[Food Series] Wilted Kale, Mandarin and Walnuts

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine
My love affair with kale started a decade ago on a trip to a dusty, u-pick organic farm with a bunch of friends and I haven’t looked back since. As you can imagine, 10 years of going steady with a leafy green begs for reinvention, excitement and an injection of spontaneity! I absolutely love cooking compositions, meals made up in the spur of the moment, improvised from ingredients that are staring you in the face saying, “Pick me! Pick me!” And that is how this nutritious and mouth-watering dish came to be.
I love it mostly because of its versatility and simplicity. It’s a light lunch, a side dish or, toss in some protein and a handful of steamed lentils and it’s a hearty, well-rounded family dinner.
Ingredients
2 bunches of Organic Kale
2 small Mandarins
¼ cup Raw Organic Walnuts
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon of Water
Salt and Pepper to taste
Begin by cleaning and destemming the kale leaves. Peel the mandarin, separate it into sections and thinly slice each section. Roughly chop the walnuts into bite-sized pieces. In a frying pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat, then add the kale to the pan. Into the kale add a dash of salt and pepper and sauté for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add a splash of water, quickly place a tight-fitting lid on the pan and allow the kale to simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the stove’s burner and add in the mandarins and walnuts and toss to warm the added ingredients. Serve this up piping hot and enjoy!
By Jennifer Fontaine

[Food Series] Roasted Balsamic Beets with Goat Cheese

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine

I know, beets aren’t for everyone. Most people I know either love them or hate them. Luckily, for my family, we all fall in to the LOVE them category! In the last few weeks, we’ve received a ton of fresh beets in our CSA delivery and I’ve been experimenting and re-imagining some of my favorite recipes. This one is so incredibly easy and delicious, it’s almost a crime! Enjoy!

Ingredients
3 lbs Golden and Red Beets
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
2 ounces Goat Cheese

To roast the beets, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove beet tops (the stalks and greens) and wrap the beets in aluminum foil. Place the beets in the oven for about an hour, making sure rotate them every 20 minutes. If they are really large beets, they might need more roasting time. I generally do the ‘squeeze’ test. If you squeeze them (with an oven mitt!) and they depress, they are ready! When the beets are done, take them out and set them on the counter and allow them to cool. When the beets are cooled, easily remove the skin with your hands or by gently rubbing them with a paper towel. Slice the beets a 1/4 inch in thickness, sprinkle a few dollops of goat cheese on top and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Enjoy!

[Food Series] 3 Detoxifying and Rejuvenating Homemade Juices

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine
As a general rule, we are not big juice drinkers, especially store bought juice which is chocked full of added sugar and devoid of most of its original vitamins and minerals. We eat copious amounts of fruits and vegetables in our house and, for the most part, I prefer to enjoy all of the benefits of eating the whole food. But in the winter time, when germs are at an all time high and everyone we know is sick, we juice. It’s one way to ensure that we get the extra immunity-boosting vitamins and minerals we need to keep us healthy and active. Here are three of our favorites! Enjoy! 

3 Detoxifying and Rejuvenation Juices

Morning Sunshine
2 Ruby Red Grapefruit
2 Oranges
3 Gala Apples
1 2-inch piece of Ginger

Afternoon Cooler
4 Persian Cucumbers
6 Stalks of Celery
5 Large Swiss Chard Leaves
2 Gala Apples

Evening Calm
4 Large Carrots
3 Beets
5 Apricots
1 Bunch of Parsley

By Jennifer Fontaine