vegetables

Raking Leaves and Creating Memories

I identify myself as unusual, and here’s why: I recently recognized raking leaves as a 2014 top fall memory. With the identification comes a story. A college friend and I spent our fall break at my house in Minnesota. My friend comes from Hawaii, where leaves don’t fall (weird!), so she had never before raked leaves. Shockingly, I found myself excited to head to the yard with my family and friend for her first leaf gathering experience, and even more shockingly, I enjoyed being out there. Thus, raking leaves is a fond memory. Afterwards the girls went for manicures and pedicures, perhaps favorably tainting my thoughts.

Fall is here, temperatures are dropping, and famers market season is wrapping up, so I’m making the most of the last fall vegetables: broccoli, onions, and parsley.

Balsamic Mahi Mahi with Broccoli

1/2 lb mahi mahi

2 medium heads broccoli

1/4 cup onion, roughly chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp parsley

Salt and pepper

Steam broccoli until still slightly firm, about 6 minutes. In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil on medium high. Place mahi mahi in skillet, season with parsley, salt, and pepper; and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn mahi mahi and add onion to skillet, sautéing until mahi mahi is cooked through and onion is translucent, 4-6 minutes. Turn heat to low, add broccoli, balsamic vinegar, and garnish with extra parsley. Stir to mix flavors and serve.

Cumin Roasted Carrots

Hello, second week of school. I’m settled back at school in Illinois, where I’m reconnecting with friends and starting to study. So far I love living in a house with my six best friends. All six of us are rational and considerate, so we’ll never have conflict. Stop laughing. I know we’ll have disagreements, but for now we’re on top of the world finding each other and the house.

I know the transition to fall vegetables has begun, since I saw Brussels sprouts at the farmers market last weekend. That being said, it’s time to roast carrots. This is the simplest side you’ll make, but it looks fancy and delicious.

Roasted Carrots

1 bunch carrots (about 15 medium sized)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cumin
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange carrots on jelly roll pan in a single layer and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle cumin, salt, and pepper on carrots. Roast carrots in oven, turning once, for 35-40 minutes, or until carrots are soft.

Summer Veggie Salad with Herb Vinaigrette

SO MANY VEGETABLES. That’s what I thought this week after our CSA delivery. However, it’s important to note I didn’t view this as a problem; rather, I immediately planned to make a salad. Summer Veggie Salad with Herb Vinaigrette resulted from my planning, so there we were eating our vegetables and herbs. As you’ll gather, the salad works with any raw veggies, the fresher the better, so throw in what you have. I listed the vegetables I used below, since I loved the mix.

Summer Veggie Salad

2 ears of corn

1 cucumber

1 zucchini

2 heirloom tomatoes

3 carrots

Herb Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp basil

1 tsp sage

1 tsp chives

salt and pepper

Boil water for corn, and cook corn for about 3-4 minutes. Roughly chop all veggies, and combine in a large bowl. If warm, rinse corn under cold water to cool, then cut off from cob. In a container with a lid, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon, basil, sage, and chives, and shake to combine. Season veggies with salt and pepper, and toss with vinaigrette. Let salad sit covered for 15 minutes to let flavors blend.

Roasted Cauliflower

It seems I’m turning into quite a traveller. This weekend marks my third plane trip in six days. I am visiting friends from school in the Chicagoland area this weekend! I love being busy, but next weekend I’ll spend time at home.

Roasted Cauliflower is a year-round favorite at our house. Roasted veggies are always fit for the colder months, but we roast locally grown farmers market cauliflower during the summer.

Time to board the plane. See you in Minneapolis!

Roasted Cauliflower

1 medium head cauliflower

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop cauliflower into 1 inch florets. Place cauliflower into sealable sack and add olive oil, tossing to coat. Place cauliflower in oven safe baking dish, add garlic, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook cauliflower until lightly browned, 35-45 minutes, depending on desired softness.

Brussels Sprout Slaw

I wish the long Memorial Day weekend continued forever, but alas, I return to the weekday routine. A number of highlights from the weekend… My mom bought a new car, which is significant because she gave me her old one! My family enjoyed Sunday Night Supper at The Bachelor Farmer (we love the place). Finally, I attended my first Twins baseball game of the season. Also, the weather was perfect all weekend, never a given.

After eating a few foods I shouldn’t have (these Texas Sheet Cake Cookies, for example), I enjoyed the light and refreshing Brussels Sprout Slaw. It works as a side dish with dinner or to bring to a party, if you do that sort of thing.

Another note is that I used my brand new mandoline for the salad! It worked very well, and I’m excited to use it again.

Brussels Sprout Slaw

4 cups shaved Brussels sprouts

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped almonds

salt and pepper

Using a mandoline, shred Brussels sprouts. In bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Add shredded Brussels sprouts to dressing and stir to combine. Add parmesan cheese, almonds, salt, and pepper, again stirring to combine. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.

Blackened Brussels Sprouts

There’s one thing you should know. Brussels sprouts are my favorite food in the whole world. I really think I could eat them every day for the rest of my life.

That being said, this recipe is a fun twist on the classic sauté.

You’ll need worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, olive oil, cumin, garlic powder and brussels sprouts.

To start, cut off the brussels sprouts stems and slice the sprouts lengthwise. Place the groomed vegetables in a bag, add two tablespoons of olive oil and toss.

Next, put the brussels sprouts in a frying pan on medium high heat. Leave them here, stirring occasionally, until sufficiently blackened (7 minutes for me). The brussels sprouts will likely still be firm, so turn the heat down to low, and let them cook about ten more minutes, again stirring occasionally.

When the brussels sprouts are soft, right before removing for serving, add two teaspoons worcestershire, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and hot sauce to taste. Stir around and serve.

Blackened Brussels Sprouts

12 oz brussels sprouts

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

hot sauce, to taste

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Trim brussels sprouts and cut in half, lengthwise. Toss brussels sprouts and olive oil in sealed bag. Cook brussels sprouts in frying pan on medium-high heat for 7 minutes until blackened, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and let brussels sprouts cook for 10 minutes, until soft, again stirring occasionally.

When soft, add worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, cumin and garlic powder.