Frozen Bananas

I like to buy organic bananas even though they don't grow locally. I feel good about supporting chemical-free agriculture in tropical countries.

I don't buy non-organic bananas because I choose not to support agriculture that poisons the workers. Conventional bananas are grown with pesticides categorized by the World Health Organization in the first and second most dangerous categories. Typical banana plantations in Central America apply 30 kilograms of pesticides per hectare each year. That is 10 times more than the amount used in intensive agriculture in developed nations.

Fortunately, organic bananas are becoming easier to find at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Even my local grocery store carries them pretty regularly.

Since they tend to go brown faster than we can eat them, I throw the extras in a zip-loc bag in the freezer and get ready to enjoy my favorite frozen treat.

On hot days like today, I pull a banana from the freezer, peel it, slice it, and enjoy a treat that is better than ice cream. And healthier too.

Bananas are a good source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (good) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase digestive ability and protect against unhealthy bacterial infections. Similar to eating yogurt or taking probiotic pills.

Frozen bananas might also make you happy. They're a good source of tryptophan, an amino acid converted by your body into the mood-booster serotonin.

Frozen Banana
1 ripe banana

Put the banana with peel in a bag in the freezer. Let it freeze at least a few hours until it is solid, but you can leave it there for up to 6 months.

Take the banana from the freezer just before you want to eat it. Let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes until the peel has defrosted enough for you to remove it.

Peel then slice the banana. Eat while it's still hard. If it defrosts too much it gets mushy - great for banana bread, but not so good for dessert.

Serves 1.

Hibiscus-Lime Iced Tea

September can be the hottest month here in Southern California, and this hibiscus-lime iced tea is the drink I turn to when plain water just isn't cutting it.

I don't buy bottled drinks because they are made with tap water and chemicals in the guise of flavorings. Making tea at home keeps it real. I use filtered water and natural foods.

I get jamaica flowers from my local Mexican supermarket, but well-stocked grocery stores and health food stores will have them too. You'll recognize the taste from Celestial Seasonings' Red Zinger tea. Although jamaica is in the same family as the hibiscus that grows in our garden, they are not interchangeable. The jamaica flowers we drink are picked from a tropical vine that grows in India, Africa and Mexico.

While I usually eschew the use of sugar, in this drink it's essential. The sugar syrup gives the tea a satisfying feel in the mouth, especially if you're used to bottled iced tea. Plus it gives me the energy boost I need to get back to work in the garden.

Add enough sugar syrup so the tea tastes good to you. The extra syrup will last a few weeks in the fridge to be added to your next batch of tea. I think the iced tea will last at least a week in the fridge, but it's never spent more than 3 days in ours.

Hibiscus-Lime Iced Tea
1 cup sugar
zest of 4 limes, removed in strips
3/4 cup dried hibiscus (jamaica) flowers - 1/2 a 2oz packet

Combine the sugar and lime zest with 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes. Strain into a measuring cup.

In a large saucepan, combine the hibiscus flowers and 8 cups cold water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 20 minutes at room temperature. Then refrigerate until chilled.

Strain the hibiscus water into a large pitcher. Stir in 1/2 cup of lime syrup, or more to taste. Serve in tall glasses over ice.

Summer Sandwich and Salad

Is there anything better than a home-grown tomato and basil sandwich?

That was our dinner the other night, along with a salad of mixed greens. If you want to push your tomato sandwich over the top, use basil mayonnaise on the bread. Yum.

To add to the summery-ness of the salad, I used beer in the salad dressing. No, it doesn't taste like beer, but it has a complex sweetness which goes well with the tomato sandwich.

The salad recipe is from McAuslan Brewing, a Montreal microbrewery. The salad dressing calls for St. Ambroise pale ale, but that's hard to find in LA so I used Newcastle instead. Just don't use a lager - it will be all bubbles and no flavor.

For cheese I used Cashel Blue from Ireland -- a soft buttery blue with a salty bite.

Unusual? Yes. And surprisingly delicious. It might become your go-to summer salad.

McAuslan Salad
1 tbsp mustard
1/4 cup pale ale
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tbsp honey
mixed greens
blue cheese

Combine mustard, ale and vinegar. Whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in honey and taste again.

This will make 1 1/4 cups dressing. It keeps well in the fridge.

Toss some mixed greens with a little dressing. Put on individual plates and dot each serving with 1 tbsp crumbled blue cheese.

Hummus

In this heat, I do not feel like cooking. Or eating much. But a dinner of Greek salad with pita and homemade hummus is zesty enough to tempt the appetite, and there's no need to heat up the kitchen.

Hummus is great on pita, or as a dip with vegetables, or layered in a sandwich. Dilute it with olive oil or yogurt for a thick salad dressing that's also good spooned over cooked vegetables or rice.

Not only does it taste good, but it's good for you. Chickpeas contain a special type of fiber that is extremely beneficial to the cells that line the colon. They also contain antioxidants, minerals, protein and other nutrients. Whole books have been written on the health benefits of garlic, but suffice to say that it is anti-inflammatory, good for those blood numbers your doctor worries about, and helps protect against cancer.

I cook dry chickpeas the day before, drain them and refrigerate them overnight. You can use canned beans if you prefer.

I like my hummus garlicky. Use fewer cloves if that's not your thing. Also, make the hummus exactly the way you like it by adding extra lemon juice or salt or olive oil before serving.

Leftover hummus will last a week in the fridge, if you hide it.

Hummus
2/3 cup dry chickpeas, cooked (or 1 can, drained)
1/4 cup tahini
6 cloves garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Put all the ingredients in the food processor. Process until smooth - it will take a couple of minutes, be patient and let it take the time it needs to get smooth.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Portabello Mushroom Burgers

Portabello mushrooms make a meaty, flavorful vegetarian "burger." The mushrooms are usually grilled whole and served on a bun with various toppings. (At a Montreal bistro last week, my mother was served a "burger" composed of three grilled mushrooms stacked on top of each other.)

The mushrooms in this recipe, however, are not whole. Instead they are diced and stirred into grated cheese, bound with eggs and oatmeal, and lightly fried until crisp and golden on the outside.

Even Larry, not a big fan of the mushroom, really enjoyed these burgers. I think they're the best ever.

But don't try cooking them on the barbecue - they will annoy you by crumbling through the grill.

Mushroom Burgers
1 1/2 cups portabello mushrooms in rough 1/3-inch cubes (about 5 oz total)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup scottish oatmeal
8 oz jarlsberg cheese
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

Combine mushrooms, eggs, oatmeal, cheese and salt and pepper. Shape by hand into four burgers. At this point I am sure they will not hold together. But they do.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add burgers and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden.

Serves 4

(The cooked burgers last a couple of days in the fridge. They taste even better reheated.)

Tofu Teriyaki

If you invite a vegan to dinner, this is a great meal to serve. The brown rice and greens make it healthy, and the teriyaki sauce makes it yummy. Your friends and family will think you ordered out, until they taste the food and realize how good it really is.

The teriyaki sauce is complex -- a little sweet, a little salty, with good depth of flavor. It transforms the tofu, and there'll be enough to pour over the rice as well.

You can find brown rice syrup, mirin and tamari at any health food store. The brown rice syrup gives the sauce its sheen and a slight sweetness. Mirin is a rice wine that is cheap and lasts for years in the cupboard. Tamari is a wheat-free soy sauce with less sodium than most national brands.

Start the meal prep by putting brown rice on to cook - a rice cooker makes this easy because you can set it and forget it.

While the tofu is pressing, wash and coarsely chop the greens (removing any tough stems) and make the teriyaki sauce.

Start the tofu cooking, then the greens. I used kale, but any green you like will do. For one bunch of greens, sauté 1/2 onion in a little olive oil until soft. Add 1 clove minced garlic and a sprinkling of chili flakes if desired. Add the damp chopped greens and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir well, then cover and let cook for 5-8 minutes before stirring again. Cook until they are the consistency you like. Add extra water if they start to stick on the bottom. They will be ready at the same time as the tofu, but if one is finished first, cover and keep it off the heat until all is ready to serve together.

This is a simple meal that looks fancy and tastes great. Give it a try!

Tofu Teriyaki
1 lb firm organic tofu
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup tamari (soy sauce)
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Place the tofu on a shallow plate. Put a second plate on top of the tofu with a jar of beans or other heavy weight on top. Press for at least 15 minutes. Drain off the excess water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the brown rice syrup, tamari, mirin, apple juice and toasted sesame oil.

Cut the tofu into roughly 3/4 inch slices. Cut each slice into triangles. Pat dry.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frypan. Add the tofu and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Add the sauce and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is syrupy and coats the tofu, about 15 minutes.

Serves 4

Zucchini casserole

Back in the '80s my mother bought Frances Moore Lappé's groundbreaking book, Diet for a Small Planet, and its companion volume Recipes for a Small Planet. As a new vegetarian, I used Recipes so much its pages started falling out.

The books were innovative in the way they addressed the concerns of protein in the vegetarian diet. Lappé showed how grains, beans, seeds, nuts and dairy products can be combined to create large amounts of complete protein.

The recipes in these books are heavy on the dairy. As I learned more about the protein and complete nutrition in vegetables, and eased away from the regular eating of dairy products, the books drifted to the back of the bookcase.

However, I pulled Recipes out the other day when I bought some St. Benoit yogurt at the Hollywood Farmers Market, and was inspired to make this creamy and delicious casserole for the first time in years. St. Benoit yogurt is made from the rich milk of organic Jersey cows in Sonoma county. It makes a wonderful topping for this brown rice and zucchini dish. You can use thick Greek-style yogurt or whole-milk yogurt if you can't find some made from the milk of happy Jersey cows.

Zucchini Casserole
1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
4 cups (4 small) zucchini, in 1-inch dice
2 cups yogurt
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup grated cheddar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or scallions
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
bread crumbs
butter

Cook the rice in 3 cups of boiling water with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp paprika until tender. Drain if necessary (it probably won't be).

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine the yogurt, toasted sesame oil, cheddar and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat until the cheese melts. Remove from stove and stir in the beaten egg and chives. Make sure the sauce is not so hot that it curdles the egg. (That's an esthetic issue -- it will taste good either way.)

Stir the cooked rice and sesame seeds together. Spread on the bottom of a 7 x 11 shallow baking dish. Spread the zucchini cubes on top. Pour the yogurt sauce over, then top with a layer of bread crumbs and dot generously with butter.

Bake 25 minutes until the crumbs are browned and the squash is tender but still firm.

Good news on franken-foods

I can't believe we humans are still considering genetically-modified organisms as a food source.

But the Big Agra lobby is very big, and puts a lot of pressure on money-grubbing politicians to do the wrong thing. (What can you expect with a political system where millions of dollars are needed to run a campaign? But I digress.)

Larry wrote about the pervasiveness of Big Agra after watching Food Inc. last March.

(In the US, the only way to be sure of not eating gmos - genetically modified organisms - is to buy organic or to check for a label like the one in the picture above on a bottle of canola oil. Or on the bag of soy flour lower left. Canola, soy and corn are the most genetically-modified foods, so always read labels for them.)

However, I have good news. In July, genetically-modified food took a large step backwards when the US refrained from opposing the gmo labelling guidance document in the Codex. Now any country who wants to require genetically-modified foods to be labelled as such is free to do so.

(The Codex alimentarius is a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. They are codifying worldwide food practices. I first heard of them 20 years ago when they were attacking the vendors of herbs like echinacea, saying their products were not patented like drugs are, and therefore were less effective. Say the word Codex in parts of Canada and to various natural health practitioners and they will growl at you.)

But since the Codex will govern most of the world food production, a line in it saying countries can demand that genetically-modified organisms be labelled as such is a great step forward.

Note that the US did not vote for this excellent rule. They abstained from fighting it. Big Agra (I'm talking about you Monsanto and perennial NPR supporter Archer Daniels Midland) can live to fight another day.

The only way you can be sure the food you eat is not genetically modified is to buy organic. For a non-gmo shoppers guide, click here.

For more information on the Codex deal, click here.

Why do I care about genetic modificiation? As a vegetarian, I don't want to eat fish genes in my tomatoes (yes, they've tried that). Plus, nature has been doing great for thousands of years without us. The only benefits I can see of genetic engineering is it makes square tomatoes which ship more easily and it creates corn that is not killed by Roundup so farmers can spray more pesticides on my food.

With my food dollars I vote no on gmo. I hope you do too.

Chopped Italian Salad

This is a great marinated salad in the Italian style. Although it contains many antipasto ingredients, I serve it as a meal by itself, maybe with some good bread to sop up the dressing.

The protein comes from garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Toasting gives them a nutty flavor, and they act as croutons in the salad. They're not crunchy, but they have a density that makes a nice contrast to the tangy vegetables. Plus they have the added benefit of detoxifying your body of any sulfites in the wine you're drinking. They contain molybdenum, a trace mineral that detoxes sulfites, as well as plenty of insulin-balancing fiber and protein. Isn't it great that health food can taste so good?

Chopped Italian Salad
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans
1 6 1/2 oz jar marinated artichokes
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 large stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch dice
8 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
4 cups romaine leaves torn into bite-sized pieces, chilled and crisped

Rinse garbanzo beans and blot dry with a kitchen towel. Drain artichokes, reserving liquid, and cut them into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet over high heat. Add garbanzo beans and cook, shaking pan often, until browned, about 7 minutes. (Add more oil if necessary.) In a 2-quart bowl, combine garbanzo beans, artichokes and their liquid, 2 tbsp olive oil, celery, onion, bell pepper, olives, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Toss until well mixed. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Let rest at room temperature up to 4 hours.

Toss vegetables again. Add romaine and mix well. Taste. If desired, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and toss again until well mixed. (I often leave out this second round of dressing because I find the salad tangy enough without.) Mound salad on platter and serve.

4 very large servings.

High-Protein Granola

This is my current favorite granola. The protein from the soy flour keeps me going all morning. And Larry says it tastes like a granola bar - I understand that's a compliment.

The recipe is from a '70s hippie commune called The Farm. I have a few old cookbooks from intentional communities in the '60s and '70s. They are full of earnest recipes by people trying to live the good, earth-friendly, socially-responsible, self-sufficient life. And while vegetarian tastes have evolved in the past 50 years, this granola has stood the test of time.

High-Protein Granola
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup bran
1 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup organic soy flour
1 cup brown sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla

Stir everything together in a large bowl.

Pour onto two cookie sheets and cook in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Turn the granola a few times with a spatula so it browns but doesn't burn.

Let cool a little, but don't let it get cold or it will stick to the cookie sheets. Store in an airtight container.

3/4 cup of granola and 1/2 cup soymilk provides 15 gm of complete protein.

Grilled Veggie Sandwich

The other night I pulled out my grill pan and whipped up these delicious sandwiches for dinner.

Who says great sandwiches have to have meat?

I used a soft whole wheat bread, because it helps to hold the sandwiches together if you can squeeze it. Save the dense breads for another use.

Wild arugula from our garden added zestiness. Milder greens will be less flavorful, so use more of them, and season with extra pepper or even a little hot sauce.

The basil mayonnaise is great on tomato sandwiches too. It lasts a week or so in the fridge.

Grilled Veggie Sandwich
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or nayonnaise for a vegan sandwich)
1 tbsp minced basil
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices.
4 slices bread
1 cup arugula or baby spinach
6 thin slices tomato
1/2 cup red onion sliced 1/4 inch thick
salt and pepper

Combine mayonnaise, basil and lemon zest. Set aside.

Brush zucchini and onion with oil and grill over high heat until tender, 3-5 minutes per side. Brush with more oil as needed.

To assemble sandwich, spread 1 tbsp mayonnaise on 2 slices bread. Top 1 slice bread with 1/2 cup arugula, 3 tomato slices and 1/4 cup onion. Season with salt and pepper. Top with zucchini and second bread slice. Repeat for second sandwich.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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.