Whole Wheat Zucchini Carrot Bread

When zucchini starts taking over at the farmers market, it is time to start making zucchini bread. I added a carrot to this recipe and only added 1/2 cup of brown sugar so it tasted more savory and less like cake. Add more sweetener if a cake-like taste is what you desire.

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium-large zucchini- approx 2 cups grated
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 TB grated ginger
  • 2 c whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup fat free plain yogurt
  • 1/4 cup walnut oil
  • 3/4-1 cup brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
In a mixing bowl (on the KitchenAid mixer) cream together the eggs, yogurt, oil, and sugar. Press out the excess liquid from the grated zucchini, carrot, and fresh ginger (a fine metal strainer works well for this) and add to mixer and mix until well combined.
Next, add the dry ingredients, one at a time, and mix well.
Pour into a lightly buttered and floured bread pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or so until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 30-45 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate whatever is not eaten on the first day.

Caprese Salad

I make this salad very often, and assume others do too. If not, get to the store, buy some fresh buffalo mozzarella (not the fake stuff that shreds easily), basil, and tomatoes. Or, better yet, go to your garden and pick some tomatoes and basil. I bought yellow and red tomatoes from the farmers market.

This salad tastes best when you are actually in Italy. However, real buffalo mozzarella cheese is widely available in US supermarkets, so we can make a pretty good knock-off.

Easiest directions ever: Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella. Break up or coarsely chop the basil leaves. Layer everything into a pretty pattern. Drizzle with olive oil. Add some freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy.

Creamy Mushroom and Fennel Risotto

This meal is a masterpiece, so be prepared to spend more than an hour in the kitchen and at least 25 minutes almost constantly stirring the pot. If that sounds like a challenge you are willing to try, please consider making this delicious risotto.

I used shiitake, cremini, and oyster mushrooms from Hazel Dell. If you do not live in the Boulder area, please look into finding a local supplier of mushrooms near you. Once they reach a supermarket they just aren’t the same.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 pound mixed mushrooms
  • 1 bulb fennel
  • 1 medium sized yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 4 TB butter
  • 4 TB olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 cups Arborio rice
  • 1 quart veggie broth (chicken broth will work if you are not a vegetarian)
  • water- 3-4 cups (or more, depending on how long it takes to cook the rice)
  • 5 TB heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • freshly ground black pepper
To make this whole process go more smoothly, prep the mushrooms and fennel first. This way, you will have them cooked and ready to go so they can be added to the risotto when it is almost done. This will make life a lot easier for a dish like this.
First, chop the onion. Cut off the fennel bulb from its stalks, peel apart the layers, wash, and chop into pieces roughly the size of your well-chopped onion.
Next, mince the garlic. Rinse the mushrooms and chop them into a size you like. I prefer smaller pieces, so I made mine small. However, if you are a real mushroom-lover, feel free to use larger pieces.
In a large pot (I used a 6 quart stock pot), add 1 TB butter. Melt the butter on medium-high and add the onion. When they are just getting tender, add the fennel and cook this on medium low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
While you’re working the fennel, start the mushrooms. In a saute pan, heat 1 TB butter and 1 TB olive oil on medium-high. Add the mushrooms and saute a few minutes before adding the white wine. Turn heat down to medium and cook 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl, combine the fennel/onions and mushrooms/garlic to be added to the risotto later. Set this aside and take a breath.
Now, to start the risotto-
Pour the broth and 3 cups of water into a large pot. Not the one you may have used for the fennel- you will need two large pots for this major production. 1 for the risotto and 1 to keep boiling hot broth and water ready to be added, ladle-full by ladle-full, into the risotto. Bring the broth to a boil and keep it boiling.
Go back to your 6 quart pot that the fennel was in (but is no longer in because it has been mixed into the mushrooms). Add 2 TB butter and melt on medium high heat. When it melts, add 3 TB olive oil and mix well into the butter. Add the rice and coat with the oil/butter mixture. After a couple minutes, add 2-3 ladles of boiling broth. From now on you will need to stir almost constantly. Keep stirring and adding more broth as the liquid is absorbed. Continue this process for 25 minutes or so. If you need to add more water to the broth because you are running out of liquid, do so. But, be careful. Keep the broth boiling so you always add boiling water to the risotto.
Check the texture of the rice after 25 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fennel mixture and mix well. Keep adding broth and stirring until the rice is tender but just slightly al dente. At this point, turn the heat all the way down to low and add the cream. Stir it in well and then add the grated parmesan cheese. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, and enjoy.

Barley Breakfast Bowl

I enjoy oatmeal for breakfast. Barley flakes are a nice change from oatmeal. They take 15-20 minutes to cook, but they have a real nutty flavor and are super healthy. Look for them in the bulk section of Whole Foods or your local supermarket. I served mine with peaches and plain non-fat yogurt. Nothing more, nothing less.

Great Garlic Green Beans

Fresh, local, organic green beans are great in the summer. I have been buying the BEST beans from Ollin Farms. I started with one pound, broke off the tips, and then snapped each bean in half. Boiled them for 2 minutes, then drained and rinsed under cold water to stop them from cooking.

Whisk together the following dressing:

  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 TB walnut oil
  • 1/4 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 TB soy sauce
  • 1/2 TB honey mustard
  • 1/2 TB maple syrup
  • Aleppo pepper (from Savory Spice Shop), or crushed red pepper flakes.
Toss the beans in the dressing and enjoy.

Welcome to my kitchen

A Bolder Table is a place where I bookmark my favorite recipes for later along with some occasional musings. It's my personal digital recipe compilation... Let's say it's my cookbook. Thanks for stopping by! -Megan
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