Fruits and Vegetables Archives | Page 2 of 30

Grilled Baby Yellow Squash with Smoked Almond and Garlic Crumble

May 10, 2018

These grilled baby yellow squash are topped with a savory crumble made of rich butter, smoked almonds, and fresh, local garlic!

I’m happy to say that Fake Food Free has transitioned to the Substack Newsletter called Every Corner of the World.

I hope to see you there.

I have a special produce shopping skill. I can spot baby vegetables on a table from the other side of the farmers market.

When this happens I briskly walk straight up to the table and buy every one they have. I’ve done it with eggplant. And this time, it’s baby squash.

I’ll admit I do sometimes feel guilty about not leaving any for others. The guilt snuck up on me again this shopping trip so I left about 4 on the table. In the end I didn’t succeed, though.

Spring Pea Salad with Walnuts and Za’atar Yogurt

April 27, 2018

This spring pea salad uses farm fresh peas and combines them with green onions and crunchy walnuts. It’s dressed in a yogurt-based sauce that is seasoned with za’atar, a Middle Eastern herb and spice blend.

Pea salad. We’ve had a love-hate relationship for as long as I can remember.

It has a bit to do with the pea salad I grew up with – canned or frozen peas and a mayo-based dressing. My family loved the stuff at get-togethers, but I always skipped over it in favor of macaroni or potato salad.

But spring pea salad? This I can get behind. It sounds the same, but there is a key difference.

Fresh peas.

Cauliflower Potato Enchiladas with Chipotle Carrot Sauce

March 25, 2018

These vegetarian cauliflower potato enchiladas are baked with a rich, smoky sauce made with roasted carrots, tomato paste, and chipotle peppers. It’s comfort food with the bonus of plenty of veggies!

I’ve passed by them a million times.

I buy a lot of vegetables there – spinach, Brussels sprouts, kale. But that bag of baby carrots at Costco is huge even for that store. I always knew there would be no way we could finish them before they went bad.

But I was desperate. I needed some carrots and I had zero desire to add another stop to my afternoon.

So I bought them, and then I told everyone about it on Instagram.

Spinach, Garlic and Tahini Soup

March 13, 2018

A simple meal, this spinach garlic, and tahini soup is pureed in a blender before being simmered, then served.

I was checking out at the supermarket the other day when the conversation turned to the food I was buying. This happens all the time. It usually starts with a comment about me cooking or eating healthy foods.

Comments like these don’t make me proud of myself or happy. As a former health professional, they always sadden me a bit. That’s because they mean that the foods in my cart stand out to the cashier as being very different from the foods the majority of other people are buying.

But this conversation went a step further to a comment I had yet to hear.

Roasted Fennel and Parsnips with Walnuts and Chives

February 4, 2018

Last Wednesday, I sat down at my computer and saw the date. January 31.

No joke, my first thought was – I have to start using the oven more!

Let me explain why this is a perfectly logical thing to exclaim in your head when one lives in California’s Central Valley and sees that it is the end of January.

Basically, we are in spring right now. It’s pretty amazing. And it will only last a few more weeks. Soon we’ll blink and 100 F will be back. Once it does, we pretty much have to kiss the oven good-bye until October.

I’m not complaining, but I am preparing myself and trying to remember to take advantage of these cooler temps.

More foods that require baking must ensue.

Brown Sugar Cayenne Roasted Rainbow Carrots

December 18, 2017

I feel like Thanksgiving gets much more attention when it comes to a holiday meal.

Everyone is concerned about side dishes and how they should prepare the turkey, or should this be the year they don’t prepare a turkey at all.

Christmas and New Year’s dinner rarely seem to be discussed. Is this because traditions are already set and rarely change? Pasta, Seven Fishes, ham, and tamales come to mind. Or is it that these holidays are all about the cookies and cocktails?

Well, amidst all the baking this year, I decided to throw in a side dish. And if you are more in line with desserts this time of year, despite this being a vegetable, it could very well fall into that category.

Jackfruit Tacos with Coconut Lime Purple Cabbage and Green Onion Slaw

December 12, 2017

My first experience with jackfruit occurred when we were living in Brazil.

It sparked from curiosity and determination to figure out the name of the massive piece of produce taking up most of the table at the farmers market. It was every bit as large as a 2-year-old child.

I soon learned it was jackfruit and I also realized that I had been walking under these massive fruits on my walks through the park near our apartment. Thankful that none had ever fallen on my head, I started asking questions.

How to Eat a Hachiya Persimmon

December 8, 2017

I feel a bit silly.

Over 5 years living in California and another persimmon season had me bewildered.

Although persimmons exist in Kentucky and Indiana, I was never exposed to them until we moved to Brazil. Then we moved to California and every fall they seemed to overflow from bins at the supermarket, farmers markets, and farm stands.

Intrigued by the orange color, I started buying them a couple years ago, mostly to photograph them. I even educated myself on the varieties.

I know the flat, squatty ones are Fuyu persimmons and the more oblong are Hachiya. I eat the Fuyu, crisp and sweet. But dang it, every time I tried to eat a Hachiya, ugh, it was awful.

So this year, I gave up.

Then a friend visited and we happened to swing by the farmers market.

Orange Jam from The Joys of Jewish Preserving

December 6, 2017

Orange Jam from the cookbook, The Joys of Jewish Preserving, by Emily Paster | Recipe at FakeFoodFree.com

Citrus is such a highlight in the winter. I look forward it every year. The oranges, lemons, and mandarins – there are so many varieties to choose from around here.

The season is just getting started and navels have started popping up at the farm stand.

As soon as I spotted that the local, in-season oranges had arrived, I knew exactly what I was going to make.

Orange Jasmine Brussels Sprouts from Steeped

November 8, 2017

I don’t consider myself a tea person.

I drink tea. Especially the fun spiced flavors and holiday blends, but coffee holds a special place in my heart (and my central nervous system).

Despite my beverage choices, I am completely infatuated with the culture of tea. How it’s grown, traditions of consuming it, and varieties around the world. The interest is so strong that I find myself wishing I was a true tea person.

If you are a tea person, you should know there is a special aura about you. A relaxing, take it slow kind of aura. It’s the opposite of my give-me-all-the-coffee-so-I-can-do-all-the-things lifestyle. I’m envious of it.

But guess what? I’ve recently discovered that I don’t have to be a tea drinker to be a tea person. There are other ways, and I owe it to my friend Annelies for showing them to me.

I’m talking about cooking with it.