Kohlrabi--Friend or Foe?

From FarmgirlFare.com

Our CSA Season has started again-- FINALLY! I didn't realize how lost I was without it. Now that we're back in full swing, I love the assortment of greens and veggies that I find like treasures in my box each week. 

Well, I love most everything I find. I always seem to forget about the satellite-like space ship kohlrabi (doesn't it look like it's about to take off and start spinning around uncontrollably?) until it's purple bulb is staring me in the face reminding me of our contentious relationship from last season.

But today, I am claiming an unbelievable shift in our relationship. I discovered that the combination of kohlrabi and blueberries is really quite lovely. Maybe more than lovely. Dare I say delicious? Yep--think I'm going there, because I can't stop eating this salad I threw together in 7 minutes.

So, if you have had a sketchy relationship with kohlrabi in the past, I hope this little gem will put things right between the two of you. And if you've never tried kohlrabi, get on down to your local farmer's market and get some along with some blueberries and enjoy this treat--you'll be glad you did!

Ingredients
3 T olive oil
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 t honey
sprinkle of salt
2 kohlrabi bulbs, skin removed and shredded
2-3 carrots, washed and shredded
3-4 kohlrabi greens, washed and finely chopped
1.5 cups fresh blueberries, washed

Directions

1. Shake first four ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid and set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste (I added zero, my husband added both).
5. Enjoy!

Carrot Soup for a Rainy Day

It has been a wet, cold day, and I've been home with a sick child. When given the opportunity to choose between chicken/beets/greens and carrot soup, he chose the soup (and we've never made it before). So grateful to be led down this road--it was just what we needed to nourish us both.

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, thoroughly rinsed in a fine mesh strainer
2 cups water
1 T Garlic Grapeseed Oil* or other high heat oil
1/2 Vidalia onion, roughly chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 T ground cumin
1 T turmeric
4-5 carrots, roughly chopped
3-4 beet green stems (optional), rough chopped
handful of beet greens (or other green)
4- 6 cups stock or water (or combination of the two)
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
raw pumpkin seeds (or sesame seeds or walnuts), dry roasted in a skillet
fresh, flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (cilantro would be yummy, too!)
*email here to order

Directions

1. Place rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water in saucepan with tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
2. While quinoa cooks, place oil in bottom of soup pot and turn heat to medium. Once the pot warms, add the onion followed shortly by the garlic. Saute together for 3-4 minutes on medium-low.
3. Add cumin and turmeric and coat well.
4. Add carrots, beet stems, beet greens, and stock. Turn heat to medium/medium-high until it just boils, then reduce to simmer and cook 20 minutes or so, until veggies are soft.
5. Add quinoa to soup pot followed by ginger, salt, and pepper. 
6. Use an immersion blender to blend all ingredients together to a smooth consistency. Add stock or water as necessary. Taste, adjust seasonings and blend one last time.
7. Top individual servings with parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
8. Freeze leftovers to pull out for the next rainy day.

Pleasantly Pleasing Pasta

I'm working diligently this week and next cleaning out my freezer, fridge, and pantry. The project is long overdue, but something I like to try to do a couple of times a year, especially as seasons change. So last night I dug deep and threw together a pasta salad--from ingredients I had in the house--and it came out quite yummy.
I'll organize the ingredients by where I found them, but don't really have measurements or how much--I just used what I had.

For the Dressing:
I made a basic vinaigrette with ume plum vinegar, olive oil, and whole grain mustard. In the end I squeezed lemon over the salad, too, and in hindsight probably should have made a lemon vinaigrette, but the ume plum vinegar is one of my faves, so I use it every chance I get.

From the Freezer (finding more good stuff here):

• about a cup of corn 
• about a cup of green peas
• I tossed these with the hot pasta and let them thaw while the pasta cooled.

From the Fridge:

• couple of carrots, chopped
• some celery, chopped
• some chives, chopped
• some red onion, chopped
• a handful of kale, finely chopped (great way to add greens to just about anything)
• slivered almonds sprinkled on top

From the Pantry

• Eden Organic whole grain pasta (I always have some on hand--it's good stuff!)
• 2 cans tuna
• salt and pepper to taste

From the Heart:
Lots of Vitamin L(ove)!

Chick Pea Spring Salad

Let me start by saying I have already made this recipe twice--in one week. I foresee this one becoming a regular in our spring and summer rotation. I'm not sure whether it's the avocado (healthy, yummy fat) or the Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil (another great fat source) or the fresh cilantro and salad greens (I love our Farmer's Market!), but whatever it is, it's a total party in my mouth. And with spring in full swing, I'm ready for a party to celebrate the change in seasons!

Ingredients
1/4 cup Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil (email here to order)
2 T rice vinegar
1-2 t honey
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 generous t coriander
1/4 generous t cumin
1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes (optional or to taste--be careful, a little goes a long way!)
2 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, shredded or chopped
1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
juice of 1 lime
handful of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
salad greens, handful chopped and additional for serving

Directions

1. Make dressing by combining first 7 ingredients (through red pepper) in a jar with tight fitting lid and shake it up baby! Set aside.
2. Combine beans, onion, carrot, avocado, lime, cilantro, and chopped salad greens (I like to add some greens to the actual salad, because my son doesn't "like" lettuce--although he's eaten it straight from the fields and said, "Yum!") in a large bowl.
3. Give the dressing one last shake (it's ok if it separates) and pour over bean salad. Toss to coat.
4. Serve over salad greens and enjoy the taste of spring!

Salmon Croquettes with Avocado Yogurt Dip

I had to post this recipe, because I've tried croquettes in the past without much luck keeping them together. I don't know what sort of magic was swirling in my kitchen, but this time around they stuck together beautifully. Boy am I grateful!

Now I can't decide which of these two I like better--they are both off the charts outstanding. I had a leftover croquette over salad greens with the remaining dip, and I think it may have been even better the second day.

The carrots don't cook down very much, which leaves a nice crunch in every bite. I would have thrown in greens, too, but only had salad on hand. Next time, I'll add some kale or collards. That's another great thing about the croquettes--I can "hide" all kinds of veggies in them. Not to mention it's main ingredient--wild, Alaskan salmon--the heart healthy stuff. Since "heart month" is upon us, it seems only natural to cook these up. So love on your heart with these yummy croquettes.

Ingredients
15 oz can wild, Alaskan salmon (bones included & packed in water is best), drained or 1-2 cups leftover salmon fillets
1/2-1 cup leftover cooked brown rice
2-3 carrots, grated or chopped finely
1 small red onion (or green onions or sweet onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
1 t Dijon mustard
as much fresh or dried parsley as you can stand (start with a Tablespoon)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
some bread crumbs (maybe 1/4-1/2 cup)
1/4-1/2 cup high heat cooking oil (I used Grapeseed oil, but Coconut oil or butter would be good, too)

Directions

1. Combine everything through salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well.
2. Add enough bread crumbs to help hold things together, but too many, which will dry the mixture out.
3. Pour bread crumbs onto work surface or plate.
4. Form mixture into patties (you decide what size you'd like--I got 7 largish patties out of this recipe) and coat well with bread crumbs.
5. Place on wire rack (best option) or plate and put in refrigerator for 15-30 minutes (or more--I made these ahead of time, picked up at school, ran a couple of errands, then came home to cook them).
6. Heat a skillet on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add oil enough to generously cover bottom of skillet and reduce heat to medium.
8. Cook croquettes until brown on both sides--about 3-5 minutes per side--I actually set a timer and prepared the avocado yogurt dip while the croquettes cooked.
9. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
10. Serve with Avocado Yogurt Dip or lemon wedges and get ready for a delightful taste explosion in your mouth!

 Avocado Yogurt Dip
This is so tasty on top of the croquettes, but is good with chips or cut up fresh veggies, too. It doesn't keep extremely well, so try to consume it within 24 hours.

Ingredients
1 avocado
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1-2 lemons (to your particular taste)
1/2 cup Greek style yogurt
some minced up red onion (maybe a heaping Tablespoon?--again to taste)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place flesh of avocado and juices in bowl of a food processor or blender and process/blend until liquid.
2. In a bowl, mix with yogurt, onion, and salt and pepper.
3. Adjust seasoning to taste and enjoy!

Chicken and Rice in the Pot

Yesterday was a crock pot cooking day--dreary is how I described it to my 3 year old on the way to school. On the way home from dropping him, I got the notion to put some stuff together in the crock pot for something warm and soothing. Here's what I did:

Ingredients
1.5 cups Brown Rice (I used Jasmine) or other whole grain, rinsed
3.5 cups broth
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1/2 t tumeric
A little cooking oil or spray
1 small red onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
2 bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed and washed
2 broccoli stalks
3-4 carrots, roughly chopped
2-3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
freshly grated ginger to taste
sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Place rinsed rice, broth, thyme, crushed red pepper, and tumeric in a pot with tight fitting lid on stove over high heat until it comes to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, drizzle a little oil on the bottom of the crock pot and turn it on (I started with it high) while chopping the onion, garlic, and peppers. Place chopped items in crock pot. 
3. Wash chicken.
4. Once rice comes to a boil, pour into crock pot on top of onions, garlic, and peppers.
5. Place chicken on top.
6. Depending on how long you've got to cook, turn heat to low (all day) or high (half a day or less) and sit back and smell the goodness!
7. About 30 minutes before you're ready to eat, add the broccoli, carrots, and celery. Return lid and keep cooking.
8. Just before serving, add freshly grated ginger, salt to taste, and stir it all together.
9. Enjoy!

Some Simple Stir Fry Suggestions

One of my favorite ways to get plenty of veggies in one meal is to throw them all in a pan with a little oil, stir them up, add some seasoning, serve over whole grain, and enjoy a healthy meal. But I've learned a few things along the way about ordering my stir fry. I think it makes a difference. That's what this list is about, but I'm still learning! Additional suggestions encouraged!

1. Lay the groundwork. I always, always, always start with onion and garlic. Nothing better. After putting my grain on to cook (brown rice, quinoa, kasha, etc.), I put a little oil in a skillet, heat on medium until it runs smoothly coating the bottom of the pan, then add chopped onion (size is not an issue here--chop how you like). After stirring it around a minute or two, I turn the heat to medium-low and proceed to mince up the garlic. Then I throw that in and stir  things up. 
2. Consider your ingredients. While the onions and garlic are simmering, I cut up my other veggies. I think order is important in stir fry, because some items should be added sooner than others or they get soggy. So I try to categorize what's going into the pan into 2 groups--need to cook a while, need to cook only a few minutes. I should probably state clearly here that I prefer my veggies a little undercooked, rather than over cooked.
1. longer cook time veggies = carrots, broccoli, kohlrabi, peppers
2. shorter cook time veggies = mushrooms, summer squash, zucchini, greens (bok choy, cabbage, spinach, swiss chard, kale, etc.), sugar snaps
3. more color = more healthy, so I try to make a rainbow in my pan
3. Choose your protein. I usually have shelled edamame in the freezer (thanks to Trader Joe's) as my main protein source, but occasionally I have leftover meat of some sort, too. In general this is when I throw it in the pan, because it only needs to be warmed through. And yes, I throw the edamame in frozen. If I've got to cook the meat, I put it in with the onions and garlic, cook until it's done, then throw in the veggies.
4. Spice it just right. We are tamari soy sauce lovers at our house, so that's the regular seasoning I use (it's also easy to open the bottle and pour a little in). Now that it's cold outside, I try to keep fresh ginger and grate a little (or a lot) alongside the soy. Sometimes I toss in some sesame seeds. I represent a line of products from Wildtree, and they have an Asian Ginger Plum Dressing that's divine in stir fry. I also sprinkle in some sea vegetables (dulse or kelp). Whatever I choose, I add it toward the end of cooking. Also, I only add a small amount. It's easy to over-do soy sauce, so I'm really minimalist when using it in the pan. More can always be added later to meet the demand of the diner.
5. Dig in. After heaping a warm grain onto my plate and topping it with a rainbow of veggies, I am always pleased with the result. It's never the same twice. It changes with the season, but always delivers healthy goodness in large dose.

Leftover Cold Quinoa Salad

I love when I have things on hand that go together beautifully and make a tasty, satisfying meal. It happened today. By chopping, dicing, and throwing a few things in a bowl I made a scrumptious quinoa salad we'll be enjoying for a few days.

Because it was a little willy-nilly and not-necessarily-exact measurements (except for the dressing), I'll just list the ingredients. Try it with what you've got in your house. You'll be surprised at how yummy it can be!

Mix dressing first by putting the following in a jar with tight fitting lid and shaking it with all your might.

3 T Rice Vinegar
1 T Ume Plum Vinegar (the secret ingredient, I think)
2 T Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Finely ground black pepper to taste

Let dressing sit while combining the following in a bowl:

2-3 cups cooked quinoa
1 carrot, chopped
leftover cooked greens (I used collards), finely chopped
some red onion, finely chopped
some almond slivers
some dried cranberries
about a cup of edamame beans

Shake the dressing with all your might, taste and see what you'd like to add (oil, more pepper?), adjust, shake it up one last time before pouring over quinoa. Toss it, add sea salt to taste, and enjoy!