Pasta with mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes

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It’s that time of year again!  Time for a favorite pasta dish that can be served cold (good news for the brown bag lunches).  There are no set amounts for this recipe – I’m going to give you “guesstimates,” and you can adjust to taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pasta – any pasta will do, but I like the farfalle, because they’re sort of festive
• 1 lb fresh mozzarella – I like the tiny little balls (boconccini or ciliegine) sliced in half, but you can also slice the bigger pieces into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, torn into smaller pieces
• about 8 oz grape tomatoes – I leave them whole, because they keep better for the next day, but you can also slice them in half
• about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:
1)  Cook pasta to al dente and rinse in cool water
2)  Toss pasta with remaining ingredients

Biodiversity and better health

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Biodiversity is a hot topic in conservation circles these days.  It’s becoming more and more obvious that we may be in the middle of a mass extinction event, and the first one that’s caused by humans.  Check out this video for a refresher on mass extinctions.

In previous posts we’ve defined biodiversity and why it’s important.  Now a couple of new reports show some of the direct effects that a loss of biodiversity has on humans.  Sarah DeWeerdt recently reported in Conservation Magazine on a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences which demonstrates the “dilution effect” of biodiversity – increased biodiversity helps to “dilute” the prevalence of parasites and pathogens.

And even closer to home, NPR had an interesting story about bird diversity and West Nile virus.  Greater bird diversity, and fewer “reservoir hosts” for the pathogen, can help to decrease the occurrence of West Nile virus. 

So conserving biodiversity isn’t just for the tree huggers and bird watchers – there are practical applications for anyone who doesn’t like getting sick!

Vidalia Onion and Tomato Pie!

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Today’s meat-free Friday recipe comes to us from guest blogger, Marna Ashburn!  Marna lives a little further south than I do, so she already has plenty of tomatoes.  I can’t wait to try this perfect summertime recipe.  You’ve seen Marna’s posts here before – be sure to check out her blog too!

It's my lucky summer. My neighbor offered me the overflow harvest from her backyard tomato plants, and this is one of the dishes I made (not to mention the bruschetta, salsa, and tomato and roasted red pepper soup). My two kids and I can eat this dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sliced in smaller portions, it's also good for party food. Caramelizing the Vidalia onions deepens their already sweet flavor, and tomatoes "with-the-sun-still-on-them" takes things over the top.

Vidalia Onion and Tomato Pie

Ingredients

• 7 layers Phyllo pastry sheets
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 2 medium Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
• 1 T olive oil
• 5 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 t Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Thaw the Phyllo pastry according to directions on the package. Thawing the pastry can take two hours so plan ahead. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onions at medium heat until caramelized into a light brown color. While they are cooking, lightly grease a cookie sheet. Carefully remove one Phyllo layer and place it on the cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter. Stack another sheet on top and brush with melted butter. Do this until you have seven layers. Bake in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes.

Cool the caramelized onions slightly. Mix the mayonnaise with Italian seasoning. Blend with the onions and spread mixture on the crust. Arrange sliced tomatoes on top. Add salt and pepper if you like. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cheese bubbles.

Marna Ashburn
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Where did you hike on National Trails Day?

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• Walking through the snow, searching for rabbit footprints.
• Strolling beside a stream, turning over stones and hoping to find a salamander.
• Hiking up a strenuous series of switchbacks in pursuit of a fantastic view of the valley.

These are just a few of the adventures awaiting you on the many hiking trails in your area!  Last weekend, we celebrated National Trails Day, so I headed to my favorite place – Sky Meadows State Park.  I found folks celebrating the day many different ways.  I ran into plenty of hikers enjoying the views and the beautiful woodlands:

I found a trail crew updating the “blazes” that help hikers find their way on the trail:

And I saw plenty of beautiful plants and animals:

Sky Meadows’ trails aren’t just for hiking!  Folks were out enjoying the biking and horseback trails too:

So much to do, so little time!  I guess we’ll have to celebrate the trails on more than one day.  Where are you headed for your next hike?

Watermelon and Feta Salad

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OK, I know this recipe sounds a little odd, but it’s really tasty!  It comes to us from our friends Howard and Trish – Howard’s my husband’s biking buddy and time-trial coach.  The recipe doesn’t have specific amounts, so just use your greenmomster kitchen skills and keep tasting as you cook.

Ingredients:
1 watermelon, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 sweet onion, sliced
about 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
about 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions:
1)  Combine watermelon, onion, and cheese.
2)  Toss with balsamic vinegar and enjoy!

Greening your lawn!

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In past posts, we’ve written about reducing your lawn in order to decrease its impact on the environment.  But what about the lawn you want to have?  Do you ever wonder how much fertilizer to put on your lawn?  On the one hand, you want the grass to grow, but on the other, you don’t want excess fertilizer running into the local lakes, rivers, and streams.  Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation has published a “fertilizer calculator” to help you apply the correct amount to your lawn, depending on the species of grass and time of year.  Check it out for a healthy, “green” lawn!

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Tasty and cheap!

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(photo from www.sheknows.com)

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I love plantains, so imagine my joy when I saw a recipe for tacos with grilled plantains!  Not only are plantains tasty, they’re CHEAP!!  I made enough tacos for my family of 5 with about $1.50 worth of plantains.  This recipe comes from the Washington Post.  The only changes I made to the recipe were:

1. I fried the plantains in a frying pan, rather than on the grill
2. I used red pepper flakes, rather than ancho chili powder
3. I didn’t toast the pumpkin seeds
4. I squirted the plantains with spray olive oil, rather than brushing them.

Other than those changes, the recipe stands as written by the “Weeknight Vegetarian” on April 13, 2015.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating the grill
• 2 medium semi-ripe plantains, peeled (about 1 1/4 pounds; see headnote)
• Finely grated zest and juice from 1 lime (1 tablespoon zest and 1 tablespoon juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more as needed
• 1 teaspoon ground ancho chili powder
• Eight 6-inch corn tortillas
• 2 cups packed shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought salsa verde (see related recipe)
• 3/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (see NOTE)

Instructions

1. “Prepare a grill for direct heat. If using a gas grill, preheat to medium (350 degrees). If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them under the cooking area for direct heat. For a medium-hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals for about 4 or 5 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle for taming any flames. Lightly coat the grill rack with oil and place it on the grill.
2. Brush the plantains with the oil. Grill them, turning as needed, until they are lightly charred on several sides, 5 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into slices or bite-size pieces, then toss them in a large bowl with the lime zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the chili powder. Taste, and add salt as needed.
3. Warm the tortillas on the grill for 5 seconds per side (to make them pliable); divide among individual plates. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup cabbage, a few pieces of plantain and a few tablespoons of salsa. Evenly distribute all the pumpkin seeds. Serve warm.
4. NOTE: To toast the pumpkin seeds, heat a large, heavy skillet over low-to-medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and cook, tossing them occasionally, until the seeds are fragrant and slightly puffed, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool completely before using.”

Butterfly season!

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As I rode a hay wagon around the fields of Sky Meadows park last weekend, I saw plenty of clouded sulfurs and cabbage whites – it’s butterfly season again!  And that means it’s time to plant nectar and larval plants in your gardens.  The nectar plants provide energy for adult butterflies and the larval plants provide food for the caterpillars.  I’ve written numerous posts about monarch butterflies and butterfly gardens, but the Washington Post did a great job with a recent article about saving the monarchs.  Be sure to check it out and start planting that milkweed and nectar plants!