one more sleep 'til next box pickup!!!

I have yumminess to report sports fans!  (I actually wrote this update a couple of days ago, but was having computer problems and couldn't post..sorry!)

I've been stretching to fit something from my GFB in to all my blog-worthy meals, and I have to say with one day left until next delivery, it's been a challenge!

Alrighty, since my last post....

I used the leftovers from my slighty undercooked squash last week (nuked it for a couple of minutes to obtain optimal squash-icity), and made a quick salad:

Baby arugula and spinach, red onion, squash and a red wine vinaigrette:

VERY deelish (and the recipe is self explanatory I believe!)

Served with:

Sweet and Savoury Asian Haddock

This was really very good..sweet and savoury with a nice little kick...Haddock is a mild and meaty white fish that carried these flavours beautifully.  The cooking time was also perfect, falling apart in big moist flakes at the touch of a fork...and bonus, Canadian Wild Haddock is a sustainable seafood choice.

Now a word on seafood sustainability...I try, and I'm learning.  My choices have recently been guided by a wonderful Sustainable seafood guide published by SeaChoice - A program developed by 5 Canadian conservation organizations, aimed to help Canadians support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture (http://www.seachoice.org/)

Here is the direct link to the SeaChoice Canada's Seafood Guide so you can start to make your own responsible choices: http://seachoice.org./files/asset/file/37/SeaChoice_Alertcard.pdf 

The recipe you ask?

Ingredients:

• 2 fillets Canadian Wild Haddock
• juice from 1/2 a juicy lime
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 tsp of Sriracha hot chili sauce
• 2 finely sliced green onions

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat over to 400 F
2. Whisk all sauce ingredients together until brown sugar is dissolved, and spoon over and brush onto Haddock fillets.
3. Bake for 10 minutes.

     Over the weekend I also used up the remaining apples from the GFB - now, these were not great apples I have to admit.  They were fresh and crispy and crunchy as all fall apples should be, but they lacked flavour, they were unlike any apple I've tasted before.  Unfortunately, the apple bag wasn't labelled with the variety, so I've included some photos of the cored apples I used to make a very simple and healthy-ish crisp, which I just finished for breakfast this morning, with a side of raspberry yogurt!

Couldn't-be-simpler Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

• 5 apples of any variety (despite the disappointing flavour in their raw form, these apple were very good baked with sugar..shocking i know) cored, peeled and chopped
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• dash of salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (if you want, but not required)

For the topping:

• 3/4 cup of quick cooking oats
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c non-hydrogenated margarine ( i love butter, and it would work well here, but I was going for a low saturated fat option)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine all of the filling ingredients in an oven safe dish
3. Heat margarine over low heat, add brown sugar until dissolved
4. Remove margarine and sugar from heat, add oats and stir until they are well coated
5. Spread oat mixture over apples
6. Bake for 1 hr

Again, struggling to use the remainder of GFB bounty, I incorporated my remaining carrot (yes...a  singular carrot) into the following...

Split Pea and Bacon Soup

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c of yellow split peas
• 1 tetra pack (900 ml) vegetable stock (or chicken if you like)
• 1 cup water
• 1 carrot chopped(GFB - local)
• 1 celery stick chopped 
• 1/2 large onion chopped
• 5 slices regular old bacon (sliced into 1/4" slices)
• 1 Tbsp EVOO
• S&P

Instructions:

1. Over med heat, add bacon to a large pot with a splash of water (1 Tbsp) - this will help it cook and crisp up evenly.  When crispy, remove bacon with slotted spoon.
2. Discard all but 2 tsp of bacon fat from pot, and add EVOO (if there are crispy brown bits stuck to your pan from cooking the bacon, all the better!)
3. Add carrots, celery, onion and cook until slightly softened - 5 minutes or so 
4. Add stock, water, and split peas, and simmer over low heat (lid on! no more soup burning for me) for 40 minutes
5. Taste test your peas to ensure they're tender...if they are, use an immersion blender (or regular blender) to puree soup
6. add S&P to taste, and use the most delicious garnish ever imaginable (crispy bacon no doubt) to top your bowl.

The verdict...great!  A wee bit over-salted, but really really deep wonderful smoky flavour...a perfect hearty compliment to a sandwich or a salad.  It was even better warmed up for lunch!

Finally, I will include one last dish that is actually free of all GFB ingredients...what? i was out!  But it was so good I had to share...

Lemon and Garlic Scallops over Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Arugula

I picked up these scallops from Loblaws a month or so ago while they were on sale...Since learning about how unsustainable the shrimp I had been buying was, I wanted an alternative seafood choice that I could easily add to things like pastas and risottos.  These will be regularly included in my meals...they cook easily, and they are REALLY good.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 box of whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 bag of Blue Menu Argentinian sea scallops (about a pound if you buy them fresh)
• 1 bunch of Arugula chopped (this arugula was mature - mature arugula, as opposed to the baby arugula, has a much stronger bitter flavour - so beware if you are adverse to strong bitter flavours - spinach would also work here)
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1/4 c EVOO (divided)
• 3/4 grated parmesan cheese (ONLY the real stuff please)
• S&P to taste

Instructions:

1. rinse and pat scallops dry, toss with S&P
2. heat 1 Tbsp of the EVOO in a large saute pan over med heat
3. Sautee scallops in 1 layer for 2 minutes, stir, and continue cooking for 1 more minute, then remove with a slotted spoon
4. lower heat and sautee garlic until soft (2 mins - and for the love of god, don't burn it!)
5. Add lemon zest and juice, remaining olive oil and S&P and whisk in pan
6. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti until al dente, strain, but reserve 1/3 c of the starchy pasta water
7. transfer cooked pasta, lemon/garlic sauce, pasta water and arugula to the large pasta pot and toss to coat - let sit for 1 minute until arugula has wilted.
8. Add scallops and parmesan cheese and toss to coat

This is so very very good, and I just had to share!! I've made a version of the recipe many times, and usually serve the pasta with a fillet of salmon - my very good foodie friend Erin made this once for Rory and I when we went for dinner, and I haven't been able to get enough since!  The inspiration is a Giada De Laurentiis recipe I think :)

So, that's it for now... I will say that I got my new GFB last night and it did not disappoint!!!  New post coming VERY soon!

Happy Eating :)