Beet, Feta, and Walnut Salad with Blackberry Dressing

Earlier this week I was in the mood for a very specific beet salad. I have had variations of this salad at a few fancy restaurants over the years. The truth is that it is ridiculously easy to make, and if you make extra beets, you can have it for lunch a few more times during the week. The beets do take awhile to cook, so plan to have something else to do while they're doing their thing on the stove (I did laundry and cleaned the house). I made A LOT of beets, so I've been eating them every day. So far, I'm not sick of it, and it makes me laugh that I feel "fancy" each time I eat it.

Beet, Feta, and Walnut Salad 
with Blackberry Dressing
makes six generous servings
Salad
enough washed salad greens for six
4 large beets, ends and tails trimmed off
1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted
feta or blue cheese for sprinkling
To prepare beets, heat a large pot of water on the stove top until it is nearly boiling. Submerge beets, and simmer them until you can pierce them with a fork (mine were large and took about an hour and a half). Remove from heat, drain, and run the beets under cold water, rubbing the outside to remove their skins. When the beets are free of their skins, slice them up.
Toss salad greens with dressing (recipe below). Plate the greens and top evenly with sliced beets, nuts, and cheese. If you are making this to eat in several sittings over the week, be sure to wait until right before eating to toss the greens with the dressing.
Dressing
1 cup blackberries (I used thawed frozen berries)
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2Tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp agave syrup or honey
To make dressing, put all ingredients in a pint jar and shake.

Easy and Versatile Fruit Cobbler

The following recipe is magical. It's delicious, takes very little time or effort to make, can be made with any almost any fruit, and comes out perfectly every time. Is it healthy? Well, it has a lot of fruit in it, but it also has quite a bit of butter and sugar, so this is one you''ll want to eat in moderation. I got the recipe many years ago when I was getting a CSA from Helsing Junction Farm. It was printed in one of their newsletters, but luckily, they still have the recipe on their website. I have made it with apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, berries, cherries apricots, and plums. I never peel the fruit, so the only real work is slicing the fruit up. It's also a great way to use up fruit that is getting a little too ripe or is otherwise not in the best shape for fresh eating. Usually, I use a mixture of whatever fruit I have on hand. The one ingredient you don't want to leave out is the lemon zest- it adds a bright and unique flavor to this excellent and very special dessert.

Easy and Versatile Fruit Cobbler
adapted slightly from Oly’s Swedish Apple Pie recipe at helsingfarmcsa.com

-Slice whatever fruit you are using into a 10 in round cake pan. I usually try to fill the pan about ¾ full with fruit. For this one I used 3 white peaches, 2 yellow nectarines, 2 plums, 4 apricots, and a ½ pint of blueberries. I never peel the fruit, but if you don't like the texture of the peels, you could. If you are using apples or pears, you will probably want about 5-6 pieces of fruit.

-Mix together the following:

-1 TBS sugar

-½ tsp cinnamon

-Sprinkle half over the fruit and toss together. (Save the other half to sprinkle over the top of the cobbler).

-Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan and then add the following:

-1 cup of flour

-The zest of 1 lemon

-¾ cup of white or brown sugar

-Gently mix together and then add 2 beaten eggs.

-Fold the mixture together and then pour it over the top of the fruit

-Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until firm and lightly browned.

Garlicky Lemon Broccolini

This simple side dish is awesome- it's quick to make, delicious, and pairs well with lots of things. Broccolini (also called brocolette or baby broccoli) is a cross between broccoli and gai lan (Chinese broccoli). It's very tender and sweeter than broccoli, and the delicate stems do not need to be peeled. Here is a little write up about the nutritional benefits. I really love garlic, so I made this with a lot of garlic. If you're not such a fan of the stinking rose, reduce as desired. Other things you might try adding are a dash of toasted sesame oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or some shredded parmesan.

Garlicky Lemon Broccolini
2 bunches broccolini, rinsed and trimmed (I cut about an inch of the end of the stalk)
10 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
dash of salt
Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stovetop. Submerge the broccolini and cook for about five minutes (you should be able to just pierce it with a fork). Drain and rinse with cold water (or submerge in an ice bath) to stop the cooking. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic slices. Cook until they are fragrant and starting to become golden colored. Add the broccolini, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and stir well. Cook until the broccolini is heated through.

An Excellent Resource For Adventurous Eaters

A few days ago a farmer I know shared a site that I think is pretty cool: the irreverently named WTF is this vegetable. On it are pictures of vegetables you may have seen in the produce aisle (or in your CSA box) but aren't really sure how to use, as well as several recipes for each vegetable. Some of the vegetables include kohlrabi, celeriac, rutabaga, nettles, and parsnips. There is even a place where you can suggest vegetables for her to include!
It's funny how one person's staple vegetable is another person's "WTF" vegetable. I am totally comfortable cooking with kale (and most other greens), but have always felt a little sheepish about my lack of experience with bok choi. This year I planted some in an effort to get myself to try cooking with it more often. Luckily for me, bok choi is on the site, so I have lots of new recipes to try out. If you've found yourself curious about cooking with vegetables you haven't used much (or at all), check this site out, it a terrific resource.

The Continuation of Yoga

From the app Yoga Studio

I don't think I posted about this, but back in March I did a yoga intensive- yoga every morning, five days a week for 3 weeks. At the end of that 3 weeks, I felt and looked amazing; toned, strong, vibrant, and calm. And then I kind of fell off the wagon and took a month long break from yoga, which was pretty sad.

Last month I started it up again, and while it feels great to do yoga a couple of times a week, I want to once again try making yoga a regular part of my life. Inspired by a friend of mine who did yoga every day in May, I'm going to try to do yoga every day in June. He also told me about an app called Yoga Studio. While it's no substitute for the awesome classes at the Yoga Loft, it's the absolute best at-home yoga I've ever seen. This app allows you to choose from workouts that have a specific part of the practice in mind (strength, flexibility, relaxation), or to create your own workouts with whatever poses you like. Once you put together a sequence, it will also suggest linking poses to make the practice you planned flow more smoothly. I think this app will provide a great way to get in some practice on days when my schedule just doesn't mesh with what's offered at the Loft.
P.S. The Yoga Loft is offering a great deal in June: unlimited 3-month yoga pass for just $159. Trust me, it's worth every penny.

Smoky Greens and Beans

A few days ago when I was working at the Co-op, a woman who attended one of my classes on cooking with greens, approached me and remarked how much she'd enjoyed my class. She said that in particular, she frequently makes a dish I taught called Smoky Greens and Beans. I had kind of forgotten about this dish, and it hasn't been in my rotation for awhile, so it was great to be reminded of it. She also commented that when she makes it she adds sausage, so I decided to try adding some veggie sausage, and it was delicious. Normally I serve this dish over brown rice, but the Co-op has prepared polenta on sale, and I've been meaning to try it forever- you just slice it up and fry it in a tiny bit of oil. It was a pretty nice base for this dish. Admittedly, this is not the prettiest dish I've ever made, but it's cheap, healthy, and tastes great. It makes a big batch- probably about enough for four generous servings.

Smoky Green and Beans
from Bon Appetit, November 2009

ingredients

2-3 sausages (I used Field Roast Italian veggie sausages)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (I like Muir Glen petite diced in adobo sauce)

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (this dish is pretty spicy, so decrease to 1tsp if you prefer less spice)

1 141/2-ounce can vegetable broth

8 cups coarsely chopped assorted greens (such as kale, mustard greens, and collard greens; about 1 large bunch)

1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), drained

Grated Manchego or Parmesan cheese (optional)

preparation

Cut sausages into rounds and fry in a little oil. Set aside. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and paprika; stir 1 minute. Add broth and greens; bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until greens are wilted and tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in beans and cooked sausage  simmer 1 minute to heat through. Divide among bowls (rice or cooked polenta go on the bottom if you're using that); sprinkle with cheese, if desired