Mama Mia! *RECIPE ALERT*

I started the Au Naturale diet to become a healthier person. Of course, it doesn't always work the way I intend. From all of my face-plants in the McDonald's drive-thrus on business trips to gorging on all-natural yet highly caloric homemade Cadbury Creme Eggs, my waistline continuously expands and contracts like a car tire on a hot day.

It seems like an oxymoron when you can eat local and organic yet still gain weight. But local beer is still beer. Pasture-raised meat is still meat- although leaner. And a pound of zucchini, as nutritious as it can be, is still a pound of food when eaten all at once.

And there, Loyal Readers, is how a relaxing weekend away almost split a pair of jeans.

A few weeks ago, the BF and I got to escape to the wilds of northern Minnesota for a long weekend away. Northern Minnesota is glorious, with many of the 10,000 lakes within driving distance (I personally counted about 45). We used the trip as an excellent opportunity to go through two of the CSA boxes in our possession: one from our regular Sunday pickup, and one from a rescheduled pickup due to the trip. Unfortunately, in our rush to grab the second box and pack it up before we hit the road at 5am for a 12 hour drive, I completely forgot to take a picture. But it was very similar to week 2, which you can see below:

Yellow pepper, zucchini, lettuce, 2 tomatoes (one green), sungold tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, beets

Again, the cooking results from weeks 2 and 3 were nothing terribly fancy as we threw almost everything on the grill, along with pasture-raised chicken breasts from C&D Family Farms and Pirate Wurst brats from Crafthouse Market Goods. Seriously, it's hard to think of cooking anything indoors when the weather is amazing, and a front row seat to a glorious lake view only sealed the deal.  Lunches were leftovers or the BF's preferred vegan lunch meats on locally baked bread with the lettuce and tomato that you see above. And we passed many a lazy summer day away sipping on Surly beer, locally brewed in Minneapolis and only found in the Twin Cities. The BF loves Surly's Furious Red Ale, so we had to make a stop on the way up to grab provisions.

But man, was it a lot of food. When we were done just 4 days later we had gone through almost all of it, and by then I was swearing I would not drink alcohol nor eat my weight in food for the next week. So it goes to show: a lot of healthy food can still be a lot of food. More than once I was uncomfortable. But at least I was uncomfortable with food that won't have unintended effects on my body.

A few days after we got back, tired, without much in the fridge, and certainly not in the mood to cook, we threw together an easy pasta dish using Pasta Puttana noodles, the remainder of the veggies, and herbs from the back deck. Part improv, part slightly modified from a recipe online, it was light, refreshing, and flavorful. Not too boring, not too heavy on the oil, and quick to whip up, it was almost the perfect pasta primavera. Too bad we weren't drinking, because a crisp glass of Pinot Gris would have been the perfect accompaniment.

I raced to write down what we did before it slipped away forever. Note that we've made a few pasta primaveras since then and none quite measured up to this one. Although I'm sure they could have if I just took a minute to look back at what I wrote:

Pasta Primavera: (serves 2)

1 8 oz pkg seasoned garlic tagliatelle from Pasta Puttana
3 tbs olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 large yellow pepper, chopped
generous dash of crushed red pepper (if you like some spicy)
3/4 cup fresh basil
2 springs Italian oregano
1 spring hot n spicy oregano
freshly grated parmesean cheese

Directions:

Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. If using dried pasta, add to water and cook based on package directions. If using a fresh pasta such as Pasta Puttana, continue to steps below while waiting for water to boil.

Heat oil over high heat in large pan; saute garlic for a minute- keep an eye on it or it will burn.
Add veggies, saute for one minute.
Add herbs & red pepper flakes, and toss all together. Turn heat down to medium and cook everything for 3 minutes.
Turn heat to low and cover to keep warm while cooking/finishing pasta.
If using fresh pasta, add pasta to water and cook for just one minute.

Drain and return pasta to pot. Pour contents of pan (including remaining oil) into pot with pasta, toss together.  Serve with fresh parmesean cheese.

When CSAs Attack!! **RECIPE(S) ALERT**

Hey, look at that... I haven't been posting my weekly CSA pictures in quite a while. Time for catch up!

Week 5, perhaps? Peppers, eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, white onion, pattypan squash, tomatoes, broccoli. Whew!

And....

So then this would be week 6? Corn, spicy pepper, cantaloupe,  eggplant, red onion, cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, zucchini (double whew!)

And if that's not enough, here is this week's:

corn, watermelon, tomatoes, peppers, white onion, broccoli, potatoes, spicy peppers, squash

And these photos don't even include all the weeks I didn't take pictures, or last week which was given away to the BF since I was out of town.

What is the point of throwing all of these pics at you all at once? To show my exhaustion.

About a month ago, my produce was piling up, but not in a good way. I was acquiring veggies faster than I could use them. My humidity controlled drawers in the fridge were filled to capacity and so were most of the shelves, too. Some produce was beginning to rot. Others weren't, but were old enough that I might as well have just bought them in the grocery store. I was drowning under all of that produce and I couldn't make it stop.

I finally reached a breaking point. Enough was enough! It was time to engage in a serious cooking marathon. I rallied, I researched, I took notes.  I figured out ways to use all of my veggies without having to buy a lot of side ingredients, and to make things that did not need to be consumed the same day. I cleared out my evening schedule, and vowed to cook everything at once.

Aaand.... of course I hit a hiccup. As I think I've mentioned before, I am not the world's fastest cook. You could say I take Slow Food literally (hardy har). If a recipe says it should only take a half hour, I can count on the fact that it will take me an hour. (I think it's the chopping that gets me-- I'm always worried I will cut my fingers off.) And the first dish I attempted to prepare, the eggplant canneloni which did not come with an estimated time frame, took me well over 3 hours. So the cooking marathon got stretched into 2 evenings.

By the end, though, I ended up with some amazing dishes: grilled eggplant cannelloni with ricotta and prosciutto; grilled romaine and pecorino salad; pasta with a roasted eggplant and tomato sauce; carrot-zucchini bread with candied ginger; spicy tomatillo salsa; and ricotta and prosciutto gnudi.  And you, my loyal readers, get the spoils of the fruits of my labor (that is, you get the recipes and notes, if not the actual food).

Some notes on the dishes before we get to them:

The grilled eggplant cannelloni (where the eggplant IS the cannelloni) was my winner as the most spectacular. It was also the dish that took me an entire night. Even if you are a faster cook than I, which I am willing to bet you are, this dish still takes a while, probably a good 2 hours to be sure. However, a few of the steps can certainly be made in advance, such as the sauce or the ricotta filling, to save you some time. I recommend doing that.

There was some improvisation, of course, of which I am generally not good and therefore quite proud. I halved the grilled eggplant cannelloni recipe as half of it was going to take care of both dinner and lunch the next day, but even with the half recipe I was still left with an excess of the ricotta filling. I lamented to a friend the next day- what to do with this wonderful blended mixture? There wasn't enough to really make a second batch of the cannelloni. "Why not make a gnudi?" she suggested. What a great idea! Except... I had no idea what gnudi was.  See the recipe below for more details.

A word on the salsa: after making this salsa, I immediately swore I would never buy jarred salsa ever again. And I mean it! The fresh stuff is crazy easy-- as in, it took even slow-cooking me only 10 minutes to do-- and it was more flavorful than anything else I have ever had. It was also exceptionally spicy, considering I had mistaken a habanero pepper for a jalapeno. Oops!

The only recipe I am not including below is the roasted eggplant and tomato sauce. Because I'm lazy? Perhaps. But while not a bad dish, it wasn't my favorite. I will make the point though that I of course used an Au Naturale pasta: Pasta Puttana, made locally and fresh-- no dried noodles here, folks!-- here in Chicago. Also sold in convenient serving size bags. This stuff is so fresh, it only needs to be cooked for a few minutes to get it al dente. If you really want the recpe for the sauce, just message me and I will post.

Finally.... it occurred to me that leaving all of these recipes-- here and previously-- within the body of posts is not efficient for you, loyal readers, to reference. So moving forward, I am creating a second page on this site dedicated to a recipe list. It will take me a little bit of time to go back and add everything in, so be patient. However, I will still include recipes within each relevant post as I have always done.

So, without further adieu....

Grilled Eggplant Cannelloni with Ricotta and Prosciutto
As I mentioned, I halved the recipe when I made it but still had excess ricotta filling so I don't know if I was being stingy when filling the eggplant or if the recipe itself is a bit of overkill. Also, while I halved the actual ricotta, I probably used 2/3 of the suggested amounts for the additional filling ingredients, such as garlic, parsley, prosciutto, etc. It was flavorful without being overpowering. So if you are inclined to add extra garlic or cheese or anything, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do so.
serves 6


Ingredients:
2 large globe eggplants; 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each
kosher or sea salt
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

tomato sauce:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
/2 yellow onion, minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped (no need to peel)
8 to 12 fresh basil leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
pinch of hot red pepper flakes
kosher or sea salt

ricotta filling:
2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese, or one 15-ounce container (I ended up using a skim one accidentally, and I still thought it was good)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or parmigiano reggiano cheese (I went for pecorino)
1/3 cup minced prosciutto
2 tbs minced fresh italian parsley
1 large garlic clove, minced (I used 2 cloves because garlic is yummy!)
freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or parmigiano reggiano cheese, for topping

Directions:
1.  Slice off the eggplants' green cap, then cut each eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/3 inch thick. Discard the first and last slices, which are mostly skin. You should get at least 6 large slices from each eggplant. Sprinkle them generously on both sides with salt, then set the slices on a rack and let stand for 30 minutes. Moisture will bead on the surface.

2.  Prepare a moderate charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium (375). Pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels, then brush on both sides with the olive oil. Place the slices directly oveer the coals or gas flame and cook, turning once, until they are nicely marked by the grill and pliable, about 3 minutes per side. They do not need to be fully cooked as they will cook further in the oven. Set the slices aside on a tray to cool.

3. To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is soft and beginning to color, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they soften and collapse into a sauce, about 10 minutes, depending on ripeness.

4.  Remove from the heat, and pass the mixture through a food mill fitted with the fine disk (or a food processor). Return the puree to the skillet over moderate heat. Tear the basil leaves in half and add to the skillet along with the oregano (rubbing it between your fingers as you do), the hot pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and tasty. Set aside.

5.  To make the ricotta filling, put the ricotta, pecorino, prosciutto, parsley, and garlic in a medium bowl. Stir until blended, then season to taste with salt and pepper, Stir in the egg.

6.  Preheat the oven to 350. Choose a shallow baking dish large enough to hold all the eggplant rolls snugly in one layer. Spread 1/3 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish.

7. Put a generous 2 tbs filling on each eggplant slice and spread it evenly. Carefully roll each slice like a jelly roll, and place the rolls, seam side down, in the baking dish. Top with the remaining tomato sauce, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the pecorino evenly over the top.

8.  Bake until lightly browned and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes before serving. Can also be refrigerated and reheated the next day.


Grilled Romaine and Pecorino 
I had a pathetic little bit of romaine that was about to go bad and I found this recipe. Who would have thought of putting lettuce on the grill? But it works- supposedly because of their natural sugar, they color up beautifully on the grill. It's just a nice twist to something we generally eat raw.
serves 4


Ingredients:
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 hearts of romaine, each 5 to 6 ounces, halved lengthwise with the core attached
kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
chunk of pecorino (or parmigiano reggiano, your choice) for grating
4 lemon wedges

Directions:
1.  Prepare a moderate charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium (375)

2.  Put the olive oil on a tray or platter. Turn the romaine hearts in the oil to coat them all over. Season with salt.

3.  Place the romaine hearts directly over the coals or gas flame. Cook, turning as needed, until they are lightly browned on both sides, crisp in spots, and tender yet still a touch crunchy, 5 to 7 minutes.

4.  Transfer the romaine hearts to a serving platter or individual plates. Grind some pepper over the romaine, then grate cheese over them, using as much as you'd like. Accompany with the lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

Carrot Zucchini Bread with Candied Ginger
I've had my eye on this recipe all summer and the extra zukes in my fridge gave me the excuse to finally do it. Personally, I couldn't taste the ginger much in the finished product so next time I think I will add either more of the candied or ground. It calls for all-purpose flour, but I'd like to try it with whole wheat.. I just didn't want to mess with it the first time I made it.  Also- this recipe as written supposedly makes 2 8-inch loaves. My baking pans are 9 inches, not much bigger, but I was able to get all the batter in to make just one normal-sized loaf. So go figure. Pick for yourself based on your baking pan size.


Ingredients:
nonstick cooking spray for preparing the pan
3 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1/2 cp minced candied ginger
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup carrots, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater
1 cup zucchini, grated on the large holes of a box grater

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 325. Coat two 8.5 by 4.5 by 2 3/4 " loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2.  Sift together the sifted flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Stir in the salt and candied ginger.

3.  In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until light and foamy. Add the canola oil, sugar, and vanilla, whisking vigorously until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the carrots and zucchini.

4.  Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture all at once and stir with a wooden spoon just until blended. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans.

5.  Bake until the breads are well risen and firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert and finish cooling right side up on the rack.

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa
What a coup this recipe was. I was struck with the idea of making salsa when I saw tomatillos at the market, but then they just sat on my counter for forever. If I had known how incredibly easy this was, I would have made it sooner. You really can't screw it up: My recipe was actually a combo of a few different ones, as the main one I had suggested both cilantro and grilling everything first to give it a smokey flavor, both of which I generally don't like. If you aren't down for spice, just eliminate the jalapeno; if you want a lot of spice, substitute a hotter pepper, as I (accidentally) did. And you can't go wrong with too much garlic!
makes about 1 1/3 cup


Ingredients:
1/2 pound tomatillos (about 5 medium)
1/2 small white onion, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 jalapeno, chopped
kosher or sea salt

Directions:
1. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and wash them to remove any stickiness. Dry well. Coarsely chop.

2.  Put the tomatillos and onion in a blender or food processor. Peel the garlic and add to the blender along with the chile. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in salt to taste (generally 1/2 tsp works well- can also be added when blending). You can add a little water or lime juice if you feel it needs thinning, but generally not necessary.

Ricotta and Prosciutto Gnudi
As I mentioned, this was an excellent way to use the leftover ricotta filling from the cannelloni dish. Gnudi is "naked pasta": basically the filling of a ravioli but made in the shape of gnocchi and eaten like it's own pasta. Full disclosure: because this was made from leftovers and I had more than enough dishes at this point, I made the gnudi and froze it, so I cannot yet account for how it tastes on it's own. But considering how good the ricotta was in it's original dish, I'm sure it will be a winner once I finally pull it out of the freezer.


Ingredients:
2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese, or one 15-ounce container (I ended up using a skim one accidentally, and I still thought it was good)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or parmigiano reggiano cheese (I went for pecorino)
1/3 cup minced prosciutto
2 tbs minced fresh italian parsley
1 large garlic clove, minced (I used 2 cloves as I like garlic)
freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup all purpose flour

additional all-purpose flour for coating
Directions:
1. put the ricotta, pecorino, prosciutto, parsley, and garlic in a medium bowl. Stir until blended, then season to taste with salt and pepper, Stir in the egg. (this is the same instruction as above for the cannelloni recipe.)

2.  Sprinkle up to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour into mixture in batches and stir to blend. You want to use enough so that you can make small ricotta balls without it falling apart, but not too firm.

3.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Place flour in a bowl.  For gnudi, form one heaping tablespoon of ricotta mixture in a ball. Add to flour, toss to coat lightly, then roll into small log (like a gnocchi). Place on sheet and repeat. You can also make small indentations with the tongs of a fork to create spaces for the eventual sauce to cling to.

4. Cover and chill dough one hour. Alternatively, put baking sheet in freezer if you want to preserve (after 6 hours, you can then put them in a bag).

5. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook gnudi until very tender, about 5-8 minutes (they sometimes say the gnudi will float when done). Serve with any sort of pasta (or other) sauce.

Bon Apetit!