Warm Winter Veggies

As the weather's gotten colder, two very exciting things have happened in my eating/cooking life:

1. Three of my favorite colleagues and I started a lunch club.  One night per week, each of us cooks lunch for all four of us.  This means I get delicious lunches each day, and I only have to cook one night each week.  Sweet!

2. My CSA, Project Harmony, started a winter share option.  We members paid $150 for nine weeks of delicious vegetables, which means we can enjoy fresh produce from a nearby farm long after the summer's end.

Now, fall/winter veggies are very different from those we enjoy in the summer.  With all the roots and greens, I've had to get really creative with my cooking.  Kale, beets, and collards are all new to me (from a cooking perspective, at least).  I'm also not the world's biggest potato fan, mostly because I only know a few different ways to cook 'em--I tend to either roast with rosemary and other spices, or bake oven fries.

When my colleague suggested that I try my hand at some mashed potatoes, I was skeptical, both because my mother makes the world's best, and because I assumed they would require lots of butter and milk (the very ingredients that make my mom's so good!).  Since I've been eating mostly dairy-free, I thought I'd see what I could find online . . . and lo and behold, I happened upon a recipe that used only olive oil, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper.  So, to the kitchen I went . . . 

Boil them as usual, then add olive oil.  Mash 'em up a bit with a good masher (I got this one at a yard sale). Start adding a yummy veggie broth, bit by bit, until the moment it just starts to seem like too much (the potatoes will absorb the liquid and it will be the perfect texture).  To make the broth, I use Rapunzel bouillon cubes from a health food shop because they have more natural ingredients.  Salt and pepper to taste.

A warm winter tater topper:  sauteed garlic, onions, collards, and kale

Almost ready!

Ready to eat and warm me up!

My girls enjoyed their lunch, and I discovered a new winter favorite.  I soon found myself craving mashed potatoes, and so I used the fresh ones from this week's pick-up to make another batch.  The nutritionist who is a member of my CSA told me that these red potatoes are "chock full of antioxidants."  That's kind of exciting, since they taste good too.

I'm also looking forward to enjoying this dish for breakfast on the chilly Monday morning, a.k.a. tomorrow. 

Until next time . . . stay warm and well-fed!

Francie :-)

P.S. A huge shout-out to my work sister Hope, whose many great ideas include this very meal.