Thai Peanut “Noodles”

Thai peanut noodles

This week we welcome back health coach and Freshness Farms participant, Christine de la Cruz, as our first guest writer of this summer season.  Check out Christine’s earlier post on juicing and healthy eating.  This week she shares an ingenious dish that fashions “noodles” from summer squash.  Diners of all ages will adore these sneaky noodles, bathed in a nutty, Thai-inspired sauce—and be none the wiser about their vegetal identity.  

Be sure to stay tuned for more guests throughout the next few months…

Do you, like most Americans, love pasta? I know my family does. Pasta is one of those go-to meals we are all looking for, that EVERYONE will eat. I love pasta too, but it doesn’t really love my thighs. As soon as I eat a comforting bowlful, I immediately feel a bit fluffy and bloated. I don’t like feeling fluffy. Or bloated. Well, guess what? I’ve found a way to have my pasta and eat it too.

Continue reading

Lentil Salad with Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Lentil Salad with Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette This dish was inspired by my friend, Jane’s trick of puréeing sun-dried tomatoes with oil and vinegar for a bold, flavor-packed dressing that livens up simple lentils.  Even those Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrettewho dislike the chewy texture of the dried fruit will love this zippy salad.  Vary the vegetables as you like.  Add chopped celery, fennel or radishes, or a handful of fresh herbs such as parsley, basil or dill.  Omit the feta for a vegan option.  Use brown or green lentils that remain whole with cooking, such as Spanish Pardina lentils or French lentilles Du Puy.

Continue reading

Roasted Beet and Orange Salad with Fennel Seed

Orange and Beet Salad with Fennel Seed

This beautiful, yet simple salad is a cut above the ordinary—stunning with its range of colors and flavors.  Orange, beet and arugula are a classic combination, and the fennel seed adds a pleasant crunch and hint of licorice flavor.  If you don’t enjoy the taste of fennel, substitute a sprinkling of toasted walnuts.

Continue reading

Roasted Kabocha Squash and Celery Root Soup

Kabocha Squash and Celery Root Soup

This soup is adapted (ever so slightly) from a favorite soup-oriented cookbook—Anna Thomas’ Love Soup.  If you don’t have turnips, substitute a slightly larger squash, more celery root or a few carrots.  Celery root is the gnarly subterranean root of the common celery plant.  It’s an overlooked treasure—loaded with vibrant celery flavor and a nice crunch.  You’ll enjoy it raw as well as cooked—shave some into a green salad for a change of pace.

Continue reading