Spring Recipes

Simply Creative Ideas to Use Your GREENS!!

Use your Blender--Use your Greens!

Blended smoothies and Pesto will entice you to use all of your greens!!

The next time you have a bag of greens and you are not sure what to do with them.....make a smoothie!!

Create the most delicious smoothie using frozen berries, a banana, and large handful of washed greens, water and ice! Blend until smooth!
gluten free/dairy free

1-2 Bananas---they balance out the bitterness of some greens
1 cup of another fruit---your choice, I love frozen berries
1-1/2 cups of fresh greens
12 oz. water or until smooth
ice for a more frozen drink

Simply, blend!

Jazz it up with a mint sprig, some melon or even an avocado!

Garlic Scape Pesto

gluten free/dairy free

1 cup of garlic scapes, chopped, flowery parts removed
1 cup or more of spring greens
½ cup walnuts
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of vegetable broth

Puree all ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth. If too liquidy add more greens. Too thick? add a bit of veggie broth!

Have extra greens? Eat a raw salad with this versatile vinaigrette:

Garden Vinaigrette

gluten free/dairy free

Keep this chilled and ready to sprinkle on just-picked veggies! This vinaigrette is a must-have in the fridge throughout the growing season. Why purchase ready made salad dressings filled with preservatives when this simple vinaigrette spices up everything from a chopped salad to a pasta salad. Use as a marinade for grilled veggies or on a warm potato salad.

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
handful of chopped herbs
A shake of sea salt
Mix well!
Or omit mustard and instead add 1 cup pureed strawberries and blend!
Kale Crumble

gluten free
Paul Bucciaglia
Fort Hill Farm
New Milford, Connecticut



Great to crumble and sprinkle over rice, soup, salad or any dish that needs some salty crunch! Eat it as a snack too!

Olive oil

1 big bunch of kale, roughly cut into 2 x 2 pieces
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Spread thin layer of olive oil across baking stone or cookie sheet with your fingers. Spread kale across pan. Bake for 10 minutes, mixing once. Sprinkle Parmesan over kale and bake for an additional three minutes. Remove from oven when kale seems crispy. Cool of plate or tray.


Baked Risotto with Greens

gluten free

Elaine Granata
Granata Farms
Denver, Colorado
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 c. uncooked Arborio rice
8 cups greens: chard, spinach, kale, etc.
2 cup veggie broth
1/4 teaspoon sea sat
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup grated fresh pecorino or Parmesan
1--1/2 cup sliced asparagus

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a Dutch oven saute onions with rice. Once onions are translucent, add greens, broth, salt and nutmeg. Stir these ingredients together and simmer for 5--7 minutes. Stir in cheese. Cover and bake for 30--40 minutes.


Calabrese Swiss Chard

Bill Nunes
Contented Acres Produce
Gustine, California

This recipe comes from the Italian Region of Calabria. I prefer to use ruby red swiss chard for its sweeter more beet-like flavor and for the beautiful red color which the juice takes from the red stems. I also prefer the robust flavor of hardneck garlic, either Korean Red Hot or Roja.

6 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1/2 medium onion, sliced or chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 1--1/2 lbs.)
1/3 lb. sliced bacon, cut into pieces and browned
1/2 cup Parmesan or Peccorino Romano cheese
bread crumbs

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Blot grease from bacon, set bacon aside. Chop Swiss chard (stems about 1/2 inch thick, leaves larger). Saute garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onion and saute lightly. Add Swiss chard stems and cook three minutes, add leaves and cover. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Mix cooked ingredients in a baking dish. Mixture should be about two inches deep in pan. Sprinkle bread crumbs over mixture, mixing lightly with a fork. Drizzle with remainder of olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Then sprinkle with grated cheese and continue to bake until cheese is melted. Serves 8 to 10.

Light Spring Soup

gluten free/dairy free

This soup screams SPRING! Many times while preparing this soup, I quietly chop veggies and decide just what seeds I’d like to plant in my own life. From new projects that fall outside of my comfort zone to old hobbies that I’d like to reclaim, the spring is the best time to start creating!

3 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 c. organic low-sodium veggie broth (recipe follows)
2 small zucchini, cut into ½ inch chunks
1 c. thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 c. sliced asparagus
2 c. baby spinach
2 c. baby peas
16 oz. cannellini beans, cooked, drained and rinsed
½ c. fresh flat leaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onions, sauté about 7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté about 1 minute. Add broth, zucchini, mushrooms, and asparagus, cook 5 minutes. Add spinach, peas and beans and cook 5 minutes more on low heat. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper.


Soup of Springtime Salad Greens

gluten free
Lisa Jessup
Common Ground Farm
Beacon, New York

1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups water
2 cups snap peas
1 cup white wine
bundle of spring herbs (parsley, chives, tarragon, thyme, chervil)
2 heads of lettuce, chopped
large handful arugula, chopped
sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cream plus 1/2 cup (to be whipped for garnish)
1/2 cup chopped sorrel (spring green with lemony flavor)

Sweat onions in butter over medium-low heat in a large soup pot for about 10 minutes. Blanch snap peas in boiling water for one minute and plunge into ice cold water. Reserve pea water. Add wine, pea water, and bundle of herbs to the pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and add one cup of cream. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add lettuce and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove herb bundle and blend soup in small batches in blender until smooth. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with unsweetened whipped cream, chopped sorrel and the peas. Serve hot or cold. Serves 6.


Vegetable Stock
be prepared!
gluten free/dairy free

Some of these recipes call for veggie stock or broth, use this! Make batches ahead of time and freeze. Defrost to make quick soups and stews.

8 cups of cold water
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 leeks chopped
10 peppercorns
Sprigs of fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, parsley

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 75 minutes. Strain through sieve and discard solids. Let cool and refrigerate. Containers can be frozen for about three months.


Spring Salad

gluten free/dairy free


Make this salad with veggies straight from your CSA and notice as you slowly take each bite just how miraculous vegetables are! It is incredible how little we really need to “dress up” farm-fresh veggies.

2 heads of butterhead, Boston or bibb lettuce, washed
4 radishes trimmed and sliced thinly
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Tear lettuce into small pieces. Add lettuce, radishes and carrots to a bowl. Whisk vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper and pour over salad. Toss gently.


Balsamic Spinach
gluten free/dairy free

This recipe works with all hearty greens, but it works especially well with spinach.

1 cup balsamic vinegar
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
a handful of basil leaves, chopped
8 cups of spinach, washed well
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Simmer vinegar in small saucepan until slightly reduced. Add olive oil and basil. Lower heat and set aside. Place wet spinach in large saucepan on medium heat and cover. Spinach will wilt quickly. Remove spinach from heat and drain. Place on a platter, season with salt and pepper and drizzle balsamic mixture over spinach.



Using herbs...............

Simple Fresh Herb Potatoes
gluten free/dairy free

I love to collect fresh herbs in late spring/early summer and make this delicious warm potato dish. The herbs come alive when mixed with the warm potatoes. Scallions/green onions work well in this recipe too!

2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley or any combo of herbs
½ cup chopped chives
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Sea salt and black cracked pepper to taste

Steam potatoes for about 20 minutes or until tender. Transfer to bowl and toss with remaining ingredients.


PRESERVING OUR HARVEST



Pickled Green Beans
gluten free/dairy free
Jolinda Hamilton
Hamilton Farms
Clinton, Arkansas

4 lbs green beans
1-3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3--1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
3--1/2 teaspoon dill seeds
7 garlic cloves
5 cups water
5 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup caning salt

Wash beans and remove ends. Cut beans into 2 inch pieces, divide among several pint jars. Put 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon dill seeds, and one clove of garlic into each of the jars. Combine water, vinegar, and salt and bring quickly to a boil. Pour boiling liquid over beans, leaving 1/2 inch in headroom. Process in boiling water for 10 minutes.


Note: If you are a novice canner, please consult The Ball Blue Book or the USDA Food and Nutrition Center for accurate, reliable information for home canners.


Snap Pea and Marinated Mushroom Salad

Enjoy an easy-to-prepare dish!



SERVINGS 12

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
9 ounces button mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
8 cups sugar snap peas (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

PREPARATION

1. Marinate the mushrooms: Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Add the mushrooms, toss to coat, and marinate covered for at least 45 minutes, or up to overnight, stirring occasionally.

2. Cook the snap peas: Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a large saucepan of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the snap peas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the peas into a colander and immediately submerge in the bowl of ice water. Let sit until chilled - about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

3. Assemble the salad: Drain the mushrooms and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the marinade. Toss the mushrooms, snap peas, reserved marinade, and thyme and serve immediately.

From www.thedailygreen.com Originally printed in Country Living.


Broccoli Pancakes -------courtesy of Dr. Weil (www.drweil.com)

Description

Even if your kids don't like broccoli, they will eat these pancakes. You can serve them as a side dish, however they are certainly a meal on their own if you want to serve them as an entrée. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables including cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnip greens and kale are rich in antioxidants, which help protect against both cancer and heart disease.

Food as Medicine

It is especially important to eat broccoli if you are pregnant. One cup supplies 94 mcg of folic acid; a deficiency of this vital nutrient has been linked to birth defects including spina bifida.

Ingredients

1 large head broccoli
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 small hot chili pepper or 1 teaspoon chili paste
1 large garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 pinch salt
1 large egg or 2 egg whites
1/4 cup low-fat milk
A sprinkling of paprika

Mock Sour Cream:
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
1/2 small onion or large shallot, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
Sprinkling of chopped fresh dill

Instructions

1. Cut the florets off the head of the broccoli and separate them by cutting the large ones in half so they are all more or less the same size. You should have about 3 cups. Discard the stalks, or save them along with any remaining florets to use in soup or a vegetable stir-fry.

2. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium pan, then drop in the broccoli florets, cover, and let steam as they cook, for 3 minutes. Strain in a colander.

3. Put the steamed broccoli, onions, chili and garlic in a food processor and pulse on and off to chop (do not puree the vegetables), or chop by hand. Transfer the chopped ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir in the oil, flour, dill, and salt. Add the egg or egg whites and milk and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

4. Smear the bottom of a large, nonstick skillet with 1/4 teaspoon of butter and set it over medium heat for about 1 minute. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot skillet, placing them far enough apart so that the pancakes don't touch, and cook over low to medium heat for about 1 minute. Turn the pancakes and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer them to a hot platter to keep warm while you continue making the rest until all the batter is used up.

5. Mix all of the ingredients for the Mock Sour Cream together and spoon 1 teaspoonful on top of each pancake, then top with a sprinkle of paprika.

Makes 20 1-inch pancakes - 2 per person.