Oh yeah and then there's the holidays.
So many expectations this time of year - cookies, cards, gifts, parties and so much more. I find myself rebelling on so many levels. You can tell by our family's meals last week that I was staging some kind of stand against it all. It's as if I was sub consciously refusing anything holiday in nature - that includes food the color green and apparently anything healthy too.
Here's what's in season and at the farm this week;
Pancakes with M&M's
3-4 Tilapia fillets
1-2 cups flour
Tablespoon of Paprika
1 cup Sour Cream or Plain or Greek Yogurt
Milk
Lemons
Mix these together for a tartar sauce:
Mayonnaise
Dill
Lemons
Mix a couple tablespoons milk in with the sour cream and place in a shallow dish (should be more like thick creamy milk consistency). Mix the flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Pour enough oil in a deep pan that you can float the fish in without them touching the bottom. Heat on high. Cut the fillets up into strips or chunks, however you like to eat them. dredge the strips in the wet bowl and then the dry bowl and set aside. Make sure all the sides are coated. Drop a small bit of flour or piece of fish in the oil - its ready when you see it bubble and roll. Place your coated fillets 1-3 at a time in the oil and turn as it browns. They should be golden brown color. Don't put too many in at a time. Take them out and dry them on some paper towels. Serve hot with lemons and vinegar. Don't be afraid to salt these up.
This week is a little more the norm around here thanks to the beautiful produce we have around that I can't bear to let go to waste.
We are enjoyed a whole grain rice salad yesterday. You can buy cooked wild and brown rice in the freezer or dry goods sections of many stores now if you want to speed this up.
Combine the hot rice, spinach, and most of the walnuts in a large bowl. Toss until the spinach wilts a bit.
Make the vinaigrette by combining one-third of the oranges, the olive oil, white wine vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon salt and blending until smooth. Add a generous splash of the dressing to the salad.
Tear the remaining oranges in half and stir most of them into the rice. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Turn the salad out onto a platter and finish with the last of the oranges, walnuts, and goat cheese, if using. Serve immediately.
Uses: Spinach, oranges.
I also made Farro Soup yesterday and put it in the fridge for tonight. This is a really yummy warm soup to have around. It fills you up and provides some great nourishment at dinner and/or at lunch.
Farro Soup with Curry Powder, Lentils and Salted Lemon Yogurt (Courtesy of Heidi Swanson, Super Natural Every Day)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 cup peeled, diced sweet potato or winter squash
Fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Indian curry powder
2/3 cup semi-pearled farro
1 1/4 cups green or black lentils, picked over and rinsed
6 cups vegetable broth or water (I went with low-sodium broth)
1 cup plain yogurt of Greek-style yogurt or creme fraiche (I've used both)
Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
Directions
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and sweet potato. Add a big pinch of salt and saute until the onions soften a bit, a couple of minutes.
Add the curry powder; stir until onions and sweet potatoes are coated and the curry is fragrant, a minute or so.
Add the farro, lentils and 6 cups of the broth broth. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. (I used semi-pearled farro and it took me 45 minutes for the soup to cook. Then I let it sit in the dutch oven, covered, and off-heat for another 15 minutes.)
Taste and season with more salt, if needed. (Don't under-salt or the soup will taste flat.) While the soup is cooking, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve each bowl of soup topped with a dollop of lemon yogurt and a drizzle of olive oil.
Add the curry powder; stir until onions and sweet potatoes are coated and the curry is fragrant, a minute or so.
Add the farro, lentils and 6 cups of the broth broth. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. (I used semi-pearled farro and it took me 45 minutes for the soup to cook. Then I let it sit in the dutch oven, covered, and off-heat for another 15 minutes.)
Taste and season with more salt, if needed. (Don't under-salt or the soup will taste flat.) While the soup is cooking, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve each bowl of soup topped with a dollop of lemon yogurt and a drizzle of olive oil.
Uses: Sweet potatoes, lemons
I've still got Kale from last week and I got a bit more this week so I'm going to try these Mashed Potatoes with Kale (I'll use the red potatoes instead of russets) this week as well. Maybe with a roasted chicken.
I'm just not feeling the eggplant this week so if anyone has any ideas please share...maybe I'll just dress it up with some lights and a red hat and see if that gets me in the spirit!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/mashed-potatoes-with-kale-recipe/index.html
