onion – Growth By the Season

Garden Fresh Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad

Written by Tricia on July 25, 2013. Posted in Community, Food, Friends & Family, Grow, Home Grown, Recipes.

It doesn’t get much better than a Northern Michigan summer. In July and August there is no where else I’d rather be. The fresh water lakes, gorgeous beaches and plentiful barbecues keep me tied to the shoreline snacking on fresh fruit until my fingers (and inevitably my white skirt) are died a deep red or purplish hue. I cant get enough of the fresh fruit scene you’ll find at local farmers markets this time of year. From blackberries, tart cherries, peaches, blueberries, raspberries and more, I’ll stuff my belly and my freezer to the brim.

The Pizza Crust Chronicles: Cauliflower Crust

Written by Tricia on March 8, 2013. Posted in Food, Recipes.

I love Pizza, I mean who doesn’t. Its certainly delicious, but its also diverse and I love that in any mood, I can usually find the right combination of toppings to satisfy my cravings (and lift my spirits!). A dear friend of my mom’s asked me recently to seek out a top-notch pizza crust recipe. Obviously, I was immediately excited and ready to take on the task. After searching through recipes and experimenting with the options however, I really couldn’t settle on ONE. And so, the ‘Pizza Crust Chronicles’ were born. From Yeast to No Yeast, Gluten-Free, Veggie, or Vegan I plan to organize this ode’ to the pizza pie as an easy reference for your next homemade ‘za.

First up, is The Cauliflower Crust. Unorthodox I know, but I’ve seen a rise in recipes touting the veggie and couldn’t help but experiment with it myself. Cauliflower is low in fat and low in carbohydrates but high in fiber which make it the perfect healthy alternative to your typical greasy pizza crust. Not only is it healthy, but truly easy to make. Bonus!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust:

Preheat Oven: 400 degrees

2 cups cauliflower, grated or food processed into rice size pieces

1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1 egg, beaten

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. oregano

1. Coat a cookie sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.

2. Spread grated cauliflower across oil-glazed cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

3. In a bowl, mix cauliflower, cheese, egg, garlic and oregano until well combined and dough-like in texture.

4. Spread mixture onto a parchment paper-covered pizza pan and create a circular crust. Bake for 25 minutes.

I topped my Cauliflower crust with Sweet potato mash, feta cheese, caramelized onion and collard greens. It was both savory and a little sweet, but all together delicious. I love reminding myself that this pizza is “healthy” and therefore eating 6 pieces is totally acceptable.

Sweet Potato, Feta Cheese and Collard Green Pizza:

1 sweet potato, medium-sized

2 cups collard greens, chopped

1 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbs feta cheese, crumbled

2 garlic cloves, minced or smashed and chopped

pinch of salt

1. Bake sweet potato in oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or until well done.

2. Heat 1 tbs. of olive oil in frying pan and saute onion until tender

3. Add collard greens and lemon juice into pan and saute until wilted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

4. Remove sweet potato from skin and mix in a bowl with salt.

5. Spread sweet potato mash onto pizza crust and top with garlic.

6. Sprinkle feta cheese and greens on top of potato layer.

7. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

8. Let cool for 5 minutes. Slice, serve and enjoy.

I’ll be posting periodically in the ‘Pizza Crust Chronicles’ as I come across delicious crusts and experiment with new recipes . I hope you’ll stay tuned and feel free to share any “must-try” crusted creations you can’t live without.

Hail to the ‘za, in every top and crusted form

love,

tricia

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Written by Tricia on February 15, 2013. Posted in Food, Recipes.

There is nothing that heals a cold, chills, or the winter blues better than homemade chicken noodle soup. The first time I tasted a cup of homemade chicken noodle, I couldn’t believe I’d ever eaten it out of a can. However, I also assumed that my boyfriend’s mother has slaved over the stove for days to prepare something so delicious. The secret?… Homemade chicken noodle soup is both supremely delicious AND easy.

ingredients:

8 cups Chicken broth

Bite-sized, cooked Chicken (breasts or shredded rotisserie)

Uncooked Egg Noodles (any noodle works, these are just traditional)

2 Medium Carrots, diced

Diced Mushrooms

Chopped Medium Onion

3 cloves Garlic

2-3 tsp Salt, additional to taste

Pepper

2 tsp Thyme

2 tsp Rosemary

Chopped Swiss Chard (any green, spinach, kale)- optional

The measurements here are lacking, because the contents of this soup are up to you. If you like a soup with lots of broth then don’t use as many veggies. If you prefer a hearty, thick soup then amp up the number of vegetables you include. Its all up to you!

directions:

First, throw a tab of butter or a drizzle of olive oil in the bottom of your soup pot, saute garlic on low-medium heat (don’t let it burn) and then add chopped onion and cook until tender. Next, Add in the diced carrots and mushrooms and season with a little salt and pepper.

Pour in the Chicken Broth on top of the veggies. *Note: The carrots and mushrooms do not need to be tender, they will cook in the broth and soak up that delicious flavor!

Add in rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and then bring soup to a boil. Once boiling bring heat back down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

If the chicken is cooked already then after the 20 minutes are up you can toss in the chicken and the “uncooked” noodles. If chicken is not cooked, just saute diced chicken breast in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Simmer soup for another 15-20 minutes until noodles are tender. Throw in greens at the last minute and let them soak in the flavor for another 3-5 minutes. Then serve!

It’s February and if you’re like me, winter blues can be a bit overwhelming this time of year. The excitement of that first snowfall back in December is lost in February compared with the intense desire for sunshine and warmer temperatures. Just remember, Homemade Chicken Noodle is soup for the soul. Make a pot of this soup, smile and soak in its warmth and soon.. the sunshine will find you.

love,

tricia

Tag: onion

Garden Fresh Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad

The Pizza Crust Chronicles: Cauliflower Crust

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Growth by the Season