Monthly Archives: May 2009

Fennel

by recipes, vegetables

This week's farm share included fennel.  I love fennel and am always happy when it appears on my table because it is so tasty.  It's also good for you but don't tell the kids, just let them taste it and they'll love that great licorice-y flavor.

Fennel is a perennial herb that has medicinal and culinary uses; the whole plant is useful, roots, bulb, foliage and seeds.  It has carminative properties meaning it is helpful with indigestion and gas.  It appears in many different cultures and many types of dishes.  In Indian restaurants you can usually find a dish of fennel seeds by the register to chew on after the meal to help with digestion.
Nutritionally fennel is a great source of vitamin C; it's also a good source of fiber, potassium, manganese, and folate.  
One of my favorite ways to eat fennel in the winter is in a roasted root casserole. Sliced fennel chopped up and mixed together with carrots, parsnips, potatoes and beets. Tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and parmesan dressing with salt and pepper and then roasted in the oven until the vegetables are done. You can tell when they are done when the fennel starts to caramelize a little.  I roast them at 400 degrees F and use just enough dressing to coat the vegetables.  Roasting the fennel softens it's licorice-y flavor and makes it milder.

Since it's not winter I decided to switch this up a bit and roasted the fennel with red pepper, vidalia onion and the dressing. It was delicious. I had been planning to grill the vegetables but by the time I finished marinating them it looked like rain so into the oven they went. Served alongside another family favorite, “beans-n-greens”, and a sweet potato on the side it was a colorful and delicious dinner. Give it a try, if you've never eaten fennel you may be surprised by how much you like it.

Another great recipe that I plan to try is this fennel slaw recipe from Epicurious.

Be well.

photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fenchelknolle.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennel
http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=23#healthbenefits
Rebecca Wood, The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia
frittata omelette delicious eggs

Fabulous Frittata

by eggs, recipes, vegetarian

I recently had lunch with a friend and we enjoyed a wonderful frittata as part of our meal.  Frittatas are such a great dish to serve; they are easy to make, delicious and take very little time to put together.  We had a spinach, red onion, red pepper, oregano, and parmesan frittata.  Frittatas come together so quickly and are so versatile that you can't miss when you make one.  

Eggs are not only delicious, but they are also a great food to have in your diet.  A protein powerhouse, two eggs contain 12 grams of protein. They also provide iron, calcium, and vitamin A.  One of the best things about eggs is that they're so versatile. Eggs can be served a wide variety of ways; you can serve them poached, hard cooked, soft boiled, fried, over easy, scrambled, as an omelette, the list goes on.
 
This Simple Summer Frittata is one of my quick and easy favorites. It comes together very quickly for a fuss-free, easy meal. And leftovers, if there are any, are just as delicious as the first time you serve them. Add this to your repertoire for quick summer cooking and you'll always have a go-to lunch or dinner that's sure to please.
 
Simple Summer Frittata
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Ingredients
  1. 6 eggs
  2. 1/4 cup cottage cheese
  3. 1 cup leafy greens, washed and cut into ribbons
  4. 1 cup diced red onion
  5. 1 red bell pepper, large dice
  6. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 4-5 mushrooms, sliced
  8. 1/2 tsp fresh oregano
  9. 3-4 fresh basil leaves, torn
  10. 2 tbsp fresh grated parmesan
  11. salta nd pepper to taste
  12. 2-3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
  1. preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
  2. lightly oil an oven proof pan
  3. saute red onion, bell pepper mushrooms and garlic
  4. set veggies aside
  5. wilt the leafy greens and set aside
  6. whisk together the eggs and cottage cheese
  7. re-oil the pan, turn to medium heat and pour in the eggs
  8. as soon as the bottom of the frittata starts to set turn the heat down to med-low
  9. sprinkle the cooked ingredients on the setting egg mixture
  10. top wit herbs, salt, and pepper
  11. when the bottom appears to be fully set sprinkle frittata with parmesan
  12. remove pan from stove top and place in over
  13. bake approximately 10 minutes until frittata is slightly puffy
  14. remove from over, cut and serve
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/