Rosemary Veggie Quiche

Join us for our final recipe this month featuring rosemary as our special ingredient. This past Sunday night, we made a quiche using freshly harvested rosemary and kale from our garden, along with peppers, mushrooms, and onions, in addition to a side spinach salad with sour grass from our back yard, and red peppers. Making a quiche had always been an intimidating endeavor- its so delicious, how could it be easy to make? But much to our pleasant surprise (and because we used a prepared pie crust), the entire meal was pretty simple and ready in about an hour.

INGREDIENTS                                                       ALSO

1 store bought pie crust                                           1 small mixing bowl

4 eggs                                                                          1 baking sheet

1 c. heavy cream

1 baby portabella mushroom, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic

1/3 white onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced, save half for side salad

3-4 c. kale, roughly chopped

1 tbsp. rosemary, finely chopped

2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a large pan, and sauté garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Add chopped kale to wilt it, seasoning with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and add cream. Stir in chopped rosemary. In the pie crust, layer cooked veggies with cheese and 1/2 cup of raw red peppers. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the pie, allowing it to settle a moment.

Place pie on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until egg is fully cooked and the top just begins to brown. Allow this to cool for 5-10 minutes.

While the quiche cooled, we prepared an easy side salad. We used the remaining 1/2 cup of the red pepper, some chopped sour grass found in our backyard (it's also growing all over Santa Cruz!), and some fresh spinach. We tossed these together with a bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to make a simple but tasty addition to our quiche. 


Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!


-Love Handling Food

Vending Machines

Greetings food handlers, its been a while. I have been busy with my head in books at school, and interning at the local United Way. And of course, as it turns out, what I have been working on for both of these has been food related ;D What I want to talk about here though, is what I have been working on for the United Way, and what I've learned so far.

My task has been to research healthy vending machine policies in preparation for a presentation to high school students next week. These students are organizing to propose and adopt a city policy for healthy vending machines, and it is my task to help them get started by looking into what has worked for other communities. I have been sifting through state, county, city, and school district policies which now require vending machines in some places (like school campuses and libraries) to offer healthy alternatives to junk foods and soda. This can include dried fruits, yogurt , carrot or celery sticks, nut or trail mixes, and fruit or vegetable juices. These students, along with many other communities across America, are concerned with the pervasiveness of soda and junk food, while staples like fruits and vegetables are either expensive or absent altogether.

John Trever, The Alburquerque Journal 

When people talk about the health problems our nation suffers like cancer, heart disease, types I and II diabetes, and increasingly childhood obesity, I look to things like junk food vending machines and see at least one of the sources of this. I like chips and cookies too on occasion; but I feel that everyone, and especially children, deserve the right to healthy nutritious food at an equal or lesser cost than processed, high calorie/low nutrient, GMO foods. This is no quick and easy task, but as I've learned, it has been done in small pilot projects and successfully implemented in many places (I provide some helpful links below). While some of the policy outlines I've read through talk about the challenges they faced, they also give lots of tips, and I will say I am quite optimistic in this case for these students.

I think its awesome that this group of kids in high school are trying to direct the future of nutrition, and even extra revenue, on their campus. Considering that vending machines often provide supplementary revenue for schools when the state or district budget falls short, it seems questionable to stock these machines with snacks known to lack any sort of nutrition, thereby undermining the health of the students the school is meant to serve. I don't mean to demonize schools who have vending machines because it is not the physical machines themselves that are the issue. I do, however, think it is beyond hypocritical to preach values of nutrition, requiring kids to take health classes while simultaneously profiting from selling them empty calorie junk food and soda. This just makes no sense. Wouldn't the message mean a little more if it were actually supported in practice? Why on earth would kids listen to adults when there is no clear connection between what they are taught in the classroom and the reality outside?

I say good for these students for standing up to adults and demanding healthy alternatives; good for them for reaching out and working with organizations like United Way to brainstorm and gather resources. I'll admit, I'm a little intimidated to talk to them next week. But I figure, I've got a lot of common ground with a group of kids who are also health nuts on their way to becoming food activists, and hopefully the community organizers of tomorrow. I just wish I had the impressive head start they are all getting!

-H. BOMB

Here are some links to what I've been reading up on, if you are also interested in an alternative. The BANPAC site is an especially helpful starting point:

http://www.banpac.org/healthy_vending_machine_toolkit.htm

http://www.sfusdfood.org/index.html

http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/vending-machines-in-schools-2005.aspx

http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Content.aspx?id=2168

http://www.manchesternh.gov/website/Departments/PublicSchools/Administration/Departments/FoodServices/NutritionPolicy/tabid/2745/Default.aspx

http://naturalselectionsvending.com/our_machines

Sweets for the Sweetest

Everyone knows what day February 14th is. So, here's a recipe to be shared with the sweetest ones in your life. 

Cinnamon Banana Oat Cookies

  

Ingredients: 

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¾ cup vegetable shortening

       *This can be substituted with butter, amongst other things.

1 tbs. vanilla

1 cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 tsp. honey

1 egg

1 cup mashed bananas (preferably over-ripe)

2 cups quick oats

½ cup sliced almonds

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

-In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon

-In a large bowl, mix together shortening and sugars; I used an electric beater on a medium setting until mix was fluffy. I then added the egg, vanilla, honey, oats, sliced almonds, and banana, using the electric mixer again on the low setting.

-Add dry mix to the large bowl

-Once mixed, place drop sized balls of dough on a cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

-Once cool, you can add icing if desired. But, the cookies are really tasty on their own!

Yum!

Baked With Love,

Ianna

Stuffed Salmon with Cheesy Rosemary Biscuits and HOME GROWN Kale

 

This month we have been having lots of fun trying to get a handle on rosemary. It is a very simple ingredient that adds a lot of dimension to your dishes. For this dinner, we added some  fresh rosemary on top of baked salmon, and baked it into some cheesy biscuits to go on the side. We picked the rosemary and the kale for our side dishes fresh from our garden, and enjoyed it all with some home brew IPA made by Helaina and our good friend Devin. 

We tried to keep as many of our ingredients as local as possible, but this unfortunately did not apply to the salmon. We used farmed salmon from the Atlantic; and although we are just beginning to learn about and understand the politics of fish, we encourage all of our followers to send us any helpful links to consider the next time we make this recipe! Food should be an open dialogue- help us to help you!


Stuffed Salmon Ingredients:

1 lb Salmon filet (we bought two ½ lb filets)

1 box of stuffing mix

Paprika

A sprig of fresh rosemary

Fresh lemon slices

 Marinade Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil

2 – 3 cloves of garlic (we also sprinkled a little extra garlic powder)

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¾ cup lemon juice

½ tbs. pepper

½ tbs. salt (we used sea salt)

-Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

-First, you have to get your salmon marinating. Mix all of the ingredients for this in a glass baking dish. Then, place your filet (or filets) in the dish, making sure to coat evenly. Let this dish sit marinating in the fridge for about an hour, flipping maybe once or twice. It is important not to marinade for too long, just because the acid from the lemon will literally begin to cook your salmon.

-Make stuffing as the box instructs.

-Once salmon is done marinating, give it another good coating flip, and make a shallow slice down the center of the filet, and some shallow slices across as well. Take the stuffing, and place it into the slices you have made in the filet.

-Sprinkle some paprika and rosemary on top of the now stuffed filet, and cover with foil. Place in oven. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork.

-Serve with lemon slices.

Cheesy Rosemary Biscuits Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tbs. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sugar

¾ cup milk

½ cup butter (softened)

½ cup grated cheddar cheese (but, there’s no such thing as too much cheese)

2 tbs. chopped fresh rosemary

*Makes about 12 biscuits

-If making separate from the salmon, pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F and bake 10-15 minutes, or until biscuits are slightly browning on the top. If making with the salmon, these biscuits can be baked at 350 degrees F for the length that the salmon takes.

-In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

-Mix in butter, and then milk. You want the consistency to be like that of soft dough.

-Add grated cheddar cheese, and rosemary to the dough

-On a baking sheet, roll medium sized balls of dough in flour to prevent sticking.

-Bake for the length of time instructed above 

Sautéed Kale, Spinach and Onion
Like we said above, we are proud of this side dish because the Dwarf Siberian Kale we used, which does well in colder environments, was homegrown, planted back in October. The feeling of finally being able to harvest and enjoy something we had planted ourselves is matched by no purchase from a supermarket chain, or even from a local farmers market. We encourage anyone with even a small space for gardening to go for it and get planting so that you all can feel the same satisfaction!

Generous portion of fresh kale

Generous portion of fresh baby spinach

¼ onion (chopped in rings)

Olive oil

Dash of salt or seasoning of choice

-Heat some olive oil in a pan on a medium heat, and add cut onion rings and kale and cover. As greens cook down, add spinach and re-cover. Continue cooking until onions are caramelized and greens are cooked to preference. 

Rosemary Mac'n'Cheese Paired with Stuffed Mushrooms...these recipes can't be missed!

To kick off our new Rosemary "Flavor of the Month" for February, we have a delicious spin on baked macaroni and cheese and stuffed portobello mushrooms. These recipes are so delicious, you will go back for seconds...and thirds...and fourths...well, you get the idea:

Helaina's Rosemary Mac Attack:

Macaroni and cheese is one of my absolute favorite dinners. You can take me to any sit-down restaurant, and if I see baked mac and cheese on the menu, done deal. I'll always try a new take on this comfort food classic. It takes me back to the delicious days being a little kid, but now with a more grown up taste of rosemary and sun dried tomatoes. 

Ingredients:                                                                                                                       Also:

12 oz. pasta- while the classic uses elbow macaroni, i used spirals            11x7 glass pan

2 c. cheddar, shredded

1 c. smoked gouda, shredded

1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped

4 tbsp. sun dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 c. milk

6 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

1/3 c. bread crumbs

      *Prepared dish makes 6 large portions

Begin by preheating your oven to 325o F and your grease pan. Cook pasta al dente, about 7 minutes.

While pasta cooks melt butter with milk, and add flour 1 tbsp. at a time. Add most of the two kinds of shredded cheese, but leave a little to sprinkle on top.  Stir in rosemary, tomatoes, and pepper. Once the cheese is melted and evenly coating the pasta, pour the mixture into your greased pan. Sprinkle bread crumbs and remaining cheese on top and bake for about 25-30 minutes. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Be sure to enjoy a healthy serving of this rosemary mac with a baked mushroom and a cold beer!

Ianna's Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms:

Maybe going to the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair did this to me, but this winter I have been obsessed with stuffed portobello mushrooms. I have made this recipe a variety a ways, with a variety of stuffing types, and it was not until a friend requested it that I decided to blog a recipe. It's pretty simple to make too:

Ingredients:

2 Portobello Mushrooms (of decent size...the bigger the better I say!)

1 box stuffing mix (I use just plain old box stuffing)

A couple handfuls of chopped, fresh spinach

Bacon (I do a a couple strips per 'shroom, but I will leave it up to you)

A few large garlic cloves

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

Butter (1/4 cup...Plus whatever your stuffing calls for)

Salt, Pepper, and honestly whatever spices you tend to like

 *Serves two...unless you share :)

-First, remove stems from mushroom caps, then sauté caps for about a minute or so in butter. I give them some time on both sides.You want them to soften a bit, but not so much that they are falling apart and juicing everywhere. While your caps cook, chop up the stems and garlic cloves.

-When your mushrooms are done, remove them and place them on a baking sheet, with the gills facing up.

-You might need to add some more butter or oil to the pan, and once you do, add the chopped stems and garlic. Let this cook for about a minute, and then add the heavy cream. Let this cook until the cream thickens a bit, and then add the grated Parmesan. Once the cheese is melted, you can add in your spinach, since this has a low cook time. I recommend covering the pan so the spinach cooks faster and more evenly from the steam.

-While your fillings cook, fry up your bacon. Once cooked, cut into smaller pieces and mix in with the spinach filling. Remove from heat.

-Place a layer of the stuffing in each mushroom, and then another layer from your spinach-bacon-cheesy-creamy goodness. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top, and then place the baking sheet into the oven on the Hi-broil setting. Leave the stuffed mushrooms in the oven until the cheese is beginning to slightly brown on top.

Enjoy! I'm telling you, you will want to make these again and again...and again. Play around with ingredients too. Every time I make them I try something new, yet equally delicious.

Also! To complete our meal, we quenched our thirsts with the home brew talents of our friend, David, who provided us with some of his hoppy and flavorful Kirkwood Steamers. It's always nice to wash down a good meal with a good beer, especially if its made with love from an old friend. Thanks David!

-Helaina and Ianna