asparagus Archives

Bursting with Spring Buckwheat Noodles

May 5 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Beautiful photography in this post by Nina Menconi.

Spring makes me happy. It’s not just the sweet strawberries and ripe cherries that start popping up everywhere this time of year, or the yellow daffodils and tulips that tell me that winter is a distant memory. It’s the baby carrots and happy easter radishes, crunchy sweet sugar snap peas, and tender stalks of asparagus that make me want to cook and play in the kitchen. From radish dips to noodles bursting with spring produce, I’m energized to find ways to easily work in these yummy seasonal treats into my weekly meals.

And it’s not only because I love the taste of spring. Do you know how many nutritious goodies (including energy!) these vegetables and fruits provide?! I love looking at Ashley Koff’s spring vegetable “picks” list to feel great knowing that I’m treating my body and my family’s health right! The key of course is to “try” not go overboard–playing with new recipes should be fun, not stressful. That’s why I love simple one dish meals like soba noodles. I use my go-to sauce from the Joyful 12 kitchen learning lab and just mix up the seasonal produce on hand.

One of my new favorite things to add to soba noodles is roasted tofu. It sounds a little crazy, but I’m a newcomer to tofu as a protein source that makes it home in my shopping cart! I just never played with it much until recently when I was trying out a recipe that called for roasting it. In just 20-minutes, roasted tofu develops the most beautiful brown color and deep flavor without having to pan sear or fry it in a bunch of oil. And while I have the oven on anyway, I throw in some diced asparagus for ten minutes–just long enough to develop flavor but not lose the vibrant green hues.

When it comes to play, my motto is always to have fun making mistakes. Take this goof for example. I put my cooked soba noodles into my pan, along with the sauce and veggies and stirred and stirred and stirred, and guess what. The noodles broke! So much for long beautiful soba noodles–more like soba rice! But that just gave me the chance to make this recipe one more time for my husband, Jim, who adores soba noodles. After a little research, I discovered that the trick to not breaking your cooked noodles is to first wash them after cooking them in a big bowl of cold water (to remove some of their starch) AND to add your sauce and veggies off the heat and gently toss them just before serving. Version one was still delicious!

If you’re looking for a seriously happy and delicious spring meal, perfect for Meatless Monday, grab some sugar snap peas and asparagus and let the soba noodle party commence!

Bursting with Spring Buckwheat Noodles

2016-05-03 21:07:09

Serves 4

Save Recipe

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

40 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

40 min

Ingredients

Asparagus, 1 bunch
Olive oil, 3 TBS (divided)
Salt, ½ tsp (divided)
Tofu, firm, 14 oz
Black pepper, ⅛ tsp
Green onion, 1 bunch
Sugar snap peas, 1 cup
Ginger (fresh), 1tsp finely chopped
Soba noodles (100% Buckwheat) 7 oz

Noodle Sauce

Hot pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp
Rice wine vinegar, 2 TBS
Tamari (gluten free soy sauce), 1/4 cup
Sesame oil, 1/4 cup
Ginger (fresh), 2 tsp finely grated

Instructions

Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach.
Preheat oven to 425F.
Cut asparagus on the bias into medium sized pieces. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Dry off tofu and cut into medium sized (bite-sized) cubes, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
Place tofu and asparagus on two different baking pans lined with parchment paper--roast the tofu for 20 minutes and the asparagus for 10 minutes at 425F.
Cut green onion into small pieces. Set aside some of the green tops to use as a garnish on the noodles when you serve them.
Cut the sugar snap peas into bite sized pieces.
Chop 1 teaspoon of ginger and set aside for the vegetable saute. Finely grate 2 additional teaspoons ginger for the noodle sauce.
Make the pasta sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and stirring together.

Cook

Cook noodles separately, according to their package instructions (approximately 5-7 minutes in boiling water--DO NOT salt!). Get a colander ready so you can rinse the noodles right after they are done cooking in cool water. Note: soba noodles should not be al dente, but you also don’t want to overcook them so taste one before pulling the pot off the heat. Once they have been rinsed, you’re now going to dunk the cooked noodles in a big bowl of cold water and “wash them” of their starch. Use your hands and rub them in the water. Drain again in the colander. Now they are ready to be used.
In a pre-heated pan, saute green onion, peas and ginger in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat for 3 minutes.
Add roasted asparagus, tofu, and your sauce to the saute and continue cooking another 2 minutes.
Gently toss sauteed vegetables and sauce with the noodles in a bowl (off the heat).
Serve in bowls garnished with a little extra green onion and sprinkled with hot pepper flakes, if you like it extra spicy!

JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Ashley Koff’s Approved Spring Veggies

May 25 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

Spring is wrapping up now, and while I’m looking forward to sharing some fine summer recipes with you all, I will miss the spring lineup. We’ve spent plenty of time talking about the histories, both public and personal, behind our favorite spring vegetables, but hey- what about the nutrition?

Here then is a rundown of the nutritional benefits behind some perennial spring faves from Ashley Koff Approved, reprinted with her permission. Ashley Koff RD is an award-winning dietitian and creator of the Better Nutrition, Simplified program. You can read the original post and many others, here.

ASPARAGUS

Asparagus is one of the most versatile spring vegetables with a long list of health benefits. Asparagus contains the antioxidant glutathione (GSH), which can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It also contains inulin, which is a carbohydrate that is not broken down by the human body. Inulin is considered a prebiotic, which becomes a food source for probiotics in the large intestine and supports digestive health. Asparagus is also a good source of Vitamins C, E, and K, folate, and zinc. Asparagus is great roasted, grilled, steamed, pureed into soups or baked into frittatas.

RADISHES

This crunchy spring root vegetable varies in flavor from sweet to peppery can be eaten raw, pickled, or cooked. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C, which help detoxify your body and support a healthy immune system. Radishes are also a good source of potassium, which has been to shown to relax blood vessels and helps to reduce blood pressure. Radishes are a great way to add crunch and texture to your food for very few calories (25 calories/cup, sliced).

SUGAR SNAP PEAS

Sugar snap peas are a cross between green peas and snow peas. Sugar snap peas are a great low-calorie snack option and are a good source of folic acid, which is required for DNA synthesis – and Vitamin K, which plays a key role in the blood clotting. We love snacking of sugar snap peas raw, with dips, and used in stir-fry recipes.

BROCCOLETTE

This hybrid vegetable of Chinese kale and broccoli is similar in flavor to asparagus. Like other members of the cruciferous vegetable family, broccolette is a good source of dietary fiber, which supports a healthy digestive system. It also contains glucosinolates, which are antioxidants that may have a role in reducing the risk of certain types of cancers. Broccolette can be enjoyed similar to broccoli – steamed or roasted as a side dish, tossed into your favorite pasta recipe, or even made into a pesto like this recipe courtesy of Earthbound Farm Organics.

RHUBARB

Rhubarb is most popularly known for it’s role in baked goods like pies and often paired with sweeter fruits like strawberries to compliment its tartness. Though it is normally treated like a fruit, rhubarb is actually a vegetable. Rhubarb is high in fiber, and high in vitamin A, which is an important vitamin for eye health. Rhubarb when it is cooked is also one of the best plant sources of calcium. Rhubarb is a great addition to any baked pies or cakes or thickened to a sauce. Make sure to remove the leaves of the rhubarb plant, they contain a poisonous substance called oxalic acid.

MANGOS

“King of Fruits” – Mangos provide just 100 calories per cup and 100% of your daily value of vitamin C. Mangos are also high in vitamin B6, which is necessary in the production of the inhibitory transmitter in the brain, GABA. Mango can be added to sweet and savory dishes. We love adding mangos to our smoothies and making salsas with it to pair over fish. When choosing a ripe mango, the skin should be firm but give a little when pressed with your thumb.

HONEYDEW

There is nothing more refreshing than biting into a juicy piece of melon as the days become warmer. Honeydew is nature’s candy with many nutrient benefits. Honeydew is roughly 90% water, which makes it a filling snack at just 60 calories per cup. Paired with potassium, honeydew may have a role in regulating blood pressure levels. Like other melons, honeydew is also a good source of vitamin c, which helps produce collagen for healthier looking skin. Honeydew can be paired with protein-rich Greek yogurt or in a tomato salad with feta cheese.

These are just a few of our favorite flavors of spring. Take a stroll to your local farmers market and see what else spring has to offer. Eating seasonally and locally tastes better and is easier on the wallet, as farmers are usually willing to strike a deal – even on organic!

Making Asparagus Cool in School Food

Mar 11 by Chef Hollie Greene Leave a Comment

“Is that Asparagus? I love asparagus!” I heard this more than once yesterday at Lu Sutton Elementary School in Novato, California, as I was handing out samples of our Spring Asparagus Pasta Salad. As a part of our Joyful 12 School Project, we’re highlighting one new vegetable each week at school. This week, it’s asparagus.

What I love most about our project is that the entire school community is involved, from the school food staff, to teachers, children and their parents. It’s totally fun. Besides the samples we’re preparing with the School Food and Nutritional Services department, led by Miguel Villarreal, we’re cooking the vegetable of the week with kids and parents at the school with our partners at Bay Leaf Kitchen, the teachers are exciting kids about the vegetable of the week with our veggie fast facts and every member of the school receives free memberships to my Joyful 12 Online Vegetable Cooking Program, so they can keep the learning going back at home.

Just two weeks into our pilot, and I’m relishing in the stories and learnings we’ve already gathered.

“It’s so important to try things!” a third grade boy said to me with the sweetest smile on his face as he took his sample this week. He had cooked with us the previous Wellness Wednesday
Several boys and girls were very excited when they saw that I had the whole asparagus in my hand as I handed out samples. It helped kids identify quickly what was in the sample. “I love asparagus!” I heard this from various grades
One 5th grader came over and said she wanted to help me take samples out to the other 5th graders; she is a Jr. Chef Helper, which is a cooking and mentor program Bay Leaf Kitchen is teaching the 4th and 5th graders of the school! That’s when our samples flew out the door!
Ms. Kate Mansergh, 5th grade teacher, WOWed me with the facts her class had learned from their fast facts sheet I prepared. Here’s what they shared back with me:
- The number of varieties (300), and the number of edible ones (20)
- The colors asparagus come in (green, white, and purple)
- The word asparagus and where it comes from: the Persian word “asparag,” or sprout.
- How many inches it can grow in a day (up to 10 inches!)

So the next time you hear an adult say, “kids don’t like vegetables,” just know that we’re living proof that with a whole community teaching, tasting, and celebrating nature’s amazing produce, we can eradicate this cultural myth and grow healthy eaters together–one school at a time.

Get on the cool school food bus and make our Spring Asparagus Pasta Salad for your family tonight on Meatless Monday or any day of the week.

Meatless Monday Spring Asparagus Pasta Salad

2015-03-10 14:09:50

Serves 4

Note: I developed this pasta salad specifically for Lu Sutton Elementary School in Novato, California, for the school food department’s salad bar as a part of our Joyful 12 School Project.

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Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

Whole grain rotini pasta (or your favorite gluten free brand), 1 lb.
Asparagus, 1 bunch

Cilantro Vinaigrette

Apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup
Honey, 2 tablespoons
Salt, 1 teaspoon
Olive oil, ½ cup
Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon
Yellow onion (medium), 1/4
Cilantro, ½ cup

Prep

Bring a large pot of salty water (1/2 tablespoon salt for every 8 cups of water) up to a boil. Measure water according to package instructions.
Bring up one additional pot of salty water to boil (1/2 tablespoon salt for every 8 cups of water), to be used to blanch the asparagus.
Wash herbs and asparagus. Remove the woody ends of asparagus by snapping off with your hands, which is a great job for kids to help you with.
Cut asparagus into thin rounds.

Cook

Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Blanch asparagus by putting it into the salty boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Make the dressing in blender. Pulse until smooth; it will be a bright green color from the herbs.
Toss cooked pasta, blanched asparagus, and dressing together. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as desired. Chill and serve as a cold pasta salad.

By Chef Hollie

JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Create Your Own Veggie Loving Pizzas

Apr 28 by Chef Hollie Greene 1 Comment

What do you do when you have a weird assortment of ingredients in your pantry? We try to have frozen pizza crusts on hand so we can whip up something fun for dinner – no trip to the grocery store necessary!

In true JoyFoodly style, we always try to find a way to get a veggie into that pizza. A little protein doesn’t hurt either!

This spring, I developed an asparagus pizza for the Joyful 12 that is to-die-for delicious. We keep hearing from our Joyful 12 Kitchen Learning Lab members that they’d love to know how to make substitutions, pairings, and gain ideas for when it makes sense to leave an ingredient out or add one in. Pizza is a great medium for this type of exploration. Let’s face it, if there’s cheese plus a nice crust, you really can’t go wrong with experimentation!

How to Substitute Ingredients
When I deviate in the kitchen, I start by thinking about why an ingredient is in the recipe in the first place. For example, in this pizza, I’ve added fresh tarragon into the ricotta cheese for a hint of fresh bright flavor. If I don’t have tarragon, another fresh herb could work: parsley, basil, or even thyme. However, if I don’t have any of those, the small amount of tarragon I’m using won’t wreck the recipe. I can just leave it out. How about the cheese? Could I try a sharper cheese than mozzarella? How about a nice Swiss cheese or Italian Taleggio? Why not?!

How to Add Protein
Often, I’m asked how to incorporate more protein into the veggie dishes I create. My husband and I often ask ourselves the same question! For this asparagus pizza, I’d love to share my easy adaptation, which starts with simply adding some ground turkey thigh meat. Why the thigh? It’s more juicy and delicious than the breast meat. My advice is to always go for flavor when it comes to eating well.

Here are my simple modifications to the Cheesy Asparagus Pizza recipe:
How I adapt the prep steps: sauté the onion with cut asparagus rounds instead of adding raw shaved asparagus to the pizza. Throw in one half pound ground turkey thigh meat, plus a teaspoon garlic powder, and sauté that with the asparagus and onions for ten minutes.
How I adapt the assembly steps: add the asparagus turkey sauté to your ricotta, black pepper, salt and tarragon mixture, along with the mozzarella on top, and you’ve got a meat and veggie packed pizza that’s just as delicious as the original.

Our advice in general when building new skills in the kitchen it to have fun, explore flavor combos based on what you already have in your pantry, and get your children involved as much as possible in the prep.

What kind of twist can you put on your pizza?

More pantry pizza ideas coming on Thursday.

Cheesy Asparagus Pizza

2014-04-25 15:17:28

Serves 4

A Joyful 12 Spring recipe, adapted to include turkey!

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Prep Time

15 min

Prep Time

15 min

Ingredients

onion (yellow), 1/2
olive oil, 2 TBS
salt, 1 tsp
black pepper, 1/4 tsp
Pizza crust (We use Udi’s frozen gluten free crust)
ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups
mozzarella cheese, shredded, 1 cup
tarragon (fresh) , 1 small bunch
asparagus spears, 5

Instructions

Note on substitutions: we are using the Udi’s gluten free crust in this recipe. They come two pizzas per package. We love the asparagus pizza just as it is, but you could decorate the other pizza with other veggies or your favorite meat topping, plus the ricotta and onion mixture.

Prep

Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach.
Preheat oven to 500F. This will ensure a nice crispy crust when baking.
Wash and dry asparagus.
Dice ½ onion.
Wash tarragon. Remove leaves from stems and chop roughly.
Remove ricotta cheese from refrigerator and allow to soften slightly.

Cook

Sauté onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. You will mix it into the ricotta cheese.
Using a vegetable peeler, place asparagus on a cutting board. Hold at the end, opposite the spear. Peel strips away from you, pressing down against the cutting board. The asparagus may break. Don’t worry! Peel as much as you can. Otherwise, you can cut the pieces into thin strips or rounds!
Toss peeled asparagus in 1 tablespoon olive oil. This will keep it from burning in the oven and add flavor.
In a bowl, mix ricotta, sautéed onion, and tarragon. Add remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Spread ricotta onto pizza dough. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Lastly, top with shaved asparagus that’s been tossed in olive oil.
Bake on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 500F.

Simple modifications to the Cheesy Asparagus Pizza recipe

How I adapt the prep steps: sauté the onion with cut asparagus rounds instead of adding raw shaved asparagus to the pizza. Throw in one half pound ground turkey thigh meat, plus a teaspoon garlic powder, and sauté that with the asparagus and onions for ten minutes.
How I adapt the assembly steps: add the asparagus turkey sauté to your ricotta, black pepper, salt and tarragon mixture, along with the mozzarella on top, and you’ve got a meat and veggie packed pizza that’s just as delicious as the original.

JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Spring Recipe Round Up: Asparagus

Apr 21 by Michelle Venetucci Harvey Leave a Comment

I’ve really been enjoying asparagus this year, especially when I get to taste Hollie’s breakfast muffins and raw shaved salad. I am so inspired by many of the beautiful creations of bloggers and chefs, and wanted to share a little round-up of some recipes I’m dying to try. Just make sure you check out our asparagus prep video before you dive in!

Asparagus Bacon Spring Rolls, White on Rice
We love spring rolls at JoyFoodly (we even have this step-by-step guide to summer spring rolls), and I’m really excited by the idea of combining asparagus and bacon. This lovely blog post from White on Rice includes tips on throwing a tapas party! Are we invited?

Sesame Asparagus Salad, Zenbelly
I’m a big fan of Zenbelly, and love that this recipe only has 5 main ingredients. Just chop, blanch, and mix!

Raw Asparagus Quinoa Salad with Almond and Jalapeño, My Darling Lemon Thyme
I love seeing raw asparagus recipes (like JoyFoodly’s shaved salad), since it’s so tasty even before you cook it! Pair that with quinoa and a little kick of jalapeño, and I’m sold. Yum!

Asparagus Broccolini Frittata, The Sunday Table
Asparagus doesn’t just have to be a dinner side dish – I’m fully convinced that it should be a breakfast staple, based on this frittata by The Sunday Table.

Cold Lentil, Asparagus, and Goat Cheese Salad, Drum Beets
Lentils and asparagus are sure to make a hearty lunch. I especially like that this looks like it would pack well on a day trip or picnic!

Baked Halibut with Asparagus, Leeks, and Dill, Gluten Free Girl
Asparagus and halibut sounds like a great combination, and I love the little tutorial on making parchment paper packets for your fish.

Warm Asparagus Salad with Basil and Mint Pistou, Sprouted Kitchen
This elegant looking salad has the added touch of mint and basil, which is such a fun combination of flavors.

Spring Green Basil & Basil Pasta, Love & Lemons
I love pairing asparagus with pasta, albeit gluten free. My first try with this was JoyFoodly’s super simple asparagus sauce, but I’m inspired by this Love & Lemons recipe that includes asparagus, peas, spinach and basil. That’s a lot of lovely green in your pasta.

Curly Whirly Shaved Asparagus Salad

Apr 7 by Chef Hollie Greene 3 Comments

I know that kids like veggies, but sometimes you have to know how to get them excited about it! I am often asked how I help kids find the joy in trying new veggies. It’s actually easier than you may think. My spring-inspired Curly Whirly Asparagus Salad holds all the keys to a playful adventure with food.

Let me walk you through this recipe and give you some examples of how I talk to kids:

It Starts With Fun
When we first get into the kitchen, I get kids involved right away with hands-on prep. I often start like this:

“Let’s inspect our asparagus! Which end is the woody, fibrous one? First use your eyes. Starting from the pointed spear and moving down the stalk, look for where it goes from bright green to shades of white. Now, feel along the spear gently towards the spot you identified with your eyes. Does it break at that point easily if you bend it?” Snap!

Give Kids a Task
Keeping kids engaged in the kitchen requires you give them a task that involves skill and focus. Peeling asparagus takes both. Here’s what I’d tell them:

“Hold onto the more fibrous end of the asparagus, flat against the cutting board, while you carefully press down with your peeler to make perfect, curly strips of this awesome veggie without breaking it.” (Check out the asparagus video below)

It’s always great to give kids a little praise when they’ve mastered a task. It makes them hungry for more!

Taste that Veggie
I use taste as my main tool for engaging kids along the journey, always asking for their input. The words I use may go a little something like this:

“Chefs always try every ingredient they are working with. Let’s try one of these shaved asparagus curls! That’s what I call quality control! We can’t use it if it’s not good, right?”

“Do you think the honey mustard dressing needs anything else? Is it sweet enough?”

“Let’s dip the asparagus in it to see if they go well together. Hmmm…do you still like the dressing just as it is? Does it need anything else?”

“What do you say if we toss the raw asparagus in the dressing? No? Ok, we can use the dressing on the side as a dip! Cool. What else might be tasty dipped in our dressing?”

“How about some cheese grated on top? Maybe we need to try some of that, too, for quality control of course!!”

Here’s a quick video to guide you through shaving asparagus!

In a nutshell, kids love to be treated like adults. They have valued opinions and are insatiable learners. Start with fun, build kitchen confidence by trusting they can handle more challenging tasks, and end with taste. Your kitchen adventures just may prove to help your family find new veggie favorites they never knew were so darn tasty.

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Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quinoa Breakfast Muffins

Mar 28 by Chef Hollie Greene 2 Comments

When’s the last time you had quinoa for breakfast? Or how about veggies in your morning muffin? If it sounds too complicated for your busy morning routine, I’ve got a recipe that’s so easy it will melt your stress away.

My spring inspired multi-colored quinoa and goat cheesy asparagus egg muffins are made for a busy family’s on-the-go routine. Make these ahead of time and just reheat them as you run out the door for a quick, healthy, and oh so yummy breakfast morning treat!

Make sure you watch our “How to Prep Asparagus” video, which you can find in this post about the Joyful 12!

A special thanks to our friends at Bob’s Red Mill who generously sent a few packages of their new Tri-Color Quinoa so that I could create this fun and tasty recipe for you. I personally love cooking with their Tri-Color Quinoa because it’s beautiful and tastes great, it’s already rinsed which ensures a quicker prep time, and I can trust that their gluten free grains are handled with care to keep my belly happy and well!

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JoyFoodly Delicious: Super Simple Asparagus Pasta Sauce

Apr 9 by Chef Hollie Greene 1 Comment

Sometimes it’s just that simple and delicious.

This recipe represents the art of Mediterranean cooking at it’s best! In fact, I learned this recipe in Tuscany at Toscana Saporita Cooking School. It uses the best of Spring ingredients with minimal effort and it’s a great recipe for your family. Get your kids cutting the asparagus and snapping off the tough ends and I’ll guarantee you they’ll try and love this recipe.

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