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!

Day 12- Food for your Spirit

“There is a sacrosanct quality to taking something into your body to nourish it.  Treat the foods you eat with the respect they deserve.”- Eat Yourself Super, Dr. Todd Pesek

You’ve made it through eleven days!  We are more than halfway there, and I’m sure you’re starting to feel amazing.  Have you started noticing a more kind, spiritual connection yet?  I know that I was surprised by it the first time I did the cleanse.  I felt, and still feel, more gentle in the world and proud of myself.

“By giving up meat and dairy, you withdraw your support from industries that take a toxic toll on the environment and on the well-being of your fellow humans…By not eating animals, you are reducing the needless suffering that occurs in the world, on many levels.  Whether or not that’s a priority for you, isn’t it nice to know that being good to yourself benefits others?  You’ve arrived at the place where kindness to yourself meets kindness to the earth meets kindness to other creatures, and that’s pretty cool.  Abstaining from animal products is a profound act, with physical, emotional, and even spiritual benefits.” – The Kind Diet, Alicia Silverstone

Kathy writes that by changing a few eating habits, we also align our behaviors with our spirituality, our sense of values.  She encourages us to keep our eyes – and our hearts- open and to think deeply about everything that goes into feeding ourselves the diet that we’ve grown accustomed to.  In this way, we become more conscious eaters.  She writes: “Just slow down enough to ponder the big picture, and soon enough, it will begin to come into focus.”

The reason that I have posted a new recipe every day is to share with you how abundantly delightful vegan, and even gluten-free eating can be.  You have traded in brown and gray colored foods for the colors of the rainbow, for vegetables so delicious they make you crave more, grains that are nourishing and make your body sing, like quinoa and brown rice, new sources of protein like black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, seeds, and nuts.  An avocado can taste like butter and is wonderful on top of spicy, Mexican dishes in place of cheese.  I never used to like green beans until I found the recipes I’ve shared with you.  This has been a great opportunity to reach outside of my comfort zone and to try new vegetables and recipes. 

In Eat Yourself Super, Dr. Todd Pesek writes:
“There is no substitute for home-prepared, close-to-nature whole foods…plant based, nutrient-dense, calorie sparse.”   He also says, “When you love people, feed them.  But only yummy, healthful food.”

Kathy urges us, before sitting down to eat, ask yourself:
How can I eat in a way that is kind, responsible, and attuned to the needs of my body?
What can I do to bring my life to the highest vibration possible?

Kathy’s Meditation:

“I open my eyes so that I might heal.  What a powerful statement.  It means I am ready to confront the darkness within (the parts of myself that care only about immediate or personal satisfaction) and darkness in our world.  By nudging myself to open my eyes, I will begin to see what needs to shift on a fundamental level.  By healing myself and becoming more aware and thoughtful about my choices, I am also offering that light and healing outward into the world.”

It was really hot today, so I was in the mood for a nice, light veggie salad.  This is one of my go-to recipes.

Light Summer Tomato Salad
3 tomatoes, diced large
1 avocado, diced large
½ medium onion, diced or sliced
1 large cucumber, diced large
1 TB Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TB Good Olive Oil
2 TB Fresh Italian Parsley
1 TB dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion salt
Salt & pepper to taste
plus a couple handfuls of walnuts

Mix together, let marinate for 10-15 minutes, serve and enjoy!



We had the tomato salad with grilled corn on the cob and grilled bell peppers.  Tastes like summer!

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!