edible Kansas City

This little piggy went wee, wee, wee all the way to the newsstands.

There's a new magazine in town - it's hot off the presses and new to KC - it's all about fabulous, local food ... it's edible KANSAS CITY and it's lovely.

As part of the nation-wide Edible Communities organization, eKC has the benefit of an established and robust publishing company while also being edited and published by local Kansas Citians, so it truly reflects our local community. And to top it off, Edible Communities won the 2011 James Beard Award for Publication of the Year. Great accolades to get this unique magazine off the ground here in KC.

Oh, and did I mention that I got to write for it!? Well, I did. It was a delight and will continue to be a delight, I'm sure, to be able to explore my ever growing thoughts on food (especially local and organic) and to be a contributing member of the eKC group.

If you haven't had the chance to pick one of these up, do so soon and enjoy the first serving of what is sure to be a great staple in our food community in KC. (Click here for the full list of where you can find eKC.) And it's free - er, uh - "priceless."

Bok Choy and Garlic Soup

bok choy blossoms

I am really pleased with the simplicity of this soup. It is humble and straightforward, but also rewarding in both flavor and nutritional value. The ginger and garlic - and of course the bok choy - provide a great boost, especially to one's immune system during the sickly parts of winter, which is when I found this recipe.

But now that my CSA's extended season has begun, the farmers markets are opening, and the bok choy is readily available again, I'm finding that this soup also goes well with spring.

You can amend this recipe in a lot of different ways - another reason it makes a great CSA recipe - so you can just use what you have on hand.

Baby Bok Choy and Garlic Soup
from 30 Bucks a Week
Ingredients:
7 c veggie broth
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 piece of ginger, peeled
handful of brown rice (between 1/4-1/2 cup; PS this is a great recipe to use up leftover rice)
1 kohlrabi or turnip, peeled and chopped
1 lb bok choy, trimmed and chopped
salt to tast
sriracha or other hot sauce, to taste
1-2 eggs

Instructions:
Boil the vegetable stock and add the crushed garlic and ginger in a big pot. Let that simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the rice and kohlrabi (or turnip); cover. Simmer for 20 minutes (unless rice was previously cooked.)
Add more broth if you need it and add the bok choy. Taste and season with salt and sriracha.
Cover and let the bok choy cook down - should only be 5 minutes or so.
Ladle a small portion of the broth out into a bowl and add the egg(s). Stir vigorously with a fork and then pour it all back into the pot. Give the soup a good stir and serve.

Easter 2013

I had the chickens at Urbavore Farm pre-dye my Easter eggs. They did a lovely job. 

Julia - not yet the purist that I am - didn't mind hunting little plastic eggs instead of real ones. 

Warm day + hot sun + long wait = melted chocolate. Still tastes good, though.

Easter cheesey faces!