The Endive Blog

Fall has arrived, festive gatherings with family and friends will soon consume our weekends, so it's time to ponder the possibilities of easy, delicious appetizers. It doesn't get much simpler than this endive & chevre combination. In fact, use this recipe as a guide for endive appetizers: endive leaves act as the carrier, fill with cheese (blue, gorgonzola, chevre) top with roasted nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pepitas) and lightly drizzle with honey. We picture enjoying this endive, chevre & pepitas appetizer outdoors with a glass of crisp white wine in-hand. Happy fall, everyone!

ENDIVE, CHEVRE & PEPITAS APPETIZER

INSTRUCTIONS

Roasted pepitas

Red and White California Endive

Chevre (Laura Chenel)

Honey

Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Roast pepitas at 325 degrees for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Separate endive heads into single leaves. Fill each spear with about one tablespoon of chevre. Sprinkle pepitas* on top of cheese, fan leaves out on a platter and drizzle lightly with honey.

*Not a fan of pepitas? We swapped them out (see photo above) and seasoned the chevre with pepper - equally delicious.

Endive - the healthy, crunchy, elegant yet affordable replacement for chips & crackers. We love it with everything from hummus to salsa to spinach & artichoke dip. Simply cut the end of the endive, separate the loose leaves, and then use the endive as either a "carrier" (see photo below) or as a "dipper". The best part? Endive is loaded with vitamins & minerals and is a great source of complex fibers. Plus, its infinitely more stylish than any chips & crackers from a bag or box. Cheers to healthy dipping!

AVOCADO & ENDIVE APPETIZER

INGREDIENTS

2 medium sized avocados

1 T lime juice

2 T plain greek yogurt

1/2 t ground cumin

2 T chopped fresh cilantro

24 endive leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel, pit, and mash avocados; set aside. Combine 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 tablespoons greek yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro in a small bowl; stir in avocados. Spoon avocado mixture evenly into endive leaves.

Adapted from Health.com’s Creamy Avocado Cups. 

After all those months of wishing for summer and its warmer temperatures, it's finally here. On those days when we can't seem to find relief even in the shade we often crave something cool, light and refreshing. Luckily, endive fits the bill!

Endive can be the base or an addition to a number of salads that are perfect for these hot summer days. The leaves maintain a crisp texture that provides a refreshing crunch to your summer salads.

(Not to mention, each head of endive contains less than 20 calories!)

Here is a guideline for creating an assortment of delicious, simple endive salads:

Base: Red and white California endive

Fruit: Blueberries, peaches, apricots

(Any of your favorite summer fruits will add a sweet addition to your endive salad.)

Cheese: Blue cheese, Gorgonzola, Parmesan

Nuts: Walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds

Dressing: 5 tablespoons rice vinegar, ½ cup olive or sunflower oil, 1 T Dijon mustard, 1 shallot or garlic clove, finely chopped

Have fun with the possibilities & enjoy!

As we enter the month of June, we can officially say summer is here!  June also signals the ending of the school year, which means a lot more time at home for those little ones.  Along with keeping them entertained and active, we also have to keep them fed!

Kids’ taste buds prove to be a challenge to parents who want to include more vegetables in their children’s diets.  While most kids prefer their favorites of pizza or macaroni and cheese, a few simple tweaks to a recipe can provide them with more nutrition, and hopefully begin to expand the number of foods they like to eat!

Carolyn Ketchum of the blog “All Day I Dream About Food,” created a great, kid-friendly recipe.  Carolyn substituted the usual tortillas with endive leaves when preparing her ground-turkey tacos, a healthy and familiar snack that kids are sure to enjoy!  Try Carolyn’s Turkey Taco Endive Boats for yourself, and see if your kids enjoy them as much as we do!

If your kids resist such an obvious presentation of endive, there is a multitude of ways to include the vegetable in various dishes.  Endive can be added to stir-fries, soups, and salads.  Check out a full list of recipes on our website.

So remember to mix up the usual snacks your kids’ enjoy during the summer by including endive!  The vegetable provides a bounty of nutrients that would be a great addition to a child’s diet (and yours too!).  We hope you have a great start to summer and that you have fun experimenting with new ways to include endive in your families’ meals!