WINTER MARKET DEC. 2009 and QUINOA STUFFED BUTTERCUP SQUASH

Today I visited the winter farmer's market in Pawtucket for the first time this year. My usual market in Pawtuxet is open until the Saturday before Thanksgiving, so I patronize them as long as they are willing to stand out there in the cold, plus it is 2-1/2 miles from my house. The 2 Saturdays since Thanksgiving, I have been leading an ethical eating workshop at Westminster, so I have visited the winter market in North Kingston on those days.

Here is a visual representation of all that was available at the Pawtucket market today. With this much abundance you could make all of your meals this week with the offerings that were there.



There were 2 apple vendors, Barden Family Orchard and Hill Farm Orchard. They each had a huge assortment of different varieties of apples from their farms and apple cider. We only bought the cider because I still have apples from last weeks market visit. The cider is for Dan to drink and I will use about a 1/2 cup in the Butternut Squash soup I plan on making in the next few days.




Ooooh! Cabbage and Beets and Bok Choy! Oh my!




Corn Tortillas made right in Federal Hill. This package of 30 tortillas was about $4 and will last me quite some time. I plan on making enchiladas and quesadillas with them.




The rolled oats were grown in Maine. We have bought these in the past, Dan liked them. I am not a big fan of oatmeal so I cannot give you a first hand review of them. There is also maple syrup available to garnish the oatmeal, and there is local milk available at the market too. IF I ate oatmeal, I'd add some of the above mentioned apples to the oatmeal, after I had sauteed them in a little bit of butter & dusted them with cinnamon.




These are "Watermelon Radishes", so-called because of their coloration. I sampled some and they were pretty good, just a little bit sharp, but not overwhelmingly so as some radishes are prone to be. I love their appearance. I forgot to buy some, I hope them have them in 2 weeks when I go to the market again.




These lovely carrots were at the same table as the Watermelon Radishes. They look marvelous in this basket. The name of this farm is on they sign below. I think it is a very cute sign. I bought a bunch of these carrots to use in several dishes in the upcoming week: I take them to school for my midday snack, I use them in soups, I grate them on top of salads and I will also grate them to use in my Veggie Lasagna that I am making for Christmas.



Here is the afore-mentioned very cute sign.




Another farmer's table with a good assortment of root vegetables, kale, bok choy and garlic.



This very interesting looking vegetable is one of my favorites to photograph, it looks like an alien being, or something that Madonna wore on her Material Girl concert tour. It is called Romensco. I have used this before, I sauteed it with olive oil & garlic and added it to pasta.





Wishing Stone Farms from Little Compton always has a large assortment. They had several varieties of potatoes, lots of onions, carrots, parsnips, kale, spinach, cauliflower.




Another section of Wishing Stone farms offerings.




CHEEEEEEESE! I think this is Farmstand's table. Narragansett Creamery was also there. We purchased Atwell's Gold from Narragansett Creamery and their awesome Ricotta that I will be using in my Christmas Lasagna.




Rhode Island grown Boston lettuce, grown hydroponically. I love the texture of Boston lettuce. It is sold with the roots on it, so if you keep the roots moist and put in a plastic bag, it will last longer. I use green produce bags, I get them at Whole Foods Market. They are treated a special way and they extend the life of the produce. I swear by them.




I think this is Shartner Farms table. The potatoes look pretty neat in these burlap backgrounds. They also had cherry tomatoes grown in their greenhouse.



Purple & orange cauliflower, along with the Romanesco and plain old white cauliflower. I got the plain old and I like to roast it with some other veggies or boil it and mash it with cream cheese & parmesan to make fake mashed potatoes.



Another table from Wishing Stone Farms, featuring leeks and cabbages.



QUINOA STUFFED BUTTERCUP SQUASH
Here is a recipe that I made tonight, using some buttercup squash I had from Morris Farms. The other local ingredients are an apple, onions, garlic and Narragansett Creamery's Salty Sea Feta. You can make this vegan by not adding the cheese. Also, I have made this with Butternut Squash or Acorn Squash. If you do not have quinoa, you can use brown rice. I got this from Persephone's blog, she is my grandson's mamma and she is a Holistic Health Counselor. I think you can find some other great recipes on her blog, it is titled "Clean Up Clear Out" there is a link to it from this blog.


Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut a buttercup squash in half across the width. If using butternut, cut in half from top to bottom. For acorn, cut across the width as shown here for the buttercup.
Scoop out the seeds & the stringy part of the squash. Set aside to put into compost.
Put the squash on a baking pan & cook for 35 to 40 minutes, testing with a fork for doneness.



While the squash is roasting, dice up 1 large onion, 2 to 4 garlic cloves based on your preference for garlic flavor, and 1 apple. I think this apple is a Jonah Gold from Barden Farms.





Make the quinoa according to the package directions. I make enough to have leftovers. I use the leftovers in salads, or I eat in the morning like oatmeal with maple syrup & cinnamon. You will only need about half of what they call for on the package directions.
In a saute pan put 1 Tbsp. of olive oil on med heat. Add the onions and the garlic and saute till translucent. Add the diced apple, some frozen organic spinach, or some fresh baby spinach leaves, cook on med-low for about 10 minutes.



After the quinoa is done, add to the onion and apple mix. Add some spices: 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, a dash of chili powder of cayenne. If the mixture is too dry, I add a 1/4 cup of apple cider. Add 1/4 cup of dried cranberries or raisins and a handful of chopped toasted pecans or almonds. Salt & pepper to taste.
When the squash is ready, scoop out about half of it and add to the quinoa/apple mixture.



Take the quinoa/squash mixture & stuff it on top of the remaining squash parcel, top with some feta or other sharp cheese you may have and cook under the broiler in the oven for 5 minutes.

MATUNUCK OYSTER BAR

Yesterday Dan & I took the afternoon off, he from work and me from my grandbaby waiting game. We were not able to go away for an anniversary trip this year, so in the last couple of weeks we have taken road trips in order to spend time together.
Yesterday we first hiked Trustom Pond, which will soon be on my hiking blog. After the hike we visited Matunuck Oyster Bar.



This restaurant just opened this summer near Matunuck State Beach. We were already familiar with the owner, Perry Raso, because we have been buying shellfish from him at various farmer's markets in Rhode Island for at least 2 years. Perry has an oyster farm in Ninigret Pond. The restaurant is right on this pond, and there are gorgeous views from the tables.






The reason that I am writing about this restaurant here is that besides their own oysters, they also have about 6 other types of oysters from other waters in Rhode Island, including my favorite, Rome Point. They also use local produce and cheese.

I recently found out from a friend that this restaurant serves Ninigret Pond oysters on the half shell on Monday to Thursday, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for $1.00 each. The oysters from other locations are the usual price of $1.75, so Dan & I ordered a dozen of the ones on special.

As you can see, we ate them so quick that I did not get a photo until after we had inhaled them all.


After the dozen oysters, we shared an appetizer special, grilled scallops with tempura broccoli (yum) and a salad of arugula, white beans & pickled red onions with shaved Atwell's Gold Cheese from
Narragansett Creamery, made in Rhode Island. Dan also ordered a stuffie for himself, local clams were used and a side order of french fries, because they were local.



There is a wonderful, and huge outdoor dining area set up, as well as a fire pit. Unfortunately we did not sit outside because it was quite windy and a little chilly last night around dinner time.

I did not think that I had any room left, but there was blueberry cheesecake on the desert menu, made with Narragansett Creamery's Ricotta, which is the BEST ricotta I have ever tasted. I was in heaven eating that cheesecake, even if I did have to share it.



This young man was shucking oysters as customers ordered them. Last night the place was quite busy, and there were several people sitting at the bar, and 2 men standing at the end, ordering the different types of oysters and enjoying some drafts.

I had deliberated ordering the lobster roll which I thought was a great price at $15.95, so when I saw a nearby table being delivered 2 of them, I was quite jealous because there was a huge amount of lobster in the rolls. I'll be having one of those on my next visit. There is many other items on the menu, not just oysters, so check the link above, and plan on going there soon. I don't think they have a heating system installed yet, so you might want to call ahead of time. I only wish they were not so far away, this is a great restaurant, and because they use local food, I would make it one of my regulars.



This guy was also enjoying the local foods right out our window.

zucchini tomato gratin

The recipe for this was found in my July issue of Vegetarian Times, and it is so very delicious that it has become one of my new favorites. Try it and you will see why.

If you have a garden, or if you visit a farmstand or farmer's market towards the end of August, there is usually an abundance of both tomatoes and zucchini. I am still getting tomatoes in my garden, but the funny-looking zucchini came from a grower that was at the Goddard Park farmer's market last week. The basil came from my garden, as well as the last of my garlic.


I make this in an 8" X 6" pyrex dish so that it can be cooked in my toaster oven, but you could double it and cook it in a larger pan if needed.

ZUCCHINI TOMATO GRATIN
1-1/2 lb. tomatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
2 med. zucchini (1 lb.) cut into 1/8" thick diagonal slices
1 TBsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. roughly chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
Sea Salt







Drape the tomatoes over a colander, sprinkle with salt & let drain 45 minutes. (Pat dry after.)

Spread zucchini on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes to sweat out excess moisture. Rinse well and pat dry.



Preheat oven to 375. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in skillet over med-hi heat. Saute zucchini 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to plate. Do this in 2 batches if necessary, adding mor oil between batches.



Layer half of zucchini slices in baking pan. Top with half of tomatoes. Sprinkle with half of the garlic, 1 Tbsp. olives, half of basil, and one third of the cheese; season with fresh ground black pepper.



Drizzle top with 1 tsp. olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining one third of cheese. Cover with foil, and bake 10 minutes.



Remove foil and bake 20 more minutes or until cheese is melted & gratin is bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

BLT my way

Three years ago I decided to stop eating chicken, beef, pork, basically all land animals. The reasons for this are very complicated, involving the production of meat in this country and my concern to reduce my carbon footprint. Many of you know my story, or have heard one of the sermons that I have presented at Westminster in honor of earth day. I have not been able to get away from dairy (yet).

So when I have a BLT now, it is Brie, Lettuce and Tomato. The lettuce and the tomato came out of my garden. The sandwich below also had grilled eggplant (mine) and carmelized onions added to it, with a smear of:



This pesto is made locally, you can get it at the RI College Farmer's Market and the Pawtuxet Village Farmer's Market. For other locations, check their website: Besto Pesto



So everything in this BLT, except for the Brie is local. I know the wheat is not local, but the bread was baked locally. We pick it up at the Farmer's Market in Pawtuxet when we are there. They bake on Federal Hill. Can't remember the name of it right now. The bread is a multi-grain, densely textured and delicious.

If anyone knows of a local Brie, let me know!

Lemon Balm Iced Tea

There is Lemon Balm growing in several areas of my yard. Some of it I planted and some of it is "volunteer". I have recently been making iced tea with the abundance that I have.




To make the tea (you could also use mint if you have that), cut about 7 or 8 full stems of the lemon balm. Put it in a tea pot. Heat enough water in a separate pan, enough to fill the tea pot, just to a boil. Add the heated water (carefully) to the tea pot. Add several teaspoons of local honey. Let it steep for at least 10 minutes. Refrigerate.

YUM!

green eggs, no ham

Dan brought home the above eggs on Wednesday from the farmer's market at Rhode Island College. Aren't they just gorgeous?! They are different from what you would find in a conventional grocery store for several reasons. Obviously, one of those things is the color of the shell. Another difference is the price, the eggs from the local farmers are anywhere from $4 to $5, but if you are cutting back on the amount of proteins you are eating, .66 or .82 cents per sandwich is relatively inexpensive. The other thing about these eggs that is different is they are usually higher in Omega-3 because the chickens are free range and eat all the things that chickens are meant to eat, unlike chickens in the huge egg factories. I'll not get into that discussion right now, but if you are interested, check out "Farm Sanctuary", but beware, you may end up a vegan after reading it.



EGG SALAD SANDWICH:
Put 6 eggs in the bottom of a 2 quart saucepan, and add just enough water to cover the eggs by an extra 1/2". Put the lid on the pan. Heat on med. high, just to boiling. Turn off burner right away, and let sit for 9 minutes. Put in bowl of cold water & let stand for 5 minutes. Peel right away by rolling the egg on a cutting board to break the shell and then use a spoon to work off shell. After you have taken off all the shells, rinse with cold water. If you have an egg slicer, use it. If not, just put the eggs in a deep bowl and chop through with the tip of a sharp knife until they are a good consistency. Let cool off. Add 2 Tbsp. mayo, pepper & a little salt to the bowl. Blend. I like mine with a spoon of Gulden's mustard mixed in, it reminds me of Deviled Eggs.
Serve on crusty whole wheat bread, with lettuce and tomato so that you are getting some veggies into your body.

Egg salad is something local that you can make all year round. Last winter I was able to get eggs at the winter farmer's market. Don't have one near you? Many people these days have chickens in their back yards. Ask around, or put an advertisement on Craigs List. I've found people in Rhode Island offering eggs on that site.

LAOTIAN EGGPLANT W/TOMATOES, ONION & MINT

Last Wednesday, my husband called me to find out what I would like from the farmer's market. We are lucky that there is one held every Wednesday at RI College where he works. I told him to bring home some fruit and some eggplant.

Dan tends to overbuy, and above is the amount of eggplant that he brought home. He got them from our friend Michelle who owns
Zephyr Farms

These are long, small eggplants, and the skin is not so tough, they are very good for stir fry types of dishes.

Most stir fry recipes I have do not have eggplant as their main ingredient, so I went into my Vegetarian Times magazines to find something with a LOT of eggplant. In the July/August 2009 I found "Laotian Eggplant with Tomatoes, Onion and Mint". I had some tomatoes from Morris Farms, and some onions from the Pawtuxet Farmer's Market, so I was all set. The mint came from my back yard.

Yes, I know the kids will think it is yucky, but I quite liked it.


LAOTIAN EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES, ONION AND MINT
1 Tbsp. organic canola or coconut oil
1 lb. Japanese eggplant, trimmed and diced, 3 cups (see photo)
1 med. red onion, thinly sliced
2 med. tomatoes, chopped 2 cups
2 Tbsp. local honey
2 Tbsp. organic soy sauce
2 tsp. lime juice (organic if you can get them)
1-1/2 tsp. chile-garlic sauce, (see my photo)
3 cups bean sprouts
1/3 cup of snow peas, cut in half the short way
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint



Above is how you should cut the onions. Easiest way to do this is to peel the onion, cut it in half from stem to tip, lay the flat side on the cutting board, and just make thin cuts across.


The eggplant all diced up & ready to go.


The chile garlic sauce

Heat oil in wok, or large skillet over med-high heat. Add eggplant & onion; stir-fry 10 min. Stir in tomatoes, honey, soy sauce, lime juice and chile-garlic sauce. Cook 3 minutes more. Add bean sprouts and snow peas; stir-fry 2 minutes. Garnish with mint.



Doesn't this look good?

pickled cucumbers

Don't you just love my cutting board? Made in Rhode Island last year by my son for my birthday gift. He's a carpenter, so he just took a piece of his scrap wood, cut out the shape, and then he etched the outline of our little state onto the board. I think it is quite lovely. Of course, I don't utilize that side, I turn it over & use the backside.



I make these easy pickled cucumbers constantly throughout the cucumber season. These are not to be confused with "canned" pickles, which is a whole different process and require sterilization and lots of time.

To make these pickled cucumbers, use a clean glass jar. Fill the jar 1/3 of the way with apple cider vinegar, cut the cucumbers in thin slices, add to the jar. Then take 2 cloves of peeled garlic and just crush them with the flat side of your knife. Add the garlic cloves to the jar. Add some whole black peppercorns, cover & shake. Let them sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before eating. If you don't have apple cider vinegar, they also taste great with red wine vinegar, or white vinegar.

Don't they look good? My family eats them just as they are or they add them to sandwiches.