Pickled Cucumber Salad

From the July 16 Co-op newsletter:

Ingredients:

• 3 Cucumbers
• 3/4 C Sugar
• 1 C White Vinegar
• 8-10 Ice Cubes
• Salt to taste

Directions:

Thinly slice cucumbers. You choose if you want to leave the skin on or take it off. Place in a non-reactive bowl.

In a saucepan combine white vinegar and sugar, cook till sugar dissolves.

Once cool, pour the sugar/vinegar mixture over the cucumbers.

Top with salt and ice cubes. Place in refrigerator.

Once the cubes melt, the salad is ready.

You could add if you’re feeling fancy: Sesame seeds, dill, cayenne, garlic, onions, basil, parsley, mint, or pepper.

 

Zucchini Boats

Recipe by Ann Hale, from the July 2 Co-op newsletter:

Adjust the ingredients to meet your family’s dietary preferences. In place of turkey sausage, use cooked grain. Whatever vegetables you have around will work for the stuffing, and feel free to top with whatever cheese you have on hand.

On a baking sheet, roast cut side down for 15 minutes @ 350 degrees:
2 medium (8 “) zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, pulp scooped out and set aside

Saute in small amount of olive or other good oil:
2 Cups (approx.) total of a mixture of reserved zucchini pulp, chopped bell peppers, swiss chard, spinach, onions, shallots, parsley, fresh basil and/or other herbs, fresh garlic, tomato, mushrooms, or whatever you have on hand

Add 2 Cups (approx.) cooked turkey sausage or a cooked whole grain of your choice

Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper; lemon zest adds a refreshing zing if you like.

Stuff the boats with the sautéed mix; sprinkle with something crunchy like a mixture of chopped nuts/seeds, and lightly drizzle with olive or other oil.

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. If you like, sprinkle with a grated cheese.

 

Swiss Chard Roll Ups

Filling:
2 cups Chicken broth
1 cup rice
Boil until waters is gone but don’t cook completely. While rice is cooking:
Fry 3/4 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion cut up fine
2 cloves garlic chopped up fine
Add rice to meat when done… add 1/4 can of diced tomatoes, 1/4 tsp Cheyenne pepper and 1 tablespoon basil
Take 12-15 large chard leaves, cut off the bottom of the stalk.
Place in a sieve and pour boiling water from kettle over chard to blanch it. Take mixture off of heat and add tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese. Lay a leave of Chard out and fill using tooth picks to hold together. Place in pan.
Take the rest of the diced tomatoes and put in a frying pan with 1 cup of water and . . .
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp of Cayenne pepper
1 clove chopped garlic.
Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes and then pour over the chard rolls.
Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. At 25 minutes sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!
Moonstruck Farms

 

BASIL SOUP

1 ½ Cups Basil (packed into a measuring cup)

½ Cup Walnuts or Pine nuts

6 -8 Cloves Garlic

1 Qt. Vegetable or Chicken Stock

Salt and Pepper to taste.
Place the first 3 ingredients with enough stock to blend, in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour the paste into the stock to warm or serve cold. Serve with a sprinkling of good grated Parmesan and or Romano Cheese. Note: Parsley may be used as a substitute if you don’t have enough basil.

by Michelle

 

JENNIFER’S MIZUNA

Mizuna is awesome in a salad with watermelon, feta, basil, mint, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.

This was printed in Tierra Miguel CSA’s August newsletter.

 

Herb Butter

Just add 2 teaspoons of your favorite combination of fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil or cilantro to 1 stick softened butter (1/2 cup), blend with your preferred appliance, form into roll and wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight for next day! Enjoy!

Great on Fresh Bread!

Also delicious on fish, meat and vegetables.

by Moonstruck Farms

 

Zucchini Crust Pizza

From Judi Skillman

4 (minimum!) cups coarsely grated zucchini ( I’ve been known to triple that!)

3 (or more!) eggs, beaten

1/3 C flour

1/2 (or more!) C grated mozzarella

1/2 (or more!) C parmesan

1 T fresh basil, minced

Preheat oven to 350.

Consistency should be wet enough to coat everything and just enough flour to keep the mix from running like water.

Lightly salt the zucchini & set aside for 15 minutes, then squeeze out all the excess moisture.

Combine all the ingredients, and spread into an oiled 9×13 baking pan.

Bake 20-30 minutes until the surface is dry and firm (or longer if using more zucchini & making a thicker crust).

Brush the top with oil and broil it, under moderate heat for aprox. 5 minutes (until very lightly brown that is how I like it)

Pile all of your favorite pizza toppings on (tomato sauce, olives, sauteed mushrooms, peppers, lots of cheese, etc.) and heat the whole mess for 25 min.

 

Spring Garlic Pesto

2 bulbs Spring Garlic

2 cups Basil

1/4 cup Pine Nuts, toasted

1/4 Cup Hard Cheese such as Romano (this is optional, it will mask the delicate flavor of the spring garlic)

1/4 – 1/2 cup Olive Oil, more/less as needed

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Make sure to add oil slowly, and as needed for your desired consistency. Serve over asparagus, pasta, shrimp or whatever you usually put pesto on. If storing, top with a thin layer of olive oil and it will retain the beautiful color you started with.

 

Warm Spinach Salad with Quinoa and Grape Tomatoes

This naturally gluten-free salad is dairy-free vegan yummalicious. If you do eat dairy, a crumble of goat cheese or feta would also be fabulous (but I didn’t miss the cheese).

Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
About 1/2 to 2/3 cup cooked quinoa per person
1 generous cup washed organic baby spinach leaves per person
A handful of organic grape tomatoes per person, halved
1 scallion per person, washed, sliced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Sprinkle of nutmeg
Sprinkle of fresh or dried herbs- parsley, thyme, basil, or mint
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (or Champagne vinegar if, like me, you’re allergic to lemon)

Gently heat a large pan (I used a wok). Pour in some extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic; stir and warm the oil for a minute. Add the cooked quinoa and heat through. Add the baby spinach leaves, tomatoes and scallions. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Sprinkle with nutmeg and herbs. Stir to mix. Sprinkle with lemon juice and stir. When the spinach begins to wilt remove from heat (I don’t like soggy spinach so I cook this very quickly).

Serve in a bowl. Dig in. Be happy.

Karina’s Notes:

Omnivores- add crumbled cooked bacon for a BLT flavor. Or add chopped hard boiled eggs.

For how to cook quinoa see my post: How To Cook Quinoa- The Super Easy Way.”

by Paloma

 

Grilled Zucchini

Wash & trim ends off zucchini.  split once length wise.  Put into a zip lock bag with organic olive oil, and any herbs you like.  I use garlic, basel, oregano, pepper and sea salt.  Marinate in fridge 2 hours or overnight.  (This also works with peppers, portabello mushrooms, green onions, etc)

Throw on the BBQ until tender…enjoy.

by Debbie