White Bean Hummus with Parsley

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Don’t have a can of garbanzo beans in your pantry. No worries, try white bean hummus instead. This was my first time to make white bean hummus…and what a pleasant surprise. This recipe makes a velvety smooth, flavorful, and colorful hummus.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (14.5 oz) can organic, great northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

  • Add beans, garlic and tahini to a food processor. Blend well, then add remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.
  • Serve with pita chips or pita wedges as an appetizer or with falafel and other greek food as a side.

Scrumptious Greek Feast – Vegan Style

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If you’re under the impression that vegan food is only for people following a vegan diet, you are greatly mistaken. Fresh herbs and garlic combined with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and an assortment of roasted, colorful vegetables, results in quite a Scrumptious (vegan) Greek Feast! For the non-vegan, you can easily add additional sides such as Tzatsiki and crumbled feta.

Ono O’ahu

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Aloha from Ono (delicious) O’ahu

My husband and I just got back from a trip to Hawaii. Since we only had 6 days, we decided to stay in O’ahu for the entire length of our trip. We had the opportunity to explore many of the flavors and sights of the island. We stayed on the North Shore of the island in the town of Waialua with my husband’s brother and his fiancee and traveled throughout. As a food systems planner, I was quite interested in the local food system and sustainability policies of the island. Both Slow Food O’ahu and LEAF HAWAII: Solving hunger and poverty one farm at a time provided a nice overview of the local food and sustainability scene and historical context for the social, economic and environmental opportunities and problems Hawaiians face today. Below is a brief overview of our discoveries. For a map of restaurants recommended by Slow Food O’ahu, click here. Also, check out Edible Communities Hawaii Islands for additional information about the food system and a list of farmers’ markets in O’ahu.

NORTH SHORE

On the North Shore of Hawaii, we stopped at the Kahuku Land Farms stand to try some fresh, local pineapple, coconut, tangerines, and small bananas:

WAIMEA VALLEY

In our visit to Waimea Valley, we learned about pre-contact Hawaii’s land division system. The ancient land division system created wedged-shaped, self-sufficient units of land, called ahupua’a, which extended from the mountains to the sea and therefore provided all the basic necessities: food, shelter, cloth and medicine.

As LEAF HAWAII explains, “Each ahupua’a contained the resources the human community needed, from fish and salt, to fertile land for farming taro or sweet potato, to koa and other trees growing in upslope areas. Villagers from the coast traded fish for other foods or for wood to build canoes and houses. In this way, the community maintained a sustainable lifestyle. Through sharing resources and constantly working within the rhythms of their natural environment, Hawaiians enjoyed abundance and a quality lifestyle with leisure time for recreation during the harvest season of the year.”

Unfortunately, this land division system is no longer practiced, and Hawaiians face a range of social, environmental, and economic challenges, such as poverty, health disparities, air and water pollution, and obesity. Organizations, such as LEAF HAWAII, are working to restore more self-sufficient and sustainable ways of life. According to a recent report, Island of Hawaii Whole System Project, “Hawai’i is one of the nation’s most fertile places. Yet only 15 percent of all food sold on the island is grown locally.”

The pictures below are of a community garden plot for children in Waimea Valley:

Sweet potato (‘uala) is one of the primary, local foods of Hawaii. Below is a picture of one of several sweet potato species:

After walking around Waimea Valley, we couldn’t resist getting a snack. Here’s a picture of our Ono (delicious) Acai Berry Sorbet, topped with ginger granola, strawberries and pineapple.

DIAMOND HEAD

This is an interesting take on the ice cream truck:

DOLE FOODS

We had no idea how many varieties of pineapples exist. Smooth Cayenne is the predominant variety in Hawaii. So the next time you buy a Dole Pineapple, that’s a Smooth Cayenne.

WAIKIKI, HONOLULU

Our friends John and Greg insisted we visit Eggs’n Things, a very popular all-day breakfast place in Waikiki, a neighborhood of Honolulu. We ordered an omelet and Hawaiian pancakes. The omelet was good, but nothing special. For anyone thinking about visiting this restaurant, we recommend splitting the Hawaiian pancakes, and forgoing anything else on the menu. The pancakes were light and fluffy and came topped with chopped pineapple, coconut, macadamia nuts, and whipped cream. This is definitely a sweet dish, but delicious. Try it sprinkled with a little coconut syrup. Ono!

LOCAL BREWS

A trip to Hawaii wouldn’t be complete without a sample of some of the local beers. We sampled Kona Fire Island and Longboard, Kaua’i Golden Ale, and Primo Lager. All were quite tasty, but our favorites were Kona Fire Island and Longboard.

CHINATOWN, HONOLULU

Rex and I found the cutest BYOB restaurant in Chinatown, Little Village Noodle House. We would recommend the Mu Shu Roll and Panfried Turnover with parsley and turnip filling. We ordered the Seafood w/ Mixed Vegetable Fried Noodle, but found the dish too salty and had too much cornstarch in it.

Mu Shu Roll

Panfried Turnover with Turnip and Parsely

Seafood w/ Mixed Vegetables Fried Noodle

HALEIWA, NORTH SHORE

Haleiwa is a fabulous little surfer town on the North Shore of the island, and home to the only Patagonia in all of Hawaii. We tried several restaurants in Haleiwa, but our favorites included Haliewa Eats Thai and Banzai Sushi Bar. We recommend the Panang Curry with Tofu and Pineapple Curry with Tofu over brown rice at Haliewa Eats Thai. Both were delicious! We recommend the special Ahi roll with soy paper wrap – yum!

Enchiladas with Broccoli Rabe & Black Beans

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This recipe is based on my Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas recipe, but instead of using roasted vegetables, I used broccoli rabe and black beans.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbsp EVOO
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 1 large bunch of broccoli rabe, chopped (use leaves, stems, and florets)
  • 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1  (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 oz feta, crumbled
  • 3  cups enchilada sauce
  • Cooking spray
  • 8  (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas or 12 corn tortillas
  • 2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS

  1. Prepare enchilada sauce.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°.
  3. While enchilada sauce is simmering, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions for 5 minutes or until tender. Add chopped broccoli rabe and garlic. Saute for an additional 5 minutes, or until almost tender.  Remove from heat and stir in beans and crumbled feta cheese.
  4. Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/2 cup broccoli rabe mixture down center of 1 tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese, and roll up. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, broccoli rabe mixture, and 1 cheese. Spread remaining 2 cups sauce evenly over enchiladas.
  5. Cover with foil; bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; top with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Carrot & Potato Chili

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Need a delicious chili to use up a random variety  of root vegetables and tubers? Then this recipe is for you. This chili combines potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots with green chilies, pinto beans and spices. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and cornbread. (* Indicates vegetables purchased from Star Hollow Farm’s online farmers’ market.)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large onion*, chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic*, minced
  • 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 large sweet potato*, diced into 1/4″ cubes
  • 4 small-medium potatoes* (try using a mixture of different varieties, such as gold, white and purple – for more information about potatoes, click here)
  • 5 medium carrots*, diced
  • 1 28 oz can organic diced tomatoes (such as Muir Glen fire roasted)
  • 2 1/2 cups organic, free-range chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 4 oz can diced green chilies
  • 1 14 oz can organic pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup organic cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

  • Saute chopped onion and garlic in 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot. Saute until golden (about 10 minutes). Add oregano through salt. Stir and cook for another 3 minutes.
  • Add sweet potato through green chilies.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Add pinto beans and brown sugar. Cook an addition 20-40 minutes or until the carrots, sweet potatoes and potatoes are tender.
  • Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.
  • Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream and cornbread.

Licking Creek Bend Farm

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Licking Creek Bend Farm is located at 28 Donahoe Lane, Needmore, PA 17238. Growers Michael and Esther Tabor grow a variety of fresh, certified naturally grown, produce for sale at area farmers’ market and their CSA. One share feeds a family of 4 or 2 people who eat a lot of vegetables. There are several CSA pick-up sites: Adams Morgan (Saturday between 10:30am and 1pm at 18th St & Columbia Rd); Gaithersburg at NIST (Tuesdays between 10:30am and 1pm); Bethesda at NIH (Tuesdays between 10:30am and 1pm); and Brookland Metro Station – under bridge (Tuesdays between 3pm and 7pm). Licking Creek Bend Farm offers the following seasonal shares:

  • June-July (9 weeks for $315 or $35/week)
  • August-September (9 weeks for $315 or $35/week)
  • October-November (9 weeks for $315 or $35/week)

We joined for the Oct-Nov share. Here’s what we received and did with our bounty of produce…

WEEK 1 | Saturday, October 3, 2009

PRODUCE | 1 quart of purple and green beans, 5-7 hot peppers, various colors, 3-5 sweet peppers, various colors, 1 medium head of bok choy, 1 medium bunch of collard greens, 1 large butternut squash, 3-4 potatoes, 1 bunch of radishes, 4 tiny bosc pears, 2 red delicious apples, 2 golden delicious apples, 1 bunch of green kolrahbi

RECIPESFall Vegetable Stew with Lemon Thyme BiscuitsRoasted Vegetable Enchiladas SauceSpaghetti Squash with Moroccan Spices, Raisins, Swiss Chard & Okra

WEEK 2 | Saturday, October 10, 2009

PRODUCE | 3 ears of decorative (not-edible, but very pretty) multi-colored corn (purple, yellow, white, red-organge); 1 medium acorn squash; 2 apples (red delicious and golden delicious); 2 medium Bosc pears; 2 small Bartlett pears; mixture of hot peppers – including one habanero, several jalapeno, and some long red ones; 1 small kohlrabi; several red, green, and yellow green bell peppers; 1 small bunch of red/green swiss chard; 3 medium/large white potatoes; 1 quart fresh apple cider; 1 small red cabbage; 1 medium nappa cabbage

RECIPESCarrot Ginger SoupRoasted Autumn Vegetables, Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri Sauce,Mexican Lentil Stew with Cornbread

WEEK 3 | Saturday, October 17, 2009

PRODUCE | 1 bunch kale, 1 bunch arugula, 1 head broccoli, 1 bunch turnips, 1 pint tomatillos, Assorted sweet peppers (red, yellow, purple), Assorted hot peppers, 5 medium potatoes, 4 apples, 1 pear (this turned out to be a quince), 1 small butternut squash, 1 decorative gourd

WEEK 4 | Saturday, October 24, 2009

RECIPES | Sweet Potato Quesadillas with Tomatillo & Cilantro SalsaApple CakeAutumn Vegetable Pot Pie

WEEK 5 | Saturday, October 31, 2009

PRODUCE | 1 liter of apple cider, 1 acorn squash, 6 red apples, 2 green apples, 3 pears, 4 sweet potatoes, 1 butternut squash, 2 turnips, 1 bunch Tok Choy (similar to Bok Choy and to be used in the same way), 1 bunch spinach, 1 bunch arugula, 1 small green cabbage

RECIPESMultigrain Pancakes with Apples, Raisins and Maple SyrupIndian Chai TeaEastern European Beet Stew and Baba’s PierogiesMoroccan Chickpea Curry with CouscousChive Cream Cheese Sandwiches with Arugula & Apples

WEEK 6 | Saturday, November 7, 2009

PRODUCE | 1 large head of cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, 2 bunches of bok choy, apples, Bosc pears, cabbage

RECIPES | Eastern European Beet Stew and Baba’s PierogiesCider Braised Chicken and Cabbage with Mashed Potatoes

WEEK 7 | Saturday, November 14, 2009

PRODUCE | 1 large head of cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, bok choy, tat soi, apples, Bosc pears

RECIPES | Pizza with Roasted Cauliflower, Potatoes, Pesto & Bok ChoyIndian Cauliflower Curry with Mint Cilantro Chutney

WEEK 8 | Saturday, November 21, 2009

PRODUCE | broccoli rabe, tatsoi, kale, brussel sprouts, apple cider, apples, bosc pears, potatoes, romaine lettuce

RECIPES | Roasted Tomato Bean SoupPasta with Chickpea Garlic Sauce, Broccoli Rabe & TatsoiGreen Beans & Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Shallot ButterCranberry-Apple Streusel Crisp

WEEK 9 | Saturday, November 28, 2009

PRODUCE | 7 apples (2 Albemarle Pippin, 2 Gold Rush, and 3 Winesap Stayman), 4 Bosc pears, 1/2 gallon unpasteurized apple cider, 1 medium bunch collard greens, 1 medium bunch pak choi (also called bok choy), 1 medium bunch kale, 1 stalk of brussel sprouts, 1 head of romaine lettuce, 1 small head of frisee lettuce, 4 small turnips, 4 medium Russet potatoes

Sweet Potato Bread with Dried Cranberries & Walnuts

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This recipe calls for applesauce and canola oil, creating an exceptionally moist bread. Serve with coffee and tea for a morning snack, or as a light dessert for lunch. The sweet potatoes used in this recipe are organic and come from Next Step Produce, and the free-range eggs from Waterview Foods, both purchased from the Dupont Circle Freshfarm Market.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour, organic
  • 3 cups sugar, organic
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon, organic
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg, organic
  • 1 tsp ground cloves, organic
  • 1/2 cup organic canola oil (such as Spectrum Naturals)
  • 1/2 cup all-natural, applesauce
  • 2 cups mashed sweet potato (about 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked in a pressure cooker until tender and soft, and then mashed with a fork or other tool), organic
  • 4 free-range, organic eggs
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped, organic
  • 1-2 tbsp turbinado sugar, organic

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine flour through cloves in a large bowl. Stir well and set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine oil through eggs. Whisk until eggs are fully incorporated into the other ingredients.
  4. Mix wet and dry ingredients together (be careful not to over stir). Then fold in dried cranberries and pecans.
  5. Pour mixture into 2 bread pans coated with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for an additional 30-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of each bread pan comes out clean.

Star Hollow Farm

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My husband and I just joined our first ever online CSA (community supported agriculture). Last December while picking up our last share of Licking Creek Bend Farm‘s CSA, I noticed an advertisement for Star Hollow Farm’s Online Farmer’s Market & CSA. Growers Randy and Chris, a husband and wife team in Three Springs, Pennsylvania, started this innovative business plan in 2003. During the winter, Star Hollow Farm partners with Tuscarora Organic Growers Co-Op, several local orchards and dairies, and other family farms to provide a variety of high quality organic and conventional, locally grown and raised, products for Washington DC residents. CSA members pay $300 up front in January, which opens up a “debit” account on the online system. Every other week, beginning at 7am on Wednesday morning through 7am on Thursday, CSA members can shop at Star Hollow Farm’s Online Store. Members have the option of choosing the traditional share (a box of preassigned produce) or purchasing things a la carte or both. After all orders are submitted, Star Hollow Farm delivers the produce on Saturday mornings between 10am and 1pm to the Adams Morgan Farmers’ Market at 18th St and Columbia Rd in front of SunTrust. This innovative CSA model provides financial support up front for the farmer and flexibility to the customer.

The online store is user-friendly, provides images and descriptions for each type of produce, and indicates if it is organic or not. This week was my first. Here’s a screen shot of my order and a list of the produce I purchased:

  • 1 lb celeriac ($4/lb) – about 1 medium to large celeriac
  • 2 lbs carrots ($2.20/lb) – about 5-7 medium carrots
  • 2 lbs parsnips ($2.50/lb) – about 4-6 medium parsnips
  • 2 lbs yellow onions ($1.65/lb) – about 5 small onions
  • 1 (5 lb) bag, rainbow potatoes ($5/bag) – about 10 small to medium sized potatoes of different varieties
  • 1 head, green bibb lettuce ($1.50/head)
  • 1 head, lollo biondo lettuce ($1.50/head)
  • 3 small heads, hardneck garlic ($0.60/head)
  • 1/2 lb shallots ($4/lb) – about 4 medium shallots

All this cost $30.50 – far less than what I would have paid at Whole Foods, the Dupont Circle Farmers’ Market, or any other store in the Washington DC area for the quality and quantity.

Moroccan Roasted Vegetables

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This is colorful and extremely tasty dish. It’s a great way to use a variety of summer or winter vegetables. This time I supplemented vegetables from the farmers’ market with an eggplant and red bell pepper from Whole Foods, but you can add carrots, celeriac, turnips and other root vegetables. Serve over couscous with Tzatsiki and Lamb Meatballs (note: use the lamb skewer recipe, but form the lamb mixture into small balls and cook on the stove top in a saute pan over medium-high heat). If you want a vegetarian meal, serve over couscous topped with toasted almonds or pinenuts, raisins and grated feta cheese. (*Indicates produce purchased at Dupont Circle Farmers’ Market.)

Recipe adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large, organic red onion*, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch thick cubes
  • 2 medium, organic sweet potatoes*, cut into 1/4 inch thick cubes
  • 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch thick pieces
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can organic fire roasted tomatoes (such as Muir Glen)
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can organic chickpeas, rinsed & drained
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, minced*
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 2 tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a small bowl, using a fork, whisk minced garlic through salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine all vegetables, including rinsed and drained chickpeas, and drained canned tomatoes. Add spice mixture and mix well until vegetables are evently coated.
  4. Spread vegetables on to an unoiled 11X17 inch baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir well; then bake for another 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Green Lentil Curry with Swiss Chard, Broccoli Rabe & Carrots

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This savory dish calls for homemade curry paste. While this sounds intimidating, it’s actually quite simple and far tastier than the ground curry spice you might find in the grocery store. The broccoli rabe, swiss chard and carrots add nice vibrant color, texture, and taste. Broccoli rabe, despite its name, is actually a relative of turnips, not broccoli. The entire plant – stems, leaves, and broccoli florets – are edible.

Serve with basmati rice, plain yogurt and flatbread, such as naan, for a hearty lunch or light dinner. Recipe adapted from Food & Wine. (*Indicates produce purchased at the Dupont Circle Farmers’ Market.)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup green lentils
  • 1 cup french green lentils
  • 1 teaspoon tumeric
  • 3 1/2 cups organic, free-range chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
  • 1 large, organic red onion*
  • 2 cups chopped, organic carrots*
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can organic fire roasted tomatoes (such as Muir Glen)
  • 2 to 4 teaspoons finely grated ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
  • 3 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 medium to large, organic shallot, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste mixed with 1 tablespoon of water
  • 1 medium bunch broccoli rabe
  • 1 large bunch swiss chard (chop all of each swiss chard leaf, including stem) or kale (remove stems and only use leaves, finely chop)
  • 1 cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a saucepan, combine the lentils with the turmeric, broth and water; bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the lentils are barely tender.
  2. Meanwhile, saute onion and carrot in 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat in a saute pan.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, coriander and ground cumin. Stir in 1/4 cup of water to make a paste. In a small skillet, heat 3 tbsp oil until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and cook over moderately high heat for 5 seconds, just until sizzling. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the spice paste and let cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until thick, about 1 minute longer.
  4. Add broccoli rabe, swiss chard (or kale), onion-carrot mixture, canned tomatoes, three-fourths of the cilantro and the cayenne to lentils and season with salt. Cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender, 15 minutes. Scrape in the spice paste and the remaining cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes, then serve.
  5. Serve with basmati rice, warm naan and plain yogurt or sour cream.
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