Greek Inspired Fiddlehead Fern Salad

I grew up in rural Connecticut where the floor of the lush woods is covered with healthful vegetation untouched by chemicals or pesticides.  My parents planted garden both floral and vegetable in the very fertile soil; if you plant it-it will grow.  My father would go hunting and fishing with the neighborhood fellow and would bring back interesting and new things for us to try.  One time he actually brought back a squirrel, for some reason that's not nearly as odd as, my mother actually cooked it up for dinner. 

No worries this post is not about wild woodland creatures big or small.  It's about Fiddlehead ferns my dad would bring home every now and again.  They must have been good if I'm making them all these decades later. 

A Fiddle-head is the little curlicue sprout before it blossoms into a fancy fern frond.  Fiddleheads taste like asparagus and have a crisp crunch to them and are a vibrant green.  They are full of antioxidants too. Check out Nutrition Facts for Fiddleheads.

Through the use of Twitter I contacted @wegmans the moderator for Wegman's Food Markets.  I requested that fiddleheads be delivered to the produce department of the store in my town.  Spring is the peak season for these so time was of the essence.  In a  matter of a couple of weeks they were able to get a good amount in stock for me. Thanks @wegmans and Mark, the Produce Manager!

First we have to clean and blanch these fiddleheads.  Cleaning and precooking fiddleheads is a crucial step because they could contain microbes.  Oh stop it! There's no need to feel squeamish! This is food the way it was meant to be fresh from mother earth.


With a paring knife remove the stem end of each fiddlehead then rinse them in a colander under cold water.

Okay let's get cookin'.  Here's what I used:

1 lb Fiddleheads
2-3T Salt
1C Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 small Red Onion, sliced
1/2 C Kalamata Olives, pitted and halved
1/4 C Feta Cheese

1/4 C Olive Oil
2 T Fresh Lemon Juice
1T Dijon Mustard
1 cloves garlic. minced
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t dried oregano
ground black pepper to taste

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil then add 2-3 T of salt.  Cook the fiddleheads in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, them remove with strainer and immediately place in a bowl of ice water. Drain once cooled. 

See don't they look better now?!? I told you not to worry.....


Meanwhile combine Olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, oregano and pepper in a large screw top container or shaker with tight lid.  Shake to mix.

In a mixing bowl place tomatoes, olives, onions, half of the feta cheese, Greek dressing and fiddleheads.  Mix to combine.  Place mixed salad into serving dish and top garnish with remaining feta cheese. Enjoy!
 

I hope you try this. Fiddleheads are very tasty and healthful!

Orange Mango Carrot Popsicles

Orange Mango Carrot Popsicles

Break out the juice machine and make delicious, refreshing, and all natural Popsicle.  Even those picky eaters that shun veggies won't know the carrots are what make these icy pops so sweet and healthy.  One of that many things I love about these treats is their vibrant orange color and the fact they are 100% All Natural!! No coloring, preservatives or additive :D

The trick to a good popsicle is to not add water.  So don't try to take a short cut by using store bought orange juice of any kind.

Here's what I used:
2/3 C Carrot juice (1lb bag)
1- 4lb Bag of Navel Oranges juiced
2 Mangoes
1/2 C Light Agave Nectar (optional)

Listen, these measurements are really by preference.  You add as much or as little of each as you feel you'd like.  The first batch of these I made the family wasn't too keen on the carrot flavor.  Well that's not completely accurate, my niece Audrey who can't stand veggies loved these Popsicle and she knew there was carrot in them.  My sister wanted them to be even sweeter even though the carrots and mangoes are very sweet hence the addition of the agave nectar.  So, it really does depend on your own personal pallet.

I love these Groovy Popsicle molds from Tovolo.  They're big and the grooves make them fun! Plus the handle has a little cup that catches the drips.  Wash and dry your molds and secure them in their stand. 

 Wash carrots and run them through the juicer.  I love my Jack LaLanne Power Juicer because it runs so quietly and the motor doesn't get bogged down when I add the fruit/vegetables.  Plus clean up truly is a breeze and it is not all that expensive. 

 Juice.....

 

Juice....

 Juice some more!

Juice the oranges.  I'm thinking about ordering an electric orange juicer from Amazon.com.  What do you think?  Do you have one? How often do you use it?  I think I would drink more fresh orange juice if I had one. 

This recipe was originally going to be just orange and carrot, but I found these gorgeously ripened mangoes in the fruit bowl so I may as well throw them in! Select the ripest mangoes you can find they should have an even dark pinkish color on both sides and be soft to the touch but not mushy.  Wash them and dry them with a clean towel.

Using a sharp knife very carefully cut around the large stone inside by cutting straight down both sides of the mango. 

Score the mango slices in a crisscross pattern then flip the slices inside out.  Simply cut the square sections off and place in the blender.

Once you have the mango cubes in the blender add Orange juice, Carrot Juice and agave nectar.  Blend until smooth.  This should be enough liquid to fill at least a dozen standard size Popsicle molds, if not add a bit more orange juice.

 If you are using agave now would be the time to add it.  Start with 1/2 C then add more if desired.

Fill your molds and freeze for at least 4 hours. Be sure to leave a 1/4-1/2 inch of head space room at the top of each mold.  This is going to be one Yummy Summer!!!

Orange Mango and Carrot Popsicles

Makem', Tastem' and Let me know what you think! :D


I used these products for this recipe and encourage you to do the same.  (P.S. The Juiceman is on my wishlist. ;) )
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What are some of your favorite fruit/veggie sweet treat combinations?  Let me know in the comments!

Cool cucumber and avocado smoothie

It is going to be such a hot summer this year. The only problem I have with that is I can't realistically sit around sipping mojitoes all day ( or can I?). hmmm....

For now I'll enjoy this quick and simple Cool cucumber and avocado smoothie. 

You'll need:
1 ripe hass avocado peeled, pit removed and chopped
1 large cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 C non-fat milk
1T lemon juice
Throw it all in a blender. Blend. Enjoy!!!