Refreshing Cucumber Drink — Two Ways
Posted: August 20, 2012 Filed under: Cucumber, Honey, Strawberry, Uncategorized | Tags: Drinks, Smoothie Leave a commentThe first summer that we got a farm box from Genesis Growers, it was the summer of the cabbage. It felt like we were getting cabbage week after week after week. I had to get creative to figure out uses for cabbage night after night. Since then, I’ve cataloged cabbage recipes in preparation. However, almost disappointingly, this summer has not been the summer of the cabbage. Instead, it has been the summer of the cucumber…beautiful fresh cucumbers. And we just haven’t been able to keep up with them.
To quickly keep up with the cucumbers each week, I have made two different cucumbers smoothie recipes. The first is not very pretty, but it was darn good and a great way to get my vegetables in the morning. I found the idea on Joy The Baker and blended together frozen strawberries, almond milk, and a whole cucumber. It wasn’t very sweet, but it hit the spot that morning.
My second cucumber drink was icier and more refreshing. I found the idea somewhere online, but can’t remember where right now (call it “Tired Mommy Syndrome”). I blended together lots of ice, 1 whole cucumber, honey and lime juice. Voila! Instant icy treat to wash down our meal.
Now I am prepared for our next influx of cucumbers. When I just can’t get to them in time, I’ll be ready with some quick ideas to make my veggie drinkable.
I drank it before I could take a picture…frothy and soothing
Cool and refreshing on a hot summer’s day
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? Yes, and I have already.
FOR NEXT TIME: Use a bit more honey if not feeding to baby, makes it more palatable for the hubby.
WHAT DID BABY THINK? She tried the Strawberry Cucumber Almond Milk Smoothie. After a few seconds, I realized that I shouldn’t have given it to her since I hadn’t given her nuts yet and I remembered there was almond milk in it, but luckily she was fine. She thought it was really fun to drink and kept smiling.
Cabbage + Sausage
Posted: August 11, 2012 Filed under: Cabbage, Onion, Sausage, Uncategorized | Tags: Weeknight Meal Leave a commentOn this particular weeknight, I was exhausted and it was HOT outside. I did not want to spend much time standing at the stove. But…there was a head of cabbage in the fridge that needed to be cooked up. Two summers ago when we first got our CSA farm box from Genesis Growers, we got so much cabbage that we were “cabbaged” out by the end of the season. I tried SO MANY CABBAGE recipes and even found a few favorites (like this one), but none were calling to me that night (certainly not one of my many recipes for cabbage + white bean soup). I needed something fast and easy. I decided to try Farmer Vicki’s suggestion from her weekly email about the farm box to cook cook up the cabbage with onion and sausages.
I don’t make meat very often, usually about once/week and never more than twice/week. I keep Kosher meat frozen in the freezer and pull it out when needed. Lucky for us, I had some frozen Romanian garlic sausages and pulled two out for the quick meal.
Ingredients:
1 onion, halved then sliced into rounds
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 garlic sausages, sliced into rounds
Half head green cabbages, sliced into small pieces
Method:
1. Sautee onion, garlic, and sausage together in a pan. You do not need much oil–as you brown the sausage the fat will be released.
2. Add cabbage to the pan and cook until soft.
See….really really easy! I sometimes surprise myself when I make such an easy meal. I served this with corn from the farm box–some of the best corn I have ever eaten!
Chopped cabbage
Onion, Garlic + Sausage
Add the cabbage
Corn with Cabbage + Sausage
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? Maybe…it is a last resort since I don’t cook with meat very often.
WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENT: I might serve this over a baked potato…that would make it more hearty.
WHAT DID BABY THINK? She didn’t get to try it, it was eaten and finished while she was sleeping.
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Posted: August 11, 2012 Filed under: Basil, Cheese, Cream, Mushroom, Olive Oil, Pasta, Uncategorized 1 CommentI don’t cook pasta very often, so it seems funny to me to post a two pasta dishes in a row. I didn’t actually cook them two nights in a row…I think they were about two weeks apart.
We could smell the bushel of basil as soon as we got the vegetables home. I love the aroma of basil and it was calling out to me all week. “Make pesto,” it said. When I saw some leftover heavy cream in the fridge, I knew what I had to do. My very favorite restaurant dish from my childhood at Semolina’s Restaurant in New Orleans–creamy pesto bow ties.
Semolina’s was always a special treat and remember going most often with my high school friends. We would fill up on soft French bread and garlic butter, but leave enough space to lick up the bowl of creamy pesto. I don’t remember ever eating dessert there, we were always way too full. So, sometimes when I want to head back to that place I like to mix my pesto with cream.
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
High quality extra virgin olive oil
Handful Parmesan cheese
8 oz mushrooms (sliced)
Heavy cream (I used about 3/4 cup, but you can use what you like; half + half would also work here)
Bow tie pasta
Fresh tomato
Instructions:
Step 1: Make the pesto, by pulsing the basil, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan in food processor. I dropped the cheese straight into the dish.
Step 2: While cooking the pasta, sautee mushrooms in butter. After the mushrooms are soft, add the pesto and cream sauce to combine.
Step 3: Drain pasta and coat with pesto cream sauce. Incorporate fresh tomatoes.
Pasta, salad, and bread
Yum!
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? Absolutely.
TIPS FOR NEXT TIME: Fresh tomatoes are a great addition! Semolina’s always had a tomato sauce, but the fresh tomatoes were a perfect compliment to the cream. Remember to make garlic butter for the bread.
WHAT DID BABY THINK? She ate this up. She especially loved the mushrooms and tomatoes.
Perfect Pasta Primavera
Posted: August 10, 2012 Filed under: Cheese, Cream, Mushroom, Olive Oil, Onion, Pasta, Red Pepper, Squash | Tags: Pasta, vegetarian Leave a commentI had a lot of veggies in the fridge and hadn’t made pasta in a while, so I thought that a nice Pasta Primavera would be good for dinner. I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman. I had never made a recipe from this blog and thought it this recipe looked good enough to try with this week’s veggie box.
Kale, cucumber, blueberries, cherries, onions, squash, and potato
While the pasta boiled, I chopped up all my veggies. I didn’t have everything called out in The Pioneer Woman’s recipe, but chopped yellow squash, red onion, green onion tops, garlic, red pepper, and mushrooms (not from the farm box). I also had some herbs from the farm box.
Chopped vegetables
I sauteed these in butter and added in half + half, Parmesan cheese, broth, and basil. This was seriously rich and creamy. The perfect pairings for our perfect Pasta Primavera. I dumped the cooked whole wheat pasta spirals in and we were ready for business!
Pasta mixed with veggies and cream
I served the pasta with a cold salad of cucumber and tomato from the farmer’s market, topped with olive oil and feta cheese. This might seem like too much cheese in one meal, but we decided you really can’t have too much cheese on one plate.
Pasta Primavera with Cucumber, Tomato + Feta Salad
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? Yes
WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY: Not much, this was pretty darn good! Using half + half instead of the heavy cream was a fine choice.
This Blogging Thing is Hard
Posted: August 10, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentI love reading my favorite blogs and I get excited when I see that new posts are up. How do they do it? Some people make posts multiple times a day with videos and photos. It’s mind boggling!
I have diligently been taking photos for the past few weeks, but it really takes focus to set aside the time to upload my photos and write about them. Between working full time, spending time with the baby, keeping the condo in shape, and getting all my work done at night, I just haven’t had time. I am going to work on a system to make this happen. I’d like to blog on CSA night–to think about my new veggies and what I’ll do for the week. Then, I want to pick two-three meals to write about. I need to realize that every night is just too much and choose the best of the week to post on. I’m going to do my best to catch up on the best of the meals from the past few weeks and then I hope to get into my groove. Wish me luck!
In-House Bakery
Posted: July 12, 2012 Filed under: Bread, Buttermilk, Uncategorized Leave a commentI’m really lucky. Andy likes making bread…and I like eating it. As an engineer, something about the science of measuring out the ingredients and watching it rise is really fun for him. And I get to benefit from it! Here is a photo of his most recent bread — a buttermilk bread using the leftover buttermilk in the fridge. It was really tasty! It is perfect with butter and jam.
Baby finally eats…
Posted: July 12, 2012 Filed under: Baby Food, Squash, Uncategorized Leave a commentAs someone who loves cooking, it was really exciting when my baby started eating her first solids! Even the first purees were exciting for me. I steamed and pureed apple, pear, squash, and peas. She HATED the peas (I mean, would you like to eat mushy peas?), but gobbled everything else up. Now that we are onto chewing, making her food has gotten so much more fun. With our farm box, I get new vegetables every week to cook up for her. Last week, we got some adorable small summer squashes. I peeled them, chopped into small pieces, and sauteed in olive oil with garlic from Henry’s Farm at the Evanston farmer’s market and dried oregano from our spring farm box. The result? Perfect FINGER food for Baby N to munch on.
Summer squash!
Cooking the squash with garlic and oregano
Making Nava’s food for the week ahead of time! Steamed carrots, cooked squash, and white bean rosemary spread.
A Beautiful Green
Posted: July 7, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentSwiss chard can compete for most beautiful vegetable. The vibrant, brightly colored stalks always pleasantly surprise me when I pull them out. Not many other vegetables have the same range of hues–pinks, reds, yellow, dark green. Swiss chard is one of those vegetables that always seduces me at the farmer’s market–I buy it for the color…who doesn’t like pretty vegetables?
For my precious Swiss chard, I chose a recipe from Melissa Clark’s Cook This Now. I love this cookbook–I courted it from the library for about three months before giving in and buying it. It follows the year month by month and provides seasonal recipes. Basically, it is a one-stop shop for creative delicious recipes for my farm box. The “Bulgur Pilaf with Swiss Chard and Dried Apricots” is a Turkish-inspired recipe with a surprising flavor.
I had never cooked bulgur before, but was excited to give it a try. As soon as I tasted it, I realized why I had never cooked it before. I don’t like bulgur. Or to be more precise, I thought I didn’t like bulgur. I think I have had one too many bad taboulis at Middle Eastern restaurants. This freshly cooked bulgur with cinnamon and apricots was superb. I even put some of the grain mixture aside for the baby to eat, which she happily gobbled up all week.
Bulgur “Pilaf” with Swiss Chard and Dried Apricots
From Cook This Now by Melissa Clark
1 cup bulgar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup roughly chopped raw pistachios (I used pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped (I used the onion that was in my farm box that week)
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves chopped (I kept some stems, too pretty to trash)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Freshly squeezed lemon juice or pomegranate molasses (I used the molasses, what else am I using it for?)
1. Bring pot of salted water to boil. Add the bulgur and cinnamon and cook for about 9 minutes. Add the apricots and cook until bulgur is tender. Drain well and discard the cinnamon. (I accidentally cooked for too long, but it worked out fine…the water just evaporated).
- Bulgur + Cinnamon
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add the nuts, cumin, and some salt. Cook, stirring until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl. (I usually don’t waste time by transferring to a separate bowl, but this was well worth the extra step).
Following the directions to use butter
3. Wipe out the skillet (yes, still worth the extra time) with a paper towel. Return it to medium heat and add oil, garlic, and shallot. Add the charge, the remaining salt, and cook until chard is wilted. Melissa Clark says this should take about 3 minutes, but it took closer to 10 for my chard. Stir in the bulgur mixture and the nuts. Toss over heat until warmed through. Transfer to plates and drizzle. Top with a fried egg to make it a full meal.
Lovely looking vegetable
Didn’t I say it was lovely
Adding pomegranate molasses to the dish
With egg on top!
Hot Summer Day Salad
Posted: July 3, 2012 Filed under: Greens, Olive Oil, Salad, Uncategorized Leave a commentWhenever you land at the airport in New Orleans, you walk outside and are immediately hit by the thick air. You wade your way through the tangible, wet heat from the terminal to the waiting area, letting the moisture soak into your skin while you take it all in. Although I left New Orleans over ten years ago, I regularly visit my family and steep in air while I wait to be picked up.
So, last week when I stepped out of my well air-conditioned office building into this summer’s mid-western heat wave, I was hit by a familiar humidity. Like New Orleans, Chicago’s air was wet and tangible, soaking into my skin. It was the kind of heat that had my fellow office workers in uproar. The people that complain about weather year-round had something to say about this. But for me, it was rather comforting and comfortable, reminding me that I live in a city with four distinct seasons.
This evening, standing at the stove is the last thing that I want to do. Instead, I pull all of the vegetables out of the fridge to assess the situation. I decide to make an entree salad–filled with as many vegetables as I can fit or that make sense together. I have discovered that Andy doesn’t mind eating salad for dinner, as long as I make it substantial enough to be filling. Through trial and error, I realized that we need to have at least two proteins, such as avocado and black beans, in the salad to make it an entree fit for a dude.
Tonight I made two hard-boiled eggs and added a tin of oil-packed albacore tuna to the greens–making a really substantial meal. I also included chopped cucumber, heirloom tomato from Henry’s Farm at the Evanston Farmer’s Market, roasted red pepper, and red onion. At the last minute, I threw in some goat cheese. I think that there is some rule that says that you aren’t supposed to eat cheese with fish (except perhaps for lox and cream cheese), but I disregarded that rule tonight. I had picked up some herbed focaccia at the French Market at lunch and thought the cheese would pair nicely. I was right. But they key to making my salad “fantastic” (to quote Andy) is the homemade salad dressed. I read an article in today’s Slate about the importance of homemade salad dressing versus store bought–there is just no discussion on which is better. The homemade dressing wins by a long shot–I always make my own if I have time.
Easy vinaigrette makes the salad
Simple Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons vinegar (can use White Wine, Red Wine, or Balsamic)
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
fresh herbs, such as oregano, thyme, or rosemary
Really really good extra virgin olive oil (quality makes a BIG difference)
1. Combine the mustard and vinegar. Whisk together.
2. Season with garlic and herbs.
3. Add enough olive oil to cut through the vinegar, about 1/4 cup.
Plated salad + Focaccia bread
Farmer’s Market Tofu
Posted: June 28, 2012 Filed under: Marmalade, Salad, Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Tofu, Uncategorized Leave a commentOne of my favorite activities each weekend during the summer is wandering around our local Farmer’s Market in Evanston. Since we moved to Evanston five years ago, the market has gotten larger and more developed. This year there are even some tasty prepared foods–crepes, tamales, and smoothies in addition to several bakeries. We now have our favorite farms and usually know exactly where to go. This past week, we strolled by a booth that we had never stopped at, selling a range of organic micro-sprouts and this homemade tofu.
I like tofu for a quick weeknight meal–it doesn’t make a mess, requires very little cooking time, and melds well with any flavor. I usually like making my own sauces, so when I stumbled on this Hot and Sweet Marmalade Glazed Tofu on Veggie Belly I thought it would be perfect for this fresh tofu. One thing that really interested me with this post, is that Veggie Belly linked to a previous version of the same recipe from 2008 called Stick Orange Tofu Thins. Veggie Belly is a lovely blog, filled with a variety of Asian-inspired vegetarian recipes that fill my “one day I’ll make this” list. This post allowed me to see that not all food blogs start out as masterful pieces of art filled with sexy-beautiful-mouth watering-succulent-tempting food photography. Based on the images, writing, and layout from 2008 I can see that Veggie Belly has evolved tremendously. It gave me faith in my own efforts that one day this blog will evolve into something much better. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?
As a new blogger, there are so many things that I have to think about as I post. Do I need to show you all my ingredients used in my post? (I decided no, because I never pull everything together before I start cooking and I put things away as soon as I finish with them.) Do I need to show you a play by play of every cooking step? Am I permitted to type out someone else’s recipe as long as I attribute it to them or do I need to get permission from them? So many things to think about and learn…I feel like I’m in kindergarten again.
Hot + Sweet Marmalade Glazed Tofu
From Veggie Belly
1. Cut tofu into triangles. Since my tofu was quite moist, I decided to drain it for a few minutes on a paper towel.
2. I mixed up Veggie Belly’s delicious Hot + Sweet sauce while the tofu drained. This included:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons orange marmelade
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
cilantro for garnish
3. I browned the tofu in a pan. Unfortunately, I didn’t follow the instructions to use a non-stick pan, so my tofu stuck to the pan and did not get quite as crispy as it was supposed to.
4. I added the sauce as soon as the tofu seemed crisp enough and let it bubble and get a little bit thick.
5. I served with brown rice and a salad from the CSA farm box–lettuce, radishes, cucumber, and red onion. I whipped up an Asian inspired salad dressing with sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and chunky peanut butter.
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? Yes
TIPS FOR NEXT TIME: Remember to use a non-stick pan so that the tofu can get crispy. Use less hot sauce if you do not want it to be too spicy.
greensandgiggles 