Rosemary Pesto

On the first day that truly feels like winter, I have a little throwback to summer for you. 

Remember those herbs we talked about preserving at the end of the harvest this year? Dig those rosemary sprigs out of the freezer and let's get started. 

If starting with frozen sprigs, simply let them sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes or so, until they are easy to strip off the stem. 

Pesto can be the basis for so many wonderful dishes- I love to have a few different types in my freezer, ready to be pulled out for a quick dinner. Trying varying the herbs for some new twists.

Try this one instead of tomato sauce on a flatbread, with caramelized onions, fresh chèvre, and a sharp cheddar. Or tossed with some pappardelle noodles with blanched broccoli and toasted pine nuts. Or folded into a quick frittata with sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms.

Rosemary Pesto

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves
1 cup packed rosemary leaves- from fresh or frozen
1 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Zest of one lemon
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Peel garlic, and mince in food processor. Add rosemary through lemon juice and continue to puree, drizzling olive oil and scraping down as needed in to achieve desired consistency.

Store fresh in the refrigerator, or freeze in ice cube trays to be used later.

Relax. Eat Well.

Golden Turmeric Milk

Although we have been graced with possibly the nicest November on record, there is still a bite in the air that comes with this time of year, leaving me craving a warm mug in my hands.

I think I have mentioned my constant effort to incorporate turmeric into my daily life before. It is the ultimate anti-inflammatory, which is endlessly beneficial to our overworked bodies. Pair that with its load of antioxidants (apparent through its rich orange coloring), and you have a powerful medicine that can help prevent and treat whatever ails you.

With that said, there are a few kitchen tricks that can help you assimilate and incorporate all of the health benefits from this amazing little root more effectively. The first is to not overheat it- excessive heat or boiling will start to deteriorate it's nutritional prowess. The second is to enjoy it with some sort of fat. The active component in turmeric, curcumin, is fat soluble, meaning that it needs to be consumed with a source of fat to be fully absorbed. And finally, add a pinch of black pepper, which also boosts it's bio-availability substantially.

So what does that mean for this recipe? Don't let the tea boil too much- you want to get it to a simmer, and then let it steep. If you are worried about this step, you can heat your milk to a simmer and then add your turmeric, ginger and black pepper to steep. Don't skip the few pinches of black pepper, and add a tsp. of coconut oil if you are using a skim milk or nut-based milk.

It is not hard to find fresh ginger or turmeric in the produce section of your local health food store. When you find it, buy a good amount, give it a good wash and store it in a bag in your freezer. It will last forever this way, and actually grates easier with a microplane (just take it out to thaw for a few minutes before grating, and it is truly a breeze). Then throw the rest back in the freezer for your next use.

Golden Turmeric Milk

Ingredients
Serves 2

2 cups whole cow's milk or hazelnut milk (or milk of choice)
1-inch fresh turmeric, grated
1-inch fresh ginger, grated
a few grinds of black pepper
1 tsp. extra-virgin unrefined coconut oil, if not using whole milk
1 tbs. raw honey or maple syrup, to taste, optional

Directions

Place all ingredients in a small pot and heat until simmering, over low-medium heat, watching carefully to avoid a boil-over. Cover and turn off heat, letting it steep for 10 minutes. Stir in sweetener, if using. Strain into container of choice. Enjoy hot or cold.

Curried Coconut Squash Soup

As the weather continues to turn towards fall, I have been getting back into soups and stews, and it was one such craving that inspired this Curried Coconut Squash Soup. Simple, with a creamy decadence from coconut milk and flavor-bursts from curry spices, it is my ideal weekend lunch.

I happen to know that it freezes well, as I made a big batch to hand out to a few friends who could use the spare time these days.

Side note: did you know that grilled cheese freezes well too? I gifted the soup with a bag of frozen Grilled Cheese Croutons (grilled cheese smothered with scape pesto and cut into bite sized cubes). Pop the thawed soup in a pot and the croutons on a baking sheet, and you have a comforting meal ready in no time flat.

Curried Coconut Squash Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tbs. coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. fresh ginger, minced
1 tbs. curry powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
2 carrots, sliced in half moons
1 medium red kuri squash, unpeeled, cubed (mine was about 3.5 pounds whole, 10 cups cubed)
1 can coconut milk
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tbs. tamari
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional, for heat)
1/2-1 tsp salt (optional, to taste)

Directions

No need to peel the squash- it will puree smooth and you will benefit from the added fiber and time on your hands.

Heat coconut oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add minced ginger, garlic, curry powder, cumin and coriander and continue to cook, stirring often, for 1 minutes, making sure not to burn spices. Add carrot and squash cubes, as well as coconut milk and vegetable stock. Turn up heat and bring to a boil, and then down to a simmer for 20 minutes. Check to make sure squash cubes are completely cooked. Remove from heat, add tamari and blend with an immersion blender. Once smooth, taste and adjust seasonings by adding more salt and/or cayenne pepper for heat.

Notes: Other winter squash varieties would work here as well- try buttercup, butternut or blue hubbard.

Preserving the Herb Harvest

There are several ways I like to put up my herbs during the summer to be used during the winter months, when the snow covers the ground and there are no greens in sight. It not only saves money on pricey herb bunches, but it allows me to enjoy bright vibrant flavors and nutrition packed leaves when I need it most. 

Frozen as Pesto Cubes 
I make a huge batch of my favorite pesto, portion off into ice cube trays and place in the freezer. Once frozen solid, the cubes can be transferred into a freezer bag, labeled and stuck in the back of the freezer to be taken out and enjoyed in a variety of portion sizes. I use these on pizza, tossed with pasta or spread on wraps. You can use any herb, but my favorites are basil and rosemary.

Freezing the leaves whole
Can't be simpler than this. Simply harvest, wash, remove leaves and spread out on a baking sheet to freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and label, to be pulled out in small amounts without sticking together. The texture will be a bit off (not the best for fresh salads) but the flavor remains vibrant. I use my frozen leaves for sauces, smoothies salad dressings or anything baked or stir-fried, where texture is less important. I use this method with parsley, cilantro, sage, chives, lemongrass and mint. Even kale for that matter. Nothing better than Vitamin C rich summer parsley during the winter flu season!

Dried 
Simply harvest, wash, dry and bunch your herbs with a rubber band. Hang upside-down indoors or out for a few weeks until completely dry. To simplify storing, you can then remove the leaves and store in a airtight container (they'll fall off easier once dry). The stems are great for soup stock. I prefer this method for the oilier herbs, such as thyme, rosemary and sage, as they hold their original flavor better. I also like it with tulsi basil and mint for loose leaf tea. 


There you are! Hopefully this inspires you to take the time to preserve your garden herbs for the upcoming winter, or to grow a few more in your garden next year. There is no better way to eat locally, and promote health during the long winter months. 

Crispy Fiddlehead Poppers

Woohoo!!! It's that time of year again. Wild ramps and fiddleheads are popping up- spring it is so sweet!

I absolutely love ramps, also known as wild leeks- the leaf is similar to a chive and the root bulb to a shallot. It is a member of the alium family, and offers hints of both onion and a mild garlic flavor.

In the past, I have posted recipes for Ramp Butter and Wild Dandelion Ramp Pesto. This year, I wanted to share a Fiddleheads recipe, which only seems overdue, given my name and love for the wild fern. 

Nutritionally speaking, these shoots are rich in Vitamin A and C, iron and manganese as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

It seems as though most recipes out there center on either pasta, garlicky sautés or pickling, so I wanted to share something a little different. This recipe is a bit addicting, and I can imagine it would go over well across the age groups. Not a bad way to get your ferns in. 

These poppers are super quick and easy, and pretty fool-proof. They reheat well- just pop them back on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or so. You want to enjoy these babies hot. 

I enjoy them by themselves, but a dipping sauce does truly bring them over the top. Today I mixed equal parts plain whole milk yogurt with a lemon vinaigrette I had in the fridge, and that was delightfully rich yet tangy. I can imagine they would be great with any sort of aioli you could dream up, or my vegan raw almond "aioli" (with or without the cilantro, depending on your stance).

Crispy Fiddlehead Poppers
Serves 2

Note: if you do not have access to sumac, replace with garlic granules or powder.

Ingredients

2 cups fiddlehead ferns, washed well and trimmed

1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp sumac
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2- 3/4 tsp. sea salt (depending on your salt level preference)

1 large egg

1 tbs. oil for drizzling

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Clean and dry and fiddleheads well, trimming to a 1/2 inch below the furling head.

In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, sumac (or garlic), smoked paprika and sea salt.

In a separate medium bowl, beat egg. Add in fiddleheads and toss well. Using a slotted spoon, remove fiddleheads from egg, letting excess drip off. Move in to almond flour mixture bowl and toss to coat very well.

Place breaded fiddleheads on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to bake for another 5 minutes. Remove pan, flip fiddleheads and return to oven for the final 5 minutes.

Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

Relax. Eat Well. 

Fresh Orange Sorbet in Citrus Shells

What a perfect melding of winter and spring- a transition dish, with the flavors of the season we are leaving behind, and the textures and sensations of the one that is to come.

I have never made sorbet before, and haven't had an ice cream maker since childhood. This recipe does not require any fancy equipment- just a food processor or blender, and some muscle (for all that juicing). So simple, yet so sweet.

I happen to have a mix of oranges and tangelos in my fridge, so I used two of each. Feel free to take liberty with the citrus you choose- next time I am going to try adding in some shaved ginger and maybe even a touch of fresh mint to bring some additional excitement to the tongue. I would just add this in when making the simple syrup, and strain afterwords. I'd also love to replace some or all of the sugar with honey- but that is for another day. 

This step is completely optional- but I think it is so fun to use the citrus half shells as the serving container- just juice each half completely, and use a spoon to scrape out the remaining pith. Give it a good wash and dry, and then stick them in the freezer with the sorbet to be used when ready.

Fresh Orange Sorbet in Citrus Shells
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

4 oranges (or your favorite citrus)
1 lemon
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup cane sugar

Directions

Wash citrus well and cut in half along the middle. Juice completely- you should end up with about 1.5 cups of juice.

To make a simple syrup, add water and sugar to a small pot. Bring to a simmer over low-medium heat, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and chill in freezer for 10 minutes.

If planning to serve the sorbet in the citrus shells, take a spoon and scrape each half clean, removing any remaining pith, while being careful not to break through. Dry and place in the freezer.

Once chilled, combine simple syrup with citrus juice in a medium bowl. Freeze for 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Once frozen, scoop into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Can serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the freezer for a few days. When serving, scoop sorbet into a frozen citrus half and enjoy!


Relax. Eat Well.

Thai Almond Noodles

This has been a staple dish in my kitchen for quite awhile now. I've given out the recipe enough times that I figured it deserves a space on the blog. 

I'm not a huge Italian pasta fan personally, but I can get down with some Asian noodle preparations.  This one features almond butter as the thickening ingredient for the sauce, along with a nice dose of spicy ginger, garlic and galangal. 

                                     

For those of you unfamiliar with galangal, it is a Thai root, with a pungent and spicy flavor profile. I'll admit, it is not super common to most kitchens, but it is worth seeking out. For Vermonters, I find my fresh galangal in the produce section of City Market in Burlington. It is not always in stock, but when it is, I buy a very large chunk or two and store them in the freezer for later use. When you are ready to use it, let it sit out for a few minutes and use a microplane to shave some off. If you are stuck without, just omit it in this recipe and amp up the ginger, or maybe throw in a stalk of lemongrass or two. 

Using vegetables cut into "noodle" shapes helps bulk up this dish without relying too heavily on the starchy pasta, while boosting the nutrition. I used the julienne blade on my OXO mandoline, but you can also use a spiralizer or one of these great hand-held julienne peelers- they do the job well.

To amp up the protein, I added Oven-Fried Turmeric Tofu, which pairs really well with this dish, and just adds to the rainbow effect. Optional, but nice. 

Thai Almond Noodles

Serves 8

Ingredients

12 oz. pasta- regular or gluten-free (I used fettuccine)
1 small yam, julienned
1 cucumber, julienned
1 red pepper, thinly sliced into long strips
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted and salted almonds or peanuts

Optional: Turmeric Tofu

Sauce:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice or brown rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger
3 tablespoons tamari
4 tablespoons almond butter
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh galangal (optional)

Directions

Place a medium pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Prep yams by julienning into long strips. When boiling, add pasta and set timer for recommended cook time, minus 5 minutes. When timer sounds, add julienned yam and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain, rinsing with cold water.

Add drained noodles/yam to a large bowl, along with julienned cucumber and sliced red pepper.

To make the sauce, place all sauce ingredients (lime/vinegar through galangal) in high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

Add sauce to noodle bowl and toss to coat. Place in serving dish and top with sliced scallions and roasted peanuts/almonds. If feeling ambitious, serve with Turmeric Tofu.

Relax. Eat Well.

Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

I'm not going to get too verbose today. It's cold and blustery, and the snow is coming down in those big flakes that renew your love for winter, as long as it is being experienced through the window while curled up on the couch. The only thing that can make it better is a cup of hot chocolate, and a puppy at your feet.

This is the hot chocolate I have been making for myself all winter. It's fairly simple, and composed of ingredients I generally have in my kitchen at all times, with all natural sweeteners and good quality chocolate. I like to amp it up a notch with a dash of peppermint extract to give it a minty kick.

Try to enjoy a mug full without shedding a layer- I dare you.

Dairy-free Hot Chocolate

Serves 1

Ingredients

1.5 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (I like a mixture of almond and soy milk)
1-2 tbs. maple syrup (depending on your sweetness preference)
1 tsp. cocoa powder
2 tsp. dandy blend or other herbal coffee substitute
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Whisk to dissolve powders into milk, until completely smooth. Warm over low-medium heat until hot, uncovered. Taste, and adjust with extra syrup if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Relax. Eat Well.

Foolproof Granola Recipe

I posted a Cherry Pecan Granola recipe a few years back, which I still enjoy, but have found that I'm keeping my granolas even simpler these days. I ditched the apple juice, amped up the maple syrup and paired down the spices, to create a "foolproof" granola recipe that can act as a base recipe and later customized to any individual whim.

Each time we run out, the lazy side of me is tempted to simply buy some locally made granola at the coop, but once I get there and start comparing ingredient lists and prices per pound, I am always convinced to pick up some $1.49/lb organic rolled oats and set off to make my own.

The ingredients are simple and the process is a breeze. Not too sweet, but with a hint of maple- if you crave more, feel free to add an extra tablespoon or two. At my house, we like to add our dried fruit into our bowl when serving, instead of mixing it into the stored granola- that way each morning's bowl can be different, and there is no chance of moisture sneaking it's way into the batch.

Enjoy this over yogurt, with fresh, frozen or dried fruit, an extra sprinkling or ground flax or hemp seeds, and whatever else your heart desires. Or kick it up a notch and serve it for dessert by melting some dark chocolate, drizzling it into a bowl of granola, tossing to coat and hardening it in the freezer. Your very own chocolate covered granola bites (or granola covered chocolate bites?)

My only two heads of warning: Don't skimp on the salt, and make sure you buy thick cut rolled oats. 

Basic Granola Recipe
Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients

4 cups thick rolled oats

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 tbs. maple syrup

2 tbs. grapeseed or olive oil

2 tbs. chia seeds (optional)

1 cup large coconut flakes or raw almonds (or walnuts/cashews etc.)

Optional additions:

Spices: ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cardamon etc. - to be added in before baking

Dried fruit: apricots, quartered figs, sliced dates, cranberries, currants, apple, mango etc. - to be added in after baking

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss everything but the coconut/nuts and dried fruit in a large bowl, and stir well to combine. Spread mixture evenly on 2 standard baking sheets- one of the tricks is to make sure you have a thin layer, to optimize toasting and eliminate the sog-factor. 

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove, stir, add almonds/nuts or coconut flakes and bake for another 8 minutes, or until beginning to get nice and toasty.

Cool and transfer to an airtight container to be stored at room temperature for up to a month, or in the freezer indefinitely. At this point you can choose to add in your dried fruit of choice, or leave it out to keep it simple and customize by the bowl.