Spinach and mizuna pizza!

Sorry the picture is awful, I lost my camera so I had to take it with my phone!

Today I spent a couple of hours figuring out how to use up some of these 7 (!) kinds of leafy greens. Going with my half-idea from yesterday... the sauce on the crust is a freshly pounded kale pesto. Sadly my arms were too tired to keep going with the mortar and pestle so it is pretty chunky. But man was it delicious! I used this pesto recipe: http://www.twice-cooked.com/2012/02/12/vegan-kale-pesto/ but with sunflower seeds instead of walnuts.

Topped it with some torn mizuna and spinach, a few small dollops of crushed tomatoes, and some sweet potatoes (sliced to 1/8th inch, they take about 10 minutes to cook, since my crust bakes in 8 minutes I had to pre-cook them a bit) to counteract the bitterness. Finished it off with a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a turn of the Italian herbs grinder.

The good news: All of us really liked eating this pizza, it tasted great and we felt good about the amount of vitamins and minerals we were probably getting from all of the leafy greens. We thought maybe a little more tomato would be better, just to add some moisture. Maybe I'll redo it with fresh ones when we get them ;)

The bad news: Not only did this barely scratch the surface of my mizuna or spinach (I did use all the kale though), but I still have the other 4 greens left. Maybe I should have made 3 pizzas! I hope some more people will share their ideas for this week's crop!!

Kale, Peppers, Onion, & Apple

Dinner tonight focused on using up the last of last week's kale, as well as some peppers (1 orange bell pepper and 1 yellow, plus 1 jalapeño) that had seen better days.  In lieu of a recipe, here's how I threw this all together. 

I sliced an onion and the peppers, minced some garlic,  and threw it all into a sauté pan with some olive oil.  After letting the onions carmelize a bit, I added the kale (handful by handful, letting it cook down to fit in the pan).   As the vegetables started sticking, I added some water.  A quick taste confirmed that that jalapeño was REALLY hot.  (I had included the seeds.)  The flavors needed balancing, so I added some seasoned rice vinegar.  The sour was a welcome addition, but it needed a bit more sweetness to round things out.  So, I diced an apple and threw that in.  Then I let it cook with the cover on until the apples softened.  Turned out great.  It was gone before I had a chance to take a picture.

Mizuna, mi-whatta?

Learning about new veggies is one of my favorite aspects of participating in a CSA. Today's pick-up included something called mizuna. It has long, deep green, serrated leaves and a peppery taste.

A quick Google search reveals that mizuna is a Japanese mustard green, and apparently is good for stir fry. I'm looking forward to trying this Soba Noodle Salad w/ Mizuna recipe.

What are you planning to do with this piquant green? 

White Beans Make All Greens Amazing!

I have to say that in the past year my love of white beans - cannellini, northern, white - has skyrocketed but they need that ever present CSA produce item to make them sing...greens! Right now of course we are getting lots of kale and chard but white beans make good culinary friends with any green really. We prepared this recipe last night with both our Tuscan kale and Red Chard (from last week! store well and it will) and it rocked! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cannellini-Beans-with-Kale-361670

bon appetit!

Kohlrabi Slaw

A simple, delicious and nutritious recipe for kohlrabi slaw:

1 kohlrabi, shredded
3 radishes, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
splash of extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp champagne or white wine vinegar
fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Allow to rest at least an hour before serving so flavors meld together.

I don't measure ingredients out when I cook, so amounts are estimates. Make the recipe to your own taste!

Hope you enjoy this simple dish as much as I do.
Buen provecho!

Mark Your Calendars for Kimchi 101

Mark Your Calendars for Kimchi 101

June 28, 5:30-6:30 at the Baltimore Food Co-Op

          A super versatile, super-spicy condiment, Kimchi can be enjoyed in practically everything - from soups and stews to a topping on sandwiches or pizza. Not only is it good, but good for you! Chock full of vitamins A, B, and C, Kimchi is high in fiber and low in fat. It's eaten so much in Korea, that people there say "Kimchi" to smile when they get their picture taken! 

          This Kimchi 101 program hosted by the Baltimore Food Co-Op will feature   food and gardening educator Chrissa Carlson of Urban Farmhouse Edible Landscapes as she shares the basics of this Korean go-to dish. Includes versions made from cabbage and radishes (hello, CSA veggies!)  and even some samples. To RSVP, email Katie Dix, CGN Coordinator, or call her at (410).448.5663 x 128. Kimchi 101, presented by Urban Farmhouse in partnership with the Community Greening Resource Network, is  part of the ongoing "For Your Information" program "meant to educate and inform the BFC membership and others about matters of interest to our Cooperative and our community." The BFC is located at 2800 Sisson Street, Baltimore, MD 21211. 

Learn more about Kimchi: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011900887.html

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410300,00.html

Learn more about the Baltimore Food Co-Op and Kimchi 101: http://www.baltimorefoodcoop.com/about-us/ 
Kimchi stew photo courtesy of wikipedia. com (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi)

Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi? 

So what's the deal with kohlrabi? Check out these storage tips and recipe for some ideas about how to use it! If you have any great recipes or kohlrabi experiences of your own - please post! 

Storage tips: Before storing, remove the leaves (you can keep them in a plastic bag in a refrigerator for two days). Wrap kohlrabi in a damp towel and place in refrigerator to keep for two weeks. Frozen kohlrabi will keep up to nine months; blanch sliced or halved Kohlrabi for 3 minutes prior to freezing.

Cooking tips: Use raw or cooked in salads, stir-fries, or casseroles.

Sauteed Kohlrabi with Onions and Cream 

       Cubes of peeled kohlrabi

       Thinly sliced white onion 

       Unsalted butter 

       Finely shredded kohlabi leaves

       Heavy cream 

       Salt and pepper 

       Grated nutmeg

• • Cook kohlrabi and onion in butter over medium-high heat until almost tender. Stir in kohlrabi leaves, and cook until wilted. Add a generous splash of heavy cream, and cook for a few seconds to reduce. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with chicken, pork chops, or steak.

• • Recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/354689/sauteed-kohlrabi-onions-and-cream

    
    

    
    

    
    

    • • Tips: http://www.germanfoodguide.com/kohlrabi.cfm 

    

    picture from: www.marthastewart.com

    
    

    
    

    
    

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