Broccoli in Citrus-Avocado Cream with Fresh Sage

This is a great way to eat your broccoli! Lightly-steamed florets are served in a silken orange and avocado cream made with pumpkin seeds and garden fresh sage, garnished with toasted pine nuts. Not only is this dish full of flavour and crunch, but also offers a rich nutritional profile. This recipe is an unusual salad or side dish. Served with rice crackers or crusty bread, it makes a filling meal on its own...and is so easy to prepare!

You'll need: broccoli with stalks; 1 orange; 1 avocado; 12-14 orange cherry tomatoes; 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds; 2 tablespoons raw pine nuts; 2 leaves of fresh sage; 2 tablespoons filtered water; sea salt to taste.

Method: Wash broccoli and shake dry. Cut tops from stalks. Separate florets into bite-size pieces. Lightly steam until just tender. Rinse in cold water, drain. Place in a large bowl.

Wash and quarter orange tomatoes. Add to broccoli florets. Cover and set aside.

Place water, pumpkin seeds and salt in blender. Peel, pit and chop avocado and add to blender. Add peeled and chopped orange  sections, sage leaves, and salt to taste.

Blend at medium speed until a thick smooth cream is formed.

Lightly toast pine nuts over low heat until fragrant and shiny. Add pine nuts to broccoli and tomatoes, reserving 1 teaspoon of pine nuts for garnish.  Add citrus-avocado cream to vegetable mixture, and gently combine. 

Place broccoli mixture in a serving dish, and sprinkle with reserved pine nuts and a sage leaf. Enjoy!

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Zesty Zucchini Chips

Summer time and the zucchini are abundant. Such a versatile and and flexible vegetable. This easy recipe makes zucchini chips that are anything but flexible. They are crisp and crunchy...everything a really good snack should be! Who'd have thought zucchini could be even better tasting than potato chips--not to mention healthier. Chips are great with just a little sea salt, but they really shine with a bit of seasoning. Flavour  any way you like.

You'll need: Zucchini; sea salt; herbs and spices.

Method: Wash zucchini. Cut into very thin slices with a knife, mandolin or a food processor. (I use a ceramic knife) Lay slices on a sheet and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. (Salt will draw moisture to the surface so spices stick better)

I use dried lemon thyme on one batch of chips. You can season one side and leave the other plain, or flip chips over and dust second side with topping.

A second batch is sprinkled with salt and a spicy mixture of cumin-coriander-marjoram-chili powder. Let your taste buds inspire your imagination!

Place seasoned zucchini chips in a dehydrator at a low 'living food' temperature. Dry until crisp, turning once if necessary. Store chips in an airtight container...if there are any left to make it into a container! Zucchini chips can also be placed on trays, covered with cheesecloth and put in the sun to dry. An oven at its lowest temperature with the door ajar also will dehydrate chips. Enjoy the bounty of the summer's garden!

Some innovative chefs have turned their vehicles into giant sun-dryers. They park in the sun with the windows cracked open a bit, placing cheesecloth-covered trays of zucchini chips on the seats. It's a fun 'yummy' activity for kids (and adults) at the cottage.


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