Baked Green Tomatoes

I am not fond of fried foods, so I try to find baked alternatives whenever possible. Baking doesn't give quite the same result, but it makes for a much less oily and lighter-tasting result.

A few unripe tomatoes dropped off my vines so I decided to make fried green tomatoes with them. This recipe can be used for fried or pan-fried tomatoes, but I prefer them baked. I ran out of cornmeal making sourdough cornbread, so I added gluten-free flours to the tiny amount of cornmeal I had left. The result was a wonderful, creamy center and a crispy crust. These were especially good with a little Good and Evil Hot Sauce.

Baked Green Tomatoes made with both yellow and blue cornmeal.

Baked Green Tomatoes

2-4 green tomatoes
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup garbanzo flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Stir the apple cider vinegar into the soy milk and set it aside to curdle. Slice the green tomatoes into 1/4" rounds. In a small bowl, mix cornmeal, flours, onion powder, black pepper, and salt.

One at a time, dip the tomato slices in the soy milk and then in the cornmeal mixture to coat. Place coated tomatoes on the baking sheet, spray tops with a little cooking oil, and bake for 20 minutes, flipping tomatoes halfway through.

Variations: Try sliced zucchini instead of or in addition to the tomatoes. Experiment with different flour combinations or use 3/4 cup cornmeal and no flours.

Corn Chowder

I have two corn chowder recipes -- a thick and hearty winter stew and a lighter summer soup. This is the summer version, made with herbs and veggies from my garden and vegetables from this week's Door to Door Organics box. It's a little sweet, a little spicy, and surprisingly filling.

The onions were originally one onion that sprouted in my pantry. I planted it and it grew into three small onions. I trimmed the greens occasionally to use in recipes and just let the onion grow. Since the greens were starting to wilt, signalling the coming end of growth, I harvested the onions today so I could use both the bulbs and the remaining greens. The soup had a slight citrus kick from the lime basil I added from my garden, but you can use another variety of basil if you choose. I also grew the jalapeno, the first of my peppers to be ready this season.

Corn Chowder

3 ears of corn
1 jalapeno, minced
1 large (or 3 small) onion, diced
1 tsp olive oil
small bunch of onion greens or 4 scallions, sliced thin
1 lb yellow potatoes, diced (include peels)
4-6 ribs celery, sliced thin (include the leaves)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh sweet or lime basil, chopped
pinch allspice
pinch ground cayenne
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
2 cups soy milk

Shuck the corn, then use a sharp knife to strip the kernels from the cobs.

In a large saucepan or a stock pot, saute the onion and jalapeno in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes, until onion becomes translucent. Add the potatoes and celery and saute for several more minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except the soy milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

Remove from heat and stir in the soy milk before serving.

Quick Farro and Veggie Bowl

I'm always looking for quick, healthful meals for the nights when there just isn't time to cook. This one takes about 15 minutes to make and any veggies can be substituted for the ones I included. Quick-cook farro and smoked seasoning can be found at Trader Joe's, and I'm sure other stores also carry similar items. If you can't find quick-cook farro, regular farro can be used, but you'll have to cook it longer. The smoked seasoning is optional, but I think it adds a fun kick to an otherwise simple dish.

I subscribed to a weekly home-delivery organic produce service last week and we received our first box today. It was a huge box that contained all sorts of tasty and very fresh treasures. My kids are excited by the oranges and tangerines, and I am excited by having an easier way to feed my family fresh veggies. The kids are becoming difficult to shop with, so being able to make fewer trips to the grocery store is a relief. One of the items in this week's box was a bunch of baby turnips, so those little gems became the inspiration for this dish.

It was still steaming when I took the picture, but we were in a hurry so I didn't have time to let it cool.

Quick Farro and Veggie Bowl

1 cup quick-cook farro

2 cups water or vegetable broth

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 bunch baby turnips (including greens)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 clove garlic, minced or grated

1 handful cherry tomatoes, diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

smoked seasoning blend to taste (optional)

Place farro and water or broth in a saucepan and cook according to package directions.

While the farro is cooking, heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Remove and reserve the greens from the baby turnips. Dice the turnips. Saute the turnips until they begin to soften. Add the chickpeas, mushrooms, and garlic and saute for a few more minutes. Chop the turnip greens and add them to the pan along with the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and smoked seasoning. Saute until the turnip greens wilt.

Stir in the cooked farro and serve. Serves about 3.

Avocado Kale Salad

Leafy greens are a staple in my family's diet. I try to cycle through the darker varieties - spinach, Swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, collards, and kale.

This salad was inspired by one I had from a health food store salad bar. I thought that salad had potential, but was a little boring with just kale, onions, and the avocado dressing. I livened up this version with mini heirloom tomatoes, raw pepitas, and cucumber. 

There is a lot of nutritional value to be excited about in this tasty raw salad. Kale is high in Vitamins A, C, and K, and also contains significant amounts of calcium, folate, and potassium. Avocados contain beneficial fats in addition to a high fiber content, Vitamins C and K, and folate. Lemons are full of potassium and Vitamin C.  Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc and other trace minerals. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants.

Avocado Kale Salad

1 big bunch of kale, washed, chopped, and stems removed (or a 10oz bag of pre-chopped kale)
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
2 lemons, peeled and seeded
1/3 cup water
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup raw pepitas (hull-less pumpkin seeds)
1 medium English cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup diced cherry tomatoes (I used some mini heirlooms)

In a food processor or blender, puree avocados, lemons, water, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Pour avocado dressing over the kale, mix well, and then use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale. This will make the leaves tender.

Stir in the pepitas, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.

The salad can be served immediately or refrigerated and allowed to marinate for several hours or overnight.

Messy Mouse's Scrambled Tofu

My thirteen-month-old daughter will eat just about anything. She especially likes brightly-colored foods, so she loved this multi-hued scrambled tofu. Even the spinach was gobbled down before she asked for more. The smoked sea salt isn't necessary if you can't find it, but it does add a nice dimension to the simple dish.

Messy Mouse's Scrambled Tofu

1 lb firm tofu, drained and mashed with a fork
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped
1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup baby spinach
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1 1/2 tsp fresh basil, minced
fresh ground pepper to taste
sprinkle of smoked sea salt (optional)

Heat oil in a skillet. Add tofu, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, and salt and stir well to combine. Scramble for 7-8 minutes, then stir in red bell pepper. Continue to scramble until the bell pepper begins to soften. Stir in nutritional yeast, spinach, and basil. Scramble for about 1 minute, until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and add pepper and smoked salt to taste.

Serve over a bed of fresh baby spinach with toast on the side.