Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen

Dirty Dozen

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens


Clean Fifteen


1. Onions
2. Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

Week 12--Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, and vitamin B6.   They help stabilize blood sugar level and lower insulin resistance, great news for diabetics!  (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato)

This week's recipe was inspired by one of my favorite bloggers Emily Malone http://www.dailygarnish.com/.  It is an Orange Root Vegetable Buckwheat Salad.  (Note:  Emily uses farro instead of buckwheat)  You can find her recipe on her website.  Here is what you will need for mine:

Ingredients for Salad


6 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
4 to 6 medium carrots peeled and cubed
3 large golden beets peeled and cubed (reserve greens)
1.5 cups of buckwheat
3 cups of water or chicken bullion
beet greens (reserved from beets)
3 to 4 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup chopped basil
1TB olive oil
salt and pepper

Ingredients for Vinaigrette


Juice of 2 large oranges or 4 tangerines
Juice of 1 large lemon
1TB Olive Oil
1 sprig of thyme
salt and pepper

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a medium saucepan bring water or bullion to boil and add buckwheat.  Reduce heat and simmer until all water is absorbed.  Season with salt.
3. While buckwheat cooks, peel and cut root vegetables and separately roughly chop beet greens.
4. Mix root vegetables with 1TB olive oil, salt and pepper and arrange on a sheet pan.  Roast for approximately 40 minutes stirring halfway.  They should be cooked but not too soft.  Remove immediately and set aside.

5. In a small bowl combine fruit juices, olive oil, thyme leaves, salt and pepper and whisk.
6. Heat a saute pan over medium heat.  Add olive oil and garlic and cook 30 seconds.  Add beet greens and cook an additional 5 minutes or just until wilted.

6. Once the buckwheat is fluffy and the vegetables are cooked combine buckwheat, basil, and vegetables in a large bowl and pour dressing on top. Stir until well combined.  Season with a bit more salt and pepper if needed.

7. Enjoy!

Week 11--Asparagus

Asparagus is here!  One of my very favorite vegetables. Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food high in Folic Acid and a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.  It has no fat, no cholesterol, and is low in sodium (source: http://www.asparagus.org/maab/facts.html)

My favorite way to cook asparagus is stir-fried with garlic, red pepper flakes, and olive oil.  Today I decided to venture out and look for a recipe that highlights the subtle taste of this vegetable and I found a great recipe for Asparagus Bruschetta.


Here is what you will need:

Ingredients


1lb fresh asparagus, trimmed, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups chopped tomatoes.  I used salad tomatoes and cut them in 4 sections.
1 cup fresh minced basil
6 green onions, sliced
4 to 6 cloves of garlic minced
2TB Olive Oil
1/4 cup lime juice
zest of one lime
salt and pepper
20 slices of rustic bread or baguette toasted
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions


1. In a large pot (or steamer), steam asparagus for 5 minutes or until tender.

2. Drain asparagus and place in ice bath. Remove and pat dry.

3. In a large bowl combine all ingredients up to zest of lime.   Season with salt and pepper.

4. Spoon asparagus mixture onto bread and top with feta cheese.

5. Enjoy!

Week 10--Tofu

Friends and family often ask me what to do with tofu.   My response:  Anything!  It seems so simple to me, but a few years ago I would have probably asked the same thing.  I often make tofu scrambles, tofu filled enchiladas, pasta bakes with tofu, and even dips and smoothies with tofu. Tofu is pretty porous so it can absorb lots of seasonings and sauces.   It is best cooked with heavy sauces like marinara sauce, or stir fried.

I realize tofu is not a seasonal produce item but I decided to feature it this week because I was out of town for the weekend and didn't make it to the farmers market, so instead of going to the grocery store in search of a produce item I decided to model a simple, yet  tasty way to cook tofu.  Today I made Sauteed Tofu a la Mexicana :)

Here is what you will need:

Ingredients


2 packages firm tofu (choose organic if possible)
1/2 large onion chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 chipotle chile
1/2 cup tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1TB olive oil
cumin
paprika
pepper
oregano
mustard powder
salt

Directions


1. Slice tofu blocks into 1/2 inch sections
2. Place tofu slices on a cookie sheet lined with a cloth towels or several stacked paper towels.

3. Cover with other half of cloth towel or more paper towels and weigh down.  This process removes the excess liquid from the tofu and makes it less "spongy."  I used a basket full of garlic and onions but really anything "weighty" should do the trick.

4. Let towels soak liquid for approximately 20 minutes, then dice tofu slices and set aside.
5. Heat olive oil in saucepan.  Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
6.  Add bell pepper and cook an additional 7 minutes.
7. Add tofu and seasonings and cook for 10 minutes or until tofu begins to brown.

8.  Add garlic and cook for a minute.
9. Add tomato sauce and chipotle chili and continue to cook another 5 to 7 minutes.
10.  Add cilantro, cover pan and turn off heat.

10.  Optional:   Add kale, turnip greens, or any other vegetable in the last 5 minutes of cooking time.  I added 6 cups of chopped turnip greens.

11. Enjoy served with brown rice, black beans or both

Week 9--Cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, which also includes cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, and collard greens.  

Cauliflower is low in fat and carbs but high in dietary fiber, folate, water, and vitamin C, possessing a high nutritional density.

Cauliflower contains several phytochemicals, common in the cabbage family, that may be beneficial to human health.

• Sulforaphane, a compound released when cauliflower is chopped or chewed, may protect against cancer.
• Other glucosinolates
• Carotenoids
• Indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that enhances DNA repair, and acts as an estrogen antagonist, slowing the growth of cancer cells.

Boiling reduces the levels of these compounds, with losses of 20–30% after five minutes, 40–50% after ten minutes, and 75% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods, such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying, had no significant effect on the compounds.

A high intake of cauliflower has been associated with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer. (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauliflower)

I have never disliked cauliflower.  It just wasn't one of those vegetables I actively sought out.  That is, until I read about all its nutritional benefits such as that of slowing cancer cells from developing--nature's power at its best!

For this week I chose a very simple recipe, one that I researched in the quest of finding more ways for my child to eat vegetables.  It is nothing more than good ol' Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Cauliflower and it's made in a very simple way:  Out of a box!

Here is what you will need:  

Ingredients

One box of macaroni and cheese (I used Trader Joe's organic pasta shells with white sauce)

1/2 head of cauliflower, outer leaves and stems removed

1TB butter

1TB olive oil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup of milk

4oz cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. In a roasting pan combine cauliflower, olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for approximately 20 minutes or until tender.

3. Cook pasta according to box directions (usually 8 to 9 minutes), drain, and return to pan with butter

4. Blend together cauliflower and milk and pour over pasta shells after cooking

5. Add cheese and stir until thoroughly combined.

6. Enjoy!