Persimmons--Recipe: Persimmon and Apple Salad

To the everyday American, persimmons are not something that you see regularly in the grocery store if at all. In fact, the only place I've seen them is at a local grocery store called AJ's. AJ's carries a lot of exotic fruits and veggies. They are pretty pricey. (I bet you could find them at a local Asian market also.) I bought them on a whim because I wanted to know what they are. Well, they appeared again in our bountiful baskets 2 weeks ago and I'm sure most of you are wondering what the heck you're going to do with them. Well here's a little background on the persimmon:

Persimmons origins go back to ancient China. Fate intervened in the 1880’s when a United States Commander brought back a native Japanese persimmon variety to Washington, D.C. Now, persimmons are grown in California where hundreds of different varieties flourish. This brightly colored, glossy orange red skinned fruit is an excellent source of vitamin A, a good source of vitamin C, manganese, and rich in fiber. They are also are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium.

Although there are countless different varieties of persimmons, only two are commercially available. There are distinguishable by their shape.


Hachiya: This type of persimmon makes up approximately 90 percent of the available fruit. It is identifiable by its acorn like shape. This persimmon is tart until it becomes soft ripe.

Fuyu: This persimmon is gaining popularity here as it is in Japan. Similar in color, but looking like a squashed tomato, this variety is smaller, sweeter, and is edible while still firm. Don't let it become mushy.(this is the type we got in our baskets)

So, with this fruit that was so alien to me, the first thing I did was tear off the leaf on top, wash it and sliced it up and tasted it. I really liked the mild flavor that it has. I'm not sure how to describe it. Next, I looked for recipes that had persimmons and I came up with everything from salads to cookies and breads and jams. I think the best thing to do with a fruit that is foreign to you is to select an easy recipe that will keep the fruit in its purest form so you can really get a good taste of it so you can decide if you like it. SO, I chose a simple salad.

Fun Fact: Persimmon wood is very heavy and hard. It was once used to make golf clubs.


Persimmon and Apple Salad

Ingredients

1 Tbsp walnut pieces, toasted
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 sweet variety apples, rinsed, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise
3 firm-ripe Fuyu persimmons, rinsed, stemmed, and thinly sliced lengthwise

In a bowl, combine orange juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Add apples, persimmons, and toasted walnuts and mix to coat. Serve over a bed of romaine lettuce and enjoy!

OK guys, let me know what you think!! Please leave your comments below!

Tomorrow's Vegetable: Spinach

Sweet Potato--Recipe: Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes are so good and good for you! I love to eat them simply baked with a little bit of cinnamon butter. My kids love them too! So yummy!

Sweet Potatoes are low in Sodium, and very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6 and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Manganese.

Sweet potato, not only is just sweet to your taste buds but also good for your cardiovascular health. This starchy root vegetable is rich source of flavonoid anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that are essential for optimal health. They are storehouse of starch, a complex carbohydrate, which raises the blood sugar levels slowly on comparison to simple sugars; therefore, recommended as a healthy food supplement even in diabetes.

Anti-inflammatory compounds abound in sweet potatoes, making this veggie important for those with arthritis, gout, irritable bowel syndrome, and other conditions related to inflammation. But Be CarefulEating too many sweet potatoes may cause abdominal swelling and indigestion.

Fun Fact:Sweet potatoes are the official vegetable of North Carolina.


Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

1 3-4 lb whole chicken
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cumin
4 TBS olive or canola oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces (about 4 cups)
4 small red potatoes (or 2 medium russet potatoes) quartered
2 small green bell peppers, cut into 1 " pieces (about 2 cups)

Directions

1) Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Remove and discard neck and giblets from chicken. With kitchen sheers or a very sharp chef knife, cut the chicken in half. Place halves side up in baking dish.

2) In a medium bowl, mix spices with oil. Brush chickens with 2-3 TBS of oil mixture. Toss the vegetables in remaining oil mixture. Arrange vegetables around the chicken in the baking dish.

3)Bake for 45-60 min or until the the chicken halves are fork tender and juices run clear and vegetables are tender.


Enjoy! This recipe is SO good!

Tomorrow's Fruit: Persimmons

In the Basket this week 11/19/11

HOLY COW! My basket was HEAVY this week!

My basked includes:

Vegetables

Lots and lots of Roma Tomatoes
2 lbs Carrots
2 bunches Spinach
1 bunch celery
5 lbs potatoes
Onions

Fruit

1 small Pineapple
lots of Pears
1 bunch Bananas
OroBlanco Grapefruit
Clementines
3 lb bag Fuji apples

Lots of yummy stuff this week! There is no basket next Saturday due to the holiday. Due to my lack of posting this week (thanks to my fussy, teething 9 month old!), I should have no problems filling the week with wonderful recipes! Happy Cooking!

SORRY!!

Dear Bountiful Cuisine Readers,

I have not abandoned you! I've had a couple trying days with my 9 month old! I will get that Sweet Potato recipe up tomorrow! And OH MY! It's good!

Cabbage--Recipe: Cabbage Rolls

So, I know you were expecting a fennel recipe....I tried one and it didn't turn out how I would have liked. I'll keep looking for that perfect recipe. SO, on to cabbage.





Cabbage is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin A, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron and Magnesium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.

The health benefits of cabbage include treatment of constipation, stomach ulcers, headache, excess weight, skin disorders, eczema, jaundice, scurvy, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, eye disorders, heart diseases, ageing, and Alzheimer's disease.

Cabbage leaves also help nursing moms with engouragement. Sounds totally crazy, but I've whitnessed this first hand.

Fun Fact: Babe Ruth used to wear a cabbage leaf under his hat during games. He would switch out for a fresh leaf halfway through each game.


Cabbage Rolls


Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup uncooked white rice
8 cabbage leaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 green pepper, diced

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
2. Bring a large, wide saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add cabbage leaves and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until softened; drain.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 cup cooked rice, half the onion, egg, salt and pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of tomato soup. Mix thoroughly.
4. Divide the beef mixture evenly among the cabbage leaves. Roll and secure them with toothpicks or string.
5. In a large skillet over medium heat, add remaining tomato soup the rest of the onion and bell pepepr salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add cabbage rolls. Simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring and basting with the liquid often.

Tomorrow's vegetable: Sweet Potato

In the Basket this week 11/12

Vegetables

5 lbs sweet potatoes
6 lbs russet potatoes
7 medium onions
1 yellow squash


Fruit

4 persimmons (our mystery fruit for the week!)
4 lbs fuji apples
8 kiwis
2 lbs bananas
3 small grapefruits
6 oz blackberries

Woohoo!! I'm really looking forward to this week! Happy cooking!!

**Don't worry! I haven't forgotten about the fennel. Stay tuned!**

So far....

So out of my basket this week, I've used...

Veggies:

1 head of green cabage

6 mexican squashs

4 tomatoes (I have 2 left)

2-3 lbs broccoli

fennel

4 red bell peppers

Fruit:

4 apples (they look like fujis) I have 1 left…My kids ate them

5 pears (My kids ate them and BOY were they good)

small box of blackberries (my 3 year old singlehandedly ate these!)

3-4 lbs of bananas

6 kiwis

Not too shabby! I'm planning on using the fennel and apples today and possibly the kiwi's tomorrow. I may just eat the kiwi's. They are so yummy!

Red Bell Peppers--Recipe: Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

I remember when I was a kid, despite coaxing from my mother, I would not touch bell peppers. Now the same is true for my kids. Little do they know, I hide them in their food and no one's the wiser. Ha Ha! Bell Peppers are so good for you and tasty too! I love them, especially on pizza, salads, in burritos and stir-fry. Roasted and added to hummus...SO GOOD!! Not only are bell peppers very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium but,also a good source of Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin B6 and Folate.

Possibly due to their vitamin C and beta carotene content, bell peppers have been
shown to be protective against cataracts. Just like other nutrient-dense vegetables,
bell peppers contain many different powerful phytochemicals. Bell peppers have also
been shown to prevent blood clot formation and reduce the risk of heart attacks and
strokes probably due to their content of substances such as vitamin C, capsaicin, and
flavonoids. Although chili peppers contain a higher amount of those substances, bell
peppers should still be promoted especially for individuals with elevated cholesterol
levels. Source

Fun Fact:Green peppers produce odors that are absorbed by pineapples. (weird...)

Tomorrow's Vegetable: Fennel

Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Crust or dough ( I like America's Test Kitchen's Deep Dish Pizza recipe)

1/2 C Alfredo Sauce ( I like Ragu Roasted Garlic)

Sliced provolone Cheese, enough to cover the pizza.

2 Steak Ums Slices, cooked and sliced into strips.

1 Bell Pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 Onion, sliced into thin strips

Shredded Jack Cheese

Directions

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. Shape pizza dough into desired shape, then spread sauce over the dough. Add more if you like a saucy pizza. Place provolone cheese over the sauce, making sure to cover the entire pizza. Distribute steak, peppers and onion evenly on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with a handful of the Jack cheese. Bake for 10-12 min or until cheese is bubbly.

Apples--Recipe: Apple Pancakes and Cinnamon Syrup

I feel like I start all my posts the same way, but I LOVE apples. Again, I love to just eat them or add them to salads, bake them in cakes and pies or add them to chicken salad (try it! Cubed chicken with some pecans, celery, diced apple and craisins all mixed up with some mayo. YUM!), make apple sauce or can them and make a dump cobbler.

Apples are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.

Here are 10 reasons why apples should be a regular part of your diet.

1.Bone Protection
French researchers found that a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones.

2.Asthma Help
One recent study shows that children with asthma who drank apple juice on a daily basis suffered from less wheezing than children who drank apple juice only once per month. Another study showed that children born to women who eat a lot of apples during pregnancy have lower rates of asthma than children whose mothers ate few apples.

3. Alzheimer's Prevention
A study on mice at Cornell University found that the quercetin in apples may protect brain cells from the kind of free radical damage that may lead to Alzheimer's disease.

4. Lower Cholesterol
The pectin in apples lowers LDL ("bad") cholesterol. People who eat two apples per day may lower their cholesterol by as much as 16 percent.

5. Lung Cancer Prevention
According to a study of 10,000 people, those who ate the most apples had a 50 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers believe this is due to the high levels of the flavonoids quercetin and naringin in apples.

6. Breast Cancer Prevention
A Cornell University study found that rats who ate one apple per day reduced their risk of breast cancer by 17 percent. Rats fed three apples per day reduced their risk by 39 percent and those fed six apples per day reduced their risk by 44 percent.

7. Colon Cancer Prevention
One study found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 43 percent lower risk of colon cancer. Other research shows that the pectin in apples reduces the risk of colon cancer and helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.

8. Liver Cancer Prevention
Research found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 57 percent lower risk of liver cancer.

9. Diabetes Management
The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body's need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.

10. Weight Loss
A Brazilian study found that women who ate three apples or pears per day lost more weight while dieting than women who did not eat fruit while dieting.

source

It definitely makes that old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" seem like just plain old good advise!

Tip: When picking out apples at the grocery stores, look at the bottom of the apple, called the blossom end and if it is open, that means it spent more time on the tree and will be sweeter.

Fun Fact: The pilgrims planted the first US apples trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Apple Pancakes

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded apple (I've used granny smith, gala and fuji and all have been good!
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 TBLS white sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, combine butter, egg, milk and apple. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice and sugar. Stir flour mixture into apple mixture, just until combined.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Serve with cinnamon syrup.

Cinnamon Syrup

Ingredients

1 C brown sugar
1 C granulated sugar
4 TBLS flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 C water
2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Whisk together the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Add water. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue to boil and stir until mixture thickens to syrup consistency. Remove from heat and add vanilla; cool 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

Tomorrow's Vegetable: Red Bell Peppers

Mexican Squash-Recipe: Squash Casserole

Mexican squash is one of many varieties of summer squash. Before I started this blog, the only thing I knew what to do with squash was steam it. After doing a little research, I've come to find out that the sky's the limit! Soup and stew and casserole recipes are abundant anywhere you look. So as I looked over all the different websites, I concocted my own recipe.

Squash Casserole (any summer squash will do. I used Mexican Squash)

Ingredients

6 medium summer squashes, sliced

1/2 medium onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, depending on how much you like garlic

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used 1/2 cheddar 1/2 jack cheeses)

1 C Italian bread crumbs

1/4 C (half stick) of butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, spray with cooking spray and add half the onions and half of the squash and the garlic. Cook until just cooked. Repeat with second batch of squash and onion. In a colander, using a spoon wring out some of the water out of the squash. This will prevent the casserole from becoming too mushy with excess water from the squash. Put the squash in a buttered casserole dish and mix together the squash, cheese and bread crumbs. Pour melted butter over top and bake until golden brown and bubbly.

Squash is SO good for you! Summer squash contains vitamin C as well as beta-carotene, folate, and fiber. These nutrients make summer squash a tool in preventing cancers, heart disease, and diseases of inflammation such as arthritis and asthma.

Whether you're trying to lose weight or just adopt a healthier eating program, summer squash is rich fiber content can help you get full faster -- and give you many of the nutrients you need.

Fun Fact: Squashes are one of the oldest known crops--10,000 years by some estimates of sites in Mexico.

Tomorrow's Fruit: APPLE

Broccoli- Recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I LOVE Broccoli! You can bake it, fry it, sauté it...the possibilities are endless. On top of that, it is so so so good for you! Broccoli is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Selenium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.

In an article published on cnn.com titled "Broccoli beats most other veggies in health benefits" details the health benefits of broccoli and how it can help you fight some serious diseases.

It's true In the category of most healthful vegetable, this cruciferous contender wins all the top honors.This past February, when the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a paper that listed foods most likely to prevent colon cancer, what stood out Broccoli. Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston published an article in the same journal last October and noted that broccoli, along with spinach, helped to minimize risk for cataracts.When another team of Harvard scientists looked at how diet might protect against stroke, broccoli's benefits again came to the fore, in research published in the October 6, 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

When it comes to basic nutrients, broccoli is a mother lode. Ounce for ounce, boiled broccoli has more vitamin C than an orange and as much calcium as a glass of milk, according to the USDAs nutrient database. One medium spear has three times more fiber than a slice of wheat bran bread. Broccoli is also one of the richest sources of vitamin A in the produce section.

For the rest of this article go here


Broccoli Fun Fact: In Treehouse of Horror XI, Homer Simpson is killed by eating broccoli.

But don't let that fool you. Broccoli is seriously a super food!
OK- enough with the educational stuff and on the the recipe.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-2lbs fresh broccoli, chopped
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 pound shredded medium cheddar cheese
• 2 cups milk (or half and half for a richer soup)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup water

Directions

1.In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter until softened. Stir in broccoli, and sauté for 5 min. Cover with chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2.Reduce heat and add the in milk.

3.In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into water until dissolved. Stir into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until thick.

4.Once the soup is thick, add the shredded cheese a handful at a time. Do not add the next handful until the previous cheese that was added is completely melted and combined. Heat through and serve. Garnish with sour cream and extra shredded cheese of desired.

This recipe is SO good! Even my picky 3 yr and 5 yr olds LOVED it! TRY IT!!!

I served this soup with 30 min rolls that I made from scratch. Just like the name says, the rolls took 30 min! I'll post the recipe if someone out there wants it.



Tomorrow's Vegetable: Mexican Squash

In the Basket this week 11/7/11

This week my basket included:

Veggies:

1 head of green cabage

6 mexican squashs

4 tomatoes

2-3 lbs broccoli

fennel

4 red bell peppers

Fruit:

4 apples (they look like fujis)

5 pears

small box of blackberries

3-4 lbs of bananas

6 kiwis

GREAT pull this week! I'm excited!

Welcome!

Hello fellow foodies!
Welcome to my premiere blog demonstrating the use of the fresh fruit and
vegetables that come each week in my Bountiful Basket. (Don't know what
Bountiful Baskets is? Check out their website bountifulbaskets.org)

Each week we receive
a laundry basket full of fruit and veggies that are from mostly local growers
and taste GREAT! It's a mystery what you'll get each week, but I think that
makes for more fun. That is the primary reason why I'm starting this blog. I
want to expand my horizons and help my family experience a more types of foods.
So, just about every day I will post what fruit or vegetable I'm working with
along with some fun facts about it along with the recipe I found or came up
with. Join me on the fun and exciting food journey!

On a side note: Even if you don’t participate with the
Bountiful Basket folks, please feel free to cook right along with me!