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Category: Mo’s Favorites

  • Couscous Vegetable Salad with Honey Mint Vinaigrette

    It has been years since I made couscous. Quinoa and farro have been my go-to grains for years and the other day I saw some couscous on the shelf at the store and thought, hello old friend.

    Look how the fluffy light grains cling to the vegetables, much lighter and less chew than quinoa and farro.

    The honey lemon mint vinaigrette is so good. After I made this salad I immediately made a double batch of the vinaigrette while everything was out so I can dress all my vegetables with it, cooked or raw, this week.  You should double the recipe if you try this, you’ll want extra.

    The dressing is super easy.

    Lemon Mint Honey Vinaigrette

    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1-2 tablespoons mustard. I used a grainy mustard, you can use that or dijon
    • salt and pepper

    Put everything in a small food processor and blend until it is smooth. Taste for more mustard or salt and pepper.

    For the salad I used;

    • 1 cup of couscous soaked in 1 cup of hot water (package directions)
    • 1 cucumber
    • 1 zucchini
    • 1 fennel
    • optional; a handful of almonds and at the last minute I added some cherries and some feta cheese, as always, use what you like and what you have.

    Slice the vegetables very thinly with a mandolin or with a vegetable peeler.

    Add everything into a bowl mixing, tossing, gently but really well and enjoy!

    Summer is here finally. It’s time for salads for dinner.

    Have a great week and I’ll see you at pickup.

    Mo

     

     

     

     

  • Carrot and White Bean Burgers

    I hope everyone and their homes stayed safe from the fires. It was very close to us but thankfully we are ok. Our community has been through so much I know we will get through this. We were out of our house for several days and the electricity was off so I had to throw almost everything in the refrigerator away. The root vegetables were all ok. I needed a little comfort food so I made these.

    I really like to make vegetable burgers and fritters. I like how they are filling but not heavy.

    I haven’t posted very many veggie burger recipes here because it seems like most of them have really long list of ingredients. Most recipes too have you use a food processor so it feels like a bit of an ordeal. This one you mash the beans with a fork. It comes together in a jiff and is really delicious.

    I got the recipe here. Lots of great ideas on that site.

    Makes 4 big burgers (or 6 smaller ones)

    Olive oil
    1/2 cup panko
    3 shallots, or 1 small onion, diced
    1 tablespoon tomato paste
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1 cup grated carrot (from 2 medium carrots)
    1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    Two 15-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
    1 egg, beaten
    Freshly ground black pepper
    Burger accompaniments, as you like

    Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate, then return the pan to the heat.

    Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet, followed by the onion. Cook until softened and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and carrots and stir frequently until the carrots are soft and a bit blistered, another 8 to 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, scraping up all the browned bits until the pan is dry.

    Remove from the heat and add the toasted panko and beans. Use a wooden spoon or spatula (I used a fork) to very coarsely mash the mixture until a bit pasty and holds together—there should still be plenty of beans intact. Stir in the egg and pepper to taste.

    Shape into 4 patties, or 6 smaller burgers (I got 6, they were plenty big) or 10 to 12 sliders. To cook the burgers, heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and carefully cook until browned and slightly firm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes per side. It may be necessary to cook in batches. Serve hot or at room temperature, with accompaniments as desired.

    I am positive you could substitute any root vegetable for the carrots, parsnips, celeriac, rutabaga… even winter squash would work. Next time I would add a handful of hemp or sunflower seeds for a little texture.

    Delicious meal and the leftovers are just as good as the first day.

    Have a great week.

    Mo

  • “Creamed Greens”

    This is a super easy, elegant satisfying plant based dish that is better than creamed spinach you would get at an old school steak house. These greens will complement any grilled, steamed or roasted vegetable, meat or fish or you could even serve it with noodles or rice.

    The base (sauce) of the sauce is tofu not heavy whipping cream and the result is so much better than original dairy base dish. I saw the recipe here. I have made this twice and changed just a few things but basically followed the recipe. You can use any greens you have. I used a bunch of kale, but chard, spinach or collards would be just as delicious. I used mushrooms but if you don’t like mushrooms-use onions or eggplant. Don’t have greens? Use the sauce with roasted peppers or winter squash. Don’t want an Asian profile? Sub nutritional yeast and any nut or oat milk for the Asian seasonings like I did in the second photo. Here is what I used the two times I have made this.

    If you don’t care about being plant based you could use parmesan and regular milk. Here is what you need.

    Creamed Greens.

    • 8 ounces tofu I used firm tofu
    • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons mirin
    • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
    • 4 ounces mushrooms
    • 1 bunch of greens I used kale
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

    Put the tofu, soy sauce, mirin, and vinegar in a blender and blend on high until smooth, 1-2 minutes until it is really smooth. If you want it thinner add water or milk (plant or animal) That’s it. you just made a delicious ‘cream’ sauce yum.

    Honestly, you can stop right here and put this on anything.

    If you are making the greens heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and then salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and most of it has evaporated. Add the greens and cook, stirring, until just wilted.

     

    Stir in half the tofu mixture (save the rest for another batch or to use with other veggies) and cook until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with more salt to taste and serve warm.

    I’ll be playing with different seasonings for this dish. I hope you try making this. I think it’s a winner.

    Fall is in the air. I’m ready for cooler weather. Have a great week.

    Mo

     

     

  • Eggplant Omelet

    I’ve seen recipes for a dish called tortang talong. It is basically an eggplant omelet with Asian flavors and ground pork. I’ve never made it with pork but I took the idea and simplified it just a little and made this.

    My version is really easy to make, it’s so easy in fact this is a no recipe-recipe.

    You start by blackening your eggplants so you can peel the skin off easily. Like making baba ghanoush.

    You can do this on a grill or on your gas stove top. Cook them until they are good and dark.

    I think you can do it under a broiler but I haven’t tried that.

    Set the blackened eggplant aside to cool and get your eggs and anything else you want to put in your egg omelets. I had six really small Asian eggplants it was more than enough for two of us for dinner and I had leftovers for lunch. I haven’t tried using Italian eggplants but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. It will take a little longer to blacken them is the only difference I see.

    OK. Now peel the eggplant and leave the stem attached, it’s pretty and handy for turning the eggplant in the pan.

    Naked eggplant.

    Smoosh them flat with a fork.

    If you have made French toast you can make this.

    Scramble eggs in a shallow bowl and add some herbs and scallions, or ground meat or chopped vegetables.

    Heat a pan and add a few tablespoons of oil. Dip the eggplant into the egg mix and swoosh it front and back a few times to get the egg into the indents of the eggplant. Put the eggy eggplant in the hot pan and fry for a couple minutes each side. The eggplant is cooked so you are just cooking the egg and herb coating.

    Flip them over and finish cooking.

    We had this with rice and I made a dipping sauce with mayonnaise and siracha which was really nice.

    This was really fun to make and eat. I want to play around with this method with other flavors. I’ll report back if I come up with anything yummy.

    Have a great week. See you at pickup.

    Mo

  • Roasted Carrots with Raita

    I saw this roasted carrot recipe in the food section of the New York Times a while ago.

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    I knew it would be delicious, what’s not to love? Roasted carrots, crushed salty peanuts served on what is basically raita.

    The recipe is pretty straight forward I hardly changed anything.

    INGREDIENTS
    FOR THE CARROTS:
    1 ½ pounds small to medium carrots (I didn’t cut peel mine they were small)
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    Kosher salt and black pepper
    1 teaspoon ground coriander

    FOR THE RAITA:
    1 cup full-fat yogurt-I used goat milk yogurt  and it was delicious
    1 small cucumber diced
    ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
    ¼ teaspoon cumin
    1 tablespoon lime juice, (about 1/2 lime), plus more for serving (optional)
    Kosher salt
    ¼ cup roughly chopped roasted, salted peanuts- any nut or seed will work here.

    Step 1 Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and toss the carrots with the olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper and roast until the carrots are golden brown and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

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    Step 2 While the carrots roast, make the raita: In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, cilantro, cucumber, cumin and lime juice. Stir well to combine and salt to taste.

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    Step 3 Spread the raita on the bottom of a plate or platter and arrange roasted carrots on top. Scatter peanuts, and finish with flaky salt and a squeeze of lime juice.

    After I took the first picture my daughter came over and it was lunch time. I added a few things I had laying around to the carrots and raita plate to make enough for two of us for lunch. Then took this picture.

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    We grabbed a couple of tortillas and made, sort of, carrot-yogurt tacos and after about 10 minutes it looked like this.

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    I love dips and sauces and I love the idea of the raita on the bottom of the dish to be scooped up with the other ingredients. This was a fun satisfying meal to share.

    If you try this or anything posted here let me know if you like it, or if you don’t! I love to hear your comments.

    Have a great week. See you at pickup.

    Mo

     

     

     

     

  • About Sorrel and Sorrel Scrambled Eggs

    Sorrel is a perennial herb with a bright lemon-green-vegetable flavor, if that makes sense. It is really hard to describe….lemon spinach maybe, but more tender than spinach. The leaves are very tender and sort of melt into whatever dish you use them in. They don’t look like much, looks are deceiving. The flavor packs a gentle punch unlike any herb I can think of.

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    I tell people to use it like you would basil; add sorrel to tomato sauce, or top pizza, make sorrel pesto or just add it to any salad. A handful of sorrel added to this super green pasta dish would be great! It brings a really bright unexpected note to anything.

    It goes especially well with eggs and cheese dishes like omelettes or quiches, or anything creamy and rich.

    If you haven’t ever had sorrel start with sauteing a handful of sorrel into some scrambled eggs. Once you taste it you will think of a million ways to use it.

    You know how to scramble eggs, I know. Sorrel isn’t very photogenic, neither are scrambled eggs. I took a few pictures anyway to  show you how sorrel turns brown-green when cooked. I don’t think it is a bad thing, just know what to expect.

    I use a handful of sorrel for every two eggs. I like to put a little spoonful of sour cream into my scrambled eggs right at the end of cooking, you don’t have to do that.

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    Absolutely delightful. Yes I said delightful. Delightful, not pretty.

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    I hope you try using sorrel. I think you’ll love it.

    See you at pickup.

    Mo

  • Super Green Pasta

    Last week I said I had a new favorite vegetable preparation. I think I spoke too soon. This Super Green Pasta is my new favorite.

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    It has only 6 ingredients, takes about 15 minutes to make, and is silky delicious and really really filling. You could have a salad or some chicken or fish or just eat it as is.

    I slightly adapted a Jamie Oliver recipe. This makes enough for two for dinner with a little leftover.  We couldn’t eat it all, we were stuffed. You’ll need;

    • 1/2 a pound of dried pasta. I used whole wheat linguine, use any kind you like
    • 4 cloves of garlic
    • 1 bunch of greens- kale, chard, spinach or beet greens. I used chard and beet greens
    • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese
    • 1 ounce ricotta cheese
    • 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil (I forgot to put the oil in the picture)

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    1. Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, peel the garlic. Tear or cut the stems out of the greens you are using and give the stems to the chickens, add the leaves and the garlic to the pasta pan and boil them for 5 minutes. Pour 1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a blender and add the Parmesan. Use tongs to carefully transfer the greens and garlic straight into the blender and blitz for a few minutes until super-smooth. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.

    2. Drain the pasta, reserving a cupful of cooking water (I didn’t do this). Return the pasta to the pan and toss with the vibrant green sauce, loosening with a splash of reserved cooking water, if needed, then divide between your plates. Dot over the ricotta, drizzle with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil, and tuck right in.

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    Gosh this is so good I hope you make it. I know I will make it again and again.

    Have a great week and see you at pickup.

    Mo

     

     

  • Greens and Beans

    Stop me if you have heard this one before. Greens and beans, my comfort food.

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    Like most comfort meals you can use what you have on hand and what you like.

    I had a little more than 1 bunch worth of different greens.

    Here is the basic recipe and what else you will need;

    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 chopped onion
    2 cloves garlic, sliced
    Red pepper flakes if you like, they are nice with greens
    1 to 1 1/2 bunches of kale, chard, collards, beet greens, anything you have, washed, stems trimmed and chopped.
    1 (15- ounce) can of beans. I used white beans today, drained
    About 2 cups of any kind of stock you have on hand. Sometimes I use miso,  in a pinch water will do.  But  broth with the greens and beans make a nice pot liquor.

    Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pan large enough to hold all the greens.
    Add onion and garlic slices. Saute until tender about 3 minutes. Add the greens and saute until it cooks down slightly. Add the beans and the chicken stock.

    Cover and cook for 10 minutes or so and add red pepper flakes if you are using them and taste and see if you need salt or pepper. Greens are naturally salty and stock is usually salted so you might not need any.

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    I love this with rice or grains or pasta.

    Have a great week. I’ll see you at pickup.

    Mo

     

  • Roasted Hakurei Turnips with Miso and Maple Syrup

    I am often asked what is my favorite way to eat Hakurei turnips? My answer usually is, ‘pull them out of the ground, wipe off most of the soil and eat them like an apple’.

    That was until I tried Hakurei turnips roasted with a miso, maple syrup and butter glaze.

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    These are so juicy and earthy delicious and so simple to make. Here is how you do it:

    • Preheat your oven to 425F and wash and cut up a bunch of Hakurei’s into quarters.
    • Toss the turnips in oil, any oil and sprinkle some salt on them and roast them until they are just turning a little brown. About 20 or 25 minutes
    • Make a glaze of equal parts; white miso, butter, and maple syrup (I used about 1 tablespoon of each, miso, maple syrup and butter) and either melt it in a pan on the stove or microwave the mix until it is just melted and taste and smell that. OMG, I want to eat this with a spoon, or on popcorn.
    • When the turnips are lightly roasted brush the melted glaze on the turnips and  return them to the oven for another 10 minutes or so to brown the glaze.

    Here are some pictures showing the steps.

    • cut up
    • roasted with oil and salt until brown
    • apply the miso glaze
    • roast until brown

    Yummy.

    I think this glaze will work on any roasted vegetable. I have a little leftover and I have some vegetables that need using up. I think I’ll try it. I’ll report back and let you know how I like it on other vegetables.

    Only 3 CSA pickups left! Have a great week.

    Mo

  • Any Vegetable Peanut Noodle Salad

    This post was updated 6/11/24.

    This is a favorite quick meal I turn to time and time again for a few reasons; one is the unique ‘cooking’ method. Cooked noodles are drained in a colander as usual but over  vegetables. Doing so wilts the vegetables to a perfect ‘al dente’ and provides all the cooking needed. This dish is endlessly adaptable to any vegetables and proteins you have on hand and prep is as easy-chop your vegetables, boil the noodles-toss with a delicious sauce-eat.

    Today I had bok choy, green garlic and some chives. Carrots, turnips, lettuce past its prime for salads, broccoli, peppers are all good here.

     

    Recipe for Noodle Salad 2 servings

    • 1 -12-oz noodles. I used soba but any rice or wheat option is great too
    • about 4 cups chopped or shredded vegetables and herbs

    For the sauce

    • 1/4 to 1/2 c peanut butter to taste, you can use another nut or seed butter if you prefer
    • 1/4 c rice wine vinegar
    • 1/4 c soy sauce
    • 2 Tbsp honey
    • 1 Tbsp minced ginger
    • 1/4 c water

    While the noodles cook chop the vegetables then combine peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, and onion with a 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium to low heat until all ingredients are well combined and sauce is thick and bubbly.

    When noodles are cooked place the prepared vegetables in a colander.

     

     

    Drain the noodles, hot water and all over vegetables to drain when the vegetables just start to cook quickly rinse the  with cold water to stop everything from cooking any more.

     

    You can kind of see how the vegetables just barely cooked.

    Toss the vegetable-noodle mixture with sauce, you won’t need it all.

    Serve the extra on the side and dress with any protein you like and hot sauce and nuts or seeds for added dressing.  Either serve now or chill in the refrigerator to serve later for leftover or lunch.

     

    Until next time.

    -Mo