Mindful Plate

two bunches of turnips (or about 1 1/2 pounds loose turnips)
2-3 tablespoons butter
sea salt

Wash and trim the ends from the turnips. Cut into wedges. I cut smaller turnips into quarters and larger into 1/8′s or 1/12th’s. Heat a heavy bottomed sauté pan (I always use my enameled cast iron pan) over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add enough butter to coat the bottom of the pan when it is melted. Right before butter starts to brown, add turnip wedges. Continue to cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. You want the cut edges to brown nicely, but they can also start to burn pretty quickly. When the turnips are nicely browned, reduce heat to low and continue to cook until they are tender all the way through. When the turnips are tender, remove from heat and season to taste with sea salt.

Pea and Radish Salad

July 12, 2010 · Filed under Side/Salad, Spring, Summer · Tagged mint, onions, peas, radishes

Posted by Lisa

Pea and Radish Salad

When I first saw this recipe, I didn’t really appeal to me, but when I got a nice bunch of French breakfast radishes at the market and I wanted to do something different with them, I decided to try it. I started out with this recipe, by Cathy at Wives with Knives and altered it for what I had on hand. I wish I had fresh peas on hand because that would have made it spectacular, but even with using frozen peas, it was a cool and tasty salad. The mint really tastes fantastic with the sweetness of the peas and the little bite of the radishes.

One note, I always make my own mayonnaise with with a combination of coconut oil and olive oil, so if you use a store bought mayonnaise or even a homemade mayonnaise without coconut oil, yours will likely have a creamier texture than mine. The coconut oil in the mayonnaise sets up a little more firmly when it’s cold. Though it’s not as beautiful as a creamier mayonnaise, the flavor was still excellent.

Pea and Radish Salad

3 cups frozen peas, thawed (If you have fresh peas, blanch them and use them, the flavor will be even better than frozen peas, of course!)
1 bunch of radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 small spring onion, finely chopped
1 – 2 teaspoons freshly chopped mint leaves
1 – 2 teaspoons freshly chopped chives
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference.

Roasted Broccoli, Quinoa and Feta Salad

July 8, 2010 · Filed under Main Dish, Summer · Tagged broccoli, chives, feta, oregano, quinoa

Posted by Lisa

Roasted Broccoli, Quinoa and Feta Salad

I love roasted broccoli. It’s especially good cold, though I usually serve it warm. When we got several heads in our CSA share, I decided that I needed to make some sort of grain and roasted broccoli salad. I settled on quinoa for the grain and since I almost always have a large tub of feta in the fridge, it and feta is just plain delicious, I decided that it would be the third major player in this salad. These ingredients are tossed with chives and oregano from the garden, fresh garlic, olive oil, and a little lemon juice to offset the olive oil and the saltiness of the feta. The broccoli can be roasted and the quinoa cooked ahead of time, if necessary, and the salad assembles in a snap. We’ve had a hot spell around here, so a room temperature salad that can be pulled together in a few minutes if you have all the ingredients pre-cooked, is a wonderful thing.

Roasted Broccoli, Quinoa and Feta Salad

2 heads broccoli, roasted with salt, pepper and olive oil and cooled to room temperature
2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled to room temperature
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Place roasted broccoli, quinoa and feta in a large bowl. Mix chives, oregano, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, sea salt and pepper in a small jar and shake to combine. Pour over salad and gently toss to combine. Serve at room temperature.

Comments (3) »

Radish Salsa Fresca

June 1, 2010 · Filed under Side/Salad, Spring, This and That · Tagged onion, parsley, radishes, salsa

While we bear through a pretty wet and cool spring here in the Willamette Valley, waiting for both the warm sun to come and stay for good as well as the vegetables such weather brings, we try to stay positive by focusing on things like not having to irrigate yet and the plethora of delicious, well growing spring veggies we get to enjoy. On our tables, we see sweet, tender lettuces at almost every meal; and either mixed with those lettuces, or used in dishes where they stand on their own, we also see a lot of radishes. The radish is both highly prized by some–we really can’t bring enough of these to sell at our Thursday Farmer’s Market–and much maligned by others. In some ways, they can be so mild flavored, especially when store bought, that aside from their crunch and color, they offer little to the palette. But when grown well, they have a great flavor that tastes just like spring to us.

We have been out of our summer preserved salsa for about a month or so now, which isn’t too bad considering tomatoes really will be ready in just a couple of months. We use most of our salsa on morning eggs, but have begun to have tacos a bit more frequently after once again becoming more strict about being gluten free; we use taco night now to replace pizza night. We don’t mind tacos without salsa, but last week I was in a hurry getting things ready, so our tacos were going to the table with no sauteed onions or dark leafy greens, and I needed something to add to the slow-cooked beans to really make the meal. I know I have made radish salsas before, but this one was especially good. I think that I enjoyed it more finely processed in the food processor where normally I hand chop it and make it a bit more chuncky. It was riduculously easy and fast and really, really delicious with the tacos. We had the leftovers with fish the next night, it was perfect. Since I have a glut of radishes over here, I think I will even make a big batch and ferment it…I am really excited for that. Either way, fresh is where it is at in spring, and radishes abound. With dishes like this, waiting for the summer and its fruits doesn’t seem so bad.

Radish Salsa Fresca

1 bunch radishes
1 small spring onion OR 3-4 green onions OR 2 spring green garlic bulbs
handful parsley sprigs
juice of half a lemon
sea or kosher salt to taste
pinch cayenne
pinch ground coriander

Mix all ingredients in food processor until chopped and blended, but do not over-process as this will release excess liquid from the radishes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Enjoy!

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Gingery Rhubarb and Blueberry Scones

May 30, 2010 · Filed under Baked Goods, Spring · Tagged blueberries, rhubarb, scones

Gingery Rhubarb and Blueberry Scones

It’s rhubarb season! Before last year I had never eaten rhubarb and I still don’t have extensive experience with baking and cooking rhubarb, but the things I have made have made me a rhubarb fan.

We’ve still got blueberries in the freezer from last summer and I decided to combine them with the three stalks of rhubarb I had on hand. These have a pretty strong gingery kick, so if you don’t like ginger leave it out or cut it down significantly. These scones are also not very sweet, but that is a good thing in my opinion, especially if you are having them for breakfast. Increase the sugar if you like scones with a noticeable sweetness. These scones are very moist and cakey; they don’t have a drier crumb like many scones do.

Gingery Rhubarb and Blueberry Scones

3 stalks rhubarb, diced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (I use sucanat)
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen blueberries
3/4 cup butter, cut into slices or small pieces
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1 egg yolk
sugar for the tops

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Combine rhubarb, grated ginger and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, powdered ginger, salt and 1/2 cup sugar. Cut butter into dry ingredients until the whole mixture is crumbly with no large chunks of butter. Gently stir rhubarb mixture and frozen blueberries into this mixture. Add milk and only mix enough to form a loose dough. Turn dough onto a floured board and divide in half. Take one half and roll dough into a 1/2″ thick circle and cut into six pieces. Place pieces on baking sheet or cast iron griddle.* Repeat with other half of dough. Mix egg yolk with one tablespoon of water and brush onto scones. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 22 minutes or until golden.

*I don’t have any stoneware and I find that cast iron skillets or griddles are generally acceptable substitutes. I like to bake scones and biscuits on cast iron because of the nice golden crust that develops on the bottom of the baked good.

Beefy Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

April 23, 2010 · Filed under Autumn, Main Dish, Spring, Winter · Tagged beef, carrots, celeriac, celery root, lentils, parsnips, soups

Posted by Lisa

Beefy Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

Family, why do you frown upon Indian spiced lentils? It’s my favorite lentil preparation. What’s a home cook to do? Try again apparently, this time without the Indian spices.

The word beefy in the recipe title may be misleading. There’s not actually much beef in here, but it does have a big, beefy flavor thanks to the home-made stock from meaty soup bones. Since we don’t eat a whole lot of meat around here anymore, that’s beefy to me. I understand it won’t necessarily be to people who eat a lot of meat.

This soup is easy to prepare, but since it requires making stock from scratch, it is time intensive. I would allow about five hours.

Beefy Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

1 – 1 1/2 pounds meaty beef soup bones
5 cloves garlic, crushed
5 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cooking fat (I used lard)
1 onion, chopped
1 large or 2 medium parsnips, 1/2″ dice
1 large or 2 medium carrots, 1/2″ dice
1 small to medium celery root, peeled and 1/2″ dice
2 cups lentils, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon thyme
freshly ground pepper
sea salt

Place bones, crushed garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water, approximately 3 quarts. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat. On a low simmer, cook until the stock looks brownish and the meat is falling off the bones, about 3 hours. Strain the stock and reserve the bones and meat. Using the same pot on medium high heat, melt fat. When fat is hot add onions, parsnips, carrots and celery root. Cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. When vegetables are brown, add strained beef stock, lentils, thyme, freshly ground pepper and about 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. While soup is cooking, remove the beef from bones when they are cool enough. Roughly chop the meat. When the lentils and vegetables are tender, add the chopped beef and adjust seasonings to taste.

Carrots and Parsnips with Leeks and Mint

April 5, 2010 · Filed under Side/Salad, Spring, Winter · Tagged carrots, leeks, parsnips

Posted by Lisa

Carrots and Parsnips with Leeks and Mint

Parsnips are like a nuttier cousin of carrots, I think. They have the sweetness that carrots have, but they are more earthy. I typically add them to soups or stews as I would with carrots, but we have amassed quite a few parsnips over the past few weeks and I wanted to incorporate them into a side dish. My family doesn’t enjoy them by when they are the main ingredient in a dish, so I thought I would pair them with carrots. It was a delicious pairing. Leeks added a delicious flavor and the mint was subtle but still detectable; the whole dish was a perfect side with our Easter ham.

Carrots and Parsnips with Leeks and Mint

2 large carrots, sliced
2 large parsnips, sliced
1 leek, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped mint
2 tablespoons butter
sea salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a medium to large sauté pan. Place pan on medium heat. Stir as butter starts to melt. When butter has melted, place lid on pan and stir every few minutes to prevent sticking. Cook until carrots and parsnips are tender and leeks have started to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chili Spiced Sweet Potatoes

March 9, 2010 · Filed under Autumn, Meal Planning, Side/Salad, Winter · Tagged sweet potatoes

Posted by Lisa

Chili Spiced Sweet Potatoes

I always thought that I wasn’t a big fan of sweet potatoes, but I had primarily eaten them in a sweetened casserole at Thanksgiving and I’m still not a fan of that type of preparation. Sweet potatoes are so healthy, one serving is a mega-dose of Vitamin A and full of fiber. Their flesh is, of course, slightly sweet, but they go well with a savory spice. This particular spice combination added a delicious, but not overpowering flavor. Roasting sweet potatoes is quick preparation, just allow plenty of time for cooking.

Chili Spiced Sweet Potatoes

1 1/2 – 2 pounds sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into 1/2″ x 2″ sticks
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400º. Combine all ingredients in a baking dish, 9″ x 13″ is a good size. Place dish in oven. Stir after about 15 minutes, when coconut oil has melted and you can stir to coat the sweet potatoes. Cook for approximately 45 minutes longer, until sweet potatoes have begun to brown. Stir several times during this time. Serve warm. These still taste delicious the next day, but their semi-crispy outside is best right after they are cool enough to eat.

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

February 28, 2010 · Filed under Autumn, Side/Salad, Spring, Winter · Tagged beets, dill, potatoes

Posted by Lisa

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

I love beets. I love potatoes. And I love dill. Why did it take me so long to put the three together? Beets and potatoes are both root vegetables, so it seems like a logical combination, but apparently not a common one.

I think dill weed is an under-appreciated herb. Sure, fresh dill heads or dill seeds are well-known since they are in dill pickles, but I’m talking dill weed. Fresh is obviously a much better choice than dried, but there’s no local, fresh dill to be found this time of year, so dried works well, too. Dill weed has a fresh, light, grassy flavor with almost lemony notes.

The combination of the beets and potatoes was a really lovely contrast. The beets are sweet and slippery, while the potatoes are soft and starchy. Combined with the fresh, subtle flavor of dill, this dish was a real hit. As with most roasted vegetable dishes, it’s a snap to prepare, but requires at least an hour of baking.

Dill Roasted Beets and Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds potatoes*, cut into 1/2″ cubes (use whatever variety you have on hand)
1 1/2 pounds beets*, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 2 teaspoons fresh dill weed)
1 teaspoon sea salt
several grinds of pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Preheat oven to 400°.

Gently combine first five ingredients and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a baking dish. A 9″ x 13″ baking dish or 12-14″ cast iron skillet will both work well. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until tender. After you remove from the oven, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix gently. Serve warm.

*I don’t generally peel most root vegetables unless they have very blemished/bruised areas, but this is a personal preference. Feel free to peel the potatoes and beets if you like.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

February 9, 2010 · Filed under Main Dish · Tagged mushrooms, soup

Posted by Lisa

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I love this soup. It’s creamy and earthy, rich and filling. It’s great to eat as soup and it is also wonderful used in dishes that call for canned cream of mushroom soup, because who wants all the junk in those canned soups? It freezes beautifully, so it’s very practical to make a double batch, eat half and freeze the other in pint-sized containers.

This has wheat and cream in it, so it’s not suitable for gluten or dairy-free, but a friend recently told me that her daughter made cream of mushroom soup using coconut milk with excellent results. It would certainly have a different flavor than this one, but a great idea for those who don’t consume dairy.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms, cleaned
1 teaspoon salt
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream

Slice half of the mushrooms (8 ounces) and chop the other half (8 ounces).

Melt 2 tablespoon butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and add sliced mushroom. Sauté until golden. Remove mushrooms and juices and reserve. Add remaining butter to the same pot and then add the chopped mushrooms, onions and salt. Cook, stirring frequently until onion is soft.

Return sliced mushrooms and juices to the pan. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Slowly add broth while stirring. Simmer, stirring often, until thickened. Add nutmeg and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Add heavy cream and remove from heat. (Do not boil or you will risk curdling the cream.) Ladle into bowl and garnish with chopped parsley if you wish.