Gandharva Farm

This one is sooo easy ... and you can use any of your dark leafy greens.

Steam about 1/2 lb. of Collards and 1/2 lb. of Kale.  Also steam 2 medium potatoes.  Sautee chopped garlic and onions.  Place all in a blender, add some of the water from the veggies, and salt and pepper to taste.  If you'd like, reheat it and let the flavors blend.  Simple, quick, and basic goodness!

 

Zucchini Brownies

submitted by Sommer. Brownies are upper right in photo.

From Simply in Season, by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert

(Simply in Season is my all-time favorite, go-to cookbook.)

-1 cup flour

- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

- 1/3 cup powdered cocoa

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine in a large bowl.

- 2 to 3 Cups shredded zucchini

Stir into above mixture.

- 1 egg

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 3/4 cup brown sugar

- 1/2 cup plain yogurt

- 1/2 cup oil (I like coconut)

- 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine in separate bowl and beat with a fork.  Stir into zucchini mixture.  Spread evenly into a greased 9”x13” pan.

-1/2-1 cup semisweet or mint chocolate chips (OPTIONAL)

- 1/2 cup nuts (OPTIONAL)

Sprinkle on top of batter.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

 

Secret Blueberry Bars

Adapted from Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld. See Sommer's  Chard Puree recipe below this one to learn her Secret. Blueberry bars lower left, Zucchini brownies upper right.

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 cup quick oats

- 2/3 cup brown sugar

- 1/4 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 cup butter

- 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all  dry ingredients, then cut in the butter and vanilla until crumbly.

Press 3/4 of this mix into an ungreased 9”x13” pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the pan with the bottom crust layer into the oven for five minutes while the oven preheats.

Filling:

- 2 cups blueberries

- 1/3 cup brown sugar

- 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch

- 1/2 cup swiss chard or spinach puree. (see recipe below) (collards or kale would taste too strong.)

Heat blueberries and sugar to bubbly, add cornstarch and stir till thick.

Remove from heat and add Swiss chard puree.

Spread this mixture over the crust in the pan.

Sprinkle the rest of the crust mixture on top.

Bake for 35-40 mins.

ONLY eat these when they’ve cooled!  You will taste the greens if you eat them warm.

Swiss Chard Puree

Use a large bunch of Swiss Chard.  

Clean chard and remove large stems. Save the stems for another recipe. (Stems are great chopped up and thrown into tuna or chicken salad to give it a nice juicy crunch.)

Steam the Chard for about 5 minutes in a very small amount of water, until it’s bright green.  (Save the steaming water for other cooking or to fertilize your plants.)

Puree the steamed chard in a food processor or blender until very smooth.

That’s it!

I like to do large batches of this puree at a time and then freeze it in ice cube trays.  I can then toss chard into things like spaghetti sauce and chili and blueberry bars and my kids and hubby never know it’s there. ;)

 (Submitted by ee, original recipe by Tara Derr Webb)

Active Time: 30 minutes.
Total 1 hr 30 min.plus overnight pickling
Makes about 1 quart (or increase all accordingly)

Ingredients

• 1 lb very firm medium zucchini, sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
• 3 TBSP kosher salt
• ice water
• 1.5 cups unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. crushed mustard seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric

1. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini and onion with 2 tablespoons of the kosher salt. Cover and let stand until just softened, about 45 minutes.  Drain the zucchini and onion well and pat dry.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt with the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, mustard powder, turmeric and 1/2 cup of water.  Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Let cool completely.
3. Transfer the zucchini and onion to a 1-quart glass jar and ppour in enough brine to cover.  Seal with the lid and refrigerate overnight before serving.

The pickles can be refrigerated in the brine for up to 1 week.