lambchard

What do you get when you pair lamb chops with homegrown swiss chard? Lambchard. #amiright?

But really. Usually we save our favorite protein for special occasions, but when I found 5 lamb chops in the quick sale section at our local grocery store, I grabbed them up like they were the rockstud Valentino’s at Payless. We decided to celebrate our fortuitous find with an idea I’ve had for my growing swiss chard by pairing it with our favored, hipster dish of 2012-quinoa. I’ve seen spinach and various herbs folded into quinoa before, but I’ve never tried it with swiss chard. Here’s to lamb chops, quinoa and asparagus as our fancy-for-no-reason dinner. Hope it is a meal to Chardish. #lastpunipromise

Quinoa with Swiss Chard & Radishes

1 c quinoa, rinsed

1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped with stems removed

1 c radishes, sliced

1 c water

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 sweet bulb onion, chopped

EVOO

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1.  Toast quinoa in saucepan over medium-high heat with evoo, salt and pepper for about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of water per cup of quinoa and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

2. In a separate saucepan, over medium-high heat, sauté garlic and onions with evoo, salt and pepper until soft. Add radishes and Swiss chard and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

3. Fold into cooked quinoa and let sit covered for 5 minutes.

first bites of fall

As soon as Texas weather starts to sink into the low 80s I feel like I can officially pull out my fall favorites; burlap table runners, pine cones and organic pumpkin puree. Somehow I always find a way to put a little pumpkin in everything. This time it wasn’t the pumpkin as the conversational ingredient in my Le Creuset stoneware, instead a bit of homegrown basil made me fall even more in love with that seasonal pumpkin flavor.

Pumpkin Basil Bread

2 1/2 c whole wheat flour, sifted

1 c organic pumpkin puree

2 eggs

2/3 c water

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 c sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3 Tbsp. basil, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

2. In a separate bowl,  mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, water and evoo. Stir in dry ingredients into puree mixture and add basil.

3. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake 40-55 minutes and let cool on a rack. Pair with a sprig of basil.