“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
Before I get to the recipe, I’d like to tell you about a free event tomorrow at the Historic Iao Theatre in Wailuku, Maui. If you enjoy theatre, you may want to show up tomorrow {4/14/14} at the Iao for their free ONO {One Night Only} of Cactus Flower. These shows are always good, and the seats fill up quickly, so get there early. They have coffee, bottled water and cookies for a donation, but we may be taking a bag of one of our favorite snacks.
This is one of our favorite snacks. It is ridiculously simple, but when a quick and healthy snack, or dessert is in order, give this a try. It is as easy as tossing some of your favorite nuts & dried fruit into a bowl. But don’t stop there, because you haven’t added the 2 ingredients that boost up the flavor & make good nuts & dried fruit even better. Hopefully you are asking yourself, “What are those ingredients?” If you aren’t, you should, because you will want to make this. What are the ingredients? Chocolate {!!!} and salt. That’s it, chocolate and salt. You may know and love how great chocolate tastes with nuts, and maybe you’ve had it with dried fruit. You know that salt is a fabulous flavor enhancer if you have ever eaten low sodium or no-salt added anything. Salt is like cream-it doesn’t take much to take a dish over the top. So, here is the formula of sorts.
A Nutty Anytime Snack or Dessert
Nuts, a variety of raw & unsalted
Dried fruit
Chocolate, whatever you like
Good salt {not iodized salt please}
Put some nuts in a bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds, just to warm them and start to release their oils, so the salt will better adhere to them. Add some dried fruit and a bit of salt. Toss the nuts and dried fruit to distribute the salt. When the mixture has cooled, add some pieces of whatever chocolate you like. Toss again and eat.
Tips:
*The nuts: You could use only 1 type of nut, but a variety is more fun and more nutritious. We like walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts & pecans.
*The dried fruit: Use less dried fruit than nuts. Just a few pieces add a little punch of sweetness to balance the savory flavor of the nuts. We like apricots, tart cherries and pineapple. We dry our own pineapple, so it isn’t the sugar-coated stuff you buy at the store.
*The chocolate: Of course, you can add as much chocolate as you like, and you might be tempted to add a lot. You do not need much to make a difference. We break up 1 square from a bar of Lindt dark chocolate {Have you tried Lindt dark chocolate??? It’s smooth, creamy and delicious.}. One square broken up into little pieces mingles with the nuts and fruits and adds another nice bit of subtle sweetness to the whole melange.
*The salt: Please do not use iodized salt. It will not be an improvement, nor will it leave a favorable impression on whomever is eating it. We use sea salt from our salt grinder, but also delicious would be Maldon salt or Fleur de Sel. . .just a couple of grinds or sprinkles will do. Give it a taste and add more if needed. The salt is the piece de resistance. It’s the French fries and milkshake thing. . .salty, sweet crazy deliciousness.
*As a dessert: This is great with a nice glass of red wine!
Welcome to Refrigerator Confidential Day #7 & #8, the final post of this up close and personal look at our refrigerator. I hope you have enjoyed reading about the kinds of foods we like to buy at the farmers’ market, and how we manage to eat all or most of it by the end of the week. It is always a challenge, and does require a fair amount of effort from us, but this is how we like to eat. . .it is our lifestyle, and we wouldn’t trade it for any other way.
Friday’s Meals with Recipes:
Breakfast
Me- Oatmeal with Granny Smith Apples {recipe & photos on Refrigerator Confidential Day #5} Green Tea Freshly Pressed Ginger Kombucha My husband- Peanut Butter & Arugula Wrap on a Whole Grain Tortilla
Whole Grain Tortilla with Peanut Butter, Lemon Juice & Arugula
Layers of russet potato, zucchini, eggplant & seasoned ground beef topped with feta cheese & creamy Bechamel sauce with Pickled Beets
Our friend Molly dropped off a delicious Grilled Eggplant Moussaka yesterday, which I promptly put in the oven for our lunch. I have never made moussaka, and I’m not sure that I have ever eaten it before, so I have nothing with which to compare it. Comparisons are unnecessary though, because it was outstanding. Molly has a business called Maui Go To Girl {“consider it done“}. If you are a busy person who could use some assistance with meals, errands, moving, event planning and much, much more, please check out her website at www.mauigotogirl.com. Her services are many and I can assure you that you are in good hands with Molly {food-wise and otherwise}!
Dinner
We went to Milagros in Paia, where you can find one of the best Maui happy hour prices we know of {$3.00 beer and margaritas-no food discount}. We filed our taxes yesterday, so decided to go out and celebrate with Kalua Pork Nachos-yum! After we came home, we had popcorn while we watched episode 2 of season 1 of Twin Peaks. We didn’t watch it when it first came out, so we are catching up on popular culture. While it was a tasty eating day, it wasn’t stellar in terms of vegetable consumption-definitely not up to our usual standards. It’s what you do 95% of the time that matters, according to us. . . you have to be able to eat some not-so-healthy for you foods every now and again.
Peanut Butter & Arugula Wrap on a Whole Grain Tortilla
1 whole grain tortilla {we use organic sprouted wheat tortillas}
Peanut butter of your choice {I can’t imagine not choosy crunchy.}
Arugula-lots of it
Fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Spread tortilla with as much peanut butter as you want, and top with lots of arugula. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the arugula and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. You could also drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the arugula. It’s always a good thing to have something juicy on a wrap, otherwise they can be dry.
Here is what’s left from last Saturday’s purchases. Not bad. We consider the carrots, celery, cabbages and kabocha squash to be staples, meaning we don’t necessarily don’t intend to eat them all during the week. Imagine adding all that to what we’ve already eaten! So really, what’s left are 2 green onions, a half a green pepper, 2 jalapeños and a bit of kale. We’d call this a successful eating week! We only ate out twice-last Saturday night at Nuka {mmmm!} and yesterday at Milagros, so that was helpful.
It’s Saturday again & we have started the cycle all over again!
Here’s the foundation of another week of great eating!
Isn’t this organic red leaf lettuce gorgeous?
A Bundle of Beautiful Baby Romaine Lettuces
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
I hope your farmers’ markets are open or opening very soon! Go out and get yourself some delectable fresh produce for your health and good eating.
Welcome to Refrigerator Confidential Day #6! The refrigerator is not looking bare, because the bags of produce have been replaced by glass storage containers full of prepared food, which is a good thing. Sometimes it does look bare by the end of the week, but that is only when we manage to eat everything. It’s all good!
Thursday’s Meals with Recipes:
Breakfast
Oatmeal with Granny Smith Apples {recipe & photos on Refrigerator Confidential Day #5}
Green Tea
Freshly Pressed Ginger Kombucha
Lunch Sandwich of Gruyere Cheese & Plenty of Arugula on Whole Grain Bread
Grapefruit Slices
Dinner {Huge} Plate Salad of Mediterranean Flavors with Fresh Oregano Vinaigrette
Sandwich of Gruyere and Plenty of Arugula
Sliced Grapefruit
Sandwich of Gruyere Cheese & Plenty of Arugula on Whole Grain Bread
This is my husband’s creation, and he says that you cannot have too much arugula on this sandwich. It is a very tasty sandwich! Cheese sandwiches were my favorite as a kid, but they were just American cheese and mayonnaise on white bread; not nearly as sophisticated as this sandwich. I imagine most kids would not be too keen on arugula’s bitterness. Bitter greens are good for you, so eat your bitter greens. . .on a cheese sandwich!
2 pieces of your favorite bread {we used Dave’s Killer Bread}
Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
Arugula. . .lots
Mayonnaise
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Put cheese on 1 piece of bread {as much as you like}. Top with a big pile of arugula & sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread mayonnaise on the other slice of bread & close up your sandwich. Cut in a way that makes you happy & eat.
Welcome to Refrigerator Confidential Day #5! We are not running out of food yet, nor ideas for using what’s left. I think we are doing a good job this week getting through most of the produce we bought last Saturday.
Wednesday’s Meals with Recipes:
Breakfast
Oatmeal with Granny Smith Apples
Green Tea
Freshly Pressed Ginger Kombucha
Lunch
Quesadilla with Gruyere, Green Peppers, Jalapeños & Swiss Chard
*1/3 cup regular oatmeal {not instant or quick cooking}
Scant 2/3 cup milk of your choice {or you can use water}
Pinch sea salt
1/2 Granny Smith apple, or other apple variety of your choice, diced small {you can leave the peel on if you wish}
Put the oatmeal, milk, salt and apple in a microwave safe bowl. The bowl should hold 2-3 cups so that the oatmeal doesn’t boil up and over the edge in the microwave. Cook, uncovered, on high for 1 minute, stir, cook for another minute, stir, and then cook for about 1 more minute. Take out and let stand for a few minutes, for the oats to absorb the milk. Top with whatever you like on your oatmeal. I tried roasted peanuts & a small plop of peanut butter & thought it was pretty tasty.
*I use 1/3 cup oatmeal for 1 serving for me. My husband likes a larger serving, so for him I use 1/2 cup oatmeal and a scant 1 cup milk.
Snip any thorns off of the leaves, slice off the top third of the artichoke and trim the stem so the artichoke can stand upright, removing as little as possible from the base. Rinse the artichokes well, pulling the leaves apart to get out any dirt or critters. If they are large, you can cut them in half lengthwise, so they will better fit into your steamer. Rub the cut sides with a lemon to prevent browning.
Put your lovely artichokes into the steamer basket over boiling water. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until a leaf pulls out easily when tugged. Serve immediately, with melted butter, mayonnaise or Lemon Aioli. If you want to serve the artichokes cold, drop them in an ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain on a kitchen towel in the refrigerator until until ready to serve.
Lemon Aioli
About 2/3 cup mayonnaise {homemade or store bought}
1 clove garlic, mashed into a paste with kosher salt or put through a garlic press
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste {I put more pepper than one would think prudent; it can take quite a bit.}
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Mix all ingredients & chill if not serving immediately.
Relish Plate
Put whatever you want on your relish plate! We have green onions, pickled beets & sauerkraut.
Welcome to Day #4 of Refrigerator Confidential! I’m not sure if you noticed, but we can sure tell that the fridge has more room to move around. Even though it’s great to have a well-stocked refrigerator, it is fun to “eat it down” and look forward to starting all over again on Saturday.
Tuesday’s Meals with Recipes:
Breakfast
Me- leftover baked potato from yesterday’s lunch, 1/2 grapefruit, Breakfast “Borscht”
My husband- same as the last 2 days {plain yogurt, nuts, dried fruit, local honey}
Lunch
Roasted Carrot Soup
Ryvita Crackers with Organic Cultured Butter
I was going to blend up a frozen banana and some plain yogurt to make a banana lassi {although I don’t think you would use frozen fruit in a lassi}, and then it occurred to me that pickled beets and yogurt would be a good combination {think chilled beet borscht with a dollop of sour cream top}. Mine would be kind of a speedy version of chilled beet borscht. A big spoonful of pickled beets, with a creamy cloud of plain yogurt swirled in, and a sprinkle of dill and voila, “borscht”! I tasted it, and thought that some capers would add a nice punch of flavor, and indeed they did. I love capers! Actually, I just learned on the Splendid Table podcast last week that capers are more properly called caper buds, because they are the bud of the caper flower {from the caper plant} before it opens. When the flower drops off, what is left is a caper berry, which looks like a giant caper bud. I have never tried caper berries, but I hear that they are not quite as pungent as the caper buds. Had I not eaten the baked potato, I would have enjoyed my yogurt with a buttered Ryvita {a buttered Ryvita is always good}.
Roasted Carrot Soup adapted from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen
This is another of my favorite soup recipes from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen . I think I have mentioned before that it is my favorite soup cookbook, and Madison is my favorite cookbook author.
1 pound carrots, cut into chunks
2 small potatoes, cut into chunks
1 large onion, cut into chunks
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2-4 tbsp olive oil {I used 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil}
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 hefty thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf {I used 2}
*1 quart vegetable stock or water
1/2 cup light cream {I used 2% milk, and the soup was delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever made it with cream.}
2-3 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream, stirred with a fork until loosened {I used plain yogurt, but would use one of the other choices if I had them on hand.}
Fresh minced parsley or chives
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F {I used 375 degrees F.}. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and season with 1/2 tsp salt and some pepper. Put them in a large baking dish sprayed with pan spray for easy cleanup {I used a 9″x13″ Pyrex baking dish.}, along with the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Roast until tender and glazed, about 1 hour, turning them 2-3 times.
Transfer the vegetables to a soup pot, add stock or water and bring to the boil. Simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20″, then puree until smooth. An immersion blender is a great tool for this-very quick and easy. Return the puree to the pot {if you used a blender}, taste for salt, and season with pepper. Stir in the cream or milk.
Ladle the soup into bowls, swirl in a spoonful of creme fraiche, sour cream or yogurt into each, top with minced parsley and serve piping hot. Delicious and super healthy!
Makes about 4 servings {6 cups}.
*I used to make homemade vegetable stock for soup until I read Deborah Madison say that if you have great vegetables, you can use water in lieu of stock. So unless a soup calls for a specific stock {i.e. red stock for tortilla soup, mushroom stock, etc.}, I use water and the soup is great. I do not care for store bought vegetable stock.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
We had a tasty little wine and cheese pupu {appetizer} while waiting for our Orange and Molokai Purple Sweet Potato Fries to roast.
Orange and Molokai Purple Sweet Potato Fries
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Roasted Orange and Molokai Purple Sweet Potatoes
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make sure you have a rack positioned on the bottom of your oven.
3 potatoes will fill up a half-sheet pan-use 2 pans if you want more fries
Cut potatoes so they are approximately the same size; you can cut them into any shape you want {slices, wedges, French fries…}. Place potatoes on a sheet pan that has been lined with foil, sprayed with pan spray {they will stick if you don’t} and drizzled with olive oil. Season with kosher or sea salt, freshly ground pepper and red pepper flakes. The red pepper flakes add a great spicy counterpoint to the sweetness of the potatoes; I wouldn’t leave them out, but if you aren’t a fan of spicy, by all means don’t use them. I love spicy!!
Roast the potatoes on the bottom oven rack until they are browned and starting to get crispy, stirring occasionally. They will be tender in about 20 minutes, but leave them in longer so they will brown and crisp up. The purple potatoes can get dried out if you leave them in too long, so keep an eye on them after 20 minutes or so.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Steamed Beet Greens
Fresh beet greens {1 pound will serve 2-4 people}
Extra virgin olive oil
Butter
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Sherry vinegar or lemon juice
Wash greens well, making sure water is clear, as beet greens can be quite dirty. Discard any tough stems {or cut small & sauté} and roughly chop the greens. Spin them mostly dry, but leave some water clinging to the leaves for steaming. Put greens in a pot large enough to hold them, cover and cook over medium high heat until tender, 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally so they do not burn or stick. When the greens are tender, season with a little butter, olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. If desired, sprinkle with a bit of sherry vinegar or lemon juice.
Welcome to Day #3 of Refrigerator Confidential! This week, you are up close and personal with our refrigerator. You can see what we buy at the Saturday Upcountry Farmers Market, and how we prepare it during the week. It’s kind of a game for us {a very tasty game I might add}, and the goal is to eat all or most of the food by Friday, and end up with lots of empty bags to fill up at the market on Saturday. Sometimes we are successful, and sometimes we don’t do so well. The refrigerator’s Friday appearance has to do with how many times we eat out during the week {restaurants, beach BBQs, etc.}, as well as how motivated we are to take the time to wash the greens, broccoli, etc. and cook them. Sometimes it’s easier to throw a salad together, with the already washed lettuce, than to wash and steam the broccoli; I think you know what I mean.
Monday’s Meals:
Breakfast
Me- The little bit of chili and brown rice that was leftover from yesterday
My husband- Nancy’s Low-fat Plain Yogurt with local honey, dried Maui pineapple, dried Maui apple bananas & coconut flakes, roasted peanuts & walnuts
Freshly Pressed Ginger Kombucha {1 bottle is almost gone already!}
Green tea
Lunch
Gerald’s Eggs with Red Peppers & Parmesan {these eggs are a kind of open-face omelette/frittata that Gerald made up~really good}
Baked potato with butter {we shared a potato}
Caesar Salad
Avocado
Dinner
I worked tonight, so we didn’t eat the same thing. We usually do, but it did’t work out this time because there was only 1 piece of Chicken Cacciatore left…for me!
Me- Chicken Cacciatore, broccoli & 1/2 grapefruit {and a piece of chocolate~ Lindt Dark Chocolate with Black Currants!!!}
My husband- sandwich on Dave’s Killer Bread {sometimes we will break down & buy a loaf of bread, if we run out of homemade bread…we like Dave’s} with Gruyere cheese, lots of arugula and mayonnaise {he said it was really good}, broccoli
Welcome to Day #2 of Refrigerator Confidential! This week, I’m taking you inside our refrigerator so you can see what we buy at the Saturday Upcountry Farmers Market, and what we do with it throughout the week. It’s kind of a game for us {a very tasty game I might add}, and the goal is to eat all or most of the food by Friday, and end up with lots of empty bags to fill up at the market on Saturday. Sometimes we are successful, and sometimes we don’t do so well.
Yesterday I told you in words and pictures what we bought at the market. I didn’t say anything about what else was in the refrigerator. We had {not an exhaustive list, by any means}:
leftover homemade chili
leftover brown rice
cooked broccoli
homemade mustard vinaigrette
beets, which I cooked and pickled yesterday
Sunday’s Meals with links to recipes:
Breakfast Me- Nancy’s Low-fat Plain Yogurt with olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin; broccoli with a drizzle of mustard vinaigrette
My husband- Nancy’s Low-fat Plain Yogurt with local honey, dried Maui pineapple, dried Maui apple bananas & coconut flakes, roasted peanuts & walnuts
Freshly Pressed Ginger Kombucha {1 bottle is almost half gone already!}
Green tea
Lunch
Leftover chili & brown rice {they’re almost gone!}
Salad of kale, arugula, pickled beets, Maui onion, Wakame & Ginger Sauerkraut Salad with mustard vinaigrette
Broccoli with olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, Parmesan and toasted sliced almonds
Dinner Baked salmon with mayonnaise and Sweet Ginger Chili sauce {similar to Thai sweet chili sauce, but with healthier ingredients} Caesar salad with homemade croutons and avocado
Pickled Beets
4 fresh beets, scrubbed and steamed until tender {about 45 minutes for medium size beets}
Onion, sliced {as much as you like, or none}
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp whole peppercorns
2 small bay leaves {or 1 large}
When beets are tender when pierced with a knife, let them cool until you can handle them comfortably. Peel off the skins, and cut them into whatever shape you like. Put them into a container with a tight lid, so you can turn them upside down to distribute the pickling liquid. If you are using onions, layer them in with the beets. I usually use a quart mason jar. In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring them to the boil, stirring to ensure that the sugar gets dissolved. Pour over beets and onions. There will not be enough liquid to cover your beets, so turn the container upside down occasionally, and shake to distribute the liquid. They will get tastier as they marinate longer.
“You probably don’t want to look in the crisper drawer.” Amanda Freitag Chef and owner of Empire Diner
Welcome to my refrigerator! I must admit right from the start that I “tidied up” a bit before I let you in. I’m pretty sure that you would probably do the same, if you were planning to invite me in. My husband and I cook many/most of our meals together, but I am the Curator of the Refrigerator. I know what goes in, and its approximate location. The biggest haul that goes into the refrigerator comes from the Saturday farmers market, and I find a home for all of it-no easy feat to be sure. My husband goes to the market very early on Saturday mornings, while I go for a nice long walk, during which time I listen to the Splendid Table podcast on my phone. If you haven’t heard the Splendid Table, I highly recommend that you check it out here. Anyway, back to our refrigerator. This week, I would like to show you what our refrigerator looks like, from its early Saturday morning sparseness to bulging at the seams later Saturday morning, then during the week as we eat our way through all the delicious fruits and vegetables, which come mostly from the Upcountry Farmers Market.
I should say that the way we eat requires time and effort…time and effort that we are willing to put into procuring, preparing and eating delicious food. In no way do I expect that anyone else should necessarily follow our path, because I know that not everyone has the time, desire or knowledge to cook this way. This is what I love to do, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to spend my time this way.
EARLY SATURDAY MORNING
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
SATURDAY MID-DAY: Fresh Produce from Upcountry Farmers Market
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
From the market today: 3 bunches green onions, 1 head romaine lettuce, 1 bunch kale, 1 dozen eggs, gardenias, red ginger, 5 beets, 2 white potatoes, 12 apple bananas, purple cabbage, 3 bunches arugula, 1 bunch Swiss chard, 4 jalapeños, 3 green peppers, 1 red pepper, cauliflower, 2 broccolis, 1 bunch celery, 2 artichokes, 1 kabocha squash, 2 bottles of Freshly Pressed Ginger Kombucha
SATURDAY MID-DAY: Into the Refrigerator!
SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Everything in its place!
Check out this article from New York Times Magazine about what 11 top New York chefs have in their refrigerators.
Mark Menjivar wrote a book about what’s in others’ refrigerators; it’s kind of fun to take a peek! Check it out here.
This is going to be an express post, because I have a lot of things I want to get done today, but I want to tell you about our new favorite way to eat asparagus . . . just in case you get your hands on some fresh asparagus. To our great delight, a new crop of Maui-grown asparagus has hit the Upcountry Farmers Market! If asparagus isn’t available in your area just yet, don’t fret-spring is coming your way soon. Just for the record, I love thick spears of asparagus; I want to know that I am biting into something. We enjoy asparagus steamed, then topped with freshly squeezed lemon/lime juice, freshly ground salt and pepper and homemade mayonnaise. It’s also fantastic roasted in a hot oven, after rolling around in some extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground salt and pepper and sprigs of fresh thyme. I was looking for ideas in my newest Deborah Madison book, Vegetable Literacy, and found a way to cook asparagus that we think is genius, not to mention downright delicious. It is pretty much the same technique as this green been recipe I shared with you a few months ago, which is our new favorite way to eat green beans.
Griddled Asparagus
adapted from Vegetable Literacy {Madison}
1 bunch asparagus
olive oil, for coating asparagus
kosher salt
Maldon Sea Salt, or other flaky sea salt, to finish
freshly ground pepper
If you are using asparagus with thick spears, peel the lower parts so they will be tender. Toss the spears with olive oil to coat {you don’t need a lot} and season lightly with salt. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
When the pan is hot, add your asparagus. Don’t move it around just yet; you want some color to form on the spears that are in contact with the pan. When you see some beautiful browned spots on your asparagus, toss the spears around in the pan. You do not need to methodically move them one by one. Keep the heat on medium high and continue cooking the asparagus for several more minutes, until they are tender when poked with a sharp knife. Some of the larger spears may still be a little al dente {crisp}, but I assure you they will be perfectly delicious.
Serve the griddled asparagus on a platter sprinkled with whatever crunchy salt you have selected. Although I think it is perfect just like this, without any other additions, Madison suggests rolling the cooked spears around in Tarragon Butter and a few other sauces from her book. I greatly respect Madison’s opinions when it comes to making delicious food, so I will probably try some of these sauces in the future.
“If you’re busy, never cook for one meal; always cook for two or three. Put it in the freezer, but it doesn’t have to encore in the same form.” Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Kula Black Raspberries
Who knew? Not me. I had no idea that some nice farmer is growing black raspberries, on Maui, for our eating pleasure {in November!!!}. My husband purchased these beauties at the Upcountry Farmers Market. What a pleasant surprise!
Luscious Fresh Berries
Black Raspberries with Cream & Powdered Sugar
We love fresh berries with a dribble of heavy organic cream and a flurry of powdered
sugar. . .pure bliss.
Unlike other easier to eat berries, cranberries elicit strong opinions from those who either love them or loathe them. We happen to enjoy cranberries, and have a few favorite ways to use them. I should say that I am talking about fresh cranberries, not the dried ones. We do like dried cranberries, but they are not the same healthy powerhouse as the fresh variety.
Fresh Cranberries
Once the berries are dried, the sugar and calorie content skyrocket. Fresh berries are only available a few months of the year, so if you want them year round, you will need to buy them now and squirrel them away for another day. We like to rinse fresh cranberries in a colander, blot them dry and then put them on a parchment-lined sheet pan for a short stint in the freezer; this will prevent them from freezing into a solid block of cranberries, which will not be user friendly. If you do not have parchment paper, a flexible cutting board works well, but I do not recommend using waxed paper, as it tears easily from being wet and it will be harder to remove the frozen berries. Once the berries are frozen, pop them into a freezer bag and enjoy them whenever you like, in breads, cookies, hot cereal, smoothies or relish.
Ready for the freezer!
One of our favorite cranberry recipes is for fresh cranberry orange relish. We also like cooked cranberry relish, but this is what we make most often. We have significantly reduced the sugar for our tastes, but you can certainly adjust it for yours. I enjoy this relish the most on plain yogurt {yum!} with big pieces of walnuts. It is also good to have a spoonful on a green salad, or with any traditional cranberry-friendly foods.
Cranberry Orange Relish
Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish
adapted from Superfoods Rx.: Fourteen Foods that will Change Your Life {Steven Pratt, M.D. and Kathy Matthews}
12 ounces fresh or *frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 unpeeled orange {preferably organic}, washed, cut into eighths and seeded
1/3 cup sugar {the original recipe calls for 3/4 cup}
Put the cranberries, orange slices and sugar into a food processor. Process until everything is evenly chopped. Chill until ready to eat. *If you use frozen cranberries, partially thaw them before processing, or you will end up with a big cranberry orange ice ball.
The relish gets better as it sits and the flavors mingle.
Makes about 3 cups
Kale Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
We enjoyed several kale salads last week, all of them with cranberry vinaigrette. The tart-sweet of the vinaigrette pairs perfectly with kale’s bitterness and the creaminess of fresh goat cheese. A few other ingredients make this salad a winner. Not to mention the fact that the dressing is a gorgeous hue of creamy cranberry pink. It looks kind of like raspberry gelato. I apologize for the lack of photo-we ate all the dressing.
Kale Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette I made several versions of this salad recently, this being the most elaborate with the addition of canned tuna.You can put in whatever you like, but I think the most important additions are the goat cheese {for creaminess} & the toasted walnuts {pair excellently with the goat cheese and cranberries, and for a toasty CRUNCH}.
Kale, enough for 2 salads, washed, dried well & torn into bite-size pieces
Thinly sliced sweet onion {or red}
1 avocado
1 can tuna {we use Wild Planet}; optional Fuyu persimmon, washed and thinly sliced {I don’t peel them, but you can if you like.}
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
Toasted walnuts
Fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Cranberry Vinaigrette {recipe below}
Put the kale into 2 bowls and dribble with enough dressing to moisten. Top with onion, avocado, tuna {if using}, tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese and walnuts. Put a ring of persimmon slices around the edge of the bowl. Add a grind of salt & pepper then top with dressing.
2 servings
Cranberry Vinaigrette 2/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or tangerine juice)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Combine cranberries, sugar, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook about 5-10 minutes, or until the cranberries pop. Remove from the heat and let cool. Pour cooled cranberry mixture into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add the mustard and orange juice and blend. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
Makes about 2 cups dressing
Did you know that. . .
Fresh cranberries:
* are low in calories {44/cup}
* are high in fiber
* are low in sugar
* aid in the prevention of urinary tract infections {UTIs} by preventing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract lining
* are high in phenols which are plant chemicals known to be highly protective against many health problems {i.e. toxic to cancer tumor cells}
* helps to prevent bacterial adhesion to teeth and the stomach lining, preventing dental plaque and ulcers, respectively
Information from: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth {Jonny Bowden, Ph. D., C.N.S.}
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
Maui Girl Cooks 