Greek Vegetable Soup - Fasolada

This is a very easy, quick soup for a cool, rainy day. The added lemon and feta gives it a great flavor!

Use organic ingredients when possible.

2 cups (1 pound dried white beans (navy or cannellini) or 2 to 3 cans (6 cup white beans

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil

2 large white onions, chopped

4 celery stalks (with leaves), chpped

4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds

2 garlic cloves, minced

24 ounces passata, tomato puree, or blended up diced or bottled tomatoes

6 cups water

2 tsps. salt

Pepper to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon (or more to taste)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Prepare dry beans, if you are using them: Put beans in a large bowl, over with water and soak over night. Drain the beans and transfer them to a large stockpot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

If you are using canned beans, drain and set aside. Place stockpot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or avocado oil. Saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic for about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add cooked or canned beans to the pot, along with the passata, water, 1/4 cup oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Before serving, stir in lemon juice, parsley and feta cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Dad's Simple Crusty Bread

Kent found this recipe and it is absolutely delicious!

Maybe I shouldn't post this over-cooked loaf of bread...??? The next time we make this, I will take a better picture and post it. ;)

This really is a simple, delicious bread that beats any artisan bread at the store.

Use organic products when possible.

Simple Crusty Bread

Time:About 45 minutes plus about 3 hours’ resting and rising

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough

Cornmeal.

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

3. Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

4. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Yield:4 loaves.

Variation:If not using stone, stretch rounded dough into oval and place in a greased, nonstick loaf pan. Let rest 40 minutes if fresh, an extra hour if refrigerated. Heat oven to 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Place pan on middle rack.

Orzo Salad With Spring Vegetables

This is a very delicious and healthy spring, summer salad that is even great as left overs.

For all recipes, use organic when possible.

Dressing:

1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 pkg. (1 lb.) orzo pasta
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained
2 cups frozen peas, blanched in in boiling water for just a minute or 2
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut in 1-inch pieces and steamed for a minute or 2
1 bunch baby arugula
1/3 cup chopped green onion (white and green parts)
1 cup chopped, fresh parsley
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper if needed

Instructions:

1.  In lidded jar or blender, combine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Cover and shake or blend until blended. Add olive oil, cover and shake or blend until emulsified.

2.  In saucepan, bring broth and water to a boil; stir in orzo. Cook until orzo is al dente stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Drain orzo; transfer to big serving bowl. While pasta is warm, add half dressing and toss to coat. Let cool. (You can do up to this step the day before.)

3.  Add chickpeas, peas, and asparagus; toss to combine. Add arugula, onion, parsley and a bit more dressing; toss to coat. Top salad with almonds and feta, Season, to taste with salt and pepper if needed. Serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad

This is a wonderful, refreshing spring salad that you will absolutely love.

Fresh Goat Cheese

Fried Goat Cheese

Try using organic products when possible.

Dressing:

3 Tbsp. raspberry vinegar (or unseasoned rice vinegar)

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

3 large heads butter lettuce

32 strawberries, trimmed and halved

8 oz. fresh or fried goat cheese, sliced into 16 rounds (*See below)
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds

Snipped, fresh chives

Minced, fresh tarragon

1. Blend dressing ingredients in blender or lidded jar.

2. Trim and wash lettuce, removing and reserving largest outer leaves for another use. Arrange whole lettuce leaves on 8 individual serving plates. Drizzle with a bit of dressing. Divide strawberries among plates; top each salad with 2 goat cheese rounds, then drizzle with more dressing. Finish with almonds and herbs, and serve, refrigerating any leftovers.

* If you want fried goat cheese, you need about.....depending on how much goat cheese you use:

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup flour with salt and pepper added for flavor
1 beaten egg
1/2 Cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions:
1. After you slice the goat cheese rounds, put them in the freezer while you finish making the salad.
2. Take the rounds out of the freezer.
3. Dip the rounds in the flour mixture, then the egg, then the bread crumbs.
4. Fry the rounds in about 1/4 inch of avocado oil in a pan at about medium high heat. You want the panko to turn a golden brown, but you don't want to over cook it or the cheese will melt.
5. Put the fried cheese on top of your salad and Enjoy!

Katsudon

This is not my picture. When I make it next, I'll add my picture of the Katsudon.

This is really tasty. Enjoy!

Stir fry until mostly done in about a tablespoon of avocado oil:
1 thin sliced onion
2 julienne sliced carrots

Add and cook until onions and carrots are mostly done:
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin

Lay chickenkatsu or tonakatsu on veggies. (See recipe at bottom of this recipe.)

Pour 3 beaten eggs over the chicken and veggies.

Put lid on and cook for about 2 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Yummy!!

To make chicken katsu or tonkatsu:

chicken breasts (butterflied or cut it in half if it's a large piece)
or boneless lean pork chops (I don't have a specific amount to use, maybe 4-6 breasts or chops?)

Dip meat in a mixture of:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2/ tsp. pepper

Next dip the meat in:
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk

Last dip the meat in:
1 cup of Panko (Japanese dried breadcrumbs)

Deep fry in avocado oil for a few minutes until done.

Gluten-Free Almond Bundt Cake

This delicious recipe is from the King Arthur flour site. Even if you are not gluten intolerant, you will like this cake.

CAKE:

1 1/2 cups Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1 1/2 cups almond flour, white rice flour, or brown rice flour or a combination of both rice flours

1 cup of sugar 

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened (I've used salted butter before and it turned out great!)

2 T. vegetable oil

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

4 large eggs

2/3 cups room temperature milk 

GLAZE:

1 C. confectioners sugar

1/4 tsp. almond extract

2 - 3 T. heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

To make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours and xanthan gum.

In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the sugar, butter, oil, salt, baking powder, and vanilla and almond extracts until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl once to incorporate any unmixed ingredients.

Beat in the eggs one at a time; the mixture should become quite fluffy and light. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and beat briefly.

Gently stir in the milk alternately with the flour mixture, one-third at a time, ending with the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl once more, and gently beat for one minute. Thoroughly grease a standard-size Bundt pan. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes, about 3-4 minutes past the point where the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center and a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean. The finished cake's internal temperature should be 210 degrees F. or higher.

Remove the cake from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a rack to cool completely.

To make glaze:

Whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over warm or cooled cake.

Best of Spring Salad

This recipe is one that my son, Jeff, found on line. It is so yummy! He has an instagram post call Madewell Food. He's got some great recipes on there!

Vegan Tahini Dressing:

1/3 cup Tahini
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 avocado
1 T. sesame seed oil
2 T. tamari
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. of salt and pepper each
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup avocado oil

1. Put all ingredients except the avocado and avocado oil into blender or food processor.
2. Add avocado and while blending, slowly add in the avocado oil.

Salad Ingredients:

1 cup spinach
1 cup arugula
Brie Cheese
1/3 cup blueberries
1 T. slivered almonds
1 1/2 thin sliced figs
1/2 thin sliced green apple
splash of balsamic vinegar
2 T. Tahini dressing

Put all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.