Grilled Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Tahini Dressing

Purple sprouting broccoli is a gorgeous and nutritious treat that graces our tables in the spring. As a member of the brassica family, it has detoxifying properties and is a great way for your body to cleanse. The deep purple color indicates a unique antioxidant profile and will also add some color variety to your plate. Additionally, it is an excellent source of vitamin C, which supports your immune system as the season shifts.

purple sprouting broccoli

Grilled Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Tahini Dressing

1 bunch of Nash’s purple sprouting broccoli
2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus extra to serve
½ clove garlic, crushed with a little salt
2 Tbsp. light tahini, stirred
½ lemon, zest finely grated, juiced
½ orange, juiced
½ tsp. clear honey
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil

For the dressing, put the garlic in a small bowl with the tahini, lemon zest and juice, orange juice, honey and a grind of black pepper. Stir well. Thin down by whisking in water, a tablespoon at a time, till the dressing has a creamy consistency. Gently stir in the oil and season to taste.

Trim the broccoli, removing any tough ends; slice any thick stems lengthwise. Steam over boiling water for three minutes, until just starting to soften but not fully tender. Or cook in boiling water for four minutes, until not quite tender, then drain well. The broccoli will be cooked further in the grill pan, so you want it under-done at this stage.

Put two tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper into a bowl. Add the broccoli, toss it in the seasoning and oil. Heat a ridged cast-iron grill pan over a high heat. When hot, add the broccoli and sear for five to seven minutes, turning from time to time, until tender and patched with dark brown char marks. Transfer to a warm dish, trickle over some of the dressing, add a little more salt and pepper, and an extra dash of olive oil, and serve.

We thank theguardian.com for this recipe.

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Posted on April 13, 2018

Spicy Kale Raab and Onion Puree

Green kale raab — just one of many raabs that appear all-too-briefly in the springtime.

Try this spread on soft flour tortillas!

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 small red or yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
6 cups kale raab (or other seasonal green)
½ cup water, stock, or dry white wine
Juice of ½ lemon
2 Tbsp. cashew or peanut butter
2 Tbsp. white miso

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Stir and cook until onions are soft and garlic is lightly browned. Mix in raab, stir and add ½ cup of water. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until greens are very soft. Check every once in a while to make sure there is enough water. Add only a very small amount if needed. Remove from heat and place in a blender, add lemon juice, cashew butter, and miso and puree until smooth and creamy.

Recipe from Local Vegetarian Cooking by Debra Daniels-Zeller.

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Posted on March 9, 2018

Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Garlic and Sesame

Purple broccoli is only a few more days away!

1 bunch Nash’s purple sprouting broccoli
2 Tbsp. safflower or sunflower oil
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely sliced
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Trim off any hard ends from the broccoli stalks, as well as any very coarse leaves. Bring a large quantity of salted water to a boil in a very large saucepan and plunge in the broccoli. With the lid on, quickly bring the water back to the boil, then remove the lid and briskly simmer the broccoli for about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, heat both oils in the pan over a medium heat. Fry the garlic for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the slices are light golden. Throw in the broccoli and fry it for 2-3 minutes, tossing frequently, until the stalks are piping hot and imbued with the garlicky oil. Serve immediately with the sesame seeds sprinkled over the top.

We thank bbcgoodfood.com for this recipe.

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Posted on February 14, 2018

Cilantro Pesto

1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1⁄2 cup almonds
3 large garlic cloves
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Combine the cilantro, garlic and almonds in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add the Parmesan, oil and salt and puree to a smooth paste. Stir into hot pasta and serve. It’s a dynamite addition to a sandwich, too.

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Posted on February 8, 2018

Killer Kale Pasta

rainbow lacinato kale 2 red bell peppers
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 medium shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 tsp. red pepper flakes, plus more for topping
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 14-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 large bunches kale (2 1/4 to 3 lbs.)
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (skin removed)
1 cup chicken stock (optional)
1 pound rigatoni
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place bell peppers over flame of a gas burner to char, turning, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or char under broiler, turning, 5 minutes. Place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam about 10 minutes. Once cool to touch, pull off charred skin and remove stems and seeds. Slice and set aside.

Set large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, shallots and garlic; season with salt and pepper and cook until garlic is fragrant and shallots are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and wine and cook until most of wine has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and sliced peppers. Mix well and bring to steady boil, then reduce heat to simmer.

Remove and discard kale stems; tear leaves into bite-size pieces. Fold kale into tomato sauce along with chicken and toss to combine. Cover and cook until the kale has wilted, about 5 minutes. If sauce seems dry, add chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time. Continue cooking, covered, until kale is tender, all the flavors have come together and the sauce is thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and add it directly to Dutch oven with finished sauce. Drizzle in some olive oil. Cook over low heat, tossing to coat everything, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve in large bowls and top with spoonfuls of Parmesan, more red pepper flakes and another drizzle of olive oil.

We thank foodnetwork.com for this recipe.

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Posted on February 5, 2018

Roasted Brown Butter Honey Garlic Carrots

Sweet, sweet carrots!

2 pounds large carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
½ cup butter
3 Tbsp. honey
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and pepper
Parsley or cilantro, chopped for garnish

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium saucepan add the butter and cook over medium high heat. Continue to whisk for a few minutes until the butter starts to become frothy and brown. Add the honey and garlic and remove from heat.

In a large bowl add the carrots and drizzle the sauce on top. Toss until coated and spread evenly on a large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until carrots are tender. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with parsley or cilantro. Serve immediately.

Recipe from therecipecritic.com.

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Posted on January 4, 2018

Nature’s Flu Shot

This week’s small CSA box came with carrots. Maybe yours are destined for juice?

It’s that time of year! Load up on immune-boosting nutrients to stay healthy through the change of season.

2 large carrots, halved
½ small onion, halved
1 clove garlic
1 parsnip, halved
1 orange, peeled and halved
Pinch of ground turmeric
Pinch of black pepper
½ cup of cold water
Handful of ice

Wash and prep your veggies and fruit. Feed the carrots, onion, garlic, parsnip and then the orange through your juicer. Stir in the ground turmeric, black pepper and water and then pour over ice and enjoy!

We thank HealthAmbition.com for this recipe.

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Posted on October 25, 2017

Roasted Baby Bok Choy

Ever look at red baby bok choy from above?

4 heads baby bok choy, trimmed, leaves separated
4 tsp. canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1½ tsp. chopped fresh tarragon or ¾ tsp. dried
1 tsp. mirin (see note below)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss bok choy, oil, garlic and salt in a roasting pan. Roast on lowest rack, stirring twice, until wilted and tender-crisp, about 6 minutes. Whisk lemon zest and juice, tarragon, mirin and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over the roasted bok choy.

NOTE: Mirin is a low-alcohol rice wine essential to Japanese cooking. Look for it in an Asian store or in the Asian section of a market. An equal portion of sherry or white wine with a pinch of sugar may be substituted. .

We thank eatingwell.com for this recipe.

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Posted on October 19, 2017

Quick & Easy Ginger Garlic Sautéed Savoy Cabbage

Make sure to not overcook savoy cabbage, as it is more delicate than other cabbage varieties.

This is a great way to add a warm and delicious crunch to your fall side dish rotations.

1 head savoy cabbage
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. tamari
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 ¼ Tbsp. ginger, minced
1 lime, juiced

Heat wok or large skillet medium heat. Add cabbage and stir-fry until it just starts to wilt (do NOT overcook). Add garlic, ginger, tamari and cook 1 minute. Drizzle with lime juice and serve.

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Posted on October 9, 2017

French-Style Ratatouille

Imagine the scent of fresh basil.

1 large eggplant
1 medium yellow onion
2 small bell peppers
3 medium zucchini
2 large tomatoes
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
2 whole sprigs thyme
1/4 cup loosely packed basil, sliced into ribbons
Extra basil for garnishing
Salt and pepper

Chop eggplant into bite-sized cubes. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl and toss with teaspoon salt. Let sit awhile.

Dice onions and roughly chop peppers, zucchinis, and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Mince garlic. Vegetables will be cooked in batches, so keep each in a separate bowl.

Warm a teaspoon olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and generous pinch salt. Sauté until onions have softened and are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add peppers and continue cooking until soft, another 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl.

Add another teaspoon of oil to pot and sauté zucchini with generous pinch of salt until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add to onions and peppers.

Rinse eggplant under running water and squeeze cubes gently to remove as much moisture as possible. Warm two teaspoons oil in pan and sauté until softened and beginning to turn translucent, about 10 minutes. Add to other vegetables.

During cooking, a brown glaze will gradually build in the pan. Dissolve glaze between batches by pouring 1/4 cup water or red wine into pan and scraping up glaze. Pour deglazing liquid into veggie bowl.

Warm another teaspoon olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. As tomato juices begin to bubble, scrape up brown glaze.

Add all vegetables back into pan and stir until evenly mixed. Bring to a simmer, then turn down to low. Stir occasionally for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours. Longer cooking time will break vegetables down into a silky stew.

Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs and stir in basil. Sprinkle extra basil and a glug of good olive oil over each bowl as you serve.

Ratatouille is often better the second day, and it can be eaten cold, room temperature, or warm.

We thank thekitchn.com for this recipe.

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Posted on September 28, 2017