Cabbage & Carrot Slaw

This tangy and flavorful slaw is visually pleasing and the perfect way to cheer-up your palette!  No mayo in this slaw, but lemon and garlic more than make up for it.  With red cabbage, carrots and lemon readily available right now, this dish can be thrown together easily. The sauce (minus the cabbage and carrots) can be used to dress other salads too such as a bean salad or other veggies too!
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 large (or 2 small) garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
3 cups mixture of shredded cabbage and carrots, ratio is up to you
2 Tbsp olive oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Allow to sit open at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Add the parsley, cabbage and carrots and toss well.  Add the olive oil, stir well then season to taste with salt if needed.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.  Enjoy!

Greens-n-Beans Soup

This hearty and down-to-earth soup is hard to stop eating, especially on a cold day! The broth is simple and absolutely delicious, perfect for simmering veggies and soaking up with bread.  Soups are great dishes to be creative and improvise with, so use what you have available and have fun! Using a basic broth (in this recipe, the first 9 ingredients) your soup will have fantastic flavor.
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, medium sized, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 - 14oz can of tomatoes, diced or pureed
6 cups broth or water (or a mixture of both)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp dried herb seasoning mix, or use what dried herbs you have available
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp salt and pepper each
1 bunch of greens (such as kale, chard, spinach, etc.), chopped into 1/2 inch slices
1 - 15oz can of beans (such as cannellini, kidney, etc.), drained and rinsed
1-1/2 cup diced potato (about 1-2 potatoes)
2 Tbsp fresh chopped herbs (such as basil, parsley, cilantro, etc.)
Shredded cheese for garnish, such as Parmesan

Heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion until soft, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.  Add the tomatoes and simmer about 5 minutes to concentrate the flavor.  Then add the broth or water, wine, dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, greens and stir well.  Cover, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans, potatoes and fresh herbs and simmer another 15 minutes or until beans and potatoes are tender. Adjust seasoning to taste.  Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread.  Enjoy!

Braised Red Cabbage

This method of braising red cabbage makes for a melt-in-your-mouth dish! Cabbage is a healthy and hearty veggie that has a fairly long shelf life in the fridge. You could also try adding shredded beets or other veggies. 
Serves about 3
Ingredients:
1/2 head red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, medium sized, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion for about 5 minutes to soften, add the garlic and saute another 1 minute.  Add the cabbage and saute about 3 minutes to slightly soften while stirring well.  Add the wine, bay leaf, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and stir well.  Cover and bring to a simmer over med-high heat then reduce heat to med-low for a slow simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the balsamic vinegar and simmer another 30 minutes, again stirring occasionally.  Remove cover and simmer to evaporate extra liquid, stirring frequently, if needed.  Enjoy! 

Wild Rice & Mushrooms with Domesticated Chicken Sausage & Veggies

This hearty rice dish is rich, earthy and versatile!  With wild mushrooms in season here, there are numerous types of mushrooms available at the local grocery store.  Forest Nameko mushrooms were used this time but you can substitute whatever you have available.  A hearty rice medley was used but you can use pure wild rice or some other type of mix. With added veggies and sausage this can easily be a main dish, feel free to improvise ingredients as needed.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients for rice:
1 cup wild rice or wild rice mix
2-1/2 cups broth or water, preferably broth (more or less liquid as needed according to directions)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp salt

For Sausage & Veggie Saute:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, medium sized, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 carrot, medium sized, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, chopped as needed
1/4 lb sausage link(s), diced
1 tsp dried herbs of your choice, such as a mix of thyme and oregano
1/2 cup peas (frozen)
1/2 cup water or broth, more as needed
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp hot sauce, Tabasco, etc. (optional, as needed)

Cook rice as directed on package with broth, bay leaf and salt.  I tend to cook wild rice for about 50 minutes then allow to rest/cool for about 5 minutes while covered. While rice is cooking, heat oil over medium heat in a separate pan and saute onion about 4 minutes to soften then add garlic for another 1 minute.  Stir in carrot, mushrooms and sausage and saute another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer (covered) for about 10 minutes.  Once rice is done, add to veggie mix and carefully distribute enough to mix well and heat throughout, adding broth or water if desired.  Season to taste.  Enjoy!

Romanesco with Tomato and Olives

 

Romanesco broccoli (aka Roman cauliflower) is an alien looking piece of produce!  Neon green, spiky trees protrude from a cauliflower-like head.  This dish is fun to make and to eat!  You can easily substitute cauliflower, broccoli, or some other fibrous veggie for this dish.  Serve with your favorite side to soak up the juices, such as bread, pasta or rice.

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, medium sized, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less depending on amount of heat you want) 

1 cup tomato, pureed or finely diced (canned or fresh)

1 cup water or stock

1 head of Romanesco, core removed and cut into individual "trees"

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 cup olives, preferably kalamata, quartered

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp salt

Heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion for about 5 minutes until softened.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 1 more minute.  Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well, cover and bring to a simmer over med-high heat.  Reduce heat to med-low and simmer for about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender.  Season with salt to taste, serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Hearty Greens with "Bacon" Ragout

This a juicy and yummy dish that can be made with any type of hearty greens! Turkey bacon was used here but other meats could be substituted too (bacon, sausage, etc.). Serve with bread, rice or pasta to soak up the juices.
Serves about 2
Ingredients:
1 bunch of hearty greens (kale, collard greens, chard), stems removed and chopped to 1 inch slices
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 strips of turkey bacon, about 1/4 lb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup water or broth, plus more if needed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp salt (as needed, depending on saltiness of meat used)

Heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute another 1 minute, then add the meat and cook (stirring frequently) until cooked to desired consistency, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the chopped greens, water or broth and tomato paste, stirring well.  Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for about 45 minutes or until greens are soft.  Stir occasionally and add more water or broth as needed.  Add salt to taste and serve.  Enjoy!

Carrot Yogurt Salad (Haydari in Turkish)

This is a creamy carrot salad with raw garlic to add some kick!  My mother-in-law taught me this dish and we eat it a lot at home. With carrots in season, it is an easy side dish to put together.  You can also add zucchini to the carrots which makes a nice mix.
Serves about 2.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
3 Tbsp veggie oil
1 cup plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt

Heat the oil over medium heat and add the carrots.  Stir frequently for about 10 minutes to soften the carrots without browning them.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes.  Once cool, combine the sauteed carrots, yogurt, garlic and salt and mix well. Season with more salt if desired.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.  This goes well with pita chips, spicy foods or many other dishes.  Enjoy!

Creamy Potato and Leek Soup with Beans and Broccoli

Potato and leek soup is amazing on its own!  This time I added some beans and broccoli for a more hearty soup.  You can also substitute onions for leeks and use other veggies beside broccoli. The use of an immersion blender (a recently purchased tool for me) makes pureeing much easier than cooling and blending the mix.
Serves about 4
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups chopped leeks, white and soft green part only (about 3 leeks)
4 cups of water or broth
3 cups potato, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 3 medium potatoes)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup milk
1 15 oz. can of beans, (preferably white beans such as navy or cannellini) drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen), florets and stems
shredded cheese for garnish

Heat the oil over medium heat, add the garlic and stir constantly for about 1 minute.  Add the leeks and saute another 1 minute, then add the water or broth, potatoes, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning and stir well. Cover and bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to med-low and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until all is tender.  If you have an immersion blender, use it to puree the mix. Otherwise cool the soup 1 hour or more and puree in a blender, in batches if necessary filling only half way per batch (the first part can be done ahead of time, 1-2 days and kept in fridge before pureeing).  Return to pan if necessary and add the milk, beans and broccoli and return to a simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes uncovered.  Adjust liquid content to desired thickness (add water to liquefy or simmer longer for a thicker soup). Season to taste. Serve with bread for dipping and shredded cheese on top, such as Parmesan or Swiss.  Enjoy!

Crabby Carrot Cakes with Yogurt Sauce

Crab cakes are always a hit and with both crabs and carrots in season here, these crabby carrot cakes are a good mix!  You can serve with your favorite crab cake sauce or the Turkish yogurt sauce used here - cacik.

Serves about 2-3.

Ingredients for cakes:

1/2 cup bread crumbs or finely ground crackers

1/4 onion, finely chopped

1/4 bell pepper, any color, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup mayo

1 egg

1 cup shredded carrots

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp mustard

1/2-1 tsp hot sauce (depending on how much heat you want)

1/2 tsp salt

juice from 1/2 lemon

1 lb. crab meat, shells removed and pulled apart

3 Tbsp veggie oil for frying, more if needed

For Cacik sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 medium size cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Mix well all the ingredients for the cakes except for the crab meat and oil.  Crumble in the crab meat and stir well, mixture will be wet. For cacik, mix all ingredients well and set aside before serving. Heat oil in pan or griddle, over medium heat (or 400F on the griddle).  Form patties of mixture and place directly on heated pan, cook about 5-7 minutes on each side or until browned and firm, using oil as needed to prevent sticking.  Serve with sauce. Enjoy!

Turkish Style Red Lentil Soup (Mercmek Corbasi)

This is a delicious, warming and filling soup that can be an appetizer (Turkish style) or as a main course with bread and salad.  Red lentils are commonly used but other colors can be used as well.
Serves 3-4.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 tsp cumin
2 carrots, medium sized, peeled and chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
4 cups water
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1/4 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on how much heat you want)
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried mint
Juice from 1/2 lemon

Heat the oil over medium heat and saute onion for about 4 minutes until soft.  Add the chopped garlic and cumin and saute another 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the mint and lemon) and bring to a boil over med-high heat, then reduce to med-low and simmer covered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, to soften lentils (this time will vary with different types of lentils).  This first part could be done 1 or 2 days ahead of time and kept in fridge. Next, puree the soup, either use an immersion blender or in a blender. If using a blender cool about 1 hour before blending, briefly puree in blender, for about 5 seconds (in batches, filling blender only halfway per batch).  The soup should have a slight lentil texture so you shouldn't puree too long.  After pureeing, transfer back to soup pan (if necessary) and add the mint and lemon juice. Reheat over medium heat, simmering and stirring for about 10 minutes.  Add more water if you would like to liquefy the soup more. Season with more salt to taste if needed.  Serve with lemon wedges and red pepper flakes as condiments. Enjoy!

Pasta with Winter Greens and Cured Meat

Pasta tossed with wilted greens and cured meat is an incredible combination!  Adding some garlic, pepper and other flavors compliment the greens.   This dish used rapini (broccoli rabe) for the greens, but could be substituted for other winter greens such as kale, chard, collard greens, etc.  Turkey pastrami was used for the cured meat but bacon, ham or pancetta could also be used.
Serves about 3
Ingredients:
1/2 lb pasta of your choice (small penne in this case)
1 bunch greens (rapini, kale, chard, collard greens, etc.)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/2 pepper of your choice (bell, Anaheim, etc.), finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 lb cured meat, diced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup water or broth (approx)
1/4 tsp salt (more or less depending on type of meat using)
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)


Trim the greens to remove most of the stems.  Steam or boil until soft, the time will depend on the type of green in use, but probably for 3-5 min.  Remove from heat and rinse with cold water immediately.  Chop into 1/4 inch slices and set aside.  Cook pasta about 1 min less than the package directions (the pasta will cook more with the sauce after boiling). Make the sauce, heat olive oil over medium heat  and saute onion and pepper for about 4 min, then add garlic for another 1 min. Add red pepper flakes for about 30 seconds then add the cured meat and stir well for about 2 min.  Add the tomato paste and about 1/2 cup water (or broth or pasta water), stir and simmer to distribute.  Add the steamed and cut greens (adding more water if necessary), cover and simmer about 3 min.  Add cooked pasta to the mix and toss well, cover and cook about 3 min.  Uncover and toss more, serve hot and topped with fresh shredded cheese.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Cookies

These are delicious fall cookies that are moist, yet light and fluffy!  A light orange glaze on top adds a sweet and slightly citrus flavor.
Makes about 2 -2.5 dozen cookies
Ingredients for cookies:
1-1/4 cup flour
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup cooked and pureed sweet potato
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp orange juice

For icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp orange juice
1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves by either sifting together and/or mixing well.  In a separate bowl, mix together the other ingredients with a mixer.  After the wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add the dry ingredients and gently stir well to evenly disperse.  Spoon teaspoon size drops onto cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Bake 12-15 min until golden brown.  While cookies are baking, whisk together the icing and set aside. Remove cookies from oven and cool slightly, then transfer to a cool surface or cooling rack.  Drizzle icing on top while warm and allow cookies to cool completely. Enjoy!

Fruit Crisp

I used to make apple crisp a lot as a teenager and it was always a hit!  This is a modified recipe with nuts, less butter and a marinade for the fruit. I like to use a mix of fruits for more flavor, such as the sweet and tangy mix of apples with plums.  Basically any fruit works well for this recipe, even dried fruit. Usually I use cinnamon and cloves to season this dessert, but feel free to experiment with other sweet spices such as nutmeg and allspice (in 1/4 tsp increments).
Fills a 8x8 or 9x9 pan.
Ingredients for Fruit Mix:
4 cups of chopped fruit (in this case I used 2 types of apples and raisins)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup sugar (more or less depending on sweetness of fruit being used)
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp each cinnamon and cloves, or other sweet spices as you wish

Ingredients for Crisp Topping
3/4 cup oats
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts of your choice (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.)
1/4 tsp each cinnamon and cloves, or other sweet spices as you wish
3 Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp veggie oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare fruit as needed (peel, chop, etc.) and mix well with the other fruit mix ingredients, set aside.  In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients for the crisp topping.  Add the butter and oil and mix thoroughly, using your hands towards the end to get a good crumbly mixture.  Toss fruit mix again and add to a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan, top evenly with crisp topping.  Bake for about 45 min until crisp is golden brown and fruit mix is bubbly.  Serve warm or cool with vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy!

Seafood Stew

It's crab season in this area and thanks to our friend Victor, we had 2 lovely crabs to eat.  With the weather being cool and rainy, a flavorful seafood stew was just the medicine!
Serves about 4.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14.5 oz canned, diced tomatoes (or 2-3 diced tomatoes)
3 cups water or broth
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1 12 oz beer
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 bell pepper, any color, finely chopped
1/2 cup peas
1/2 lb seafood of your choice, cleaned and diced (crab, shrimp, fish, etc.)
pinch of saffron threads
juice from 1/2 lemon

Heat the oil over medium heat, saute the onion and celery for about 5 min to soften then add garlic for another minute.  Add the tomatoes, water or broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, red pepper flakes and salt and bring to a boil (covered) over med-high heat.  Reduce heat to med-low for about 45 min then cool.  After cooling at least 1 hr (this first part could be done 1 or 2 days ahead of time and kept in fridge), transfer to a blender and puree well (in batches if necessary, filling blender only halfway), then transfer back to soup pot. Mix beer and bread crumbs in blender and puree well, then add to soup pot mix along with bell pepper, peas, seafood, saffron and lemon. Bring to a simmer over med heat and simmer for about 10 min (uncovered) stirring frequently. Season with salt to taste and serve with some crusty bread.  Enjoy!

Indian Spiced Greens and Lentils (Dahl)

You won't be able to keep your spoon out of this flavorful and spicy lentil dish!  Any leafy green (chard, kale, spinach, etc.) or lentil (any color, or beans too!) can be used for this recipe. You can other veggies too such as carrot, peppers, potatoes, etc.
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp veggie oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp ginger, peeled (about 1 inch piece) 
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, coriander, turmeric
1 tomato, diced or 1/2 cup canned diced tomato
3 cups water (more if needed)
1 cup lentils, rinsed
1 bunch greens (chard in this case, but can use kale, spinach, etc.), stems removed and finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/2 tsp garam masala spice mix (optional, if available)

Finely chop or puree in food processor the onion, garlic and ginger.  Heat oil over med-high heat and add mustard seeds, allow to sputter while mostly covering the pan with a lid or splatter guard.  Once sputtering stops (about 1 min, before the seeds become burnt), reduce heat to medium and add the onion mix puree and saute about 3 min, stirring constantly. Add spices and saute 1 min to release aromas.  Add the tomato and saute about 4 min, then add the lentils, water, greens and salt.  Cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat to med-low to simmer, about 45 min-1 hr until lentils are soft. Add coconut and garam masala.  Simmer uncovered, adding water if necessary for desired consistency, for about 5 min. Season to taste. Serve with rice or bread.  Enjoy!

Spiced Winter Veggie Soup

This is a creamy and delicious soup that is vegetarian and is a great way to use winter veggies! The ginger and Indian style spices add a nice flavor, if you don't have everything available feel free to improvise. The soup is pureed after cooking so chopping the veggies is easier.
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, pealed and chopped
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, curry and coriander (if you have the seeds, feel free to toast and grind them fresh)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
4 cups water or broth
4 cups chopped veggies, including potato for creaminess (in this case carrots, potato, leek, celery, but could also use squash, etc.)
1/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oil over medium heat in soup pan.  Add onion and saute about 4 min, then add garlic and ginger for another 1 min. Add spices and saute another min to release aroma.  Stir in water, tomato paste, veggies, salt and pepper.  Cover, bring to a boil over med-high heat then reduce heat and simmer over med-low heat for about 30 min until the veggies are tender.  Remove from heat and cool for about 1 hour or more (this first part could be done 1 or 2 days ahead of time and kept in fridge). Puree the soup in a blender (in batches if necessary, only fill blender 1/2 full), reheat on the stove over medium heat and season to taste or add water if needed. Garnish with parsley or cilantro if desired.  Enjoy!

Spinach and Turkey Quiche

This quiche is very delicious and versatile! It can be put together fairly quickly too. Feel free to use other veggies and meat (or omit meat).
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh spinach leaves or 1-1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, any color, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb cooked turkey, diced
5 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1/2 cup shredded cheese, preferably Swiss or Parmesean
1 - 9" frozen pie crust, thawed (or make your own)

Preheat oven to 375F. Press pie crust to pie pan. Heat olive oil over medium heat, saute pepper and onion for about 4 min until softened then add garlic for 1 more minute.  Add the spinach to the onion mix, rotating stirring and covering until all leaves are wilted or heated through.  Layer the spinach, onions, pepper and garlic mix on the bottom of the pie crust.  Sprinkle the turkey on top, then the cheese.  Using a blender, mix the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and seasoning.  Pour the egg mixture over the other ingredients in the pie pan.  Bake for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top.  Cool about 5 min before cutting.  Enjoy!

Shrimp and Bok Choy Stir Fry with Fried Rice

We have been getting a lot of bok choy this fall from our produce delivery service and Asian style cooking is the best way to use it!  You can use other veggies and protein in place of the bok choy and shrimp as stir fries are very versatile. Fried rice is a delicious accompaniment and is a good way to use up leftover rice. 
Serves about 3-4.
Ingredients for Stir Fry:
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and tail removed
1 Tbsp dry white wine (or rice wine if available)
2 Tbsp flour or cornstarch, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 Tbsp veggie oil, divided
1 inch piece of ginger, pealed and finely chopped
2 garlic gloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (for some heat, optional)
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice Mix (optional, if you have it on hand)
2 bunches of bok choy, chopped into 1 inch pieces
4 ounces of mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 water

Mix shrimp with wine, 1 Tbsp flour/cornstarch and 1/4 tsp salt and set aside to marinade briefly while preparing veggies.  Heat 1 Tbsp veggie oil over med/med-high heat and add shrimp, sauteing until cooked then remove from pan.  Heat the other 1 Tbsp of oil and add the ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes and Chinese 5 spice mix to the oil.  Stir for about 1-2 minute to soften but not burn. Add the bok choy and mushrooms and stir well.  Add the water and soy sauce and cover for about 5 minutes to soften veggies.  Remove cover and stir in remaining 1 Tbsp flour/cornstarch, stirring well, then add shrimp and remaining 1/4 tsp of salt.  Simmer for about 3 minutes to thicken and distribute flavors.

For Fried Rice:
2 cups cooked and cooled rice
1 Tbsp oil, sesame if available
1/4 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup peas
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 Tbsp soy sauce

Cook the carrots and peas by simmering in water about 7 minutes, drain and set aside.  Heat the oil over medium heat and saute onion for about 3 minutes until softened.  Add the garlic clove for another minute.  Add the cooked carrots and peas for about 30 seconds then crack the egg into the mixture.  Stir quickly to scramble and distributed the cooked egg, stir in the salt.  Stir in the rice, then add the soy sauce and stir well. Continue stirring and resting for about 5 minutes to heat thoroughly and distribute flavors.

Enjoy!

Tilapia Fish Cakes with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

These fish cakes are delicious and fresh tasting, with a light fish flavor from the tilapia, and plenty of veggies!  Serve with your favorite crab cake toppings, such as flavored mayo.  In this case we made a cucumber yogurt sauce - "cacik" in Turkish - to accompany the cakes.
Serves about 3.
Ingredients for Fish Cakes:
4 Tilapia fillets, medium sized
1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper for fish
1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black or cayenne pepper
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp mayo
water for patty forming, if necessary
Veggie oil for frying, about 4 Tbsp

For Cacik topping:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 medium size cucumber pealed and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt

Heat the oven to 375F.  Drizzle tilapia with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake on baking sheet about 10 minutes until cooked but not browning (you want the fish to stay moist or patty forming will be difficult).  Remove from oven and cool.  Mix the remaining ingredients well (except veggie oil) then crumble in the cooled tilapia and mix well.  Form into patties, if patties crumble add a little water to each patty.  Place patties in fridge for about 1 hour to firm up.  Meanwhile make the cacik (if using) and place in fridge for flavors to mingle. Heat the veggie oil over medium heat in pan or electric griddle. Cook each patty about 4 minutes on each side, until browning.  Add more oil to pan as needed.  Serve with cacik or favorite toppings and lemon wedge.  Enjoy!

Beef and Veggie Ragout

A ragout is a nice saucy dish that isn't quite a soup but is great for dipping bread into or serving with rice, potatoes, or pasta.  This is also a great way to use veggies that are about to go bad.
Serves about 4 people
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb. cubed beef
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 cup chopped veggies, carrots and mushrooms in this case (can also use peppers, peas, celery, greens, etc.)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp dried thyme or dried herb of your choice (oregano, rosemary, ect.)

3/4-1 cup water or broth
1 Tbsp flour

Heat the oil over medium heat.  Dry the meat cubes with towels and place in pan, browning each side (about 2-3 min per side).  Work in batches if necessary so the pan is not too crowded. Remove beef from pan and set aside.  Add onion to pan and saute until soft (about 4 min) then add the garlic for 1 more minute.  Add the tomato and simmer about 5 minutes then add the veggies, tomato paste, seasonings and stir well.  Add the beef back to the pan and add water/broth until the beef and veggies are almost covered.  Cover and bring to a simmer over med-high heat then reduce heat to med-low/low.  Cook for about 45 minutes until veggies and beef are tender.  Gently whisk in flour to sauce and stir to distribute.  Simmer uncovered about 5 more minutes or until desired thickness is reached.  Enjoy!

Potato Pancakes

These savory pancakes are so good, we could eat them every week! You can substitute zucchini squash for some of the potatoes. 

Serves about 4. 

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes, pealed and shredded (shred by hand or used shredding attachment on food processor)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 medium onion, finely diced

1 egg

1/3 cup flour
2 Tbsp shredded cheese, such as Parmesan 
1/4 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp black or cayenne pepper (depending on amount of heat you want)
4 Tbsp veggie oil, divided
Toppings of your choice, such as shredded cheese or sour cream

Mix together the potatoes, garlic, onion, egg, flour, cheese, salt, pepper and 1 Tbsp of oil.  Mixture will be liquidy.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes if you have the time.  Heat remaining oil in pan or griddle over medium heat.  A large electric griddle works well for this, otherwise if using a stove top pan, use about half the oil for each batch and add as needed to prevent sticking.  Mix well and scoop onto hot pan with soup ladle, collecting potatoes and liquid evenly, and even out pancake thickness.  Cook about 3-4 minutes on each side, until crispy and golden brown.  Serve with your favorite potato toppings.  Enjoy!

Lavash Bread Margherita Pizza

 

This is a light, yet filling and tasty pizza on lavash bread that can be put together fairly quickly. 
Serves 1-2 people
Ingredients:
1 piece of lavash bread, about 10x15 inches
2 oz. goat cheese (about 2 solid Tbsp)
1/2-3/4 cup shredded Italian style cheese of your choice (mozzarella, Parmesan, etc.)
1-2 medium sized tomatoes
1-1/2 Tbsp fresh basil, sliced
1/4-1/2 tsp dried Italian herb mix
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1-1/2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F. Start by dicing tomatoes (if not organic tomatoes, peeling is a good idea too), place them in a colander and salt liberally, about 1/2 tsp.  Allow to sit for about 15 minutes while juices drain and flavors concentrate.  Meanwhile, carefully spread goat cheese evenly over lavash bread leaving a 1 inch edge for a crust. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of goat cheese.  Toss tomatoes with basil, herbs, remaining salt and red pepper flakes (if using) and spread evenly over cheeses.  Drizzle top with olive oil.  Bake on a jelly roll pan for about 10-15 minutes until edges becomes darker and pizza is crisp.  Enjoy!

Curry and Coconut Chicken over Indian Spiced Potatoes and Cabbage

This is a very flavorful dish and is always a hit at our house!  The chicken and potatoes can be made and served separately to accompany other meals or sides if you wish.
Serves about 4 people
For Chicken Saute:
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 lb chicken thighs, about 3 thighs (preferably organic - much more flavorful!)
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced (you can substitute other veggies here too, be creative :)
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp curry powder
2 tomatoes, diced with juices
2 Tbsp shredded coconut, unsweetened 
1 cup water or broth for simmering
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, divided (or to taste)
1 Tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 400F.  Rub chicken thighs in 1 Tbsp olive oil and season with about 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, bake for about 15 minutes then set aside to cool. Dice thighs into about 1/2 inch cubes once cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, in remaining olive oil saute onion and pepper or other veggies over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes then add garlic for 1 more minute.  Add cumin, coriander and curry then stir for another minute to saute spices.  (If you have cumin and coriander seeds, then by all means toast and grind them for this recipe - it will add a lot!) Add tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add cubed chicken thighs, and about 1 cup of water or broth. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes. Remove cover and add remaining salt and pepper (to taste) and coconut, simmer another minute.  Then add flour to the pan, whisk to disperse well, simmer to thicken a couple minutes then turn heat to low.

For Indian Spiced Potatoes and Cabbage:
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 onion, sliced
2-3 medium potatoes, sliced and diced
1/4-1/2 medium sized cabbage, sliced
1/4 tsp salt (more or less to taste)

Heat the oil in a skillet (with tall sides preferably) over med/med-high heat.  Once hot, add the mustard seeds and allow to sputter, use splatter guard or partially covering lid to prevent airborne seeds.  Once seeds stop sputtering and they turn dark (but not burnt), add turmeric and saute 1 minute.  Add onion and saute for another 2 minutes then add potatoes, cabbage and salt.  Stir well and cover to steam/roast veggies, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking to bottom of pan.  Veggies should be tender after about 10 minutes. Add more salt if desired.

Plate potatoes and cabbage on bottom, covered with the saucy chicken and serve with some warm naan.  Yummy! Enjoy!

Pasta with Pesto, Green Beans and Potatoes

This is a hearty, delicious and healthy veggie dish that can lighten up your evening with the colorful green beans and pesto!
Ingredients:
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 lb pasta of your choice (orecchiette in this case)
1-2 medium size potatoes, pealed and diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1/2-3/4 cup Hearty Greens Pesto (see recipe from 10/19/10)
salt and pepper
shredded cheese for sprinkling on finished dish, such as parmesan

Steam the green beans until tender, about 10-15 minutes, and set aside.  Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes until tender, add garlic for another 1 minute. While the onions are cooking, start boiling the pasta according to the package directions. Add diced potatoes to onions and garlic and stir well then add about 2-3 Tbsp of water and cover to steam/fry potatoes. Check and stir occasionally so they don't stick to bottom of pan, add more water if necessary.  When the potatoes are tender, about 5-10 minutes (depending on size of chunks, check with fork), add the green beans and stir well. Drain and add pasta, stir well with beans and potato mix, then add pesto and toss.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm with sprinkled cheese. Enjoy!

Tomato Bruschetta Salad

I LOVE the combination of tomato and basil!  Basil can be grown basically year-round (indoors in the winter) and this method of salting the tomatoes can make winter tomatoes taste summer fresh. With some warm crusty bread, this dish can be a fantastic appetizer or side but I could eat it alone too :)
Ingredients:
3 medium tomatoes, diced (preferably pealed too if not organic)
salt and pepper
1-2 Tbsp fresh basil, sliced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil

Place diced tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle liberally with salt, about 1/2 tsp, and mix.  Allow to sit for about 15 minutes while juices drain.  This will concentrate the flavor but will not make the tomatoes overly salty. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl and add basil, vinegar and oil, and about 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Mix well and taste, add salt and pepper to your liking.  Enjoy with some bread to soak up the juices!

Classic Guacamole

This is a classic dish that makes a great appetizer or snack with some tortilla chips.  We are lucky to be in California where ripe avocados are readily available. Serves 2.
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
2 Tbsp finely diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 green bell pepper, diced (anaheim or jalapeno peppers could be used too)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 medium tomato, diced

Combine all the ingredients except tomatoes.  Mash the ingredients together with the back of a fork until combined, I like to leave the avocados a little chunky.  Add the tomatoes and combine gently with a spoon. Serve freshly made as avocados tend to turn brown fast.  You can slow the oxidation by placing an avocado pit in the middle of the guacamole.  Enjoy!

Hearty Greens Pesto

I love making pesto with greens other than basil!  This recipe can be used for chard, collard greens, kale, broccoli or whatever hearty greens you have on hand when you are craving pesto. Recipe makes enough for about 1 lb. of pasta.

Ingredients:
1 bunch of chard, collard greens, etc
6-7 pickled green olives, no pimentos or seeds
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp nuts (either pine nuts, walnuts, cashews, etc.)
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Stem the greens and cook in boiling water or steam for 5-10 minutes or until softened.  Drain, rinse and chop the greens, place in food processor along with the other ingredients, puree well, intermittently stirring as needed.  Toss with favorite pasta or use as a bread/chips spread.  Enjoy!

Garlic Bread Spread

This is a spread that makes fantastic garlic bread!
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper
grated cheese (optional) 

Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan and lightly cover (with venting area).  Heat to a simmer over med-low heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Brush onto favorite bread and sprinkle grated cheese on top if you wish.  Heat in 400F oven until bread is crusty and cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes.  Remaining sauce will keep in the fridge for about 1 week, it can also be used for dredging veggies and meat before roasting or other seasoning! Makes enough for about 1 medium size baguette, slides in half lengthwise.

Lovely Leafy Green Salad

Most of our dinners are accompanied by a salad made with whatever leafy greens we have.  This one had chopped spinach, radish greens, cilantro, cucumber, red onion and radishes.  The dressing was olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, salt & pepper.  Some warm bread is always welcome too!

Chicken thighs with mushrooms, leeks and bell peppers

This is a flavorful, saucy dish that goes great with warm, crusty bread to soak up the deliciousness!
Serves 3-4.
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 lb chicken thighs, about 3 thighs
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning mix, divided
1/4-1/2 tsp each salt & pepper, divided (or to taste)
1 leek, white part only, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup stock or water
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.  Rub chicken thighs in 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp each Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Roast uncovered in oven about 15 minutes, remove and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut into 1 inch cubes.  Meanwhile, saute leeks and pepper in remaining oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 more minute, then add mushrooms and stir well for1 minute.  Add stock or water, cubed chicken, remaining Italian seasoning, tomato paste and mustard.  Bring to a gentle boil over med-high heat then reduce heat to med-low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes.  Remove cover and whisk in flour and stir well. Simmer to desired sauciness, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed.  Enjoy!

Turkish Style Green Beans

This is a very flavorful dish best served chilled!
Serves about 4.
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut in about 2 inch pieces
3 medium tomatoes, diced or 14 oz diced canned tomatoes
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of sugar
1 cup water

Directions:
Saute the chopped onion over medium heat in the olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for another minute, then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil over med-high heat, reduce heat to med-low and simmer covered for about 2 hours stirring occasionally. I know this sounds cruel to subject innocent green beans to such heat, but this dish tastes best with soft green beans rather than crunchy ones.  After beans are softened, remove cover and allow some liquid to reduce.  The dish should be slightly saucy, but not too much.  Like mentioned above, this can be eaten warm but tastes better cold.  Usually I make this the night before I want to eat it and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Enjoy!

The first post

Our produce is delivered every Friday, which I look forward to with anticipation to see what they bring : )  This week the veggies include leeks, green beans, kale, rapini, sweet peppers, spinach, radishes, chard, tomatoes, cilantro and potatoes.  A lot of leafy greens for this week's menu, stay tuned!