THE BEET

COOK BOOK

© 2010 The Beetdesign by J. SarpThank you to Aliza Sollins, Cheryl Carmona, Clarissa Gregory, Dan Zink, Jasmine Sarp, Kendall Hoff, and Tara Megos for their recipe contributions!

CONTENTS

1 Introduction

2 January - Honey Granola

3-4 February - Pizza

5 March - Curry Popcorn

6 April - Coffee Sorbet

7 May - Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

8-9 June - Biscuits & Raspberry Jam

10-11 July - Baba Ghanoush & Hummus

12 August - Indian Okra Dish

13 September - Black Bean, Corn, Tomato Salad

14 October - Pumpkin Soup

15 November - Sweet Potato Tacos

16 December - Panettone

The Beet

The Beet food co-op is a collective that has organized around the goal of making healthy, affordable, organic and local food available. The Beet started from a group of individuals who had the common interest of starting a food co-op in Baltimore. In April 2010 the Beet started a volunteer-run food-buying club where members place monthly orders of organic (and whenever possible local) bulk food items at a low cost. Bulk food buying reduces the use of excess packaging and the Beet also encourages members to bring their own reusable containers when picking up food items. As we learn about food distribution we are planning our next steps towards the goal of developing into a food co-op with a storefront where we will expand our available items to fresh, local produce, dairy, meat, prepared and processed foods by local food makers, and other items such as hand-crafted soaps made by local artisans. Please enjoy these recipes shared by our members!

1

JANUARY - HONEY GRANOLA

INGREDIENTS

4 cups rolled oats¾ cup walnuts¾ cup peanuts½ cup sunflower seeds1 cup raisins¾ cup honey¼ cup butter¼ cup peanut butter1 tsp cinnamon¼ tsp salt1 tsp vanilla

PREPARATION

Combine rolled oats, walnuts, peanuts, and sunflower seeds in a bowl and mix. Combine honey, butter, peanut butter, cinnamon and vanilla into a saucepan and bring to boil for 1 minute. Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients and mix well to coat all dry ingredients. Spread the mixture (½ inch thick) onto cookie sheets and bake at 350° F for 20 min. Rotate or stir granola every 5 min. Add the raisins after 10 minutes of baking. Cool and crumble granola before storing in container.

2

FEBRUARY - BASIC PIZZA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

dough2 tsp dry yeast½ cup lukewarm water¼ cup olive oil3¾ cup unbleached white flour¾ cup cold water1 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

Stir together yeast and lukewarm water. Then add ½ cup flour, mix well. Let stand for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. In another bowl, mix 3¼ flour and salt. Stir this into yeast and flour mixture with cold water and olive oil. Mix by hand until dough is soft, elastic, and sticky. If it is too sticky, add more flour. Put dough in a bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about two hours, or let it rise in fridge overnight and take it out two hours before use. Oil a large rimmed pan. Flatten dough on pan, pushing it outward from the center. If it springs back, let it rest for ten minutes, then continue. Drizzle with olive oil, cover and let rise for 2 hours. While it is resting, preheat the oven to 500° F. Top pizza with sauce (see pg. 4), cheese, and any available vegetables or meat, and bake for 10 minutes, or until crust is golden.

3

FEBRUARY - PIZZA SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

sauce28 oz. can of tomatoeslarge diced onion3 cloves of diced garlic1 tsp dried oregano1 tsp dried basilsalt and pepper

PREPARATION

Sauté onion in a large saucepan on medium heat for 5 minutes (until clear). Add garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, bring up to a boil, turn down heat to med- low. Stir occasionally and add oregano and basil after 40 minutes. Cook sauce for another 50 minutes (or until sauce reaches desired consistency), stirring to ensure sauce does not stick to bottom of pan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4

MARCH - CURRY POPCORN

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup popcorn4 tbsp coconut oil2 tbsp curry2 tbsp sugar

PREPARATION

Heat the coconut oil on medium heat in a large pot with the lid on. Put 2 or 3 popcorn kernels in the pan. When the kernels have popped put in the ¾ cup of popcorn. Let the corn pop and turn off the heat when there is about 2 seconds between pops. Mix the curry and sugar. Add mixture to popped corn. Makes about 2 large bowls of popcorn.

5

APRIL - COFFEE SORBET

INGREDIENTS

½ cup finely ground Fair Trade coffee beans2¾ cups water¾ cups sugaroptional: vanilla, cinnamon, orange peel, or other flavoring

PREPARATION

Brew coffee with 2 cups of water in a coffee maker, french press, or stove top. Combine ¾ cups of water and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to make sure sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Optional: add a dash of vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, orange peel, or other flavoring to the sugar syrup. Stir the coffee into the sugar syrup. Let cool. Discard any floating spices after the liquid has cooled. Pour the cooled coffee mixture into a large tupperware container (recycled plastic yogurt tubs work well). Make sure there are a few extra inches of room for the liquid to expand as it freezes. Place the container into the freezer overnight. To serve, use a fork or spoon to scrape the frozen coffee mixture into a fluffy icy treat. No ice cream maker needed! Could work as a popsicle too.

6

MAY - STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE

INGREDIENTS

crust 2 sticks very cold butter 2 cups flour, plus extra for rolling dough 1 tsp salt ½ cup ice water optional: egg white and sugarfilling 2½ cups chopped fresh rhubarb 2½ cups de-stemmed, halved strawberries 1 cup sugar 2 tbsp tapioca powder zest and juice of one lemon ½ tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract

PREPARATION

Cube butter and mash into flour and salt with a fork, adding water one tablespoon at a time. Knead and separate into 2 flat disks. Press one disk into a pie plate. Cut second disk into stripes for lattice top. Heat oven to 425° F. Mix filling ingredients in a large bowl, and pour into crust. Brush butter on top of the filling. Arrange stripes of dough on the pie to make the lattice top, and press into edges with a fork to seal. Brush with egg white and garnish with sugar. Cover the edge of the crust with foil, then bake for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375° F and continue to bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

7

JUNE - VEGAN BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour1 tbsp baking powder½ tsp salt2 tbsp Earth Balance2 tbsp vegetable shortening¾ cup vanilla soymilk

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 345° F. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. With a fork, cut in Earth Balance and shortening until mixture is about the consistency of sand with pea-sized lumps of butter. Mix in soy milk. Dust counter top with flour and knead dough until it no longer sticks between your fingers. Roll dough half an inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass. Place biscuits an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake on the top rack of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

8

& RASPBERRY JAM

INGREDIENTS

4 cups blended raspberries3 cups sugar1 tbsp pectin

PREPARATION

In a large pot, combine raspberries and sugar and bring to a boil. Add pectin and reduce heat. Let simmer 20 minutes. A teaspoon of jam should gel on a cold plate (from the freezer) Pour jam in two sterilized pint-sized Mason jars. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Jam should last five months. Mason jars and their lids can be sterilized in boiling water while the jam is cooking.

9

JULY - BABA GHANOUSH

INGREDIENTS

4 small eggplants2 tomatoes4 cloves garlic2 tbsp olive oil1 small bunch parsley3 tbsp lemon juice or pomegranate molasses1 tbsp tahini1 tsp red pepper flakessalt to taste

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 400° F. Slice eggplants in half, rub insides with olive oil and salt, and place on a baking sheet in the oven. Bake until soft when poked with a fork. Let halves sit in fridge for 1 to 2 hours, letting liquid drain to remove bitterness. Dice the eggplant and tomatoes and combine with minced garlic, parsley and remaining ingredients.

10

& HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups garbanzo beans soaked overnight4 tbsp tahini3 cloves garlic1 lemon½ cup olive oil1 tsp red pepper flakes2 tsp cuminsalt to taste

PREPARATION

Drain and rinse garbanzo beans. Boil them in plenty of water until they are tender, then drain. Puree them with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and ¼ cup of the olive oil in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add salt to taste. Heat remaining olive oil in a skillet, and add red pepper flakes. Drizzle over hummus. Try variations like pine nuts or jalapenos by roasting them in the skillet and adding on top.

11

AUGUST - INDIAN OKRA

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp olive oil10 okra, chopped1 large vidalia onion, sliced in wedges2 tbsp garam masala (found at Indian supermarkets)2 tsp curry powder2 plum tomatoes, sliced in wedges1 large mango or two peaches, chopped in cubes8 oz. dried garbanzo beans soaked overnight4 cloves garlic, minced2 cups brown rice4 cups water1 tsp salt

PREPARATION

On medium, heat oil in a large saucepan. Add okra, onions, garam masala, and curry. Cook for ten minutes or until okra is tender and can be stabbed with a fork and onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, mango/peaches, and garbanzo beans and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic, cook two more minutes and remove from heat. Meanwhile, bring rice, water, and salt to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer covered for thirty minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the water. Serve okra dish on a bowl of rice.

12

SEPTEMBER - BLACK BEAN, CORN & TOMATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 large red heirloom tomato1 large yellow heirloom tomato2 ears corn, husked and boiled8 oz. dried black beans, soaked overnight1 avocado, cubedsmall bunch cilantro, chopped1 lime1 tbsp hot sauce2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

PREPARATION

Slice tomatoes in wedges, salt and put aside (salting tomatoes about twenty minutes before adding them draws out excess moisture). Cut kernels from corn. Combine tomatoes, corn, beans, avocado, and cilantro. Season to taste. In a glass, combine lime juice, hot sauce, and vinegar. Mix with a fork and use to dress the salad. Suggestion: add grilled shrimp or scallops to the salad for some extra protein.

13

OCTOBER - PUMPKIN SOUP

INGREDIENTS

2 cups chopped portobello mushrooms2 large onions, minced2 cloves of garlic3 tbsp butter2 tbsp olive oil1 tsp fresh thyme1½ tbsp fresh sagesalt and pepper1 tbsp soy sauce2 cups vegetable stock1 cup milk4 cups pureed cooked pumpkin or 1 medium pumpkin

PREPARATION

Cut pumpkin into about 8 pieces. Grease a shallow roasting pan. Brush the pumpkin with olive oil, add a dash of salt and pepper and bake at 400° F for 30 minutes. Remove pumpkin skin and puree the pumpkin in a food processor. Sauté onions for about 5 to 10 minutes in butter on medium heat. Add garlic, thyme, and sage and sauté for another 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, soy sauce and vegetable stock. Bring to a slow boil. Stir in 4 cups of pureed pumpkin and 1 cup milk. Bring to a slow boil again while stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with panettone bread (December recipe).

14

NOVEMBER - SWEET POTATO TACOS

INGREDIENTS

3 sweet potatoes1 sweet onion8 oz. dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained3 cloves garlic, mincedcrushed red pepper flakes to tasteginger to tastecurry powder to taste30 small corn tortillaspeanut oil for frying (though canola oil will do)

additional toppings:avocado, cilantro, diced tomatoes, serrano peppers,lettuce, white cheddar cheese, sour cream

PREPARATION

Steam sweet potatoes until they can be pierced from a fork. Mash them in a bowl. Dice and sauté onion. Add to sweet potatoes. Fry beans with garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ginger, and curry powder. Add to sweet potatoes and onion. Microwave ten corn tortillas for 10 to 15 seconds (to prevent them from cracking during frying). Stuff a tortilla with potato mixture and any additional toppings and close up like a pierogi. Deep fry for one to two minutes on each side and enjoy!

15

DECEMBER - PANETTONE

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup warm water4 tbsp vegetable oil plus 2 tbsp butter1½ tsp salt3 tbsp sugar2 eggs3 cups bread flour2 tsp yeast½ cup dried fruits like raisins, apricots, figs, etc.½ cup chopped nuts1 tsp vanilla extractzest of one lemon and one orange

PREPARATION

Proof yeast by combining water, sugar and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes or until bubbles form. Stir together remaining ingredients except zest, and knead for about 10 minutes. Cover dough and let it sit in a warm place to rise until about doubled in size. Punch down dough and add lemon and orange zest. Shape into loaf, cover, and leave to rise again. While waiting, heat oven to 375° F. Once dough has risen, bake for 35 minutes.

16