Celery Root, Cabbage, White Bean, and Potato Soup

I realize that for some of you who are experiencing very warm early spring weather, soup might not appeal to you, but for those of us on the West Coast where things are still slightly rainy/snowy/cloudy, a big bowl of soup can be just what you feel like for dinner. The picture here probably doesn't do the flavors of this soup justice - while simple, the way the celery root, cabbage, potato, and white bean work together is superb, and even better with a topping of parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil to finish it off. I've been getting more cabbage in my CSA box which has inspired me to try to use it in different ways, but my favorite way to use it is still in soup. Even if you think you don't like cabbage, give this a try.  It has become one of the very few things I make which I actually repeat. You can also make this without the celery root if you can't find it and just use more potatoes.

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Serves 4-6

Extra virgin olive oil
2 lb. celery root, peeled and diced into small pieces
1/2 lb. yukon gold potatoes, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. spring onions or leeks, sliced
1/2 of one large or 1 small head of cabbage, sliced into strips and roughly chopped
1 15oz. can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
5 c. low sodium vegetable broth
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat 2T olive oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions/leeks and garlic and saute for about 2-3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the celery root and potatoes, a pinch of salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes more, stirring occassionally, Add the stock and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a medium-low simmer. Add the cabbage and stir to incorporate, then add the beans and 1t. salt. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes and celery root are tender. Taste for additional seasoning (even low-sodium stocks vary), then ladle into bowls and top with the freshly grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Black-Eyed Peas, and Corn

I picked up a quick lunch at Whole Foods the other day and tried out a new side in their hot food bar - a chile-spiked quinoa with beans, corn, and tomatoes. The idea of making quinoa with a mexican/southwestern flair hadn't occurred to me and I wanted to try out my own version. I had some butternut squash from my CSA box this week and love using squash, sweet potatoes, and yams in chilis and enchiladas so I thought this would go well with this dish. Instead of the black beans in Whole Foods' vesion, I used frozen black eyed peas, in addition to some frozen white corn. Don't be afraid to use certain frozen foods, as long as they don't have any additives. Frozen fruits and vegetables are flash frozen at the peak of their freshness and while they shouldn't be the star of any dish, they can be a great complement when the fresh version isn't available (or in the case of black-eyed peas, when you don't have hours to cook them). I topped this with queso fresco cheese and toasted hulled pumpkin seeds which I think add a great finish to round out the flavors and texture. This is one of our new favorite dishes, even for my husband who previously has not been a big quinoa fan.

Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Black-Eyed Peas, and Corn
Serves 4-6

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

1/2 one large or 1 small butternut squash
1/2 red onion or 3 red torpedo onions, chopped or sliced
1 1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 c. frozen black-eyed peas
2 c. frozen white corn
1 T. ancho chili powder
1/2 t. smoked paprika
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Queso fresco cheese, for serving
Hulled toasted salted pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas), for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, peel, seed, and cut the butternut squash into small cubes. I peel the squash with a knife but a good vegetable peeler will work too. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the squash with the onion and coat with 1 T. olive oil and 1/2 t. kosher salt and stir to combine. Transfer to a sheet pan or rimmed cookie sheet and roast for about 45 minutes.

After the squash has been roasting for about 20 minutes, bring 3 cups of water, the 1 1/2 c. of quinoa, and 1 t. kosher salt to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. A few minutes before the quinoa is done, heat 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the black-eyed peas and corn and 1/2 t. kosher salt and saute a few minutes until heated through. Drain any excess water from the quinoa, remove the roasted squash and onions from the oven, and add everything to the skillet with the black-eyed peas and corn as well as the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne and stir to combine. Divide into plates or bowls and top with crumbled queso freso cheese and the hulled pumpkin seeds.

Sweet Potato Oat Bread

We've been getting sweet potatoes in our CSA box for the past few weeks and I've been trying to come up with inventive new ways to use them. I happen to love homemade breakfast breads, and thought why not use mashed sweet potatoes in place of something like pumpkin puree which you might normally find in one of these recipes. The result was a moist, not too sweet, healthy breakfast bread which is great with a cup of coffee in the morning or for a mid-morning snack. Eat it as it is or with a little bit of butter. This bread kept well for me for a few days wrapped in foil.

Sweet Potato Oat Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes (plus time to roast sweet potato)

1 1/2 c. mashed cooked sweet potato (about 2 medium)
1 1/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour (or 3/4 c. white and 1/2 c. normal whole wheat flour)
1/2 c. oat flour (can be found at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods - or make your own by grinding up oats in a food processor)
1/4 c. ground flaxseed meal
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 c. agave nectar or maple syrup
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Roast the sweet potato for about an hour until a fork goes in easily (this can be done ahead of time). Remove from oven and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flours, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In another medium-sized bowl remove the flesh from the sweet potato and mash well with a fork. If you've roasted the sweet potato the day before and it's cold, warm it up then add the butter and stir to combine (the heat will melt it), then add the eggs, agave/maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract and stir. Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Transfer the batter to the pan and bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown on the edges. Let cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan before serving.

Fall Vegetable Barley Soup

We're back in California after a wonderful Thanksgiving trip up to Seattle where I pitched in to create our feast of mashed potatoes with caramelized shallots; sauteed brussel sprouts with slivered almonds, lemon zest, and thyme; a roasted trio of root vegetables (sweet potatoes, butternut and kabocha squash); stuffing; and local heritage breed turkey; not to mention my sister's fabulous homemade pumpkin pies and cranberry sauce. Needless to say it was a wonderful meal!

Before we left, I made this great soup to get us ready for the holiday using up some of the fall vegetables from our last CSA box - tokyo turnips and carrots. Tokyo turnips are tender white turnips that don't need to be peeled, and this recipe even takes advantage of the greens that are attached. If your turnips don't have greens or are a harder variety, peel them before chopping and substitute the turnip greens with some kale. Even if you think you don't like turnips I encourage you to try this recipe - when they're cut up small and a component of this flavorful soup, you'll forget you ever didn't like them.

Fall Vegetable Barley Soup
Serves 4-6

Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

4 turnips, peeled if thick skinned, and diced into small pieces
Turnip greens from the bunch of carrots, or 1 small bunch kale, chopped
3 medium carrots, diced into small pieces (similar in size to the turnips if you can)
3-4 stalks celery, diced into small pieces (ditto on the size)
3 leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes
6 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
1 c. semi-pearled barley
1 t. dried or fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add the turnips, carrots, celery, garlic, leeks, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until softened a little, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth, tomatoes, and bay leaf, and 1 t. kosher salt as well as some fresh ground black pepper and bring to a low boil. Add the barley, reduce the heat to medium low, and let cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the barley is al dente. Then, add the turnip greens (or kale) and cook while stirring for another 1-2 minutes until the greens are wilted. Taste for additional seasoning depending on the saltiness of your broth and serve.

Baked Mac & Cheese with Heirloom Tomatoes

Happy Halloween! I realize that a pumpkin-related post would be more relevant today (and I actually made a recipe with sugar pumpkin last night that I'll be posting soon) but I wanted to get this recipe up before it's too late to find the last tomatoes. We recently joined a CSA through Full Belly Farm and I'm already in love with it after the first two weeks of boxes. Here in Northern California (where it was 75 degrees today) we are still getting the last bits of some indian summer produce, and I was lucky enough to get a few beautiful tomatoes from our CSA box over the past two weeks. Given that they are a little past their peak, I thought they'd be best incorporated in a dish rather than on their own, and they were absolutely delicious as an accent in this baked mac n' cheese. If the tomatoes near you don't look good, try stirring in another vegetable instead, such as roasted butternut squash, steamed/sauteed broccoli, or you could even use diced canned tomatoes (rinsed of their juices). We ate half of this for dinner along with a green salad one night, then had the rest for lunch for leftovers for lunch the next day, and it was equally delicious!

Baked Mac & Cheese with Heirloom Tomatoes
Serves 4

Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

8 oz. brown rice, whole wheat, or regular dried macaroni noodles (I used brown rice macaroni noodles that I found at the store but regular or whole wheat macaroni would also work well)
3 T. flour
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. lowfat milk
1 bay leaf
8 oz. sharp cheddar (preferably lighter in color, not orange), grated
1 large heirloom tomato, chopped (or other vegetable of your choice)
1 1/2 - 2 slices whole wheat bread, torn and pulsed in a food processor or blender until breadcrumbs form

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an 8x8 inch baking pan with olive oil or butter.

Heat a pot of boiling water and cook the noodles about 1-2 minutes less than the stated cooking time. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute 15 seconds, then whisk in the flour, continuing to whisk for about 2 more minutes. Then, gradually whisk in the milk, whisking constantly to ensure that that everything combines without clumps forming. Add the bay leaf and continue cooking until the pasta is done, whisking occasionally.

Drain the pasta, then stir in most of the cheese into the saucepan with the milk, then add the noodles, tomato/vegetable, and 1 t. salt. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish (it will be saucy, but this will all bake together) and top with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs down slightly into the top of the macaroni mixture (the top should be well coated with breadcrumbs).  Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling, then remove from the oven and let sit a few minutes before serving.

Farro Risotto with Cauliflower, Mushrooms, and Truffle

Fall is here! As much as I love summer and all of its wonderful produce, I have to admit that I look forward to cooler days, fallen leaves, and that crispness in the air that makes me crave warming meals, red wine, sweaters, and boots. This recipe is a wonderful way to bring in the fall with a healthy and hearty risotto made with farro (a whole-wheat grain) rather than the traditional arborio rice, combined with wild mushrooms, browned cauliflower, and finished with truffle oil. I made it for a small dinner party by sauteing the mushrooms and cauliflower in advance, then making the risotto as we got closer to dinner time and stirring in the mushrooms and cauliflower later. I have to say we all thought it was a wonderful dish (even the guys loved it).

Farro Risotto with Cauliflower, Mushrooms, and Truffle
Serves 4

Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour

Extra virgin olive oil
3 c. cauliflower, cut into small, bite-sized florets
5 c. assorted mushrooms (I used king oyster, cremini, and shitake), chopped (if using shitakes make sure to cut the stems off as they can be tough)
4 shallots, minced
1 t. fresh thyme, minced
1 1/2 c. farro
1 c. dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
4 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
1/4 c. lowfat milk
1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Black pepper
White truffle oil, for serving

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the cauliflower with a pinch of salt and pepper until softened and browned in places, about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat another 1 T. olive oil in the same skillet over medium high heat, add the mushrooms, a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside with the cauliflower.

When ready to make the risotto, heat 1 T. olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. In another saucepan, heat the vegetable broth until warm, then keep at a simmer. In the saucepan/dutch oven with the olive oil, add the shallot and thyme and saute until shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the farro and coat with the shallot mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the wine and cook until the liquid is about absorbed, a few minutes. Add 1 c. of the heated vegetable stock at a time, stirring often, until each cup is absorbed, which takes about 20-25 minutes in total.

Add the mushrooms and cauliflower back to the pan, and stir to heat through, about 2 minutes. Add the lowfat milk (farro is less creamy than arborio rice so needs this) and parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon the risotto into pasta bowls, top with a drizzle of truffle oil, and serve.

Bay-Scented Farro with Roasted Root Vegetables

I have been trying to experiment with new grains and farro was at the top of my list. Farro is high in protein and fiber which makes for a healthy and balanced meal when pared with the root vegetables. I found some beautiful rainbow carrots and baby parsnips, turnips, and rutabagas at the farmer's market, but feel free to use whatever combination of root vegetables you can find (although I would avoid potatoes as this would amount to a lot of starch with the farro). To give the farro more flavor, I cooked it with fresh bay leaves (dried is fine too but I needed an excuse to use the fresh bay leaves in our garden) and added sauteed leeks and parmesan cheese. This recipe does have multiple components but none of them are difficult and it comes together to create what is now one of our favorite dishes!

Bay-Scented Farro with Roasted Root Vegetables 
Serves 4

Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
2 lb. assorted root vegetables (such as carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, etc.), cut into small (~1/2'') pieces
1 T. extra virgin olive oil

8 c. water
500 g (or 2 3/4 c.) farro
1 fresh bay leaf or 2 dried bay leaves
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1 T. butter
1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. lowfat milk

Kosher salt
Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the vegetables and leeks while the oven is preheating.

Toss the root vegetables in 1 T. olive oil and season with 1 t. kosher salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring once.

After putting in the vegetables, bring the 8 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the farro, bay leaves, and 1 t. kosher salt. Cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes. Turn the heat off and let stand, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.

About 5 minutes before the farro & vegetables are done, heat 1 T. butter in small skillet, add the leeks, and cook, stirring occassionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Remove the vegetables from the oven and set aside. Drain the farro. Not all of the water will be absorbed by the farro and it will have a bite to it - this is the normal texture of farro. Put the drained farro in a medium bowl and add the milk, parmesan cheese, and leeks. Stir to combine well and let the farro absorb some of the milk. Season with 1 t. kosher salt.

Spoon the farro onto a plate, top with some of the roasted vegetables, and serve.

Potato-Leek-Onion Soup

One of my favorite recipes growing up was a Potato-Leek Soup from the Williams-Sonoma Soups cookbook. I have made it dozens of times over the years, but this time wanted to dress it up a little with a few more ingredients and also try making it with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth (Adam and I are in the midst of a no-meat, no-alcohol January to start off the New Year). Other than some chopping at the beginning, this is an easy soup to make, it's very healthy and satisfying, and it tastes even better the next day. Serve with some good bread and a green salad.

Potato-Leek-Onion Soup
Serves 4-6

Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 1 hour

1 T. unsalted butter
2 lb. leeks, thinly sliced, white and light green parts only (soak leeks briefly in a small bowl of water to remove any grit that gets into the leeks)
3 lb. russet potatoes, peeled, cut into eighths (quarter and then slice in half lengthwise again) and then cut into thin slices
1/2 large yellow onion (or 1 small), thinly sliced
A few inside stalks of celery and their leaves, thinly sliced (about 1 c. chopped)
6 c. low-sodium vegetable broth/stock
2 bay leaves
A few springs fresh thyme, or about 1 t. dried thyme
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat butter in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, leeks, and 1/2 t. kosher salt and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaves, sprigs of thyme (you can leave them on the stem, they will infuse the flavor in the broth and usually just fall off into the soup as it's cooking), 1 t. kosher salt (if using low-sodium broth) and 1/4 t. pepper.

Bring to a low boil, then simmer over low heat, covered, for 30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked. Remove the bay leaves and thyme (if using fresh) and adjust for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, and Walnut Pesto

I love pasta and am always trying to figure out ways to make it more of a one-dish meal with the addition of seasonal vegetables. Roasted cauliflower and brussel sprouts give this pasta substance and character (as well as a healthy boost). When choosing brussel sprouts, look for those that are smaller in size and firm when squeezed. This was my first shot at a walnut pesto - I am always looking for different pasta sauces that aren't tomato-based, just to mix things up, and we loved it. I like using chunks of parmesan and adding it to the food processor when making pesto rather than adding grated parmesan cheese - it gives the pesto more texture (a tip from my sister). If you end up with extra pesto, you can store it in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for at least a month.

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, and Walnut Pesto
Serves 4

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

1 small head cauliflower (1 1/2 - 2 lbs), stem and core removed and cut into small florets
1 lb. brussel sprouts, cut into quarters (or halves for very small ones)
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
12 oz. whole-wheat linguine

1 c. walnuts
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, cut into small chunks
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 c. pasta water, reserved

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the cauliflower and brussel sprouts into a roasting pan or baking sheet. Add 1 T. olive oil and toss to coat. Add 1 t. kosher salt and 1/4 t. pepper and toss again. Roast for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the walnuts and parmesan cheese wedges in a food processor. Turn on the processor and after a few seconds, start adding the olive oil steadily. Stop when the walnuts and parmesan are in small pieces but not too finely ground (a few more seconds).

Start a pot of boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente, reserving 1/2 c. of the pasta water.

Remove the vegetables from the oven when they are ready. In a large bowl, add the pasta and 1/2 of the pesto as well as about 1/4 c. of the pasta water and stir well to combine. Add the vegetables and as much additional pesto as you'd like (we used it all) and more pasta water to help the pesto combine with the pasta and vegetables.

Enjoy! This also was delicious reheated the next day.