OUT WITH THE OLD

...to make room for the new!  Little by little I've been clearing out the preserves from last summer (and the summer before) from our pantry and freezer.  It seemed odd to buy fresh, new kale (although I did anyway) when I still had jars of it in the freezer.  I also spied quite a few bottles of pesto that we hadn't managed to consume all winter.  Needless to say, we've been eating pesto in everything from scrambled eggs to salad dressing.  Speaking of salad dressing, I can't tell you how good a couple of spoonfuls of pesto tastes in a vinaigrette.  So good that I was wiping my plate clean of this dressing with bits of roasted duck at dinner last night.  We've been loving the fresh spinach available at the Farmer's Market these last few weeks, which tonight I paired with pickled beets from our garden and root cellar carrots.  Real, spring, salad.

PESTO VINAIGRETTE

2 Tbsp Hemp Seed Miso Pesto

1 1/2 Tbsp organic dijon mustard

2 Tbsp local honey

1/4 cup organic red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp organic balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt

ground organic black pepper

1/2 cup organic local flax seed oil

1/2 cup organic extra virgin olive oil

Method:  Combine all ingredients except oils in a blender and blend.  Slowly drizzle in the oils with motor running until thick and creamy.  Refrigerate up to 3 days.

BASIL BONANZA: Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce and Basil Vinaigrette

I wait all year for the fresh local tomatoes and basil.  We all know how bland and tasteless out of season imported tomatoes are, so why bother eating them?  

This week at the market I bought a huge, HUGE bouquet of fresh basil.  It has been sitting on my counter in a cup of water until I felt inspired to make something beautiful with it.  Normally I just make my favorite Hempseed Miso Pesto and freeze it in glass jars in the fridge so we can enjoy it all winter.  Seeing as I've already made about four jars of that, I decided to try something different - Fresh Basil Vinaigrette.  I found this recipe in my favorite cookbook "REbar" so decided to try it out.  Why did I wait so long?  It's amazing!  So good in fact, I made a double batch and intend to enjoy it all week long.  For tonight though, it is going to be featured on a fresh salad next to a huge plate of pasta with my Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce.  Norbert Kungl was selling organic paste tomatoes (those are the little tomatoes that are just a wee bit bigger than grape tomatoes) and I've been wanting to make some sauce from fresh tomatoes for a while.  What a difference fresh tomatoes make!  So sweet and delicious, it makes you so glad you waited all year.

FRESH BASIL VINAIGRETTE

adapted from "Rebar Modern Food Cookbook" by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz

Yields 1 1/4 cups (300 ml)

2 cloves organic garlic

1 1/2 Tbsp grainy organic mustard

2 Tbsp local honey

1/4 cup local apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp organic balsamic vinaigrette

45 g fresh organic basil leaves

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp cracked organic pepper

1 cup e.v olive oil

Method:  Combine all ingredients except oil in the blender.  Slowly add olive oil in a slow, thin stream until thick and creamy.  Season to taste and refrigerate up to 3 days.

FRESH TOMATO SAUCE with Basil

Yields 6 cups

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

5-6 clove organic garlic, minced

12-15 fresh organic tomatoes or 30-40 small paste tomatoes, diced

sea salt and pepper

20 g fresh organic basil

Method:  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic, stir and then add the tomatoes and basil.  Season with a few pinches of sea salt and pepper.  Cook covered for 5 minutes, then remove lid, reduce heat to medium low, stir and let liquid reduce until sauce reaches desired consistency. Adjust seasoning as required.  Serve over pasta or on pizza.

This can also be made with 2 cans of organic tomatoes.

Rushing Clouds Dinner

As we ate our supper this evening I looked out at the sky and saw lovely rushing clouds moving past us.  This meal was chosen after a phone call from my sister.  She was excitedly telling me about a great deal she found on a Jamie Oliver cookbook.  I asked her to look up a recipe for chickpeas in it but found none.  But she did find a great one in an International Vegetarian cookbook she owns.  It's a great recipe.  I decided to serve it with Thai Chili Sauce and quinoa.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEAS with Butternut Squash and Zucchini

2 cups cooked organic chickpeas

2 cups organic butternut squash, cubed

3 organic tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp organic cumin powder

1 tsp organic paprika

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 2" piece organic cinnamon stick

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 organic onion, sliced into half rings

3 Tbsp organic raisins

3 1/2 cups stock

1 tsp sea salt (but this depends on what stock you use)

1 cup organic zucchini, sliced

1/2 cup organic frozen or fresh peas

cilantro or parsley for garnish

Method:  Saute onions and cinnamon stick in olive oil.  Add spices, stir and then add tomatoes, squash, chickpeas, salt, raisins and stock.  Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium low until squash is soft.  Add the peas and zucchini, cook uncovered until it thickens.  Serve on quinoa or cous cous.

Prep Time- 10 minutes  Cooking time- about 15-20 minutes

QUINOA

1 cup organic quinoa

1 3/4 cups water

pinch of salt

1 Tbsp organic butter (optional)

Method:  Rinse quinoa in a sieve.  Combine quinoa with water, butter and salt in a pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 10 minutes, or until all water has been absorbed.  Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork and serve.

YOGURT SALAD DRESSING

2 heaping tablespoons organic full fat yogurt

2 Tbsp organic apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp local honey

some sea salt

some black pepper

Method:  Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.