Balsamic & Lime Chili

As the California winter begins, I am noticing that it does get rather cold in my new city. This morning, as I drove to the dog park with Bailey and Pinot, the temperature reader in my car said it was 37 degrees outside. Brrr! Upon returning home from the park, I warmed up my frozen toes and fingers with slippers and a warm cup of coffee, respectively, and then got to work on a pot of chili. Cold fall days scream for chili, and now that it was actually cold enough here, I was excited to make some.

In the past, I have always relied on my Ford's Chicken Chili recipe, but felt I wanted to mix things up a bit. This past summer I edited the 2nd edition of the Real Good Food Cookbook that Natural Alternative Co-op published, and this recipe caught my eye. I heard rave reviews about it, and when it is a recipe from the owner of Cafe Wren (they have some of the best soups I have ever had), I knew I couldn't go wrong.

There are several unique elements that make this chili delicious and unique. For one, it uses pumpkin puree as one of the thickeners, which I find gives it a earthy, slightly sweet flavor without being overpowering. Second, there is no chili powder in this recipe. While this may seem unacceptable to the chili connoisseur, trust me on this and restrain yourself from adding any. The clove and cinnamon add a warm spice note, while the basil and oregano give it a nice freshness. And of course, who can forget the title ingredients: balsamic vinegar and lime. The balsamic vinegar is a wonderfully unexpected addition and the lime gives the dish a great brightness.

I always serve my chili sprinkled with a locally-made sharp cheddar, chopped fresh cilantro, and fresh cornbread on the side.

Enjoy and stay warm!

Balsamic & Lime Chili

Olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

28-oz can diced tomatoes (I like the fire roasted)

2 tbsp tomato paste

6 tbsp pureed pumpkin

15-oz can kidney beans

2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp paprika

2 tsp basil

2 tsp oregano

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp salt

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add onion, peppers, and half the garlic; saute until tender. Add the tomatoes (with the juice), tomato paste, pumpkin, beans, and remaining seasonings (except the remaining garlic) to the vegetables. Simmer over lowest possible heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes or longer. After first 15 minutes, add remaining garlic. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Note: This recipe, like all chili, is very versatile. I added 1 cup of chopped carrots to mine, but you could also add mushrooms, browned meat like beef or chicken, or even a small handful of chocolate chips!

Adapted from Balsamic Vinegar & Lime Chili by Stephanie Lundeen

Ricotta Ravioli with Rainbow Chard and Patty Pan "Croutons"

Every Wednesday I volunteer at Burning River Farm in Frederic, WI. I love being on the farm, learning how to pick vegetables, conversing with Adrienne the Market/Harvest manager and Mike the owner, and generally feeling more connected to my food. Chris said, when I told him I was going to start volunteering there on my days off, "we could have just started a garden, wouldn't that make you feel closer to your food?" The truth is, I love to garden, but being a part of a farming operation - one that provides a hundred-plus member CSA, vegetables to local co-ops, and a few farmer's markets - was different. While I do not live there and I do not get up at 5AM every day to work, I feel that spending this time at Burning River has made me extremely appreciative of what small farmers do, thus making me all the more thankful for the delicious food they provide.

Today, while helping pack CSA boxes brimming with sweet corn (which I helped pick), squash, onions, basil, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, I started thinking about what I wanted to cook for dinner tonight. I actually spend a lot of my time there thinking about cooking, and my meal plan for this evening changed at least three or four times. Mike and Adrienne pay me in produce (SO nice of them!) so I left with, among other things, a huge patty pan squash and a beautiful bunch of fresh rainbow chard. It is moments like these when I wish this blog application would allow me to post more than one picture so I could show you this beautiful bounty prior to cooking, but alas you just get a photo of the end result.

I really wanted to focus on making as much from scratch as I could for this meal, as a true homage to the hard work that goes into the produce I was using. I decided to make ravioli with homemade ricotta (I admit I cheated on the pasta dough and used egg roll wrappers, as I am moving and trying to clean out my fridge) and toss it with sauteed chard, then top it with crispy roasted patty pan, toasted hazelnuts, and this delicious Argentine Parmesan we picked up from The Wedge over the weekend. I also baked up some cast-iron pot bread, since I had been craving it for several days.

After prepping the bread dough, I started on the ricotta. You can use store-bought ricotta, but if you haven't made ricotta and want to try it out, I highly recommend it. It is a great starter cheese, since it is really easy to make and requires ingredients and tools you probably already have in your kitchen. While the ricotta was cooking, I packed a little, then started in on the raviolis when the ricotta was fully drained and properly salted. I decided to cut the egg roll wrappers into circles to make them smaller, and did so using an inverted drinking class and a table knife. I put a small dollop of ricotta in the middle and sealed the two pieces with a bit of water. I should note that you can also substitute any pasta into this recipe that you want, filled or not, but if you can get fresh pasta I would recommend it.

Chris and I enjoyed this with a lovely Amador County Zinfandel (a little homage to my soon-to-be new home) while watching the newest episode of Top Chef. How appropriate, right?

Enjoy!

Homemade Ricotta Raviolis with Swiss Chard and Patty Pan "Croutons"

Serves four (or two with delicious leftovers!)

Enough fresh pasta for four people (filled or not filled), cooked

1 large patty pan squash, cut into small cubes (you can also substitute summer squash, zucchini, or even butternut squash)

1 c hazelnuts

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 bunch rainbow chard, stems and leaves separated

Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese, shaved

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease or place a non-stick mat on a cookie sheet. Toss the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread onto prepared cookie sheet into a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, turning the squash over halfway through to ensure even cooking and crispness.

Place hazelnuts on a dry cookie sheet. Place in the oven with the squash and toast for 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a clean dry dishcloth; fold the dishcloth over the nuts and roll your hands over the nuts for 20-30 seconds to remove the skin. Transfer the nuts back to the pan, clean off the dishtowel, then move the nuts back to the towel and fold the dishcloth over them. Using a rolling pin, roll over the nuts to break them into smaller pieces.

While the squash is baking, chop the stems of the chard the short way; set aside. Lay the leaves of the chard on top of one another, then roll tightly the long way. Slice the roll of chard leaves the short way; set aside.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet at medium-heat. Add the garlic and saute 2 minutes. Add the chard stems and saute for 3 minutes, or until they are starting to get soft. Add the chard leaves and saute until wilted. Transfer from a skillet to a large bowl and set aside.

Keeping the stove at medium heat, add about 2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Add the pasta, chard, and squash; toss until heated through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Transfer to individual bowls (or serve family-style in a large bowl) and top with shaved Parmesan and toasted hazelnuts. Feel free to add a sprinkle of fresh basil as well!

Whole Wheat Flax Pizza Crust

Good Monday morning to you! I am excited to share this recipe because it is an easy and delicious way to make your own pizza crust. Did you know that a 100% whole wheat Boboli crust has 21 ingredients, including weird stuff like polydextrose and fumaric acid? This one has six, and I think you'll know exactly what each ingredient is. This is one of the huge benefits of making your own crust (as well as bread, salad dressing, and may other things); you know exactly what is in it and you know its nothing funky. That should make you, and your body, very happy.

Last night I wanted to make pizza, but we started late since we stayed down by the lake well into the evening. I knew the crust recipe I usually used was going to take 90 minutes, and we just didn't want to wait that long! I did some searching, found a few recipes, and adapted them to make the recipe below. I love it because its easy to make, easy to work with, and absolutely delicious. The flax gives it a wonderful nuttiness without being overpowering. Plus, the crust is versatile enough to be rolled out as a thin crust, or stuffed into a cast-iron skillet for a deep dish pizza.

I topped mine with local heirloom tomatoes, local arugula, and feta, but you can always top your pizza with whatever looks good at your market or whatever you're craving!

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Flax Pizza Crust

1 tsp cane sugar or light brown sugar

3/4 tsp active dry yeast (or 1/2 of a 0.25-oz package of yeast)

1 c white whole wheat flour

1 tbsp flax meal or ground flaxseed (golden or brown)

2 tsp olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl and pan

3/4 tsp salt

Dissolve sugar in 1/2 c warm water in a large bowl (warm water is key for making the yeast activate). Stir in the yeast and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, or until it is cloudy and bubbly. Stir in 3/4 c of the flour, flax meal, oil, and salt. Knead for two minutes while adding the remaining 1 /4 c of flour; make sure the flour is fully incorporated before proceeding. Lightly oil a separate bowl; turn the dough in this bowl until it is lightly coated with oil. Cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough doubles in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F for a thin crust pizza or 475 degrees F for a deep dish skillet pizza. Lightly oil the pan you are using. Pat down and stretch out the dough to your desired size, then let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.

Add your toppings, then place pizza in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes. Monitor the crust and remove when it achieves desired crispness.

Adapted from Deep-Dish Skillet Pizza, p.35 from Vegetarian Times Healing Foods Cookbook.

Fettuccine with Fresh Peas & Asparagus

Now that summer is officially upon us, I felt the need to celebrate the beginning of fresh local veggies. Asparagus, peas, radishes, kale, chard, and salad greens are just a few popping up in my local co-op's produce section. I had some fresh asparagus from a member of our local food co-op and picked up some fresh sugar snap peas from Honey Creek Farm. I had seen a recipe which combined these two early summer ingredients with fettuccine, fresh local basil, and Parmesan and I decided to make my own version. I had some extra time this evening, so I chose to make my own fettuccine. I've provided a link to the recipe I used (subbing semolina flour for all-purpose flour), but you can also use purchased fresh or dried noodles. Making your own pasta can be very simple, and if you have a little extra time I recommend giving it a try. (Note: if you have a good rolling pin and a pizza wheel, and are willing to put in some elbow grease, you don't need a pasta maker for long noodles such as these).

To try something else new, use a chiffonade technique with the basil garnish. Chiffonade is an easy knife skill that can add a simple yet elegant touch to your plate. To do this with basil, stack several leaves on top of each other and roll them up the long way. Using a sharp knife, slice the roll of basil the short way. From this, you get fine slivers of basil perfect for sprinkling atop any pasta or salad.

The result of this beautiful summer vegetable combination is a deliciously light dish with a slight citrus note on the asparagus and nuttiness added by the shaved Parmesan. Use purchased pasta (fresh or dried) to make this an easy mid-week meal. Pair with a chardonnay that has a good balance of butter and citrus, which will play up the two undertones of this dish.

Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Fresh Asparagus and Peas

Serves 4

1 bunch fresh asparagus (about 10 spears), not too thick

2 tbsp butter or olive oil

Minced zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

Salt & pepper

3/4 c freshly shelled Sugar Snap or English peas

1 lb fresh fettuccine (or 8 oz dried)

Several leaves of fresh basil

Shaved or grated Parmesan

With a sharp knife, cut the asparagus on the diagonal into pieces about 1-inch thick. In a small saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the asparagus and saute for 2 minutes.* Reduce the heat, add the lemon zest and juice. Combine, then add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 30 seconds. Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender and rises to the surface (the timing here will depend on if the pasta is fresh or dried, anywhere from 30 seconds to 6-7 minutes, so keep a close eye on it). Stir occasionally so that the noodles cook evenly. They will be done when they begin to occasionally float to the surface, but also use your fingers or a fork to test doneness. Drain the pasta and peas, then return to the pot.

Add asparagus mixture to the pasta and pea mixture and toss thoroughly to combine. Taste, then adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Scoop the pasta onto four plates. Top with Parmesan and basil and serve immediately.

*To make this dish extra indulgent, reduce the butter to 1 tbsp add 2/3 cup heavy cream at this point in the recipe, before adding the zest, juice, pepper, and salt. Heat the cream through and then add the remaining ingredients, being sure to not let the mixture boil.

Caramel-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Granola

I actually wasn't planning on doing a blog post tonight. I was baking up a fresh batch of my homemade granola (a recipe which I am still perfecting) and ended up having a lot of oats left over. I remembered that I found a granola recipe that included caramel and chocolate and, after wondering if I was overdoing it on the granola, decided to give it a try. I found the recipe in The New Whole Grain Cookbook by Robin Absell. This book is a beautiful collection of unique recipes for all kinds of whole grains - from the everyday (like oats) to the very unique (like teff). While granola is hardly something unique to my repertoire, this particular recipe caught my eye. The buttery smooth caramel mixture combined with the oats and walnuts smells like oatmeal cookie dough prior to baking. I did not have chocolate chunks around, but instead chopped up a Dagoba 74% cacao chocolate bar. While chunks would have been tasty, I enjoyed the delicious randomness of the hand-chopped chocolate.

This recipe makes the perfect addition to a special brunch or breakfast, or is equally delicious with cold milk as a late night snack (and much better for you than the ice cream you may have had otherwise).

Enjoy!

Caramel Walnut Chocolate Chunk Granola

Makes 9 cups

4 c rolled oats (not quick)

1 c walnuts, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c water

1 c sugar

1/4 c butter, sliced

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c (about 4 oz) dark chocolate, chopped (or dark chocolate chunks)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Line one large or two small rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, and spray the parchment paper with vegetable oil spray (a non-stick baking mat works well here, no spray needed).

In a large bowl, combine the first three ingredients. In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together the water and sugar. Over high heat, bring mixture to a boil, moving the pan to keep it mixed rather than stirring. Cook until the syrup turns a medium amber color; remove from heat. Add the butter carefully (it will foam and bubble). Stir the butter, then add the vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the caramel into the oat mixture and stir immediately. The caramel mixture will start to harden and clump up, but it will melt while baking.

Spread the oat-caramel mixture onto the prepared pan(s). Bake for 15 minutes, then stir and bake for 15 minutes more.

Cool granola completely, then break into chunks and mix with chocolate (don't be impatient here; if the granola is not completely cooled the chocolate will melt). Store in an airtight container.

Adapted from The New Whole Grain Cookbook by Robin Absell, page 31.

Thoughts on Food

This week I received the most recent publication of Food and Wine magazine. I love this magazine for the unique recipes, the sometimes over-the-top comments, and the awesome travel articles.

Chris and I were perusing this magazine together, pointing out recipes we wanted to try, places we wanted to travel, and gadgets we wanted but never knew existed, which prompted a discussion on why we, as individuals, loved food and what we sought when it came to food. Was it the eliteness of trying the fanciest, most expensive new restaurant, to say we had traveled to a food mecca, or was it the sharing of food with each other and our friends and family, regardless of what we're eating or where we are? This discussion was interrupted by dinner being ready, but left me contemplating what it is I love about food.

I have come to the conclusion that I love food because I can share it with others. I also love food because it can be incredibly beautiful; because it can be an experience. The excitement I get when I go to a farmers' market or am presented with a dish composed of local ingredients is hard to explain. It is a giddiness I often cannot contain. I will cut Chris off mid-sentence to appreciate the flavors of a bite of house-made pasta tossed with local peas and how it combines with the locally produced Chardonnay I chose. I danced in my living room the first time I made cheese. But I also love food because I can share it with Chris, and so many other people in my life. Because sharing food makes it special beyond measure.

I'd love to hear what it is you love about food. Not only because I am really interested, but also because it could shape the future of this blog!

Sante!
Adriane

Thanks to Amanda for the photo. It is from her 2007 European tour, and she was so nice to share the pictures with me!

Homemade Granola Bars

I am a big fan of making things myself. Not only does it provide new kitchen challenges and a feeling of "hey, I can do this myself," it also provides you complete control over the ingredients in your food. Case in point, the granola bar. These are a very popular snack, yet even the presumed healthy, all-natural, or organic ones have a lot more ingredients than really need to be in them, most of them processed in some way. Making your own helps you avoid these icky additives and stick to what is tasty about a granola bar.

I've been wanting to make my own granola bars for some time now, and after picking up Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce, I gave her recipe a try. It contained rolled oats, flax, raisins, and a brown sugar syrup mixture. While I enjoyed it, I decided I would much prefer to have a refined sugar-free recipe, and try to stick to all-natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup for my next round of granola bars. I also wanted to diversify the ingredients, which is very easy to do with the recipe below should you not like the combination I've put together (or not have access to these ingredients).

I found this mission for the great granola bar a perfect way for me to experiment with new and interesting grains, something else I have been trying to do in my cooking. I picked up some rolled rye, rolled barley, and quinoa flakes from my local co-op. Rolled rye and rolled barley look very similar to rolled oats, and quinoa flakes look similar to instant oatmeal, but are much lighter in weight and texture. If you don't have access to these ingredients, or don't like them, just replace them with organic rolled oats. (Note: if you just use oats, use 2 cups of oats and 1/2 cup of flax seed meal or wheat germ.)

I also chose to replace the raisins with organic dried blueberries and organic dried cherries for a flavor (and antioxidant) boost. Adding flax seed meal to these dried fruits is essential because it prevents them from clumping when you mix them, and ensures that you'll get a good even mixture for fruit in every bite. If you don't have access to flax seed meal (or if you don't like it), you can use wheat germ instead. The flax (or wheat germ) also gives the bars a nutritional boost. If you're weirded out by either of these ingredients, I recommend trying them in this recipe, since you won't taste them at all but will still get the nutritional benefit.

These granola bars are a perfect quick breakfast or a good pick-me-up snack in the afternoon. And best of all, you know everything that's in them. :)

Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars

Makes 9 square bars or eight long bars

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, plus more for your hands and for the baking pan

1 c rolled rye

1 c rolled barley

3/4 c quinoa flakes

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 c honey

1/4 c molasses

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c dried cherries, chopped

1/4 c dried blueberries

1 tbsp flax seed meal (golden or brown is fine)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously butter an 8x8 or 9x9 pan.

Melt the butter in a large heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add the rye, barley, and quinoa and toast for about 6 minutes, stirring every minute or so. The mixture should be about two shades lighter than when you started, so keep the ingredients next to you to compare the shades. Transfer the toasted ingredients to a large bowl. Add the cinnamon and toss to combine.

Combine the honey and the molasses in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds to make a syrup. Add the salt and stir to combine. Pour this mixture into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until evenly boiling, about 6 minutes. Resist the temptation to remove from heat early; boiling is what will make the bars chewy.

While the syrup is cooking, put the dried cherries, blueberries, and flax seed meal in a small bowl. Stir to coat all the dried fruit with the flax meal; as you stir the pieces they should separate as they are coated with the flax. Add this mixture to the rye, barley, and quinoa mixture; stir to combine.

Pour the syrup over the rye, barley, quinoa, and dried fruit mixture. Stir until everything is coated with the syrup. Pour into the prepared pan and, with butter fingers or the back of a silicone spatula, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. The outer edges will be darker and the bars should have a nice sheen to them. When baking is complete, remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into bars and remove from pan. Cool completely before eating (cooling will help solidify the bars, as they may appear flaky or crumbly when you first take them out).

These bars are best the day they are baked, but will keep for up to a week in an airtight container. If they get stuck together, a quick run in the microwave (10 seconds or less) will soften and detach them quite easily.

Adapted from Granola Bars, p. 128, from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce