Rosemary Red Soup

This is a recipe that came from my favorite cookbook Feeding The Whole Family by Cynthia Lair. Everyone should own this cookbook. They have a wonderful website called Cookus Interruptus, that is amazing too. I really can't say enough wonderful things about them.

3 medium carrots, scrubbed and chopped
1 large beet, scrubbed and chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 3-inch sprig of fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried, finely chopped
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
6 cups stock, vegetable or chicken
2 to 3 Tbsp light miso

Heat oil in a 4 quart stock pot, add onion and saute' until soft. Add carrots and beet, saute' a few minutes more.

Add herbs, lentils, bay leaves, and stock. bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes.

REMOVE THE BAY LEAVES. Let soup cool a bit and then puree' in small batches with a blender or use an immersion blender. Dissolve miso in a 1/2 cup warm water and add to soup. Stir to combine.

Note. When reheating soup, don't boil. It will destroy the benefits of the miso.

~Enjoy!

Gluten Free Dried Cherry Scones

This recipe I adapted to make gluten free... but you don't have to... Just use 2 cups of flour and omit the zantham gum

2 cups gluten free flour (I used 1 cup of a package of a GF mix, 1/2 cup brown rice flour and 1/2 cup dark teff flour)
1/2 tsp xantham gum
1/4 cup sucanat or brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
6 Tbsp cold butter
1 cup dried cherries (or other dried fruit)
1 Tbsp lemon zest
3/4 cup buttermilk
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350

Mix all of the dry ingredients (flour through the salt) in a large bowl. Cut in the butter until it resembles a course meal. You can also do this step in a food processor; first pulse the dry ingredients, then add the butter and pulse.

Add cherries and lemon zest. Stir, then mix in the buttermilk until it just holds together.

Pour out on a floured surface (I used brown rice flour). Knead a few times and pat into a 8 inch circle. Sprinkle with sugar, and cut in 8 wedges.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 25 minutes.

~Enjoy

White Bean and Chicken Salad

This salad can be mixed up in so many ways. You can omit the chicken and make it vegetarian, and add any vegetables that you might have. This is a meal in one! I served this with fresh crisp red romaine lettuce, serving the bean salad on top.

SALAD

2 cups chopped chicken, leftover roasted chicken would be great
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/3 cup sliced fresh basil
3 cups cannellini beans, rinsed and drained if canned
1 cup zucchini or summer squash, cubed on the diagonal
1 bell pepper, or spicy pepper, diced
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese

DRESSING

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced

Make the salad by combining all salad ingredients, and stir gently.

Make the dressing separate in a small mason jar. Put all of the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake until well combined.

Add dressing to salad and toss to coat.

This salad will be good warm or chilled and is great the next day!

~Enjoy

Peas with Mint

2 cups fresh peas, (shucked from shells)
Boiling salted water
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Prepare peas, put into salted boiling water and cook for just a couple of minutes. Peas should turn bright green. Remove peas with a slotted spoon. Dress with butter, mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

~Enjoy

Garlic!

Early last week I harvested and then cured my garlic.
Last night I braided it.
This is one of my favorite ingredients!!!

Lentils with Beets, Carrots and Goat Cheese

This salad is great as a main dish or a side. It is also lovely eaten warm or chilled.

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dried french green lentils, picked through and rinsed
4 cups water
1/2 cup beets, diced
1/2 cups carrots, diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, more to taste
4 oz goat cheese

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot, add onions and garlic, cook until translucent and soft.

Add lentils and water, the water should just cover the lentils, (you will end up with very little water in the pot at the end) if you need to, add hot water 1/4 c at a time to keep from sticking. Simmer lentils covered for 12 minutes. Add carrots and beets. simmer covered for 10 t0 15 minutes on med-low heat, until lentils are al dente.

Add fresh herbs and salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. Stir to combine. TASTE to adjust flavors. Transfer to serving bowl and let cool for 20- 30 minutes.

Crumble the goat cheese and stir gently to leave little goat cheese surprises or more to make it creamy.

Enjoy~

Rhubarb Berry Galette

It is the perfect time of year to make a Berry Rhubarb dessert. Both of these foods are in their peak season right now. Here is a simple and delicious way to enjoy them. Feel free to substitute any berries that you have. Frozen also work well too...

Rhubarb Berry Galette

Galette Crust

3/4 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp organic sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
about 1/2 cup ice water

Mix the flours, salt and sugar together. Cut butter into flour with a pastry cutter or fingers until it resembles a coarse meal. Add ice water a couple tablespoons at a time, and mix until batter just stays together. Try not to overwork or get too wet.

Make it into a ball and cover and chill it in the fridge.


Filling

1 3/4 cup rhubarb
2 1/2 cup berries
zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 tbsp honey or sugar
1 tbsp corn starch

Mix all of the above ingredients together.
Roll out dough into a 1/4 inch rustic circle.
Pour filling onto the center, leaving an inch border.
Fold over dough, to male a 3/4 inch crust.
Mix up an egg and use a pastry brush to glaze the crust.
Sprinkle with course sugar.

Bake at 400 for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Let it cool a bit and...

~Enjoy