Kale & Roasted Raisin Jumble

Toasted fennel seeds, chewy roasted raisins, slightly charred red onion & of course the indispensable winter green, kale.

Now don’t go turning up your nose saying I’ve tried kale, I hate it & everything about it, or the infamous I’d cook that but my husband & kids will kick me out, because there is a secret to eating kale – actually, it’s a secret to harvesting kale. Kale harvested after a frost is much sweeter & more palatable than summertime kale. All it takes is a little chill & kale is transformed almost as much as a scrawny young girl after puberty – I’m not kidding. It’s probably best if I leave out the fact that it’s high in calcium, beta-carotene, lutein, vitamin C, vitamin K, sulforaphane, a molecule in all cruciferous & brassicas vegetables that is known for it’s anti-cancer properties & a plethora of various other carotinoids, at the risk that you’ll think I’m just trying to convince you to eat it. I’m not though, I promise. Skip the kale & their will be more for me.

Fennel seeds change from a muted green to a brilliant golden after being heated. Their licorice-like aroma will enhance salads, breads & cookies.

This recipe may seem like it has some tediously skip-able steps, like toasting the fennel or baking the raisins, but I assure you that they are there for a reason. Toasting the fennel seeds allows for a multi-sense experience. As the volatile oils are released, we are able to not only enjoy the flavor of the seeds, but also enjoy the aroma. The raisins are heated to further concentrate the sugar simple sugars, glucose & fructose, as heating is just a way of drawing out more water.

Maybe I'm bias because I'm sitting here eating this, but this picture does no justice to the flavor combinations in this dish.

Kale & Roasted Raisin Jumble

• 8 large leaves of kale, stemmed & chopped
• 2 red onions, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rings
• 1 cup of any grain, or pasta*
• 1/2 cup of walnuts
• 1/3 cup of raisins, roasted
• 4 Tbsp fennel seed, toasted
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp garlic powder (garlic salt)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper & salt to taste

*Here I used sprouted bulgur wheat, but quinoa, amaranth, barley, linguini, orecchiette, etc will do. Sprouted bulgur is cooked in the microwave with 1 cup of bulgur to 2 cups of water, covered well, for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to roast (or bake) at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add onions to a skillet over medium heat & saute for about 10 minutes, until soft.  Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil, cover the onions for 2-3 minutes & allow them to brown without burning. Meanwhile, prepare what ever grain or pasta you’ve chosen to use. In a small baking dish mix the raisins & black pepper. Roast for 7 minutes, until the raisins swell slightly, then set them aside to cool.

Add chopped kale and 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the slightly charred onions and toss in the saute pan until the kale has wilted, but is still a vibrant green. Add the coriander & garlic powder. Continue to saute over low heat. Add the bulgur (or other grain) & walnuts, then salt to taste. Last, add the raisins & toss one more time.

Serve hot or refrigerate immediately. This will last refrigerated for about 5 days.

Enjoy.

Open-Face Savory Egg Sandwich

It’s a shame that this recipe isn’t what McDonalds uses to make their “Egg” McMuffins. Maybe if it was, our country wouldn’t be suffering from an obesity epidemic. I hate to start on such a negative note, so I’ll change my tone, but I had to say it.

We’ve finally got eggs! At first, I was hesitant to believe it, but after pulling the petite golf-ball-like orbs from the hen’s laying quarters for the past seven days, I’ve realized that it’s probably only going to get better.

The Rooster, also known as our neighborhood's new alarm clock.

The eggs in this sandwich were probably some of the most expensive eggs I’ve ever eaten (we have a while until our inputs & the hens’ outputs break even). Although the eggs were definitely the most expensive, they were by far the tastiest little morsels around. We’ve been letting the hens out to roam around the garden, torture the dog, flock into trees & to hop. Yes, hens hop, or at least ours do. But hey, the happier the hen, the better the egg- that’s my hypothesis.

All around the country the number of people rearing their own chickens (mainly for laying), keeping bees & planting their own gardens is increasing exponentially. It makes sense. As this nation has become more educated about the way our food is grown & raised, the energy required to ship it to us (food miles) & the actual nutritional quality of what we’ve been consuming, people have begun to lose their faith in the integrity of our food systems (& for good reason). So, instead of relying on a system that we can’t count on, why not take a whack at self-sufficiency (just a little whack).

So when I say this is the ultimate breakfast, lunch & dinner sandwich, you have to understand, the eggs did come from my backyard & that makes all of the difference. It’s a pretty damn good feeling to eat something you helped grow or grew yourself.

Aside from the egg, how can can anyone go wrong with a hearty artisan multi-grain loaf, roasted butternut squash, a block sharp cheddar (Melted. I know, even better right?) & arugula? You can’t.

Oh & yes, eggs do have cholesterol, but don’t let anyone fool you, eating eggs is much more nourishing than a bowl of some “healthy” cereal every morning. If you don’t know already, eggs are a prime source of choline, folic acid & vitamin A. They provide the perfect ratio of fat to protein & are probably not what is causing your high cholesterol. In fact, it is generally accepted that dietary cholesterol is not the persecutor of high LDL (bad cholesterol). Also, the fat in eggs is predominately good for you, as they are relatively low in saturated fat.  High consumption of saturated fat is positively correlated (when consumed in high amounts, e.g. grain-fed & processed meats, processed cheese, butter, etc.) with high cholesterol.

The squash here is from my backyard & the bread is a Multi-Grain Round from Seven Stars.

As you can see, the quality of bread you use  is important in deciding the the outcome of this sandwich. It’s got to be robust enough to not get lost under all the toppings that are added. Actually, the quality of everything in this sandwich is important; the bread, the cheese, the butter you used to brown the sage leaves in, the sage itself, the fresh bitterness of the arugula, and of course the egg.

Here I removed the toppings so you could see the bright yellow "leakiness" of my homegrown egg.

By the way, if you’ve never made brown sage butter, you’re in for a treat.

Open-Face Savory Egg Sandwich

(Serves 2 or 1 really hungry person)

1 butternut squash*,  cut in half, seeds removed,  1/2 loaf of bread,  5 oz organic sharp cheddar, 2 eggs, 1 cup of arugula,   2 Tbsp honey mustard,  2 Tbsp shredded organic Parmesan cheese,  1 Tbsp organic butter,  6 sage leaves, broad leaf if available,  salt & black pepper to taste

*You won’t use the whole butternut squash, but it will keep in the refrigerator for several days or can be turned into Butternut Squash Soup.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit & roast the squash for 30 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Then, switch the oven to broil. Cut two 3/4 inch thick slices of bread & broil, flipping the pieces every minute until golden on each side. When broiling you should use the middle-top racks (the heat comes from the roof of the oven) & should be vigilant about keeping an eye on the bread.

Meanwhile cook butter in a skillet over medium-high until the milk solids begin to brown, this should take about 2-3 minutes. Add the sage & cook until crispy, no more than 1 minute. Remove the sage & set it aside.

Once broiled, spread 1 Tbsp of honey mustard on each slice of bread, cover with a thin piece of butternut squash & top with the cheese. Broil the cheese-topped bread for 1 minute, or until the cheese melts (this happens very quickly).

Add the two eggs to the brown butter & cook until the bottoms turn white. Season with a little bit of salt. Flip the eggs & cook for no more than 1 minute. The yoke should be runny when they are finished. When finished top the broiled cheese bread with the sage, the eggs, some arugula & a pinch of Parmesan cheese. Broil for 30 seconds to melt the Parmesan. Season with black pepper & serve immediately.

While you enjoy, consider the following: What is holding you back from getting some laying hens?

Wheat Berry Sumac Salad

Sumac is not poisonous, well some varieties are, but this lemony seasoning certainty isn’t. In fact the sumac I used was given to me by my boyfriend’s mother. Her husband just returned from visiting family in Israel & brought back with him lots of the spices his family uses in their everyday cooking. I am lucky enough to be a recipient of some of those authentic spices, so I figured I’d share with you.

Sumac can be described as sour. It is native to the Middle East & is used widely there & in the Mediterranean to season meat, fish & vegetables. I’ve been putting it in everything; in hummus, on top of salads & sprinkled on my pesto salmon (a recipe Shann taught me).  Sumac works so well in this fall salad, as it does add an unexpected tang to the otherwise standard grain-vegetable dish.

This wheat berry salad is relective of the colors of Autumn & the vegetables it gives us. The pepitas, translated little seed of squash, with their robust, almost chewy texture, simple flavor & sophisticated nutritional profile are a must.  Actually, according to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry the phytosterols that occur in many nuts & seeds can help to naturally lower LDL (undesirable cholesterol). Pepitas, have about 265mg/100g (100 grams is about 3oz) – pretty impressive for the inside of a pumpkin seed.

Now, if you are wondering where the sprouting part comes in, listen up. The wheat berries I used were sprouted when I bought them, but you could certainly use bulgur wheat, barley, or un-sprouted wheat berries as the grain for this salad. I used the sprouted wheat berries by Shiloh Farms & because sprouting does enhance the nutritional benefits of many foods, I do recommenced you try to find them (try your local health food store).

Wheat Berry Sumac Salad

2 cups of sprouted wheat berries,  1 1/2 cups parsley, any variety, chopped,  3/4 cup pepitas,  3 large carrots, roasted, 1 delicata squash, roasted, 2 small eggplants,  3 tomatoes,  1 large white onion, chopped,  organic refined coconut oil, cold pressed,  5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil,  2 Tbsp sumac,  5 sun-dried tomatoes, crushed into a grainy powder,  1 tsp garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper & lemon juice

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil, then remove from heat.  In a seperate bowl, cover the wheat berries with 4 cups of the boiling water & let them sit for an hour, or until they are soft enough to eat. If there is extra water that has not been absorbed by the wheat berries, strain the berries in a sieve. Refrigerate until ready to use.

*If you are crunched for time, this can be done it the microwave. Place 2 cups of wheat berries & 4 cups of water in a microwave safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a paper towel & a layer of plastic wrap. Microwave for 10 minutes. There should not be any extra water when finished.

Preheat oven, on roast, to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cut delicata squash in half & take out the seeds. On a baking stone drizzle whole carrots & delicata with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté onion, eggplant & tomatoes in coconut oil for about 15 minutes over medium high heat until caramelized. Add 1 Tbsp sumac, salt, pepper, garlic powder & sun-dried tomatoes & sauté over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from heat & mix them into the prepared wheat berries.

Chop parsley & add it to the wheat berry mixture. Cut the roasted carrots into 1/4 inch thick rounds & the delicata squash into cubes, then add them as well. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, pepitas, sumac & some salt to taste. Spritz with lemon juice & refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving sprinkle with some sumac.

Bon appetite!

Peg’s Favorite Zucchini Bread

The humidity that hangs crippling fall’s crisp coolness might not inspire you to turn on the oven, but those few zucchinis that linger on your counter may. After harvesting a full summer’s bounty of delicata & butternut squash, I pulled the last & final zucchini from the ground before stripping the garden bare (well almost, the eggplants are still hanging in there).

This recipe is special; it’s tried & true. It was given to me by Peg, a wise friend who has seen it all. Peg is spunky, creative & extremely thoughtful- after a conversation about what to do with lots of zucchinis, she took the time to write out her entire recipe with coordinating pictures.

I’ve modified the recipe a bit, but the outcome is still the same earthy cake-bread that promises to please. Although it’s sweet, this whole wheat & quinoa based bread is truly nourishing. If coconut oil isn’t in your pantry, organic canola oil works almost as well. The crunchy topping that forms from the cinnamon-sugar sprinkled on top makes this my favorite way to eat zucchini.

Peg’s Favorite Zucchini Bread

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour,  ½ cup quinoa flour,  ¾ tsp baking powder,  ½ tsp baking soda,  ½ tsp sea salt, 1¾ tsp cinnamon,  2 eggs,  ¾ cup unrefined coconut oil,   2 cups zucchini, shredded,   ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup roasted cashews, chopped &   3 Tbsp cane sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit & grease a loaf pan with coconut oil. Shred the zucchini in a food processor. Mix the 1 tsp of cinnamon with cane sugar & set aside.

Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt & cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a large bowl beat eggs & brown sugar until fluffy, then fold in the shredded zucchini & the nuts.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture & fold until well fully blended. Pour the mixture into the greased loaf pan & sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the middle is dry. Let it cool completely in the pan, then slice & serve.

This bread freezes wonderfully. I “butter” it with coconut oil then quickly pan fry it until the outer edges are slightly crunchy. Enjoy!

Sun-dried Tomatoes

I lied a little bit…

These tomatoes aren’t sun-dried, but they are dried & they are so simple. I wanted to post this yesterday so that those of you who frequent the local farmers markets could stock up on one of the last batches of summertime tomatoes, then come home and dry them. But I never got around to it. My apologies, hopefully you did buy tomatoes & didn’t eat all of them for dinner.

There are two things I will stress about this recipe, which is so simple it only calls for one ingredient & an oven.  1) Do not salt the tomatoes. I know this might seem counter-intuitive, but as you dry them, the flavor becomes so highly concentrated that salt will make them unbearable. 2) The tomatoes need to be at cut between 1/4 – 1/3 of an inch thick. If they aren’t cut thick enough they will literally disappear in the oven, leaving behind only their seeds.

Sun-dried Tomatoes

5-7 large paste or Brandywine tomatoes (any other fleshy tomatoes will work), sliced into 1/4 of an inch thick slices

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not coat the baking stone with oil before putting the sliced tomatoes on it. Lay the sliced tomatoes side by side on the stone and bake for 10-12 hours.

These come out wonderful. Yes, they do take a long time, but if you put them in the oven before you go to bed & check them when you wake up, they should be all set. I store mine in a mason jar. If you are going to use them right away you don’t have to refrigerate them, but if you are saving them for any more then 3 weeks, stick them in the refrigerator.

Sun-dried tomatoes are a simple addition to salads & are great mixed into some tuna with mayo. These flavorful morsels work well on toasted bread with a tangy raw goat cheese & are especially yummy on grilled Gruyère  cheese sandwiches. Also, try using the dried tomatoes when you are making broth, because they are so concentrated, they can handle being used like a spice (maybe to flavor a risotto).

Enjoy them throughout the winter, inflecting your hearty creations with a small taste of summer.