A Veggie a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

It's that time of year again, CSA time!

We are doing a half share this year, because frankly, it was WAY too much food before. I'm still completely overwhelmed with veggies (who ever thought a vegetarian would say that?!), but not nearly as overwhelmed as the previous year.

We're paired up with One Straw Farm and I'll tell ya, they grow some delicious stuff.

Here's our recent hauls.

Week One:

Swiss Chard

Kale

Green Leaf Lettuce

Red Leaf Lettuce

Radishes

Strawberries

Garlic Scapes

 

I keep calling the scapes, snapes, because you know, I love me some Harry Potter. :)

What is a scape you ask? I hadn't a clue either.

 

This is from our CSA person. " Scapes are the early sprouts of garlic -- you will get the heads later on. I like to coat the scapes with olive oil and a little kosher salt and toss them on the grill until they just soften for a mild, soft early summer taste of roasted garlic."

Nom.

 

To get through week one, we made a lot of salads. Since I was saladed out for awhile, I then proceeded to throw the kale, strawberries, some blueberries, plain Greek yogurt, honey and orange juice in a blender and serve and enjoy. I loved it. Chad did not. It scared him. Wuss.

 

I also bought some asparagus, from the same farm. It just wasn't included in the CSA, but we put it to use.

 

 

This is a concoction of asparagus, Swiss chard, Parmesan cheese (nom),  lemon and garlic. It was divine.

 

We've yet to eat the scapes. I informed him we must do so ASAP. 

 

Week Two:

 

Rainbow Swiss Chard

Green Leaf Lettuce

Purple Radish

Nevada Lettuce (akin to Romaine)

Turnips

Kale

Broccoli

Strawberries

 

Looks like I'm making more smoothies!

 

And thankfully, Chad LOVES broccoli, so I know that will get eaten. 

Also, I've never had a turnip. They make me nervous. This will be new.

 

What recipes can you suggest for kale, as I have an endless supply? And what did you pick up at the farmers market or in your CSA this week that you're excited about?

#Pinterest Fail

This was my first time having an epic Pinterest fail. Usually I can hit Pinterest up for any recipe and I look like Rachael Ray! Not this time. Le sigh.

This was the illustrious recipe I was trying to re-create.

Source: healthyfoodguide.com.au via MegS on

They look totally different, please note.

It was supposed to be soup. Supposed to be is the key word here, folks. Mine looks like porridge. (Truth, I've never had, nor seen porridge, this was the only reference I could think of).

The recipe consists of:

Instructions

Step 1 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until softened. Add potato and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add cauliflower and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until tender.

Step 2 Meanwhile, fry or grill bacon until crisp.

Step 3 Purée soup in blender (or use a stick blender). When thick and creamy, gently reheat. Add blue cheese and stir through until cheese has melted. Season with pepper, to taste. Garnish with blue cheese, if desired.

Step 4 Spread toast with onion jam and top with bacon. Cut into triangles and serve with soup.

Original ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup full-fat milk
1/2 cup cream
120g blue cheese

What we did

• Removed the butter, milk and cream
• Reduced the cheese and salt
• Increased the cauliflower and stock, and added potato

Traditional version (per serve)

Total energy 1940kJ
Total fat 40g (25g saturated fat)

HFG version (per serve)

Total energy 940kJ (225cal)
Total fat 7.9g (3.6g saturated fat)

Not too shabby, right? And easy enough to make.

For some reason, I got it all wrong. Mine was bland and very cauliflowery. Is that a word? It is now.

I made the hubby some bacon sandwiches to go with, and made caramlized onions, because I haven't a clue what the heck onion jam is. He ended up crumbling the crispy bacon in the soup, because he said it tasted better. Bless his heart.

I wish I could say nom. But I can't. Sad.

Have you ever had a Pinterest fail? Or have you ever had cauliflower blue cheese soup that you loved? If so, I need that recipe, please!

Bye Bye My Artichoke Pie.....

I don't claim to be a chef, nor would I list "cooking" as one of the many skills on my resume. Instead, I'd call myself a dappler in the kitchen. I tend to try new things- often to find they are epic fails. However, I did have one success that I must share.

Artichoke Pie!
I follow the recipe I found on Allrecipes.com, with a few variations.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 (6 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked 9 inch pie crust
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until it starts to brown. Stir in the artichoke hearts and cook 10 minutes before adding the bread crumbs and half of the parmesan cheese. When heated through, transfer half of artichoke mixture to pie crust.
3. Pour eggs over artichoke mixture and sprinkle in the rest of the parmesan cheese. Spoon the rest of the artichoke mixture into the pie and top with mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until crust begins to brown.

Now, for my modifications.

I add onions. I add shallots this last time and they were money!
Also, I try to stick with jarred hearts, rather than those in the can for two reasons. 1. My fat cats think it's feeding time and I was surrounded. 2. They almost had a "pickled" taste to them. The ones in the jar don't. I think I'll go that route from now on.
I also throw another pie crust on top, so there are two layers of pie crust. I love carbs, what can I say?!

This is my go to recipe whenever I have to go somewhere and bring a dish. Nom.

It's so good, it's gone......

Raw Food Nom Noms

I have been on a "I want to eat/be healthy" kick lately, but it's been extremely difficult, as my hubby eats meat and I don't. I hate fixing two separate meals, as one usually takes awhile. I really need to get better about planning and preparing meals ahead of time. Any and all advice is welcomed....

Another reason this healthy kick is so dang difficult is that I have such a major sweet tooth. I mean, seriously, it's out of control! So, in an effor to be healthy AND eat sweets, I found this amazeball recipe. Nom.

Don't get grossed out by the ingredients. I swear, it's money!

1⁄4 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked
1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
3⁄4 cup mashed avocados (1 1⁄2 avocados)
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
1⁄4 cup water

Methods/steps

1) Place the dates, maple syrup, and optional vanilla in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth.
2) Add the avocado and cocoa powder and process until creamy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
3) Add the water and process briefly. Stored in a sealed container, Chocolate Mousse will keep for three days in the refrigerator or two weeks in the freezer. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Bon apetite!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Source: joanne-eatswellwithothers.com via MegS on Pinterest

You guys, this pie is dreamy. I have never had a rhubarb before, let alone even knew what one looked like. (Thank you Giant supermarket for having a big sign saying Rhubarb!). My husband has always told me stories about being a youngster and stealing his Grandma's sugar bowl and heading out to the rhubarb fields, snapping one off, dipping it in sugar, and eating til he was full. I wanted to make him a pie that would remind him of his childhood.

This was after the magic happened, prior to baking....

And this is after....(Side note, my husband can't throw anything anyway, so he insisted I use the leftover dough that I cut off. Weirdo)

Another note, I MAY have filled the pie too much. Woops. :)

This recipe was super easy and super delicious. I loved that it was a pie and crumble all in one. Nom nom nom.

Thank you Joanne for introducing me to this little slice of heaven!

Enjoy!

Deep-Dish Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping
Serves 8, adapted from The Bon Appetit Cookbook

Ingredients
For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tsp all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 heaping tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 11 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp ice cold water
• 1 egg, beaten to blend

For the crumb topping:

• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For the filling:

• 3/4 lb rhubarb, sliced 1/2-inch thick on sharp diagonal
• 1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Instructions
For the crust:

1. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor, pulsing to combine.  Add in the butter and pulse until butter is the size of peas.  Add in the vanilla and water, pulsing again just until the dough comes together, adding more water by the tbsp if necessary.  Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
2. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/8-inch thick round.  Peel off the top sheet of paper.  Transfer the dough to a 9-inch deep dish pie plate.  Discard the paper.  Trim the overhang to 1/2-inch and crimp edges if desired.  Refrigerate 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350.  Line the crust with parchment paper or foil.  Fill with dried beans or pie weights.  Bake until the crust is set, about 15 minutes.  Remove the paper and beans.  Brush the crust with the egg glaze.  Bake until light brown, about 20 minutes.  Cool completely.

For the topping:

1. Increase oven temperature to 375.  Combine the oats, flour, sugar, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse in the butter until crumbly.  Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until use.

For the filling:

1. Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large heavy saucepan.  Allow to macerate for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Reduce the heat and simmer until juices thicken, about 3 minutes.
2. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.  Cover with the topping.  Bake for 35 minutes or until topping is golden and juices are bubbling.  Cool on rack.  Serve warm or at room temp. 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.............

I like pie

I'm going to share an awesome, so easy a caveman can do it recipe with all of you!

You can thank me later.

Blackberry Lemon Pudding Pie

Ingredients:

1 jar Blackberry Preserves
6 oz. Lemon Curd
1 3/4 c. Milk, cold
2 sm. boxes Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 8-oz. container Whipped Topping
1 10" Graham Cracker Pie Crust
Optional: Blackberries, fresh or frozen

* I'm an idiot and got some wrong ingredients, since I didn't write things down. So, instead of vanilla pudding I used cheesecake pudding and instead of the whipped topping I got whipped cream, but I squeezed a whole can in there so I think it was a success. Also, I didn't get the name brand products, because I'm a cheap arse. I just grabbed what was on sale. Lastly, I made the crust because I'm cheap. :)

In a large bowl, mix milk and pudding mix. Beat with a wire whisk for 30 seconds. Stir in the softened curd, then the whipped topping. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. Chill in the freezer until firm (a few hours). Spread preserves on top of pie. Chill. To serve, garnish with optional blackberries. Makes 8-10 servings.

My non-sweet tooth loving husband LOVES this. So much so that last night he said, "I can't wait for dessert, that pie was great!" Awwww.

If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker...

Ok, ok, I'm one out of three of those things. Close right? :)

Do you remember my muy delisioso caramel rum sauce? Well, I have the absolute joy and pleasure of contributing it to the #operationLayla bake sale today.

I know you are thinking, "Megan, this makes me DROOL." Well good. Mission accomplished. Now bid, yo! It's for an awesome cause and an awesome friend. It's just awesome. So there.

Also, there are some dreamy items in the bake sale. I want one of everything please.

Enjoy and happy bidding!

Rachel Who?! Guida Who?! There's a new kid in town!

So, without further ado, I present my brisket....
I found this recipe online at the food and wine site. I like food and wine. Literally food and wine, so naming a magazine/website after two of my favorite things was a very smart move. http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/gail-simmons-horseradish-brisket.

C said it's yummy, I'll take his word for it. Considering my 30 pound cat didn't like it makes me worry though....Anyone feeling brave enough for a dinner party?! My treat!