Recipes

Place apple slices in a small greased baking dish. In a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add oats and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apple slices. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Serve with cream if desired.

Jazzy Roasted Green Beans

Prep Time: 2 hr Cook Time: 45 min Ready in: 2 hrs and 45 min

Ingredients:

12 slices bacon, cut in half OR Fakon :)
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
1 1/2 medium onions, chopped
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds

Directions:

In a large deep skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Remove bacon to paper towels, and reserve drippings in the skillet.
Place fresh green beans in a large saucepan, and add enough water to cover the bottom by 1 inch. Cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until bright green and tender. Drain.
Place the green beans into a 2 quart casserole dish. Spread the onions in a layer over the green beans. Place bacon strips in a layer over the onions. Sprinkle almonds over the top. Heat the reserved drippings in the skillet over medium heat. Stir in vinegar and sugar, heating just until sugar is dissolved; drizzle over everything in the dish. Cover, and chill for at least one hour, but overnight is best.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake uncovered, for 45 minutes, until the onions are tender, and the almonds are toasted. Check after 30 minutes, and cover if necessary.

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash cut in half, seeds removed
non stick spray
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
1 tsp Italian season or use a mix of oregano, basil, thyme
1/2 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

Directions

In a microwave save dish, place your squash halves side by side. Add about 1/4 cup water to the bottom of the dish (water should be covering the bottom, but not more than 1/4 inch high). Place into microwave and cook on high for 9-11 minutes, or until squash is tender** Remove, and set aside for about 10 minutes to cool. OR bake in oven on sheet at 350 degrees, inside facing down for 50-60 minutes.
In a skillet coated with nonstick spray, add red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broccoli and garlic, stirring to combine. Add about 2 TBS water to the skillet, and turn up the heat. Saute for 3-5 more minutes, or until the chopped broccoli is tender. Add mixture to a large bowl, discarding any left over water.
Using a fork, scrape out the flesh/'spaghetti' of the squash, and add it to the large bowl with the broccoli mixture. Add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning to the mixture, stir to combine.
Turn your broiler on medium/high. Distribute the mixture back into the squash shells, then sprinkle 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of each squash half. Place shells into an oven safe baking dish/pan.
Place under broiler, watching carefully. Remove when cheese is bubbling and browned, about 2-3 minutes depending on how close the squash is to the broiler.
Remove and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Casserole

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hr Ready in: 1hr and 15 min

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup margarine, melted
Topping: 1/2 a package of vanilla wafers, crushed
1/2 cup of margarine, melted
1 cup of brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Put butternut squash in the microwave and cook on high, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Cut in half, scoop out seeds and cube. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add squash and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash.
In a 9x13 inch casserole dish combine 3 cups mashed butternut squash, white sugar, milk, vanilla extract, salt, flour, eggs and 1/4 cup melted margarine.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until set.
In a medium bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers, 1/2 cup melted margarine and brown sugar. Crumble over top of cooked casserole and return to oven to brown.

Eggplant Pizza

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup of tomato sauce
2/3 cup of cheddar cheese (shredded)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Arrange eggplant rounds on a baking sheet;lightly coat with olive oil.
Bake eggplant rounds in preheated oven until hot, about 5 minutes.
Flip the eggplant rounds; top with Parmesan cheese in an even layer to cover. Return eggplant to oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Drop a dollop of tomato sauce into the center of each eggplant round; top with Cheddar cheese.
Bake until Cheddar cheese is bubbling, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Winter Squash Soup

Servings: 6 Prep time: 15 min Cook Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups mashed cooked butternut, acorn or Hubbard squash
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried savory
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup half-and-half cream

Directions:

In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add the broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in the squash, parsley, salt, savory, rosemary and nutmeg and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until heated through. Cool slightly.
In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pan and heat through. Gradually stir in cream. Cook 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

3 Pepper Salsa

Servings: 4 Ready in: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 hot peppers (diced, remove all seeds)
4 sweet peppers (diced, remove all seeds)
1 large bell pepper (diced, remove all seeds)
1 cup of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of onion (diced)
1 glove of garlic (minced)
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
salt, pepper, sugar, cumin and cilantro to taste

Directions:

Combine everything in a LARGE pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Indian Style Okra

Servings: 4 Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 25 min Ready in: 35 min

Ingredients:

1/4 lb of okra (sliced)
1 tablespoon of butter
1/4 of an onion (chopped)
1/8 teaspoon of cumin
1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Stir in the okra, and season with cumin, ginger, coriander, pepper and salt. Cook and stir for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender.

Sweet Peppers and Pasta

Servings: 4 Ready in: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 sweet peppers (3 pounds), cut into 2-inch-long julienne
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound penne

Directions:

Cook garlic in oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until golden. Add peppers, wine, and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
While peppers are cooking, cook pasta in a 6-qt. pot of boiling salted water until al dente and drain. Toss pasta with peppers and season with salt and pepper.

Steam Grilled Green Onions

Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 5 min Ready in: 10 min

Ingredients:

6 green onions
1 clove of garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon of butter, cut into tiny pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat a grill for medium-low heat.
Cut a sheet of aluminum foil to about 12x15 inches. Arrange the green onions side by side in the center of the foil sheet. Sprinkle the onions evenly with the garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange butter over the onions. Keeping the green onions flat, fold the foil to make a sealed cooking pouch.
Place the foil packet on the preheated grill away from the main heat source. Allow the green onions to steam 5 to 7 minutes.

Lemon Glazed Carrots

Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 10 min Ready in : 20 min

Ingredients:

3 carrots, sliced and peeled (optional)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoons of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place carrots into a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until carrots are tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.
Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir carrots, brown sugar, and lemon juice in the melted butter, stirring often, until sugar has dissolved, 2 minutes.

Grilled Stuffed Bell Peppers with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

2 bell peppers
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of goat cheese
1 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning

Directions:

1. Core and seed the bell peppers. Cut each into six wedges, and place into a resealable plastic bag. Add the garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Toss, seal, and set aside to marinate at least 20 minutes.

2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate. Stir the goat cheese and lemon pepper seasoning together in a small bowl; set aside.

3. Cook the peppers, skin-side-up on the preheated grill until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Flip the peppers over, and carefully spoon the cheese onto each pepper. Close the lid of the barbecue, and continue cooking until the bottoms are lightly charred and the cheese is warm, 2 to 3 minutes.

Tomato Galette with Whole Wheat Crust

Total time: 60 minutes Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

For the whole wheat crust:

1 cup (135g) whole wheat flour
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (50g) coarse cornmeal
1/4 cup (20g) shredded Parmesan
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup ice water, more as needed

For the tomato filling:

4 cups (about 1 3/4 pounds) tomatoes, halved
Salt (for the tomatoes)
1/2 cup (40g) shredded Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 large egg, well beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, to garnish

Directions

1. Chill the crust ingredients: In a bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cornmeal, Parmesan and salt. Add the butter pieces and toss with your hands to separate and coat them with flour. Place the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes.

2. Make the dough: Pour the flour and butter mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Process in 4 to 5 long pulses, or until the butter is cut into small pieces (a few larger pieces are okay.)

Open the top of the machine and drizzle the ice water over the flour and butter. Close and pulse in a series of short bursts, until the mixture looks like wet sandy gravel.

Press a small amount of the dough together in your hand. It should form a clump that holds together firmly and without cracking at the edges. If it feels crumbly or dry, put it back in the food processor, sprinkle the mixture with an additional tablespoon or two of the ice water, and pulse briefly to mix.

3. Shape and chill the dough: Empty the dough onto the countertop. Quickly press the dough together to form a disk about an inch or so thick. Resist the temptation to knead or squish the dough. The idea is to firmly compress all the little bits of dough together into a disk shape without overworking the dough.

4. Salt the tomatoes: Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Spread the tomatoes on the baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with salt.

Let stand while the dough chills (about 30 minutes). The tomatoes will start to release their juices as they sit. Before assembling the galette, blot the tomatoes dry with paper towels until much of the liquid is absorbed.

5. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

6. Roll and fill the galette: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 15-inch circle. Transfer to the baking sheet (it will drape over the sides, but that’s okay).

Sprinkle the Parmesan for the filling in a rough 11-inch circle over the bottom of the dough, leaving the edges clear. Arrange two-thirds of the tomatoes, cut-side up, over the cheese (reserve the remaining third). Sprinkle with the thyme.

Fold the edges over the tomatoes, pleating as necessary. Brush the edges of the crust with beaten egg.

7. Bake the galette: Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Scatter the reserved tomatoes over the top of the galette and sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sweet and Spicy Swiss Chard

Servings: 4 Total Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 bunch of rainbow chard
1/3 cup of chopped yellow onion
2 slices of ginger root
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chopped chard stems, onion, and ginger in the hot oil until they begin to soften; season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped chard leaves to the skillet; reduce heat to low. Continue cooking until the leaves have wilted, about 2 minutes more. Drizzle the maple syrup over the mixture; stir to coat evenly. Remove from heat and serve.

Red Cabbage and Apple Side Dish

Servings: 4

Total time: 1 hr

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of coconut oil
4 slices of bacon, chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 head of red cabbage
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 apples peeled and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a large skillet; cook and stir bacon, onion, and garlic until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir cabbage into bacon mixture and toss to coat with oil. Cover skillet, reduce the heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage begins to soften, about 10 minutes.

Stir cider vinegar and brown sugar together in a bowl; pour over cabbage mixture. Stir apples into cabbage mixture; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and cabbage is tender, about 35 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow cabbage mixture to stand, covered, for about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Green Bean Casserole

Servings: 3-4

Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Ingredients:

For the topping:

1 large red onion
1/2 cup of buttermilk
a few tablespoons of vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons of parsley
Kosher salt

For the casserole:

Kosher salt
1 pound of green beans
1 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/2 pound of white button mushrooms
1 glove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoons of thyme
1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of half and half
3/4 cup of low-sodium chicken broth
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Make the topping: Separate the onion strips and soak in the buttermilk at least 10 minutes. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360 degrees F. Combine the flour, panko, parsley and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Working in batches, remove the onion strips from the buttermilk, dip in the flour mixture and fry until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; season with salt.

Make the casserole: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans; cook until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and blot dry with paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute. Add the flour and stir to coat, 1 minute.

Whisk in the half-and-half, chicken broth, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and green beans. Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish. (You can refrigerate the casserole, covered, for up to 4 hours; keep the topping at room temperature.)

Bake the casserole until bubbling, about 15 minutes. Stir, then sprinkle with the topping; bake until warmed through, 5 more minutes.

Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:

16 oz Dough (original or whole wheat)
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 zucchini or other summer squash, thinly sliced into circles
4 garlic scapes
1/2 cup Feta, crumbled
1 tablespoon dried oregano or mixed herbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Allow pizza dough to thaw to room temperature before using.

Preheat oven to 375 F and spread about 1/4 cup of cornmeal on a baking sheet. The cornmeal will help prevent sticking and create a crispy bottom crust.

Stretch the dough as thinly as possible and place on baking sheet. Top with slices of zucchini, the garlic scapes, feta, salt, pepper and dried herbs. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375 F, or until the edges and the top have turned golden brown. Cut into pieces and serve.

Roasted Kohlrabi

Ready to eat in 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 Kohlrabi bulbs, peeled
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Cut the kohlrabi into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut each of the slices in half. Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss kohlrabi slices in the olive oil mixture to coat. Spread kohlrabi in a single layer on a baking sheet
Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally in order to brown evenly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven to allow the Parmesan cheese to brown, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chopped Cabbage and Barbecue Shrimp Fried Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 cups white rice, cooked
4 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1 head chopped Napa cabbage
2 egg, beaten
24 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on
4 tablespoon barbecue sauce

Directions:

Heat a large skillet or wok on medium heat. Add the canola oil.
Add the rice and onion. Continuously stir.
Add the soy sauce, and continue to stir for about 4 minutes.
Add the cabbage, garlic and the peas and carrots. Stir.
Continue to cook and stir.
Move the ingredients to the outside edges of the pan to make an empty space in the middle of the pan.
Add the egg to the middle of the pan, and stir just the egg as it cooks.
Once the egg is cooked, stir together all the ingredients in the pan.
Remove the fried rice from the pan, and place it on a large plate or in a bowl.
Put the pan back on the heat, and add the shrimp and the barbecue sauce.
Stir together so that the shrimp are coated with the barbecue sauce.
Continue to stir until the shrimp are fully cooked (about 4 minutes).
Serve the shrimp on top of the rice.

Acorn Squash and Beet Bake

INGREDIENTS

1 acorn squash
2 beets
1 Tbsp coconut butter
Pinch sea salt
Pinch black pepper
Sprinkle walnuts (optional)
Sprinkle Raisins (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven 425. Simply cut acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds. Put a small dollop of coconut oil or coconut butter in squash. Wash and cut beets in half and place inside squash. Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper. Bake 70-90 min. With 10 min left sprinkle with walnuts and raisins if you wish, or eat plain.

Roasted Sunchoke Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 sunchokes (# Fresh, scrubbed and cut into large pieces)
1 shallots (Large, cut in half, leave skin on)
2 cloves garlic (skin on)
1 teaspoon herbes de provence (Dried, crushed in a mortar and pestle)
extra-virgin olive oil (for roasting)
kosher salt
cracked black pepper (Freshly)
2 gold potatoes (Medium, scrubbed and cut in half)
3 cups vegetable stock
heavy cream (dash)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.
Toss sunchokes, garlic,and shallot in olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place on a sheet pan and roast in the oven, about 25 minutes-- until tender, stirring occaisionally.
Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain.
When everything is cooked, place back into pot that potatoes cooked in.
Add vegetable stock, puree with an immersion "hand" blender until desired consistency.
Heat blended soup through over medium-low heat, stirring. Don't scorch!
Add a dash of cream if desired.

Potato Salad With Bacon, Olives, and Radishes

INGREDIENTS

5 potatoes
1 pound bacon
2 stalks celery
4 small green onions
12 stuffed green olives
3 radishes
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes.
Slice the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet until evenly brown. Do not overcook.
Chop the celery, green onions, stuffed olives and radishes into small pieces and put into a large bowl. Add the potatoes and bacon and mix together. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice to taste, stir, and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to chill before serving. You may want to add a few sliced hard boiled eggs on top. ENJOY!!!

Sweet Potato and Corn Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 large yellow onion, chopped
1½ T butter or olive oil
salt
2 pounds sweet potatoes
2 c water
4 c vegetable stock
3 c corn
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 fresh jalapeño, minced
1 c milk
½ lemon, juiced
cayenne
2-3 T cream or sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter, add onion and a dash of salt, and sauté, stirring often, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, peel and dice sweet potatoes, place in pot with water and stock, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

Add onions to potatoes. Pour a bit of broth into the onion pan and then pour back into the soup, to get all the juices from the onion pan. Purée the soup with hand mixer or in batches in a blender. Return to pot.

Add corn, peppers, and milk, and simmer until tender. Add lemon juice and cayenne, taste and adjust seasoning, then stir in cream.

Serve hot, garnished with cilantro or parsley

Potato & Cabbage Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 head Savoy cabbage, shredded

3 scallions, trimmed and chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups boiled Idaho potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch slices

PREPARATION

Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cabbage, scallions, garlic, and salt and cook until the cabbage is slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Remove 1/3 cup of the cabbage and set aside for garnishing. Add the chicken broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Using a blender, puree until smooth and season to taste with additional salt, if desired. Before serving, garnish the soup with the reserved cabbage.

Sweet Potato Apple Hash Browns

INGREDIENTS

2 large sweet potatoes

2 apples

1 tsp garlic, minced

⅓ cup potato starch

3 Tbsp olive oil, separated

salt & pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel and grate sweet potatoes, place in a bowl.

Peel, core and grate apples, place in a bowl with sweet potatoes.

Cover sweet potatoes and apples with water and let soak 20-30 minutes (optional but helps to pull excess starch making them achieve a crispier end product).

Squeeze the grated apple and sweet potato with your hands to release excess moisture or use a potato ricer.

Place in a separate bowl and add garlic, potato starch, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt & Pepper. Mix well.

Place in a ziplock bag or bowl and store in the refrigerator until use.

To cook, heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Add additional coconut oil, olive oil or butter.

Once hot, add ¼ cup of the mixture and flatten with a spatula.

Cook 2-3 minutes on one side and flip to the other. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Remove, season with salt and enjoy.

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 small bay leaf
1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into slivers
4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Over medium-low heat, add the oil to a large skillet with the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened.
Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until the eggplant has softened. Stir in the zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil and few grinds of pepper to taste.

Baked Acorn Squash and Apples

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash
2 apples, cored and sliced thin
canola oil
maple syrup
pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Cut the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds and strings.
Put a little water in a baking pan; place the halves face down and bake for 1/2 hour.
Then, take it out and put the sliced apples in the middle (some will fall over the sides, it's okay); drizzle with canola oil and maple syrup, and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.
Bake for another 1/2 hour to 40 minutes (until the apples are soft and browning).
Put your acorn squash halves in individual plates; scoop up the stray apples and stray maple syrup and spoon over the squash.

Okra and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 pound okra

1 tbs olive oil

1 ½ cup chopped red onion

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tbs minced garlic

2 cups peeled and chopped tomato

1 tbs minced fresh ginger

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp cardamom

Directions:

Cut okra pod in half lengthwise and set aside. If there are any pods longer than 4 inches, cut them crosswise and lengthwise. Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions along with the salt and cook until they begin to turn golden, approximately 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and add the ginger, pepper, cardamom and okra. Stir to combine. Cook, uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste, adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve immediately.

Warm Peaches and Cream

3 ripe peaches

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup sugar

½ cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Honey, optional

Place a metal mixing bowl in your freezer to make the whipped cream in after preparing your peaches. Cut each peach into 8 slices. Peeling on or off, your choice.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, sprinkle the sugar over the butter, and stir until dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the peaches, increase heat to medium-high. Cook about 3 minutes stirring frequently or until the peaches are soft and coated with a thin sauce. Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes.

Remove your mixing bowl from the freezer. Combine the cream and vanilla in the chilled bowl. Whip the cream until soft peaks form.

Spoon the peaches and sauce into bowls, plop a dollop of whipped cream on top, and drizzle with honey for extra sweetness. Almost heaven!

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked rice

3 small tomatoes, chopped

1 cup corn

1 small onion

¾ cup mozzarella cheese (or cheese to your liking)

1/3 cup olives, chopped

½ can black beans

4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

6 peppers

¾ cup marinara sauce

Directions:

Set the oven to 350F.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, stir until transparent for about 6 minutes.

Mis together rice, black beans, tomatoes, onion, cheese and olives. Gently fold in chili powder, cumin, garlic, pepper and marinara sauce.

Spoon the misture into the peppers and arrange in a 9x9 baking dish.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe borrowed from 12tomatoes.com

Roasted Potato and Corn with Caramelized Onions

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

1 pound new potatoes

3 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

For the corn:

3-4 ears of corn, shucked and cut off of the cob

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tsp crushed red pepper

1 Tsp cumin powder

Salt and pepper to taste

For the onions:

1 large yellow onion, peeled, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons butter

Pinch of Sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 410°F.

Put potatoes in a sturdy roasting pan. Pour olive oil over them and toss well to coat. Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper on them. Spread the potatoes out so they are in a single layer in the pan.

Place in oven. Cook for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly browned and cooked through.

Place the corn hulls in a bowl and pour olive oil over them and toss well to coat. Adding spices, salt and pepper. Mix well and spread out on an oven safe pan. Cook for 15 minutes, tossing them twice while roasting.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and toss well to coast with butter. Cover and slowly cook the onions, stirring occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes or until a golden color is reached. Turn the heat up to medium high and begin to brown the onions, stirring constantly about 10 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a large serving bowl mix potatoes, corn and onions together. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (optional), server and enjoy.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Red Peppers

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1.5-2 oz goat cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 medium red peppers

Slice peppers in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and ribs.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Stuff each pepper not too tightly, but not too loosely (I usually heap the stuffing a bit).

Place stuffing side up on a parchment- or aluminum-lined cookie sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes on 375 degrees, or until the stuffing starts to brown.

Tomato and Eggplant Tian

Ingredients

2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small eggplant, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Kosher salt

2 small onions, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds

1 clove garlic

2 small tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions:

Position the oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant slices, season with salt and cook until golden on both sides. Remove to a plate and repeat with the onion slices. Rub a small baking dish with the garlic clove. Layer the eggplant, onions, and tomato slices in rows in the baking dish. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until heated through and the tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Remove the baking dish and set the oven to broil. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the shredded cheese and broil to melt and brown the cheese, about another 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Creamed Corn

Ingredients:

3 ears of corn

Salt to taste

A few springs of fresh basil

1 avocado

Directions:

Shuck the corn and remove any of the hairs. Using a cheese grater, grate the corn. With a wide bowl placed under the corn, take the flat side of a butter knife and run down the cob. This will remove any access ‘cream’ from the cob. Combine the grated corn and the cream together, salt to taste. Thinly slice the avocado. Plop the creamed corn into a serving bowl and lay the sliced avocado on top. Chop the fresh basil and sprinkle in some slivers of it. Eat and enjoy!

Moroccan Zaalouk

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (or 2 medium)

2 green bell peppers

3 large tomatoes

1 or 2 chili pepper (optional)

4 to 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro and/or parsley

2 teaspoons paprika

1 tablespoon cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste (optional)

Roast the Vegetables

1, Preheat your broiler to its highest setting. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Trim the stem from the eggplant and slice it in half lengthwise. Place it on the baking sheet, skin side up.

3. Trim the stems from the green peppers, slice them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place the pepper halves skin side up on the baking sheet, flattening them with your hand (or breaking them into pieces if necessary) so that they lay flat.

4. Roast the vegetables under the broiler for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the skins on the peppers are dark and blistered and the eggplant is soft and yields to the touch. If the peppers finish roasting before the eggplant, remove them to a plate while the eggplant finishes.

Make the Zaalouk

1. While the eggplant and peppers are roasting, prep the remaining ingredients. Peel, seed and chop the tomatoes. Transfer them to a deep skillet and add the garlic, cilantro, olive oil, water and spices.

2. Remove and discard the skin from the roasted bell peppers; coarsely chop them and add them to the skillet. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh of roasted eggplant, discarding large clumps of seeds. Chop or mash the eggplant then add it to skillet. Discard the skin.

3. Stir to combine the ingredients, cover the skillet and simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Use a spoon or vegetable masher to crush and puree the cooked tomatoes and eggplant, add the lemon juice, and continue cooking, uncovered, to reduce the liquids. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the heat, adjusting it if necessary to avoid scorching the zaalouk.

5. Taste and adjust seasoning. Continue cooking until the zaalouk has reduced to a paste-like consistency (you should be able to stir it into a smooth mass in the center of the pot).

6. Serve warm or cold with crusty bread. A little fresh parsley or a drizzle of olive oil may be used as garnish. Minced roasted chili pepper may be offered on the side as a condiment for the salad.

Recipe borrowed from about.com/food

Caramelized Onion and Kale Tacos with Quinoa

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

¼ cup quinoa (soaked if possible – read about that here…24- Hour Quinoa Soak)

1 tbsp olive oil

½ onion

3 cups loosely packed kale of swiss chard

½ tsp red pepper flakes

3 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp cheese

2 corn tortillas

1 tsp agave syrup (or natural sugar)

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Directions:

Thinly slice onion. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until glistening. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. Continue to caramelize, about 15 more minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare quinoa according to package directions (or per post-soaking directions)

Drape corn tortillas across two wires of an oven rack and bake until crispy. About 8 minutes.

When onion is soft and browned, add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add kale (or chard), cover and cook 3 minutes.

Stir in cooked quinoa, agave, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Remove tortillas from the oven and fill them with mixture and cheese.

Thanks yummly.com for the recipe! ;)

Summer Salad

Ingredients:

1 Medium Cucumber

2 Medium Squash or Zucchini

2 Medium Tomatoes

Dressing:

¼ Cup Olive Oil

3 TBSP Fresh Basil or Cilantro

2 TSBP Lemon Juice

2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Teaspoon Sugar or Honey

¼ Teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cut up all of the vegetables into ½ inch pieces. Combine into a bowl and stir around. Mix the dressing ingredients into a jar with a tight lid and shake well. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

Spicy Beet Greens on Focaccia

3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

½ tsp red pepper flakes

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped finely

12 ounces of beet greens, trimmed and cut into ¼ in strips

¼ tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

6-8 slices of focaccia ¼ inch thick

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over high heat (cast iron is best). Add the oil, red pepper flakes and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the beet greens and sauté for 4-5 minutes until all the juices have evaporated and the greens turn dark green, tossing from time to time. Add the salt and fresh ground black pepper. Toss well and remove from heat.

Preheat the broiler. Toast the bread under the broiler on each side until golden and crispy. Top each bread slice with a small mound of beet greens and drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve warm.

Tomato Vinaigrette

2 medium tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

1 teaspoon of fresh chives, basil or parsley. Whatever suits your taste buds.

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Salt to taste

Core and deseed the tomatoes. Put all ingredients into a blender of food processor. Blend until incorporated. Stir it all together right before serving and enjoy.

Garlic Scape & Broccoli Stir Fry

2 tablespoons sesame oil (olive oil works just fine too)

1 head of broccoli

¼ cup soy sauce, tamari or amino acids

¼-1/2 head of cabbage

2 green onion stalks

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger

3-4 garlic scapes

1-2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop up the garlic scapes and green onion into ¼ inch pieces Chop the broccoli into florettes, and thinly slice up or shred the cabbage.

Mix together the soy sauce, green onion, brown sugar, ginger and red pepper and set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan or wok to medium heat. Add the oil. Add the garlic scapes and fresh garlic for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the broccoli and cabbage and cook until halfway tender.

Add the soy mixture and cook 4-5 minutes.

Additionally, adding chicken, fish sauce or a loosely-set scrambled egg to the recipe would give it extra taste and texture!

Tomato, Kale, Bacon & Egg Sammy

2 Slices of bread to your liking

2 strips of bacon (local if possible)

1 ½ cup kale, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp mayonnaise

Onion Jelly to taste

Salt to taste

Cook the bacon in a sauté pan until crispy. Drain on a paper towel, but save the bacon grease in the pan.

Remove 1 tablespoon grease and add to another sauté pan for later. Add the garlic to the pan stirring constantly until a nice aroma fills the air, about 1 ½ minutes.

Add the kale and stir to get it coated with the grease.

Salt the kale to taste and set aside. In the other pan, heat to medium heat. Crack the egg into the skillet and begin to fry.

While the egg cooks, pop the toast in the toaster. Flip the egg once, being careful not to overcook the yoke.

Cut the bacon into four pieces. Spread mayo on the toast. Slice up a tomato and put one big slice on the mayo. On the bottom slice of toast spread a thin layer of onion jam, add the kale, egg and bacon.

Close it all up and enjoy!

Green Onion & Garlic Butter

Ingredients:

½ cup of softened butter (vegan butter is acceptable too)

1-2 green onion, white and green parts, chopped

1 clove of garlic

Pinch of salt

What to do:

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Pulse until combined

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 4 days!

This recipe is easy to make and easy to multiple serving sizes.

Cabbage and Kale Slaw with Caraway Ranch Dressing

Serves 4-6

Ingredents:

Dressing

1 TBSP Green onion

2 Tsp Dijon Mustard

2 Tbsp White or Red wine vinegar

6 Tbsp Buttermilk (or plain Greek yogurt)

2/3 Cup Olive Oil

1 Tsp Caraway seeds

½ Tsp Salt

Pepper to taste

Salad

4 Cups thinly sliced cabbage

1 Cup thinly sliced red onion

1 Cup packed thinly sliced kale (spines removed before slicing leaves)

Method

Heat a sauté pan on high heat. Add the caraway seeds to the pan. Stir the seeds in the pan and heat them until they are warm and fragrant, remove from pan. **Do not brown them.

Grind seeds with a mortar and pestle or mince them up finely with a sharp knife.

Add the shallots, Dijon mustard and vinegar to a bowl, whisk to combine. Whisk in the buttermilk. Slowly dribble in the olive oil, whisking continuously to create an emulsion. Whisk in caraway seeds, salt and pepper.

Place cabbage, red onion and kale into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with dressing and toss to combine.

Let marinate 20-30 minutes before serving.

Potato and Green Bean Sauté

Ingredients:

1lb potatoes, halved

1lb green beans, trimmed and stringed

1 ½ Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 glove of garlic

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add potatoes and cook until almost tender. About 15 minutes.

Add green beans and cook until almost tender. About 3 minutes. Drain well!

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add potatoes, beans, salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes or so, tossing the coat with the oil.

Add thyme and toss again.

Egg Sandwich with Mustard Greens and Advacado

2 tablespoons oil

1 pound mustard greens, thick stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

Sea salt

1 large avocado, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 large eggs

8 slices whole-grain bread, toasted and buttered

Hot sauce

Preparation

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the greens and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until tender, 1 1/2 minutes; season with salt. Transfer the greens to a bowl and keep warm.

In a small bowl, mash the avocado. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Crack the eggs into the pan and season with salt. Cook over moderate heat until the whites are crisp, about 1 minute. Flip the eggs and cook until the whites are firm and the yolks are runny, 2 minutes longer.

Spread the avocado on 4 of the toast slices. Top with the greens and fried eggs and sprinkle with the hot sauce. Close the sandwiches, cut in half and serve right away.

Side note: If you are a meet eater, adding bacon to the sammy would only enhance it's savory goodness!

ZESTY SWEET POTATO SALAD

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 scallions

1 large (2 medium) red peppers

Large handful fresh mint leaves

Juice of one orange

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large cucumber

Cut sweet potatoes into small, bite-sized cubes. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, chop the scallions, cucumber, red pepper, and mint. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Once the sweet potatoes are finished, place them in a bowl and, while warm, toss them with the chopped vegetables and vinaigrette until evenly combined.

Serve warm or cold – it tastes great the next day after the potato has had time to absorb all the flavors!

CUCUMBER MINT WATER

Ingredents

4 fresh mint leaves

15 super thin slices of cucumber

1 gallon water

Stir everything together in a glass pitcher. Add some ice or put it in the fridge. Let the flavors mingle for a time. If you crush your mint leaves in the water, you can drink it as soon as the Cucumber Mint Water cools. If you want to keep them whole for presentation’s sake, you can drink the water after a few hours.

Spring Salad with Potatoes and Pickled Onions

2 pounds small potatoes

½ pound string beans

4 small-to-medium radishes, thinly sliced

5 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic salt to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Pickled spring onions

3 spring onions (about 6 ounces)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Sharp mustard vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

2 teaspoons smooth Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degree F and place a baking pan on rack in lower third.

Wash potatoes and quarter them. Toss potatoes with 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet and roast potatoes, stirring occasionally, until tender and crispy, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, pickle your spring onions. Whisk vinegar, water, salt and sugar together in the bottom of a small container with a lid until the salt and sugar dissolve. Slice the bulbs and paler green parts into very thin coins and submerge them in the vinegar mixture. Cover and put in fridge until you’re ready to use them; if you can put them aside for an hour or even overnight, even better. Reserve the onion greens.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a sauté pan or wok over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and place beans in. Cover, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with garlic salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Continue cooking 5 minutes, until heated through.

Slice the cooked green beans and place them in a bowl with the potatoes (serve beans and potatoes on salad warm). Cut the radishes as thinly as possible, with a mandoline if you have one. Cut some of the reserved onion greens into thin slivers (no need to use all of them, as the onion flavor might take over) and add them to the bowl.

When you’re ready to serve the salad, or an hour or two in advance, whisk the dressing ingredients and toss it with the vegetables, to taste. (You may find you don’t want to use all of it.) Stir in as many pickled onion coins as you please, save the rest for anything and everything. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Eat and enjoy!

Do ahead: Pickles can be started in the day or days before. Vinaigrette can be made in advance as well, but I might wait until the last minute to toss it with the vegetables as the vinegar, over a long sitting time, can ever-so-slightly discolor the cut edges of beans.