Co-op Recipes
In honor of Co-op Month, I'd like to share with you some recipes from the Harvest staff and members, all of which are published in the Harvest Co-op Cookbook. This cookbook contains a wonderful and eclectic blend of recipes which highlight some of the basic co-op principles of community, sharing, and diversity. I highlight only three of them for space considerations, and because the cookbook is currently for sale at Harvest, and I encourage everyone to support our co-op by purchasing one.

I chose Indonesian Chickpeas and Gomai (Japanese chilled spinach) to highlight the ethnic diversity of the collection of recipes, and the "Friendship Soup" for its great name.

Enjoy!

A note about the recipes: None of the following recipes specify particular serving size, and only the soup specifies the number of servings, so for nutrient analysis purposes I made a guess at the approximate number of servings. Nutritional analysis was done using the Master Cook Mac program. Optional items were not included in analysis. Sodium values are not included because they vary so much depending on form of ingredients used (e.g., canned chickpeas and broth, versus homemade).

Gomai (Japanese Chilled Spinach)
Submitted by Sharon Paice

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach or 1 bag fresh spinach

1 clove garlic

3 tablespoons honey or sugar

2 tablespoons tamari

1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Cook spinach (if using fresh spinach, remove stems, clean well, and chop after boiling). Do not overcook. Drain and press out the water. Crush garlic and mix with honey or sugar. Add to cooked spinach and mix well. Add tamari and sesame seeds and oil. Mix well. Let cool.

This dish is served cold and is traditionally served pressed together tightly into a short cylindrical shape (approximately 1 1/2 - 2 inches wide and 1 inch tall being the final size). This can be achieved by using something from the kitchen such as the plastic cap to a spice shaker, mini-muffin tin, or the inside of a narrow glass or a vase, etc. Press and pack the spinach into the shape well, then remove from shaper intact. Chill and serve garnished with more sesame seeds on the top.

Note: the amount of garlic, sesame, and sweetener can be adjusted to personal taste. The spinach should release quite a lot of flavor when bitten into, particularly a sweet, sesame taste.

Approximate nutrition per one-third of recipe: 200 calories, 26 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams protein, 10 grams fat (1.4 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 6 grams fiber; an excellent source of Vitamin A, folic acid, iron, and calcium.

Sweet Carrot or Friendship Soup (8 servings)
Submitted by Dennice Rosenstrauch

1 cup thinly sliced onions (or more)

4 to 6 cups thinly sliced carrots (for a heartier, thicker soup, add more carrots)

6 tablespoons butter

3 10 1/2-ounce cans chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups water (less for a thicker soup)

1/2 cup white rice

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

Soured cream (optional)

Dill (optional)

In a large pot, cook onion and carrots in 4 tablespoons of butter. Add pepper, thyme, rice, water and broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about 40 minutes. Puree soup mixture in a blender, about one cup at a time. Return to heat. Stir in remaining butter until melted. Serve soup with a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with dill.

Approximate nutrition per serving: 240 calories, 32 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams protein, 11 grams fat (6 grams saturated), 24 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams fiber.

Indonesian Chickpeas
Submitted by Deanna Sukkar, former Harvest Deli Manager

2 pounds chickpeas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1-1/2 pounds onions, sliced

2 tablespoons garlic

1 can coconut milk

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon turmeric

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon salt

1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 1/2 cups cold water

Wash chickpeas and cover with water in a saucepan. Cook until tender. Drain. Saute onions and garlic in oil on medium low heat until onion is transparent (approximately 10 minutes). DO NOT BROWN. Mix in coconut milk, soy sauce, coriander, turmeric, cumin, ginger, cayenne, salt. Add cornstarch mixture. Simmer 5 minutes until thickened. Be careful--it burns very easily. Add cooked chickpeas.

Approximate nutrition per one-eighth of recipe: 462 calories, 64 grams carbohydrate, 14 grams protein, 18 grams fat (11.2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 13 grams fiber.

Tiana Celesia is a Registered Dietician who consults with various individuals and organizations.