Sunchokes: An Unsung American Hero
Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, sunroots, earth apples, and topinambur, are actually the roots and related to sunflowers. The sunchoke has a long American history, they were cultivated by the Native Americans long before European settlers arrived. Although not as popular as some other tubers in the US (ahem..the potato) they are much more nutritious. Sunchokes have prebiotic properties which are great for intestinal health and also contain vitamin C, phosphorus and potassium. They are also a great source of iron.
Even better than all that - they taste awesome. When raw they resemble water chestnuts and when roasted they have a nutty, sweet, and slightly salty taste. The natural sweetness of the tuber makes the roots almost carmelize when you roast them, creating a delicious and healthy sidedish to any meal.
16 oz of sunchokes: washed, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced
4 tbs of olive oil
salt and pepper optional
Preheat Oven to 425 degrees
- After cutting the sunchokes, rinse them, dry them, and mix them with carrots and celery. Coat in olive oil/salt/pepper.
- Roast for 45: flip every once and awhile after 30 min mark otherwise sunchokes will stick to the bottom of the pan
Roasted Cauliflower and Feta
I love cauliflower and I love feta. This dish was bound to happen in my kitchen.
2 cups of cauliflower florets
2 tbs. of fresh chopped chives
1/4 cup of chicken broth
1/4 cup of chopped feta (not the crumbled feta)
2 tbs of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
chili powder (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- If cauliflower is not in floret form, cut into smaller pieces and place in baking dish.
- Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper, and chives onto the florets and cook for 30 minutes
- Take cauliflower out of the oven and toss to make sure they arent burning. Add in cheese and cook for an addtional 15 minutes.
- Dust with chili powder when done if desired
Tomato Tarts
There is nothing simpler than a tomato tart in the summer. If you grow tomatoes and never know what to do with your leftovers, this is a great way to use them.
4 lbs of tomatoes
4 tbs of Dijon Mustard
2/3 cup of shredded swiss cheese
1 ts. garlic powder
1/4 cup of finely chopped herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme)
1 pie crust (make your own or buy a Pillsbury pre-made)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Bake crust for 10 minutes, remove, and let cool
- While pie crust is cooling, slice tomatoes into slices and drain excess juice in a collander
- After crust is cool, then spread the mustard on the bottom. Evenly sprinkle the cheese top of mustard and then arrange the tomato slices in one layer (like dominos)
- Sprinkle garlic powder and herbs ontop of tomatoes and bake for 15-20 minutes
