House In The Woods CSA Blog

Double Sesame Pac Choi

2 small heads Pac Choi
2 teaspoons light sesame, canola, or corn oil
2 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil, or to taste
2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Wash pac choi and cut the leaves away from the stalks.  Cut stalks into 1/3- to 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.  Place leaves one on top of the other, roll up, and slice into 1/2-inch strips.  Cut in half if they are too long.  Set aside.

2. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat.  Add the oil and swirl in wok to coat sides.  Do not burn the oil.  Add the sliced leaf stalks and leaves and stir-fry over high heat to coat with the oil.  Cover for about 30 seconds to create some steam.  Check greens and stir-fry until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon water, if necessary, to prevent sticking.

3. When greens are done, season with the toasted sesame oil, tamari, and rice vinegar.  Garnish with toasted seeds.  Serve with rice and steamed fish or grilled chicken, or just on its own.

 – Greens, Glorious Greens by J. Albi & C. Walthers

Spring Roll Salad

1 pack thin rice noodles – cook and save some of the water.

2 small bunches of Pac Choi thinly sliced including the greens.

1 bunch green onions thinly sliced including some of the green.
1 cup diced cucumber.
1 grated carrot.
handful of chopped mint
handful of chopped cilantro

Toss together. 

Make a dressing using:

½ cup of the reserved water
½ cup chunky peanut butter
¼ cup Hoisin sauce (or less depending on your taste)
And for a little kick a dash of garlic chili sauce

If serving later, wait to add the dressing.   Add other veggies, grilled shrimp, fish, chicken!  Make this salad your own!

Asian Slaw—simple and delicious! (gluten free, dairy free!)

The Veggie Sandwich!!!

Introducing the vegetable sandwich.  What makes this sandwich so special?  The simple, yet creative vegan spread that you use on this delicious mixture of greens and more!  Choose from four!

Yes, first choose your bread [or try a warm tortilla wrap!] and then……

Create a mixture of early summer greens, chopped and tossed with slices of roasted peppers, olives, radishes, scallions, be creative. [For the elevated version, grill or roast eggplant and zucchini with slices of heirloom tomato, oh my…]

Finally, choose one of these deliciously simple spreads and prepare to be amazed!

Hummus vegan and gluten free, low sodium

2 cup dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

¾ c. tahini

6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

10 cloves of garlic, minced

Juice of 3-4 lemons

½ teaspoon of ground cumin

sea salt

Rinse and soak beans for two to three hours.  Drain beans and bring to slow boil for one hour or until soft.  Drain beans and combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until soft.  Add water if mixture is too thick.  Add lemon juice and sea salt to taste. 

Pesto  vegan and gluten free, low sodium

¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts  [walnuts are the pine-nut-on-a-budget]

2 garlic cloves, peeled

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil

¼ cup veggie broth   

4 cups basil leaves or any baby greens

[Note from ilene: my recipe is 3-4 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp walnuts, 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 cups packed basil and up to a half tsp salt. I freeze it in ice cube trays and then pop em out into ziploc bags]

Process ingredients in a food processor or blend in a blender until finely minced. Feel free to make this traditional pesto in large batches, because it freezes well for up to 3 months or refrigerate for up to 5 days!

Guacamole  vegan and gluten free, low sodium

Guacamole gradually darkens when exposed to air so serve immediately.

4 ripe avocados

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 fresh Serrano chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped

Fresh lime juice

Sea salt

Cut avocados in half, remove pits, and squeeze or scoop pulp into a bowl.  Mash with fork.  Add onions and peppers.  Mix well with fork.  Season to taste with salt and lime juice.

Roasted Garlic and Herb Spread  vegan and gluten free, low sodium

4 heads of garlic, roasted

3 T extra virgin olive oil

a mixture of fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, parsley, thyme, oregano–chopped

sea salt, black cracked pepper

In a bowl, mix roasted garlic with olive oil and chopped herbs until mixture comes together as a thick paste.  Add sea salt and pepper.  Spread on bread.

———————————————————–

By request, I am sharing my gluten-free zucchini bread recipe at a seasonally

important time of the year.

The time of year when you need to sleep in the hammock with one eye open,

or we might sneak a large zucchini onto your lap while you are sleeping.

The time when you need to lock your car door at the farm or you might find a few

in the passenger seat.

Baking with zucchini should be reserved for the large zucchini, the ones that grow into

baseball bats if not caveman clubs. The delicate small ones are for slicing and sauteeing

or such.

 This recipe is for the overgrown zucchini, the ones that grow a foot overnight.

(Actually, they don't, but who harvests DAILY??)

Anyway, I'll add some notes to indicate ways I've revised this recipe over time.

Its worked every time, you can freeze the loaves, but it will be a bit dry that way.

Nothing like fresh from the oven. I've used frozen shredded zuke too, just

squeeze out the water first. I always double this recipe and make two loaves.

One for now, one for later.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com

Serves/Makes: 1 loaf  | Difficulty Level: 3 | Ready In: 1-2 hrs

Ingredients:
2/3 cup white rice flour  [I use brown rice flour]

2/3 cup sweet rice flour (available from Asian supermarkets and Common Market,

I use brown sweet rice flour]

1/2 cup potato starch
3 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter (not margarine)[Recipe says not margarine, I've used Earth

Balance or Coconut Oil, makes it more dense. Of course, butter rules]

1 cup sugar [I replace this with a little more than half cup of honey, to taste]
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup grated zucchini [always seems like i could add more zucchini than this]

2/3 cup chopped walnuts  [I always skip this, include it if you like nuts in

baked things...]

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9 x 5 loaf pan; dust with rice flour.

Mix together flours, potato starch, tapioca starch, baking soda, xanthangum, salt.

Set aside. Cream the butter until white. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy,about 5

minutes. [this won't fluff or cream if you are using coconut oil.] Add the eggs and

briefly beat until well mixed. 

 Stir in the zucchini. Stir in the dry ingredients until blended. Fold in the nuts.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake 1 hour. 

 Adapted from a banana bread recipe in Gluten-Free Baking by Rebecca Reilly.

You can view the complete recipe plus reviews online at:
Recipe Location: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/404/GlutenFree_Zucchini_Bread51940.shtml
Recipe ID: 7224

This is a great recipe to use up a big zucchini. These are good enough that we eat them plain with no toppings. Sometimes toppings can make it soggy, so dry toppings might work best. I have enjoyed this recipe so much that I sometimes make a bunch of crusts and half bake them and freeze them in a stack with wax paper between them, in gallon zip lock bags. They can be gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour mixture.

Zucchini-Crusted Pizza
credits go to Moosewood Cookbook

olive oil and flour for the pan
2 cups (packed) grated zucchini (about 2 7-inchers)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan
OPT: pinches of basil, marjoram, rosemary
2 TBS olive oil

TOPPING SUGGESTIONS
extra olive oil
1 large ripe tomato, sliced
extra cheese
2 to 3 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
sauteed mushrooms
sliced olives

Preheat oven to 400F, Generously oil a 10-inch pie pan and coat lightly with
flour.
Combine zuke, eggs, flour, mozzarella, parmesan, herbs and 1 TBS olive oil
in a bowl and mix well.
Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 35 -40 min, or until golden brown.
About halfway through the baking, brush with the ramaining TBS of olive oil
(opt). Remove from oven. When it has cooled for about 10 minutes, use a
spatula to loosen the crust from the pan, so it won’t break later.
Top with your favorite pizza items and bake at 400F until heated through.