June 27, 2013 is the opening day of the third season of Pescadero Grown, a Certified Community Farmers Market on the South Coast. You will find fresh vegetables, fruit, honey, grass-fed beef, pastured pork, pastured eggs, cheese, fudge, cupcakes and more — all local, fresh and sustainable. (more…)
Courtesy of Protrero Farm website.
Potrero Nuevo Farm is committed to sustainable agriculture. The farm relies on many volunteers to grow thousands of pounds of food for the Coastside low-income community. If you want to support the community, learn more about growing food or just want a day enjoying clean air they would love your help. (more…)
Kiwi are native to China and is the National Fruit of China. Fortunately for Coastsiders, they are grown locally on the San Mateo County coast at Swanton Coastways Ranch through February. (more…)
Slow-cooked sweet potatoes and apples — a super and really simple great meatless Mondays meal! Add some kind of bean dish and salad and you have a quick, healthy meal. (more…)
We haven’t been eating enough quinoa at our home lately, so I came up with a quick recipe that’s easy enough to make during the week.
Serves 2 to 3
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 chopped red onion
1 ½ cups chopped celery
1 large or 2 small chicken breasts depending on size, cubed
3 or 4 garlic cloves minced (I like the mini-grater)
1 cup tomatoes
If using fresh, 2 or more tomatoes (depending on their size) or half a can of diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 or 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, finely minced
Sauté onion and celery in oil until for about 5 minutes. Added chicken, grated garlic and cook about 5 more minutes. Add tomatoes, stock and quinoa, simmering 15 minutes. Add basil and peppers blending flavors for another 5 minutes.
Serve with a salad.
NOTE: If you like a lot of heat, you can add a tablespoon or 2 of the adobo sauce. Thyme and cilantro can be substituted for the basil.
Here is another fall dish that is very easy to make. It’s a great way to use extra pears if you have a tree or if, as is often the case this time of year, there is a great special at your market. (more…)
I really love peas but I get too busy at times to bother with the time consuming task of shelling them. I was delighted to find a small bag of shelled peas at a local market recently. I cut some spearmint from my garden and created this enjoyable side dish. (more…)
© Mylitleye | Dreamstime.com
Victoria Plock is a long time Coastside resident who loves to cook and brings great variety to her recipes from her Armenian heritage.
Ingredients:
4 cups liquid (I used half organic, unfiltered, unsweetened Apple juice and water)
3 bay leaves
Salt to taste
2 cups quinoa
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon (grate the rind and squeeze the juice)
1 large onion
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
2 teaspoons powdered coriander
Dash of cayenne pepper (to your taste)
Sliced almonds
Dried cranberries
Diced dried plums or apricots
2 large carrots grated
Preparation:
Boil 4 cups of liquid; season with bay leaves and salt. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 20 minutes, until quinoa absorbs water. Remove from heat; remove bay leaves and let cool.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in frying pan. Sauté onion until clear, then add cumin, coriander and cayenne; let the flavors blend. Add almonds and cook until golden; add grated carrots, apricots, cranberries, grated lemon rind and lemon juice. Cover and let carrots get a bit soft; add to cooked quinoa and toss gently.
Can be served hot or at room temperature or as a salad.
TIPS:
You can use scallion in place of the onion and fresh chopped parsley and mint.
You can also fry different varieties of squashes and/or broccolini.
Instead of dried plums or apricots use fresh fruit such as mango and strawberries or pomegranate seeds.
On August 30 from 6-7 p.m., Chef Amy Fothergill continues her cooking class series at New Leaf Market with creative ideas for making healthy lunches for your family. (more…)
When my Asian pears begin to ripen every summer, I look for pear recipes. I created this dish after finding too many recipes with brown sugar and more sweetening agents than I like. It’s almost as good reheated the following day.
Small Yukon potatoes
Half head of shredded cabbage
1 chopped red onion
1 cup of dried cranberries
3 to 5 Asian pears (depending on size)
Half cup of apple juice
1 cup sweet and sour sauce of your choice
2 pork tenderloins
Put a layer of potatoes on the bottom and layer the other dry ingredients with pears on top. Mix the juice and sauce together. Pour over the vegetables and fruit. Lay the pork on top.
Cook for about 3 hours on high and 5 to 6 on low.
NOTES: If you want to do the extra step, brown the pork first in a fry pan with a small amount of olive oil for more flavor. For serving more than four people, you could expand the recipe with additional cabbage, pears and add apples as well. Watch the liquids to make sure the dish doesn’t dry out while cooking.
