Summer Squash Cous Cous Pilaf

This recipe began with an abundance of summer squash, and took on a life of its own from there.  I ended up using several odds and ends from my CSA deliveries, and the result was really good - colorful, with an interesting mix of textures and flavors.  

I even managed to use up a giant white radish that looked like a potato!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dry cous cous
• 2 cups of summer squash, diced into half inch chunks
• 1/2 cup white radish, diced
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 2 cups of diced tomatoes
• 4-5 large kale leaves, diced
• 1 1/2 cups chick peas
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, tightly packed
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, tightly packed

The Recipe:

• Prepare the cous cous according to the package directions.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet.
• Add the onion and radish and saute until just tender.
• Add the squash and saute for a minute or two.
• Add the tomatoes and kale leaves, saute until the kale leaves are wilted, and the squash is tender.

• Add the herbs and chickpeas, saute until the chickpeas are just heated.
• Take off the heat, and sir in the cous cous until everything is well-dispersed.

You can eat the cous cous just like this, with maybe a little lemon, and it will be delicious.  

But because I was starting with a large pattypan squash, I decided to stuff the shell.  I baked in a pan surrounded by vegetable broth for about 45 minutes. Then I took the leftover broth from the pan and squeezed lemon juice into it, then poured it all over the squash.  The result was a very light, very fancy looking meal.

The one thing I would do differently is next time I'll pre-bake the empty squash shell, because I didn't think it really got tender enough, and then just quickly bake the whole thing to meld the flavors.  

Peach Cobbler

It was good, but not great.  So no recipe, but a so-so photo:

Stuffed Eggplants

This is not your traditional stuffed eggplants.  It has a cream sauce, instead of the usual red sauce, and brown rice makes the filling a bit more substantial.  While this recipe is more time consuming than some of my others, it's well worth it.  

If you want to pack in some extra greens, add a cup or two of chopped spinach or swiss chard with the basil.  

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized eggplants 
• 1 large onion, diced
• 10 oz mushrooms (I used baby bellas), sliced
• 1 cup whole basil leaves
• 1/2 cup of uncooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups soy milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt to taste

The Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Cook the rice.
• While the rice is cooking prepare the sauce - heat the oil in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook for two to three minutes.  Add the soy milk, whisking constantly so that it doesn't scald.  Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.  Stir in the pepper and cinnamon, and remove from the heat.
• Slice the eggplants in half length-wise.  Cross half the flesh, and scoop it out, leaving about a quarter inch on al sides of the skin.  Dice the flesh into half inch cubes.
• Add to tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute until transparent.  
• Add the mushrooms and eggplant, and cook until they are tender, and have released their juices.  
• Add the basil to the pan, and saute until the basil has wilted.  If the mixture is sticking to the pan add a little more oil, and up to a quarter cup of water.  



• When the vegetable mixture is ready, stir in the rice until it is well distributed, and then stir in the cream sauce.



• Fill the eggplant halves with the vegetable mixture and bake for 35-45 minutes.
• Enjoy!