Beans & Greens

I got this recipe from my first CSA I belonged to back in MA. I used to drive 45 minutes just to get my veggies- good thing our car ran off veggie-oil! Tonight I poked through our share and using only one addition (nitrate-free chicken sausage from the co-op. I could have gotten this local but wasn’t prepared enough.) I made the most delicious meal.

I sauteed yellow onion, garlic and leeks in butter until soft and then added chopped sausage, soaked and cooked navy beans, chopped collard greens, a few brusells sprouts and homemade chicken broth from the freezer. A dash of tamari sauce (okay, that is not local) and thirty minutes on a slow simmer to let the flavors marry and I had a nutrient-dense, belly-filling, mouthwatering supper for the family; all the while supporting my local farmers!

Bone Broth and Beef Stew

I just made my first beef bone broth. We got a soup bone from the farmer’s market and went home to figure this out. I braised the bone, put it in my heavy soup pot with cold water and ACV (apple cider vinegar) and started the simmering process. Mr. Stone simply cannot believe that it is supposed to simmer for at least 24 hours. The smell is stronger than we expected, but I was determined. The next afternoon I started the beef stew. We tried to clean out the fridge with some veggies from the end of the CSA season so we ended up adding parsnips and Solshine had a blast throwing in brussel sprouts right off the stock. It was pretty good, but not perfect. I’ll have to keep tweaking (and convince Mr. Stone that it is normal to simmer bone broth for days on end!)

Solshine even had time for a spontaneous art project! Good way to reuse a disposable coffee cup!

Locavore’s Delight

We have been aware of the local food movement for quite a while now. AT one time organic was the highest stamp of approval for our food, but locality is our new prerequisite. Now I am much more insistent that something is local although being local AND contributing to sustainable farming practices is definitely a win-win!

When we sit for a meal we often discuss where the food comes from and lately I have been pleasantly surprised with how much of our food comes from our local region. I was reminding my husband of when we were happy to point out one ingredient that might have been local to a night like tonight where there was only one ingredient that wasn’t! (I confess, it was the celery)

So tonight’s delicious locavore’s delight was a big pot of chicken soup. I bought the chicken whole from the co-op and it was grass-fed and I used veggies leftover from last weeks CSA: some white onions, lots of carrots, daikon radish and celery. (Well, I already admitted the celery wasn’t local.) I ran out a few minutes before dinner and picked up a loaf of freshly baked kalamata olive sourdough bread which we topped with local pastured butter and dipped in our broth. Yum!

This meal is perfect for the whole family because little finger love the soft veggies and mama loves knowing her kiddos are getting nutritious bone broth into their little chubby bodies! The remains of the chicken are simmering on the stove with the ends of the veggies and a little apple cider vinegar so we have broth for another meal later this week.

I’d call tonight a locavore’s success story!