Easy Curried Carrot Soup with Coconut Milk

Well, I'm at it again over on Lot18 with this curried carrot soup with coconut milk paired with a chardonnay. 

Utilizing the fresh local carrots from Origins farm we picked up at the farmer's market really made the flavor stand out in this soup!

As you head out to the market this week, keep this recipe in mind — as it contains minimal ingredients and really is quite easy to make. Find the full recipe here.

As always,

E.A.T. local E.A.T. well

Parmesan & Herbed Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This time of year I always get excited coming home to a fresh local box of veggies from The Farm Table. The Farm Box is one of the ways I support locally grown produce from local farmers! 

This week's bounty was simply stunning — a box filled to the brim with strawberries, bok choy, sweet potatoes, red leaf lettuce, spring onions, mint, and the star of today's recipe being big beautiful portobello mushrooms:

You might remember last year when the portobellos made an appearance in the box, we did a farm egg in a portobello mushroom with fresh thyme:

Well this year we are stuffing it with quinoa, more of that fresh thyme from the box and a dusting of parmesan cheese to finish things off:

Ingredients:

• 2 large portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup of prepared quinoa (after you cook the quinoa allow to cool and incorporate thyme, salt, pepper, and diced cucumbers).
• Olive oil
• Thyme sprigs and leaves
• Salt & pepper
• Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wipe your mushrooms with a damp paper towel to clean. Remove the stem, place on a baking sheet and drizzle mushrooms with olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, then transfer the mushrooms to the hot oven to roast for 5-7 minutes.

Remove from oven and scoop quinoa into the mushroom caps, add a pinch of fresh thyme leaves and grate fresh parmesan on top before returning to the hot oven and roasting for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted to your liking. I like to toss a couple whole sprigs of thyme onto the baking sheet at this point to use later for a garnish.

Remove and serve with that freshly roasted sprig of thyme:

So easy for a healthy & fast lunch or dinner! What are your favorite ways to use portobello mushrooms?

E.A.T. local E.A.T. well

Turkey Burgers with Whole Grain Mustard, Avocado, and Greens

Memorial day is coming fast and these turkey burgers provide the perfect healthier twist from a traditional hamburger. So this weekend or over the holiday weekend head on over to Relay Foods to find this recipe I did for  Backyard Grilled Brie Stuffed Turkey Burgers with Avocado and Greens!

What is your favorite recipe to throw on the grill in early spring?

E.A.T. local E.A.T. well

How to Truss and Roast the Perfect Chicken

I cannot think of many things more comforting or something that makes the house smell better than roasting your own chicken. There are many variations and most are quite simple, however, there are a few simple rules that I feel each recipe should follow to make your yardbird stand out from the rest. You can cut corners but I am writing a post that I feel is the perfect roasted chicken.

The chicken — whole, organic, free range, fed organic feed, and contains no antibiotics or growth hormones. Rinse the whole chicken and pat to dry well with paper towels. We want the chicken as dry as possible when going in the oven.

I like sage with chicken from the essence it gives while cooking — and also to achieve that faint but unmissable hint of flavor while eating, it is a step I never skip. 5-6 fresh leaves directly under the skin on the breast should do. This also gives an eye appeal to the chicken when done and can be your new best kept secret.

Sprinkle and rub 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt in and on the chicken — this can be done after you truss the chicken. Add one whole lemon (quartered) into the chicken cavity.

Next we are going to truss (or hog tie) this bird. Trussing allows all parts of the chicken to cook evenly as it brings the legs and wings in close to the body.

First let's talk kitchen cleanliness and safety. When handling raw chicken let's make sure everything is out and within reach that you are going to use or have someone around to help you. The last thing you want is to handle raw chicken then realize you left the kitchen twine in the drawer.

Start by cutting about a 3 foot piece of twine. Tie the legs securely together and then bring the twine around to the front of the chicken, bringing the wings in close and tight.

Bring the string back around to the back of the chicken and tie a knot so the chicken is now one tight ball. Cut any excess string and wash anything that came in contact with the raw chicken in hot soapy water.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees (yes we want it hot) and place the bird on a roasting rack in a pan. When the oven is at the desired 450 degrees place pan in a center rack of the oven. Leave it be, only to rotate the pan half way through the 50-60 minute cooking time.

Remove from oven and turn the bird, allowing any juices in the cavity to drain, setting rack and chicken aside.

Note: If you plan to make a gravy, drain juices into a saucepan, then add 1 cup of chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of butter to the saucepan. I will detail the gravy and a recipe for the breast in another post later this week.

After you cut and remove the twine, you can slice the chicken and eat, passing the gravy as you serve. 

I mentioned the visual beauty of the sage coming through the crispy skin once cooked, as you can see above. So there you have it — my version of the perfect roast chicken.

What's your tried and true method?

E.A.T. local E.A.T well

Lamb Loin with a Homemade Tzatziki

I do not cook with lamb very often but from time to time I just feel like making an elegant lamb dish. This variation is paired with a homemade Tzatziki, which works so well with lamb loins.

Ingredients are simple, fresh, and who doesn't like pulling out a well worn used cast iron skillet?

Find the full recipe for this "Perfect Pairing: Lamb Loin with Tatziki and Red Bordeaux" in my latest guest post over on Lot18.

E.A.T. local E.A.T. well

Classic Chicken Piccata Recipe

Chicken piccata the classic American take on the Italian version of veal piccata. Both dishes start with thin cutlets of meat. If using chicken breasts, you will want to butterfly the breast, cutting it in half. You can pound with a mallet to thin them down further or you can maintain the thicker pieces, knowing the chicken will take longer to cook.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, cut in half seasoned with salt
• 1 cup flour, seasoned with pepper
• 6T butter (divided)
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup white wine
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Dredge your chicken pieces in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan and cook the chicken in batches 3-4 minutes per side. Once cutlets are laid in the pan, do not move them until you are ready to flip them — this will allow for a nice brown crust. Set the cutlets on a cookie sheet and place in a warm oven to keep heated during next steps.

While the pan is hot, add the stock and while it steams, scrape the bits up in the pan with a spoon:

Add lemon juice, capers and wine to the pan, then return to the stove, allowing to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and stir. This will thicken the sauce and create a rich deep colored gravy.

Pour the sauce directly on the warm chicken cutlets, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

The lemon and capers really make this dish the classic that it is and with the cooler temperatures of late (here in RVA), this was a warm and comforting meal to enjoy. This reciple will easily make a meal for 4, or double it and enjoy with friends. 

E.A.T. local E.A.T. well

Google Reader Alternatives: Lovin Bloglovin it is Tasty!

You might have heard by now that Google Reader will be deactivated this July. This was pretty much heartbreaking news for Mary and I since we've been longtime Google Reader power users. It's been such a great tool for us to keep track of our huge and growing list of favorite blogs.

If you too are a Google Reader junkie and looking for a replacement come July, I hope you will add E.A.T. (pretty please) as I am planning to make the switch to Bloglovin, and recently imported my entire Google Reader feeds with the click of a button. Bloglovin is another blog reader platform that allows you to easily stay updated with all your favorite blogs by letting you know when they've published a new post.

You can follow me on Bloglovin by clicking this link. It's been a fun switch so far in that Bloglovin also recommends similar blogs to the ones you're already following — just what I need another food blog!

Learn more about Bloglovin's handy Google Reader importer to see if it's the right route for you too. Here's a screen of the import taking place when we made the switch:

I wasn't kidding when I said we follow a lot of blogs!

Not the "reader" type of follower? No worries, if you like you can opt to receive an email every time I publish a new post by entering in your email address in the right sidebar — don't worry, I cannot see the emails or use them in any capacity (not that I would spam even if I could!).

And while I am talking about keeping in touch, you can find me on Facebook and Twitter and a bunch of other places like Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr in the upper right sidebar!

Honestly I am bummed Google Reader is going away? But I am happy to have come across Bloglovin'! What alternatives are you planning to use when it's closed down? I am always interested in finding great alternatives.

E.A.T. local E.A.T. well