Fennel & Cabbage Slaw

Fennel and Cabbage Slaw

A light, refreshing springtime slaw made with fresh fennel.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

• Total Time: 15 minutes

• Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium red cabbage, sliced (about 4 cups)

• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

• 3 green onions, sliced

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt (or Greek yogurt)

• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Toss the cabbage, carrots, fennel, and green onions in a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients to make a dressing for the slaw. Pour the dressing over the veggies and mix well.

3. Serve on your favorite veggie burger, sandwich, or taco, or alongside your favorite main dish.

Fragrant Fennel Fronds Pesto

Fragrant Fennel Fronds Pesto
(Easy!)

If you have ever wondered just what to do with those fennel fronds, fennel leaves, fennel tops or fennel greens once you have used up the bulb, then this lush Fennel Fronds Pesto is for you. Just a handful of ingredients and you have a completely delicious and freezer friendly pesto to use wherever you would use a normal pesto.

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Anytime

Ingredients

• 1 cup toasted walnuts

• 3 cups loosely packed fennel fronds (small stems are ok too!)

• 1 lemon juiced

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 cup olive oil (plus extra)

Instructions

1. Toast the walnuts over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until they start to turn a nice golden brown color. Set aside to cool.

2. Add the walnuts, fennel fronds, lemon juice, garlic and salt to a food processor. Add in half of the olive oil and pulse or blend until incorporated. Continue blending while slowly pouring in the rest of the olive oil and desired consistency is reached (you may need to add in a little more olive oil or water 1 tsp at a time if you prefer it thinner)

3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze for later use

Recipe Notes

This freezes really well. Just pop it in a small airtight container (I use mini mason jars for perfect portioning) and pop in the freezer until ready to use. Let thaw overnight in the fridge. 
 

Pair your fennel fronds pesto with:

• some freshly cooked pasta;

• put a swipe on your sandwich;

• dollop some on some fresh salmon before baking;

• or use it anywhere you would normally use a pesto.

Easy Grilled Cabbage Steaks

Easy Grilled Cabbage Steaks            
(with or without a grill)

Recipe Courtesy of www.eatthegains.com

How to Grill Cabbage

The beauty of grilled cabbage steaks is they are so so easy to make. You need minimal ingredients (seriously 2 plus some salt & pepper) and they take minimal time. And the grilling just does something magical to them – they are tender while being nice and caramelized with charred edges. So dang good. Here is what you need:

• a head of cabbage

• oil – your choice!

• salt & pepper

• sauce for topping or whatever you want to put on top of them!

First light your grill and let it up to temperature. I grilled these on medium high to make sure we got some good char on the outsides and grill marks. While the grill heats up, prepare the cabbage by slicing it into steaks and seasoning it with oil and salt and pepper.

When the grill is up to temperate, add the steaks and grill for 5-6 minutes, flip, and grill for another 3-4 minutes. Be careful flipping them as some of the outer leaves may try to loosen and break away from the head. The time to cook them will depend on how thick your steaks are.

You want them to be tender, but have a nice char and get crispy on the outside. Keep a close eye on them as you don’t want to overcook them. Grilled cabbage totally transforms the flavor and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Once they are done, top them however you like! I left that part up to you, but some good ideas are ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, balsamic vinaigrette, fresh herbs, chimichurri, or mustard. Really whatever kind or dressing or sauce you like will work.

To Make Cabbage Steaks in your Oven

If you don’t have a grill, no worries. You can also make cabbage steaks in your oven as well. Simply follow the directions for preparing the cabbage and instead of lighting your grill, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and roast for 30-35 minutes until tender and crispy around the edges.

Chickpea & Tatsoi Coconut Curry

Chickpea & Tatsoi Coconut Curry

Recipe Courtesy of Andrea Bemis dishingupthedirt.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes    Cook Time: 40 minutes    Serves: 4 

• 1 cup basmati rice (or rice of choice)

• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 medium sized onion, diced

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons curry powder (We mix our own with cumin, coriander, fenugreek, turmeric, ginger)

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• salt and pepper freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup vegetables stock (or water)

• 1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained

• 1 (15 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk

• 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 2 to 3 cups roughly chopped tatsoi or bok choy (use whole plant, stems included!)

 Preparation

1. Cook the rice according to specific instructions on the package.

2. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, red pepper flakes and a healthy pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute longer, stirring often to coat the onion and garlic in the spices.

3. Add in the vegetable stock, chickpeas and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, Add the lime juice and tatsoi and stir in.  Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Eat immediately!

4. Serve the soup with a scoop of rice and enjoy.

Charred Onion Vinaigrette

Charred Onion Vinaigrette

Sound fancy? Maybe, but it's also easy to do.

 First, make a basic vinaigrette:

Recipe for 1 cup of Vinaigrette
 

¼ Cup            Vinegar, lemon or lime juice

¾ Cup            Olive Oil or preferred salad oil

2 teaspoons        Dijon mustard

1 medium   Onion (or a bunch of scallions or fresh onions) charred and finely chopped

Salt to taste

There are 3 options for charring the onion:

• Throw it on the grill and turn frequently until it begins to blacken

• Slice onion into discs and throw the pieces onto a hot dry cast iron skillet and blacken

• Charr the onions under the broiler in the oven

I like to char the onions until they are roughly 80% blackened on the outside and completely cooked through on the inside with no sharp raw flavor left. Cool the onion and chop finely- - either by hand, or in a food processor

Making the vinaigrette;

First decide what type acid you want to use.  I like sherry vinegar, you might prefer lemon juice or maybe cider vinegar.

Next pick an oil, there are plenty of options, sunflower oil, extra virgin olive oil, light olive oil, etc.

Mix the charred onion, mustard, and acid component of choice either with a whisk in a bowl or in a food processor.

Drizzle in the oil and mix until the vinaigrette in blended well.

Season with salt to taste.

Finishing the vinaigrette:

Consider making extra charred onion if the flavor is not coming through you can add more to the vinaigrette.

Try adding some ground cumin or coriander and lemon zest to really make the flavors pop.

This vinaigrette will go great with all the greens we have this time of year.

Mizuna and Choy Sesame Salad

Mizuna and Choy Sesame Salad

 This is warm salad that is quick, easy, and very delicious.  Make sure to include the stems of the mizuna and choi, they have great crunch and flavor. Other Asian greens like tatsoi can be substituted!

1 bunch (approx 1/2-3/4 lbs) Mizuna, Soaked in cold water, rinsed, and dried

1 bundle or head of Choy Soaked in cold water, rinsed, and dried

¼- ½  Cup Olive Oil or Salad oil

1 handful (~1/2-2/3 cups) Sesame seeds

To taste Sesame Oil

To taste Rice Vinegar

To taste Salt

Optional Garnish/Toppings:

Chopped Green Onions

Grated Carrots

Roasted Peanuts

More sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:
First Chop the mizuna and choy going against the stem into small ribbons. Include the tender pieces of stem.  Place in a heat resistant salad bowl

In a saute pan heat the the oil over medium heat and toast the sesame seeds.  When the sesame seeds are golden brown pour the mixture over the greens, it should sizzle a little.  With a pair of tongs scrap the pan with a portion of the greens and then mix the sesame seeds into the greens.  Dress with vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and serve.

Lemon juice, yuzu, or Umi Plum Vinegar (taste before adding salt) make great substitutions for rice vinegar.

Simple Braised Greens (with variations)

Simple Braised Greens (with variations)

Kale and collard greens, they are pretty interchangeable in application. They both make good chips and salads... and of course braise down wonderfully. It's cold out side right now, maybe a little unseasonably raw. Good weather for a hearty bowl of braised greens Here is a simple recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch (approx 1/2-3/4 lbs) Rough chopped Kale and/or Collards, ok to leave the stem on

2-4 tablespoons Olive Oil or preferred cooking oil

1 or 2 Small Onions (Diced)

1-2 cloves Garlic, grated finely (optional)

Big Splash White wine (optional)

1-2 cups Liquid: Stock or just water

Salt to taste

Garnish:

Zest and juice of one lemon

Chili flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

First wash the greens well and chop the greens, onions, and garlic.

In a wide pot with a lid splash down some oil, maybe 2-3 tablespoons, and heat. Add the onions and cook on medium to low heat until they are golden brown and smelling right! Take the proper time to really cook down the onions and establish a very nice foundation for the braise. Add the garlic, stir into the onions, and cook through 1-2 minutes. Now add the Greens & mix well. Give a moment for the heat to recover in the pot and add the white wine and 1 cup of the liquid you have chosen. Salt to taste, cover, and simmer for several minutes. Check the liquid level, adding more as needed. Cook the greens at a low simmer for 20 minutes to an hour, until they are tender and their green color has turned pale. Adjust the salt, and garnish greens with lemon zest, lemon juice, and chili flakes to taste.

Variations we find delicious:

• Drizzle finished greens with EVOO and cover with a hard salty cheese like parm.

• Substitute some of the salt for fish sauce, and add some fresh grated ginger; this variation is delicious with rice

• Add bacon, more garlic and use a light lager beer instead of wine.

• Use kimchi juice for the braising liquid

• Add canned tomatoes, fresh or dried chilies, and a tiny pinch of cinnamon to the braising liquid.

GREEN BEANS WITH GARLIC, LEMON AND PARSLEY

GREEN BEANS WITH GARLIC, LEMON AND PARSLEY

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Place beans in bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well.

Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add beans; sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to platter.

Recipe by Carly Gillespie

Celery Salad with Apple Vinaigrette

Celery Salad with Apple Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the apple vinaigrette:

• 1 medium Granny Smith apple (any other kind of tart apple works just fine)

• 4 sprigs fresh parsley

• 1 clove garlic

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

• 1 medium bunch celery (about 8 large and medium stalks)

• 1 medium shallot or a bug farms red onion

• 6 pitted dried Medjool dates

• 1/2 cup roasted, salted almonds

• 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more as needed

Instructions

1. Prepare the following, adding each to a large bowl as you complete it: Core 1 medium Granny Smith apple, then finely dice until you have about 1 cup. Finely chop the leaves and tender stems of 4 fresh parsley sprigs (about 2 tablespoons). Finely grate or mince 1 garlic clove.

2. Add 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and whisk to combine. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil and whisk until all of the oil is incorporated. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed.

3. Prepare the following, adding each to the bowl of the vinaigrette as you complete it: Pick the leaves from 1 medium bunch celery. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough fibers from the outside of the stalks. Trim and thinly slice the stalks on a slight diagonal until you have about 6 cups. Thinly slice 1 medium shallot (about 1/3 cup). Coarsely chop 6 pitted dried Medjool dates (about 1/2 cup). Coarsely chop 1/2 cup roasted, salted almonds. Add 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

4. Toss to coat. Taste and season with more kosher salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with more Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese if desired

Lion's Mane Crab Cakes

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Recipes: Crab Cakes

These Lion’s Mane Mushroom Recipes will blow your mind, featuring a Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crab Cake so delicious you won’t believe it is meatless!

Total Time: 25 minutes

Equipment

• Saute Pan

Ingredients

• ▢8 oz Lion's Mane mushroom

• ▢1 egg (or flax egg)

• ▢½ cup panko breadcrumbs

• ▢¼ cup onion (finely diced)

• ▢1 tablespoon mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise

• ▢1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• ▢¾ teaspoon old bay seasoning

• ▢1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• ▢1 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped)

• ▢¼ teaspoon salt (to your taste)

• ▢¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ▢2-3 tablespoon oil (to fry cakes)

• ▢2 optimal garnish: lemon wedges

Quick Tartar Sauce

• ▢¼ cup mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise

• ▢1 tablespoon dill pickle relish

• ▢¼ teaspoon old bay seasoning

Instructions

• Hand shred Lion's Mane Mushroom into small pieces resembling texture of flakey crab.

• In large bowl, combine egg, mayonnaise, onion, Worcestershire sauce, old bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, parsley (finely chopped), salt and pepper. Mix until fully incorporated.

• Mix in Lion's Mane Mushroom until fully incorporated.

• Mix in Panko breadcrumbs until fully incorporated.

• Form mixture into 3-4 equal size round flat patties (about ½ to ¾ inch thick).

• Heat oil in sauté pan on medium/high heat.

• Cook patties for approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Should be golden brown and cooked throughout.

• Add optional garnish, squeeze of lemon and enjoy!

Notes

1. Leftovers and Storage: Transfer to airtight container or dish. Refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Can reheat and serve.

2. Vegan/Vegetarian Substitutions or Omission: You can use vegan mayonnaise and flax egg in place of regular mayonnaise and egg in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 221mg |