What's Cooking Wednesday - Swiss Chard

Since I am regaling you with so much info about my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) grand experiment, I figured I should let you know how I was preparing some of those beautiful leafy greens.  I must admit that swiss chard and kale are NOT a normal part of my grocery basket.  Nonetheless, they are becoming a big part of my crisper these days so I might as well do my best to make them palatable.

Sauteed Swiss Chard
Adapted from a few recipes on Allrecipes.com


6 or 7 large leaves of swiss chard with stems
1/4 red onion
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar or sugar

Chop swiss chard stems and separate from leaves.  Cut leaves into ribbons about 1 inch wide.  Chop onion to approximately the same size as the stem pieces.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add stem pieces and onions.  Saute until the are beginning to soften and onion has lost it's "bite".  Add swiss chard leaves and balsamic vinegar.  Saute until the leaves are wilted and tender.  Add the agave nectar and stir in right before serving.  This balances some of the acidity of the vinegar.

Recipe Notes:  Dewey ate 1 serving and I ate 3.  I loved it and Dewey said it was pretty good.  It was the third time he has every eaten swiss chard because he really doesn't like it.  He said he would eat it if I made I that way.  That's a win in my book.  Evan refused to try it until I bribed him.  It was in his mouth for 1 millisecond before he spit it out.  Oh well.

Read more...

More CSA and Farmer's Market Love

I thought it would be fun to keep a diary of my CSA experience this year.  My favorite thing about my CSA is that the pickup is at the Hillhurst/Sunnyside Farmer's Market.  Why is this so great you might wonder....Well it's because the growing season in Alberta is really short and what is being harvested can be very different from one place to another.  So if my CSA delivery is very green leafy (which it was), I can visit the other vendors to round what I need for the week.  Plus, there are few things I love more than a good farmer's market!!!!

So my CSA delivery is in the middle.  This week I got a large head of lettuce (I could have gotten more but I am the only one around here that eats it so I didn't want to take more than I could use.), a big bag of swiss chard, a bunch of baby beets with greens, a bunch of brocollini, a bunch of scallions and a dozen freerange eggs.  From the Farmer's Market I bought baby cucumbers, baby bell peppers, baby carrots, baby potatoes, cinnamon buns and a package of beef sausages.

We had the beef sausages, swiss chard and baby potatoes for supper.  The flavors were so fresh and wonderful.  I bought the cinnamon rolls for my hubby.  They are one of his favorites.  We were both a bit disappointed by these b/c they were made with margarine (which I didn't notice until I got home) and they weren't sweet enough.  I'm all about cutting back on sugar but cinnamon rolls are supposed to be sweet!

So far I am loving the CSA and it is really making us expand our horizons.  Even though I bought a half share, I am having a bit of a hard time plowing through all the lettuce and veggies.  I'm trying my best though!!!

Read more...

Wordless Wednesday - Veggie Love

I've tried to up our veggie consumption lately & who knew that cut up raw veggies would be the way to do it.  Evan has eaten his body weight in veggies & dip.  Yum!

This post has been linked up over at 5 Minutes for Mom and A Lot of Loves.

Read more...

What's Cooking Wednesday - Turnip Puff

We spent a great weekend at Nana's house (better known as The Land of Butter) for Easter.  She always goes out of her way to make an amazing dinner for the holidays.  One of my favorite dishes that she always makes is pretty unusual for me since it contains turnips.  I grew up eating every vegetable under the sun but  turnips and turnip greens were NEVER something I would eat.  Soooo.....long story short....this is awesome.  It is my favorite...scratch that....only way I will eat turnips.  Definitely give it a try!

Turnip Puff

from The Best of Bridge

6 cups cubed turnips (or rutabaga)

2 Tbsp butter

2 eggs, beaten

3 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

2 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a medium size casserole dish.

Boil turnip in a medium saucepan until tender.  Drain and mash.  Add butter and egg and mix well.   Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a small bowl.  Mix into the turnip mixture.  Pour turnip mixture into buttered casserole dish.

Combine bread crumbs and melted butter.  Spread evenly over turnip mixture.  Bake for 25 minutes or until light brown on top.

Recipe Notes:  This recipe serves ~6.  It doubles well and the leftovers reheat well.  I give this two thumbs up but Dewey & Evan not so much.  Many people who go to Nana's have commented that this is soooo good that they can't believe it has turnips in it.

Don't forget to stop over at Shan's to see what else is cooking this Wednesday!

Read more...