Fra Diavolo is a tomato-based Italian sauce made with chile peppers and usually served over pasta or seafood.

In today’s recipe, cauliflower takes center stage, steamed until crisp-tender in a broth seasoned with browned onions, raisins, tomato paste and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

“Pairing innocent-looking cauliflower with fiendishly hot chiles adds devilishly smart health benefits to this dish,” says recipe creator Dana Jacobi (The Essential Best Foods Cookbook, New American Plate Cookbook). “As you may know, chile peppers contain capsaicin, a potent anti-inflammatory. Some research shows their potential to reduce the risk of blood clots and cholesterol oxidation that can increase the risk of artery disease.

“Chiles are high in beta-carotene and their heat may boost metabolism, which may contribute to weight loss. There is also research under way investigating possible ways eating chile peppers may have benefits for people with diabetes.”

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

Cauliflower Fra Diavolo

Makes 6 antipasto or 4 side-dish servings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cups onion, diced in ¾-inch pieces
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup raisins
4 cups cauliflower in 1-inch florets
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. In deep medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often.
2. Add garlic, and cook until onions are browned, 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add tomato paste, thyme, sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour in broth and stir to combine.
4. Add cauliflower, raisins, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring to coat them with tomato mixture. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring often.
5. Transfer cauliflower to serving bowl, and let sit until warm or at room temperature before serving. This dish keeps, covered in refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Per side dish serving: 150 calories, 4 g total fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 5 g dietary fiber, 160 mg sodium

Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

Visit an inn on the Emerald Isle, and you’ll invariably be invited to a traditional Irish breakfast.

Historically, farmers’ wives would serve the following foods to ensure their husbands received a hearty meal—one that often eliminated the need for lunch later in the day.

• Irish tea. No Irish breakfast is complete without a cup of strong Irish tea.
• Eggs. Enjoy a few eggs served sunnyside up, cooked in Irish butter.
• Brown bread. Known for its dark color, this whole-wheat bread is available as an organic mix. Check out Chef Suzanne Goin’s recipe for Irish Brown Scones.
• Potatoes. Boiled, sliced potatoes are served with sliced tomatoes warmed in a pan.
• Beans. Irish baked beans are similar to the American version. They’re cooked in a tomato-based sauce, but they’re unsweetened.
• Bangers. These Irish sausages are made of beef or pork, spices and rusk (toasted bread crumbs). Their name comes from their propensity to bang or burst open while frying at high temperatures. Local butchers like Kingston NY-based Fleisher’s Grass-Fed & Organic Meats offer artisan bangers. Check the meat counter at your local Whole Foods Market.
• Rashers. Similar to Canadian bacon, rashers are softer than American bacon because they’re not cooked to a crisp.

Blog Recipes: A Taste of Ireland

1. Brussels Sprout Hash
2. Mildly Spicy Red Cabbage
3. Potato and Almond Soup
4. Irish Brown Scones

The Asian spice turmeric is perhaps best associated with curry dishes, but savvy organic consumers also recognize its health benefits—from reducing inflammation to its potential role in preventing diabetes. 

Turmeric fans know the spice adds vibrant color to any dish, and our weekend recipe is no exception. Earthy cauliflower and naturally sweet tomatoes partner to create a healthful vegetarian side dish. 

Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 40 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be readily available at your local natural and organic food store.

Turmeric-Roasted Cauliflower and Tomatoes

Makes 10 servings 

1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 10 cups)
1 bag (12 ounces) vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Mix oil, sea salt, turmeric and red pepper in small bowl.
2. Place cauliflower and tomatoes in large bowl. Drizzle with half of the oil mixture; toss to coat well. Repeat with remaining oil mixture.
3. Spread vegetables in single layer in foil-lined large shallow baking pan.
4. Roast in preheated 425°F oven for 40 minutes or until cauliflower is tender, stirring halfway through cooking time.
5. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.  

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 90 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol, 233 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

 Recipe and photo courtesy of McCormick

Rising grocery costs and concerns over toxic pesticides have led many organic consumers to start home vegetable gardens. 

The task is easier than you may think, and you don’t need an expansive plot of land to enjoy nature’s bounty. Many popular veggies can grow in containers or compact spaces. 

Here are three ideal choices for newbies and seasoned gardeners alike.

Tomatoes 

Commonly considered vegetables, tomatoes are actually fruits. They can, however, be an integral part of a vegetable garden. 

Tomatoes are high in cancer-fighting lycopene and other antioxidants. There are also myriad varieties to tempt your palate. 

Tomatoes can be planted after soil has thawed and there’s no other chance for frost. They’ll require plenty of sunlight. Fruit will be available to harvest toward the latter part of summer. 

Pick up some heirloom and exotic seedlings from the Tomatomania collection.

Peas 

Peas grow inside the pods of legumes. These plants like moist soil that drains well. 

Water frequently, but make sure soil doesn’t become flooded if you want peas to flourish. 

Consider growing Chinese pea pods so you can whip up Garlic Snow Peas with Cilantro straight from the garden.

Peppers 

Peppers come in so many varieties that it’s easy to find ones that appeal to your personal culinary tastes. 

They generally thrive in soil that’s high in magnesium. Adding compost and Epsom salt to soil can help achieve the environment peppers desire. 

FYI: Red bell peppers have significantly more beta-carotene and vitamin C than green bell peppers.

Snow peas, also called Chinese pea pods, are often overlooked as a highly nutritious organic vegetable. 

A 1-cup serving of whole snow peas has only 26 calories and 0 fats, while meeting the following daily requirements: 

• Vitamin C: 63%
• Vitamin A: 14%
• Iron: 7%
• Fiber: 3 g 

Steaming snow peas, or cooking them in an oil that’s low in saturated fat and free of trans fat, is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of heart disease. In today’s recipe, canola oil is a best bet. 

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

Garlic Snow Peas with Cilantro

Makes 6 servings (1/2 cup each)

3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
3 cups fresh (or frozen and thawed) snow peas, patted dry and trimmed
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Working in two batches, heat 1½ teaspoons canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the snow peas; cook 3 minutes or until just beginning to brown on edges, using two utensils to toss easily. Add half of garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Set aside on a separate plate.
2. Repeat with remaining 1½ teaspoons canola oil, snow peas and garlic.
3. When cooked, return the reserved snow peas to skillet; add salt and cilantro, and toss gently, yet thoroughly. Serve immediately for peak flavors.  

Nutritional Information (per serving): 45 calories, 20 calories from fat, 2.5 g total fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 4 g total carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugars, 2 g protein 

Recipe and photo courtesy of canolainfo.org

Feta is one of the most popular pickled cheeses in the world, according to R.K. Robinson and A.Y. Tamine, authors of Feta and Related Cheeses.

A Greek brined cheese, it’s usually made from sheep’s milk, but goat’s milk is sometimes added in European varieties. Many U.S. brands are made from cow’s milk.

Usually associated with Mediterranean cuisine, crumbly feta may be mild or sharp, but it’s always pleasingly salty. Several organic brands are available, including Organic Valley (made from cow’s milk).

Topping a salad with organic feta is one of the best ways to introduce this cheese to your family. Also check out these culinary ideas:

• Add feta to cooked rice or pasta, top a baked potato, incorporate it into an omelet filling, or crumble it over a tomato sandwich, says Susan Westmoreland, food director for Good Housekeeping magazine and coauthor of The Supermarket Diet Cookbook.
• Mix feta with honey and freshly ground black pepper to create a spread for crackers, suggest the editors at Simple & Delicious magazine.
• Add crumbled feta and sun-dried tomatoes when preparing your favorite meat loaf, recommends Giada De Laurentiis, author of Giada’s Kitchen: New Italian Favorites and the soon-to-be-released Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California.

Get off to a good start with these recipes from our organic blog:

1. Turkish Stuffed Eggplant
2. Greek-Style Beet Salad
3. Greek Pasta Salad
4. Watermelon Salad with Thai Basil and Feta
5. Feta-Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms
6. Romaine, Pecan and Pear Salad
7. Gazpacho Salad

Move over, iceberg lettuce and romaine!

Spruce up your salad plate with miner’s lettuce, also referred to as Indian lettuce or winter purslane.

This mild green, known for its heart-shaped leaves, is available at farmers’ markets and natural/organic food stores from late winter to early spring.

The lettuce was named after old-time California gold miners, who ate it to boost vitamin C consumption and prevent scurvy. Usually featured in raw salads, Miner’s lettuce may also be substituted for spinach in cooked dishes.

If you’d like to grow your own crop, organic seeds for this hardy green may be purchased online from Cottage Grove, OR-based Territorial Seed Company ($3.05 to $14.95).

Get the Recipe: Wild Miner’s Lettuce Salad, with blue cheese, dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts, vinaigrette and citrus zest

Like the Look? Wear an organic Miner’s Lettuce T-Shirt.

Photo courtesy of MarxFoods.com/Flickr

British organic chef, cookbook author and activist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall takes viewers on a series of sustainability-minded fishing trips this month on Sundance Channel’s The River Cottage Treatment: Gone Fishing!, which premiers tomorrow night. 

Here’s the three-part episode guide (Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT):

March 2: “Channel Islands” 

Fearnley-Whittingstall sails to the Channel Islands, between Britain and France, to fish out—and cook up— deliciously sustainable alternatives to the United Kingdom’s imperiled seafood mainstays: cod and haddock. 

Joined by local anglers at various spots, he catches and dines on an array of underrated and sometimes obscure fish, including pouting, gurnard and garfish. 

But the open sea isn’t the only place to source marine goodies. On the island of Alderney, Fearnley-Whittingstall discovers the fine, eco-conscious eating available from seaside rock pools.

March 9: “Hebrides” 

Fearnley-Whittingstall heads to Scotland’s Hebrides Islands, where the sea and food it provides have shaped life for generations. 

On the sparsely inhabited island of Rona, he goes fishing with Caretaker Bill, who has run out of his frozen fish reserves and is awaiting the annual return of the area’s mackerel. After a close look at the woeful state of Scotland’s iconic fish, the wild salmon, Fearnley-Whittingstall tries out a traditional Scandinavian cooking method on salmon raised without chemicals by a local farmer. 

He later box-fishes for langoustines with two brothers; bargains more work-for-food with their father, who cultivates mussels; dives for scallops and razor clams with local enthusiasts; and visits a fish-and-chips shop on the Isle of Skye, frying up batches of beer-battered pollock for a clientele accustomed to the increasingly scarce haddock.

March 16: “The West Country” 

Fearnley-Whittingstall wraps up his fishing adventure in the West Country, in England’s southwest. 

In Cornwall, he joins a family of fishermen to lay gill nets for the local sardines known as pilchards, which have rebounded from a near-total population collapse. 

Further inland, he sees symbiotic farming in practice on neighboring organic farms—one grows watercress; the other, rainbow trout—and prepares a sumptuous lunch using both bounties. 

At a hub of England’s commercial fishing industry in Devon, Fearnley-Whittingstall ventures out on a beam trawler with a skipper who has devised methods to make his catch more selective and less harmful to fish and the ocean floor. 

He brings a load of cow manure to his final stop: a fledgling organic fish farm in Devon, where a couple is raising a species beloved in Asia and largely dismissed in Britain: carp. After returning home to River Cottage, Fearnley-Whittingstall and the River Cottage Canteen chef host the U.K.’s first public tasting of farmed organic carp with a two-course meal. 

Photo courtesy of Sundance Channel

Feta cheese added pizzazz to yesterday’s recipe for Watermelon Salad with Thai Basil and Feta. Today, milder mozzarella takes center stage in our second featured organic watermelon salad.

As with yesterday’s recipe, fresh basil complements its costars. Yesterday, it was Thai basil, chosen for its mint and licorice flavors. Today, we’re using sweet basil (purple or green), the “regular” kind used in Italian and some Southeast Asian cuisines.

Other types of basil include:

1. Lemon basil, whose citrus notes complement African and Southern Asian dishes
2. Holy basil, popular in Thai meat dishes (but different from Thai basil)
3. African blue basil, known for its oddly camphor-like scent; often used in salads

Use a melon baller, readily available at supermarkets and mass merchandisers, to create perfectly round melon balls.

Fresh Mozzarella Watermelon Salad with Basil

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 cups seeded small watermelon balls
2 cups fresh mozzarella pieces
1 cup freshly chopped sweet basil (purple or green)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Assorted baby greens (lettuces)
8 pieces crostini (lightly toasted bread)
Balsamic vinegar, as desired

1. Toss together the watermelon, mozzarella, basil, scallions and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Serve over a bed of baby greens, with crostini on the side.
3. Drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar over the top, if desired.  

Recipe and photo courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board

As noted yesterday, chefs in restaurants nationwide are creating a study in contrasts by pairing sweet watermelon with salty cheeses like feta.

In the first of our weekend recipes, Thai basil’s subtle mint flavor adds a refreshing touch.

Prep time is 10 minutes, refrigeration time is 30 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store.

Tune in tomorrow for a bonus salad recipe.

Watermelon Salad with Thai Basil and Feta

Makes 8 servings

6 cups cubed seeded watermelon (1-inch chunks)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Thai basil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1. Toss watermelon and Thai basil in large bowl. Cover. Refrigerate 30 minutes to blend flavors.
2. Meanwhile, mix oil, vinegar, sea salt and sugar in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended.
3. Divide watermelon mixture among 8 salad plates. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette.
4. Sprinkle with cheese and onion. Serve immediately.  

Nutrition information per serving: 133 calories, 9 g fat, 3 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 8 mg cholesterol, 286 mg sodium, 1 g fiber 

Recipe and photo courtesy of McCormick