Turn up the excitement at the next barbecue with a twist on a classic condiment in this blueberry recipe for a berry fruity homemade ketchup.

This blueberry recipe for ketchup is both healthier and tastier than the original tomato-based varieties and brings a sweet complement to savory burgers and fries. And once you’ve made blueberry ketchup, why not explore other berry substitutions? Enjoy!

Aside from the blueberries themselves, the sweetness of this recipe comes from Turbinado sugar, which results form the first pressing of sugar cane. The sugar crystals are much larger and there is a touch of molasses flavor, making the sugar more akin to brown sugar than white sugar. Turbinado sugar is healthier than white sugar because it retains more moisture than white sugar and has 11 calories per tablespoon, compared to white sugar’s 16. It is also not processed as much as whit sugar and thus healthier for your body.

The remainder of the ingredients bring the bitter and salty bite that offsets the sweetness and makes the blueberry ketchup a perfect condiment to all meats and fries. Bon Appetit!

Blueberry Recipe: Ketchup

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1/2-inch nob of fresh ginger, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions

In a pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, shallot, ginger, garlic, and sea salt. Cook until the shallot is transparent. Add the allspice, vinegar, sugar and blueberries. Stir and cook until the mixture reaches a boil. Cook until it breaks down and thickens — about 30-40 minutes. Store in the refrigerator to cool before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Image: Jseattle

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The post Blueberry Recipe: Tomato Ketchup Gets A Berry Sweet Makeover appeared first on EcoSalon.

Giving up some love for the legumes.

It may be silly to suggest cooking dried legumes when you can get them ready to eat in a can. But I still insist that there are so many benefits to cooking them yourself that it’s worth every step. And it’s pretty easy to do. You can also cook large quantities at a time and store smaller portions in your freezer.

Legumes like lentils or beans work all year round in different ways. Cold in salads and warm as a side to eggs, beets or with any green vegetable. Chickpeas are wonderful as a starter together with toasted almonds. Green lentils with beets, feta and parsley create a simple and delicious salad alone or together with baked vegetables or meat. Hummus or any other dip (see below) are perfect treats and easy to whip up with any fresh produce that the summer can provide.

I always cook my legumes together with some herbs, vegetables and salt (see simple version below). Sometimes I add bones or small pieces of meat when cooking the legumes. It gives a specific flavor but it’s far from necessary. Cooking time depends on what type of legumes you have, for example cooking lentils is far quicker than chickpeas. It also depends what you are planning to do. If you are making hummus you may want to cook the chickpeas until they are almost mushy but for a salad they should just be soft.

Some legumes such as most beans and chickpeas you will need to soak for at least 8-10 hours (but longer is better). Change the water a couple of times to keep them fresh (it can smell really bad). Lentils, split peas and mung beans do not need soaking.

The lentil dip below can be served together with fresh vegetables such as raw carrots, cucumber and celery. Slightly cooked cauliflower and broccoli also work well. You can also use the dip as a spread on freshly baked bread and crackers. Enjoy!

Lentil Dip
(Plenty of dip)

One cup dried french lentils (almost 2 cups cooked)
1-2 bay leaves
A sprig of sage
½ onion (and/or other vegetable scraps such as carrot, celery or fresh fennel)
About one tablespoon of salt

For the dip
About 2 cups cooked lentils (as above)
One shallot
Chili (more or less depending on how spicy you want it)
2-3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoon coriander*
2 teaspoons cumin*
One teaspoon fennel*
Reserved lentil liquid
Juice from a ½ lime

Seasoning
Smoked paprika powder (e.g. bittersweet Pimentón de la Vera)
Sea salt
Some olive oil
Cilantro

First step is to cook the lentils. Rinse the lentils and cook them gently together with about two cups water, bay leaves, sage, salt and onion (etc) until soft (about 15-20 min). You may need to add a little more water. It’s important that you don’t cook the lentils dry and there should be about a cup of tasty liquid left when the lentils are done. When done reserve the liquid as it will be used later. Let the lentils cool and remove all bits and pieces of the sage, bay leaves, onions etc.

Chop the shallot into tiny pieces. Saute on very low heat until it starts to caramelize. Raise the temperature a little and add chili together with the spices. Stir everything together and add the lentils to the pan. Poor some of the water over and let cook for just a little bit. (You could stop the cooking here and just enjoy the lentils as a side to eggs, meat or vegetables).

Let the lentils cool a little before blending together with garlic in a food processor. Add lime juice plus some of the reserved lentil liquid to create a smooth texture. Season with flakes of sea salt and smoked paprika powder. Lastly add as much cilantro as you wish. Just before serving add a splash of olive oil on top.

* I prefer to toast whole coriander, fennel and cumin in a skillet at high heat. When they start to “pop” remove them immediately from the pan into a mortar and pestle. Grind until fine. The flavor will be richer.

Illustration by Johanna Kindvall

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It’s already blustery and rainy in Northern California so it’s time to break out the cold weather recipes. Here’s a healthy, easy, customizable vegetarian or vegan minestrone that allows you to use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Beans make it a stick-to-your-ribs and healthy winter meal.

The beans can cook unattended, leaving you free for other tasks. You can cook the beans ahead and refrigerate them in their cooking liquid for up to 4 days. The soup can be finished quickly and easily on the day you plan to serve it. You can also make extra beans. (Cook a whole pound!) and use them throughout the week in salads and other dishes. To assure the “freshest” dry beans buy them from a farmer at your farmers’ market or from the bulk bins in a busy grocery store.

Serves 4

For the Beans:
1 cup dried Cannellini Beans, soaked overnight or for several hours (time allowing)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped (optional)
Salt

Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion, garlic, and celery (if using). Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans of their soaking water and add them to the pot. Cover the beans with cold, filtered water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to a bare simmer, cover partially and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, from 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cooking time can vary wildly depending on the age of the beans.

Add salt to taste when the beans are nearly soft.

For the Soup:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 to 6 cups bean broth, vegetable broth, water or combination
1 bay leaf
2 to 3 cups diced or chopped vegetables (can include carrots, fennel, green beans, zucchini, greens like kale or spinach, potatoes, etc.)
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Parsley pesto for serving (recipe below)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the previously cooked beans, reserving the broth. Measure the bean broth and add water or vegetable broth to come up to 4 to 6 cups total (depending on how many cups of vegetables you are adding and how thick you like your soup). You can always start with 4 cups of liquid and add more if you like. Add the liquid to the pot with the cooked vegetables and then add the bay leaf and a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower to a steady simmer.

Add the cut up vegetables, starting with the firmest ones first like carrots, potatoes, and fennel. Cook these until nearly soft, then add green beans, zucchini or other medium-firm vegetables. When those are nearly soft add the greens and tomatoes, or other short-cooking vegetables, along with the reserved beans. Cook until all the vegetables are tender and the flavors are blended, adding more liquid if you want, for a total cooking time of around 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pounded parsley pesto. You’ll need a mortar and pestle, or if you prefer, you may use a food processor.

1 garlic clove
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
Olive oil to taste

Put the garlic clove in the mortar and add a pinch of salt. Pound it to a smooth paste and add the parsley little by little, pounding it down until it is finely chopped. Add the olive oil to your desired consistency. Alternatively, grind the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and add the salt and parsley. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl with a spatula. Drizzle in the olive oil while running until you have a smooth paste.

Check the soup for seasoning and serve in warmed bowls topped with a drizzle of parsley pesto and freshly grated Parmesan cheese (if desired)

Recipe Copyright 2009 Vanessa Barrington

Buy local and organic ingredients whenever possible.

Image: foodistablog

The post Ecosalon Recipes: Fall Minestrone with Cannellini Beans and Pounded Parsley Pesto appeared first on EcoSalon.