to cover bottom of pan and cover. I turned mine once during cooking, but I'm not good at this so they fell apart. They should cook through easily without turning in five or six minutes.
When onion chard mixture is ready - don't cook this so far down that the tomatoes get really mushy - add green leaves, cover the skillet, and remove from heat. Try to avoid letting the leaves get too wilted.
Serve tilapia over greens mixture, and don't skimp on the liquid.
Rainbow Pepper Salad
One farmer at our weekly market sells baskets of mixed gypsy peppers for $2 apiece. I buy these every week. Last week my basket had two greenish-yellow gypsies, an orange, a red, a green, and a gorgeous purple. The orange was the sweetest pepper I have ever had. This salad was the best way I could think of to show off the colors and the flavor.
Cut several peppers of various colors into matchstick slices and place in a seal-able container. Add olive oil (about 1/4 cup), cider vinegar (about 1/4 cup) and about 1 tsp sugar. Cover and shake to combine.
If you're tempted to add herbs to this, try them out before adding to the whole salad. I originally added fresh basil to mine and as soon as I tasted it I knew it was a mistake. Lost the flavor of the peppers. If your peppers are fresh and tasty, you shouldn't need anything else to make this salad delicious.
Tilapia over Tomatoes and Mixed Greens
Chop a handful of collards and a bunch of swiss chard leaves. Chop the chard stems separately, along with 2 or three young onions, whites and tops. Also chop two small green tomatoes and three plum tomatoes into 1-inch chunks. Melt 1TB butter and 2TB oil in a skillet. Add the onion, chard stems, and tomatoes and cook until chard is soft.
Meanwhile, season tilapia fillets with a little salt and pepper or lemon pepper seasoning. Spray a pan with oil and add fillets, then add enough white wine to cover bottom of pan and cover. I turned mine once during cooking, but I'm not good at this so they fell apart. They should cook through easily without turning in five or six minutes.
When onion chard mixture is ready - don't cook this so far down that the tomatoes get really mushy - add green leaves, cover the skillet, and remove from heat. Try to avoid letting the leaves get too wilted.
Serve tilapia over greens mixture, and don't skimp on the liquid.
Rainbow Pepper Salad
One farmer at our weekly market sells baskets of mixed gypsy peppers for $2 apiece. I buy these every week. Last week my basket had two greenish-yellow gypsies, an orange, a red, a green, and a gorgeous purple. The orange was the sweetest pepper I have ever had. This salad was the best way I could think of to show off the colors and the flavor.
Cut several peppers of various colors into matchstick slices and place in a seal-able container. Add olive oil (about 1/4 cup), cider vinegar (about 1/4 cup) and about 1 tsp sugar. Cover and shake to combine.
If you're tempted to add herbs to this, try them out before adding to the whole salad. I originally added fresh basil to mine and as soon as I tasted it I knew it was a mistake. Lost the flavor of the peppers. If your peppers are fresh and tasty, you shouldn't need anything else to make this salad delicious.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Soup, Soup, Soup
I am always on the lookout for great soup recipes this time of year. I'm not exaggerating when I say I could eat soup every day in the fall and winter. The secret is to have a variety of flavors and textures you know you love.
I have played around with a lot of soup recipes, but there's one standby I've been making for years that I never have to change. The recipe is perfect. It's called the ultimate vegetarian soup, and it lives up to its name. Friends and family who weren't crazy about vegetarian fare have eaten seconds and thirds of this bad boy. Plus, although it takes a good bit of chopping, it's really a pretty easy recipe. And it's really healthy.
I have played around with a lot of soup recipes, but there's one standby I've been making for years that I never have to change. The recipe is perfect. It's called the ultimate vegetarian soup, and it lives up to its name. Friends and family who weren't crazy about vegetarian fare have eaten seconds and thirds of this bad boy. Plus, although it takes a good bit of chopping, it's really a pretty easy recipe. And it's really healthy.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Roasted Eggplant Soup - A link
I haven't been as diligent as I should be the past couple of weeks; extended work schedules and out of town trips have sabotaged a lot of my cooking and produce-buying plans. But I hope to update with a couple of recipes soon.
Meanwhile, some links instead.
Roasted Eggplant Soup, from Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Bon Appetit. I further adapted this by omitting the cream (which is totally uncharacteristic of me, but once I smelled the soup and saw its texture I felt cream was entirely unnecessary), serving with feta rather than goat cheese, and adding a handful of Israeli couscous to make it a little more like a main dish soup. The couscous got mixed reviews: my husband felt it made the dish, but I was never quite convinced and would like to try the soup without. Still, a really flavorful dinner soup. My only complaint is that the eggplant seeds caused some texture issues, but I think that's more about the age of my eggplant than the quality of the recipe.
Also, if you've never been to Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, head over and search her recipes. I can't single out one to highlight right now because there are so many I've tried over the last several years. I don't think I've disliked any of them.
Ta-ta for now. I'll try to post my Cold Taco Salad recipe in a few days!
Meanwhile, some links instead.
Roasted Eggplant Soup, from Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Bon Appetit. I further adapted this by omitting the cream (which is totally uncharacteristic of me, but once I smelled the soup and saw its texture I felt cream was entirely unnecessary), serving with feta rather than goat cheese, and adding a handful of Israeli couscous to make it a little more like a main dish soup. The couscous got mixed reviews: my husband felt it made the dish, but I was never quite convinced and would like to try the soup without. Still, a really flavorful dinner soup. My only complaint is that the eggplant seeds caused some texture issues, but I think that's more about the age of my eggplant than the quality of the recipe.
Also, if you've never been to Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, head over and search her recipes. I can't single out one to highlight right now because there are so many I've tried over the last several years. I don't think I've disliked any of them.
Ta-ta for now. I'll try to post my Cold Taco Salad recipe in a few days!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Curried Butternut Soup
It finally rained this week for the first time in I don't know how long. I was so excited I nearly went out and danced in it. The temperature plummeted and the rain came down for two days straight, and Alabama is green again for a little while.
In honor of the weather I made soup. My recent discovery of the yummy lentils, butternut squash and pear combo -- along with the fact that I had fresh pears and squash from the farmers' market Saturday -- made it easy to decide what kind of soup to make. A few years ago I fell in love with this recipe for Gingery Sweet Potato Soup, and my curried butternut builds on it.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
3 TB oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds and pulp removed, cubed
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium pear, peeled, cored and chopped (could easily use more)
5C vegetable broth
1/4C dry lentils
2/3C coconut milk
Saute onion and garlic in oil until onion is translucent. Add spices and stir to coat. Saute for about 30 seconds more.
Add squash, sweet potato, pear, vegetable broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until vegetables are tender - took me about 20 minutes.
Remove in batches to blender or food processor (or use immersion blender) and process until smooth. (I left some chunks in mine for texture.
Add coconut milk and heat through. Serve immediately with warm, crusty bread and salad.
That's good stuff.
In honor of the weather I made soup. My recent discovery of the yummy lentils, butternut squash and pear combo -- along with the fact that I had fresh pears and squash from the farmers' market Saturday -- made it easy to decide what kind of soup to make. A few years ago I fell in love with this recipe for Gingery Sweet Potato Soup, and my curried butternut builds on it.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
3 TB oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds and pulp removed, cubed
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium pear, peeled, cored and chopped (could easily use more)
5C vegetable broth
1/4C dry lentils
2/3C coconut milk
Saute onion and garlic in oil until onion is translucent. Add spices and stir to coat. Saute for about 30 seconds more.
Add squash, sweet potato, pear, vegetable broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until vegetables are tender - took me about 20 minutes.
Remove in batches to blender or food processor (or use immersion blender) and process until smooth. (I left some chunks in mine for texture.
Add coconut milk and heat through. Serve immediately with warm, crusty bread and salad.
That's good stuff.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
August Garden Casserole
This was a total winner with everyone. Even my three-year-old wolfed it down.
Boil 1 package of whole wheat rotini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Saute some garlic, onion, and diced swiss chard stems together for a few minutes until tender but not brown. Add a handful of fresh snap beans, chopped bell pepper, chopped tomato and some sliced carrots (though these can be omitted -- they weren't local) and heat just to warm. Then add to a large casserole dish along with the chard leaves (chopped) and the rotini.
Then make a roux. I would tell you how but I always forget and I end up looking it up in Joy of Cooking. It's basically melting butter and whisking in flour to create a base for a white sauce. So I made a roux and added milk and grated cheese to make a nice, thick cheese sauce, which I added to the casserole with 2 TB oregano, salt and pepper. There was only enough sauce to lightly coat the pasta and veg.
Covered with bread crumbs (seasoned with basil and oregano) and baked at 375 for 20 minutes.
Boil 1 package of whole wheat rotini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Saute some garlic, onion, and diced swiss chard stems together for a few minutes until tender but not brown. Add a handful of fresh snap beans, chopped bell pepper, chopped tomato and some sliced carrots (though these can be omitted -- they weren't local) and heat just to warm. Then add to a large casserole dish along with the chard leaves (chopped) and the rotini.
Then make a roux. I would tell you how but I always forget and I end up looking it up in Joy of Cooking. It's basically melting butter and whisking in flour to create a base for a white sauce. So I made a roux and added milk and grated cheese to make a nice, thick cheese sauce, which I added to the casserole with 2 TB oregano, salt and pepper. There was only enough sauce to lightly coat the pasta and veg.
Covered with bread crumbs (seasoned with basil and oregano) and baked at 375 for 20 minutes.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Veg Dinner
I've always been a big fan of the vegetable dinner. It's usually on my menu once a week. It's just a bunch of side dishes without an entree, and I love it. With so much fresh veg in the house, veg dinner has been spectacular lately. Some favorites:
Fried okra - Okra chopped into 1-inch chunks, dredged in milk and egg, covered in cornmeal, and fried till done.
Baked pattypan squash: Yummy little funny looking squash, sliced longways into thick slices and covered in butter and parmesan, then baked.
Stir fry: This usually includes pepper, yellow squash, onion, and tomatoes, all sauteed together over high heat and spiced with something. Salt and pepper are sometimes enough, but we've also used lemon herb seasoning as well as italian seasonings like oregano and basil.
Fried okra - Okra chopped into 1-inch chunks, dredged in milk and egg, covered in cornmeal, and fried till done.
Baked pattypan squash: Yummy little funny looking squash, sliced longways into thick slices and covered in butter and parmesan, then baked.
Stir fry: This usually includes pepper, yellow squash, onion, and tomatoes, all sauteed together over high heat and spiced with something. Salt and pepper are sometimes enough, but we've also used lemon herb seasoning as well as italian seasonings like oregano and basil.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Roasted Butternut Squash Stuffed with Lentils and Pear
Cut two butternut squash lengthwise and remove seeds and strings. Lightly oil a baking dish and place the four halves, cut side up, inside and brush with oil. Cook at 375, covered, for 40-50 minutes until just tender.
Meanwhile, cook 1/2 C or so of yellow lentils in a small pot, adding water until tender. Add one small pear, chopped. Cook until crisp-tender.
When squash are cooked and slightly cooled, scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-inch to 1/2- inch shell. Add pulp to lentils, mix to combine. Add about 1/4 tsp sage, salt and pepper, 1 TB brown sugar, 2 TB butter. Mix until butter is melted.
Fill squash shells. Return to over and bake uncovered 20-30 minutes more. Serve with rice.
(Some folks don't like the butternut squash shell -- like my husband -- so if you're one of those, you could also serve the pulp mix over rice or in a ramekin.)
Meanwhile, cook 1/2 C or so of yellow lentils in a small pot, adding water until tender. Add one small pear, chopped. Cook until crisp-tender.
When squash are cooked and slightly cooled, scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-inch to 1/2- inch shell. Add pulp to lentils, mix to combine. Add about 1/4 tsp sage, salt and pepper, 1 TB brown sugar, 2 TB butter. Mix until butter is melted.
Fill squash shells. Return to over and bake uncovered 20-30 minutes more. Serve with rice.
(Some folks don't like the butternut squash shell -- like my husband -- so if you're one of those, you could also serve the pulp mix over rice or in a ramekin.)
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Eating Local - Panzanella
My family has decided to learn how to eat locally. We're not taking an exclusive Eating Local challenge or boycotting any big-box stores, but we are trying to progressively ease ourselves into a more local food life. We've been shopping almost exclusively at the local farmer's market or roadside stands for fruits and vegetables, and we've bought all our milk and eggs and nearly all our cheese from Wright Dairy, a couple of cities away, and we've been making our own bread (which is made a ton easier by my parents' recent donation of their old bread machine). And we've planted our first garden, after a few years of talking about it. It's even growing itty bitty plants!
I'm a vegetarian, so eating from the farmer's market isn't a huge jump for me. But eating only in-season fruits and vegetables could be a challenge. So far the only things I've missed are potatoes and onions, which I've had a hard time finding. But this is the time of plenty for so many other crops, we've truly had it pretty easy so far. You're likely to hear a lot more complaining in a couple of months when all my meals feature kale.
I'm going to start posting the best recipes we've used or manufactured to fit our farmer's market haul each week. The biggest problem with my recipes is that I don't usually have measurements to offer - I just make what looks right. If you're adventurous enough to wing it with me, I'd love to hear how yours turn out. This one is from our very first day of eating local. Thanks to my brother and his girlfriend for the inspiration!
Farm Fresh Panzanella
Cut a hearty bread into cubes. We used around half a loaf of homemade wheat, and it served three. In a cover-able bowl, mix bread with oil, sage, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cover the bowl and shake to coat all bread cubes evenly. Then toast them on a baking sheet in the oven at 375 or until crisp - it took me 15-20 minutes.
Take a large bunch of swiss chard and cut stems from leaves. Dice stems and coarsely chop leaves. Keep them separate.
Melt 2TB butter and 2 TB oil in a hot skillet. Add a good handful of chopped onion and about 1 TB of minced garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add chard stems and cook about 5 minutes more. Then add a bunch of fresh snap beans - we probably used 1.5 cups or so. Add about 1/2 C white cooking wine and cover.
Meanwhile, husk and remove silks from 1 cob corn. Rub with butter, cover in foil and roast at 450 for 15 minutes or until tender. Cut corn from cob.
When the green beans in the skillet are bright and nearly tender, add your chard leaves and stir until wilted.
Combine croutons, corn and chard mix. Serve hot.
I'm a vegetarian, so eating from the farmer's market isn't a huge jump for me. But eating only in-season fruits and vegetables could be a challenge. So far the only things I've missed are potatoes and onions, which I've had a hard time finding. But this is the time of plenty for so many other crops, we've truly had it pretty easy so far. You're likely to hear a lot more complaining in a couple of months when all my meals feature kale.
I'm going to start posting the best recipes we've used or manufactured to fit our farmer's market haul each week. The biggest problem with my recipes is that I don't usually have measurements to offer - I just make what looks right. If you're adventurous enough to wing it with me, I'd love to hear how yours turn out. This one is from our very first day of eating local. Thanks to my brother and his girlfriend for the inspiration!
Farm Fresh Panzanella
Cut a hearty bread into cubes. We used around half a loaf of homemade wheat, and it served three. In a cover-able bowl, mix bread with oil, sage, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cover the bowl and shake to coat all bread cubes evenly. Then toast them on a baking sheet in the oven at 375 or until crisp - it took me 15-20 minutes.
Take a large bunch of swiss chard and cut stems from leaves. Dice stems and coarsely chop leaves. Keep them separate.
Melt 2TB butter and 2 TB oil in a hot skillet. Add a good handful of chopped onion and about 1 TB of minced garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add chard stems and cook about 5 minutes more. Then add a bunch of fresh snap beans - we probably used 1.5 cups or so. Add about 1/2 C white cooking wine and cover.
Meanwhile, husk and remove silks from 1 cob corn. Rub with butter, cover in foil and roast at 450 for 15 minutes or until tender. Cut corn from cob.
When the green beans in the skillet are bright and nearly tender, add your chard leaves and stir until wilted.
Combine croutons, corn and chard mix. Serve hot.
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