Black Bean Dip

The Ingredients

1 cup black beans

1/4 cup diced onion

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

cumin

2 sprigs of parsley
sea salt

Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend well. Enjoy! This dip tastes especially delicious with whole wheat or multigrain pita chips. 

YUM.

Black Bean Soup

The Ingredients

1 1/2 cups black beans

3 cups chicken broth

28 oz. can of peeled San Marzano tomatoes

1 1/2 diced sweet onions

6 garlic cloves, diced

4 cups of water

5 small bay leaves

cumin

adobo

oregano

marjoram

black pepper

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook for 8 hours at low heat. It should look like this:

Remove bay leaves. Then, with an emulsifier, blend the soup right in the crockpot. Serve with mascarpone, fresh parsley, and bacon (I had two strips that I cooked, patted down, let cool, and cut into small pieces). Enjoy! 

Final product!

Swedish Apple Pancakes

The Ingredients

1 tbsp. melted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1 cup milk

pinch of salt

1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 apple

First, mix eggs in a bowl with a mixer. Then, add other ingredients (except for the apple, which needs to be grated). I used a grater to break it down into shaved strips. The batter should be somewhat runny and should look like this:

Lightly butter a pan to add mixture to. It should look like this:

After a few minutes on one side, use a plate to flip the pancake over and cook on the other side. DON'T FORGET to butter the pan again to prevent burning. Serve pancakes with apple sauce, cinnamon, and confectioner's sugar on top:

Enjoy!

 (This pancake was broken into smaller pieces for a not-so-heavy breakfast). 

Spanakopita

The Ingredients

2 cups raw spinach

1/4 sweet onion

3 garlic cloves

2 sprigs of parsley

provolone cheese

phyllo dough

light olive oil

extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

Chop onions and garlic. In a pan, add light olive oil and raw spinach. The spinach will reduce after a few minutes at med-high heat. Then, add garlic and onion. At med heat, sautée until lightly  caramelized. Use salt and pepper to taste. Drain out excess oil and set aside. 

In a baking dish, use a brush to lightly brush on extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of it. Then, add phyllo dough sheets in layers of 2-3. Add spinach mixture to the phyllo dough. Add in chopped parsley and make sure it is evenly mixed into the spinach mixture. Then, use a shaver to cut the provolone and ensure that the amount of cheese is just right. I used a milder (real, Italian) provolone cheese that melts very well. Add on 2-3 more sheets of phyllo dough. Brush on extra virgin olive oil to the top of the phyllo dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Pre-baking

Final product, cut into squares. 

Roasted Root Vegetable Medley

The Ingredients

2 blue Adirondack potatoes

3 golden beets

3 parsnips

1 sweet onion

5 cloves of garlic

parsley

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

pepper

herbes de provence

Peel vegetables and cube/chop into small pieces. Throw in 5 whole garlic cloves, onion slices, and diced onions. Then, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and herbes de provence. Add chopped parsley. Drizzle olive oil on the vegetables and mix well- I get my hands dirty! It should look like this:

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour, or until caramelized/browned. Enjoy!

YUM.

Organic Farm Delivery #3

Baby spinach, arugula, golden beets, sunchokes, turnips, empire apples, adirondack blue potatoes, black beans, parsley, and sweet onions. YUM! 

Easy Gnocchi

The Ingredients

2 cups (potato) gnocchi

2 tbsp mascarpone

truffle salt

pepper

This is the easiest dish ever. Cook gnocchi for about two minutes. They should float when done. Drain pasta and add to bowl with mascarpone and truffle salt. The heat from the pasta will break down the cheese into a soft cream. Enjoy! 

Cranberry Almond Quinoa

The Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

2 tbsp canola oil

1 cup vegetable stock

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup cranberries

2 scallions, chopped
cumin

A great friend told me she was going to bring a pumpkin soup that was spicy, so I decided to make something that would complement the spicy and sweet flavors of her soup. This is what I chose...

In a pot, pour in canola oil and keep at medium heat. Then, add quinoa. Lightly stir and coat the quinoa with the oil. This should take about 3-5 minutes. When the quinoa is fully coated, add vegetable stock and turn up the heat. The trick is to make sure you keep adding water to prevent the quinoa from burning. It should take around 20 minutes. Since the almonds, scallions, and cranberries don't need to be cooked you can add them at the end. The flavors balances each other out quite well with the sweet and salty. There are multiples textures with the crisp scallions, crunchy almonds, soft quinoa, and sticky cranberries. Full of protein and delicious! 

Gnocchi with Squash Cream

Squash Cream Purée 

1/3 butternut squash, diced and peeled

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1/2 diced onion

3 tbsp. mascarpone

2 1/2 cups of reduced fat milk

salt 

pepper

In a pan, add olive oil and butter. Then, add diced squash. Sautée for about 10 minutes so that it caramelizes. It should look like this: 

Then, add diced onions until they caramelize. Set aside and put in a food processor. Add mascarpone, milk, salt, and pepper. Blend until it becomes like a thick cream. It should look like this: 

Cook gnocchi (I used potato gnocchi, which takes 2 minutes). Add purée to hot dumplings, then add parmesan cheese and chopped walnuts to garnish. Enjoy! 

Final product! 

Apple Tart

The Ingredients

2 sliced mutsu apples

2 tbsp butter

1 lemon, squeezed

1 tbsp vanilla extract (the real stuff)

1/2 cup brown sugar

5 ground cloves

cinnamon

nutmeg

1/2 cup apple sauce

puff pastry shell

Before anything, take out the pastry shell for at least 15 minutes so it thaws completely.

Slice the apples into at least 8 slices each. I used a slicer and still had to cut some slices in half, until I got about 30 slices total. Pour all ingredients BUT the apple sauce into a pot and cook at medium heat for at least 15-20 minutes. Be patient, as the longer you cook the ingredients, the more the flavors will mix together. The apples will start to caramelize, and the mixture will thicken. At the very end, add the apple sauce just to add to the texture. Lightly grease a baking pan and line with the puff pastry shell. Place all ingredients inside and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Enjoy! (You can also add walnuts pre-baking for added texture).

Pre-baking

The final product!

Lentil Soup

The Ingredients

1 cup lentils

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

1/2 bundle of kale

1 cup raw spinach

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 tbsp olive oil

black pepper

First, soak your lentils overnight in a bowl of cold water. Make sure they are fully covered and some. In a crock pot, Add 2 cups of vegetable stock, 4 cups of water, lentils, and remaining ingredients. Take note that salt may not be needed depending on the type/amount of vegetable stock used. Olive oil brings out vegetable and earthy flavors, which is delicious! Cover crock pot and cook slowly for 8 hours. 

Veggie mix added to the lentils

Soaked lentils, ready for cooking

Final product: topped with parmesan cheese! 

Mashed Root Vegetable Medley

The Ingredients

2 turnips

1/2 rutabaga

1/2 cup organic milk

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp butter.

salt

parsley

In a pot, boil turnips, rutabaga, and two garlic cloves. This may take a while, but being patient is key, as the longer they cook, the easier they will be to mash. Also, the garlic adds a lot of flavor and permeates the veggies. Once cooked, remove the veggies from the water, but save the water for later.

Boiled veggies

Cut turnips and rutabaga into small pieces and add to a food processor. Slowly, add about 2 cups of boiled water and garlic cloves. Mix in 1/2 cup organic milk (2% works best in terms of texture and healthfulness). Add butter, salt, and blend well. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy! 

YUM

Kale Chips

The Ingredients

1/2 bundle of kale

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

black pepper

Wash kale thoroughly and use kitchen scissors to cut into bite-size pieces. Use a salad spinner to dry excess water, as it will impact the texture/cooking time/oil. Lay flat onto foil or parchment paper. Then, brush on extra virgin olive oil to make sure it is evenly applied (this is the trick to getting them tasting just right). Sprinkle on some sea salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 

Before

After 

Carrot-Cabbage Asian Stir-Fry

The Ingredients

2 carrots

2 cups shredded cabbage

organic, sprouted tofu- approx. 6 oz

2 eggs

rice noodles

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp canola oil
sriracha garlic-chili sauce

soy sauce

rice vinegar

1 tsp. fresh ginger

sesame seeds
chili flakes


First, cube your tofu into small pieces. In a pan, add sesame oil and canola oil at medium heat. Evenly cook the tofu for a few minutes each side. Yes, this means you need to turn over each piece individually. Sautéeing tofu this way ensures a non-spongey texture and it absorbs all the flavor of the oil combination. Set tofu aside and let sit on paper towels to drain out extra oil.

Sautéeing the tofu

The sauces

In a pot, bring water to a boil and add rice noodles. Cook for about 7 minutes (but this depends on the type of noodle). Kame noodles are delicious, all-natural, and only contain two ingredients- rice and water. While the noodles are cooking...

Use around 1 tbsp total of sesame and canola oil to coat the pan. Add shredded cabbage (I did this by hand) and shred carrots. Grate fresh ginger and add to the mix. I like a slight crunch to both veggies, so you only need a few minutes to retain this texture.

Cabbage-carrot stir fry

Add rice noodles to a bowl. Then, add vegetables to the rice noodles. In the same pan, scramble two eggs. Remove from heat and mix into rice noodle and vegetable mixture. Mix in all ingredients well. 

Top with rice vinegar, soy sauce, sriracha, add some red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds. You can also add peanuts for additional protein/crunch.

The final product! 

Organic Farm Delivery 2!

Featured: carrots, spring mix salad, turnips, rutabaga, garlic, butternut squash, White Russian kale, fingerling potatoes, scallions, and Mutsu apples 

Roasted Beets

The Ingredients

2 (medium) beets, scrubbed, peeled, and cubed

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup shopped walnuts

salt

pepper

cranberry orange farmer’s cheese

Cut beets into cubes and place into a baking dish. Mix in olive oil, walnuts, salt, and pepper. Bake for 35 minutes at 250 degrees. Once cooked, top with cranberry orange farmer's cheese (creswell cheddar) crumbles.  Delicious!

Piece-of-my-tarte Pear Tarte Tatin

The Ingredients

2 organic bosc pears

¼ cup apple sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ lemon for lemon juice

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp candied ginger

cloves

cinnamon

nutmeg

puff pastry sheet 

Sliced pears

First, cut pears into thin slices (8-10 slices a pear). Place into a bowl. Juice 1/2 a lemon and add to the sliced pears. Then, add all other ingredients. Make sure cloves and ginger are grated- they will add a lot a flavor to the mixture. Mix well! 

Slightly butter a baking pan. Spread out the puff pastry sheet over the bottom of the pan. NOTE: Make sure the puff pastry sheet has been out for at least 15 minutes to fully thaw and avoid cracking when spreading it out. Add the pear mixture, then top with small cubes of the butter.

Pre-baking

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour. It should look like this:

Spinach Artichoke Dip

The Ingredients

1 cup organic, raw spinach

1 marinated artichoke (Trader Joe's)

sharp provolone (Grande)

soft provolone (Grande)

Italian seasoned bread crumbs

First, boil and strain spinach, removing all excess water. In a ramekin, cut sharp provolone to make a bottom layer. Add spinach. Cut a marinated artichoke into small pieces and add to the mixture. Top it off with a later of the soft provolone (ideal for melting) and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Enjoy with pita chips! 

Vegan Coconut Cookies

The Ingredients

1/2 container light coconut milk

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract (natural)

1/2 cup coconut chips

1 cup flour

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup organic apple sauce

Pre-baking

Mix all ingredients into a bowl. Lightly grease a baking pan with coconut oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. The apple sauce makes them so moist, you will never believe these cookies are vegan. Serving makes 9 thin, large cookies.  

Post-baking and ready to eat! 

Leftover Coconut Curry Chicken

The Ingredients

1/2 coconut curry chicken breast

1/2 bag of spinach

1/2 sweet onion

1 tbsp light olive oil

Add olive oil to a pan and maintain at medium heat. Add onion and spinach, then sautée for a few minutes. Add chicken. Serve with rice or noodles. 

Sautéeing the onions and spinach 

Featured: served with Asian cabbage salad

Asian Cabbage Salad

The Ingredients

1/8 head of green cabbage

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame seeds. 

Thoroughly clean and peel carrots. Use a shaver to make thin slices. Thinly slice the green cabbage and add to a bowl. Chop celery into small pieces and add to mixture. Add oils/seasonings/sauces and mix well. Top with seasame seeds. Enjoy! 

Final product 

Coconut Curry Chicken

The Ingredients

antibiotic-free chicken breast (around 6-8 oz.)

1/3 container light coconut milk

freshly grated ginger

cayenne pepper

turmeric

curry

coconut flakes 

almonds (to top)

In a baking pan, add all ingredients. The coconut milk will tenderize the chicken and keep it juicy. Add almonds on top. For a large chicken breast, you can bake it for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy! 

Carrot Parsnip Soup

The Ingredients

4 carrots

3 small parsnips

6 oz. light coconut milk

4 oz. water

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

curry powder

turmeric

caraway seeds

adobo

cumin

nutmeg

coriander

Scrub, peel, and boil carrots and parsnips in a pot. They cook quicker when cut into small pieces. Save 4 oz. of this water and keep in the pot. Add coconut milk, ginger, and spices. Use an emulsifier to make a purée. Enjoy! (By the way, this is completely vegan!)

Purée in the pot

Ready to eat

Sweet Potato Latkes

The Ingredients

1/2 sweet potato

1/2 sweet onion

3 springs of fresh parsley

2 eggs

1 tbsp panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp flour

salt 

pepper

light olive oil

Pre-cooking

Wash and scrub your sweet potato WELL. Use a grater ot shave it down into small, thin slices. Place into a bowl. Dice 1/2 sweet onion and add to the bowl. Chop 3 springs of parsley and also add it to the bowl. Mix in two eggs, 2 tbsp flour, and 1 tbsp panko bread crumbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients- the flour, bread crumbs, and eggs should coat and thicken the ingredients so they all stick together. In a pan, add 2 tbsp of light olive oil and heat at med-high. Scoop out the mixture and fry 2-3 minutes on each side. The recipe makes 12 small latke patties. They're delicious with organic apple sauce! 

Post-cooking

Served with apple sauce

Sautéed Jerusalem Artichokes

The Ingredients

5 Jerusalem artichokes (my collection includes some mini ones)

adobo

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove

pepper

parsley

Wash and scrub your artichokes thoroughly. The little knobs can be cut off, but no need to peel. (I just discovered these artichokes are also delicious raw!) Cut into thin slices and set aside. In a saucepan, put 2 tbsp olive oil on low heat. Use a garlic press for your clove of garlic and sautée the artichokes lightly, turning them over as needed to prevent burning. They should be crispy. Add adobo and pepper to taste.  Use dried or fresh parsley to garnish and add some extra flavor. A great alternative to potatoes, and with a shorter cooking time, who wouldn't love them?!

Organic Farm Delivery!

I love fresh produce. 

Today, I got some organic produce thanks to Mike's Organic Delivery. He even sends out emails with recipes! Featured: sweet potato, green cabbage, Jerusalem artichokes, arugula, baby spinach, beets, parsnips, fuji apples, bosc pears, sweet onions. Look out for some recipes with the fruits and veggies above!