Another recipe

One thing I love about spring and summer is the abundance of delicious food we get from our CSA box. Sometimes there are things that we aren't too sure what to do with them - though our farm does provide some recipes to help out - and other times I can barely wait for the first week we get a favorite item.

In last week's box, we got quite a few greens - as you're going to at the start of a season - including a huge head of Napa cabbage. I had a few ideas of how to use it, but ultimately decided that I was in the mood for cole slaw. No one else in my family particularly likes it, which is fine by me! So I grabbed a few things that I needed to use up and concocted one of my favorite slaws to date.

Dan claimed this was the best cole slaw he's ever eaten. He doesn't like cole slaw, so I think that's a compliment. He had a serving and didn't balk. I'm sticking by his statement.

Now, my measurements are estimations since I didn't actually measure anything out. Also, since I used whatever was on hand, you can feel free to adjust as necessary. I think one of the beautiful things about most recipes, particularly salads, is that you can add in whatever you had around. This would also be tasty with some broccoli or carrots thrown in.

So here you go, my Napa Cabbage Slaw, or The Best Slaw Dan's Ever Eaten

For the dressing:

1/2 c  Mayonnaise

1/4 c  Greek Yogurt (Sour Cream would probably work too)

2 T    Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 t  Kosher Salt

1/2 t  Celery Seed (I love Celery Seed!)

1/4 t  Ground Black Pepper

Combine all in a medium bowl until blended and creamy

For the salad:

1 Large Head Napa Cabbage Shredded/cut into thin ribbons

1 Tart Apple, julienne/thinly sliced - I used Fuji, but Granny Smith would be divine

2 Small Cucumbers, seeded and julienne/thinly sliced (I didn't cut the seeds out of one cuke and it added a lot of water)

Combine in a large bowl. Pour on dressing and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours - the longer the better. I had some for breakfast and it was somehow even better than at dinner. 

I love summertime salads - no cooking, no heat, no boiling water to add to the humidity. Ahhh. Give me greens in the summer and I am on happy lady.

A little help

Yesterday I got an email reminding me that the Shamrock Shuffle is a mere 53 (52 at this point) days away. It was good to know, but also daunting because I have felt very unmotivated lately... Beyond running on Friday and Saturday, I've done nothing since to help move forward. This lack of motivation is seriously bumming me out. I think a bit of music would help... Music has that amazing ability to inspire us, calm us and speak to and for us when we seem otherwise unable to find words.

I realized that while I don't need an mp3 player (especially since I know Dan and I have killed 2 since being married), I'd really like one. But then I thought about what I'd like to put on it. What are some songs you love to listen to while cleaning, working out, running or driving? I listen to a pretty eclectic mix of stuff, but trying to figure out what would really keep me going was a bit hard as most of it is pretty mellow. I know my bluegrass stuff would have enough pep to keep me a-runnin', but I thought I'd turn to my friends for suggestions of their favorites.

(Also, though somewhat of a sidenote, I'm trying to find some albums that feature hymns. But not over-produced or overdone. Just simple, so that I can sing along as I go through the day. I find so many are either big productions or lousy quality. Anyone have some great ones they love?)

And in return, readers, I will share this delicious recipe. We tried it over the weekend and I can assure you that I was looking forward to leftovers once the meal ended! A great vegetarian option, too, for those who are so inclined.

Cavatappi with Spinach, Garbanzo Beans, and Feta

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients

• 8  cups  coarsely chopped spinach
• 8  cups  hot cooked cavatappi (about 12 ounces uncooked spiral-shaped pasta)
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4  cup  olive oil
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
• 2  (19-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or other white beans, drained
• 4  garlic cloves, crushed
• Freshly ground pepper
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:288 (27% from fat)

Fat:8.6g (sat 2.3g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.3g)

Protein:11.2g

Carbohydrate:42.2g

Fiber:4.4g

Cholesterol:9mg

Iron:3.6mg

Sodium:334mg

Calcium:106mg

Cooking Light, JUNE 1998

 

Rollin' Rollin'

My mother-in-law got me a Cooking Light subscription for Christmas. I was really excited. I like their recipes a ton, primarily because I find them delicious. The first time I had even looked through some was at my sister-in-law's last Christmas. Since then, I've been hooked. They are just plain yummy and I'd recommend them to you all.

*note: I am not paid by Cooking Light. They don't even know I exist beyond the fact that now they mail me a magazine. But I'll still push 'em on ya. I'm good for free advertising like that.

So this is one of the new favorites in our house. I had it saved in my electronic recipe box for a while, but never got the chance to try it. I LOVE Chinese food. It's probably the second most missed food on my "Foods I Miss From NJ" (right after gyros, or just about anything from a diner). I have often eaten  leftover egg rolls for breakfast; they are more tasty that way, I promise.

So anyway, I found this recipe and thought I had to give it a try - a baked alternative to the grease laden fried version. I was skeptical, but I had to know, would it be good? Well, I assure you, friend, yes! Yes they are good.

Dan even went so far as to say that he likes them even better than the real thing. WHAT!? I told him to close that lying mouth, and to stop speaking falsehood. But there's a testimonial for you.

Oh, I should probably mention that I find it hard to ever follow a recipe exactly, so I'll put some notes in italics along the way...

BAKED EGG ROLLS

Egg rolls:
2/3 cup coarsely chopped celery   - I omit the celery
2/3 cup coarsely chopped carrot  - and just shred up a bunch of carrots. Like 1 1/2 cups.
2 cups shredded cabbage  - and increase this too. In fact, I've read notes that some use cole slaw mix
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger  - I use ground because it's what I have
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound ground turkey breast
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 egg roll wrappers
1 large egg white
Cooking spray

Sauce:    We don't even use the sauce, so I can't attest to its tastiness
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine celery and carrot in food processor, and pulse 10 times or until finely chopped.
Since I use shredded carrot, I skip that step up there

Combine celery mixture and cabbage in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave at high 5 minutes; drain.

Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add turkey; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cabbage mixture, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, and pepper. Cover and chill 15 minutes.

Place 1 egg roll wrapper at a time onto work surface with 1 corner pointing toward you (wrapper should look like a diamond). Trim 1 inch off right and left corners of wrapper. I don't trim. It seems totally unnecessary to me

Spoon 3 tablespoons turkey filling into center of wrapper. Fold lower corner of egg roll wrapper over filling.

Fold in trimmed corners. Moisten top corner of wrapper with egg white I use water here instead; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers, turkey filling, and egg white.

Lightly coat egg rolls with cooking spray, and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until golden brown.

To prepare sauce, combine 3/4 cup soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon ginger; serve with egg rolls. Garnish with green onions, if desired.


Yield:  14 servings (serving size: 1 roll and about 1 tablespoon sauce)

CALORIES 79 (29% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.9g,poly 1.1g); IRON 0.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 11mg; CALCIUM 18mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8g; SODIUM 532mg; PROTEIN 5.7g; FIBER 0.7g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2001