Check out these amazing recipes coordinated with the ingredients in this week's Organic Fruit & Vegetable basket.
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Happy New Year !!
Meal #1
Entrée ( Main Course)
Braised White Beans & Greens
PREP TIME: 10 mins COOK TIME: 25mins TOTAL TIME 35 mins
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion , diced
6 cloves garlic , minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes , optional
1 large bunch kale , or other sturdy greens, chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 6 cups)
2 -15oz/398ml cans white beans , drained and rinsed (about 3 cups) (such as cannellini, lima, navy or great northern).
3 cups (720 ml) vegetable stock
1 medium lemon , zest & juice (divided)
1 bay leaf
1½ teaspoon dried or fresh thyme , or rosemary
1½ teaspoons salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , plus more to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Sauté the onion for 6 to 7 minutes or until transparent.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the chopped greens and allow to cook for a few minutes until slightly wilted.
Add the beans and with a potato masher or a fork roughly mash about half of them.
Add the stock, lemon zest, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until reduced and thickened to your liking.
You can cook it longer on a really low heat if you need to, or even pop it in the oven on the lowest setting until you're ready for it.
Take off the heat, finish with the juice from the lemon, check the seasoning, adjust as necessary, then serve.
Side #1
Portobello and Sage-Stuffed Acorn Squash
PREP TIME 20 mins COOK TIME 1 hr. 16 mins TOTAL TIME1 hr. 36 mins
INGREDIENTS
3 acorn squash cut in half and seeds removed
3 T. extra virgin olive oil divided
3-4 cloves garlic finely minced
4 oz. pancetta diced
1½ lbs. Portobello mushrooms roughly chopped
½ medium yellow onion thinly sliced
1 c. green lentils cooked
1 1/2 T. fresh sage finely chopped
¼ c. dry red wine
1/3 c. dates roughly chopped
¼ c. walnuts chopped
¼ c. Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Also need:
Non-stick cooking spray
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position oven rack to center position, then preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place the acorn squash halves cut side up in prepared baking dish and brush cut edges with one tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Place baking dish on center rack in pre-heated oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.
3. In the meantime, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned, approximately 2-3 minutes.
4. Add chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, approximately 4-5 minutes. Add sliced onions and continue cooking, stirring once or twice, for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Stir green lentils, fresh sage, and red wine into the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens, approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped dates and toasted walnuts. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Set aside.
6. When ready, remove cooked squash from oven and cool slightly before filling each half with the Portobello mushroom mixture. Sprinkle each half with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
7. Return stuffed squash to oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese starts to melt. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Purple Kale and Grapefruit Salad
Time Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 10 mins
Servings 4
Description
A fresh summer salad with red kale and juicy grapefruit, apples, nuts and cranberries tossed in a vinaigrette.
Salad
1 Bunch purple kale
1 Grapefruit (Sectioned)
1/4 cup Cranberries
1/4 cup Pecans (Chopped)
1/2 Apple (Sliced)
Dressing
3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon White vinegar
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Strawberry balsamic glaze
1. Make the dressing
In a glass mason jar or small container add the olive oil, white vinegar, sherry vinegar, strawberry balsamic and a sprinkle of salt. Shake vigorously to combine.
2. Prepare the salad
Clean and dry the kale. Prepare the kale by removing the tough ribbing. Peel and section one large grapefruit. Combine with sliced apples, cranberries and nuts.
3. Toss with dressing and serve.
Side #2
Roasted Turnips and Pears with Rosemary Honey Butter
PREP TIME:5 MINS COOK TIME:35 MINS TOTAL TIME:40 MINS
Ingredients
3 to 4 purple top turnips - small to medium, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 Bartlett pears - cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt - to taste
Black pepper - to taste
For the drizzle:
3 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary – chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the diced turnips and pears in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer them to the lined baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Bake for about 25-35 minutes, or until the turnips are tender, flipping halfway through.
While the turnips and pears are cooking, heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add in the honey and rosemary and stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
Transfer the cooked turnips and pears to a bowl and drizzle the honey butter dressing over them. Mix until they are covered. Enjoy warm!
Dessert
Rum caramel-roasted pineapple
Total time25 mins
Ingredients
1 small pineapple, peeled and eyes removed
½ cup caster sugar
3 TBS butter
4 oz double cream (Whipping cream)
3 tbsp rum
vanilla ice cream
Method
Cut the pineapple into quarters lengthways and cut out the core from each piece.
Put the sugar in a frying pan and heat gently, swirling the pan until it is dissolved. Turn up the heat and cook until the caramel is the color of a rusty penny. Carefully add the butter and swirl until fully dissolved. Add the pineapple and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning, until softened and glazed.
Put the pineapple onto serving plates and add the double cream and rum to the pan. Heat together and spoon over the pineapple. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Meal #2
Entrée (Main Course)
Braised Kale, Potatoes and Mushrooms
This colorful main dish also can be made with turnip greens or Swiss chard. Serve it with warm crusty bread.
SERVINGS 4
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1 lb. kale, stemmed and torn into large pieces
1 cup diced uncooked red potatoes, with skins
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup chopped or sliced portobello mushrooms
2 medium shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Preparation
Place potatoes in medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, in large, wide skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until shallots are soft and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add kale to mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add water and cooked potatoes. Cover and cook until kale is bright green, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Side #1
Acorn Squash Soup
PREP:10 mins COOK:1 hr 20 mins TOTAL:1hr 30 mins
Ingredients
FOR THE SOUP:
3 whole acorn squash
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt plus additional to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot thinly sliced
2 medium carrots peeled and thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon ground black or white pepper
6 garlic cloves smashed and peeled
2 tablespoons honey
4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken stock plus additional as needed, divided
10 sprigs fresh thyme tied into a bundle
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg freshly grated if possible
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan plus additional for serving (see notes to make vegan)
CRISPY SAGE TOPPING:
Canola oil
12 fresh sage leaves
Kosher salt or flaky sea salt
Instructions
Bake the squash: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. For easy clean up, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
With a sharp, sturdy chef’s knife, carefully cut the squash in half from stem to base. Scoop out and discard the stringy core and seeds. Arrange the halves cut sides up on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each half with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Place in the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges begin to wrinkle, and the flesh is fork-tender.
Set aside to cool, then scoop out and reserve the flesh.
In a large Dutch oven or similar sturdy soup pot, heat the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium. Once the butter has melted, add the carrots, shallot, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook until the shallot is beginning to caramelize, about 8 minutes.
Pour ½ cup of the stock into the pan and stir to remove any brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan (this is flavor!). Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the reserved squash, garlic, and honey. Cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant, then stir in the remaining stock.
Add the thyme bundle and bayleaf. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a simmer. Let simmer gently for 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed and stirring periodically.
Remove the thyme and bay leaf. With an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth (or you can transfer to a regular blender in batches and puree it that way; be careful as hot soup will splatter; return the soup to the pot). Stir in the sage, nutmeg, and Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve hot with a sprinkle of additional Parmesan and crisped sage leaves (if using).
For the Crispy Sage (optional but great for a special occasion): In a small skillet, heat 1/8 inch of canola oil over medium high. When the oil is very hot, add the sage and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, turning the leaves to crisp them on both sides (be careful not to burn yourself). When the bubbling subsides, the leaves should be crisp. Carefully drain the sage onto a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle with salt.
Notes
TO STORE: Refrigerate soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat or reheat gently in the microwave.
TO FREEZE: Freeze soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
TO MAKE VEGAN: Swap the honey for pure maple syrup, the butter for olive oil, and the Parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast; add 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Side # 2
ROASTED CARROTS AND MUSHROOMS
prep time 15 MINUTES cook time 30 MINUTES total time 45 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
4 large carrots
16 oz mushrooms
2 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme (see notes)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 450F/230C.
Peel carrots if desired. Cut carrots on diagonal into slices about 1/4 - 3/8 inch thick.
Toss carrots with 1 T olive oil, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
Spread carrots on large roasting pan that you sprayed or brushed with a little olive oil. (The pan should be big enough that the carrots are in a single layer).
Roast carrots 15 minutes.
While carrots are roasting, wash mushrooms (if needed) and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Slice mushrooms into even slices, slightly thicker than carrots.
Using the same bowl as you tossed the carrots in, toss mushrooms with 1 1/2 T of olive oil.
Remove carrots from oven, stir, add mushrooms and roast 10-15 minutes more.
Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh parsley if using.
Dessert
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes | Chocolate Banana
Prep:5 mins Cook:55 mins Total:1hour hr
Ingredients
2 -medium to large, sweet potatoes
1 ripe banana
2 tablespoons crushed walnuts optional
2 tablespoons dairy-free chocolate chips -optional
Banana Chocolate Sauce
1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter almond butter, or other nut butter, (or PB2 Powder)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup or other sweetener
Instructions
Preparing Sweet Potatoes
The main ingredient for this recipe is of course the sweet potatoes, so you’ll need to start by preparing them. They can be baked in an oven, cooked in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, or even microwaved. Instructions for each method are above.
Once the sweet potatoes are finished cooking, allow them to cool a little bit. Then, slice each one open but don’t cut all the way through.
Use a fork to fluff the soft orange potato flesh. Next, add slices of banana throughout the potato. You can also add crushed walnuts and even a few dairy-free chocolate chips if desired.
Lastly, drizzle the chocolate peanut butter sauce over the top and serve warm. You might even add a mint leaf for display, and mint always goes well with chocolate, in my opinion.
Chocolate Banana Sauce
While the potatoes are cooking is the perfect time to prepare the chocolate banana peanut butter sauce.
Simply mash the banana with a fork, add peanut butter or PB2 Powder, cocoa powder, and maple syrup (or another sweetener, if desired), and mix well into a chocolate sauce texture.
Meal # 3
Entrée (Main Course)
ROASTED GREEN BEANS WITH TURNIPS AND CARROTS
COOK TIME 25 mins TOTAL TIME 45 mins
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
12 oz Turnips peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
2 tablespoons Shallots fresh, minced
12 oz Fresh green beans washed and trimmed
1 tablespoon Italian parsley minced
¼ cup Carrots fresh, shredded
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt butter in a large skillet over moderately low heat. Add turnips, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat with butter. Cover and cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until turnips are just tender and lightly browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.
Add carrots and sauté until warmed. Uncover, add shallots and sauté 2 minutes to soften the shallots.
While turnips are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add green beans and cook until crisp, yet tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, pat dry, then transfer to skillet with turnips and carrots toss to coat with seasonings.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Add parsley, toss again, and serve.
Side #1
Sweet Potato and Banana Casserole Recipe
This savory sweet potato and banana casserole is not only delicious but also quite healthy.
10 mins Cook:20 mins Total:30 mins
Ingredients
2 cups sweet potatoes, cooked, mashed
1 cup bananas, mashed
½ cup sour cream
1 egg
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp curry powder
Instructions
Mix all ingredients.
Beat until smooth; put into greased 1-quart casserole dish
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Serve
Side #2
Julienned-Carrot and Kale Salad
Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time:15 mins Servings:4
Ingredients
1-pound carrots, peeled and thinly julienned
2 cups thinly sliced lacinato kale (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons hempseeds
Directions
Combine carrots and kale in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, and Dijon. Slowly add oil in a steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle vegetables with dressing; adjust seasoning as desired. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with hempseeds, and serve.
Dessert
PINEAPPLE-PEAR CRISP
Ready In: 50mins
INGREDIENTS
5 medium pears
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1⁄4 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
2⁄3 cup rolled oats
1⁄4 cup hazelnuts, chopped (or pecans)
2 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
Coat a 2-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
If desired, peel pears. Core and halve pears lengthwise. Arrange pear halves, cut sides up, in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with pineapple.
In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients until well mixed. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over fruit.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until pears are tender.
Serve warm.