ladle me this

Greek Egg-Lemon Soup

This traditional Greek soup is delicious and very filling without being too calorie dense. It is really creamy without adding a drop of actual cream. It is the perfect comfort food. Enjoy!

Hoisin-Honey Glazed Pork Chops with Bok Choy, Radishes, and Carrots

With the first week of my CSA filling the fridge with a variety of locally grown vegetables, its time to start getting creative in the kitchen! No more picking out a recipe, buying the ingredients, then making it. Freshly picked veggies are now delivered weekly and become the inspiration for planning every meal. There are still summer farm shares left at Enterprise Farm, this week we got kale, spinach, bok choy, tomatoes, radishes, romaine lettuce, strawberries, and rhubarb. Its really affordable for organic locally grown produce!

This recipe is great because both the pork chops and the vegetables take under ten minutes to cook!

Strawberry Rhubarb Cake

Light and fluffy cake covered with sweet and sour strawberries and rhubarb, all topped with brown sugar crumbles — makes for an absolutely perfect dessert. Make this cake gluten-free or use all-purpose flour; it will be delicious either way! (I was a little skeptical of how gluten-free flour would affect the flavor and texture, but it came out so good!) This is the perfect cake for early summer as the rhubarb and strawberry seasons are peaking!

Gazpacho

It was rainy and cold this past weekend, and in no way felt like summer. So I’m not exactly sure what inspired a cold summer soup. Regardless, it was delicious, especially the second day. Make this soup ahead of time and give it at least 4 hours in the fridge to chill and let the flavors blend.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Just scoop out the inside of a zucchini, saute the inside parts up with hot Italian sausage, onions, garlic, and spices, then refill the hollowed out parts with the stuffing, top it with Parmesan cheese, and bake it. Simple as that! These little zucchini boats go very well with pasta on the side.

Spinach Salad with Garlic-Soy Dressing

This salad has bold flavors and such a great variety of textures! Its a perfect salad to make if you have some left over rice too. The garlic and soy dressing is a little bit salty and combines well with the sweet raisins. And, one of the best things about this salad is the leftovers make a great stir-fry!

Shitake, Oyster, Portabella Mushroom Risotto

I found these local mushrooms from Siena Farms in Sudbury, MA at the Copley Square Farmers Market one Friday after work. Decided they would be great in a traditional risotto. This rice dish requires constant stirring while slowly adding the broth little by little, but it is well worth it in the end.

Polynesian Pork Ribs with Pineapple

Lately I have been trying to spend a little less time in the kitchen, its finally starting to feel like summer and I want to be outside! My time-saver tonight was the crock pot! I threw everything in this morning, and came home to a delicious smelling house and a meal waiting for me. The salad was made with romaine lettuce, baby spinach, red peppers, grated carrots and beets, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, avocados, and mangoes with a light Dijon vinaigrette. The freshness of the vegetables and the crisp bite of the vinaigrette complemented the warm flavors of the ribs, so good!

Roasted Cauliflower with Leeks, Raisins, and Pine Nuts

This is such a healthy and delicious cauliflower dish. The flavors and textures complement each other so well: the mild onion flavor of roasted leeks, the buttery flavor and crunchy texture of the roasted pine nuts, and the sweetness of the raisins.

Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Meat Sauce

I made spaghetti squash last week for the first time and loved it! It is such a great alternative to pasta if you are trying to watch your carb intake or if you are simply trying to get more vegetables into your diet. And best of all you can load it up with whatever kind of healthy sauces you would normally put on pasta. I made both pesto and meat sauce to have with it because I couldn’t decide which I wanted more, here are the recipes!

Cajun Style Ribs

I bought these beautiful ribs from Stillman’s farm at the Saturday afternoon farmers market at the Armory in Somerville. I ground fresh spices to make a Cajun style rub, and glazed them with agave nectar at the very end. They were served over mashed turnips and sauteed Swiss chard with garlic.

Cajun and Italian Seasoning Blends and Citrus Ginger Salad Dressing

This past weekend was my sister’s graduation and mother’s day! I made my sister and mom each a gift bag containing these homemade spice blends, and salad dressing. Check out different uses for them below, and try the recipes I used them with!

Fish Taco Lettuce Wraps with Cabbage Slaw

The flaky ocean perch in these lettuce wraps was so flavorful with the cilantro, citrus, and garlic marinade. The sweet heat in the cabbage slaw from the mango and jalapeno complemented the fish perfectly. I served the lettuce wraps with guacamole on the side, to add a creamy texture and cool the heat from the slaw a bit. What a summery and bright meal!

Green Bean and Roasted Pepper Salad

The simplicity of this salad allows each of the ingredients to shine. The blanched green beans give it such a beautiful bright green color and crisp texture, and they contrast so well with the roasted red and yellow peppers and hard boiled eggs. The light dressing made with good olive oil and red wine vinegar ties everything together.