tempeh chili

 This was tasty and smooth (none of the high acid heavy seasoning that gets me sometimes).  It's also easy to mix up so here's where I got the idea and below is what I did.

Ingredients

• 8 oz tempeh, grated
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• pickled jalapenos + marinated red pepper, chopped (or 1 chopped bell pepper)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pint jar passata (they used 3/4 cup tomato sauce + 1 cup water)
• quart jar black beans (they used 1 can each black & kidney and drained and rinsed but i didn't because I'd cooked them myself)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Heat about 2 Tbsp oil and add the tempeh and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 

Add onion, celery, pepper and cook another 5-10 minutes.  Add garlic, cook another few minutes

Add tomato sauce + water combination, beans, spices.  Bring back to a simmer, and simmer for about 30 minutes.  

It's great topped with sour cream, green onions, cheese, etc. and served with cornbread  

black bean and sweet potato chili

For some reason, Jennifer Garner's videos show up on my FB reels.  I wouldn't say I'm a fan of her acting, or choice in husbands, but it is kind of fun to see her being silly in her kitchen.  I would totally hang out with her.  She was making this chili that I decided to copy and post here because I've been wanting to make something like this for awhile. 

 

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili by Foster's Market Durham 

 

Ingredients: 

1 Tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, chopped 

2 medium sweet potatoes, diced 

1 red bell pepper 

1 green bell pepper (poblano is always preferred for me)

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced (I may try pickled because I have those on hand)

3 garlic cloves, minced 

3 Tbsp chili powder 

2 tsp ground cumin 

2 tsp dried basil 

1 tsp dried marjoram 

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 

3 bay leaves 

1 tsp kosher salt 

½ tsp ground pepper 

6 cups low-sodium veg broth 

1 (28oz) can chopped tomatoes  

1 (12oz) beer (I'd probably skip this as I never have beer in my house)

½ cup bulgur or barley 

2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 

Garnish: cilantro, scallions, avocado, sour cream, cheese, lime wedges

 

Directions: 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over med heat until sizzling hot and add onion. Reduce to low and cook, stirring often, ~10 mins. Add sweet potatoes, bell peppers and jalapeños, stirring occasionally, 5 mins more. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, 1 min longer. 

 

2. Add chili powder, cumin, basil, marjoram, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, salt & pepper and cook, stirring, ~2 mins. Add broth, tomatoes, beer and bulgur (I used farro!) and stir to combine, bringing to a low boil. Reduce to simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, ~40 mins. 

 

3. Remove bay leaves from chili and discard. Add beans, stir to mix and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are heated through, ~15 mins. Garnish with cilantro and scallions (avocado, sour cream, and cheese, if you have them! Maybe blue corn chips, yum) and serve warm with wedges of lime to squeeze into chili.

beet muffins

There are/were two jars of canned beets in my cupboard, from March when my storage beets were starting to turn faster than I could borscht.  Beets canned in just water are not exciting to eat, so I looked around for some other ideas and found this recipe for beet muffins.  It checks my boxes: whole grains, vegetable and fruit heavy, nuts, no refined sugars.  

Ingredients

•    2 medium-sized beets, cooked and pureed (about 1 cup) (I drained a pint jar of beets and ran it through the nutribullet)
•     1⁄2 cup unsweetened applesauce
•     1⁄3 cup honey or maple syrup (I used about 1/4 cup date paste)
•     1⁄3 cup coconut oil, melted (I used avocado oil)
•     2 large eggs
•     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•     1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
•     1⁄2 cup rolled oats
•     1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•     1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
•     1⁄4 teaspoon salt
•     1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•     1⁄2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional) (I used soaked walnuts)
•     1⁄2 cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional) 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it lightly.
2. In a large bowl, combine the beet puree, applesauce, honey or maple syrup/date paste, and oil. Mix well until smooth.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the wet mixture and whisk until fully combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
6. If using, fold in the chopped nuts and raisins or chocolate chips to the batter.
7. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
9. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

lentil-walnut loaf

 I have a surplus of walnuts to use up (I have to soak and rinse them, to avoid canker sores), and I'm always looking to eat more lentils.  So this recipe for lentil walnut loaf caught my attention as a starting place, and I have everything on hand.  Plus, I have a ton of ground flaxseed to use up and I'd been meaning to start making "flax eggs."

Ingredients

• 1 cup of green lentils, rinsed
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup of walnuts, finely chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• A splash of soy sauce
• 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp of water)
• A couple of sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a loaf pan.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25 minutes until the lentils are tender. Tip: Don’t skip rinsing the lentils to remove any debris.
3. While the lentils cook, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing until translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, mix the cooked lentils, sautéed onion and garlic, walnuts, smoked paprika, soy sauce, breadcrumbs, flax egg, and thyme leaves until well combined. Tip: The mixture should stick together when pressed; if it’s too dry, add a bit more soy sauce.
5. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is crispy. Tip: Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing to help it hold together.

Hearty and satisfying, this loaf has a meaty texture thanks to the lentils and walnuts. Serve it with a tangy barbecue sauce or slice it thin for sandwiches the next day.

 

berry millet cake

 This berry millet cake was really good and freezes well.  The only beef I have is that when I put frozen berries on top, around them didn't really bake right - and also it's too little berries.  I think the workaround is to make a berry sauce to serve with it (just heat up berries).  

Ingredients

Berry Millet Cake

• 250 g (8.8 oz) millet
• 1 litre (4 cups) milk
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar or 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 egg whites
• 6 egg yolks
• 60 g (1/4 cup) sugar (I used 2 T)
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar or 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) cold milk
• 100 g (1 cup) raspberries
• 100 g (1 cup) blueberries
• 2 tbsp silvered blanched almonds (I just chopped up some raw almonds)
• 1 tbsp coconut flour (I used finely shredded coconut)
• powdered sugar, for dusting
• fresh berries, to serve

 

METHOD

• Cook the millet

  Add the millet to a sieve and rinse under running water. Pout the milk into a pot and add the rinsed millet. Place on the stove; add salt, vanilla sugar, and butter. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. The fastest way to do that is to arrange it all over a baking sheet in a thin layer.

• Make millet cake

  Add the egg whites to a large bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Add the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla sugar into a separate bowl. Beat until the mixture is smooth, for about 5 minutes. Add the millet mixture and stir with a spatula. Gently fold the stiff egg whites to get a smooth, airy mixture.

  Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 180 °C / 350 °F. Grease a 20 cm x 30 cm (8-inch x 12-inch) deep baking dish with butter. Pour the millet cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Arrange the raspberries, blueberries, almonds, and coconut flour on top. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40 - 45 minutes at 180 °C / 350 °F. Once the cake cools, cut it into eight slices. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries.

winter squash and greens bake

 Looking around the kitchen, not wanting to go to the store ... this sounded good with a lot of substitutions.  I followed both the post I found for winter squash and spinach bake and their source pasta and butternut squash cake.

Ingredients

• 8 oz broken up lasagna noodles 
• 400 g winter squash, peeled and sliced very thinly
• 3+ cloves garlic, sliced very thinly
• 1 egg
• 100 g ricotta (I substituted a mix of sour cream/yogurt/cottage cheese; recipe called for 200-250 g)
• 50-100 g parmesan, grated (divided)
• 200 g feta, crumbled small (divided)
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese (I used mozzarella) 
• 5 oz/150 g baby greens chopped 
• salt, pepper
• basil, thyme, parsley  
• red pepper flakes (<1/2 tsp)
• 2 T olive oil 
• 1 cup water

Mix together in a big bowl, sprinkling top with feta and parmesan left.  Put into 9" round or square pan lined with parchment paper.  Cover tightly with foil.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.  REmove foil, drizzle 1 T olive oil, and let bake another 30 minutes. 

 

whole wheat pie crust

 From here.  It makes two shells, quite nice.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or other whole wheat flour) 
• ¾ cup butter, chilled and cubed
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (½ tsp if using salted butter)
• up to ½ cup ice cold water

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse flour and salt. And cubed butter.
2. Pulse a few times until pea-sized pieces form.
3. Slowly add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, stopping when you fill up your spoon with water.
4. Pulse and continue to add water until a ball has just formed with the dough.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the ball of dough in half.
6. Roll out dough on top of plastic wrap, one ball at a time, to form the crust. Turn out dough into your pie pan and shape the edges by pushing your thumb of one hand into the thumb and pointer finger of your other hand on opposite edges of the dough and work all the way around.
7. Continue with your pie recipe as instructed.
8. You'll get a top and a bottom crust. You can freeze one if your recipe only calls for a bottom crust.

Notes

• The original recipe made with all-purpose flour uses 5 tablespoon of water. If you are using all-purpose flour, reduce the water to 5 tbsp.
• Use cold butter and ice cold water. Keeping everything cold will result in a more flaky crust.
• Similarly, you don't want to butter to be blended into the flour too much. Small pieces melt in between layers of dough when baked, giving you a flaky crust.
• Try not to add too much water, or the crust will be sticky and difficult to roll out. You want it to just start to come together.
• I love using whole wheat pastry flour for the lightest result. If you can't find whole wheat pastry flour, look for white whole wheat flour (made with soft white wheat, it's not bleached).
• I use salted butter because I prefer a little more salt in my crust to contrast very sweet fillings. However, if you prefer less salt, use unsalted butter or reduce the salt to ½ tsp.
• For vegan version, use cold coconut oil in place of butter. If you use virgin coconut oil, your pie crust will taste like coconut, though.
• If you have a very deep pie dish or a 10 inch dish, you may need to use 1.5 times or double the recipe to make sure you have enough crust.
• For parbaking and make ahead instructions, see post above.

 

chipotle bean and sweet potato burritos

 These burritos were quite tasty and nice umami without cheese. 

Ingredients

Yield:10 burritos

• ¼ cup vegetable oil, such as avocado
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 5 to 7 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
• 5 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium sweet potato (12 to 16 ounces), peeled and diced
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock, or water
• 2 (15-ounce) cans beans, such as pinto, Great Northern, cannellini or a mix, drained
• 10 burrito-sized (10-inch) flour tortillas, at room temperature or warmed (see Tip)
• Mexican crema, or sour cream (optional)
• Tender greens, such as baby spinach, arugula or mesclun mix (optional; see Tip)

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat oil in a large skillet on medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and 2 teaspoons salt, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chopped chipotles along with their sauce and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about a minute.

2. Step 2

   Add the diced tomatoes and cook until they start to melt and get soupy, about 10 minutes. Add the sweet potato and stock, bring to a boil, lower to a steady simmer and cook until the sweet potato is fork-tender and the tinga is reduced and slightly thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the beans, mash the mixture to your desired texture and simmer for 3 more minutes to heat beans through. Taste for salt.

3. Step 3

   Assemble burritos one at a time: On a work surface, spread a tortilla with 1 tablespoon crema, if using, then, using a slotted spoon, scoop about ¾ cup of filling on top of the tortilla near the edge closest to you. Top with greens, if using. To close the burrito, fold the left and right sides of the tortilla over the filling, then starting with the side closest to you, roll up the burrito, folding the top sides of the tortilla towards each other as you roll. Place the burrito seam-side down on a serving platter. Repeat to make remaining burritos. Serve immediately, with crema and salsa roja, if desired.

Tips

• If you’d like, warm the tortillas in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until toasted in spots and pliable, about 1 minute each side.
• To freeze the burritos for later, omit the optional greens during assembly and place the burritos on a parchment-lined sheet pan as you assemble them, making sure none of the burritos are touching. Freeze the burritos for 1 to 2 hours, until solid enough to move. Once they are almost frozen solid, place in a tightly sealed container and freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, wrap the frozen burrito in parchment paper and microwave for 3 minutes on high. Let stand 2 minutes before serving.

 

 

easy cheap meal to share - pasta with chicken and fava bean pesto

 I have taken to stocking food in a nearby Little Free Refrigerator.  Usually I cook 4-6 meals at a time, and I rarely like leftovers, so this has been great.  I get free recycled containers from a food justice place and I cook what I want.  I've also been going through my stockpile of food to make things that I wouldn't make for myself.

Today was pasta.  I boiled a pound of farfalle (such a fun shape), tossed in some rotisserie chicken I'd frozen, and two small jars of fava bean pesto I'd made and frozen, and some extra parmesan I had.  I was going to add a salad but it was too cold and dark to go out to harvest, and it's ok.  It was very tasty, I distributed most of it into containers and delivered them.  It was probably maybe $2.50 for five meals worth.  And it's warm and filling - even if not the most nutritious thing I cook.   

another minestrone

Zucchini to use up, I'm following this recipe (sort of) for minestrone.  

• pasta (elbows or another small shape are nice), about 1 cup dried
• onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2-4 cloves garlic (depends on size)
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup green beans (in shorter lengths)
• tomatoes and water (1 15 oz can diced tomatoes + 6 cups of water, or whatever tomato/water combo worked - I used passata for most of it)
• bouillon (or use broth)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary (or fresh)
• 1 tsp dried basil (or fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley (or fresh) 
• salt, pepper
• parmesan rind piece 
• bay leaf
• can (or equivalent) of beans: white beans, kidney beans, or cranberry beans  

Saute carrots, celery, and onions until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic and saute gently for a minute or two.  

Add zucchini and beans (and any other vegetables, though leafy greens should come later), beans, spices, tomatoes, water, parmesan rind, etc.  

Cook about 30 minutes until vegetables are cooked but not soft.

Cook pasta separately and add in (unless the whole pot of soup is getting eaten then).   

zucchini apple salad

 OK, this is very good, exactly what I was hoping for to handle my October garden bounty.  Ideas from here, with some changes.  

Ingredients

• 1 pound zucchini, diced

• 3 medium apples, diced

• I omitted because I don't care for bell pepper though I would use a banana pepper or something else: ½ green bell pepper, diced

• ½ red onion, chopped or less - I used maybe 1/5 of yellow onion, chopped fine 

• 1/4 cup olive oil ⅓ cup vegetable oil

• 2 T apple cider vinegar  2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• < 1/2 tsp sugar // 1 teaspoon white sugar

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  pepitas (these were a great addition, and sharp cheddar cheese would be, too) 

   

Directions  

 Combine zucchini, apples, bell pepper, and onion in a serving bowl.

Whisk together oil, vinegar, sugar, basil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until well combined; drizzle over zucchini-apple mixture. Toss to coat.

Even better the next day.   

canning tomato passata

 I ran across "passata" as an ingredient in a recipe I found, and it sent me down a rabbit hole.  It sounds like it's fresher tasting because less cooked than tomato sauce, and it also frankly sounds quicker to get canned (I hate peeling tomatoes! what a mess!), so I think I'll make up a batch today.  Because my tomatoes are not mostly a canning variety like San Marzano or Roma, I expect that what I'll end up with will be quite watery - which will be fine most recipes and I can always cook it down as necessary.  [Edit: it's very flavorful and though it's not concentrated it doesn't taste watery.  This may be my new favorite way to can tomatoes.] 

Ideas from here.

• clean tomatoes, cut out out any damaged areas, remove stems, halve or quarter to speed processing
• put in large pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until softened
• run through a foodmill to remove skins and seeds
• heat jars in water bath canner
• heat tomatoes back up
• fill jars, leaving 1/2" headspace 
• add lemon juice (1 T per pint)
• process in water bath for 40 minutes per pint, 45 per quart

applesauce for canning

 Here's how I make and can applesauce to use for baking throughout the year.  My apple tree is productive every other year, and I get a lot of windfall apples.  I pick up the apples every day and toss the really damaged ones and set aside the ones that seem ok.  I have a very serious problem with coddling moths, so almost every apple is wormy, which sucks BUT it's also not a big deal.  I just cut around the worm-affected parts, any bruises or blemishes, and there's still a lot of good apple left.  When I have a 5 gallon bucket imperfect apples, it makes about 5-6 jelly jars worth of applesauce.  I've made two batches this year, not sure if I'll make more.  It seems about time to pick the apples so I'll examine - the good ones can be put into storage, the blemished ones can be cut up and frozen to use throughout the year.  Though, I'm running short on freezer space so there may be more applesauce ahead this year. I do use a foodmill - I picked up a cheapo one on a good sale and it works fine.  It's not fast or anything but it gets there with enough cranking.  

Ingredients

• apples.  I have no idea what variety my tree is, and I also picked a bunch of apples from a person out the road who has no idea what variety hers are.  They're all good.
• water.
• nothing else.  I don't add any sweetener or spices because I usually use it for baking. It's also good for just eating from the jar and I could zhuzh it up later if I wanted to. 

Directions

•  wash apples (I have them in a 5 gallon bucket that I fill with lukewarm water and vinegar, and I rinse the apples and check for dirt, etc.)  I also don't let the apples set for long on the ground
• prepare apples.  Chop them up and remove any bad spots.  For me the cores are almost always bad because of the worms, and then any other spots.  Peeling is optional if using a food mill.  Put them in a pot.  
• Add a bit of water - the amount depends on juiciness of apples, how closely I'm tending to the pot, etc.  I probably put in anywhere from 1/2-1 1/2 cups.  
• Heat up the apples, stirring as necessary.  Let them cook down and fall apart.  This always happens faster than I expect, usually showing progress at about 15 minutes.  I let them cook a lot longer last time because there were some that weren't breaking down, and I used my potato masher.  Plus, I'd added too much water so that needed to cook down.
• when sufficiently cooked, let cool, and run through a food mill to remove peels, cores, etc.  
• Heat up the jars while that's happening. 
• Heat the applesauce back up to boiling - everything needs to be hot for canning.
• Put hot applesauce into hot jars and add lemon juice (note: I don't always remember to do this and I'm unsure it's really necessary; some websites say that it is, but I just checked the official canning websites and they don't require it; if using it, the recommendation is 1 T per quart, so scant tsp per jelly jar); leave 1/2" headspace
• Process 15 minutes in water bath (for pints or smaller).  

bulgur, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta

 Needing to use up some small tomatoes and cucumbers, and looking in my cupboard to see plenty of bulgur wheat, I made do with what I had and it was very tasty.  Ideas from here. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• tomatoes (about 15 small)
• cucumbers (3 small-medium) 
• small amount of onion sliced thin
• vinegar
• olive oil
• lemon juice
• feta (about 5 oz)
• fresh basil  (1/2 bunch left over)
• jar garbanzos, drained and rinsed  

Bring 2 cups water to boil, cook bulgur wheat for about 10 minutes.  Allow to cool.

Thinly slice a small amount of onion and soak in vinegar for about 10 minutes.

Chop tomatoes and cucumbers.  Once bulgur is cooled, mix them in.  Add about 2 T olive oil, 2 T lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp dried oregano.   Drain onions, add them.  Chop feta and basil, add. Drain and rinse garbanzos, add.  Mix well, refrigerate.  

wild rice soup with coconut milk

 Going through the cupboards to see what I can use up, looking for recipe ideas.

This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup is a great idea. 

Ingredients

• 6 cups vegetable stock 
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1 small onion, diced  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• Vegetables
• She used: 
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed
• today I will use below, with different variations in the future (such as winter squash):
• carrots
• celery
• green beans
• zucchini
• kale 
• Seitan or tempeh or tofu (frozen or pressed) 
• 1 bay leaf
• herbs and spices (she called for Old Bay which is not a thing for me, so I'll play with it)
• 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (or see cream sauce option below*)
• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.  Turn down the heat if necessary to avoid burning the garlic.
2. Add in the firmer vegetables such as carrots and celery and saute lightly.
3. Add in stock, wild rice, bay leaf, and season.  Bring to a simmer.
4. Add other vegetables based on how much time they need to cook (not much for zucchini or kale, more for green beans).   
5. Simmer for about 45 minutes until the wild rice is cooked, then add in the coconut milk and last vegetables.  Season.

 

lacto fermented green beans

When asking friends what they do with an abundance of green beans, one mentioned lacto-fermented green beans.  I'd not had those before so started a batch last night.  Directions from here. I didn't put anything except beans and brine in the jar; I'd used some pickling spices in a batch of cucumbers and I really didn't like the taste of something in there; plus, the fermentation gives a nice flavor all on its own (like with sauerkraut, which I've never seasoned).  So, we'll see.  I'm clocking it for 10 days and we'll see. 

Ingredients

• 2 lb of green beans (or as many as you need to fill your jar), ends removed
• spices, which may include: 
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed but not pealed 
• pepper corns, pickling spices, etc.  
• 1 teaspoon of non-iodized salt (Kosher, sea, or pickling salt) per one cup of non-chlorinated water (make as much brine as you need to fill your jars) 

Instructions

1. Wash your jar well. Add spices to the jar.
2. Start packing the green beans.
3. When the jar is packed half way, add the crushed garlic.
4. Keep adding beans and packing the jar. Make sure to leave two inches of headspace.
5. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in one cup of water and add to the jar. Keep dissolving salt in water and add to the jar until the beans are covered.
6. Place a fermentation weight on the beans to make sure they are all submerged in the brine.
7. Close the jar with its lid finger tight.
8. Place the jar on a plate (to catch the brine that might spill out during the fermentation process) and set on the kitchen counter at room temperature to ferment. It takes half a gallon jar about 10 days to ferment.
9. During the fermentation process, the brine will become foggy and you'll notice some bubble action. This is the gas that forms during fermentation. We need to let this gas out, or in other words "burp the jar". Once a day, twist the lid open, wait a few seconds and then twist it back to close the jar (there is no need to open the jar completely). Once the brine is "clear" again, the fermentation process is done (it will never be as clear as it was when you first added it but it will be clearer than what it was during fermentation).
10. Store your jar in the fridge or in a root cellar. It should last a few months.

apple oat dessert

 apple-oat dessert

Just saw this on a video and I'm going to give it a try as a dessert with yogurt.  

• 50 g oats
• 150 g apple, chopped
• 150 g yogurt
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• (1 tsp brown sugar)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix together, bake for 25 minutes at 200C/ 400 F.

green beans and chicken sausage on a sheet pan

 I've got green beans and chicken sausage to use up, and a zucchini I'll probably toss on there too.  From here. 

 Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans, cleaned and trimmed
• 12 oz chicken sausage, sliced thick
• 3 T olive oil
• spices (I'll use Tony Cachere's) 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• toss beans with oil, then put onto rimmed baking sheet
• add sausage
• Bake 10 minutes, then flip everything
• Bake another 5-10 minutes to browning. 

 

 

zucchini lentil bake

 Took this recipe and will cut it in half (though it probably does freeze well).  It's a great way to use zucchini and has good flavor.  

• olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• approx 250 g zucchini, grated 
• 1/2 cup brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 can or equivalent fresh tomatoes (diced, passata, etc. 225-400 g) 
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme 
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• black pepper, salt to taste  
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 
• up to 1/4 cup grated parmesan 
• fresh herbs for garnish  

Instructions

Gently saute onion until soft and nearing transparent (about 8 minutes). Add garlic, for about a minute.  Add zucchini, saute about 8 minutes.  Then add lentils, tomatoes, broth, herbs, and stir well.  Bring to light boil and simmer covered about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  If the cooking pan is not ovensafe, transfer to baking dish.  Put mozzarella and then parmesan on top and bake uncovered about 20 minutes.  

Great with olives, pine nuts, pita, etc.   

Jacob's lentil stew with barley from Bob's Red Mill

 Barley from Bob's REd Mill was on an end cap at my favorite grocery store and I picked it up because of this recipe on the back.  It's very tasty!  Definitely worth making again.  Just looked it up and see it's based on ancient cooking which is pretty cool, and Jacob is THAT Jacob of the Bible, and this is THAT stew.  Different seasonings can be used such as sumac and hyssop.  Not sure it's worth trading my inheritance for (not that I have an inheritance, ha!) but definitely adding to the rotation.  Excellent fiber and protein and vegetables and nutrients and all that.  

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 1 ½ cups Onion diced (about 1 large)
• 1 cup Carrot diced (about 2)
• ½ cup Celery diced (about 2 stalks)
• ½ tsp Garlic minced (about 1 clove) - or more 
• 2 cups Red Lentils
• ½ cup pearl barley 
• 1 ½ tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp dried Parsley
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 8 cups Vegetable Broth (don't do less - I tried and it needed the full amount)
• ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice 

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until soft and beginning to caramelize, 7–10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1–2 minutes.
2. Add lentils and barley, cumin, parsley, bay leaf, vegetable broth and cilantro. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until barley is soft, about 60 minutes (or less - it was good at 45 minutes, and it was burning on the bottom).
3. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf and finish with lemon juice.

 

 

zucchini with sardines

 Going to try this based on ideas from this recipe and what I have.

NOTE:

The original recipe makes a lot, so here's the half recipe I make:

•  2 shallots or small onion, minced
• 4 cloves garlic
• a couple of tomatoes, chopped
• 3/4# zucchini, grated 
• 1 tin sardines, drained, with oil saved to share with the dog (otherwise it is too fishy)
• fresh basil, sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp lemon zest//lemon pepper
• pepper
• grated parmesan  

 Heat olive oil, gently saute shallots and then garlic until soft. Add tomatoes, cook to a sauce.

Add zucchini, cook a few minutes, then add sardines, basil, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, pepper, and other spices to taste.  Cook to heat up and meld flavors, not too long.  Serve with grated parmesan.  

 

**

ORIGINAL - LARGE BATCH 

• 2 shallots (or small onion), minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• a few tomatoes, chopped 
• 1.5 pounds zucchini, grated 
• 2 tins sardines, drained, with olive oil saved
• fresh basil, sliced (2/3 cup or so)
• 1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp lemon zest (lemon pepper would be a good substitute) 
• pepper  
• finely grated parmesan or similar cheese (4 oz or so)  

Heat olive oil from the tins of sardines.  Gentle sautee shallots and garlic until soft, then add chopped tomatoes and cook down into a sauce.   

Add the zucchini, cook lightly, then add sardines, basil, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, pepper, and other spices to taste.  Cook to heat up and meld flavors, not too long.  Serve with grated parmesan.  

 

fermented pickles

 Wonderfully, I have a cucumber producing wonderfully this year, and the cucumbers are very tasty and good all-around.  I like to pick them small for good flavor, and they probably dont' taste great if large.  They are called mini-me, after all.

I'm frankly kind of overwhelmed by cucumbers, so ... I'll ferment them!   I did a batch and I really liked it, gave away most, and so I'm making another jar now.  

Here's what I'm doing:

Get: 

• a quart jar (I use wide mouth because I have lids that fit) 
• a smaller jar to mix up brine at ratio of 3 T: 4 cups
• non-chlorinated water (I filter it; can also leave out at room temperature about 24 hours to evaporate the chlorine ... probably; there are some treatment facilities that chlorinate differently and it doesn't evaporate out) 
• cucumbers!
• grape leaves
• seasonings: this time I used 1/2 tsp dill seed, 1/2 tsp peppercorns, 2 cloves garlic, dash of red chili flakes, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds.  (Last time I used a pickling spice mix and I think it has something I don't much like, maybe allspice)

 Steps:

• clean freshly-picked cucumbers and grape leaves with filtered water
• crush garlic cloves but keep skin on 
• put grape leaf on bottom of jar and a clove of garlic
• start to pack the pickles in and when about halfway, add the rest of the spices
• fill the jar, then pour brine on top, leaving at least 1/2"
• put a grape leave on top to help keep everything underneath
• I put a fermentation lid on that off gasses because a friend gave it to me but I used to just use regular lids and open slighly each day for gases to disperse
• if the cucumbers pop up above liquid, you need to get them to stay down.  I usually plan the cucumbers accordingly, pushing one in to hold things down, but you can also use a weight or a clean rock on the grape leave 

Put it in a darkish place, preferably 70-75 degrees ish.  And put it on a plate because it will overflow.  Start checking at 3 days for readiness, though others go longer.  I look at color and cloudiness of brine and usually start tasting around then.  Last batch I had one jar for 3 days and the other for 5.  I may go a little longer this time.  

Then they'll keep in the fridge for months, if you don't eat and give them all away before then.   

 

easy summer garden dinner

 I have *so many vegetables* producing in my garden right now that it's a little overwhelming, and I need quick and easy ways to prepare them.  

I made this with ground beef, garlic, cabbage, and green beans - but it'd be equally good with zucchini (reduce cooktime), winter squash, tomatoes, or whatever else the garden grows.

INgredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 4 large cloves minced garlic (and/or chopped onion) 
• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 2-4 cups green beans, cleaned and trimmed and chopped 
• 4 T soy sauce or coconut amino acids or some other salty flavoring
• black pepper
• spices as desired (I just used onion powder and some salt because I want to eat it with different things and maybe freeze it, but a Cajun seasoning or other things like htat would be great)

Instructions:

- Brown ground beef, breaking into small pieces.

- Before fully browned, turn down heat and add in garlic.

- When fully browned, add in the cabbage and soy sauce and stir well.  Turn up heat to medium.  Cook a couple of minutes with lid on.  

- Add green beans, stir well, cook with lid on for 8-10 minutes (keeping green beans somewhat firm, but cooked).

 Goes well with sour cream.  Would go well with different seasonings, roasted potatoes and/or sweet potatoes, rice or another grain, etc.  

winter squash muffins

 I canned some winter squash last year, when I'd use half or other reasons.  I was trying to feed it to the dog but it hasn't made her GI tract very happy, so I'm finding other uses. 

Muffins are always a good choice, and I'll try this recipe soon especially since I pulled a mystery jar out of the freezer that has turned out to be homemade applesauce needing to be used up.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (140 g) butternut squash puree - canned or cooked and mashed 
•  2 eggs (I have eggs to use up but I am going to try to start using "flax eggs")
•  ¼ cup (60 g) maple syrup (I'm omitting hoping the the squash and applesauce, etc. provide enough sweetness - if these are missing sweetness I'll try date paste in the future or something else)
•  ¼ cup (60 g) unsweetened applesauce
•  ½ cup (120 mL) plain Greek yogurt (I'm using plain yogurt I make)
•  ⅓ cup (80 mL) extra virgin olive oil
•   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 cup flour (125 g) (I'll use white whole wheat; can be GF)
• 1 cup (80 g) old fashioned oats
•  2 teaspoons baking powder
•  ½ teaspoon salt
•  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (I'll use cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom ... )

Instructions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. Use a silicone muffin tray or silicone liners if you have them. If not, grease or spray paper liners and place them in a regular muffin tray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the butternut squash, eggs, maple syrup, yogurt, oil, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine the flour, whole oats, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and whisk or stir together. The batter should be lumpy from the oats. Fill muffin tins for 12 muffins.   Transfer to the muffins to the preheated oven and bake on the center rack for 19 to 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are very lightly browned. Remove the muffins from the oven. Let them cool for a few minutes in the muffin tray, then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling. 

 

tempeh and green bean stirfry

 Garden is producing green beans, and I have tempeh.  Time to make this.  

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored vegetable oil
• ½ cup diced yellow onion (about ½ an onion)
• 1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8-ounce package tempeh, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 16 ounces green beans, trimmed and chopped
• ¼ cup toasted cashews, chopped (see technique tip in Notes)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch.
2. In a large pan over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute or two, or until fragrant.
3. Add the tempeh and green beans to the pan, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until the green beans soften and the tempeh browns.
4. Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan and cook for another minute or two, or until the sauce thickens. Top with the toasted cashews.

Notes

Technique tip for cashews: If you’re starting with untoasted cashews, place a large, dry (no oil) over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. They can also be roasted in a 400°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, because they can burn easily.

 

sardines

 I've been really trying to convince myself to eat more sardines and it's not really working.

Though, I made pasta puttanesca tonight and added a can of sardines and it was fine.

Other ideas:

spicy sardine sandwich 

Sardine and barley bowl

And I'll keep looking.  

 

zucchini muffins

 I'm excited to make this zucchini muffin recipe from here once I get some more zucchini from my garden. 

Zucchini Oat Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup packed pitted dates

Boiling water

1 1/4 cups coarsely grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini)

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup sugar (I'll probably omit - the dates are enough sweet)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/3 cup neutral-tasting oil, such as light-tasting olive oil, avocado, grape seed or canola oil

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

Place the dates in a medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over them to cover and let soak for 1 hour. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid, then drain the dates well.Combine the dates and the reserved liquid in a food processor (mini, preferably) and puree to form a smooth paste, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, as needed.

Place the grated zucchini in a colander in the sink; let drain for 20 minutes, then gather it up in your hands to extract as much moisture as possible.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have a standard-size, 12-well muffin pan at hand. Lightly grease the wells with cooking oil spray or line them with baking paper cups.

Stir together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.

Stir together all the date paste, eggs and oil in a mixing bowl until incorporated, then stir in the grated, drained zucchini. Add the flour mixture and stir until no trace of it remains, then stir in the walnuts.

Divide the batter evenly among the wells. Bake (middle rack) for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm, or at room temperature

 

healthy-ish peach cobbler

This tasty peach cobbler is from here, with some modifications.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sliced or chopped peaches (or canned)
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon or almond extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or a GF all purpose blend)
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar (or less, or a substitute) 
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg (will try flax eggs in the future)
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 1/4 cup milk (I often sub out at least part of the butter and the milk with yogurt)

 Instructions

•  PUt peaches in 8x8 pan, stir with cornstarch and spice/extract.
• In a bowl, mix:\ the flours, baking powder, sugar, salt.
• Cut in the butter.  Stir in egg and milk just until mixed.
• Form into a few thin "biscuits" and lay on top of the peaches.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.   

whole wheat tortillas

 I've made these white whole wheat tortillas a couple of times now, and they're great. Pretty easy, don't take too long, very tasty.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour (240 g)
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 c warm water

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, oil and salt.
2. Slowly add the warm water while stirring until a rough dough comes together. Add a little extra water if needed.
3. Turn the dough onto the counter and knead for about two minutes.
4. Return to bowl and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. Divide dough into 8 equal balls.
6. Roll each ball into a circle - I use a rolling pin 
7. Heat a pan over medium high heat and grease lightly.
8. Drop one dough circle into the pan and let cook until bubbles form- about 1 minute.
9. Flip over and cook another minute, pressing down with a spatula if needed. Repeat with remaining dough.
10. Use immediately, store in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze.

Note: I slightly undercook them before putting into fridge or freezer, so that I can reheat them and cook them longer while cheese is melting on them.  

lower sugar peach jam

 I've got heaps of peaches and they are so good.  I went low on the sweetener with this peach jam and I think it's great.

Follow the Pomona Pectin recipe but use only 1/2 c of sugar for 4 jars (that's 25 grams per jar, which is usually at least 6 servings).

• 4 cups peaches
• lemon juice  
• calcium water
• pectin
• 1/2 cup sugar 

So basically I'm just memorializing this here so I don't forget I went even lower sugar than the recipe because the peaches are so good!

beans and cucumber and tomato salad

 I saw this on Facebook and it seems a good idea to try.

Prep and put into a large bowl:  

- 1 can garbanzos, rinsed and drained

- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

- 2 cucumbers, chopped

- cherry tomatoes, chopped

- container of mozzarella pearls, halved 

- 1/2 red onion  

- (kalamata olives)

- banana peppers or pepperoncini canned 

- parsley or other fresh herbs  

Mix dressing together then add to salad and mix up. 

- olive oil

- red wine vinegar

- juice from peppers

- dijon

- (maple syrup) 

So many other things can be added, whatever sounds good.  

watermelon feta salad

 Watermelon feta salad which I planned to make today but I used up all my cucumbers making relish so I'll pick some up tomorrow and make it then!  

Ingredients 3 cups watermelon, cubed 1 cucumber, thinly sliced ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled Handful of fresh mint leaves 1 Tbsp olive oil Juice of ½ lime Pinch of salt & pepper

Instructions Combine watermelon, cucumber, feta, and mint in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lime juice. Toss gently, season with salt and pepper, and serve chilled.

dill relish (for canning)

One of my favorite farms has pickling cucumbers ready, so I rushed out to pick some up and actually ended up with a very good deal.*  I eat dill relish especially with tuna, and what I can find in the store has a lot of additives.  So why not make my own?  I can control quality better and it's local (the garlic is from my yard).  

Recipe from here. I doubled the recipe because I ended up with 5 pounds of cucumbers and it looks like it'll fit into my stockpot (I'll probably have to do two canning loads though since I have such a little canner).  (Note:  actually it filled the canner with odd various jars from pickles and such, and then there was about a pint and a half left over that I will just put into the fridge to eat first)

Ingredients 

5 lbs cucumbers (weighed prior to peeling and seeding),peeled, center row of seeds removed, and finely diced

2 large yellow onion, finely diced

2 small red bell pepper, finely diced

2 small green bell pepper, finely diced (I used anaheims as I don't really care for green bell peppers)

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

0.5 cup kosher or pickling salt (neither of these have additives which is important to avoid when canning)

6 cups white vinegar

1 cup sugar (optional or use less according to taste) - I put in 1 T for this double batch

4 teaspoons dill seeds

2 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds (note: don't use heaping spoons as it's already a lot)

4 teaspoons celery seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric

4 bay leaves

 Instructions

• Place the diced cucumbers, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Combine with the salt and pour water over the mixture until covered. Let sit for at least 6 hours or overnight (I did not refrigerate). Drain the cucumber mixture in a fine mesh strainer, rinse thoroughly with water, and drain again.
• In a large stock pot, add the sugar, vinegar, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the drained cucumber mixture and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
• Ladle the hot relish into hot sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars clean and seal tightly with the lids.

  Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
• Sealed jars will store in a cool, dark place for a year. If the seal is broken, the relish will keep in the fridge for at least a month. Makes 4 pints (you can use pint-sized or half pint jars).  

  Best eaten at least a week later after the flavors have had time to meld and the vinegar mellows out a bit. In addition, the relish needs to sit to give it time to absorb some of the liquid and to thicken.

 

*(This farm is run just like the farm that used to exist down the road, where I worked after college for several months until I figured out what to do with my college degree with honors.  Just kidding, I just went to other low-pay no-education-required job for years.  I finally became a teacher when I was about 30 years old, which at least requires my college education.  At the time of working at the farm, I had no idea why people would get so excited for these massive bags of pickling cucumbers, often little old ladies.  And now here I am, rushing to get them.)

jams with Pomona pectin

 I'm a big fan of weighing things instead of measuring with a cup.  Especially with things that need to be mashed, it seems a better way of handling them since I can measure them in whole and then crush them. 

crushed raspberries weigh about 230 grams for 1 cup 

Couldn't find it accurate on-line so I measured it myself.   

Guessing about the same for strawberries but was advised 166 g per cup.  I'll measure it out again.   

A flat of raspberries - with half pints - will make two batches of jam and a couple of pints left over for eating.   

roasted zucchini with parmesan

 At first I thought this roasted zucchini with parmesan was kind of meh, but I ate a heap and I do like the flavor and the texture, so it's a keeper for sure.  

Ingredients

• 4 small zucchini ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•  
  
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, dill, or a mix (optional)

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, stir together the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Place the zucchini in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan mixture. Toss to coat, then arrange the zucchini on top of the cooling rack on the prepared baking sheet, being careful not to overlap the spears. Place in the oven and bake until the zucchini is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn the oven to broil. Cook until the Parmesan is lightly crisp on top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t walk away! The second you stop watching the cheese, it will decide to burn. Remove the zucchini from the oven and immediately squeeze the lemon juice over the top. Sprinkle with herbs. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

• 
  

 

white bean vegetable soup

 Isn't it great when you have all the ingredients for what you're craving?  Score!  Celery to use up, an onion about to turn, canned tomatoes I need to start using, a tub of "baby" greens to start working on. Idea from here. 

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, chopped
• 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp thyme
• fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1 jar of canned tomatoes
• 2 jars of white beans or cooked equivalent - if from a can, rinse and drain
• 2-4 cups broth 
  
• salt & pepper
• bay leaf
• a few handfuls of chopped greens 
  
• parmesan
• parsley (optional)
  

Process

• Heat olive oil, saute onion, carrot, celery for several minutes until softened.
• Add garlic a minute, then add herbs.
• When aromatic, add tomatoes and beans.
• Add broth (less if tomatoes with juice, less if bean liquid included).  
• Cook about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the greens and cook a couple of minutes.
• Stir in parmesan.
  
• Top with parsley if desired.
  
• Add
  

green borscht

 I picked up some sorrel at the farmers market and what to make, what to make?  This recipe for green borscht popped up.  I made it vegetarian because I don't care for pork, and I didn't put the raw egg in because I don't care for egg drop soup and such, though I did put in hard boiled eggs.  

Ingredients

• 500 grams Young Potatoes cubed
• 200 grams Sorrel fresh
• 1 Onion
• 1 Carrot
• 4 hardboiled eggs
• 1 raw egg
  
• 1 tbsp Sour Cream or Smetana if you can find it
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Oil

Instructions

1. Bring broth to boil; add in the potatoes and bring back up to a boil. Let cook for 10 minutes.

 2.  While the potatoes are cooking quickly fry some grated onion and carrot in a pan with a bit of oil. Add to the borscht and give everything a stir. Also chop up the hard boiled eggs and add that in. 3.  In a small bowl beat together an egg and the sour cream. Swirl the pot of boiling borscht and slowly pour in the egg mixture so it cooks immediately as it hits the soup. 4.  Turn off the heat and add in the chopped sorrel. Give everything a good stir and let sit for a few minutes before serving. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.