Earthbound Farm Spinach Salad with Beans, Beets, and Halloumi

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I’ve got some exciting news to share.  I’m actually really proud of it.

If you read this blog, you’ll remember that I visited Earthbound Farm last October, learning all about how they operate as an environmentally-conscious, honest company as well as how they actually grow and harvest all of their products.  And, if you know me as a “food-blogger-who-does-this-for-fun-not-for-profit”, you’ll also know that I’m really not that big on plastering my site with widgets, ads, and endorsements.  I’m not really into the self-promotion that I constantly see in this little realm of the internet or keeping up with what anyone else is doing.  What I am into is having fun making food, taking pictures, and then writing a little bit about it.  I want you to come to my site for those things and to enjoy a good meal-not because I can make money off of you.

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That being said, when I visited Earthbound Farm, it was kind of like love at first sight (well, at least on my end.)  I love this company.  And that’s honest-no frills-no B.S.  This is a company that truly cares about what it is doing-not because they can make a huge profit, but because they actually care about what positive things they can contribute to the earth, to the environment, and to our health.  And I honestly believe that this is one of the main reasons why they are so successful (they have pretty much revolutionized organic farming on a large scale-which was something in the past that many “haters” said couldn’t be done.)  And, of course, when you are passionate about something, put a lot of love into it, and work really hard at it, good things happen.

 

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So, all that being said…and..in the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that I have been extended a partnership with Earthbound Farm (along with my other blogging friends that attended the inaugural trip) for the next six months.  I do have contractual agreements with them, but, these agreements are things that I would choose to make/do even without a signed contract. (This is a major win-win situation.) So, I’ll be posting some great recipes in the next coming months and regularly contributing to their Organic Bound program as a guest blogger (I’m already in the process of creating an indulgent Valentines Day post for them which makes my mouth water just thinking about it.)  I’m so happy to do this with a company that I truly feels has a similar outlook on things (probably life in general) as I do.  Do your own thing, work hard, and have integrity.

This recipe is one of Earthbound’s own.  Did you know that they actually have a huge catalog of recipes on their website?  And, contrary to what many people may think, it’s not all salads.  There’s even a recipe for mini corn dogs on there (I’m going to try that one out.  No worries. With veggie dogs, of course. Just in time for the Super Bowl.)

 

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So, first things first.  As I didn’t do a full inventory before I went to the store, I didn’t realize I was out of white (cannellini) beans (shocking, considering I felt like I had about three cans in there that I hadn’t used in about a year. I still don’t remember what I did with them.  It’s a mystery.)  So I just used chickpeas (garbanzo beans) instead.  No big deal.  If you want a vegan version of this salad, just omit the cheese.  And speaking of the cheese, if you can’t get your hands on some halloumi, just substitute in your favorite type of cheese (some crumbly goat cheese or feta would be good here, too-you want something a little salty to match the sweetness in the walnuts.)  And don’t skip the caramelized walnuts, either-they are fantastic.  Just make sure that once they caramelize, you remove them from your skillet before they cool (unlike me…because then they all stuck to the pan and it was a near-acrobatic maneuver to remove them from the pan.)

 

To see the original recipe, follow this link back to the Earth Bound Farm website.  And enjoy.

January 14, 2014 - 2:57 pm

Joanne - Woohoo congrats girl!! That is awesome. It always feel good when a product you really love and believe in, loves you back. This is totally my kind of salad – full of fun mix-ins!

January 15, 2014 - 7:26 pm

Colleen ~ - Yay, Shanon, wonderful news, and congrats so much!!!! 🙂
This salad looks amazing: caramelized walnuts YES PLEASE!
Colleen
Austin, TX

January 15, 2014 - 9:23 pm

Ker - Congratulations, Shanon! This is fantastic and exciting news! Your enthusiasm jumps off the page, and I am really excited to read your new Earthbound Farm posts.
High five!
Ker

Eggplant Parmigiana

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I’ve always had this weird distaste for eggplants.  They’re purple, they’re oblong, they have this sponge-like texture.  I just kind of avoid them if at all possible.  I remember when my mom would make dishes like this when I was a kid and I would totally make up an excuse as to why I shouldn’t/couldn’t eat them.

This recipe is a testament to two things: I’m trying to branch out as a food lover, and, while I love to photograph food, eggplant parmigiana isn’t the most photogenic of dishes.  Kind of like a lasagna, kind of like a casserole-it can’t really make up it’s mind.  You can see how I am really trying here.

But this is a damn good recipe.

Taken from one of my favorite cookbooks in the whole world, I figured I would trust Sophie’s take on such a classic Italian dish.  Made with pretty simple ingredients (and also a lot of buffalo mozzarella-which, now I realize why fresh buffalo mozzarella can be so freaking expensive-it’s pretty amazing.  Almost a close second to burrata.), it was relatively simple to throw together.  And the leftovers were a nice thing to look forward to during the work week.  You can be pretty liberal with the ingredients here-add in some ricotta, add in some extra spice, and play around with even incorporating some extra veggies.

I might be trying some more eggplant recipes soon.

 

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Eggplant Parmigiana

Servings: 4-6

 

Ingredients

2 medium-sized eggplants

Salt, for sprinkling on the eggplants

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon more

1 yellow onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Three 14.5-ounce cans of diced fire-roasted tomatoes (do not drain)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Balsamic vinegar, to taste (use the good stuff if you have some on hand)

2 cups fresh basil, chopped

2 large balls of buffalo mozzarella, thinly sliced

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

 

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut the eggplants into 1/2-inch thick slices, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt (sprinkle generously-you want to draw out the excess moisture here).  Let the eggplant slices lie flat for about 20 minutes and let the salt do its work.

3. For the sauce: Meanwhile,  in a sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until shimmering.

4. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

5. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.

6. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices and brown sugar, stirring to combine.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or so.

7. Once the mixture has simmered, add the balsamic vinegar, adjusting to taste.

8. For the rest of the dish: ***Lightly brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. (***I did try to dab up some of the excess moisture from the eggplants with a clean towel first.)

9. Use the remaining olive oil to brush a large baking dish (I used a lasagna pan.)

10. Place the eggplant in a single layer in the prepared baking dish (you will end up layering the rest of the eggplant).

11. Sprinkle the eggplant with some basil, layer it with some mozzarella followed by some of the sauce, and sprinkle generously with Parmesan.  Repeat this process until all of the ingredients have been used.

12. Bake until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

 

Source:  Slightly adapted from Sophie Dahl’s Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights.

January 9, 2014 - 2:45 pm

Beth - Another great eggplant recipe for the skeptical eggplant eater (I’m one, too!) is this Pasta alla Norma recipe from the NY Times. http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/1014832/pasta-alla-norma.html

January 9, 2014 - 3:01 pm

Katrina @ WVS - Eggplant parm is one of my favorite meals!! Your recipe looks perfect!

January 9, 2014 - 3:58 pm

Maria Tadic - This looks so good! I love eggplant parm like this – not fried. It’s super delicious! I’m glad you’ve found a good recipe you’ll enjoy! Yum!

January 9, 2014 - 7:23 pm

Joanne - Eggplant is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it kind of food. I, personally, love it so you won’t have to ask me twice to make this!

January 12, 2014 - 1:50 pm

Chrissy - I love your blog, and these pics are gorgeous!! You did a great job making it photogenic 🙂

January 22, 2014 - 7:18 pm

Fresh City — Eight Easy Eggplant Recipes - […] Eggplant Parmigiana – The Curvy Carrot […]

Riesling Onion Soup

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It’s brutally cold out there.

Tonight I’m thankful for a car that started today, a heater that is working (although it is having a hard time keeping up since the outside thermostat reads -11 degrees right now) and a fridge full of healthy-ish food (subtract the frozen pizza and burrito-those are for emergencies only.  Ha.)  I’m thankful for comfortable sweat pants, thick socks, and a soft, worn-out sweatshirt.  And a DVR full of missed episodes of mindless television.

I worry about people out there who may not have these things.  And, of course, I worry about animals who don’t have “their people” to take care of them.  Scout’s paws bother her if I take her out for less than two minutes-she cries and holds her paw up, shaking, not wanting to move any further.  I rub my hands over her paws to warm her up a bit and then hurry back inside.  I worry about the ducks that have been swimming in between the “icebergs” in the river as I watch the wind blow a lot of steam (at least I hope it’s steam) off of the river.  Yesterday when I woke up, it was eery.  The cars are followed by billowing semi-frozen exhaust particles.  I’ve seen Facebook videos of my friends throwing boiling water into the air to demonstrate the Mpemba effect which pretty much blew my mind.

I hope you are able to stay warm during this wintry blast.

And, now, as I (once again) awkwardly segue into a recipe, let me just say that this soup does do a great job of doing all of the things a soup is supposed to do: taste good, warm you up, make you feel all cozy, etc.  It was something to look forward to after a cold commute home, and the flavors taste even better the day after making it.  Of course, the cheese is optional here, but you can use any kind that you like if you decide you want some (I used Fontina).  The original recipe calls for some homemade herbed croutons to go with the soup, but I just sliced a day-old baguette that I needed to use up instead.

Stay warm, my friends.

 

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Riesling Onion Soup

Servings: about 6-8

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large yellow onions, sliced thinly

2 leeks, sliced (including the pale green parts)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups Riesling (use a drier rather than a sweeter Riesling here)

6 cups vegetable broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

For garnish: Cheese, sliced bread (optional)

 

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Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven or sauce pot over medium heat, melt the butter.

2. Add the onions, leeks, garlic and tarragon and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and golden, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Add the flour and cook, stirring to completely coat the onions with the flour, for 3 minutes.

4. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

5. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

6. Add the vegetable stock and  return the mixture to a simmer.

7. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, about 45 minutes.

8. Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with cheese and bread.   **If you’d like, you can (if you use oven-proof bowls) broil the soups with the cheese on top until the cheese is bubbly and golden.  Alternatively,  you can use a brûlée torch (which I did, because honestly? Why would I ever pass up the opportunity to use a brûlée torch if I could have an excuse to use one?)

 

Source:  Slightly adapted from Williams-Sonoma.

January 7, 2014 - 9:44 am

Shelly @ Pastry Shells - This is perfect to warm me up! I’m still working in this freezing weather but you made me realize I have a lot to be grateful for… a heater, etc. Thanks for such a great perspective!

January 7, 2014 - 10:31 am

Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar - It’s crazy cold here too and all I can think about is soup – this looks perfect!

January 7, 2014 - 11:26 am

Philia (from sweetphi.com) - This soup look sooooo yummy and best of all … warm! Isn’t this weather insane? My dog too hates going out in the cold and her poor little paws get cold-it’s heartbreaking!! Thanks for posting this delicious looking recipe!

January 7, 2014 - 10:01 pm

Joanne - This cold has seriously been unreal. I will never complain about 30 degree temps again!! I’m glad to hear you’re staying warm! This soup is the perfect thing to cuddle up with. I have a feeling I’ll be making it very soon since i’ve been craving French onion soup lately!

January 9, 2014 - 2:12 pm

Coleen @ The Redhead Baker - Our weather only hit -2 degrees at its coldest — and I thought *that* was unbearably cold. I can’t imagine what it was like where you are. This soup sounds amazing, though! Riesling is my favorite type of white wine.

January 10, 2014 - 5:03 am

Audrey @ Little Rose Book - I love onion soup. My husband always makes it to cheer me up! I might give him your recipe so he tries something new!

January 25, 2014 - 6:57 pm

marie - Yum this combines our two favorites reisling wine and onions. On the stove now. Cant wait.

February 18, 2015 - 7:01 am

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