Thursday, August 29, 2013

Stuffed Bell Peppers


Makes 6 stuffed peppers
900g ground grassfed beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red sweet potato, cut into tiny cubes (the standard orange variety would also do the trick if you can’t find the red)
1 fresh tomato, cut into small cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp onion powder
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp chili pepper flakes
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
Generous grating fresh nutmeg (a little more than half a nut)
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 whole eggs
6 bell peppers (I used orange but you can use whatever color you like)
6 slices pastured bacon, cut in half crosswise
Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except for the bell peppers and bacon; mix really well with your hands, kneading until very well combined. Set aside. Cut the tops off each pepper and pull out the stems and seeds. Cut off a very thin slice off the bottom of each pepper to level it so it stands up straight. Be careful not to cut a hole in the pepper: you really don’t need to remove much at all! Stuff the meat mixture into the cavity of each bell pepper, making sure that you pack it down real tight. Don’t worry if you have too much stuffing, you can shape little mounds on top of your peppers; they’ll only look that much better! Top each stuffed pepper with 2 half slices of bacon, in a cross pattern, then place the peppers in a shallow baking dish lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes then kill the heat and let the peppers sit in there for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Source

Okra Chips


Crispy, delicious okra chips!
1 lb. fresh okra
1 tblsp. white vinegar
1 tblsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Rinse the okra and slice each pod lengthwise. Place the sliced okra in a large bowl with enough water to completely cover. Add the vinegar and mix well. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the sliced okra. Pat dry with paper towels. Place the prepared okra in a large bowl and drizzle over the olive oil. Sprinkle in the salt and garlic powder. Toss until all pods are coated evenly with the oil and seasonings. Put the seasoned okra on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 170 degrees. When the oven has cooled to 170, return the pan to the oven and prop the door open. Continue to bake for 2-3 hours or until crisp. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 30 minutes. May be stored at room temp for 2-3 days.
Source

Thai Green Curry with Turnips and Summer Squash


Serves 4-6
This green curry is the perfect use for summer CSA vegetables like turnips and zucchini. Using curry paste makes this a quick and easy weeknight meal.
For the curry:
1 Tbsp coconut oil (or canola oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
3 Tbsp green curry paste
1 14-oz can light coconut milk
1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, cut into 2-3 shorter pieces and crushed with the side of a knife
1 large turnip, peeled and chopped (about 1-inch pieces)
1/2 lb red potatoes, scrubbed and chopped (about 1-inch pieces), or sub another turnip
3-4 cups chopped summer squash (zucchini, yellow, pattypan, etc.)
For serving:
cooked jasmine rice
chopped fresh cilantro
 Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the coconut oil and, once hot, add the curry paste. Mash it into the oil with the back of your spatula until they combine to form a paste. Toss in the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Slowly pour in the coconut milk, whisking to ensure there are no clumps of curry paste. Bring to a simmer. Add in potatoes and turnips, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in squash, return to a simmer, and cook until all vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes longer. Serve atop jasmine rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Source

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Buttery Lemon Broccolini


4 qt water
1 1/8 tsp salt, divided
12 oz Broccolini
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon salt and cook the Broccolini in batches for 5 minutes. Remove the Broccolini with a slotted spoon. Drain and discard the water. Combine the butter, zest, and juice, stirring with a fork until well blended. Return the Broccolini to the sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the butter mixture, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper, tossing gently to coat.

Source

Thai Green Beans


Serves 6
1 lb of Green Beans
½ lb of Carrots
1 Sweet Bell Pepper
3 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
2 Tablespoons of Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon of Fish Sauce
1 Tablespoon of Cashew Butter (or other nut butter of choice)
1 Tablespoon of Red Chiles or Chile Paste
½ teaspoon of Tumeric
¼ teaspoon of Grated Ginger
¼ teaspoon of Coriander
½ cup of Water
2 Tablespoons of Chopped Basil
1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
¼ cup of chopped Nuts (cashew, almonds, macadamia)
1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil (Coconut oil, light olive oil)
Slice the green beans at an angle to allow all the yummy flavors to seep inside. Slice the carrots into thin discs or even strips. Core the bell pepper and slice into strips about the size of the green bean. Combine the soy sauce/coconut aminos, red chiles/paste, lime juice, fish sauce, tumeric, ginger, coriander, cashew butter, and water in a bowl. Heat a wok to medium heat and add your cooking oil (not the sesame oil). Add the green beans and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add the carrots. Add the sauce mixture and continue to cook with intermittent stirring for about 7-8 minutes until the sauce reduces. Add in the chopped bell pepper and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in sesame oil and basil. Garnish with chopped nuts.

Source

Kohlrabi Coleslaw


Serves 4
You can definitely substitute some cabbage for the kohlrabi and regular green onion for the purple kind.
1 carrot, julienned
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
1 small kohlrabi, peeled julienned
1 small beet, peeled and julienned
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup greek yogurt (2%)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper
To prepare the kohlrabi, make sure you remove the skin as well as the first layer of the vegetable because it will be tough. In a medium bowl, whisk together ingredients for the sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add all julienned vegetables to the bowl, toss lightly. Cover and let sit in the fridge for an hour to allow the flavors to meld.

Source

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Summer Squash Hummus


3 cups peeled, de-seeded and chopped summer squash (I used patty pan, but other varieties of summer squash can be used.)
1/3 cup lemon or lime juice
3 tablespoons good quality olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup tahini
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons almond flour (optional, for added texture)
a few shakes of smoked paprika
a few shakes of cayenne pepper

Add all the ingredients to the food processor except for the tahini.  Blend well, until smooth.  Add tahini and blend for several minutes until the hummus is very smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally.  Adjust seasoning, to taste.  I think that allowing it to mellow in the refrigerator for a while improves the texture and taste.  Serve drizzled with more olive oil or sprinkled with a little paprika.

Source

Summer Squash Casserole


Serves 6

1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 medium yellow zucchini, ribbons
Fresh cilantro or basil or dill, chopped (or all 3)
2 cups cheese
3/4 cup pesto
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
Salt and pepper
Opptional: 2-4 cups rotisserie chicken, or tofu sausage, chopped

Preheat oven to 400. Grease or spray a 9×13 pan. Layer the bottom with sliced squash. Spread 1/2 the pesto over the sliced squash, 1/2 of the chopped chicken, 1/2 of the zucchini ribbons (use a potato peeler to make these), 1 cup of cheese, 1/2 of the fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. Repeat above step, ending with sliced tomatoes on top. Place a large piece of foil over the pan to seal. Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes, until squash is tender but not overcooked. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Source

Basil Turnip Hash


Serves 2-4

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium turnips (about 1 pound), finely diced
2 medium potatoes (about 1 pound), finely diced
1 sweet onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coarsely torn basil leaves

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat olive oil over high heat. Add turnips and potatoes and cook about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and dark browned on all sides. Add onion, paprika, and salt, and turn the heat to medium-low. Sautรฉ for about 5 minutes, until translucent and sweet. Stir in half the basil. To serve, spoon hash onto plates and top with remaining basil.
 
Source

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Fresh Herb Salad Dressing


(Many other fresh herbs can be substituted if you don't have the ones listed here.)

1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 4-inch segment fresh rosemary (remove the leaves and finely mince)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until well-combined. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Source

Easy Tatsoi Stir-fry


Whipstone tells us that "Tatsoi is an Asian mustard with a rosette of edible dark green spoon-shaped glossy leaves. You can cook it like bok choy, sauteed or stir fried, but it is tender and mild enough to eat raw as well." So, here's an idea:

Bunch of tatsoi, washed and drained
Garlic, minced
Ginger, minced or finely grated
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds
Egg

Heat wok or large frying pan, add sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. When it's aromatic and beginning to cook, add greens and cook until tender, for just a few minutes. Serve with hard-boiled or fried egg on top, sprinkled with sesame seeds to taste.
Source

Green Bean, Carrot, and Cucumber Salad


Serves 4
2 cups fresh green beans
2 to 4 tablespoons apple cider or berry vinegar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise or substitute
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon chopped Mama Lil's (or use pickled jalapenos)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 cups grated carrots
1/4 cup minced sweet or red onions
1 Japanese cucumber, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
 
Blanch green beans in a large pot of water until fork tender (about 3 minutes).  Drain and plunge green beans into cold water to stop the cooking process. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, olive oil, agave nectar, Mama Lil's and garlic. Set aside. Combine green beans, carrots, onions and cucumber. Gently toss with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Source

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Best Ever Green Beans


Serves 4-6
1 1/4 pounds of green beans
pinch of Kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, finely grated
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 of a lemon

Line up the green beans on a chopping board and cut off the stalks. Put the beans in a sauce pan of boiling water with a dash of salt and cook for about six minutes. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water, and set them aside to steam dry. Put the pan back on the heat, add the oil and the garlic. Stir. When the garlic starts to turn golden, add the beans and shake them around in the pan to coat them in the garlic oil. Add a small ladleful of the reserved cooking water, the parmesan cheese, and the lemon juice. Stir and simmer until the water and cheese start to form an oozy, sticky sauce. Remove from the heat and serve immediately

Source 

Chard and Garlic Scape Pesto


(Makes about 3 cups of pesto, recipe created by Kalyn.)

To make this recipe you will need a food processor.

1 cup chopped garlic scapes
(If you don't have garlic scapes I'd use about 3-4 T minced garlic)
4 cups chopped swiss chard leaves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups Parmesan cheese
salt to taste (I used about 2 tsp. salt)

Wash and dry garlic scapes; then cut into short lengths until you have one cup of chopped scapes. Wash, dry, and chop swiss chard until you have 4 cups chopped chard. Add garlic scapes to the food processor and process until they are starting to look finely chopped, about 2-3 minutes. (It took longer than I thought it would.) Add chard and process the mixture about 2 minutes more, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and pine nuts and process about 2 minutes more. Add Parmesan and process 1-2 minutes more, or until the pesto reaches the texture you prefer. I like to keep it slightly chunky. I froze the pesto in a mini muffin tin and then popped out the cubes and stored them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. You can also freeze pesto in ice cube trays or small plastic containers with a snap-tight lid. This pesto is good on pasta, stirred into rice, on cooked vegetables, or stirred into scrambled eggs. You could also use it as a green sauce on cooked fish or chicken.

Source

Roasted Beet and Potato Salad


1 lb small beets, scrubbed and tops and roots trimmed (maybe 10 beets?)
3 medium red potatoes, diced
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup Mediterranean yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill weed
salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 425ยบ. Place beets in a small baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. Toss diced potatoes with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. Place both potatoes and beets in the oven. Roast the potatoes for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until browned and tender. Roast beets for about 1 1/4 hours, or until a knife slides through them easily. Allow beets to sit until cool enough to handle. Peel away skins, and dice into quarters. Toss potatoes and beets with yogurt and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Source