Winter garden journal: Watch and wait...and then maybe steal a nibble + WF Vegetarian Chili *Recipe*

I'm going to start with the good stuff:
A hearty vegetarian chili can be quite elusive, but I believe I found my dream pot of beans recipe at the Whole Foods website.  I made the spicy, healthy chili last night and was delightfully surprised how awesome it was, so I thought I should share the recipe with you all 3 readers because I share the health and wealth like that.

WF Spicy Vegetarian Chili (click to see recipe)

I felt I should add pictures of the process since I had no participation in the recipe creation

Tips for recipe:

• Add 1 T of chipotle in adobo.  It was pretty spicy with even just that amount.
• Add only 3 cups of water instead of 4 or it will be too soupy.
• Sprinkle generous amounts of monterey jack cheese, sour cream, cilantro and green onions on top.
• Make enough for leftovers because it is that good.

The finished product served with blue corn chips.  They are great for dipping!

Winter garden journal:

Things are getting off to a fine start on the winter garden porch.  Fennel fronds are blowing blissfully in the wind, broccoli is begging for us to eat it (and we have taken a nibble), beets are chugging along, but no root popping up yet, fava beans just ended flowering and are now producing minuscule beans and the snap peas, oh the snap peas.  They are barely hanging in there, literally they can't really hang too much from the twine anymore because I think San Diego wasn't enough of a winter for them.  They just got burned out...hehe.

 

 The snap peas also faced some discrimination these past weeks from the HOA (homeowners association) because their small little vines may cause structural damage to the condo.  Seriously?!  It really has been a challenge to have a small garden on a porch with a HOA patrol out to get you.  I have had to take down my bird feeders, several hanging plants and now the snap peas crawling up a piece of twine.  I really don't understand how they allow ugly as hell satellites on porches, but not beautifying plants and flowers.  It's an odd thing and I have a feeling this doesn't happen very often north of southern CA.  

Anyways, broccoli and a couple snap peas have been tasted and devoured...yum, yum.  We are just waiting and watching for the fennel and beets to start to grow bigger and emerge from the depths.  

Happy gardening!

Marci

P.S. One of the Tierra Rural contributors got engaged this month and asked the other contributor to be a bridesmaid.  I said yes.  Congrats Lila and Ryan! I guess I can cut her some slack for being absent.  She is busy in love.

Urban Orchards

Have you ever enviously eyed a mature tree dripping with ripe fruit and wanted to just snatch one off and put it quickly in your pocket?  This probably happens more frequently to city folk.  I only say this because most urban dwellers do not have the space to grow numerous fruit or nut trees and when one sees a scrumptious pomegranate tree being neglected it can make you cringe.  Farmer's Markets and CSA's are great ways to enjoy fresh, local produce, but when one can easily enjoy fresh, local produce for free, even better.

Lemons hanging from my Grandpa's tree.

I recently watched an interesting program on PBS.org called Fallen Fruit about a renegade group of fruit lovers who get together to hike around several neighborhoods to pick fresh fruit from branches hanging away from private property.  It's very cool. They have discovered that if someone's tree branch hangs over onto public property, it automatically makes anything on that branch public property too.  And free for the pickin'. They start out in the evening with the goal in mind to find fresh fruit, as well as to mingle and meet new people with similar interests.  The fruities have even mapped out prime tree locations in various neighborhoods!

I love the idea and wouldn't it be cool to have a forum for one to post about an over abundance of fruit at their house?  Happy stomachs and no wasted food. Good stuff. I think I am going to do that some day...

This short documentary reminded me of fruit picking up in Red Bluff with my brother and dad at a peach orchard.  It is owned by a trusting elderly couple who don't have the means to pick and sell it themselves, so they allow the public to come, pick flats of peaches or nectarines and leave the money in a jar.  I know it doesn't seem too exciting, but I had quite a time picking peaches and nibbling nectarines. It was a fun time to spend with the family and enjoy the fruits of our labors together. ;)

 Jeff and I showing off our pickings

I can't wait to grow my own food, but until then I will be enjoying the fruits of others.

Marci

Red/Gold Potato Soup *Recipe*

In November and December of last year I made this soup 5 times.  For my boyfriend, for my sister, for my parents, for my boyfriend again and for my co-workers.  It's so good it makes you want to share it with everyone!  And it is a nice reminder that it is winter since I live where winter only peeks it's cold eyes every few weeks.

Red/Gold Potato Soup
(I've made it with red potatoes, russets and yukon golds.  You can make it with any or all.)

4 russets or 8 red or yukons
water
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
4 ribs of celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 slices of bacon
1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
8 oz white american cheese (not very sophisticated, you say? How very unpatriotic!)
1-2 teaspoons of lemon pepper
salt and pepper

Cut bacon into 1/4" pieces and add to medium-hot saucepan.  Cook until browned.  Remove bacon and set aside.  Keep bacon fat in saucepan and add chopped celery and onion.  Cook until soft and slightly browned.

While celery and onion are drowning in bacon fat, cut potatoes into 1/2" pieces and put in empty large pot.  Pour water into pot until just above the potatoes.  Add vegetable broth, cream of mushroom soup, bacon, and celery and onion when they are softened.  Stir and simmer until potatoes are tender, or about 30 minutes.
Slowly add pieces of cheese to soup and stir to melt and incorporate into mixture.  Next add lemon pepper, salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoyed best with good french white bread, like from Bread and Cie. :)

Veggie Note: One could omit the bacon to make it vegetarian and maybe add a bit more lemon salt and/or thyme for flavor.  Thanks to Tyler's dad for the yummy recipe I've made my own.

Enjoy on a cold, rainy evening!
Marci

Black Bean and Soyrizo Burritos w/ Guac! *Recipe*

I love, love, love Mexican food. And when I leave San Diego I will forever remember all the bean and cheese burritos, queso fundido and carnitas I ate whilst there. But, sometimes I like to know I am not eating lard in my beans, so I make them myself.

Black Beans

The players

2 cups of black beans
1 large onion or 2 small
1 large green bell pepper or 2 small
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon chile powder
pinches and dashes of salt and pepper to taste
water
juice of 1/2 a lime
2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro

*Soak black beans in water for about 24 hours.

Add olive oil to saucepan and turn on medium heat.
Chop onion and bell pepper into 1/4" pieces and add to saucepan. Cook until soft, about 10-15 min.
Add cumin and chile powder, stir. Cook another 3 minutes.
Drain and rinse black beans and add to saucepan.
Pour water just over the top of the black bean mixture.
Bring to a boil and turn down heat to simmer for about 2 hours.
Stir occasionally and add water as needed, as the beans will soak up the initial water in pan. Flavor with salt and pepper as it cooks.
When beans are soft and most of the water has cooked away, add lime juice and cilantro. Stir all together and voila, black beans to last you for the week!

Guacamole

2 avos, cut into small squares
juice of 1 lime
1/2 of small onion, chopped finely
1 jalapeno, chopped finely
1 tablespoon of cilantro
salt and pepper
1/2 of tomato, chopped

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour to let the flavors mingle. Enjoy in burrito or with chips.

Tip: Before putting guac in fridge, pour a small amount of olive oil on top to cover. Put plastic wrap directly on top of guac and that will prevent any browning of the avos.

Dinner is served.

Note on soyrizo: There is some good stuff at Trader Joe's and I just scramble half of it with 8 eggs. (yellow blob in bottom of picture.)

Buen provecho!

Marci