Week Ten: Colorful!

We’ve now gotten to the point where bringing a bag to CSA pick-up certainly isn’t sufficient! When I bring two baskets and a couple of smaller bags, all of our beautiful, fragrant veggies and herbs still burst through the top. We are making and storing pestos from past weeks ‘ recipes with the beautiful basil, enjoying fresh salads and snacking on raw carrots, cucumbers, peppers  and tomatoes when we head to the beach.

This week includes a chicken stir-fry, an asian noodle salad that we always do some version of a couple of times each summer, a great way to use green beans and fennel, a kid-friendly snack and vegan chocolate-zucchini muffins.  Let me know what you’re making and loving!

Asian Noodle Salad
Recipe Credit: The Pioneer Woman

• SALAD INGREDIENTS:
  1 package Linguine Noodles, Cooked, Rinsed, And Cooled
  1/2 head Sliced Napa Cabbage, Or More To Taste
  1/2 head Sliced Purple Cabbage, Or More To Taste
  1/2 bag Baby Spinach, Or More To Taste
  1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
  1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
  1 whole Orange Bell Pepper, Thinly Sliced
  1 bag Bean Sprouts (also Called Mung Bean Sprouts)
  Chopped Cilantro, Up To 1 Bunch, To Taste
  3 whole Scallions, Sliced
  3 whole Cucumbers Peeled And Sliced
  1 can (about 10 Oz.) Whole Cashews, Lightly Toasted In Skillet

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FOR THE DRESSING:

1 whole Lime, Juiced
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
8 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons (up To 3 Tablespoons) Sesame Oil
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger Chopped
2 cloves Garlic, Chopped
2 whole Hot Peppers Or Jalapenos, Chopped
Chopped Cilantro

Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.

Note: dressing keeps for up to three days before serving, without cilantro.

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Green Bean Salad with Fried Almonds
Recipe Credit: Smitten Kitchen

1 pound green beans
1/2 a fennel bulb (about 1/2 pound)
1 stalk celery, trimmed
1/2 medium red onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) whole almonds
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil

If you’ve got an adjustable blade slider, time to make it earn its keep! Very thinly slice half your fennel bulb, your celery and your half onion. If you don’t have a fancy slicer, just slice them thinly with a knife. Toss the fennel with lemon juice to prevent browning and also because it makes it extra delicious.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, water, salt and sugar together. Add the onions and set them aside for about an hour. If you don’t have an hour, 30 minutes will still pickle them to deliciousness but they will only get better with age.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Trim and tail green beans. Boil beans until crisp-tender, about 4 to 5 minutes for regular green beans and about 3 minutes for skinny ones. Plunge in an ice water bath. Drain and pat dry. (If you have no patience for the precision of ice water baths, take the green beans out a full minute early as they will continue cooking as they cool.)

Heat a small heavy skillet to medium heat and add one teaspoon olive oil. Add almonds and toss until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer almonds to a plate, let cool, and cut each almond into half or thirds.

Assemble your salad: Toss green beans with most of fennel, all of celery and half of the pickled red onions. Sprinkle two tablespoons of the red onion pickling liquid and two tablespoons of olive oil over the mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste, adjust seasonings and ingredient levels to your preferences.

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Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Recipe Credit: Oh She Glows

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)
1 & 1/4 cup lightly packed shredded zucchini, skin left on
1 & 1/4 cup almond milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped

• 1. Preheat oven to 350F and lightly spray muffin with oil or grease with Earth Balance.
• 2. Mix flax egg in a small bowl and set aside. Grate zucchini using a grater box (regular grate size). Set aside.
• 3. Mix almond milk and apple cider vinegar (or sub fresh lemon juice) in a small bowl and set aside. It will curdle, but this is the point as we’re making vegan buttermilk.
• 4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar).
• 5. Mix together the wet ingredients (flax egg, almond milk mixture, maple syrup, and vanilla) and then pour over dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, walnuts, and shredded zucchini.
• 6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin filling each tin 3/4 of the way full. Bake for about 15-17 minutes at 350F, or until muffins slowly spring back when touched. A toothpick should come out mostly clean. Cool in tin for 5 minutes. With a knife, loosen around the muffin edge and transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool.

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• Crispy Black Bean Fritters with Cilantro Dipping Sauce
  Recipe Credit: Mia’s Domain
  3 cups black bean, cooked

  1 large yellow pepper, remove seed, chop into small pieces

  1 small white onion, diced

  2 garlic cloves, crushed

  1 large tomato, chopped into small pieces

  3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  1/2 cup all purpose unbleached flour

  2 eggs, room temperature

  Sea salt and black pepper

  Extra virgin olive oil (for frying)

  Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, stir well to combine (add more flour if it’s not binding). Season with sea salt and black pepper. In a large skillet,add three tablespoons of oil to the pan on medium heat. When hot, add tablespoonfuls of the bean mixture. Fry on one side until golden brown and crispy (about 3 minutes). Flip over for a further three minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Season with fresh black pepper and sea salt.

  Serve with dipping sauce on the side

  Cilantro Dipping Sauce:

  1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

  1/2 small green chili, seeded and finely chopped

  1 small garlic clove, crushed

  2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  1 teaspoon sugar Sea salt and black pepper

  Blend all the ingredients for a smooth consistency. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

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Chicken-Broccoli Stir Fry

Recipe Credit: Food Network

• Ingredients
  1 pound chicken breast (about 2 breasts), cubed
  3 scallions, whites only, thinly sliced on an angle
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  1 -inch piece peeled fresh ginger, minced
  1 tablespoon soy sauce
  2 tablespoons sugar
  1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  1 tablespoon dry sherry
  1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
  About 1/3 cup water
  3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  5 to 6 cups broccoli, trimmed sliced stalks and medium florets (keep the 2 cuts separate)
  3/4 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
  1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  Garnish: toasted sesame seeds, optional
  Serving suggestion: Jasmine rice

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the scallion whites, about half the garlic and ginger, the soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the sherry, and the sesame oil. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Mix the remaining cornstarch with 1/3 cup water.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat. Add the broccoli stems, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the florets and the remaining garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of water, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Get the skillet good and hot again, and then heat 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the chicken and chili flakes if using. Stir-fry until the chicken loses its raw color and gets a little brown, about 3 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce, return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken. Add more water if need to thin the sauce, if necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like. Mound the stir-fry on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates and garnish with sesame seeds; serve with rice.

Notes: The garlic and ginger can be chopped together in a minichopper to save time.

Scallion greens can also be used to garnish, if you like that extra onion-y flavor and you want to use up the scallions.