The benefits of Kale

Kale

From Huffington Post:

SUPERFOOD OF THE DAY is kale.
Known as one of the healthiest veggies on the
planet, KALE is a great source of minerals
such as copper, potassium, iron,
manganese and phosphorous. Beyond
nutrients, this leafy green also has fiber
content that lowers cholesterol levels and
reduces risk of heart disease.

Grapefruit Arugula Salad

Grapefruit Arugula Salad

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=recipe&dbid=197&utm_source=daily_click&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_email

From WH Foods:

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pink grapefruit
1 large bunch arugula (about 4 cups)
1 bunch watercress (about 2 cups)
2 TBS coarsely chopped walnuts
Dressing
2 TBS lemon juice
2 tsp honey
2 tsp prepared Dijon mustard
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
 
Directions:

Peel grapefruit and cut out each section between the membrane.
Prepare arugula by tearing into pieces, washing and drying. Cut off tops of watercress and wash and spin dry along with the arugula. A salad spinner is the best way of doing this.
Mix together dressing ingredients, toss with salad greens and grapefruit sections and top with chopped walnuts.
Serves 4

Yellow watermelon

In our CSA box last week we received a yellow watermelon. It is very sweet. This is the first one I've had.

Yellow Doll
Weighing no more than eight pounds, this extra-sweet, golden-fleshed mini has especially soft fruit, which makes it an excellent ingredient for smoothies and iced cocktails.

Here is a site that has pictures and a description of all the varieties of watermelons.

http://www.saveur.com/gallery/Varieties-of-Watermelon

Vegan Potato Salad

Vegan Potato Salad

Here's a Vegan Potato Salad recipe from Savvy Vegetarian similar to what I make only with vegan mayonnaise and vegan mustard.

Vegan Potato Salad

Nutrition Data, 220g Serving: Cal 223, Fat 6g, Sodium 331mg, Carb 40g, fiber 3g, Sugars 5g, Protein 3g, low cholesterol, good source Vit K. Estimated Glycemic Load 17

Potato Salad Ingredients:

•8 medium potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 inch cubes
•1/4 cup dill pickles, finely diced
•2 stalks celery, trimmed and finely diced
•3 scallions, white & green parts, sliced thin
•2 Tbsp fresh dill, minced OR parsley if fresh dill isn't available
•1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
•2 Tbsp vegan mustard
•4 Tbsp pickle juice
•Salt and pepper to taste
How to Cook the Potatoes:

1.Bring 4 qt water to boil in a large deep saucepan
2.Add 1 tsp salt and the cubed potatoes. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover
3.Simmer on low until they are tender, 8 - 10 minutes. Do not overcook
4.Drain potatoes and plunge them in cold water to cool quickly
5.Cover potatoes and chill in refrigerator until needed
Potato Salad Directions:

1.Combine all ingredients except potatoes in a large mixing bowl
2.Add salt and pepper to taste
3.Gently stir in potatoes
4.Cover and chill in fridge up to 24 hours before serving
5.Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/potato-salad.php

Amazing benefits of bananas

What we actually got in our CSA box

 

This is what we actually

- The item in the left hand picture above. We're not sure if that is asparagus or not? I've never seen it with leaves.
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Kale
- Melon: Saticoy Cantaloupe
- Maui Onion: Red
- Yellow Watermelon: Small
- Butter Lettuce
- Cucumbers: Table
- Tomatoes: Beef Steak
- Summer Squash
- Grapefruit

More bok choy

Sauteed bok choy

Doug would eat bok choy this way once a week. We've done this one before with a different twist this time. We added the gold and red grape tomatoes this time. I also left the ginger out this time.

4 baby bok choy stalks
shredded carrots
small tomatoes
fresh parsley
green onions
cloves of minced garlic
olive oil
chicken soup broth

Saute garlic, parsley, onions and olive oil until brown.

Add bok choy, carrots and chicken soup broth and cook until bok choy is tender.

Add tomatoes in and cook until they are heated.

Kale and pasta

Kale, goat cheese and pasta

We've done this one before but this time used two types of tomatoes and a different whole wheat pasta.

1 bunch of kale removed from stalks
golden or yellow tomatoes
red grape tomatoes
whole wheat pasta
1/2 log of an 11 ounce goat cheese log
1 small jar of pesto sauce
cloves of minced garlic
green onions
olive oil
fresh parsley
fresh basil

Boil pasta following directions on the package.

Saute garlic, onions, parsley, basil and olive oil in a frying pan or wok.

Add kale and cook until just wilted.

Stir in goat cheese until melted and mixed in.

Add pasta and tomatoes and stir.

Serve.

CSA boxes tomorrow

This is what MIGHT be in your CSA box for the week of of July 23, 2012:

Small box might have:
- Beans: Green
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Kale
- Melon: Saticoy Cantaloupe
- Maui Onion: Red
- Yellow Watermelon: Small
- Red Lettuce

Large box might additionally have:
- Cucumbers: Table
- Tomatoes: Beef Steak
- Summer Squash
- Grapefruit

Pomato and Ricotta Cheese Salad



Pomato and Ricotta Cheese Salad

 One of the many benefits of the internet is that when you have two food items that need to be used up you can enter potatoes and ricotta cheese recipes into the search engine and you'll get back a lot of recipes. So that is where I came up with this dish. I needed to use up some potatoes and ricotta cheese. I modified the original recipe to include some additional items since we were limited on the tomatoes. Doug's garden has lots of tomatoes but they aren't ready for picking. We're eating them to fast. So here's my modified version of this recipe:

red potatoes (I used a small bag of small red potatoes)

tomatoes (these came from Doug's garden)

green onions

bok choy stalks or celery (I used bok choy)

fresh parsley

fresh basil (I didn't have fresh basil so added some basil spice instead)

ricotta cheese

balsamic vinegar (used as a drizzle on top)

olive oil (used as a drizzle on top)

The amount of each depends on how many you're feeding and how much you like that item. You could also add other items that would be used in potato salad like eggs, pickles, etc.

You boil the potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes or until they're soft enough to cut with a knife. Cut them up into 1/2 inch to 1 inch sizes. Drain and cool when done. You can cool them either by running cold water on them or placing them in the refrigerator as we did.

Cut the tomatoes, green onions and bok choy. Add fresh cut parsley and basil to the mixture. Add the cut vegetables to the potatoes. Stir in ricotta cheese. Add vinegar and oil on top as a drizzle. And serve!

The other item in the photo is a bok choy salad that is listed elsewhere on this blog.

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagna

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagna

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagna

Last night we used the eggplant we bought at Whole Foods to make this dish. I have never cooked eggplant before. I like it and order it whenever we eat out some place that serves it. Doug had not eaten it before. So I wanted to see if he would like it. I know he loves marinara sauce so I decided to try a dish using that. Here's the recipe:

1 large jar of low-sodium marinara sauce or make your own
1 large eggplant
1 11 ounce log of goat cheese

I preheated the oven to 350 degrees.

I washed and cut the eggplant. I cut it into thin round slices, then halved and quartered it. I left the peel on. I also did not salt it as some cooking experts suggest. Most of the dishes we cook will be low-sodium and so I didn't want to add any more sodium. We did not find the eggplant bitter as some suggest. The key is getting the freshest eggplant you can.

If you prefer to make your own marinara sauce you can. I've done that many times. It helps to keep the sodium content low as you can buy unsalted tomato sauce, pasted and diced tomatoes. You can also buy no salt spices to add as well.

I sprayed cooking spray in a baking dish.



I placed the first layer of eggplant on the bottom of the dish. The original recipe called for four layers but our dish is smaller so I only did two layers.

I took half of the marinara sauce and placed it over the eggplant.

I used half of the log of goat cheese on the next layer.

I repeated these steps.

I placed the uncovered baking dish in the oven and cooked it between 45 to 60 minutes or until the goat cheese is melted and the sauce is simmering.

This recipe turned out very well. We both loved it.

Some juice combinations

From Sacred Source Nutrition:

Indulge your body in a new juice combo this weekend....especially the 'Tropical Delight' - superbly delicious.

Juicing on a daily basis will surely put you on the fast track to feeling great. When was the last time you truly felt amazing? You will start to feel the positive health benefits of juicing immediately, giving you more energy and vitality, even adding a little extra spring in your step. Juicing will help you lighten up physically, increase your mental focus, clarity and creativity, and allow you to align with the natural rhythms of nature.

What juice combo is your favorite?

More Stir Fry Ideas

Stir Fry

Last night we we made another stir fry dish. We used:

organic green beans from our CSA box
snap peas
bok choy stalks
mung bean sprouts
4 cloves of garlic
3 green onions
olive oil
low sodium soy sauce

I didn't care for the mung bean sprouts as well as what we usually buy, but they didn't have those. But the dish turned out very well. I especially liked adding the stalks from the bok choy that I bought to make a salad later on.

Creative Seasonal Fruit Chart

From Sacred Source Nutrition:

I love this creative seasonal fruit chart. I highly recommend eating in season, and eating what's local to your environment. Our bodies are highly effected by the natural rhythms of the earth including seasonal changes, moon cycles, circadian rhythms, and our own biological patterns. We can't say there is one right way to eat for everyone all of the time, everything is constantly changing. Diet is not a fixed thing, it is not rigid in that way, but more fluid and flexible, constantly adjusting and changing with the changing patterns around us. When we attune to the natural rhythms of the earth, through eating natural, whole foods, then we will more easily integrate and align our frequencies with the frequencies of the earth and open ourselves up to greater energies. The philosophy of eating seasonal, local foods goes much deeper than economic efficiency, it's about aligning, and harmonizing with the natural rhythms of the earth. It is through this way of attuning that we can learn to heal our relationship with food and with the earth.

Why You Should Eat Your Veggies?

From Savvy Vegetarian:
Why You Should Eat Your Veggies: Nutrients in vegetables are vital for every bodily function. Without them, our bodies don?t work well, and our health breaks down. Exercise, avoid fat & salt, go veg, quit smoking, drink lots of water. If you don?t eat your veggies, none of it will do you much good.

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/articles/vegetable-nutrition-facts.php

Another Kale and Goat Cheese recipe

Kale and goat cheese

Last week before I left to go to my son's, I picked up our CSA box at work. I knew we wouldn't be able to eat it all before it went bad so I gave a lot of it away. I kept the green beans, kale and a jar of strawberry jam. I sauteed the kale before I left. I didn't use any recipe, just used what sounded good to me and what needed to be eaten up.

1 bunch of kale, removed from the stems
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of red maui onion
olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup goat cheese
1/2 cup milk

I removed the kale leaves from the stems. I washed the kale and drained it.

I used our wok and added the olive oil, chopped fresh garlic and chopped onions.

After the onions and garlic had browned,

I added the kale and them the balsamic vinegar.

Once the kale was just wilted I added the milk and goat cheese. I cooked that until the goat cheese was mixed in.

For a spur of the moment dish, it turned out pretty good.

A veggie sandwich from Whole Foods

I wished I'd have taken a picture of this sandwich that I had them make for me yesterday at Whole Foods. They have a checklist where you can create your own sandwich. I have tried their suggested sandwiches from their deli menu. There are parts of each that I like. So yesterday I decided to create my own. Here's what I had them make me:

Rosemary focaccia bread
basil pesto aioli
red onion marmalade (I need to find out if they sell that or a recipe for it, because it is so good.)
spinach
arugula
tomatoes
cucumbers
shredded carrots
goat cheese

I don't know if this is how they make the red onion marmalade but I bet it's pretty close.

Red Onion Marmalade

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs red onions
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or 3 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, plus
2 -3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, if needed
1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions:

Halve onions lengthwise and cut into thin slices.

Heat butter in large heavy skillet set over medium heat.

When melted and hot, add onions and sugar and stir occasionally until onions are soft and start to caramelize, 10 to 15 minute.

Add wine and 1/4 cup vinegar and stir until mixture almost comes to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until liquids have evaporated and onion is shiny, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and sprinkle in salt, adding more if needed.

For tarter taste, stir in another 2 to 3 teaspoons vinegar.

The marmalade can be prepared 5 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.

Reheat, stirring, just to warm before using. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/red-onion-marmalade-189190#ixzz20oJS2rst

Eggplant

Last week I had to give away most of our Tanaka Farms veggies and fruit since I was headed out of town to join my husband at my son's place to help with the grandchildren. I only kept two things from the box, the kale (which I ate Wednesday night before I left) and a jar of strawberry jam. I'll share the kale recipe in another post. I had several eager co-workers who were more than happy to take my veggies.

Yesterday when we got home, the refrigerator was bare. So we headed over to Whole Foods to eat dinner and do some grocery shopping. I'll share the customized sandwich I ordered from their deli in another post. I picked up the following veggies for meals this week:

--eggplant
--zucchini
--corn on the cob
--kale
--baby bok choy
--larger bok choy
--carrots
--parsley
--green onions
--snap pears
--bean sprouts
--red leaf lettuce
--cucumber

The snap peas and bean sprouts will join a pack of green beans that we already had to make a stir fry tonight.

Since I haven't used eggplant yet, I wanted to find out how to cut it. So I'm posting some links here in case you're interested.

I'll let you know what I do with the other veggies later on as well cook them.

How to cut eggplant into slices

http://www.cookthink.com/reference/312/How_to_cut_eggplant_into_slices

For most dishes, eggplant needs to be sliced before it's cooked. There are two basic cuts - rounds, which are great for almost every dish, and planks, which work particularly well for layered dishes like moussaka or vegetable lasagnas.

When choosing eggplants, reach for the smallest ones you can find. Their flesh is usually more tender and less fibrous than the older, larger ones.

Round slices are the most basic cut. They're great for grilling, broiling, and traditional dishes like eggplant parmesan. Remember that eggplant loses moisture and shrinks when cooked. To compensate, cut the raw eggplant into pieces about twice as large as you want the cooked pieces to be.

Lengthwise slices are good for grilling and layered dishes where you want the eggplant to have the most surface area. To make them, first stand the eggplant upright on its end and slice away a section of the peel. This isn't a must, but it gives the end slices more fleshy surface area to take on color and flavor when cooked.

Then just slice down the length of the eggplant to make slices as thick or thin as you like. You can slice away a section of skin on the other side of the eggplant when you're finished slicing.

How to cube an eggplant

http://www.cookthink.com/reference/314/How_to_cube_an_eggplant
Cubed eggplant is a good cut for any dish cooked on top of the stove, like stews, ragouts, and stir-frys. Remember that the cubes will lose moisture and size when cooked. To compensate, make the raw cubes about twice as big as you want the cooked cubes to be.
Cut the eggplant in half or thirds lengthwise, depending on the size of the eggplant and how large you want the cubes to be.

Cut each half or third lengthwise again into halves or thirds.
Now just line up the spears up and cut them crosswise into cubes. (Some of pieces will technically be triangles instead of cubes.)

Do I need to salt eggplant before cooking it?

http://www.cookthink.com/reference/19/Do_I_need_to_salt_eggplant_before_cooking_it
Sprinkling salt over eggplant slices before cooking them draws out the vegetable's moisture. It's a process known as "degorging".

Larger, older eggplants have brown seeds that contain a bitter liquid. Salting eggplants removes some of this liquid and improves their flavor. In general, it's not necessary to salt smaller eggplants since they have fewer seeds than larger eggplants.

Larger eggplants also tend to become soft and "melty" when cooked, so salting them before cooking leads to firmer, more leathery cooked texture. (Leathery in a good way, we think.)
To salt an eggplant, slice it and generously season the slices with kosher salt. Let them sit until you can see the liquid coming to the surface, 20-30 minutes. Rinse the slices well and pat them dry. It's also a good idea to use half as much salt as the recipe calls for (unless the recipe takes into account the fact that the eggplant has been salted).

Eggplant Cooking Tips and Measures

• Eggplant may be steamed, fried, baked, sauteed, boiled, microwaved, stir-fried or stuffed. They are eaten as an appetizer, main dish or as part of a melange of vegetables.

• Eggplant skin is edible. However, some find it bitter, thus some recipes require peeling.

• The flesh is very sponge-like and will soak up juices and oils. Coat slices with flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs to avoid soaking up too much oil. Let breaded patties dry for half an hour in the refrigerator before frying.

• Par-boiling slices for 1 to 2 minutes can also help reduce the absorbancy of eggplant while ridding it of moisture. Be sure to thoroughly drain and pat dry with paper towels before further cooking.

• Once cut, eggplant flesh will begin to darken with exposure to air. A saltwater bath or a brushing of lemon juice will keep the flesh light.

• Do not use aluminum cookware with eggplant as it will cause discoloration.

• Some cooks salt the cut eggplant and let it sit for up to an hour to leach out water and bitterness before cooking. Today's varieties should not need this step, but follow the directions of your specific recipe.

• Bitterness is concentrated just under the skin, so peeling will also work on especially large eggplants.

• Eggplant may be microwaved to remove excess water. Microwave slices on high for 4 to 6 minutes, remove, cover and let stand for a minute or two. Use paper towels and press lightly to soak up the water.

• If you are baking whole eggplant, be sure to puncture the skin in several places so it does not burst.

• Add eggplant to soups and stews during the last 10 minutes to avoid overcooking.


Eggplant Measures and Equivalents

• 1 medium eggplant = about 1 pound.
• 1 medium eggplant = 4 to 6 servings.
• 1 pound eggplant = 3 to 4 cups diced.
• 1 serving = 1/3 pound as a side dish.
• 1 serving = 1/2 to 3/4 pound as a main dish.

Here's an eggplant recipe I printed off to try:

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/13173-how-to-make-tomato-sauce

Thai Kale Tempeh Curry

From Savvy Vegetarian:
Speaking of Veg Nutrition, here's an easy recipe for Thai Kale Tempeh Curry, a winning combo of kale, tempeh & coconut milk, super nutritious & delicious. One of the best ways we've found to cook both kale AND tempeh!

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/thai-kale-tempeh-curry.php

What is YOUR favorite fruit?

Whole Foods Market in Tustin shared the following link and had this to say about it:

What is YOUR favorite fruit?!? Thanks to our friends at Qure Water for sharing...they have great water locally bottled here in SoCal!

CSA box today!

I'll be picking up our Tanaka Farms CSA box today. This is what they say we might have:

- Brussel Sprouts
- Cilantro
- Kale
- Cucumbers
- Grapefruit
- Large Red Tomato
- Strawberry Jam
- Red Lettuce
- White Corn
- Radish
- Summer Squash
- Clementine Oranges
- Navel Oranges

Presto Manifesto Vegan Lasagna

Presto Manifesto Vegan Lasagna

From Savvy Vegetarian:

Creamy lasagna with whole grain noodles, tofu, pesto, grilled veggies

Ingredients:

•1 pkg lasagna noodles (9 - 12 noodles) (recipe calls for whole grain noodles)
•Approx. 3 cups pesto - see recipe below or use Basil Pine Nut Pesto
•5 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled & minced (omit or decrease if you're not a big garlic fan)
•5 cups grilled or sautéed veggies - choose from zucchini, eggplant, red or green bell peppers, portobello mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, or your favorites

Tofu Filling:

•2 Tbsp olive oil
•Optional: 1/2 cup diced onion
•2 lb extra firm tofu (press firm tofu to make it extra firm) - crumbled
•6 Tbsp roasted Tahini
•2 Tbsp fresh minced basil leaves (or 2 tsp dried)
•2 Tbsp fresh minced Italian parsley
•1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
•1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
•Pinch cayenne pepper
 •Salt & pepper, to taste
•Garnish:
•3 - 4 medium tomatoes, 1/4" slice
•Optional: 2 Tbsp black sesame seeds
•Optional: Vegan shredded cheese

Pesto Ingredients:

•2 1/2 cup basil, tightly packed
•3/4 cup olive oil
•1/2 cup macadamia or pine nuts (walnuts will also work)
•4 Tbsp lemon juice
•1 Tbsp minced garlic
•2 tsp shoyu, or to taste
•Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.Boil water in a large pot. Add a tsp of olive oil and the noodles. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until pasta is al dente (5 - 7 minutes). Rinse in cold water, set aside

2.SV Note: If using whole grain noodles, either don't cook them, or plunge in boiling water just until they're softened, then rinse with cold water. That way, they'll stay in one piece!

3.Grill veggies, slice thin, set aside. Or slice thin and sauté after onions and garlic

4.Filling: Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Sauté onion and garlic 5 minutes

5.If you're not grilling the veggies, add them and sauté 5 minutes

6.Mix tofu with tahini, basil, Italian parsley, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, cayenne, salt & pepper to taste. Set aside

7.Pesto: process all ingredients in a food processor or blender

8.SV Note: If you don't have machines, chop and mix by hand

9.Preheat oven to 350 degrees

10.Lightly oil the pan. Layer noodles, 1/3 pesto, tofu mixture, veggies, optional shredded vegan cheese - twice

11.Finish with a layer of pasta, then tofu, then pesto

12.Garnish with sliced tomatoes and black sesame seeds or shredded vegan cheese

13.Bake until lasagna is thoroughly heated, 30 - 40 minutes

14.Optional: Broil for a few minutes to brown the top if you're using vegan cheese

15.Turn off oven and leave lasagna in the oven 10 more minutes

16.Remove from oven and cool 10 - 15 minutes before serving

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/presto-manifesto-vegan-lasagna.php

Average price per pound on selected food items

From Sacred Source Nutrition:

Interesting breakdown on the average price per pound on selected food items. Looks like people consuming red meat and potato chips as a regular part of their diet are going to have a way higher food bill at the end of the month than people sticking to fruits and vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, apples and bananas. Adopting a living food lifestyle is actually really easy to do and is also way cheaper than spending money on animal products...
What do you think about this chart breakdown?

source: BLS Spotlight on Statistics Food for Thoughts

A vegan lasagne recipe

A vegan lasagne recipe from Mouthwatering Vegan Recipes:

http://mouthwateringvegan.com/2011/07/08/my-state-of-the-art-lasagne/

Want some other vegan recipes?

http://mouthwateringvegan.com/

Super serious question... is there anyone who DOESN'T love pesto?!

From Whole Foods:

Super serious question... is there anyone who DOESN'T love pesto?!
Pesto is a summertime favorite at my house ? a concoction of what I happen to have on hand: a fresh herb or leafy green, some garlic and extra virgin olive oil, a handful of nuts, some aged cheese and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Used as a sauce, spread or dip, this flavorful mixture enhan?

Along with some pesto recipes:

http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2012/07/pesto-possibilities/?sf5024412=1

And this from:

Mouthwatering Vegan Recipes wrote:
Parsley Basil Pecan Pesto - A Delicious Combination.

http://mouthwateringvegan.com/2011/03/06/parsley-basil-pecan-pesto/

Spice up your life with these wonderful herbs and spices

From Sacred Source Nutrition:

Don't forget to spice up your life with these wonderful herbs and spices and rack up on your daily dose of anti-oxidants.

Eat all the colors of the rainbow

Sacred Source Nutrition wrote:

Eat all the colors of the rainbow - especially richly colored fruits and veggies. The darker pigments offer a rich supply of anti-oxidants to help protect the body from the effects of everyday living.

Farmers markets and CSA boxes: seasonal, local food for summer!

Farmers markets and CSA boxes: seasonal, local food for summer! From Savor, Mindful Eating, Mindful Life blog:

http://www.savorthebook.com/blog/editor/2012/07/04/farmers-markets-and-csa-boxes-seasonal-local-food-for-summer 

They also have a good recipe here:

Summer Berry and Arugula Salad Recipe:

2 generous handfuls of arugula (or a salad green of your choice)

¼ - ½ cup sliced strawberries (substitute other berries or even sliced stone fruit – peaches, apricots, or plums - if strawberries are no longer in season)

Dressing:

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

½ tsp Dijon mustard

Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

1 T balsamic vinegar

2 T olive oil

Add the Dijon mustard, chopped garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper to a bowl or screw-top jar. Whisk the vinaigrette mixture until it is combined, or if using a jar, screw the top on and shake to combine. Lightly dress and toss the salad greens and strawberries (you probably will have extra dressing for your next salad).  If you like, sprinkle some sliced almonds on top!
Enjoy!

Using up our veggies

Zucchini Lasagna

Last night we made two different dishes because we needed to use up the veggies as we will be out of town at our son's this weekend. The first recipe is a new one I tried and the last one is Doug's favorite with a few different things thrown in.

Zucchini No-Noodle Lasagna

3 zucchinis
15 ounces of ricotta cheese
1 bag of parmesan cheese
1 bag of mozzarella cheese
1 cup of chopped onions
1 cup of fresh chopped parsley
roasted garlic
marinara sauce
1 egg

I sliced the zucchini in rounds and then each round into quarters. I mixed the chopped onions in with the zucchini. You can use any type of onion you like. I used the maui onion we already had.

I mixed the roasted garlic with the pesto sauce I used.

I mixed the egg, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley together.

One mistake I made with this dish, is that instead of using marinara sauce, I wanted to use up some pesto sauce I had left. That might have tasted good, but because pesto sauce is runnier, it had more liquid than I wanted. So next time I will use a thicker sauce, perhaps even make my own as I've done in the past. But the pesto sauce did taste good in the dish.

I also used a baking dish that was to shallow and we had liquid run over. Or perhaps we should have just placed a cookie sheet under it so that the oven wasn't such a mess. (Thanks to Doug for cleaning the oven.)

I put the pesto sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.

Next, I layered the zucchini and onion mixture.

Next, I placed the ricotta cheese, parsley and egg mixture.

Then I placed a little more of the pesto sauce on top.

Then I used the bag of mozzarella cheese to top it off.

We baked it in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees with foil covering the top. We then removed the foil and baked for another 15 minutes. When you feel the cheese has melted, pull it out of the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.


Sauteed Bok Choy


Doug's favorite


4 to 6 bunches of baby bok choy (ends removed about 1/4 inch)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup onions (any type)
5 cloves of fresh garlic - minced
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped celery leaves
1 cup chopped celery
1 TBS of fresh ginger root - minced
1 or 2 cups of either vegetable soup broth or chicken soup broth (depends on the amount of bok choy used)
olive oil

Add olive oil to heated frying pan or wok. Add garlic, ginger, onions, parsley, celery leaves and celery and brown.

Add bok choy, carrots and soup broth. Cook until bok choy is tender.

There's a lot of other things you can add. I was tempted to add the green beans and radishes we still have. But I'm hoping they'll keep for a stir fry.

Sauteed Kale with hummus

 Tuesday night we used some kale that we had bought a couple of days ago. This is one of my own recipes. It just sounded like it would be good. I've made this before.

1 bunch of kale
1 cup onions (I used maui onions)
5 cloves of fresh garlic
1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup chopped celery.
1 container of any flavor of hummus (I used tomato basil flavor this time)
1 cup Parmesan cheese.
olive oil

Tear kale leaves from stalks and discard. Rinse leaves and drain.

Saute kale, onions, garlic, parsley and celery in olive oil.

When brown, add kale to the pan and saute until just wilted. Then add humus and Parmesan cheese until melted and mixed in.

Serve.

Below is another one we did with a roasted garlic hummus and added soy nuts to it. I also used some collard greens that came in our CSA box.



Kale, collard greens and hummus



Kale and hummus



Some good tips on food combining in this chart...

Sacred Source Nutrition wrote:

Some good tips on food combining in this chart...

Do you follow any sort of food combining guidelines? I can't say I personally do to any extreme degree. Some things seem intuitive so I think I do them automatically like avoid combining heavier foods with lighter foods. I like to eat fruit before I eat heavier foods - and for me, on a living foods lifestyle, heavier foods consist of sprouted nuts, dehydrated breads or crackers, vegan dairy, avocados, etc. I don't think it's worth it for me to remove the simple pleasure of adding a few extra sprouted pumpkin seeds on top of my salad that also has slices of orange. I think I would probably go nuts following all the food combining rules to a T, but that's just me...

For me, I try to eat really simply and I don't try to add a massive amount of different ingredients to my smoothies or salads. I try to keep the list of ingredients minimal because I do feel like too many combinations isn't so great for optimal digestion.
What do you think? Do you practice food combining?

Roasted Asparagus with Asian peanut sauce

Last night we used a recipe that I sampled at our cooking demonstration at work from SODEXO. I used this as a drizzle to go over roasted asparagus. Here's the recipe for the sauce.

Asian Peanut Sauce

1/8 tsp fresh garlic
1/8 tsp fresh ginger root
2 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 1/8 tsp oyster sauce
1 1/8 tsp ketchup
2 1/3 ounces water
1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp crushed dry red peppers
5/8 tsp sherry wine vinegar
1 1/3 ounces creamy peanut butter
2 tsp Chinese sesame seed oil

We put the sauce over the asparagus, then sprinkled some sesame seeds over the top and roasted it in the oven at 425 for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. I sprinkled some Parmesan cheese over the top.

What's your favorite brain food?

This is from Sacred Source Nutrition:

It's super important we feed our brain with high quality foods so that we can keep our brain functioning optimally.
What's your favorite brain food?

Spinach and pasta

This is a variation of another recipe I posted earlier.

Spinach and pasta

-1 bunch of spinach

-some red grape tomatoes from Doug's garden

-1 cup of maui onions

-1 cup of goat cheese

-olive oil

-5 fresh garlic cloves

-1 cup fresh parsley

-1/2 cup milk

-1 cup pesto sauce

-1 cup parmesan cheese

whole wheat pasta

Boil water for pasta.

Our pasta directions said to bowl for 11 minutes.

We browned the parsley, garlic, olive oil and onions in our wok.

We added the spinach and a little more olive oil and cooked until just wilted.

We added the tomatoes and cooked until the tomatoes were just heated. The key is not to over cook the tomatoes so that you don't wind up with stewed tomatoes. Otherwise you lose the sweet taste of the tomatoes.

We added pasta, goat cheese, parmesan cheese, milk and pesto sauce and heated until the goat cheese melted.

Then serve.

This dish came out very well. We both liked it.

Grilled cheese sandwiches with goat cheese

Grilled goat cheese sandwiches

I got this recipe in my news feed on Facebook from Whole Foods. We decided to try it on Saturday. I only omitted the asparagus since we wanted to save that for tonight. These turned out very well. Since we have seen goat cheese in other flavors, you could use any other flavor. I couldn't find the goat cheese in the recipe but found cranberry goat cheese at Sprouts. And you could leave the prosciutto off and it would still taste good.

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and halved crosswise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
16 slices Health Starts Here® Whole Grain Bread
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto (8 slices)
1 (8-ounce) log Wellspring™ Creamery Cranberry Orange Goat Cheese Olive oil spray

Method

Preheat oven to 425°F.

On a large baking sheet, toss asparagus with oil, salt and pepper, and then roast until just tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread pesto onto 8 slices of bread, and then spread goat cheese onto remaining 8 slices.

Top goat cheese with prosciutto and asparagus and then with pesto-covered bread.

Generously spray sandwiches on both sides with olive oil.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Working in batches, cook sandwiches, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and hot throughout, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Transfer to a cutting board, cut in half and serve.