A Little Blue to Brighten Your Day.

As I was getting ready to put together one of my more favorite breakfasts, it struck me that I should be sharing this with all of you!  Especially now that fresh blueberries are gracing the stands of local farmer's markets.

This bowl of deliciousness is a snap to prepare, is nutritious, and will keep you feeling satisfied well in to your day.  I can't think of anything better than that!

There isn't even a title for the recipe.  If you have a clever idea let me know. :)  Here's what's in it:

1.  Butler Farms sheep's milk ricotta cheese 
(also can substitute cottage cheese or another ricotta)

2.  fresh lemon zest

3.  REAL Maple Syrup

4.  fresh blueberries

5.  sweet Churna sprinkle

6.  slivered almonds

So let's talk about the ingredients a bit and put breakfast together:

1.  For one serving, put half of a container of Butler Farm's ricotta cheese in a bowl.  Her containers look to be about 8 oz. 

Butler Farms is the first licensed Grade A Sheep's milk dairy in the U.S. and is located in Whitehall, WI.  Proprietor, Janet Butler was an early member of Wisconsin's elite group of women cheese makers, a group that is growing in number every year.  She runs a specialty organic farmstead operation and does so in a very quiet manner.  She has no website, no prestigious marketing plan (her cheeses speak for themselves), and no ambition to grow her farm beyond its current humble size.  The only location I am aware of to purchase her cheese in our area, is at the Dane County Farmer's Market (She has a small table with an awning along E. Mifflin St. on the capitol square.)

Though she makes a variety of unique and interesting cheeses, including one of the only local camemberts, I have fallen in love with her ricotta.  It is creamy, with a light crumble, and deliciously mild with the sweetness only fresh milk can impart.  Yes, I could buy other brands of ricotta at most grocery stores (and I do during the winter months), but why would I when I can get this fresh, local product all summer long?  Because this cheese is so fresh and natural, it does not have a long shelf life.  Plan to eat it within a few days, or freeze it.

Janet only brings to market what she can sell in a day.  If she sells out of her ricotta before you get there, pick up another one of her cheeses to enjoy, then head to the Murphy Farms stand on Carroll St. and pick up some of their cottage cheese which makes a nice substitute.  Murphy Farms also has a stand at the Westside Community Market on Saturday mornings in the DOT parking lot.


2.  Zest a quarter of one fresh lemon over your bowl of ricotta cheese.  

The important thing about using the zest of any citrus fruit is that you only want the colored portion of the rind.  That's where all of the delicious oils are.  The white pith part of the rind is bitter and is not what you want in any of your food or cocktails.  If you don't have fresh lemon, Penzey's dried lemon zest could be substituted, but you'd want it to have been softened.  You could do this ahead of time by mixing a 1/2 tsp of the dried zest in to your small container of ricotta and letting it sit over night.  

3.  Drizzle a tablespoon or so of real maple syrup over the top. 

Please, for the love of all things holy, if you don't have real maple syrup in your pantry, dispose of the imitation liquid that you do have and pick up some real Wisconsin Maple syrup.  If you read the ingredients on your imitation syrup you may be shocked to see that it contains NO actual maple syrup!  You can find real maple syrup everywhere, including nearly every farmer's market in the state.  This was a rough year for maple syrup harvesting due to the warm winter and early spring, so supplies may dwindle sooner than later.  Yes, real maple syrup costs more than the "lite" chemical concoction sold as maple syrup in most grocery stores, and it should.  It takes a lot of love and work to get the sweet sap from the trees in to a bottle on the shelf.  And in addition to that, it is a nectar produced by Mother Nature that not only tastes better than artificial syrups but is a much healthier option.  You don't need "lite" maple syrup.  The real stuff has so much flavor you won't need to use nearly as much of it and the complexity of the sugars make it an easier load on your body than the corn syrup found in the artificial variety.  I buy Grade B syrup as it is less refined and has even more punch of flavor and color.

4.  Top with as many fresh blueberries as you can stand!  I use a 1/2 C. or so.  

Blueberries are in season right now, yeah!  I LOVE blueberries.  And, this time of year I enjoy as many as I can fresh, but I also freeze many pounds of them in pint bags so I can enjoy them all year round.  Blueberries are not only delicious but they are also nutritious.  They are loaded with fiber, vitamins, and flavonoid antioxidants (those molecules of immune boosting fame).  Don't wash your berries until you're ready to eat them and store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator.  If you are looking to save yourself some money you can pick your own blueberries at The Berry Farm in Baraboo, WI.  They have very limited picking hours so be sure to check their website before making the drive.

5.  Sprinkle on a little sweet Churna.

Okay, so this is kind of "outside the box" but it's a seasoning mix you'll love keeping on hand.  If you're not in the mood, you can just sprinkle your berries with a little cinnamon...though it won't have quite the same impact.  Churnas are a blend of spices used in Ayurvedic cooking to stimulate different characteristics in the body and bring balance to our doshas.  Sound like I'm speaking another language?  Well, that's because I am.  Ayurveda (ay-er-vay-da) is an ancient form of medicine from India that treats the body, mind, and spirit based on natural principles and innate characteristics.  Therapies aim to bring balance to these forces within the body.  Much of Ayurveda's medicine is in the form of the food and beverages we consume.  I use a Vata/Kapha sweet Churna when it's cold outside and a Pitta sweet Churna now while it's hot.  These spice mixes are delicious and can be added to nearly anything you would want to add a bit of sweet spice to.  The below Churna recipes come from Patty McCormick, a local Ayurdedic practitioner and educator.

Vata/Kapha sweet Churna:                                                Pitta sweet Churna:
8 parts cardamom                                                               2 parts cardamom
2 parts ginger powder                                                         1 part cinnamon
1 part cinnamon                                                                  1 part dried mint
                                                                                             1 part dried fennel

6.  Finish it off with a hefty helping of slivered almonds.

And if you want to keep it local, use some of the local hickory nuts you can by at the Dane County Farmer's Market.  God bless the sweet souls who still collect, crack, and clean the tasty morsels so we can have a local source for these special nuts.

Relax and dig in!!

It's Not Easy Being Green.

Over the years I've heard many friends express their frustration at not knowing what to do with their CSA vegetables week after week.  I will admit that as much as I love the veggies fresh from my garden and those from my CSA box, I too struggle with creative ideas on how to use up the fresh bounty before it goes bad.  And although some of us have our "go to" dishes, it's easy to get stuck in a rut.  Here are some of the things I've been doing with the beautiful greens (Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard, and Beet Greens) I've been getting in my CSA box for the past few weeks.

Although all of these greens have a slightly different flavor and texture profile, a nice thing about them is that most can be used interchangeably in many recipes.  Here's a little of what I know, and how I've been enjoying these nutritious delectables.

Kale

Red Russian & Lacinato Kale

You will find many different varieties of kale at farmer's markets and grocery stores.  The most common varieties I see at our local markets and in my CSA box are Russian Red Kale and Lacinato Kale.  It is a sturdy green that requires a more gentle cooking technique and longer cooking time to ensure that it ends up tender.  That said, it can also make a beautiful salad in its raw form when thinly sliced (watch here to learn how to chiffonade) and given time to marinate in a vinaigrette.  One of the most important things to know about kale is that before you do anything with it, you must remove the fibrous stem/vein that runs from the stem up the middle of each leaf.  It may seem tedious, but your dinner guests will thank you.

I recently made this kale salad with rave reviews.  It was inspired by a recipe posted on "A Spicy Perspective" blog for Grilled Ham Steaks with Southern Kale Salad.

Smoky Kale Salad

1 bunch Red Russian Kale, stems & ribs removed, leaves halved
3/4 C. coarsely chopped Almonds
1 Tbls rendered bacon grease or pork fat (you can use butter if you want, but you won't get the same flavor)
hefty pinch chipotle powder
hefty pinch smoked paprika (NOT the same as regular Hungarian or sweet paprika)
pinch sea salt
1/4 C. scallions or spring onions- finely diced
1 Kohlrabi, peeled and grated/shredded


Vinaigrette
1 Tbls Orange Zest
2 Tbls Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 C. good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbls honey
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp granulated garlic (powder)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper


1.  Stack kale leaf halves and thinly slice into shreds (chiffonade cut).  Place in salad bowl add scallions and Kohlrabi.
2.  Make vinaigrette by whisking together listed ingredients, pour over kale and toss well. Let this sit for 45 min to 1 hr, tossing periodically, so kale softens.
3.  In a small skillet melt fat over medium high heat, add almonds and seasonings. Shake pan over heat to roast nuts evenly until lightly golden....be careful not to burn.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4.  When ready to serve, toss kale one last time, sprinkle smoky almonds over top and serve.  

Collard Greens

Collard Greens

This is always a tough one for me.  The classic thing to do with Collard Greens is to make them southern style, stewing with smoky ham/bacon.  When some smaller tender leaves showed up in my CSA box recently I wanted to do something different with them.  I remembered seeing something in one of my raw food "cookbooks" (an interesting lifestyle I investigated a couple of years ago) about using Collard Greens as a sandwich wrap.  The recipe I found looked pretty unusual, but I wanted to give it a try, and the results were surprisingly good.  These wraps got happy reviews from my taste testers.  I enjoyed their fresh flavor and nutritious features so much that I made them again last week.  They could easily be used whole as a lunch or picnic item or maybe even sliced and layered on a tray as a party appetizer.

(If you are interested in sticking your toes in the Raw Food kiddie-pool, I recommend this cookbook..."Ani's Raw Food Kitchen" by Ani Phyo.  It has many fun, easy, and tasty things to try.  And, with all of the fresh produce at our disposal, this is the perfect time of year to check it out.)  The recipe below is based on the one found in Ani's book, but I've listed it with my changes.

Italian Herb Collard Wraps

Italian Herb Collard Wrap         

Sunny Dill Cheeze
2 C. sunflower seeds, just the meats, not the whole seeds with the shells
Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 Tbls
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch fresh dill (I used about 1/4 C. fresh fronds)
1/2 bunch fresh rosemary leaves, chopped (I've only had dried available, so used 1 tsp dried)
1 bunch fresh oregano leaves, chopped (I used approx. 2-3 Tbls)
1/2 C. water
(I added a pinch of salt as I used unsalted sunflower seeds)


1.  Blend seeds, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs until smooth, adding water as needed to make a creamy texture.  Set aside.


Fillings (prep fillings only as needed to make wraps at time they will be eaten)
1 bunch scallions, chopped 
3 Avocados, sliced individually as needed (I used approx 1/4 of an avocado per wrap)
2 tomatoes, sliced and halved
Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced (I used 1 lg or 2 small tomatoes per wrap)


Collard Green leaves, ribs removed and leaves halved (prep each leaf only as you are ready to eat it)                                  

1.  Spread 1/4 C. or so of Sunny Dill Cheeze over dull green side of leaf, dark green side of leaf should be facing down
2.  Sprinkle with chopped scallion.
3.  Layer sun dried tomato strips, a few avocado slices, and half a slice of tomato on one end of leaf.  Roll leaf around fillings from end to end into a tight cylinder. (cut edge of leaf on one end and raw edge of leaf on other)

Wraps will keep for one day in the refrigerator.  Wrap in a paper towel and store in an airtight container.  The collards will not get soggy, which is why they make such a great sandwich wrap.

Swiss Chard
Most of the Swiss Chard we see at the market is the rainbow variety.  It is really beautiful with shiny dark green leaves and bright multicolored stems.  The nice thing about chard is that, although you still have to remove the stems and veins, they aren't as fibrous as the other greens and thus are edible.  Because the stems are still more fibrous than the tender leaves, they must be chopped and cooked longer than the foliage.  Chard has a more earthy flavor than Spinach, but it can easily be substituted in nearly any dish that calls for spinach.

Beet greens
No more tossing the leafy greens at the top of your beets in to the compost bin!  They are edible and very nutritious.  The greens from Chioggia (Key-oh-jhah) beets are more tender than those of your typical dark red varieties.  All beet greens have an earthy flavor similar to that of the beets themselves.  A fun and easy way to enjoy beet greens is to sauté them and toss them with a vinaigrette to enjoy along with the roasted beets.  Like Spinach, beet greens can often be gritty so be sure to soak them in cool water and rinse well before preparing.

Ultimately, when I am short on time and motivation, my "go to" dish for greens and many other vegetables, is Quiche.  The inspiration for the recipe that I use comes from "Don't Panic, More Dinner's in the Freezer" by Martinez, Howell, & Garcia.  I always make a batch that will make two quiches.  One to eat right away and one to go in the freezer.  I can use the frozen quiche for a later meal or last minute for a party, picnic, or to give to a friend or neighbor in need.  Quiches are so versatile and can be enjoyed for any meal of the day.  Here is the quiche I made last night.

Quiche

I box frozen fresh pie crust, 2-9 inch pie crusts, thawed & unbaked (This is definitely a place where I cheat. Pie crust is really pretty simple to make, but I always keep a box or two of these on hand in my freezer. Immaculate Baking Company makes an "all natural" product that Willy St Co-op sells.)
2 C. chopped bacon; sausage or chicken would also work (I recently found an exciting treasure at Willy St. Co-op...Willow Creek Farm sells their bacon ends in packages that they label as Lardons.  A less expensive option for WCF's awesome bacon when you want to use it for something other than eating in slices)
1 bunch each, chopped beet greens and swiss chard (chard stems chopped separately)
1 lg onion, diced
5 garlic scapes, chopped
1/4 C. chopped fresh basil
1/4 C. chopped fresh dill
8 eggs
1 C. whole milk (you can also use 1/2 & 1/2)
3 Tbls fresh lemon juice
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
pinch of nutmeg
3 C. shredded swiss cheese or mozzarella cheese (I cleaned out my cheese drawer and combined some Edelweiss swiss, Marieke garlic-onion gouda, and Carr Valley Chèvre au Lait...I LOVE the name of this cheese!)
oil for sautéing


1. In a large skillet heat 1 Tbls cooking oil over medium heat, add chopped bacon and cook until beginning to brown.
2.  Add onions, garlic scapes, and chard stems.  Continue to cook until soft and beginning to turn golden.
3.  Add greens and fresh herbs.  Toss in pan frequently until greens are tender.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4.  Place pie crusts in two 9 inch pie pans, fluting the edges.
5.  Thoroughly whisk eggs, milk, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in mixing bowl. 
6.  Spread cooled meat-veggie mixture in bottom of crusts, dividing equally.  Sprinkle with equal amounts of cheese.  Pour egg mixture over top equally between both pies.
7.  If baking, place in pre-heated 375 degree oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until center of quiche is just set.  If crust begins to over brown, cover edges with aluminum foil.  Remove from oven and enjoy.
8.  If freezing, cover quiche with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.  Carefully place unbaked quiche on level surface in freezer.  When fully frozen, wrap tightly, label, and return to freezer.  When ready to eat, thaw completely in refrigerator and bake according to above directions.  You can also freeze quiche after it's been baked.

**A couple of important tips on storing your greens.  Do not wash them until you are ready to use.  I wrap mine in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag for storing in the refrigerator.  I can often store these hardier greens like this for almost two weeks before they begin to yellow and wilt.

I hope this helps liven up your kitchen a little and gives you some fresh ideas for using the wonderful greens that have been filling your market bags and CSA boxes.  While I'm at it, I have to give a HUGE thank you to my CSA farmer, Kyle Thom, of Roots Down Community Farm, and all of the other farmers out there who are working tirelessly in these extreme weather conditions to make sure we have beautiful, local, healthy food for our tables.  I can't express my appreciation enough for what you do.  I also want to thank my dear friend, Jenny Liska-Boyer and her boys, Dylan and Parker, for their help this summer getting the hard work done in my own garden.

Dylan and our giant Dill harvest!

What are your favorite ways for using summer greens??


Interested in a chance to visit a beautiful CSA farm and enjoy good eats made by local chefs?  
Join REAP for this year's Day on the Farm event!  
Sunday, July 15th, 2012
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Crossroads Community Farm 
(formerly Primrose Community Farm)
Cross Plains, WI
Tickets can be purchased on REAP's website (at the link above)
Event also will include farm tours, chef demos, and fun kids activities.


I have always had a great time at this annual event!!