Tag Archives: easy farm to table

Cooking with Very Small Children: Baby Bird’s Applesauce

Posted on April 14, 2013 | 3 comments

No, the title does not refer to cooking up children for dinner. I’ll try some adventurous food, but I’m no cannibal. I’m talking about how wonderful it is to have children, even infants, helping in the kitchen. You’ve heard of farm to table, but how about tree to highchair? In one of my proudest parenting moments, my 11-month-old helped pick apples from a tree and made them into applesauce.

Baby Bird sorts her apples

We like to involve her in cooking, showing her the whole foods and every step of the process. It makes her more excited to eat the food. And we love to show her plants growing, so that she knows tomatoes come from a plant, carrots from the ground, as well as eggs from chickens. It was a wonderful experience to take her to a local orchard last fall for apple picking. Babies at this age love putting things in bowls and bags (and taking them out again.)

Baby Bird loves to help cook

When letting babies and toddlers help in the kitchen there are plenty of chores that do not involve heat or sharp knives. Since moving things from one container to another is a fun game at this stage, have little one (from 9 months on) move the apple pieces from the cutting board or a bowl into a (room temperature) pot. The pieces were too large for swallowing, in case she wanted to chew on or taste one. Mine also liked to move scraps and peel into the compost container. After 12-15 months, toddlers love to stir things, too. At 18 months, Little Bird loves to help scramble her eggs. We put a heavy bowl on the kitchen floor, let her watch us crack the eggs and she “stir, stir, stirs”!

Homemade applesauce

Baby Bird’s First Applesauce Recipe

  • apples, peeled, cored and cut in chunks
  • a few splashes of apple juice or water
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon grains of paradise
  • (optional) 1/4 teaspoon salt

Place the apples in a medium sized pot. Add enough juice or water to cover up the apples 1/3 to 1/2 the way up. No sugar is needed, as apples are naturally sweet, but if you prefer the sauce to be sweeter, choose apple juice over water. Add  the grains of paradise and salt to taste. Bring the apples up to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until they are soft and start to fall apart. Mash with a fork or the back of a spoon for a slightly chunky sauce.

Notes:

Grains of Paradise are a pepper-like spice. They have less bite than black pepper and are absolutely wonderful with apples (as well as on eggs, in guacamole, and almost anywhere you would use pepper.) After trying them, I no longer like cinnamon in my apple pie or applesauce, but feel free to substitute. We keep ours in an extra pepper mill and grind as needed.

Baby Bird enjoyed her first adventure apple picking, apple bagging, sorting, eating and cooking!


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Posted in Food, Healthy Recipes, Homemade Baby Food, Parenting, Recipes for the Whole Family

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Cauliflower Soup

Posted on March 30, 2013 | 3 comments

Cauliflower Soup on BabyBirdsFarm

My family and I spent a sunny Sunday morning last week at the farmer’s market. Among other yums, both my husband and I were drawn to an unusual looking cauliflower at the Suzie’s Farm stand.  It was a cheddar-orange colored variety called, well “cheddar.” I thought it was an heirloom, but upon research at home, it is actually a hybrid, but non-gmo seeds are available here. The color turned even darker when I cooked it and cheddar cauliflower naturally has 25 times the beta carotene of regular cauliflower, making it 2nd only to carrots. It made a lovely, simple soup!

Cheddar Cauliflower

Cauliflower Soup Recipe

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • salt and pepper
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced
  • 1 large or 2 small heads of cauliflower, roughly chopped
  • 3-4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup of milk (optional)

In a medium-large soup pot, heat oil on medium heat. Sauté the onions, seasoned with salt and pepper, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, add the cauliflower and broth. Bring up to a low boil and cook for about 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft. Let cool slightly, then puree with an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender. Add the milk, if using, and return to heat until warm.

Very baby friendly. Also great served cool or room temperature! I kept the seasoning simple and garnished with a little truffle salt.

Cauliflower Soup on BabyBirdsFarm

 

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Posted in Food, Healthy Recipes, Recipes for the Whole Family, Recipes from the Garden, Seasonal Recipes, Urban Agriculture, Urban Homesteading

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Cioppino – An Easy, Delicious and Healthy Seafood Soup

Posted on March 23, 2013 | 1 comment

I grew up in the Carmel/Monterey area. Like San Francisco, Monterey claims cioppino, an Italian-American tomato-based seafood stew, as its own. We would typically find it in restaurant/seafood markets, the kinds that sold clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, and featuring the catch of the day: fish, shellfish, calamari… Everyone knew that a good cioppino was dependent upon good fresh, seafood.

Cioppino on BabyBirdsFarm

Then about five years ago, while my now-husband and I enjoyed a quiet bowl of cioppino, after a day of workshops and hot tubs at Esalen, outside, overlooking the Pacific, I had an epiphany. Was it the breathtaking setting that made this the best bowl ever? Was it a full day of healing hot springs and life changing work? Maaaaayybe. But I concluded it was fresh vegetables!

Esalen, an institute in Big Sur, was founded by hippies 50 years ago to foster the “human potential.” Before that, it was a hotel, frequented by Henry Miller,  and Hunter S. Thompson was a not so reliable employee. As early as 2600 BC, the land was home to the Esselen Indians and revered for the sacred hot springs, located on the edge of dramatic cliffs above the Pacific Ocean.

When I was growing up, my dad often took my sisters and I to the pool and hot springs. We would walk in the back entrance, acting like we owned the place, a technique he perfected, whether it was the “clothing optional” Esalen pools or the Four Seasons.

Today, the only way to stay there is to sign up for a workshop (or personal retreat). It is pricey, but oh, so worth it. In my opinion, one of the highlights of the experience is the food. Almost all of the produce is grown there on the grounds. Their practices of biodynamics and permaculture, self-sustaining and organic, have greatly influenced the way Papa Bird and I approach our own home garden.

Tasting and analyzing that satisfying cioppino, I was confident that all of the tomatoes and vegetables came from their garden, a few hundred feet from the kitchen. Disgustingly fresh. I’m willing to bet the fish markets used canned tomatoes or paste. My cioppino epiphany? The freshness and quality of the vegetables is as much as, or more, important as the freshness of the seafood.

Like my Spanish Stuffed Peppers, this recipe is only an approximation based on tasting, but we enjoy it! We love it served with crusty garlic bread, although sourdough is traditional, and by skipping the bread, it makes a great gluten-free, paleo or low-carb entrée.


Cioppino Recipe – Inspired by the Esalen Kitchen, Farm and Garden

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1-2 onion, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped celery and/or fennel
  • 1 red bell pepper and/or carrot, chopped
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, cayenne, paprika and/or chili powder
  • 1 cup of white wine
  • 4 large fresh heirloom tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or a 28 oz. can
  • 2 Tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste or 1 small can of tomato paste
  • 3-4 cups of clam juice, seafood broth and/or chicken broth
  • 1-2 bay leaf
  • fresh (or dried) thyme, basil, oregano and/or parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 pounds fresh or high quality frozen seafood such as calamari, scallops, shrimp, etc
  • 1 pound white fish, such as halibut, tilapia or cod
  • 1/2 pound fresh, debearded and scrubbed mussels

In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in the oil, followed by the celery, fennel, carrot and bell pepper. Once softened, add the garlic and spices and sauté a minute. Add the white wine and cook off alcohol for a minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, clam juice/broth, bay leaf and herbs. Bring up to a boil and then down to a simmer, for at least 10-15 minutes. Adjust the salt and pepper. (I find that I don’t need to add much salt when using clam juice.)

(It can simmer for longer at this point if you would like to make it ahead, and then add the the seafood just before eating.) Bring back up to a low boil and add the seafood and fish. If using frozen seafood, add them frozen, do not defrost. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-4 minutes until mussels open and seafood is cooked.

Notes:

Some thoughts on seasonality: Really this dish is at its peak in the late summer when tomatoes shine. Check out my post on freezing summer tomatoes for use throughout the year. We were craving this dish this winter, so enjoy anytime.

On the seafood: Crab is classic in San Francisco. In San Diego we have access to good, sustainable mussels. Use whatever is available and that you like! For advice on sustainable seafood, I love the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch and use their iPhone app.

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Posted in Food, Healthy Recipes, Recipes for the Whole Family, Recipes from the Garden, Seasonal Recipes

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Borscht: Good for Your Belly and Your Budget

Posted on February 15, 2013 | 2 comments

When I was a kid I hated beets. I went so far as to refuse to carry the serving bowl of beets when my mother asked us to help set the table. The bread I would carry, green beans, sure, but no way would I touch the beets. Now they are one of my absolute favorite vegetables.

Beet Borscht

Did you know that beets have been considered an aphrodisiac since the time of the ancient Romans? They have also been used for medicinal purposes, as well as a natural red dye since at least the 16th century. No wonder these all natural red velvet cupcakes I made for Valentine’s were such a hit!

I most often roast them in large chunks with a little coconut or olive oil and salt and pepper. Leftovers, if any, are great in salads the next day. The tops of the beets, or beet greens, can be sautéed like collards, kale or any greens.

My second favorite preparation of beets is being featured in this soup. Borscht has been made in Eastern European countries, like Russia and the Ukraine, since the 14th century. It’s hearty, economical, and for those with New Year’s Resolutions, filling while being low in calories. Although they are naturally sweet, and contain about 10% natural sugars, 1 cup of beets has only 50-75 calories.

For this recipe, and all of my recipes, please feel empowered to improvise and substitute ingredients. The only essential one is beets! The recipe works equally well with vegetable broth, making a satisfying vegetarian meal, although beef broth is nice, too. You can even throw in beef stew meat chunks, especially for a chunky borscht. I used a big potato, parsnips and some carrots from our garden, along with other veggies.

IMG_2324

 

Beet Borscht Soup Recipe

  • Tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 carrots
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 3-4 large beets, with beet greens
  • 1 large turnip and/or rutabaga
  • 1 large or 2-3 small potatoes
  • 3-4 parsnips
  • 1 quart of beef or vegetable broth
  • 1-2 cups of water, or as needed
  • 1 small red cabbage
  • 2-3 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice, or to taste
  • salt, pepper, paprika
  • greek yogurt, creme fraiche, or non-dairy sour cream (for a vegan meal)
  • fresh dill

In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and carrots for five minutes in the oil with salt and pepper, and then add garlic. Add the hard, root vegetables (beets, turnips, potatoes, parsnips) and the broth. Add enough water to cover all of the vegetables. Bring to a boil and then lower to a steady simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes and then add the cabbage, simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and add paprika. Add the vinegar or lemon juice to taste.

Option 1: Serve as is as a nice chunky borscht.

Option 2: Puree the soup until smooth. (I like to serve it chunky on the first night and pureed the following. Two soups in one!)

Top with greek yogurt, creme fraiche or sour cream and fresh dill.

Tips for Feeding Baby:

This makes great baby food, from months 8 or 9 on.

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Posted in Food, Healthy Recipes, Recipes for the Whole Family, Recipes from the Garden, Seasonal Recipes

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Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast Roasted with Vegetables: Two Meals in One Dish

Posted on November 23, 2012 | 4 comments

Did you not get enough turkey yesterday? Or do you have too many leftovers and are looking for tasty ways to use them? This recipe features many of the flavors of Thanksgiving in a one dish meal. And part two of the recipe is a hash — a perfect way to make a second night’s meal, or to use extra Thanksgiving leftovers.

We didn’t cook the whole feast ourselves yesterday but joined a large, extended family gathering. I brought pies. The hosts are great cooks and so gracious that they actually send every guest home with a large to go container of leftovers. Still, I couldn’t wait for the tastes of Thanksgiving last weekend. I also make this recipe with chicken, but the chicken just didn’t look as good in the store as the half split turkey breast. Normally I wrap chicken breast in prosciutto or stuff the turkey with a mix of pancetta and fresh herbs, but this time I had bacon at home. To be perfectly honest, we preferred the taste of the prosciutto over the bacon. Any of them will work for adding moisture and flavor, so use what you like! Similarly, any number of vegetables will work. Use whatever you have on hand. Winter root vegetables are particular well suited to the dish and mushrooms add a lot umami.

Meal One: Turkey Breast Wrapped in Bacon Roasted with Vegetables

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • Vegetables (Sweet Potato, Mushrooms, Fennel, Onion, Garlic, Parsnips, Potato, Bell Pepper, Butternut Squash, Leeks, Carrots etc.)
  • Black Pepper, Cayenne
  • 1 Split Half Turkey Breast, Bone-In (can also use Chicken)
  • Prosciutto or Bacon
  • Fresh Herbs (Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Parsley, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup of Sherry, Marsala or White Wine

Preheat oven to 400° F. Add oil to a large oven proof skillet, pan, dutch oven or baking dish. Chop the vegetables into chunks (slightly larger than bite-sized as they will shrink down) and add them to the pan. Sprinkle with pepper and cayenne (salt is optional since the bacon/prosciutto is salty). Stir so that all are coated with a little bit of oil, and add a little more oil if needed.

Sprinkle pepper and fresh herbs on the turkey breast. Wrap with slices of prosciutto and bacon so that just the top is covered. Place on top of the vegetables. Toss any extra herbs in with the vegetables. Roast in the oven until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165° F. (I remove it just before then as I find the temperature continues to rise slightly.) Move the meat to a serving dish. If the veggies need more time, throw them back into the oven. If they are near done, add the sherry, marsala or wine, and stir. Place back in the oven for 3-5 minutes. (This can also be done on top of the stove, if using a skillet or dutch oven.) Using a spatula or wooden spoon, scrape up the caramelized bits, stir and serve.

Notes:

  • If you are using chicken it will be definitely be done before the vegetables. So either cook them alone a little before adding the meat, after, or both.
  • For a nice variation, stuff the turkey with pancetta and herbs instead of wrapping. Make a slice length-wise down the breast and stuff.
  • For a true taste of Thanksgiving, use sage, among other herbs. I try to avoid eating sage while breastfeeding, however, since it can reduce milk production.
  • This is easily a one dish meal, but this time I served it with my favorite green salad of late: baby kale, citrus, fennel and feta.

Meal Two: Turkey, Roast Veggie and Bacon Hash

  • Leftovers from the above dish, or any combination of leftover meat, potatoes and/or veggies
  • 6 or so eggs, beaten

In a large pan heat any fat that has congealed in the leftovers. If needed, add a little oil. Remove the bacon (if any) from the meat and chop finely. Add to the pan. Remove the meat from the bone and cut into bite-sized chunks. Add the meat and vegetables to the pan. Add the eggs. Stir occasionally, like scrambled eggs, until the eggs are done and the other ingredients are heated though. No seasoning is usually needed since the leftovers are seasoned. Can be served with hot sauce and/or ketchup.

What is your favorite way to use leftover turkey?

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Posted in Food, Recipes for the Whole Family, Recipes from the Garden, Seasonal Recipes

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