Ingredients:
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 lb organic strawberries, rinsed and dried very well

Procedure:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set in refrigerator to chill.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler by snugly fitting a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the boiling water but rather is heated by the steam created from the simmering water. This will prevent scorching of the chocolate. Pour the chocolate chips in the bowl and, using a spatula, stir the chips until melted and incorporated. Remove bowl from heat.

Remove the chilled baking sheet from the refrigerator. Holding the strawberries by their stems, dip into the melted chocolate, twisting to coat completely and lifting to allow the excess of chocolate to fall back into the bowl before gently laying on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strawberries and allow to cool completely before serving enjoying.

This amazing fruit has been around for centuries. The name has is believed to have come from several places. One idea is that the name represents the plant’s runners, which in ancient times were said to have been “strawed” or strewn over the ground. Another is based on legend – it is believed that school children put just-picked berries onto glass straws and sold them as a ‘straw of berries.’ Just think, if they had put them into a basket or a cup they may have had a completely different name today.

Regardless – whatever you call them, most of us just call them good!

So where do these remarkable berries grow?
Strawberries are grown in every state in the United States and every province of Canada. In the US, they grow in many regions throughout the country, from Florida to Ohio – but production is limited due to the short growing seasons, which can range from a couple of weeks to 5 months. The majority of the supply comes from California, which accounts for an amazing 75 percent of the nation’s strawberry crops. This is due to California’s nearly 12 month growing season. The Golden state produces an amazing one billion pounds of strawberries each year – now that’s a lot of berries! California’s blessed with a temperate climate and ideal soil conditions for strawberry growing. Can you imagine a growing region spreading over 500 miles? That’s exactly how large of an area California has dedicated to strawberry production: from the southern coast of San Diego to as far north as Monterey. The season starts in early January in the areas furthest south, with a peak of supply in April, and works its way up north. The Monterey area starts about April with a peak in May or June but continues through November.

So here we are – it’s May, and berries are in full swing. So how do you make sure they are good? First, look for bright red berries with fresh green caps or “calyx” on top. Then make sure there are no signs of mold growth. If one berry is molded, mold spores can travel throughout the entire
package and you won’t be happy when you get them home. Strawberries are best eaten as soon after purchasing as possible. But, if you need to store them, keep your unwashed berries loosely covered with plastic wrap in the coldest part of your refrigerator for two to three days at most. They should not be left at room temperature for more than a few hours, as they will break down quicker. Furthermore, do not wash berries until ready to use.

When you’re ready to eat them, place your berries in a colander and rinse under cold running water, but don’t let them linger in the water too long, as they will lose color and flavor. Once washed, remove the calyx with a paring knife without removing any of the fruit. Why wait to take off the top, you may ask?
The answer is simple. When you remove the caps you tear cells in the berries, activating ascorbic
acid oxidase, an enzyme that destroys Vitamin C – and you won’t want to lose any of this vital nutrient. Strawberries have a lot! Eight medium size strawberries contain 96mg of vitamin C, which is more than enough to supply the Recommended Daily Allowance for men (90mg) and women (75mg) to maintain good immune function.

If you are wondering whether organic is worth the price, add this fact to the buying equation. In addition to being #3 on the EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) “Dirty Dozen” pesticide list, they are among the top ten crops that account for half of all reported agriculture-related pesticide illnesses.

Lastly, if you believe in folklore, here’s a tidbit for you. Legend has it that if you break a double strawberry in half and share it with a member of the opposite sex, you will fall in love with each other.

So the next time you are sitting at the breakfast table with these flavorful red jewels or dipping them into chocolate, stop and think for a moment – imagine how it might feel to take a tasty journey up the California coast. Heck, you may even fall in love!

By now you may have guessed that I’m talking about rhubarb.

When you are picking your rhubarb at the market, choose medium-sized stalks
that are firm and blemish-free. Avoid those that are limp, shriveled or spotted
brown. Don’t be surprised if you see different colors in the pile; rhubarb comes in
multiple colors ranging from deep crimson to rosy pink, or even pink-streaked green when
fully ripe. Though rhubarb stalks are stringy similar to celery; the texture will break down during cooking, so de-stringing is not necessary.

Once you get it home, fresh rhubarb will keep for up to a week if you store it carefully.
Keep it in the refrigerator tightly wrapped in a plastic bag, but even more importantly – don’t wash it until you’re ready to use it, as it will break down quickly. If you are looking for a great recipe for rhubarb, see Sita’s blog this week. And if you just can’t get enough of this firm stalk and want to extend the short season, it’s easy to freeze! Just follow this simple process:

- Wash and cut it into 1-inch pieces.
- Drop the pieces into boiling water for one minute.
- Remove, and stop the cooking by “shocking” it (putting instantly into a bowl of ice water)
- Once cooled, drain the rhubarb pieces, and spread them into a single layer on
baking sheets.
- Place in the freezer
- Once it is frozen solid, remove and put into heavy-duty plastic bags where it will
keep for up to a year.

And if you really can’t get enough during its short season, consider attending the 
21st Annual Rhubarb Fest
 – held June 1-2, 2012 in Aledo, Illinois. Heck, it could become a regular summer affair!

Ingredients:
- 1 head of garlic (about 10 cloves), peeled
- 1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups of vegetable stock or water
- leaves from 1/2 bu parsley
- 1/4 cup white miso
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

Place the garlic and ginger in a medium saucepan with the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the garlic is tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the ingredients to a blender, and, exercising caution, puree until smooth. Add the parsley and blend again to combine. Return mixture to the saucepan and whisk in the miso. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sip until you feel better.

The two most popular types of parsley are curly parsley and Italian flat leaf parsley. The Italian variety has a more fragrant and less bitter taste than the curly variety. There’s no doubt about it – many cooks prefer Italian parsley. They claim it chops more easily, has tender stems, and has more flavor. It is popular among cooks in the Middle East and Europe, where it’s also used as a vegetable in dishes like tabouli. Curly leaf tends to be more popular here in the US where it’s used as a garnish and ingredient. Is there a flavor difference? That’s up to you – but keep in mind that growing conditions, such as moisture and heat, will affect the flavor of both.

Since it has a stronger flavor than the curly variety, Italian flat leaf parsley holds up better to cooking and therefore is usually the type preferred for hot dishes. It should be added towards the end of the cooking process so that it can best retain its taste, color and nutritional value.

Parsley is, along with celery and carrots, a member of the Umbelliferae family. It’s no longer found in its original, wild form but is thought to have originated in Sardinia. The ancient Greeks, and possibly the Romans, used celery and parsley interchangeably as a seasoning. Both curly and Italian varieties were in use by 320 BC. Parsley use spread throughout the Middle East and Europe, and by 1548 parsley had arrived in England. Ancient Greeks crowned winners of sporting events with parsley, and warriors fed the leaves to their horses.

Do you ignore the parsley sprig on your plate? Maybe you shouldn’t! Parsley sweetens the breath, aids digestion, and helps relieve gas. Plus, it’s very nutritious. Loaded with vitamins C and A, calcium, magnesium and iron, parsley is also rich in chlorophyll, so it’s like all deep greens — it builds and helps detoxify your blood. It is an effective diuretic, helping the kidneys and bladder to relieve excess water due to weight gain, menstrual stress, and travel. To use, add chopped, raw parsley to pasta and rice dishes; use when making sauces or soup stock, or, steep some in hot water for a cup of tea. (I’ll have to try that after dinner some night!)

When buying parsley, choose bunches with firm, straight stems and bright green leaves. Avoid any with yellowing or wilted leaves. When you get it home, don’t wash it until it’s needed as too much moisture will cause it to break down quicker. At home wrap your bunch in a slightly moistened paper towel, place in a plastic bag and it will hold up for about a week in the fridge.

So whether you eat it cook it, wear it or feed it to your horse – parsley is one herb that is worth having around the house!

Just look at collard greens. Like many greens, they are a wonderful, dairy-free source of calcium. One cup of cooked collard leaves can supply 25-35% of your daily calcium needs. How about arugula? It’s got eight times as much calcium content as iceberg lettuce – more vitamin C than any other salad green. No wonder the Italians have eaten it since Roman times and consider the oil made
from its seeds a good luck charm and aphrodisiac.

Both collards and arugula are members of the Brassica family, along with cabbage and broccoli. The phytochemicals in these greens – known as indoles – help protect us against stomach, colon and breast cancer. The deep green color of their leaves tells us they are also high in beta-carotene, a potent anti-oxidant that helps rid our body of pollutants. Wow! Who needs vitamins when you’ve got greens like these around? And with all that calcium, perhaps the slogan should be “GOT GREENS,” instead of “GOT MILK.”

The funny thing is that even with all of the calcium sources available these days, some of us may not be getting all the dietary calcium we need and, in the long run, this could lead to serious bone loss. Amazingly, over ten million men and women of all ages in the U.S. have osteoporosis – and believe it or not, it’s on the rise. Part of the problem stems from bone-depleting dietary habits, like heavy soda and/or alcohol consumption, but for some, lactose intolerance is the issue.
Whatever the reason, spring greens can be part of the solution.

If you are thinking that collards and arugula are a bit strong-flavored for you, consider
this: during the cool spring days these two robust greens have a much more mellow flavor and may be easier to enjoy. If you’re still unsure about them, start with some chard. Chard has many health
benefits of other greens, but a much milder flavor and two distinct textures with the leaf being soft and tender and the stems with a firmer texture. It doesn’t matter which color you choose – green, red, gold or rainbow they are all equally as good.

Endive Spears with Herbed Cashew Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade

Ingredients:
- 12 good-sized individual endive leaves, about 3 endive spears
- 1 cup cashew cheese (recipe follows)*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced chives
- 3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Procedure:

Separate the individual endive leaves from the spears and lay out on a serving plate. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cashew cheese with the thyme, chives, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. In a separate small mixing bowl, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with the kalamata olives and parsley.

Spoon a tablespoon of herbed cashew cheese into the base of each endive spear and top with a heaping teaspoon of tapenade. Enjoy!

To make cashew cheese, blend the following ingredients in a food processor or blender until completely smooth:

- 1 ½ cups cashews, soaked for 2 hours, drained, and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoons white miso
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

Alternatively, if you eat dairy and have access to goat cheese from a small, local, organic artisan farm, you can substitute the cashew cheese with chevre.

- Sitarani Palomar, Vegetarian Chef

Tall and slender, asparagus shoots up like a blade of grass. It is a member of the lily family and not a grass at all, even though asparagus is often referred to as “grass” on the docks of the produce market. To keep your “grass” in peak condition, remove the band, clip the ends & store upright on a wet paper towel. It’s important to note that asparagus keeps growing after harvest, drawing water away from the lower stalk. Without water, your grass could get tough and fibrous. Too much moisture will cause rot, but just a little will keep it tender. As always, it is best to use your fresh spears within a few days.
Look for firm, fresh, spears with closed, compact tips and uniform diameter – this will ensure that all spears will cook in the same amount of time. Give them a whiff; your asparagus should smell fresh and not funky. Any smell that is a little off means that the grass is getting old and should be left alone.

In an analysis of government pesticide residue reports, the Environmental Working Group came up with some produce recommendations; among them — eat asparagus. Asparagus made their list of the top five best choices. While 14% tested positive for one pesticide, only 1% of the asparagus tested rated positive for 2 or more pesticides. For those concerned about residues, the study suggested eating asparagus instead of the more contaminated conventional spinach or red bell peppers for the same nutritional benefits – namely, vitamin C, carotenoids and folic acid. Still concerned about residues? Buy organic!

Rich in Vitamin K which helps promote strong, healthy bones as well as potassium, a terrific blood-pressure regulator, asparagus offers you more than just a reminder that warm weather and baseball season are on its way. And there are a multitude of ways you can prepare it, so you won’t get bored before the season is out. Here are some of my favorites:

Prepare a Cream of Asparagus Soup by sweating shallots with a pinch of sea salt, adding chopped asparagus and vegetable stock to the pot, and simmering until tender. Puree until smooth, and just before serving, stir in some fresh thyme and crumbled gorgonzola dolce latte cheese.

For brunch, prepare poached eggs with hollandaise sauce and serve over a bed of blanched asparagus, garnishing with a generous amount of chopped chives.

Roast pencil-thin asparagus spears in the oven until the tips are crispy. Chill thoroughly and then wrap with thin slices of smoked provolone for the ultimate snack.

Try this recipe for Quinoa Tabouli with Asparagus, Easter Egg Radishes, and Fresh Herbs:

Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa, rinsed well and drained
3 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ cups Easter egg radishes, diced
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed into 1-inch pieces and blanched
1 cup chopped green onions
5 fresh mint leaves, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:
Bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa and salt and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.

When the quinoa is cool, combine with the remaining ingredients and enjoy!

-Sitarani Palomar, Vegetarian Chef

A sturdy plant that enjoys cool weather and repels rain drops with its thick leaves and tightly compact heads, broccoli grows year round in regions where it doesn’t get too hot. A hardy feeder that requires lots of compost from the organic grower, broccoli grows best in deep loamy soils. The Salinas Valley in California has these conditions, making it the broccoli capital of the U.S. Harvested by hand and packed in the field, broccoli receives cool water showers and forced air cooling before being topped with crushed ice and moved to the cooler – where it may stay for up to a month before it is sold and transported. Remarkably, even after this, it is still alive and nutritious.

One of the best food buys around, broccoli is vitamin-rich, and high in fiber and anti-cancer agents. Calcium, folate and iron content make it a particularly good choice for expecting moms. Sulforaphane and chemicals known as indoles make broccoli an important food in cancer prevention, especially for those at risk for colon or lung cancer. Plus, it repeatedly earns accolades from environmental and consumer groups for its low pesticide residue scores. Do not overcook it or you’ll lose many of its valuable benefits. Better yet, chop some up raw for your salad.

Choose heavy broccoli heads with tight, green florets (avoiding broccoli with yellowing florets) and firm stalks. When you get it home, store it unwashed in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator. If bought very fresh at a farmers market or a really good produce department, it will keep up to 10 days. Rinse broccoli just before using it as washing before storing will cause it to break down faster.

For most preparations you’ll want to cut off the florets from the stem or stalk for even cooking but don’t toss the stem. If you take the time to cut off or peel its tough exterior, and slice into slender rounds you’ll discover a crunchy, delicious, tender treat that will cook up great with the florets or work really well on a dip plate with carrots and peppers.

If you find a good deal on broccoli and want to keep it longer, try freezing it. Broccoli holds up well in the freezer but like most vegetables, it must be blanched before freezing. That’s because fresh vegetables like broccoli contain an active enzyme which causes it to get tough, and can ruin the flavor if frozen without being blanched.
Lastly, if you have fallen in love with Broccolini because of its smaller florets and slender long stalk, you may think of it as just young baby broccoli – but it is actually across between broccoli and kai-lan, a.k.a Chinese broccoli.