Veggie Spotlight: Fennel

This week the veggie spotlight goes to the under-appreciated fennel plant. While technically not a vegetable (it's actually an herb) it has a ton of nutritional value and flavor, which let me turn a blind eye to that small technicality. I had a hard time trying to decide how best to prepare the fennel this week. The first time I used it, I put it in a stir-fry but because of the sauce, it was hard to taste it's true flavor. Now normally that wouldn't have bothered me too much, but my friend Jessica said she was looking forward to this posting...oh and did I mention she said fennel is one of her favorites? A stir-fry would definitely not do....before I tell you how I DID prepare it, let me tell you a little bit about this amazing veggie-poser.

History:


Fennel is native to the Mediterranean but is now grown widely throughout the world. The ancient Romans used the herb to fight obesity and promote good health. In Medieval times it was used on days of fasting to help rumbling stomachs. Throughout history use after use was cited for this herb. While doing my research on it I couldn't find one illness ancient doctors didn't believe it cured.

Preparation:


I decided the best way to prepare the fennel so that I could have its true flavor come out was to roast it with some root vegetables. I diced up the fennel bulb, tossed it with extra virgin olive oil, along with some carrots, peppers, potatoes, and parsnips. I roasted them in the oven on a cooking sheet at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Once it came out I sprinkled the leafy fennel tops on the dish. It was amazing! The fennel flavor is hard to describe, but it's like a sweeter, celery, root vegetable all in once with the smell of licorice. That being said, it's definitely a dish I will be preparing again.

Farmers' Market Chowder

One of my absolute favorite Saturday morning activities is going to the Farmers' Market. Waking up early, grabbing a travel mug full of steaming coffee, and heading out the door with my daughter for a walk down Main Street to shop for fruits and veggies for the week is my idea of a perfect day, and one of the things I'm going to miss most about summer.


Farmers' Market Chowder
(adapted from Vegetarian Times)
4 large ears of sweet corn
2 1/2 c soy milk (or low-fat milk)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T unsalted vegan butter (or regular butter, I used vegan to reduce saturated fat)
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 c sliced leeks
4-5 c diced veggies (I used potatoes, carrots, and parsnips)
1/2 t smoked paprika
1/3 c dry sherry (or a dry wine, for a stronger flavor)
Cilantro (for topping)

Directions:
1) Cut the corn off the cob, place the corn in a bowl and save the cobs
2) In a saucepan bring the milk, corn cobs and crushed garlic to a simmer, stirring often, and let simmer for a minute. Cover, turn off heat, and let steep while you prepare the rest of the chowder.
3) In a Dutch Oven (or large, heavy pot) heat the oil and saute the minced garlic
4) Add the butter, paprika, leeks, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, corn kernals and any other vegetables you like and saute til vegetables start to brown
5) Add the sherry and using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pot to remove the browned pieces. Simmer until reduced by half
6) Remove the cobs and crushed garlic from the milk mixture and pour it into the large pot, cover and simmer around 15-20 minutes or until veggies are tender
7) Top with cilantro

Serve with a whole wheat baguette and Bon Appetite! 

Organic Dark Chocolate Dipped Walnut Biscotti

I am addicted to coffee...seriously. Some days it's really the only thing that makes me get out of bed...besides my daughter screaming "MOM" at the top of her lungs, but the coffee usually wins. My morning does not officially start until that first sip, and I refuse to do anything (other than start breakfast) before that first cup of coffee. Some people pair their dinner with a wine...I pair my breakfast with a coffee. Nothing excites me more than the perfect breakfast to go with that delicious Organic, Fairtrade coffee I love so much. Waking up in the morning to the smell of freshly brewed coffee pretty much makes the day for me. Imagine my excitement then when I came across this recipe that not only perfectly goes with coffee, but is dipped in chocolate...enough said.


Organic Dark Chocolate Dipped Walnut Biscotti:
(adapted from Vegetarian Times)


1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c whole-wheat flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 t grated lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
1 c roughly chopped walnuts (sub pistachios or pecans per preference)
Dark chocolate for dipping (I used a 90% cocoa dark chocolate Godiva bar I had left over, mixed with 60% cocoa dark chocolate Ghirardelli pieces)


Directions:
1) Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
2) In an kitchen aid whisk together brown sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla for 5 minutes or until tripled in volumne
3) Slowly mix in flour mixture
4) Stir in lemon juice and nuts
5) Split dough in half and form 2 logs, place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or stoneware)
6) Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until golden brown and center mostly done
7) Cool 10 minutes and then slice into 1/3 inch slices
8) Bake slices at 325 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through
9) Once cooled dip into chocolate and let cool until chocolate is hard

Form the dough into 2 "logs"

This is what it looks like after the first baking, and if you don't like biscotti, just stop right here b/c this is amazing just like this.

"Biscotti" is Italian for "Twice Baked" so after you slice it, bake it again...

See how I started my morning today? How could it not be a good day?!

Acorn Squash Ragout

Fall is officially here! Or at least it is in Minnesota. The garden is slowly dying, leaves are turning colors, and temperatures went below freezing last night (there was actually snow an hour north of us). Yes, I would say that makes it officially fall. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The air is crisp and clean, sweaters are back, the holidays are right around the corner and there's a whole batch of new vegetables to be found at the farmer's market. Here is an easy recipe to highlight these delicious vegetables. This dish also makes a great showcase for a fall or Thanksgiving dinner party.

Acorn Squash Ragout:


(Disclaimer: I never measure ingredients when I cook, only when I bake, and I'm always improvising with whatever I have in the fridge or pantry so all measurements are approximate)

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 T oregano (more or less depending on preference)
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 c diced onion
1/4 c diced tomatoes (I also added a little tomato paste and some chicken stock to thicken it up since I wasn't using canned tomatoes and didn't have that extra juice)
1/4 c diced potatoes/carrots/sweet potatoes (or any other root veggies you like)
1/4 c diced bell pepper
1/4 c sweet corn

Directions:


1) Cut the tops off of the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds and fiber
2) Cut a thin piece of the bottom off so the squash stands upright
3) Grease a baking sheet and the outside and lid of the acorn squash
4) Saute the oil, orgegano, garlic, and onion for 3-4 minutes
5) Add the rest of the veggies and simmer for 5-10 minutes (longer if your potatoes don't get tender), season with salt and pepper to taste
6) Scoop ragout into acorn squash
7) Bake on 350 degrees for 60-90 minutes until you can insert a fork into the top of the squash easily
8) Top with cinnamon or nutmeg if you like

I wrote the first half of this post while my squash was cooking in the oven and now having just finished it for dinner I'm even more excited to share this recipe with you. This was one of the most amazing dishes I have ever eaten. It's so hard to describe all the flavors except to say it seriously tastes like fall on a fork/spoon. I can see eating this once a week throughout fall/winter.

After you cut off the top, scoop out all the insides (leave the good "meat" of the squash)

Cut a thin slice off the bottom so it stands upright

The "ragout" can be made a day ahead of time and then baked in the squash right before dinner

AMAZING!! I'm thinking of maybe trying pumpkin next time

Pad Thai:Fresh, Delicious and Versatile

One of my favorite Asian meals (besides sushi) is Pad Thai. This amazingly flavorful dish is so versatile. You can use any protein you want in it, and also sub in different vegetables to match your preferences. When I make this dish I usually precook the protein and keep it to the side until the very end, then I take a portion of the finished product out for myself so it's still vegetarian (maybe add some tofu or my favorite  Mandarin Orange Chick'n, available at Target. YUM!) and then I add the meat in for the rest of the family I also saute the veggies in the order of . Pair this meal with an Asian soup or crispy spring rolls and date night will never involve take out again!

Pad Thai has been around for centuries but became widely popular in Thailand in the 1930's when the Prime Minister of Thailand made it the national dish, to discourage the country's dependence on rice exports. Since then not only is it still a staple in Thailand but has become extremely popular in the United States as well.

Ingredients:


4 T extra virgin olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 c diced onion
1-2 beaten eggs (omit if you want a vegan dish)
Bean sprouts (I add them at the very end so they stay crunchy)
(I also add mushrooms, peppers and any other veggies I like or have in the fridge)

Sauce:
4 T lime juice
3 T soy sauce or fish sauce
3 T sugar (or a sugar substitute)
1/2 t red pepper flakes OR 1 t garlic chili sauce (or more for extra spice)

Garnish:
Fresh cilantro (I like to use basil instead)
Roasted peanuts
scallions
lime slices ( I love to squeeze them over the dish right before my first bite)
sesame seeds sprinkled on top seriously take any Asian dish to the next level

I love these pad thai noodles by Annie Chun's. They are gluten free and only contain 2 ingredients: brown rice flour and water. How awesome is that?!

Mmmm! Notice my soy "chik'n" that I prepare first and then add in meat for the rest of the family after I take my portion out

The finished product! 

If you have never made (or tried) Pad Thai give it a shot and let me know what you think!

Canning Salsa: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good:
My family goes through a lot of salsa, about a jar every week. Since we started this diet it seems to be one of our favorite snacks. If you can find a great organic salsa, that's low in sodium, it's a great healthy snack to pair with some organic corn chips. Salsa is usually around 10 calories for 1 tablespoon, and the ingredients are a ton of great vegetables.

The (Semi) Bad:
We planted our garden this year with plans of making and canning homemade salsa. We planted tomatoes, green peppers, and jalapenos.  We then planned a day of nothing but canning, but got started a lot later in the day than we had planned. We set up everything, eager and ready to get started...and realized we were missing lids for the cans, onions, and vinegar....so we weren't as prepared as we thought. Anyways the process was made easier by many hands, but I was still tired by the end. We had frozen tomatoes throughout the season so we had enough to not only can 10 jars of salsa, but also can another 10 jars of plain diced tomatoes. Here was the process we followed:

1) We blanched all the tomatoes and peeled the skins off them
2) We used a food processor to chop the onions, peppers and jalapenos
3) We diced the tomatoes by hand (the frozen ones were easier to dice up)
4) We heated all the ingredients together and simmered for 10 minutes
5) Placed salsa in jars and canned

Recipe: Adapted from my Aunt Pam's Amazing Salsa Recipe

4 c peeled, diced tomatoes
2 c  chopped green peppers
1/2 c diced jalapeno peppers (more or less to adjust spice level)
3/4 c chopped onion
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 c vinegar (we used white vinegar, but next year I want to try cider vinegar)
2 packets salsa seasoning

The Ugly (or better described as "The Messy"):

Simmering the ingredients for 10 minutes

Diced Tomatoes for Canning

Since you are dicing tomatoes anyways a pot of chili to eat after all the hard work is done is essential =)

This is the seasoning packet I used, although next year I would like to do all my own seasonings instead of using a packet

Mmmm!!!! We've already devoured two jars. It's sooo good!

There are definitely a couple things I would like to do differently next year. Starting earlier in the day would have helped, and of course making sure we had all the ingredients would have been helpful. We only used 4 jalapenos (instead of the 1/2c like we should have), and when it was simmering the salsa tasted super spicy so we didn't add anymore, but when we opened the canned jars it wasn't spicy at all, which was a little disappointing since I love my salsa spicy, so next year I'm adding a lot more jalapenos! 

Even if you don't have a garden you can easily can your own homemade salsa simply by hitting up a farmer's market and buying all your fresh ingredients there. Not a salsa fan? Homemade spaghetti sauce is another great staple to can.

Meal Plan for the Week

I usually write my postings in the morning while I eat breakfast since I don't start work til 10am, but last week I had to start earlier, and Isabelle was sick so I missed a lot of postings I've been thinking about and wanting to write so this week expect for things to get back on track with the daily postings.

This week I created a meal plan that is easy to make vegetarian or with meat...or in my case half and half. The thing I'm most excited about baking this week are the Dark Chocolate Biscotti! My mom is already bugging me about making them. She also hasn't stopped talking about my Organic Dark Chocolate Scones so I included them on my meal plan again this week so she will stop bugging me about them =)

Mission Impossible: My Big Fat Vegan Disaster

Let me preface this posting by saying that I believe the vegan diet is one of the healthiest diets/lifestyles out there. Even though I only lasted a little over a week as a vegan, I'm still taking away from this experience a lot of diet changes that I DO want to keep following.

So what made me give up so quickly? The main reason is because I was making unhealthy, vegan food choices. If a diet/lifestyle is NOT working for you, especially if it's making you more unhealthy it's common sense to adapt and change what you are doing. With my options limited, and my family not willing to eat my vegan meals I found myself not really wanting to cook just for myself, instead I would snack. Before this week, I would take the time to prepare delicious, healthy meals for the entire family that we could all eat, but now I struggled to be inspired by my meals, and my family in turn started ordering pizza, getting takeout, all kinds of horrific things =)

There are a couple great things I will be implementing in my diet though that stems from a vegan diet:
1) I'm going to stay vegetarian, maybe eating fish once a month or less
2) Butter is out! We rarely eat butter anyways because of all the heart attacks in the family. There are so many healthy, great tasting alternatives it makes the choice easy
3) My soy creamer stays! It's delicious and low in calories, what more can you ask for?
4) My addiction to cheese will be kept in check. Instead of being an every day thing, I need to cut back to once or twice a week, less if possible
5) Eggs will be more limited. While they are a great source of protein, they contain about 70% of your cholesterol intake for the day, so 1 egg for breakfast means I need to watch the rest of my cholesterol that day.
6) Vegetables and whole grains need to be the main focus of every meal

Remember life is full of compromises, and you have to find the healthy diet and lifestyle that works best for you. Organic, Vegetarian, Vegan...these are all labels society has given to very specific lifestyles but chances are most people don't fit in just one box. You pick and choose what works best for you and your family, and THAT is the key to any successful lifestyle.

My First Garden: Lessons Learned

For the past 4 years I've been growing herbs in pots on my patio (and occasionally a pathetic-looking tomato plant), but I've never had the space to have my own garden. It never really bothered me until I started eating healthier and paying more for organic produce. I would sit and watch documentaries, envious of those who could simply walk outside and "pick dinner" each day. My chance for a garden finally came this spring. We moved out of our house (with the tiny yard) in South Carolina and moved in with my parents who own 3 acres. We are living with them for a year while our house is for sale, and we look for a new place or land to build on. My dad had bought all the guys in the family (my husband and two brothers) i-touches and asked me if I wanted one too. My answer was....I'll take a garden instead.  We built two huge (20x4) above raised bed gardens and had organic black dirt mixed with manure brought in. Our total cost with the building materials, dirt, and plants/seeds ended up being near $300 (for both gardens). I planted a variety of vegetables that I thought we would use and would grow quickly (since it was already the end of May when we planted) Overall I was very happy with how the garden turned out. We did not use any pesticides or fertilizers and had no issues and a great harvest. I did learn a few lessons though and will be doing a few things differently next year. Here is my "recipe for success" for the next growing season:

Timeline:

1) Take the winter and come up with a list of the vegetables I want to plant, based on cost to buy in grocery store and our consumption level of that vegetable (bell peppers are guaranteed to be on the top of that list!)
2) Use the winter to research the best way to plant, care for, and harvest the list of vegetables, and using hay as mulch to prevent weeds
3) In March, order organic seeds online
4) In April,  plant seeds under growing lamp in garage or use cold frames to start growing seeds
5) In May, transplant vegetable plants to garden based on temperatures and specific plant's durability

Things to Remember Next Year:


1) The recommended spacing is correct, even if you don't believe that a tiny squash seed will ever grow that large :)
2) Do small plantings each week (plant a few seeds, of the same vegetable, each week the first month to ensure all your harvest doesn't come at once)
3) Start a compost, as that is the best way to fertilize your soil organically
4) Keep the watermelon away from other plants, and it likes to strangle them with it's vines
5) 4 tomato plants produce A LOT of tomatoes....plant 8 next year so we can make double the salsa! Mmmm!
6) Weed regularly to stay on top of it!
 7) Get the whole family involved in the process. Studies show that children (and in my case adults) that help grown their own vegetables are more likely to eat them.
8) Fresh produce, canned salsa (featured tomorrow on my blog), or other items that come from your garden make great gifts, and people appreciate even a ziplock bag with fresh veggies in it
9) Plant more fruit!
10) More gardens are needed next year!

My dad and husband hauling the extra dirt away after they finished the second garden

My daughter "helping" me in the garden

Newly planted gardens

This was about 1 month after I planted. They grow quickly! (broccoli, cabbage, tomato and strawberries)

Second garden (cauliflower, squash, zucchini, green beans, peppers, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and onions) 

My harvest from this weekend. Even though the season is almost over my little garden is still cranking out this much produce a couple times each week.

Veggie Spotlight: Yams

One aspect of eating healthy that many overlook is training your taste buds. If you are used to eating processed foods, then fresh, healthy foods are going to, at the very least, taste foreign to you. There are a lot of vegetables that I used to not like. Instead of eating these vegetables raw or by themselves, I slowly started adding them to dishes and meals (casseroles, rice pilaf, ect) I already liked to help get used to the flavor. Now I'm happy to say I can eat squash raw and find it delicious.

As I was thinking over how my taste buds have changed the past year I realized there are a lot of vegetables out there that I have never tried and resolved that every week when I go grocery shopping I will buy a vegetable that I'm not familiar with and try it. This week it was a yam.

Yams are not related to a sweet potato, but they taste a lot like a sweet potato except they are a little sweeter. There are over 150 different varieties of yams, and they are high in potassium and Vitamin B6. You can cook them almost any way you would prepare a sweet potato or regular potato. I decided to cook mine in the oven, 50 minutes at 350 degrees. What was my verdict? Way too sweet for me. I am not a fan of sweet potatoes either though. I think I would like to try them again but this time add them into a medley of roasted vegetables to distract from the extreme sweetness.

Next time you are at the grocery store and feeling bored by your choices, try something new. You never know, you may discover your new favorite food....or at least favorite vegetable. My Veggie Spotlight for next week? Fennel.

Jeweled Yams

photo courtesy of Terra Organics

NO FAT, homemade, Lactose Free, Low Calorie Creamer

One of the ways I keep a diet, or eating healthy in general, from getting boring is by constantly challenging myself. I might do a week of no meat, or cut out sugar for awhile, it's simply a way to challenge myself and try different things, but at the same time following the main rules of eating healthy: 99% organic foods, no processed foods, and sticking mainly with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  One of the new challenges I gave myself was to go vegan, at least for the month of September, and see if I like it. Doing my research on this topic, I found mostly pros, and very little cons. I think the best way to test any theory is to try it myself so that's what I'm going to do. For those of you wondering what a vegan diet means, you do not consume any dairy, eggs, or meat. (Honey is highly debated in the vegan community). A vegan diet is very low in cholesterol and fat, which is the main reason I am choosing to try it out. Those last 10 pesky baby pounds are still hanging onto my thighs, butt and belly, and I want them gone! Of course the first thing you have to do when starting any restrictive diet like this....find a coffee creamer substitute! So here is mine with some ways you can tweak it based on your preferences

Dairy Free Creamer:

2 cups of almond milk (or soy, but almond milk has a lot less calories)
1-2 T honey (or 1/2-1T agave nectar or 2T maple syrup)
1-2t vanilla extract
1t cinnamon, hazelnut or any other ground spic you like the smell and taste of in your coffee

Directions:

1)Place ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until sweetener is dissolved. Refrigerate.