Bison Shepard's Pie

As we head into the cool months my bones ache for hearty & filling meals. This delicious Shepard's pie or cottage pie, is a wonderful and easy way to use up those potatoes you've had sitting around or make use of the new abundance of squash from market. I originally used ground turkey for this recipe, but I really like the lean flavor of the bison. Beef or lamb are also great choices. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand and this pie also makes great leftovers!

Bison Shepard's Pie

• 2 lbs potatoes (3-4 big ones)
• 1 acorn squash
• 5 tablespoons butter 
• 3 onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs ground bison
• 1 cups stock (veg, beef, etc, homemade is best)
• 2 cups chopped veggies such as carrots, squahs, peas, & mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt & pepper

Peel & quarter potatoes & squash and steam for about 15 minutes, or until tender. In a large bowl smash steamed potatoes & squash with butter. Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet or oven safe pan, heat a table spoon of oil with a pad of butter. When the butter is done bubbling, the pan is hot enough. Sauté onions until translucent and add the carrots and mushrooms. Add ground bison and and cook until brown(about 5-10 minutes). Add a cup of stock and cook uncovered on low for 10 minutes. Add peas. Season to taste. Cover with prepared mashed veggies and cook at 400 degree until the mash is golden. Garnish with chives and enjoy!

Summer Succotash

As summer is coming to a close, I'm scrambling to make use of all the bounty of the season. Ive found myself with a bunch of corn, lima beans, broccoli and tomatoes. The best thing to do seemed like a succotash, traditionally a Pennsylvanian favorite which became a family staple in the great depression due to the wide availability of corn and limas. You can simply sauté all the ingredients together and have an excellent side dish, but we look ours to the next level with a little gouda lemon and jalapeño. Enjoy!

Summer Succotash

1 large onion, diced

1 cup shelled lima beans

1 1/2 cup corn kernels

1/2 cup brocoli florets

3 tablespoons butter

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 jalapeño, minced

1/2 cup grated cheese (gouda, manchego, and pecorino are all excellent) 

Basil, chopped

Salt, Pepper & Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Sauté onions in oil till soft,  add beans, corn and broccoli and cook until till tender(about 5 minutes). Stir in butter, herbs, lemon, jalapeños to finish. Top with cheese and basil. 

No-Bake Coconut Blueberry Pudding

Chia seeds are one of the most amazing health foods around. Yes, the once chia pet seeds also pack a real dietary punch! Rich in omega 3 fatty acids and fiber, chia has many benefits in one tiny seed. The interesting thing about chia seeds is when moisture is introduced, wether it be water, milk or kombucha they expand and become gelatinous. This makes chia seeds useful for vegans who miss jello and other such animal products. One of my favorite recipes I stumbled upon on the back of a trader joes package was to mix chia with coconut milk and create a rich pudding like dish. Simply combine coconut milk and chia seeds and allow to firm up in the fridge for a minimum of an hour. I experimented with different preparations, adding macerated fruits and honey. My favorite was this recipe but try any and all of your favorite summer fruits!

No-Bake Coconut Blueberry Pudding

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup chia seeds

2/3 cup maple syrup/honey

Handful mashed or puréed blueberries/summer fruit

Dash cinnamon

Combine all ingredients. Stir until chia seeds are completely covered in milk. Refrigerate for one hour or until firm.

Raw Summer Cold Noodle

In the summer, it's hard to eat, sleep and even breathe. Salads have always been my escape on hot summer days when I don't have much of an appetite, but recently I've been looking for some new cold & delicious alternatives. I love playing around with no-bake or raw recipes and am always overjoyed with the low prep and delicious results. I find that simplicity & allowing the natural flavors shine through is the key in raw 'cooking'.  

Cold sesame noodles is one of my favorite summertime dishes and I was excited when I saw a method for making noodles out of zucchini. With my new favorite kitchen toy, a julienne peeler, whipping up this simple summer recipe was a breeze (around 10 minutes total!) and a great way to eat raw. There are many benefits to eating vegetables in their raw state, most being that none of the nutrients is lost during the cooking process. Raw Zucchini has high levels of Potassium and Fiber as well as impressive values of Vitamin C (58%!) and Vitamin A, B-6 and Magnesium. 

When I received 4 gigantic zucchinis in my farm share this week, I was determined to make zucchini noodles. I julienned 2 of them and made the sauce out of some peanut butter, though I suspect that any and all nut butters would be delicious. This recipe is mostly a guideline, experiment with different preparations, customizing it to your taste. This one, of course, is on the spicier side. if you prefer milder version, nix the sriracha and chili powder and take it easy on the ginger and onion. Get out there and get your raw on! 

Raw Summer Cold Noodle

Sauce 

1/4 cup nut butter or sesame paste

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil  

2 teaspoons grated ginger

2 tablespoons of lime

1 tablespoon sriracha  

1 dash chili powder

Combine all ingredients in bowl and stir till smooth. If mixture is thicker than you'd like add more soy sauce or water. Set aside

Noodles 

2 large zucchinis, shredded with a julienned peeler

1 cucumber,  shredded with a julienned peeler

1 cup bean sprouts

1 onion, diced

Garnish 

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Cilantro to taste, chopped

Toss together ingredients in a large bowl . Slowly add sauce, dressing as much as you'd like. Do be aware that the zucchini will release liquid over time. Chill or serve immediately. Enjoy!