Ideas for this week's share items

Meatless Monday: Brown Rice & Spinach Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms 
Sheknows - http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1022875/brown-rice-spinach-stuffed-portobello-mushrooms-recipe

4 portabella mushrooms
3 Tbs olive oil
1 cup cooked brown rice (warmed)
2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, torn into pieces
1/2 diced sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil
3 Tbs marinara sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground lack pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Remove the stems and gills and from the mushrooms. Brush the insides of the caps with olive oil and place open side up on the baking sheet.

Toss the warm rice with the spinach, sun dried tomatoes, marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.

Fill the mushroom caps with the rice mixture so that it is slightly mounded. Sprinkle a little extra cheese on top.

Bake for 18-20 minutes. Serve warm.


Taco Tuesday: Sweet Potato Spinach Tacos 
Slender Kitchen - http://www.slenderkitchen.com/sweet-potato-spinach-tacos

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (3 cups)
1-2 tsp water
2 tsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, sliced thin
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups fresh spinach
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
8 corn tortillas

Add the sweet potatoes to a microwave safe dish and microwave for 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Or, boil until fork tender and drain (8-10 minutes)

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until tender (4-6 minutes). Add sweet potatoes; cook until they begin to brown. Add garlic and spinach. Cook another 3-4 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in all of the spices and cook for 1 minute.

Remove from heat. Add lime juice. Serve in warm tortillas.


Wellness Wednesday: 
Swiss Chard Salad with Toasted Walnuts
Stupid Easy Paleo - http://stupideasypaleo.com/2015/02/10/swiss-chard-salad-toasted-walnuts-performance-paleo

1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary
2 Tbs avocado oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1.5 cups walnut halves
1 bunch swiss chard, sliced
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

In a medium skillet over low heat, combine the shallot, garlic, rosemary, avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir about 3 minutes; until the shallot turns translucent and softens. Add the nuts, cooking and stirring on low heat until evenly toasted and lightly browned. Turn off heat.

In a large bowl, combine the swiss chard with the lemon juice and vinegar. Pour in the walnut mixture and toss well to combine. Serve and enjoy.


Escarole Salad with Apples, Blue Cheese, and Pecans
Food & Wine - http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/escarole-salad-with-apples-blue-cheese-and-pecans

1.5 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs minced shallot
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbs olive oil
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1.5 lbs escarole head - dark green leaves discarded, remaining leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
5 celery ribs halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 sweet apples, cored and sliced
1/2 lb (2 1/4 cups) your favorite blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread pecans on a pie plate and bake 10-12, until pecans are lightly browned. Let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with shallot, mustard, and sugar; let stand 10 minutes. Whisk in canola and olive oils, season with salt and pepper.

Add the escarole, celery, apples, and toasted pecans to the vinaigrette and toss to coat thoroughly. Transfer to a platter and scatter the crumbled blue cheese on top. Serve.


Throwback Thursday: Homemade Fermented Sauerkraut
the kitchen - http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-easy-homemade-sauerkraut-in-a-mason-jar-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193124

Ingredients: 1 medium cabbage, 1.5 Tbs kosher salt, 1 Tbs caraway seeds (optional)

Materials: cutting board, chef's knife, mixing bowl, 2-quart wide-mouth mason jar (or two 1-quart jars), canning funnel (optional), smaller jelly jar that just fits in the mason jar(s), clean stones or marbles to weight the jelly jar, cloth for covering the jar, and a rubber band.

Instructions:
1. Clean everything - jelly jar, mason jar(s), cutting board, and your hands. Make sure there is no soap residue left behind.
2. Remove the loose outer leaves of the cabbage, slice into quarters, and remove the core. Slice each wedge crosswise to make very thin ribbons.
3. Transfer cabbage to a big mixing bowl and sprinkle salt over the top. Work the salt into the cabbage by massaging and squeezing the cabbage with your hands. Gradually (after 5-10 minutes) the cabbage will become watery and limp. this is the time to add the caraway seeds if you want them.
4. Grab handfuls of the cabbage and pack them into the canning jar; this is where a canning funnel comes in handy. Every so often tamp down the cabbage in the jar with your fist. Pour in any liquid released by the cabbage.
5. Once all the cabbage is packed into the mason jar, slip the smaller jelly jar into the mouth of the cabbage-filled mason jar and weigh in down with clean stones/marbles. This will help keep the cabbage weighed down and, eventually, submerged beneath its liquid.
6. Cover the mouth of the jar with a clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band to keep out dust and insects but allow airflow.
7. Press down on the cabbage with the jelly jar every few hours for the first 24 hours to get the cabbage to release enough liquid to cover the top of the cabbage. If the liquid has not risen above the cabbage after 24 hours, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water and add just enough to cover the cabbage.
8. Ferment the cabbage for 3-10 days. Keep the sauerkraut away from direct sunlight and at cool room temperatures (65-75 degrees). Check daily and press the jelly jar if the cabbage is floating above the liquid. Start tasting it after 3 days. when it tastes good to you, remove the jelly jar, screw on a mason jar lid and pop in the fridge. Enjoy.



Friday Funday: Potato Mice
Hosting Essence - http://hostingessence.com/recipe-potato-mousse-main-entrees-recipes

Small potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Chives
Raisins
Radish

Bake the potatoes. Use 1/2 cherry tomato for the nose, raisins for the eyes, radish slices for the ears, and chives for the whiskers and tail. Put a piece of cheese at the "mouth."


Sweet Saturday: Apple Bake
What's Cooking America - http://whatscookingamerica.net/Fruit/AppleBake.htm

2 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thickly
3 Tbs butter
1/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2-1/2 firmly packed brown sugar
Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a 9" baking pan. Layer the apple slices on top of the melted butter. Sprinkle with rolled oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until apples are tender. Remove and enjoy!