So far, it's been a great food box week! Now that it's summer, I'm so glad I switched from the $24 small box to the $29 dogma box (locally sourced vegetables)...on the every other week schedule... http://www.bostonorganics.com/fresh/thisweekbox.php
Here's what came:
bok choy
asparagus
mushrooms
lettuce
1 huge delicious tomato
2 onions
collard greens
beets
lettuce
The meals! The meals! Some shining moments so far:
Prep items:
1. Bok choy...stems cut off, blanched the rest... (washed stems were great for veggie stock)
2. Stir fried collard green leaves (stalks great for veggie stock)
3. Roasted asparagus--olive oil, salt, pepper
4. caramelized onions
5. veggie stalk (bok choy stems, collard green stems, asparagus stems, onion skins)
6. steamed rice
The mix and matched results:
1. Snacking beets!!! I finally conquered my poor track record of roasting beets successfully! They've always come out too dry, and nothing like what one gets at restaurants. This time around, I ladeled in two spoonfuls of veggie broth into the foil...it totally did the trick.
2. Roasted asparagus, pan fried walnuts, golden raisins, and shaved parmesan salad.
3. Coriander mushroom curry.... one sauteed onion, several spoonfuls of coriander chutney (from the Indian grocery store), half of above said tomato--chopped, sour cream or plain yogurt, and garam masala
4. Wilted bok choy salad with coriander mushroom curry dressing (above, but chilled)
5. Carrot miso dressing (the ocean waves: Carrot ginger miso dressing). Unlike previous dressings, I only used a teaspoon or two of olive oil this week... threw into the food processor a ton of baby carrots...and then used veggie stock as my main liquid... processed with miso paste and sesame oil... had with lettuce in rice wrappers for summer rolls
6. Carrot miso topping with rice and bok choy
7. Curry with rice
8. Asparagus and peas in mint ricotta custard
9. Roasted asparagus, tomato, mushroom, onion, and mozz scramble
...was reminded by the savory ricotta that I'm overdue for making one of my favorite pasta dishes--Zucchini with ricotta sauce over pasta...inspired by Fratelli la Bufalla http://www.fratellilabufala.eu/ in Miami Beach...the one restaurant where my friend's Italian husband and his family is willing to go for real Naples Style Italian food... where I was first introduce to the taste of fresh ricotta as it should be...and vowed never to cook with the nonfat stuff again...
...am also wondering how a spring pea soup would taste with mint added in...
Showing posts with label brunch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brunch. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
In love with organic veggies
Background:
I receive a box of organic veggies and fruits from Boston Organics every other Thursday. It's wonderful because
a) I don't have to lug vegetables home from the store by foot
b) It makes me feel as if I'm loved enough to get packages in the mail (hey, so what if I paid for it myself?)
c) It forces me to eat a variety of items...but if I'm going on vacation, or if there's something I truly don't like, I can opt out of the delivery without fretting about finding a replacement
d) I get too stressed out at grocery stores by how much the produce will cost...whereas if I know I'm spending $29 every two weeks on produce, it's far easier to plan the rest of my food budget.
In any case, it's been a fun week of cooking. I tried detouring from my usual Chinese style cauliflower this week, and made roasted Cauliflower instead. It was amazing--I tossed the pieces in a little garam masala, cumin, chili powder, tumeric, and olive oil. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
The other highlight of this week was kale potato hash. I am in love with brunch foods. My favorite place in Miami (Ice Box Cafe) used to change their menus daily based on what was seasonal. As always, I spend forever choosing between options and am always in fear of ordering the wrong item and spending my mealtime in envy of a friend's meal choice. Ever since on one such occasion, a friend ordered a meal that included kale hash, I've been intending to try it at home as well.
Methods:
Friday night:
Kale
1. Wash kale
2. Dip into salted boiling water until the leaves just turn dark green.
3. Remove from heat. Depending on supply of kale from the produce box, drain and freeze anything not planning to be eaten.
Potatoes
1. Peel potatoes, boil them until fork can go through but not mushy. (I'm lazy and just use the water still left from the kale)
2. Remove and store for the morning... if looking for a midnight snack, turn one of the potatoes into mashed potato... (not that I'd ever make comfort food in the middle of the night)
Saturday morning:
1. Grate potatoes.
2. Mix with kale
3. Pan fry in a skillet that's been coated with olive oil.
Results
It turned out far easier than I expected. I couldn't have been a happier little girl when I had them along with chocolate pumpkin pancakes... (yes the joy of home brunch is that I don't have to choose between the savory and sweet...I can have both!)
Homage to Ice Box
Background:
I receive a box of organic veggies and fruits from Boston Organics every other Thursday. It's wonderful because
a) I don't have to lug vegetables home from the store by foot
b) It makes me feel as if I'm loved enough to get packages in the mail (hey, so what if I paid for it myself?)
c) It forces me to eat a variety of items...but if I'm going on vacation, or if there's something I truly don't like, I can opt out of the delivery without fretting about finding a replacement
d) I get too stressed out at grocery stores by how much the produce will cost...whereas if I know I'm spending $29 every two weeks on produce, it's far easier to plan the rest of my food budget.
In any case, it's been a fun week of cooking. I tried detouring from my usual Chinese style cauliflower this week, and made roasted Cauliflower instead. It was amazing--I tossed the pieces in a little garam masala, cumin, chili powder, tumeric, and olive oil. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
The other highlight of this week was kale potato hash. I am in love with brunch foods. My favorite place in Miami (Ice Box Cafe) used to change their menus daily based on what was seasonal. As always, I spend forever choosing between options and am always in fear of ordering the wrong item and spending my mealtime in envy of a friend's meal choice. Ever since on one such occasion, a friend ordered a meal that included kale hash, I've been intending to try it at home as well.
Methods:
Friday night:
Kale
1. Wash kale
2. Dip into salted boiling water until the leaves just turn dark green.
3. Remove from heat. Depending on supply of kale from the produce box, drain and freeze anything not planning to be eaten.
Potatoes
1. Peel potatoes, boil them until fork can go through but not mushy. (I'm lazy and just use the water still left from the kale)
2. Remove and store for the morning... if looking for a midnight snack, turn one of the potatoes into mashed potato... (not that I'd ever make comfort food in the middle of the night)
Saturday morning:
1. Grate potatoes.
2. Mix with kale
3. Pan fry in a skillet that's been coated with olive oil.
Results
It turned out far easier than I expected. I couldn't have been a happier little girl when I had them along with chocolate pumpkin pancakes... (yes the joy of home brunch is that I don't have to choose between the savory and sweet...I can have both!)
Homage to Ice Box
Saturday, August 02, 2008
OH's Blueberry Oatmeal Bread Surprise...extremely modified from a Cooking Light--orig posted at end...differences are in bold face
Ingredients
1 cup packed brown sugar
4T vegetable oil
3T butter
2 medium eggs
2 mashed ripe bananas plus enough natural unsweetened apple sauce to make 1 1/3 cups collectively [about 2/3 cup of bananas and rest was applesauce]
1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cinnammon chips
handful of white chocolate chips
about a cup of blueberries, picked over
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream butter and sugar, add vegetable oil, and then the eggs. Combine banana/apple sauce, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix well. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist. Add in cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, blueberries and gently fold over. Leave overnight in fridge. Spoon batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.
-----------
Original Cooking Light Version:
Ingredients
1 cup packed brown sugar
7 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 2 large)
1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat well at medium speed of a mixer. Combine banana, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Ingredients
1 cup packed brown sugar
4T vegetable oil
3T butter
2 medium eggs
2 mashed ripe bananas plus enough natural unsweetened apple sauce to make 1 1/3 cups collectively [about 2/3 cup of bananas and rest was applesauce]
1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cinnammon chips
handful of white chocolate chips
about a cup of blueberries, picked over
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream butter and sugar, add vegetable oil, and then the eggs. Combine banana/apple sauce, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix well. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist. Add in cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, blueberries and gently fold over. Leave overnight in fridge. Spoon batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.
-----------
Original Cooking Light Version:
Ingredients
1 cup packed brown sugar
7 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 2 large)
1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat well at medium speed of a mixer. Combine banana, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)