And the winner of a Table for Two is.....

And the winner of a Table for Two is Katrina from Wakeboarding Mama!

Contratulations and either Warren or I will be contacting you shortly!

Thanks so much to all who participated!

Spinach Caprese Salad with Sun Dried Tomato and Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

There is still one more day to leave a comment to win a Table for Two!  Click here for details.

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Hypothetically speaking you could be invited to a BBQ today and be asked to bring a salad or "whatever is easy".

Brain wracking ensues to be sure that you, the food blogger that you are, brings something sufficiently impressive in order to fulfill the group expectations (or maybe it is simply your own expectations that you are placing on the group).

You decide on using some of the white and purple eggplant from your last farm share thinking about what a perfect conversation piece it would be. 

Typically you would just slice it, coat it with olive oil and seasoning and grill it. But nooooo this time you decide to slice it and coat it in salt because that is what you're supposed to do with eggplant.  They all say so.  You aren't actually sure who "they" is though.

Said eggplant drains of water and juices for several hours and then is laboriously rinsed of salt and dried with paper towels, then each piece is sprayed with oil and placed on a preheated grill and checked intermittently.  Each time the pieces looking drier and drier and when one piece is sampled it is very....salty.  So you decide that instead of making the eggplant the centerpiece of the entire salad, layered with fresh heirloom tomato and topped with aromatic organic basil from your garden and some fresh mozzarella, maybe you will continue to grill the eggplant slices on low heat until they become chips.  For several more hours.

Once the eggplant slices are done drying and turning into gray chip-like forms you taste them and they are then overly salty and horrible, you toss the entire thing and come up with plan B. 

You spend five minutes slicing some tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, throw it over some spinach with some pre-chopped sun dried tomatoes and make your go-to balsamic dressing that you make for everything.  Seven minutes later (in total) you're done and everyone raves about the salad.

You think...why did I not just make the spinach salad in the first place instead of trying to get all fancy?

May you have a happy Memorial Day and I leave you with a piece of hypothetical advice, just skip plan A all together and go right to B.

Spinach Caprese Salad with Sun Dried Tomato and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 8

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

8 cups fresh organic baby spinach
4 small tomatoes, sliced
1 8oz pkg fresh, part skim mozzarella, sliced then torn into smaller bite size peices
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil and drained well
1 bunch fresh basil, chiffonade cut
Coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Dressing (not pictured)
3 Tbsp good quality balsamic
3 Tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp coarse ground mustard
Coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Layer in a large bowl spinach, half the tomatoes, half the basil and half the sun dried tomato; top with mozzarella, add the remaining tomatoes, basil and sun dried tomato. Season with fresh ground pepper and salt, to taste.

2. Whisk dressing ingredients.  Pour over salad when ready to serve.

Salad

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories	84
Total Fat	4.7 g
Saturated Fat	2.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat	1.3 g
Cholesterol	16.4 mg
Sodium	210.8 mg
Potassium	259.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate	3.0 g
Dietary Fiber	0.9 g
Sugars	0.8 g
Protein	8.0 g
Vitamin A	61.5 %
Vitamin B-12	3.9 %
Vitamin B-6	4.4 %
Vitamin C	15.9 %
Vitamin D	0.0 %
Vitamin E	3.5 %
Calcium	21.7 %
Copper	3.8 %
Folate	15.8 %
Iron	6.0 %
Magnesium	8.7 %
Manganese	16.2 %
Niacin	2.1 %
Pantothenic Acid	0.9 %
Phosphorus	15.3 %
Riboflavin	9.0 %
Selenium	6.4 %
Thiamin	2.6 %
Zinc	6.6 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Dressing

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories	58.4
Total Fat	5.1 g
Saturated Fat	0.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	0.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat	3.7 g
Cholesterol	0.0 mg
Sodium	66.4 mg
Potassium	1.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate	2.9 g
Dietary Fiber	0.0 g
Sugars	2.9 g
Protein	0.0 g

What I learned this year and Purple Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Burgers on Open Faced Portobellos

I have a secret to share.......

     

Much to my initial shock, the growing season for most farms here in Florida is actually over the winter.  I quickly found this out when I decided to join a CSA/farm share and was informed that pickups started in November.  Being a northeastern girl by birth I always assumed that it started in spring and ended in fall.  That is when my dad did his gardening after all, and what inspired my love of the earth and fresh foods.  He had raised gardens flanked by trellises for peas.  I always felt as if I were walking into the Secret Garden; cool mornings with dew glistening on leaves, gorgeous blood-red tomatoes, peas that snap when you bite into them, watermelon heavy and bloated with white bellies and sweet juice, blackberries so juicy they stain your hands and face as you pick them and eat them off the bush.

The wonderful thing about Florida is that, not only do we have all these wonderful fruits and veggies down here, there is also the prevalence of southern greens!

They, of course, are grown in the north as well, but greens aren’t ingrained in the traditional northeastern food culture.  I didn’t know what I was missing; collards, kale and mustard.  What a travesty! 

Though the warmer weather offers much variety, it also poses some additional challenges. The summers bring more pests and the intense heat dries the soil and withers the crops. 

  

Alas, yesterday, as my csa season came to a close and I picked up my very last share of vegetables.  While I was there, I paused to reflect on what I gained through this experience; a sense of community with my fellow members, chatting and sharing recipes at our Thursday pickups and through our farm-to-table potluck. The event was held at the farm; the quiet of the expanse of land filled with vegetables, sounds muffled by the soft ground, broken only by the laughter of children.  We gained a sense of being closer to the earth; getting our hands dirty; pulling our own potatoes and sharing foods that came from the earth and we made with our own hands.

My daughter and I sought out farmers markets and visited other farms, we met the actual farmers and their animals; goats, chickens and cows all roaming free.   

I learned about the growing season; about vegetables I didn’t even know existed and challenged myself with creating recipes, that didn’t just include them, but featured them.  

I learned a fraction of what the small organic farmer endures for the love of whole foods.  In the Florida summer, though the season is ending for me, for the organic farmer the work does not end.  The fields need care and seedlings are planted in preparation for the new growing season.  There are few nights and weekends off and the labor is manual and intense.  I can sympathize that the seductive pull of growing genetically modified crops is strong.  In the short term, more crops can be planted per acre, weeds can be killed by spraying herbicide rather than by hand or by laying out mats, pesticides can be used, farmers can even take a summer vacation.  But at what cost? 

Is it a coincidence that the rise of food allergies has a direct correlation with the emergence of genetically modified products? Do we really know all the repercussions of tampering with nature? I’m not sure if these questions will be answered in my lifetime but what about my daughters?  The only thing I can control now is ensuring I know where my food comes from, developing relationships with the people growing and raising it, and sharing the wonderful, amazing experience with my two year old daughter in the hopes that she will carry it with her through life.

p.s. I must share that there are some farmers that still do grow a few crops in the summer but as a whole, it is just much harder between the heat and the pests. 

To close out my story, I will share a recipe that embodies everything I learned.  My new friend Wendy, also an organic farmer, dropped me off two of these purple heirloom tomatoes at my front door (one of the benefits of knowing and loving your farmers). Sweet, juicy and the best part...purple! I pared it with some organic, grass fed and free range beef and some goat cheese from goats I personally met. 

Purple Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Burgers on Open Faced Portobello with Balsamic
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb organic, grass fed beef

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste

3 Tbsp whole grain mustard

1 Tbsp Worcestershire
2 Tbsp organic ketchup

Canola oil spray

4 Portobello mushrooms

4 thick slices tomato

4 oz fresh goat cheese

2 cups spring mix

4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium high.  Mix beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard, Worcestershire and mustard in a medium bowl.  Divide into four sections and shape into equal size burgers.  Season mushrooms with salt, pepper and garlic powder; spray both beef and mushrooms with oil.

2. Add burgers and mushrooms to the grill.  Reduce heat to medium; grill 4 to 5 minutes per side.

3. Place each mushroom on a plate, top with 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup lettuce, 1 burger, 1 slice tomato and 1 oz goat cheese.  Serve with grilled asparagus.

Nutrition Facts

4 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 423.1

Total Fat 30.1 g

Saturated Fat 13.6 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3 g

Monounsaturated Fat 11.9 g

Cholesterol 98.1 mg

Sodium 648.8 mg

Potassium 459.1 mg

Total Carbohydrate 9.5 g

Dietary Fiber 1.6 g

Sugars 3.4 g

Protein 27.4 g

Vitamin A 27.6 %

Vitamin B-12 45.3 %

Vitamin B-6 20.7 %

Vitamin C 8.7 %

Vitamin D 4.4 %

Vitamin E 3.7 %

Calcium 8.3 %

Copper 20.3 %

Folate 5.4 %

Iron 19.1 %

Magnesium 9.0 %

Manganese 6.6 %

Niacin 31.8 %

Pantothenic Acid 10.8 %

Phosphorus 26.7 %

Riboflavin 27.0 %

Selenium 37.7 %

Thiamin 8.1 %

Zinc 32.5 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Hey Mon! Jamaican Jerk Sauce from the St Augustine Farmers Market

St Augustine is a veritable treasure trove of good restaurants, history, music, learning, beaches and fabulous local products that can usually be obtained at the local St Augustine Farmers market.

Two weekends ago, while strolling at the market on an early Saturday morning I came across a booth with some sauces in martini glasses behind a bowl of testing crackers.  The sauces were lined up from spicy to mild and, of course, I had to taste them all.  The spice lover in me chose the Jamaican Jerk Sauce and only a few days later I tried it out.

Being pressed for time I used this versatile sauce in two ways; I poured some over chicken thighs in the morning that I planned on grilling that evening and I used it to make a creamy and flavorful 2-ingredient dressing.  A few tablespoons of Vegenaise and a few tablespoons of the Jerk Sauce.  I have been eating this dressing on everything from salad to meats and even eggs every day since the first time I made it.

Ooo baby this is good.  Garlic, onion, 16 spices and a spicy finish from a bit of cayenne pepper.  Even though this is shelf stable until opened it doesn't have any of that preservative aftertaste as it is all natural.  It will need to be refrigerated after opening, but trust me, it won't last very long anyway.

Jerk Sauce

Source

Curious about the background of this great product, I clicked the "about" page at their website:

It all started in 1969 when Errol and Dianna Bishop first met in Washington, D.C. After showing Dianna his culinary skills, the two decided to try the restaurant business. 1971 "Dianna's West Indian Foods" opened its doors in northwest D.C. Three years later a second location by the same name opened in the Howard University area as well as "Dianna's Caribbean Cooking" in the Baltimore Inner Harbor.

 

After moving to Charleston, West Virginia in 1986 they took a break from the 24/7 grind of running a restaurant(s) and did other things. However, after being in the area for a while and feeling out the market, they decided it was time to rekindle that food service fire. So in 1991 they opened the "Calypso Restaurant" in Dunbar, W.V. Because Caribbean-American cuisine was pretty much non-existent in the area, the curiosity of trying something new really brought the people out. So much so that they opened up three more restaurants around the Charleston area in the following years.

 

When Errol and Dianna moved to Florida in 2000, they felt it was time to leave the restaurant business. However, cooking was in their blood. So the next best thing to do was to take the "flavor of the Caribbean" on the road. By getting involved with the various trade shows, state fairs, flea markets, and other social or civic events throughout the eastern part of the U.S., these two started exposing the "cooking magic" to countless people who may have never tried or prepared Caribbean food.

 

Errol and Dianna Bishop may not have changed the world, but they sure have made its food taste better.

I agree!!!

Jamaican Jerk Salad with Cool Spiced Dressing

Serves 4

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 organic bone-in, skinless chicken thighs**

1 cup Jamaican Jerk Sauce, divided

Olive oil spray

1/4 cup Reduced fat Vegenaise or light mayonnaise***

4 cups baby lettuce

2 cubanelle peppers, seeded and chopped

1 can Eden Organic Caribbean black beans

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

Sea salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder, to taste

Directions

1. Marinate chicken thighs in 3/4 cup Jamaican Jerk Sauce about 12 hours. Turn several times to coat.

2. Preheat grill to medium high.  Bring chicken to room temperature; spray both sides with cooking spray.  Grill about 7 to 9 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through to 165F.

3. Whisk 1/4 cup Jamaican Jerk Sauce with 1/4 cup Vegenaise in a small bowl as chicken grills.  Divide the lettuce, pepper, beans, tomato, onion and avocado evenly over four plates.  Season with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder. Top with 1 piece of chicken and 2 Tbsp dressing.

**Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used here, I like the bone in as they stay really juicy.

***I love the reduced fat Vegenaise simply for the taste; creamy and subtly sweet, but you can use reduced fat or full fat mayo if you prefer.

Estimated Nutrition Info

4 Servings

Amount Per Serving


Calories 403.9
Total Fat 15.2 g
Saturated Fat 1.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.8 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.6 g
Cholesterol 57.3 mg
Sodium 1,277.1 mg
Potassium 1,008.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 46.1 g
Dietary Fiber 12.3 g
Sugars 13.8 g
Protein 23.8 g


Vitamin A 35.2 %
Vitamin B-12 4.0 %
Vitamin B-6 23.9 %
Vitamin C 35.3 %
Vitamin E 5.9 %
Calcium 6.0 %
Copper 17.6 %
Folate 64.2 %
Iron 19.8 %
Magnesium 24.4 %
Manganese 43.4 %
Niacin 30.6 %
Pantothenic Acid 18.8 %
Phosphorus 29.7 %
Riboflavin 18.6 %
Selenium 15.5 %
Thiamin 25.0 %
Zinc 18.5 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Open Faced Omelette with Fresh Goat Cheese from Our Visit to Terks!

  Terks Acres 

Saturday afternoon my mom, daughter and I got in the car and drove off into the balmy Florida afternoon heat.  We were on the way to Terks Acres, a goat farm about twenty minutes south for a tour of the farm from Sharon TerKeurst herself.  Old oak trees laden with Spanish moss arched over the drive and all the grounds.  The farmhouse, complete with a sprawling wood planked front porch was picture perfect; and we decided, worthy of becoming a Bed and Breakfast. 

When we opened the door the humid air hit us and we heard the Southern drawl of Sharon's husband Dudley welcoming us.  Complete with a white beard, overalls and a warm smile we waited for Sharon to come out to walk us around the grounds.  First thing we did was walk by the milking shed to the pen with the baby goats, only a week or so old.  Never have I seen such gentle and curious creatures as these Alpine goats.  With their round bellies, thin legs and large doe eyes they walked over to say hello.

milking shed

Miss Sharon went and gathered one of the newest members of the clan to pay us an up close visit.

Miss Sharon and a baby goat

Their coats are coarse and wiry and their noses are soft; they love a good scratch.

After the tour we were invited into Sharon's open and airy home complete with rustic wood floors and gorgeous views of the surrounding forest to taste (and take home) some fresh goat milk and goat cheese; both so mild and creamy, I'd never tasted anything so fresh!

Sharon uses the fresh hers from Wendy's Organic Herbs I mentioned in a previous post. 

Goat cheese has tons of benefits but the main one is the bone building calcium.

Open Faced Omelette with Fresh Goat Cheese

Serves 1

Printable Recipe  

Ingredients

2 farm fresh eggs
1 tbsp soft plain goat cheese
1 cup organic spinach and baby lettuce mix
Cooking spray
Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste


Directions


1. Preheat a small skillet over medium. 

2. Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl. Spray skillet with cooking spray and pour egg mixture in.  Cook until first side firms, about 3 minutes; flip and top with spinach and lettuce mixture and drop goat cheese evenly.  Slide onto a plate.

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories	145.6
Total Fat	10.5 g
Saturated Fat	4.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	1.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat	3.6 g
Cholesterol	280.3 mg
Sodium	319.0 mg
Potassium	198.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate	0.8 g
Dietary Fiber	0.4 g
Sugars	0.2 g
Protein	12.3 g
Vitamin A	36.0 %
Vitamin B-12	12.3 %
Vitamin B-6	8.9 %
Vitamin C	9.8 %
Vitamin D	14.8 %
Vitamin E	1.5 %
Calcium	6.3 %
Copper	6.0 %
Folate	18.4 %
Iron	9.6 %
Magnesium	2.6 %
Manganese	9.2 %
Niacin	1.0 %
Pantothenic Acid	1.3 %
Phosphorus	19.5 %
Riboflavin	19.8 %
Selenium	0.7 %
Thiamin	2.1 %
Zinc	7.3 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.