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
Collard Greens Local
Fennel, Local (In the large & Jumbo baskets)
Orange Sweet Potato,
Eggplant, Local
Celery,
Green Bell Peppers, Local
Sugar Plum Cherry Tomatoes,
Apples, Pink Lady, Extra Fancy
Bananas
Valencia Oranges
Meal #1
Entrée ( Main Course)
Penne With Eggplant, Bell Peppers, and Celery
Ingredients
6 ounces of penne 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ¼ eggplant, diced ½ red bell pepper, chopped 0.5 green bell pepper, chopped 1 celery stick, sliced salt 1 garlic clove, chopped ½ cup heavy cream 1 ounce camembert
How to Make
Add the pasta in a saucepan full of simmering water. Cook them according to the instructions on the package.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced eggplant and cook it until golden brown. Add the bell peppers and celery and give it a good stir. Soften the veggies for the next 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and the pasta.
Add the heavy cream, stir, and cook the pasta for 1 more minute.
Serve the pasta with Camembert cheese and a touch of paprika powder!
Side #1
Apple and Celery Salad with Cherry Tomatoes
Prep Time 20 mins Total Time 20 mins
Ingredients
5 apples
1 celery or leek
500 g cherry tomato (s)
1 bunch spring onion (s)
2 bunches chives
100 ml apple cider vinegar
150 ml oil (sunflower oil)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
0.5 teaspoon ½ salt
0.5 teaspoon ½ pepper
Instructions
Peel and core the apples and cut into fine leaves or cubes. Then cut off the roots of the celery, wash the individual stems and cut into fine cubes. Then wash the cherry tomatoes and cut in half. Cut the spring onions into fine rolls and wash them off with cold water.
Put all the prepared ingredients in a bowl and mix in the chives, cut into fine rolls.
For the dressing, mix apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper together until the salt has dissolved. Add the oil and mix well as well. Fold the dressing into the salad and let it steep for half an hour, covered. Then season again to taste and serve.
Instead of celery, leeks can also be used in the salad. This is cut into fine strips, briefly blanched in boiling and salted water and chilled in cold water before being added to the salad. Tastes very tasty in summer. Especially when grilling.
Side #2
Southern-style greens with vegan eggplant “salt-pork”
Ingredients:
1 bunch greens (feel free to substitute kale or some other such silliness, but My Heart Belongs to Collards), chopped
2 medium eggplants, peeled and diced
3/4 c cider vinegar
1/3 c water
2/3 c flavorless oil (if you don’t want to use Canola, then grapeseed maybe? Just not olive or coconut or something that has a taste)
1/4 cup Braggs liquid aminos
1 tbsp liquid smoke
3.5 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp turmeric
STEP ONE: EGGPLANT
Marinate the night prior to serving:
1. Toss the eggplant in 2 tbsp of the salt. Set aside in a colander to drain for two hours.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive bowl, whisking well to make sure they’re completely mixed.
3. Toss the eggplant into the marinade– be sure it’s entirely submerged– and refrigerate overnight.
4. The next day, before starting on the greens, bake the eggplant in the marinade at 200 degrees for 2 hours. You’re essentially making a quick confit with the eggplant.
5. Drain eggplant but reserve the marinade.
6. Add 1/4 cup of the marinade to a saute pan; saute the eggplant in the marinade for 15 minutes.
STEP TWO: GREENS
1. In a large pot, bring the cider vinegar and water to a boil.
2. When the liquid begins to boil, add the eggplant. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes.
3. Add the collard greens. Let cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar and/or water to taste as needed.
Serve with cornbread to soak up that delicious potlikker!
*BONUS: Also works with wild greens like garlic mustard and dock!
Dessert
Orange Dream Bars
Ingredients
CRUST:
▢1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
▢2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
▢½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
▢¼ teaspoon salt
FILLING:
▢½ cup (119ml) fresh squeezed orange juice
▢Zest of 1 orange
▢1 teaspoon orange extract
▢1 ½ cups (150g) granulated sugar
▢¼ cup (31g) all-purpose flour
▢½ teaspoon baking powder
▢4 large eggs
▢Powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13” pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Beat butter with a hand or a stand mixer until creamy, then add the flour, sugar, and salt and beat until a dough forms. (If you’re using a hand mixer it will take extra time.) Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18 minutes.
A few minutes before the crust comes out of the oven, prepare the filling. Place all filling ingredients into a blender jar and blend until smooth, a few seconds to almost a minute, depending on your blender. You can also do this with a whisk in a large bowl.
Carefully pour filling over evenly over hot crust. Return to oven and bake until the top is no longer jiggly, about 20-23 minutes. Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar and slicing into bars.
Notes
Don’t strain the fresh squeezed juice – that pulp adds flavor!
The orange extract is essential here to amp up the orange flavor.
Use your favorite oranges! For the zest be sure to use at least 1 tablespoon (or more if your orange is larger).
Make sure your crust is compacted firmly. Any holes in the bottom can cause the filling to leak through, ending in upside down bars. This is not usually a problem with shortbread crusts like this one (it happens more if you’re using a cookie crust) but just in case it happens, that’s why.
Want a crunchier crust? Bake it for 22 minutes before topping.
Meal #2
VEGAN LENTIL STEW WITH SWEET POTATOES AND COLLARD GREENS
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 large carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken for non-vegetarian)
2 cups water
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes (not drained)
1 cup green lentils, rinsed
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 bunch collard greens, stem and ribs removed and cut into thin ribbons
Pinch chili flakes
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot.
Add diced onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until softened but not browned (about 7-10 minutes).
Add in the entire can of fire-roasted tomatoes, a heavy pinch of sea salt and pepper, cumin, turmeric, oregano, curry, chili flakes, and thyme. Stir.
Add broth and water; bring to a simmer.
Add rinsed lentils. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
At 15 minutes, add diced sweet potatoes.
Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes, until lentils and potato are tender. Add your collard greens the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
Taste and adjust your seasoning and salt and pepper.
Serve in bowls topped with avocado, fresh squeezed lime, and a drizzle of olive oil.
TO SERVE:
Avocado
Lime
Drizzle of olive oil
ADDITIONAL SERVING IDEAS:
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Cilantro
Pickled jalapenos
Shredded cheese
Tortilla chips
Side #1
Crunchy Fennel Orange Salad
Ingredients
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise
4 celery stalks, peeled and thinly sliced on the bias
1 bunch radishes, about 5, thinly sliced
1 orange, peeled and sectioned (working over a bowl to save the juice)
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions
In a salad bowl, toss together the fennel, celery, radishes, and orange segments.
Whisk together the orange juice, sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt, sugar, and cayenne. Pour over the salad and toss to combine. Serve, or cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Side #2
Bell Peppers Baked with Tomatoes
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4
Ingredients:
6 bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
or bite-size pieces
12 oz. cherry tomatoes, stemmed
4 to 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar or 2 tsp. each balsamic
and red wine vinegar
2 tsp. minced fresh oregano, marjoram or
thyme leaves
1 tsp. sugar, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. fresh basil leaves, torn or finely shredded
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, mix the bell peppers, tomatoes, half of the garlic, the olive oil, half of the vinegar, the oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well and spread out in a single layer in a large baking pan.
Roast the vegetables for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the vegetables so that they will brown evenly, and return them to the oven. Continue to roast until the peppers are slightly charred at the edges and the tomatoes are soft and tender and have begun to form a sauce, about 10 minutes more.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining garlic to taste and the remaining vinegar. Let cool until warm or room temperature. Garnish with the basil just before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
Serving Tips: This dish comes from Apulia, in southeast Italy, and it is as delicious at room temperature as it is warm. Serve as a side dish with roasted meats or browned sausages, toss with pasta or pile into a crusty sandwich. It also makes a good appetizer with a mound of creamy goat cheese alongside.
Mexican Roasted Broccoli
Dessert
No-Churn Apple Pie Ice Cream
Ingredients
Apple compote:
▢¼ cup brown sugar, packed
▢1 tablespoon unsalted butter
▢1 teaspoon apple pie spice or cinnamon
▢2 medium sized apples, peeled and cut into ¼ inch pieces
Ice cream base:
▢One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
▢½ teaspoon apple pie spice or cinnamon
▢½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
▢2 cups cold heavy cream
▢¾ cup crushed crunchy oatmeal cookies, see note for other options
Instructions
Prepare compote:
Place brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan. Stir until the butter is melted and the brown sugar and butter are combined. Add apples and pie spice, stir to coat the apples. Simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes, until the apples are tender, stirring occasionally.
Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until chilled. Once chilled, prepare ice cream base.
Ice cream:
In a large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, pie spice, and vanilla extract.
Puree half the apple compote (it won't be completely smooth; that's OK), and stir the pureed compote into the condensed milk mixture. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff, billowy peaks form. Gently fold half the whipped cream into the condensed milk, then fold in the other half. Stir in most of the cookie crumbs, reserving a tablespoon or two for the top.
Pour half the ice cream base into a 2 quart container (I used a loaf pan). Top with half the remaining apple compote. Pour in the last half of the ice cream base and top with remaining apple compote and reserved cookie crumbs.
Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.
Meal # 3
Entrée (Main Course)
STUFFED EGGPLANT WITH FENNEL AND WHITE BEANS
Prep Time: 10 Cook Time: 30
INGREDIENTS
2 medium to large eggplants
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin (we used a mandolin)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder ( you can sub for minced garlic)
¼ tsp salt
1-15 oz can white beans (or cannellini beans), rinsed and drained
15-20 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Fresh Chopped parsley to garnish (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Slice the eggplants lengthwise, score the flesh in a diamond pattern, without poking the skin. Brush 1 teaspoon of the oil on each eggplant half and place them cut side down on the parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender
In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large non stick skillet. Add the fennel, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and salt and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until it starts to caramelize. Add ½ cup water and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, until the fennel starts to soften
Add the beans, grape tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 5 minutes
Top the roasted eggplant with the fennel and white bean mixture and serve warm
Side #1
Easy Sweet Potato and Pepper Hash with Eggs Recipe
Active:30 mins Total:30 mins 4 servings
Ingredients
1 large, sweet potato (about 12 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch dice
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, cored and seeded, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank's or Cholula
Freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in the sink.
Heat oil in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add drained potatoes and spread into an even layer. Cook until well browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and onions and toss with a wooden spoon to combine. Continue to cook, allowing bottom of vegetables to brown. Flip vegetables and toss them with a wooden spoon to expose new sections to the bottom of the pan until well browned all over, about 10 minutes total. Stir in thyme leaves and hot sauce, cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Make four shallow wells in the surface of the hash and break an egg into each. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer pan to oven and cook until eggs are barely set but still runny, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Side #2
COLLARDS WITH APPLES
Ready In:1hr
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs fresh collard greens, cleaned and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cooking apple, diced
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon all-purpose Greek seasoning
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cook greens in boiling water to cover in a Dutch oven for 30 minutes; drain.
Sauté garlic and green onions in hot oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat until tender; add collards, apples, and remaining ingredients.
Bring to boil; cover and reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, or until apple is tender, stirring occasionally.
Dessert
CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BARS
Prep Time15 mins Cook Time22 mins Total Time37 mins
Ingredients
5 very ripe bananas about 1 2/3 cup
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup oil any type- I use coconut
¼ cup milk
2 eggs
1 ¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup mini chocolate chips divided
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 15×10.5" pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
Peel bananas and mash well. Stir in brown sugar, oil, milk and eggs until combined. Add in dry ingredients and stir. Fold in 1/2 the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle remaining chips on top.
Bake 18-22 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into squares. Enjoy!
Notes
Yields 24 bars.