Saturday Night Pasta

At the end of a long week, a big bowl of pasta hits the spot.

On Saturday Larry and I made a tomato eggplant sauce for our pasta that was pretty sensational, if we do say so ourselves.

I think the key was that I cooked the eggplant on my cast iron grill pan. I brushed it with oil, but because the eggplant wasn't sitting in the oil as it would have been in a fry pan, it developed a smoky flavor that shone through in the pasta sauce.

We used a red jalapeno pepper and a green long Italian pepper. I could have sautéed them with the onions, but I forgot. So I stirred them raw into the sauce to cook, and they did a good job of flavoring it.

This sauce would also be good stirred into cooked white beans.

Tomato Eggplant Pasta Sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed
1/3 cup diced onion
1 tbsp olive oil
14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno
1 Italian pepper
1/2 lb eggplant
parmesan to taste (optional)
1/2 lb penne

Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil until golden. Add the tomatoes and their juice. Stir well, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 10-15 minutes, adding water if necessary so it doesn't get too thick. Stir in the chopped peppers.

Meanwhile, warm a grill pan over medium heat. Slice the eggplant 3/4 inch thick. Brush the pan with oil and cook the eggplant until soft, 10-15 minutes, turning as needed. (You could also do this on a barbecue.)

Dice the eggplant into 1-inch pieces and stir into the tomato sauce. Add water as necessary to the sauce to keep a good consistency, and let it simmer 5-10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Cook penne according to package directions. Drain and stir into sauce. Let simmer a couple of minutes to let the pasta absorb some of the sauce, then serve with parmesan on the side if desired.

Serves 3-4

Trail of Tears

One of the reasons to shop at the farmers' market is to buy organic heirloom beans.

These beauties are Trail of Tears, an heirloom black bean that has great flavor.

They are so named because they were donated to Seed Savers Exchange in 1977 by Dr. John Wyche of Oklahoma. His Cherokee ancestors had carried these beans on the infamous death march from the Smoky Mountains to Oklahoma over the winter of 1838-39. 4,000 people died along the way. It's a horrific event in American history and I'm glad it's not forgotten.

These beans were grown on Finley Farm this summer, so they are still fresh enough to need shorter cooking time than old beans would. I don't soak them, just cook them in boiling water for an hour or so until they're tender.

They make excellent soup, and great black beans.

So many vegetables, so little time

The abundance of the fall harvest is truly awe-inspiring.

I walked through the Hollywood Farmers Market this morning overwhelmed by the bounty. How many vegetables can two people eat in one week?

I resisted purple and white eggplants, a wide assortment of squashes, a diversity of greens -- it's an awful lot of self-discipline to exert at 8 o'clock in the morning.

Somehow, despite my iron will, we returned home with many bags of organic food. This is what they were filled with:

1 green cabbage, 1 bag lightly salted pistachios in the shell, 2 ears of corn, 2 bunches of beets with their greens, 1 orange sweet potato, 1 kabocha squash, 8 shallots, 1 orange pepper, 1 green pepper, 2 li'l beefsteak tomatoes, 5 small red potatoes, 2 onions, 1 red pepper, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 4 small artichokes, 10 habanero peppers, 1 bag assorted lettuce leaves, 1 butter lettuce, 1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms, 1 bunch swiss chard, 2 poblano peppers, 1 bunch dill, 1 small head broccoli, 4 cups plain yogurt, 1 dozen eggs, 4oz feta, 14 oranges, 6 grapefruit, 1/2 lb haricots vert, 3 cameo apples and 2 pink lady apples.

Chipotle Bean Salad

I've been eating bean salad for lunch ever since I read Eat for Life by Joel Fuhrman, MD. This is an excellent book on controlling inflammation and inflammatory diseases with diet.

While I was not having any special inflammation problems, I took his lunch recommendation to heart: bean salad, green salad and an apple. (I rebel by dressing my beans with oil - he is vehemently anti-oil and low fat.)

Regular consumption of beans has been linked to decreased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. They are high in fiber, protein, B vitamins, antioxidants, iron, magnesium and potassium. Beans are nutritional powerhouses that are also inexpensive.

I realize that although I eat bean salad almost daily, I haven't posted many recipes for it. With luck this will change as my photography skills improve - it's hard to make a bean salad look attractive on screen. But boy do they taste good.

This one is spicy because of the chipotles in adobo. Add less if you like, but remember that beans can take a lot of seasoning. Giving this salad time to marinate in the fridge lets the seasoning enter the beans.

I used a round sturdy mottled bean I bought at the farmers market this summer. I think it's called Tongue of Fire. Pintos, kidney beans or pinquitos would be good also. Canned is okay, but rinse them well.

The salad will last up to a week in the fridge.

Chipotle Bean Salad

1 lb dry beans

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 tbsp dijon

3 tbsp chipotles in adobo, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano (or 2 tsp dried)

Cook the beans in plenty of boiling water until tender, 1-3 hours depending on the age of your beans. Drain and let cool a little. (Or use 4 15-oz cans of beans. Drain and rinse well.)

Whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, mustard and chipotles. Pour over the beans. Stir to combine. Stir in the scallions and oregano, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Put in a covered container and refrigerate a few hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Serves 8

Vegetable Stock

Here is a picture of my excellent vegetable stock (with parsnips!!!) simmering away in the slow cooker. The parsnips add an indescribable deliciousness to the stock. You can read the recipe here.

It's worth making even if you can't find parsnips.

I packed it in 2-cup containers in the freezer. Now I'm ready to make many delicious soups and risottos.

There's nothing like a good vegetable stock.

Beet Greens with Feta and Potatoes

I love beet greens, but they tend to sog down to almost nothing when they're cooked. The other night I wanted them to hold a more substantial place in the meal, so I cooked them with sautéed potatoes and sprinkled feta on top for a dish that was over the top delicious. And easy too.

When you buy beets with the greens attached, cut off the greens when you get home and store them in separate bags in the fridge. Two vegetables for the price of one - pretty amazing. And when you consider what a nutrition powerhouse a beet green is - full of vitamins and minerals, as well as the eye nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin - you will become sad that you only get one bunch of greens with all those roots.

Potatoes are awesome too - full of the insoluble fibers that regulate blood sugar, among other things. And feta makes happy mouth.

So try this dish, make it often, and your family will be happy and healthy.

(Other greens like spinach or chard or collard greens would work in place of the beet greens. Just cook long enough for them to soften and become delicious.)

Beet Greens with Feta and Potatoes
5 small red potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch beet greens (save beets for another purpose)
2 tbsp feta, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Warm the oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the scrubbed and quartered potatoes. Let them cook until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, turning occasionally but not too often.

Add the washed and chopped beet greens. Sprinkle with salt and toss well. (The oil and salt help the greens break down so the nutrients are better absorbed by your digestive system.) Cover with a large lid, turn down the heat, and let steam until the greens are tender.

Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the feta. Cover and let rest for 2-3 minutes to let the feta soften. Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3

Pineapple Guavas

If you read this blog regularly, you've probably realized that I'll try anything (vegetarian) once. I even tried pickled okra and found it was surprisingly good.

So when our organic grapefruit provider, Jorge, said he had pineapple guavas, I had to buy some. (Four for a dollar - what a deal.)

They are about 3 inches long, and have a soft green skin. Jorge told us to eat the whole thing except the calyx.

So yesterday morning I sliced a couple and put them on our morning fruit.

While they did taste faintly pineapple-y, I was most struck by the floral-ness. It tasted like I was eating flowers.

I understand a lot of people really enjoy this. I did not. They weren't Larry's favorite either - he asked how many days we would be eating them.

I assured him there were only two left, so only one more morning of fragrant floral fruit.

I'm really glad we tried them because I've always been curious. And now I know they're not my thing.

Food for the Week

This last week zoomed by - my mother was visiting from Montreal so I spent more time in the garden than at the computer. I assure you we still ate very well. I have a couple of new recipes to share with you later on.

Today, however, Larry and I were back at the Hollywood Farmers' Market, stocking up for the week ahead.

We admired the fall bounty of peppers, eggplants and the last of the zucchini. I once again resisted bringing home a giant squash.

Here's what we did come home with:

4 onions and 11 small red potatoes - half of which will go into the vegetable stock I'll make with the parsnips I bought last week (good thing I snagged them, because the market was parsnip-free today); 1 1/2 lbs small eggplants - most of which are currently bubbling away in the slow cooker - vegetable chili for dinner tonight!; 2 pomegranates, 3 bartlett pears, 4 grapefruit, grapes, blueberries, and 4 pineapple guavas for our breakfast fruit this week; 14 oranges that Larry squeezed for Sunday brunch o.j.; 8 pixie tangerines and 2 mutsu apples for our lunch bags; 3 red peppers; 3 san marzano tomatoes; 8 cremini, 2 shiitake and 1 oyster mushroom; parsley; cilantro; 6 anaheim peppers; 3-year-old cheddar and regular jack from the grass-fed organic Jersey cows at Spring Hill in Petaluma; 1 yellow pepper; 2 bunches scallions; 1 lettuce; 1 quart and 3 cups plain yogurt from the organic Jersey cows at St. Benoit in Napa Valley; 1 dinosaur kale; organic Pacamiel coffee from El Salvador; small stalk broccoli; 2 small zucchini; 1 dozen eggs.

This week in Hollywood

Today at the Hollywood Farmers Market it was obvious the seasons have changed.

The bustle and sunshine of summer were replaced with slow cloudiness as the farmers took longer to set up their stalls, the customers were later to arrive, and the sun had not yet peeked out by the time we headed for home with our goodies at 8:30 a.m.

The best news, however, is that parsnips are back!!! I bought two bunches at Finley Farms, one to eat, and one to make into the best vegetable stock around.

I staunchly resisted the lure of a large green squash (very large - like a flattish pumpkin). This is what we came home with instead:

1 lb raw carmel almonds
1 curly green kale
wild arugula
3 small plain yogurt
1 sweet potato
1 ash-covered goat cheese
1 tomato
1 small spaghetti squash
1 onion
12 oz lightly salted pistachios
1 lb La Montana coffee
2 dozen eggs
green Greek olives
black oil-cured olives
1 lettuce
romano and purple beans
1 avocado
2 bunches parsnips
3 bunches carrots
2 bunches young tender beet greens with roots
assortment of apples: Mutus, pink lady, cameo, red delicious, summerfield
heirloom cherry tomatoes
1 curly endive
1 baby romaine
1 radicchio

Whole Oat Pilaf

Oats are one of the best foods we can eat to keep our inner microbes happy. There are a wide variety of microbes living inside us - the ones we hear most about are the ones in the large intestine that benefit from yogurt and other probiotics, but there are many many more -  and the fiber and natural sugars in oats do a great job of keeping them balanced and harmonious, which in turn helps us stay healthy.

Rolled oats serve this purpose, so granola is a good way to start the day.

However, whole oat groats are even better for the body.

And they make a fine substitute for brown rice when you're looking for a grain to round out a meal. Make sure to buy hulled oat groats, not the ones with the husks on that are used for sprouting. They should look similar to brown rice or barley.

I took advantage of the fresh peppers at the market to make this cheerful fall pilaf that I served with a bean stew, beets with mint, and wilted greens. It was a colorful meal that our bodies really appreciated.

(And it tasted good too!)

Whole Oat Pilaf
1 cup whole oats
1 jalapeno
1/2 red peppers
1/2 orange pepper
4 mushrooms
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh basil

Bring three cups of water to a boil, add 1/2 tsp salt and the oat groats, cover and simmer until cooked, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile dice the peppers and shallots. Chop the mushrooms and mince the garlic.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the peppers, shallots, mushrooms and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes until crisp tender, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and add the cooked oats. Season with salt and pepper. Toss so all is warmed through. Stir in the basil and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Spiced Squash

We are going to be eating a lot of squash this winter, because this simple side dish is addictive.

Start by warming a tablespoon of olive oil in a small heavy pan. Add 1 tbsp cumin seeds and 1/4 tsp (or more to taste) chile flakes. Warm until aromatic, then remove from the heat, add 1/2 tsp salt, and let rest while you prepare the squash.

Wash half a small pumpkin or acorn squash, or any kind of squash you like. Slice it in wedges about 3/4 of an inch thick.

Dip the two cut sides of each piece of squash into the oil, then place on a baking sheet. Pour any remaining oil (and all the spices) over the squash. Bake at 375°F 15-20 minutes until tender and lightly browned.

Serve the wedges hot or at room temperature. Diners can remove and discard the peel because while I'm pretty sure it's edible, it can be tough.

The flesh of the squash, however, will be spicy and delicious.

Food for the Week

I'm enjoying emptying our shopping bags onto the dinette and photographing our week's groceries.

Here's what we'll be eating this week:

4 shallots

3 onions

parsley

cilantro

chard

2 red peppers

1 1/2 lbs eggplant

kale

beets with greens

garlic

arugula

spinach

cucumber

lettuce

red onion

2 pomegranates

2 ambrosia melons

9 grapefruit

feta

black olives

eggs

8 assorted apples

14 small red potatoes

4 pears

1 quart and 4 cups plain yogurt

gingerroot

green beans

6 corn on the cob

2lbs dried white lima beans

coffee from Oaxaca

spring onions

16 oranges

(It's all from the Hollywood Farmers Market, and all organic except for the feta, olives and gingerroot. The lima beans are no-spray.)

Eggplant Pasta

Larry was out one evening last week, so I took the opportunity to indulge in arugula and eggplant.

Actually, I think he would have enjoyed this too.

I had leftover grilled eggplant, which I diced and stirred into some crumbled goat cheese. I cooked some penne, stirred in the eggplant goat cheese mixture, and then tossed in some chopped arugula. I covered the pot and let the residual heat cook the arugula and warm the eggplant.

A good grating of black pepper, and I had a simple feast.

Peperonata

The red peppers and tomatoes in the market are just beautiful at this time of year.

The other night I combined them in this simple, sweet side dish that perfectly complemented fried tofu, braised eggplant and coconut rice.

This recipe is also excellent in an omelet, or stirred into rice or pasta. It also makes a great topping for bruschetta.

Peperonata
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup basil
2 tbsp parsley

Warm oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, red peppers and jalapeno. Cook briefly. Add wine and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, another 10-15 minutes, checking to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom.

Stir in the chopped basil and parsley. Add salt to taste, and heat through.

Eat hot, cold or anywhere in between.

Serves 4

Last of the peaches

Sadly the stone fruit season is coming to an end.

This was the last of the peaches, along with golden plums and a delicious pear.

Mmm, pears. I'm going to enjoy the fall fruit season.

The Week's Groceries

This is the organic produce we bought today at the Hollywood Farmers Market.

We ran out of eggs on Friday. Tragic. So we bought 2 dozen this week to make sure that doesn't happen again.

I have a meal plan for the week including a potato curry, mushroom barley risotto, and something excellent with fennel that I don't remember in this moment. The pumpkin and zucchini are extra vegetables to round out the week's meals.

10 small red potatoes
2 shallots
2 onions
celery
1orange pepper
5 fennel bulbs with fronds
3 small zucchini
1/2 cup cremini mushrooms
1 hand oyster mushrooms
3 shiitake mushrooms
1 pint cherry tomatoes
pistachios
3 golden plums
2 cantaloupes
radishes with leaves
7 empire apples
3 pears
6 cups and 1 quart plain yogurt
green olives
1 bunch arugula
3 cups mixed winter salad mix
3 grapefruit
2 dozen eggs
1 small pumpkin

Mmmm Tofu

Sometimes I get a craving for tofu. My local grocery store carries it, so I can easily pick some up on my way home.

And then it's quick to fry up for dinner.

Make sure the tofu you're buying is from organic soybeans, otherwise they are genetically modified. Tofu is a good source of calcium, helps alleviate menopausal symptoms and reduces the risk of cancer. It also helps lower bad cholesterol. Quite the excellent dinner food.

Here's how I cooked it the other night.

Fried Tofu
2 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp roasted sesame oil
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp minced ginger root
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 lb firm tofu

Whisk together all ingredients except tofu to create a marinade.

Cut tofu in 1/2 inch slices.

Heat cast iron skillet. Add marinade, then tofu. Cook 5-10 minutes until the tofu is slightly browned. Flip the tofu and continue cooking another 10 minutes or so.

Serves 3-4

Leftovers are great. Just re-fry them, or eat them cold.

Greek Salad with Farro

This is a very untraditional Greek Salad. It has the requisite cucumber, olives, feta and tomatoes. But the foundation is farro -- an ancient form of hard wheat that cooks up similar to brown rice but with a firmer and nuttier texture.

It is full of fiber, magnesium and B vitamins, and its chewy texture is a good foil for the salad vegetables, and a solid counterbalance to the strong lemony-mustard dressing.

It made a wonderful dinner salad on a cooling summer evening.

Greek Salad with Farro
1 cup farro
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup packed parsley leaves
2 tsp fresh oregano leaves
2 tsp dijon mustard
4 oz spinach
1 cucumber
1/4 cup chopped red onion
8 kalamata olives, pitted
2 tbsp feta, diced or crumbled
1-2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

Cook the farro in 3 cups boiling water with 1/2 tsp salt until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

Purée the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, parsley, oregano and dijon in a blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss the farro with most of the dressing.

Wash and stem the spinach and tear into bite-sized pieces. Peel the cucumber and cut it in quarters lengthwise. Cut out the seeds and membranes and discard. Chop the cucumber into bite-sized pieces.

Line a serving platter with the spinach. Pile the farro on top. Arrange the remaining ingredients decoratively on top. Sprinkle with the remaining dressing, or serve it on the side.

Serves 2-3

Groceries for the Week

Here is the beautiful organic produce we bought at the Hollywood Farmers Market yesterday:

1 red onion

3 yellow onions

baby spinach

cilantro

2 poblanos

5 ears corn

3 red peppers

2 orange peppers

3 granny smith apples

2 small pumpkins

2 mountain peaches

1 O'Henry peach

1 bunch arugula

1 bunch beets with tops

heirloom cherry tomatoes

lettuce

12 oranges

3 grapefruit

3 cremini mushrooms

1 dozen eggs

2 lb black beans

2 lb chickpeas

1 sweet potato

1 cantaloupe

1 quart and 5 cups plain yogurt

4 green plums

12 oz pistachios in the shell

3 bartlett pears

3 avocados

2 empire apples

2 summer elf (?) apples

Red Pepper and Lentil Soup

It's still hot during the day, but it's starting to cool off in the evenings. Last Sunday I made a lentil soup in the slow cooker that didn't heat up the kitchen, but warmed us up after dark.

I added a couple of the vibrant red peppers currently in season. Unfortunately they fade to brown when the soup is cooked, but they still add plenty of nutrients, including lycopene which helps prevent cancers of the lung and prostate. They've also been found to boost the metabolism, a boon to weight watchers everywhere.

I added chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to give the stew a smoky kick. Use less for a milder dish. For a different but good soup, throw in some diced fresh jalapenos or serranos when you sauté the red peppers. Or skip the chiles and stir a teaspoon of smoked paprika into the cooking peppers.

A bowl of this soup is a good light dinner. Serve it with a salad and some bread and cheese for a more substantial meal.

Red Pepper and Lentil Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion

6 cloves garlic

1 chipotle pepper in adobo

2 red peppers

1 cup brown lentils

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Dice onion and warm in oil until soft. Add chopped garlic and cook 1 minute. Chop the chipotle pepper, add to the pan, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Dice the red peppers and add them to the pan. Cook 3-5 minutes until beginning to soften.

Scrape into slow cooker. Add lentils and 5 cups water. Cover and cook on low 7-9 hours.

Add vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Serves 6.