Thursday, January 13, 2011

Arugula Chevre Pasta

INGREDIENTS

8 oz penne (or substitute in brown rice penne)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
2 cups arugula, chopped
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
110 g chevre
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta in lightly salted water until al dente.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. Saute until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the arugula and cook until it is wilted, about 3 minutes. Serve this mixture over hot penne pasta and top with cherry tomatoes, chevre, and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Arugula, Tomato, and Chevre Salad

INGREDIENTS

12 ripe Roma tomatoes
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
110 g plain chevre
1 bunch fresh arugula, washed and trimmed

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Arrange cut side up on the baking sheet. Bake for 2 hours, until semi-dry. Cool.

Place remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Use a melon baller or a spoon to shape the chevre into four balls or domes.

Make sure the arugula is very dry. Divide amongst four individual plates. Top each plate of arugula with six oven-dried tomato halves and drizzle with vinaigrette. Place one ball of chevre on each salad.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Jalapeno and Mint Tofu Stir-Fry

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
About 4 cups of your favourite stir-fry vegetables (zucchini, bell pepper, carrots, broccoli, bok choy, etc.), chopped
1 block extra firm tofu, well pressed and diced
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (or to taste)
1 1/2 cups packed mint leaves
2 Tbsp rice vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sautee, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add onion and other vegetables and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until cooked desired amount. Add tofu, toss, and remove from heat.

Remove from heat.

Place the remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender, and process until mint is finely minced.

Add sauce to the tofu and veggies and reheat until hot. Serve over rice.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Zucchini Melt Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp butter
2 medium zucchini, cubed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup tomato and basil pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 French baguettes

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the zucchini in butter until browned and slightly tender. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and stir in the tomato and basil sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is hot.

Cut the ends off the baguettes (ends can be saved to make breadcrumbs) and cut into 6-inch lengths, then split horizontally.

Spoon a generous amount of the zucchini mixture into each piece of baguette. Top with a handful of shredded mozzarella. Close the sandwiches and wrap them individually in aluminum foil.

Bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bread is heated through and cheese is melted.

Avocado Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium avocado
2 tsp tamari
1 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup of water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Sea salt
Cilantro, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion until it is translucent, then set aside.

Peel avocado and remove the pit. Combine the onion, avocado, tamari, broth, water, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blend well. When the mixture is smooth, pour back into the saucepan and let it come to a boil. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Add salt to taste and serve immediately, garnished with cilantro if using.

Russet Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, medium dice
1 leek, halved, washed, thin sliced
4 celery spears, thin sliced
1 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 carton vegetable broth
4 russet potatoes, large dice
2 Tbsp parsley or chives, coarse chop (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, leeks, and celery and saute till the onion is translucent in color.
Add the celery seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper and stir well.

Add 4 cups of water and the vegetable broth to the pot with the onions, leeks and celery and turn the burner on high. Add the diced potatoes. Once the pot comes to a boil, turn the burner to medium and cook till the potatoes are tender when poked with a fork.

Blend until smooth and creamy in a blender or food processor. Return to pot to reheat if needed. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with parsley or chives if desired.

Taste and add sea salt or black pepper to taste.

Organic Food for your Furry Friends

We've had members asking for pet food, so we're bringing in Castor & Pollox's Organix line of canned and dry cat and dog foods.

The original Organix Canine and Feline Formulas were the first pet foods made with certified organic chicken as the #1 ingredient in both the dog and cat formulas that met the USDA organic labeling regulations. Each and every ingredient in Castor & Pollux's Organix organic dog and cat foods - including ingredients that are not organic - is reviewed by the organic certifying agency.

We don't have a pet food section on our website yet, so the pet food is currently just in the "Grocery" section. The easiest way to find the flavours available is to search "Organix" or to use the link above.

We are always looking for new organic groceries to add to our website, so if we're missing your favourite brand or there's an item you would like to be able to order from us, please call us at 604-708-2345 or email info@greenearthorganics.com.