Clean-Out-the-Fridge Freestyle Veggie Soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We've got so many beautiful veggies right now! We've got our weekly CSA supply as well as the proceeds from our small garden, and this week we've got some bonus squash from my brother-in-law's community garden plot. It's hard for us to eat everything every week, so I usually end up throwing everything into a big veggie soup every week or two.

 

This week I had a huge yellow summer squash, red and gold potatoes, carrots, tri-color beans, parsley, and basil. Use whatever you have on hand. Last week I threw in some canned garbanzo beans and dry red lentils as well. I almost threw in the kale tonight, but I'm really looking forward to a kale salad tomorrow.

 

Like the title says, we're freestylin' here.

 

First, sauté a few chopped cloves of garlic in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Pour in a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes. (I like the Muir Glen fire roasted variety.)

 

Add in your chopped veggies and herbs, and then add enough veggie broth so that all the good stuff is covered in liquid.

 

Bring it all to a boil. This is where you can add some lentils if you're going that route. Season as desired. I recommend salt, fresh ground pepper, crushed red pepper, smoked salt, and maybe even a tiny bit of dried oregano.

 

Cover, reduce heat, and let simmer until all veggies are tender.

 

Enjoy your big, beautiful pot of soup!

 

Upgrade option: If you're really a pro, you'll have your own garden tomatoes and some homemade veggie broth!

In Season: Zucchini

Anyone else feel like this yet?

Here's a zucchini bread recipe from The 63rd Street Farm.

• 1 1/2 c Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. Allspice
• 1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 Egg
• 1 c Sugar
• 1/2 c Veggie or canola oil
• 1 c Grated green or yellow zucchini
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter/oil/spray and flour an 8" x 4" or 9" x 5" loaf pan. Use plenty of butter and flour. I didn't use enough when I made the first loaf and it really stuck to the pan.

 

Combine all of the dry ingredients EXCEPT the sugar.

 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar. Add oil, zucchini, and vanilla extract.

 

Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir until combined.

 

Pour into your prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes.

 

Experiment with the proportions. I think next time (tonight!) I'll add more zucchini and maybe some raisins or shredded coconut. You could probably even cut the sugar in half to make it just a little heathier.

 

Happy baking!

Thai Style Green Beans

photo from abeautifulmess.com

Last week we got some beautiful tri-color bush beans from our CSA. I think we'll try this recipe tonight.

Do you do anything exciting with your green beans?

PS - abeautifulmess.com is one of my FAVORITE blogs!

This week I'm looking forward to:

 

• Giada's Orzo for dinner on Monday
• CSA pick up is on Thursday (Last week was zucchini, lettuce, carrots, basil, parsley, cucumber and potatoes!)
• Riding the tandem bike to Niwot Rock 'n Rails on Thursday
• Viognier from Boulder Creek Winery
• An outdoor party with our friends Annie and Matt on Saturday
• Another weekend hike at Flagstaff
• And maybe a royal baby?

Kale

Lovely edible container from yougrowgirl.com

So I'm a little hungry right now, and I'm dreaming of kale chips. Seriously. We don't have any kale, but I'm hoping my luck will turn with tomorrow's CSA pick up.

Kale is great so many ways. It's great raw in a salad, in soups, and as baked chips. Here's the best (easy!) recipe for kale chips. This is possibly the best food ever...

You'll need:

• Kale - Use as much as you want. It will cook down A LOT.
• Oil - We like a light mix of Peanut and Sesame. Olive oil is great, too.
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• An oven, baking sheet, and parchment paper (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Wash, chop, and salad spin the kale. I discard the less-leafy parts of the stem.
3. Pour on a tiny bit of oil - less is more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat evenly.
4. Spread kale in a single layer on a baking sheet. Line baking sheet with parchment paper first of you like.
5. Bake for 4 minutes. Pull out the baking sheet and toss the kale around a bit. Finish baking for about 3 minutes. Your cook time with depend on the type of kale you have. Bake until thin and crispy.

Happy eating!

Locawhat?

Turkeys at the 63rd Street Farm

Locavore is a term that has been around for decades but has recently gained popularity. The basic idea is that a locavore eats mostly (if not all) food from a 100 mile radius (or more) from home. However you choose to define it, a locavore is someone who makes an effort to understand where their food is coming from, and the effect that has on nutrition, the economy, their community, and the environment.

Not sure where to start your locavore journey? There are may ways to incorporate locavore values into your diet. Here are some ideas adapted from the Locavore Network:

1. Read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It's the most amazing, inspiring book. You may just drop what you're doing and head out to start a farm. It's the story of her family's movement back to the land, and back to their food. They grow tomatoes and raise turkeys and get to know the neighbors.  This book will fill up your heart, and remind you that packaged/processed/anonymous food is not the only way. Barbara writes, "And I refused to believe a fuel-driven food industry was the only hand that could feed my family. It felt good to be right about that."
2. Decide what "local" means to you. It could be your city, your county, your state, or multi-state region. Maybe you include one local ingredient per meal, or maybe your whole meal is local. The most important thing is to make this sustainable for your family.
3. Check out your local Farmers' Markets. Some of you might even be lucky to have a market that runs year round. Talk to the vendors and ask what's in season and what's coming soon. They can also tell you if they have a farm stand at a different location where you can purchase produce and meat at different times during the week.
4. Go ahead and start a conversation with those nice folks who work in your grocery store. Ask questions about where the food comes from. Let them know that local is important to you. This is especially effective at the smaller locally owned stores. (Note: They're not a locally owned store, but Whole Foods has lots of great local meat. They can always tell you where it comes from, and the best days to come in for certain items!)
5. Join a CSA. Although the idea has been around for decades, CSA (community-supported agriculture) farms seem to be popping up like crazy lately. You purchase a CSA share at the beginning of the growing season, and when the harvest begins you get to pick up your share of produce every week. Our CSA farm also sells eggs, meat, local wine, and other local goodies at the pick-up every week. You get to know your farmer and you get to know your food.
6. Eat out! More and more restaurants are including local produce, meats, and cheeses on their menus. Support these restaurants and let them know you appreciate their participation in local agriculture.
7. Plant a garden.  Whether you have acres or just a small window box, grow something. Veggies and herbs ALWAYS taste better when you've grown them yourself.
8. Preserve the bounty. Can, freeze, or dry produce to keep it through the winter. I'm fortunate to have a husband who cans tomatoes. I can't tell you how good a bowl of homemade tomato soup tastes on a cold winter evening. In case you don't have a handsome man who cans veggies hanging around your house, many local rec centers and continuing ed programs have canning/preserving classes.

And if you need another reason to explore a locavore diet, just take a look at this Huffington Post article on GMO's.

I'd love to know how you incorporate locavore living into your life. Please share!