Soup Recipe Switch Up

Sunshine Squash in the garden

My 'Featured Post' last month, 'Thai Sweet Potato Soup'... highlights one of my favorite flavor combinations and a soup recipe all served up in a bowl of comfort! Last week I had time to make a few recipes to fill the freezer. I had a great harvest of Sunshine Squash and wanted to use them for squash soups. The first go-to was from my cookbook that starts with a big pan of 'Curry Roasted Squash' from page 270+271 of 'For the Love of Food'. The left over roasted squash becomes 'Creamy Curried Squash Soup'. Yummmm!!

There were no sweet potatoes in my cold storage but lots of winter squash, so I decided to experiment and transform last months 'Feature Recipe'. The soup switch up became 'Thai Squash Soup' and was a great success. Sunshine, Buttercup and other Kabocha type squash are what I prefer for their dense, sweet flesh and vibrant color. Give it a try and let me know what you think...

THAI SQUASH SOUP      Yield: 8 servings
This soup is easily made vegetarian by using vegetable stock and omit the whipping cream. If you will be freezing the soup, do not add the whipping cream.

1 large Kabocha type squash; peeled, seeds removed and 3/4"diced (8-10 cups diced)
1 onion, fine diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 generous Tbsp. organic coconut oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
5-6 cups flavorful chicken or vegetable stock
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Thai Squash Soup

1 fresh lemongrass stalk
2 Kefir lime leaves
salt and black pepper to taste
1 can (400 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1/2-1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, optional
1/2 cup whipping cream, optional
Finely chopped cilantro or chives for garnish

In a large stock pot melt coconut oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until softened and fragrant but do not brown. Clean the outer leaves then pound the bulb end of the lemongrass with a skillet or flat meat tenderizer. Add the stock, cayenne, lemongrass, Kefir lime leaves, salt, pepper and diced squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 20-30 minutes until the squash softens.Stir occasionally.

Remove the lemongrass and Kefir lime leaves. Use an immersion blender and purée the mixture until smooth. Whisk in the coconut milk and bring back to a simmer, stirring often... do not boil!

Stir in the whipping cream if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary with lime juice, powdered ginger, cayenne, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into servings, sprinkle with finely chopped cilantro or chives.

Until next time ... Stay safe, warm and dry,
Bon Appétit!

Recipe by Sally Rae
Photos by Sally Rae

Meatless Monday 'Burger'

There are numerous reasons why people choose to reduce their meat intake or omit it totally from their diet. My Meatless Monday journey began with health and gut issues and changing to a Paleo Diet Plan. So I have created a few plant based options to trade off with through the week.

'Beyond Meat' Burgers (and other meat alternatives) are now available at fast food restaurants and in grocery store meat departments. This plant based meat replacement is getting a lot of press recently. One review I read on 'Beyond Meat' mentioned, "although they are plant based and an alternative to eating carbon producing beef, these burgers are still a processed food." For anyone eating Paleo or any other restricted diet, read labels ... the ingredient list is not the best option. 'Vegan' burgers of past and present have main ingredients of lentils and/or soy, nuts and vegetables. Again, not suitable for the Paleo Diet. The version I have offered in my recipe below omits lentils and soy to keep it Paleo compliant.

Sliced - minced in food processor - finely diced by hand

My 'Meatless Burger Patties' have an egg for binding the ingredients together and coconut flour to absorb liquid. Even so, they are delicate and crumble easily. It is important to finely dice all the vegetables and handle the patties gently. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet, when totally cooled they can be frozen between squares of parchment or wax paper, so you can remove only the amount you need for a meal.  

The frozen patties can be reheated either on a preheated BBQ grill, a small bake sheet in the oven or in a non stick pan.

Meatless Monday 'Burger' Patties       Yield: 10 patties

These patties are delicate and crumble easily. Handle gently and you have a delicious, Paleo friendly, meat-free burger. 

Combine and cook off most of the liquid

 

1-1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil 
1 large onion - 1 heaping cup finely diced
12 oz. mushrooms - 3 cups finely diced
1 large carrot - 2/3 cup coarsely grated
1-2 stalks celery - 1/2 cup finely diced
2-3 large cloves garlic - minced 

1 cup coarsely grated butternut squash
2 tsp. coconut flour
1 tsp. dried sweet marjoram 
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper 
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos *see Chef's Note
2 oz. - heaping 1/2 cup activated pecans, finely chopped

 

Line a bakesheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add remaining 1/2 Tbsp. oil plus the mushrooms, carrot, celery, garlic and squash, stir to combine and cook until slightly softened, stirring often. Rub the sweet marjoram and oregano in your palm and sprinkle over the vegetable mixture with the salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the mixture has cooked off most of the mushroom liquid. Remove from heat, transfer to a large plate and set in the fridge to cool completely. 

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl whisk together the egg and coconut aminos. Working quickly, sprinkle in the coconut flour and whisk until there are no lumps, the mixture will thicken. Stir in the pecans then fold in the cooled vegetable mixture, mix well to combine.

 Gently form and pat into a patty form

Onto the prepared bakesheet, divide the mixture into 10 portions using a 1/3 cup measure or two #30 scoops for each patty. Be sure to leave space between them. Gently form and pat the mixture into a patty form. If you have them, use an egg ring to get a consistent, nice round patty.

Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 40 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy on the edges. These patties freeze well, cool completely before freezing. Handle the patties gently, when totally cooled they can be frozen between squares of parchment or wax paper, so you can remove only the amount you need for a meal.

 
To reheat a frozen patty: spray the shiny side of a piece of tin foil with non stick spray or avocado oil. Place the prepared tin foil on a preheated BBQ grill, gently place the frozen patties on the foil to heat through. Or line a bake sheet with parchment paper and bake the frozen patties in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. For crispy edges, fry in a non stick pan with coconut or avocado oil be very gentle when turning the patty. 

 

CHEF'S NOTE:*Coconut Aminos; also called Coconut Sauce or Coconut Nectar, is a Paleo and Whole30 compliant alternative for soy sauce. 

Sally Rae's Meatless Monday 'Burger' Patties

Until next time ... Bon Appétit ... stay healthy, be safe, wear a mask and take good care!

 

Photos by Sally Rae

Recipe by Sally Rae 

A Ginormous Tomato, Proteknet and Flexzilla in My Garden!

Sally's Outdoor Salsa, heavy on the vine

This weekend has turned to overcast with the odd rain shower. Evenings are already cool and mornings are damp with dew prompting  powdery mildew on leaves. With shorter days the plants are slowing down production. 
Time to wrap it up for Fall and Winter!

The weather was all over the map this summer; very warm early on, then cool, minimal rain, a shorter heat wave than the past few years and thankfully, no smoke from forest fires. The flora and fauna were confused it seemed. 

A record breaking 2 lb. 5-3/4 oz. Sally's Outdoor Salsa!

I did not see many pollinators around and although I planted more flowers than usual, I had to take on the task of hand pollinating the tomatoes, greenhouse cucumbers and winter squash. Through all my efforts, the harvest was not as bountiful as it could have been.

Most of the tomatoes struggled with small fruit or only 2-3 per plant! However, my 'Outdoor Salsa' tomato (that has become quite famous on Denman and sold by Annie as 'Sally's Salsa') produced a record breaking tomato this year tipping the scale at 2 lb. 5-3/4 oz! I have been saving select seed from this unknown, heirloom variety for about 20 years. My goal was and still is, to save from the largest fruit, that have a minimal amount of seeds. 

Sally's Salsa- very few seeds and meaty, perfect to save seed

Therefore I chose the name 'Salsa' because they are very meaty, not juicy or sloppy and make an incredible, thick salsa or tomato sauce. Some years in the beginning, they were completely seedless and I panicked, for fear I would lose my species! That is when I began sharing seed with friends and the 'Denman Seed Savers' ... and my 'Sally's Salsa' variety came to be! 

Winter Squash ~ Sunshine and Butternut

The Sunshine and Butternut winter squash struggled with the on and off again weather, even with hand pollinating. Feeling that my soil needs more nutrients, I now have a manure supplier and the raised vegetable beds will be amended with composted manure ... once it dries off a bit out there. After the beds are topped up with a mixture of new soil and a good dose of manure, they will be covered with heavy black plastic for winter. This will keep the rain from leaching them out over winter, keeps the weeds controlled and promotes the soil to heat earlier in the Spring. 

The winter carrots have been weeded, thinned and are still covered with Remay to keep the carrot rust flies out. According to Linda Gilkeson, the covers must stay in place until the end of October. They are a pain to deal with so I've found a new solution.

Proteknet-100' in a small package

In preparation for next Spring, I have already purchased 100 feet of 'Proteknet' insect netting and 25 pvc hoops through William Dam Seeds. Organic Market Gardens on Denman Island cover all their crops with this amazing material. Providing it is suspended above the crop on (the recommended) pvc hoops, insects cannot penetrate to lay eggs or munch on your plants! It is a synthetic knitted mesh that allows about 89% light transmission and about 60% moisture transmission and allows air to travel through so the plants don't become too hot. It is UV resistant and lasts about 1-3 seasons. I have heard from Veronica of Alveroni Gardens on Denman, that it is also machine washable on the gentle cycle. I'll have photos next year and am looking forward to using the Proteknet insect netting rather than Remay, floating row cover.

My new favorite thing in the garden for 2019!!

Another new purchase for my yard and garden this year was the 'Flexzilla Swivel-Grip Garden Hose' ... what a dream!! Light weight, supple with no spool memory, flexible even in cooler weather and lies flat when in use. The new 'Swivel-Grip' connectors are worth the extra few dollars and make it easy to tighten or loosen the thread fittings at either end and also serve as anti-kink cuffs. A word of caution though when unraveling it from the packaging, it will kink and knot up. I'd suggest especially with the longer hoses, to unravel it carefully when first out of the packaging. 

Most of us still have lots of work to finish outside to wrap it up for the Winter months. I'm thankful for the rain, it has given me a change of pace to get a much delayed Blog Post out!! Also the break from daily watering has been a welcome reprieve. I've spent many hours at the end of my new Flexzilla this summer. I have set aside my garlic seed from this summer's harvest and the red onions are drying in the garage on racks with fans for air circulation. This is just the beginning, still so much to get done, let's hope for some dry September and October weather! 

Until next time... Happy Gardening and Bon Appétit!


Photos by Sally Rae 

July Garden Update

Full view of my Denman Island 'garden in the forest'

Yikes!! It's the end of July already!
I've been so busy with the early, warm spring and summer; planting, shading newly emerged winter crops and watering, that I've had little time to sit at the computer these days. I've taken a few weeks off from the salon for my annual summer staycation. Don't get too excited about that, it's 2 weeks I take every summer to 'catch up' on weeding, defrosting freezers, removing thistle seed heads on the property, pruning back Grandma's lilac so clients can get through the gate, cleaning the salon and if I have time ... making some freezer meals and soups for when I'm back at work. And that's the short list!!

Winter carrots and beets under remay

I took some photos in the garden on July 18th and this morning (10 days later) while watering, realized the winter carrots and beets have almost doubled in size, so it's time to get a July update happening! 

Garlic Harvest - 2 varieties July 18th, 2019

I pulled the garlic between rain showers a week earlier than last year. I was worried it would get too wet and a test pull of 2 heads proved there were 5 skin wrappers left, proof it was ready to be pulled and dried. Because the roots were a little more damp that I wanted, I cleaned the heads and removed most of the stalks to hopefully speed drying time. A few years ago I set up some old window screens and a fan system in the garage for drying. It is easy to manage and no threat from the weather.

2019 garlic drying

Most crops for winter harvest on the West Coast need to be in by July 1st. 
I have not grown winter carrots for about 4 years because of the damage from the carrot rust fly. To avoid this pest, the carrot beds need to be covered with remay or an insect mesh until at least October. Remay is great in that it provides extra heat, so the seeds germinate well and grow quickly, but it is a challenge in that it must be elevated by supports to allow the carrot tops room to grow and lifted off the bed to water properly.

Carrot bed #1 covered with remay

I'm so excited for winter carrots that I've put in 2 beds. A small bed first then a second bed including some beets with the Lennox cabbage, a 120 day variety. 

Winter garden bed - carrots, beets (remay) and cabbage       

 

Carrot bed #1 uncovered for watering

  











 
 The beets and carrots will be heavily mulched in the fall and we will use them starting in December and through the winter till March. The Lennox cabbage will be harvested in January. 

I've noticed lower than normal pollination this year. Although I've planted more flowers, including marigolds and nasturtiums between the vegetables, I have been hand pollinating the tomatoes, Mercury cucumbers in the greenhouse and winter squash. 

Sunshine and Butternut winter squash

Next year I will plant more pollinator flowers both in the garden and up near the house and greenhouse.

The second crop of Seascape Strawberries are just starting. A few huge, red berries every few days with stems heavy with fruit to come. The Desert King Fig is almost finished ripening. A crafty squirrel has discovered the figs this year and damaged/eaten quite a few of the fruits. 

Seascape Strawberries and Desert King Fig

For the past 2 years I've been pruning the fig tree into a structure that will produce a high breba crop. Breba is the first crop and this method is best suited to the Desert King that I grow and is in the photo. Because of the heavy pruning each spring, my fig crops have been very small ... and that darn squirrel hasn't helped the harvest this summer! 

Until next time... Happy Gardening and Bon Appétit!

Photos by Sally Rae 

Weird Weather and Early Planting Experiment

Garlic bed May 12th, 2019

Today is an overcast, rainy day... never thought I would be happy about that around here! However, it has given me time to finally get some indoor work done including a much delayed Blog Post!!

Our weird weather continues... it was a shock to start watering the garlic and strawberries in March! Once fertilized with blood meal and watered, the garlic shot up and is looking great! It has been very sunny, hot and dry, so the straw mulch will remain until a few weeks before harvest.

Broccoli w. copper blocker, mulch & shade

The brassica starts were planted out on April 29, 2019... they could have been put out the week before when the weather was a bit cooler. Each plant was amended with steer manure, my fertilizer mix and lime. Once planted, all brassicas were surrounded to the stem with wood shavings to prevent root maggots, I have had success with a ring of copper blocker around each transplant to keep slugs away, the straw mulch retains moisture and cools the soil for new small plants.

Elevated remay, open sides for shade

With the hot, sunny weather, I used hoops to elevate remay to shade the cabbage and broccoli plants but still provide ventilation. 

Brassicas, shaded from afternoon sun

Remay will create warmth which is not needed for brassicas at this time, it is used to shade from the afternoon sun until the plants have a more sturdy root system. Black plastic mesh trays, burlap or cardboard can also be used for shade, see examples in Early Summer in the Garden from June 2016 and Let Planting Begin from May 2015.

Plastic cloche over April squash transplants

Last year I did an early planting experiment with one winter and one summer squash plant. It was successful, I was eating fresh zucchini when most were getting their plants in the garden... so I did a repeat this year with all my squash plants, summer and winter varieties! 
On April 29th I put in 4 hills of Sunshine Winter Squash, 2 hills of Butternut Squash, 2 hills of Partenon Zucchini and 2 hills of Cassia Zucchini, all started from William Dam Seeds.

Triple layer of protection for squash

The squash hills were prepared with steer manure and my fertilizer mix. Fresh straw was used to mulch close around the plants and the complete bed. A plastic cloche with vent in the top was placed over each hill of plants then straw piled up the sides for more insulation, see above. The third layer of protection for the cooler April nights was a complete cover of remay for warmth, with only a little airspace left on the sides. Over 2 weeks later everything is still alive and looking healthy. I had removed the plastic cloche from all squash plants and just had the straw pushed up higher around the plants and remay to cover the bed. With recent cooler nights and rain, the squash now have their cloche and remay tucked in tight again for warmth.

Wishing for warmer weather so the pickling cucumbers can go outside soon! They are getting too big for the sunroom! 

Until next time... Happy Gardening and Bon Appétit!


Photos and gardening by Sally Rae

Finally, Welcome Signs of Spring!

Storm #3 Denman Island ~ February 12th 2019

Most of Canada and the US had a rough 2018/19 winter and Denman Island was no exception. The fall brought high winds, broken trees, power outages and rain. By mid January we had high temperatures and spring like weather. Everyone was out pruning orchards, the daffodils hung heavy with buds ready to pop open... on Vancouver Island, Victoria was in bloom! I picked the 4 remaining large cabbage from my garden and made a big batch of Dill Pickle and Garlic Kraut. In the garden, garlic shoots were poking through the maple leaf mulch. We were even contemplating mowing the lawn ... in January!!

Storm #3 Denman Island ~ February 12th 2019

Too quickly all our 'BC weather boasting' went down the tubes as a polar vortex set in. By February 3rd we had a dusting of dry Alberta-style snow and cold winds whipped us from the north. Next came the storm systems, dumping snow in white-out conditions about every second day, to an accumulation of over 31 inches. The temperatures stayed cold and you want to bet I was not happy. I left Edmonton to get away from this kind of weather. We had snow and ice on the ground for almost 6 weeks. I can't remember in the past 29 years on Denman ever having snow on the ground for that long.
Yesterday we finally got the lawn mowed, there has been no rain to speak of for months. Most of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands were already in a state of drought in March! Last month I had to start watering the garden; garlic, strawberries and kale. With the temperatures now at daytime highs of up to 21C and lows still around 6C, if this crazy weather isn't climate change I don't know what is. I'm now seeing the damage from the cold. My rosemary plant has died, the strawberries are slowly growing, the garlic looks okay although much smaller than the April 2016 crop.

Garlic - April 2nd 2019

Seascape Strawberries - April 2nd 2019

Today, April 2nd 2019, I dressed the strawberries with my organic fertilizer mix, they seem to be struggling but some plants have blossoms starting. The garlic beds got a good helping of blood meal and I'm watering now every second day, waiting for rain!

Hardening off the seedlings

My seedlings are in desperate need of transplanting but with the warm days, they are on the deck to harden off a bit, then back into the sunroom for the cool nights. I put up my two little portable greenhouses on the weekend but it is still too cold at night to put anything in them. At least they are ready when the weather changes to warmer nights. I have started squash seeds early following my experiment last summer. 

Portable greenhouses

At the end of April 2018, I put out a 'Partenon Zucchini', a self pollinating variety, and a 'Sunshine Winter Squash', both from William Dam Seeds. Each plant was mulched, covered with a cloche, then straw around and covering about half of the cloche on the outside. It worked!! I was eating zucchini from my garden when others were just getting them into the ground. This year, I am going to experiment with early squash planting on a larger scale. 

I'm anxious to get out in the garden and get dirt under my fingernails ... horray for Spring, finally!
Until next time ... Happy Spring and Bon Appétit!


Photos by Sally Rae

Dedicated Denman Island Farmers

Denman Island Farmer's attend even in the snow!

It's unusual for Denman Island to have a snow fall that stays on the ground for more than a few days. As an ex-Albertan, I moved west to get away from the cold and 'white stuff'. The odd year we have had high accumulations of wet snow, then freezing temperatures. This phenomenon makes for dangerous driving, weighted broken tree branches, downed fences and sometimes lengthy power outages. I drove in dry Alberta snow for many years, but this wet, slushy stuff is a whole different ballgame. I never thought I'd beg for rain, but when the snow falls it is the following rains that wash it all away. Sure the clear, sunny sky with snow on the ground is beautiful but snap a few pictures then I've had enough!

Pat ~ Corlan Vineyard and Farm

On October 31st, I was gardening and raking up dry leaves for mulch, dressed in capris pants and a light hoodie... two days later we have 3 inches of snow on the ground, clear skies and temperatures near freezing. This is possibly the earliest snow I've seen since moving here 27 years ago... but I digress. The feature heroes of this post are the dedicated Denman Island Farmers I met at The Old School and Recycling Center this morning. 

Emily ~ Two Roads Farm

Tracy ~ Ruby Slipper Ranch

Where else can you shop for local, organic; produce, meat, eggs and wine in a snow covered field? Yes, Denman Island is a very special place to live!

I managed to scoop the last dozen of large eggs from Pat (Corlan Vineyard and Farm), and lucked out on a special today of 'fresh' turkey from Tracy (Ruby Slipper Ranch) and a bag of incredible vegetables from Emily and Sam (Two Roads Farm). My new addiction is; steamed fresh organic beets, spiralized into beet 'spaghetti', dressed with Signature Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar and Blood Orange Olive Oil, marinate and serve topped with crumbled goat cheese. Unfortunately today, Two Roads Farm beet harvest is frozen in the ground, so I opted for a fresh, incredibly white cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes (yes, they were selling local tomatoes in the snow!), a couple of red onions and new to me... a Futsu squash and Sieglinde potatoes, also called German Butter potatoes. According to Sam they are a creamy, yellow fleshed potato that are even better than Yukon Gold!

Fresh Market shopping in the snow... guess what's for dinner tonight?

The snow has started to fall again, it is not quite freezing, so the flakes are huge and will no doubt pile up fast. Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement warning of accumulations of another 4-8 inches. Oh well, at least we will have a Denman feast of fresh, organic food and a toasty fire to keep us warm.

Till next time... stay warm and Bon Appétit! 
     ...and remember to turn your clocks back this weekend!

Photos by Sally Rae 

Winter Veg with Fruity Vinaigrette

Another traditional side dish for the holidays is winter squash, in various preparation... baked, mashed, roasted etc. The braised recipe below with added kale, mushrooms and a fruity vinaigrette is a colorful addition for your Christmas Dinner Menu. It is a hearty, almost zero mile dish with winter squash stored from your summer garden harvest and fresh kale from the winter garden.  
As for harvesting your winter kale... the hardy leaves of kale will freeze solid in temperatures of -5C. If the leaves are frozen solid, wait until the weather has warmed up and the leaves have thawed out before you harvest. When it is safe to harvest, pick the outer leaves first. They are less hardy than the younger leaves in the center of the plant.

For variety of the fruit vinaigrette, there are a few local Oil and Vinegar Tasting rooms in the Comox Valley. If you have not tried this new specialty, go with a few girlfriends and guaranteed you will leave with some new favorite flavors and a few Christmas gifts for the foodies on your list. I have gathered a good selection from 'Signature Oil and Vinegar' near the new Thrifty Foods. My favorite two Olive Oils are: Butter and Whole Fruit Lemon. As for the vinegar; I can't live without Blackberry-Ginger Dark Balsamic, and the White Balsamic Cranberry Pear and White Balsamic Coconut are good enough to drink! The helpful staff will guide you through tasting and choosing flavors that appeal to individual taste, usage and preference. I started with 8 different flavors in 60ml bottles and graduated to purchasing the 200ml size of my favorites. 
'Signature Oil and Vinegar' is now located in the Crown Isle Shopping Centre at 207B - 444 Lerwick Road Courtenay and Tyee Plaza, Shoppers Row in Campbell River.

My current collection from 'Signature Oil and Vinegar'

WINTER VEG WITH FRUITY VINAIGRETTE       Yield: 3-4 servings 
There is a wide variety of fruit infused vinegar and oils available. Substitute your favorites in the vinaigrette.
The Fruity Vinaigrette:

2 1/2 Tbsp. seedless raspberry or blackberry jam

2 Tbsp. Raspberry or Blackberry-Ginger Dark Balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2-3 Tbsp. Whole Fruit Lemon Olive Oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)

1/4 tsp. granulated garlic

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the jam, vinegar and mustard until smooth. Add olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, whisk again. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate in a jar, stir before using. This can be made a few days ahead of time.

The Veg:

6 large, organic, crimini mushrooms -cleaned and cut into chunks

1 medium white onion -large dice

3-4 Tbsp. butter or Butter Olive Oil (or extra-virgin olive oil) -divided

3 cups peeled -cubed Ambercup or Buttercup squash

A bunch of fresh garden kale

1/2 cup whole, roasted pecans

Strip the kale leaves off the stems and slice into strips about 1/2 inch wide, set aside. Chop the kale stems into 1/2 inch long bits, keep separate from the leaves.

In a medium sauté pan, melt half of the butter, add diced onion and mushrooms. Sauté over medium heat until lightly browned, remove from the pan and set aside. 

Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add the squash cubes and kale stems. Quickly brown the squash lightly, turn the heat to medium/low, add the kale leaves, cover the pan and braise for about 8 minutes or until the squash is cooked through but not mushy. Check it every few minutes. Add the cooked mushroom mixture and drizzle with about half to two thirds of the vinaigrette. Mix and taste, add more dressing for desired flavor. Serve the remaining vinaigrette on the side. Sprinkle with pecans. Serve warm immediately. 

Till next time... Bon Appétit!

Recipe and Photo by Sally Rae