Veggie burgers remain an underutilized alternative to meat. Our weekend recipe features the black bean variety, which brings some south-of-the-border flavor to your table. 

Combining poblano peppers, black beans, rice, cilantro and queso fresco (a staple in many Mexican dishes), this entrée was created by Chef Alex Eusebio, a Top Chef contestant (Season 5) and former partner/executive chef at the now-defunct Restaurant 15 in Los Angeles. 

All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Chiles Rellenos

Makes 6 servings

6 medium poblano peppers
4 black bean veggie burgers
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup cooked black beans (drained and rinsed if you’re using canned beans)
1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup cooked rice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco (or shredded Monterey Jack cheese)

1. Cut a lengthwise slit in each pepper. Place on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until peppers blacken. Remove from oven.
2. Wrap hot peppers in foil. Let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature.
3. Using a spoon, remove seeds from insides of peppers. Gently pull skin off outsides of peppers in strips, leaving peppers in one piece. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, remove veggie burgers from package. Place on microwave-safe plate. Loosely cover and cook on medium-high (70% power) for 1½ to 2 minutes, or until partially thawed. Be sure to rearrange and turn over each veggie burger after 1 minute.
5. In a large skillet, cook onions in hot oil over medium heat about 1 minute, or until translucent.
6. Crumble veggie burgers into onion mixture. Cook, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through.
7. Stir in beans and water. Reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Stir in rice and cilantro. Remove from heat.
9. Stuff peppers with burger mixture. Place in shallow baking pan, slit side up. Top with queso fresco. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until heated through and cheese has melted.

Organic Flavors of Mexico

•  Shrimp Chile Relleno
• Mango Chiles Rellenos al Carbon
• Pico de Gallo Soup
• Black and White Mexican Bean Soup
• Baja Fish Tacos with Mexican Slaw
• Southwestern Scramble
• Tomatillo Salsa
• Mexican Hot Chocolate Shots with Spicy Foam
• Creamy Margaritas (Tequila Optional)

Recipe and photo courtesy of Gardenburger

Many of our nation’s neighborhoods simply don’t have access to supermarkets, let alone fresh organic fruits and veggies. Chips, soda and other packaged, chemical-filled, unhealthy ‘convenience foods’ are cheap and readily available at the corner store…a far cry from the nourishment our body naturally craves, and a key contributor to the obesity epidemic.

The term for geographic food inequity is ‘food desert,’ and it’s defined as a district with little or no access to foods needed to maintain a healthy diet…but often served by plenty of fast food restaurants.  It was coined by Mari Gallagher, a researcher who has delved deep into the topic and found that food deserts exist in every type of community across the U.S — urban, rural and suburban.

I was moved by a profile on Chicago-based Graffiti and Grub and its founder, La Donna Redmond, on CNN last week. Her community garden and store focuses on supplying several low-income Chicago communities with sustainable, organic and locally-grown food. This quote says it all…

“You could find drugs in my community, you could find a gun in my community, but you couldn’t find a tomato.”
-LaDonna Redmond

One of the critical areas of good eating habits is education – ideally from an early age as so brilliantly executed in Alice Waters’ inspirational Edible Schoolyard project. In a similar vein, Graffiti and Grub is focused on ‘providing the hip hop generation with the tools needed for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.’

Kudos to those hard-working advocates committed to changing the food desert into an organic food oasis.

Are you familiar with ‘food deserts’? I’m curious to know whether there is awareness of this issue. Let me know!

You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.

Mushrooms and oranges join this month’s peak-season list, while eggplant moves off.

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Oranges
• Pears
• Sweet potatoes

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

10 Recipes to Inspire You

1. Florida Orange and Sweet Oso Onion Salad
2. Grilled Flatbread with Olive, Orange and Fennel Relish
3. Orange and Radish Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette
4. Blood Orange Marga-Tea-Tas
5. Sautéed Mushroom Salad
6. Moist & Savory Stuffing
7. Mushroom Sauté with Toasted Walnuts
8. Broiled Italian-Style Portobello Mushrooms
9. Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms
10. Pugliese Mushroom Scafata with Green Olive Crostini

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Yesterday, I provided the basic recipe for Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Today’s recipe ups the flavor ante, with spices that will remind you of red pepper jelly—both sweet and hot.

If you’ve purchased a Halloween pumpkin, you’ll have the basis for a high-protein snack. If not, you may use raw pumpkin seeds from the snack or nut aisle of your local natural and organic food store.

Enjoy!

Sweet-Hot Pumpkin Seeds with Autumn Spices

Makes 8 servings (2 tablespoons each)

1 pumpkin (or 1 cup purchased raw pumpkin seeds)
Canola oil spray
4 teaspoons walnut oil (olive oil may be substituted)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or paprika (optional)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
Dash salt
2 teaspoons water

1. Remove seeds from pumpkin with a large spoon. To separate seeds from pumpkin fiber, place the mixture in a large bowl filled with cold water. Wash and dry them thoroughly.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with canola oil spray. Place seeds in one layer on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in small skillet, whisk together oil, spices, sugar, salt and water. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until seeds finish toasting.
4. Remove seeds from oven, and stir into spice mixture, coating evenly. Cook on stove for another 5 minutes.
5. Return seeds to baking sheet, patting into one layer. Bake about 10 minutes, until crisp.
6. Remove from oven, and let cool. Gently loosen from baking sheet with tip of metal spatula. Store in a tightly covered container.

Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

Pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite fall snacks. Companies like Eden Organic offer bags of dry-roasted seeds, including a spiced version. The seeds are a great source of protein, fiber, phosphorus and magnesium. Unlike most of the nonorganic brands, Eden’s pumpkin seeds are relatively low in sodium (75 to 100 mg per 1/4 cup). 

If you’re carving an organic pumpkin this Halloween, toast your own seeds and flavor them with your favorite herbs and spices. The basic recipe follows. Tune in tomorrow for some kicked-up Sweet-Hot Pumpkin Seeds with Autumn Spices. 

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 small pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Remove seeds using a large spoon. To separate seeds from pumpkin fiber, place the mixture in a large bowl filled with cold water.
3. Stir the mixture, and seeds will float to the surface. Remove seeds with a slotted spoon, and pat them dry on paper towels.
4. Place seeds in a dry bowl. Coat them with vegetable oil.
5. Spread seeds on a foil-lined baking sheet, coated with nonstick spray, and sprinkle with salt.
6. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Recipe courtesy of Pumpkin Masters

At this time of year, formerly barren lots on even the busiest city streets are transformed into pumpkin patches.

Local farmers’ markets display a bevy of gourds, and kids go into hyperdrive as they suit up to turn their carefully selected finds into jack-o’-lanterns.

Pumpkin carving is much like driving: safety first. Thankfully, alternatives to serial killer-style kitchen knives are available at supermarkets, party stores and organic food stores. The Pumpkin Masters Carving Kit, for example, includes five tools and 14 patterns. The company also offers a children’s version.

As I’ve admitted in the past, I usually opt to cook with canned organic pumpkin puree—in particular, Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin. It’s a hassle-free base for Early-Morning Pumpkin Maple Oatmeal, Pumpkin Curry Soup, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Bisque and Pumpkin Five-Spice Butter.

Tune in tomorrow for a new recipe: Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. In the meantime, check out some of my past posts:

• Pumpkin Power
• Organic Halloween Cuisine
• Think Orange!
• Attention, Pumpkin Carvers: Pulp Clogs Plumbing
• Carve Your Halloween Pumpkin Safely
• The Halloween Candy Conundrum
• Go Wild for Halloween!
• Healthy Holiday Baking
• Ghostly Meat Loaves
• You’re Never Too Old for Halloween
• Why Dogs—and Small Children—May Hate Halloween
• A Halloween Environmental Tale

Kale may be standard fare in the South, but many “Yankees” have likely passed right by this healthful leafy green at the supermarket.

Kale actually originated in Asia Minor and eventually became popular in Scandinavia, Germany, Holland and Scotland. Experts believe this member of the Brassicaceae family reached the United States by the 17th century.

Rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as beta carotene and calcium, kale is available in various shades—from chartreuse to lavender. One-half cup of cooked kale contains only 20 calories and offers 1.3 g fiber.

A perfect plant for fall gardeners, kale is available year-round, but it’s most flavorful and plentiful during the winter months. When shopping, choose small, deep-colored bunches with clean leaves. Avoid bunches with dry, brown or yellowed leaves, as well as those with coarse stems.

Upon arriving home, place kale in a plastic bag, and pop it in your refrigerator’s crisper, where it will remain fresh for a few days.

As with most leafy greens, cleaning is an important step. Dip kale a few times in a bowl of tepid water. Then, drain it and use a salad spinner to dry the leaves. If you’re adding leaves to soup or a cooked dish, you don’t need to dry them completely.

In the South, kale is often cooked in a large pot of water, with 1 teaspoon of salt per quart. Add the greens after the water comes to a boil, and cook them, uncovered, until they’re tender (about 5 to 20 minutes, according to Deborah Madison, author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen, among other books). Madison recommends draining them and pressing out excess moisture; then, toss them with olive oil or butter, salt and pepper.

Organic kale can also replace greens like spinach in stews or soups, such as Turkey Italian Wedding Soup. We also have two outstanding recipes in our blog: Kale, Cornbread and Cranberry Stuffing and Braised Kale with Black Beans and Tomatoes.

Suggested Reading

• Going Vegetarian? Make a Plan for Success
• Go Green, Dietitians Say
• Want to Reap the Luck o’ the Irish?

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Organic cabbage is available year-round, and organic apples are at their best this season.

Our weekend recipe combines the two ingredients to make a healthful, tasty and kid-pleasing slaw. One serving contains only 60 calories, while meeting 80% of your daily vitamin C requirement.

Prep time is 15 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Confetti Apple Slaw

Makes 8 servings

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, defrosted
1 red apple, unpeeled, cored and diced
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 small red onions, finely shredded
1 red or green bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl, stir together juice concentrate and diced apple.
2. Add cabbage, onion, bell pepper and raisins.
3. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, paprika and ground pepper. Add to vegetable mixture.
4. Cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe courtesy of the CDC

While it’s approaching 90° today, with gusts of hot Santa Ana winds, the last two days have been a different story: rain and blasts of cold air. In my home, this means it’s soup weather. 

For a rustic appetizer that pairs beautifully with a variety of main courses, try our weekend recipe: Roasted Tomato Barley Soup. Prep time is only 10 minutes, while cook time is 40 minutes. Add an additional 25 minutes to roast the tomatoes before you prep the soup. 

All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store. 

Roasted Tomato Barley Soup

Makes 8 servings

1 can (about 28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 large onions, diced (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Drain tomatoes, reserving the juice.
2. Place the tomatoes, onions and garlic in a 17” x 11” roasting pan. Pour the oil over the vegetables, and toss to coat. Roast for 25 minutes.
3. Place the roasted vegetables into a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in the reserved tomato juice, broth, celery and barley, and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low.
4. Cover and cook for 35 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Stir in the parsley.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Swanson Organic Broth

At the magical Edible Schoolyard, kids in grades 6, 7 and 8 at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School learn about food facts both simple and critical like…:

• the origins of food, plant life cycles, community values
• the pleasures of work
• how to prepare and eat delicious, nutritious, seasonal dishes made from produce they grow in their own garden

Edible Schoolyard – Sharing the Bounty

In 1999, an Edible Schoolyard Children’s Museum was launched in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 2005, Alice and her gang helped launch Edible Schoolyard NOLA at the Samuel J. Green Charter School in New Orleans. And on Saturday, October 17^th, Edible Schoolyard will host a grand opening for its newest location at the Willie Mays Boys & Girls Club at Hunters Point in San Francisco.

A San Francisco Department of Public Health report that stated that alcohol, tobacco, and junk food are the most commonly sold products in Hunters Point, with many children purchasing snacks from “candy houses” – makeshift stores run by residents out of their homes.  The ESY in Hunters Point will work towards turning this sorry state-of-affairs around, bringing real food – and an appreciation for it –  to areas that are underserved by organic markets – and even regular supermarkets for that matter (low income neighborhoods typically have 30% fewer supermarkets than higher income neighborhoods).

Food equity, food appreciation, food celebration…here’s to Alice Waters and her team of committed real food advocates and the important work they do, every day.

Keep connected with ESY’s day-to-day happenings in their online Journal. Truly inspiring stuff.

If you want to truly learn about seasonal, organic and sustainable foods in highly recommend picking up one of her many cookbooks for inspiration. If you are new to cooking, pick up The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution , in it she covers the basics of classic culinary cuisine. Other favorites on my book shelf are Chez Panisse Café Cookbook, Chez Panisse Fruit and Chez Panisse Vegetables

If you want to start your own edible school yard pick up Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea.