Check out these amazing recipes coordinated with the ingredients in this week's Organic Fruit & Vegetable basket.
To sign up for a Weekly or Bi-weekly Organic Basket click here https://www.gdorganics.com/book-online
This Week's Ingredients
Rainbow Chard,
Green Beans,
Red Beets (In the large & Jumbo baskets)
Celery
Globe Eggplant,
Zucchini, Fancy
Bananas
Gala Apples, Extra Fancy
Lemons (In the Jumbo baskets)
Meal #1
Entrée ( Main Course)
Tuscan Minestrone
A classic Minestrone recipe full of delicious vegetables!
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
1 medium onion diced
1 large carrot peeled and sliced
1 celery rib sliced
3 garlic cloves minced
2 cups shredded green cabbage
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
¼ cup olive oil
5 cups vegetable stock
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 Parmesan rind optional
1 small zucchini diced
15 ounces garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
4 ounces tender green beans trimmed, cut into 3/4” pieces
4 ounces small shell shaped pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
Prep the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, cabbage, parsley, and basil and set aside.
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
Add the stock, tomatoes, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, bay leaf and Parmesan rind (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
Add the zucchini, garbanzo beans, and green beans and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
While the soup simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain. Add the cooked pasta to the soup pot and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately. Pass grated Parmesan separately.
Side #1
Grilled Eggplant with Lemon and Garlic
Serves 4 to 6
2 small to medium purple eggplants
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus a little more for drizzling
Salt
3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 lemons
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Slice the eggplants into rounds just under 1/2 inch and using a pastry brush, brush the exposed sides with the oil. (Make sure that each surface is covered). Lightly salt the slices and then take them to the grill and over medium heat, grill them until a bit charred and softened.
Arrange about half of the slices on a dinner plate, sprinkle with half of the garlic and squeeze the juice of one lemon over. Drizzle with just a bit of olive oil. Lightly salt again and sprinkle half of the parsley over. Arrange the remaining eggplant slices over and repeat the process.
Cover the plate tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours(longer is better). Bring to room temperature to serve.
Side #2
Warm Orzo Salad with Beets & Greens
Serves 6, as a side dish
3/4 pounds beets, with greens attached ( Can use other greens like Kale or Chard if beets greens not available)
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces orzo pasta
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
Heat the pine nuts in a dry skillet, over medium heat, until they begin to brown. Watch them carefully, as they will burn in a flash. Remove from the heat & transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
Peel the beets & chop them into bite-sized pieces. Remove the stems from the beet greens & slice the leaves into strips. Wash the greens thoroughly to remove any grit.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced red onion & garlic. Cook until the onions are tender & golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low & add the beet greens. Cover & cook, tossing occasionally, until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the beets in a pot of salted water, until just tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the beets from the pot using a slotted spoon & set aside. Return the water to a boil & add the pasta. Cook, according to the package instructions, until al dente & drain. Add the orzo to a bowl, along with the beets, pine nuts, beet greens & crumbled feta. Toss, season with salt & pepper to taste & serve
Dessert
Tourte de Blettes (Swiss Chard and Apple Pastry)
A specialty from Nice, in the south of France, this dessert surprises anyone outside of Provence or Italy (where they make a similar sweet), because few people think of putting greens in a tart.
SERVINGS 6
Ingredients
7 cups roughly chopped Swiss chard leaves; inner stems removed (1 1/2 lb.)
2/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp. egg substitute, divided
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup dried currants
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. sliced toasted almonds
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (1/2 17.3-oz. pkg.)
1 Fuji or Gala apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Blanch Swiss chard in large pot of boiling water 15 seconds, or until wilted. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.
Combine ricotta and confectioners’ sugar in bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup egg substitute and milk. Add chard, currants, 1/3 cup almonds, and nutmeg.
Cut pastry sheet in half. Roll each half into 10- x 9-inch rectangle on floured work surface. Place 1 piece puff pastry over 8-inch-square nonstick baking pan and press into sides of pan. Spoon in chard mixture and arrange apple slices on top. Place remaining piece of pastry on top of apples and roll edges to seal. Brush with remaining 1 tsp. egg substitute, and sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbs. almonds.
Prick pastry top with knife to vent. Bake 45 minutes. Cover with foil, and bake 45 minutes more, or until pastry is golden. Cool on wire rack, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Meal #2
Zucchini, String Bean and Eggplant Stew
Prep: 10 min Cook: 35 min
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions julienned
4 garlic cloves
1 bunch scallions sliced
1-pound green beans
3 medium diced zucchinis
3 medium eggplant diced mediums
2 large tomatoes diced medium
2 large tomatoes grated on box grater
1 can crushed tomatoes with juice
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup parsley chopped
Directions
In a medium-size heavy gauge pot, heat olive oil add onion, cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add scallions and a pinch of salt. Add garlic, cook 3 more minutes. Add grated tomatoes, cook 4 to 5 minutes. Add canned crushed tomatoes, cook 3 to 4 minutes. Fold in string beans, cook 5 to 8 minutes until slightly tender. Add zucchini, cook 3 minutes. Add eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Cook until all vegetables are tender. Adjust seasoning, salt and pepper, fold in parsley and drizzle extra virgin olive oil.
Side #1
Apple Walnut Rainbow Swiss Chard Salad
Prep Time 20 minutes Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
1/2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Salad:
4 cups Swiss chard thinly sliced
2 medium apples washed, cored, and thinly sliced
1 large rib celery thinly sliced
1/2 small onion thinly sliced (or 4 scallions, thinly sliced)
1/2 cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
Instructions
Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl.
Toss in all salad ingredients except the walnuts.
Transfer the salad to a serving bowl, sprinkle the walnuts on top, and serve.
Side #2
APPLE CELERY SOUP
PREP TIME 10 mins COOK TIME 20 mins TOTAL TIME 30 mins
SERVINGS 4 CUPS
INGREDIENTS
8 oz. apples cored and chopped
8 oz celery stalks chopped
1 medium potato peeled and chopped
1 medium onion peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
1 inch ginger peeled and chopped
½ cup celery leaves chopped
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp pepper powder
¾ tsp salt
3 cups vegetable stock or water
¼ tsp turmeric powder
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add chopped onion garlic and ginger. Sauté till the onion becomes soft.
Add celery, apples and potato. Mix well.
Cover the pan and allow the mixture to cook or sweat for 5 minutes over low heat.
Add the stock or water. Simmer the mixture till the potato and celery stalks are cooked.
Allow the mixture to cool a bit. Add celery leaves.
Puree or blend the mixture in a food processor.
Pass the liquid through a sieve. This will help to catch any celery fibers or strings.
Return the soup to the saucepan.
Add salt, pepper, turmeric powder, and lemon juice.
Heat the soup gently and NOT to a rolling boil.
Serve hot soup with your favorite bread and lemon slices.
Mexican Roasted Broccoli
Dessert
Fudgy Chocolate Chip Beet Banana Bread
2hr 30min Total Time
Ingredients
1 cup overripe bananas mashed
2 medium beets
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup coconut oil
1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
½ cup mini chocolate chips ( vegan if desired)
¾ tsp Baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 vanilla pod or 2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
Drizzle the Beets (2) in Olive Oil (1 tsp) and wrap in tin foil, roast for 45-60 minutes, until the beets are easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and lightly grease a bread pan.
In a large bowl, mix the Whole Wheat Flour (1 1/2 cups) , Baking Soda (3/4 tsp) , Salt (3/4 tsp) , and Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (1/3 cup) together.
When the beets have cooled, put them in a food processor with the Vanilla Bean Pod (1) and process until smooth.
Mash the Bananas (1 cup) in a smaller bowl, add Coconut Oil (1/4 cup) , the beet and vanilla mixture and the Granulated Sugar (3/4 cup)
Stir the banana and beet mixture together and then add to the dry ingredients and then mix in the Mini Chocolate Chips (1/2 cup) .
Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the bread cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Meal # 3
Entrée (Main Course)
Lemony Pasta with Zucchini and Fresh Herbs
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1pound fusilli or other short curvy pasta
1½ pounds zucchini or other summer squash, or a combination, halved lengthwise and cut into ½- inch thick pieces
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
½ cup grated Pecorino or grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1½ cups roughly chopped herbs, such as mint, basil, chervil, Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
Flaky salt, for serving (optional
PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of well-salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just under al dente, 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, prepare the zucchini or other squash: Season chunks with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the squash in one layer (you may need to do this in two batches) and cook undisturbed until it begins to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the pan and set aside. Taste and season again, if necessary.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until the garlic becomes translucent, about 30 seconds. Add the squash back to the pan along with the lemon juice and half the lemon zest. Toss to combine.
Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to combine. Add ½ cup of the pasta water and the grated cheese and toss until the cheese emulsifies and is silky. If needed, add an additional ¼ cup pasta water or more to loosen. Add the fresh herbs and toss again. Top with additional herbs and the remaining lemon zest. Serve in bowls and pass grated cheese at the table. Season with flaky salt, if desired.
Side #1
Spicy Green Beans and Chard
Spicy green beans and chard are the perfect side to just about anything. Tender beans and greens dressed with butter, salt, pepper, a little heat from red pepper flakes, and fresh parmesan cheese crumbled all over the top.
PREP TIME 5 mins COOK TIME 7 mins TOTAL TIME 12 mins
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup water
1-pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 bundle of green chard, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, in bite size chunks
INSTRUCTIONS
In medium saucepan with lid add water, beans first, then chard on top. Don't mix. Turn heat to high and place lid on. Bring to a boil then turn heat down to medium high and set the timer for 7 minutes. It should still be boiling.
Remove from heat and drain any extra liquid.
Add the melted butter, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently mix everything together. Serve and add crumbled parmesan over the top.
NOTES
Additional toppings -
Add thinly sliced almonds or pine nuts for a little crunch.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice really brightens the flavor.
If you love herbs, fresh parsley, rosemary or even thyme is perfect with the beans. A little goes a long way.
Drizzle on Nonna Pia's balsamic glaze. This stuff is gold in a bottle.
Side #2
Celery Stir Fry
PREP TIME 10 mins COOK TIME 5 mins TOTAL TIME 15 mins SERVINGS 6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons high-quality canola oil, rice bran oil, or other cooking oil
3 small, dried Chile peppers, broken in half (can sub 1/8 teaspoon of red chili flakes)
4 cups julienned celery (cut into pieces about 2 inches long)
1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce (to taste)
2 to 3 drops dark sesame oil (optional)
Method
Heat the oil and chiles:
Heat the oil and chiles in a wok or frying pan over high heat for 90 seconds, or until the chiles become fragrant and the seeds sizzle.
Add the celery, soy, soy sauce, and optional sesame oil:
Add the celery and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce and stir-fry one more minute. Drizzle with dark sesame oil (if using). Serve hot or at room temperature.
Dessert
Lemon Bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 3 hours, 50 minutes
Yield: 24 bars
You only need 7 ingredients to make these lemon bars. The lemon curd filling is extra thick and creamy and sits on an irresistible butter shortbread crust. Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking. See recipe notes for important tips.
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD CRUST
1 cup (230g; 2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
LEMON FILLING
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour
6 large eggs
1 cup (240ml) lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
optional: confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking pan* with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
Make the crust: Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir to completely combine. The dough will be thick. Press firmly into prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust). A new step I swear by, this helps the filling stick and holds the crust in place. Set aside until step 4.
Make the filling: Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice until completely combined.
Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. (Give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test.) Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature. I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until chilled. I recommend serving chilled.
Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares before serving. For neat squares, wipe the knife clean between each cut. Cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions: Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Cut the cooled bars (without confectioners’ sugar topping) into squares, then place onto a baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour. Individually wrap each bar in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place into a large bag or freezer container to freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator, then dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
Glass Dish: Use a ceramic or glass pan. I always detect a slight metallic flavor in the lemon bars when baked in metal pans.
Halve the Recipe: Halve each of the ingredients to yield around 12 squares in a 9×9-inch baking pan. Same oven temperature. Bake the crust for 16-18 minutes and the bars for 20 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles.
Sifting: Often, the flour doesn’t fully incorporate into the lemon filling unless it’s sifted with the sugar. As directed in the recipe, sift the two together before adding the eggs and lemon juice. I don’t always do this but it’s preferred to avoid any flour lumps. If you have a sifter, it’s worth using. If you forget, it’s not a huge deal You use it again to dust the lemon bars with confectioners’ sugar.
Lemon Juice: For exceptional taste, I highly recommend fresh lemon juice. Or use another fresh-squeezed citrus like grapefruit, blood orange, lime, or regular orange. You can slightly reduce the sugar if using a sweeter citrus. I recommend no less than 1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in the filling as it’s needed for structure.
Room Temperature: Bringing the eggs and lemon juice to room temperature helps them mix easier into the flour and sugar. However, I never notice a taste or texture difference when using cold. Room temperature or cold, use whichever!