Zucchini Noodle Salad

Summer produce is coming in strong at the Farmers Market. Tomatoes, peaches, peppers and, my favorite, zucchini. I became obsessed with making noodles from zucchini last year, or as I like to call "zoodles!" I never got around to posting this recipe last year, so I have been holding on to it for summer.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to take a Farmers Market cooking class. The instructor, who is a fellow blogger and friend from I Cook, I Eat, It's Life took us around the Western Wake Farmers Market and introduced us to several of the vendors and farmers. I've since gotten to know several of the farmers, learned about their farms and tasted all of their goods! I look forward to my market trip every Saturday morning now :)

All the recipes that we made in the class featured produce and goods from the market like this Zucchini Noodle Salad which highlights the best of summer. I've mentioned my spiralizer before to make Sriracha Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles. I highly recommend getting one of these kitchen tools.

I like to serve this with fresh slices of Heirloom tomatoes, herbs and Desirée's Balsamic Vinaigrette. Amazing how some of the most healthy dishes can feel like complete indulgences! At least, they do for me :)

Zucchini Noodle Salad

Yields: 4 side servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes + 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

3 medium zucchini
1 large red pepper
1 small red onion
1 Tablespoon fresh basil
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
Desirée's Balsamic Vinaigrette
Fresh tomato slices (optional)

Prepare the dressing first and set aside.

Cut the ends off the zucchini and julienne the vegetables or use a spiralizer (I like this one) to create noodles. Sprinkle the noodles with salt and line a large colander with paper towels. Toss the noodles and put in the lined colainder to help drain off some of the moisture. Set this aside.

Slice the red onion thinly and place in a bowl of cold water, set aside. (This helps to cut the bite from the onion since they are raw in the salad).

Under a high broiler, roast the pepper until the skin is well blistered. Remove from the oven and place in a covered bowl. Once the peppers have cooled, peel off the skin, deseed and chop. Here are more detailed instructions on how to prepare roasted red peppers. (Alternatively, use jarred roasted red peppers).

Place the chopped red pepper, soaked onion slices and fresh herbs in a large bowl and gently toss. Add in the zucchini noodles and drizzle some of the dressing over top. Toss gently and serve with more fresh herbs and dressing if desired. This salad is best served immediately, although I enjoyed the leftovers the next day too!

Vegetarian Gumbo

Watch out everyone, the Polar Vortex is coming!! At least, according to every news and weather station. In my opinion it doesn't really seem to be heading towards NC. The weather forecast just looks like the normal late fall and early winter weather...am I missing something? 

Regardless of the Weather Man being right or wrong, cold weather is creeping in, which means I plan to make a large pot of soup, or in this case, gumbo. I threw this one together on a whim a few weeks back when we had vegetarian friends over for dinner. It then took me two more attempts to actually write the recipe down and perfect the amounts! Hate it when I do that sometimes. 

Anyways, this is a great soup, or, gumbo for a large crowd with various dietary needs. You basically start with a vegetarian soup, then have the option to add grains and meat for those that want it. The Hubby and I personally love adding in spicy pork sausage (that we from Fickle Creek Farm - love those guys)! 

So, grab a blanket, light the fire and whip up a pot of my Vegetarian Gumbo! 

Great with rice, grits or cornbread.

Vegetarian Gumbo

Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour (use gluten free if needed)
3 Tablespoons butter (only for vegetarian version)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 carrots, cut into rounds
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

3 cups vegetable stock, separated
1 cup tomato sauce
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 cups button mushrooms or crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 cups fresh Romano beans or green beans, chopped
1 Tablespoon dry sage
1 Tablespoon dry thyme
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (use Tamari if gluten free)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Parmesan rind (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pound Sage Hot pork sausage (optional for non-vegetarian version)
Rice or grits for serving (optional)


First step, chop all the vegetables! This is definitely a recipe where you want to have your mise en place (stuff in place).

In a large soup pot, prepare the roux:

• Vegetarian version - Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the flour and continue to stir constantly for around 5 minutes until the roux is a few shades darker.
• Non-vegetarian version - Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and cook the sausage through. Remove the sausage and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pot. Stir in the flour and continue to stir constantly for around 5 minutes until the roux is a few shades darker.

Add the onions, carrots and garlic along with a quarter cup of vegetable stock so the roux doesn’t burn (the mixture will be thick and pasty). Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and the broth has evaporated.

Stir in the tomato sauce, bell peppers, mushrooms and beans and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. Add the herbs, spices and soy sauce and mix well.

Stir in the canned beans and rest of vegetable stock and Parmesan rind and allow the gumbo to come to a boil over medium-high heat. If the gumbo is too thick, add more broth. Lower the heat to a simmer and let everything cook for another 10 minutes.

Three Years and Stanbury

Recently, the Hubby and I celebrated our third anniversary. Hard to believe how fast time flies! One of our favorite things to do together is dine out. We like good food...actually, let me rephrase that: We love great food! Even though we cook a lot at home, we always appreciate the hard work that chefs and restaurants put forth in our area. So we try to support them as much as possible.

One such restaurant is Stanbury in Raleigh. We decided to try it out for the first time for our anniversary! From the start, we were impressed. The restaurant isn't downtown or in a strip mall, but a stand alone place near Peace College and Seaboard Station. We walked in and snagged the only two seats left at the bar while we waited for our table. The place was hoppin' for a Wednesday night, and you could tell everyone was having a great time. 

Stanbury has an open kitchen, so we got a nice sneak peak at several of the dishes while we ordered drinks. The staff couldn't have been nicer and you could tell they loved their jobs. So here is a little review of our meal from the Hubby and I....

Swordfish Crudo

First course - NC Swordfish Crudo with watermelon, pickled cucumber, jalapeño and basil. 

This was like biting into flavorful air! The dish was so clean and refreshing, but then you get a bite with all the flavors and get that surprising punch from the pickled cucumber. The herbaceous basil gave it a nice peppery finish. Oh man, this was definitely MY favorite of the night!! 

Green Beans with Smoked Blue Fish

Second course - Green Beans with smoked blue fish, green goddess dressing, tomato and crispy shallot. 

This one was like biting into straight up smoke, but it wasn't overwhelming because the green beans smoothed it out. I'm a big fan of a dish that can cover all the consistencies - creamy, juicy, crunchy, crispy....this one had them all!

Bone Marrow

Third course - Roasted marrow with parsley, shallots, capers and Boulted Bread. 

This one was all for the Hubby! Seriously, look at the size of that bone! It was fatty and greasy and all the right things. Oh....My....God! I barely have words to describe this. Simple decadence.

Crispy Pig Head with 62 Degree Egg

Fourth Course - Crispy pig head with field peas, a 62 degree egg, arugula, mustard and creme fraiche. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this one - best pulled pork in the form of a crab cake EVER! The mustard cream gave it a nice punch. Another dish that seemed to cover all bases on the consistency spectrum - fresh arugula, creamy egg, earthy lentil, crispy pork and spicy mustard.

Seared Scallops

Fifth Course - Seared scallops with farro, roasted turnips, greens and mustard cream, or as I like to call this one, Surf and Earth. 

Hearty, filling, and once again the mustard flavor bringing everything together. This earthy meal had a bright, fresh finish, and the buttery addition of the scallops rounded things out perfectly.

Escazu Chocolate Ice Cream and Pumpkin Cake

DESSERT - Escazu Chocolate spiced ice cream with pumpkin cake. 

If this dessert doesn't embody the Fall, then I don't know what does! One bite gave us pumpkin pie, spicy chocolate and Kit Kat all in one! Dessert heaven! Artisan chocolate shop Escazu is right next door to Stanbury, so I have a feeling they always have good desserts. 

I was so sad to say farewell to our perfect anniversary meal, but we left a little note in one of many old cookbooks that they bring the bill in. We shall return to Stanbury, with even bigger eyes and emptier bellies!!

Fairytale Eggplant with Farmers Cheese

Fairytale Eggplants are the cutest and most delicious little vegetables! I first came across them about a month ago and I couldn't help but think how cute they were. I hesitated to buy them because I wasn't quite sure how to cook the little purple gems. After circling the market twice, I decided to go for it.

Eggplants are tricky. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a lot of success with the vegetable in my kitchen and the Hubby usually won't eat them because of the mushy texture and chewy skin. I agree with him. In theory, eggplants are hearty and filling and would be perfect for a vegetarian meal. They just never settle well with my stomach. So, why did I buy them?? Well first of all, they were adorable. And second of all, I love a good challenge in the kitchen!

The farmer informed me that the skin on the smaller eggplants are much thinner and easier to chew. Selling point #1. He also informed me that they cook pretty quickly, so it makes a wonderful weeknight side dish. Selling point #2. And finally, small eggplants, like Fairytale's, don't have many seeds in them (which is what usually bothers my stomach). Selling point #3...and sold!

When thinking about cooking the eggplant, I decided to build in some layers of flavor. I knew that in order to get the Hubby to at least try to eat them, I had to add two elements; creamy (that is where the cheese comes in) and crunchy (crispy shallots and fresh parsley).

Changing things up, I went for the cast iron skillet instead of a roasting pan and I pulled out shallots. I started with the shallots not only to infuse the oil, but also to create crispy, caramelized shallot slices for garnish and flavor.

I didn't tell the Hubby I was making eggplant at first, and honestly didn't expect he would even try it. Much to my surprise, he was feeling adventurous and ended up LOVING them! It was such a win for me. Not only did my stomach handle them with ease, but the taste was fantastic AND the Hubby approved!

Many of my friends and followers ask me about eggplant all the time, and I am officially here to tell you not to be scared of it! I have literally avoided buying eggplant for most of my adult life because I was never able to find a good way to cook and never enjoyed it. Well, friends, today is a new day!

Fairytale Eggplant 

Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 pound Fairytale eggplants, halved lengthwise (or other small eggplant)
1 small shallot, sliced
2 tablespoons Grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
1/4 cup Farmers cheese, crumbled (could also use Feta or Chèvre)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to test

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the shallots, stirring constantly until slightly crispy and caramelized. Remove the shallots and place on a paper towel reserving the oil in the skillet.


Place the halved eggplants skin side down first in the heated oil and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Flip the eggplant and sauté on the other side for 2 more minutes until slightly browned. 

To serve, place the eggplants on a plate and add the crumbled cheese, parsley and reserved crispy shallots on top. Season with salt and pepper.

Summer Squash Gratin

The abundance of summer squash won't last much longer, so I am picking it up where ever and whenever I see it. The trouble is that I have to come up with new ways of preparing the sweet vegetable. After getting a large quantity from my friend Tom at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, I was determined to create a new recipe and one that would use up some of the herbs I have growing in my backyard as well. 

I had a recipe for a squash gratin stored away that I was wanting to eventually try, but it was too many steps. I decided to start from that and majorly simplify it. By the end, I had completely changed it, but it turned into one of my favorite new recipes of the summer! Squash and cheese....two of the best foods together in one blissful harmony :)

Summer Squash Gratin

Yields: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

2 pounds summer squash, sliced (using a mandolin makes this easy)

1 teaspoon salt 

3 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cups)

1 cup grated gruyere cheese 

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 

2 small cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the squash slices with salt and set this aside for 10 minutes. Drain the squash in a colander and lay on a paper towel for a few minutes to absorb any remaining moisture, then add to a large mixing bowl. Add in shallots, gruyere, thyme, parsley and garlic, then toss gently to combine.

Transfer the mixture to a 9×9-inch baking dish and drizzle olive oil and black pepper on top. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the squash is tender and the cheese is bubbling up the sides.

Farm Visit - Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Teaching Farm

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to tour my friend Tom's plot at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Teaching Farm in Raleigh! Farmer Tom, a good friend of mine since college, decided to change his career and follow his passion of farming. He joined the Incubator farm program at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Teaching Farm and never turned back!

We got a private guided tour of all the produce that Tom is growing and the various chicken coups on the farm. He let us feed some feisty goats, pick zucchini blossoms and take home some of his fantastic basil varieties! It was so educational to walk around the farm with the person that is actually growing the produce. He had a lot of great insight and enthusiasm for his crops!

There was quite a selection among all the Incubator farmers including squash, tomatoes, sunflowers, Lisianthus (beautiful white flowers), basil, rosemary, rice, microgreens, and even kohlrabi! Tom gave us a few items to take home like turnips and squash blossoms, but he told us the rest of the crops were going to be in full swing by early August...so I returned.

When I came back, I went to the farm stand. They had squash and sun gold tomatoes straight from Tom's garden! He even threw in some chicken eggs and lemon basil because he is awesome :) Later that day, I made a summer squash gratin with my Farmer Tom stash (recipe to come later this week)!

If you are in the Raleigh area, check out the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Teaching Farm. Buy local ya'll!!!

Spicy Sausage Asparagus Pasta

Our dinners have been Farm Fresh lately! We are loving all the amazing produce that is popping up at Farmers Markets, neighborhood gardens and in my own back yard! In addition, this is the first year that I have been able to maintain a nice herb garden. I love that I can walk five steps and cut basil or lavender fresh from the stalk. 

After a successful trip to the Farmers Market a few weeks ago, I was determined to come up with a recipe that used everything in my basket, including arugula flowers which was a new item for me. Arugula flowers are my new favorite gem from the Market! they are cream colored with a purple vein running through the pedals. The edible flower is nutty and peppery, just like arugula leaves. They are very perishable though, so buy them and use them up fast. 

Another new item in the basket was a spicy pork sausage with sage from Fickle Creek Farms. This vendor is a must-stop now after trying their organic chickens....yum! I found asparagus, peppers, onions, arugula (with the flowers) and even a fresh pasta vendor. After 20 minutes in the market, dinner was planned!

Since most of you don't live in my area, you can use any type of sausage. Jimmy Dean's makes a Natural Sage Sausage that is a good alternative if you can't find any at your local Farmers Market. Asparagus season is pretty much over too, so broccoli or zucchini is a great substitution for this here. 

Spicy Sausage Asparagus Pasta

Yields: 4 servings

1 pound sausage (we used Fickle Creek Farms Spicy Pork Sausage with sage)
1 pound asparagus, *cooked, chopped (or other vegetable)

3 red bell peppers, quartered and de-seeded (or use 1 jar of roasted red peppers)

1 small red onion, diced

8 ounces elbow pasta (we used TruRoots gluten free)

4 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups fresh arugula

Arugula flowers for garnish

Parmesan cheese, shredded

If making the peppers, Preheat the broiler to high and move the rack to the highest setting in the oven. Place the quartered red peppers on a greased cookie sheet and broil until the skin of the peppers are very charred. Quickly remove the peppers and place in a brown paper bag and seal. Set this aside for 15-20 minutes. Once the peppers have rested in the bag and are cool enough to touch, peel the skin off the peppers, roughly chop and set aside.

*Cook the asparagus (or other vegetable), there are few options here:

1. Roast the asparagus in a 375F oven for about 15 minutes
2. Steam the asparagus in a steamer (stove top or microwave steamer)
3. Boil the asparagus with the pasta, but this might increase the asparagus flavor intensely.

While the peppers are roasting/sitting, cook the pasta according to instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan, cook the sausage, breaking it into small chunks. Remove the sausage, reserving about 1 Tablespoon of the grease in the pan. Add in the onions and cook for about 5-7 minutes until slightly translucent. Stir in the cooked asparagus, sausage, arugula, peppers and 4 Tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer all this to a large bowl (to stop the cooking) and mix gently until combined. Serve with Arugula flower garnishes (if you can find them) and Parmesan cheese.

30/30 - #17 Farmers Market

"Eat Local" is a pretty trendy phenomenon right now, which I am totally on board with. I think it's fantastic that people want to know where their food and ingredients are coming from. I also love that communities are willing to come together and support the hard work of farmers. 

Both of my favorite restaurants in the Top 30, Trophy and Kimbap use this approach. Farmers Markets play a large role in "Eat Local," especially for home cooks that want to support the movement. Even better, a lot of these local farms are practicing sustainable growing, and trying to minimize their carbon footprint. Delicious produce and helping the environment, what's not to love?!?!

These are all reasons why I've included Farmers Markets on my Top 30 list. When I am in town, this is my favorite Saturday morning activity. I love to meet and chat with all the farmers and vendors, learn about seasonal produce, listen to cooking and preparation tips and of course, taste all the goods!

Summer is the best time for Farmers Markets because the colors of the produce are vibrant. I swear a few weeks ago, when I walked through, I could smell the red from all the strawberries!

There is more than just produce at the Farmers Market though, I pick up fresh NC seafood, organically grown meats and poultry, eggs, fermented foods, honey and even a locally made bitters and soda from a company called Crude. This is one of my new favorite stops, especially now that the weather is getting warmer. This past Saturday, I tasted some of their Watermelon and Basil soda - so refreshing!

Another favorite vendor is Locals Seafood, a company dedicated to bringing seafood from North Carolina fisherman inland (aka to me)! The last few weeks I've picked up soft shell crab, which we all know is a new favorite. The season is about over, so now I am getting excited for NC shrimp and red snapper! Now I pre-order and pick up at the Market to ensure I get what I want. Amazing how fast their supply goes on Saturday morning!!

 

Usually by the time I have left, I have a good portion of my grocery list for the week. I have thoroughly enjoyed attending the Western Wake Farmers Market recently, so plan on frequenting that market this summer. However, the Durham Farmers Market is a very close second, mostly because they have food trucks and music playing!

As Michael Pollan says, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

I will be back tomorrow with a sweet and salty salad.

 

LoMo Market - Mobile Farmers Market

The hubs and I are very happy where our home is located, but there are a few negatives about our location.

Problem #1 - we are at least 20 minutes to the closest Farmers Market.

Problem #2 - no specialty or health food stores close by.

Problem #3 - good restaurants (as in anything but a chain) are usually a drive as well. 

Problem #4 - I don't always have time to make it to the market, health food store or good restaurants!

So basically, we thought of everything about our location - schools, police, fire station, hospital, Target....just not access to good food. Crazy, right!?!?

Well, LoMo Market is here to solve all our problems! I discovered LoMo a few months ago through social media and have loved them ever since. LoMo Market is a local mobile market, providing local and high quality foods in a convenient trailer that comes to you. They move around, based on demand and it just so happens they started coming to my neighborhood last month!

      

LoMo is a win-win. They make local, healthy goods accessible to consumers, and they expand the clientele for the farms and local vendors! Every Wednesday, Ryan and I walk down and stock up on goodies from produce and feta cheese, to spices and local meats, then come home and cook it all. 

The market also stocks items from local restaurants and bakeries. I can always count on a gluten free cupcake from Bread Uprising and gluten free dumplings from Kimbap!

They even have fresh seafood straight from the NC coast. We tried the tilefish and all it needed was a little salt, pepper and olive oil in a saute pan. I can honestly say it was more fresh than Whole Foods seafood!

We made breakfast for dinner with our bounty from last week...

LoMo has several trucks running around the Raleigh-Durham-Cary-Chapel Hill area now, so check out their schedule and stop in!!

Farmer's Breakfast courtesy of LoMo Market goods

Yields: 1 serving
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

2 eggs
mushrooms
Farmers cheese

fresh tomato, sliced

butter lettuce

salt and pepper to taste

Saute mushrooms in a little bit of butter over medium heat. After the mushrooms have cooked down a bit (3-5 minutes), add in the eggs and scramble until cooked.

Layer the lettuce on the plate, then eggs, cheese, sliced tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste.