Weekly Recipe #95: Spicy Kale & Chickpeas

By Susan Pagani, Communications Director 

I've been cooking my beans from scratch since college probably, but for some mysterious reason I only just started making homemade chickpeas this year. Viva la difference! It's like discovering a whole new bean -- tender, nutty and delicious.

Here's my advice: Save the canned garbanzos for things you are whirling up with flavorful ingredients like garlic and tahini; if you are eating a whole bean, homemade chickpeas are so much more delicious their worth the small amount of work it takes to make them yourself.

In this recipe, the beans soak up the heat of the pepper flakes and the salty oil and so are extra creamy and savory nestled in the delicious kale. Add bright flecks of lemon and it's a fine thing, lovely on either rice or noodles.

Spicy Kale & Chickpeas

Adapted from the incredibly useful "Super Natural Everyday" by Heidi Swanson.

(Serves 4 to 6)

3 tbsp. extra virgin oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more!)

Salt, to taste

One bunch Kale, chopped

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 cups chickpeas, cooked

1. Combine olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1 big pinches of salt in a large, cold skillet, and then heat on medium until the garlic starts to sizzle. Don't let the garlic brown!

2. Toss the kale into the skillet and stir until they are wilted and tender.

3. Add the lemon zest and chickpeas and continue to heat until the chickpeas are warmed through.

4. Taste for salt and serve.

Weekly Recipe #94: Red Cabbage with Apples

We all have our favorite Open Arms lunches, among mine are the vegetable soup, meat balls and, recently, the pork chop with red cabbage. Our talented chefs mix apples into the cabbage, adding a surprising sweet-tart note to its earthiness.

I've tried to reproduce this beautiful, crimson dish at home, and the following recipe is the result. While it's not an exact replica, it is pretty tasty. Serve it up as a side dish or as a bed for a tender piece of braised pork.

Red Cabbage with Apples

(Serves 4 to 6)

1/2 med red cabbage, finely sliced
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 firm red apples, peeled, cored and diced
2/3 cup fresh apple juice
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. juniper berries
10 peppercorns
Salt and pepper


2. In a heavy-based pot, warm the olive oil and butter and, once it is melted, add shallot, thyme, and bay leaf. Heat until the herbs are fragrant.
3. Add the red cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until it softens.
4. Add the apples, apple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, juniper berries and peppercorns. Season with salt and pepper, cover and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
5. Remove the juniper berries and serve.

Weekly Recipe #93: Grated Raw Beet Salad with Jicama, Avocado and Orange

If you've had your fill of turkey, heavy side dishes and pie, this salad is for you. Full of bright flavors and colors, it offers a healthy dose of freshness to revive you after the holiday.

Jicama is a root vegetable with crunchy, slightly sweet white flesh. Cut off the tough skin before grating it for the recipe.


Grated Raw Beet Salad with Jicama, Avocado and Orange
Adapted from a recipe in Vegetarian Times

(Serves 6)

2 cups raw beets (3 medium beets), grated 
2 cups jicama, grated
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 navel orange, peeled, sectioned, each section cut into thirds
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tbsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, or more if desired
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

1. Place beets in medium bowl along with jicama, avocado, orange and cilantro.
2. Whisk together orange juice concentrate, lime juice, cumin and coriander.
3. Whisk in oil. Pour over beet mixture, and toss to mix.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each serving with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Weekly Recipe #92: Haricots Verts with Hazelnuts

This week's recipe comes from Communications Director Susan Pagani. "I made this dish for the very first Thanksgiving dinner I ever cooked," she says. "I chose it for its simple yet fancy recipe, and it ended up being my favorite thing on the table!"

The whole staff at Open Arms would like to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! We hope that your table is full and your loved ones are near this holiday.


Haricots Verts with Hazelnuts
(Adapted from Martha Stewart Living)
Serves 8-10

If you can't find blanched (skinned) hazelnuts, you can skin them yourself -- see Step 7-8.

1 1/2 lbs. haricots verts (green beans), stem ends trimmed
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter
5 large shallots, peeled
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup hazelnuts, preferably blanched

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add haricots verts and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Drain and plunge into an ice-water bath to chill. Drain and set aside. (This can be done up to a day in advance.)
4. In a medium skillet, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat.
5. Add shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cook, turning, until shallots start to brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, turning frequently, until shallots are well browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into slivers.
7. Meanwhile, place hazelnuts (blanched or with skin) in a baking pan. Toast in the oven until they darken, 5 to 7 minutes.
8. If using hazelnuts with skin, remove as much of it as possible by rubbing quickly and vigorously in a dish towel. Crush roughly with the flat side of a knife.
9. In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add haricots verts, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes.
10. Add shallots and hazelnuts; cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

On Gratitude

By Ben Penner, Open Farms Director

This season of thanks offers an opportunity to reflect, share and refocus on what is most important. Giving thanks makes us more present to our daily routines and to those around us. The abundance of the earth provides ample food, water, and beauty to share and so it is in this spirit that we grow and share food for those in our community with illness. The land will provide abundantly for many years to come if we take care of it, a virtuous cycle providing not only for the present but providing health and nourishment for future generations, the poor, the sick, the wealthy, in a word: everyone. We have the capacity to take care of each other.

Biology and culture, technology and practice determine routines of production, consumption, and celebration of food. While we were harvesting our crops at the farm, I noticed how much joy we all took in learning and practicing a routine – tilling, planting, tending and harvesting until finally there was a more abundant harvest we had anticipated. It was as if the surprise of it all kept us going. The soil produced food and the natural thought was to give thanks.

When I was in Ethiopia this past March our visit coincided with a period of fasting. Each person I met approached their fast differently; some eating meat, and some not, but each one used the time to change up their status quo for a period of time so they could reflect, remember and eventually give thanks. We all pause and remember the abundance we have and feel gratitude for all of the people who make the work of Open Arms possible in our community and around the world.

It is in this spirit that Open Arms seeks to serve our community, and provide nourishing food joyously for others.

Thank you.

Weekly Recipe #91: Thanksgiving Favorites from the Staff

In honor of the holiday fast approaching, we polled some of the staff about their favorite Thanksgiving food:

Kelly McManus, Creative Director: "Stuffing. And gravy. And turkey. And cranberry sauce. Do I have to pick only one?"
Elizabeth Polter, Client Services Director: "Pecan pie."
Asei Tendle, Food Services Director: "My mom's cornbread stuffing."
Jeff Langaard, Finance & Administration Director: "Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the year! I could not live without turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn."
Gwen Hill, Registered Dietitian: "Pumpkin pie!!!"
Tim Reardon, Executive Director: "Stuffing is right up there with the dark meat of the turkey and apple pie...it's too hard to choose, I like them all!

Max Drewes, Client Services Assistant: "Mashed potatoes."
Rita Panton, Kitchen Manager/Bread Production: "Cranberries and sweet potatoes."

Ellen Klahn, Volunteer Services Associate: "My mother's homemade turkey gravy -- it just makes everything that much better. Turkey drippings with flour and milk -- what more could you want?"
Nancy Benedict, Events Director: "I love a good juicy slice of turkey!"
Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator: "Definitely sweet potatoes...the more butter, the better!"
Melissa Henry, Volunteer Services Assistant: "Cranberry sauce."
Kienan Mick, Finance Assistant: "Pumpkin spice bars with cream cheese frosting."
Jennifer Van Wyk, Deputy Director: "Wine."
Cassie Mead, Kitchen Manager/Catering: "My aunt Mindy's mashed potatoes and gravy!
Rebecca Tofte, Development Director: "Leftovers. I love making a turkey, dressing and cranberry sandwich on ciabatta the day after Thanksgiving."
Ben Harrelson, Kitchen Manager/Quality Control: "Dark meat turkey."
Paul Tatro, Development Associate: "Garlic mashed potatoes!"
Susan Pagani, Communications Director: "Kentucky wonder beans with butter, salt and pepper. And then, of course, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. If I didn't have turkey, I wouldn't really miss it."
Kent Linder, Operations Director: "I would have to say stuffing. It's the best."
Bob Jernberg, Janitorial/Kitchen Prep: "Turkey, of course, but also dressing and hot apple pie!"
Pete Fischer, Volunteer Services Coordinator: "Stuffing."

A Letter from South Africa: Clean Water & The SJC

By Kent Linder, International Program Director

This week in South Africa, I'm working with the Social Justice Campaign (SJC), which we support by funding their efforts to get clean water and sanitation to parts of the townships that are in desperate need of attention from the city.

Together, we distributed hundreds of newsletters, which they wittily call the "Toilet Paper," and worked to make more people aware of their efforts. This task took us through many sewage-filled pathways where children were playing -- unfortunately not a rare occurrence. By working to get the city to provide clean water and sanitation services, SJC hopes to increase safety and reduce disease. For example, tuberculosis is a very serious issue and a very common coinfection for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Despite all of the difficulties, SJC is making great progress in several areas of their work, including improving the state of sanitation. It has not been easy, but they have a large group of committed volunteers.

A Letter from South Africa: Gardening with Ikamva Labantu

By Kent Linder, International Program Director

As many of you know, I'll be in South Africa until December, working with our partners here on various projects. Last week, I met Emisa and Champion, pictured here.

They are gardeners at Ikamva Labantu, a partner organization, part of a team of five very dedicated people who tend vegetables in townships outside of Cape Town, South Africa. For the past couple of years, Open Arms' international program has been funding this program, including the gardener's salaries, seeds and other supplies. They grow vegetables without the use of harmful pesticides, and even though the ground is sandy and not ideal for incredible gardens, they have some pretty incredible things growing.

The vegetables get used by the community in areas where food is scarce, especially healthy food. In a place where 20% of people are living with HIV, it's essential that people have access to good vegetables. Many of the homes include caregivers who look after many young children, most likely orphaned because of illness or poverty.

So, just like at Open Farms, there was no shortage of prepping, planting, watering or weeding during the days I was able to "dig in" at Ikamva Labantu. When I asked Champion why he was doing this work, he answered: "Gardening is my passion." We spent two days together, getting plots ready for maize (corn) and tomatoes. Before I arrived to assist them, the farmers had asked how old I and how fit I was; I don't know if they expected me to be able to help them accomplish anything. But we filled almost every open plot of land. In addition to getting the vegetables planted, Champion made it clear that the garden was to be maintained to the highest level. It had to be spotless. He was proud of it, and rightly so.

While we were planting the corn, Champion was spacing the seeds very far apart. I asked him about this, stating that in the US we plant the sweet corn much closer together. Champion insisted that it was the way that would be best. "The plants want to be free. They must be free." I thought that was a great explanation. We all deserve to be free, don't we?

The vegetables will grow. They'll certainly be enjoyed. And they made a big difference to nearly 200 families last year in the townships surrounding Cape Town.

It's always amazing to realize the impact we have with our international programs.

Weekly Recipe #90: Carrot Cupcakes

At Open Farms, our carrot crop is still growing strong, sheltered from frosts in our cozy low tunnels.

In honor of these hardy orange roots, this week's recipe is for delightfully moist carrot cupcakes. Open Arms baker Rita Panton loves to use this recipe for the birthday cupcakes we deliver to our clients to celebrate their special day.

In addition to birthdays, these cupcakes would be a perfect dessert for your turkey day table: classic, delicious and even a bit healthy, since you'll get your fill of Vitamin A from the carrots.

Carrot Cupcakes
(Makes about a dozen huge cupcakes)

Cupcakes:
2 cups flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tbsp. ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 1/2 cups grated carrot
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup walnuts, toasted

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together first four dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. In another, larger bowl, whisk sugar, oil and eggs together until smooth.
4. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
5. Fold in carrots, pineapple and nuts.
6. Scoop into greased muffin tins (or a large sheet cake pan) and put in the oven. Check cake with a toothpick after 28 minutes.

Frosting:
1 lb. cream cheese
1/2 lb. butter, softened
1/4 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp. vanilla

1. Whip all ingredients together until smooth.
2. Frost cupcakes after they have cooled.

Weekly Recipe #89: Chicken Stir Fry

In honor of our three-millionth meal delivery, this week's recipe is an Open Arms classic from Kitchen Director Asei Tendle. If you volunteered with us over the last couple years, you may have helped cook, package or deliver this tasty stir fry for our clients to enjoy. Now's your chance to savor it in your own home!


Chicken Stir Fry
Makes 6 servings

1 package rice stick noodles
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dry ginger
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 onion, julienned
2 carrots, julienned
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 tbsp. grated orange zest
2 large bell peppers, seeded and julienned
3 large green onions, chopped
1 small head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
Meat from one rotisserie chicken

1. Cover rice noodles in warm water and soak for a half hour.
2. Meanwhile, bring soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger and garlic to a boil in a small sauce pan. Boil for 4 minutes and remove from heat. Set aside.
3. Heat half of the oil in a saute pan over medium high heat until it is hot, about 30 seconds. Drain noodles and saute in pan until soft, about 2 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl.
4. Saute onion and carrot for about a minute in the other half of the oil.
5. Add celery, orange zest, peppers, green onions and broccoli, and saute for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add chicken and sauce to the pan and mix well. Serve over noodles.

Weekly Recipe #88: Indian-Spiced Popcorn

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

If you rely solely on your microwave for making popcorn, you're missing out. Popping your own on the stove is an easy, satisfying alternative, and it can much cheaper than buying microwaveable bags of popcorn. You can buy fresh kernels at your local co-op -- we recommend popping corn from Whole Grain Milling in Welcome, MN.

This recipe features zippy spices used in Indian cooking for a twist on your regular salt-and-butter combo.

Indian-Spiced Popcorn
Yields about 4 quarts

2 tbsp. coconut oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup corn kernels
3 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt

1. Heat a 4-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid on the stove top.
2. Melt the oil and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan. Drop in a single popcorn kernel and wait for it to pop.
3. When the kernel pops, pour the rest of the corn in all at once. Cover and shake the pot to coat the kernels in the oil.
4. Swirl the pot over the top of the burner once or twice until you hear the first few kernels pop. Once the corn is popping, swirl the pot continuously over the heat.
5. When the popping slows down at the end, remove the pot from the burner. Once all the popping has stopped, take the lid off and dump the popcorn in a large bowl.
6. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the spices and mix well.
7. Pour the butter mixture over the popcorn and toss well to fully coat the kernels. Serve immediately.

Wednesday is Food Day!

By Gwen Hill MS, RD, LD

Food Day is this week! We invite you to join us Wednesday night at 6 p.m. to screen the movie Food Fight. This movie touches on many of the current issues being discussed about the food system right now, with an overview of how we got here. It also covers some inspiring people and organizations that are making a difference in their community.

Topics covered in Food Fight:

• The role our food system has on the incline of obesity and chronic diseases.
• Social patterns that have developed over time to influence our food choices.
• How Earl Butz influenced the food system as the Secretary of Agriculture in the 1970’s.
• How do the Farm Bill and subsidies play into the equation?
• What are people doing in the community to address their concerns?
• How can we address food deserts?
• What’s happening with school meals?

Watch a trailer for the movie:

Following the movie, we will have a lively panel discussion featuring local experts. They will respond to the movie and answer questions from the audience.

The panel includes:

• Tricia Cornell, Local author and cookbook writer 
• Lindsay Rebhan, Urban Farm Consultant 
• Mike Venker, Vice Chair of Open Arms Board and Cargill representative
• Rita Panton, Open Arms Kitchen Manager and Farm Liaison 
• Ben Penner, Open Arms Farm Director 

We will provide the popcorn! RSVP to Events Director Nancy Benedict if can join us.

Weekly Recipe #87: 10 Pumpkin Recipes

In honor of our young professional group's pumpkin carving event this Sunday, we have 10 terrific ways to cook and bake with pumpkin this week. Perfect for savory and sweet dishes alike, the versatile gourd is low in calories and chock full of vitamins and antioxidants, making it a great choice for everything from waffles to soup.

Many of these recipes call for canned pumpkin, but you can easily whip up your own instead -- we've included a recipe for homemade pumpkin puree below.

1. Pumpkin Waffles with Apple Cider Syrup
2. Pumpkin Shrimp Curry
3. Honey Ginger Pumpkin Butter
4. Black Bean Pumpkin Chili
5. Pumpkin Rolls with Brown Sugar Glaze
6. Pumpkin Risotto
7. Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake
8. Pumpkin, Chickpea and Red Lentil Stew
9. Honey Walnut Pumpkin Bread
10. Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup


Pumpkin Puree
(Yields about one cup of puree per pound of raw pumpkin)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings.
3. Place halves hollow side down in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil. Add a little water to the pan.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 1½ to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove.
5. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in a food processor or blender.
6. Drain the puree before using it in recipes. Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth, paper towels or a dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain the extra moisture.

Food Day Celebrations

By Gwen Hill MS, RD, LD

Next Wednesday is Food Day! Food Day is similar to Earth Day, but instead of focusing on the way we treat our planet, we are asked to examine our food system and support healthy agricultural processes and diets. This nationwide event began last year and was an instant success. I love Food Day because I see it as a celebration of good food – and here at Open Arms, good food is what we are all about!

Open Arms celebrated last year by showing a documentary, bringing in an engaged crowd. This year, we are going to take it a little further. We have two great events planned:

The first event will be a farm work day held on Tuesday, October 23. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., we'll work to support our organic farm and get it ready for the winter. We will provide boxed lunches and shuttles from Open Arms to the farm in Belle Plaine. This is a great opportunity to check out our unique organic garden if you haven’t yet. With the three acres of land we plant there, we yield close to 30,000 pounds of produce to use in our meals. Because of this farm, our clients are able to eat many organic vegetables throughout the summer – delicious veggies grown and processed by the hands of our volunteers. We want to share this wonderful space with you – come enjoy the farm with us! RSVP to Lila by Friday, October 19 if you want to join the fun.

The second event is on Wednesday, October 24. At 6 p.m., we will be screening the movie “Food Fight,” an inspirational documentary that describes the current state of our food system, how we got here and what we can do to make it better. Immediately following the movie, we will have a lively panel to discuss the ideas in the movie and talk about our current food system. The panel includes representatives from our farm and kitchen, Ecological Gardens and Cargill, as well as a local cookbook author. We hope to bring in a large crowd to enjoy a lively conversation between the panel members and the audience. With this panel, you will leave feeling enriched and educated about our current food system. Please RSVP to Nancy if you can attend this event.

Join us in celebrating Food Day! The more the merrier, so bring a friend. Please check out our event page for more details.

Weekly Recipe #86: Southwest Chicken Soup

This week's recipe comes from Open Arms chef Cassie, who recommends this comforting soup for chilly fall evenings. "I'm just turning the heat on at home now -- I made this soup last night to have something nice and warm to eat," she says. Pair it with some oven-warmed tortillas or bread to up the cozy factor in your home.

Southwest Chicken Soup

2 large bone-in chicken legs or thighs, skin removed
1 tbsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 tbsp. Montreal steak seasoning
Olive oil
4 medium carrots, large dice
5 stalks of celery, large dice
2 medium onions, large dice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. of rosemary, minced
4 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of brown rice, cooked
1 cup of black beans (about 1 can)
1 tbsp. of paprika
1 tbsp. of cumin
1 tbsp. of coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of collard greens/kale/mustard greens/chard, cut into a large chiffonade

1. Coat chicken with granulated garlic and Montreal steak seasoning.
2. Place a small amount of olive oil in medium-size stock pot and sear chicken on all sides until brown. Be sure to see some pan drippings sticking to the bottom of the pot -- this caramelization will help flavor the soup when stock is added later.
3. Add carrots, celery, onions, garlic and rosemary to the chicken and stir until onions are transparent and carrots are starting to brown. 
4. Pour in chicken stock and de-glaze bottom of pan drippings -- scrape brown spots with spoon as to incorporate flavor into stock. Simmer with lid on low heat for about an hour.
5. After an hour, add brown rice, black beans, paprika, cumin, corriander and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add in collard greens about three minutes before serving to keep them a brilliant green and prevent them from overcooking.
7. Serve, using tongs to separate meat from chicken bone if you prefer.

Weekly Recipe #85: Fruit Financiers

By Susan Pagani, Communications Director

Every year I ask my pal Maria what she'd like in the way of birthday cake, and every year she challenges me with something new -- chocolate, triple-layer white cake with fruit, etc. This year, she asked for the very simple yet very tasty fig financier.

Financiers are small French cakes traditionally made with a rectangular mold, so named because of their resemblance to bars of gold. The one I made was delightful with fig, but any fruit will do; in the following recipe, we use raspberries. You can find the hazelnut flour at Mississippi Market in St. Paul. The butter becomes very nutty in the process of browning it, which combines with the flour to create a light, nutty little petite four that is lovely at breakfast or at tea in the afternoon -- or with a fat dollop of whipping cream at dessert.


Fruit Financiers
Adapted from a New York Times recipe
Makes about 9 cakes, depending on the pan

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), and additional for greasing the pan
155 grams confectioners’ sugar (1 1/4 cups)
56 grams hazelnut flour (1/2 cup)
40 grams all-purpose flour (1/3 cup)
Pinch of salt
4 large egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 pint raspberries, rinsed and drained

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter, letting it cook until it turns nut brown and smells toasted, about 5 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool. (Do not scrape up any black bits from the bottom of the pot.)
3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, hazelnut flour, all-purpose flour and salt. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and set on low speed (or use a whisk and a strong arm), beat in egg whites until flour mixture is damp.
4. Add butter and beat on medium-high speed (or vigorously by hand) until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. At this point, the batter can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
5. Butter and flour nine 1/2-cup muffin cups or Madeleine molds. Divide batter between cups and top each with three raspberries.
6. Bake until financiers are golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before unmolding.

Weekly Recipe #84: Kale, Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

The days of soup are upon us. The chill in the air turns thoughts to comforting, warming food and the kitchen seems cozy and inviting, just the place to watch over a simmering pot of soup. At the same time, the lively pace of autumn, with its new routines and plentiful events, necessitates quick meals for busy evenings.

To launch you into soup season, here's a hearty, fresh-tasting stew that's ridiculously speedy and convenient. This recipe is particularly great for using up big bunches of kale you might have from the garden or farmers market. Kale turns sweeter in cold weather, so it's reaching its top form now in fall.

Kale, Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew
Adapted from a recipe from Real Simple
(Serves 4-6)

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 12-oz. package fully cooked chicken sausage links, sliced
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 14.5-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes (you can also use fresh tomatoes, if you have them on hand!)
1 large bunch kale leaves, torn into 2-inch pieces
Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the sausage and celery and cook, stirring once, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
4. Add the beans, broth and tomatoes (with their liquid) and bring to a boil.
5. Add the kale and salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Serve with a crusty baguette or loaf of country bread.

Hunger Action Month

By Gwen Hill MS, RD, LD

I recently learned that September is Hunger Action Month. Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief charity, is encouraging everyone to Speak Out Against Hunger. They created this memorable video “Hungry Kate,” which illustrates the ease in which hunger concerns can settle into households that never expected it.

The video encapsulates an all-too common situation. The breadwinner of the house loses their job, the savings are used up and then the credit cards are maxed out, all while trying to keep life as normal as possible for the kids. Eventually the home is foreclosed upon and the family is in a situation they never imagined they would be in -- where finding the money for food is a daily challenge. And then hunger sets in, causing a decrease in concentration, headaches, bellyaches, moodiness and fear. According to the USDA, 14.9% of Americans are struggling with hunger, showing that this is no small problem in our country.

How can you help combat hunger this month (and beyond)?

• Donate to your local food shelf. 
• Encourage those you know in this situation to apply for SNAP benefits.
• Share the “Hungry Kate” video with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or email. 
• Help people understand that there is more than one way that people end up in a situation where hunger is prominent.

Weekly Recipe #83: Peach Salad with Greens

By Susan Pagani, Communications Director

In our yard, the garden has turned into a rambling mess of tomato plants, peppers and herbs. The basil, in particular, has been very happy in all this sunshine and has grown into a waist-high thicket, fragrant yet daunting. Though we've had some success freezing and drying herbs, we prefer to eat them when they are fresh -- so we've been wacking down leafy branches of the stuff and putting it on everything.

This week, my favorite is a salad of peaches, arugula and basil tossed with a mild vinaigrette. Here in Seward, the co-op is well stocked with sweet Colorado peaches, but the season will be wrapping up soon so now is the time.

This is an easy kind of recipe. If you love basil, add in a bunch; if not, go easy. Basil has a delicate kind of sweetness and its own subtle heat, which in combination with the arugula's nutty, peppery leaves and all the lush sugar the peaches bring is very delicious.

Peach Salad with Greens
(serves 4-6)

1 - 2 peaches, washed and cut into thin sections
One bunch arugula, trimmed
Basil, trimmed and sliced into thin ribbons, to taste (about a cup)

Vinaigrette
3 tbsp. mild olive or canola oil
1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. honey
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash and slice the peaches, and then toss in the basil and arugula.
2. Gently toss with vinaigrette and serve.

Weekly Recipe #82: Amy Boland's Mixed Cauliflower Pickles

Though our friend Amy Boland has been volunteering with us for over a decade, she recently picked up a new trick for chopping cauliflower from Chef Ben in the Open Arms kitchen, proving that there's always more to learn!

Amy shared a video of this technique on her blog, and offered a terrific pickle recipe to accompany it. Check out her blog for this week's recipe>>

Weekly Recipe #81: Pulled Chicken in Cream Gravy Sauce

By Gwen Hill MS, RD, LD

This week’s recipe is another delicious chicken dish from Open Arms Chef Ben Harrelson. Ben loves making home-style food and using herbs to add flavor. This savory, comforting recipe has been added to our menu rotation. It’s a perfect meal for a crisp fall afternoon … which is right around the corner!


Pulled Chicken in Cream Gravy Sauce

1 whole chicken
½ cup half and half
¼ cup flour
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

Chicken:

1. Thaw chicken.
2. Roast chicken in pan in oven at 350 degrees for 1½-2 hours or until internal temperature is 170 degrees.
3. Let chicken cool and pull meat off from carcass. Save drippings and fat.

Cream Gravy Sauce:

1. Heat drippings from pan with the half and half and fresh herbs until it simmers.
2. Create a roux in a separate pan by heating fat and gradually adding flour while constantly whisking. (For those of you who are new to making a roux, check out this article: http://allrecipes.com/howto/making-roux/)
3. Whisk the roux into the drippings mixture and simmer until it’s thick like gravy, about 5 minutes.
4. Mix gravy into the pulled, shredded chicken.

Enjoy with a side of brown rice and seasonal produce!

Weekly Recipe #80: Ben's BBQ Chicken Marinade

In honor of Labor Day weekend coming up, we asked our kitchen staff for their favorite end-of-summer recipes. Chef Ben Harrelson, our resident grilling guru, gave us this flavor-packed marinade. Gather your friends and family, fire up the grill and enjoy the long weekend!

Ben's BBQ Chicken Marinade

1 bottle Anchor Steam beer
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dry thyme
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Marinate chicken for several hours or overnight.
3. Light up the charcoal grill and have at it!

Weekly Recipe #79: Basil-Walnut Pesto

Pesto is a terrific way to use up summer's abundance of basil — before those big, bushy plants start to bolt. Easy, tasty and versatile, it can be stored in the refrigerator and used for just about anything. Toss pesto with pasta or warm potatoes (steamed or roasted), use it as a dip with crackers, swirl it into salad dressings, spread it on sandwiches or pizzas, or marinate your favorite meat in it before and after grilling.

Pesto recipes often call for pine nuts, but this recipe uses walnuts as a less-expensive but just-as-tasty alternative.


Basil-Walnut Pesto
(Makes 4-6 servings, depending on use)

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
1/4 cup tasty olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Pulse together basil, garlic and walnuts in a food processor until mixture is a cohesive paste.
2. Add cheese and pulse until just blended.
3. With the food processor on, add olive oil in a stream until the mixture is the right texture for your application.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Weekly Recipe #78: Tomato Cobbler

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the bounty of tomatoes in my kitchen, so I decided to give this new recipe a try. I love sweet cobblers, but I'd never encountered a savory one! I was happily surprised by the biscuit-like topping and lovely roasted tomato taste -- this recipe's a keeper in my book.

Use the most locally sourced and flavorful tomatoes you can find to star in this dish. Since you can serve this cobbler at room temperature, it's a great choice for a summer potluck.

Tomato Cobbler
Adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman
(Makes 6-8 servings)

Butter for the baking dish
3 lbs. ripe tomatoes ( 8-10 medium), cored and cut into wedges
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into large pieces
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more if needed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Grease a square baking dish or a deep pie plate with the butter. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Put the tomato wedges in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cornstarch and some salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
3. Put the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and teaspoon of salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Add the egg, buttermilk, cheddar and basil and pulse a few times more, until the mixture comes together in a ball. If the mixture doesn't come together, add a spoonful or two of flour. If the mixture is too dry, add a few drops of buttermilk.
5. Gently toss the tomato mixture again and spread it in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Drop small spoonfuls of the batter on top and smooth a bit with a knife. Try to leave some gaps so that the steam from the tomato mixture can escape as the cobble bakes.
6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden on top and bubbly underneath. Cool to just barely warm or room temperature. To serve, scoop servings out with a large spoon.

Meet Sarah Mobry, Open Arms' New Farm Assistant

By Ben Penner, Open Farms Director

We’d like to introduce you to Sarah Mobry, who joins our staff as the Open Farms Assistant. Help us welcome her! Here’s some information to help us get to know her better.

Ben Penner: How did you hear about Open Farms?

Sarah Mobry: I heard about it through your Facebook posting. I was a volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels, and found out about Open Arms through a search for their programs in the Twin Cities after I moved from Rochester.

BP: Where did you grow up?

SM: Anoka. I grew up on a plot of land, about 3.6 acres, so similar to the size of Open Farms! My parents grew food on part of the land while some of it was wild grasses and flowers. It was a mix of fruit trees, native grasses and vegetables.

BP: Living with a garden nearby gave you a love of gardening?

SM: Yes, I used to help my mom every summer – mostly eating what I had picked.

BP: So you kind of knew what you wanted to do?

SM: I have always been kind of a tree-hugger type. I learned to volunteer on farms. My first farm was a squash farm – squash as far as the eye can see.

BP: What was your favorite class in school?

SM: I went to an environmental college, Northland College in Ashland, WI. I took an orienteering class in the winter. Basically they let everyone loose with a compass on snowshoes. It was fantastic. They had a farm, too, with wind power. It was all vegetables and no fruit.

BP: What is your favorite vegetable?

SM: That’s a tough one. I like everything. I’d say zucchini. You can do a lot of good stuff with it. You can bake with it, grill it, you can do a lot of things. Heirloom tomatoes are a close second, though.

BP: What fun fact would you like everyone to know about you?

SM: I am running the Chicago marathon in October, so that takes up a lot of my time.

BP: Have you ever done a marathon?

SM: I’ve done a half-marathon before.

BP: Do you run every day?

SM: Yes. I’m up to 10 or 12 miles on my long runs.

BP: What would you like to learn at the farm?

SM: Most of what I have done has been the sort of grunt-work of the farm at the beginning of the season. I’d like to see how things get wrapped up at the end of the season in the fall. Everyone does everything a little differently, so it will be good to learn a different system and all of the inner workings.

BP: Is there anything else that you would like people to know?

SM: I have a daughter, Amelia. She is four and is a lot of fun. I think the farm is a great place for kids – maybe because that was my experience. I think kids should know where food comes from – they should know what a tomato plant is!

Welcome to Open Farms, Sarah!

Weekly Recipe #77: Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Zucchini Bread

Did you know we offer a gluten-free menu option to our clients? This menu is also dairy-free, pork-free and nut-free, furthering the number of dietary restrictions we can accommodate. All diet needs are welcome here at Open Arms!

Gluten-free recipes often get a bad reputation for not being as tasty as their gluten-filled counterparts, but this recipe from Cook/Baker Rita Panton proves that portrayal wrong. This moist, delicious bread is the perfect antidote to the zucchini fatigue that often sets in this time of year.

Note: If you're wondering what the term "gluten-free" means, check out this post.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Zucchini Bread 
By Open Arms Cook/Baker Rita Panton
(Makes one 9-inch loaf)

2 cups gluten-free mix*(see below)

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tbsp. flax seed, ground

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups zucchini, grated

1 1/3 cup brown sugar
3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Gluten-Free Mix

1 cup rice flour

3/4 cup sorghum flour or garbanzo flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch or potato starch

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   

2. Grease one 9-inch cake pan or loaf pan. 
3. Combine gluten-free mix with baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and flax. 
4. In a mixer combine oil, zucchini, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix on medium until smooth. 

5. Add the dry ingredients and mix for 2 more minutes.   

6. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecan pieces, if desired. 
7. Spread evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until done.

Weekly Recipe #76: Mustard Roasted Potatoes

By Rebecca Tofte, Development Director

This recipe is a great way to use those wonderful, locally-grown potatoes from the farmers market. I make it at least once a week year round! Pair it with pork tenderloin or steaks on the grill.

You may want to line your sheet pan with parchment or foil -- this recipe does a number on the pan because of the high roasting temperature.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes

2 yellow onions, sliced
one tray of red potatoes from farmers market
2 tbsp. stone ground mustard
olive oil (enough to coat potatoes)
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut potatoes in half if small or in quarters if larger.
3. Mix all ingredients together on sheet pan (just use your clean hands -- it's easier!).
4. Roast for 25-30 minutes and test for doneness with a fork. Enjoy!

Weekly Recipe #75: Curried Beets and Carrots with Coconut Milk

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

This week's recipe features one of the sweetest of all vegetables: the beet. In addition to being rich in natural sweetness, these deeply colored orbs are full of heart-healthy fiber, iron, potassium and folic acid. Plus, the pigment that gives them their color, betacyanin, is a powerful antioxidant. The pigment also has been used as a natural hair dye for centuries.

This recipe pairs roasted beets with chopped veggies and Indian spices for a healthy summer dish with lots of flavor.

Note: To roast the beets, trim off the top and bottom root and rub with oil. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until tender (about 45 minutes), when a fork pierces them easily. Let the bundles cool, unwrap them and slide the skins off.


Curried Beets and Carrots with Coconut Milk
Adapted from Edible Twin Cities
(Makes about 3 servings)

1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
2 tbsp. curry paste
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
4 carrots, julienned
4-6 roasted beets, julienned (approximately 2 cups)
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup basil, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

1. Saute onion in olive oil. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, without letting it brown.
2. Add curry paste and peppers and saute for several more minutes.
3. Add beets and carrots and saute until carrots are crisply tender.
4. Add coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Garnish with basil and peanuts. Serve on rice or with naan.

Second Half of the Season

By Ben Penner, Open Farms Director

July brings hot weather, harvests and the seemingly endless thirst of plants and soil. The midpoint in the summer ushers in the second half of the season. With the frenzy of spring planting and early harvests complete, we’re working on the second round -- cooler weather crops that we'll harvest in September and October.

In the coming weeks, we’ll plant another round of spinach, arugula, lettuce, kale, cabbage and other brassicas, letting them take advantage of the long days of sunlight to get maximum growth before the (hopefully) cooler days of late summer and fall kick in. Since we’ve been experimenting with season extension techniques, we’ll also continue planting crops in preparation for low tunnels and hopefully a harvest late into the fall.

Fortunately, for the last few days we’ve seen cooler temperatures and some rain. Although the bulk of the moisture missed Open Farms, we’re still enjoying some more reasonable working conditions. There is still a lot of work to do, so if you have some extra time please join us at the farm for the second half. Check out our open farm shifts>>

Weekly Recipe #74: Mango Ginger Sorbet

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

To help you cool off this week, here's a refreshing sorbet featuring one of my favorite fruits. Don't be scared off by the lack of cream or egg -- the mango's smooth texture makes this treat rich and creamy.

Note: When you're adding the sugar, remember that the mixture will taste less sweet once it's frozen, so add a little more after the mixture tastes just right.

Mango Ginger Sorbet
Adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman

(Makes about 3 cups)

4 cups ripe mango, peeled and pitted
1 tbsp. ginger root, peeled and chopped finely
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
1 cup superfine sugar, or to taste

1. Puree the mango in a blender with the ginger, lemon juice and most of the sugar. Taste and add more lemon juice or sugar if necessary.
2. Strain the puree, stirring and pressing the mixture through a strainer with a rubber spatula to leave any fibers behind; be sure to get all the puree from the underside of the strainer.
3. Refrigerate until cool, then churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.
4. Enjoy!

Weekly Recipe #73: Lemon Quinoa with Corn, Scallions and Mint

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

If you've cooked before with quinoa, that grain-but-not-a-grain, you've probably treated it like rice: throw it in a pot with some water and cook until the water absorbs. This works just fine most of the time, but once in a while something goes a bit amiss and the quinoa ends up a bit mushy, and its lovely nutty flavor gets muted.

I recently came across an innovative way to cook quinoa that protects it from that soggy fate, a technique that involves both boiling and steaming. This approach keeps the seeds from clumping together, giving you fluffy quinoa full of texture and flavor. Give it a try with the following recipe.

Note: If you can't find fresh-picked sweet corn, you may want to boil or grill the corn a bit first.

Lemon Quinoa with Corn, Scallions and Mint
Adapted from Sweet Amandine

(Makes 8 servings)

4 ears sweet corn (preferably fresh-picked), shucked 
2 cups (about 10 oz.) quinoa
1 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest, from two lemons
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. melted butter, or 3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. honey
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly to remove any bitter coating.
2. Bring a 4- to 5- quart pot of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook uncovered for 7-8 minutes, until just slightly tender, like al dente pasta.
3. Drain the quinoa in a sieve, then set the sieve over an inch of simmering water in the same pot. Make sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the sieve. Cover the quinoa with a folded kitchen towel and cover the whole thing with a lid (don't worry if the lid doesn't fit tightly). Steam until the quinoa is tender, fluffy, and dry, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let stand, still covered, for another 3-5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk together the lemon zest and juice, butter or oil, honey, salt and pepper.
6. Cut the corn off of the cobs with a large, heavy knife.
7. Gently fold the quinoa into the dressing with a rubber spatula, then fold in the corn, scallions, mint and basil. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve at any temperature.