I love the farmers market for many reasons, but the best thing about it is that I get introduced to foods I would never see in the grocery store. For example, the garlic scape. The first time I saw these I thought they looked like a pile of green coat hangers and I had no idea what one would do with them. Scapes are basically the stem from the plant flower. I did some reading up and found that garlic scapes are often used to make pesto, but I wanted to find a different way to play with them. They are firm to the bite and have a mellow green garlic flavor, so I thought they would be the perfect addition to something with a fluffy texture: zucchini frittata.

I don’t know about you guys, but I get slightly overwhelmed when I first get to the farmers market. I run around trying to decide who has the best of what and then I get antsy and start making impulse buys. I usually end up buying too much of something and the frittata is a cooking trick I use to get it all eaten up before it goes bad. It’s stupid easy to prepare, and you can make it fancy or keep it simple. I had some leftover prosciutto and some feta in the fridge so I threw that into the mix. You could also add olives or bacon, or any other cheese you have that needs to be used up. The only rule is to make sure you have enough egg to bind everything together. I find that 5-6 eggs will work for a 9-inch round dish full of goodies.

I like the texture the garlic scapes add to the frittata, but if you can’t find them you could always use green onion. The problem with garlic scapes is that they are only around for a few weeks at the beginning of the season, which in Chicago is June. <procrastination>In fact, by the time I get this post written I’m sure they will have disappeared. Sorry about that.</procrastination> Bookmark this one for next year, or just use green onions.

Ugh! I can never make the first slice look good!

Zucchini and Prosciutto Frittata

Loosely adapted from this recipe
Serves 6
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Unattended time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

olive oil
1/2 pound green zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 pound yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
6 garlic scapes or green onions, ends removed and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
2 ounces prosciutto, torn into bite-sized pieces
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
no-stick spray
2 ounces feta cheese

Prep work: Chop zucchini, squash, garlic scapes or green onions, dill and parsley. Tear up the prosciutto.

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the zucchini, squash, garlic scapes (or green onions), and salt in a large bowl.
2. Heat some olive oil in a very large skillet set over medium heat. Add enough of the zucchini/squash mixture to the skillet to cover the bottom in one layer. You want each piece to have contact with the skillet so it can brown; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining vegetables if necessary.
3. Let the cooked vegetables cool in the bowl about 10 minutes. Pour off any liquid and add the dill, parsley, prosciutto and eggs.
4. Spray a 9 1/2-inch round baking dish with no-stick spray. Pour the vegetable mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with the feta. Bake until set, about 45 minutes.

Lately I have been trying to eat mostly seasonal produce. This little seasonal produce tool I found on Real Simple is helping me out. You may have noticed I have been spending a lot of time on Real Simple…what busy gal doesn’t love that site?

In my attempt to eat more seasonally, I am encountering produce that I don’t normally prepare. Leeks fall into that category. I used to think of them as a big ole green onion, but that comparison doesn’t accurately describe their flavor. They are milder than green onions, with an earthy, garlicky flavor.

This recipe combines leeks with another veggie that often confounds me, the radish. I know what you’re thinking: since when is butter healthy? Fear not the sat fat, the recipe only calls for a tablespoon for 4 servings. Check out the nutrition info below if you need further convincing. Definitely use the butter. It may not be a lot but it provides a luxurious flavor. The resulting dish is strikingly pretty, just the thing I need on these dreary and soggy winter days. One last tip, the earthy flavors of the leeks and radishes are brightened by the lemon juice, so don’t forget to add it.

Buttered Leeks and Radishes

Adapted from Real Simple
Serves 4 as a side dish
Total time: about 20 minutes
Cost per serving: $3

1 bunch of radishes, about 12-16 small ones
3 leeks
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of half a lemon

1. Clean and quarter the radishes. Slice the white and light green part of the leeks about 1/4 inch thick. Discard the dark green parts. Chop the parsley.
2. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the radishes and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove the radishes from the pan and put in a large bowl.
3. Add the leeks, broth, salt and lemon juice to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. The leeks should be softened.
4. Transfer the leeks to the bowl with the radishes. Add the parsley and toss to combine.

Radishes give this dish a nice bit of vitamin C, which will help you ward off those winter colds. Was I right about the fat content? One tablespoon of butter doesn’t contribute that much sat fat to the dish, and it just tastes so darn good.

Cheese, glorious Cheese!

I always end up with a bunch of leftover parsley or cilantro and I’m never quite sure how to use it up. I saw this quesadilla recipe in my Phytopia Cookbook and thought the parsley spread was a clever way to prevent waste. Turns out that parsley is chock full of Vitamins A, C and Iron. And this recipe is versatile. You could make all kinds of parsley spreads using this basic recipe. Switch out the nuts, add some lemon juice, maybe throw in a few olives…just use your imagination and whatever you have laying around. I think a version of the paste would be excellent as a “sauce” for whole wheat pasta.

I renamed the recipe Jumping Pepita Quesadilla because:

1. I’m a big dork
2. The pumpkin seeds really do jump when you toast them, which I find entertaining

The Phytopia Cookbook is teh shizz. I’ve used mine heavily for many years and it’s all banged up and warped from spillage. All of the recipes I’ve tried are insanely healthy and delicious. Go buy it, you will love it.

Jumping Pepita Quesadillas

Adapted from The Phytopia Cookbook. You will need a food processor for this recipe.

Serves 4

For the spread:
1/3 cup raw unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds, found in the bulk section of Whole Foods or in the Mexican food section of larger grocery stores)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, rinsed and dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the ‘dilla:
1 medium tomato
8 whole-wheat flour tortillas
1 cup grated Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

1. Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. They will start to jump and pop. Giggle with glee. Stir the seeds to prevent burning.
2. Mince jalapeno and garlic in a food processor. Careful, son. That’s raw garlic!
3. Add the remaining spread ingredients and process until you have a paste.
4. Finely dice the tomato. Assemble the ‘dilla by smearing 1/4 of the spread on a tortilla. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the tomato and about 1/4 cup of the cheese. Top with a second tortilla. Repeat for the remaining quesadillas.
5. Place each quesadilla in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook on each side until toasted, a few minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Uploaded with plasq‘s Skitch!

I have a bonus feature for you. I calculated the nutritional value of each ‘dilla on NutriMirror.com. Check out the numbers on this thing! Can you believe how nutritious a quesadilla can be? And this spread is yummy! If you are concerned about the fat and sodium, simply use low fat cheese and reduce the amount of salt in the spread.