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