Filed under: Main Dish | Tags: chard, cilantro, goat cheese, sweet potato, tortilla
Last week, my friend Patty and I were brainstorming meal ideas for her camping trip. She found a recipe for butternut squash quesadillas with leeks that looked and sounded amazing! I was reminded of a scene several years ago, when I made a lunch of a wrap with sweet potatoes, avocado, feta cheese and black beans. A few friends from work would trade off making each other lunch once a week, and I think I had found that recipe in a fitness magazine. Anyhow, tonight I was inspired by Patty’s find (and my memory), and I managed to do my own version with sweet potatoes, chard, cilantro, and goat cheese.
The cilantro has been doing great in the garden – growing at a (mostly) manageable pace, and the same can be said for the chard. I hadn’t harvested chard for awhile, so not only did I pick the good leaves for me, I picked the scrappy leaves for the chicks (they seemed happy with it). Chard has become one of my favorite plants – I love the deep green color, and it so easily can be added to recipes. And the stalks are just as edible – particularly when sauteed like onions or celery.
A few other things: the chicken coop is pretty much done, and the chicks have gotten to play in it a few times. I think they like the space to fly and run around! They seem so small when they’re in their coop. But they have really grown soo much since we got them – I can hardly remember them without their feathers!
Even more exciting, I was able to ride my bike to work this morning… and it felt GOOD! My six-week X-ray is tomorrow, so hopefully my collarbone is healed up enough to get official doctor clearance 
It just felt so amazing, and natural, to be on my bike again… no more (or at least less!) car commute!! To quote a co-worker, the ride in is just “dreamy.” And on a completely different note – my favorite flowers in the yard are blooming right now… the Calla lily.
Sweet Potato and Chard Quesadillas
2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 large bunch chard, leaves torn into small-ish pieces and stems chopped like celery
1 small onion, chopped small
goat cheese to your taste
1/4 tsp each cumin and chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
4 Whole wheat tortillas
A few sprigs of Cilantro, torn into pieces
Optional: lime wedges
Preheat oven to 400. Toss sweet potato chunks with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for ~30 minutes until soft. Remove from oven, and puree (either in a blender or with an immersion blender). Mix in cumin, chili powder, and salt/pepper to taste.
While sweet potatoes are roasting, saute onion and chard stalks in olive oil. After 3-4 minutes, add the leaves. Cover for a few minutes so leaves wilt, then uncover to allow any moisture to evaporate off.
Assembly: Spread sweet potato mixture on half of a tortilla. Crumble goat cheese over sweet potatoes. Spoon on the chard mixture and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Fold tortilla half over and saute in a bit of olive oil until toasted/brown on each side. Cut into wedges and serve! If desired, squeeze lime juice over top.
Alright. We’re 4 1/2 weeks in, so we should know pretty soon the boys from the girls… Here are my potential roosters… and their like breed as a comparison. Any thoughts, comments, etc?
Roosty (Bantam Ameraucana. He’s squauked very rooster-like a few times)
Zeb (Standard Silver-laced Wyandotte. She SHOULD be a girl – she was sexed at birth. But her red comb is giving me doubts)
Little Grey (Bantam Sebright – rooster?)
Little Brown Boy (Bantam Sebright)
Little Brown Girl (Bantam Sebright)
Chipmunk Boy (Bantam Ameraucana)
Chipmunk Girl (Bantam Ameraucana)
A rare moment when they’re all looking at the camera. From L to R: Henrietta, Big Bird, Louise, Little Grey, Little Brown, Zeb, Penny, Riley
I’m sure you’re thinking, now what in Monkey Bread could possibly have come from a garden?? And you’d be right- absolutely nothing in this came from my garden. But I’ve had a craving for it lately, so I decided that I would make it from scratch. Its a stormy, rainy Friday, and spending the day at home baking seemed like the perfect plan. Oh yeah, and I get to play with the chickens in between! (I have two of the chipmunk bantam ameraucanas perched on my arm as we speak). There are three that I’m pretty sure are roosters, and one more I’m starting to think might be… but I’m trying not to think about it!
Chipmunks – the one in the back is a pretty definite rooster
I knew that I wanted to make the monkey bread dough from scratch, as opposed to buying refrigerated biscuit dough like most recipes call for. Although I’m sure that method is easier for some, I know that I am fairly adept at making bread from scratch. I also wanted a recipe that had lots of gooey-goodness in between the balls of dough, and I liked the idea of baking them in muffin tins. So off I went on my google search.
I found a yeasted bread dough recipe at Baking Bites which looked doable, and then instructions on making muffin-sized monkey breads at Dine and Dish. Usually combining recipes works out fine. In this case… well, there were technical difficulties. Completely my fault: yeasted bread expands (hence two rises). So jamming all the dough balls into 12 muffin spots just because I don’t want to get out another pan, means they expand A LOT. Not normally a problem, except when you’ve just drizzled them with a melted butter/sugar mixture, that then starts flowing over the entire muffin tin and dripping below (right into a cookie tin I had thoughtfully placed for just such a purpose). So in my instructions below, I am going to post what I SHOULD have done…
Monkey Bread Muffin-Style, from Scratch
1/4 cup water, warm (100-110F)
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (.25-oz)
3 – 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour and 2 1/2 cups bread flour)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup milk, warm (100-110F)
Lightly grease a 12-muffin tin and a 6-muffin tin. Set aside.
Combine warm water and yeast. Let stand for 2 minutes, until yeast is slightly foamy.
Stir in 1 cup of the flour, along with the salt, sugar, vanilla, egg, 2 tbsp melted butter and warm milk. Mix well, until dough is fairly smooth. Gradually add in the remaining flour, until it begins to come together a bit. Knead for 3-4 minutes. Cover the bowl with a dishcloth, and let dough rest for 30 minutes somewhere warm (I turn the oven to 200, turn it off, and after 5-10 minutes put the bowl in there).
1 cup sugar combined with 2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tbsp butter, melted
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
Handful of pecans, chopped or halves
Punch down dough, and start to tear off small pieces and roll into balls (I liked 1/4-1/2″ size). Dip the balls into the butter quickly, then roll in the sugar/cinnamon mixture before placed in the muffin tins. Only fill the muffin tins 2/3 of the way full!!! Critical for the glaze that follows (if you eliminate the glaze, you could potentially stuff the tins fuller). Sprinkle and stuff the pecan pieces into the dough balls. Set aside in a warm place for at least 30 minutes to allow the dough to rise a bit (I did not do this. I should have though!).
Heat the remaining butter and brown sugar over medium to low heat. Allow to boil for one minute. Then drizzle over the dough balls. If you need more, make up a bit more.. but remember, the balls are going to continue to rise while baking!
Alternative method: While you are rolling the balls in sugar, halfway through drizzle in some of the butter/sugar glaze. That way more gets to the bottom bits.
Bake at 350 for 15-25 minutes – check them often to make sure they aren’t overflowing too much. If you are worried about spillover (and you probably should be), put a cookie sheet or two underneath the pans to collect any dripping. Scraping burned sugar off the oven floor is no fun. Once they are done, let rest for a few minutes in the pan. Then scoop out and flip over onto a plate (scooping up any leftover drizzle too). Enjoy!
So. For the past week, every time I’m in the kitchen at the same time as Chester, he’s been asking me of what I’m making: “is it vegan?” And I say, “Yes Chester, its vegan… until I add the cheese!!!” To which he says… “NOT VEGAN!” But it did make me think about what I cook. And my conclusion is that 90% of what I make could very well be vegan.. if I didn’t add the cheese. Or if I used oil instead of butter. Meaning that, I don’t feel like meat, dairy, or eggs are the main player in my meals – often I try to think of them as garnish. Now, if I’m making a quiche – I’m going to use eggs. Especially when the chicks start laying! But I know that pizza is just as good without cheese (I just happen to like it better with cheese). And that many times, the addition of non-vegan ingredients can definitely be omitted without being missed. So Chester, in honor of you, I decided that I would post something entirely vegan.. if only so I could say, “yes Chester, it IS VEGAN!! Leave me alone!”
Matt and I have both been getting lunch delivered once a week from Organic Living SB, a lunch delivery service that only uses local ingredients and accommodates any dietary restrictions. We both get the vegan option – for me, I like to see how other people use their creativity in cooking delicious meals that don’t involve meat. I’ve been really impressed so far! Last week, my lunch was a stir fry of cashews, broccoli and turnips over wild rice with a very subtle sauce. The turnips really surprised me – I actually liked them. Which is more than I can say for the vast majority of the experiences I’ve had cooking them. So I decided to get a bunch of turnips at the market, and see what I could do!
My search for inspiration as usual started out at Tastespotting, where I found a recipe for braised kale, white beans, and turnips (I will post the link below). It sounded like a nice combination, and since I also had picked up some heirloom dried beans at the market, and we always have kale in the garden, I decided to give it a go. In my vegan quest, I knew I could eliminate the bacon and chicken broth, and instead use vegetable broth and add a bit of extra salt. I think if I made it again, I would use less apple cider vinegar and sugar, but I may wait until tomorrow (like chili, apparently braised dishes taste better the second day) to make my final verdict.
Part two of my cooking adventure for the night involved a quick crusty bread. I knew I didn’t have time or patience for a yeasted bread, so instead I found a recipe for a beer bread from Farmgirl Fare – something I’ve never tried before, but promised crusty results. And even better- no eggs or butter in the batter! Done deal. I’ve come across Farmgirl Fare before, and I really like the concept- similar to my own, yet so much more detailed. A great resource! The bread turned out perfectly, too! I would imagine you could substitute fizzy seltzer water with the same result if you don’t want to use beer. Or, just go buy your favorite crusty bread…
Braised Kale, Turnips, and Beans (my modified version. For the original, see here)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb Turnips, ends and tops trimmed off, cut into quarters about the size of your thumb
2 cups vegetable broth
Less than 1/8 cup Apple cider vinegar (or more, depending on taste)
2 cups cooked beans (I used the blue heirlooms, but white would be a great easy find)
1 to 1 1/2 large bunches of Kale, washed, stems discarded, and leaves roughly chopped
1/2 Tablespoon sugar (taste first, then add if you think you want it)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
Salt and Pepper
Place a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, onion, and turnips to the pot. Stir and cook until the vegetables are softened and beginning to turn brown on the edges. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Pour the vegetable broth and apple cider vinegar into the pot, and stir while scraping the bottom to deglaze any browned bits stuck to the pot. Next add the beans and kale. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Braise the kale for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are tender and wilted and the turnips are cooked through.
Once the kale is tender, remove the lid and add the hot sauce and lemon juice. Stir and taste the liquid. Add salt, pepper and sugar (if desired). Turn off the heat and serve the braised kale with slices of thick crusty bread to sop up the liquid.
Beer Bread with Fresh Herbs (original recipe found here)
3 cups organic all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
Several sprigs of oregano, rosemary, and thyme, snipped up
12 ounces beer (or seltzer water)
Optional glaze: 1 egg & 2 teaspoons water, beaten
Heat oven to 375°. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and herbs in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined. Batter will be thick. Spread in a greased 8-inch loaf pan, brush with egg glaze if desired, and bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Flavor note: Instead of herbs you could use a variety of other mix-ins. The original recipe has many ideas if you need inspiration!
Filed under: Main Dish | Tags: basil, chickens, eggplant, goat cheese, pesto, roasted peppers, sandwich
This past week we’ve been experiencing torrential downpours that break in the afternoon for stormy sunlit landscapes. Frothing large waves break against the bluffs, and a whole new array of bright rain-drenched colors emerge. I spread a few carrot and beet seeds in the garden, hoping that the wet soil will spur some germination.
One of the best parts about all this wet weather, though, was going on an excursion to play in the snow that all those storms left behind in the mountains near Santa Barbara! I might not be able to rock climb, run, or ride a bike yet (thank you, broken collarbone), but I can definitely still hike. Thank goodness!!
Some of my eggplant bushes are still holding on through the winter, and I picked a lovely Rosa Bianca that I decided would be my lunch. Leftover ciabatta bread, a bunch of basil, goat cheese, and roasted peppers completed my inspiration. This sandwich is the culmination of all my favorite ingredients, taking the best from each eggplant sandwich I’ve experienced at different restaurants (for some reason, I’m always drawn to it on a menu).
Eggplant sandwiches for 2
1 small eggplant, sliced into 1/4″ thick slices (Sprinkle with salt and let sit at least 10 minutes before blotting off moisture)
Roasted red peppers (I used bottled)
Goat cheese
Ciabatta bread (2-4 slices depending on how hungry you are)
Olive oil
Salt/pepper
Pesto:
2 cups basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c parmesan cheese (may be omitted)
1/4 c pine nuts (or walnuts)
Salt to taste
To make the pesto, combine ingredients in a food processor or use an immersion blender. Set aside.
Coat eggplant slices in olive oil. Saute eggplant in cast iron pan for ~5-8 minutes. Next coat the bread slices with olive oil and saute until toasted. Sprinkle bread with salt and pepper. Spread goat cheese on bread, then pesto, then top with roasted peppers and eggplant slices for an open face sandwich.
On a completely different note…
A few weeks ago, we made some significant progress in the conversion of our property into a food forest… we now have chickens! On January 7, we expanded our little family by 12 chicks, all of whom have been steadily growing, eating, and making a mess! But we love them dearly, and they provide a lot of entertainment. They’ll be ready to move outside into their coop at 6 weeks, when they have all their feathers in. But until then, they have their very own cardboard mansion in our spare bedroom. Many thanks to all my local chicken friends for their advice, loans of equipment, etc.! Sometime this summer we should start getting fresh eggs… I can’t wait!
(For those of you interested in the breeds, we have 1 Australorp, 2 Rhode Island Reds, 1 Silver-laced Wyandotte, 1 Ameracauana, 1 Golden Sex-link, 3 bantam Sebrights and 3 bantam Ameracaunas.)
