As I contemplate “Cook. Eat. Grow.” and how I’d like to reverse that trend, I consider my worst eating habit… snacking.
Now there’s nothing wrong with snacking. In fact, some diet experts suggest that regular snacks prevent excessive hunger and binge eating. My challenge is what I’m snacking on. The other day, I decided to prepare some healthy options. I roasted a spaghetti squash and made a batch of Fred Flintstone tomato sauce. I packed individual containers topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan. When the snack pangs hit, I could microwave a portion.
I was amazed at its high satisfaction quotient. A small serving – 1 cup of spaghetti squash and ½ cup of sauce – sated me for 2 hours…. Enough time to last me to the next proper meal. And the nutritional value is quite high.
Cooking Spaghetti Squash The microwave method: Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds and inner soft pulp with a large metal spoon. Place face down on a plate and microwave about 2 minutes per half (multiple batches should be necessary) until BARELY soft. Let cool, then plunge a fork longitudinally through the inside flesh and work it from end to end to make the “spaghetti”. Use a metal spoon to get out the last strands.
The oven method: Cut spaghetti squash in half and put cut side down on a baking sheet. Put into a 375F oven with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from oven and let cool. With a metal spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds and inner soft pulp. Then plunge a fork longitudinally through the inside flesh and work it from end to end to make the “spaghetti”. Use a metal spoon to get out the last strands.
Season squash however you like, here are two options:
1. Salt, butter and parmesan cheese. 2. Capers, toasted garlic and olive oil
When I started this blog, I wanted to write all about the food cycle – from growing and raising our food in the fields, to cooking it in the kitchen, and finally enjoying the meal around the dining room table. When I referred to “grow”, I specifically thought of the beginning of the cycle – what happens in the fields; and not of the end of the cycle: what happens to our bellies.
With several friends on diets, I’m reminded that I can still afford to lose a few pounds, too, and have pulled out a few healthy recipes of my own.
One of my favorites is Salmon Teriyaki with Soba Noodle Salad. The teriyaki sauce has minimal added fat and makes a great marinade for the fish and dressing for the noodles. Soba noodles, which are high in fiber and protein, offer a great alternative to steamed rice or even brown rice. And mixed with julienne of vegetables, you have a complete meal.
Salmon Teriyaki with Soba Noodle Salad
1 teaspoon butter
1teaspoon chopped garlic
1teaspoon chopped ginger
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
4 – 6 oz. salmon or arctic char files
8 oz. soba noodles
Lots of Julienne vegetables: carrots, scallions, cucumbers, red peppers and avocadoes are my favorites
1 kaffir lime leave, finely chopped
1. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium flame. Add garlic and ginger and cook until they become aromatic, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the soy sauce, sugar, mirin and vinegar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking on high heat for about 1 minute or until sauce starts to thicken. Let cool.
3. Use half the teriyaki sauce to marinade the salmon.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add soba noodles. Cook according to package directions (this can vary from 4 minutes to 8 minutes, depending on the brand). When noodles are cooked, drain and rinse under cold running water.
5. Toss noodles with remaining teriyaki sauce, vegetables and kaffir lime leaves.
6. Put salmon in an over-proof dish and broil for 5 minutes, or until the teriyaki starts to brown and glaze the fish. Turn the oven to bake to finish cooking the fish – timing depends on the thickness of the filets, but can take another 5 minutes.
My name is Julia and I’m a recovering food-waster. I’ve been reducing my food- waste for nine months.
This change in behavior was inspired by an article by Jonathan Bloom in the New York Times about wasted food. Before I had my moment of enlightenment, I had a notorious habit of food-shopping without a plan, then devising a plan for my meals which invariably involved ingredients I hadn’t yet purchased, and then shopping a second time. This amounted to a huge pile of wasted food that went into my compost bin. Good for my garden, I suppose, but not good for my wallet. And especially bad as I work towards, “reducing, reusing, and recycling.”
One key success factor in my behavior modifications was utilizing my freezer more. Whenever I had leftovers that I didn’t think I could consume within a few days, I’d pop them in a ziploc bag or Tupperware and into the freezer. But as I discovered the other night, my freezer was PACKED! I just returned from a few days out of town. Needless to say, the refrigerator was bare. Being tired from my travels, I didn’t want to grocery shop. I knew I had things in the freezer, and after unpacking, I realized I could make a simple, complete meal including green vegetables and protein.
The answer: Fried Rice (and Quinoa) with Edamame.
The quinoa was leftover from the Black Bean Salad (yes, a few quarts of black beans still line the freezer shelves) and the edamame was from…. from…. gosh, I can’t even tell you. And carrots, ginger and garlic lay in the bottom of the refrigerator crisper drawer – still crisp.
I also found some squash puree that will be lunch tomorrow and apple sauce that will be a little snack as soon as I finish this post!
My recipe for fried rice combines the elements of Eileen Yin-Fei Lo’s recipe with a Balinese twist. Leftover Fried Rice 1 tbs. peanut or canola oil 2 tsp. fresh minced ginger 2 tsp. minced garlic 3 cups cooked rice and/or quinoa, cooled ¼ cup shredded white cabbage or carrots ¼ cup chopped tomatoes or edamame 2 tbs. fried shallots
Sauce 1 tbs. soy sauce 1 tbs. Chinese Rice Wine ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar ½ tbs. oyster sauce 1 tsp. sesame oil 1-2 tbs. srirachi chili sauce (depending on taste)
1. Combine ingredients for the sauce.
2. Heat skillet on high heat. Add 1-2 tbs. oil. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, but not browned (you may need to add more oil to the pan). Add ½ of the fried shallots, cabbage and tomatoes (or carrots and edamame). Cook for 1 minutes more. Add rice. Break up and stir fry until slightly brown and heated through. Stir in the sauce.
3. Remove rice from pan and put on a serving dish. Garnish rice with remaining fried shallots
Last week, when I arrived on Brett’s farm for a visit, he announced I was just in time for a chicken matanza. Brett had decided to reduce his flock of egg-layers to a few dozen instead of a few hundred. The labor involved in raising chickens had become too burdensome, and he preferred to focus his energies on growing organic vegetables and selling them through his CSA. The few dozen remaining hens would continue to provide eggs for the family’s consumption and a repository for the non-salable produce.
Let’s be honest, killing, feathering and gutting chickens are not most people’s idea of a good time – including mine and Brett’s. But we accept this ugly truth as part of eating meat. We comfort ourselves knowing that the chickens had a good life, living in expansive coops with easy access to outdoor space – and maintaining good health from eating well, drinking clean water and breathing fresh air. And Brett shows a modicum of pride in taking the good with the bad – if he wants to enjoy humanely raised meat, then there’s a price to pay. In his case, it’s killing animals. While most people try to gloss over this fact, he accepts it as part of the process and shows gratitude to his animals for what they provide.
In Brett’s words:
All of our birds range freely on large pastures, fenced to keep the birds out of the vegetables and most predators out of the birds. Throughout their lives our animals are treated with compassion, dignity, and humanity. Our chickens eat grasses, clovers, bugs, and bushels of greens, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, melons, and other veggies that are too blemished to sell. As we cannot get organic corn in our area, we give the birds a very high-quality vegetarian grain mix (never with hormones, medications, or animal byproducts) specially formulated by us in partnership with our local Mennonite feed mill. Our birds are therefore not classed as organic—just very free range, very happy, very active, and very healthy.
Free-roaming animals, like the chickens on the farm, develop more muscles and stronger bones. This yields more flavorful meat, but also tougher. Fryer chickens typically meet their maker chef at 6 weeks, so even a free-roaming bird will still be reasonably tender. By contrast, the chickens from last week’s matanza are extra tough because they’re much older than the traditional fryer chicken: averaging 3 years.
With meat this tough, they demand a long braise to tenderize the meat. This weekend I cooked a coq au vin with one of the hens from last week’s matanza. It simmered for 5 hours, far longer than a conventional chicken recipe would suggest – or as Madeleine Kamman recommends in her recipe: 45 minutes.
Coq au Vin (serves 4 guests)
1 old stewing hen, cut into quarters 1/4 cup flour 3 slices smoked bacon 3 tablespoons butter 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 1 onion, peeled and diced 1 large shallot, peeled and chopped. 1 celery rib, chopped 1/4 cup garlic cloves 1/4 lb. mushrooms, quartered 1 cup chicken broth 1 – 10 oz. can tomatoes 1 bottle red wine 1/2 cup brandy 2 sprigs thyme 2 sprigs parsley salt and pepper to taste
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Dice bacon, and put in a large skillet with high sides. Brown bacon over high heat. Remove bacon and set aside
2. Add butter to bacon fat pan and brown the chicken (on high heat) for about 4 minutes on each side. Add onions, shallots, carrot, celery, and cook for about 5 minutes more.
3. Turn heat off, and deglaze pan with brandy and red wine. Scrap all of the browned bits off the bottom, this is good stuff. Add chicken stock, thyme and parsley. Turn heat back to high, and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, [if using commercial chicken add mushrooms here]. Cover pot and put in 325 oven. After about 1 1/2 hours, add mushrooms. Cook covered for another hour or three or until meat is tender. My chicken took 5 hours.
4. Serve chicken over potato puree or with grilled bread.
Just this morning, a friend lamented the vast quantities of celery root in his organic produce delivery box. For the benefit of my friend and the other customers receiving deliveries from Boston Organics, I've put together this compilation of recipes. Feel free to add your favorite recipe suggestions in the comments.
With a mild celery flavor, celeriac looks similar to a jicama, and is often confused at the supermarket. But its fuzzy exterior and knobby roots on the bottom distinguish it. And if you still can’t tell the difference, take a whiff – you’ll get a faint smell of celery. The celery root comes from the leaf celeri variety, which is different than the variety from which we get stalks.
The root’s minimal starch content makes this an easy vegetable to cook. And my favorite preparation, pureed with a little cream and lemon juice, capitalizes on this. Pureed celery root is a great side dish for pork, duck, braised short-ribs or salmon. Mine second favorite preparation: served with smoked salmon as an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre.
Alternatively, you can cook the celery root in cream and use the cooked root and cream to toss with pasta. No matter how you cook the celery root, it’s best to cook it in liquid. And like all root vegetables, start with cold water.
Celery root can also be eaten raw. Most commonly, it’s sliced into thin strips (julienne) and tossed with a mayonnaise based dressing: a French variation of coleslaw called Remoulade.
Celeriac Puree 2 knobs celery root (celeriac) ½ cup cream salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste
Using a paring knife, peel celery root. Cut into 1/8th.
Put celery root in a pot and cover by one inch with cold ,salted water. Boil the be-jeebies out of it, approximately 15 minutes (more or less depending on how small the pieces are). When you can easily poke the celery root with a fork ,they’re tender. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of water.
Put in a food processor, and puree with cream. Adjust consistency with water. Add lemon juice, 1 squeeze at a time, until it is seasoned to your taste. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
When serving celeriac puree as a side dish to salmon, duck or pork, consider one of these two wine sauces which will further enhance the flavors:
Wine Sauce 1 cup red wine or port 1/2 lemon juiced 1 large shallot, minced 1/4 cup chicken broth, cream or water (or combination) 1 – 2 sticks butter
Melt 1 tbs. butter in a sauce pan. Add shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes or until soft. Add wine, and let it reduce to about 2 tbs. Add chicken broth (or other liquid) and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and whisk in butter, 2 tbs. at a time – for a total of 1/4 -1/2 lb. depending on your taste. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and a small squeeze of lemon juice
Caramelized Balsamic Sauce ½ cup sugar 1 tbs. garlic, chopped 1 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. juniper berries, crushed
Put sugar and garlic in a pot, with 1/2 cup of water. Put over high heat, and stir just until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking without stirring, until sugar turn a deep golden color. Add balsamic, carefully, and juniper berries. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes, until sugar redissolves, and the sauce reduces by 1/4. Remove from heat, and keep in warm place. Strain out juniper berries before serving.
Celery Root Remoulade 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon drained bottled capers, minced 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tsp fresh tarragon, minced, or ¼ tsp. dried. 2 small celery roots, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces or shredded coarse
In a small bowl combine ingredients for dressing: mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice, capers, mustard, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until combined well. Toss with celery root. Chill until ready to serve. Makes a great side dish for crab cakes or grilled fish.
I recall a visit to Even’ Star organic farm many years ago to visit my friends Brett, Chris and their daughter. We sat down for dinner, a beautiful plate of beef rib- eye before us. We all bowed our heads slightly as if to say grace and 5-year old Allesandra summed it up in three words: “Thank You, Lemo.”
Lemo was the name of the limousine cow that Allesandra, along with her dad Brett, raised on their farm. Brett didn’t need to read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan to know that commercial cattle industry has strayed from sustainable practices. Many commercially raised cattle no longer eat a grass-based diet as they were biologically designed, and they are housed in tight quarters that harbor disease, requiring many animals to be injected with antibiotics. By raising his own cow, Brett would know the animal’s diet was appropriate to its heritage and roamed freely within a clean stable with access to the outside. He chose the limousine breed for its “growth efficiency,” lean meat, and flavor comparable to the prized-Angus.
While many of us have no qualms about eating meat, most people get squeamish when they’ve seen the animals in the live state before cooking or eating it. Some won’t even purchase whole chickens at the supermarket because of the visual recognition that the meat they’re about to cook was once a live animal. I was quite impressed with Allesandra’s maturity to accept that the meat we eat comes from a once living being. And she expressed her gratitude to the animal for giving us a wonderful meal.
I really enjoyed reading about everyone's favorite garden vegetables. Most of you mentioned tomatoes and herbs, but also enjoyed seeing the variety of what people grow.
…. And the winners of the packet of Even' Star Organic Farm seeds are Amy and Sylvie. Please email me your mailing address to [julia] at [growcookeat] dot [com]. Yes, I decided to pick two winners, since I think I have enough to share.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my own spring garden plans. Especially last night… when I wanted something green with my dinner, but had no vegetables in the house and a barren garden.
Every year, I plant a few staples and try a few new things. Like every year, I will plant a variety of lettuces to make a mesclun mix: arugula, mizuna, romaine and tatsoi. I also plant sugar snap peas with the idea of getting pea tendrils when the plants are young and tender, and snap peas as the plants mature.
In past years, I’ve planted “braising greens” in late summer for fall harvest. Unfortunately, I have yet to harvest a crop because the first snow always comes before the greens are mature. This year, I will plant in the spring. I know that the summer heat can be the enemy of leafy greens as they get bitter and go to seed. My thought is to plant them in a less sunny area. Hopefully, this will keep the plants cool enough and buy me enough time to finally get a harvest. This same spot that I’m thinking for the greens, I planted zucchini last year. You may recall, I got nothin’ from those plants but a few dozen squash blossoms — can you feel the disappointment? Too cool for the zucchini, perfect for kale? We’ll see.
Toy Soldier Mick grows beets in his garden… which makes me wonder why I have never grown them…. On this year's list! I’ve never bothered with radishes either, for no particular reason, but this year I think I’ll try. I have some wonderful heirloom seeds from Even Star’ Farm.
A collapsible greenhouse set it up in the backyard allows me a two-week jump start on the season. The greenhouse traps in the warmth of the sunlight, thawing the soil a little earlier. Not only can I get the seeds in the ground sooner, but I also protect the young seedlings from overnight, freezing temperatures.
So to recap… 1. Radishes 2. Lettuces 3. Collards and Kales 4. Brocolli Raab 5. Sugar Snap Peas 6. Beets
I still have another month or so to think about my summer plantings, even if I start some seeds indoors. Stay tuned!
I normally buy capers in the big 32 ounce, wide mouth jar. Packed in a salty brine, they last several years. But I usually go through them quicker than that. When I crave chicken picatta or egg salad, I don’t think much about how I’ll get the capers out, I just use a fork.
Last week, I ran out and the only jar I saw at the market was the thin tubular jar. As I reached into the jar, I realized this would take more thought. My fork was too big to fit in. I didn’t want to pour out all the brine. And I didn’t want to strain the brine in a sieve, take the capers and then pour the brine back in.
The solution: a melon baller. The scoop fits perfectly into the jar, grabbing a perfect teaspoon at a time. And the hole in the base, lets the brine drain back into the jar. Problem solved!
Don't forget about the giveaway of Even’ Star Organic Farm Seeds. These heirloom seeds are of the highest quality, and are cultivated to yield the most flavorful, hardiest plants. All you need to do is leave a comment on my blog between now and Friday, February 27th at 5pm EST.
Who doesn’t love mayo? I use it in everything, though mostly as a base for something else. I’ll mix it with chipotles to make a dip for corn fritters or with herbs for green goddess salad dressing. Rarely do I just eat it on its own. Which is probably why I like taramsalata so much. It’s essentially mayo that is served with crackers. This Greek dip blends carp roe (fish eggs) with olive oil. Tarama, the actual carp roe, are bright orange and salted. Both the roe and the dip are sold in jars, usually in the cheese case.
The basic technique of making taramasalta is the same as mayonnaise, but the fish eggs are used in place of the chicken eggs. Starting with a spoon of tarama in the food processor, slowly drizzle in olive oil, until it becomes thick and pale orange. The flavor benefits from the addition of raw onions and lots of lemon juice. Most recipes will advise on blending in a slice of water-soaked bread (don’t ask me, I just do as I’m told). And Peter M. suggests also using a touch of smoked onion or liquid smoke. Since he is the authority on Greek food, I accept this as gospel. Taramasalata 1 slice bread 1 heaping tablespoon tarama 1 1/2 cups oil – all olive oil or a 50-50 blend of olive and canola 1/2 small onion 1/4 cup lemon juice
1. Soak bread in water. Squeeze it out.
2. Put bread and tarama in the basin of a food processor. Turn motor on and let run for 30 seconds.
3. Slowly, slowly drizzle in the oil. When it starts to thicken, add the lemon juice and onions. Continue processing until all the oil is added.
My college apartment was down the street from a Lebanese deli. Instead of eating in the campus cafeteria, I’d head over to the deli to satiate my cravings for falafel and hummus. Having spent much of my youth eating in the Israeli and Arab restaurants of Jerusalem, this was my comfort food. After many visits, I became friendly with the owner and he steered me towards the daily specials – each day his wife would make a traditional, home-style dish for lunch. Sometimes it was a lamb dish scented with cinnamon, others it was fish, but my favorite was “Molokhia” — chicken simmered with a leafy green vegetable served over rice-noodle pilaf and topped with toasted pita.
I never saw this dish in another restaurant again, so began a quest to recreate it. Every time I met a Lebanese, I would interrogate him to figure out what this dish really was and find out how to make it. Finally, I was able to find a good recipe and a source for the distinctive “Moloukhia” leaves.
Moloukhia are the leaves from a variety of the jute plant. They have a unique texture that some describe as a cross between okra and spinach. Other descriptions include, “slippery” and “gelatinous.” The nutritious leaves thicken the chicken broth and give a rich flavor to the stew. A heavy dose of lemon juice at the end balances the creaminess. It’s an unusual flavor, but highly addictive.
This dish originates from Egypt, but has spread across the Middle East. Spellings can vary, including moloukhi, molokhya and moolkhia, as can its botanical name: jew's mallow, nalta jute, tussa jute, corchorus olitorius. Fresh molokhi is not available in the U.S. but can be purchased dried or frozen in most Arab Markets.
To coax out the best flavor from the stew, it needs at least 30 minutes of simmering. Unfortunately, the long simmer does not bode well for a bright green dish. When prepared with rabbit, it’s fit for a Pharaoh. Molokhia 1 lb. chicken or rabbit meat 1 large onion, chopped 2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 4 cups chicken broth or water 4 tbs. butter 3 cups dried moloukhia leaves or 10 oz. frozen 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 cloves garlic 1 tbs. coriander
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or pot, combine chicken, onion and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to simmer. Let simmer while preparing the next steps.
In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Saute crushed garlic with coriander for 2-3 minutes until garlic starts to soften and the coriander becomes aromatic. Take some of the liquid from the chicken to deglaze this pan and add to above.
If using dried leaves, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Stir leaves for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and crush. Add leaves to the simmering pot. Continue simmering for 30 minutes. Total cooking time should be about 45 minutes. If using frozen leaves, simply add to the chicken pot with remaining butter. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice pilaf, or rice mixed with pilaf noodles
The microwave method:
