I know it isn't quite broccoli season...but I had a request for this recipe so here it is!

1 head broccoli, washed, and cut into small florets
1 cup chick peas
1/4 cup dried currants
1 red pepper, diced small

1 cup yogurt
1 cup feta cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt
pepper
2 large cloves fresh garlic, pressed

In a food processor or blender combine yogurt, lemon juice, half of the feta cheese,and pressed garlic. Blend until smooth. In a small bowl combine blended yogurt with the rest of the feta cheese and season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper.

In a large bowl combine broccoli florets, chick peas, and diced red pepper. Pour yogurt dressing over vegetables and stir until combined. This salad can be eaten right away or can be made ahead.

Here's a great quiche recipe that will utilize the wild leeks (ramps) that are in season right now, as well as asparagus. You can also use local free range organic eggs and raw milk cheese made from grass fed cow milk sold at Mildred's Meadows to make this dish with almost all local ingredients.

1 bunch wild leeks (cut off greens halfway down & freeze for use in stock), washed and sliced thin
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (sharp cheeses taste best)
4 eggs
1 lb soft tofu (or if you prefer the traditional quiche recipe, 2 cups heavy cream. Yeah, I didn't think so)
1/2 lb asparagus, washed and cut into spears
olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
dash cayenne pepper

In a medium frying pan heat 2 tsp olive oil and cook leeks until soft. Add asparagus and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
In a blender or food processor mix together eggs and tofu until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl and mix in the shredded cheese. Add the cooled vegetables and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a glass pie dish coated with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Awhile ago I heard a story on WAMC about the leakage of Bisphenol A (BPA)from the plastic liner on the inside of canned goods. It turns out that another food we thought was perfectly safe for our consumption really contains a toxic chemical that the Center For Disease Control states has reproductive and developmental effects when exposure is high(www.cdc.gov). The Environmental Working Group's testing found that canned pasta's and soups contained the highest levels of BPA. However, all canned foods were found to have BPA leaching from the plastic liner to the food itself (www.ewg.org/bisphenol-a-info).
After hearing this distressing information I set out to reduce the amount of canned goods my family was eating. The biggest thing we regularly ate from a can was baked beans and I had been wanting to try my hand at making them from scratch. I got out my trusty crock pot cookbook and looked up a recipe I had looked at longingly for years. I have made them a number of times now and the family is hooked...no more Bush's for us. This recipe is so simple and the ingredients are most likely already in your possession, except maybe the bag of dried beans. I have gotten into the habit of making large batches of these and freezing the leftovers for another quicker meal. Put the beans in the water to soak before you got to sleep and in the morning throw all of the ingredients into the crock pot and let them cook all day.

1 lb or 2 1/2 cups dried navy beans (I have used lots of different kinds but overall the smaller the bean the yummier they are)

2 onions, peeled, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp ground cloves (optional)
1/3 cup tomato ketchup or tomato paste
2 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Dash of smoke flavor (optional)

salt and ground black pepper to taste after cooking

Rinse beans and cover them with cold water and leave to soak for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse beans. Place them in a large pan, cover with plenty of cold water and bring to a boil. Boil gently for about 10 minutes, then drain pour them into the crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and stir to combine. Turn the crock pot on high and let cook for 8-10 hours removing cover during the last 2 hours of cooking to thicken.