Simply Tropical Fruits - Papaya and Passion Fruit

Fresh Papaya and Passion Fruit, a Simple Tropical Combination, served elegantly.

We just spent the past few weeks in paradise - on the island of Maui in Hawaii. There's nothing that I look forward to more this time of year than spending some quality down time with my family. No sports, no meetings or appointments, no place we have to be at any time (except for a dinner reservation!). Sunsets over the ocean every night, daily dips in the pool, relaxing and just being still. These are all the things that I am grateful for to help me get rejuvenated before we all return to the scheduled life we start living once school begins. 

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50 Women Game-Changers In Food - Irma S. Rombauer - Sauteed Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes, Capers, and Basil

Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes, Capers, and Basil

This summer has been a nice time to try new quick and easy recipes, the simpler the better, the less time behind the stove even better. Our baseball season wrapped up this past weekend, and today I am sharing a recipe for Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes, Capers, and Basil, from Irma S. Rombauer's The Joy of Cooking that I made on one of our game days. This dish can be made ahead of time - even better in my book.

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CSA Box #9: Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Wax Beans, Fresh Corn, Tomatoes and Jalapeno

Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Wax Beans, Fresh Corn, Tomatoes and Jalapeno

Each week, my CSA Box has been getting heavier and heavier, which is a good thing. I remember the very first box which was unexpectedly light. After a slow start, my CSA Box has been getting fuller by the week.

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CSA Box #7: Summer Vegetable Korean Lettuce Wraps

Summer Vegetable Korean Lettuce Wrap

This past week, I picked up my CSA Box #7, and found "pencil carrots", eggplant, tomatoes, arugula, Ailsa Craig onions (sweet and mild), green beans, swiss chard, cucumbers, fresh garlic, parsley, basil tops, zucchini, sweet "Trinity" corn, and green leaf lettuce. 

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50 Women Game Changers in Food - #7 Madhur Jaffrey - Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe

Madhur Jaffrey's Cold Cucumber Soup - This Soup Was Spicy and Flavorful!

It is so hot outside these days that I've been thinking about making some cold soup. Typically, I enjoy hot soups, and the only cold soup I've ever made is Gazpacho. However, I've been thinking about trying a cold cucumber soup with all the cucumbers I've been getting in my CSA Box.

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CSA Box #5: Gluten-Free Pasta with Roasted Beets, Beet Greens and Pine Nuts

Gluten-Free Pasta with Roasted Beets, Beet Greens and Pine Nuts

This week's CSA Box #5 featured Bunched Beets with Greens, Broccoli Raab, Cucumbers, Lacinato Kale, White Salad Turnips (which look like white radishes), Purplette Onions, Romaine Lettuce, Broccoli, Baby Arugula, Summer Squash and Zucchini.

I was out of town this past week at my son's baseball tournament in Florida. We had a blast between watching all the ball games and riding the roller coasters at the amusement parks. Our team won Bronze - congratulations CT Fury!! 

Since we were away, I missed the CSA Box pick-up day, so by the time I retrieved my CSA Box, a few of the leaves on the Beet Greens and Broccoli Raab had turned a bit yellow and wilted. The broccoli looked a bit yellow too, but it was still firm. Overall, the vegetables were still very fresh and intact.

Cucumbers, Broccoli, White Salad Turnips, Beets, Purplette Onions, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Broccoli Rabe, Baby Arugula, Lacinato Kale and Romaine Lettuce were in my CSA Box this week.

According to the weekly CSA newsletter, "the biggest chunk of the farm is planted, and while trying to keep that weeded and watered, we have been trying to get the fall crops of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and beets in the ground. The weather has been for the most part quite pleasant, and crops continue to grow nicely, but about 10 days behind last year's pace."

After a week away without farm fresh vegetables, I was anxious to dig right into the CSA Box (my kids actually acknowledged they were tired of the amusement park food, and needed to eat some fruits and vegetables after they got home, which I was more than happy to oblige!). I washed and cleaned all the vegetables, and stored them in my refrigerator. That way, I could quickly throw together a dish using these gorgeous fresh vegetables over the next several days.

So what did I make with all the fresh vegetables from my CSA Box this week? I made an Arugula, Peach and Nasturtiums Salad with Toasted Almonds and Orange Vinaigrette, Roasted Broccoli with Garlic Scape Pesto, Simple Sauteed Kale, Korean Lettuce Wraps, Summer Squash Banchan, and Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad. In addition, I also threw together a quick no-cook pasta sauce, made with Swiss Chard Garlic Scape Pesto, fresh tomatoes, fresh minced garlic, kalamata olives, extra virgin olive oil, arugula, and fresh ground pepper. Tossed with hot gluten-free pasta and a bit of pasta cooking liquid, this pasta dish was absolutely scrumptious!

Arugula, Peach and Nasturtiums Salad with Toasted Almonds and Orange Vinaigrette

Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Garlic, Swiss Chard Garlic Scape Pesto, and Arugula

A new dish I tried was Gluten-Free Pasta with Roasted Beets, Beet Greens and Pine Nuts as I wanted to be able to use the entire beet, including the greens before they went bad. 

Fresh Beets and Beet Greens Are Both Used In This Pasta Dish.

I found a lovely Bon Appetit recipe for Farfalle with Golden Beets, Beet Greens and Pine Nuts that sounded perfect. Although my beets were red, I didn't mind a bit of red staining on the pasta (I actually think it makes the pasta quite pretty). I also decided to roast the beets instead of just boiling them, to add deeper flavor and bring out the sweetness in these beets. For the gluten-free pasta, I chose Le Veneziane Farfalle, which is made in Italy. I recently discovered this gluten-free pasta (made with corn), and the quality is exceptional. Unlike brown rice pasta, Le Veneziane pastas are not gummy and I could not tell they were gluten-free.
My little guy and I enjoyed this Pasta with Roasted Beets, Beet Greens and Pine Nuts for lunch - a nice balance of flavors and textures. I got a big "thumbs up" from my little guy, the ultimate reward!

How To Roast Beets:

Roasted Red Beets from my CSA Box

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of beets with greens
• water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut greens off of beets and reserve for later. Wash and trim beets, leaving a bit of the ends attached.
3. Place beets in a shallow pie pan with 1/4" inch of water.
4. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
5. Bake 40-60 minutes, until a knife pieces the beets easily. Roasting time depends on the size of the beets. I had small and medium size beets, and ended up baking them for 60 minutes.
6. Remove beets from oven and let cool.
7. Skin will peel off beets easily, either using a paring knife to gently scrape the skin off, or using your fingers.

Gluten-Free Pasta with Roasted Beets, Beet Greens and Pine Nuts

Adapted from Bon Appetit. I used red beets instead of yellow in the original recipe, and decided to roast them for a deeper, sweeter flavor profile. The caramelized onions are a must (although I adjusted the cooking time as it was too long in the original recipe). I also added a splash of raspberry balsamic vinegar to add a little bit of tang. A sprinkle of nutritional yeast on top (vegan version) or goat cheese would be nice. 

Gluten-Free Pasta with Roasted Beets, Beet Greens, Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese (for vegan version, use Nutritional Yeast)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bunch beets with greens
• 1 tablespoon raspberry balsamic vinegar
• 8 ounces gluten-free pasta (I used Le Veneziane farfalle or bow-tie pasta)
• nutritional yeast or goat cheese, optional
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• fresh chives, for garnish

Directions:

1. Roast beets as directed above, reserving beet greens. Cut roasted beets into wedges.
2. Wash beet greens well, and cut into 1 inch pieces.
3. Cook pasta until al dente, according to directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onions and saute on low to medium-low until soft and golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. 
5. Add garlic and and stir 2 more minutes. 
6. Stir in beet greens along with raspberry balsamic vinegar. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender. 
7. Toss cooked pasta with onion/beet greens, and roasted beets. Add pasta cooking liquid to moisten if desired. 
8. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
9. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
10. Serve with nutritional yeast or goat cheese, if desired.

Serves 3-4

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Quick Vegetarian Napa Cabbage Kim Chi (Kimchee) Recipe

Quick Vegetarian Kim Chi Made With Napa Cabbage And Scallions From My CSA Box.

My latest CSA box included a large head of Napa Cabbage or Chinese Cabbage, and a nice bunch of scallions, perfect for trying out a quick version of kim chi using a recipe from Jenny Kwak's Dok Suni, Recipes from My Mother's Korean Kitchen.

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CSA Box#2 Recipe: Snow Pea, Radish and Scallion Salad

Snow Pea, Radish and Scallion Salad

In my last CSA box, I received an assortment of salad greens, spinach, bok choy, garlic scapes, radishes and strawberries. I made more Swiss Chard and Garlic Scape Pesto, Stir-Fry Noodles with Bok Choy, and Korean Spinach Salad "Banchan," and we've been eating lots of salads. The one item in the box I wasn't quite sure what to do with was the bunch of fresh radishes. I buy radishes from the farmer's market every summer, but usually just munch on them as a snack.

Since one of my goals for joining the CSA was to introduce my kids to more vegetables that they might not normally eat, I knew I had to make the "presentation" of these crunchy radishes appealing.

I had picked up some fresh snow peas and scallions from the farmer's market and thought a pretty salad made with snow peas, scallions and radishes would do the trick. 

Radishes from my CSA Box, and Scallions and Snow Peas from the Farmer's Market

I stumbled upon a recipe on my CSA's site for a Snow Pea, Scallion and Radish Salad (which turned out to be Ellie Krieger's recipe). I made a few adjustments to the cooking time (I quickly blanched my snow peas) and the dressing proportions (reduced the amount of vinegar significantly) as there was way too much vinegar in the recipe for my taste, and too much dressing in general.

Snow Pea, Radish and Scallion Salad

Printable Recipe

Rice Vinegar Dressing

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon agave nectar

Snow Pea Salad:

• 2 cups snow peas, trimmed
• 1 cup radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped

1. Make dressing by whisking together rice vinegar, olive oil and agave nectar.
2. To make salad, blanch snow peas in boiling water for 30 seconds; remove, rinse with cold water and drain well. Cut snow peas in thirds. Toss with radishes and scallions.
3. Drizzle on dressing to taste right before serving (I only used about half of the dressing as I like my salads lightly dressed).

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The Importance of Buying Local {Guest Post at Kelapo Coconut - Strawberry Lemonade Fizz}

Strawberry Lemonade Fizz

Today, I am honored to be guest blogging about The Importance of Buying Local on Kelapo Coconut's blog, We're Coconuts!. Stop by to read about why I decided to join a CSA ("Community Supported Agriculture" group) this summer, and to get the recipe for this frothy homemade Strawberry Lemonade Fizz, the perfect drink for a hot summer day, using fresh strawberries that are currently in season.

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CSA Box #2 and an Easy Korean Spinach Salad "Banchan" Recipe

Easy Korean Spinach Salad "Banchan"

Last week, I picked up my first CSA box (Community Supported Agriculture), which contained baby arugula, lots of salad greens, spinach, scallions and fresh picked strawberries.

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Stewed Rhubarb with Star Anise and Ginger

Stewed Rhubarb with Star Anise and Ginger

This past weekend, I picked up some fresh rhubarb from our local farmer's market. I have never cooked rhubarb before, but have been meaning to try it for a while.

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Farmer's Market Sandwich - Pesto, Mozzarella, and Tomato Sandwich

The local farmer's market offers fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, specialty goods and more.

This weekend, I finally got the chance to visit our local farmer's market. I missed last weekend as I was at the annual BlogHer Food conference in Atlanta, meeting up with fellow food bloggers.

I have been eagerly waiting for the farmer's market to open after such a long winter. I always like to take a quick scan around the market first to see what all the farmers are offering that day before deciding what to bring home. I was pleasantly surprised to find a number of new farmers and vendors at the market today, including Raus Coffee (farm to roaster coffee), Bonga Capacci (fresh ravioli and lasagna), Dream Desserts (gluten-free dessert bars), Skinny Pines (mobile wood fired oven serving pizzas), and Smyth's Trinity Farms (dairy farm selling fresh chocolate milk and yogurts).

Of course, the old standbys that I have been frequenting over the past several years were a welcome sight - it's like seeing an old friend after a long absence! There were organic Asian salad greens rhubarb from Stone's Throw, organic kale swiss chard, and potted plants from Riverbank Farms, fresh radishes and greens from Gazy Brother's Farm, fiddleheads from Smith's Acres, potted organic herbs and plants from Greenscapes, various dips and quinoa salads from Du Soleil, pasture raised meats from Grey Ledge Farm, fresh breads, pesto and mozzarella cheese from St. Ex Specialty Foods, apple cider donuts and honey from Plasko's Farm, fresh pies and other goodies from Michele's Pies, pies and bar cookies from Whistle Stop Bakery, fresh flowers from Uncle Buck's Secret Garden, and handmade goat's milk soup by Goatboy Soaps (great for sensitive skin).

So, what did I buy this weekend? I went for a bag of Asian baby greens, some rhubarb (also called "sticks" by a woman standing next to me in line), red radishes, curly kale, rainbow swiss chard, fresh bread, pesto and mozzarella cheese, and a collection of potted herbs.

Fresh Kale, Radishes, Rhubarb ("sticks"), and Rainbow Swiss Chard from the farmer's market.

As soon as I walked in the door, I made our family's favorite Farmer's Market Sandwich, a tradition that we started years ago. At the start of the farmer's market season, my kids love pesto, mozzarella cheese and tomato on fresh baked bread. So simple, but so good.

Farmer's Market Sandwich - Fresh Baked Bread with Pesto, Mozzarella Cheese, and Tomato

Farmer's Market Sandwich - Pesto, Mozzarella Cheese, Tomato Sandwich

This is my kids' favorite sandwich at the start of the farmer's market, where a local vendor sells fresh mozzarella cheese, pesto and bread. It's become a tradition!

Ingredients:

• Fresh baked bread, sliced
• Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• Fresh tomatoes, sliced
• Fresh pesto
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. For each sandwich, spread some pesto on one side of each slice of bread.
2. Top with a slice of mozzarella cheese and tomato.
3. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
4. Top with second slice of bread.

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Blogging Friends and BlogHer Food Atlanta 2011 Recap

Collard Greens were everywhere at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the annual BlogHer Food conference in Atlanta, GA, where over 500 food bloggers gathered.

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It's Farmers Market Week!

Image by NatalieMaynor via Flickr

Visit your local farmer's market this week if you haven't already! Fresh tomatoes, corn, peppers, salad greens, peaches, and more go perfect with any summertime meal.

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