Hearty Vegetarian Lasagna
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 4

For the stout of heart, an ambitious and suspiciously delicious recipe for lasagna, helpfully outfitted for modern sensibilities, i.e. no-boil lasagna noodles

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped fresh kale or Swiss chard leaves
1 cup packaged julienned (matchstick cut) carrots or thinly sliced carrots
1 (26 ounce) jar spicy tomato basil pasta sauce (or make your own!)
1 tablespoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 (15 ounce) carton fat free ricotta cheese
1/4 cup each: chopped fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles, such as Barilla or Prince brands
1-1/2 cups shredded 2% milk mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
Heat oven to 375 F. Combine kale and carrots with 1/4 cup water in a large saucepan. Cover; simmer over medium heat 3 minutes. Uncover; simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add pasta sauce, vinegar and fennel seeds; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine ricotta cheese, basil, Parmesan cheese, egg whites and pepper; mix well. Spoon 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce onto bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan. Arrange 2 of the noodles over sauce. Spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles; top with 1 cup pasta sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 2 more noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, last 2 noodles and remaining pasta sauce. Cover dish with foil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Uncover; top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Let stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into squares; garnish with additional basil if desired.

Food as MedicineSM Tip:
One cup of Swiss chard contains more than 200 percent of your daily needs of vitamin A.

Culinary Taste Tip:
Balsamic or red wine vinegar, coupled with fennel seeds, add a southern Italian flair.

Culinary Technique Tip:
No boil lasagna noodles save a lot of time and can be found at most supermarkets.

Arugula (or spinach) and Fontina Frittata
Serves 4

I don’t know about you, but I’d never heard of fontina before. It’s a soft-ish Italian cheese, so if you don’t happen to have fontina in your fridge, try substituting mozzarella.

1 garlic clove, halved (or a handful of scapes)
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 oz baby arugula or spinach (7 cups packed)
6 large eggs
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 lb Fontina (or other cheese), rind discarded and cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Preheat broiler.
Cook garlic in oil in a 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Discard garlic and add arugula, then cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper until combined, then pour over arugula in skillet and cook, undisturbed, over moderate heat until almost set, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until eggs are just set and cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

SPRINGTIME SPINACH SALAD
Allrecipes.com

As with all other recipes, feel free to modify this recipe to your taste or other needs. Don’t eat meat? Then leave out the bacon and maybe add some crumbled tofu. Strawberries already out of season? Berries, apple slivers, mango or a plethora of any fruits can be substituted and added as desired! Enjoy!

2 eggs
4 slices bacon
5 cups fresh spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 kiwi, sliced
1/2 mandarin orange, peeled and segmented
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1 clove crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup seasoned croutons

Place the eggs in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from hot water and cool. Peel, chop, and set aside.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until crisp and evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together the eggs, bacon, spinach, mushrooms, strawberries, onion, kiwi, and orange.
In a separate bowl, mix the ketchup, water, olive oil, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and brown mustard. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour over the salad mixture, and top the salad with croutons.

Strawberry and Grilled Tofu (or Chicken) Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:

* 12 oz tofu or 2 chicken breasts, marinated in lemon juice and oil
* Salt and cracked black pepper
* 1 pt fresh strawberries
* 1 sprig basil
* 1/2 pt plain yogurt (link to super-easy yogurt making: in progress)
* 2 heads Bibb lettuce (related to the smaller Butterhead and Boston lettuces, with large ruffly outer leaves surrounded by a soft, folded and blanched heart.)
* 4 oz chickpeas
* 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
* 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
* 2 oz walnuts

Directions:

Start by seasoning your tofu or chicken with salt and pepper, then grill. When done, set aside. Over low heat, combine strawberries (minus the stems and leaves) and basil in a small sauce pot with a little water. Reduce mixture by 1/3, and then remove from heat. When cool, add the yogurt and black pepper to taste, and puree. Cut off the core of the bib lettuce, separate the leaves, and place them into a mixing bowl. Add the chickpeas, ricotta, red onion, walnuts, and strawberries (depending on size, cut however you like). Add a small amount of the reduction and toss well. Slice the chicken breast or tofu, and add to the top of the salad.

This excellent red cabbage side dish was submitted by Barbara Vadnais.

Here is a very good recipe for red cabbage. We received a couple of heads
in our box share over the last few weeks. I used butter instead of bacon
and added a few chestnuts.
This dish is great with pot roast and boiled potatoes.
What vegetables you grow. Thank you very much!!!
Red Cabbage
From the New York Times  11-16-83
1/4 pound slab pork or slab bacon, diced
4 tbsp sugar, or to taste
1 very large onion, coarsely chopped
2 large tart apples, cored, peeled and cut into eighths
1 large head red cabbage, cored and coarsely copped
1 cup liquid (stock, red wine or equal parts of each)
1 cup vinegar, or to taste
Salt and white pepper to taste1. Fry the pork in a deep, large skillet until it is well rendered but not
too brown.
Add the sugar and cook, sritting, until it caramelizes lightly. Add the
apples and cook two to three minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Add all remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly, cover tightly and simmer
1.5 hours.
If necessary, add a bit more liquid to prevent sticking. Check the
seasoning and serve.
Yield: 8 or more servings.

This gratin can be a substantial side dish or a light supper.  Flavoring the olive oil with crushed red pepper flakes makes a “red” oil to add subtle heat.

1 cup yellow cornmeal (medium-coarse or coarse)

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt; or more to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic (or more, if you like garlic)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Black pepper to taste

1 pound mixed tender greens, such as arugula, spinach, watercress, kale, or greenleaf lettuce; thick stems cut away, leaves chopped coarsely

1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Prepare the Polenta

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In an oiled 3 quart nonstick ovenproof skillet, stir together the cornmeal, water, and salt.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the greens

In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of black pepper; cook for 1 minute.

Pour half the oil into a 1&1/2 or 2 quart baking dish, reserving the garlic in the skillet, and pour another tablespoon of the oil into a cup to drizzle over the final dish.

Brush the seasoned oil around the inside of the baking dish.

Add the chopped greens to the oil and garlic remaining in the skillet, cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. 

Season the greens with salt and pepper.  If necessary, uncover the skillet and increase the heat to evaporate any liquid.  Yields 1&1/2 to 2 cups cooked greens.

When the polenta has cooked for 45 minutes, quickly stir in the greens and half the cheese.  Taste and add salt if needed.

Transfer to the oiled baking dish, drizzle with the reserved oil, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

Serves four as a first course or side dish.

Submitted by Bert Wolfe

This recipe is from Turkey, and can be served either hot or cold.

1 medium eggplant (about 1&1/4 lbs.)

Salt

Olive oil for frying

1&1/2 lbs. red, ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 3 cups)

1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Fry the Eggplant:

Partially peel the eggplant lengthwise, leaving 1/2 inch stripes of skin.  Remove the stem.  For a large eggplant, quarter it lengthwise first.

Slice the eggplant about 1/4 inch thick.  Sprinkle each slice with salt on both sides and let stand in a colander in the sink for at least 30 minutes.  Rinse the eggplant thoroughly and pat each slice dry with paper toweling.

In a large skillet over high heat, warm about 1/2 cup olive oil until very hot.  Fry the eggplant slices a single layer at a time until a rich brown on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side; use more olive oil as needed.  Set fried slices to drain on paper towels.

Make the Sauce:

Discard the olive oil used to fry the slices and wipe skillet clean.

Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with a little salt; simmer, mashing the tomatoes with a fork, until they form a sauce and are no longer liquidy, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and vinegar, remove from the heat.

Form the Dish:

Fan the fried eggplant slices on a platter and coat with the tomato sauce.  The dish can be served hot or let it cool and refrigerate.

Submitted by Bert Wolfe