weekly menu

This week I got only organic baskets, and I think that's what I'm going to be doing from now on.  I like the variety we get when I get half conventional and half organic, but the organic is such a good price (compared to what I can buy around here), and I've read so much scary stuff about conventionally grown produce that I really want to keep it to a minimum.

So, with 4 identical baskets, we ended up with a TON of spinach and asparagus!  I had to come up ways to use those things up, and I'm really looking forward to our meals for the week.  :)  I'll be gone on Monday and part of Tuesday because Cora and Thalia are having their tonsils and adenoids out in Billings, so I picked easy things for Curtis to make.  He's capable of making anything, but I know those two days will be crazy for him.  

Here are the recipes for the week.  On Wednesday, I'll steam a bunch of rice and roast a boatload of veggies (zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, asparagus) with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  We'll top the rice with the veggies and "Yummy! Sauce" (see recipe below).  All the other meals have recipes below.


Spanakopita (this is supposed to serve 8, but I'll cut it into 12 pieces)
Ingredients:
½ cup, olive oil
2½ pounds fresh spinach, cleaned and de-stemmed
6 green onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh dill, chopped
2 pounds firm tofu, drained
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tsp. dried oregano
Dash of nutmeg
¾ cup walnuts, ground
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp. salt
Pepper
1 package frozen phyllo dough, thawed overnight

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat, and then add spinach, green onion, garlic, and dill, and sauté, stirring frequently until spinach is limp and the liquid that sweats out has boiled away. Set aside until the mixture fully cools to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, drain the tofu (press out excess liquid). Place the tofu in a bowl and use a whisk (or your hands) to mash it. Add the (cooled) spinach mixture, lemon juice, oregano, nutmeg, walnuts, ¼ cup olive oil, yeast, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed.
4. Lay out a sheet of phyllo in the baking dish. Brush with oil, lay another on top, brush with oil, and repeat for a total of 8 sheets.
5. Gently spread half of the spinach mixture over the dough. Prepare another 8 sheets of phyllo as above and lay on top of the spinach mixture. Spread the rest of the spinach on top. Layer with the rest of the phyllo sheets.
6. Brush the top layer of phyllo with oil and tuck the edges of the phyllo sheets into the pan.
7. Score the top layer of dough into eight pieces.
8. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until golden-brown and crispy – be careful not to let the phyllo burn!

Zucchini brownies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
powder
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Green and Gold salad with Citrus-Ranch dressing (serves 8-12)

6 cups chopped fresh broccoli
3cups diced mango
2 large navel orange, sectioned and chopped
1 cup pecans, toasted
2 (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
4 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss with citrus-ranch dressing.

Citrus-Ranch dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp fresh chopped dill or 1/4 tsp dried
4 tsp orange zest
6 tbsp fresh orange juice

Yummy! Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup canola oil (preferably cold pressed)
1/2 cup almonds (for a creamier sauce, use almond flour)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup chickpeas or 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, cooked
1/4 cup silken tofu
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 -2 garlic clove (small to medium size)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cilantro

Directions:
In a blender or food processor blend almonds beans and oil.
Add all other ingredients and puree until creamy smooth.
Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for one hour.
Don't cover too tight, remember the yeast.