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Ingredients:

Pears:

4 Bosc or Bartlett pears

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for drizzling

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Buttermilk Pancakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sucanat

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk or 3 cups soymilk with 3 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus ½ teaspoon for griddle

Sour cream for garnish

Directions:

Heat griddle to 375 degrees.   Core pears with an apple corer.  Starting at the bottom, slice pears crosswise into 1/8-inch thick rings, and toss in a small bowl with maple syrup and cinnamon.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sucanat in a medium bowl.  Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter, whisk to combine.  Batter should have small to medium lumps.

Brush griddle with butter, wipe off excess with a folded paper towel.  Place a few pear slices on the griddle, 2 ½ inches apart.  Let cook 1 minute.  Ladle about ¼ cup of the batter into center of each pear ring.  Using the bottom of a ladle, gently push batter over edges of pears.  Let cook until pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 2 ½ minutes.

Using a spatula, turn pancakes over; cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.  Repeat with remaining pears and batter.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and extra syrup.  Makes about two and one-half dozen 4-inch pancakes.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
8 ounces crimini or white mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1 garlic clove, slivered
1 bag of baby spinach, washed and dried
Directions:
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a roomy skillet, add the mushrooms, and cook over high heat until they’ve released their juices and browned, about 6 minutes.  Season with salt and plenty of pepper and set aside on a plate.

Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining butter and the garlic.  When the butter is foaming, add the spinach, sprinkle with salt, and cook until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes.  Return the mushrooms to the pan and toss with the spinach.  Taste for salt and check to be sure everything is good and peppery.  Serves 2 to 4

 You can substitute the butter for olive oil in this recipe.  If necessary, move the pan around on the burner to make sure the crust browns evenly.  The roesti is best served immediately.  Great served as a brunch item.
 Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound red potatoes, peeled, coarsely shredded, and patted dry
1 pound celery root, peeled and shredded
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 
Directions:
Melt butter in 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
 
Mix shredded potatoes and celery root with salt and pepper.  Mix in lemon zest and parsley.  Spread vegetable mixture evenly; press with spatula to form compact cake.  Cook until bottom crust is golden brown, pressing on potatoes occasionally with spatula, about 15 minutes.
 
Shake skillet or use spatula to loosen roesti.  Place large plate or platter over skillet and carefully in vert.  Slide roesti back into skillet and cook until bottom is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4 to 6

Luna Burger (Columbus, Ohio)

All-Natural Vegan Veggie Burgers

Megan and Barbie Luna created Luna Burger with these values in mind: local ingredients, sustainability, community involvement, and hope for a just and equitable food system.  Born and raised in Ohio, they came to this vegan burger venture with the desire to do meaningful work.  It is their hope that a passion for good food and social justice will be a benefit to our Midwest Community.  Family farmers in Ohio and growers across the region provide the main ingredients for these vegan burgers.  From grains and beans to herbs and greens, they strive to bring great taste by supporting the local economy.  While ingredients are in season they use them fresh and then work hard to preserve them for use during the off-season months.

A good burger is rarely eaten alone!  That’s why creating relationships between farmers and consumers is important to the Lunas.  They feel that knowing where our food comes from is knowledge that we can’t afford to abandon and in knowing each other we create an accountability that rarely exists in the anonymous world of factory farms and food conglomerates.  They strive to create connections that link us to a particular place, a particular community, and the shared experience of eating a good burger with good friends.

For more information please visit http://www.lunaburger.com/lunaburger/Home.html

Spicy mustard gives the topping a nice kick and balances the richness of the salmon.  Lemon juice on the steamed broccoli offers another bright note.

Ingredients:
3 slices toasted whole wheat or whole grain sandwich bread
1 cup fresh parsley
2 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and ground pepper
4 skinless salmon fillets (6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons Local Folks Food mustard
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large head broccoli, cut into florets and steamed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.  In a food processor, combine bread, parsley, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.  Pulse until coarse crumbs form.

Place salmon on prepared sheet; season with salt and pepper.  Spread top of fillets with mustard; top with crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere.  Roast until salmon is opaque throughout, 11 to 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine lemon juice and remaining oil; season with salt and pepper.  Add steamed broccoli, toss to combine.  Serve salmon with steamed broccoli.  Serves 4

Cliff the Climbing Corn grew up in a field on Michael’s Farms in Urbana, Ohio, where there are not very many cliffs to be found. But every summer, the corn family takes a trip to Clifty Falls State Park. It was there that Cliff developed a passion for climbing! It was probably his upbringing on top of a corn stalk that made him want to reach great heights as often as possible. Cliff would practice tying knots with cornsilk and using the sides of the barn to rappel down. His powerful arms and state of the art boots help to bring him up the toughest cliffs, and he is cool and determined during challenging spots, trying every possible option. Cliff’s special talent is his persistence; he never gives up. You are amazing, Corn Cliff! Don’t look down!

Bernie the Bowling Brussels Sprout LOVES to bowl. Ever since he was a little baby Brussels sprout, he knew he was destined for bowling greatness. As soon as he was off of the stalk, he headed to the bowling alley and started honing his craft. Bernie has the best hook ball techniques and his excellent eyesight helps him focus on the goal. He polishes his bowling ball every night and sleeps right next to it for good luck. What Bernie loves best about the game is his team; they work hard together and never put each other down, even if they’ve got all gutter balls. He always jokes “if I don’t get a strike, spare me!” or “aren’t we having a ball?” Bernie’s special talent is to focus on teamwork and supporting his friends. Thanks for being a stand up guy, Bernie! You make us smile!

Everyone knows the best blueberries come from Michigan, and Brittany is no exception. Her blueberry bush was always known for producing some fierce badminton players, and a court was set up nearby for training and matches. Brittany was the top player of the growing season and loved to “smash” her opponents. All she had to do was pull on her retro uniform and she was instantly in the zone! Brittany’s powerful serve gave her the court advantage, and she always made a “racquet” during the game.  Because the blueberry bush had a badminton history, Brittany was very respectful of the rules and never was a sore loser. Brittany’s special talent is her desire to enjoy the game and not worry about the outcome. You’re a role model, Blueberry Brittany! We want to be on your team!

KiKi the Kickball Kale grew up in Georgetown, KY in the kale bed at Elmwood Stock Farms. Sometimes the farmers would unearth rocks in the dirt and KiKi could never resist giving them a little nudge with her foot. That passion grew until KiKi was a full on kickball athlete! KiKi’s striped gym shorts can be seen all around the farm as she starts spontaneous kickball matches. She has a powerful kicking swing that sends rubber bouncy balls flying so far that she has time to run all of the bases every time. Kiki’s “stalky” legs always follow through and her sporty shoes help her hit every pitch. KiKi’s special talent is to use her natural talents to excel. Right on, Kickball Kiki! Make a homerun!

Gary the Gliding Grape spent his childhood days on a grape vine in sunny California. He always looked up at the sky and longed to take wing, so he took up hang gliding! With a grape leaf as his glider, Gary hiked up the mountains and worked on improving his “hang time”. You could see Gary floating on the breeze for miles and soaring behind bald eagles. His perfectly balanced shape made him perfect for gliding and rolling, but he had to wear a special patchwork parachute his mom made just to be safe. Gary’s long underwear couldn’t keep him warm up there, so he aimed for “thermals” to supply some heat. If you ever see Gary in the clouds, you can say “ground control to Gary” and ask him if he is “taking a giant leap for grape-kind”. Gary’s special talent is to work above and beyond expectations. Grape Gary, you fly like a bird! Keep shooting for the stars!

Chelsea the Cheerleading Cherry grew up outside of Seattle, Washington, where she was born on a big old cherry tree. Being a cheery cherry, she used to encourage the other cherries to “be aggressive” and get a little more sun so that they could grow better. Her favorite cheer was “I’m a Cherry from Cherry town, and only a Cherry can knock me down, if you don’t like our fruit, don’t shake our tree, ’cause I’m a Cherry, don’t mess with me!” Chelsea was legendary for her high jumps, tumbles, and boundless energy as she energized the crowd. She has a huge collection of pom poms in every possible color so that she can be prepared to cheer for anybody. Chelsea and the squad clapped their hands at the Cherry Bowl with cheers like “fire it up” and “let’s go fight win”! Chelsea’s skill is to always have a positive outlook. The feeling is catching, Cherry Chelsea! Keep on showing your spirit!

Katie the Kung Fu Carrot started life deep underground at This Old Farm Alliance. Root vegetables can’t see too much down there, and there are pesky critters that like to dig around in the dirt, so it is easy to become someone’s lunch. Katie became a kung fu master to protect her neighborhood and to learn some awesome kicks!  She, the turnips and the parsnips all practice their “shadow less kicks” and manage their “Qi”.  Katie loves wearing her martial arts outfit and sometimes even goes to bed with it on, which gets it a little muddy. Luckily nobody else can tell because they’re all underground!  She “chops” her opponents and “roasts” the competition every time, and you can understand why. Katie’s special talent is to follow her heart and be a team player. Way to go, Carrot Katie! Enter the dragon!

Johnny the Jump Roping Jalapeño started out as a tiny pepper from Stout’s Melody Acres. He always felt a little down because he was smaller than the bell peppers in his class and less spicy than his habañero and scotch bonnet pepper friends.  But, being a pepper, Johnny always had tons of energy he needed to “burn” off. So, he started working out to speed up the growing process.  He didn’t get much bigger, but he got stronger and spicier until he was the tastiest Jalapeño around. To get moving, Johnny would pull out his jump rope and jump around the pepper plants. He loved jumping super high and creating new, amazing jumping tricks for double dutch games with the corn cobs. Johnny’s fancy footwork got him the nickname “The Peppy Pepper” and we can’t argue. Johnny’s special talent is to overcome any obstacles in his way. Jalapeño Johnny, you’re a great guy! Show us some moves!

Beth the Bellydancing Banana grew up in the rainforests of Peru, where she spent time “hanging out” in the banana trees. She loved her family “bunches”, but got sort of bored with staying still in the treetops all day long. Plus, it isn’t very much fun to be stuck right next to your little brothers and sisters all day. One of Beth’s monkey friends taught her how to belly dance, and she found out that she was really good at it! Now she likes to put on her flowy, sparkly costume and dance across the rainforest canopy for all of the rainforest inhabitants to see. Being a banana, Beth has great posture, which helps her do an even better job, and she practices every day to get ready. Her performances and winning smile have great “a-peel” and draw crowds from miles around. Beth’s special skill is to be confident in everything she does. You’ve got talent, Banana Beth! Keep dancing to a different beat!

Matt the Marathon Mushroom grew up in Sheridan, Indiana in the Spencer family’s mushroom barn.  Mushroom barns can be kind of gloomy and Matt always wanted to run along the country roads and corn fields.  As soon as he was big enough to be harvested Matt was off and running.  As a fan of the globe trotters growing up Matt is as much into the “style” of running as he is the sport.  He is always “sporting” rainbow wrist bands and new sneakers.  His special aerodynamic head allows for fast times and he’s great to run behind on windy days.  He’s heard all of the wise cracks on the road while running.  “Hey you having Fungi?” and of course “Run Forest Run,” a favorite for runners in the nineties.  His special talent is stamina and the will to never give up.  Your super cool Mushroom Matt.  Keep chugging to the finish line!

Aimee the Archer Asparagus grew up along a fence row at Melon Acres in Oaktown, Indiana. Standing by the fence is great for shade, but not for adventure. Aimee always wanted to take up archery and liked to practice on everything from big pumpkins to tiny grape tomatoes to pass the time; of course, she always asked first. Her steady “aim” and strong arms helped her always hit the target! Aimee prided herself in her sassy style and always had to have the latest boots for stomping around in muddy spring weather. Whenever she decided to practice, her friends would cheer and call her “hot shot” and tell her to watch out for the “bull’s eyes” which the cows much appreciated. Annie’s special talent is to practice hard to perfect her skills. Great work, Asparagus Aimee! Take a “bow”!