Have you ever seen such a beautiful squash?!

On a recent visit from my upstate sister (who lives on an almost-farm complete with babies, horses, chickens, guinea hens, cats, a dog, and two big organic gardens) I was graced with a box of beautiful fall squash in many colors, shapes, and sizes: pumpkins big and small, several butternuts, a hubbard squash (see below) which delighted me with its vivid honeydew color and sent the Old Mother Hubbard rhyme tripping through my head, dark-green acorn squash, spaghetti squash (which I have yet to try!), and several acorn-style squash that I am calling "leopard" acorns as I don't know the real name. Have you ever seen anything more lovely with such a misleading name as squash?

To cook autumn gourds like these, simply cut in half, scoop out the seeds and membrane, and place cut-side-down in an oven-proof baking dish, with about 1/2" of water in the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees until a sharp knife slides into the side easily, about 30-45 minutes depending on size. Turn right-side-up on the serving plates and fill the hollows with butter and a sprinkling of brown sugar or succanat (dehydrated cane sugar juice). We enjoyed our leopard acorn with quiche, but these types of squash are also great with meat dishes and can take the place of a starch in your autumn meals. Bon appetit!

Quinoa-stuffed peppers

I was never a fan of quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) because it always tasted a little weird to me; however, I have at last discovered that proper preparation takes care of this problem and makes quinoa absolutely delicious!

Quinoa is one of those whole grains that's considered to be really healthy by modern health-nuts (of which I am NOT one). I do not ascribe to the current brand of health-fanaticism which claims we should eat tons of whole grains all the time; this type of diet would simply be too carb-heavy for most of us humans. I think foods should be prized for their long-standing tradition, for their flavors, and also for their nourishing benefits, not simply because they are a whole grain, per se, and therefore high in dietary fiber. There is more to health than this, but enough said for now.

In some traditional cultures quinoa was prized for its health benefits, and has even enjoyed galactogogue status in South America for a very long time (a galactogogue is a food thought to increase the supply of breast milk). Interestingly enough, however, in Peru, where quinoa is an important traditional grain among the Incas and Indians, it is considered toxic if not rinsed and soaked properly. This is a truth that we find repeated over and over in many cultures: foods are beneficial to our bodies not only because of their intrinsic nature, but more importantly because of how they are prepared. Of course, proper preparation also improves the flavor and our enjoyment when eating these "healthy" foods! So you must soak the quinoa ahead of when you want to make this dish. It will take about an hour or so to prepare everything, but unless you are feeding a large family there will be plenty of leftovers which heat up beautifully in a warm oven. You may also, of course, add some type of ground meat or increase the amount of cheese to make this dish even heartier. *Special tip: if you're making bone broth (stock) during the week preceding making the peppers, you can save the cooked veggies from the stock and use them in this recipe! Carrots and celery are great re-used in this way.*

You will need:
-2 cloves garlic
-olive oil
-1 medium onion
-2-3 large carrots
-2 stalks celery
-1 large tomato
-3 cups broth (preferably homemade)
-2 cups cooked beans
-2 cups organic quinoa
-6-8 medium bell peppers
-1 cup grated raw-milk hard cheese (plus a little extra to melt on top)
-1 tbsp. cumin

To start, rinse 2 cups organic quinoa to remove the saponins (a soap-like natural pesticide). Then soak in a big bowl with plenty of water and 4 tbsp. liquid whey or lemon juice. Keep the bowl in a warm spot covered with plastic wrap for up to a week (I soak quinoa between 2-5 days); it needs at least 8 hours, but I find that longer makes it taste better. Never mind if a white surface forms on the water, or if it looks or smells weird. It's fine, just busy doing its job of breaking down the anti-nutrients in the quinoa by means of beneficial bacteria & enzymes.

Next, prepare the peppers by slicing lengthwise down the center and scraping out the seeds (you can leave the stems for a nice touch). Set aside.

In a large pot, saute a couple cloves of chopped garlic and a chopped onion in at least 3 tbsp. olive oil (extra-virgin). Then add one chopped tomato, 2 diced carrots (cooked or raw), 2 stalks chopped celery, 2 cups cooked black beans (more if desired, any kind will do), 1 tbsp. cumin, and 3 cups chicken stock or broth (or a combination of water & broth). You will need to thoroughly rinse the quinoa and add it at this time, then simmer covered until everything is soft, most of the liquid is evaporated, and the flavors are blended (about 20 minutes). Adjust seasonings to taste, remove from heat, and stir in most of the cheese. Fill the peppers and place in an oiled oven-proof casserole dish; you can mound the rest of the filling in around them. Add about 1/4" of liquid to the bottom (cooking liquid, or broth, or water), dot the peppers all over with plenty of butter, and sprinkle the tops of the peppers with cheese. Bake covered for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. At the end, remove the lid and allow the peppers to bake about 10 minutes longer, until the tops are brown and melty.

I think these alternative-style stuffed peppers are absolutely delicious, but with one caveat: the first time I made them I followed the recipe pretty exactly (it's from the Feb. 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times), and after eating a large serving I felt weirdly hungry. I just wasn't satisfied. This time I added lots of butter, and the peppers were much more satisfying. I find that meals without much saturated fat are simply not satisfying for me, and I suspect this holds true for many other Americans. As people in this country have cut out a lot of the high-quality saturated fat in their diets over the past 30 years they have instead replaced them with lots of sugar. How often do you feel unsatisfied after a meal and reach for something sweet? You might try adding more saturated fat from grass-fed animals or coconuts (butter, lard, eggs, coconut meat & oil) and see if you notice a difference in your satiety level and if you enjoy a more satisfying flavor experience.

Bon appetit!

Simple summer salad

Yesterday for lunch Oliver and I enjoyed some delicious canned salmon (wild-caught, from Alaska). Generally I prefer to source our foods locally, but we have been tightening our budget belt a little lately and so I have turned to high-quality canned salmon as a great option for healthy fish. Oliver had his salmon pre-chewed (by me) and mixed with a little raw butter and a tiny pinch of sea salt. I opted to spread mine in chunks over a big fresh salad of red leaf and romaine lettuces, with red onion, radishes, and cucumber (all from the Union Square Greenmarket, purchased Monday). A big leafy green salad is a delicious and budget-friendly summer meal with each huge fresh head of lettuce currently at around $2-3. I got mine 2-for-$5 at a small organic stand run by a Korean couple. I also included some crumbled raw milk cheddar from Central Valley Farm. For dressing, I used the classic vinaigrette I love so well and enjoy making so much (see my instructions here).

When buying canned salmon, look for the words "wild-caught" and "Alaskan." Of course, if this is cost-prohibitive just get the best you can afford. However, the Alaskan salmon is generally considered cleaner in terms of pollution, and of course you always want to buy wild-caught, even if you are on a tight budget, as farmed salmon are notoriously bad for the environment and not great for your health either. Try to get a brand that contains only fish, and perhaps a little sea salt. And be sure to serve the skin and bones (they are quite soft), which are delicious and highly nutritious as well!

Naturally you will want to round out this meal a bit, depending on your appetite, activity level, and taste. I opted for a toasted slice of whole wheat sourdough miche (from Bread Alone, an organic bakery at the USG which doesn't include yeast in their sourdough). I spread it thickly with raw butter (from Springwater Farm in PA), and also had a local peach for dessert. If you're still hungry, include a glass of kefir or raw milk next time with your meal, or slice a hard-boiled pasture-raised egg on top of the salad.

Please weigh in here: what do you like for lunch in the summer? What do you enjoy putting on your salads? Where do you get great local ingredients?

Eggplant "fries"

I kid you not, Oliver and I eat these as if they were the most delicious French fries in the world -- they are really THAT good! All my life I disliked eggplant because I had only ever had it in the typical eggplant parm fashion, which doesn't really flavor the eggplant properly (maybe I've just never had really good eggplant parm, who knows?).

In recent years, though, I discovered I LOVE eggplant two ways: one is khoresh badamjan, which is an exquisitely delicious (but simple!) eggplant, lamb, and tomato stew made in the Persian style (recipe forthcoming in the next couple weeks! I just have to pick up some lamb for this), and the other way is roasted. Roasting thin eggplant wedges with olive oil and sea salt is similar to frying, but without all the work of watching vigilantly, flipping, and waiting. Even the cutting is easier with this method. Now is a great time to try eggplant cooked this way because they are only $1.25/lb. at the farmers' market! You could have a really nice snack for just $1 or so.

You will want to pick relatively slim eggplants for this recipe, about a foot in length (the idea is to be able to make thin wedges out of them). Eggplants are mainly water, so they shrink down dramatically which means you will need to make two of them for a big snack for you and your little one. Just wash them thoroughly, cut off the ends, cut in half once (around the "waist", not lengthwise), and slice into thin wedges. I usually make about 32 wedges in all from each one.

Next spread the wedges in a shallow layer in 2 oven-proof dishes (I recommend glass or ceramic), pour on a good amount of olive oil (maybe 1/4 cup per dish), add a few generous pinches of sea salt, and mix everything up very well (using your hands is fine! have your kids help you). Then bake at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, turning a few times during cooking. The idea is for them for get a little brown and crispy, but also very soft and translucent.

Bon appetit!

Cheeseburgers!

Last Monday I was at the Greenmarket with Oliver, on a mission to buy whatever was available and make some great meals. Usually I plan ahead what I am going to make, then buy according to a list, but I decided to try things more Iron Chef-style and see what would happen...

It was 5:30 and I didn't have too many options since many vendors were packing up or long gone. So I picked up some veggies (baby bok choy, kale, celeriac, parsnips, red potatoes, blue potatoes, arugula, napa cabbage), apples for a tart, a dozen extra-large pastured eggs, a loaf of whole wheat sourdough, and a container of delicious Korean kim chee. Then I ended up at the Central Valley farm booth where all they had for sale was raw milk cheddar (smoked and regular), and grass-fed ground beef. I instantly thought: cheeseburgers! I bought one lb. of the beef ($5.50 - a great price for grass-fed!), and an 8-oz. block of cheddar ($5). Then I picked up two small sourdough loaves (white flour, a compromise) to serve as upscale burger buns. Walking to the train I realized the napa cabbage would make a great slaw with the mayo Sarah and I made a couple weeks ago!

We had cheeseburgers two nights last week -- I used fresh thyme, fresh oregano, plenty of dried basil, lots of raw milk, whole wheat panko bread crumbs, sea salt, and organic Worcestershire sauce to season the meat. The cole slaw was made from shredded napa cabbage, finely-grated red radish & parsnip, homemade mayo, Dijon and lemon juice. We also made our own version of oven-fried blue potato chips (thinly-sliced blue potatoes tossed with olive oil, sea salt & pepper and baked at 400 degrees til crispy). Hugo hadn't eaten a burger in over 15 years, and pronounced this one delicious! I was impressed with how everything came together so well by just buying what was available. Definitely going to try this again every week!

How have you bean?

Okay, so that's a pretty silly title, but I couldn't resist.

Oliver is 7.5 months old now and becoming ever more (ahem) helpful in the kitchen. Today he helped me prepare string beans for two of my favorite dishes that Hugo and I will enjoy this week: garlicky sauteed string beans and beans with Dijon dressing. Granted these crunchy delicious beans are totally out of season, but I had a hankering. After a long winter of root veggies, winter squash, and dark leafy greens I just thought string beans would be a great treat! Oliver thinks so, too. He's having a good nosh on one here.