October 02, 2014

Fall Flavors

October 02, 2014/ Katie Dawn Habib

It's officially October which means that I am willing to surrender to the passing of summer and the onset of fall. The fall equinox was September 22, but in Los Angeles September weather is still fully beach-appropriate. In October, the evenings let go of the summer heat and release cool, light breezes. Thus, I am now ready to embrace the gems of fall: earth tones, light sweaters and scarves, and the fruits (and vegetables!) of fall.

Fall happens to be my favorite season, the color pallet matching my own interior design choices and the crispness in the air my ideal weather. Going along with this season are some truly wonderful foods. Below is a list of Fall Seasonal Foods to be found at your local farmer's market.

(These are for California. The list will be similar, but with some changes if you live on the East Coast.)

Apples

Eat raw or cooked. Great in pies, cider, on salads and as apple sauce.

Artichokes

Eat raw or cooked. Eat the fleshy part of the leaves and the base, known as the "heart."

Arugula

Eat raw or cooked. Typically in salads, but can be sautéed and added to hot dishes.

Asian Pears

Eat raw or cooked. Great on salads, by themselves and in tarts.

Bell Peppers

Eat raw or cooked. Great on salads, with hummus or in stir fries.

Broccoli

Eat cooked. (Raw okay, but it is a goitrogen raw.) Great steamed or sautéed.

Cauliflower

Eat cooked. (Raw okay, but it is a goitrogen raw.) Great sautéed or roasted.

Chard

Eat cooked. Eat leaves and steams. Best sautéed.

Eggplants

Eat cooked. Great sautéed, grilled or roasted.

Fennel

Eat raw or cooked. The fronds can be used as an herb dried or fresh. The bulb and stalk can be eaten raw, sautéed or roasted.

Figs

Eat raw, dried or cooked. Great cooked with meat. Super sweet, especially when dried.

Grapes

Eat raw (or dried as raisins!) Many varieties with different colors, some with or without seeds.

Green Beans

Eat cooked. Great steamed, sautéed, roasted or baked into dishes.

Kale

Eat cooked. (Raw okay, but often hard to digest. You can "massage" kale for a raw kale salad.) Remove stems. Great steamed and sautéed.

Pears

Eat raw or cooked. Great by themselves, on salads, in desserts, or sautéed with butter/ghee.

Pomegranates

Eat raw. Add the seeds to salads, fruit bowls or as a breakfast topping.

Pumpkins

Eat cooked. Great sautéed, roasted, baked into breads and pies, or in smoothies.

Tomatoes

Eat raw or cooked. Great on salads, sandwiches, in a stir-fry or roasted.

Turnips

Eat raw or cooked. Raw has a stronger flavor. Leaves and bulbs are edible. Leaves best sautéed, bulbs best sautéed or roasted.

Winter Squash

Eat cooked. Many different varieties. Great sautéed or roasted.

March 10, 2014

Spring is coming! Rare Spring Seasonal Vegetables

March 10, 2014/ Katie Dawn Habib

We've officially "sprung forward." The days are now starting to feel legitimately longer and maybe, just maybe, warmer weather is around the corner. With that in mind, I thought I would introduce you all to some lovely, if unfamiliar, vegetables that you may see pop up at your springtime farmer's market.

Artichokes

Description: Originating from southern Europe and the Mediterranean, artichokes are now also grown in the USA. Artichokes are large thistles and are high in fiber, folic acid and vitamin C.

Taste: Mild vegetable flavor. Kind of like a brussel sprout or asparagus, but less strong.

How to eat: They can be eaten cold or hot. The edible portions of the buds consist primarily of the fleshy lower portions of the individual leaves and the base, known as the "heart." Leaves are often removed one at a time, and the fleshy base eaten, with hollandaise, vinegar, butter, mayonnaise, aioli, lemon juice, or other sauces. The fibrous upper part of each leaf is usually discarded. They can also be sautéed and grilled.

Kohlrabi

Description: Known as a “German Turnip,” kohlrabi is part of the cabbage family. Originally European, kohlrabi is now grown throughout the USA. They contain wonderful phytochemicals that are highly regarded for their antioxidant properties. They are a good source of Fiber, Copper, Potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Thiamin, Folate, Magnesium and Phosphorus.

Taste: Mild and slightly sweet. Think broccoli stems and cabbage flavor, but lighter and sweeter.

How to eat: Remove the thick outer layers to reveal the tender, crisp center. You can eat kohlrabi raw or cooked. The greens can be cooked like kale.

Ramps

Description: Known also as wild leeks, ramps are wild onions that grow in North America. They are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, selenium and chromium.

Taste: Strong garlic-onion flavor.

How to eat: The entire plant is edible. Usually sautéed, roasted or grilled. Raw for the daring.

Rhubarb

Description: Its history dates back to ancient China, and is now also grown in Europe and the USA. Rhubarb is grown for its red stalks (similar looking to celery stalks). Contains vitamin C, potassium, fiber and some calcium.

Taste: Strong tart taste. Often cooked with sugar for use in desserts.

How to eat: Only eat the stalks, not the leaves. Rhubarb stalks can be eaten raw or cooked. They are most commonly known for being combined with strawberries in pies or tarts. To be creative, use them in drinks such as a rhubarb margarita or rhubarb bellini. They can also be roasted and used in sauces, chutney, or salsa.

Stinging Nettles

Description: Plants with tiny little hair-like stingers on the leaves and stems that make touching them unpleasant. Never fear, cooking removes the sting and leaves only the delicious leaves behind. (Wear gloves if handling raw.) They are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, potassium, flavonoids, iron, and protein. (Yes, protein! They are up to 25% protein!)

Taste: Green and earthy flavor. When cooked, they are more flavorful than their cousin, basil.

How to eat: Cooked. Usually boiled or blanched. Can also be consumed as a dried herb.

Turnips

Description: A root vegetable. The root is high in vitamin C and fiber. The leaves are high in vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K and calcium. Like rutabagas, turnips contains bitter cyanoglucosides that release small amounts of cyanide. Some people who are sensitive to cyanoglucosides may find turnips and other cyanoglucoside-containing foods intolerably bitter.

Taste: Turnips have a pungent, bitter flavor similar to cabbage or radishes when raw, but become mild when cooked.

How to eat: Both the root and the leaves are edible. Typically, turnip roots are peeled and can be eaten raw or cooked. If the flavor is too strong raw, then cook the root. They are commonly roasted, steamed, boiled and sautéed. The leaves are commonly sautéed or steamed.

February 17, 2014

Winter Madness: What's in Season

February 17, 2014/ Katie Dawn Habib

In the western world, we often have access to fruits and vegetables in winter months despite the fact that many of those foods are not in season. In order for that to happen, the food usually has to be shipped a great distance. One excellent way to eat summer fruits and vegetables in winter is to buy them frozen. That is definitely a cost efficient way to eat whole foods that beats the hell out of most canned options that are pumped full of sodium and other additives. Still, fresh fruits and vegetables are certainly great so what is a gal to do?

Well, for one, she could start by realizing that eating seasonally is a wonderful thing. Winter may not be full of strawberries and cherries, but there are wonderful foods that are in season in winter. As a bonus, these winter foods actually contain nutrients that are good for our bodies in these colder months.