Zephyr Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs zephyr squash (or other summer squash such as pattypan, zucchini, etc.)

1 large yellow onion

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 cube of Rapunzel vegetable bouillon with sea salt & herbs, plus 3-4 cups of boiling water

Olive or canola oil

Dry white wine

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

The soup has the best flavor if you caramelize some of the natural sugars in the squash and onion. There are several ways to do this: grilling, baking, or sauteing the squash, and caramelizing onions in a heavy skillet or pan. If you don't have time to caramelize, then you can simply simmer the ingredients in the vegetable stock until tender, but the overall flavors of the soup will be more mild.

Our favorite, however, is to grill the squash first.  Remove the stem and blossom ends of the squash. Cut in half lengthwise, brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Heat grill to a high heat (about 450-525 degrees) and place the cut sides of the squash onto the grill. Cook until black streaks appear and turn to color the other side (about 10 minutes on each side).

Slice the onion and caramelize in a heavy soup pot for about 30 minutes with a little oil and salt. (Click here for more information on caramelizing onions.) Once the onions are tender and browned a little, add the cooked squash, garlic, vegetable bouillon cube and about 3-4 cups of boiling water. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and let cool about 10 or 15 minutes. Puree in a blender, then return to the stock pot. Stir in some white wine (about 1/2 cup), then season to taste with salt and pepper. Warm through and serve.

Green "Baked Beans" with Bacon Jam

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs of fresh green beans (Thai yard long, runner beans, French green beans, etc.)

Juice from 1/2 lemon or lime

1-2 Tbs olive or canola oil

Kosher salt

2-3 Tbs Bacon Jam*

Method:

Wash green beans and trim stem-end. Cut to desired length, or keep long.  Place on a baking tray and toss with a little canola or olive oil. Squeeze the lime or lemon juice onto the beans, then season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 or 15 minutes, or until they are tender but still have a little crunch.

Remove from the oven and toss with the bacon jam. Serve immediately.

*You can make your own bacon jam with this great recipe from TheKitchn.com, or buy it fresh, locally- ready-made from Main Street Meats.

Perfect Grilled Corn On The Cob

Trim any loose husks from corn, and snip the tips to remove any parts that will be prone to burning or smoking. Do not pull husks away or remove silks from inside. There are some grilling methods that suggest removing the silks before cooking, however there are several reasons for leaving the silks intact for the cooking process. They are a natural source of nutrient-rich moisture and insulation that help keep the kernels from drying out under high heat. They also add flavor, but most importantly they are much easier to remove after the corn is cooked because the heat and steaming process cause the silks to stick to the husk, not the corn kernels.

Heat grill to medium-high heat and place corn on the grill and cook with the lid closed.  Turn the ears a quarter turn every 5 minutes or so, or until the outer husks have started to turn black in spots. Keep turning the ears until they have cooked all the way around. Move less often if you like having a few charred kernels, or more often if you want the corn to steam until tender with no black spots.

Once cooked, remove from the grill and let cool a few minutes, or until they are cool enough to handle.  To remove husks and silks, start at the tips of the corn. Grab one side of the silks and the husks at the same time and peel all the way down to the bottom (like peeling a banana). The silks should peel away cleanly with the husks.

To remove the husks from the cob once you have peeled all of the husks and silks, grab the bunch with one hand, holding the corn cob with the other, and break them off at the bottom of the cob.

For perfect summer flavor, serve with Toasted Garlic Drizzling oil and kosher or sea salt.

Monster Sauce: AKA seriously tasty dairy and nut-free pesto sauce

This is actually a recipe for pesto, minus the nuts* and cheese that make up the traditional sauce. But sometimes the name is everything for kids with developing palates. This is also a simple recipe that children could make with parent supervision! The bright green color and smooth texture perfectly complement crunchy raw vegetables, salads, meats, and pasta…especially those eaten by growing dinosaurs, super-heroes, robots, and monsters that also have fantastic imaginations.

Ingredients:

2-3 Cups fresh basil leaves

½ Cup olive oil

¼ Cup water (add more to thin if necessary)

Juice from ½ lemon

1 Tsp honey (optional)

2-3 Cloves of fresh garlic

Kosher salt, to taste

*For added protein, add a handful of raw green pumpkin seeds or nuts

Method:

Put all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust ingredients to taste.  Serve from a narrow tipped squeeze-bottle to let kids draw designs on their plates or decorate food with dots or stripes of sauce.

Grilled Pac Choi with Red Thai Curry Sauce

Most of the ingredients in this recipe can be found at your local grocery store in the Asian food section.  Kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil can be found at specialty food stores, or an Asian market.

Ingredients:

1 Can (13.66 fl oz/403 mL) organic unsweetened coconut milk

2-3 Tbs Thai red curry paste

2 Cloves fresh garlic, pressed or minced

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated

3 Kaffir lime leaves

1 Tbs honey or sugar

1 Tbs fish sauce (available in most grocery stores)

Juice from 1/2 lime

3-4 Spring onions, chopped

Fresh Thai basil leaves, (optional)

Dried Thai chili peppers (optional)

Pac Choi, Napa cabbage, Fennel, and other spring vegetables of your choice

Method:

Place coconut milk, garlic, red curry paste, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, and honey or sugar, and dried chili peppers (if using) in a saucepan. Stir until combined and cover with a lid. Let simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice a few minutes before serving. Season with Kosher salt to taste.

Brush Pac Choi stalks with olive oil and season with a little salt.  Place on a hot grill (along with any other vegetables you wish to use.)  Grill until the stalks begin to blister but still have a little crunch.  A grill pan can be useful for smaller vegetables.

If adding a protein, use some of the red curry sauce as a marinade for chicken, scallops, tofu, etc. before grilling.

Serve the sauce over the grilled vegetables and steamed jasmine rice.