We adore white cannellini beans — a mild, creamy-soft source of delicious, low-fat protein. They pair nicely with lemon and any green leaf. This dish works in its chunky form — or you can chop the greens finely and mash the beans as they cook, for a smoother spread. A super quick turn with the immersion blender does the job.
We’re fortunate to have access to some great fresh pasta (when we don’t have time to make our own). Santa Cruz Pasta Factory makes a vegan version that works for my egg-free husband. This dish is a marriage of fresh spinach and lemon — two more devoted culinary partners you’ll never meet. The secret ingredient here is the lemon zest. The tiny bits (almost invisible to the eye) add surprising pops of zippy lemon flavor that balances with the soft, neutral ricotta. If you can’t find fresh ricotta (not the supermarket variety) substitute goat cheese or Parmesan. Just about any green you have on hand will work here, just adjust the cooking time accordingly (spinach is a fast sauté). Continue reading
These savory bites are simple to make, but have the presence of something fancy (and slaved over in a hot kitchen). The rounds are flakey and buttery, dotted with flecks of garlicky chard, salty cheese and the occasional punctuating-pop of sun-dried tomato. The hardest part is remembering to defrost the puff pastry at room temperature, for at least an hour before baking. Sometimes I defrost the pastry in the fridge — it will keep that way for up to one week — so it’s ready at a moment’s notice for dinner-party-worthy appetizer elegance on any ordinary weeknight. Pair with a bowl of soup or a hearty dinner salad. Continue reading
This dish was adapted from Melissa Clark’s A Good Appetite column in the New York Times. Clark is a terrific writer and her recipes are always straightforward and spot-on. The original featured roasted celery root — I’ve substituted sautéed greens instead (or try roasted sunchokes, turnips, parsnips or carrots per Clark’s suggestion). Vary the greens as you wish — add a handful of those zippy mustard leaves included in last week’s delivery along with whatever else is in the fridge like broccoli, spinach or chard — just about any would be nice. I used a mix of chard, dandelion and arugula. The barley is nutty tasting with a pleasant chew — just right for a hearty dinner salad. Continue reading
