Enchiladas Anyone?

Chard and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Enchilada Sauce to knock your socks off!
2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
Small onion, diced up
1 Anaheim chili or half of a Jalapeno pepper (seeds removed)
depending on how spicy you like...
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (I use the kind with roasted chilies) You can use fresh too if they're in season.  4 medium size and juicy should be great. Chop them up!

Fabulous Filling
2 sweet potatoes or sometimes I use 1 sweet potato and about 2 cups of butternut squash.
Whatever is in season....
Cut into small square chunks.
1/2 lb chard or you can use kale chopped finely - I stack the leaves, roll them up then thinly chop.
3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup vegetable stock
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) - chopped up. 
Salt to taste
7-10 corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 375°F
You'll need a square lasagna type dish

Get the enchilada sauce ready! 
In a large sauce pot sauté the onions in oil. 
Add: chili, chili powder, cumin, oregano, tomatoes -  bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat. Cool. Now you can keep the sauce the way it is or you can puree it until it is smooth.  I prefer not to puree because I like the chunks of onions and tomatoes but it's divine either way. Sometimes I puree have way...

Now mix up the fabulous filling!
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into small square chunks. Boil until tender, about 15 minutes.
Drain and set aside.

Sauté minced garlic in oil in a sauce pot over medium-low heat. Don't let garlic burn! 
Add chard. Season with salt if you like. Continue to stir chard so that it cooks evenly.  Don't overcook! 

Mix in the sweet potatoes, vegetable stock, lime juice, pumpkin seeds. 
Cook another 3 to 4 minutes.

Spoon a little of the enchilada sauce onto the bottom of the casserole dish and spread it around.

You can pan heat the tortillas if you like first but it's not necessary. If your tortillas are soft and fresh, you can skip this step.  Don't forget! We have amazing locally made tortillas here in Sonoma county.

If you decide to puree the sauce, add some of the enchilada sauce to a separate plate or even a pie dish. Drop in tortilla and coat both sides with the sauce. When I don't puree the sauce I spread a little in the pan then after all enchiladas have been rolled I smother the top with remaining sauce.

Place tortilla in the casserole dish. Add the filling down the middle and roll it up.  Continue to roll until pan is tightly packed with enchiladas!

Pour more sauce over the top to your liking.
If you have extra, save it you may want to add more later! 
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until tortilla edges are a little browned.
Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Don't forget to share!

Greens & Beans Soup!

Greens & Beans Soup!

Chard is in season for sure in March & April!

This soup will warm your heart.
And it's super easy to make!



Here's what you'll need:
Half Pound Organic chard (or kale)
I stack the leaves, roll them up like a cigar then chop thin strips (some call that chiffonade).
1/4 Tsp fresh rosemary (dried is fine too)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped fine
1 cup cooked white beans or a can of organic, drained
4 cups chicken stock (organic if you can)
1/2 cup small macaroni
Fresh Parmesan to grate on before serving
Salt/Pepper to taste

Now You're Ready!
In medium saucepan, saute greens in olive oil until they are tender.
Add garlic - cook until pale. Add rosemary.  Cook for another minute.
Stir in the beans. Cook 3 minutes.

Add the chicken stock.  Season to taste.  Bring to boil and stir in macaroni.
Boil for 5 minutes or until pasta is tender.  Adjust seasoning again if you like.

Lentil Lovers Salad

Lentil Lovers Salad

Get Ready!

2 cups lentils dry.  Rinsed.  Now cook them....
About 10 cups of water should be adequate to cook 2 cups of lentils. Bring to boil.  Cook to your taste. Al dente is best!  
NOT mushy. Drain. Rinse with cold water.

Additions.... for the season: 
Chopped sauteed kale
Chopped red onions
Chopped carrots

Is the music on?



ZESTY, MOUTH WATERING DRESSING for your Lovely Lentils!
Whisk together or Shake in a jar
1/3 cup olive Oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 


1 TBSP maple syrup (Vermont!) 
1 TBSP Dijon mustard or mustard you like
2 TSP salt
2 TSP pepper
1 TSP ground cumin
1/2 TSP turmeric
1/2 TSP ground coriander 
1/2 TSP ground cardamon
1/4 TSP cayenne pepper (this one is up to you depending on how you like heat)
1/4 TSP ground cloves
1/4 TSP fresh grated nutmeg or just out of the bottle
1/4 TSP ground cinnamon 

Pour dressing on top of lentils and additional veggies you choose.  Mix gently.  Don't inhale.  But you might since the flavors are amazing..........

Goat Cheese is a great addition on top!  

Pea Shoot & Walnut Perfecto Pesto

Pea Shoot Walnut Perfecto Pesto

Grab all the good stuff!
Recipe from Oak Hill Farm
2/3 cups walnuts
1/2 garlic clove
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup Pea shoots (In season March & April)
3/4 cup olive oil (you may not use all...)
Salt and Pepper
Pasta of your choice.  I prefer linguini. 

Now go....
At 450 degrees - roast walnuts on cookie sheet, until just they are just browning...keep an eye on them.  don't let them burn.

Add garlic and Pea shoots to blender or food processor. Process until smooth... Add toasted walnuts.  Blend briefly.  Don't process too much as walnuts will become too thick - cakey (if that's a word).  Add Parmesan blend a bit more.  Then gradually add olive oil until you reach a thick consistency - pesto like!  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Chew your food! 

Butternut Squash & Chicken Deliciousness

Butternut Squash & Chicken Stew Deliciousness!

Ingredients to Bliss You Out...
1.5 pound butternut squash from Oak Hill Farm or you local Farmers' Market! Remove seeds. chopped into half inch pieces
3.5 cups organic chicken broth
1.5 pound organic chicken breasts
cut into large chunks - you will be shredding chunks of chicken later with your fingers.
1 TBSP Olive Oil 
1 medium organic yellow onion, chopped up fine...
Kosher Salt - your choice how much...
4 cloves of garlic, minced up! 
1.5 TSP dried Oregano
Two large local tomatoes diced or you can use 14 ounce can of diced
2/3 Cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 Cup Kalamata Olives, halved or quartered, pitted too. 
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 Cup chopped organic flat-leaf parsley   

Feel the bliss yet?  
Pour a glass of 2008 Zinfandel from Deerfield Winery, take a sip.  
Steam squash until just tender. 
Remove half of squash - set aside. 
Steam the rest of squash until way tender - like 5 minutes more.  Then mash in pot with fork. 

In large saucepan on medium heat bring chicken broth to simmer. 
Add chicken.  cook until cooked through. 15 minutes? 

Transfer chicken to separate plate. Cool.  Transfer broth to separate bowl as well. 
Return saucepan to stove on medium heat. Add olive oil.
Add onions.  Cook until they start turning just brown. 
Add garlic & Oregano.  Cook for about 1 more minute. 
To this saucepan, add tomatoes, squash, mashed squashed. Stir to combine. 

Stir in chicken broth & quinoa.  Bring to simmer.  Cover. Cook until Quinoa is ready about 15 minutes. 
Shred the chicken with your clean fingers or fork.  Stir the chicken, olives into the stew.  Keep uncovered. Heat 5 minutes more.  Pepper to taste.  Stir in parsley.  Call your friends and family... Dinner time!