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
Red Dandelion Leaves, Local
Curly Kale
Fennel, Local (In the large & Jumbo baskets)
Covington Sweet Potatoes,
Gold Beets,
Eggplant, Globe
Portabella Mushrooms,
Shallots (In the Jumbo baskets) Bartlett Pears, Autumn, Extra Fancy,
Heirloom Navel Oranges
Meal 1
Caramelized Shallot and Portobello Open-Faced Sandwich
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the Topping:
3 shallots, sliced thin
6 medium portobello mushrooms, sliced thin
2 tablespoons vegan butter
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 slices of crusty hearty whole grain bread
For the Lemon Cashew Sauce:
1/2 cup cashew cream
1 cup water
1/2 lemon juice and zest
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
To Make the Topping for the bread:
Heat 1 tablespoon vegan butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and reduce the heat to low.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are browned, but not burned, about 20 minutes.
Remove the shallots and add 1 tablespoon vegan butter to the skillet
Add the mushrooms and cook until the juice is reduced. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Turn the heat off and combine the mushrooms with the shallots. Divide between the 2 pieces of bread.
To Make the Lemon Cashew Sauce:
In a small saucepan, mix the cashew cream, water, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, and zest. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Cook over medium-high heat, until the sauce thickens to a consistency you like.
Pour over shallot mushroom mixture. Serve.
Side #1
SWEET POTATO AND KALE BALLS
Prep Time: 15 minutes ~ Cook Time: 30 minutes ~ Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
2 tbsp full fat coconut milk
1 c kale, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
salt/pepper to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Steam or boil sweet potatoes until tender. Transfer to a large bowl and mash with fork.
To the mashed potatoes add coconut milk, kale, onion and all the seasonings. Mix until well combined.
Wet your hands and take a palm size full of potato mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat process until necessary. You can do a little smaller than palm size if you’d like.
Place on baking sheet and top with hemp seeds.
Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Makes 12
Side #2
Radish, Fennel, and Dandelion Salad
(serves 6)
What You Need: A mandolin or food processor will be a nice help but are not required.
How Long? 30 minutes of total cooking time, with 15-20 minutes of largely inactive time while the shallots macerate. It is worth the wait.
Ingredients:
2 bunches of young, tender dandelion greens
1 large lemon (Meyer lemon if available)
2 medium shallots
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
White wine vinegar (optional)
2 bulbs of fennel, tough outer layers removed
1 bunch (8-12) small red radishes, tops removed
Assemble:
Wash and thoroughly dry the greens and keep chilled in fridge.
Zest the lemon using a zester, micro plane grater or knife. Reserve zest.
Juice the lemon into a medium bowl and add lemon zest.
Peel and finely chop the shallots. Add the shallots to the lemon juice and zest. Allow to macerate for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes whisk in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add a dash of vinegar to taste, if you like.
Thinly slice radishes and fennel using a mandolin, food processor or knife.
Combine dandelion greens, radishes and fennel in a salad bowl. Add just enough dressing to coat, toss thoroughly, season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Dessert
ORANGE POUND CAKE WITH ORANGE SYRUP AND ORANGE GLAZE
PREP TIME 20 mins COOK TIME40 mins TOTAL TIME1 hr SERVINGS: 20 slices (10 slices for each cake)
INGREDIENTS
CAKE:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs at room temperature
1/3 cup about 6 oranges freshly grated orange zest
ORANGE SYRUP:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
GLAZE:
2 cup powdered sugar sifted
2-4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
INSTRUCTIONS
CAKE:
Line the bottom of two-8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, then grease well. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In a small bowl combine orange juice, the buttermilk, and the vanilla and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, cream together on medium speed the butter and sugar for 5 minutes. Keeping the mixer on the same speed, add the eggs one at a time and mix well, scraping down the bowl, after each addition. Add the orange zest.
Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, starting with the flour and finishing with the flour. Evenly divide batter between prepared pans and smooth out the tops. Bake cakes 45-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaves comes out with a few moist crumbs.
SYRUP:
Meanwhile, as the cakes bake, prepare the orange syrup; In a small saucepan cook the sugar and orange juice over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes come out of the oven, generously brush the tops with the syrup. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, glazing the tops a few more times while they cool in pans. Remove the cakes from loaf pans and set them on a wire rack set over the baking tray or a piece of aluminum foil to catch drips. Brush the sides and tops of the cakes with the remaining syrup, allowing a couple of minutes between brushings to allow syrup to absorb into the cake until the syrup is gone. Cool the cakes completely.
GLAZE:
Make the glaze by adding powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons orange juice to a medium bowl. Using a hand-held electric mixer mix until smooth. Add more orange juice, a teaspoon or so at a time, as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Pour half of the glaze recipe over each cake. Let the cakes sit out until the glaze has dried well. Wrap each loaf and store in the refrigerator
Meal #2
CREAMY POLENTA WITH ROASTED FENNEL AND EGGPLANT
Prep Time: 30 min. Serves: 2
Ingredients:
1 Eggplant
1 head Fennel
1 cup Polenta
¼ cup Parsley, finely chopped
Hard, salty cheese, to taste (We used Sar Vecchio but Parmesan or Pecorino would work)
2 cups Milk or cream
2 cups Water
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Oregano
1 Lemon
3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Turn on broiler to preheat.
Boil water and milk or cream, then slowly whisk in polenta, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. add a dash of salt and pepper. Continue to stir regularly to avoid clumping. Cook for about 18 minutes then remove from heat.
Cut eggplant and fennel into spears, then toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Place it on a baking sheet and place it on the top rack of your broiler, as close to the heat as possible. You want a nice char to develop, creating a hint of sweetness to the fennel and saving the eggplant from becoming mush. Broil for 3 minutes, flip the vegetables, and broil for another 3 minutes.
Use a vegetable peeler to peel lemon. Finely chop the lemon peels, then toss with the chopped parsley and garlic.
Top a bowl of polenta with the broiled vegetables, then sprinkle some of the parsley mixture on top. Add a poached egg or grate some cheese over top, if desired.
Side #1
BEET AND PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SALAD
20 MIN PREP TIME 45MIN COOK TIME 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENT
3 medium beets
3 portobello mushroom caps
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3½ ounces mozzarella cheese (optional)
10 ounces baby spinach
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup toasted walnuts
2 green onions, white part only, sliced into thin rounds
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Scrub the beets and place on a large sheet of foil, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fold the sides up to make a sealed pouch.
Wipe off the mushroom caps, place them on another large sheet of foil, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and fold the sides up to make a sealed pouch. Place both pouches in the oven.
Bake the mushrooms for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
Bake the beets for approximately 45 minutes, until they are tender when pierced with a knife.
Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the vinegar, mustard and olive oil and set aside.
When the beets and mushrooms are fully cooked, remove from the oven. Slice the mushrooms into strips. With a knife, remove the tops of the beets, slide the skins off with your hands.
Slice the beets and toss with the warm mushrooms and cheese, cover with foil so they stay warm until you serve them.
In a salad bowl, toss together the spinach, walnuts, onion, parsley and dressing.
Divide the salad onto 4 plates and top with the beet and mushroom mixture.
Side #2
Sweet Potato Kale Soup Recipe (Cozy & Healthy!)
Prep Time:10 Min Cook Time:27 Min Total Time:37 min Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
2 stalks of Celery, diced
½ Large Yellow Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
3–5 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp Dried Rosemary
½ tsp Dried Thyme
2 Medium or 1 large Sweet Potato, peeled and diced
2 cups cooked Chickpeas, rinsed well if canned
4 cups Vegetable Broth
4 cups Filtered Water
1/2 bunch Curly Kale, roughly chopped (about 4 cups)
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
First, add the Onion, Celery, and Bell Pepper to a large nonstick pot with a splash of water or oil. Sauté over medium heat for around 5 minutes, until the Onion is translucent. Add in the Garlic, Rosemary, and Thyme, then sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Add Sweet Potato to the pot with 1/3 cup of water, then cover the pot and let steam for 5 minutes.
Uncover, give everything a good stir. Add in the Chickpeas, Water, and Vegetable Broth, stir well, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the chopped Kale to the pot, stir again, and cook for an additional 2-5 minutes. Serve warm.
Dessert
Pear Sorbet
Total Time Prep: 20 min. + freezing Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
5 small pears, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup sweet white wine or apple juice
1/3 cup sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until pears are tender. Cool slightly.
Pour into a food processor; cover and process for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Cover and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.
Just before serving, process again in a food processor for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Spoon into dessert dishes.
Meal # 3
Entrée (Main Course)
Roasted Eggplant with Tahini, Beets and Chickpeas
PREP TIME 10 mins COOK TIME 40 mins TOTAL TIME 50 mins
INGREDIENTS
Eggplant
2 large eggplants cut in half lengthwise (or if very large, cut in quarters)
Olive oil
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 lemon very thinly sliced
Roasted Beets
1-2 whole beets
Roasted Chickpeas
1 cup cooked chickpeas or you can use 1 can, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon za'atar ( can substitute ground thyme)
¼ teaspoon Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Yogurt Tahini Sauce
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup Greek yogurt
½ lemon juiced
1 garlic clove grated
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cumin
Pinch of cayenne
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
2-3 tablespoons water to thin consistency, if needed
Additional Toppings
Parsley leaves finely chopped
Olive oil
za'atar and sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit and place eggplant on baking sheet Use a knife and cut diagonal slits into the flesh but not through the skin and brush olive oil onto the eggplant.
Cut large beets in half and wrap in foil and if you have room on the same baking sheet, place beets on the same sheet.
Season eggplant with cumin, coriander, salt and top with lemon slices. Roast eggplant and beets for about 40 minutes until tender and they can be easily pierced with a fork.
On another baking sheet, toss together the chickpeas, spices and olive oil and roast chickpeas at the same temperature for about 20 minutes. Once done, remove everything from oven and set aside.
As soon as the beets are cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
While the vegetables roast, make the tahini sauce. In a food processor, add all tahini sauce ingredients and pulse together until smooth. Add water to help thin the sauce as it should be thin enough to spoon over the eggplant, almost a honey consistency.
To assemble, spoon tahini sauce over eggplant and top with roasted chickpeas, roasted beets, za'atar, chopped parsley and another drizzle of olive oil.
NOTES
I like to make a double batch of tahini sauce and keep it for other uses such as roasted vegetables and salad dressings.
Have fun customizing the toppings: such as topping with sumac, cherry tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.
Side #1
Sweet Potato Fritters on Dandelion Greens
Preparation: 50 min. 2 servings
Ingredients
4 oz. young dandelion greens
1 red onion
1 red sweet potato (about 14 ounces)
2 tbsp pastry flour
Salt
2 eggs
2 tbsps. corn oil
3 tbsps. balsamic vinegar
pepper
2 tsps. honey
1 tbsp hazelnut oil
2 tbsps. skinned hazelnuts
Preparation
Rinse dandelion greens, spin dry, remove tough stems and cut leaves into pieces approximately 1 1/2 inches long.
Peel onion and cut into very thin strips. Peel sweet potato, grate coarsely on a box grater and mix with onion, flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
Separate eggs. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into potato mixture. (Save yolks for another purpose.)
Heat 1 tablespoon corn oil in a pan over medium heat. Divide half of the batter into 6 portions with a tablespoon and add to the pan, flattening with the spoon. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
Drain fritters on paper towels. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and keep warm in preheated oven at 200°F/convection 175°F. Repeat with remaining corn oil and batter.
Meanwhile, whisk together balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, honey and hazelnut oil and season with salt and pepper.
Toast hazelnuts in a small dry pan until golden brown, then place on a plate and let cool slightly.
Toss the dandelion greens with the vinaigrette, divide among plates and sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts. Top salad with the fritters and serve.
Notes: may use nuts and oil of your choice.
Side #2
Kale and Portobello Mushrooms
Total: 22 min Prep: 10 min Cook: 12 min Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
1 1/4 pounds kale, stemmed and chopped
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon
1/2 cup dry Italian red wine
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add mushrooms and cook until dark and tender. Add kale and turn with tongs to wilt. Season the mixture of mushrooms and greens with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add wine and deglaze the pan. Reduce heat to low and cook greens 5 minutes longer then serve.
Dessert
Orange-Spiced Poached Pears
Pears poached in orange juice spiced with ground ginger, nutmeg and vanilla make a light, fruity dessert
INGREDIENTS
4 slightly under ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, halved and cored
1-1/2 cups orange juice
1 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Mint leaves for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine orange juice, water, brown sugar and honey in a large sauce pan. Stir well to mix and bring to a simmer. Add the vanilla extract, nutmeg, ginger and lemon juice.
Add the pears and simmer for about 30 minutes, turning frequently to be sure they cook through evenly. Remove them from the pan and cover to keep warm.
Let the remaining liquid cook until it thickens into a syrup. Cut pears into lengthwise slices and arrange on individual dessert plates. Drizzle with the syrup and garnish with mint leaves.