Fruits and Vegetables Archives | Page 18 of 30

Coconut Fish with Kale

November 6, 2011

It’s difficult for a meal to be light, but at the same time comforting and filling. Somehow, though, this recipe seems to do it.

The idea of poaching fish in coconut milk was new to me when I came across a recipe for Coconut Poached Mahi Mahi in the September 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. I did some modifying by first using some heartier greens – kale. I then used up the very last of our Anaheim peppers from the garden and pulled out one Thai chili I had harvested earlier in the season and tucked away in the freezer.
You can serve this alone, with rice or have it like I did with a nutty serving of quinoa. I’m convinced that this is the one and only way to enjoy good fish! The coconut milk is sweet with a warming heat. Matched with the kale, it’s the perfect dish for a cold evening while the fish adds a light, refreshing note.

Coconut Fish with Kale
Modified from Coconut Poached Mahi Mahi Better Homes and Gardens Sept 2011

1-15 oz can coconut milk
4 Anaheim peppers, thinly sliced
1 Thai chili, thinly sliced
½ cup water
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
½ tbsp raw sugar
3 cups kale, de-stemmed and chopped
3-4, 4oz cod fillets

Using a medium to large pot (I used a 5 ½ qt Dutch oven), set the stove to medium-high and add the coconut milk, peppers, water and ginger. Stir and slowly bring to a simmer. Add the sugar and the kale.

Slowly turn the kale to coat it with the coconut milk until it begins to wilt, about 3 min.

Place the fish in the coconut milk. Partially cover the pot with a lid, slightly increase the heat to bring the milk to a simmer. Allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the fish is white, cooked through and flakes when using a fork.

Place each piece of fish in a shallow bowl, add some kale and ladle coconut milk over the top. Serve with rice or quinoa if desired.

Sweet Potato Date Bars

October 27, 2011

I’m always up for a challenge in the kitchen. This time it was sugar, or rather the challenge of not using it.

Sweet potatoes and dates, that’s what I had to work with. I’m not quite sure why those were the two ingredients I wanted to use, but I had them on hand so I went with it. Knowing dates are perfect for sweetening up desserts, I wanted to use as little sugar as possible.

It turns out I didn’t need to use any.

Now this doesn’t mean they are sweetener free. I did add a little bit of pure maple syrup, which by make-up is a form of sugar. Kentucky Maple Syrup actually which I never knew existed until this year. Turns out it’s excellent.

I decided to go sans butter as well and the coconut oil was perfect. I used it at a softened, cold butter like consistency for the crust and melted for the filling. You can make your own oat flour by simply pulsing old fashioned rolled oats in a food processor a few times.

Like a sweet potato pie, these bars have a soft, spiced filling and a crisp crust. The potatoes, dates, maple syrup and coconut oil (not to mention a wee bit of bourbon) come together to provide just the right amount of sweetness. I promise you won’t miss the sugar at all.

Sweet Potato Date Bars

Crust

¼ cup oat flour
¾ cup white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, at a soft butter-like consistency
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp water

Filling

1 cup cooked sweet potato, peeled and mashed
4 whole, pitted dates, chopped
1 tbsp bourbon
6 tbsp milk
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
¼ cup virgin coconut oil, melted
1 egg
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with coconut oil.

In a small bowl, combine the oat flour and wheat flour. Add the coconut oil and with a pastry blender break it up into small pieces as you incorporate it into the dough. You should end up with pea size coconut oil pieces throughout the flour.

Add the syrup and the water. The dough should be somewhat crumbly, but hold together when pressed. Transfer to the baking dish and press evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a small food processor add the sweet potato, dates, bourbon and 2 tablespoons of milk. Pulse until smooth and the dates are blended in and almost visibly unnoticeable. Add a little more milk if it is too thick to blend.

Transfer sweet potato mixture to a medium size bowl. Stir in the remaining milk and maple syrup. Add the melted coconut oil and stir well. Make sure the batter isn’t too warm if you used warm coconut oil. Allow to cool before adding the egg if it is. Add the egg and mix until combined. Finally stir in the baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

Pour the mixture over the crust, spread evenly. Return to the oven and bake 25 – 30 minutes, until the center is firm and an inserted knife comes out clean. Makes 9-12 bars depending on how large you’d like to cut them.

Roasted Pumpkin with Gorgonzola

October 12, 2011

If you need a new roasted pumpkin recipe, look no further! This dish combines the flavors of sweet winter squash with rich Gorgonzola cheese. It’s a recreation of a dish I enjoyed when we lived in Brazil.

About three months before we moved back to the US and ended our time living abroad in Brazil, I took a trip. My husband was headed off to Ireland on business and I just happen to find a crazy good deal on a flight to Belo Horizonte.

I’d met a couple expats there through blogs, so I hopped a plane and headed off on my own little adventure. My new friends there showed me the ins and outs of the city of Belo Horizonte as well as Ouro Preto. To this day Ouro Preto ranks as one of my favorite places visited.

At the beginning of my trip, we stopped by one of their favorite places for lunch. A per kilo buffet lunch which was the most common form of lunch I came across while living in the south and visiting the north.

The food was good and the selection was pretty typical. Fresh salads, pastas, meat and fruit. Although there was one dish that stood out and I’ve never gotten around to making it until now.

Roasted Pumpkin with Gorgonzola | Fake Food Free

It’s one of those dishes that is so simple, but it’s the simplicity that makes it so good. It’s basically roasted pumpkin topped with crumbled gorgonzola. I’ve never been exactly sure of the herbs or flavorings used in the original dish so I made up my own with a bit of rosemary and onion.

This makes such a great side dish or top it with some roasted walnuts or black beans for protein and call it a meal.

Roasted Pumpkin with Gorgonzola

Makes: 2 – 3 servings

½ small pumpkin, peeled and cut into large chunks (about 2 ½ cups)
1 sprig of rosemary
¼ medium onion, sliced
Olive oil
¼ cup crumbled Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Prep

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the pumpkin in a single layer in a baking dish. De-stem the rosemary and place the leaves with the pumpkin. Add the onion. Toss to coat all ingredients with olive oil.

Bake for 10 minutes. Stir the pumpkin, and bake for 10 more minutes or until the pumpkin is tender, but not mushy. Remove from the oven, salt and pepper to taste, place the pumpkin in a serving dish and top with crumbled Gorgonzola. Serve immediately.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Smoky Potato Soup with Kale

September 26, 2011

This hearty potato soup with kale is filled with smoky bacon ends and topped off with crunchy kale chips!

Kale chips are the new cracker.

Since discovering kale chips last year, thanks to all my favorite food blogs, I can’t get enough of them. Every time I pull a pan out of the oven I still look at them, amazed that a leafy green can turn so crisp and tasty.

When I decided to make some potato soup tonight I wanted to add a little something extra so I decided on a little kale in the soup itself. Then one thing led to another and I was topping my bowl with kale chips before dinner. Now I’m officially proclaiming kale chips as my new cracker for all my soups!

Smoky Potato Soup with Kale | Fake Food Free

The soup starts with a little bacon. I’m able to get smoked, pastured bacon ends at our local meat shop which is perfect for this kind of thing. It chops up easily and I can use just what I need for each recipe.

Once all the veggies are cooked, I finish it off with a little half and half from one of my favorite Kentucky dairies. This half and half is low heat pasteurized and non-homogenized so the creamy fat thickens the soup nicely. To finish it off with just a little more smoky flavor, I turn to some smoked paprika.

I was a rainy, cool day here and I have a feeling more days like this are to come. This soup fits in nicely with the change of seasons; hearty, creamy and filled with a good dose of dark, leafy greens.

Smoky Potato Soup with Kale

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

Kale Chips
2 cups kale, chopped
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp fine ground sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Soup
¼ cup smoked bacon ends, diced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
½ large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups kale, chopped
2 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
½ cup half and half

Prep

To make kale chips:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the 2 cups of chopped kale pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp.

To make the soup:

In a 3 to 4 quart soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until fat becomes visible in the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the celery, carrot and onion. Cook about 3 minutes and stir in the garlic. Continue to cook until the veggies are tender, about 5 more minutes.

Add the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add water to the pot just to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. As soon as the potatoes become tender, add the kale. Cook just until wilted, about 1 minute.

Stir in the salt, pepper and paprika. Using a potato masher, gently mash the soup, breaking up some of the potatoes, but not all. Stir in the half and half. Transfer to serving bowls, top with kale chips and serve warm.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Mini Peanut Butter Apple Pies

September 15, 2011

Since I made the Hertzoggies a little while back, I’ve had mini-pies on my mind. Maybe it’s because pies are considered the trendy dessert right now. Maybe it’s because autumn makes me hungry for pies. Or maybe it’s just because I had some pie crust dough leftover in the freezer.

Regardless, on the drive home from work tonight, I was thinking of mini-pies. I also had some apples from a local orchard in the fridge threatening to go soft on me with every passing day.

Apples with peanut butter is one of my favorite snacks. Healthy snacks, that is. Given the opportunity, I’d take caramel, but one needs a little protein from time to time so let’s go with peanut butter.

It took me a while to figure out how to incorporate that into a pie that wasn’t also made with cream cheese and whipped cream, then I thought of the crumb topping. So I replaced the butter in the topping with natural peanut butter. Cold natural peanut butter, though, already opened and from the fridge which gives it a little more solid texture than taking it straight from a newly opened jar.

You can use any pie crust that is about 9-10 inches. I had leftover pie crust from the Hertzoggies because I only made a half batch. But the crust from Spiced Whole Grain Apple Pie would work well too.

Mini Peanut Butter Apple Pies

1, 9-inch pie crust
1 large apple, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 tsp white whole wheat flour
1 tsp mascavo sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon

Topping

2 tbsp old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tbsp white whole wheat flour
3 tbsp mascavo sugar
3 tbsp natural peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a standard muffin pan. With a biscuit cutter or glass, cut the crust into individual circles about 7 cm in diameter. Place the crusts in the muffin tin.

In a small bowl, combine the apple slices, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Layer the apples in each of the crusts, filling just until the top edge of the crust.

In a mini-food processor, pulse the topping ingredients until they are combined and crumbly. Evenly divide the topping over each pie and press gently into the layer of apples.

Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in the muffin tin for 5 to 10 minutes. Use a fork to gently remove the pies. Makes 8 mini-pies.

Island Food – Jamaica

September 10, 2011

We always plan to take one vacation a year.

Now, if you are a regular reader you are likely wondering what I’m talking about considering posts about South Carolina and Ireland have already popped up this year. This requires that I share some definitions with you.

We travel a lot. I wouldn’t have my life any other way. In fact, since we returned from Brazil we haven’t traveled nearly enough for me. I have to have travel. I’ve been known to say I like the airports, the lengthy flights, the squeezing all my liquids into a little baggie. That’s because in return I get incredible food, gorgeous scenery and a glimpse into other cultures.

Those trips that require hotel hopping, scheduling sight-seeing, going so fast that you come back more exhausted than you left; that’s travel and I love it.

But I also love vacation.

Vacation is what we did over Labor Day weekend. We headed back to our favorite tropical location – Jamaica. We floated, ate, drank, read, watched sunsets. Aside from a couple squash matches and walks on the beach, we did absolutely nothing. That’s vacation.

To adequately achieve this definition of vacation, we go for all-inclusive resorts, specifically Sandals. Despite mixed feelings on this type of vacation from travelers, we have never been disappointed. Its true relaxation and every bit of the paradise we want.

So we headed back to Sandals Whitehouse which is tucked in on the southern coast of the country; secluded with no planes overhead, a gorgeous beach, big pools and peaceful sunsets. All this along with our favorite martini bar, a nearly 24-hour pastry café and the best you can get of actual Jamaican food in a resort setting.

So here’s the part you are waiting for. The food and drink! Enjoy and I’ll be back in the kitchen soon.

Our welcome Rum Punch in the lobby.

Appetizers and martinis every night before dinner at the martini bar. This one has smoked marlin.

Appetizer tasting with smoked salmon, squid and octopus.

Fried calamari with a Greek salad.

Seafood ravioli.

Seafood stew in a white sauce, one of our favorites.

Fresh juice in the mornings, this one with melon and pineapple.

Red Stripe on the beach, enough said.

Our favorite lunch, blackened red snapper sandwich on coco bread with jerk mayo.

It may not look all that good in the photo, but Jamaican Pepper Pot soup is our favorite.

Jerk chicken, not as good as what you’d find from a street vendor, but still tasty and spicy.

Curry goat was the special one day for lunch, again may not look great, but tasted amazing.

Did I mention that cafe?

Every afternoon was just like this, pastries and a cappuccino.

Pumpkin Cheesecake and that’s Carrot Cake behind it.

Crepes for our final breakfast before boarding the bus to the airport.

I also took the garden tour offered at the resort and was introduced to some wonderful flowers and trees. These are seagrapes and we did get to taste them, nice and sweet with a huge seed in the middle.

Indian Almond, only about 10 plants or trees were native to Jamaica the rest have washed up on the shore over the years.

Soursop, our guide was so surprised when I knew what this was. What can I say, we travel a lot.

Jamaican Ackee, not yet ripe, but we saw ripe ones all over on the drive to the resort. When it ripens the big black seeds will become exposed.

Noni, which I had not heard of before but apparently it goes for a pretty penny in the States as a remedy for cancer.

Grilled Peaches and Pound Cake

August 23, 2011

I was watching Cash Cab the other night and one of the very first questions in the episode was – what dessert is named due to its ingredient list with 16 oz of butter, 16 oz of sugar, 16 oz…etc?

Do you know?

I did, but only because I recently had a discussion with a friend just a few months ago about a traditional recipe.

This led me to yelling, “Pound cake. POUND Cake. POUND CAKE!” at the couple on TV who couldn’t seem to come up with the answer.

So ever since then I’ve had pound cake on my mind. Not the original recipe that makes a load of cake, but perhaps a modified version that we could handle in our house.

This weekend when we decided to grill some more peaches I decided it was my opportunity to slip in a little pound cake.

If you’ve never grilled peaches before, it is super simple. Just half and remove the pit. If you want to you can sprinkle them with sugar on the cut side, or you can do this with sugar or honey after they grill, or you can leave the sugar out all together. That’s what we did this time, just straight peaches.

Place them on a hot grill, cut side down for 3 to 5 minutes and you have warm, juicy peaches perfect for dessert.

I modified a standard recipe for the pound cake using Demerara sugar and white whole wheat flour. It baked up wonderfully. We served it with the peaches and drizzled the whole thing with some coconut milk.

Grilled Peaches and Pound Cake

½ to 1 peach per person, grilled using instructions above
½ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups raw cane sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
½ cup milk
Coconut milk for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and almond extract and mix well. Beat for 3 to 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually alternate between mixing in the dry ingredients and the milk. Mix just until smooth.

Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack about 10 minutes, remove from pan and serve warm or allow to cool completely. Makes 10-12 slices.

Plate one slice of the cake with one or two peach halves and drizzle with coconut milk to serve.

Poblano Cilantro Salsa

August 21, 2011

I enjoy canning salsa. What I don’t enjoy is spending hours chopping veggies into tiny pieces. Yes, I love to cook and one batch of salsa like this is fun, but six or seven? No thanks.

So this presented a bit of a problem. That was, until I started making Charred Tomato and Chile Salsa from Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff which I reviewed last year.

First of all, it tastes awesome – slightly sweet, but spicy. Second, there is no chopping! Well, very minimal chopping. The blender does all the work. As a result, after cooking you end up with a thick, but somewhat smooth salsa.

I’ve been making a lot of salsa this summer so I’ve had ample opportunity to experiment with the recipe by substituting peppers or adding herbs, all while keeping the important acidity the same.

As I mentioned earlier this summer, we planted 19 varieties of pepper plants. Some were just for fun and out of curiosity. Others were to help us learn exactly what we want to grow in the future, based on what I use most in the kitchen.

Poblanos are a keeper. This is the first year we’ve grown them and I’ve learned they have the perfect spiciness and cook well whether baked, broiled or grilled. So of course they had to make it into the salsa.

One of my favorite varieties this summer has been poblano and cilantro. As for tomatoes I’ve used heirlooms and San Marzanos, even mixed them here and there and all work out well.

This is great for a big party. Just cook it up, cool and serve, or if no such occasion is coming up, can it for later use.

Poblano Cilantro Salsa

Adapted from Charred Tomato and Chile Salsa, Canning for a New Generation

What you’ll need:
5 lbs. tomatoes, cored and halved
8 oz. Poblano peppers, halved, stems and seeds removed
2 oz. garlic cloves, peeled
1 lb. 6 oz. candy onions (or any sweet variety), peeled and quartered
½ cup cider vinegar (5% acidity)
1 tablespoon canning salt
2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and loosely packed

How to make it:
Place the tomatoes cut side down on a baking sheet. With the broiler on high, broil for 10 minutes until the skins begin to blacken. Meanwhile on a separate baking sheet, place the peppers cut side down and spread out the garlic and onions into a single layer.

Remove the tomatoes from the broiler and set aside until cool enough to handle. Broil the peppers, garlic and onions for 10 minutes on high.

Remove the skins from the tomatoes and place in a blender. Add the peppers, garlic and onions. Work in batches if necessary, and pulse to finely chop all the veggies, but don’t puree completely. Pour the processed veggies into a large stock pot.

Add the vinegar, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Remove from heat, cool and serve. Store in the fridge and use within 3 days.

If canning, process in pints with a ½ inch headspace in a boiling water bath covering the jars by at least one inch. Process for 40 minutes. Makes 4 pints, maybe a little to spare depending on the type of tomatoes.

If you have questions about home-based microprocessing, the best resource around is the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia. Their FAQ page will likely answer any question you come up with.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Lori Rice unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out. This post contains affiliate links.

Roasted Corn and Pepper Wheat Berry Salad

August 8, 2011

Fresh corn is finally here and lots of it! I’ve mentioned before that I feel a bit sorry for fresh corn. It often gets a bad rap for being turned into corn syrup and invading our food supply, and it’s almost always categorized as a dreaded starchy veggie. I think all of this causes us to overlook how truly wonderful a fresh ear in the middle of summer can be.

My quest this summer has been to avoid taking any seasonal fruit or veggie for granted and corn has been no exception. I bought 2 dozen ears a couple weeks back and froze half of it. The rest was roasted and skillet-fried for salads and fresh salsas.

Growing up my mom always made fried corn. It really wasn’t fried, just cooked in a skillet with butter and green peppers. I loved corn prepared like this as much as eating a crisp, sweet ear on the cob.

Knowing how good it is from the skillet and knowing how much I like roasted vegetables, I just had to turn on the oven in the heat of summer to roast some up.

I used a mix of peppers from our garden, both hot and sweet, but any variety would work. I added onion and some herbs as well.

This was one of those eat-the-entire-bowl kind of salads. So sweet from the fresh corn and just enough savory flavor from the roasting.

I wanted to make it into more of a meal so I added some cooked wheat berries which worked out really well. I actually enjoyed the salad both warm and cold. Both versions tasted equally as good.

Roasted Corn and Pepper Wheat Berry Salad

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

What you’ll need:
Kernels from 2 ears fresh sweet corn
2 Poblano peppers, cored and chopped
2 Anaheim peppers, cored and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and chopped
2 Pinata peppers, cored and chopped (these are similar to jalapenos)
2 sweet banana peppers, cored and chopped
½ medium sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon each finely chopped fresh herbs – basil, thyme, rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked wheat berries

How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place all veggies on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with the herbs and olive oil. Turn the veggies to coat them with the oil.

Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Veggies should begin to brown slightly and soften.

Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the wheat berries. Serve warm or cold.

Heirloom Tomatoes and Cantaloupe

July 30, 2011

After consuming unspeakable amounts of pork, chips, scones and stout in Ireland, this past week was full of cold grain salads, fruits and vegetables. I was back to my kitchen and garden, and not only was I craving some lighter foods, but what was left of the garden needed to be used up.

Things are dry and hot and we’ve lost several plants, but there are still some things hanging on. Mainly peppers and cherry tomatoes, and the other tomatoes are very slowly beginning to ripen.

Alma Paprika Peppers

The last of the Patty Pan, Merlot Peppers, Bell Peppers, Poblano Peppers and San Marzano Tomatoes

I’ve also been taking advantage of the great deals being offered by producers around here. This week I picked up white and golden peaches, an outstanding cantaloupe and lots of sweet corn.

So before I continue with more from Ireland (I still have 2 more posts) I thought some recipe posts were in order. Or at least, foods I’m making in my kitchen. I say that because this fresh salad really has no recipe.

We finally got two Mr. Stripey tomatoes from the garden this week. I’m so excited because they are by far my favorite. Since I’ve seen plenty of recipes that use watermelon with tomatoes, I thought maybe my Mr. Stripey would go well with the cantaloupe. If nothing else, I knew the color would be gorgeous.

Turns out that the flavor combination is pretty awesome as well. Just slice up an heirloom, thinly slice some super sweet cantaloupe, add a little sea salt and pepper and then top it with a little basil if desired (I used Thai basil).