Homemade Organic Applesauce

Thanks to the great variety of new places and things to try on LivingSocial, I came across Long Island Organic Delivery - a provider of fresh, organic, local produce from farms on Long Island, that delivers vegetables, fruit, dairy, and non-organic (ex. chicken cutlets, burgers, pre-made wraps) right to your front door. They vary their produce each week, and you get to choose which from their list (and how much of it) that you'd like to have delivered! It's a husband and wife owned and run operation - Russ and Chris - and on this upcoming Tuesday, I'll get an opportunity to see if their product and delivery service is as wonderful as speaking to Russ on the phone (yes, the husband took my order himself).


This week from the Vegetable list, I'll be receiving:
Yams, Carrots, Broccoli, Cucumber, Green Beans, Beets, Green leaf lettuce, Spinach, Garlic, and Tomatoes.

From the Fruit list:
Bananas, Cameo apples, Valencia oranges, Packham pears, and limes

My box will contain 1 to 4 pieces of each.

They had a couple delicious sounding recipes on their website for visitors to try, and with the apples that are coming, I thought I'd try the Homemade Organic Applesauce. The recipe goes a little something like this:

Use organic ingredients! Serve warm or cold, and enjoy!

(The following organic applesauce recipe is courtesy of Necessary Room.)

2 to 3 organic apples, peeled and chopped 

3/4 cup organic orange juice (fresh squeezed or a 100 percent orange juice brand)

1/8 cup organic brown sugar

1/2 tsp lemon zest 

1/8 tsp ground organic cinnamon

Method

Combine orange juice and chopped apples in a deep saucepan.

Boil for about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.

Stir in brown sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon.

Cook uncovered until the apples reach the desired consistency (for about 20 minutes), stirring often. Adjust measurement of ingredients to suit your taste.

Serve warm and enjoy.

Note: You can store up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Put in food processor or blender and puree if you prefer applesauce with a smoother texture.

Interested in learning a little more about LI Organic Delivery?

Click here to visit their website!

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

**This recipe is via NATALIE'S KILLER KITCHEN**

For the view that have had the GLORIOUS experience of this chili per moi, please know that I originally googled and found THIS recipe, which I tweaked just a bit. So, I thought with this being one of my favorite dishes to prepare EVER, I'd share the wealth so you could have a go with it as well. I've prepared this as a pot luck addition, a Thanksgiving/Christmas side dish, and a filler for TACO NIGHT! All I've received are compliments... this stuff is great. Enjoy**

I've copied and pasted from Natalie's site (too lazy to retype...), so the following speakings are from her:

(Here's the link to bookmark it in your web browser, by the way) ---->>

http://www.natalieskillercuisine.com/2009/12/three-bean-vegetarian-chili.html/comment-page-1#comment-6134

POSTED DEC 23

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

Posted in: Vegetarian

Warning! Danger! Waistlines, beware!

The Holidays are quickly approaching which means the time spent exercising seems to be less and less… and the time spent cooking and eating seems to be more and more. That’s okay though, that’s what New Years resolutions are for… right?

I have a solution though.


Meals high in fiber and protein keep you feeling full longer. So before you go to a holiday cocktail party (or anywhere that there could be high-calorie snacks), eat a dinner like this vegetarian chili. The beans in the chili provide plenty of fiber and some protein as well. Eat this and you will not be hungry for hours! It’s okay to have a few bites at a party, but eating a full meal before I go anywhere helps keep me from mindlessly snacking. And that keeps my waistline safe. For now.
 
Three Bean Vegetarian Chili
yield: 5 portions
1/2 cup Onion, diced
1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 of an Jalapeno, minced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 TBS Oil, any kind
1 can Tomato Paste
1 can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup Corn (frozen, canned or fresh)
1 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock (or water)
1 TBS Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Cayenne

1. Add the tablespoon of oil and the first four ingredients. Saute the vegetables until tender and aromatic, about 5 minutes.
2. Leaving the flame on high, add the tomato paste. Using a spatula, move the tomato paste around vigorously to avoid sticking. Cook the tomato paste around 2 minutes and remove from the heat. (This is caramelizing the tomato paste, you want that, oh yes you do!)
3. Add the three kinds of beans, the stock, and seasonings. Return to the stove top using medium heat and let simmer for at least an hour until it is the consistency you prefer. (I prefer for most of the liquid to be reduced, but if you want a ‘soup’ier chili then let simmer only 45 minutes.)
4. I like to let my chili sit in the pot and cool down for an hour or two. The longer it sits together the better the flavors will taste together. You can easily reheat the chili on the stove top or microwave.


Topping Ideas

Sour Cream, Fresh Onions, Cilantro, Limes, Avocado, Salsa, Red Pepper Flakes

I love this chili. It’s perfect for this chilly season and leaves me feel very full and satisfied, yet I know I didn’t eat unhealthy.

I love to bring this chili to work also. All I need is some chili in a container to microwave, and a small container filled with sour cream, cheese, cilantro and onions to top it with. Simple! (And it will make your coworkers jealous… trust me!)
 

Sweet and Tangy Salmon

This dish was inspired around Thanksgiving time, so lots of rich flavors in here will compliment starches and vegetables very nicely.**

Before we start, be sure to have the following prepared:

Oven, preheat to 425 F
Measuring cup
Spatula
1 Deep Pan, also long enough for your fish to fit in

2 pieces of Aluminum Foil, long enough to wrap your fish in from one end over the other

Now here we go!

1 generous piece of Salmon (1.25 to 2 lbs)

1/2 cup of Lawry's Sesame Ginger with Mandarin Orange Juice, "30 Minute Marinade"
1/4 cup of water
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 cup of "In the Raw" Brown Sugar
4 tbsp (very generous) of Trader Joe's Pineapple Salsa

Place one piece of foil in the pan, vertically
Thoroughly rinse the salmon off in warm water (leaving the skin on is optional)
Place the salmon on top of the foil in the pan, curling the edges up a bit to hold all the juices in
Combine the marinade, water, lemon juice in the measuring cup and stir until all looks mixed and slightly "foggy"
Pour your mixture on top of the fish while simultaneously massaging the marinade into the flesh with the spatula

Lift the fish with your spatula, and spread the overflow of marinade beneath the fish
Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the fish with an even coating. Sprinkle a little sugar beneath the fish, as well
Spoon on the salsa, spreading the chunks evenly around
Place the second piece of foil over your fish, pressing down slightly so that no edges are outside the pan
Once your oven is preheated and ready to go at 425 F, place the pan inside and cook for approximately 30 MINS (**Approximate stands for how well you like your fish done. The longer it's in, the lighter pink and more well done)
Check in on your fish periodically just by lifting the top piece of foil...

When it's cooked to the color and time length of your liking, remove it, set it on the side to cool off a bit.  

With dinner sides this dish can satisfy 4-6 people, including the carnivores! Serve, and ENJOY**

Tuna, on a HIGH NOTE

Adding a little kick to the good old-fashioned tuna sandwich!
Goes great with a side bowl of chunky vegetable soup.**

   

2 cans of Solid white tuna (with water)
2 slices of oat nut or whole wheat bread
1/4 cup of chopped sweet onion
Sliced tomato, 2-4 slices to top the sandwich
Mayonnaise (Light)
Sweet relish
Spicy brown mustard
Lemon juice
Black pepper
Salt

Drain the water from the tuna cans, then add tuna into a bowl
Add the condiments: Mayo, Relish, Mustard, starting with 1 tsp of each.
Add 3 hearty shakes of black pepper and salt
Add 2 squirts of lemon juice
Stir together until all is evenly distributed
Add the chopped onion, stir together once more

Taste how the tuna is at this point. If its too salty or too lemony, add a little more relish to kick it down a notch. If you taste too much mayo, add a little more mustard or pepper to absorb some of the flavor. The "high note" comes from the lemon juice, which gives this mixture a light and delicate flavor. If you decide that the lemon juice isn't quite your forte, keep it out on the next batch.

Once you've established the batch to your liking, grab two slices of bread (toasted would be delicious too!) and add your sliced tomato, and ENJOY.**