Sweet Corn on the Grill with Fresh & Fruity Salsa

It had been a rough day and I was actually thinking about getting some pizza instead of washing all the veggies on my delightful CSA pick-up day.  But then I saw the first ears of fresh corn for the season and I felt excited and renewed, happily washing the lettuce for one of my giant salads.

My favorite way to grill the corn is directly on the grill, without the husk.  It gets charred in places and tastes so nice and sweet.  Because we’re going out of town in a couple of days, we grilled all of the corn and I made mango salsa, a black bean & corn mixture for the salad, and then scraped some more corn to freeze for later.  Using grilled corn in soups adds a nice little crunch of smoky flavor.

Oh, wow, I hear you shouting: “Mango salsa?!  Recipe please!”  I had some mango left over from making mango pina coladas over the weekend (you can use mangoes instead of or in addition to pineapples), so I chopped up the mango slices into little cubes, diced ¼ onion, diced one jalapeno pepper, and added the kernels from about one ear of corn and half a can of black beans, the juice of one lime, a squirt of honey, some fresh cilantro (optional), plus salt and pepper.  I’ve made a similar variation with pineapple- it’s also delicious!

I love summer salads!  I took the rest of the black beans and mixed with an avocado, ½ onion, kernels of corn from two ears, diced jalapeno, and a squeeze of lemon.  I also added chipotle chili pepper, a dash of cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  We grilled zucchini and onions as well and threw all of these things on top of the lettuce.  Add your favorite Mexican dressing.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been some tomato, which we didn’t have this week. 

Having green beans frozen and waiting enhances fall and winter crock pot meals, but it’s always so difficult for me not to eat them immediately!  This time, our upcoming vacation made it easier for me to freeze the green beans for the future.  I snipped and washed them, just like I would if I were eating them right away, but then I laid them on paper towels to dry thoroughly before freezing.  Finally, I threw them into a gallon size freezer bag and tucked them away for the days I don’t want to think about - when I’ll be missing my fresh CSA veggies (and sunshine!)  With a smile, I realized that this little bit of summer will be waiting to cheer me- in minestrone soup, perhaps?

Summer, Delicious Summer!

It’s that wonderful time of year again!  The beautiful veggies from Geauga Family Farms CSA are making me jump up and down with glee this week.

There is nothing like fresh, local, organic produce that I can feel so good about eating on a physical AND spiritual level.

“In the eye of the cook or the gardener or the farmer who grew it, this food reveals itself for what it is: no mere thing but a web of relationships among a great many living beings, some of them human, some not, but each of them dependent on the other, and all of them ultimately rooted in soil and nourished by sunlight.”
– Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto

Pollan also writes, “To shop at a farmers’ market or sign up with a CSA is to join a short food chain and that has several implications for your health.  Local produce is typically picked ripe and is fresher than supermarket produce, and for those reasons it should be tastier and more nutritious.”

It’s true!  I made my delicious Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes and Herbs and now it’s finally summer!  I even cut up the garlic scapes (those curly green things in the picture – they are the tops of garlic and are milder) and added them with parsley and basil.  It was delicious!

Get Ready!

The Quantum Wellness Cleanse is “about choosing foods that don’t tax the body and make it work so hard; it’s about taking a break but not about starving.”

There will be challenges – family barbeques, anniversaries, weddings, etc.  This is not about perfection and punishment – if it’s really awkward not to drink a glass of champagne at a wedding or if you are at a family event where pasta is all that’s being served, then give yourself a break and get back on track with the next meal.  It’s a huge switch and you are still doing better than you were before, even if you have a diversion or two (or five…)

From my own experience, however, I do find that it’s easier for me to be as strict as possible.  If I have a piece of bread, then I find myself craving more bread at the next meal and it’s much harder to fight off the cravings.  I “treated” myself with a caramel mocha at the end of the cleanse one day and next thing I knew, I was drinking coffee every morning, anxious, and not sleeping well.  I had to go through the withdrawal headaches all over again to re-quit.  So be kind to yourself and do your best to stick with it.  It gets easier as you go.


It's not easy for me, either.  This is a picture of having ice cream after 6 months of not having any:

So you see, we're in this together.  : )

Okay, so finish that loaf of bread, have your last omelette for awhile, and stock up on gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan ingredients (I promise, you will find them and they’re yummy!)

(My last fried egg for awhile...)

So here we go, These are some of my favorite staples:
Tortilla chips (What diet? See!)
Hummus (If you like it spicy, mix with Sriracha – almost tastes cheesy!)
Decaffeinated herbal tea (Mint helps you focus, there is decaf chai, Yogi teas tell fortunes!)
Brown rice
Quinoa
Pasta made with brown rice/quinoa/corn
Potatoes
Oatmeal
Corn
Nuts & Seeds (almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds)
Peanut butter/almond butter (unsweetened, natural)
Vegan Mayo (I just tried Veganaise –it was not bad!)
Vegan Butter (Earth Balance or Smart Start are good)
Tofu
Pasta sauce
Lots of veggies!  (Summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocadoes, garlic, broccoli, green beans, etc)
Salad (Lettuce, cabbage, spinach)
Almond milk
Coconut Milk
Agave Nectar (or Stevia, if you prefer)
Fresh herbs (basil, flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, fresh ginger root)
Popcorn
Vegetarian broth
Extra virgin Olive Oil

And an ingredients list for recipes that will be posted in the next few days in case you need some inspiration:
First recipe for slow cooker:
Carrots (at least 2 - they are great to cut up and snack on, too)
yellow onion
garlic
curry powder
ground coriander
ground cayenne pepper
organic potatoes (at least 2 large)
green beans (at least 8 oz or more)
chickpeas/garbanzo beans (one can or dried ones that you've soaked overnight)
one can diced tomatoes
1 can vegetable stock (about 2 cups)
frozen peas
coconut milk (1 can)


Second Recipe:
Brown rice
sesame oil
1 pound green beans
garlic
fresh ginger (or dried, but fresh ginger root is best by far)
chipotle chili powder
tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
Chinese chili paste

Message me if you have any questions!  Can't wait to start this journey with you!

Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes and Herbs

I made one of my very favorite summer pastas last night and it was extra delicious with the fresh, organic cherry tomatoes from Geauga Family Farms.  It was the first time I ever used yellow tomatoes in this recipe and it gave the sauce a completely new taste.  Amazing!   This recipe was shared with me a couple of years ago by a dear friend.   Arlyn, I still think of you every time I enjoy this recipe!

*Note: I’ve recently been using refrigerated, fresh pasta.  If you can get the fresh pasta rather than the dry, it really makes a difference.  I used garlic & chive spaghetti from Ohio City.

This is simple to make and tastes gourmet.

Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes and Herbs (Serves 2- with leftovers unless you're really hungry)

12 oz spaghetti (3/4 box)

2 pints cherry tomatoes (2 little crates – best if red & yellow mixed!)

6 cloves garlic, smashed

3 TB olive oil, plus more for serving

½ cup mixed herbs (basil, parsley, chives) I used basil and a little bit of Italian Parsley, too.

1. Heat oven to 400 F.  Bring water for the pasta to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes, garlic, 2 TB oil, and 1 tsp salt.  Roast, tossing once, until the tomatoes begin to burst (20-25 minutes).

3. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.

4. Toss the pasta with the tomatoes, herbs, and the remaining oil.  Serve more olive oil and taste to check if you should add more salt and/or herbs.

*Improvisation: Sarah J, this recipe makes me think of you.  Saute some shrimp with a couple of the tomatoes, some garlic, and basil and this will be almost as good as your signature shrimp dish.

If you like, you can watch how easy it is to make this meal: Laura Makes Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes and Herbs.  Please don't laugh - it's my first attempt at video editing and my first time preparing food while talking about it to a crowd!  It's only 5 minutes as I'm using it to audition to be a cooking instructor, so some steps are skipped, but all are listed above.  Enjoy!

Laura’s Karmic Subs

My husband, Vida, and I love Dave’s Cosmic Subs.  Since we’re scaling back on the budget and have so many fresh veggies from the CSA, I decided to attempt them myself.  Okay, so obviously they are a bit overflowing.  If you don’t want it sloppy and have some to eat with a fork afterwards, use less veggies.  This was delicious!  Keep your napkins close!

They are Karmic because they’re vegan. 

Laura’s Karmic Subs (Serves 2 and then some to lick off the plate)

Foot long French bread, cut in two
½ avocado, large diced or strips – whichever you prefer
½ tomato, diced
½ pepper, cut into long strips
½ onion, cut into long strips
Fresh horseradish or a sauce without egg or cream
Handful of fresh spinach
2 romaine leaves
½ cup cole slaw (recipe below)

1. Saute the pepper and onions in light olive oil on medium heat until soft (about 5-7 minutes.) 

2. While sautéing, spread horseradish on both sides of the inside of the bread.  Add spinach, lettuce, avocado, and tomato. 

3. When done, add grilled onions and peppers. 

4. Top with cole slaw. 

5. Try to fit in mouth.

Feel free to make variations with your favorite veggies that you have available!  If you like mushrooms, those would probably be nice to grill, too.

Fresh Cole Slaw

½ head cabbage, shredded to bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, use a peeler to peel the whole carrot into little strips
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper
1 tsp ground mustard powder
Couple of dashes lemon pepper
1 TB garlic powder

Combine and mix.  Let marinate about 15 minutes.

Beautiful, Subversive Food

According to Michael Pollan, we should involve ourselves in the communal web of food production as intricately as we can:

“This food reveals itself for what it is: no mere thing, but a web of relationships among a great many living beings, some of them human, some not, but each of them dependent on the other, and all of them ultimately rooted in soil and nourished by sunlight.”

This community involves the farmers growing and laboring, the plants drinking in the sunshine and luxuriating in nutrients, the animals that have contributed to the soil or are part of the kind cycle, all the way to the person cooking and inviting loved ones to the table. 

Pollan also says:

“To reclaim this much control over one’s food, to take it back from industry and science, is no small thing; indeed, in our time cooking from scratch and growing any of our own food qualify as subversive acts.”

Go Geauga Family Farms!!  I am so proud to join your community web, where you “produce healthy foods, from healthy soils, for healthy people.”

Kohlrabi Slaw Recipe (Adapted from Food Network Magazine and changed Laura-style):
Peel 3 kohlrabis and cut into matchsticks.  Whisk the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (Or 1 TB dry), 1/2 clove minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, and salt and pepper in a bowl.  Whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil.  Toss with the kohlrabi and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Note:  FN's recipe calls for 1 kohlrabi and 1/4 head shredded cabbage.  I used 3 kohlrabi instead because that's what I had and it was delicious!

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Delicious & Healthy Food

It's a thunderstormy afternoon in NYC and I'm reveling in my experiences with food.

Last night, we went to a restaurant called Josie's at 37th and 3rd.  It was one of the most delicious vegan-friendly restaurants I've ever visited.  I was thrilled to see a butternut squash soup (topped with roasted pumpkin seeds) that was not floating in heavy cream.  It was VEGAN, sweet, and absolutely delicious!

I was also very excited to see the Seared, Asian-Marinated Organic Tofu Salad.  It had spinach, tofu, chickpeas, zucchini, pepper, tomatoe, avocado, mushroom, and was tossed in a light but tasty balsamic dressing.  Vegan Heaven!

It was a lovely meal out with my mom, aunt, and sister.  NYC is really impressing me with the food!  Even in the airport (LGA), I ordered a salad and the dressing was homemade with lemon and fresh garlic!  It was delightful.  New York City really steps it up about a thousand notches from my usual Ohio dining.  Now these dinners out are much more worth it- it's a good thing I don't live here or I would be out of money in a week.  I love that no eyebrows are raised when I say "No cheese, please."

Today, we saw the Statue of Liberty and tonight we are going out for Italian and to see Mary Poppins!  This is my fifth time in the Big City, but really the first time I've been free to do really touristy things like sneaking off to drink wine in the hotel lobby.  Yeah, that's what I'm doing right now.  I'm sharing a room with all three lovely ladies and sometimes, a girl needs to blog whilst sipping wine...

Sunshine!

More organic veggies from the local farmers of the Geauga Family Farms!  From tomato:  peas and cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, red lettuce, yellow squash, green lettuce, rainbow chard, green onions, lemon basil, beets, and kohlrabi.  

Can anyone tell me how to cook the kohlrabi?  This is a new one for me!  I am going to try to make some beet chips tonight.  I also have some lemon basil soaking in olive oil to prepare for a lemony dressing for a summer salad that will feature the lovely yellow squash on the grill!  I've never seen a yellow squash so bright before and I'm really excited to eat it!

Today is the Summer Solstice - the longest day of the year.  The heatwave across the country proves that the sun is showing off!  So eat some lovely veggies and chew up some of the sun's energy.  And spend some time in the sunshine to revel in its life-giving power. 

Again - please let me know if you have ideas for that kohlrabi!  Or how to trick myself into enjoying the cauliflower- that's one veggie that I just can't seem to get along with yet.  Thanks!

Bruschetta and an Italian Salad

Yesterday was a much better day once I got back to focusing on the present, taking care of my house and obligations, and cooking happily in my kitchen.  I guess it's easier not to have huge expectations for a Monday!

Birthday dinner appetizer recipe - as promised!  This is actually enough to make it a meal.  And the bonus is yesterday's lunch recipe with the leftovers.  I hope you like it.  I'm guessing a little on the measurements, so if you notice that something needs to be tweaked, please let me know.  Thanks!

Bruschetta (Vegan, serves 2 with some leftover)

¼ cup yellow bell pepper, diced very small

¼ cup red onion, diced very small

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 green onions, chopped very small

½ pint cherry tomatoes- preferably both yellow and red, diced larger

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup good olive oil (cold pressed)

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp fresh pepper

1 tsp Italian Seasonings (usually basil, oregano, and parsley)

Fresh Italian bread, 4 slices (baked or toasted if you like)

Reserve about 1 TB of the olive oil.  Gently mix all toppings but bread in a small bowl and let marinate in the olive oil for at least 15 minutes.

Drizzle remaining olive oil evenly over the bread, then spoon mixture onto the bread evenly.  Enjoy!

(See below for what I did with the leftovers!)

Italian Veggie Salad (Vegan, Dinner salad size.  If serving for appetizer, put some of the salad in a container for tomorrow before you toss with the dressing.)

½ yellow bell pepper, diced

½ cucumber, sliced into thin half moons

½ large tomato, diced

¼ red onion, diced

¼ cup fresh basil

¼ cup green onions, sliced

1/8 cup sliced walnuts

1 TB sundried tomatoes, chopped small (optional - I always have a bag in the fridge)

3 cups red romaine lettuce, torn

Dressing:

3-4 TB Garlic Expressions (or your favorite Italian dressing)

Splash red wine

Touch of salt, if needed

sprinkle of garlic powder

Fresh pepper

Reserve a small amount of basil and green onions for the garnish.  Mix all other veggies in a large bowl with salad tongs.  5 minutes before serving, pour dressing and red wine over the salad and continue to toss with salad tongs.

Serve on the plates and top with garnish of fresh basil and green onions.

If you have fresh parmesan available and you like cheese, it’s a really nice complement to this.

Got leftovers from the bruschetta and bread?  I had salad leftover, too (did not pour the dressing over the whole salad once I saw that there was too much for an appetizer!)

Fabulous Bruschetta No-Cheese sandwich (Vegan, makes two sandwiches)

2 slices tofutti soy cheese (trust me, it’s good!)

Remaining Bruschetta (Hopefully enough for two sandwiches – ok if it’s not heavy)

4 slices Italian Bread

Earth Balance Buttery spread (non-dairy)

Just like you’re making a grilled cheese! 

Begin heating the pan to medium with a tiny scoop of Earth Balance Spread.

Spread more Earth Balance butter over one side of each piece of bread.  Flip over.  Fold the “cheese” in half and put horizontally across each piece of bread.  Top the bottom bread with the bruschetta spread.  Assemble the sandwich and place into the pan.  Again, make sure there is “cheese” below and above the bruschetta spread.  Cover the pan.

Check if bread is turning brown after about 4 minutes.  If yes, flip over and remove cover.  If no, keep a close eye on it and flip when brown.  Cook about another 2 minutes after flipping, again making sure that it turns brown but does not burn.

Cut diagonally and serve with salad or your favorite sandwich accompaniment!

Improvisations:  If you want real cheese and still have that fresh parmesan from last night, my husband says it’s a very tasty treat to use that cheese instead.  We also heated up some spaghetti sauce from the night before for him to dip his sandwich into – if you have some jarred sauce and you like to have a dipper, you might enjoy that, too! 

*An Ayurvedic Tip:  I heated the sauce in the hot pan after removing the sandwich – it only took a minute.  I NEVER use the microwave.  According to Ayurvedic philosophy, it actually changes the molecules of your food and mutates them into something else.  I cook like a grandma - stove and oven only- and it's much more delicious!  No more mushy microwave food!

Asian Inspired Ginger Stir-Fry

Asian Inspired Ginger Stir-Fry (serves 2)
About 45 minutes total

Ingredients:
1 TB Canola Oil
½ yellow bell pepper, julienned
1 medium sweet onion, julienned (or red would be nice, too – then ½ onion)
2 trees broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces (not a whole bunch, just two trees)
1 carrot, julienned
2 cups peas, still in pods
1 small can water chestnuts, diced
2 cups sliced bok choy
2 leaves kale, sliced
4 green onions, chopped (top half of tops removed)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB fresh chopped (and peeled) ginger (*a little extra work, but SO worth it!)
1 TB rice vinegar
¼ cup sesame oil
½ cup soy sauce
3 TB honey
1 TB red chili paste (optional)
1 TB garlic powder
3 TB sesame seeds
Cooked brown rice to feed 2-4 people (optional)

Tip:  It’s a good idea to chop all of your veggies and to measure all of the ingredients before-hand so that you can just throw them in as you are stir-frying.  Otherwise, I get a little bit frantic…Better to be smiling and adding love as you cook rather than swearing and burning or cutting yourself!  This one goes fast.

1. Heat canola oil on high heat in a wok or large pan.  First add the onions, then immediately the peppers, carrots, and broccoli.  Sprinkle a little extra garlic powder.  Stir.  Saute for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, peas, and water chestnuts, then the ginger, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, chili paste, and garlic powder.  Stir and wait about 2-4 minutes (until carrots are getting softer.)

3. Add bok choy & kale, stir for 2 more minutes.  Finally, sprinkle the sesame seeds and toss in the green onions.  Reserve some of both for the top when serving.

4. Serve over rice (if desired.)

Enjoy!

Improvisations:  Would be great with tofu, shrimp, chicken or beef.  My husband kept commenting how beef would be perfect with the flavors… poor husband, he’s such a good sport with his pescatarian wife! (That means I occasionally eat fish.)
Other great veggie additions:
2 cups fresh bean sprouts (would add at very end)

1 cup zucchini in half moon slices

1 cup yellow squash in half moon slices

baby eggplant cut in chunks

sliced bamboo shoots, (add all of these before garlic)

chow main noodles on top.

Would also be really nice garnished with fresh cilantro, but I didn’t have any at the time.

If you were to add all of these things, this would easily feed four.  I would double the ginger and perhaps add a little more soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in that case.

And if you want a side dish:

Easy Sesame Soy Cucumber Salad

½ cucumber, peeled and sliced into strips
¼ sweet onion, julienned (or red)
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sesame seeds

Mix together, top with some of your sliced green onions.  It’s refreshing and blends with the flavors of the stir fry.

Would be nice with julienned peppers, julienned pea pods, and cilantro, too.  If you like spicy, mince up about 1/8 jalapeno to add and mince 1 clove fresh garlic.

Food, Glorious Food!

 It’s CSA day!  I just picked up my beautiful stash of local, organically grown veggies from the Geauga County Family Farms CSA.

According to Michael Pollan in his excellent “Eater’s Manifesto,” In Defense of Food, supermarkets have shifted from a focus on quality to quantity.  This has caused a decrease in nutrition for Americans.  He writes, “you now have to eat three apples to get the same amount of iron as you would have gotten from a single 1940 apple.” 

One of the major reasons for this is a change in the way we grow food.  Organic produce is higher in good-for-you minerals and also contain more phytochemicals – these are the secondary compounds that help plants fight disease – and can also help your immune system do the same with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

Pollan also writes, “local produce is typically picked ripe and is fresher than supermarket produce, and for those reasons it should be tastier and more nutritious.” 

So those are just a couple of the reasons that I have joined the CSA. 

Want another reason?  Look at this beautiful food!

Clockwise from tomato:  Lettuce, green onions (at top), spinach, kale, red lettuce, bok choy, sugar snap peas, strawberries, cherry tomatoes

Recipe tomorrow!  Can you guess what I will make tonight?  Hint:  Green onions, bok choy, spinach and peas will be starring in my kitchen.