beet green pasta

As a kid, if anyone asked me what I wanted for dinner I had one answer: spaghetti. We always made it with red sauce, usually with hamburger, always with copious amounts of dried oregano and scoops of dried parmesan. Once I got a bit older my palette matured and I realized pasta could be served with something other than marinara (thanks Gabby!) and I was introduced to real, fresh parmesan.

Every two weeks when I get my CSA box (or the weekend before when I get the contents list) I make a quick assessment about what I must eat in the next couple of days and what can wait. On the top of the eat soon list are a variety of greens. Not usually lettuce, that keeps for a bit, but things like chard, kale, carrot tops and beet greens. My box this week contains kale, carrot tops, and beets. First on the eat list are the beet greens - they have the shortest shelf life. The beets keep uncooked for a while but the tops will wilt immediately. I usually go ahead and roast the beat (I prefer to eat them cold, so they are ready in the fridge for eating). I also remove the carrot tops and prep them by washing and either immediately make pesto (which is my fail-safe) or keep them in the spinner in the fridge for a day until I have time to use them.

Beet Green Pasta

onion, sliced

garlic, peeled

basil, fresh

olive oil

beet greens, tops of 3 small beats washed, dried and chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

whole wheat pasta

parmesan

Slowly saute the onion with olive oil over med-low heat until they are well browned. Add the cloves of garlic and the beet greens. Add salt, pepper, and more olive oil as desired/needed. Cover than cook slowly until greens are limp. Add basil. Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling water to al dente. When pasta is done, drain and add to sauce pan. Stir. Cook for another minute. Serve with parmesan. Yield: 2 large portions

organic dinner

My dinner last night was delicious and couldn't help but share it with you. Also it was all organic - with the exception of the cilantro, wine, and salt n' pepper (can salt qualify as organic?). I had scrambled eggs with cilantro and sauteed onions, steamed green beans, and steamed fingerling potatoes. The veggies were dressed with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt and pepper. I drank a red wine left at my birthday party (2007 Chariot Gypsy, $5 at Trader Joe's) and some water. Yum!

Gidget burped her praises for her dinner as she had her 2nd raw meal (we're trying to see if she likes - yes - and if it will help some of her skin issues - tbd).

is it organic? is it genetically modified?

Doing a little light nutritional reading yesterday I discovered a fascinating tidbit. Every wonder what those annoying produce stickers really mean? Aside from giving the code when you're checking out at the grocer's they also tell you how the produce was grown. You can identify conventional, organic, and genetically modified produce.

All codes start with 4-digits. For example, #4046 means avocado the world over. It is an internationally recognized code. If it is just those 4 numbers then you know it was conventionally grown (what conventional is might vary by country, of course). If this 4-digit number is preceded by a '9', such as #94046, then it is organic. If it is preceded by an '8', such as #84046 then it is genetically modified (GMO or GE).

I prefer to eat organic (not always possible on my budget) but now I can definitely steer clear of GMO crops. Also use the code to confirm that what the bin label says is actually what is in the bin.

carrot top + barley soup

I got these beautiful sweet nante carrots in my bin this week and decided to make carrot top soup. I created this recipe for a light meal; it can eaily be hefted up with some potatoes, chicken, or white beans. The peppery flavor of the carrot top is the predominate flavor in this soup.

Carrot Top + Barley Soup

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped (wash and no need to peel)

3+ cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper

6-7 c. vegetable broth

1/2 c. pearl barley

1+ c. carrot tops, chopped and well washed

fresh grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Cook red onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add broth, barley, and salt + pepper. Keep at low boil for 35 minutes, or until barley is nearly cooked (may need to add more stock/water during this time). Add carrot tops (can include stems, but make sure are well chopped) and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add grated cheese to serve.

thinking pesticides?

Trying to decide when to buy organic and when to pass along to the less expensive conventional produce? The Environmental Working Group compiled U.S. government data into these helpful lists: dirty dozen and clean 15. The testing procedure includes washing the lists are based on what is left.

Carrots were my gateway to organic produce ... I discovered they taste so much better than regular carrots that I decided it was well worth the price (and on the dirty list to boot!). I also buy a fair number of organic apples - I am in apple country so they're easy to get from local farmers. I also frequently buy organic onions which are the least dirty but are comparable priced to conventional onions at my local market. What do you always buy organic?