Create Your Own Baguette Party

 

The kids and I enjoyed a creative lunch today, using a variety of olive oils, an aged balsamic vinegar, Parmesan seasonings, cheese, basil, lettuce, red onion, orange bell peppers, tomatoes and marinated cucumbers, paired with freshly baked tomato basil or rosemary baguette slices. Hummus and avocado sauces would have also been a great addition. Needless to say, the kids had a great time experimenting with presentation and trying new combinations.

 

 

 

 

Marinated Cucumbers – Use balsamic vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper

 

Cabbage and Potatoes

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Want an easy and simple dish to add to the dinner table (with a fabulously simple use for a makeover lunch the next day)??? Here’s what YOU can do with one of those heads of cabbage in today’s box! 1. … Continue reading →

Easy Summer Sandwich

Sandwiches needed a new twist in our home, so we pulled out the hummus and cheddar cheese, sliced a tomato, cut the red onion and washed some romaine. Everyone customized their own lunch. Some wanted hummus and no cheese with all the works. Others wanted cheese and no tomato. Honest, the options are endless and the kids are enjoying a break from peanut butter and honey or almond butter and jelly. Roasted/Grilled eggplant works well on these sandwiches too.

-Angela

Baba Ganoush Recipe

I really wanted to title this post “How to use eggplants when you HATE them” because I really dislike eggplant. Nothing I’ve ever made with them has turned out remotely edible… until now.

Baba Ganoush is a smokey Middle Eastern dish that has the same texture as hummus. It’s really very easy to make and pretty healthy if you make it as I’ve done below. If you’ve never made hummus or Baba Ganoush, There is one unusual ingredient: Tahini. Tahini is the paste made from ground sesame seeds – it reminds me a bit of peanut butter. Make sure to stir Tahini really well before using – the paste is very dense at the bottom of the container.

Also be aware that this recipe is heavy on garlic. Use only 1 clove if you don’t want really bad breath. I love a strong garlic flavor and have only the kids at home who have to deal with garlic breath – so I went for 2 cloves.

Baba Ganoush Recipe

2 Eggplants sliced down the middle length-wise
1 tsp plus 1 Tbs Olive oil
2 Cloves peeled garlic
2 Tbs Tahini (make sure you stir well before using
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Ground turmeric
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
Sea salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Drizzle eggplants with 1 tsp of olive oil and bake on a baking sheet for about an hour or until fork tender. Once the eggplant has cooled, scoop out the flesh (sometimes you can peel off the skin) and put it into a food processor along with the rest of the olive oil and the remaining ingredients. You can adjust the spices and salt and pepper to taste if you’re partial to more of one spice. Run the food processor until the consistency resembles hummus.
• You can eat it warm or cool. Letting it sit in the fridge overnight gives the flavors a chance to blend.
• Serve the Baba Ganoush with toasted whole wheat pita, vegetable sticks, or toast. It’s a great appetizer or light dinner.
• One half cup and one pita loaf has about 250 calories.

Garbanzo Bean and Sprout Patties Recipe

I’ve just posted a great recipe for Garbanzo Bean and Sprout Patties on Seed. I like to eat them like veggie burgers – in a bun. But, you can cut them in half and put avocado, sprouts, cheese, etc in between the patty slices like buns.

The original recipe came Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Cooking.

Cucumber Peanut Salad Recipe

Very soon cucumbers will likely be a staple in our HGO boxes.  In fact, we got some fantastic cucumbers this week from our local farm in Trenton.

By now you probably know I am a big fan of Heidi’s Cookbooks 101, the blog where you can find delicious ways to use whole grains.  Here is a stellar recipe from Heidi Swanson to help you use all those cucumbers: Cucumber Peanut Salad.

Even though I haven’t had a chance to make it, it looks SO good I couldn’t resist sharing.  If you make it, be sure to comment on this post and let us know if you liked it.  Who would have guessed that cucumbers and peanuts would be a good match?