Full Swing Farmer's Market

Yesterday proved to be a rainy day for a visit to the farmer’s market, but as it turns out, it was the best day for my pantry yet this year. My favorite farm stand, E.R. and Son from Monroe Township, had everything from watermelon to heirloom tomatoes to golden zucchini (all organic). What stood out to me was the generous bunches of fresh picked arugula. You could smell the peppery green from a few steps away, and I couldn’t leave without some. Figuring I would cook with it that night so as to enjoy it at its freshest, I decided to make a pasta dish with it. I scouted out some grape tomatoes from the Casola Farms stand to add to the dish as well. After picking up some peaches, potatoes, bell peppers, and onions for use later in the week, I was on my way.

FETTUCCINE WITH ARUGULA, CANNELLINI BEANS, AND BLISTERED TOMATOES
-1 pound fettuccine
-olive oil
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tsp dried basil
-1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flake, to taste
-1 large bunch arugula, washed and chopped
-1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
-1 16 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed
-salt and pepper
-freshly grated Parmesan cheese

-Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
-Cook the fettuccine as per instructions. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water for later. Once drained, put the pasta in a large serving bowl and toss with a couple tablespoons of olive oil to prevent any sticking.
-Arrange the halved grape tomatoes cut side down on an olive oiled baking sheet. Use a silicone brush to coat the tops of the tomatoes with olive oil from the tray, then season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the dried basil over the top, and then roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until blistered. Let cool.
-While the tomatoes and pasta cook, coat a nonstick pan with olive oil and add the garlic, crushed red pepper, and remaining tsp of dried basil. Bring up to medium heat slowly. Cook the garlic until fragrant, 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly.
-Add the reserved pasta water to the pan, stir, and then add the arugula and beans. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir constantly, letting the steam from the pasta water wilt the greens. Once the greens are just about wilted, the beans are warmed, and the pasta water has reduced a bit, add the blistered tomatoes. Give the pan one final toss to combine everything, and then pour the mixture over the pasta. Toss together with tongs and top with grated Parmesan (be sure to keep the cheese and a micro-plane at the table, too). Serve family style and enjoy!

Soba and Tofu

Just like I always have semolina pasta in my pantry, I always have soba noodles. Soba noodles are Japanese buckwheat noodles; this makes them a really good option for those following a gluten-free diet. Soba is great because you can serve it hot or cold, as a salad or a soup, or with just about any vegetable you can think of. If you've got these noodles in your pantry, you can probably come up with dinner on any given night. Tonight I had a pound of tofu that I needed to use, along with half a bag of spinach. I got my inspiration from a recipe from Vegetarian Times, but I added my own spin on the dressing. This will make about 4 servings.

SOBA NOODLES, TOFU, AND SPINACH
-8 oz. soba noodles
-2 tbsp sesame seeds
-1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
-4 cups spinach, chopped
-3 tbsp vegetable oil
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-1/3 cup soy sauce
-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
-1 tsp honey
-1 tbsp sriracha
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

-Cook the soba noodles as directed, then rinse them with cool water and allow them to drain.
-Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, just until lightly browned and getting fragrant. Set these aside.
-Heat the vegetable and sesame oil in a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add the tofu and saute, turning occasionally, until golden brown. This will take about 10 minutes. Be careful of hot oil splatters (trust me).
-When the tofu is just about done, add the spinach and toss. Saute until the tofu is done and the spinach is wilted.
-Make the dressing. Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sriracha, oil, garlic, and ginger.
-Divide the noodles into bowls (I served up 2 bowls tonight, and put the rest right into a pyrex for lunch tomorrow). Top the noodles with the tofu spinach mixture. Pour even amounts of dressing over each bowl, and top with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve!

I'm back! With another quinoa dish!

Greetings everyone. First and foremost, I apologize for my long hiatus. I have no real reason for it besides life just getting in the way. Now that it's late summer, I have been cooking a lot of tasty dishes using really fresh and local ingredients and I wanted to share them. So, here I am.

As chance would have it, I have another great quinoa recipe. It's quite different from the recipe I left off with back in March, but I promise it's just as good. Quinoa is such a great choice for main dishes for vegetarians and vegans because it is quite high in protein. In this recipe I used red quinoa. You can certainly use regular quinoa, but I like the earthy flavor of the red variety. I added some fresh organic kale that I picked up at the farmer's market this past weekend from E. R. and Son Farm in Monroe Township. I also added some other veggies I had on hand and a really tasty Asian vinaigrette. Enjoy!

QUINOA AND KALE SALAD
-1 cup quinoa, cooked as directed, slightly cooled
-2 tbsp sesame seeds
-3-4 stalks kale
-1 cucumber, diced
-2 carrots, grated
-1 avocado, diced
-1 scallion, chopped
-juice of 1 lemon
-2 tbsp canola oil
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-3 tbsp soy sauce
-1 tsp rice wine vinegar
-2 cloves garlic, grated
-1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

-Steam the kale until it is tender, then chop it into bite sized pieces. Toss with the cooked quinoa.
-Toss the sesame seeds, cucumber, carrots, avocado, scallion, and lemon juice with the quinoa and kale.
-Make the dressing. Whisk together the oils, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Pour over the quinoa mixture and stir to coat. Serve.

Balsamic Quinoa Salad

I've had a bag a quinoa kicking around my pantry for about 2 months now, and while I looked at it every day when I was gathering ingredients, I had yet to pick it up. Tonight I made it a point to use it. I googled a few recipes, and when I didn't find anything I loved, I figured I'd put together a mix of the good ideas that I found and things I had around my house. This makes about 4 good size servings, perfect for lunches at work or a light dinner.

BALSAMIC QUINOA SALAD
-1 cup quinoa
-2 cups water
-1 small onion, sliced
-1 cup dried cranberries
-1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
-1/4 cup parsley, chopped
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-3 cloves garlic
-salt and pepper

-Combine the quinoa and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally. All the water should be absorbed and the quinoa's outer coat should be translucent when it's done. Add the quinoa to a bowl and set aside.
-While the quinoa is cooking, heat some olive oil in a skillet and add the sliced onion. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until carmelized. Add to the bowl.
-Add the dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, and chopped parsley to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine all ingredients.
-Cook the garlic in the skillet that the onions were prepared in, adding additional oil if needed. Whisk the cooked garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar together.
-Pour the balsamic dressing over the quinoa mixture and stir to coat everything. Chill the salad in the refrigerator for about half an hour, then serve.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

With springtime rapidly approaching, I'm trying my best to get my fill of all my favorite wintry vegetables. And sticking with the season, I've been using them often in soups. Tonight I decided to make a soup that would warm up your body as well as your palate, so made a batch of curried butternut squash soup. Very simple, very tasty, very healthy. I served it with some toasted bread (just some salt, pepper, and olive oil on top) and a simple green salad with a homemade sesame soy vinaigrette.

CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
-1 medium onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
-1-2 tbsp curry powder, to taste (I make my own, but you can find curry powder in any spice aisle)
-1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 4 cups worth)
-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
-4 cups vegetable stock
-1 cup coconut milk (I used a light version)
-canola oil, salt, and pepper

-Heat a couple teaspoons of canola oil in a soup pot over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook until starting to soften, and add the garlic. Cook for another couple minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
-Add the grated ginger and the curry, and cook for about 1 minute while stirring.
-Add the vegetable stock, butternut squash, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes, until the squash and carrots are fork tender.
-Remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes. Then, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add the coconut milk and blend until incorporated. *Alternately, blend using a traditional blender, in batches. As always, never fill the blender more than halfway with hot liquids, and never seal the lid on tight, as you might have a butternut squash explosion.*
-Put the soup back on the heat, give a final stir, and serve.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

I love sweet potatoes. They are very nutritious (fiber, vitamins A, B6, and C), they are filling, they are versatile, and most importantly, they are delicious. To create this recipe, I used the base of another sweet potato soup that I've been making for a long time. Then I added a twist with chipotle peppers. I served this soup with a side of Spanish rice (Near East is my brand of choice). This soup is quite spicy, which I love, but you can always reduce the quantity of chipotle peppers to tone the spicy factor.

CHIPOTLE SWEET POTATO SOUP
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-2 large sweet potatoes, diced
-1 onion, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-2 carrots, diced
-4 chipotle peppers, seeded and chopped, along with 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (recommended: Goya chipotle peppers in adobo)
-salt and pepper
-pinch nutmeg
-pinch ground ginger
-1 tbsp brown sugar
-5 cups vegetable stock
-scallions, cilantro, or other green garnish

-Heat oil in a large pot, then add onion, red bell pepper, and carrot. Cook about 7-8 minutes, until softened.
-Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Stir and cook about 1 minute.
-Add vegetable stock and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
-Remove soup from the heat. Use either an immersion blender or a traditional blender to puree the soup until desired smoothness. *WARNING* If using a traditional blender, be sure to only fill the blender a third of the way and leave the lid cracked to prevent explosions. I am not kidding! Take the time to blend in batches and avoid a catastrophe. Or just get an immersion blender. It's worth the expense if you make a lot of soups and purees.
-Bring soup back up to temperature, and serve, topped with scallions or cilantro.

Mexican Soup and Salad

Bored with your regular old tomato soup and grilled cheese? Spice it up Mexican style! It's no extra effort, but gives you lots of extra flavor.

MEXICAN TOMATO SOUP AND GRILLED CHEESE
-olive oil
-1 poblano pepper, diced
-1 onion, diced
-3 ribs celery, diced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tbsp chili powder
-1 tbsp cumin
-1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
-1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
-1 16 oz. can corn kernals, drained
-2 cups vegetable stock
-1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
-4 small tortillas
-pepper jack cheese, shredded (Cabot, as always)
-salsa

-Heat oil in a soup pot, and cook pepper, onion, celery, and garlic for about 5 minutes, until tender.
-Add spices, cook for 1 minute, then add canned tomatoes, canned corn, and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes.
-Stir in cilantro.
-Heat oven to 325.
-With two tortillas, layer cilantro, shredded cheese, and salsa. Cover with another tortilla, and brush with a bit of olive oil.
-Cook for 10-15 minutes, until just starting to brown on top.
-Serve!