Organic Food Blog

Going green has never tasted so good and been so easy! “Nothing turns average cooks into great ones quicker than fresh ingredients,” New York Chef Tom Colicchio says in the July/August Issue of Men’s Health magazine.

When looking for some fresh ways to prepare your everyday meals, Men’s Health magazine has the following tips:

• Master The Market- Shopping at local farmer’s markets as opposed to supermarkets. Find one near you
• Make Friends- Building relationships with local butchers or fishmongers, can score you his best stuff.
• Stock Your Pantry- Keep extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh herbs in your kitchen at all times

Check out chef Colicchio’s Roasted Leg of Lamb with Herbs:

Ingredients:

• 5lb boneless leg of lamb
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh sage
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 Tbsp peanut oil or canola oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• Course sea salt

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lay the lamb flat (cute side up) on a clean surface and sprinkle it with kosher salt and pepper. Arrange half the herbs and all the garlic on the meat. Roll the meat tightly and tie it with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals

2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet on medium. Season the lamb roll with kosher salt and pepper; add it to the skillet to the oven.

3. Roast the lamb in the oven for about 45 minutes. Add the butter and the remaining herbs to the skillet and continue roasting, basting occasionally, for about 15 minutes. (The lamb is medium rare when a thermometer inserted in the center of the roll read 125 degrees F). Remove the meat for the oven, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice the lamb, sprinkle it with a touch of coarse sea salt, and serve.

With so many organic food recipes out today its hard to decide which one to pick. Here’s a fast and simple idea for any meal whether for a side dish or just a warm hot dinner on a chilly day. Its called Hippie Split Pea Organic Soup. What a neat idea courtesy of http://organictobe.org/index.php/2008/01/17/hippie-split-pea-organic-soup-recipe/:

”

From Greg Atkinson:

Like many members of my generation, I was a teenage vegetarian. The experience served me well, because in those days, in order to eat in the vegetarian style, one had to learn to cook. Most recipes for split pea soup call for ham, but this vegetarian version derives its deep flavor from an aromatic base of carrot, celery, and onion. The vegetables are slightly caramelized in oil while the peas boil in a separate pot.

Makes 8 servings

7 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups (1 pound) organic split green peas
3 medium organic carrots, peeled
1 medium organic onion, peeled
3 stalks organic celery
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Put the water, bay leaf, and salt in a soup pot over high heat, and bring to a full, rolling boil. Add the split peas, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low.

2. Meanwhile, cut the carrots, onion, and celery into 1/4 inch dice. Put the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the vegetables until they are soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the sauteéd vegetables to the pot and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally to make sure the soup isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the split peas are beginning to disintegrate, about 45 minutes.

4. Season the soup to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot with cornbread or biscuits.”

yum yum yum!

I love finding new recipes to try and this week, I found a fabulous one for chicken on the Food Network Web site. I tried it and all I can say is Wow!!! You will love it. Before I give you the recipe, let me just say that I did make a few modifications that worked really well. Instead of spraying the pan with cooking spray, I used butter for added flavor. I also added an extra dash of garlic and some finely chopped onions, since I am a firm believer that, if it isn’t sweet, it requires onions. I also added organic corn for an additional veggie. Here is goes…I hope you enjoy!

Saffron Chicken, Boiled Lemon and Green Bean Salad (courtesy of http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_37193,00.html)

1 lemon, preferably unwaxed
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste, divided
Pinch saffron
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 1/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, pounded to 1/2-inch thick
1 pound green beans, washed and trimmed
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper

Prick the lemon in 3 or 4 places with a fork and place in a small pot with 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 50 minutes or until the lemon is very tender. Drain and set aside to cool. In the meantime, mix the saffron, mint, garlic, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Pour the marinade into a sealable plastic bag, add the chicken and let it marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

Steam the green beans for 4 minutes and set aside to cool. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Preheat a large skillet or grill pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool. Cut into bite-sized chunks.

Slice the ends off of the lemon and slice it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp. Slice the peel thinly and then again into 1/4-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, lemon, green beans and thyme. In a small bowl combine the rest of the lemon juice and the honey, whisk in the remainder of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Before I began eating somewhat organically, I too was under the misconception that organic food had that oats and granola, no-seasoned tastless quality. However, as I began to pore the Internet for great recipes to help my family adjust to eating organic, I realized that not only was it all in the types of recipes I chose, but also in how I added my own unique flair to them.

For example, last night, we had one of my tried and true organic favorites: spaghetti with mushrooms, onions and marinara sauce and yes, the entire meal was organic. I got the recipe from the Eden’s Web site after trying their Kamut spaghetti noodles once. Their original recipe just calls for mushrooms and a smattering of other veggies, but since I like a heavy on the veggies-style pasta, I add way more onions, peppers and a slew of special spices and seasonings to mine. My family loves it and everyone asks for seconds. In any case, here is the recipe courtesy of the Eden Foods site:

Marinara with Mushrooms and Spaghetti

Serves 7 | Prep Time 0:15 | Cook Time 0:30

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup Eden Maitake Mushrooms
1/2 cup Eden Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms
25 ounces Eden Organic Spaghetti Sauce, 1 jar
or Eden Organic Spaghetti Sauce - No Salt
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 cup zucchini, diced
or yellow summer squash
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons Eden Shoyu Soy Sauce, optional
14 ounces Eden Organic Kamut Spaghetti, 1 package
Eden Organic Parstley Garlic Spaghetti, Eden Organic 100% Whole Grain Spaghetti, or any Eden Organic Pasta

Directions

In separate bowls, soak the maitake and shiitake with warm water to cover for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Soaking water may be saved for later use in soup stock.

Heat up oil in a sauce pan, sauté garlic and onions for 2 minutes. Add shiitake, maitake, carrots and zucchini, sauté 3 minutes. Add all other ingredients, except pasta, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes over a low flame.

While the sauce is cooking, prepare the pasta according to package directions and drain when done. Serve the hot marinara over the cooked pasta.

Nutritional Info

Per serving: 340 Calories, 7g Fat (17% calories from fat), 14g Protein, 62g Carbohydrate, 13g Fiber, 0mg Cholesterol, 362mg Sodium

Leann Lazar shares one of her favorite recipes for making a healthy, organic smoothie.