Salsa Verde Fresca (gluten free, vegan)

Salsa Verde Fresca (gluten free, vegan)

G-man has been asking for days and days to try a new idea. I have to tell you that if he keeps his love for food and new creations he has a future as a great chef. His latest was Carrot Tacos. He wanted to make whole wheat soft tortillas and fill them with shredded carrots and sour cream. Crunchy and sweet, they were pretty good! Stealthy Dad and I jazzed up the grown-up version with Salsa Verde Fresca made with fresh tomatillos and peppers from our garden.

Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo) is customarily made with tomatoes, chiles, onions and seasoning. Our Salsa Fresca Verde used tomatillos in place of tomatoes. (Tomatillos are similar to tomatoes in flavour, but look like big gooseberries.) To keep it sweet for the kids, we replaced the usual white onion with leeks, and chopped up sweet peppers instead of hot chiles.

For one cup:

1/2 cup finely chopped tomatillos
1/4 cup chopped sweet peppers
1/4 cup chopped leeks or green onions
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8-1/4 tsp coriander
1/8 tsp oregano
1 finely chopped jalapeño pepper, optional

Mix everything together, wait a few minutes for the flavours to mingle, and enjoy!



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Kale, Almond, and Salted Apple Pizza (vegan option)

Kale, Almond and Salted Apple Pizza

Doesn't that look yummy? Who says that veggie pizzas have to be boring? We started with a whole wheat crust and topped it with finely chopped kale tossed with olive oil, shredded mozzarella cheese, lightly salted apple slices and almond slivers. G-man asked for the apples and the Cadet added the almonds. The salted apples added a naughty sweetness, while the almonds give a bit of crunch. (Great job, guys!)

Quick Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves finely chopped
1/8-1/4 cup olive oil (more if you skip the cheese)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped green onion
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz shredded mozzarella (optional)
2 apples, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
salt
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Prepare the pizza crust as directed. (Our quick, no-knead whole wheat pizza crust is super-easy.) Spray the top with olive oil and allow it to rise while you prepare the rest of the toppings.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

In a small bowl, mix the kale, quarter cup of olive oil, garlic, onion and salt with your hands. Spread the mixture over the pizza dough. Top with cheese (optional) Toss the sliced apples, and teaspoon of olive oil together in the bowl. Sprinkle with enough salt to cover the apples, then top the pizza with the apples, followed by the almond slices.

Bake for about 18 minutes, until the crust is golden on the bottom and the almonds and apples are slightly toasted. Enjoy!

[For a vegan pie, just skip the cheese altogether instead of using a cheese substitute. The texture and flavours of the greens, fruit and nuts, with hints of olive oil and garlic stand out on their own.]



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Meatball Soup (gluten free)

Meatball Soup

Inspired by a traditional Italian soup, a bowl of Meatball Soup can be a meal in itself. Big bites of vegetables and beans and tiny little meatballs in a rich vegetable broth are simple yet satisfying, warming you up on a chilly day.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped yellow carrots
8 cups water
1 tbsp parsley
1 cup cooked pinto beans

1 pound local ground pork or turkey*
1 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper

salt to taste