¼ cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of ½ lemon
1 scallion, diced (or ½ shallot)
½ teaspoon salt
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Fill a large bowl with water.
Squeeze the juice from one lemon into the bowl, saving the rind.
Halve the artichokes and immediately submerge in the water. This will prevent them from browning.
Bring a 5-quart pot of water to a boil and add in the squeezed lemon rind.
Transfer the artichokes to the boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Heat grill on high.
Empty the lemon water from the bowl. Use the same bowl for the next few steps.
Squeeze the juice from ½ lemon into the bowl.
Measure olive oil, salt, and pepper into the bowl.
Peel the paper skin from 2 cloves of garlic.
Mash them with a garlic press and add to the olive oil and lemon juice.
When the artichokes are done boiling, drain them and toss them around in the bowl.
Turn the grill down to a medium heat.
Wearing protective BBQ mitts, use tongs to place artichokes on the grill.
Baste the artichokes with the remaining oil and lemon mixture in the bowl.
Turn every five minutes until artichokes start to char. Remove from heat.
To prepare the aioli:
Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl.
Serve with grilled artichokes.
Dip the petals in the aioli, if desired, before eating.
Kid Zone
Worms: Good Recyclers and Inexpensive Pets
Worms? As pets? You'd be amazed at how much you will love them! They aren't very cuddly but they won't go potty in the house or chew on your favorite slippers. They will, however, devour all of your food scraps — and recycle them into the most amazing, nutrient-rich castings (a polite word for “poop.”) Gardeners who don't like to use chemical fertilizers in their gardens refer to worm castings as “black gold” because it helps their plants grow so well!
Simply keep the worms in a covered box (with tiny air holes) lined with shredded newspaper. You can feed them coffee grounds every day, along with your banana peels and apple cores. Be careful — if your kids take good care of their worms, they may be looking for a pony next.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Serves 4–6
This salad is beautiful — the red quinoa provides the canvas, while specks of bright color flash throughout. If your family eats with their eyes first, they are likely to adore this meal. Plus, quinoa is packed with protein, so it is healthy too. (You don't have to mention that, though.)
6 cups unsalted water
1 cup red quinoa, rinsed until water is clear
1 cucumber
1 15-ounce can chickpeas/garbanzo beans (or 2/3 cup cooked dry beans)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 handful each fresh mint and basil
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
1 lemon
¼ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon cumin or coriander
2 cloves garlic
4–6 green onions
1 handful parsley
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Measure the water and pour it into a large pot.
Bring water to a boil.
Add quinoa to the boiling water and boil uncovered for 10–14 minutes. The little tails of each quinoa grain will pop out as they cook.
Drain well and fluff with a fork after a few minutes.
Peel the cucumber (if you prefer it that way).
Cut the cucumber in half, lengthwise.
Put the flat side down on the cutting board and cut into pieces, each about ½″ in size.
Open the can of garbanzo beans.
Drain them in a colander over the sink and rinse thoroughly. (If you love garbanzo beans as much as I do, feel free to add the entire can to the recipe. Otherwise, measure out 2/3 cup.)
Rinse the cherry tomatoes.
Cut them in half.
Pick the mint and basil leaves from the stem. Tear the leaves into tiny pieces.
Slice the olives with an egg slicer or with a knife.
For the dressing:
Cut the lemon in half.
Use a reamer or juicer to juice the lemon (or squeeze it with your hands) and measure ¼ cup juice.
Measure olive oil and combine in a bowl or jar with the lemon juice.
Measure the cumin and add it to the oil and lemon dressing.
Peel the papery skin from the garlic.
Mince the garlic or mash it with a garlic press. Add it to the dressing.
Snip the green onions into small pieces with kitchen scissors and add them to the dressing.
Pick the parsley leaves from the stem and tear them into small pieces. Measure 1 cup and add to the dressing.
Whisk the dressing or shake it in a lidded jar until well combined.
To assemble:
Put all of the salad ingredients except salt and pepper into a large serving bowl and mix together. If you have a glass bowl, use it, so that you can see the bright colors of the ingredients. Toss with the dressing, to taste.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve the salad warm or at room temperature.
Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks
Serves 6
It's hard to deny the appeal of finger foods. While the most common finger food on the dinner table may be the French fry, during the summer, you can easily replace it with these zucchini sticks. Serve them with a fresh tomato marinara sauce or even your child's favorite salad dressing.
Canola or olive oil or cooking spray
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1½ teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling when the sticks come out of the oven
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Optional additions for the coating: paprika, dried herbs, cayenne pepper
1½ pounds zucchini (about 3 medium)
1 whole egg, or 2 egg whites
Preheat oven to 475ºF.
Wipe a large baking sheet with a washcloth dipped in oil, or coat it with cooking spray.
Measure flours, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dry ingredients into a zip-top bag or a reusable plastic container with a lid. If you desire, you can add other flavorings to the coating, such as paprika, dried herbs, or a dash of cayenne pepper.
Slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise.
Place the flat side on your cutting surface and cut ½″ slices down the length of each zucchini.
If they are too long, cut the slices in half so they resemble French fries.
Crack the egg over a small bowl and fish out any stray shells.
Beat it lightly.
Dip each piece of zucchini in the egg, holding the pieces over the bowl, to let the excess drip off.
Put the zucchini sticks into the bag or container of coating mixture and seal it closed.
Shake the container to coat the sticks in the mixture.
Place a cooling rack over each baking sheet.
Arrange the pieces of zucchini in a single layer on the cooling rack so that the hot air can circulate all around the sticks as they bake.
Spray the zucchini sticks with cooking spray or brush each piece with oil.
Bake on the center rack for 7 minutes.
Using tongs, turn the zucchini pieces over and oil the other side.
Continue to bake until golden and just tender, about 5–7 minutes more.
Sprinkle with salt right after they come out of the oven. Serve hot.
GOING GREEN
Plan Ahead … and Save Gas
Thumb through the pages of your favorite magazines or cookbook (hopefully this one!) and write out a
menu plan for the week. While you are at it, make a master grocery list. Not only will it save you the headache of last-minute shopping trips for forgotten items, this master list will actually save the planet. Well, not really. But it will make a difference in our air quality. If you make a shopping list for the whole week, you won't have to shop as often. Less time in the car means fewer climate-changing greenhouse gases and less air pollution. Oh yeah — it also saves you gas money!
Israeli Couscous Salad with Summer Vegetables
Serves 6
It's fun to mix things up in the kitchen and try new ingredients. This recipe takes advantage of Israeli couscous pearls instead of the variety that you may be used to. This brightly flavored side dish was a favorite of my recipe testers. It pairs nicely with pan-seared pork chops, or a lighter fish dish.
1 small zucchini (approximately 4" long)
1 small yellow squash (approximately 4" long)
2 cups Israeli couscous
1 small red bell pepper, organic if possible
1 small orange bell pepper, organic if possible
1 lime
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, rinse the zucchini and yellow squash.
To prevent these round squash from rolling around as you cut them, cut a thin slice from one of the sides. Then, place the squash with the flat side down on the cutting board.
Cut ¼″ slices from the zucchini and yellow squash, and then cut these slices crosswise to make ¼″ cubes.
Add the zucchini and yellow squash to the boiling water and cook just until tender but still crisp, about 2 minutes.
Scoop the vegetables out of the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the boiling water. Rinse them under cold water and set them aside.
Add the couscous to the boiling water and cook it until tender (as directed by the package, approximately 10 minutes).
Drain the couscous in a colander over the sink.
Rinse it well with cold running water, then drain it well again.
Rinse the bell peppers.
Dice the bell peppers and add them to the reserved squash.
Juice the lime, measure out 2 tablespoons, and add the juice to a large bowl.
Measure the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder into the bowl, and stir. Measure the oil and whisk it into the lime juice mixture.
Add the couscous, squash, bell peppers, and parsley to the large bowl.
Toss with clean hands to combine.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate before serving.
If you prepare this salad a day or more ahead, you may need to add additional lime, salt, and pepper.
Patriotic Fruit Salad
Serves 4
There is nothing like the first bite of fresh summer fruit — especially when you've waited more than eight months since your last serving. That's the blessing and the curse of eating seasonally. Sometimes it's hard to imagine waiting months to eat your favorite foods again, but there are huge benefits for the planet and your wallet if you're able to wait!
1 cup blueberries, organic if possible
1½ cups strawberries, organic if possible
3 white peaches, organic if possible
1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
Wash all of the fruit.
Pour the blueberries into a large bowl.
Cut the strawberries in half and add them to the blueberries.
Cut the peaches into 1″ pieces and add them to the other fruit.
Zest the lemon with a zester or micro-plane. If using a zester, tear the zest strips into tiny pieces or chop them with a knife.
Add the zest to the bowl.
Slice the lemon in half.
Squeeze the lemon and measure 2 tablespoons juice into the bowl.
Measure and add honey or agave nectar to the fruit.
Using a spatula or clean hands, toss fruit to combine the flavors.
This salad tastes best when it has had at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Store in the refrigerator and eat within two days. The peaches may discolor, but they still taste delicious.
Spaghetti Squash Two Ways
Serves 4
Spaghetti squash is a dream for parents, especially those who are used to their kids refusing to try new foods. If your children love spaghetti, they will take comfort in the familiar shape of these squash strands.
1 spaghetti squash
Optional toppings:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons parsley
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
OR
1 cup marinara sauce
¼ cup sliced kalamata olives
Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds.
Place squash cut sides up in a microwave dish with ¼ cup water.
Cover with a damp towel and cook on high for 10–12 minutes, depending on the size of the squash. You should be able to easily pierce the squash with a fork when it is finished cooking.
Or, you can bake the squash, cut side down on a baking dish in a 350°F oven for an hour, or until you can pierce the halves with a fork.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Pull a fork lengthwise through the flesh to separate it into spaghetti-like strands.
Options:
Toss the strands with olive oil, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.
Or, you can top the squash with marinara sauce and sliced kalamata olives.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples
Serves 4–6
Nearly every family has a recipe that people beg for at holiday parties. This is the one that I am asked to bring to Thanksgiving every year! When I taught a group of preschool students to make this dish, one girl promised that she wouldn't like it. “I never like sweet potatoes,” she said. But when her mom came to pick her up, the girl was on her third serving. Go figure.
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste
3 Macintosh or Gala apples
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Rinse and peel the sweet potatoes.
Cut them into 2" chunks.
Set a steamer basket in a large saucepan.
Fill the pan with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Place sweet potatoes in steamer basket and cover; steam until tender, 15–25 minutes. Drain, and return to saucepan.
While the sweet potatoes are steaming, measure milk, butter, and brown sugar, and pour them into a small saucepan.
Bring them to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Once it has all melted together, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the butter mixture to the drained sweet potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or with an immersion blender until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper.
Scoop the mashed sweet potatoes into a pretty baking dish.
Prepare the caramelized apple topping:
If you have an apple peeler/corer/ slicer, use it to peel and core the apples.
If not, peel them with a vegetable peeler.
Then, cut them in half lengthwise (from the stem to the base). Place them flat side down on the cutting board, so they won't wobble when you slice them.
Slice into thin pieces.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add apple slices and brown sugar.
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Cook for about 10 minutes, turning apples occasionally, until lightly browned on both sides. Place on top of sweet potatoes and bake 30 minutes, until heated through.
Note: You can make this dish ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator for a day or two until ready to use. If it has been in the refrigerator, allow an extra 15 minutes of baking time so that it heats through.
GOING GREEN
Your Face Is a Mess
Even though my conscience isn't bothered by the purchase of toilet paper, which is clearly a one-use item, I shy away from buying paper napkins. It's hard for me to justify spending money (and using environmental resources) for something we'll simply use to wipe off a watermelon-juice mustache and then throw away. Instead, in our house, we cut up old T-shirts and use them as napkins in lunch boxes and at the dinner table. When guests are over for dinner, or when we are feeling particularly fancy, we use matching cloth napkins (classy, right?).
If you find that paper products are necessary, try buying recycled-content paper goods. These use less energy to produce, and don't require any new trees to be chopped down (remember the Lorax?).
Roasted Broccoli with Lemon
Serves 4–6
When I sat on the White House lawn as Michelle Obama talked about the Chefs Move to Schools initiative, she recalled some of her childhood food memories. She laughed as she told us about the mushy broccoli that her mother prepared, and compared it to the flavorful version that she now enjoys. By using a recipe like this one, you will be helping your children to develop a positive association with healthy food, and will be giving them a food memory they'll be unable to scoff at later!
2–3 stalks broccoli
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
The Whole Family Cookbook Page 10
