Green button (pattypan) squash

Green button (pattypan) squash

We received these squash in our CSA box. I had never seen them or tried them (that I know of) before. So I did a little research. I didn't even know the name until now. Here's a couple of links to learn more:
http://www.organicauthority.com/vegetable-fruits/pattypan-squash.html

http://www.foodrenegade.com/buttery-patty-pan-squash-with-basil-recipe/

http://www.healthy-recipes-for-kids.com/scallop-squash-recipes.html

http://emufarm.hubpages.com/hub/Stuffed-Patty-Pan-Squash

http://cals.arizona.edu/fps/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fps/files/cotw/Patty_Pan_Squash.pdf

Two new items in our CSA box

I'm having some trouble with the blog letting me load things today. So I'm not sure if I can get the second picture in here. I was hoping to put these pictures with the first one. I believe these are Japanese cucumbers.














I'm hoping the second photo will post which is some type of squash.

CSA box contents - some different items

In our CSA box last night we got: tomatoes, Valencia Oranges, Swiss Chard, green beans, sweet white corn, grapefruit, maui onion, basil, Japanese cucumbers, mustard spinach and some type of squash.



Having fun with my food processor

The pesto sauce has basil, sage, opinions, goat cheese, walnuts, olive oil, garlic, onions, zest and juice from a lemon.

The linguine has tomatoes, celery, Swiss chard (both leaves and stalks), onions, garlic and a little ricotta.

Making pesto sauce with my new food processor

I have been using my new food processor to make several varieties of pesto sauce. I have used basil, kale, parsley, carrot tops, spinach, arugula, swiss chard and celery leaves for the greens so far.

For the nuts I have tried pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts and pine nuts.

For the cheese I've tried parmesan, romano, asiago and most recently a shredded yogurt cheese.

Some recipes call for adding lemon juice and zest of lemon. I do that occasionally.

I also add a 1/2 to full cup of onions, 3 to 6 cloves of garlic depending on your taste for garlic, a couple of fresh sage or mint leaves and a cup of olive oil. You can add more olive oil if you feel the mixture is to dry. You can use between 2 to 4 cups of the greens.

I'm going to use the fresh organic basil I got last night from our CSA box, pine nuts, the juice of one lemon and lemon zest from that lemon. Then I'm going to try something different for the cheese. I'll mix some Parmesan cheese in with some goat cheese. Normally I would use shredded cheese but I haven't seen that in goat cheese, only the crumbles or logs.

I'll use the rainbow swiss chard and celery that I got from the CSA box. I'll add some onions, garlic and tomatoes to the pasta along with some ricotta cheese. I use either goat cheese, ricotta cheese or sour cream to thicken the pasta and sauce.

I used to do this all in my blender but it could only handle pine nuts and only a little of everything at one time.

Below is a picture of the last pasta we made to use up the summer squash. You can pretty much add any veggies and greens that you want to the pasta.

Sweet Potato and Kale Frittata with Goat Cheese

I used my new frittata pan to make this recipe last night.

Sweet Potato and Kale Frittata with Goat Cheese
Ingredients :

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces (12 oz.)
8 large eggs - but I used 10 ;)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 small onion diced (1 cup) - I used red onion in a food processor
4 large curly kale leaves, ribs removed, leaves torn into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup crumbles goat cheese (2 oz.)

1 tbsp olive oil
non-stick spray

Directions :
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees F

Place sweet potato cubes into medium safe bowl, add 1/2 cup water, cover and microwave for 5 minutes or until tender, drain. set aside.

Blend eggs, mustard, vinegar, in a bowl, add salt/pepper if desired. set aside.

Coat large OVEN PROOF skillet with cooking spray and add olive oil in bottom - I only used olive oil in a LARGE Cast Iron pan :) - place on medium high heat on stove.

Add onion and saute 3 minutes or until onion begins to soften.
Add kale and cook 2 minutes or until kale is wilted but still bright green.
Add sweet potato and toss to blend, then arrange vegetables evenly over bottom of the skillet.
Carefully pour eggs into skillet without displacing vegetables.
Cook 3 minutes or until bottom of frittata is set.

Transfer pan to pre-heated oven.
Bake 10 minutes or until frittata is set in center.
Remove from oven. Let stand 1 - 2 minutes.
Add cheese to top.
Cut into wedges & serve.

Found: Vegetarian Times Magazine, November 2012, page 34

 

Our last two CSA boxes

In our CSA box last nigh we have basil, Swiss chard, cabbage, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, celery, oranges, grapefruit and strawberry jam.

I plan on using the basil to make a pesto sauce in my food processor. And I plan on using the celery and swiss chard along with some onions, garlic, tomatoes and ricotta cheese for the pasta.

Two weeks before (I forgot to post) we got the red

maui onion posted posted below. And three round

summer squash.

.  

And in this CSA box we had Swiss chard, mustard spinach, romaine lettuce, green beans, summer squash, celery, Maui onion, carrots, cucumbers, oranges, blueberries, tangelos, and grapefruit.

Cabbage and spaghetti squash

Last weekend I needed to use up some cabbage. I also had a spaghetti squash, cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic and celery. I made a pesto sauce with basil leaves, celery leaves, onions, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and parmesan cheese. It turned out really well. I add some ricotta cheese to it as well.

Hamilton Beach Food Processor

For my birthday I received a food processor. We search Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond and decided on this one:

Big Mouth® Duo Plus Food Processor (70580)

http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/food-processors-big-mouth-duo-plus-food-processor-70580.html

Slicing, shredding, chopping, mixing and pureeing fresh produce is easy if you have the right tool.  The Big Mouth® Duo Plus Food Processor fits whole foods to save time and it comes with two bowl sizes for processing different amounts.

12 & 4 cup bowls perfect for processing different amounts and nest for compact storage

Big Mouth® feed tube fits whole foods to reduce the need to pre-cut food

Slices, shreds, chops, purees & mixes

Reversible slice / shred disk

Chopping S-blade

Easy-to-clean touchpad controls with OFF / LO / HI / PULSE

Powerful 500 watt motor

Dishwasher safe bowls, lid & blades

Now I can save some wear and tear on my blender.

Caramelized Onion and Sweet Potato Quiche

Caramelized Onion and Sweet Potato Quiche

Ingredients

• 2 T butter
• 2 T heat-safe oil (We used olive oil.)
• 3 cups chopped onions (about 2 large)
• 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, chard, kale (stems removed), or other greens
• 4  eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half or cream
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• dash black pepper (to taste)
• 1 1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence (or another herb blend like Italian seasoning)
• 1 T flour
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup Swiss or Gruyere cheese

• 1 9-inch pre-baked pie crust

Directions

1. Add oil and butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes until onions soften and turn translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook onions for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown.
2. Add cubed sweet potatoes and spinach to skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
4. In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper, and herbs. In a small bowl combine the cheeses with the flour, tossing until combined, then put cheese/flour mixture into the large bowl with the egg mixture; add also the onion mixture (when it has cooled enough to not scramble the eggs, slightly warmer than room temperature). Stir everything together until combined, then pour into the pre-baked pie crust.
5. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the quiche comes out clean and it doesn't jiggle when you nudge the pan.
6. Makes 6-8 Servings

It made to much for one pie but not enough for two pies. So next time I need less of the recipe or a bigger pie crust.

http://www.tablespoon.com/mobile/recipes/caramelized-onion-and-sweet-potato-quiche-recipe/1/

Kale & Sweet Potato Scramble minus the bacon

Kale & Sweet Potato Scramble minus the bacon - http://www.theroastedroot.net/sweet-potato-kale-bacon-scramble/

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 4 strips thick cut smoked bacon
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/8 cup liquid (such as water, chicken broth, vegetable broth)
• ½ medium sized sweet potato, peel on, chopped into ¼- inch squares
• ¼ red (sweet) onion, diced
• 2-3 stalks kale, stems removed and chopped, leaves chopped
• Toppings of your choice: cheese, guacamole, salsa, plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized skillet, heat about two teaspoons of olive oil on medium heat.
2. Add the chopped sweet potato and onion and saute 3 or 4 minutes before adding a little liquid and covering.
3. In about 2 minutes, check to see if the liquid has burned off. If it has, add a little more and cover again. Repeat this several times until the sweet potato is soften, but still al dente.
4. Add the chopped kale stems. Saute another 3 to 5 minutes and add additional liquid if necessary.
5. Add the chopped bacon. Allow the bacon to cook to desired crisp. Add the kale leaves. Allow to steam for about 30 seconds before pouring the scrambled egg mixture evenly over the meat and veggies.
6. This is where the technique comes in. Avoid the temptation to stir. Simply allow the skillet to sit 2 to three minutes. Then, using a wooden spoon or spatula, begin flipping sections of egg and veggies (similar to how you would fold whipped egg whites into a cake batter, just gently fold the scramble onto itself).
7. Once all sections have been flipped over, everything to sit and cook another 2 or 3 minutes. Repeat the flipping. Continue doing this until the egg is no longer cooking to the skillet. Add salt to taste.
8. Serve with your favorite toppings!

Fun with salads

 I recently had to go to a couple of events where I was asked to bring a salad. The first salad has red leaf lettuce, kale, orange and red tomatoes, CSA radishes, shredded carrots, cucumbers, orange bell peppers, celery, a little Italian seasoning. I also put croutons and Parmesan cheese on top.

The second salad has red kale, grapes, orange and red tomatoes, celery, shaved carrots, dried cranberries, almond slivers, and a vegan friendly, gluten free dressing.

Carrot Top Scramble

I wanted to know if I could use the greens from the carrots we'd been getting in our CSA box. I searched the web and found the following recipe:


Carrot Top Scramble

1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 med onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
carrot greens, chopped
1 cup canned diced tomato (or fresh)
4 eggs
2 tbsp fresh cilantro , chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1) Sautée onion in a little olive oil for 2 – 3 minutes; add garlic and continue to cook for another minute or so.

2) Toss in chopped carrot greens. Stir and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until they begin to wilt.

3) Add diced (fresh) tomato and simmer covered 3 minutes.

4) Crack eggs into mixture and scramble until well combined.

5) Top with cilantro (parsley).

http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2009/07/veggie-might-carrot-topsno-joke.html

I've also found some carrot top pesto recipes which I plan to use.

Contents of last CSA box

Our CSA box has:

fresh garlic, asparagus, baby bok Choy, cauliflower, red beets, carrots, 2 large zucchini, very large cabbage, kale, strawberries, blood oranges, grapefruits.

Quinoa Black Bean Sweet Potato Stew

We made this last night. It was very good.

Quinoa Black Bean Sweet Potato Stew

Nutrition Data, 230 g Serving: 165 cal, 31 g carb, 2g fat, 140mg sodium, 6g fiber, 8g protein, low Cholesterol, good source Vit C, A, Folate. Estimated glycemic load 16

Ingredients:

•3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
•1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (1 can, drained & rinsed)
•2 1/2 cups unsalted soup stock, bean cooking liquid, or water
•1 Tbsp olive oil
•1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled, chopped in bite size pieces
•2 stalks celery, trimmed and diced
•1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
•1 Tbsp (2 - 3 cloves) garlic, peeled and minced
•1 TBsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
 •1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
•1 tsp gr coriander
•1/2 tsp gr cumin
•1 tsp paprika
•1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
•More Heat: Add more cayenne
•1 tsp dried basil leaf
•1/2 tsp dried oregano leaf
•1/2 tsp dried thyme leaf
•1 bay leaf
•1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
•Fresh ground black pepper to taste
•1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

Stovetop Directions:

1.Peel & mince the garlic, jalapeno and ginger
2.Wash and trim the celery, slice lengthwise, then crosswise to dice
3.Seed and dice the bell pepper
4.Peel and chop the sweet potato in bite sized pieces
5.Heat the olive oil on medium low in a large dutch oven
6.Sauté the garlic, ginger, celery, & jalapeno 5 minutes
7.Add the sweet potatoes and bell pepper, sauté 5 minutes
8.Add the herbs and spices, stir for a minute
9.Add the beans, quinoa, soup stock or water, salt. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes
10.Add Braggs or soy sauce, pepper, cilantro or parsley just before serving

 Crockpot or Slow Cooker Directions:

1.Sauté jalapeno, ginger & garlic in oil. Add sweet potatoes and bell pepper, sauté 5 minutes
2.Combine all ingredients except Braggs, quinoa and cilantro or parsley in a large crockpot
3.Cover and cook on low for 4 - 5 hours
4.To speed crockpot cooking, preheat the crockpot, bring the liquid to a boil before adding, and cook on high in the crockpot for 2 hours
5.Add 3/4 cup of raw quinoa to the crockpot in the last hour of cooking. Turn heat to high.
6.Stir in the Braggs or soy sauce, cilantro or parsley, pepper to taste, and serve


http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/quinoa-black-bean-stew.php

Kale and spaghetti squash with radish leaf pesto

When I get a CSA box I really hate throwing things away. So when I cut the radishes up I wanted to know if I could use the leaves for a pesto sauce. So I made the pesto recipe below with a couple of modifications. I also added some spaghetti squash, kale, celery, onions, garlic, tomatoes and a little bit of goat cheese.

Radish Leaf Pesto

- 2 large handfuls of good-looking radish leaves, stems removed. I also added a little bit of basil leaves too in case the radish leaves were bitter. (They weren't.)

- 30 grams (1 ounce) hard cheese, such as pecorino or parmesan, grated or shaved using a vegetable peeler

- 30 grams (1 ounce) nuts, such as pistachios, almonds, or pinenuts (avoid walnuts, which make the end result too bitter in my opinion). I used pinenuts because I love the taste, though they can be costly.

- 1 clove garlic, germ removed, cut in four

- a short ribbon of lemon zest cut thinly from an organic lemon with a vegetable peeler (optional). I just added a little lemon juice instead.

- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to get the consistency you like. I used a cup of olive oil as other recipes have called for.

- salt, pepper, ground chili pepper. I never salt or pepper anything.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender or mini-chopper, and process in short pulses until smooth. You will likely have to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. This produces a thick pesto; add more oil and pulse again to get the consistency you prefer. (This can also be done with a mortar and pestle; it's great for your karma and your triceps.)
Taste, adjust the seasoning, and pack into an airtight container (I use a recycled glass jar). Use within a few days (it will keep longer if you pour a thin layer of oil on the surface) or freeze.

Using mustard spinach in pasta

I wanted to use up the mustard spinach we got in our CSA box. So I decided to do a pasta. I've been told that mustard spinach might have a bitter taste, so I decided to add some goat cheese to counter act that.

This has linguine, orange tomatoes, celery, onions, mustard spinach, garlic, goat cheese, pine nuts and a basil pesto I made.

It turned out really well.

Our latest veggie & fruit box from Tanaka Farms

We hadn't picked up a CSA box since March because of our vacation. This is the first one since then. In this box we have:
--napa cabbage
--mustard spinach
--cauliflower
--kale
--snap peas
--celery
--carrots
--maui onion
--radishes
--grapefruit
--oranges
--strawberries

I will be using the greens from the radishes to make a radish pesto sauce.

Radish Leaf Pesto

- 2 large handfuls of good-looking radish leaves, stems removed
- 30 grams (1 ounce) hard cheese, such as pecorino or parmesan, grated or shaved using a vegetable peeler
- 30 grams (1 ounce) nuts, such as pistachios, almonds, or pinenuts (avoid walnuts, which make the end result too bitter in my opinion)
- 1 clove garlic, germ removed, cut in four
- a short ribbon of lemon zest cut thinly from an organic lemon with a vegetable peeler (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to get the consistency you like
- salt, pepper, ground chili pepper

Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender or mini-chopper, and process in short pulses until smooth.

You will likely have to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. This produces a thick pesto; add more oil and pulse again to get the consistency you prefer. (This can also be done with a mortar and pestle; it's great for your karma and your triceps.)

Taste, adjust the seasoning, and pack into an airtight container (I use a recycled glass jar). Use within a few days (it will keep longer if you pour a thin layer of oil on the surface) or freeze.

I will also be using the carrot top (leaves) for a carrot top scramble. I'll post that recipe later.

Tonight we will use the mustard spinach in a pasta. I'll make my own pesto sauce. I will use some goat cheese pasta to counter act any bitterness from the mustard spinach.

I have to make a large salad for a birthday party on Sunday, so I think I'll mix the kale in with the lettuce and other items. I'll see if those unfamiliar with kale will notice.

Pumpkin Chili

Ok the pumpkin chili is in the crock pot. In about an hour we should be ready. It takes a lot of work but well worth it. We have black beans, diced fresh tomatoes, onions, celery, orange bell peppers, butternut squash, pumpkin pie filling, tomato juice, a little juice from the black beans, garlic, oregano, sage, brown sugar, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, sweet paprika, and the surprise ingredient - bittersweet chocolate. And the amount of each ingredient that you put in, depends on your tastes. There are also a lot of other things you can put in with it too.

Feta, Sweet Potato and Kale Crustless Quiche

Feta, Sweet Potato and Kale Crustless Quiche

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 red onion, cut into thin wedges (I used sweet onions.)

1 garlic clove, chopped

600 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 . 5 cm cubes (kumera) (I used one large sweet potato.)

2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves, I used 150grams (measure firmly packed) (I used kale instead.)

1 cup milk

6 eggs

200 g feta cheese, crumbled, can use low-fat fetta if desired

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

fresh ground black pepper 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Grease a large flan dish, approximately 25-27cm in diamater.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add onion and garlic and cook 1 minute.

3. Add sweet potato and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until golden brown, this should take about 10 minutes.

4. Add spinach and cook, stirring 1 minute until spinach is wilted. Cool.

5. Add feta cheese, stir to combine and place into prepared flan dish.

6. Beat the 6 eggs in a large jug with milk, nutmeg and pepper and pour over vegetables in flan dish.

7. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pinenuts and bake in a moderate oven 180°C 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden.

8. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

9. Serve cut into wedges with a salad on the side, veges, chips or crusty bread rolls.

http://australian.food.com/recipe/feta-sweet-potato-and-spinach-crustless-quiche-gluten-free-463710

Lentil Spaghetti Bolognese

Lentil Spaghetti Bolognese

Nutrition Data Per Serving, 289g: 229 cal, 29g carb, 10g fat, 415 mg sodium, 9g fiber, 10g protein, low Cholesterol, good source Folate, Potassium. Estimated glycemic load 10

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped fine
• 2 carrots, grated (secret ingredient)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 28 oz can, or 2 lb fresh tomato, chopped small or pureed in a blender (800 g) (I used fresh tomatoes and added a can of tomato paste.)
• 2 oz sundried tomato, chopped roughly or added to the blender mix (50g)
• 2 Tbsp of oil from the sundried tomato
• 1/4 lb, or 1 cup mushrooms, chopped or sliced or diced (125 g) (We didn't use the mushrooms.)
• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups fresh basil leaf, roughly chopped (20 g)

• 2 cups cooked lentils (400g)

Directions:

1. Cook the garlic, salt, onion and carrot in the olive oil until they are very soft.
2. Add all the other ingredients and simmer with the lid off for at least 25 minutes until you are happy with the consistency.
3. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve on spaghetti or your favorite pasta shape after removing the bay leaf.






http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/lentil-spaghetti-bolognese.php

Veggie stir fry with orange cauliflower

Veggie stir fry with orange cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bean sprouts, snap peas, onions, garlic and low sodium soy sauce.

Pasta with kale and a homemade pesto sauce

Pasta with kale, celery, onions, garlic, tomatoes, herb garlic goat cheese, and a homemade pesto sauce. The recipe for the pesto called for 4 cups of basil leaves but the store didn't have fresh basil. So I used celery leaves and parsley. Then you add 1 cup olive oil, 1 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 cut pine nuts and 6 cloves of garlic mixed in my blender. I also added some sage and mint leaves to use them up.