Wednesday

22

May 2013

0

COMMENTS

Zoo Boats (Roasted Stuffed Squash) – Episode 68

Written by Rachel, Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Baking, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Rice, Sides, This Week's Feast, Vegetables, Vegetarian

As a kid, I remember my mom making Zucchini Bread. She called it “Zoo Bread”. I wonder if she thought that if we didn’t hear the word “zucchini” we might eat it. We did. However, I don’t remember feeling fooled… I think we might have known what was in it. We liked it because it was good.

Today I’m making Roasted Stuffed Squash. But, if it helps anyone in your home to eat them without a fuss, you are welcome to call them “Zoo Boats”.

Or maybe if someone thinks they don’t like squash, but gets to help scoop out the middle, they will be so proud of themselves that they will insist on eating some. Insist.

I used leftover rice. Quinoa would also be delicious (and would add more protein). Adding Italian sausage or ground beef would be great too.

This is kinda like a switcheroo on the classic Stuffed Pepper or Stuffed Tomato. Hey! Why not get creative and make a few different kinds of stuffed items – Peppers, Tomatoes, and Squash! Everyone could have their favorite.

Unfortunately, now I’m craving Zoo Bread. Guess that’s what I’ll be making later on today.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Stuffed Squash

Recipe Type: Main, Side, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 29 mins

Total time: 44 mins

Serves: 2-4

Roasted squash is stuffed with rice, peppers, and onions, then it’s topped with basil. It tastes like summer.

Ingredients

1 medium or large summer squash, sliced lengthwise, center scooped out
1 T olive oil, divided
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 C (heaping) cooked rice
1 large tomato (about 1 C), chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
1 t fresh oregano, chopped
1 t fresh basil, chopped
1 t fresh thyme, chopped
1 t fresh sage, chopped
1 T lemon juice
1/4 parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 C gruyère, grated
fresh basil, chopped (for topping)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Scoop out center of squash. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes (or until tender).
Heat a pan, when it’s hot, add remaining oil. When oil is hot, add onion and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add rice, herbs, seasonings, and tomato. Cook over medium to medium-low heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and parmesan to rice mixture. Stir and taste. Adjust seasoning if desired. Spoon rice mixture into squash. Top with gruyère and return to oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Serve topped with fresh basil. (Could serve whole, or cut in pieces to serve more.)

Notes

Cooking time is actually about 15 minutes because rice mixture cooks while squash roasts. You could save the scooped out portion and add it to the rice mixture, or save it to add to some soup or a pasta sauce! Recipe has since been adapted to include fresh herbs rather than dried. If using dried oregano, basil, thyme, and sage, reduce to 1/4 t of each.

Sponsored by: Abundant Harvest Organics, Bari Olive Oil Company, Waterfall Creative, Molly Jenson.

Wednesday

24

April 2013

1

COMMENTS

Strawberry-Balsamic Tart – Episode 64

Written by Rachel, Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Appetizers, Baking, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Fruit, Nuts, Roasting, Snacks, This Week's Feast, Vegetarian

I love to cook. That’s not a secret. I’m better at it than some, much worse than others. I fail and I succeed.

I made some Fish Tacos the other week. They were a definite fail. But, today, my friends, was a good cooking day because of a little thing called Tart (it might actually be more of a dessert pizza, but I like the word tart, so that’s what I’m calling it).

It surprised me with it’s deliciousness. I love surprises. But, usually culinary ones are more along the lines of “Wow! That’s really gross,” or “Darn, the pan with the sauce for today’s main dish fell on the floor”… You know what I mean?

But this tart, this little Strawberry-Balsamic Tart, is the good kind of surprise.

Strawberries get all melty and soft when they’re roasted. Reduced balsamic vinegar is syrupy and thick. Pizza crust is thin and crispy. Walnuts are slightly toasted and crunchy. Onions are caramely and sweet. And, maybe the most surprising ingredient, black pepper, adds just the right tiny kick of spice.

Be still my heart.

I can’t stop thinking about this tart.

It was love at first bite.

I ate this on its own for lunch… and had a hard time not eating the entire thing by myself. However, should you want to share, I think it would be great alongside a Spinach Salad topped with Shredded Chicken (use leftover Roasted Chicken), Walnuts, and Strawberries. It could be a brunch food – how about with the Spring Frittata I made a few weeks ago?! Or maybe serve it as an appetizer? Why not?! You could also also also serve it with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and call it dessert.

Ready? Set. Go!

Strawberry-Balsamic Tart

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 29 minutes

Total Time: 39 minutes

Yield: 4

Strawberry-Balsamic Tart

Ingredients

1 T butter, divided, melted
1 pint strawberries, hulled, and quartered lengthwise
pinch nutmeg
1-2 medium onions, sliced
2 T honey
pinch salt
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1 pizza crust
1/4 C coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 C raw walnuts, coarsely chopped
pinch freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 425F. Melt butter.
In a hot, dry skillet, add onions, honey, and salt. Cook over medium-low for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are caramelized, stirring occasionally.
While onions cook, in a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until thickened and syrupy, about 12-18 minutes (being careful not to let it burn).
Meanwhile, roll out pizza crust. Par bake for 5 minutes.
Toss strawberries with 1/2 T melted butter and nutmeg.
Brush crust with 1/2 T melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar and press into crust slightly (with a spatula or fingers). Top with onions, walnuts, strawberries, and black pepper. Bake for 7-9 minutes (or according to your pizza dough's recipe instructions), or until crust is done.
Let stand for a few minutes.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. If you can wait that long, serve at room temperature. If not, I totally understand. 😉

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/it-might-be-love-ep64/

Happy Eating!

This episode is sponsored by: Abundant Harvest Organics, Waterfall Creative, Molly Jenson.

Wednesday

3

April 2013

0

COMMENTS

Crispy Veggies with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce – Episode 61

Written by Rachel, Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Appetizers, Condiments, Dinner, Fennel Pollen, Fruit, Gluten Free, Kid-Friendly, Roasting, Sauces, Sides, Snacks, This Week's Feast, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I think at this time of year, the word pollen might be a bad bad word. I, for example, have sneezed approximately seventeen hundred thousand times in the past two weeks. I wonder if I’m allergic to something?!

Here’s a kind of pollen you can get into: Fennel Pollen. I told you about it in December when I’d just begun to try it out. I’m still experimenting, but so far, everything I’ve added it to I’ve liked (not to be confused with “add it to everything”).

I used it on two episodes of the show and made some bright green Savory French Toast that is holy moly good, and some oh boy this is good too, in a totally different way, Mahi Mahi, Fennel, and Potato Chowder.

And this week, I used it again. This time in a dip for some beets, fennel, potatoes, and carrots. Not just any beets, fennel, potatoes, and carrots though. They’re roasted. Which makes almost any vegetable about a thousand times better (and that’s saying a lot, because I like vegetables).

They’re meant to be served alongside Fennel Pollen Burgers. But, those weren’t for the show. They’re for Friday’s post, so you’ll just have to wait… If you can’t, just make the veggies twice!

It’s time to get dippin’, friends.

Happy Eating!

Crispy Veggies with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 57 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 12 minutes

Yield: 4

Crispy Veggies with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

2 potatoes, chopped
1 fennel bulb, core removed, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 beets, peeled and chopped
1 T olive oil, divided
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1 lemon wedge/serving
sauce: 1/8 to 1/4 C buttermilk (1 T white vinegar and fill to 1/4 C with milk - stir and let sit for a few minutes)
1/4 C Greek yogurt
2 T mayonnaise
1/2 stalk green garlic, diced
2 pinches salt
pinch pepper
pinch fennel pollen
1 t red wine vinegar
1 t to 1 T olive oil

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Cut veggies to be about the same size. Using a separate bowl for the fennel, and for the beets, toss with 1 T olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Put beets on a baking sheet and bake for 2 min. Place the carrots and potatoes on another baking sheet. Add to oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
Add fennel to beet sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until veggies are tender on the inside, crispy on the outside.
While veggies roast, whisk together dressing ingredients, adding olive oil last, and whisking it in. Let it sit in the fridge until veggies are ready.
Serve veggies with a squeeze of lemon and the sauce to dip them in.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/boom-roasted-ep61/

This episode is sponsored by: Abundant Harvest Organics, Bari Olive Oil Company, Waterfall Creative, Molly Jenson.

Wednesday

9

January 2013

3

COMMENTS

Savory Baked French Toast – Episode 50

Written by Rachel, Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Baking, Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Dinner, Eggs, Fennel Pollen, Fruit, Holiday, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Nuts, Pork, This Week's Feast, Vegetables

It’s 2013! It’s a New Year! We all have plans, ideas, resolutions. We, like many of you I’m sure, missed our Abundant Harvest Organics boxes over the break. I’m so glad our produce drawers are full once again so we can get back into our lifestyle of healthy eating!!

This is a special episode, because it’s my 50th!! That’s a big number and I’m excited. I’ve loved doing this show for you. I hope you’re learning, laughing, enjoying, and eating along with me!

I hope you try this rather yummy dish. It’s perfect for any meal. But, I think it would be awesome at a brunch with family or friends. You can use any kind of bread that you want. To make it a bit healthier, I’d go with a whole grain, whole wheat bread. But, I had some stale French bread, so that’s what I used. It’s a great way to use the greens that are so good for you, and are in season right now. (If you need another way to use greens, my brother gave me his recipe for Green Smoothies. They are delicious and full of healthy ingredients.) I used ham, but bacon would also be amazing (cooked then crumbled over top when serving). Another option would be to omit the meat altogether and add some more almonds when serving, for some lean protein.

This dish comes out super bright green. Kinda like the Incredible Hulk. I like green.

I hope your new year has been wonderful so far! And, I’m glad you’re here! Thanks for being a part of my first 50 episodes!!

Happy Eating!

Savory Baked French Toast

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4-5

Savory Baked French Toast

Ingredients

4 eggs
3-4 C kale/spinach/collard greens
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 C milk
1/4 C cream (reserve a bit for topping)
1 t dijon mustard
1/2 t (or less) salt
1/4 t pepper
pinch cayenne
1 to 1 1/2 C cheese, grated (I used Creamy Jack Cheese)
pinch fennel pollen
1 t olive oil
10 thick slices of bread (I used a stale loaf of French Bread)
5 slices ham, quartered
roasted almonds, chopped (for topping)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl (if using a hand blender), or a food processor, or a blender, blend spinach/kale/collard greens, garlic, eggs, milk, dijon, onion, seasonings, and 1/2 C cheese (I blended up the greens in the chopper attachment of my KitchenAid hand blender first, then transferred to the bowl).
Grease baking dish with olive oil - even on the sides (at least part way up). Soak bread slices in egg mixture. Place in baking dish, overlapping each slice with the next one (if desired). If there is any extra egg mixture, add more to each slice. Top each slice with two pieces of ham.
Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more (or until it reaches 160F).
Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Top with a drizzle of cream and some almonds (a dollop of Greek yogurt would also be good!).

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/i-like-bright-green-food-ep-50/

This episode is sponsored by: Burroughs Family Farms, Abundant Harvest Organics, Bari Olive Oil Company, Waterfall Creative, and Molly Jenson.

Monday

7

January 2013

1

COMMENTS

All I Wanted for Christmas and a Smoothie

Written by Rachel, Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Dairy-Free, Fruit, Gluten Free, Legacy, Quick and Easy, Snacks, Thoughts, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Uncle-and-Niece2

We just returned from a lovely trip to see my family in Canada for Christmas. One of the best things about the trip was meeting our 3 month old niece for the first time.

Some other noteworthy events from the trip: Most days we went to bed at 3am and got up at noon. It was awesome!

We had to run through the airport to catch a flight even though we’d had a 2 hour layover. We went to our gate 5 minutes before boarding and discovered that the departures board had had the wrong gate and we were in the wrong terminal. We had to go through security again (because it was an international flight). We were so blessed by the kindness of strangers who let us go ahead of them in line. And even the security officers were extra nice. We made it to our gate, winded and sweaty, with a few minutes to spare.

We have a niece. We love her so much. Oh, I already said this?

We dropped my youngest brother, Josh, off at the bus station to go back home after his holiday was over. We stood outside with him for about 15 minutes. It was -5C (23F), but felt like -12C (10F) with the windchill. I was so cold that my feet hurt. Never mind that we were wearing our California winter clothes… But, regardless, it was cold!

Tim turned 30 while we were in Canada. My brother, Josh, made an amazing Bag End Under the Hill cake for his Hobbit themed party. It was AWESOME! (A few years ago he made a Lost cake, also for Tim’s birthday!)

We wore crowns. It’s a tradition in our family.

My parents live on a large property. We went out as a family and cut down our Christmas tree in their “yard”. It was super cold and really fun. Then I made sure my really awesome crocheted candle was prominently displayed at the front.

While bringing in packages from a shopping trip I slipped and fell on the ice. Thankfully I was kinda behind a pillar, so I don’t know if anyone saw it happen. They just heard the shopping bags crash to the ground and saw me laying there. I’m just glad I wasn’t holding groceries!

There was snow! It was fun to jump in.

Feet-in-the-Snow

Unfortunately, after being there for just a day, my body must have finally given in and I got sick. The worst part of it (aside from feeling awful and being stuck in bed for 24 hours) was not being able to play with my 3 month old niece.

My brother, Papa to my darling niece, makes these amazingly healthy smoothies most mornings. He offered me some one morning. I was a little bit skeptical because it had kale in it. I know lots of people drink green smoothies, but I wasn’t one of them.

And then just like that I was.

This smoothie had kale, banana, apple, flax oil, strawberries, blueberries, acidophilus, and other healthful goodies.

I am sold on healthy green smoothies.

Here’s my brother’s recipe. It’s a very “to taste” kinda thing, so follow his recipe, or use what you like, in the quantities you prefer.

Happy Healthy Eating!!

Jake’s Healthful Smoothie

Last modified on 2013-01-08 01:48:28 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Jake’s Healthful Smoothie

Recipe Type: Smoothie, Drink, Healthy

Author: Jacob Pries

Healthy and tasty! Awesome for breakfast or any time of day!

Ingredients

2-3 kale leaves
1 apple
1/2 C berries
3-5 T hemp seeds
2 bananas
2 C almond milk
2 T hemp oil
1 T flax oil
1 nub fresh ginger (opt.), finely chopped
1 C water or orange juice

Instructions

All ingredients go in the blender, then blend until it gets to the desired consistency!

Notes

Jake also often adds: 1-2 capsules of acidophilus (open capsule and pour in), and a little bit of e3live (which is a blue green algae super food!)!

Jake and Jen’s Raw Green Smoothie

Last modified on 2013-01-08 01:48:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Jake and Jen’s Raw Green Smoothie

Recipe Type: Smoothie, Drink, Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, Healthy

Cuisine: Super Healthy

Author: Jacob Pries and Jen Evans

A raw smoothie that is great for breakfast, lunch, snack… anytime!

Ingredients

1 C or so spinach
bit of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 C or so orange juice
2 bananas
1 apple
splash lemon juice

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend to desired consistency.

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Fruit Archive

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Zoo Boats (Roasted Stuffed Squash) – Episode 68

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Strawberry-Balsamic Tart – Episode 64

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Crispy Veggies with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce – Episode 61

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9

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Savory Baked French Toast – Episode 50

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All I Wanted for Christmas and a Smoothie

Happy Healthy Eating!!

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