Winter, for me, is a season of cleansing and stark beauty.  The simplicity of the silhouettes of bare branches against a steely grey sky speaks softly to my heart, also in need of a restful moment or two.  Snow is a constant wonder to me, though not in the same way it was when I was a kid barreling down the long steep hill behind our farmhouse on a wooden sled that surely was dangerous with its rusty metal rails.  In fact, a new unblemished blanket of white has just fallen overnight and my current home’s window frames a comforting innocence, the usually busy city street out front muffled.  Soon a gaggle of neighborhood kids will be sliding down the gentle slopes of the school yard next door.   I suppose the wonderment I have for winter white is that it is a great equalizer.  An eyesore and a masterpiece look nearly the same under a mantle of snowflakes.   Neighbors who may do no more than nod hello in every other season gather together with shovels on shoulders to clear the alleyway connecting all their homes, shouting stories about their kids or the city’s sports teams over the scrape of shovels against asphalt.   For at least a few hours, everyone in the world seems a little more considerate.  A little more wholesome. 

The food of winter is also wholesome, in a way delicate spring lettuces and indulgent summer fruits can’t be.  Winter fare should fill you up and stay with you to warm your belly through that cold jaunt to the car or train.  I’ve been rediscovering the joy of cooking this winter, after having burnt out my inner creative cook during the heat and hubbub of summer.  I’ve been taking my time in the kitchen, no longer reaching in the freezer to pull out a pre-made this or that because it would be fast and easy.  I’ve been cooking to make myself happy; to treat my tastebuds; to eat more winter vegetables. 

This Warm Winter Whole Grain Salad has become a staple in my diet the past month or two.  And, while I can’t claim it to be a miracle cure, it certainly seems to have contributed to my happier and healthier state of being this winter.  On Saturday night I soak the wheat berries and then spend a relaxed Sunday afternoon making the rest so I have a delicious dish for lunch every day that week.  I have as yet to get bored with it, the wheat berries and barely so chewy and nutty.  The butternut squash is sweet, especially with that hint of nutmeg, contrasting with the salty feta.  The beans, rich in protein, add a creamy quality to each bite.  This salad can be your main dish or an unexpected side to a winter feast.    

Don’t be put off by the length of the recipe or that it appears to take up a good deal of time.  While this salad does require you to be a bit organized, it requires surprisingly little hands-on time once you have the butternut squash peeled and cubed.  The first bite will make it all worthwhile and your winter a little more wholesome. 

Warm Winter Whole Grain Salad
A Straight from the Farm original

Part I
2 C. wheat berries (available at Whole Foods)
1 butternut squash
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. freshly ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Part II
6 cups water*
1 C. pearl barley
1 red onion
5 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 can (14oz) cannellini beans
4 T. orange muscat champagne vinegar (available at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods)**
2 T. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. lite feta cheese
cooked chicken/soy chicken (optional)
dried cranberries (optional)

* You may need more than 6 cups of liquid.  I sometimes use a cup of vegetable stock to give it a bit more flavor.
** If you can’t find the orange muscat champagne vinegar, a high quality balsamic will work just fine on its own. 

Part I

Place your wheat berries in a bowl and cover with cool water.  Cover bowl and allow to sit for at least 4 hours; overnight usually works best.  When you are ready to use the wheat berries, drain and rinse before proceeding with the recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Peel and cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise (I usually also cut the “neck” from the “bulge” to make for more efficient chopping).  Scoop out the seeds.  Dice the orange flesh into rough half inch cubes and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Toss to combine and place in the hot oven.  Roast until cubes are tender but not mushy, about 20-30 minutes.   Set cubes aside to cool.  They can be stored overnight in the fridge. 

Part II

Bring water to a boil in a large pot.  Add a little salt like you would to pasta water.  Carefully slide the drained wheat berried into the water.  Return water to a boil and then reduce heat to a high simmer, leaving the pot uncovered.  Cook for about 35 minutes and begin testing by chewing a grain or two.  When wheat berries are tender enough to chew but not soft yet (usually 35-45 minutes of cooking), add the pearl barley (you may wish to rinse the barley first to remove any dusty debris).  Continue to simmer until both the pearl barley and wheat berries are tender but not mushy, about another 15-20 minutes.  If liquid is getting low, add another half cup at a time of hot water.  When done, drain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a large bowl. 

Peel and finely dice the red onion.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet.  When hot, add the diced onion and cook over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, rinse and drain the cannellini beans.  Add to the onions and toss to heat through.  Reduce heat to low and move all the beans and onion to one side of the skillet.  On the empty side of the skillet, whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil and the vinegar(s).  It helps to tilt the skillet a bit to collect the liquid so you can whisk it.  Taste and add more vinegar if desired.  

Once you have the vinegar and oil to your liking, gently toss the beans and onion with it and remove from the heat.  Season generously with salt and pepper and pour over the bowl of cooked wheat berries and barely.  Toss gently to combine.  Now add the roasted butternut squash and toss again.  Allow salad to sit for at least 30 minutes to soak up the dressing.  

Salad can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to a week.  It can be served at room temperature or hot (a minute in the microwave does the trick).  Top each serving with a crumble of feta cheese and some cooked chicken if desired.  A handful of cranberries are also a nice addition. 

(serves 12) 

It’s still four full days before Thanksgiving tables will be heaped full of food, and yet my trip to the grocery store just now was harrowing.  The aisles were packed with manic masses desperately lunging for the last bag of prepared seasoned stuffing and can of pumpkin puree.  All I wanted were some bagels for breakfast.  Silly me.  While I realize the core of our nation’s traditions for this holiday aren’t likely to undergo a serious shift any time soon, I wish that more folks focused on doing just want the pilgrims did: gathering locally grown food to the table and giving thanks for the harvest rather than gorging on supermarket spoils hard-won from the sucker next to them in line. 

Farmers markets are still open this time of the year and have a cornucopia of items fit for any thankful feast.  There are potatoes, yams, pumpkins, kales, mustards, collards, lettuces, spinach, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, garlic, carrots, beets, honey, local cheeses, eggs, meats, breads, nuts, pears, apples, and cranberries galore!  No need to brave the supermarket hordes. 

Today’s recipe is for a very simple to make salad that is certainly worthy of a place on your holiday table.  Elegant in its “deconstructed” nature with individual servings featuring a whole pear half in a beautiful dish,  this salad features the lovely pure flavors of local seasonal offerings. I used pears from my family’s ancient tree, honey from my own beehive, lettuce just picked from the container on my deck, and hunks of an amazing goat cheese from Shellbark Hollow Farm in Chester County, PA. 

There is an incredible (and addictive) deliciousness to be found in the contrast between the sweet honey and pear and the salty herbed pecans and cheeses.  No need to set foot inside a grocery store to make this salad (presuming you have a decent spice rack  in your kitchen already) and there are several other recipes in the blog index that do the same.  

Squash Apple Cheddar Tart
Butternut Squash and Green Bean Curry
Roasted Beets over Gingered Millet
Saffron Pan Seared Brussel Sprouts and Cauliflower
Carrot Cake
Creamy Cauliflower Garlic Soup
Cranberry Vanilla Coffee Cake with White Chocolate Ganache
Bittersweet & Nutty Greens
Mixed Fried Potatoes
Roasted Pumpkin & Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding

What locally grown ingredients will your Thanksgiving table feature this year? 

Deconstructed Pear & Nut Salad
A Straight from the Farm Original1/2 C. pecan or walnut halves
1 t. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 t. fresh oregano, finely  minced
1/4 t. fresh marjoram, finely minced
1/4 t. paprika
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
pinch of sea salt
2 very ripe pears
 T. lemon juice
loose leaf lettuce mix
4 T. goat cheese
4 t. honey
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt
Romano cheese

Begin by making the nuts:  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  In a small bowl, combine the nuts and butter and toss to coat.   Add the oregano, marjoram, paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), and sea salt.  Toss again to combine and place on foil lined baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes until nuts are hot and fragrant and butter has been absorbed.   Set aside until ready to use; can be stored in an airtight container for about a week. 

Halve and core the pears.  Peel each half and toss with lemon juice, being sure to coat all surfaces to prevent discoloration.  Set aside.  Sort your loose leaf lettuce and fill four serving dishes (glass makes for nice presentation) with a nice mix of whole leaves.   Tuck a pear half into each dish.  Crumble about a tablespoon of goat cheese over each dish/pear. 

Sprinkle a few prepared nuts into each dish.   Drizzle each salad with a teaspoon of honey.  Give a grind or two of fresh black pepper over each and sprinkle with just a bit of coarse sea salt.  Lastly, use a vegetable peeler to shave a few bits of Romano cheese on top of each dish and serve immediately.

(serves 4)

Here is the last of the recipes for my recent late-summer  dinner plate.   Albeit, it is now officially fall.   But I’m a bit slow in posting these days, immersed is many other creative projects.  My mind’s constantly going in twenty different directions, concerned at one moment with arranging flowers for a wedding, at another moment with blending herbal teas from my garden harvests, at another with re-designing the perennial plantings in my front yard,  and at yet another with knitting up some fun and funky wrist warmers.  I’m a woman with too many hobbies, I think. 

But one creative passion is always ticking away in the back of my head.  Recipe development is an interest and skill that’s been honed over these past several years of food blogging.  I now find myself caught up in thought in the middle of my garden while harvesting, deeply considering the merits of roasting versus boiling as well as flavor pairings and contrasting textures.  I know that this entire blog is based on the inspiration of freshly harvested produce for its simple and beautiful preparations, but some days I’m still blown away by how rousingly  handsome handfuls of fresh vegetables are.   Beets are among the most precious jewels in this capacity. 

Beets, so rich in vitamins and earthy flavor, are surprisingly versatile in the kitchen.   Tuck them into a popular chocolate cake to sneak them by those that might protest the deliciousness of these roots if you will, but I love them best when they are front and center in a simple salad.    Beets are just coming back into their prime here in autumn, being sweetened by the chilly nights and approaching frost that cause the plant to put all its sugar reserves into its roots in an attempt to survive the cold months ahead.    The beets I used for this salad happen to actually be some of the last I’ve had stored all summer from my spring crop, proof that this vegetable has staying power.    Is it any wonder that I have hundreds more planted in my garden currently to put in the cellar for winter dining delights?

Warm Beet Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing is the perfect foray into fall, taking advantage of the rich flavors and warmth of roasting that contrast so pleasingly with the cool and fresh taste of tender lettuce leaves that are also once again at their best in the cooler weather.    You’ll not miss the warm weather or tomatoes when you take a bite of this luscious autumnal recipe. 

Warm Beet Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing
A Straight from the Farm Original

4 large beets
1 head of garlic
¼ C. orange champagne vinegar
1 T. orange juice
1 T. honey
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
½ C. extra virgin olive oil
3 C. fresh young mixed lettuce
1 C. sorrel
4 oz. herbed goat cheese

*Both the beets and the garlic can be roasted ahead and stored in the fridge for up to two days.  The dressing can also be made ahead of time and stored in a sealed jar.  Be sure to warm up the beets again before assembling the salad.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish along with an inch of water and ¼ t. of coarse salt.  Cover with parchment paper and then foil.  Bake until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 45-55 minutes.  Let stand to cool before using your hands to slip off the skins.

When you are roasting the beets, also roast the garlic:  Using a sharp knife, cut the top half inch off the head of garlic.  Set garlic on a sheet of foil and top with a bit of butter and a dash of salt.  Draw up edges of foil and create a sealed pouch to enclose the garlic.  Bake with the beets until garlic is soft when squeezed, about 45 minutes.  Carefully unwrap and let stand to cool.

While the beets and garlic are roasting, gently wash your lettuce and sorrel.  Dry thoroughly and tear any large leaves, particularly the sorrel, into small pieces.  Place in a large serving bowl and set aside. 

In a small bowl or dressing jar, whisk together the vinegar, orange juice, honey, salt, pepper and oil until completely emulsified.  Go ahead and set this aside, just remember that you’ll need to add the garlic yet. 

When the beets are cool enough to handle, but still warm, slice them in half and then into thin wedges.  Scatter over the greens in the serving bowl. 

Take the roasted garlic from its foil package and carefully squeeze out the soft innards onto a cutting board.  Use a sharp knife to chop up the roasted garlic as best you can.    Add to the dressing and whisk well again.  Pour dressing over the salad, gently tossing with your hands or tongs.  Crumble the goat cheese over the top and serve immediately while the beets are still warm.

(serves 6)

Cons
Sticky.  Hot.  Car seats that scorch the back of your legs when you get in.  Sudden storms.  Constant state of feeling wilted.  Favorite flip flops starting to break after months of constant wear.  Mosquito bites from working in the garden at dusk to avoid the blazing heat of the day.  Awkward tan lines.

Pros
Fresh peaches.  Corn on the cob.   Blissful cold showers and a box fan.  Abundance of delicate blooms in the garden.   Farmers markets bursting at the seams.  Anticipating autumn.   Messy ponytails are okay.  Cold pitchers of ice tea.  Long weekends.  Laundry on the line.  Dewy mornings.  Long twilights.  Watermelon and cantaloupe.  Cucumbers.  

As you can see, the season of summer, particularly humid dank August in southeastern PA, about balances itself out in my experience.  I’m not a lover of summer like some folks, mostly because I detest even the slightest hint of clammy air.  But there’s no denying the bounty of this time of year.  Somehow I manage to enjoy it in the end for knowing that hot summer days are fleeting and yet constant in the grand scheme of things, lasting only a few months but always returning each year.   As do those awkward tan lines.  How does that keep happening?!?

Cucumbers have been a large part of my summer plate since I can remember.  The garden I tended with my mom was constantly full of these vigorous vines (as it still is today).   We grew both for fresh eating out of hand and for making dill and sweet pickles.  I wasn’t much of a fan of the pickles, but I could eat a big old stack of fresh cucumbers with rather alarming swiftness.   Now I grow cucumbers on my deck in big five gallon black pots with bamboo teepees for the vines to climb.   Along with watermelon, no garden harvest holds quite such nostalgia and the essence of summer for me. 

This Cucumber and Chamomile Salad is simple and yet unexpected with its sweetly floral hints.  Exceedingly refreshing, I like just a bit as a starter or a snack when I’m putting together a larger summer supper.  Chamomile has a wonderful apple flavor, but if it’s not your cup of tea (ha! get it?), lavender or anise hyssop would also stand in nicely in this dish.  If you’re not growing chamomile yourself, you can indeed rip open a bag of regular old chamomile tea and use that in place. 

What are some of the foods that remind you most of summer and why?  

Cucumber and Chamomile Salad
A Straight from the Farm original

4 or 5 large cucumbers
2 T. fresh chamomile flowers
1 t. chopped fresh honeydew melon sage*
2 T. distilled white wine vinegar
2 T. rose water
1 t. honey
salt and white pepper to taste

*This is an unusual herb that’s hard to find.  You can skip it or substitute a leaf or two of fresh mint for it instead. 

Wash and peel cucumbers.   Cut into small evenly sized pieces.  Place in a large mixing bowl.  Crumble chamomile flowers between your fingers to break up the large buds (if they are tiny, you can leave them whole) and add to the cucumbers, along with the sage (or mint).  Toss to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, rose water, honey, and a dash of salt and pepper.   Whisk until honey is dissolved.  Pour over cucumbers and toss well.  Taste and add more salt, pepper or vinegar as desired.  Toss again and cover bowl with plastic wrap.  Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.   Be sure to toss again just before eating.

(serves 6-8 )

Hey, guess what?  I’m in England right now!  Yep, that’s right.  I’m traversing the pond to take a whirlwind tour of gardens of the U.K.   Among them is a personal Mecca of mine - Perch Hill Farm.  Can’t wait to get back and tell you all about it!  In the meantime, here’s a new recipe to keep you occupied. 

This dish is a bit more geared towards those of you that grow your own garden as the beets/greens need to be very young, so much so that I doubt anyone out there is selling them this small.   Actually, it’s a fun trick I’ve developed in my garden this year.  When the time comes to thin out any extra seedlings from the crops I direct seeded – carrots, peas (for shoots), lettuces – into my vegetable beds, I save the tender young plants I thin and eat them whole.  So, these itty bitty beets – really just long red roots with tiny greens attached – were what I culled from the rows of what are now becoming beautiful big ruby orbs, which are due shortly to make their appearance in several recipes here on SFTF. 

For those of you who are vegetarian out there, I used the Morning Star chicken strips and found them perfect for this recipe.  The dressing is just a basic formula you can adapt a hundred different ways; add a dash of red pepper flakes, a pinch of fresh thyme, orange muscat champagne vinegar instead of balsamic, apple juice in place of honey, walnut oil instead of olive….the adaptations and flavors are endless.  The idea behind the recipe is to keep it simple and fast so dinner is healthy and delicious without being time consuming.   And to not waste some of the most tender, albeit small, harvests from the garden. 

Young Beet Greens and Chicken Salad
A Straight from the Farm Original

¼ C. balsamic vinegar
¾ C. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. ground mustard
1 t. ground ginger
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. honey
salt and pepper to taste
2 C. chicken breast, cut into thin strips
2 C. fresh baby beet greens, roots and all, washed and dried

Make the dressing by whisking together the vinegar, oil, mustard, ginger, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper until well combined.  Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the chicken over medium heat until brown and cooked through, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper.   Add the beet greens and toss to combine with the chicken.  Drizzle with half a cup of dressing and toss again.  Cook just until greens begin to wilt.  Remove from heat and taste.  Add additional dressing and salt and pepper as desired.   Serve immediately while warm. 

(serves 2)

It’s about time for some health food around here.  The past several posts have all be scrumptious sugary goodness…and now my teeth are starting to hurt just a little bit and the thighs have really taken advantage of the “situation”.  Good thing I’m working up a serious sweat every day in my gardening gig.   My garden is growing gold these days.  I’m harvesting beets, carrots, lettuce, all sorts of herbs, broccoli, swiss chard, and young mustard greens.  But my two favorites have to be the kohlrabi and sugar snap peas. 

I had a friend recently tell me he’d never even seen a kohlrabi before, let alone eaten it.  Of course I made him try it offered him one to eat as soon as they came into season (about a month ago).  But before he would take a bite, he wanted to know what it tasted like.  I always have such a tough time with that question.  Kohlrabi tastes like…um, well, sorta like broccoli.  Yep.  And sorta like a mild radish.  Okay.  And maybe even a little like an apple.  What??   Well, that’s just my take on it anyway.   It’s definitely very crunchy and when it’s peeled, it looks like the white crisp flesh of an apple.  There is a mild sweetness to mine, but I’ve had other people tell me that’s not always the case with kohlrabi.  Another friend who overheard me trying to describe this to my kohlrabi-virgin friend declared it was just like eating a giant broccoli stem.  Hmmm, perhaps, though I like to give this alien-looking vegetable more credit than that.

I do believe my friend liked the kohlrabi, by the way.   And I know for sure he and everyone else who’s visited my garden as of late loved these sugar snap peas.  I can only tell you that if you’ve never had a sugar snap pea plucked straight off the vine and popped directly into your mouth, pod and all, then you’ve been denied one of life’s most delicious experiences.   Don’t even kid yourself if you are thinking right now, “Well, maybe I haven’t been there to pick them myself, but I’ve surely had the same great taste from the fresh peas I buy at the farmers market”.    Peas are the one vegetable everyone should try to grow themselves as they are never quite as good as they are those few precious minutes after they’ve been picked.   Really, mine rarely make it into the kitchen as I inevitably eat them standing before the vine, dirt in the crack of my hands to boot, about mid-way through my evening of gardening when my tummy reminds me I never made it into the house to have some dinner.   Obviously I made an exception to make this salad.  Talk about practicing self-control!

So, you see, when I think of the month of June, which is shockingly about to pass us by, and what I love most to eat in this month that bridges spring and summer harvests, a salad of peas, kohlrabi, radishes and even a few strawberries tossed with a homemade buttermilk dressing is just about the epitome of fresh crisp eating straight from the garden/farm.  What always surprises me the most is how delicious something so healthy can be.   If sugar snap peas were in season all year long here, I might finally give up my addiction to chocolate!   They’re just that good.

June Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
A Straight from the Farm Original

1/2 C. buttermilk, shaken up
2 T. mayonnaise
2 T. cider vinegar
2 T. minced shallot
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
3 t. finely chopped herbs (oregano, chives, thyme)
1 lb. fresh sugar snap peas
1 large kohlrabi, peeled
4 large radishes
5 or 6 large strawberries

Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, shallot, sugar, salt, and  pepper in a large bowl until sugar has dissolved, then whisk in herbs.  Refridgerate for 30 minutes to overnight.

Wash all vegetables and berries, dry, and cut into small pieces.  Toss together chopped vegetables in a bowl.  Shake dressing up and pour over the salad, tossing to coat.  Sprinkle with toppings as desired (croutons, bacon, cheese) and serve immediately.

(serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main)

Whew, I’m plum played out by all the activity of the past few weeks.  Gardening in the spring is a joy and a brain teaser, dancing between rain, cold and mini heat waves.  Not to mention time-consuming at the moment so it’s been tough to get a lot done in the kitchen.  On the plus side, with four types of lettuce, three varieties of carrots, two varieties of beets, radishes, broccoli, kohlrabi, savoy cabbage, rosemary, lavender, parsley, chives, mint, sorrel, and sage now growing happily in my garden’s tidy rows, there should be more than enough ingredients in the next month and beyond to get SFTF’s kitchen out of “sputter” mode and back into “zooming along” gear. 

Today’s recipe for an Organic Tzatziki Dip is a delicious hint at the warm summer weather ahead and all the fresh flavors it encompasses.  Into this particular batch went some of my last local garlic and tender fresh sprigs of mint plucked from my deck container, and it was served with the very last of my carrots that wintered over.  If only cucumbers were in season too…  But I couldn’t quite wait for the local cucumbers as I had a real craving for this deliciously cool Greek condiment the other day when the mercury was soaring to an unwelcome 90 degrees. 

I’ve typically made tzatziki with the standard plain yogurt, but decided this time to use a container of thick tangy organic Greek yogurt I had sitting in the fridge.   When I was traveling about Greece and her islands a decade back, I just couldn’t embrace this unique yogurt that’s become very popular today in the States.   My foodie palette hadn’t yet developed into what it is now, and I was pretty close-minded to the idea of a yogurt that was so heavy and not the least bit sweet.  Afterall, I’ve always been a vanilla kind of gal.  In any case, thankfully I decided to give it another try some years later.  As it does with so many savory dishes, Greek yogurt puts this particular recipe over the top and I’ll be making a point to use it every time from here on out. 

On another happy note, today is the opening day for the Headhouse Farmers Market in Philadelphia.  For those of you in the area, be sure to visit this outstanding market for a diverse assortment of local foods.  Weavers Way Farm will be there once again, as well as yours truly on occasion, helping man their table.  Also, this year the market is officially expanding to provide the same market hustle-and-bustle on Saturdays as on Sundays so you now have two days to fill up your baskets and bags.  Headhouse Farmers Market is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. near 2nd and South Streets.   

Organic Tzatziki Dip
Adapted from Oikos Organic Kitchen

 
1 cup plain organic Greek yogurt (such as Oikos brand)
2 organic cucumbers
2 cloves organic garlic, minced
3 t. chopped fresh organic mint
1 Tbs. white vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dice and then mince the cucumber as finely as possible.  Sprinkle some salt over the chopped cucumber and allow to sit for five minutes to draw out the moisture.  Pat dry and roll in a paper towel.

Combine the prepared cucumber with garlic, mint, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir in the yogurt and taste.  Adjust seasonings as desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving with cut vegetables and pita wedges.  

(makes 1 1/2 cups)

I drafted up and made this recipe quite awhile ago, back when the days grew dark by five o’ clock and the thermostat in the house just couldn’t seem to keep up with the chill of the winter air.  A big warm plate of Sweet and Savory Millet Pilaf was just the thing to have back then.  It’s a shame, really, that it’s taken me this long to get the post dusted off and polished for your visit.  A few cold days may still be ahead of us, but winter and her warm hearty dishes are on their way out.  I know my mind is certainly drifting towards bright blue skies with cottony clouds drifting on balmy breezes, all of which I’ll deliciously enjoy while laying on my back in warm sweetly scented green grass that tickles my knees.  Mmmmmm…

Not to distract from this lovely dish a second longer lest the seasons change permanently even as I type, let me tell you about this pilaf.   It too, like the harbingers of spring, is full of rich aromas – heady cinnamon and nutmeg combining with bright ginger and orange.  The millet is a wonderful ancient grain that really doesn’t get enough face time, both in my kitchen and in modern cooking in general.  It has a nutty flavor that completes this dish in a way that rice or orzo never could. 

Ah, and let’s not forget the stars of the show: carrots and cherries.  The carrots are of the dwindling bunch harvested from my garden last fall.  Cut into “coins”, they both brighten and lighten the final dish.  The cherries, dried by and procured from a local fruit vendor at the Headhouse Market last summer, are plump and intoxicating (in taste only) once simmered in the wine, orange zest and ginger.  I was so enamored with this particular combination that I later repeated it for a warm ice cream topping. 

Gosh, now that I revisit this recipe in my mind, maybe I’m not so ready to wave farewell to winter after all.  Winter cooking’s deep mysterious flavors certainly have their allure. 

~

Sweet and Savory Millet Pilaf
A Straight from the Farm Original

1 C. millet
3 C. water
1 t. salt
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ C. red onion, finely chopped
½ C. thinly sliced carrot “coins”
¼ C. white wine
½ t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. freshly grated orange zest
½ C. chopped dried cherries
¼ t. freshly ground nutmeg
¼ t. cinnamon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chopped toasted pecans (optional)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the water with a teaspoon of salt until the water comes to a boil. Add the millet, and bring to a boil again. Cover the pan and reduce the heat. Cook the millet for 20 minutes over low heat or until the water is absorbed.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Sauté the minced garlic until fragrant and golden.  Add the onion and carrots, sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, combine the white wine with the ginger and orange zest and then add the dried cherries.  Simmer in a small skillet until warm. Set aside.

When the millet is done, add it to the skillet with the vegetables and toss.  Add the cherries and any remaining liquid and toss again.  Season with the spices, salt and pepper.  Place in a serving dish and garnish with pecans if desired.  Serve warm as a side dish or chilled as a light lunch. 

(serves 4-6)

Here we are once again, standing on the doorstep of a brand-spankin’ new year.  Every January there’s a sense of resolve in the air around my house.  I wouldn’t go so far as to say I make resolutions.  I don’t have a mind that operates in those clearly defined terms.  But I do assess my current situation in life and think about where I’d like to see myself heading over the next 365 days. 

I’ve never been a slender woman, although since high school I have been a fitness fanatic with a nicely toned body.  Unfortunately, the chaos of changing careers, moving into our first house, taking on freelance assignments to supplement the drop in pay by going back to school, and giving up my daily bike commute, my hips have been sadly spreading over the past year.  So, for the first time in years, I find myself starting this particular new year with the same misgiving about weight that so many do. 

To that end, I’m on the hunt for recipes with fresh flavors but fewer calories and lower in saturated fat.  This recipe for Kohlrabi and Carrot Salad is a bright colorful way to start off and tasty enough to help me keep my resolve.  It’s a quick lunch, crunchy enough to make you feel full, or it’s a nice little starter to curb your appetite at the start of dinner.  Kohlrabi in particular seems to me to be a great vegetable for satisfying some of the more common cravings out there:  it’s got the crunch of a pretzel but the slight sweetness of an apple.  Sprinkle it with a little salt and it’s surprisingly satisfying.

While I was lucky enough to have all these ingredients still handy in my larder (the sorrel is still growing in a pot in the shelter of south-facing wall of the house), you might have to resort to conventional grocery stores to get yours.  You can substitute scallions for the sorrel if need be. Or you can just wait for spring as all of these ingredients are quick to return to the farmers markets once the weather warms again.   Will our collective resolve last that long?

So tell me, what are some of your tricks for eating healthy?  Mine is air-popped popcorn spritzed with a little butter-flavored non-stick spray and tossed with salt.  It tastes just as good as any microwave bag, but with far less fat (really, just about none) and it’s far cheaper to boot. 

~

Kohlrabi & Carrot Salad
Adapted from Cookthink

2 medium kohlrabi, peeled and thinly sliced
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
3 large sorrel leave, thinly sliced
2 T. peanut butter
2 T. rice  or white wine vinegar
1 t. fresh lemon juice
2 t. water
1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. toasted sesame oil
1 T. chopped roasted peanuts

Prep the kohlrabi, carrots, and sorrel and combine them in a medium bowl.

Combine the remaining ingredients, except for the chopped peanuts, in a small bowl and whisk to combine them. Pour the dressing over the kohlrabi and carrots, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.  Garnish with the peanuts just before serving.

(serves 2)

I like to think it was fate that brought me to today’s recipe.  One those chance encounters that really changes your perspective on life experiences.   As it was, I’d always been a fan of creamy coleslaw but never really a fan of cabbage.  I know there are legions of devotees to such standards as cabbage soups and sauerkraut.  But, hey, I just don’t particularly like the taste of cabbage, okay?    The only reason I like the creamy-style coleslaw you get at every truck stop and road-side diner is because it masks the flavor of the cabbage while still providing a good bit of crunch. 

With that background info in mind, I wasn’t really looking for a new cabbage recipe.  But during my last stint at the Headhouse Market around Thanksgiving, a customer practically came running over to our table when she spied the heads of crinkly-leafed Savoy cabbage we had.  (Yes, that’s “savoy”, not “savory” for anyone wondering if I forgot the “r”.)  Granted, these are the prettiest members of the Brassicaceae family of crops and worth some attention.  But this customer was so very enthusiastic about them that I had to ask what her plans were for the two heads she bought.   Turns out the NY Times had just printed a recipe for Savoy Cabbage Slaw With Applesauce Vinaigrette that she was dying to try. 

Being the diligent customer service representative that I am, I made a mental note to go home and find the recipe so I could be familiar with it and recommend it to future customers if it proved worthy.  After reading off the list of ingredients, my own curiosity was piqued so much that I decided to give the recipe a try with the small head of Savoy I’d brought home with me. 

Holy molly, boy was I wrong about cabbage!  Or, perhaps to be fair, up until this recipe I hadn’t known how to highlight its strengths.  The fruity vinaigrette and the nutty walnuts along with the zing of the radishes all harmonize with – but do not mask – the cabbage’s flavor.  I’m also certain using Savoy in this recipe is critical to its success since this variety of cabbage is not as poignantly “cabbagy”, and its texture is crisper than some of the standard heads (which I sometimes find almost rubbery). 

In my opinion, this recipe is mislabeled though.  It’s not a slaw; it’s a salad.   It’s best served immediately while everything is still crisp and the flavors are distinctive, not merged together like in a typical slaw that usually needs to sit around for awhile  before being consumed.  I did keep my leftovers for three days, although the third day was definitely the last I would have eaten them if I hadn’t finished the last bite then. 

My perspective on cabbage has certainly changed forever.  This slaw/salad is that good!  Now that I’ve enjoyed this beautiful variety of cabbage so much, I’m immensely attracted other recipes for it.  Do you have one to recommend?  Nothing fermented please.  I was thinking about trying this one for Braised Savoy Cabbage next. 

Savoy Cabbage Slaw With Applesauce Vinaigrette
Adapted from the NY Times

VINAIGRETTE
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon applesauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/3 cup olive oil

SALAD
4 cups savoy cabbage, sliced as thinly as possible
1 large bunch red radishes
3 or 4 Granny Smith apples
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon mustard seeds (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste.

* I did not grate or shred the radishes and apples.  Instead, I sliced them very thin with a good sharp knife.  I think I prefered this preparation as it ate more like a salad than a slaw.

Make vinaigrette: In a bowl, mix together mustard, salt, vinegar, honey and applesauce. Slowly whisk in olive oil a little at a time until dressing emulsifies. Set aside.

Make salad: Put cabbage in a large bowl. Using the shredding blade of a food processor or a box grater, shred radishes until you have 1 cup. Add to bowl.

Core apples and shred in food processor or with box grater until you have 2 cups. Put shredded apple into a bowl filled with lemon juice and 2 cups water, to prevent apple from browning.

When ready to serve, gently squeeze water from apple, add to cabbage and toss slaw with vinaigrette. Add mustard seeds and toss again. Sprinkle walnuts on top of slaw. Season with salt and pepper.

(makes 6 servings)