Category Archives: Counter Culture

Counter Culture

Posted by Heather in Counter Culture and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

This past week marked the opening of my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I was so excited to go and pick up the first produce of the season. Here’s what we received: one bag of mixed greens, one bunch of asparagus, kale, two heads of lettuce, radishes, eggs, chives, tarragon, spearmint and peppermint.

And here is what we’ve done with this delicious food:

asparagus — steamed with butter, salt and pepper
radishes — although I wanted to make this salad again, I’ve just been putting these into regular green salads
mixed greens and lettuce — salad; the first salad I made needed to be quick and consisted of the greens plus snipped chives, including the chive blossoms. Salad dressing also needed to be quick and so I used cream, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. A perfect combination!
chives — the chives have appeared in salads and our egg supper, and I’m thinking of trying to dry some to use in the winter. I’ll have to let you know how that goes.
tarragon — I’m envisioning turning this into a lemon-tarragon sauce for chicken

kale — I browned a bit of garlic in some olive oil and then threw in the washed and chopped kale to cook until it was tender. Balsamic vinegar finished it off as a delicious side dish to our pasta dinner.
eggs — we often have eggs on Saturday night since I plan for a large meal on Sunday. Most frequently I mix five eggs with 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup grated cheese, salt and pepper and bake it in a greased pie plate. This week I added snipped chives.
spearmint and peppermint — my favorite way to enjoy these herbs is in my tea. I drink Trader Joe’s Irish Breakfast Decaf and add a sprig of mint to my mug when brewing the tea (or make a large pot with several teabags and a few sprigs of mint). I drink this hot with milk, but it’s also excellent chilled. Some of the mint found its way into the cucumber and sugar snap pea salad that I made again this week.

We enjoyed a delicious meal for Mother’s Day, cooked for us by my sister. She made hamburgers on the grill with various toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onion, blue cheese, avocado, and bacon. Side dishes included oven fries, rice salad, and Israeli salad.

Of course the most exciting thing happening in our kitchen right now is the presence of our baby girl — Laura Elizabeth — who arrived on April 27th.

And, since Laura’s arrival, our family has been enjoying the cooking of many friends who have kindly provided meals for us. We’ve all enjoyed the variety and I think the kids are sorry to see the meals coming to an end.

Counter Culture

Posted by Heather in Counter Culture and tagged with ,

I’m expecting a baby at any moment now. And, contrary to better judgment, I haven’t put a bunch of meals in the freezer. So, I’ve been racking my brain for a list of easy-to-fix dinners that are also somewhat nutritious. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

Beans and Rice
Spaghetti with ground beef and a jar of decent sauce
Taco salad
Cheese and Bean Buritos
Crustless quiche or a version of this Tortilla-Crust Quiche
Homemade pizza
Italian sausage with roasted peppers and onions mixed with pasta and cheese
Fajitas with roasted peppers and onions and sauteed chicken
Baked chicken with baked potatoes
Cottage cheese, baked potatoes, salad and fruit

I intend to have the ingredients for these recipes on hand so we won’t be stuck at dinner time with nothing to eat!

I just came across this fun idea for a kid’s snack on one of my favorite craft blogs. Essentially, you split the banana lengthwise, leaving just a little bit attached at the middle. Cut the inside into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with lemon juice, brown sugar (or honey or agave nectar) and nuts (I used hazelnuts, Betz suggests walnuts). We added mini chocolate chips. Yum!

Counter Culture

Posted by Heather in Counter Culture and tagged with , , ,

I’ve decided to name my bi-weekly post Counter Culture for several reasons. First off, these posts are meant to be about what is going on in my kitchen, and thus on my counters. Second, I often feel as though what does go on my counters is often very counter-culture to the way the general population of America is eating these days. So what is happening in my kitchen at the moment?


(Homemade bread from the freezer and ranunculus to adorn the dining table)

I’ve signed up for my very first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). For those unfamilar with that term, what it essentially means is that I’ve paid a certain amount to a local farmer and in return I will be getting a share of what his farm produces over the 25 week growing period in our area.

I’m really excited about this new adventure. “My” farmer provided a list of all the vegetables, herbs and fruits he grows and when I might expect to receive them. I cannot wait until the season starts in May and I begin to collect fresh greens, herbs like applemint, organo and peppermint, as well as asparagus. I’m planning to keep you up-to-date with how the CSA works for our family and what ideas we come up with for using our produce.

I’m also planning to get some peas, swiss chard and spinach planted in my garden any day now. We don’t have a very big plot, since we live in the suburbs and our yard is small. But, having a garden of any size is a great way to help the children learn where our food comes from and how much hard work it takes to actually grow it!

This week I’ll leave you with my new favorite recipe: a spring salad made with fresh, mixed berries. A friend brought it to our spring tea and we all couldn’t get enough of it. Admittedly, it is a rather expensive salad, but if you are having a special occassion, and need something stunning, this is the salad to make!

SPRING BERRY SALAD
(Heather, as passed on to me from Heidi and Michelle; dressing is from Country Living)
Print this recipe

spring salad mix
arugula
romaine lettuce

fresh blueberries
fresh strawberries, sliced
fresh raspberries

pecans

Mix salad ingredients in whatever proportions you prefer. Toss with dressing just before serving.

Dressing:
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or canola oil if you prefer a milder taste)

Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl or jar and mix well. Remove garlic and serve. Store refrigerated up to one week.