Thanksgiving Day

I saw a picture in a magazine of a pumpkin pie with leaves on top.  I thought it looked super fun.  So, when Jeremy and I were at Westlakes the other day and I saw a turkey cookie cutter I, of course, had to buy it.  My friend, Gretchen, had given me some homemade pie crust. I let the crust thaw, rolled it out, cut the turkeys out, and placed them very carefully on top of the unbaked pumpkin pie (I used the recipe Libby's pumpkin can).  Now I have a very festive pumpkin pie to take to Thanksgiving dinner!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bok Choy Soup

This week we got lots of leafy things from our CSA: beet greens, bok choy, oak leaf lettuce, swiss chard, cabbage, and another type of lettuce.  As I stared at the mountain of green stuff on my counter, I was a bit at a loss of what to do with all of it.  After looking at recipes for an hour, I came up with a plan for the week.  Tonight was the beginning of that plan: bok choy soup.  Jeremy and I both liked this soup and want to make it again, but there are a couple important things you should know.  1) The recipe claims this serves 4-5, but it was barely enough for two big bowls. 2) 1 tsp red pepper flakes is TOO MUCH.  I put in a little less than a teaspoon and it was still almost more than Jeremy could do to eat it.  3)  You will likely want to add more water.  I think I added an additional 1.5 cups of water and the soup was still very flavorful.  Next time I will double the recipe or serve the soup as an appetizer.

• 1 bunch bok choy (about 10 leaves)
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp Asian sesame oil
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 cups chicken broth

Bring chicken broth to a boil in medium saucepan. Stir in garlic clove, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper flakes.  Add the bok choy.  Simmer 10 minutes until bok choy leaves turn dark green and are tender.

Today I learned that bok choy is very high in vitamin C, calcium and vitamin A.  It is also believed to reduce the risk of many cancers.

Veggie Quesadillas

Quesadillas and salad tend to be my default when I have a bunch of vegetables I don't know what to do with.  This Friday we had a mish mash of veggies in the fridge that needed to be used up.  Quesadillas are great because you can put anything in them and they are pretty impossible to mess up.  Jeremy likes to eat his with avocado and salsa on top (Hy-vee Health Market is my favorite salsa).

• yellow squash
• zucchini
• mushrooms
• onion
• garlic
• red pepper
• yellow pepper
• spinach
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• shredded cheese
• wraps

1. Saute veggies in a pan with olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Put spinach in last (or wait to add spinach until you stuff the wraps).
2. Place a separate pan on the stove over medium heat.  Fill half of the wrap with veggies, spinach, and cheese.
3. Close wrap and let cook then flip.
4. Cut in triangle wedges and serve with avocado and salsa.

Taco Salad

My aunt gave me this taco salad recipe; it was hit with Jeremy the first time he had it.  Tonight I had a bunch of lettuce (CSA) that needed to be used up and chips left over from a baby shower...it seemed like a good night for taco salad!

• lettuce (tonight I used 3 small bunches from our CSA and a little bit of spinach)
• 1 can kidney beans drained (I was out.  So I used red beans)
• black or green olives
• tomatoes
• hamburger
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• french dressing
• chips
• green onion (the original recipe didn't call for them.  But they were a nice addition)

1. Cook and scramble hamburger and add seasoning according to directions on seasoning packet.
2. Slice tomato, olives and whatever else you want.
3. Mix together lettuce, beans, tomatoes, hamburger, olives and green onions.
4. Add as much or as little French Dressing as you'd like.  Mix well.
5. Serve with chips!

Cooked Carrots

This was our first time with carrots from our CSA.  I wanted to make cooked carrots without a ton of brown sugar and butter.  I found this recipe and altered it a little.  They were really easy to make and I liked them a lot.  Jeremy, on the other hand, was disappointed by their lack of sweetness.  I think he missed the brown sugar and butter he was used to.  I also have to admit that I over cooked the carrots a little so they were a bit mushy...but still good if you ask me :)

• carrots
• 3 chicken bullion cubes
• salt
• basil
• 1 Tbs butter

1. Wash carrots. and cut into slices.
2. Boil water and allow bullion cubes to dissolve
3. Cook carrots in boiling water 10-12 minutes (12 minutes was too long for my carrots)
4. Drain carrots.  Mix in a bowl with butter, salt, and basil

Swiss Chard Pasta

This week we got Swiss chard from our CSA.  I've never cooked with Swiss chard before, so this recipe was an experiment.  I read that you should boil Swiss chard for 3 minutes before cooking with it because it frees up the acid in the leaves and allows the acid to seep out into the water.  Boiling it also brings out a sweeter flavor. I was pleased with the results of the pasta.  It was simple, easy, and very healthy.

• 3 small bunches Swiss chard
• whole wheat pasta (or rice pasta)
• turkey bacon
• 1 yellow pepper (from CSA)
• 2 large green onions (from CSA)
• mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese

1. Wash the Swiss chard and tear into pieces.  Put in a pot of water and boil for three minutes.  Drain and set chard aside.
2. Tear or cut bacon into small pieces and cook in skillet (approx. 10 minutes). Set aside.
3. Saute olive oil, garlic, onion, pepper, mushrooms and Swiss chard.  Add salt and pepper
4. Cook pasta
5. In a large bowl combine: pasta, vegetables, and turkey bacon.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and add more olive oil if you desire.

Did you know...1 serving of Swiss chard is 716% of your RDA of vitamin K and 109% of your RDA for vitamin A.  Swiss Chard is also high in many other nutrients and is believed to help with bone health, inflammation and blood sugar regulation.

Salmon, Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

I love this salad.  I am not normally a fish fan of any kind but this salad is wonderful.  Jeremy made it for me when we were engaged.  Now we make it at least once or twice a month.  It is so easy and so good.  Here is what you need:

• spinach
• salmon (wild caught Alaskan)
• Gorgonzola cheese
• pear
• dried cranberries
• almond slivers
• Dressing of your choice.  We love Brianna's Poppy seed.

Move salmon from freezer to fridge the day before.  Cook salmon in skillet on stove until done.  Combine the rest of the ingredients on a plate and Voila a wonderful, beautiful, omega-3 and vitamin D filled salad!

Vegetable Pizza

Veggie pizza has been a standby at our house the last 2 months.  Jeremy loves it and so do I.  We make our own crust (which is surprisingly easy), spread some sauce, saute vegetables and sprinkle with cheese. Yum! 

Whole Wheat Crust

• 1 pkg active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Allow to rest 5 minutes.  Stir in whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, oil and 1 cup white flour.  Knead in remaining white flour (about 5 min).  Spray a medium sized bowl with cooking spray.  Place dough in a ball and turn to coat thoroughly.  Cover and allow to rest in warm place for 15 min.  Spray 14 inch pizza pan and spread dough.  Bake crust for 10 minutes at 425 before adding topping.

Have fun experimenting with the crust. We've tried substituting whole wheat flour and rice flour for the white flour.  The rice flour is healthy...but gives a different texture (not Jeremy's favorite).

Sauce

• option 1: red sauce.  We like to use Newman's Own marinara sauce
• option 2: basil pesto (a little lighter and very good)

Toppings (any combination of the following)

• tomatoes
• squash
• zucchini
• mushrooms
• pepper
• okra
• eggplant
• onion
• garlic
• black olives
• shredded free-range organic chicken
• anything else your heart desires

Saute onion, garlic, and olive oil in pan with vegetables of your choice.  After removing crust from the oven add sauce.  Load up the crust with lots of veggies and sprinkle with the cheese of your choice.  Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.