Red Peppers

I rarely eat red peppers in July. Local ones don't show up at the market until August, and I prefer to eat locally-grown produce.

But last week our local independent supermarket had organic red peppers imported from Mexico, and I picked up a packet. I like to support local business, but since I won't buy non-organic or processed food, my choices are often limited. This local store, however, is doing its best to cater to people like me as well as to normal people.

I took the peppers home, and because they were imported I washed them more thoroughly than I do the produce I buy from local farmers.

My local farmers eat the food they grow. If it were bacterially compromised, they would suffer the same effects I would. So they're careful with their food.

Produce shipped long distances and stored in large warehouses along the way has very little accountability - that's where the problems come in, I think. Give me small farms and local farmers any day.

Except, I wanted to support my local independent grocery store.

The peppers were organic, so I was not worried about systemic pesticides. I washed the outsides with dishwashing liquid. I use Planet, a coconut-based cleaner. (Did you know most dishwashing liquids are made from petroleum? Kind of weirds me out to be putting a fork in my mouth after it's been washed in petroleum.)

The dishwashing liquid is a good veggie wash for external pesticide residue, but I was most concerned with the dust of the road and the germs of the many hands that had touched my well-travelled peppers.

Satisfied they were clean, I cooked them up for my grilled vegetable salad. They were excellent. And I was happy to have supported my local independent grocery store, as well as the organic farmers in Mexico whose workers are not being poisoned by the chemicals used in conventional agriculture.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

This is a full-meal salad that is quickly made on the barbecue or a grill pan.

It can also be an accompaniment to a barbecue meal, in which case the orange juice in the salad dressing will counteract the negative effects of eating grilled meat.

As you know, oranges are a great source of Vitamin C, the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Vitamin C protects against free radicals in the watery environment both inside and outside of cells. This is especially useful in the digestive tract where there is a high turnover rate of cells - Vitamin C intake is linked to a decreased risk of colon cancer. It also prevents cholesterol from oxidizing.

Of course, I don't eat barbecued meat, so I enjoy this salad for its taste, not its health benefits.

Grilled Vegetable Salad
1 bunch fresh asparagus
1 red pepper, cut in quarters
4 tbsp olive oil, divided use
4 slices baguette
1/4 cup orange juice (from 1 orange)
2 tbsp thyme leaves
2 tsp mustard
green leaf lettuce

Grill the asparagus (click here for instructions). When it's done, remove from grill.

Toss the red pepper in 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Grill, turning occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Brush bread with remaining olive oil and grill until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side.

Set everything aside to cool while you prepare the dressing. Whisk together orange juice, thyme, mustard, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut asparagus and red peppers into bite-sized pieces. Toss with enough dressing to lightly coat. Arrange lettuce on a serving plate and place tossed vegetables on top. Serve with toasted baguette and the extra dressing on the side.

Serves 2-3.

Grilled Asparagus

When I lived in Montreal, local asparagus was a sign that summer had finally arrived.

Here in LA, asparagus is available for many months of the year, and it's easy to get blasé about it. But the other day I cooked a bunch on my cast-iron stovetop grill, and discovered new dimensions of flavor in this healthy vegetable.

There are many reasons to eat asparagus. It is high in potassium (known for reducing abdominal fat) and glutathione (a powerful antioxidant). It's a good source of folate, an anti-inflammatory vitamin that provides important protection against cancer and birth defects. It's one of the best sources of the bone-building vitamin K. And it's a detoxifier that is traditionally used to prevent and treat urinary tract infections and kidney stones.

This recipe works on the barbecue too. I learned the trick in The Big Book of Backyard Cooking by Betty Rosbottom. This is not a vegetarian book, but there are lots of good things in it around the edges, like this great way of cooking asparagus.

Grilled Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus
2 tbsp olive oil

Chop the ends off the asparagus spears, and rinse under running water.

Fill a bowl with 4 cups water and the 2 tbsp olive oil. Soak the asparagus in it for 5 minutes.

Warm the grill pan to medium heat. (If using a barbecue, oil the grill rack and place it 4-5 inches over a hot fire.)

Drain the asparagus, toss it with a little salt and pepper, and place it in a single layer in the grill pan or on the barbecue. (It will spatter a little.) Grill, turning occasionally with tongs, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Walnut and Sage Tapenade

On these warm summer evenings, salads make a great dinner. But sometimes the plate of raw vegetables needs a little something extra.

This non-traditional tapenade is a yummy way to boost the protein content of a meal. I especially like it spread on slices of baguette. It's also good on raw vegetables - try it on cauliflower. And if you feel like cooking, toss it with pasta. It lasts in the fridge for days, and can be frozen.

I first created this recipe when our niece Tracie brought a vegan friend to lunch. I wanted a simple make-ahead appetizer. It needed to be without dairy products, and hummus was not an option because I was serving beans for the main course.

Then I remembered a walnut-sage pesto I had served on spaghetti. I adapted it into this spread and it was the hit of the party.

The tapenade is oily, which is why it's good smeared on bread. But don't feel guilty about the fat content because walnuts are a heart-friendly food. They actually reduce cholesterol, and are a good source of tocotrienols - antioxidants in the Vitamin E family. Walnuts have been found to improve blood flow after a high-fat meal.

I buy walnuts from Rancho La Vina in the Santa Rita Hills. They have been farming walnuts organically since the 1800s, and they have a stand at the Hollywood Farmers Market.

The fresh sage adds a nice undertone, but leave it out if you can't find it. I use Baleine coarse sea salt which has a clean flavor but is not overly expensive.

Walnut and Sage Tapenade
1 cup walnuts
1 large clove garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage (3-4 leaves)
1 tsp coarse salt
1/3 cup olive oil

Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet 5 minutes until they are fragrant.

In a food processor, combine the garlic, sage and coarse salt. Pulse a few times. Add the walnuts and process until chopped fine.

While the processor is running, add the olive oil in a slow stream until the tapenade reaches a spreading consistency. You might not need all the oil.

(If you're using it as a pasta sauce, add extra oil so it is more of a sauce.)

Spoon the tapenade into a bowl and add extra salt, pepper and sage to taste.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Reducing pesticide exposure

I make a point of eating organically-grown food because it is better for me, the farmworkers and the planet.

However, I realize not everyone is fortunate enough to have a great farmers market nearby, or a family who is willing to eat seasonally.

Since it is always better to eat non-organic produce than to avoid fruits and vegetables, I present here a list of produce which is safe to eat even if not organic.

The list is compiled by the Environmental Working Group, which tests fresh U.S.-grown produce for levels of pesticide residue.

You can find their full report here. They mention that if you choose your daily 5 servings of vegetables from the Clean Fifteen list instead of the Dirty Dozen, you will reduce your pesticide intake by 92 per cent. That's worth doing.

New on the toxic list from last year: spinach, blueberries, potatoes and collard greens. Make sure to find those in the organic section of your supermarket. Grapefruit, mushrooms and cantaloupe are new on the safe to eat even if conventionally-grown list.

Dirty Dozen - eat only if organic
apples
celery
strawberries
peaches
spinach
nectarines - imported
grapes - imported
bell peppers
potatoes
blueberries
lettuce
kale / collard greens


Clean Fifteen - safe to eat even if not organic
onions
sweet corn
pineapples
avocado
asparagus
peas
mangoes
eggplant
cantaloupe
kiwi
cabbage
watermelon
sweet potatoes
grapefruit
mushrooms

Braised Turnips

If you're looking for a simple way to add fiber to a meal, choose turnips.

Turnips are an excellent source of Vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, and some trace minerals. They have less calories than a potato, but can replace them to fill out a meal.

This is a quick way to cook them while keeping their nutrients intact. They will have a rich buttery flavor softening the slight turnip acerbity. I think they're even better this way than roasted.

Braised Turnips
9 oz turnips (three small)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup water

Peel turnips and cut in 1 inch chunks.

Melt butter in a heavy pot. Add the turnips and stir until well-coated with the butter. Add water and a light sprinkling of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until the turnips are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and let any remaining water boil off before serving.

Serves 2-3

Gorgonzola and Arugula Pasta

I planted some wild arugula a few years ago, and now it seeds itself around the garden in a most agreeable way. I picked some the other day to make this delicious pasta.

The dish is lively on the palate and quick to make, making it a good choice on these warm summer evenings when you don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

Gorgonzola and Arugula Pasta
1/2 lb pasta, whatever shape you like
1 generous tbsp olive oil
3 oz crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 bunch arugula, about 2 inches across at the stems, or a 2oz bag
1/4 lb gorgonzola, cut into large dice, about 3/4 cup
pepper

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente.

Warm olive oil and sauté mushrooms 5 minutes. Wash the arugula and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Add the tomatoes and arugula to the pan and sauté until the arugula is wilted, about 2 minutes. Pour into a large pasta bowl and stir in the gorgonzola.

Drain pasta well and add to bowl. Season with plenty of pepper. Taste before adding salt - the amount needed will depend on the saltiness of the gorgonzola.

Toss well and serve.

Serves 2-3

Baked Chard with Feta

I had a great day working in the garden, and did not feel like cooking dinner. So I picked some Swiss chard on my way into the house and stirred together this one-dish meal. I cooked it in the toaster oven so I didn't have to heat up the kitchen. It has protein from the chickpeas and vegetables from the chard, so no sides were necessary.

Even though it's a simple casserole, it would be a good one to serve to guests, or anyone reluctant to eat greens. Larry said it smelled like pizza while it was cooking.

If you don't have chard, you could use spinach or another tender green. If your dill is more vigorous than mine, add a couple of tablespoons along with the chickpeas.

I used a can of chickpeas (this was lazy cooking, remember?) but you could use 1/3 cup dry chickpeas, cooked until tender but not falling apart.

Good feta is crucial to this dish. I have not found satisfactory organic feta, so I buy mine from the Aliki's Greek Taverna stand at the Hollywood Farmers Market. How poisoned can Greek feta be, I ask myself? Feta is usually made from sheep's milk, not high on the factory-farmed, hormone-added, antibiotic-inflicted list.

So use good feta and fresh greens, and you will relish this one-dish meal.

Swiss Chard with Feta and Chickpeas
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced white onion
1 1/2 to 2 lbs chard
1 clove garlic, minced
14-oz can chickpeas, drained
3 oz feta, diced

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Wash chard, remove heavy stems. Chop about 1 cup of these stems into 1/2 inch dice, discard the rest.

Sauté onion and diced chard stems in olive oil until tender. Add chard leaves, toss well, cover and let cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain, squeeze out liquid with the back of a wooden spoon, and chop coarsely.

Toss the chard with 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic and chickpeas. Season to taste with salt and pepper, but remember the feta will add saltiness.

Spoon the chard mixture into a 6x8 inch pyrex casserole. Scatter feta on top and push into the greens. Bake 15-20 minutes until sizzling hot and aromatic. Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3

Blackberry Crumble

As July starts, our blackberry season comes to an end.

We have had a wonderful harvest this year - more than we could eat in our morning fruit. So I made a crumble, combining the blackberries (which might be olallieberries) with our own blueberries.

Crumbles are far easier to make than pies. A crumbly topping is spread over fresh berries and then baked. It's good with whipped cream or ice cream, or even plain for breakfast.

This crumble has a thick top crust, which I like against the juiciness of the berries. If you prefer more fruit than crust, use less of the topping.

This would be fine made with frozen berries. Defrost them first and pour off some of the juice from the blackberries. Or use mixed berries. With crumbles the possibilities are endless.

We ate our home-grown berry crumble warm with Julie's organic vanilla ice cream on the side. A true summer treat.

Berry Crumble
1 1/4 lbs berries
4 oz butter, softened
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Put the berries in a 6-cup casserole. Sprinkle with a little sugar.

Cut the flour into the butter until it resembles crumbs. Stir in the oats, sugar and spices.

Spread the flour mixture over the berries.

Bake until golden brown on top, and some of the juices are bubbling through, about 30 minutes.

Let cool a little before eating - the fruit will be very hot.

Serves 6. Leftovers are great for breakfast.