Meatless Mondays...Meatless Everyday?

This is Bodhi doing what Bodhi does best...enjoying long naps in his cozy bed of hay. You should hear him sigh contentedly, and you should hear the way he saws logs--puts my husband's snoring to shame.

Bodhi lives at The Gentle Barn an animal rescue farm that takes in severely abused animals and rehabilitates them with medical care, massage, acupuncture, good eats and lots and lots of love.

Perhaps you've heard a little about the The Gentle Barn from Ellen DeGeneres, who recently auctioned off a hunk of Justin Beiber's hair as a fundraiser for the organization. The winner paid $40,000 for the...um...memorabilia (?) and all proceeds went to The Gentle Barn.

Founded in 1999, by Ellie Laks (now married to Jay Weiner), The Gentle Barn seeks not only to rescue animals, but also educate children, especially those at high risk. Each week, groups of troubled kids visit the barn to interact with the animals and learn a little about the sanctity of life, treating others with respect (humans, animals and themselves), and responsibility. On Sundays, The Gentle Barn is open to the public from noon to 4, and folks can brush, give belly rubs and feed the animals for a $5 per person donation. There's a snack bar, and picnic tables where you can bring a (vegetarian only out of respect for the animals) lunch.

When we went on a recent Sunday, the kids fed the horses carrots in the barn...


And went to the gated area to feed and love the chickens, turkeys, goats, lambs, pigs, emu, peacock and more...



And we didn't leave before they hugged two adorable baby cows....


Everyone was encouraged to hug a cow that day. In return, The Gentle Barn received a $1 donation for every cow hugger, and we each got a bracelet that said, I hugged a cow at The Gentle Barn.


Shortly after our visit, our daughter declared that she didn't want to eat animals any more, though she did admit that quitting the bacon and sausage was going to be hard. I always make an effort to buy meat that is raised as humanely as possible, but I support her in this journey and had an inkling that her tender heart would lead her in that direction sometime anyway. And since we try to go meat-free at least a few times a week, this will encourage us to do it more often, which is good for us, good for the planet...and good for Bodhi and his animal friends too.

Last night, I re-instituted our Meatless Mondays with an incredible roasted tomato soup, served with grilled cheese sandwiches. My mom had made the soup earlier in the week, and said it was the best tomato soup she had ever had. She's right. The smell of the roasting veggies was enough to make me swoon, but their deep and earthy flavor lended a satisfying heartiness to a totally vegan dish. I've added this soup to the short list of favorites. And it's great to make with "off season" tomatoes (even ones from the farmers' market aren't that great this time of year), because the long and slow roasting brings out their richness and makes them taste....well, taste more like tomatoes.



So did my newly minted vegetarian daughter love this soup as much as I did? Not so much. In fact, she didn't like it at all. Sigh. This is going to be a long journey and an exercise of patience on my part--but that's parenthood, right?

I hope you can visit the The Gentle Barn and see all their wonderful animals in person!

The Gentle Barn
15825 Sierra Highway
Santa Clarita, CA 91390

Or follow them on Twitter or Facebook!

Roasted Tomato Soup
Printable Recipe

By slow roasting the veggies, this soup has an incredible richness and depth of flavor. Though I chose to top it with a bit of shaved Parmesan cheese, this soup is otherwise completely vegan...and completely fabulous. Though sugar wasn't in the original recipe (adapted from here), I added a pinch because my tomatoes were a bit on the acidic side. It was enough to take the edge off. I also added additional salt, because I used low sodium vegetable stock.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: serves 6

Ingredients:

3 pounds of Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
2 red bell peppers, quartered and seeded
1 medium onion, quartered
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons, chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
6 cups of vegetable stock
Pinch of sugar (optional)
Basil leaves, thinly sliced (for garnish)
Shaved Parmesan (for garnish)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and thyme on a sheet pan and toss them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Flip the tomatoes and peppers so they are skin side up and roast for 45-50 minutes until they are lightly charred and tender.

3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Scrape the veggies (and any juice) into the pot and stir to combine. Add the stock (I added 6 cups of water and 3 packets of veggie stock concentrate) and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Let the soup cool for at least 10 minutes. Blending hot soup is very dangerous, so do not skip this step. Transfer the soup in batches to blender (or use an immersion blender). The blender should only be about 1/3 full. Carefully vent the corner of the lid to allow steam to escape and pulse until the soup is blended thoroughly. Pour blended soup into a large bowl and continue blending the rest of the soup until it is all smooth.

5. Pour soup back into the large stockpot, and taste for seasoning. Add a pinch of sugar (if using), salt and pepper to taste. Heat the soup to warm through, ladle into bowl and top with basil and Parmesan cheese if desired.

Microgreens

Microgreens were all the rage awhile back. And you can still buy them in baggies at the farmers market and some specialty grocers. But you can also get them for practically free if you grow a garden from seed. You see, microgreens are simply sprouted seeds. These I've thinned from my winter garden that I planted a few weeks ago. I have broccoli, radish, fennel sprouts right now. In a few more weeks, I will be able to nosh on my carrot, onion and chard sprouts. They are absolutely delicious and carry the essence of the vegetables they are to become.

Waste not, want not, right?

I stuffed the sweet sprouts into a one-egg omelet. I realize that one egg doesn't sound like very much, but I buy the jumbo kind and stuff it very full, so it is plenty for me to eat. If you've never made an omelet before, don't be afraid. It's not as hard as you think. You need a non-stick skillet of some sort, medium sized is best. And butter. Lots of it. Other than that, you need a bit of practice. And if it doesn't turn out perfectly the first time, who really cares? It still tastes delicious!

To start, if you pull your greens from the garden they need to be washed, very, very well....there was lots of grit on mine.


I also opted to pull off the root end, as the dirt was especially clingy there.


Beat one egg in a small bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Then melt some butter in your skillet. There should be enough to coat the bottom of the pan evenly.


Next, add some sliced jalapeno and green onion and cook them for a couple of minutes until they become tender and golden.


Then pour the beaten egg evenly around the pan...


Tilt it slightly to make sure it is evenly spread around.


It will cook very quickly. Sprinkle over some grated cheddar cheese....


Some fresh cilantro...


Some chopped tomatoes....


And your gorgeous microgreens!


Fold it in half and carefully slide it onto a plate.


Take a bite....repeat.



Microgreen Omelet

This petite omelet is a perfect light breakfast. You can fill it with baby spinach or arugula in place of the microgreens if you can't find any.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: serves 1

Ingredients:
1 extra large egg
salt and pepper to taste
1 pat butter
1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
small handful grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1/2 tomato, chopped
small handful microgreens

Preparation:

1. Beat egg in a small bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

2. Heat a medium, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add butter and swirl pan to coat evenly.

3. Put the scallion and jalapeno in the pan a cook, stirring occasionally, for a couple of minutes until they become tender and lightly golden brown.

4. Pour egg into the pan, tilting it so that the egg completely coats the bottom of the pan. The egg will cook through almost immediately, but spread any gooey egg to the edges, taking care not to tear the middle.

5. When the egg has set, sprinkle the cheese, tomatoes, cilantro and microgreens down the middle. Carefully fold omelet in half and slide out onto a plate. Serve immediately.

Tomato Time!

When we got home, not only were we greeted with a whopper of a zucchini, but also 7 tomato plants that were bursting with gorgeous tomatoes. Home-grown tomatoes are a bit like crack. One bite is simply not enough....nor is one tomato. I have a tendency to overdo it when it comes to tomatoes and often the roof of my mouth ends up raw and peeling from all the acid. But so much pleasure comes from the pain.

If there is a better way to use up fresh tomatoes than this incredibly simple salad, I haven't found it. It's kind of like a Caprese salad, but so much more. The light vinaigrette combined with the tomato juices makes it explode with flavor. And the cheese...well, the cheese is just divine. If you add in some olive oil and garlic-rubbed, grilled sourdough bread, it would be a complete meal in and of itself. We had it for dinner two nights in a row. Quiet honestly, I could probably eat this every day until the end of time....





Jamie Oliver's Awesome Tomato Salad

This recipe is so easy to make, and so easy to eat. For a lovely, rustic look use all different kinds of heirloom tomatoes, some sliced, some quartered or halved.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: serves 4 (or two piggies like us)

Ingredients:

2 pounds of mixed heirloom tomatoes
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup best extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic, grated
pinch of dried oregano
1 ball or log of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 teaspoon of fresh spicy red or green chile (seeded and de-veined)
sea salt and pepper, to taste
handful of basil leaves, torn into smallish pieces

Preparation:

1. Cut the tomatoes into halves, quarters or slices, depending on the size and place in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss with your hands. Let drain for 15 minutes to concentrate the tomato flavors.

2. Meanwhile whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano in a small bowl.

3. Slice the mozzarella and place on one side of a medium platter. Arrange the tomatoes next to the cheese. Drizzle the cheese and tomatoes with the dressing and sprinkle salt and pepper over the cheese. Sprinkle the minced chile and the torn basil over the top of the platter and serve immediately.

The Case of the Smuggled Tomatoes

The tomatoes to your left, were picked off my tomato vines in California with only their first blush of red, carefully tucked in my carry-on, and placed on the window sill here in Cape Cod to ripen. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to transport tomatoes in a bag onto an airplane? Well, it is! Not only are there heavy books and magazines to contend with...but also feet....and beverage carts....

Anyway, they made it, ripened beautifully and were tossed into a salad of arugula, corn, chicken and blue cheese earlier this week. And they were worth the effort to transport, because unlike backyard eggs, you really can tell the difference in flavor with homegrown tomatoes! The arugula came from the FM here in Bass River and the corn from Jersey (shhh)....It was a fantastic and simple summer meal. As all summer meals should be, no?






Arugula Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Blue Cheese
adapted from Everyday Food

There are so many things going on in this salad, I feel it needs minimal dressing. But if you like your salads more heavily coated, you may want to double the lemon and olive oil. This would make for a fantastic lunch or light dinner.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: serves 2ish

Ingredients:

1 bag of baby arugula
2 large tomatoes, sliced
2 ears of corn, steamed for 2-3 minutes until tender and sliced off the cob *
1/2 cup sliced red onion
2 cooked chicken breast halves, sliced
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Place arugula in a large salad bowl. Add in tomatoes, corn, red onion, chicken breast, and blue cheese.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil until combined. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

3. Toss salad with dressing until lightly coated. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

*You can also try microwaving your shucked corn. Place it on a plate and cover it with a paper towel. Microwave it for about one minute per ear.

Ratatouille the Easy Way

Sometimes pictures say more than written words can. They can paint a clear picture of a perfectly simple meal, made in a hurry, by an exhausted person who'd spent her day unpacking and readjusting to life at home after a vacation. A person who is much too tired to write....almost too tired to eat. Almost.

Luckily, there were fresh young zucchini in the fridge, and some heirloom cherry tomatoes too. Add in the sprigs of thyme leftover from Easter dinner, and a package of Rao's fusilli, and you've got a meal made in heaven for the travel-weary....the same travel-weary person who somehow found enough energy to make it to the library to check out this book, in which she found the following lovely recipe.









Patricia's Speedy Ratatouille

This recipe, adapted from At Home in Provence by Patricia Wells, has all the flavor of a slow simmered ratatouille, but in much less time. The splash of red wine vinegar beautifully sharpens the flavors of this dish. We ate this warm over pasta, but it would also be delicious chilled or at room temperature spooned over some crisp French bread.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (evoo)
1 1/2 pounds small zucchini, cut into thin slices
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, stems removed
sea salt to taste
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 pound of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons of good quality red wine vinegar

Preparation:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the evoo, zucchini and 1 teaspoon of thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini begins to brown along the edges, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more, just until the garlic begins to get golden.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and vinegar and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until zucchini is very tender and ingredients have melded together a bit.

4. Top with remaining thyme leaves and taste for seasoning. Serve warm over pasta or at room temperature with a hunk of good bread.

Happy Autumn and a New Salad!

We toasted to memories of our amazing summer, and to the prospect of a blessed new season. The signs of autumn are all around us...though here, in southern California, we sometimes have to look closely. Fall brings the Santa Anas, and fires. Fall brings more heat and dry air. Leaves and mountainsides turn brown and tinder dry. Seed pods rattle in the breeze, and palm fronds tumble to the ground. The light is changing, and the sun comes in at a different angle--dusk comes sooner too.

In the markets winter squash and pumpkins are making their appearance, and grapes, apples, pears and pomegranates are slowly edging out peaches and plums. Tomatoes still abound, and melons and corn are available, though time is running out.

So on this first day of autumn, the equinox, we dined al fresco, by candlelight. We feasted on our favorite tastes of summer--corn, watermelon, and big, juicy, grilled steaks. We reminisced about our trip east and back, and talked about all the exciting things that are just around the bend...there are so many!

I tried a new salad too...a recipe I've seen many times, but been a bit afraid to make. The ingredients on their own, I adore. Watermelon? Yes! Tomatoes? The best! Feta cheese? Yummy! Cilantro? Heaven! But all together? I just wasn't sure. So tonight I bit the bullet and gave it a go. And you know what? It's a like a chorus of flavors in the mouth. Maybe even a symphony. It's that good.




The crisp and sweet watermelon plays splendidly against the tender, juicy tomatoes and the tangy, salty cheese. And the grassy, herbaceousness of the cilantro makes for a spectacular top note. It's the kind of taste that is so surprising upon first bite, that you have to immediately take another one, just to be sure it was for real. And the ease with which this salad was thrown together, tells me that this could become a late summer standby, even a main course, on those sweltering nights when it is simply too hot to cook or eat much of anything at all.

We enjoyed our evening so much, knowing full well, that it is an awfully long wait until summer produce comes 'round again. And we're going to milk every last bit of it...I hope you do too.

Watermelon, Tomato and Feta Salad

serves 4

1/2 a smallish seedless watermelon (that weighs around 6 pounds), peeled and cubed

8 ounces feta cheese in brine, cubed

2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped

handful of cilantro, chopped

drizzle of red wine vinegar

drizzle of olive oil

Toss watermelon, feta, and tomatoes together in a salad bowl. Drizzle with vinegar and oil. Top with cilantro. Serve immediately, or chill up to one hour.

A Breakfast Treat...With Some Heat

On my front porch, in a little cast-iron pot, lives a straggly jalapeno plant, that was entrusted to our neighbor for the summer while we were gone. I was pleased to see that it not only survived in our absence, but also managed to grow lovely fruits that look like glowing red bulbs on a Christmas tree. I harvested a few this morning, mostly to add to my scrambled eggs. But I had some left over, so I tossed them with some tomatoes, cilantro and onion, lime juice and a little salt to make a quick pico de gallo for an afternoon snack.


I love that the chiles have sweet and tender flesh, like most mature peppers do (think red bells or even better, the lipstick pepper), but underlying it all, is a warmth that gradually washes over you, like when more hot water is added to a bath that's cooled. Mine aren't particularly spicy, and I didn't even need to remove the veins or seeds. But they added just the right amount of heat to otherwise bland scrambled eggs. Of course, once I was headed in that direction, I decided to go all out and make a breakfast taco, not unlike the ones I ate as a student in Mexico.

One of the beautiful things about eggs, is that they are a blank slate of sorts, and can be enhanced by a wide variety of herbs and spices. These, nestled in a thick corn tortilla blanket, really hit the spot.


Mexican Breakfast Taco

Scramble 1 egg, seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper. Meanwhile, warm a thick corn tortilla over an open flame on a gas stove (or in a skillet). Place egg in tortilla, and top with chopped cilantro and onion, diced tomatoes and avocado, grated cheese and minced jalapeno peppers. Sprinkle top with a little more salt or a squeeze of lime juice, fold and eat.