The following recipes are 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
Meal 1
Stuffed Green Peppers
https://www.africanbites.com/wprm_print/586274ell Peppers
Stuffed Green Bell Peppers - easy to make side or main dish using minimal ingredients and ready in no time. A filling and impressive way to serve peppers on regular weeknights or on special occasions!
CourseSide
CuisineAmerican
Keywordbeef, bell peppers, dinner, healthy recipes, meal prep, stuffed bell peppers, weeknight meal
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings4
Calories180kcal
AuthorImmaculate Bites
Ingredients
4-5 large green (or any color) peppers
3/4 pound (340.2g) lean ground beef
2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
1 medium onion , diced
1-2 teaspoons (1g-2g) minced thyme
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup (62.5ml) beef broth or water
1-1½ cup (250g-375g) cooked rice
1 cup (165g) frozen corn
1 green onion , diced
1 teaspoon (4g) Creole seasoning
cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat up a skillet with oil over medium-heat and cook ground beef until browned or no pink is visible.
Add in garlic, onions and thyme , stirring constantly and cook for 1-2 minutes or until onions are wilted.
Then add in diced tomatoes with juice. Bring to a simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add about 1/4 water, if desired.
Stir in cooked rice, drained corn kernels, spring onions and Creole seasoning. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Mix them up. Remove from heat and set aside.
Stuffed Green Bell Pepper Assembly
Trim the tops off each bell pepper and remove seeds and membrane from inside and discard. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To accelerate cooking time Blanch bell pepper in a large pot of boiling water for about 2-3 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and let it dry on paper towels or clean dish, towel.
Grease the baking dish and place the hollowed green bell peppers in it. Scoop meat mixture into each bell peppers until full. Sprinkle with cheese on top, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned and peppers are tender. Serve with salad or toast.
Notes
Feel free to substitute ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or lean pork.
No need to drain off the beef fat after browning it;
To make ahead, bake them and freeze them individually OR all together in a baking dish. To reheat, simply thaw them in the fridge overnight and then bake in a 350 degrees F oven for 5-8 minutes or until heated through.
If you don't want that crispy texture in your bell peppers, you may blanch the bell pepper in a large pot of boiling water for about 2-3 minutes and let it dry on paper towels before stuffing it in with the beef and rice mixture.
To avoid bell peppers draining so much liquid, I recommend parboiling the bell peppers for a few minutes before stuffing it in. Or add a little bit of panko breadcrumbs just like what one of our readers did.
Any bell pepper color actually works fine. You must remember though that green peppers are zestier and less sweet compared to red, yellow, and orange bell peppers.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used. https://www.africanbites.com/stuffed-green-bell-peppers/
or
BEEF AND SPINACH STUFFED PEPPERS
INGREDIENTS
6 medium sized bell peppers, cut longways and seeded
1.5 lb lean ground beef
3 – 4 handfuls baby spinach and kale blend (I use this one), cut into smaller pieces or torn
2 tablespoon your favorite taco or fajita seasoning (I am currently obsessed with this one)
your favorite salsa (I used this Roasted Tomato Salsa)
shredded Mexican blend cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large nonstick skillet, cook beef. Using a wooden spoon, carefully crumble, season with taco season and continue to cook until browned. Add cut spinach and combine until spinach is completely cooked down, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Place peppers in a large glass baking dish, sprayed with nonstick spray. Spoon beef and spinach mixture into each pepper half and top with 1 tablespoon salsa. Cook in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes uncovered (check to see if peppers are soft, if they are they are ready to take out. If not add another 5 minutes). Take out and top with about a tablespoon shredded Mexican blend cheese and bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
How to make the best Grilled Portobello Mushrooms. Simple recipe that’s perfect for a portobello steak, grilled portobello mushroom burger, or easy side.
SERVINGS: 4 servings
Ingredients
4 large portobello mushrooms stems and gills removed, wiped clean
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, plus additional to taste
Canola or vegetable oil for grilling
Optional for serving: Herby Avocado Sauce; these also make delicious mushroom burgers so you can serve them with buns, cheese, and your favorite fresh toppings like spinach, tomato, and avocado
Instructions
In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, rosemary, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Taste and adjust seasonings if you like. Add the mushrooms and turn to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes on one side, then flip and let sit 5 additional minutes. While the mushrooms marinate, prep the grill and anything you’d like to serve with them. You can let them sit for up to 30 minutes, so feel free to take your time—the longer they sit, the more intense the flavor will be.
Heat a grill or a large skillet over medium heat (about 350 to 400 degrees F). Brush the grill with oil to prevent sticking. Remove the mushrooms from the bowl, shaking off any excess marinade and reserving the marinade for basting. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, or until caramelized and deep golden brown. Brush the remaining marinade over the mushrooms several times as they cook.
To serve, top the portobello mushrooms with the avocado sauce or any topping you like.
Grilled mushrooms are best enjoyed the day they are made but can last for a few days in the refrigerator. I like to cut up the leftovers, then mix them with scrambled eggs for a quick healthy lunch.
Nutritional information calced with 1/2 the marinade, since much is discarded. Nutritional information is provided as a good-faith estimate. If you'd like to make any changes to the calculation, you can do so for free at myfitnesspal.com.
SOUTHERN STYLE VEGAN BANANA PUDDING
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE BANANA PUDDING
2 and 1/2 cups Silk Organic nut milk Unsweetened*
4 tablespoons corn starch or arrowroot powder
1/4 cup organic sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large bananas, sliced
12-15 vegan vanilla wafers
FOR THE MERINGUE TOPPING
1/2 cup aquafaba**
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
splash of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons organic sugar
DIRECTIONS:
In a measuring cup, combine 1/2 cup almond milk (or other plant-based milk) with corn starch and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk until dissolved then pour the mixture in a saucepan with the remaining milk and warm over medium heat. Bring to a low boil and continually whisk until mixture starts to thicken, for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract then transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours or up to overnight. Once the pudding is thickened, use a hand mixer to beat it until smooth. This step is key to getting a smooth pudding-like texture! Don’t skip it.
In an 8×8″ dish (or similarly sized dish) cover the bottom with vanilla wafers. Top with a layer of bananas then cover with pudding. Refrigerate while you make the topping.
In a large bowl, add the aquafaba along with 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Beat on high for about 7-10 minutes, until stiff peaks begin to form. Add sugar and vanilla extract then continue to beat until dissolved. Taste test and add more vanilla or sugar as desired.
Menu#2
Grandma's Baked Eggplant Parmesan
My grandmother's easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan is a delicious vegetarian dinner that only requires 15 minutes of prep!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1 small eggplant
1 egg, beaten
1 cup marinara sauce
2 ounces (½ cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
Pour melted butter into a 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Place egg in a shallow dish. Set aside.
In a separate shallow dish, combine Corn Flakes crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Peel eggplant and cut into ¾-inch thick slices. Dip each slice in egg and coat with crumb mixture. Place in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes; flip the slices over and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Pour marinara sauce over eggplant and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 3 more minutes, or until cheese is just melted.
Wilted Spinach Salad w/ Balsamic Caramelized Red Onions
SERVES4-6
Ingredients send grocery list
1 small package organic baby spinach
1 large red onion – sliced thin
2 tablespoons e.v. olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
extra olive oil for drizzling
juice of ½ small lemon (a little over a tablespoon)
Directions
Wash and dry spinach. Place in large bowl.
Sauté onions w/ a ¼ teaspoon salt in olive oil until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until caramelized completely and a nice light toast color.
While still hot, pour the onions with the oil over the spinach, add the additional ¼ teaspoon salt and the ¼ teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with lemon. Add more olive oil if needed. Toss completely and serve while still warm...
Broccoli Salad
A simple broccoli salad made with bacon, cranberries, and other simple add-ins!
Be sure to check out the recipe VIDEO at the bottom of the post!
Prep Time10 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time10 minutes
Servings8 cups
Calories291kcal
Ingredients
5-6 cups broccoli florets¹ 1 lb, this was about 2 1/2 heads of broccoli for me (450g)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese thicker, not finely shredded (115g)
2/3 cup dried cranberries (85g)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon² (60g)
1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds (60g)
1/3 cup red onion diced into small pieces (50g)
Dressing
3/4 cup mayo I use olive oil mayo (175g)
1/4 cup sour cream³ (70g)
1 1/2 Tablespoon white wine vinegar⁴
3 Tablespoons sugar (40g)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Combine broccoli florets, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, bacon, sunflower seeds, and onion in a large bowl.
In a separate, small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and well-combined.
Pour dressing over broccoli combination and toss or stir well.
Broccoli salad may be served immediately, but for best flavor refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Make sure to toss broccoli salad thoroughly again before serving.
Keep refrigerated if not consuming right away.
Notes
¹I never blanch my broccoli when making broccoli salad. If you wish to, blanch it in boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water immediately until broccoli has cooled, and then dry well before using.
²If cooking and crumbling your own bacon, you'll need about 8 strips. If you prefer to use pre-cooked/crumbled bacon, make sure you buy the kind made with real bacon (it should say it on the label) and not "bacon flavored bits" with imitation flavor.
³Some or all of the sour cream may be substituted with plain Greek yogurt.
⁴White wine vinegar is my preference, but red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar will also work great here.
How to Store Broccoli Salad
Broccoli Salad may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. If you are making several days in advance, I recommend storing the salad and the dressing separately, then tossing everything together at least an hour before serving.
Vegan Banana Pudding
This homemade vegan banana pudding recipe can be made with just a few basic ingredients.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Yield2 1/2 cups
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/4 cup milk of choice
sweetener of choice, such as 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or sugar, or pinch stevia
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot (or see substitution above)
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
optional 1/8 tsp turmeric for color
optional 1 tbsp vegan butter or coconut butter, for richer taste
Instructions
*You can also add 2-3 tbsp of peanut butter to turn it into a peanut butter banana pudding.
In a small pot over medium heat, combine banana, sweetener, optional ingredients, and 1 cup of the milk of choice. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk with the cornstarch. Once banana mixture is warm, whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Cook on low heat, whisking occasionally, until thick. Turn off heat and stir in vanilla. (If not eating right away, you can take it off the heat before it's thick, let cool, then refrigerate. The pudding will thicken considerably in the fridge.) If a smoother texture is desired, feel free to use a hand blender. Serve hot or cold.
Menu # 3
Celery Root, Chive + Cheddar Gratin
Rich with cream and cheddar, this gratin uses celery root (celeriac) instead of the traditional potato.
To read the accompanying story, see: How to wrangle celery root and make it the star of your kitchen this winter.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream or nut milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
One 1 1/2-pound celery root, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
1 cup coarsely grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh chives (may substitute celery leaves or chopped fresh parsley)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use the butter to grease an 8-inch-square baking dish.
Whisk together the heavy cream, garlic, salt (to taste), pepper and nutmeg in a bowl.
Arrange a third of the celery root slices in an even layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle with a third of the cheese, a third of the chives and then evenly pour in a third of the cream mixture. Repeat the process two more times.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake (middle rack) for 45 minutes, or until the celery root is starting to get tender (test it with the tip of a paring knife
Uncover and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown, the celery root is completely tender and the sauce is bubbling at the edge serve hot
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps (better than P.F. Chang's)!
! A quick, easy, and healthy dinner that tastes delicious! Gluten and dairy-free!
CourseMain Course
Cuisineasian
asian chicken lettuce wraps, asian lettuce wraps, chicken lettuce wraps, chicken lettuce wraps recipe, lettuce wrap sauce, lettuce wraps, lettuce wraps recipe
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings6 people
Calories209.1kcal
Ingredients
1 lb ground chicken
1 TBS peanut oil
½ onion minced
1 cup red or green pepper diced
1 8 oz can water chestnuts drained and minced
For the Sauce:
3 TBS soy sauce* or tamari
3 TBS hoisin sauce**
1 TBS sesame oil
1 TBS rice vinegar
1 TBS peanut butter
1 TBS honey
2 tsp sweet chili sauce (Trader Joe’s!)
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp powdered ginger
To serve
¼ cup peanuts crushed.
Lettuce or your favorite Asian salad
Instructions
Whisk together sauce ingredients until well combined. If you use a firmer peanut butter you may need to microwave the mixture for 30-60 seconds in order to melt it and ensure everything is well-mixed.
Heat 2 TBS peanut oil in a frying pan. Once hot, add ground chicken.
Cook until some pieces are starting to brown. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is becoming translucent.
Add the peppers and water chestnuts and cook about 5 minutes or until peppers are becoming soft.
Add sauce and simmer on low heat until the chicken and veggies are evenly coated and everything is heated through.
Serve in lettuce leaves, on top of your favorite Asian salad, or over noodles or rice!
BLUEBERRY BANANA PIE VEGAN OVERNIGHT OATS
Inspired by Super Natural Every Day’s Baked Oatmeal.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups non-dairy milk
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
3 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 small bananas, peeled & chopped
1-1.5 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
Homemade Granola sprinkled on top before serving
Directions: Mix in a casserole dish and place in fridge overnight. In the morning, give it a stir and enjoy cold with a sprinkle of granola on top. Keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days\
Orange-Almond Olive Oil Cake an original from the kitchen of girlichef serves: ~10 cake: 240 grams (8.5 oz. / ~2 c.) cake flour 141 grams (5 oz. / ~1¼ c.) finely ground almond meal/flour 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. fine sea salt 322 grams (11.4 oz. / 1½ c.) superfine sugar ½ c. (4 floz. / 102 g) olive oil ½ c. (4 floz. / 119 g) almond milk finely grated zest of 2 oranges (~1 Tbs.) ¼ c. (2 floz. / 60g) freshly squeezed Valencia Orange juice ½ tsp. almond emulsion or extract ¼ tsp. orange extract 3 eggs glaze: 127 grams (1 c. / 4.5 oz.) powdered sugar 1-2 Tbs. (15-30 g / .5-1 floz.) freshly squeezed Valencia Orange juice garnish: peeled, blanched Almonds (whole, sliced, or slivered), optional
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 10" x 4¼" tube pan (or a bundt pan) and flour lightly.
for cake:
Combine cake flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a mixer, at low speed until smooth and well combined, ~1-2 minutes. Add flour mixture and mix.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Slide into oven and bake for ~45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place entire pan on a wire rack and let cool for ~15 minutes. Carefully turn cake out of pan, flip right side up again and set it back on the rack to finish cooling.
finishing:
Stir about half of the orange juice into the powdered sugar, add a bit more until smooth and the consistency you want. Drizzle evenly over cooled cake. Garnish with almonds, if using.