Meadowbrook Farm…

My good friend, Chris, works at a local farm and oversees the various garden plots and growing projects on the property. Art and I recently had the distinct opportunity to visit Chris in his element and learn all about the history, people, plants, and mission of this wonderful Montgomery Country destination.

Meadowbrook Farm is nestled amongst the back roads of Abington and boasts a beautiful home once owned and occupied by J. Liddon Pennock, who was a tremendous advocate for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. So much so, he donated his estate to the non-profit organization upon his death in 2003. In tandem with PHS, Meadowbrook is the flagship store of the Philadelphia Flower Show each year, so they’re a pretty big deal.

Anyways, Chris and I share a love for cooking, good food, and local ingredients. Knowing this, Chris invited Art and me to check out his various projects and give us a tour.

We first checked out the community plots he oversees where I saw anything from summer squash and lettuces to various tomatoes and ground cherries. The latter grabbed my attention when he said it because I had no idea what he was talking about. Oh yes, this is why I love visiting a farm!

A ground cherry is in the tomato family and wears a husk similar to a tomatillo. They get their name because they fall to the ground when ripe and they are the sweetest, tangiest, most citrusy veggie I’ve ever tasted. I could eat these by the handful like candy! I had no problem eating them right there in the garden too because Meadowbrook grows everything organically.

I love shallots and I cook with them all the time. I watched Chris pull some right from the ground and place them in my hands. Now that’s what I call a fresh, organic, and local ingredient!

Local, organic shallots

The Hop Project

  

















Chris had sent me a pic a while back of the frames/trellises he built to begin growing hops. Upon my visit, some vines were already making their ways up the bamboo!

Backyard pool

Pennock house foyer

The house is very cool. The ground level is still kept as it was when Mr. Pennock lived there. They don’t make houses like this anymore. Posh furniture, beautiful décor, exotic plants…

This was a fantastic way to spend an afternoon and see the great work a local farm is doing. Chris, his wife, me and Art all went to Mad Mex and had a delicious dinner that evening. It was an all around wonderful day and great dinner. I had some incredible tofu tacos. I’m not terribly into Mexican cuisine, but Chris did not steer me wrong with this one. I loved it.

I went on that week to use those lovely Meadowbrook shallots on my usual dishes and thoroughly enjoyed them. Now if I can only get my own personal, weekly supply of those tasty ground cherries throughout their season!

Farmer's Market Fix...

I had a great take from the Upper Merion Farmer's Market yesterday, so I had to share.

New potatoes, purple kale, green string beans, Spring Creek Farms' eggs, carrots, and corn - all organic and produced within 50 miles from where I sit right now. That's cool to me. The best part of yesterday's visit was at Livengood's Farm Stand, where I got to fill that small bag with as many string beans as I could for only $2.00! That's as good as it gets, and it's another reason why I love farmers' markets. I dare you to find that kind of deal in a regular food store on conventional beans, let along organic.

Unfortunately, I have to miss the next two markets because I'm travelling for work, but I'll be looking forward to get my fix on Aug 18 and hopefully finding some more great deals and fresh, organic produce!

Quinoa Crockpot Casserole…

Oppressive heat and humidity during these summer months make me want to do ALAP (as little as possible) when it comes to standing around a hot stove. As a result of the recent blistering drought conditions in the northeast, I’ve been tapping into the most energy-efficient and convenient cooking method available to mankind – the crockpot. I have used a crockpot only a handful of times since owning one, but I am quickly changing that with some easy recipes. As previously stated, the crockpot is extremely energy efficient and emits very little heat when cooking so it is a great option for hot summer days when trying to keep indoor temp down.

I began searching online for a recipe that would cook while I was out that morning and would travel well for about an hour. I found a scrumptious recipe using quinoa, my favorite seed, and a bunch of veggies that sounded great. I adapted it a few different ways and swapped a few things according to my own preferences and this is what I came up with:

Quinoa Veggie Casserole

   2 C of rinsed quinoa

   4 C veggie broth

   1 C diced carrots

   1 C diced potato

   1 C diced butternut squash

1/2 C dried cranberries

1/3 C chopped almonds

1/2 C crumbled feta

   1 T chopped garlic

   1 T olive oil

1-2 chopped shallots  

   1 t sea salt

   1 t cinnamon

Add rinsed quinoa to crockpot, add oil and mix to coat

Add veggie broth

Add salt and cinnamon

Add garlic and shallot

Stir in almonds, potatoes, and carrots

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours

Check after 2 hours. Liquid should be mostly absorbed and you should be able to fluff quinoa with a fork.

Add cranberries, continue to cook.

Check after an additional 2 hours. If potatoes and carrots are soft, continue with the next step. Otherwise, cook until soft.

Fluff quinoa and add feta.

Replace lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes.

Stir before serving.

The crockpot employs an excellent cooking method that produces little heat and a lot of food at once. This dish in particular is has some unique flavor combinations and gave me a Moroccan/Persian cuisine vibe. It's another great gluten-free offering and simply remove the feta to make it vegan. This dish will please a variety of diets and serve a large crowd. I absolutely love it and I’ll be making it again soon!

Sweet Potato Enchiladas… Vegan and GF

While I do enjoy a diet that is primarily vegetarian, I have never been interested in pursuing a vegan diet and/or lifestyle. I add that qualifier “lifestyle” because I think someone who decides to be vegan in order to avoid animal products and “eat compassionately” should not only eat, but also live this way. A vegan should refrain from the use of a leather belt, a down comforter, conventional medications (bug dyes), refined sugar (animal bone char), general anesthesia (eggs), good old soap bars (tallow), most beer and wine (filtering processes), and the list goes on. To be truly vegan is a feat not to be taken lightly.

There’s much more to it than a diet, and I’ve know too many vegans who only follow a certain diet for health, but even that is subject to occasional non-vegan indulgences. I’ve watched a vegan order a plate of French fries when out at a restaurant because “I can’t even trust a salad.” – Great, healthy option there. Another acquaintance admits to being vegan “except for when it comes to dessert.” Oh please.

This is not to put down any vegan or variation of a vegan lifestyle because a complete, educated, and informed vegan will typically have an extremely healthy diet. This is simply my two cents on being vegan and what I’ve encountered, and I think it’s all or nothing. Veganism is not for me, but I’m happy if it is good for you. Just make sure you’re well informed and ready to discuss your diet and lifestyle choices at the drop of a hat!

That’s it. Go big or go home. Now onto the recipe that sparked my rant…

Sweet Potato Enchiladas… that also happen to be vegan and gluten free.

                                                                                    Ingredients:

8        8" corn tortillas (Sonoma)

3-4     hefty sweet potatoes

2-3     carrots

2        shallots

1 t      minced garlic

1 can  black beans (Eden)

1-2 T   taco seas. (Simply Org)

1 T      coconut oil spread (Olivio)

1 C      fresh chopped cilantro

1 C      salsa (Muir Glen)

           Olive oil

           S+P

Set oven to 350 and start heating a large skillet on the stovetop

Chop shallots and add with garlic to heated, oiled skillet

Cut up sweet potatoes and carrots to even chunks for sautéing

Once shallots are browned, throw in the potatoes and carrots and more oil if needed

Cover and allow to cook on med-med hi, tossing mixture occasionally, until soft

While potato-carrot mixture is cooking…

Start a small saucepan on medium heat and throw in the can of black beans

Add coconut oil and taco seasoning and allow things to heat up

Mash about half of the beans to begin forming a sort of chunky paste in the pot

Once potatoes are golden and soft and the bean mixture is heated through, get ready to build…

Place four tortillas on counter or cutting board

Add a spoonful of the beans to each

Spread beans evenly to cover most of the tortilla, leaving an inch or so of an uncovered border

Add a large spoonful of the potato-carrot mixture to each tortilla

Add a healthy pinch of cilantro

Repeat with remaining four tortillas

Once everything is assembled, roll tortillas and place in a 9x13 casserole dish

Cover rolled tortillas with salsa

Place in oven for 20 minutes to warm everything back up and allow flavors to meld a bit

Yum! Veggie Enchiladas that are GF and Vegan!

Warning: These tortillas crack and can be a bit of a pain to build initially. However, once in the dish, covered with salsa, and cooked they are great. Let’s face it, they’re not your typical “wrap” you’ll find at the grocery store with all the chemicals and emulsifiers needed to make them nice and flexible. The Sonomas are made with the only ingredients needed to make traditional tortillas: corn, water, and lime.

Several techniques exist (all using oil) to make the tortillas more user friendly, but as long as I’m not using them for tacos, I don’t want to add the extra fat. 

You'll see in the pic of ingredients a few things not mentioned. I typically make a sweet mango rice along with the enchiladas that is superb and simple. It involves cooking some jasmine rice in mango coconut water and adding some fresh, diced champagne mango a few minutes before it's ready to serve. 

Cheers to a very healthy, vegan and gluten-free dish!

Coconut Fad...

There’s a new fat in town. Who knows how long it will stick around, but right now it’s all the rage. Coconut oil has made a recent impact on health food stores as a safer, more healthful alternative to butter.

I mention butter specifically because we all know EVOO is the preferred healthy oil to use for your sautéing and roasting needs. Butter, while untouched by posing imitations for the desired outcomes in perfect pastries and flaky pie crusts, packs a punch of unhealthy saturated fat.

Over the past few years, studies were conducted to retrace the accusations placed on coconut oil and discoveries were made regarding the type of saturated fat in coconuts. Both butter and coconut oil contain saturated fats, but different types. The coconut’s medium-chained saturated fat behaves differently than the long-chained fatty acids of butter. So while coconut oil does elevate both HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels in human blood, it is still thought to be a better choice over butter. More importantly, it has the ability to deliver the goods when it comes to baking when it comes to producing proper consistency and texture.

Enough with the science.

Once this information began to hit the masses, health stores and especially vegans took notice. Obviously, vegans don’t use butter, and the hard-core vegan bakers miss it. Alternatives exist in vegetable oil spreads and shortening sticks, but they don’t quite make the cut for some things. Coconut oil is vegan and it performs well in many variations.

The oil of this sweet vegetable is solid at room temperature and melts beautifully for sautéing greens and roasting root veggies in addition to adding a hint of vanilla sweetness. I first tried it when roasting sweet potatoes and fell in love with the results. Note that the vanilla/coconut aroma and flavor is much more prominent in the unrefined version of the oil.

Additionally, I’ve used coconut oil for sautéing kale, roasting butternut, and making GF banana bread. For recipes that call for butter or oil in baking (like the banana bread), I typically use yogurt or applesauce instead. That’s the best sub by far for baking when it comes to health. But the occasional indulgence of coconut oil over butter is still a better option, and life is more exciting when those indulgences can be enjoyed!

Not enough work has been done to determine if coconut oil is as beneficial as EVOO, but moderation is the name of the game anyways when it comes to any kind of oil. See what the local market has to offer in the coconut department and give it a whirl next time the craving for a homemade pie and/or cake rears its ugly (or welcomed) head.

Chia Seed Frenzy...

Sure the first thing that comes to mind is “Ch-ch-ch chia!” but this little seed is so much more than the source of those grassy, pet plants from back in the day. The chia seed is a powerhouse of antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

I first heard about this wonder-seed a while back when I was researching good sources of omega-3s. Art and I had been using flax for quite some time to mix in oatmeal and throw in other random meals when possible, but I began to discover the vast superiority of chia over flax. Omega-3s can cause things to go rancid, that’s why ground flax should be refrigerated. Well, not only does chia not have to be ground in order for the human body to access the nutrients, but it also is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds will keep just fine if left in the cupboard. Additionally, chia packs in a healthy dose of fiber and many other nutrients.

Who knew!? It was quite the revelation for me.

Since working chia into my diet and enjoying the convenience it offers, I have employed it in other ways in the kitchen. Mix some chia seeds with water and let it sit for a few minutes to form a gel. This characteristic is thought to slow digestion and tame those pesky blood sugar spikes when eating a large meal. Furthermore, this gel can be used as an egg substitute in baking. I have done this several times when compulsively baking, getting halfway into a recipe, and realizing I don’t have eggs. Life saver.

Throw them on yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, salad, and almost anything to get an extra crunch of nutrition.

Enough ingredient education, here’s a super easy recipe for chia seed pudding. Keep in mind the “congeal” factor of these super seeds!

2/3 C  chia seeds

   2 C  vanilla soy/rice/almond milk

½ t     cinnamon

Dried currants for topping

Place ingredients in a bowl, stir, and cover. Refrigerate over night. Mix well before serving. Add currants after plating and before serving.

I have tried a few variations of this with dried cherries, agave, honey, coconut, and some other things. Because the base recipe is so simple, this can be customized in any way! It’s a great sweet treat that packs in some killer nutrition and will keep you feeling full.

Yogurt Goes Bananas...

It’s a banana? It’s frozen yogurt? It’s both??

For a few months now, I’ve been faithfully practicing my frozen yogurt making abilities. I think I’m pretty good at it too.

Thankfully, I am in no way making actual frozen yogurt, but rather using a wonderful appliance called “Yonanas.” Get it? Yogurt and bananas, but it’s much more than a portmanteau.

This lovely machine turns a frozen banana into ice cream consistency. That’s right, it needs ONLY a banana. I had heard that whipping up this frozen fruit in a food processor would yield similar results but had never tried it. However, once I saw this machine, I knew it was for me.

Frozen bananas = ice cream!

I am an avid ice cream fan. While I am quite the healthy eater most of the time, I partake in the frozen treat at least twice a week. I don’t think that’s anything crazy, but I’ll gladly take any help I can get with my ice cream habit. Yonanas offers an incredible alternative to ice cream. Obviously, it only uses a banana, which starts me off in a much better direction than all the cream, sugar, and fat. The Yonanas machine whips up the frigid fruit into a wonderfully smooth and rich consistency and is the perfect base to add a few things to dress it up a bit.

The idea is to keep this as a more healthy option than ice cream, so I try to keep the mix-ins limited. I have settled into a routine of 1-1 ½ banana(s), a swirl of Santa Cruz Organic Chocolate Syrup, a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon, and a few dark chocolate chips. The chocolate syrup will quickly add all the sugar back in as if you still had a bowl of the decadent stuff, so be particularly careful with that one. Otherwise, this treat is an awesome answer to any ice cream fix.

I do have to say (and this may be obvious but I’ll say it anyway), you need to be a banana fan to get into this. While the marketing folks at Yonana claim that the treat will have a pretty neutral taste and only a hint of banana, there’s a lot of banana flavor going on in actuality. Otherwise, the only negative I’ve encountered with this appliance is having to “harvest” the “yogurt” from the various parts of the machine after it is done mixing. It only takes a few seconds to push the banana all the way down into the chute, but I remember thinking, “is anything going to come out?” I have to disassemble the parts (which has to be done for cleaning after every use anyway) and scrape out the yogurt - a bit of a pain, but not too terrible in the grand scheme.

An indulgence of Zwahlen's hot fudge!

While it has its inconveniences, I am very pleased overall with what this appliance has to offer. If you’re a fellow ice cream obsessor and fan of bananas, this thing is for you!