CS(Amen)! Breakfast Special

I am so excited about our CSA! The loot is always so surprising and it's fun to compare what we get here in Brooklyn with what I was receiving at this time last year from Groundswell Farm in Michigan. This is our second week of reaping a bounty of greens, radishes, onions, herbs, and garlic. It's always a challenge to find ways to use veggies in the morning, but I am convinced that breakfast burritos are the ticket. You can throw anything in your tofu scramble and leafy greens, spring onions, radishes, and cilantro make great (fresh) add-ons.

Making breakfast with (and for) my roommates is one of my favorite weekend activities. After a few cups of strong Columbian coffee, I went all out with these deluxe burritos. Black beans were seasoned with fresh garlic, onion, bay leaves, oregano, and cumin. A tofu scramble was prepared with tomatoes, onions, garlic, thyme, extra nutritional yeast, and kale. Toppings included a thick schmear of tofu sour cream, thinly sliced avocado, thick lime-y salsa, leafy green lettuce, fresh radishes, spring onions, and a squeeze of lime.

Central Brooklyn CSA is run by the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, and CSA shares range in price depending on your household's income. You can check out the CSA's blog here- http://centralbrooklyncsa.wordpress.com.
Groundswell Farm is another special farm run as a CSA near Grand Rapids, MI. You can check out their webpage here- http://www.groundswellfarm.org.

Stay tuned for many more CS(Amen) stories from yours truly!
Enjoy,
NRG

Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake

This bundt cake is magical - both moist and light, tart and sweet. The can of coconut milk makes this cake dense and smooth while lemon zest brightens it up. I love making bundt cakes because they are easy, inherently gorgeous, and travel well through turnstiles, onto busses and trains. This cake was intended as a surprise for co-workers, but as you can see, it didn't make it far past the kitchen door! I guess I'll have to make another.

I used Isa & Terry's recipe from Veganomicon but omitted 1/3 cup sugar. I made a quick glaze by mixing freshly squeezed lemon juice with confectioner's sugar and topped the cake with lightly toasted shredded coconut. You can toast coconut on a baking sheet in the oven, but I like to fry it up in a tablespoon of earth balance over medium-hot heat.
Delicious! Food is a gift, so share it (and if you somehow missed 2007 and haven't bought Veganomicon yet, now's the time)!

Enjoy,
NRG

Bosque Farms

I recently had the pleasure of spending a week on a farm in New Mexico with friends. Bosque Farms is an oasis in the middle of the desert, fed by a system of tree lined canals connected to the Rio Grande. The plot features a few varieties of garlic, a whole array of veggies and roots, and a gang of roaming hens. It was so lovely to plan meals around what came out of the field! I can't wait till my CSA starts up here in NY.

L shared her family's lemonade recipe with me and it was so refreshing. I won't tell you all of the secrets, but the steeped mint added a type of earthiness that was very pleasant. We drank it down over big glasses of ice with a delicious dinner of homemade sundried-tomato arepas and a mixed green salad!

Last summer I made this green and garlicy soup with my Michigan friends. I couldn't quite remember the recipe, but what came out tasted delicious! If you have a bunch of greens around and are feeling like you could use a health boost, try it!

2 Tbs. olive oil
3 big bunches greens (I used Kale, Swiss Chard, and Spinach, but you can use whatever you have around)
5 cloves garlic (minced)
2 medium - sized potatoes (diced)
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
2-4 cups water or veggie broth

In a large soup pot, heat the oil with the clean, torn-up greens and the minced garlic for a few minutes. Add the water, potatoes, and salt. Turn the heat down and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes or until your potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a large food processor  or blender and puree until smooth, adding water as necessary. Return to pot and add lemon zest, juice, and freshly ground pepper. Salt to taste. Garnish with a splash of high-quality olive oil and a garlic scape (grilled or raw!).

It's grilling time, folks. There really is nothing better during the summer than a juicy marinated, grilled portobello burger. It is so easy to enjoy mushrooms and omnivores love these sandwiches. As a marinate, I almost always use the same ingredients for all grilled veggies. Soy sauce, a few cloves finely minced garlic, some finely minced onion, olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and freshly ground pepper. Toss the mushrooms in a big ziplock bag with the marinate and let them sit for  a few hours, turning occasionally and doing some light massage.
We served these burgers up with grilled garlic scapes, arugula, avocado, and a smear of brown mustard. Don't forget the pickles!

I hope you are all enjoying all of the delicious, early summer greens and curly magical scapes.
Enjoy!
NRG