Green Beans Almondine

• 1 pound of fresh beans, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 3 Tbs soy sauce or tamari
• 1 Tbs olive oil or butter
• 1 cup almonds
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a medium pan over medium heat, sauté onion in oil or butter for 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add beans and soy sauce or tamari and sauté for another 3 minutes.

Add almonds, and toss to coat with oil and soy sauce, heat until sauce soaks into vegetables and almonds.

Enjoy as a side dish or as a main dish on top of rice!

Green Bean Fries

• 2 cups fresh green beans
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. grated parmesan or nutritional yeast

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Wash the green beans and snip the ends off. Pat dry.

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss until the green beans are well coated.

Bake for 10 minutes, then broil for an additional 2 minutes.

Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

Jennifer’s “Working Momma” Fried Rice

Ingredients:

CSA veggies such as beans, carrots, zucchini, etc. chopped how you like it

Chopped basil to taste

2 eggs per person

1 serving cooked rice per person (leftover rice works well)

1 clove garlic per person

Soy sauce to taste

Directions:

Pour a few tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil in a big pan. Sauté garlic with the veggies and basil over medium heat until they are almost done how you like. Then move your veggies to one side of the pan and crack the eggs in the other. Scramble the eggs until they are cooked through. Mix the veggies and eggs; add the cooked rice. Pour some soy sauce over it all (to taste) and keep mixing until most of the moisture has cooked out and the rice browns slightly – done.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• ½ Tbs olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ½ Tbs curry powder
• 3 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 large or 2 small apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 ½ c vegetable broth
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• plain yogurt, for garnish
• chopped fresh parsley, basil or dill, for garnish

Instructions

 Heat oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat.  Stir in onion, cook until soft and translucent, 8-12 minutes.

Stir in curry powder, then add carrots, apple and bay leaf.  Stir well for 2 minutes, add broth and salt.  Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer until apples and carrots are tender, 20-25 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the soup solids and ½ c of broth to a food processer.  Process to a smooth puree, then return puree to soup.  Reheat, and season with pepper.  Serve hot, garnished with yogurt and fresh herbs.

Ingredients (Makes 12 muffins)

• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 medium zucchini
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 medium apple, cored and quartered
• 1 egg
• 1/3 c sugar
• ¼ c honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 c unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F, grease or line muffin cups.

Grate zucchini, carrots and apple.  Place in a towel and wring out excess water, you should have just over 2 c shredded fruits and veggies.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the egg, vanilla, sugar, honey, applesauce, oil and grated fruit mix.

Stir in the flour, cinnamon, ginger and baking soda until just combined.

Scoop into muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

A traditional Russian dish with many variations.  This version from the Culinary Institute of America.

Ingredients

• 2 quarts beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 celery stalks, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 2 parsnips, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• 1/2 head savoy cabbage, shredded
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 2 beets, peeled, grated
• 1/4 cup dill, minced
• 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or as needed
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Preparation

1. Bring the broth to a simmer while you peel and prepare the vegetables. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat with the oil. Add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the marjoram.
2. Add the celery, parsnips, carrot, leek, and cabbage. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 8 minutes
3. Add the broth and the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes before grating the beets directly into the soup. Simmer, partially covered, until the soup is flavorful and the vegetables are completely tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the dill. Add the red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Garnish the soup with sour cream and serve.
4. Can be served warm or cold, makes 2 quarts.

Inspired by a recipe from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables.

Ingredients:

• Oil and flour for the pan
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups sugar (or an equal amount of Sucanat)
• 2 cups cooked pureed beets (3 medium beets)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Lightly coat a 10-cup Bundt or tube pan (or two loaf pans) with oil and dust with flour.

2. Partially fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to a simmer. Put the chocolate and 1/4 cup of the oil in the top of the double boiler. Heat until just the chocolate melts; remove from the heat and stir until well combined.

3. Combine the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Slowly beat in the remaining 3/4 cup oil, chocolate mixture, beets, and vanilla.

4. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the baking soda and salt. Gently stir the flour into the egg and chocolate mixture just until the flour is mixed in. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

6. Carefully remove cake from the pan and let cool on a rack.

This delicious slush will cool you off on even the hottest day!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 1/2 cups ice
• Garnish: cucumber slice

INSTRUCTIONS

Place all the ingredients in the blender. Using the ice crush setting, blend until all the ingredients are even and finely chopped, about 30 seconds.

Pour the slush into a glass. Garnish with a cucumber slice and a straw.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp. salt-packed capers, soaked and drained
• 10 basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 large eggplant, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼”-thick pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a blender, purée 2 tbsp. oil, vinegar, capers, basil, and garlic and season with salt and pepper; transfer vinaigrette to a small bowl and set aside.

2. Put eggplant on a baking sheet, brush both sides with remaining oil, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.) Cook eggplant, flipping once, until slightly soft and browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette.