FoodFunFodder

Spring Ravioli Pasta Salad

2009-05-05T21:07:00.003-04:00

Recipes of the Week
This recipe comes from 101cookbooks.com an excellent food blog with wonderful vegetarian
recipes. For those of you wondering what to do with some of your CSA veggies, this site is a great
resource. Recipes can be searched by ingredient and include almost every vegetable imaginable.
Directions:
Prep all of your ingredients ahead of time - cut asparagus, wash
spinach, etc.
Into an extra-large pot of well-salted boiling water add the raviolis.
After a few minutes, when a couple of the raviolis begin to float, add
the asparagus and peas. Because the asparagus is thin and the peas
aren't frozen, you'll need to cook them only for about a minute - really
quick, just enough to brighten up the peas and give the asparagus a
touch of tenderness. Drain everything into a large colander.
Immediately transfer to a large bowl, add the spinach and pine nuts,
and gently toss with a couple big splashes of olive oil and a pinch or
two of salt. Serve in a big bowl or on a simple platter with a bit
shaved Parmesan crumbled on top.
Ingredients:
• 1/2 pound ricotta-stuffed ravioli
• 1 bunch thin asparagus, cut on
deep bias (angle)
• 10 ounce bag organic peas,
thawed overnight in refrigerator
• 3 - 4 big handfuls baby spinach,
washed (any stems removed -
optional)
• a couple splashes of extra-virgin
olive oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• fine grain sea salt
• Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Ingredients:
• 3 handfuls of lettuce mix (any early
greens, baby spinach, frisee, etc.)
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 4 eggs, poached
• 8 strips bacon
• 1 cup stale bread (sourdough or other
firm white bread)
• ¼ C plus 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chives, finely chopped to taste
A great way to usher in spring is with this classic French salad. Simple to prepare, the dish lets early
spring lettuce shine while the egg and bacon transform the salad into a perfect one-dish meal. For a
vegetarian version, just omit the bacon or substitute toasted almonds for a nice crunch.
Spring Ravioli Pasta Salad
Spring Greens with Poached Eggs and Bacon
Directions:
1. Cook the bacon on medium heat until done,
about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain off
excess fat on a paper towel. Once cool, crumble
the bacon.
2. Cut the bread into cubes. In a bowl, toss with 1
tbsp olive oil. Toast on medium high heat until
lightly browned.
3. In a small jar, mix the olive oil, vinegar,
mustard, salt and pepper.
4. Poach the eggs
5. Place the salad green on a plate. Top with
bacon, poached eggs, shallots, chives and
toasted bread. Pour salad dressing over the
salad and enjoy.
Recipe source: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001568.html

Bee Busy

2008-09-12T23:16:00.004-04:00

Brookwood CSA 9/12/08

Local Beauties

2008-06-17T16:34:00.005-04:00

lettuce,spinach,radishes,garlic scapes,pea pods,asian greens

June is strawberry month

Local Colors

2008-06-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

My first local meal will be embarrassingly simplistic. Would it be insulting to give you a recipe for an omelet? The eggs are delightful colors in pastels, worthy of an artists palette rather than a griddle. Some breeding of hens involved, I will not feign understanding but pleasant visual appeal is worthy of applause.

How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods

2008-05-28T19:28:00.002-04:00

Whether genetically modified (GM) foods are harmful is still controversial, but some people would prefer to avoid them until the evidence is clear. Most foods we eat may contain ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs)--everything from baby formula and food to our dairy to even our meat. If you live in Europe, avoiding GM foods is easier since laws require labeling. However in the US and Canada food manufacturers are not required to label if their food is genetically modified or not. As such, here are some guidelines for steering clear of GM foods in your diet, if that is your choice.

Become familiar with the most common applications of genetic modification. These are the products (and their derivatives) that are most likely to be genetically modified:
Soybeans - Gene taken from bacteria (Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4) and inserted into soybeans to make them more resistant to herbicides.[1] See How to Live With a Soy Allergy for more information on avoiding soy products.
Corn - Gene from the lepidoptera pathogen microorganism Bacillus thuringiensis inserted into corn genome to produce the Bt toxin, which poisons insect pests.[2] May be present in high fructose corn syrup which is prevalent in a wide variety of foods in America.
Rapeseed/Canola - Gene added/transferred to make crop more resistant to pesticides
Sugar cane - Gene added/transferred to make crop more resistant to pesticides
Rice - Genetically modified to resist herbicides; not currently available for human consumption, but trace amounts of one GM long-grained variety (LLRICE601) may have entered the food supply in the USA and Europe.[3]More recently, golden rice, a different strain of rice has been engineered to produce significantly higher levels of beta carotene, which the body uses to procduce vitamin A. Golden rice is still undergoing testing to determine if it is safe for human consumption.[4]
Cotton - Used for making cottonseed oil.
Dairy - Cows injected with GE hormone rBGH/rBST; possibly fed GM grains and hay.
Buy food labeled 100% organic. The US and Canadian governments do not allow manufacturers to label something 100% organic if that food has been genetically modified or been fed genetically modified feed. However, you may find that organic food is more expensive and different in appearance from conventional products. Also, just because something says "organic" on it does not mean that it does not contain GMs. In fact, it can still contain up to 30% GMs, so be sure the labels say 100% organic.
This applies to eggs, as well. Eggs labeled "free-range", "natural", or "cage-free" are not necessarily GE-free; look for eggs to be 100% organic.[5]
Purchase beef that is 100% grass-fed. Most cattle in the U.S. are grass-fed, but spend the last portion of their lives in feedlots where they may be given GM feed, the purpose of which is to increase intramuscular fat and marbling. If you're looking to stay away from GMOs, make sure the cattle were 100% grass-fed or pasture-fed (sometimes referred to as grass-finished or pasture-finished). The same applies to meat from other herbivores such as sheep. There is also the slight possibility that the animals were fed GM alfalfa, although this is less likely if you buy meat locally. With non-ruminants like pigs and poultry that cannot be 100% grass-fed, it's better to look for meat that is 100% organic.

GMO-free marshmallowsSeek products that are specifically labeled as non-GM or GMO-free. However, it is rare to find products labeled as such. You can also research websites that list companies and foods that do not use genetically modified foods, [6], but be aware that information is often incomplete and conflicting interests may not be declared.
Shop locally. Although more than half of all GM foods are produced in the US,[7] most of it comes from large, industrial farms. By shopping at farmers' markets, signing up for a subscription from a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, or patronizing a local co-op, you may be able to avoid GM products and possibly save money at the same time.
More and more small farms are offering grains and meat directly to customers, in addition to the usual fare (vegetables, fruit, herbs).

Inspecting non-GMO cabbageShopping locally may also give you the opportunity to speak to the farmer and find out how he or she feels about GMOs and whether or not they use them in their own operation.
Buy whole foods. Favor foods that you can cook and prepare yourself, rather than foods that are processed or prepared (e.g. anything that comes in a box or a bag, including fast food). What you lose in convenience, you may recover in money saved and satisfaction gained, as well as increased peace of mind. Try cooking a meal from scratch once or twice a week--you may enjoy it and decide to do it more often

New Season of Planting

2008-05-14T19:55:00.002-04:00

New beginnings are

being placed for the

2008

Brookwood Community Farm

New Season New Dreams

2008-05-08T12:17:00.001-04:00

In the Beginning

2008-05-08T11:54:00.000-04:00

Natures gift of re-birth

seeds of black gold