Local Eggs Florentine
You don’t have to travel to Italy to enjoy local Eggs Florentine. As Farmers Markets open across the Midwest, and other parts of the country, eating locally has just got easier. The following dish (made from a simple recipe that I found in Domino Magazine) is a great one to serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
I started with a crusty whole wheat locally-baked bread. (The bakery uses ingredients in nearby states — not many of the ingredients found in bread are available in Indiana.) Next, I spread on some Fromage Blanc from Traders Point Creamery (although recipe calls for Ricotta and Parmesan cheese). Atop that, I laid some lightly sauteed spinach from my parents garden and a fried egg (fresh from Phelps Family Farms stand at the Carmel Farmers Market).
The result was a hearty, rich and healthy dish. Bellissimo!
*Reader’s Recipe* Asparagus & Eggs Any Time of Day
After my post about Asparagus a few weeks ago, we received an email from Aly, in Florida who said she “grew up on asparagus and eggs as a breakfast, lunch or dinner option” and included the recipe below for a tasty asparagus and eggs dish. I loved the egg and asparagus combo and have made it several times already. It’s especially good with a little shredded local cheddar cheese over the top and a toasted slice of my favorite olive loaf bread from our farmer’s market.
Asparagus & Eggs
serves 2
- Saute some cut up asparagus in a small amount of olive oil and a couple of cloves of garlic, sprinkle some dried oregano, salt and pepper over it as it cooks.
- While the asparagus cooks, whisk 4 or 5 eggs in a bowl, adding a little milk.
- Pour the eggs over the asparagus and let it cook for a few minutes until the eggs are done. (You can see from the picture above that I ended up scrambling mine as the eggs set.)
- Top with fresh tomatoes and enjoy with some crusty Italian bread
Thanks for the recipe Aly!
Do you have a favorite tip or recipe you would like to share? Go ahead and send it our way, we’ll give it a whirl in our “test kitchen” and if we like it, we just may post about it!
Earth Day Event in Albany, NY
If you are out and about this Saturday enjoying the beautiful weather predicted in the Albany, NY area, be sure to stop by Honest Weight Food Co-op Earth Day Celebration.
The event should be educational and fun for the whole family featuring live music, food-related films, food samples, a local foods lunch (I’ve been helping with the prep so I promise it will be good!), free tree and shrub seedlings and much more! It takes place at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, 405 Washington Ave., on this Saturday, April 19, from 11-4.
For more information, check out this flier or contact the Honest Weight Foods Co-op.
“Beet” this Salad
I have never had any desire to eat beets in my entire life, that is, up until I kept bumping into them at the farmer’s market and the co-op every week. But I have to admit that I even bought a few here and there; they ended up sitting in the drawer of my refrigerator until they were so old I decided they were no longer good! Shame on me.
But one day I came across a “Rawsome Beet Salad” in the “to go” section of the deli at the co-op, I decided to give it a whirl, and it was delicious! Slightly sweet with an earthy crunch, these beets were starting to win me over despite their ugly exterior. I then came across a few juicing recipes calling for beets and after reading a little more about their great nutritional profile, (protecting against heart disease and cancer), the rest is history.
One of my favorite beet recipes is a raw Beet & Carrot Salad. Ever heard of eating all colors of the rainbow? This salad (pictured above) incorporates raw beets into a hearty vegetable salad using a variety of chopped beautiful veggies and is a combination I came up with based on that first encounter with beets from the co-op and a recipe in a book by Natalia Rose.
Raw Beet & Carrot Salad
Mix the following ingredients in a big bowl and let sit to marinate for about 15 minutes before serving. Feel free to modify adding more or less of something to suite your own taste, I even like to add a few shavings of raw cheese over the top of mine.
1 beet, julienned on a mandoline, or shredded
1-2 carrots shredded
1/2 cup broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup pepper (any color), chopped
5-6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
juice of half of a lemon
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1-2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
dash of salt and pepper
Just a warning: beets have an intense red color that can stain your fingers and countertops, so clean up quickly after working with them.
Asparagus Season
It seems as though spring has finally sprung here in upstate NY (thankfully!) and so marks the coming of asparagus season. Since it’s available seemingly year round in some of our big-box groceries these days it may be easy to forget that the freshest, most tasty, asparagus shows up right about now if you are getting it locally. But it’s only available for a relatively short period, usually only around 6 weeks in most parts of of the U.S.
Aside from its delicious flavor and versatility in many dishes(see the recipe links below for some simple dishes and downright daring ways to try asparagus), there are many nutritional benefits to these beautiful spears. Asparagus is an excellent source of Folate and Vitamins A, C, and K, just to name a few.
To pick up some of your own, look for bright green stalks with plump, tightly closed, tips. To store, before sticking them in the refrigerator, rinse with cold water, pat dry and wrap the base with the damp paper towel or store standing up in about an inch of water. Eat within 2-3 days for the best flavor and nutritional value.
As I already mentioned, asparagus lends itself to many types of dishes; you can eat it raw, boil it, steam it, stir-fry it, the possibilities are endless. I like to toss some chopped spears in with scrambled eggs or serve the whole spears as a side dish by roasting them in the oven (about 10 mins. at 450) with a touch of olive oil and seasonings like thyme and rosemary.
Here are few other suggestions to help you take advantage of asparagus season this year:
- Cream of Asparagus Soup
- Penne Pasta with Asparagus
- Morel Bread Pudding
- Aspargus Ribbon Salad
- Asparagus Risotto
- Asparagus and Wild Rice Salad
- Asparagus Bread
- Asparagus Cookies (yes, asparagus cookies!)
Traditional Spinach Salad
While Liz likes to drink her spinach, I like to take mine as a salad for lunch. Spinach salads pack more of a nutritional punch than lettuce because not only is spinach high in iron, but it also is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B6. As a member of the dirty dozen list, it is recommended that you buy organic spinach. Additionally, if you can get it locally, you are less likely to have to worry about national recalls.
Spinach Salad
This spinach salad is based off of the traditional spinach salad, with a few adjustments. Start with some organic spinach. Sprinkle on some shredded mozzarella. Add a little protein with it with a local, free-range hard-boiled egg. Next add some sliced crimini mushrooms. (I get mine locally from Homestead Growers, via Farm Fresh Delivery). Crimini Mushrooms are very flavorful and have more nutrients than the common white button mushroom.
For dressing, skip the typical Ranch Dressing that is usually served with this salad, and opt for a mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead.
Cottage Pie Gone Local
This time of year, everyone’s in the mood for some good ’ol comfort food and this local twist on Shepherd’s Pie fits the bill. Cottage Pie, or “Shepherd’s Pie” is traditionally an English dish made up of ground meat, mashed potato and seasonings. But this Squash Topped Cottage Pie in the most recent issue of Eating Well caught my eye as I new I could incorporate some of my favorite local ingredients, one being squash of course.
I made this a mostly-local dish by making a few changes to the original recipe found here. First, I used a whole, local Butternut Squash from a local farm instead of frozen squash chunks, which did add some time to the dish but it really is pretty simple to bake, scoop, and puree the real deal. Also, I used local ground beef, local whole garlic instead of garlic powder and a little bit of local cheddar cheese finely shredded over the top (instead of the Parmesan). And finally, I used one big pot instead of individual ramekins (only because I don’t have 10 oz. ramekins), baking the dish for about 15 minutes first and then finishing it off under the broiler. Makes 4 generous, yummy, servings.
Eat Your Brussels Sprouts!
Believe it or not, this past fall was the first time I have ever had brussels sprouts! Just the mention of them usually evokes strong feelings one way or the other for most people, they either love them or, most likely, hate them.
I grew up having a balanced, home-cooked meal almost every night with everyone in the family at the table together, but I think that someone must have disliked them as we never had brussels sprouts that I can recall. In fact, it was last fall when my Mom was visiting that inspired me to give them a try.
We first tried them boiled and plain, which I’ll admit was pretty boring. But I’ve since tried several different recipes and my two favorites are this one and this one (pictured above). My husband actually asks me to buy brussel sprouts now!
Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous veggie similar to cabbage, high in vitamins C and K, and full of fiber. But one of the most valuable nutrients from these little cabbage-like heads is sulforaphane, a phytonutrient that helps boost the body’s ability to protect against diseases like cancer. And they are usually in season this time of year, so don’t shy away, find some local brussels sprouts and and try one of the recipes above.
12 Months of Local Foods
I mentioned the Regional Farm and Food Project a few weeks ago in my post about the “local links” in the Capital District here in upstate NY, but I just have take a minute to mention this great calendar available on their website.
Each month highlights not only a beautiful picture and brief history of a nearby farm, but a delicious recipe from a farm or local restaurant, a list of in season foods, a healthy eating tip, and a green living tip too!
February features Hawthorne Valley Farm and a couple quick sauerkraut salad recipes. My favorite of the two is pictured above, a nice mix of raw sauerkraut, shredded carrots, chopped dates, a tiny bit of finely chopped jalapeno and a drizzle of oil. It takes about 5 minutes to put together and needs to site for 20 minutes to allow all the flavors to come out. It’s delicious!
The calendar is available on the Regional Farm and Food Project website for $15 or for free with a $50 membership donation. If you live in the area and are interested in an easy way to keep up with what’s in season and where your local foods come from, then it’s a must have.
Squash & Kale Risotto
Squash and Kale. What a great local food combo for this time of year. This dish makes a nice filling, ”comfort food” type of meal this time of year without being overly heavy. Skip the white rice and use something a little healthier like brown or basmati, you may have to cook it a little longer but it’s worth it!
Winter Squash and Kale Risotto
Adapted from a recipe by the National Cancer Institute
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. short grained rice
1/4 c. pine nuts
20 oz. vegetable broth
1 small to medium winter squash (Butternut worked well for me)
2 c. fresh kale, rinsed well and chopped
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan chees
Pre-heat oven to 400. Peel, seed and chop the squash into 1 inch cubes. Toss the squash with a little olive oil and place into a glass baking dish, pop it into the oven for about 30 minutes or until tender.
When squash is about halfway done, start a few tbsp. of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add salt, onion, and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and pine nuts, and toast for about 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add 1/2 cup broth; cook on medium-low heat stirring often until liquid is almost absorbed. Continue to add about 1/2 of a cup at a time, stirring often until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next.
After 10 oz of the broth has been added and nearly absorbed, stir in the diced squash with the next addition of a 1/2 cup. Add the remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time as before. With the last 1/2 cup, stir in the kale and cook the mixture until all the broth is absorbed and the kale is soft and bright.
Serve with a little freshly grated Parmesan over the top. Makes about 4 servings.
