“It is difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” ~ Lewis Grizzard, Jr., American writer and humorist (1946-1994)

When we were comparing our bicycle riding log from this year to last year (we’ve ridden a little over 1,200 miles on the tandem so far, but far less than last year individually), we noted that after the end of September 2009, we only got in 3 more rides. Pretty soon we’ll be spinning away on the trainers set up in the living room and dreaming of the trips we took.

Unusually hot and humid weather interfered with cycling, but it sure did amazing things to our tomato crop. Just two plants have produced all that we have needed, and they have been especially sweet. Now, they are coming in so fast, that memory of eating the first one while still standing in the garden is getting foggier all the time.

Likewise, farmer’s markets will soon be a memory and we’ll be relegated to choosing tomatoes that have spent as much time on a truck as they have spent in the fields, or trading them in for canned. Before that happens, here is one more recipe that celebrates the bounty of summer.

I recently saw this salad in a grocery store deli counter for $7.99/pound. Here, we make it for less than $3.00/pound – and even less if any of the ingredients come from the garden.

Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Makes: about 3 cups
Time: 5 minutes

¼ seedless cucumber, peeled with thin strips remaining
2 tomatoes, cored and seeded
¼ cup fresh basil or mint leaves
¼ cup sliced, pitted olives
1 teaspoon full-flavored olive oil
Coarse ground salt and pepper to taste

Cut the cucumber and tomatoes into bite-size chunks, and coarsely chop the basil or mint, leaving some small leaves whole. Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl, being generous with the salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Accompany this salad with some crusty bread and hummus to make a complete meal for 2, or serve 4 as a side dish to whatever you have on the grill. Like a particularly good summer, some flavors should linger in your memory so vividly, that you can still taste them in December.

“Eat vegetables and fear no creditors, rather than eat duck and hide.” ~ Hebrew proverb

This past weekend, the New York Times published an article by Kim Severson about why, even in the face of the greatest availability of healthy options we’ve ever had, we are still not eating a healthy diet: “Told to Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries”. Shame on us!!

Thus, continues my quest to search out fast, easy ways to prepare attractive entrées that help us meet our veggie goals. Participating in Meatless Monday is an opportunity to say, “One day each week, we’re going to try a new recipe that will be good for our bodies, our budget, and the health of the planet.” We might even find that we like it!

If you’ve ever enjoyed a Yemista dish at a Greek restaurant, then you know that it is a name for a variety of vegetables stuffed with a mixture of small chopped vegetables, potatoes, and rice, which are then baked. Very, very nice.

Taking some liberty with the name, we combined the ingredients to get the same flavors, but eliminated the labor intensive stuffing and time-heavy baking. We put our “stuffing” mixture on top of baked potatoes, but it is equally good and a little more nutritious on top of a bowl of brown rice.

Inside-Out Yemista

Serves 2 as main dish, 4 as side dish
Time: about 30 minutes

2 medium baking potatoes, whole
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
2 large mushrooms, chopped
OR one small can of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Course salt and ground black pepper

Baba ganoush or sour cream (optional garnish)
Pitted Kalamata olives, quartered (optional garnish)
Chopped chives (optional garnish)

Cook the whole, scrubbed potatoes in any way you like until they are soft. I put mine into the steamer, which takes about 30 minutes, or the microwave oven for 8-10 minutes (don’t forget to pierce the skin). If you prefer to use the regular oven, bake at 400° F for 45 – 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, begin cooking the onion in the olive oil over medium heat. When it has softened but not browned, add the remaining vegetables, chickpeas, and oregano. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Split the potatoes lengthwise into quarters and fan them out onto each plate. Top with a generous portion of the vegetable mixture.

Garnish with Baba Ganoush (another serving of veggies!) or sour cream and sprinkle with olives and chives to turn this dish into edible art.

For those who are interested in reducing or eliminating meat from their diet, have a look at our book, MOSAIC MEALS. The recipes in it show the reader how to make one dish that can have meat applied in whatever degree the individual wishes – or not at all – to make life a little easier and a lot healthier.

“I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~ Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and British politician (1874-1965)

As we break into the cooler months, there will be more time for leisurely breakfasts, hot from the skillet. But, for those who are cooking for someone who doesn’t eat eggs, that concept can have its challenges.

When I wrote the breakfast chapter in MOSAIC MEALS, I included some very tasty options. Even Brunchy Burritos and a Breakfast Bread Pudding can be managed without eggs. But this week, I wanted something different and a little bit playful on my plate. That’s when I decided on pancakes… and not just any old pancakes. I wanted mine wrapped around something so yummy it would make me squeal. No, no! Not THAT!

The mere mention of pigs in blankets is enough to strike terror into the hearts of our cholesterol-laden, pot-bellied buddies. Fear no more! This version of the pancake wrap is full of bananas. If you aren’t feeling playful, the pancakes are really good on their own, too.

Peanut Butter Pancakes

Makes 6 pancakes (serves 2)
Time: 15 minutes

⅔ cup milk (So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverate works great in this)
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup or Wholesome Agave Nectar
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 Banana (optional)

Measure the milk, peanut butter, and syrup into a blender or food processor container. Whirl on medium until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, except the banana, in the order given and process on medium again until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet until hot, then reduce heat to medium. Pour batter, about ¼ cup for each pancake, onto the griddle and allow to cook until the top puffs up a little and the bottom is brown. Flip the pancakes and allow the second side to brown. Serve with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon and sugar, or a bit of maple syrup.

To make the Bananas in Blankets, slice a banana into quarters lengthwise. Cut those pieces in half cross-wise to make 8 pieces. Eat 2 of the pieces while you wait for the pancakes to cook. As the pancakes come off the griddle, wrap each around one strip of the banana and place on plate side-by-side to prevent spontaneous un-rolling. As above, serve with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon and sugar, or a bit of maple syrup.

For special occasions, these pancakes are also good with a few chocolate chips hidden in with the bananas. Just don’t tell ‘em that I suggested it, ok?

“On the motionless branches of some trees, autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads, as in those fabled orchards where the fruits were jewels…” ~ Charles Dickens, English novelist (1812 – 1870)

We’re saying good-bye to summer today and can’t think of a more appropriate time to celebrate the bounty of the garden and orchard than by mixing up a special fruit dessert.

Using the word “stewed” in this case references drunkenness, not boiling, since the alcohol does the cooking slowly overnight. While I’m not fond of the amount of sugar this recipe requires, this syrup is an excellent way to use up that one last cup of wine after a party and you can drain the fruit first if you wish to avoid some of the sugar.

NOTE: The alcohol in this recipe does not evaporate with the brief exposure to heat. Please consider the individual before offering as this dessert may not be appropriate for children or someone with a history of alcohol-related issues.

The instructions here are for using apple, but feel free to substitute just about any tree fruit you wish, or a combination that makes it uniquely your own. We have also made it with frozen peaches and had it come out very well. It doesn’t matter if you use red wine or white, just whatever you have.

Stewed Fruit

Serves 4
Time: 5 minutes + 24 hours refrigeration

1 large apple
1 cup dried cherries or raisins
1 cup wine
1 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole cloves (optional)

Peel and core the apple, then chop into bite-sized bits. Measure the apple bits and dried fruit into a quart jar, then add the cinnamon sticks and cloves (if using).

Heat the wine just to the boiling point in a small pot on the stove, or in the microwave oven for about 30 seconds (a little longer if it is chilled). Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until it has dissolved.

Pour the wine mixture over the fruit, cover the jar with a tight-fitting lid, and allow it to stand until it has cooled to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator overnight.

Serve this compote over ice cream or on a slice of unfrosted cake (we are using gingerbread cupcakes tonight) as an elegant way to welcome autumn.

“I want to fight for the legitimate right of laughter in “serious” music.” ~ Dimitri Shostakovich, Russian composer (1906 – 1975)

Despite his best efforts to rework Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Dimitri Shostakovich was never able to make the opera acceptable to the Communist Party and it was banned in Russia for over 30 years. Indeed, were it not for a copy held in the archives of the U.S. Library of Congress, the original version of this powerful, tragic story might have been lost forever. I get the urge to listen to it every time the news features a story about censorship.

When I first started attending operas, I was delighted to learn that it is not unusual for people to dress in a way that reflects the material being presented. For some it is as subtle as including a hat from the era the opera takes place, and for others it means wearing very traditional dress to fit the story. Those who participate in this manner add to the dramatic atmosphere in a way that makes the experience more unforgettable.

Likewise, when we read certain books or listen to particular pieces of music at home, I like to prepare food that suits the story. Listening to a Russian classic pretty much demands that we eat Stroganoff. Here is a lighter, Meatless Monday version of that famous dish, adapted to include the last of the summer garden’s bounty.

Summer Squash Stroganoff

Serves: 2
Time: 15 minutes

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon buttery spread such as Earth Balance
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
½ cup dry white wine or light vegetable broth
½ cup light sour cream or substitute
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large, non-stick frying pan, soften the onion in the buttery spread over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then stir in the zucchini and summer squash. Continue to cook until the squash is tender-crisp, then stir in the wine or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.

Spoon some of the hot broth into the sour cream and stir to make a thin, creamy dressing. Stir into the squash mixture, then season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Serve hot over whole grain noodles, Russian rye bread, or brown rice, and complement the proteins for more complete nutrition with a side dish of fresh peas or pea pods.

Another Russian favorite, Sergi Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, available from some libraries for loan, is a fun choice to play with this meal if you share your table with young people.