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How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

• 4 Cardoon Stems
• 1/2 a lemon, plus 1 Tbsp to finish the dish
• 4 Tbsp’s of unsalted butter
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 package of Fresh, Whole, Enoki Mushrooms (about 3.2 oz)
• 1/2 a cup of toasted bread crumbs
• Salt and Black pepper to taste

Putting it together:

1. Bring a medium sized pot filled with water to a boil. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 the lemon into it and add about a Tbsp of Salt. While you are waiting for the water to boil you can prep your Cardoons.
2. Rinse them well, remove the outermost green leaves and with a vegetable peeler, peel the outside as if you were peeling Celery. Cut each Cardoon lengthwise and then cross-wise, making two inch pieces. Set aside. Cut about 1/8th inch off the stems of your Enoki mushrooms and either mince your garlic clove or use a garlic masher. 
3. Boil the Cardoons until they are tender; about 10-12 minutes. Afterwards drain them.
4. In a Saute pan (preferably a braising pan if you have one), melt all the butter until it browns slightly. Cook the Cardoons for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add your Enoki mushrooms, garlic, Tbsp of Lemon Juice, salt and Black pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add half the cup of bread crumbs and toss all together. 
5. Once you plate your dish, you can garnish with some more bread crumbs. 

Nourishment for your body: Cardoons have a pleasant taste once they are cooked. They taste like a cross between celery and artichokes. Besides braising them, they can be prepared by coating them and pan frying or made into a creamy soup. In France,  making a cheesy Gratin out of them is a popular way to prepare them. Cardoons are a good source of vitamins, calcium, potassium, manganese and magnesium. Magnesium is essential for the body because it promotes relaxation and calms the brain. 

Tips when cooking: Boiling the Cardoons will remove the bitterness from them. This is an important step when preparing them. 

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 1)

• 1 Small Fennel Bulb
• 1 Persian Cucumber
• 2 Teaspoons of fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 Teaspoons of good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Black pepper to taste
• 1 Teaspoon of Furikake Seasoning (Green Nori Seaweed)

Putting it together:

1. After removing the outermost Fibrous layer of your Fennel Bulb, using a Mandoline shave the entire fennel thinly over a cutting board. Afterwards, place directly in a nice serving bowl. 
2. After washing your Persian Cucumber and slicing off both sides, slice it on the Mandoline as well (setting the Mandoline to a slightly thicker setting). Add them to your bowl.
3. Drizzle your Lemon Juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt and Black pepper and Furikake seasoning on top. Toss everything well with a set of tongs. Enjoy! 

Nourishment for your body: Fennel contains fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, and phytonutrients. Coupled with its lack of cholesterol, it supports heart health. As fiber helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, it decreases the risk of heart disease. Cucumbers are low in calories and high in water content and soluble fiber. They are an ideal vegetable to eat because they help with hydration and aid in weight loss. Cucumbers also contain antioxidants, including flavonoids and tannins which helps to prevent the accumulation of harmful free radicals and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Nori Flakes (found in the Furikake seasoning and is a type of seaweed) contains iodine which our bodies depend on for healthy Thyroid Functioning. Our Thyroid gland regulates growth, energy production and repairs damaged cells in your body. Without healthy amounts of iodine, your body may experience symptoms such as weight changes, fatigue and swelling in the neck. Eating seaweed helps to absorb concentrated amounts of iodine. 

Tips When Cooking: This salad tastes very refreshing and the flavors are reminiscent of something you would order as an appetizer in a Japanese Restaurant. To maximize the nutrient content of eating cucumbers DO NOT peel them! If you peel them you won’t get the benefits of the fiber and important vitamins and minerals. Furikake seasoning is a great item to have in your pantry. It is a Japanese table condiment that is made with Nori Seaweed and toasted white and black sesame seeds. It’s perfect to sprinkle on meat, fish, rice and noodle dishes.

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 4-6)

• 1 Package of Chicory flavored Coffee
• 3 cups of brewed Chicory Coffee
• 1/2 a cup of Cane Sugar (Regular White Sugar works too)
• 1/2 a cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 2 Teaspoons of Godiva Liquor
• 1 container of Nutella
• Cinnamon for garnish

Putting it together:

1. Using a drip coffee maker, add 2 Tablespoons of ground Chicory Coffee to brew 3 cups of Coffee.
2. Once that is brewed, combine the Coffee with the Vanilla Extract, Godiva Liquor and 1/2 a cup of Cane Sugar. Whisk together until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch pan and place in freezer for 1 hour. After an hour take a dinner fork and scrape the surface of the mixture to break up the crystals.  Place the pan back in the freezer and scrape the mixture again after about 2 hours. The Granita should be ready after about 4 hours.
4. Using a handheld immersion blender with a whisk attachment, pour 1/2 a cup of Heavy Whipping cream in a bowl and whisk for a few minutes until stiff peaks form.
5. Spoon the Granita into serving bowls of your choice and top each with a dollop of whipped cream. Add a dollop of Nutella and garnish with Cinnamon.

Nourishment for your body:

Chicory root comes from the Dandelion Family. It is made by taking the raw Chicory Root mincing, roasting and brewing it into Coffee. Some people drink Chicory as a way to get the same rich, deep roasted flavor without the caffeine and acidity of traditional coffee. Chicory root is added to traditional coffee to enhance the flavor. Inulin found in Chicory Root supports the intestinal flora and improves digestion.

Tips when cooking: This is a great recipe to make for dessert ahead of time. You can easily modify it with less sugar if you choose and garnish with some fruit or a wafer. This is also a great dessert for the whole family. Although this dessert tastes like a frozen cappuccino slushy, being that it contains no caffeine and only a trace amount of liquor per serving, kids would love it too! Most recipes for making home made whipped cream call for sugar. But for this recipe there is no need to add sugar to the whipped cream because there is enough sweetness in the brewed Coffee and Nutella. If you don’t have a drip coffee maker, you can also use the same water to grounds ratio if you have a French Press.

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Yields about 15 fritters) 

• Red Palm Oil 
• 1 large Zucchini
• 1 bunch of Spring Onions (about 5) 
• 3 small Kohlrabi
• 3 small Carrots 
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 cup of Flour
• 1 Tsp of Coriander 
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Tsp of Salt 
• 1 Tsp of Black Pepper 

Putting it together:

1. Rinse your vegetables and peel your Carrots and Kohlrabi. Slice your spring onions. Mince your Garlic Cloves and beat your egg using a fork.  
2. Grate all your vegetables and place them directly in a colander. Sprinkle some salt on them to draw out the moisture so that they drain into the sink. After about 10- 15 minutes squeeze the grated vegetables in the colander to drain as much liquid out of them as possible. 
3. Pre-heat a large Saute pan (preferably a Cast Iron skillet if you have one) with enough Red Palm oil to cover the pan to about 1/8th inch of oil. 
4. While the oil is heating up, transfer your vegetables to a medium sized bowl and add your  beaten egg, 1/4 cup of flour, minced Garlic, Tsp of Coriander, spring onions, Salt and Black pepper and mix all ingredients together. 
5. Using large spoonfuls, form the mixture into little patties and pan fry them 3-4 at a time for 3-5 minutes on each side making sure to flip them when they have a nice golden brown color to them. Transfer them directly to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any extra oil. 
6. Sprinkle some salt on them while they are hot and enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: While picking up my CSA share this week, I was given Kohlrabi and not sure what to do with it. I found that making these fritters were a good way to utilize them along with other veggies I already had. It seems like the health benefits of Kohlrabi are endless! It is loaded with nutrients; calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese,  iron, vitamins C, B complex vitamins, A and K. It also Contains antioxidants to prevent against diseases. 

Tips when cooking: It’s helpful to have a cheesecloth handy when making this recipe. A cheesecloth works better to draw liquid out of the vegetables. Kohlrabi has a pleasant refreshing taste. It’s similar to turnips and cabbage but tastes significantly sweeter. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Using a food processor while grating your vegetables will save you time as opposed to a traditional box grater. 

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 2-4)

• 1 Delicata Squash
• Good quality Olive Oil
• Salt and Black Pepper

Putting it together:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. Rinse off the Squash and dry it. Using a sharp knife, slice the Delicata Squash into about 1/2 inch width slices. Taking a small spoon (preferably a grapefruit spoon), core the center of the slices out in a circular motion to remove the seeds and  pulp.
3. Lay them on your sheet tray, drizzle the Olive Oil all over them and season with Salt and Black Pepper.
4. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn each of them over and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Nourishment for your body: Delicata Squash is a type of Winter Squash. It is good for you because it’s high in fiber,  vitamins A and C, low in carbs, contains Calcium, Potassium, and Folate.

Tips when cooking: This squash has a pleasant texture and it’s flavor is described as a cross between corn and pumpkin.The skin of the Delicata is thin so there is no need to remove it before cooking it. It’s perfectly edible. Cutting it this way makes for a beautiful presentation because the slices are reminiscent of flower petals. It is delicious both at room temperature and served hot.