Sauteed Pea Shoots

Pea shoots are tender greens with a sweet taste like peas.

Rinse about 4 cups of fresh pea shoots thoroughly with cool water.

Finely chop a whole garlic shoot.

Heat one tsp. of olive oil over medium heat and add pea shoots and chopped garlic. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add 1/4 tsp. of salt and 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar and continue to saute over medium heat for one minute until wilted. Remove from frying pan and serve.

Tips

Pea shoots are fragile. Don’t leave the stove, as they cook very quickly.

Store pea shoots and tendrils in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook them. Pea shoots and tendrils may also be eaten raw in a salad.

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Posted on June 15, 2013

Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar

Strawberry shortcake isn’t the only thing you can make with this summer’s fresh strawberries — create this fun and surprising dessert in minutes.

Fresh strawberries, washed, hulled or unhulled, and dried
1/2 cup good-quality, aged balsamic vinegar
1 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar

Place strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and powdered sugar in separate bowls.

To serve, let each guest dip a strawberry into the balsamic vinegar and then into the powdered sugar. Watch your surprised guests’ faces as they eat their strawberries.

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Posted on June 15, 2013

Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Make a sweet, summery salsa using strawberries!

1 cup finely chopped strawberries
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled avocado
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss gently. Serve immediately.

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Posted on June 15, 2013

Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Strawberries aren’t just for dessert — add a sweet zing to your salad with a strawberry vinaigrette.

1 lb. strawberries (about 3 cups)
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon poppy seeds

Place the strawberries in a blender; cover and process until pureed. Add lemon juice and sugar; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add vinegar and oil in a steady stream; process until thickened. Stir in poppy seeds. Transfer to a large bowl; cover and store in the refrigerator.

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Posted on June 14, 2013

Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

It’s strawberry season!

2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup sliced rhubarb

Combine sugar, orange juice, cornstarch, and vanilla in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add strawberries and rhubarb; reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and mash the cooked berries with a fork. Stir in food coloring, if using. Serve warm or cold.

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Posted on June 13, 2013

Mashed White Beans and Cauliflower

Looking for a tasty substitute for mashed potatoes? Use cauliflower, white beans, and leeks instead.

This tasty, low-calorie substitute for mashed potatoes came from aidamollenkamp.com.

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium leek, ends trimmed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces cauliflower florets
3 cups cooked white beans
2/3 cup fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Halve leeks lengthwise, then cut crosswise into thin, 1/4-inch half-moon shapes. When oil shimmers, add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water. With a spatula, scrape up the golden bits. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes and set aside. Meanwhile, place an inch of water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower, cover and steam until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. Combine leeks, cauliflower, and beans in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add broth and chives and puree until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Serve warm or room temperature.

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Posted on May 13, 2013

Over-Wintered Cauliflower

Over-wintered cauliflower is oh-so-sweet!

Our cauliflower was planted in August and grew all winter. The cold weather made it sweeter than normal. You can eat the leaves, too! Prepare them as you would any other leafy green veggie.

Roasted Cauliflower: Combine cauliflower, cubed rutabagas, potatoes, and spring onions on a cookie sheet or baking dish. Drizzle with oil and season with thyme, basil, oregano, chili pepper flakes, and slat/pepper. Cover and bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. Uncover, turn veggies and bake for 10-15 minutes more. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Steamed Cauliflower: Break cauliflower into florets and steam lightly. Drizzle with a puree of fresh berbs, garlic and oil before serving. Steam a combo of cubed cauliflower and rutabagas, then mash with lemon juice and fresh parsley.

Soup: Cube a leek, a medium head of cauliflower, garlic and a small potato or two. Boil in 8-10 cups of salted water or veggie/chicken stock until soft enough to puree in a blender. Return to soup pot and season with salt/pepper, thyme, and nutmeg (optional). Thicken by tossing in some lentils or rice.

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Posted on May 7, 2013

Beet Jalapeño Salsa

Did you know that beets make a tasty salsa?

4 medium beets
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over beets
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons shallots, finely diced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon jalapeño, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh mint, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, minced
2 teaspoon lime juice

To roast beets, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim tops off beets, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap them in aluminum foil (or put in small roasting pan with lid) and roast until tender, about 40-50 minutes. When cool enough, peel and dice the beets.

While beets are roasting, place the shallot, jalapeño, ginger, garlic, mint, cilantro/parsley, lime juice and 6 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Combine salsa and peeled/diced beets, stirring gently. Taste for seasoning.

For a milder version of this recipe, try our Mild Beet Salsa.

We thank Karolina Tracz for this recipe.

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Posted on May 1, 2013

Sauteed Celery Root with Swiss Chard

“Because I love to cook, I’ll use any excuse to make dinner for my family or friends. Most of the recipes I concoct are partly based on how the ingredients look-presentation is very important to me,” says Dave Purdy of Hopewell, New Jersey. “Here, I combined celery root with Swiss chard because the colors and textures contrast so nicely.”

This tangy side dish would be good with roasted poultry or meat.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
12 ounces celery root, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add celery root and sauté until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Add chard; cover and cook until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

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Posted on April 27, 2013