Organic Harvest Box for May 24, 2012

So we did get eaten alive by blackflies on the weekend, but we did enjoy our Japanese Coleslaw, a fantastic Quinoa salad, a tasty cantaloupe and the asparagus grilled on the BBQ was fantastic.

And we went on a field trip to Belle Terre Organics Garden at Otter Lake, QC.  Owners Joyce Angelus-Keller and Wayne Keller were fantastic hosts and showed us around, let the girls plant some pumpkin seeds, let us taste some herbs, and astounded us with their immense amount of knowledge.  It was fascinating to learn that their business is the original Belle Terre Botanical Gardens that ran from 1978 to 1994 when the Kellers ran a tea house, teaching gardens for local colleges, and their organic plant business.  Their business is much smaller now, supplying their organic plants, flowers and herbs to a small number of select stores in the Ottawa/Gatineau region.



Joyce is wealth of information when it comes to plants, what their uses are, how to prepare or eat them, grow them, and care for them.  They have an unimaginable variety of plants from flowers to herbs to vegetables to perennials and more.  If there is something unique or unusual, they might have it.  Pretty much anything that you are looking for, Belle Terre can probably offer.  It is obvious when talking with both Wayne and Joyce that they have a love of the business and the land around them.

 

Belle Terre is certified by Pro-Cert and meets both the Canadian Organic Standards and the Quebec Organic Standards as they follow the strict criteria for organic production.  Organic production is based on principles that support healthy practices that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment.  Belle Terre uses watering and irrigation sources from natural spring headwaters.  They work with the Quebec Ministry of the Environment to maintain a healthy and sustainable forest and they compost and sterilize their own soil through strictly organic means.

Helping out with seed planting

All sorts of basil

The classic old sign that Joyce didn't want me to photograph, because "it's old and there's dirt on it."

Kale plants on their way

Young Toy Choy plants which do well in our cooler climate

I am sure that if you had any questions about any of the plants that Belle Terre is offering that Joyce and Wayne would be happy to answer them.  Our visit there made me really excited about the growing season and I'm looking forward to our harvest in our small garden.  Life Organics is still offering Belle Terre's plants for sale and a full list is available on the Life Organic website.

The newer sign that Joyce really wanted me to take a photo of, no dirt!

I won't offer you much in terms of recipes for this weeks produce. Don't forget to chop the greens off the carrots to keep them as fresh as possible, and Tasha thinks that the Pachino tomatoes are better if they have been chilled for a few minutes.  We have our daughter's birthday party this weekend and will be serving up sliders and mini hot dogs for the kiddies and parents so the romaine and spinach are going to come in handy for a nice big green salad.  And the carrots will be great cut up and dipped for the younger crowd.  I can't wait to grill the asparagus again as it is so good this time of year.  And I still have more rhubarb from my garden so another apple and rhubarb crisp is on the way.   But I am a recipe addict so I have to leave you with Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Apples which is how I will choose to use the yams and apples, served alongside some simple grilled asparagus, grilled chicken and elk sausages from the market.

Organic Harvest Box April 26, 2012

I am a little jealous - I am not actually getting my veggie box this week as we leave on Saturday for a week away (hint hint - don't expect a post next week).  I looked at what's on the list and started thinking about and looking for recipes and there are so many tasty possibilities for the Baby Kale, Broccolini, and Rainbow Chard. And Tasha said that the pears that are in the boxes are fantastic. Maybe someone will try out the recipes and tell me how they turned out.  Since I don't have a box this week, I don't have a photo, but I do have photos of some of the food I made this week, and what a great excuse to write about what I ended up using my veggies for.  Each week I search out and post recipes that I have either used or really think are useable or that I will try, but often I end up with something completely different, or a week behind in using some of my veggies.  Like my kale, I posted Tasha's recipe two weeks ago for the Lemony Kale Salad, but only made it on Sunday.  It was delicious, so easy, and my husband even enjoyed it - well worth trying.

I had the best intentions of making a pork roast with the roasted carrots, potatoes and the winter parsnips, but while looking out the window at the cold and grey Saturday morning while having a warm bowl of oatmeal with the kids, I just wanted some soup.  I rifled through the cupboards and sure enough had all of the ingredients for one of my favorites - Hamburger Soup from the Best of Bridge Cookbook.  By 930 a.m. I had my carrots, celery, and onions chopped and soup on the stove.  It simmered all day and we had it for supper with a batch of homemade biscuits and some cheese buns (guilty pleasure).  I have had it twice more this week for lunches.

The other dish that I made to use a variety of the veggies was a weeknight pasta meal that is very easy to make.  I start with some pork sausage (removed from casings) or leftover ham and cook that in a large non-stick skillet while putting some water on for any type of pasta.  While that is cooking, chop some combination of onions, zucchini, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and add them to the skillet.  You can add some fresh herbs at this point as well.  Make sure your pasta is in the boiling water with a bit of salt.  Once the veggies are getting soft, add a good amount of pesto, some grated parmesan, and once the pasta has been boiling for a bit, add a 1/2 c. of the pasta water to the sauce.  When the pasta is close to being done, add some cream cheese or cream to the sauce to thicken a bit.  Drain the pasta and toss together with the sauce.  This a hit with my kids and is different each time but consistently good.

Enough about last week's veggies - did you know that Broccolini is actually a hybrid vegetable that was created in Japan in the early 1990s?  It was created to be softer, sweeter, and easier to cook than broccoli.  It is not baby broccoli but a species all of its own that was engineered to be more appealing for cooking and eating.  It is best to store it in a bag as you would broccoli and it should last in the fridge for up to 10 days.  For a dish that  can act as a main dish or side try this Broccolini, Caulifower, Chard and Tofu Roman Style.  I also like the looks of this Steamed Broccoli with Honey Soy Sauce.  You can certainly cook the broccolini as you would asparagus or broccoli and maybe by calling it "baby broccoli" you can entice your kids to eat more greens.

I will miss out on this week's Rainbow Chard but I did come across a few more recipes since the last time there was chard that I will try next time.  A few recipes that I found on my Epicurious app on the iPad (ie. multipurpose cookbook) are Pasta with Kielbasa and Swiss Chard (appealing to my Ukranian heritage), Roasted Garbanzo Beans and Garlic with Swiss Chard (Meatless Monday meal?), or Frittata Bites with Chard, Sausage and Feta (for brunch or cut small for a cocktail party).

Baby Kale - I read that it is milder than regular kale, and being that it is smaller and a little less tough, it is much more amenable to salads and it cooks more quickly.  I still haven't tried kale chips but did love reading this blog about making kale chips from Baby Kale specifically.  If you have any bok choy left from this past week, try a side dish of Baby Kale and Bok Choy with Sesame and Ginger.  Or use the kale in this Baby Kale Salad (taken from www.wholelivingdaily.wholeliving.com).

Baby Kale Salad

15 oz. baby kale
2 cups walnuts, chopped
2 apples, thinly sliced (we used Pink Ladies)
1/2 lb. goat's milk gouda (or any other cheese you love), cut into small cubes
1 bunch chives, chopped into 1-inch pieces

For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
salt and pepper to taste


1. Place walnuts on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake in an oven at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes, tossing halfway through.
2. Combine baby kale, walnuts, apples, gouda, and chives in a large bowl.

3. Mix dressing ingredients and toss with salad.

My last two offerings this week - I think that this recipe for Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Baby Kale is a great idea for a vegetarian main course, and I love the combination of lentils with sweet potatoes.  Or alternately, use the yams in this fun side dish or appetizer recipe, Sweet Potato and Pancetta Gratin.

Enjoy the veggies and fruit this week while I enjoy a week away.

Organic Harvest Box for March 29, 2012

I was a little intimidated with this week's list when I first saw it on Monday - fennel, chard, lemon.  Chard, I know that I love it but is it versatile?  Fennel is one of those veggies that is just a little strong for my kids so I think that I have only used it a handful of times.  And lemon, there are so many options but it is one of the last fruits to get used up from my harvest box.  However, the more I started looking around and linking from this recipe to that and pulling out favorites, I realized that this week is a snap - so many of these veggies go so well together in so many different food combinations.

It was a nice coincidence to see a lemon on the list as I had just read this great little piece on the Food52 website.  It was talking about the staple items in your fridge or grocery list, and they listed lemon as one of their staple items and how versatile a lemon is for salad dressings, stuffing a chicken with lemon, using the zest on pasta, in pancakes or crostini, squeezing the lemon into water or using the juice to keep apples/avocados from going brown.  I am going to challenge myself that the lemon will not be the last fruit used up this week.  This recipe for Zucchini Frites with Lemon Basil Mayonnaise caught my eye as the lemon mayo could be used for dipping a few different things - zucchini frites made from last week's zucchini if you have any left, sweet potato fries made from the yam, or fresh cut up carrots, celery and fennel.

The fennel was definitely the most challenging veggie for me this week as I have maybe only prepared fennel a couple of times in the past.  As I mentioned this to a co-worker, she said that she had a great Fennel and Orange Salad recipe which sounded perfect as both are in our box this week.  I had to try it out.  I didn't quite stick to the recipe as I added in some carrots and a radish from last week's box but I'm sure the original version is equally as good.  It tasted even better the next day as the flavors intensified.

Fennel and Orange Salad

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup wine or rice vinegar

1 tsp. French mustard

1 clove garlic, crushed

 1 tsp. honey

 salt and pepper

 1 tsp. orange zest

 1 Tbsp. orange juice

 3 Tbsps. raisins

 2 heads fennel, sliced

 3 oranges, segmented

 3 spring onions, sliced

 3 Tbsps. pecan halves (optional)

Segment the orange over a bowl in order to catch the juice for the dressing.  Mix up the dressing using the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, honey, salt, pepper, orange zest and orange juice.  Slice your fennel and green onions and toss together with the raisins, oranges, and pecans.  Toss with the dressing.  

All of the parts of the fennel can be used in cooking, the stalks and greenery can be used to season dishes with the anise type flavor and the milder white bulb can be cooked or eaten raw.  The bulb is a good source of vitamin C and fibre.  Fennel is best stored in the crisper but eaten soon after purchase as it is said to lose it's flavor the longer it is kept, however if you find the fennel flavor too strong, then do leave it a few extra days to be more mild.  Fennel pairs well with so many of the items from this week's box such as lemon, orange, celery, carrot, spinach, and onion.  It can be used in some great recipes such as New Carrot and Fennel Soup with Watercress,  Spinach Salad with Vidalia Dressing or this simple Fennel and Celery Salad  If you have a bit of time, this Lemon and Onion Roasted Chicken will make use of your lemon, fennel, carrots, yam and onions.

I was really impressed to find out how healthy chard is.  Everything I read about it proclaimed its high levels of vitamins A, C, and K, iron, beta-carotene, and the phytonutrient betalain which is good as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detox agent.  Just one cup of chard provides over 700% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin K, over 200% of the recommended intake of Vitamin A, and half the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C.  To store chard, do not wash the leaves until ready to use, place it in a plastic storage bag and wrap the bag around the stems, squeezing out as much air as possible.  One of my favorite ways of preparing chard is quite simple, cut the leaves and stalks, boil in water, drain, toss with a little butter, salt and pepper, a squeeze of fresh lemon or a little bit of vinegar.  However, chard can also be used in almost any way that you enjoy spinach or kale.  I came across this great frittata recipe which will incorporate both your onions and your chard for a great weekend breakfast/brunch meal or a quick weeknight meatless dish.  Or from another of my favorite recipe sources, LCBO's Food and Drink magazine, the Spicy Greens would be a great way to use the chard as side dish.

I wasn't feeling very creative about what to do with the yam in this week's order.  I normally use yams at holiday meal times  but I don't happen to be hosting Easter dinner this year.  Or we often use them for homemade baked fries, but I remembered a recipe from an Ottawa Citizen article that is worth trying if you are still in the mood for a warming stew.  This recipe takes a little bit of prep but can then be put in the crockpot to be ready at then end of a busy day.  

Curried Lentil Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry French lentils, soaked 2 hours or overnight, then drained

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with liquid

One 14-ounce can coconut milk

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, or water

2 large carrots, diced

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup raisins

11/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 teaspoon grated fresh gingerroot, peeled)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

11/2 teaspoons salt, or less to taste

2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped

To garnish (any or all):

Chopped fresh basil leaves, cilantro or parsley

Plain yogurt

Diced avocado

Green onion, chopped

Goat cheese, crumbled

1. In a frypan, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic. Transfer all ingredients (except spinach and garnishes) to slow cooker and cook on Low setting 7 to 8 hours, or until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender.

2. Before serving, fold in spinach. Garnish with your choice of any or all of the garnishes.

Source: The Red Apron


Lastly, just a few tips for the produce in this week's box - trim the green stalks off the carrots before putting them in the crisper and they will stay fresher longer, pat your lettuce dry and then wrap it in an absorbent paper towel and place it back in the bag, and keep your tomatoes unwashed and at room temperature and if you want them to ripen quicker place them in a paper bag with an apple.  Enjoy!

Organic Harvest box for April 10, 2011

by Brie

Our box this week had four lovely small yams. I love yams for how versatile they are. You can throw them in chili or soup for added colour and flavour. My four year old's favorite way to eat them is baked with a little butter and brown sugar. She will happily eat them with a spoon! I have no problem with her eating two or three for dinner, as she has been known to do, because they are a good source of vitamins C and B, potassium, manganese and are low in saturated fat and sodium. Plus they taste good!

I was pleased to see some garlic in our box. I love garlic. I would be happy to just fry it up in some olive oil and eat it over pasta. But as a great cold cure, and we have a cold sneaking into the house right now, it will be the perfect base for roasted garlic and onion soup and mushroom soup with parsley and garlic. Those two soups are also a great way to use the bag of yellow onions and box of mushrooms we received this week.

Parsley is a herb that forms the basis of many popular dishes, like tabbouleh, lamb with persillade and gremolata. It can also be used, along with garlic, celery and onion in the Italian dish ossobuco alla milanese. Parsley is also widely recognised for its medicinal purposes in teas or when cooked in dishes. I am tempted to try crushing it and seeing if it is really an effective treatment for mosquito bites this summer!

Peppers and zucchinis make a great dinner combination. You could make a quick and easy zucchini and pepper pasta or, if you have more time, try stuffing zucchinis and peppers with turkey, parsley and onion.

I usually think of serving broccoli and cauliflower separately, like in broccoli risotto or cauliflower curry but they are also good combined together. Broccoli is a power food full of vitamins, minerals and protein and cauliflower isn't too far behind..They can be combined in dishes as simple as broccoli-cauliflower salad and broccoli and cauliflower pasta or served together in tandoori grilled broccoli and cauliflower kebabs.

The fruit we received this week, a grapefruit, a kiwi, pears and oranges are all a great source of Vitamin C. A bunch of yellow bananas were perfectly ripe and are great for snacking or trying flambed. The mango is a wonderful treat, and once you know how to cut it properly, easy to eat.  Fabulous to eat on their own, these fruit would make an excellent fruit salad tossed together or a sweet addition to a lettuce salad.

These are some of the ideas on my menu plan this week. What are you cooking?

Brie loves eating food and is learning to love cooking food. She also blogs about motherhood at Capital Mom and about Ottawa with kids at Kids in the Capital.

Thursday, March 10th: Making muffins and roasting vegetables

by Brie

Our box this week arrived after dinner and the kids had to open it as soon as we dragged it into the house. They they had to sit and eat half the strawberries. I managed to snag one for myself and it was good!




Some anjou pears arrived in the box which means I will be making my favorite spiced anjou pear bread. This bread recipe has been one of my best discoveries and is perfect for taking visiting. It also got me thinking about how I could bake with the grapefruit. Grapefruit muffins anyone? And because we go through muffins like crazy in this house I am also going to turn the big bag of carrots into spiced carrot muffins. I like to make the mini muffins and freeze some to be pulled out when needed for snacks.

There were two greens in the box this week, Swiss chard and spinach. I am going to cook the chard with chick peas and fresh tomatoes and serve it with quinoa but you could also try a chard and goat cheese pizza or spicy Thai vegetable soup. I am going to try making these spinach brownies. The spinach would also be tasty in this curried lentil and spinach soup.

Whenever I see little potatoes in my box I always want to sprinkle them with some sea salt and roast them. Yum. You can't go wrong with roasted potatoes. I have the same urge with yams, but cut as fries. But they would also be great baked and served with cream cheese. The beautiful cauliflower will end up being roasted with sea salt and thrown into my favorite soup recipe. For something different you could try a cauliflower cheese pie or cauliflower curry.

This is what's on my menu plan this week. What are you cooking?

Brie loves eating food and is learning to love cooking food. She also blogs about motherhood at Capital Mom and about Ottawa with kids at Kids in the Capital.

Thursday, February 10th: soup and other food

by Brie

It is the middle of February and that seems like the perfect time for soup. Lots of soup. When I opened my food box this week all I could see was soup. Beets are perfect for borscht. Cabbage mixed with garlic is a great soup for a cold day. I love the bright green of cream of broccoli soup. Curried carrot soup would go perfect with the lettuce wraps I am going to make with the romaine lettuce in the box. And cream of mushroom soup is one of my favorites. 

(If you are planning a week of soup like I am, try making my favorite homemade whole wheat bread recipe. I have yet to make a bad loaf!) 

For anyone who wants to make some food that doesn't get pureed, how about using the shredded cabbage for some fresh coleslaw, fried cabbage or cabbage noodles (I think I will try the last one and see if I can get my kids to eat it!). The beets would be great roasted with ginger or in a marinated salad. Mushrooms are always good in risotto (this recipe uses a slow cooker), gravy or dressed up in a mushroom tart.

I'll also be making a few non-soup dishes this week. Like our now favorite zucchini phyllo pie (did I mention my four year old ate three servings last time) and my favorite chili recipe with some yams thrown in.

A big bag of beautiful looking apples arrived in our box. The kids have already started eating their way through the apples, but I am tempted to set some aside for an apple pie or apple tart. If you have some time try making a batch of apple butter. We cooked some up in the fall and it was great served on toast, yogurt or pancakes.

This is what's on my menu plan this week. What are you cooking?

Brie loves eating food and is learning to love cooking food. She also blogs about motherhood at Capital Mom and about Ottawa with kids at Kids in the Capital.

Organic Harvest Box for October 29, 2010

Another Organic Harvest Box arrived on our doorstep this week!  Check out the goodies:

Arugula may look like most other greens out there, but it has a very distinguished and different taste than most.  The leafy green has a rich, peppery taste, and has an exceptionally strong flavour. It can be easily used like most other greens, although it is exceptionally tasty tossed on top of pizza.

For example, this Arugula Pizza is easy and delicious. Or how about White Pizzas with Arugula?  And feel free to use your imagination as arugula is wonderful on many pizzas, especially those using strong-tasting cheeses.  You can also throw some arugula leaves in an Arugula Grilled Cheese and enjoy it with a piping hot bowl of soup. And an Arugula and Orange Salad or Arugula Salad with Honey-Drizzled Peaches make a delightful lunch or light supper.  Want to add an extra bit of tang to your weeknight pasta?  Make this Arugula Pesto and pour it over your favourite pasta noodles.

I've mentioned numerous times before that my favourite way to incorporate zucchini into our meal plan is to bake Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins  - they are easy and fairly healthy, and my kids absolutely adore them. Other "fun" ways to add a little zucchini to your life include making Zucchini Fries, Zucchini Chips, or these yummy Zucchini Cakes. These are not the healthiest choices, but are nice treats in moderation.  Zucchini fits well into regular meals as well, like this Zucchini Ricotta Frittata, and this Zucchini and Onion Teriyaki.
An interesting way to offer a zucchini-inspired meal would be to serve a bowl of  Zucchini Soup with these mouth watering Zucchini Bruschettas.  Your guests would not be disappointed!


I find I cook a lot of yams during the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I am always on the look out for new recipes this time of year.  And while I'm not a fan of traditional "candied yams", there are many of you who are.  In my searches I did come up with three fabulous recipes: Orange Candied Sweet Potatoes, Candied Yams with Apples, and good old Candied Yams with Marshmallows.  Yams are always a popular side dish, so why not try Baked Yams or Mango and Almond Yams with one of your main meals?  I also like the look of this Molasses Roasted Yams and Sweet Potatoes Medley, or for something with a little Indian flair, add Curried Yams in Coconut Milk to your next weekend meal!

Enjoy your week and Happy Halloween!

Organic Harvest Box for May 28, 2010

Due to some technical difficulties with my home computer, I am unable to upload this week's photo of the Harvest Box.

***As the weather gets warmer and your Harvest Box arrives on hot days, be sure to leave a cooler at your front door so Life Organic can leave your Harvest Box items inside it to keep them cool and fresh. ***

One of my favourite recipes from last week was the delightful Fruity Spinach Salad. I made it and this was a tasty, fresh salad that I served along grilled chicken - I thought the taste was refreshing and light, and I'll definitely be making it again soon!

I've been in the market for some new and interesting ways to use our broccoli. I've mentioned before that our kids all love broccoli and will eat it many ways, but I'm trying to branch out a bit form our regular broccoli fare. I scoped out this Steamed Broccoli with Almonds, Lemon Zest and Red Pepper Flakes and think it will be lovely as a side dish to one of our meals this week. I also like this Couscous Salad with Broccoli and Raisins as a delicious and healthy lunch choice. And although my kids are typical mac and cheese lovers, I'm not sure how they'd react to Broccoli and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese but if I am brave enough I will give it a shot! And I certainly don't think you could go wrong with these Broccoli and Cheese Smashed Potatoes - a perfect addition to any meal.

Why not try this weeks greens in a Mixed Greens Salad with Yellow Pepper Vinaigrette? Or for some Asian flare, try a Crispy Noodles Salad with Sweet and Sour Dressing.

Feeling lost with your big bag of yams? Try this Yam and Zucchini Green Powerhouse - a nutrient-packed recipe that will have you coming back for seconds. Or fire up your barbecue and try these Smokey Chicken Skewers with Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Potato Kabobs - I hope I get a chance to make these for my husband, as I'm pretty sure I can sell him on the "bacon-wrapped" alone! I like the sound of these Crispy Yam Fries as we are all fans of sweet potato and yam fries, and this one has an Indian flavour! And if you like the above kabob recipe but would like something slightly healthier, try these fantastic Yam Kabobs for a warm evening treat.

Has chard got you stumped? Serve up a plate of this Chickpeas and Chard and you'll be stumped no more! An easy favourite in my home is basic Sauteed Chard - I find it quick, easy, and tasty and I can serve it as a side to almost any meal I'm making. Never though of using your chard in a salad? Well you should!! Try a Chard Salad with Rasberry Dressing or this Colourful Chard and Bean Salad and you may be surprised by how much you like it.

Organic Harvest Box for May 7, 2010

Another gorgeous looking Organic Harvest Box is here!

I managed to survive my first full week of the South Beach Diet. Although I was not entirely "unhealthy" to begin with, the biggest change in my diet is the cutting out of sugar and carbs and the increase of protein and vegetables. So far so good, I am feeling much more energetic than I expected, and have fewer cravings too. So stick with me while I focus on a fabulous blog this week, Kalyn's Kitchen, (I have linked to a number of her recipes in the past) and post mostly recipes I found on her fantastic site.

Mmmmmmm . . . mangoes! Get ready for the fresh taste of spring with a Mango Salad with Black Beans, Avocado & Mint, or try this Mango Salsa with Red Bell Pepper. Mango salsas are so easy to make, and are a delicious addition to so many types of food (fish, chicken, beef, even your nacho chips). Check out Kalyn's Roasted Tilapia with Black Bean, Mango, Lime & Cilantro Salsa - my mouth is watering just looking at that photo and I can assure you I'll be adding this to my menu this upcoming week.

One small issue with the South Beach diet for me has been the lack of variety in my snacks. But hold on - I think my bland days are over. Look at these Roasted Kale Chips with Sea Salt and Vinegar and tell me you wouldn't want a plate of those at your side to munch on? I hope to make a batch over the weekend and will post pictures and results for you when I'm finished! Another good choice for your kale this week is this Sauteed Kale with Garlic and Onion - fast and simple and a super side dish choice if you're doing some barbecuing over the weekend. And for those South Beach breakfasts try these Kale and Red Onion Savoury Breakfast Squares - definitely sounding better than some of the bland omelets I made this week.

Having guests over for dinner is intimidating me a little bit. I'm having friends over for dinner tomorrow night and don't want to sabotage the two-week "Phase One" by breaking this diet. But, really, who wouldn't be thrilled to be served Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Ham as an appetizer before some delicious salads and a hearty steak? Maybe with a little Pan-Fried Asparagus Tips with Lemon on the side? And click and look at this Asparagus and Tomato Frittata with Harvati and Dill - fabulous and can feed your whole family!

Although sweet potatoes (yams) are not permitted in Phase One of South Beach, my kids love 'em so I'll have to give in and whip some up for them. I'm loving Kalyn's Spicy Sweet Potato Fries and will see if they are as popular as my Savoury Sweet Potato Sticks or the Grilled Sweet Potatoes. Not grilling weather where you are yet?? If you're feeling like some comfort from your crockpot, check out these Spicy Crockpot Sweet Potatoes.

Enjoy your produce, and I hope all the Mothers out there enjoy a special Mother's Day on Sunday!

Easy and Tasty Grilled Sweet Potatoes

While there are dozens and dozens of sweet potato recipes I have not had the chance to try yet, this one was definitely a favourite at our house over the Easter long weekend.

We chose the grilled sweet potato packets. I found grilling them in the packets really sealed in the taste and the potatoes tasted just glorious.

First thing you do is peel your sweet potatoes and slice them into 1/4 inch slices.

Turn your barbecue on and get it ready for grilling.

Place your potato slices on four 14x12-inch sheets of tin foil. Brush the tops and sides with olive oil to prevent drying. You can season them any way you like, I added freshly grated pepper and salt, a bit of garlic, and some cayenne pepper.

Wrap in foil using the following technique: Bring the 2 long sides of the foil together above potatoes; fold down in a series of locked folds, allowing for heat circulation and expansion.

Fold the short ends up and over again. Crimp closed to seal the foil packet.

Place foil packets on preheated grill. Grill packets, on covered grill, over medium heat 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Open packet carefully and serve hot.

Organic Harvest Box for Easter Weekend, 2010

I love to see sunshine shining in my organic harvest box!! The weather has been so glorious this weekend that I am late with this week's post. I suspect those in Ottawa haven't noticed because you are very likely outside enjoying the beautiful weather with your families anyway.

With this gorgeous, summer-like weather hitting the nation's capital this long Easter weekend, I set out on a mission to find the perfect grilled sweet potato. The first thing I did was compile what I thought was a pretty decent list of recipes:

Grilled Sweet Potato Packets with Pecan Butter
Grilled Sweet Potato Fries
Grilled Sweet Potato with Apples
Grilled Sweet Potato Salad

I'll be posting my favourite recipe after I get a chance to try some of them out! If you have a favourite grilled sweet potato recipe that you're willing to share, be sure to let me know.

I came across some interesting recipes for cucumbers this week and I'm particularly liking the look of this Lentil and Cucumber Salad - sounds perfect for an unexpectedly warm, summery weekend. I think this Falafel and Cucumber Sauce also looks great and is a wonderful vegetarian alternative for a weeknight meal. Hot weather also brings people together for barbecues and backyard munching - why not serve up a giant tray of fresh veggies with this tangy Cucumber Ranch Dressing? Also on my radar is this Cool Cucumber and Dill Soup - I'm a gazpacho lover so I suspect a cool cucumber soup would be right up my alley.

Looking to make some small, healthy changes in your life? Me too! I came across two easy ways to incorporate healthier snacks into your day. Make a batch of this nutrient-packed Vegetable Salsa and snack on it when you're hungry throughout the day. It's fantastic served with whole grain tortilla chips or crackers. And one of my favourite healthy choices is smoothies - they are so easy to make, fill you up, and are a fantastic way to pack healthy goodness into your day. Martha Stewart's Whole Living offers up this Banana Yogurt Smoothie, but there are a dozens of varieties you can try. I often add a protein mix to mine (Vega Smoothie is my favourite), a cup or two of frozen berries, a tablespoon of almond butter, and a cup of soy milk. It's delicious and full of protein, offering up loads of energy to get you through your day.

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful April long weekend!

Slow Cooker Yam and Red Pepper Soup

This soup is absolutely divine!! It is so easy to make (slow cooker - so perfect for my life - chop it up in the morning and dinner is ready at supper time with no effort!) it is not funny. Most of my soups I tend to pour into the blender and mix in batches, but this one I just used my hand blender right inside the crock pot!

Can you tell I'm excited?

Slow Cooker Yam and Red Pepper Soup

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 lbs yams, peeled and cubed

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cubed

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup orange juice mixed with 2 tablespoons flour

5 1/2 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

whipping cream

Combine the first 10 ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting 4 hours. (I actually left it a couple hours longer, and it tasted fantastic.)

Puree the soup with a hand-held blender.

Season the soup with salt and pepper. Garnish servings of the soup with a drizzle of the cream.

Harvest Box for January 8, 2010

After a long two weeks' holiday, I was ecstatic to see my Life Organic Harvest Box show up on my doorstep tonight. It looks fantastic, and with all the extra Christmas calories I consumed, I can most definitely use some healthy organic food around here this week.


I was happy to see an entire box of mandarin/clementine oranges this week! My kids absolutely adore eating these sweet little treats, and I often peel them for them and put them in a container in their lunch to take to school (not able to peel them on their own yet, they're both in kindergarten!). We can pretty easily go through an entire box just peeling and eating them, but for something different I may try this Baby Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges and Red Onion. Looks like a light, healthy lunch or even dinner, perhaps served with some chicken or fish. I'm also wondering about these Chicken Salad Pitas (with Mandarin Oranges) - I'm thinking they look pretty tasty and would be a refreshing change from our boring old peanut butter sandwiches.

I love yams so I'm going to tell you, once again, that my favourite recipe is still Roasted Mashed Potatoes and Yams. It's delicious, fairly easy to make, and a big family favourite here. For a couple different options, try Yams with Toasted Spice Rub or Crushed Yams with Steamed Spinach - with all that added spinach this has got to be jam packed with vitamins and nutrients! Another family-friendly recipe are these Sweet Potato Sticks - kids gobble them up. (Adults do too, for that matter!)

If you're looking for some healthier fare as part of your New Year Resolutions, take your cherry tomatoes and throw them into a delicious BLT Salad - there is not *that* much bacon in it, and you could cut back even more if you wanted to reduce the fat content. I also like the looks of this Grilled Balsamic Chicken and Tomato Salad and hope to add it to our menu one night this week.

Scared of that red, leafy vegetable peeking out from inside your Harvest Box? It's Red Chard and it is packed with nutrition - it's an excellent source of vitamins C, E and K, carotenes, chlorphyll, and fiber. Chard is also a good source of minerals like potassium, magnesium, and iron. Add to all this the benefits of B6, protein, calcium, thiamine, zinc, and folic acid and you really can't beat the health benefits of this leafy vegetable.

Some easy but tasty chard recipes to try are this Seared Red Chard from Rachael Ray and this Red Chard and Caramelized Onions.

I found this recipe for Broccoli and Cheese Smashed Potatoes and thought that my family might like it - although they are big broccoli eaters so I often just steam or boil the broccoli and toss on a little olive oil and salt and pepper.

Over Christmas a friend of mine lent me a couple Ina Garten cookbooks and I'm really enjoying them. I fell in love with a couple of her vegetable dish recipes, including this Mashed Yellow Turnips with Crispy Shallots. I only started cooking with shallots in the past year or so, and I love finding new ways to use them.

And what better way to use a whole slew of winter veggies together than in this recipe for Roasted Winter Vegetables??? Enjoy!

Roasted Winter Vegetables
by Ina Garten
(Copyright 2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, All rights reserved)

1 pound carrots, peeled

1 pound parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.

Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

Have a great week, and be sure to check back with us next week for more recipes and tips for your Harvest Box . . .

Harvest Box for December 18, 2009

Happy Holidays Life Organic readers! I bet it was cold when you received your Harvest Box this week! Brrrrr . . . a chill has definitely arrived in Ottawa.

Here are some recipes to help warm up your week . . . and your kitchen. I have definitely decided that I will be making these Roasted Mashed Potatoes and Yams for Christmas dinner next week. I made it a couple weeks ago and it was a big hit and disappeared as everyone made their way to the kitchen for seconds! I also found this Roasted Yams with Rosemary and bet it tastes divine with a hint of rosemary to add extra flavour. Either way, potatoes are a perfect holiday dish any way you serve them.

A great brunch idea or easy, light dinner over the holidays is this Baked Eggs with Spinach and Gruyere. And although this Holiday Hot Spinach Dip calls for frozen spinach (bleck, the fresh stuff is so much better!), who can resist a festive and piping hot spinach dip at this time of year???

Why not dazzle your holiday guests - or perhaps just whip this up for a quiet evening by yourself one night - with this Blueberry Trifle? Nothing rings in the holidays quite like a decadent trifle. I am thinking about whipping up a batch of Blueberry Struesel Muffins to serve to my little ones on Christmas morning. With three kids getting out of bed to greet their gifts on Christmas morning, I want breakfast made ahead of time so we can all sit back and enjoy our time together.

For those who may eat a wee bit too much for their holiday meal, why not try lightening up some of your lunches? Who can beat a delicious Cucumber Sandwich? I love to throw whatever I have in the fridge between two slice of multi-grain bread and I'm good to go.

Looking for something delicious for your mixed colour tomatoes? Try this Cherry Tomato, Cucumber and Goat Cheese Salad - perfect for lunch or a nice light side dish. I also came across this recipe for Pan-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, which also looks tasty.

Grappling with how to tackle that bag of Chiogga beets? Well, worry no more. Dive into a plate of these Baked Beet Chips and you'll find yourself coming back for more.


Another beet salad that looks tangy and delicious is this Chiogga Beet and Blood Orange Salad.

Wondering what to do with that burdock root that came a few weeks ago and is currently sitting on the shelf in your fridge? Well, you're not the only one! Even we had to be a little creative with it. The fact is, burdock root is an incredibly healthy root which has been used for hundreds of years to purify and flush toxins from the blood stream. It's health benefits are many, so finding a creative and delicious way to add this healing root to our diet is worth it. Here's a recipe that we came across from the Green Door Restaurant that's quite tasty. We've substituted the fiddleheads with the locally-grown broccoli and changed things around a bit. Remember: be creative and don't be afraid to make substitutions with a recipe if you don't have all the required items. Have fun with it!

Broccoli, Burdock, Carrot Salad

1 cup burdock (1 root) scrubbed and thinly sliced on diagonal

2 litres water

Bring water to boil. Add burdock and simmer for 5 min. Drain, cool and set aside. In same water add: 2 cups broccoli florets. Cook for several minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 cup carrots, scrubbed and sliced on diagonal

3 thinly sliced green onions, including the green part

1 cup chopped parsely

DRESSING

1/4 cup tamari soy-sauce

1/8 cup rice vinegar

2 tbsp dark sesame oil

1 tsp ginger root, grated

1 clove garlic, crushed

Combine all salad ingredients, pour dressing over them, mix well, serve and enjoy!

Here’s another recipe that’s a little different that we came across on the web:

Stir-fried Spicy Burdock Root

1 burdock root

2-3 T vegetable oil

2 T sake

1 T granulated sugar

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, or any multi-spice blend
white sesame seeds, toasted, for garnishing (optional)

Rinse the burdock root under cold running water. Using a stiff brush or the back of your knife, lightly scrape the burdock root, carefully removing any rootlets and trace amounts of dirt. Cut the burdock root using a technique where the root is sharpened like a pencil to produce thin slivers. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Stir-fry the burdock root until slightly softer, about 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the sake, sugar, and soy sauce. Continue simmering over medium heat until the liquid is almost completely reduced to a glaze. Add a spice blend or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste.

Serve hot or at room temperature. Garnish with the toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

I also thought I'd throw in this Chicken with Peanut Sauce recipe - a great way to use any leftover green beans you still have from last week. It's a family favourite of ours.

Chicken with Peanut Sauce

1 lb fresh green beans
1 T vegetable oil
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in strips
1 t curry powder
1 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
2 T soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Trim green beans and break into small pieces. In large saucepan or wok, heat one T of oil over medium-high heat. Toss chicken pieces with curry powder. Stir fry chicken for two minutes, then add beans and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for five minutes. In a bowl, whisk coconut milk, peanut butter and soya sauce. Pour into wok, bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 T of parsley, and sprinkle the remaining parsley over top.

And this pear and curry pasta is easy and healthy - my husband adores it and two of my three kids eat it. That's near perfection in my book!

Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta

1/2 small onion, chopped
2 T oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T medium curry paste
1 tsp tomato paste
2 T honey
2 cups chicken broth
1 unpeeled ripe pear, sliced in thin wedges
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 T cream or milk
3 T chopped cilantro
Rotini, bow tie or shells pasta

In a frying pan over medium heat, saute onion in oil until soft. Add garlic and curry paste and stir 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and honey and stir another 2 minutes. Add broth, increase heat to medium high and boil gently, reducing liquid to less than 1 cup. (This takes about 15 minutes - now is a good time to start cooking the pasta).

Add pear slices and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes and cream and stir another 2 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro. Pour over pasta and toss gently.

If you like meat - serve with grilled chicken breast or pork tenderloin!

Enjoy your holidays and please remember that there will be no Life Organic deliveries on December 24, 25, and 31st, or on January 1st. Have a safe and happy holiday!