Broccoli Romanesco and Chestnut Soup

This week, two beautiful purplish hued heads of broccoli romanesco were peeking out of my CSA box.  Having no idea what to do with them I did a quick search online and found out that the vegetable works well as a cauliflower substitute. Fortunately, I'd been having a hankering for creamy cauliflower soup.

Organic Broccoli Romanesco and Chestnut Soup (saute leeks and green garlic in canola oil until very soft; add diced broccoli romanesco and saute until just starting to brown, cover and water and simmer about 20 mins, or until soft - - saute more slice leeks in another pan in oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar, continue cooking until slightly carmelized, add about 1 cp. of chopped chestnuts - not water chestnuts, the kind used in classic Thanksgiving dressing - and saute a few more minutes, add to cooked broccoli and puree entire mixture, adding salt and pepper to taste and additional water if necessary - add a splash of half and half for a creamier soup); organic salad greens; homemade half whole wheat buttermilk biscuit; and an organic fuji apple.  All vegetables from my Full Belly Farm CSA.

The biscuits were wrapped in the napkin (I threw in an extra one and a chunk of cheese as an afterthought in case the soup was rejected).

waste generated: none :)

Bread and Spread

Homemade mini organic whole wheat braid; organic peanut butter & honey spread; cream cheese spread (organic cream cheese, diced, soaked sundried peaches and a touch of homemade organic applesauce); organic whole wheat lemon square; halved pear.  The sundried peaches came from my weekly Full Belly CSA, the lemon square was made with lemons from our tree; and the apples had been picked at an orchard about an hour from here and canned this past fall as applesauce. I packed a spoon for the spreads as I've learned it is easier for small hands to manage (and less dangerous) than a knife.

waste generated: piece of unbleached parchment

Created by Aidan

This is one of Aidan's lunch creations.  Once again, he was decisive and it took him about 5 minutes to pull this together (not including the 20 mins it took to heat the meatless nuggets). The vegan goldfish crackers have reappeared, however, the mixed reviews on these should not be ignored. Aidan and my youngest daughter LOVED them, but Abby, after one quick bite, immediately exclaimed that they "taste like dogfood."  This was not a random comment, without literal meaning , like, "hey, this tastes like dogfood, at least what I think dogfood might taste like." No, Abby has had EXPERIENCE. The only problem is that I'm not entirely sure whether the comment expressed whether the crackers taste good or bad. 

Boca meatless chicken nuggets with Muir Glen organic ketchup for dipping; organic orange slices from Full Belly Farm; homemade organic vegan crackers; organic raw almonds (Full Belly); vegan Sunflour Baking Co. lemon cookie.

waste generated: plastic wrapper from cookie

Broccoli Cheddar Wrap

Slightly cooked organic broccoli, chopped fine, and mixed with shredded organic valley cheddar cheese in a whole wheat wrap; organic carrots; homemade vegan whole wheat and soy flour goldfish and duck crackers godiva chocolate covered pretzels with dried bananas.

Broccoli and carrots from weekly CSA.

waste generated: none

Tostada

Tostada, blue corn tortilla, ground free range organic buffalo meat seasoned with chili spice, onions, green garlic and diced tomatoes, and organic valley monterrey jack cheese; orange slice with watermelon radish star; tortilla chips and mild salsa.

waste generated: square of unbleached parchment paper

Organic Chicken Noodle Soup

It isn't even March, yet I'm craving strawberries and fresh peas and am beginning to become bored with the crucifers that fill my fridge.  My CSA box came with a little bag of sun dried peaches yesterday, a teaser on what will come in the next couple of seasons.

I did some quick research on the vegetables of the cabbage family and found out that the proper family name is Brassicaceae (try to teach that one to a three year old).  Cruciferea (the old family name) is apparently derived from a word that means cross-bearing (because the four petals of their flowers are reminiscent of a cross). So now I have to wonder, is it blasphemy to speak badly of the vegetables that grace my fridge?

Organic chicken noodle soup made with leeks, green garlic, carrots, celery and Rocky Jr. Chicken; organic orange segments (cut and reassembled they pack easily in a bandana or wrap-n-mat); organic coleslaw with asian style vinaigrette and crushed peanuts; homemade chocolate cookies.  Organic cabbage, carrots, leeks, and green garlic all from Full Belly Farm, the orange is also from my CSA - not my tree- and come from Blue Heron Farm).

waste generated: recycled paper napkin (used to wrap cookies)

Broccoli and Mushroom Vegan Pastry

This one looks much more complicated than it was to prepare.  The pastry is leftover from dinner (it was originally served warm with a salad on the side), and I'd been waiting to use the last scoop of the tofu maple cream.  

Vegan pastry made with finely chopped organic broccoli, mushrooms, leeks, and walnuts layered between sheets of vegan phyllo dough, baked and served cold with lemon honey vinaigrette sauce on the side; organic carrot spears; homemade applesauce and tofu maple cream; and vegan oatmeal whole wheat flower cookies.  All the veggies, except the mushrooms came from my weekly CSA.

waste generated: none :)

Slaw Sandwich

Slaw sandwich (coleslaw made with shredded cabbage & carrots from Full Belly Farm CSA box, julienned apples, raisins, cashews, cilantro, and a dressing of yogurt, dill, and seasoned rice vinegar) on homemade whole wheat, wheatberry bread; rotelle and veggie shell pasta with olive & flax oils and sea salt; homemade vegan chocolate cake.

waste generated: none :)

Celeriac Potato Mash

This may be named Celeriac Potato Mash, but we all can see the true star of the show - that loaf of bread!  No, I did not send Aidan off to school with the entire thing (of course, I did send him with a pumpkin once, so anything is possible), just a couple of slices wrapped in the napkin. Sorry, I digress. . .

Organic potato and celeriac (celery root) mash (like mashed potatoes, but lighter and with a more crisp, fresh flavor - - simmer the celeriac in a little bit of butter and water, mash with potatoes - -I use a ricer - - add some warm milk to desired consistency and a splash of rice vinegar to enhance the flavor); pan fried tofu chunks; and organic homemade whole wheat bread.

By the way, the celeriac root, should you happen to come upon one, is a bit scary looking, like the rejected part of a prehistoric plant after having been lunched upon by a starving brontosaurus.  It is a bit grayish with tiny slender celery stalks shooting off of it's gnarled and amputated limbs.  However, once you peel back it's rough exterior, you will find a white crisp vegetable, looking much like peeled jicama. I was afraid of the one that appeared in my CSA box until I consulted with Alice Waters (via her cookbooks, of course).  Now I've cooked it and munched on it raw with dip and I am no longer afraid.  

waste generated: none :)

Be Mine

Lunchbox Valentines made with organic whole wheat crust and filled with either ricotta cheese, cinnamon, and thinly sliced organic apples or organic butternut squash custard; mixed organic greens; Organic Valley raw cheddar slices; and 4 candy hearts (the mixed greens and butternut squash are from Full Belly Farm).

waste generated: square of unbleached parchment paper

Snacks for Lunch

Tofu Maple Dipping Cream (silken tofu with maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon); organic fuji apple wedges (for dunking); almonds and raisins; vegan chocolate cake (for smearing with tofu cream).

Sweet Potato and Cabbage Soup

So I'm sitting here filled with potentially funny, yet horrid story tidbits from my family's week with the flu. They might be entertaining in the right setting, but they have no place in a blog devoted to eating. . . . so I will stop my banter and get on with it (and save them for the off chance I ever get to have a conversation with Anne Lamott).

Vegan Sweet Potato and Cabbage soup in a broth made with leeks, green garlic, vegetable stock, peanut butter, and chili paste. It is garnished with roasted, unsalted peanuts and chopped cilantro (the cabbage, leeks, green garlic, and cabbage are organic and came from my weekly Fully Belly Farm CSA box).  Homemade whole wheat and wheat berry bread, served with a dipping sauce of olive and flax oils and balsamic vinegar. I wrapped the bread in the bandana and the dipping sauce is in a frigovere (I'm probably slaughtering the spelling on that) glass container.  I love these containers as they look clean and fresh and have great stay-put, hardy plastic lids, but rarely use them for lunch because glass is not allowed at my son's school.

waste generated: none:)

UGH

The flu is here and I'm afraid that all I have to post this week is saltines and gingerale . . . .mmmm . . .wonder if there is a way to make it look delicious?

Pineapple Quesadilla

Pineapple and organic valley raw sharp cheddar quesadilla; carrot and celery sticks (in the napkin, carrots from my Full Belly Farm CSA); banana; soymilk (in the SIGG bottle). The bananas and pineapple defeat my whole local produce ideal . . .but we all have our weaknesses.

waste generated: none :)

Chicken Tenders and Veggies

Strips of Rocky Jr. free range chicken marinated in ginger, tamari and sesame oil and stir fried, served over brown rice and wild rice; raw organic carrots with strawberry daikon stars and a mandarin (all from Full Belly Farm); organic whole wheat Orange Gingersnap cookies.

waste generated: none :)

Sometimes its All in the Packaging

It is probably pretty apparent by now, but at least once a week Aidan's lunch consists of some version of a peanut butter sandwich. On one hand, although it pains me to admit it, this is his favorite lunch entree. On the the other hand, however, he believes that no two lunches should ever look the same. It isn't exactly an expectation, more of just the way it is, like why water comes out of the faucet, why the sky is blue, and why trees have roots. I know this because it happened once, I packed the same exact lunch in the span of two weeks (there's only so many thing one can do with winter produce), and the look of query and astonishment on his face was priceless Anyway, these two things (Aidan's love for peanut butter and his expectation that all lunches are unique) are not entirely compatible.

Peanut Butter and homemade berry jam sandwich on whole wheat bread; 4 homemade vegan flower cookies with raisins on top; CA organic Fuji Apple; freshly squeezed organic orange juice (from our orange tree).

waste generated: none :)