Category: Recipes

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How To Keep Your Greens Fresh

The key to keeping greens fresh is to pre-wash, dry and store them. Try to wash your greens the same day that yourbox of good is delivered. Try to make sure when you’re unpacking your box to set the lettuce and any other greens on the kitchen counter, so you don’t forget to wash them.

First off, fill a large bowl with some cold water and swirl the leaves around to get rid of the excess dirt. When washing kale, de-stem it as you’re washing it. That will save you time when it comes to throwing that kale salad together. Place in salad spinner, give the spinner a whirl, and spin until your greens are dry.

Spread two paper towels (still connected) on your counter and pile the dry lettuce/kale/spinach/other leaves on one end. Wrap the paper towel around your greens and then add some more leaves and continue the process until all the greens are wrapped up.  Make sure to wrap the leaves up gently but tightly, a lot like you would a sleeping bag.

Place the wrapped lettuce inside sealed plastic bags and store in your crisper drawer. The lettuce should stay good for about a week to two weeks.  Honestly, you should never keep those greens around for more than a week anyway.

Now that you have some freshly washed greens, you can make some amazing salads on the fly. Here’s to eating more greens!

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A Homemade Thanksgiving

Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.”

― John Henry Jowett

 

It’s that time again isn’t it? Time to decide if the potatoes will be gratined or mashed. Mashed, definitely mashed. So then mashed with sour cream, heavy cream, butter or all of the above? Will the green beans be casseroled, roasted or simply blanched then tossed with browned butter? What sort of spice and herb mix will go into the stuffing? Perhaps you have had this all long figured out. Maybe there’s no change from year-to-year. I can appreciate that too.

I love scouring magazines, websites and cookbooks this time of year for the classics and new twists on the classics. But this year what I’m most struck with as I start to visualize the Thanksgiving table is not what recipes, flavors, and ingredients I’ll use but rather how incredibly thankful I am to have a spot at the table.

I’m finding myself less motivated by which method I’ll brine then roast the turkey and more inspired by the heart of the holiday; being thankful. The simple fact that I get to think about my potato preparation, which pies to include in the dessert line up, and who is joining me at the table, well, that’s enough.

Coming to this realization was first met with a bit of fretting over the fact that it’s already into November and I haven’t given the food as much thought as I normally do. Thoughts of letting people down, and lackluster side dishes began to swirl before that rational voice inside my head, however soft it may be, began to whisper, “just be thankful.”

There will be a feast, maybe it won’t be as inspired as the Latin Thanksgiving menu we enjoyed last year but I will be thankful, grateful and very full by the end of the day.

 

TURKEY ROULADE WITH SAUSAGE STUFFING

inspired by Ina Garten

Serves 8

This is a twist on the classic bird but the classic flavors are all there. Extra bonus – it doesn’t take nearly as long to roast.

The most difficult part about this recipe is tying the stuffed turkey just prior to roasting. It makes the job much easier if you have an extra set of hands help you get the turkey to submit. It’s going to be messy and you’ll feel a bit clumsy. Be brave and confident as it will come together and your reward for such bravery will be a flavorful and moist turkey that will sure evoke elation and cheers as it’s brought to the table for (easy) carving.

3/4 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)

1/2 cup brandy

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups diced onions (2 onions)

1 cup (1/2-inch-diced) celery (3 stalks)

3/4 pound pork sausage, casings removed

1 ½ teaspoons paprika

1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted

3 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix (homemade recipe below)

1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 large egg, beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons good mustard

1 whole turkey boned (save bones, wings and giblets for gravy and stock)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

 

Place the dried cherries in a small saucepan and pour in the brandy and 1/4 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, crumbling it into small bits with a fork, and saute, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until cooked and browned. Stir in 1 teaspoon paprika and a pinch of salt. Add the cherries with the liquid, the chopped rosemary, and hazelnuts and cook for 2 more minutes. Scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture, chicken stock, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir well. (The stuffing may be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan.

Lay the butterflied turkey skin side down on a cutting board. Sprinkle the meat with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and spread the mustard over the turkey.

Spread the stuffing in a 1/2-inch-thick layer over the meat, leaving a half-inch border on all sides. Don’t mound the stuffing or the turkey will be difficult to roll. (Place any leftover stuffing in a buttered gratin dish and bake for the last 45 minutes of roasting alongside the turkey.)

Starting at 1 end, roll the turkey like a jelly roll and tuck in any stuffing that tries to escape on the sides. Tie the roast firmly with kitchen twine every 2 inches to make a compact cylinder.

Place the stuffed turkey seam side down on the rack on the sheet pan. Brush with the melted butter, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon paprika, and roast for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees F in the center.

Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Carve 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve warm with the extra stuffing.

 

Homemade Stuffing Mix

3 cups ½” diced rustic bread

½ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, tarragon, sage, rosemary, thyme etc.)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

pepper

 

Combine everything in a large bowl and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350*F until bread is golden and dried out, about 20 minutes. Stir the mixture halfway through the baking process. Taste and add more salt if desired.

 

-Ashley Rodriguez

Chef, feeder of three hungry children, creator of Not Without Salt and author of Date Night In, Running Press 2015.

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Chehalis Apple and Green Bean Sauté

Green beans get a sweet treatment from a bite of apple and a taste of honey. Even kids who don’t want to eat their vegetables will want to give in. You can take this up another notch by topping with crumbled gorgonzola cheese before serving.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

1 large apple, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds, toasted

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

  • In a large skillet, sauté beans and apple in oil for 3 minutes.
  • Add the nuts; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender.
  • Stir in honey and sesame seeds; heat through.

Yield: 5 servings

 

Know Your Produce: Chehalis Apples

Chehalis Apples are an offspring of Golden Delicious apples. They are like their parent apple, only better…because they are larger and crisper – delightfully crisp actually – with a cream colored flesh. Sweet and slightly honeyed, the Chehalis is both a juicy eating and baking apple.

Season: September

Best for: Pies and cobblers (this apple can withstand heat without losing its shape or zing)

Also good for: Salads and sandwiches; snacking

Store: refrigerated, Chehalis apples keep for a couple of weeks (3). Store away from any other fruit you don’t want ripening. At room temperature they ripen too quickly and become mealy after about 2 days. Wash apples only when you’re ready to use them.

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Raw Beet Salad

Ingredients

1 to 1½ pounds beets, preferably small

1 yellow onion or 2 large shallots

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or to taste

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry or other good strong vinegar

1 sprig fresh tarragon, minced, if available

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

 

Instructions

  • Peel the beets and onions/shallots. Combine them in a food processor and pulse carefully until the beets are shredded; do not purée. (Or grate the beets by hand and mince the onion/shallots, then combine.) Scrape into a bowl.
  • Toss with the salt, pepper, mustard, oil and vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Toss in the herbs and serve.

 

Variations

  1. Raw Beet Salad with Carrot and Ginger. Ginger and beets are killer together. Use equal parts beet and carrot, about 8 ounces of each. Treat the carrots as you do the beets (you can process them together), adding about a tablespoon of minced peeled ginger to the mix; omit the tarragon. Substitute peanut for olive oil, lime juice for sherry vinegar, and cilantro for the parsley.
  2. Raw Beet Salad with Yogurt Dressing. Replace the olive oil and one of the tablespoons of vinegar with 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, preferably whole-milk or low-fat.

Recipe adapted from http://markbittman.com/recipe/raw-beet-salad/

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Drinking In Summer

When I think of summer, I think of long days by the beach, sandy hair, afternoon naps, cozy evenings by the bonfire, and laughter, much laughter. Summers in Peru were always filled with family, simple meals and refreshing aguas frescas.

If you never had agua fresca (Spanish for fresh water), it is a light, kid-friendly fruit drink served by street vendors, in bodegas, and at eateries throughout Central and South America. They are made by combining fresh fruits with sugar and water. Sometimes grains, seeds, and even flowers can be added.

Common fruit and vegetable versions include cantaloupe, watermelon, berries, cucumbers, and lime. The flavor of fresh fruit, by blending it with water and straining out the pulp, results in basically everything you’ve ever wanted fruit juice to be: a refreshing, not-too-sweet drink that actually tastes like fruit. Anything with melon was my favorite!

They’re perfect for this time of year because they practically beg to be sipped outside and they are very easily scaled up to make a refreshing pitcher drink. This lovely refreshing drink is the perfect alternative from the norms of ice water, lemonade and soda. It’s hard to believe that something so simple can be so good!

With this week’s box of good menu, the options for aguas frescas are endless: melon-nectarine, apple-grape, and apple-kiwi, to name a few!

Regardless of the fruits and vegetables available at the local market, our summer menus growing up always included a salad. The schedule goes: soup and entrée during fall and winter, salad and entrée during spring and summer. And to this day, it remains the same. I recently spent two months back home in Peru and was glad to see that some things never change. Meal schedules are the same, people take naps, families gather together for tea time, and going to the bakery to get fresh bread at 6:00 p.m. feels like going shopping during Black Friday.

One particular salad was always present during our summer family gatherings: grape and cabbage salad with a light creamy vinaigrette—a nice combination of sweet, salty, tart, crunchy, and creamy all in one bite. What else can you ask for from a salad? Serve it as a side with grilled meats, in tacos or tostadas, or use it in sandwiches and wraps. Crisp, fresh, delicious and easy to make!

I am always amazed how food can evoke so many memories. I hope you have time to partake of a few mementos this summer, from family favorite foods, to outdoor walks after a summer rain.
Sara Balcazar-Greene (aka. Peruvian Chick)
Peruvian Food Ambassador
peruvianchick.com
instagram.com/peruvianchick
facebook.com/theperuvianchick

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Nectarine Blueberry Cake

With all of the summer fruit flooding our counter tops and the refrigerator all at once, we’ve been busy freezing and jamming! However, we don’t want to forget to enjoy some of that delicious fruit right now, while it’s in season.

This recipe was requested by a long-time customer who remembered it from a July 2010 newsletter.

NECTARINE BLUEBERRY CAKE

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup organic cane sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large nectarines, coarsely chopped

2 cups fresh blueberries

Garnishes: sliced nectarines, fresh blueberries, lemon rind

 

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears. Add vanilla, beating just until blended.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat batter at low speed just until blended. Gently fold in nectarines and blueberries. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in grated lemon rind and vanilla.

Spread 1/2 cup Cream Cheese Frosting evenly on top of one cake layer; top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining Cream Cheese Frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.

Adapted from original recipe by Pat Vennest, Seattle, Washington, Coastal Living, September 2006

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Ahh…Summer!

It’s here! I want to shout it from the rooftops, from the mountaintops, and from the sun-drenched beaches. Summer is definitely here. I see it in the overextended and heavy branches of my tomato plant, in the dirt covered toes of my kids, and in my neglected house, as we run out the door at the first sun sighting in an attempt to soak up as much vitamin D as we can.

We have plans to read books on the beach and wet our toes in the ocean. A new tent has been purchased and at least two camping trips are in the works. There are strawberries to pick and cherries are just coming on. Summer is here!

My days are planned around the food we can eat, in an attempt to sneak in as much of this season’s bounty as I can possibly muster. Berries are in our morning oatmeal and sit atop our freshly made frozen yogurt to cool us down in the afternoon. I pick vibrant green mint and chives and toss them into eggs and blend them into salad dressings. The cherries never even make it into the food, as the kids devour them by the bagful before I get to them. Corn sits next to our grilled chicken and is tossed into our salads, along with nectarines and fresh herbs. Summer is here!

If screaming from the mountaintops isn’t your thing, my featured salad recipe (below) will do it for you. It is loaded with all the best of summer: fruit so juicy it drips to the floor and turns everything sticky, sweet corn, and green-staining herbs – all making this salad the best sort of food for a picnic. Serve alongside barbecued chicken or vegetables for a complete meal. Put aside any leftovers for tomorrow, so you can linger in the sun all day without worrying about dinner. It’s the salad that heralds the arrival of summer for you, so you can just sit and enjoy it all.

Ashley Rodriguez

Food blogger www.notwithoutsalt.com

 

GREEN RICE SALAD WITH NECTARINES AND CORN

Recipe from Vibrant Food, by Kimberley Hasselbrink  (serves 3-4)

 

Green Rice:

3/4 cup brown basmati rice

1 1/4 cups, water plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more for the sauce

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped

Zest and juice of 1 small lime

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Fine salt

 

Grilled Corn:

2 small ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed

Extra-virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt

1/2 lime

 

Other Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

2 medium-ripe nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced lengthwise

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco (I used Feta)

 

Directions:

1.            In a small saucepan, combine the rice and water, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Let the rice stand for a few minutes, then fluff. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2.            Preheat the broiler.

3.            To grill the corn, lightly oil both ears of corn and place in a small baking dish. Broil about 6 inches from the heat, turning every few minutes, until golden and blackened in spots, 10 -15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the kernels from the cob to yield about 1 cup. If you have more than this amount, save it for another use. Transfer the kernels to a bowl and toss with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime. Set aside.

4.            Transfer the rice to a large bowl. In a blender, combine the cilantro, parsley, jalapeño, lime zest and juice, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Blend until smooth. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of water to thin the sauce if it’s too thick. Spoon the mixture over the rice, scraping any remaining sauce out of the blender with a spatula, and mix until the rice is evenly coated.

5.            To finish, add the corn and additional parsley and cilantro to the rice. Toss to combine. Transfer the rice to a serving platter. Sprinkle the nectarines and queso fresco over the rice in even layers. Garnish with additional parsley and cilantro. Best if served immediately. Can be made up to a day in advance; bring to room temperature before serving.

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The Recipe Box: Chopped Kale Salad + Creamy Almond Ginger Dressing

salad_kale chopped2_edibleperspective.com_used by permission

This week’s recipe box features the ingredients for a recipe from Ashley McLaughlin, the person behind the inspiring blog over at Edible Perspective. I was looking for a recipe to feature the local kale we’d be getting in this week from our friends over at Ralph’s Greenhouses, and came across this one for a chopped kale salad paired with a creamy dressing – a fresh change up from the usual steamed or sautéed kale recipes.

Ashley’s salad starts out with the simple step of steaming and blanching asparagus, and then incorporates a healthy variety of textures and flavors in the form of more finely chopped (mostly raw) veggies. She then tops it all off with protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas, a creamy almond dressing infused with ginger, and finally some marinated Portabella mushrooms. Add a sprinkling of sesame seeds if you will. This is a very filling and satisfying weeknight meal. You can find the full recipe on her blog.

 

The Recipe Box: We’ll plan, pack, and deliver…you cook and enjoy!

This box contains a recipe and all of the ingredients you will need for assembling a healthy meal for 4 people plus some additional fruit to enjoy.

This week’s featured recipe: Chopped Kale Salad + Creamy Almond Ginger Dressing

Chopped kale & cabbage covered in a creamy dressing (we’ve included directions for an almond dressing), and topped with marinated portabella mushrooms, more veggies, and chick peas. Trust us, it’s delish! Order your Recipe Box here.

Happy salad fixing!

Marty, for the Klesick Family Farm

 

Photos: Copyright © 2013, [Edible Perspective]. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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Fresh Summer Rolls

I am currently in Peru. One the activities I enjoy the most here—other than spending time with family—is going to the local farmers markets. To me, visiting a market in any country is always a fascinating experience. While strolling around, you learn (or get reminded) so much about the local lifestyle and customs—more than any book, museum or tourist attraction can teach you. A few hours after our arrival, we headed to the organic farmers market and that was a treat! Fruits I forgot I grew up eating, vegetables I´d never heard of, aromatic herbs and every kind of potato I could imagine! Vendors offer their products enthusiastically while customers negotiate prices and freely taste before buying. Stunning in Lima markets is the great variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs from all over the country, reflecting the rich biodiversity of Peru. Merchants are very friendly and more than happy to explain the origin of fruits or veggies and their preparation.

The excitement was intoxicating and with all the beautiful and colorful produce, I wanted to cook a dish that would let the ingredients be the star of the show—Fresh Summer Rolls.

I think a lot of people can agree that fresh summer rolls is one of those dishes that you gladly order in a restaurant but rarely make at home. My friends and I were blaming this on how that it was hard to find the right ingredients, that it took a lot of time to make and was quite difficult to make. During this trip, however, I realized that none of my excuses were valid. The only thing I thought could be a hard to find was rice paper, but I found it at the supermarket. In America, some supermarkets carry it and definitely any Asian market would carry it as well. They don’t take a lot of time to make either. And how difficult is it to roll them? Well, the first ones looked sad. But after a couple of tries they drastically improved. They tasted just as good (or even better) as in a five-star restaurant when you use fresh, organic ingredients.

Summer rolls are made with rice paper rounds and don’t require any cooking. If you’ve never worked with rice paper before, don’t be intimidated, as it’s really easy. The great thing about summer rolls is that they can be filled with anything – fruit, veggies, or your protein of choice. Oh, and the dipping sauce? It´s awesome: roasted peanut butter, tamari or soy sauce, fresh orange juice, sesame oil, fresh ginger, and a touch of sugar to balance it all out.

I couldn’t imagine going through summer without making this ultimate light, fresh and healthy dish!

 

Sara Balcazar-Greene

www.peruvianchick.com

 

 

 

 

SUMMER VEGGIE ROLL WITH PEANUT SAUCE

Ingredients for the filling:

Spring Roll Wrappers (at least 8-10)

Cooked chicken, sliced (optional)

2 cups Vermicelli rice noodles cooked and lightly seasoned with sesame oil.

1/2 English cucumber, julienned

1 red bell pepper, julienned

2 medium carrots, shredded

3-4 lettuce leaves, julienned

1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, thick stems removed and minced

1/3 cup roasted & salted peanuts

Sea salt, to season

 

Ingredients for the peanut sauce:

1/4 cup natural roasted peanut butter

2 tbsp. sesame oil

1/2-1 tbsp. peeled & roughly chopped fresh ginger

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tbsp. low sodium tamari or soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

1-3 tsp water, to thin out as needed

 

Directions:

1.             For the filling: Julienne the vegetables (slice into long thin strips). Set aside, along with peanuts. Mix the carrots and red bell pepper and lightly season with sesame oil salt and pepper.

2.             For the sauce: Blend the sauce ingredients until smooth. Adjust to taste. You may prefer more sweetener, tamari, oil, or lime juice.

TIME TO ROLL

1.             Set up a roll making station and gather all of your ingredients in one area. Place a tea towel on the counter and fill a very large bowl with hot tap water. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water and carefully submerge it once it gets soft. Hold it under water for about 10 seconds, or until soft, and remove from water carefully. Place it onto the tea towel and unfold any corners that may have rolled up.

2.             Add the filling ingredients in the center of the wrapper. Do not to overfill or the wrappers will tear. Sprinkle with peanuts and a sprinkle of salt.

3.             Roll the two sides of the rice wrapper inward and then flip the bottom over top the filling and roll forward. Place roll on a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat for the rest.

4.             Serve the rolls immediately with the peanut dipping sauce.

 

 

 

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Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

Print Recipe
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs red potatoes cut in half (unless they are tiny, in which case, leave whole)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup of sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
  • Coarse sea salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Handful of fresh chives

Method
 

  1. In a large pot, cover the potatoes with water and a lid and boil until fork tender. About 30 minutes or so depending on the size of your potatoes. Just test them with a fork every 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  3. Brush the bottom of a large baking sheet with olive oil.
  4. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet with a few inches of space between each one.
  5. Using a potato smasher, press each potato until the skin breaks and it resembles a lumpy potato cake.
  6. Brush the top of each potato with the melted butter.
  7. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes.
  9. Top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh chopped chives. Enjoy!.
  10. Recipe adapted from: foodfamilyfindscom

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Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

These meatless tacos feature spiced black beans and homemade mango-avocado salsa wrapped in fresh lettuce. Quick to prepare and bursting with flavor!

Yields: 6 tacos

Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

Print Recipe
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the tacos
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 onion finely diced (yellow or red)
  • 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed (or about 1 ½ cups cooked)
  • 6 leaves lettuce
  • For the taco seasoning or use 1/2 packet of your favorite non-MSG taco seasoning:
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup water
For the mango avocado salsa
  • 1 mango peeled and diced
  • 1 avocado peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cucumber peeled and diced
  • 1/2 jalapeño chilies seeds removed and minced
  • 1/4 sweet onion diced
  • 1 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. First prepare the salsa. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, combine all taco seasoning ingredients. The tacos come together quickly, so I like to do this before anything goes on the stove.
  3. Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add garlic and onion and sauté until soft, 4-5 minutes.
  4. Pour in black beans and taco seasoning and stir to coat. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until beans are heated through and some of the water is evaporated, 2-3 minutes.
  5. Serve with lettuce leaves to be used as taco shells and mango avocado salsa.

Notes

Enjoy!
Recipe source: http://www.coffeeandquinoa.com/2013/03/black-bean-lettuce-wrap-tacos-with-mango-avocado-salsa/

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A Salad of Nectarines and Asparagus

4 servings

A Salad of Nectarines and Asparagus

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small bunch asparagus sliced on the bias
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • Zest of one lemon reserve 1/2 lemon for juice
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5-6 cups mixed greens such as lettuces, spinach leaves, young kale, arugula
  • 2 nectarines thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 2-3 ounces Feta or Chèvre crumbled
  • 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • Parsley for garnish optional

Method
 

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the asparagus in one teaspoon oil, stirring occasionally, for about four minutes, until bright green. Add garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes and cook for one minute more. Turn off heat and finish with a squeeze of juice from half the lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  2. Make the dressing by whisking together the Balsamic vinegar with the shallot. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk vigorously until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. In a large salad bowl, toss the greens with the dressing. Top with the asparagus, Feta, chopped almonds and finish with slices of nectarine. Garnish with parsley if desired. Best when served immediately.
  4. Recipe adapted from theyearinfood.com

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The Avocado

It was almost embarrassing how giddy I was about the rows and rows of avocado trees that lined the slope at the house I stayed at in California. I became known as the girl who eats avocado for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.. What can I say? I love their wrinkled skin that hides a soft, citron flesh. The taste is like grassy butter that slathers beautifully on toast or is great eaten alone with a squeeze of lemon plucked from the tree nearby.

I justified my avocado binging by saying I was making up for lost time. You see I wasn’t always an avocado fanatic. My infatuation began with guacamole and now I’m perfectly happy with an avocado and a spoon. As an adult I can now appreciate all the health benefits that comes with eating avocados. They are packed with protein, help to regulate blood sugar levels and protect against many types of cancer. They are indeed high in fat but it’s the sort of fat your body needs. It’s the sort of fat that makes your skin glow, your hair healthy and can be a nutrient dense replacement for butter in many recipes.

An avocado is in its prime when a soft nudge against the dark skin yields slightly. It’s neither too firm nor too soft. The exterior is uniform in color and if you carefully take a peek under the little cap where the stem was once connected it should look bright and green. If it is brown than the avocado will be brown too. If you want to speed up the ripening, store the avocados in a closed brown paper bag. Throw a banana in the bag to really get things ripening quickly.

As I walked through those avocado trees and stood there starry eyed at those branches dripping from the weight of the fruit I couldn’t help but envy California and the sun that makes avocados so abundant. But perhaps I wouldn’t appreciate them as I do now because for me, they are a luxury and one that I don’t take for granted. So when an avocado is in the kitchen I do my best to make sure it remains the star of the dish.

Here are a few ideas to make an avocado shine in your kitchen:

 

Grapefruit Guacamole: Dice two ripe avocados and mix with diced segmented grapefruit. Add a squeeze of lime and 1/4 cup or so of finely diced red onion. Add salt then taste and adjust.

 

Avocado Salad with Orange, Olives and Mint: Serve sliced avocado along with peeled and sliced oranges. Top with pitted and chopped kalamata olives and garnish with fresh mint. Serve alongside grilled fish.

 

Avocado Ice Cream: Because of the fat content, avocados turn into a creamy ice cream. Blend avocado with coconut milk (and cream if you’d like), add a bit of sugar, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime. Freeze in your ice cream machine or turn it into popsicles. Avocados also make smoothies taste like a rich milkshake.

 

Chilled Avocado Soup

Serves 4

1 avocado

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or more)

2 tablespoons lime juice

salt and pepper

Blend the avocado with the broth, lime juice and a pinch of salt. Taste and add more salt and pepper to your liking.

Garnish with cilantro, diced mango, diced onion, sliced melon, chopped tomatoes or peppers.

Serve chilled as an appetizer or first course.

 

Ashley Rodriguez

Food Blogger

www.notwithoutsalt.com 

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Mango Cashew Chicken Recipe

B

etter than takeout. There’s nothing fried, and no MSG, or HFCS’d (high fructose corn syrup) included. And then we add the mango because mangos are extremely delicious this time of year.

Mango Cashew Chicken Recipe

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil sesame oil is good here if you have it
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped
  • 1-2 ripe mangos peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1/3 cup organic tamari soy sauce or liquid aminos, low sodium is best
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon chili sauce

Method
 

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, orange zest, maple syrup, peanut butter, and chili sauce until well combined (note: it’s okay if the peanut butter doesn’t incorporate all the way). Set aside.
  2. Add olive oil to a large wok or sauté pan and heat to medium-high.
  3. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to turn translucent, about 4 minutes.
  4. Add the bell pepper and garlic and sauté another 3 minutes
  5. Add the chopped raw chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
  6. Increase the heat to medium high and add the soy sauce and continue cooking, stirring frequently, allowing the mixture to boil about 3 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and add the chopped mango and cashews.
  8. Serve the cashew chicken over a long-grained rice such as volcano, or brown basmati rice. Serve with a side of greens. We’d suggest one of the leafy greens that came in your box of good this week.
  9. Recipe adapted from theroastedroot.net

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Collard Raab & Garlic Recipe

Collard raab? What on earth is that? Known also as rabe, this spring delicacy can also come from cabbage, kale, and broccoli. Raab is the result of over-wintered plants in the brassica family flowering and sending out their seed shoots. The result is a tender green superfoodx100.

Raab is most tender before its florets burst into a yellow or white flowers, and are a fantastic spring treat in stir-frys, raw in salads, added to soups, or on the grill. It can also be boiled, steamed, braised, or sauteed, and it pairs well with pastas, hot peppers, or spicy sausages.

This recipe is simple. Reminiscent of Italian sauteed greens, with a distinctive bite. The recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare and serves 4 to 6 people as a side.

Collard Raab & Garlic Recipe

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bunch collard raab
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 garlic cloves minced or pressed
  • 2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce

Method
 

  1. Wash the collard raab, chop, and set aside.
  2. Combine the water, garlic, and soy sauce in a pan. Bring to a boil, and then ease the in the collard raab.
  3. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes, until crisp-tender.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade

Rhubarb & Strawberry Lemonade

Makes around 8 cups of Lemonade

We’ve used raw honey here, but you can also replace it with raw cane sugar or grated palm sugar or maple syrup.

4 cups (1 lb.) rhubarb, chopped into 3/4-inch pieces

2 cups (12 oz.) strawberries, divided in half

3 inch ginger, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces

3/4 cup raw honey (add more if you prefer it sweeter)

1 vanilla pod, sliced open

4 cups water

1 lemon, peeled into strips

Juice from 1 lemon

20 fresh mint or 15 basil leaves

In a medium size saucepan, combine rhubarb, lemon strips, strawberries, ginger, honey, vanilla pod and water. Bring it to a boil and then lower the temperature. Add the lemon juice and the mint leaves. Simmer for 20-25 minutes while stirring occasionally. Strain the lemonade through a sieve, removing the pulp. Chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

If left in an air-tight container the lemonade can stay fresh for about a week. Serve in a pitcher with lots of ice, a handful of fresh rhubarb, strawberries and more slices of lemon.

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Baby Broccolini with Tangerine Sauce

Baby Broccolini with Tangerine Sauce

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Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Coarse salt
  • 1 bunch baby broccolini just the ends of the stems trimmed
  • Zest of ½ a tangerine about ½ teaspoon
  • 1/2 cup fresh Murcott tangerine juice
  • 2 shallots halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes optional
  • Grated parmesan cheese optional

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted (about ½ teaspoon salt) water to a boil. Cook broccolini until just tender (12 to 15 minutes). Drain. Transfer to a serving bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, combine tangerine juice, shallots, vinegar, and pepper flakes, if using. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup (3 to 4 minutes).
  3. Spoon sauce over baby broccoli, add the tangerine zest, toss gently.
  4. Serve and sprinkle with optional grated parmesan cheese.

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