Our All Purpose Vegetable Steamy Stir Fry & Even a Little Dessert

Union Square was bustling with all of the fresh farmer's market fare on this chilly spring day.  Luke and Susannah came along to enjoy the scene and to beg me buy lots of stuff...we bought so many ramps and used them in almost every single dish we cooked today.

Luke and Susannah at Union Square Greenmarket

First, we made our famous ramp salad dressing, which the kids dipped carrots in and enjoyed (sending me back to the kitchen to peel and cut more carrots, uggh).

Carrots dipped in Ramp Salad Dressing 

Ramp Dressing
1 bunch ramps (about 8 medium sized, bulbs and green, cleaned and cut)
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
Blend well

Then, I used chopped ramps in my maitake and shitake stir fry which came out fantastic. Then, after being freezing today at the farmer's market, I ate so much of the cozy warm mushrooms that I did not have my typical salad which I started to prepare from all of the fresh greens I had bought.

Chef Luke

Then, Luke used the day to hone his cleaning, cutting, and cooking skills in preparation for the restaurant he wants to have when he grows up.  So he made the rest of the vegetables.  He started by cleaning and cutting the ramps.  Then, he made sauteed spinach with ramps, basil and sorrel.  Then he made broccoli raab and kale all the same way.  For each dish he slowly heated olive oil, sesame oil, wheat free tamari and balsamic vinegar.  Then he added the vegetables and the complementary herbs. Easy and simple...actually my mushrooms were similar and I scorched the sauce on my first try and had to throw it out...

Sauteed Vegetables
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Heat the above slowly on low heat.
Add chopped ramps or other young leek / field garlic. Continue cooking over n low heat.
Add the major vegetables ( any / all of mushrooms, kale, spinach, broccoli raab, shredded cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, sorrel etc.)
Cover for a few minutes and keep over low heat to allow it all to steam.  If making just mushrooms, better not to cover and let them truly saute.
Add basil just before serving if desired.

Red Sorrel

So then we all ate what we liked best.  The three girls ate the kale and then fought over who would get more.  Susannah and Luke ate lots of the spinach and Luke ate a bit of the broccoli raab.  I thought I would have a lot of leftover mushrooms for my salads the next few days but no such luck although I did save some maitakes raw.  And, the husband who was being nice to clean up just threw out my special ramp dressing so I will need to make more tomorrow:(

And after hearing so much begging for dessert this afternoon, we made rice crispy treats with natural marshmallows (the farmer's market has amazing maple syrup marshmallows Deep Mountain Maple Marshmallows which I had bought with Easter in mind and we also had a vegan brand at home, remnants of Christmas hot chocolate). We mixed the marshmallows with earth balance and then stirred in Erewon crispy rice cereal...we made the teeniest tray of them, just enough to eek out one each for the six of us. They were amazing, not as overly sweetened and unhealthy as typical Rice Krispie Treats.

Lizzie and Perry enjoying an evening out in Florida

A Pepper Grows in Florida...Yup, just one pepper