Lemon Balm Pesto Pasta

The other day a good friend of ours came over to help Scott and I tackle the project that is our basement. It was a task that has been put off since winter, so it was nice to finally have it finished. And honestly I was also relieved that the bulk of the work was done mostly by them, considering it's basically a spider filled cold space just tall enough to stand in, which isn't exactly my idea of fun. 

Once finished, I found them both roaming about the yard, ice cold water in hand, inspecting various wild plants in an overgrown patch just beyond where our yard ends. Our friend excitedly mentioned he thought there was a kiwi tree and what he thought was mint in our yard. Technically it's in our neighbors yard, but we looked it up and discovered that in fact it was a kiwi tree! However the mint was, what I originally thought, lemon balm and we also discovered wild fennel, which is more of an herb then the more popular bulb variety. A conversation with the neighbors one day revealed that in deed the kiwi tree does produce fruit and we could have as much as we wanted once it was ripe, and as much lemon balm as we could eat too.

So what does one do with lemon balm? Well, it's probably most know for flavoring drinks and making tea. A quick search revealed that many people use it in various desserts, a topping to fish, and combined with fruits or vegetables. You can even crush it, rub it on your skin and it supposed to help repel mosquitoes. It's in the mint family but the flavor is more delicate and hints at a taste of lemon. 

Lately I've been noticing a trend in pesto making. It has drifted away from its more common form of basil, pine nuts, garlic, oil, and Parmesan, and everywhere I look people are embracing different herbs and nuts for a whole new taste. I love this and thought a pesto would be the perfect thing for lemon balm. Look for lemon balm at your local farmers market if your lucky, or try growing it yourself. It's supposed to be as easy and quick as mint; you may even have some in your back yard too.

I decided I wanted to make this pesto in true Italian from by chopping everything by hand. I used a sharp knife, but the results would have been better if I had a mezzaluna. Even though it was a bit thicker than if I had run everything in a food processor I really loved the texture and rustic look of it mixed with the pasta. Try it either way you prefer, it will still taste the same. I was going to use spaghetti noodle for this originally but there were none to be found in my cupboard, so I swapped in the penne, you can use which ever. I served this right along side my spinach strawberry and radish salad for a really great summer meal.

Lemon Balm Pesto Pasta

serves 4

2 cups packed lemon balm

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup walnuts

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

salt to taste

1 pound whole wheat pasta

Start chopping a 1/3 cup of the lemon balm with the garlic. Continue adding the lemon balm, a 1/3 cup at a time, waiting until each addition is finely chopped and worked in. 

Once all the lemon balm is minced in, start incorporating the walnuts into the mix. Keep chopping until everything is very finely minced, this whole process should take about 15-30 minutes, so give yourself some time.

Place everything in a bowl, add lemon, oil, and salt. Stir to mix well. 

If you would like to make this in a food processor, combine the lemon balm, garlic, and walnut. Give it a quick whirl until everything is finely chopped, but not completely. Add the lemon and slowly drizzle in the oil while the machine is running. Salt to taste.

For the pasta, bring a large salted pot of water to a boil. Cook your pasta according to the package directions, drain and place in a serving bowl. Scoop out the fresh pesto, stir to combine well with the pasta and serve. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered for a couple days.

Spinach Strawberry & Radish Salad

This entire salad, minus the avocado and dressing, came from a farm not more than 20 miles from where I live. It's incredibly fresh and a complete delight to the mouth. I realize that maybe many of you have moved on from strawberries because in your neck of the woods you were lucky enough to have started eating them all last month and now you have blueberries, cherries and maybe even peaches to contend with. But if you follow me on twitter, you'll know that they finally arrived near me hear in the N.W.

I made this salad twice this week. I couldn't get enough of it. The perfectly sweet strawberries, the spicy kick from the radishes, the creamy avocado, all mix with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette and piled on top of a bed of spinach. My mouth is watering again just typing this.

I was never a huge fan of radishes, or so I thought. But now I'm kicking myself for not planting them in my own garden. They are so pretty, like giant bulbs of Christmas lights, and add that subtle punch of taste and color to any salad. I think I'm going to get a crop in mid-summer for harvest in the Fall. Yep, you can have radishes even in the Fall and I've even heard their flavor really shines then too.

To be honest this salad was not really measured out, it's more of a suggested portion size. Feel free to play around with adding in more or less strawberry, radish, or avocado to you preference. You can prepare the dressing a day or two in advance and store tightly covered in the fridge. If you want to make the salad ahead of time I would only do it the morning before and then dress the salad right before serving for optimal freshness.

 

Spinach Strawberry & Radish Salad

serves 4

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinagar

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon raw honey

2 spring onions or green onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

salt and pepper to taste

3-4 cups spinach, washed and dried

1/2 bunch roughly chopped radishes

1 1/2 cups roughly chopped strawberries

1/2 avocado

In a small bowl combine the garlic, vinegar, oil, and honey. Whisk in the spring onions, chives, and salt and pepper to emulsify and set aside.

In a large bowl toss together the spinach, radishes, strawberries, and avocado. Add the dressing and toss to combine well and serve.

Mint Chip Ice Cream

Happy solstice! Today is one of my favorite days of the year. The sun comes up before 5am and it doesn't go down until 10pm. It's crazy and it's a day that calls for ice cream. Don't you agree?

I have many fond memories growing up of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Mostly in the Summer months and always with sticky streaks of light green running down the sides of my cheeks. But I'm an adult now and the green coloring added to my ice cream isn't as appealing as it once was, nor is a face smeared with the stuff. So once again I pulled out my beloved ice cream maker and set about to make a fresh minty batch of ice cream.

Remember when I made mango sorbet. It was light, refreshing, and there was no refined sugar. I loved the idea of using dates as a sweetener and knew my Summer was going to be filled with all kinds of icy treats made using this technique. I was so excited when I took my first bite of this mint chip ice cream. Just the right amount of sweetness, no weird artificial or chemical after taste, and perfectly minty and chocolaty in every bite. 

I used David's chocolate chip making expertise. It worked perfectly. You just chill the container you want to keep your ice cream in, drizzle in a bit of melted dark chocolate, cover with a scoop of fresh churned ice cream and repeat, swirling in the chocolate as you go to make chips. You'll end up with small bits of chocolate and some that are slightly larger depending on how thick you drizzle.

A packed cup of mint may seem like a lot, but you will be straining the mint out, not blending it in and it really depends on how long you let the milk and mint mixture sit to achieve your satisfactory mint potency. I let mine site for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours and it was perfect.

Mint Chip Ice Cream

makes about 3 cups

1 cup almond milk

1 14oz. can coconut milk

pinch of salt

1 cup packed fresh mint

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 oz. pitted dates, about 1 cup

about 1 cup boiled water

3 oz. dark chocolate

Heat the almond milk, coconut milk, salt, and mint in a small sauce pan over medium high heat. Let it get hot enough to where it is steaming, but not boiling.

Cover and set aside to cool for about 1-2 hours or depending on how minty of a flavor you want.

In the meantime, place the dates into a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to soften, then drain.

Strain the mint leaves from the milk mixture, giving them a good squeeze with a spatula to extract more mint flavor if you wish. Place the dates and milk mixture into a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Place everything in the refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Freeze the ice cream according to your ice cream machines instructions.

Place your ice cream storage container into the freezer. While the ice cream is churning, melt the chocolate in a double broiler, stirring until smooth.

Pull the container out of the freezer, drizzle some of the chocolate into the bottom. Then scoop out some of the churned ice cream and drizzle on more chocolate and quickly stir it in. Continue layering like this until and stirring in more chocolate until finished.

Place in the freezer until firm. Pull out 15 minutes to serving for easier scooping.

Baby Bok Choy & Edamame with Walnuts & Mustard Vinagarette

The past couple of weeks I've finally been able to bring home more than asparagus, radishes, and rhubarb from the markets. My favorite is all the greens and soon all the berries, cherries and peaches! This past week I was picking up some herbs and looked over my shoulder to see some baby bok choy. Perfectly bound little clusters with the prettiest green leaves. A green that is usually stir fried and seasoned with Asian influenced dressings or sauces. Instead of turning to soy sauce I wanted something vinegary, fresh, and light. 

Maybe I just wasn't over the potato salad I recently spoke about, but somehow the vinaigrette, walnuts and edamame made for a perfect afternoon meal when paired with rice. I'll for sure be making this one again.

Bok choy is easy to prepare; cut off the ends so that each leaf is detached from the others, rinse under cool water making sure to remove any dirt that gets stuck between the leaves and dry off. Bok choy has a high water content and you'll notice this when sauteing. This is why I like to remove the greens to a serving dish with tongs to avoid pouring out all the liquid with them.

Make sure to toast your walnuts. It brings our so much more depth and flavor to the nut, but if you don't like, or are allergic to them sub in almonds or another of your favorite nut or seed. This salad if definitely best served upon making, but the dressing will keep for several days in an airtight container in the fridge if you want to get a head start.

Baby Bok Choy & Edamame with Walnuts & Mustard Vinaigrette
serves 4-6

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
sea salt and ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch baby bok choy, washed and ends trimmed
1 cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame
1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Combine the mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in the 1/2 cup olive oil. Stir in the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper.

If using frozen edamame, bring a small pot of water to boil and cook according to package instructions, usually about 5-10 minutes. If using fresh cook for a slightly shorter time, until tender. Drain and reserve.

Place the tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the bok choy. Quickly saute, using tongs to move the pieces on the bottom to the top once they've wilted. Once the leaves have wilted and turned a nice bright green, use tongs to place in a serving dish.

Toss in the edamame. Pour about 3/4 of the dressing and toss everything to combine well, adding more dressing if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the toasted walnuts and serve warm.

Meatless Monday with Martha Stewart: Black Bean Lentil Burgers with Pickled Carrots & Radishes

I love black bean burgers. They're my absolute favorite veggie style burger, especially this time of year when everyone is outside cooking on the grill. I came up with this black bean and lentil version when I had leftover cooked lentils hanging around in my fridge one day. These burgers are not only super tasty and hearty, but a healthy alternative to packaged veggie burgers. I topped mine with spicy pickled carrots and radishes, yum! See the full recipe at Whole Living.

Rhubarb Rosemary Crisp: For Two

I'm a firm believer that desserts, especially in the form of cakes, pies, and crumbles, should be served for a crowd. It feels celebratory and it's a great way to end a meal with the ones you love. But then there are times when the middle of the week rolls around, with no place to go or people to see, and a craving strikes for something sweet with an oaty brown sugar topping smothering warm fresh fruit. 

I happened to have everything to make a rhubarb crumble and wanting to avoid the inevitable, dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the days after, I settled on making it for two. Shortening up the recipe quite a bit to make only two servings took some thinking and tweaking. At first I was worried I would end up with to much crumble topping, but after thinking about it more I thought, who ever complains about having to much crumble? I ended up with the perfect amount anyways and a tasty treat I looked forward to digging into.

Have you ever had rosemary with your rhubarb? It's amazing. They were meant to be together. It transforms a tart, sweet dessert into something sophisticated and interesting. I love my rhubarb desserts on the more tart side, then sweet. Adding sweetened whipped cream or creme fraiche adds a little extra creamy sweet touch at the end as well, but you can choose to use more sugar in the filling if you'd like. Crisps and cobblers are one of my favorite things to make in the Spring and Summer time. They're always a comfort and easy to prepare and serve.

I used spelt flour for the crumble, but feel free to substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour if you'd like. I really liked the coconut oil in the crumble, it added another slight flavor change to the traditional butter topping, but either will be fine. Although the butter will most likely brown a little more. The ramekins will seem really full, as the rhubarb cooks it will break down and sink a bit, so don't worry if you think it will overflow.

Rhubarb Rosemary Crisp

serves 2

crumble topping

3 tablespoons spelt flour

3 tablespoons rolled oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil or cold butter

rhubarb filling

1 stalk rhubarb, chopped or about 1 full cup

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoon cane sugar

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease 2 ramekins and set aside.

For the crumble, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Add in the coconut oil and using your fingers, mix in until crumbles start to form. Use your hand to squeeze the mixture together into one or two large clumps and place in the freezer while preparing the filling.

In a separate bowl, place the rhubarb, rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir to combine. 

Spoon the rhubarb mixture evenly into the prepared ramekins. Pull the crumble out of the freezer and spoon evenly on top of the rhubarb. 

I like to place the ramekins onto a baking sheet just in case there may be any spill-over then place in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden and the fruit is cooked and bubbly. Serve warm with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream or creme fraiche.

Roasted Potato Salad

I'm one of those people who does not like mayonnaise. Always have, most likely always will. I'm not sure if it stems from a bad childhood memory of the white stuff being slathered with a heavy hand on my otherwise delightful sandwich or from way to many Summer picnics that involved potato salads sitting out in the sun just a tad to long. The sticky, squishy sound it makes when people reach for a big spoonful alone is enough to send me in the other direction. 

So my idea of the perfect potato salad has always been without the mayo. But don't worry all you mayo lovers out there, this potato salad is just as delightful and perfect to take to all your Summer festivities.

My favorite part of a potato salad has always been the sharp taste of vinegar and fresh combination of the herbs that manages to go so well with potatoes. The hard boiled egg gives this salad its classic creaminess, but in a much subtler way. I usually boil the potatoes until just barely soft and cut them into their familiar cubed shape, but this time around I decided roasting them would be an interesting take. 

This salad is almost like eating those thick cut sea salt and vinegar potato chips (you know the ones I'm talking about), but with much less crunch and much less grease. Roasting the potatoes keeps this salad pretty too. Instead of stirring together soft bits of potato that end up falling apart, no matter how careful you seem to be, they stay together for a nice presentation.

I usually make this with those small fingerling potatoes, it's especially pretty when they're all different colors, but I didn't want to make another trip to the store and these were what I had on hand. Feel free to make this with which ever. The dressing is meant to be on the thicker side to, so don't think you've missed something if it doesn't seem to have enough oil in it.

Roasted Potato Salad

serves 4-6

2 pounds red or fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/4-1/8 inch thick

2 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

2 tablespoons chopped dill

1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

pinch red chile flakes

2 hard boiled eggs, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. 

Toss the cut potatoes in the 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on a lined or oiled rimmed baking sheet. I had to use to so that all my slices lay flat and not on top of each other. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the underside of the potatoes has lightly browned. Flip and roast for another 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile make the dressing. Place the chives, dill, vinegar, 2 teaspoons olive oil, Dijon and chile flakes in small bowl, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

When the potatoes are done roasting transfer them to a serving bowl or plate. Sprinkle the crumbled egg and dressing over the potatoes. Serve at room temperature. 

If you want to make the salad ahead of time, I would recommend just leaving the egg off until you are ready to serve.