Fresh Pesto

Fresh basil from the garden.

Pesto is super easy to make and freeze.  I feel a tremendous joy in clipping off the stems and leaves of basil as it smells sooo good! These stalks were gleaned from those that were "bolting" which means sending up flower stalks and going to seed.

After rinsing the leaves in the sink, I let them dry on the counter then picked the leaves off and placed them in a blender.

Traditional pesto is made with olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, basil (of course), and Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper (or even hot red pepper flakes) may be added as desired.

For freezing purposes, I leave out the Parmesan cheese and add it in later after the basic pesto sauce has defrosted and we are ready to use the pesto.  You can also leave the cheese out entirely for a vegan sauce and it is just as good.

One of the things I love about pesto, or any of the fresh herb pastes we make for recipes, is the ability to swap out ingredients, in this case nuts.

If you would prefer to use walnuts instead of pine nuts, go for it. Walnut basil pesto is delicious. Another fun thing to add more depth to your pesto is to lightly roast your nuts first to enhance their contribution to the sauce.

2 C. fresh basil leaves
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/3 C. pine nuts
1/4 - 1/2 C. olive oil
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese

Place the basil leaves, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and puree for a few seconds. Add the olive oil slowly while the processor (or blender) is running and until you get the consistency that you like. Note that you may not add all the oil called for.

If you prefer to freeze your emerald sauce, then stop now before adding the Parmesan and divvy it up into containers or zip-locks and stock it away for a future meal.  If you wish to use the sauce right away, stir in the Parmesan and enjoy.  (Or no Parmesan if going vegan.)

Experiment with consistency and enjoy.

- Kim Fielding

Fresh Tomato Salsa

One of our favourite uses for the beautiful cherry tomatoes in the garden is this simple salsa.  Simply cut the tomatoes into a uniform size.  We have several varieties so some are quite small while others are larger.  A handful of fresh basil leaves are chopped and added to the tomatoes.  You may season to taste with salt and pepper, but we find that the freshest ingredients don't need it.  Stir gently and place in a bowl.  Top with a sprig of flowering basil.

Fresh basil from the garden enhances the colorful mixture of our cherry tomatoes.

A French baguette serves as the vessel for our salsa.  Slices are about 1/3-inch thick and are rubbed with a fresh garlic clove.  I didn't use olive oil in this instance, but you can brush with garlic-infused olive oil if you prefer.  Bake at medium heat until just toasted.

This would look beautiful served on a Mediterranean platter don't you think?

An entire bowl of this salsa (just over one cup) offers 35 calories, almost a third of your daily requirement for vitamin C, a couple grams of fiber, and negligible fat.  Add four or five slices (about 2 ounces) baguette baked without oil.  The baguette provides 175 calories, another 2 grams of fiber, and brings the total protein count up to 9 grams.  Fat is is still minimal.  This could be a side-dish for a meal!

Hint:  Another idea is to make the flavors more "South of the Border". Swap out the basil and add cilantro instead.  A squeeze of lime if you wish and some finely diced red onion and you have altered the tomato salsa into another cuisine.  Again, super simple and refreshing on hot summer days ahead.

- Kim Fielding

White Beans with Roasted Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

Using cooked white beans from a post in March, we liven them up for yet another meal!

When you prepare a one-pound bag of dried beans, get ready for left-overs.  This version using white beans is delicious.  Pair this recipe with grilled meats or by themselves with a big greens salad for a vegan meal.  The beans are my variation of a terrific recipe found on epicurious.com from Gourmet Magazine, June 2004.

Prep time:  10 minutes                                         Cook time:  45 minutes
Serves:  6

One-half recipe of Basic White Beans, cooked, using our blog recipe from March 2013
1 basket small tomatoes, sliced in half
Several Roma tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters if large
Olive oil
Sugar
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil to coat the pan and the vegetables.  I like to use my hands to make sure each tomato is oiled and the pan is too.  Sprinkle tomatoes with sugar, salt and pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the smaller tomatoes to a plate and reserve.  Add more olive oil to pan if it looks like it is dry (be generous) and make sure larger tomatoes aren't sticking.

Rotate pan and bake another 20 minutes or until tomatoes are softened and glazed.

Cut larger tomato pieces into bite-size pieces and add all cooked tomatoes to the cooked beans.  Scrape oil and tomato drippings from pan into beans.  If there are burned bits, avoid adding them to the mix.  Slice 1/4 cup basil leaves into slivers and add to the bean/tomato mixture.  Save some leaves to serve on top.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition from this dish is awesome:  Each 1/2-cup serving offers 11 grams fiber, 9 grams protein, 33% of your daily requirement for iron, and only 180 calories. 

- Kim Fielding

Cherry Tomato Salad

Vibrant colors, fresh produce, and a lively vinaigrette.
 This salad goes with any meal.

Cheery cherry tomatoes flourish in our gardens throughout the summer.  Because they are easy to grow, it seems everyone has a plant in their backyard this time of year.  Today's salad features simple preparation and presentation.  Using mixed color tomatoes or just a red variety is your choice.

Serves:  4
Prep time:   15 minutes

1 generous cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 recipe vinaigrette
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
Lettuces:  romaine, butter, green or red leaf, baby kales

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoon light olive oil or canola oil, or one tablespoon of each
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste, approximately one pinch salt and two or three grinds of pepper
 

Try to make pieces the same size.  Larger tomatoes may be cut into thirds.

Wash and blot dry all produce.  Cut cherry tomatoes for the salad.  Prepare the vinaigrette.

Basic vinaigrette is a staple in European households.  No one need buy dressing when this is so easy to prepare.  Dressings keep in the fridge for weeks.

Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients.  Or, place ingredients in a lidded jar and shake to emulsify.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

I prefer a two parts oil to one part vinegar dressing.  However, others like a less tart vinaigrette. Add a little more oil if need be.  Be sure to season to taste.  Remember, if it needs more tart, add more acid - vinegar.  If it needs taming down, add more oil.  Once you get the hang of making dressing at home, you can experiment with added herbs and spices to customize the recipe depending on what you are serving.

Tear the lettuces and place on a platter.  Mix together cut tomatoes and torn basil.  Add half of the dressing to tomatoes to moisten and stir.  Spoon the tomato mixture over the lettuces and drizzle salad with remaining vinaigrette. A sprinkling of coarse salt and coarse ground pepper may be added if you feel it needs it.  Not necessary though.

Each serving using mixed lettuces offers 73 calories, just less than 1 g fiber and protein, and 10% of your vitamin E requirement.  If you use just kale as your lettuce, the salad offers 86 calories, 1.2 g fiber, and 1.5 g protein.

Baby kales are now available in pre-washed packages at Trader Joes.  Because they are so young and tender, they don't have the strong earthy or bitter taste that some people are turned off by.  Try these.  They are a super food.

Lettuces in the above salad feature heirloom butter lettuce, kale, and romaine from our garden.  Lettuces are prolific garden specimens.  Several adult plants each will keep you in leaves for at least a few weeks. Trim lettuces for eating from the base of the stem and work upward as the plants grow.

- Kim Fielding

Refreshing Cold Rice Salad for Summer

Left-over rice creates a delightful cold grain salad when paired
with vegetables and herbs. .

We eat brown rice all the time.  I always cook way too much and then try to pawn it off as left-overs for lunch the next day or two.  But this is the thing... it is like pasta in its ability to morph into salads or other side dishes for future meals.  I am learning with son #3 that we can make Giada's rice balls with cheese filling, fold it into stews and sautees, and just serve it with veggies dumped on top.  Gluten-free friends love rice and I appreciate the opportunity to discover the diversity that this grain has to offer when my pals come over.  This one is a winner.  Another bonus for the chef, this is wonderful if made early in the day so all the flavors have a chance to meld. 

Serves:  8      
Prep and cook time:  10 minutes if using left-over rice or one hour using fresh cooked rice

2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup yellow pepper, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

Dressing:
1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar or other sweet vinegar
dash of salt
several grinds of black pepper

Make sure your bowl is big enough to toss all the fresh herbs
and vegetables together.

Place cold rice in a bowl and add the tomatoes, red onion, yellow pepper, basil, and parsley.  Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake to emulsify.  Add just enough dressing to moisten the salad and toss well before serving.

Nutrition count:  For a non-meat option, this side dish packs a punch.  Each serving comes in at almost 2 grams each of protein and fiber and with 140 calories.  It is also loaded with mostly monounsaturated fats.  For the micronutrient breakdown, this meets a quarter of your manganese needs for the day. 

Manganese is a trace mineral.  What this means is that it is necessary to our health, and our body uses it in small but vital amounts.  Taking manganese in through healthy eating is the best way to ingest it.  Deficiencies are rare because this element is readily available in nuts, whole grains, leafy vegetables, and tea.  It functions as a cofactor for enzymes involved in bone formation and various metabolic processes.

- Kim Fielding

Sprouted Bean Salad

Sprouted mung beans, green lentils, and adzuki beans get
a kick from pineapple, red pepper and basil.

If you are looking for fiber in a food that actually tastes good, you should try this simple recipe.  Scrounging through the refrigerator, I found fresh pineapple that I needed to finish up.  There you go - the inspiration for this dish.  The beans are available at Costco and other stores.

serves:  6                    prep and cook time:  15 minutes

1-1/2 cups tru Roots sprouted Bean Trio
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1/4 cup diced red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Oil and rice wine vinaigrette

Sprouted and dehydrated makes these beans
more digestible and faster cooking.  Any similar
bean trio will suffice if you can't find this mix.

Boil the dried beans in 4-5 cups of water for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes then drain.  Put the beans in a bowl and add the pineapple, pepper, and basil.   Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, sea salt, and cracked pepper.  Add to moisten the salad and serve.  You may adjust seasoning as needed.

Each serving offers about 180 calories, almost 10 g each fiber (!) and protein, and 20% of your RDA for iron.

- Kim Fielding