What's for dinner 12/22/09 - Russian Salad

Our winter CSA box usually gets me a little depressed. I'm not a big fan of root vegetables and as of lately we've been getting tons of them (beets, turnips, carrots, potatoes, and the bane of my existence: rutabaga). In the passed 2 years of subscribing to our CSA I have never used my rutabaga, it usually sits in the fridge, giving me the stink eye until I throw it in the compost. But this year, I decided to do my best to use it all up. After looking through Moosewood Cooks for a Crowd, I stumbled upon a recipe that I thought might just work. And, I must say, rutabaga and I are getting along quite well now. Here is the adapted recipe, so for those of you who have no idea how to get rid of all of those root vegetables - here's how in one fell swoop. 

Ingredients

3 medium sized fresh beets, peeled and chopped

2 medium peeled potato, chopped

1 large rutabaga, peeled and chopped
1 large peeled carrot, chopped
2 dill pickles (all we had were slices and they worked fine)
1 leek, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 sprigs of fresh dill, chopped
salt to taste

Boil the potato, rutabaga and carrot until they are soft but can still hold their shape. Take out potato, rutabaga and carrots and set aside, while chopping the leek and pickles. Boil the beets until soft. Once you can get a fork in and out of it with ease, it's ready to take out and cool. Once the boiled vegetables are cooked and cooled then mix in a bowl together with pickles and leek. Add dill and olive oil, a dash of salt and mix well.

Moosewood suggests serving with hard boiled egg or sesame crackers.

Day 3 of vacation and I've conquered rutabaga, I feel like I'm king of the world. 

Four Favorite Foods of 2009

As 2009

 progressed I have become more and more vegan (well except for the occasional slice of cheese and pat of butter) and have tried to find more ways to get protein into our meals. Macrobiotics has also been  an interest of mine, due in part to my strange acquisition of optic neuritis. It's amazing how much food affects you, so I've tried to use as many whole, organic ingredients that are packed with the nutrients that I most desperately need. I also stumbled upon a fantastic cookbook at the library which has been an inspiration in nearly all of my meals. 

Adzuki Beans - I LOVE these beans! They're packed full of fiber and protein and are delicious in everything. My favorite meal using adzukis is Cynthia Lair's Vegetarian Chili (I substituted adzukis for kidney beans) which is founded upon using quinoa, beans and corn. It is absolutely delicious and packed with protein. It will make it into my cookbook. 

Lentils - Another nutrient that I typically lack is iron and 1 cup of these babies will give you 40% of your daily iron, over 100% of your daily intake of molybdenum (which fights certain types of cancer, cavities, and metabolizes fat, iron and carbs) and has lots of dietary fiber. Lentils can help sooth digestive disorders and can help to prevent heard disease. My favorite way to eat lentils is in soup or in a quick majadra (lentils, brown rice and caramelized onions). 

Chard - I started buying Swiss chard last year at the Vineyard Farmer's market and I can't stop buying it now. First inspired to make sauteed chard by a video of a chef at Nutshell (RIP) in Portland and now I put it in anything and everything I can. I substitute it for spinach whenever possible; in soups and my personal favorite vegan enchiladas with sauteed potatoes, garlic and soy or almond cheese. Swiss chard is jam-packed with vitamins such as K, A, C, E, iron, magnesium, potassium calcium, B2, B6, protein and fiber.

Popcorn - ok ok, not exactly the most nutrient rich food but gosh darn it, it's delicious. It is high in fiber which aides in digestion, can prevent colon cancer and kidney stones. Jeff Halsey has perfected air-popped popcorn. He uses coconut oil to get it going then drizzles it with olive oil and sea salt. This could possibly be the best snack ever created.

Coffee - I used to be a soy cappuccino drinker, but this year I have discovered the beauty of a well brewed cup of coffee. They are very rare to come by, so I have discovered this year. It all started with a trip to Danville and a stop at Sideboard who brews Blue Bottle Coffee, one cup and I was in love. I am officially and addict (hello my name is Ali, and I can't stop drinking coffee). Studies have come and gone about the health benefits of coffee. A recent study has shown that drinking 4 cups of coffee a day can help reduce your risk of diabetes (but will give you a horrible stain on your teeth) and coffee contains anti-oxidants that help minimize the sign of aging. Overall I would say coffee is amazing, why have I not realized this sooner?

2009

I'm thinking of writing a cookbook. Well, not really writing but compiling one to give to family and friends. As I am thinking about what to include, I am thinking about what I cooked this year and to be honest I haven't cooked as much as I would have liked. The year started out busy, as it typically does. Back to school, back to life, back to AP, swimming, History Day, Acadec and a new program Link Crew. Last winter I made a lot of soup and I found the beauty in freezing soup. I also realized how easy it is to make beans from scratch in the Crock-pot. In the spring I came down with a bizarre illness and food was not in the forefront of my mind. I didn't enjoy cooking or eating much so spring's recipes we mostly out of necessity. Jeff  learned how to cook a few great dishes (tempeh tacos and pasta) which as really helped out a lot this year. In the summer we ate lots of salads, corn and vegetables from our garden. This was the first year since I was a kid that I had my own vegetable garden and it was awesome (and economical) to make my meals from what I found in my backyard. One way to try to get rid of my illness was to relax, and I found gardening to be extremely rewarding and relaxing. Summer was spent reading books in my hammock, taking naps and gardening. This winter it's been all about lentils and beans. I can't get enough of them. We now have central heating so I can enjoy my house even on the coldest of days and can cook up a veritable storm. I'm back to my normal self again (with a little less vision but a much greater understanding of life) and ready for 2010. 

Next goals: write a kickbutt cookbook to share with family and friends, finish reading some books that have set unfinished for months or years, keep working on the house (the never ending story) and enjoy life's adventures.