That Friday Feeling

Hello, friends. Hope you've all had a fabulous week. After a whirlwind (amazing) trip to Hoboken last weekend and an appallingly busy week at work, I woke up this morning in search of that Friday feeling. You know the one. Your step is a little lighter on the way to the train. Your shoulders unscrunch and get loose. The buzz and hum of workaday worries begin to fade as your mind turns easily toward the weekend.

With the week I'm having, that Friday feeling probably won't show up until Saturday. But, in hopes that some of you can indulge in a few minutes of pre-weekend downtime today, I give you Edible Selby. A new collaboration between Todd Selby and the New York Times T Magazine, it might just be the most gorgeous food website I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot. From world famous chefs, to urban farmers, to ice cream makers, Selby has captured food artisans both at work and at home, and the result is lovely.

So here's a tiny sampler to get you started. And when you find yourself with a few free Friday minutes, go grab your coffee, your tea, your hot toddy (if only). Exhale. Enjoy.

Better Late than Never: A New Year's Recipe

Better late than never. These days, between work, baby, and life in general, it has sort of become my motto. I've had to let go of my uber-punctual, schedule-obsessed ways and just take things as they come, do what I can, and accept that I will never finish my to-do list on any given day. Truth be told, it's been a wonderful side effect of the baby madness. There's a lot to be said for taking things one moment at a time.

And so, last night, I finally found myself preparing my good luck black eyed peas. You know, the ones that you're supposed to eat on New Year's Day. Not sure if they still hold any power by the middle of the month but, if nothing else, they tasted amazing. Here's what I threw together last night in order to make good use of some Swiss chard, butternut squash, and onions from last week's market. Easy peasy and oh so hearty on a snowy winter night. Don't have any chard in the fridge? No squash on your countertop? All of the produce used here came from the winter farmers market in Cambridge. They'll be open from 10-2 again today and you can grab all of this and more. Hope to see you there!

**You may notice that lovely little Hop Noir hiding out in the background. This was an impulse purchase at City Feed, and may be my favorite beer of all time. Made by peak organic, a small brewery in Maine, it was an absolute taste treat and a perfect cold weather beer.**

Black Eyed Peas with Swiss Chard and Quinoa


Ingredients
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard (stems chopped and separated from the leaves)
Black eyed peas (canned here because that's what I bought in a rush on NYE--dried would be better)
1 c quinoa (I used white but red would be gorgeous with this)

Bring two cups water to a boil. Add a smidge of salt and the quinoa. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes until the water is fully absorbed. (Check your package directions just in case your particular quinoa calls for something different.) For more flavor, you can use 1 cup chicken stock and 1 cup water, or add sauteed onions, or herbs...the sky's the limit here. For this recipe though, I opted to keep things simple so that the chard could shine through.

While the quinoa is cooking, sautee garlic in olive oil over low heat, being careful not to burn. When garlic begins to soften, add the chopped chard stems. After 3-5 minutes, add leaves. (You can tear these into smaller pieces or leave them whole, depending on their size. I usually opt for tearing.) Cook until tender. Add black eyed peas (very well rinsed if you're using canned) and heat through. Serve over a heaping pile of warm quinoa. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup


Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1-2 T butter (optional)
1 Butternut squash
1 onion, coarsely chopped
Fresh thyme (or dried, in a pinch)
4-6 c chicken stock

Preheat over to 425. Split the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and roast, cut side up and covered with tin foil, for 45 minutes or until fork tender. When the squash is finished, sautee onion and thyme over low heat in a large soup pot. You can stick to the olive oil here or throw in a little butter--I find the butter adds a depth of flavor without making it overly rich. When the onion is clear and tender, scoop out the squash and add it to the pot along with 4 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender (you can also transfer in batches to a blender of food processor, but if you do not have a handheld blender you should get one immediately--it is quite possibly my favorite kitchen tool). Add more stock or water if the soup is too thick--this will depend on your squash and will be a little different every time. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Hey, Paula

There has always been a special place in my heart for Paula Deen. As a child of the south, I ate my fair share of fried chicken and collard greens with fat back. But, thanks to a very health-conscious mother, I also ate plenty of brown rice, kale, and pressed salad--if you don’t know what pressed salad is, don’t ask. And although these days my diet is much more inclined in the latter direction, the deepest currents of my food cravings will forever be tinted by hot buttered biscuits and deep fried chicken livers. My father and I enjoyed those as a special treat when I was young. By the bucket.

For me, watching Paula cook has never been about the search for new recipes or cooking ideas. Nor is it about nostalgia; although there are many who would consider her a queen of southern food, her dishes don't often bear much resemblance to the cuisine that I knew. Too much of it comes out of cans or packages, or simply smothers the ingredients in bread crumbs and fat.  Really, as with many people I know, watching Paula cook is all about the spectacle. Think two sticks of butter seems excessive for one dessert? Paula will use three. And if that’s not rich enough, how about just straight up deep frying it? Yup. Melon balled spheres of butter, breaded and deep fried. I watched her make them. I watched her eat them. I felt sick for the entire 30 minutes, but I couldn't look away. It's a freak show as much as a cooking show. Something you pull up on Hulu on a lazy Friday night when you’re looking to be shocked and amazed. 

Full disclosure: as conscious as I am of what I eat and where it comes from, the notion of throwing all caution to the wind and eating a concoction made from butter, canned condensed milk, and some sort of flavored powder seems sinfully liberating.  We can have our butter and eat it too, all in the spirit of good, crazy, Paula Deen fun. Who wants to worry about something boring like health? I mean, if it tastes good, let's eat it. By the bucket.

Enter diabetes. As most of you surely know by now, Paula announced last week that she was diagnosed a few years ago with Type 2 (also known as adult onset) diabetes. This is, of course, one of the most serious problems facing Americans and our healthcare system today. And, we must all admit, if Paula Dean’s actual diet bears any resemblance to what she cooks on her show, it is no great surprise that she has developed the disorder. I first heard the news in passing, and while my first thought was of concern for her health, it was quickly followed by the idea this here was an opportunity. Who better to reach out to all of us who love rich, fatty, sugary foods and show us a way toward moderation? There are hoards of us, and there aren't may people better poised to reach that audience than the queen of overindulgence herself.  Her bubbly personality can make just about anything appealing, and here was her chance to really put it toward good use.

Instead, Deen has found a very different way to profit from her disease. She came right out of the gate endorsing a diabetes drug made by Novo Nordisk, along with her two sons, neither of whom have the disease. Score for big Pharma and the Deen family, tough luck for the rest of us. With more and more American's faced with diet-related health issues--including the terrible lack of access to fresh food in so many urban communities--I find it particularly devastating to see such a beloved public figure leave her power on the proverbial plate. As a chef, she could be preaching the power of food to impact health and  quality of life. She could transform the way that Americans relate to their pantries. She could help to turn the kitchen into a place where we think first of nourishing ourselves and our families, even with the occasional dinner of fritters and pudding. Instead, she says to us, head to your nearest pharmacy, and leave a little bit of your money in my pocket while you're at it.


In the recent Times article covering Paula's revelation, Anthony Bourdain is said to have called her the "'worst, most dangerous person' on the Food Network," because of the unhealthy nature of her food. (Many would counter that even the fanciest French chefs rely on a whole lotta butter, but I would say that there's also an element of moderation that goes along with that type of cooking, and it is absent in Paula's world.) His comment, while harsh, reflects a reality that I had previously ignored: while I may view Paula's show as a culinary amusement ride, there are many, many people who identify deeply with both the woman and the way she cooks, and there is nothing amusing about failing to consider the impact that your celebrity may be having on the health of thousands upon thousands of people.


Is Paula Deen personally responsible for our epidemics of obesity and diabetes? Clearly, she is not. Is she personally responsible for turning these issues around? Again, certainly not. But there is no denying that with a shift in her message she could use her considerable power to help the very people who are responsible for her remarkable success. Shame on her if she doesn't.

New Year, New Markets

Somehow, over a year has passed since I posted on the growing trend toward winter farmers markets in Massachusetts. And, somehow, I have managed to put together only one post since that time. Yes, it would be easy to feel embarrassed and chagrined at such a poor blogging performance, but I'm inclined to go easy on myself--new babies, full time jobs, and freelancing do not a busy blogger make, at least not around here. But, it's a new year and I'm newly organized, so you can expect to be seeing a lot more action on the Ecofoodie scene. And, although it may seem repetitive, I wanted to start with a quick note about this year's winter market bounty.

Since that second-to-last post, the number of winter markets in Massachusetts has mushroomed, and they are absolutely worth a (weekly) visit. This winter, Bostonians (and near-Bostonians) can find winter farmers markets in Cambridge, Somerville, and beyond, and there are three (yes, three!) markets in Boston proper--one in the Belvedere Arcade at the Prudential Center, one in the South End, and another in Dorchester. Amazingly, every one of these markets will play host to fresh produce from multiple Mass farms, including Red Fire, Enterprise and Winter Moon, which grows exclusively winter root crops. (If you have not yet tasted a Winter Moon carrot, get thee to a market this weekend and try a sample--you will never buy a supermarket carrot again!) Many of these new urban markets were born out of a desire to improve year-round access to fresh, healthy food, particularly for low-income residents. (The Boston Bounty Bucks program allows SNAP users to get 50% off of their market purchases up to $20, and all of these winter markets are participating.) There's also a wealth of things to do while you shop, from cooking demos, to live music, to educational activities for the kiddos. Personally, my son and I stumbled into a little slice of perfection last week in Cambridge: mama sipped coffee and nibbled an almond croissant while baby danced and toddled to a little acoustic guitar. Saturday morning heaven.

Since the holidays, we've been heading to a different market every week and happily warming our bones with the harvest. Sweet roasted beets and carrots, potato and kale soup, and even a little greenhouse salad mix for a grassy, oh-so-fresh taste of summer. This weekend we'll be checking out the scene in Dorchester, and I promise to post some pics.

To read more about how these markets are changing the face of their communities and to see the full list of market locations and times, click here to take a peek at my most recent article for Edible Boston. Happy shopping, and even happier eating!

A New (Yummy) Twist on Pumpkin

When it comes to pie, pumpkin is not my favorite. I'm just not a fan of the often goopy texture--I'd much rather have a slice full of crisp, cinnamon apples or crunchy pecans. I do love the flavor of pumpkin though, so when I got a pie pumpkin in my farm share recently, I got inspired to make something delicious. I adapted the recipe below from one I found on Epicurious, and the result was amazing. Light, fluffy little treats full of fall spice and pumpkin goodness. I only got to enjoy one as the rest were destined for my son's birthday celebration at daycare, where they were reportedly devoured with much zeal by a roomful of toddlers. I'll certainly be making them again soon. And if you have a spare pumpkin leftover from Thanksgiving (even if it's in a can), I recommend you do the same!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients

1 sugar pumpkin (aka pie pumpkin)--you can also substitute one can of *real* pumpkin here

2 c all purpose flour

2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1.5 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground ginger

1/8 t ground cloves

1/2 t salt

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

3/4 c packed light brown sugar

1/4 c sour cream

1/4 c applesauce

2 large eggs

1 t pure vanilla extract

Directions

Pumpkin

Apparently pumpkin can cook up relatively quickly in the microwave, but I tend to opt for roasting when it comes to my root vegetables. It's easy, tasty, and you don't have to worry about cleaning up messy orange explosions. Simply slice the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with a little olive oil and roast cut-side down on a sheet pan at 350 until soft. Cooking times can vary depending on the moisture content of your pumpkin, but I would start checking for doneness after about half an hour. In the meantime, you can rinse your pumpkin seeds, toss them in a little salt and oil and throw them in the oven as well! Just give them a stir every few minutes until they're nice and crispy. Bonus.

Muffins

Preheat oven to 400. Butter your muffin pan if it's not nonstick.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, pumpkin , sour cream, apple sauce, eggs, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a fork comes out clean. Best enjoyed while still warm along with a steaming cup of tea or cider. Yum!

Note: If you want to add a little texture, the Epicurious recipe calls for plumped golden raisins (just soak them in hot water for five minutes before adding to batter) and pumpkin seeds in the muffins, as well as some pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top. A dab of cream cheese frosting would also do quite nicely...

Photo courtesy of Sultry, via Flickr creative commons

Winter's Bounty: Find Some Local Inspiration in the Snow

Today marks the second blizzard of the season for Massachusetts, and while it's certainly lovely to cozy up to a snowy window with a steaming cup of tea, this weather can make the fresh, local bounty of the farmers market season feel like a figment of the imagination. Around this time of year I often face a bout of the winter blues, not just because I'm so uncomfortable in the bitter Boston cold, but also because I find myself at such a loss in the kitchen. The refrigerator that has been overflowing with greens and tomatoes all summer, then carrots and kale through the fall, is suddenly bare, bereft of vegetables and of inspiration--a couple of turnips in the produce drawer just don't cut it. Neither do the supermarket staples of pale, limp lettuce in a plastic bag or washed out tomatoes from Mexico. What's a New England girl to do when her CSA has ended and the coldest months of winter still remain?

Last year I found some respite in the winter farm share from Enterprise Farm, which operates under the mostly-local idea of an East Coast food shed: lots of food from Massachusetts and some from family farms along the coast. It's certainly better to get a couple of zucchini from Georgia than from South America somewhere. This year, thanks to the amazing folks at Red Fire Farm, we'll be getting a truly local farm share through the heart of winter, with a mix of storage veggies, greenhouse greens, and products made by area vendors from the local summer harvest. What will such a share really include? I've been wondering the same thing, and with the first share arriving tomorrow I finally know what deliciousness awaits: there will be shallots, butternut squash, celery root (hooray!), carrots, and spinach, just to name a few. And we'll have pickles from Real Pickles and frozen Red Fire green beans. I can already feel the creative juices flowing...celery root soup? radish salad? roast butternut squash with a spinach and shallot stuffing? The possibilities will be endless once again, and EcoFoodie recipes will be soon to follow!

For those of you without a regular Winter CSA, do not despair. Thanks to the ongoing work of the Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Markets and the many farmers and vendors with whom they partner, winter farmers markets have become an increasingly common affair. There are weekly markets across the state throughout the season, with all kinds of goodies to be discovered. For all you Bostonians, there are markets in Dedham, Natick, and Somerville--no matter where you are there are fresh, local ingredients nearby. So slap on those snow boots and head to the market this weekend. Much yumminess and inspiration await!

To find a market near you, click here and type 'winter' into the "Enter part of the name of a Market" field.

Photo by paige_eliz via Flickr Creative Commons.

Old Ideas for a New Year

Sometimes the best new ideas are the ones that aren't new at all, but rather a rediscovery of methods and means whose wisdom has been known for ages. When it comes to cooking, this idea is heralded repeatedly by those who advocate for slower, more local eating. The Slow Food movement, in addition to working toward food that is "Good, Clean, and Fair," points us back to vanishing cooking styles and heirloom ingredients, along with the increasingly uncommon practice of sitting down to enjoy a meal we've prepared with family and friends. Michael Pollan, one of the most prominent voices in the local food movement, tells us: "Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize as food." Simple enough, and an easy way to navigate around the many processed food-ish creations that inhabit our modern supermarkets. Mark Bittman, cookbook author and writer for the New York Times, is also a voice for more planet-friendly eating, and as part of theTimes' New Year's section on sustainability offers an alternative to the countless diet crazes that emerge at this time of year: "Chop, Fry, Boil: Eating for One, or 6 Billion."

The concept is easy to embrace: three simple recipes--stir fry, rice and lentils, and a chopped salad--that can form the foundation of a lifetime of healthy cooking and eating. As Bittman states, they are techniques as much as recipes. Once mastered, they can be adapted to fit any locale or time of year, incorporating local, seasonal produce and whatever personal flourish the chef desires. Also important, they can all make for full meals without meat, an element that can be difficult to find in planet-friendly form. For so many of us who have fallen away from cooking in our daily lives, these easy, classic meals provide a re-entry point into a healthy, fulfilling relationship with our kitchen, one that can be passed on to our children during the evening hours in place of so much excess screen time.

Personally, I'm going to start with the rice and lentils. For years now I've been swayed from such dishes by my bean loathing husband, but maybe with a little extra flair I can win him over...full report to follow in the coming weeks.

Click here for the stir fry recipe, here for rice and lentils, and here for chopped salad.

Happy New (Old) Eating!