Recipes

10 Nov Tiger’s Eye Chicken Chili

If you renewed your full share CSA membership for next season during the early bird renewal period, you received a pound of dry Tiger’s Eye Beans from the farm (also for sale at the farmers markets Blooming Glen attends).  These beans are beautiful, but also taste amazing.  They can be cooked and served as a side, pureed and made into a dip, or added to soups, stews, or chilis.  This recipe showcases the beans in a delicious chicken chili.

Tiger’s Eye Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
1 cup dry tiger’s eye beans
4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable), divided
1 poblano pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili pepper
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Serve with- cooked rice, shredded cheese, sour cream

Directions:

SOAKING AND COOKING BEANS-

• Pour dry beans into a colander and rinse.

• Place beans in a large bowl and cover with water (4-6 cups). Allow to soak at least 8 hours.
• Drain beans in colander and rinse with fresh water.
• Add soaked beans to a large stockpot with 3 cups of broth. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour.
• Alternately, cook on low in your crock pot (cover with water or broth, add a bay leaf and salt- put on in morning before you leave for work and they will be done when you get home.)

ROASTING POBLANO-

• Cook poblano pepper directly over stove burner or on grill. Rotate to cook and char each side.

• Place in a ziplock bag and seal.
• Allow to cool a little bit.
• Once you can safely handle the pepper, peel off the skin, remove stem, and remove seeds.
• Chop into small pieces and set aside.

MAKING CHILI-

• In another large pot, heat oil.
• Add garlic and onion and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Cut chicken into small pieces. Add to onion and garlic.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• Add cooked beans, poblano pepper, 1 cup broth, cumin, oregano, chili powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Serve over rice. Top with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

04 Nov Watermelon Radish Pico de Gallo

The watermelon radish is the star of this simple but stunning dish.  Its flavor is mild and sweet and the beautiful colors of the chopped radish make this dish shine.  Adjust the heat level to your liking. Enjoy this pico de gallo as a snack with chips, as a topping on tacos or fajitas, or simply as a garnish on a salad or scrambled eggs.

Radish Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:
1 large watermelon radish
½ large onion or 1 full small onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-3 Tbsp jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp lime zest
½ tsp sea salt

Directions:

• Finely chop watermelon radish and place in medium bowl.

• Finely dice onion and add to bowl with radish.
• Add garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, lime zest, and sea salt.
• Mix well.
• Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving if possible.
• Serve with chips, as a topping on tacos or fajitas, or on top of a salad or scrambled eggs.

• This will keep for one week in the refrigerator.

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

01 Oct Tomato Leather

Some of us get sentimental or even sad when the summer season winds down and our favorite fruits are gone until the following year. I look for as many ways as I can to preserve the bright flavors to enhance snacks and meals through the quieter seasons ahead. Many farmers at the season’s end have an excess of produce and encourage us to preserve for the future. Some projects, like freezing, require only a sheet tray and space; others demand more time and labor. This variation on a childhood favorite is an epicurean delight and a surprise to all who taste it.

Tomato Leather

Ingredients:
Tomatoes- 3 pounds (or more)
Fresh herbs, chopped- 1 Tbs. (or 1 tsp. dried) per pound of tomatoes *see below for more seasoning suggestions

I begin by coring and quartering at least a few pounds of tomatoes. I add them to a large pot and heat them over medium heat until the liquids begin to boil. To save time, I pour off most of the liquids a few times throughout the cooking process, leaving just enough to keep the tomatoes simmering. After they have broken down and take on more of a crushed-tomato look, I puree them either directly in the pot using an immersion blender or I transfer the contents to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Once smooth, I return the tomatoes to the pot, and I continue to cook them over medium-low heat until the consistency looks somewhere in between thick tomato sauce and tomato paste. At that point, I turn off the heat, and consider flavors!

Per pound of fresh tomatoes used, I add 1 teaspoon of dried herbs or 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs to the pureed and reduced sauce. Basil, thyme, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, or even balsamic vinegar work well! Stir well and allow to cool in the refrigerator. (If you’re wanting to make more than one flavor, cool the puree, and once it is cold, divide it into smaller portions, mixing your preferred herb or flavor into each one)

Then for the passive part: if you are going to use your oven, set the temperature to between 135 and 175 (many ovens only go as low as 175). Line a baking sheet (or multiple, depending on the quantity you’ve prepared) with parchment paper or a silicone mat and spread the mixture about 1/4” thick over the whole surface. You’ll have the best results if you start with a relatively smooth surface. You can also prep the puree for a dehydrator if you have one with suitable trays.

Cook the puree until you can touch it without any adhering to your finger – it takes about 4-8 hours in the oven and between 8 and 12 hours in a dehydrator. You’ll know it is done when you can pull your homemade sheet of fruit leather clean off of the parchment paper. Let it cool and then cut it according to your desire! Bread-slice-sized squares make for excellent additions to breakfast sandwiches, smaller strips make for easy additions to winter pastas, stews or soups.

Recipe and photos by Evan Dubchansky. Evan, his partner, and I (the trusty dehydrator) all live in West Philadelphia. Evan spends his weekends exchanging produce and inspiration with his community at the local farmers market, while I dry all kinds of eclectic treats for their snacking and baking habits. You can follow our creations on Instagram at @e.dubchansky

30 Sep Koginut Squash Pancakes

The farm is a great place to learn about new produce.  Almost every year there are new varieties of vegetables that we get to taste and experiment with.  This year is no exception.  Koginut squash is a delicious new winter squash, a cross between kabocha squash and butternut squash, that our farmers planted.  When I was researching this new squash, the flavor was described as having notes of vanilla and citrus which immediately led me to dreaming of a breakfast recipe.  These pancakes incorporate koginut squash puree with local oats, maple syrup, and eggs, all of which can be found at the farm.

Koginut Squash Pancakes
(recipe makes about 12-14 pancakes)

Ingredients:
¾ cup koginut squash puree*
2 eggs
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp oil (options- melted coconut oil, avocado oil, light olive oil, etc.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups oat flour **
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Butter or coconut oil, for cooking

*Koginut Squash Puree: Slice off the top (stem) and bottom of the squash.  Slice in half from top to bottom.  Remove the seeds (set aside to roast or discard).  Slice from top to bottom into wedges, using the outside ridges as guides.  Ideally the wedges should be equally thick.  Peel off skin using a knife or vegetable peeler.  Lay the slices on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush both sides with melted coconut oil (you will need about 1 Tbsp).

Bake at 425°F for 25-35 minutes or until squash is fork tender.  Remove from oven and place in food processor or blender.  Process on high until a smooth puree is formed.  Depending on the size of the squash, you should get about 3-4 cups of puree.

**You can purchase oat flour, but it is very easy to make.  Place dry oatmeal in a high-speed blender or food processor and process until a nice flour is formed.  Store in an airtight container.

• In a medium bowl, combine squash puree, eggs, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, and water.
• In a separate bowl, combine oat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt, and nutmeg.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. The batter should be a little thicker, but if it seems too thick you can add additional water 1 Tbsp at a time to get desired consistency.
• Melt butter or coconut oil on a skillet or griddle.

• On medium low heat, pour ¼ cup of batter onto pan for each pancake. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes and flip.  Cook an additional 2-3 minutes and then remove from griddle.
• Serve with butter, maple syrup, chopped nuts, and/or confectionary sugar.

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

16 Sep Autumn Inspired Grain Bowls

It’s officially squash season!  We will see a variety of winter squash over the next few weeks and honeynut squash is one of my favorites.  Pair the squash with some apples and kale, roast it on a sheet pan with onions and garlic, toss with a simple vinaigrette and use it to top your favorite grains and you have the perfect autumn inspired dish.

Autumn Inspired Grain Bowls

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked grains (quinoa, rice, etc.)
2 honeynut squash*
2 sweet onions
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 medium apples
1 bunch kale

*You can substitute the honeynut squash with other winter squash.  If the skin cannot be eaten, just peel before cubing and roasting.

Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp spicy mustard
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Slice squash in half and remove seeds. Cut into ½- ¾ inch cubes.  Place in a large bowl.
  • Reserve the seeds to roast them! See below for directions.
• Cut onions into 1 inch pieces. Place in bowl with squash.
• Peel garlic cloves and thinly slice. Add to bowl with squash and onions.
• Place 2 Tbsp oil, salt, and pepper into bowl. Mix to coat squash, onion, and garlic.
• Spread produce on large sheet pan.

• Bake for 10 minutes.
• While squash mixture is cooking:
  • Slice apples into ½- ¾ inch cubes. Place on another sheet pan.  Ideally you want the apples to take up half of the second sheet pan so that you have room to add the kale later.
  • Remove stalks on the kale and chop the leaves into 1 inch pieces. Make sure the kale is dry (you can use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture if you need to).
  • Place chopped kale leaves in a medium bowl. Add 1 Tbsp oil and massage into kale.
• Remove squash mixture from oven and mix. Return to oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

• Place second sheet pan with apples into oven and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove and mix. Add kale leaves to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Remove both sheet pans from oven and transfer all roasted produce to a large bowl. Mix well.
• Combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk well.

• To assemble bowls:
  • Place cooked grain in the bottom of the bowl.
  • Top with the roasted squash, onion, apple, and kale mixture.
  • Drizzle on some vinaigrette.
  • Top with roasted squash seeds (see below for directions on roasting seeds).

Roasted Squash Seeds– Once seeds are removed from squash, soak them in water.  Remove the pulp.  Rinse and drain in colander.  Dry on a paper towel.  Place in a bowl and add ½ tsp olive oil or avocado oil and ¼ tsp sea salt.  Mix well to combine.  Place on a small baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet.  Roast in oven at 400°F for 10-12 minutes.

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com