Carrot Zucchini Cookies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup sunflower seeds, optional

¼ cup raisins

½ cup shredded carrots

½ cup shredded zucchini

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup melted coconut oil or melted butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil a cookie sheet.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and oats. Stir in the seeds, raisins, carrots, and zucchini.

3. In a bowl, whip together the maple syrup, oil or butter, and vanilla.

4. Stir liquid ingredients into the flour mixture until well blended.

5. With a teaspoon, drop batter onto the prepared cookie sheet, flattening slightly.

6. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Veggie Pate

You can also omit the seeds/nuts, and add more vegetables and miso.

Process the vegetables and add miso a little at a time until consistency is

achieved. Miso will add salt, so not too much!

1 cup nuts or seeds, soaked (your choice: sunflower seeds, walnuts,

pecans, almonds, etc)

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped kale

¼ cup chopped fresh green beans

¼ cup fresh herb (basil, parsley, etc)

1 clove garlic (2 if small)

Juice of ½ lemon

½ hot pepper, optional

1 tablespoon mellow miso

Sea salt (optional–see note above)

1. Process the nuts or seeds, carrots, kale, green beans, garlic, herbs,

lemon juice and miso in a food processor for a spreadable consistency.

2. Season with sea salt, if necessary.

3. Serve on sprouted grain bread or crackers, vegetable slices, or nori sheets.

Vegetables with Udon Noodles

2 cloves garlic, roasted

½ cup pine nuts, toasted

2 cups packed basil (or one bunch)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

Your choice of in-season vegetables

8 oz. udon noodles

Zest of 1 lemon

Toasted pine nuts for garnish

1. In a food processor, combine garlic, pine nuts, basil, oil, and salt.

Process until smooth. Set aside.

2. Sauté the vegetables of your choice.

3. Cook noodles; drain. Toss with pesto and vegetables. Garnish with lemon

zest and additional toasted pine nuts.

Tomato Recipes by Variety

Heirloom Tomato Caprese (Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit): To make this classic salad, mix ¾ cup (4 oz) of small heirloom cherry tomatoes such as Sungold,½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp high-quality extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Let stand, tossing occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Place a 2 oz. ball of mozzarella off-center on a plate. Spoon tomatoes and juices around the cheese. Sprinkle with sea salt and scatter 4-5 small basil leaves all over. Makes 1 serving.

Blender Golden Gazpacho (Recipe adapted from Women’s Health): Cut up 5 medium yellow or orange tomatoes and place in a blender with 1½ cups chopped and seeded cucumber, ½ cup chopped green bell pepper, ¼ cup chopped red onion, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp minced jalapeño, 1 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, and ½ tsp salt; puree. Chill for 30 minutes. Serve garnished with diced avocado, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Penne with Pomodoro Crudo (Recipe adapted from Molto Gusto by Mario Batali): Cook 1 pound penne until just al dente; reserve ½ cup pasta water. Combine 1 pound ripe tomatoes cut into ½-inch dice and ¼ cup reserved pasta water in a large pot; bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Season tomatoes with a pinch of sugar and flaky sea salt to taste. Add pasta and stir and toss over medium heat until the pasta is well coated (add more pasta water if necessary). Stir in 6 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Fresh Tomato Salsa (Recipe adapted from Gourmet): Quarter and seed 2 pounds red and/or orange tomatoes. Cut into ¼-inch dice and place in a bowl. Seed and finely chop 2 jalapeños, then chop ¼ cup onion and ¼ cup cilantro. Stir into to tomatoes, along with 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sugar, and 1½ tbsp lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Can be made 1 hour ahead; keep at cool room temperature.

Makes about 2½ cups.

–Recipes compiled and edited by Nicole DeCoursy Mead

Leek, Garlic and Ginger Miso Broth

1 large onion or 2 leeks, chopped

8 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece of ginger, sliced and peeled

1 tablespoon miso–any variety (mellow white, barley, red)

Variations to add before adding miso:

small cut up pieces of any type deboned, white fish fillet to broth, Cook until opaque, about 10 minutes; 1 cup chopped bok choy or other leafy greens–cook 5 minutes in broth; dried or fresh chopped mushrooms–shiitake, oyster, crimini, cook until soft, 5 minutes; cooked Japanese noodles such as soba, udon, rice.

Place onion or leeks, garlic and ginger in medium saucepan and bring

to a simmer, cooking about 10 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together

the miso and 3 tablespoons of the broth from the pot, until miso is

dissolved.

3. Remove the saucepan with the broth from the heat and add

the miso mixture; stir to combine.

Curried Vegetables and Lentils

2 cups lentils, brown or green

4 cups water

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 hot pepper, diced

2 sweet peppers, cut in strips

3 radishes, sliced in rounds

1 carrot, sliced in rounds

1 asian eggplant, sliced in rounds

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ head chinese cabbage

3 stalks kale, ribbed and chopped

1 bunch braising greens and radish greens, roughly chopped

1 cup vegetable stock or water

1 cup chopped tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Rinse lentils. In a covered saucepan, bring lentils and water to a boil. Reduce heat, uncover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

2. In a soup pot, heat the oil. Add the leeks, garlic and hot pepper. Sauté until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add the sweet pepper, radish, carrot, eggplant, curry powder, and salt; sauté 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the cabbage, kale, greens, tomatoes, water or stock. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or less, until the greens are wilted.

3. Remove from heat. Add lemon and garnish with fresh herbs; season to taste if necessary, toss to combine. Serve over lentils.

Simple Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

6 cups basic vegetable stock (newsletter Volume 1, issue 13) or water–enough

just to cover vegetables, not too much or soup will be watery

1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds.

2. Cut each of the two halves in half crosswise and peel skin from each piece.

3. Cut squash in to cubes.

4. In a large soup pot, sauté onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and ginger in oil. Add squash. Sauté over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add stock and salt, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.

5. In batches, transfer vegetables to a blender, with a little liquid from pot and puree until smooth. Poor puree back into pot. Season with salt as needed.