Thoughts on Fresh

So as I mentioned, Aaron and I went to DC a few weeks ago to see a screening of the movie Fresh and also to hear from a former farmer from Polyface Farms, Matt Rales. Polyface is a farm featured in Food, Inc, Fresh, and also in the Omnivore's Dilemma. After our stop at Busboys and Poets, we headed over to the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church for the screening. I found out about the screening online and the website said to RSVP to be sure that there was room because space was limited. I RSVPed the night before and there was still room. We arrived about 10 minutes until 7 and there were only about 5 other people there. I was shocked! To me, this was a big deal. How could people not be at this screening?  Aaron and I couldn't help but laugh about the whole thing; we'd traveled the furthest, yet we were among the first people there.

Anyways, the movie didn't end up starting until about 7:45 and by then there were about 15 people there. The movie did a very good job of explaining our food system without leaving you feeling depressed like after watching Food, Inc. (If anyone does go to a screening of this, I would highly recommend seeing Food, Inc first). Fresh is about examining what is wrong with out current, "conventional" food system and showing the different ways that people across the nation are combating that system.

The movie began by stating this: "Americans only fear one thing...inconvenience." Obviously, this isn't entirely true, but our food system is built around the fast food, or the convenience chain. Our system has adjusted to make those businesses the most profitable. Conventional Farming is no longer a small to medium sized local operation; it has become an industrial monster that focuses on quantity rather quality and exactness and similarity rather than diversity.  I was impressed when someone in the movie stated that we are "stewards of the earth." It is our job to take care of the earth and respect and protect the design of nature. I guess I never thought of myself as an environmentalist as well until recently. The way conventional farming is designed is not only sustainable in terms of health and safety to us, but also to the environment. By moving away from this conventional system, we can create not only a healthier population, but also a healthier earth. Additionally, "cheap food" is an illusion: while we pay less for the food itself, the costs to our health and our environment are just as great. We need to choose to make it a priority to not only eat healthy, but to support sustainable, local and organic agriculture.

We also got to hear from Matt Rales. He used to work for Polyface but now he operates his own farm in Potomac, MD. (Turns out he graduated from Middlebury College and knows my cousin...small world!) He mainly talked about how medium-sized organic farming is more sustainable than conventional farming. These operations make use of the land in a more natural way by avoiding heavy pesticide use and other methods like crop rotation. We can still "feed the world" without the conventional methods of farming. I don't remember everything he said (I waited too long to blog and accidentally left my notes in Richmond), but I was impressed with his knowledge. 

Overall, I left the movie feeling uplifted and positive, yet very ready to change. I'm so glad Aaron went with me because I feel like I've got him on board with how we want to start changing some of the foods we eat to more local and organic options. It's important to both of us now. I highly recommend Fresh; it not only shows you what's wrong but it also shows you how to change and how you can support change in your area.

Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas

This recipe was tasty. My only qualm - the avocado was definitely lacking! On day two of this recipe, I just sliced an avocado and put it on top of the mixture but before I sprinkled on the cheese. It worked. Really well.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups presliced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 poblano chile, seeded and chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup jarred sliced peeled mango (such as Del Monte SunFresh)
1/3 cup cubed peeled avocado
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat broiler.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, oregano, salt, pepper,
and poblano, and sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add beans; cook 1 minute or until
thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in mango and avocado.

Place flour tortillas on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Arrange about 3/4 cup bean
mixture on half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheddar
cheese over bean mixture, and fold tortilla in half. Lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray.

Broil 3 minutes or until cheddar cheese melts.

Source: Cooking Light

Summer Squash Pizza

I love going to the Farmer's Market here. I knew I'd be able to find fresh squash and also that I'd get to use my mandoline slicer for this recipe. I have no other words for it other than...lovely. I got a little camera happy making this because the squash was just so pretty, and I wanted to show off what a mandoline actually does (my parents got me this for Christmas even though they didn't know what it really did - I had raved about using one when I once worked in the catering department at Utah Valley hospital). I love my mandoline - it doesn't get used that often but it makes perfectly even slices quickly...just watch your fingers!

Pretty squash

Mandoline - the tomatoes have to be really firm for the mandoline to work on them. These worked ok.

Can't wait until we have a real grill!

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
Cooking spray
1 (12-inch) packaged pizza crust (I used a Whole Wheat Boboli crust)
2 plum tomatoes, cut into (1/8-inch-thick) slices
1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano

1. Prepare grill.

2. Combine oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, zucchini slices, and yellow squash slices in a large
bowl, tossing gently to coat. Place squash mixture on grill rack coated with cooking spray;
grill 2 minutes on each side or until tender.

3. Reduce grill temperature to medium.

4. Lightly coat pizza crust with cooking spray; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly
toasted. Arrange zucchini and squash over crust. Arrange tomatoes over squash; sprinkle
with pecorino Romano cheese. Grill 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from grill;
sprinkle with basil and oregano.

Source: Cooking Light

Salmon Burgers

These were lovely little burgers. However, somehow the bread I bought was labeled focaccia bread, but not actually focaccia bread. So we improvised and split the burgers in two so we could put them on this other artisan bread. (Don't get me wrong, we liked the other bread, but it wasn't focaccia).

The recipe also called for Remoulade sauce to spread on the focaccia bread. Long story short, I didn't make it ahead of time so I threw something together - ketchup, mayo, worcestershire sauce, basil, etc. It turned out ok, but I like to make the real thing eventually.

The burger held together fairly well, but next time, I also think I'll also add breadcrumbs to help them stay together better.

1  cup  finely chopped red onion
1/4  cup  thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  (1-pound) salmon fillet, skinned and chopped
1  tablespoon  hot pepper sauce
1  large egg white
Cooking spray
8  (3/4-ounce) slices focaccia, toasted

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine hot pepper sauce and egg white in a small bowl; add egg white mixture to salmon mixture, stirring well to combine.
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add salmon patties, and cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve patties on toasted focaccia.

Source: Cooking Light

Banana Bread + Chocolate Chips

In one of my classes this past semester, one of my teachers joked about making banana bread as an offering to stop the nasty weather we were having. The next week, when it clearly hadn't worked, a few of my classmates suggested adding chocolate chips to the banana bread. It's been on my mind ever since. SO when we had some bananas turning a little brown, I told Aaron to let them go bad so I could make banana bread.

This is the best banana bread recipe I have; it's my mom's (of course) and its pretty good. In our opinion, however, the chocolate chips took away from the "banana-ness" of the banana bread. I don't think we'll be adding chocolate chips again, but I'm glad we attempted to see what all the fuss is about. Perhaps this particular banana bread recipe isn't good for chocolate chips...anyone have a good banana/chocolate chip bread recipe?

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (about 3) ripe banana, mashed
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
optional: 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Busboys and Poets

Aaron and I went to a screening of the movie Fresh in DC last week (I will blog my thoughts about the movie later). I was going to go by myself and then to the National Gallery of Art and play around by myself in DC before the movie in the evening because Aaron needed to study, but then at the last minute he decided to come with me. Our conversation then went like this:

Aaron: so what are we going to do about dinner?
Lauren: (knowing Aaron's cost conscious nature) Well, we could just pack some sandwiches
Aaron: No way, that's not even very filling or even a dinner food.
Lauren: (surprised, but pleased he doesn't want a sandwich for dinner) Ok well, what should we do then? (secretly hoping Aaron catches the hint and suggests Busboys and Poets)
Aaron: (after a long pause...) Well, why don't we just go up early and go to Busboys and Poets?
Lauren: (smiles...) OK!!!

Seriously, maybe this should go on our other blog, but this was one of those moments that made my heart melt a little. Not only does Aaron know me really well, but he loves food as much as I do. I married the right guy. :) Ok, enough mushy stuff...moving on!

I love this restaurant! My sister-in-law Darien took us to this place when we visited her and Aaron's brother Eric in DC almost a year ago while she was doing an internship there. She suggested the Mediterranean Burger on our first visit. We tried it, LOVED it, and I still think about it frequently...not joking. I have been there four times and I have ALWAYS gotten the Mediterranean burger and a salad (either sharing with Aaron or my mom). It's so good. I feel like I should and could get something else and I would like it, but why rock the boat?? Thursday was no exception...we shared the spinach and wheat berry salad and the Mediterranean burger. We also shared the white chocolate bread pudding with coconut ice cream.

Spinach and Wheat Berry Salad. The ginger sesame dressing is probably my favorite part of the salad.

Mediterranean Burger. The goat cheese seriously makes this burger amazing. The rest of it is really good too, but i love goat cheese.  Also, sweet potato fries > french fries.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding + Coconut Ice Cream. This bread pudding was almost as good as the Ruggles Green bread pudding, and I was surprised at how good the ice cream was. I like coconut when its mixed with other things, but I don't often like it as the main flavor. This was definitely an exception to the rule.

Maybe we should find a new place to eat in DC...or maybe not?

Sweet Corn and Blueberry Pancakes

Remember this post? Well, I showed it to my mom and she asked me when I was going to make all those wonderful things for her for breakfast! So the Sunday morning I was in Houston, I whipped up these bad boys. Delicious!! Aaron is normally the pancake boss in our house, but I think I can challenge him for that title now.

The recipe says you can also spread apple butter on them...we didn't have any, but I would LOVE to try that next time!

1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal (available at specialty food shops and many supermarkets)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional melted butter for brushing the griddle
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup fresh corn (approximately 1 large ear, corn trimmed off cob)
1/2 cup blueberries
Maple syrup or apple butter, for serving

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda and sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg and buttermilk. Stir corn and blueberries into the liquids mixture. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Heat a griddle or flat pan over moderately high heat until it is hot and brush it lightly with the additional butter. Drop the batter by a 1/4-cup measure onto the griddle. Spread the batter slightly, thinning the pancakes, to form 3 1/2- to 4-inch cakes. Cook the cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. As they finish, transfer them to a heatproof platter and keep them warm. Continue to add butter to the pan between batches. Serve with maple syrup or apple butter.

Ruggles Green

One of the reasons I love Houston so much is the food: not only my mom's home cooking but also the restaurants. I got to try Ruggles Green right after I flew into town two weeks ago. Ruggles is a well-known Houston brand of restaurants and Ruggles Green is their "green" attempt. They were the first "certified green" restaurant in Houston. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I hope to return again one day!

The lighting wasn't great so the pictures aren't either...but the food was fabulous!

My dad ordered the Fresh Vegetable Minestrone Soup

and the Hyrdoponic Butter Lettuce Wedge

My mom and I shared the Chicken Curry Salad

and the Veggie Sourdough Panini (complete with goat cheese!) and Sweet Potato Fries!

For dessert we ordered Tres Leches (my dad's doing)

and the famous White Chocolate Bread Pudding!

Delicious!!!

Green Beans with Black Bean Sauce

Another Crabtree classic. In fact, this has become a "Lauren" classic. Whenever I'm home and this is on the menu, I'm the one who cooks it. I have no idea why this has become "my" recipe, but it has. It's also a classic around here too. Aaron loves it and if I've bought green beans, he always asks if this is what I'm making (and I usually am).

1.5 pounds Green Beans
2 Tablespoons Garlic Black Bean Sauce (usually found in the Asian section, we use the Lee Kum Kee brand)
1 tablespoon olive oil
water, as needed.

Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat and add beans to stir fry. Add small amounts of water when olive oil is absorbed to keep beans from burning. When done cooking beans, there should not be a lot of water left. When green beans are crisp tender, remove from heat and stir int he Garlic Black Bean Sauce until heated through.

Maple Glazed Salmon

You could call this a Crabtree family favorite. It is our go-to salmon recipe. It has the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Aaron and I make this more than regularly too. We even splurged for the real maple syrup (trust us, it's worth it).

The first picture is when I made this two weeks ago and the other is from January. I felt it necessary to include the January picture because it is prettier and in much better lighting. 

2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
4 (6 oz) salmon filets
cooking spray
1 tablespoon maple syrup

1. Prepare grill, heating to medium.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients. Sprinkle fish with salt; rub with paprika mixture.

3. Place fish on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 7 minutes. Drizzle fish with maple syrup; grill 1 minute or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Stuffed Manicotti

I am kicking myself; I forgot to take a picture of this! I won't say this is a favorite of mine, but Aaron really enjoyed it while I was away!

10-12 Manicotti Shells
1 Tablespoon olive oil
15-16 oz low fat Ricotta cheese
8 oz grated Mozzarella
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoon parsley flakes
cooking spray

1 jar spaghetti sauce
grated fresh parmesan cheese

1. Cook shells in boiling water with 1 tablespoon olive oil added. Boil for only 7 minutes and drain. Fill the pot up again with cold water and add the cooked shells. Let sit long enough to cool, drain, leaving enough water on the bottom to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom (this step doesn't take as long as the recipe makes you think that it does)

2. Prepare the cheese filling by mixing together the ricotta, mozzarella, garlic powder, celery salt, eggs, and parsley flakes. Let sit for 15 to 30 minutes.

3. Spray 2 small square baking pans with cooking spray (I actually used 1 square 8x8 and 1 rectangular 9x13). Put a small amount of sauce in to coat the bottom.

4. Stuff each shell with cheese mixture. Pack them well. Set 8 or 9 in each pan with the open side up. Pour sauce over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and freeze.

5. Cook at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove the foil top and sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese until the top is covered. Place back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before eating.

Chicken Chili with Pesto

While I was away in Texas for 10 days, I made Aaron some freezer meals (once again, props to my mom for sending me lists of freezer meals that she made for me while I was in college). Aaron called me to tell me that the "soup" I made tasted good! I was so confused - "SOUP?" I said, "that is CHILI!" This chili is chock full of vegetables and chicken and it is gooooood. There's no mistaking it for soup...unless you're Aaron that is.

2 Teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 Cup onion, finely chopped
3/4 Pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
3/4 cup red bell peppers, finely chopped
3/4 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/4 cup canned green chiles, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (16 oz) can Canellini beans (or any white bean), rinsed & drained
1 (14.5 oz) can fat free chicken broth
3 tablespoons classic pesto

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and chicken, saute 5 minutes Add carrot, bell pepper, and celery; saute 4 minutes. Add chiles and the next 6 ingredients (through the broth); bring to a boil.
2. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes. Stir in classic pesto.