Sometimes a nutritious snack in only an innovation away. Try adding some bling to their peanut- butter-dunking apple slices for a brain boosting, energy lending, nutrient laden snack! (Yes, it's a bit of sugar and coloring - but this definitely trumps the Bissli! Plus, all together it'd probably equal a half of lollipop.)
Amidst frolicking and languishing in the Berkowitz garden while learning lessons of earth and of growth came the inevitable wondrous time of harvesting. Freida has been watching those leeks since they were planted there in the first place, has eyed their tiny forest-green sprouts suspiciously, and has brushed past their long and gangly leaves for weeks now - glancing fairly briefly to marvel at their uselessness only to make a beeline for those sweet pea pods. Until, that is, Estee announced that the leeks were viable, and generously offered them for the pickings. I've always loved leeks, mostly in soups, but after harvesting a few of these organic babies - I'm hooked in a variety of ways!
Freida carried those big green onions out of the garden, through the backyard and into the car. But upon arriving at home and dragging the greens through the house to the kitchen she just couldn't get over how the leek in full seemed to be even bigger than her! Little did she know we'd actually just be salvaging a few measly (but flavorful!) inches off the bottom.
We proceeded to peel off the outer layers and wash and clean them (they tend to get rather sandy in between the skins). Freida just has fun messing around and pretending with her wooden knife and board...
I roughly chopped the white and light green parts + some fresh parsley and sautéed them in some extra virgin olive oil. Then I added a few beaten eggs, a dash of salt and a grind of pepper.
Add a slice of toast + some butter and jam, and we got ourselves a totally fantastic fresh-from-the-ground lunch!!
The omelet was kid-approved , and it was such a wonderful way to introduce her to a new food. She got a serious kick out of the fact that we pulled it from the ground, cooked it in the kitchen, and ate it for lunch. She had a very good nap afterward. :)
Also, aside from the fact that it's great for children to learn where food actually comes from, feasting on food fresh from the earth means that all the nutrients are that much more viable and in turn that much more valuable. The difference between the nutrients found in produce that was picked weeks ago and transported a long way by many different forms of travel and the nutrients found in fresh-farmed, organic, local produce is unequivocal. That should help legitimize prices at the Farmer's Markets - you get much more bang for your buck!!
Happy June weekend, ladies!! I'm feeling the season all around, and love getting gifts of weekly seasonal fresh flowers (thanks love!!). Gladiolus like these would make for a lovely buffet table arrangement by adding height and color to the food layout, don't you think? I'm sure you are all in a recipe/tablescape buzz right about now, getting ready to ring in the summer holiday via dairy deliciousness! Thought I'd take a minute to link some of my favorite things around the web this week...
- The most adorable kids craft/play idea for Shavuot!
- I need to remember this more often...
- My latest article for the Algemeiner: Born this Way?
- New on the Market: modern House Numbers @ Heath.
- Simple + Charming + Convenient DIY for Father's Day gift.
- HOTmilk Maternity/Nursing Bras ridiculously reduced at Zulily!
Some holiday-relative posts you may have missed:
- Cultivate social conversation at the table via big buds/low florals.
- Idyllic Ice Cream Sandwiches.
Also, for those of you who asked for a white cream sauce recipe when I posted this pasta dish, the most important part of any cream sauce is a good Roux for the Béchamel (white cream sauce). I learned this technique within the first few months of marriage (while watching much-too-much Food Network!), and it has come in so incredibly handy so far, and I've used it countless times since then. Here's the best step-by-step directions! I personally use that starter recipe + a cup of grated parmesan cheese and some crushed garlic cloves. From there you can add to what you'd like it to be (mushroom cream sauce, white wine reduction, salmon, pink sauce, florentine etc.) Enjoy!!
If you've been following this blog for a while, you know the tone of yearning in my writing when I dream about owning a home with a yard and a fruitful garden... Well, the next best thing is having a friend who has one! Freida has been immensely enjoying the benefits of the Berkowitz's (remember Zalmy?) backyard and garden these past few months. We head over there every week on Wednesday morning (the day her garden-savvy dad comes out from Huntington Beach to tend the earth and plant and reap) and hang out in the shady haven. She digs and rakes, and scouts for worms in the dirt, munching on garden bounty straight from their vines as she plays. Her garden-guru, Zevi, teaches her how to identify and uproot weeds, keeping the vibrant garden plot clean and cared for. :)
I'm such a strong believer in the importance of teaching children that food comes from a much more valuable place than the market! Watching the fascination on Freida's face when she sees fresh basil (an all-too-familiar kitchen ingredient) growing from the earth (I guess windowsill herb gardens are not nearly cool enough) was completely priceless! She walks around the garden looking at all the tags and asking Zevi which plant is where and which flowers will bloom which vegetables. It's totally adorable, and it makes me so happy to know that she is learning about the earth's resources and also able to begin to understand the concept of making specific "food group" blessings over food.
It's also incredibly peaceful to watch her pick and munch on her own choice of veggies. The sugar snap peas are out of season just now, but for a kid who only ate peas of the frozen variety, she sure consumed her fair share of fresh peas in this garden! Loved knowing all the crunchy consumption was not just fresh garden bounty, but organic, to boot!
It's just so satisfying to know that my ever-curious little person is slowly learning about where food stems from and a bit about how to tend the earth to make it grow there. (Thanks Berkowitz Family!!!!!)
Just thought I'd share a little savory revelation I stumbled upon last week while doing some Shavuot experimentation. Firstly, good pappardelle pasta makes for a way more authentic and rustic italian pasta experience (you can get some really good varieties at Trader Joe's). It's slight chewiness plus the richness of the (almost transparent!) egg flavor gives the pasta so much more depth! I felt like I was inhaling serious fragrant handmade pasta off the coast of Venice... mmmm! Anyways, enough about the noodle. Moving on to the cream sauce. And my revelation: smoked salmon. It was the most incredible combination of flavors! Use your favorite white cream sauce recipe, and add some chopped smoked salmon and sautéd spinach leaves. The smokiness of the lox coupled with the rich creaminess of the sauce was culinarily uplifting. Even Freida licked her plate!
