Check out these amazing health boosting 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
Lacinato Kale
Carrots
Acorn Squash
Eggplant (In the large and Jumbo baskets)
Nappa Cabbage (In the Jumbo baskets)
Portabella Mushroom
Yellow Squash
Covington Yams
Bananas
Valencia Oranges
Limes
Menu # 1
Portobello Mushroom Burger
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 13 mins
Total Time: 18 mins
Serves 4
This grilled portobello mushroom burger recipe will be a hit with vegetarians and meat eaters alike! It's juicy, meaty, and filled with rich, savory flavor.
Ingredients
4 large portobello mushrooms
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Tamari, for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
4 hamburger buns, warmed or toasted
Lettuce
Sliced tomato
Sliced red onion
Pickles
Ketchup, mayo, mustard
Pesto, Guacamole, or Chipotle Sauce, optional
Instructions
Prepare the mushrooms by removing the stems and cleaning the caps with a damp cloth or paper towel. Place the mushrooms in a rimmed plate and drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tamari, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to help coat the mushrooms on both sides.
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Place the mushrooms, gill side up onto the grill pan. Cook 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until mushrooms are tender.
Place the mushrooms onto the buns and serve with desired fixings.
Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette with yellow squash
In this recipe lacinato kale gets massaged with a simple lemon vinaigrette and then mixed with summer squash, roasted almonds, cheddar and Pecorino.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and black pepper
For Each Salad
4 ounces lacinato kale, washed, ribs removed, and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch wide strips
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 ounces cooked summer squash, cut into bite-sized pieces (from about 1 small squash)
1 ounce clothbound cheddar, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped roasted, salted almonds
Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, for grating
Roasted Eggplant
Oven roasted eggplant (aubergine)
This is a recipe for how to roast eggplant in the oven so each piece is plump and juicy on the inside, and beautifully caramelised on the outside. As oposed to a mushy mess, or shrivelled up and dismal! The key is: large pieces and high oven temp.
Eggplant is actually really bland when raw, but it completely transforms when roasted. You don't need anything more than salt and pepper, but I've added some suggestions!
Ingredients
eggplants (2 medium
▢3 tbsp olive oil
▢1/2 tsp salt (kosher / cooking salt, or 1/4 tsp table salt)
▢1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan).
Line a tray with parchment/baking paper (optional - recommended for first timers so you don't lose the caramelised surface).
Cut eggplant into large cubes - 3 cm / 1.2". Place in large bowl, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper.
Toss well, spread on tray, roast 20 minutes. Turn, roast for a further 10 minutes - edges should be caramelised, soft inside, but they're not shrivelled up and dismal.
Transfer to serving plate. Delicious served plain, but see below for some finishing options.
FINISHING OPTIONS:
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (my favourite!), drizzle of fresh lemon juice, parsley, chives or green onions (for touch of freshness and colour, not so much flavour), tiny drizzle of balsamic vinegar (pop of tartness is terrific! OR drizzle of balsamic glaze), dollop of yogurt (creamy yogurt pairs really well with the juicy eggplant flesh).
Recipe Notes:
Peeling - if you're bothered by eggplant skin (which I am not - I don't find it at all chewy), peel "zebra tripes" down the eggplant like this. If you don't leave at least some skin on, then the eggplant cubes are prone to collapsing and turning into mush - you need some skin to hold it together.
Bitterness & salting - In the past, the standard preparation method for eggplant including salting the eggplant to remove bitterness. The eggplant of today has largely had the bitterness bred out of it so unless you have a very old, very large one, you shouldn't have this problem. I never have.
However, if you can't get your head around cooking eggplant without salting it, here's how: sprinkle the cubed eggplant with 1 tsp salt, toss, leave in colander for 30 minutes. Rinse then thoroughly pat dry, toss with oil and pepper (NO SALT), roast per recipe.
Select eggplants that are firm but have a bit of give, and feel heavy for their size (light = dried out inside).
NAPA CABBAGE SALAD WITH HONEY LIME DRESSING
Prep Time:15 mins
Cook Time:0 minutes
Total Time:15 mins
Yield:3-4 1x
Cuisine:Asian
Description
Light and nutritious, this Napa cabbage salad is easy to make and can be served as a side dish with a variety of mains. It’s gluten-free, vegetarian, paleo and vegan-friendly (replace honey with maple syrup).
Ingredients
1/2 Napa cabbage
1 medium carrot, grated
1 long green onion/scallion, finely chopped
A handful of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
FOR THE DRESSING
1 teaspoon grated ginger
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon of honey (can be omitted or replaced with coconut syrup or rice malt syrup)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the cabbage half into two long quarters and then slice the leaves into thin shreds. You can leave some of the firmer, white parts closer to the root and use them up in a soup or a stir-fry.
Combine the shredded cabbage with carrot, onions and coriander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside. If making this ahead of time, don’t add the salt until you want to serve the salad as it will draw the moisture out of the cabbage and produce some juice.
Whisk the salad dressing ingredients in a bowl and pour over the salad. Toss through with your hands and serve.
Quick and Easy Valencia Orange Marmalade
This EASY orange marmalde recipe is delicious and perfect for the beginner home canner! Learn how to make quick and easy orange marmalde!
PREP TIME15 minutes
COOK TIME2 hours
TOTAL TIME2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 pounds oranges (about 8 medium)
Juice and zest from 1 large lemon
6 cups water
5 cups sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside. Wash and dry the oranges and lemon. Slice the oranges into ⅛” slices and remove any seeds.
Stack the orange slices and cut into small pieces, about the size of a pea. Tip: I found cutting the slices into small pieces easiest to do with kitchen scissors!
Place the orange pieces and any reserved orange juice into a large pot. Add the lemon juice and zest.
Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. This softens the orange peels. A quicker method than soaking overnight.
After 60 minutes, add the sugar, stir to dissolve, and bring the marmalade to a full rolling boil. Once a full rolling boil is achieved, stir constantly to prevent burning until the mixture reaches 220 F. Use a candy thermometer to monitor this process, it will take about 20 minutes to reach this point. It will clearly thicken and become gel like.
Ladle hot jam into a hot jar leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled. Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
Menu #2
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
This cozy, hearty Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash with apples, mushrooms, and herbs is a fantastic blend of sweet and savory flavors. Easy and ultra delicious!
Ingredients
For The Squash:
2 acorn squash halved through from the stem to the base and seeds removed
4 teaspoons olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
For The Filling:
1 pound Italian chicken or turkey sausage about 2 links, casings removed, sweet or spicy (we use spicy)
8 ounces cremini baby bella mushrooms finely chopped
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 medium sweet-crisp apple cored and finely diced (peel off or on; I left it on)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage thyme, or a mix (plus additional for serving)
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese divided
Instructions
Bake the squash: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 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 a rimmed baking sheet. Brush each half with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until the edges begin to wrinkle and the flesh is fork-tender. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
While the squash bakes, prepare the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage. Brown the meat, breaking it apart into small pieces for 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, onion, apple, salt, pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sausage is cooked through, the vegetables and apple are softened, have given up liquid, and the liquid has cooked off, about 8 additional minutes.
When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out its flesh, leaving a wall all the way around that is about ¼-inch thick. Add the scooped squash to the pan with the sausage. Add the herbs and ¼ cup Parmesan. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
Mound the filling inside of the hollowed squash halves. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is nice and hot, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs as desired. Serve hot.
Notes
TO STORE: Place in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
TO REHEAT: Place stuffed acorn squash in a baking dish with a small amount of water in the bottom. Rewarm in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until hot.
TO FREEZE: Place one half of cooked stuffed squash into a quart size freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Put in the fridge until well chilled, and then transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months.
TO REHEAT FROM FROZEN: To reheat, remove a frozen squash half, and place it in a covered casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for and 45 to 50 minutes (from frozen). Add additional cheese as desired in the last 10 minutes of baking. You can also reheat the squash half in the microwave on high for 5 to 7 minutes.
If you prefer, you can let the squash half thaw overnight in the refrigerator and rewarm according to the "To Reheat" directions above.
Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash. Swap the sausage for a 15-ounce can of rinsed and drained white beans, such as cannellini or white kidney beans. Stir the beans into the filling right before stuffing the squash.
Perfect Roasted Carrots
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Who knew carrots could be SO good?! Roasted carrots are an easy, healthy and affordable side dish. This is the only roasted carrot recipe you’ll ever need! Recipe yields 4 to 6 side servings.
INGREDIENTS
Basic roasted carrots
2 pounds carrots
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional garnish: 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives, green onions, parsley or dill
For the spiced version, you’ll also need*:
½ to 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder (use less for more mild carrots, or the full amount for spicy carrots)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the honey butter version, you’ll also need**:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup, if desired.
To prepare your carrots, peel them and then cut them on the diagonal so each piece is about ½″ thick at the widest part (see photos).
Place the carrots on the baking sheet. Add the olive oil, salt and a few twists of pepper.*
Toss until the carrots are lightly coated in oil and seasonings. Arrange them in a single layer. Roast the carrots until they’re caramelized on the edges and easily pierced through by a fork, 25 to 40 minutes, tossing halfway.** (Heirloom carrot varieties will roast in as little as 25 minutes, but regular carrots are more dense and typically require 35 to 40 minutes.)
Sprinkle fresh herbs over the roasted carrots, if using. Serve the carrots warm, straight from the sheet pan or from a serving dish. Leftover carrots will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days. Gently reheat before serving.
Easy Napa Cabbage Slaw Recipe
Description
Make this napa cabbage slaw recipe in just 15 minutes! Whenever I make napa slaw, I get asked for the recipe! It’s the perfect side to grilled or bbq meats.
Ingredients
1 medium head of napa cabbage, thinly sliced
4 oz blue cheese crumbles
1/4 white onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. sea salt
pinch black pepper
Instructions
Prep ingredients: Thinly slice cabbage and onion. Mince garlic.
Layer napa cabbage, onions, and blue cheese in serving bowl and chill until serving.
Whisk together garlic, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, celery seed, sea salt, and pepper until emulsified.
Toss dressing with cabbage and chill for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Fresh Limeade (& More Lime Recipes!)
Here’s how to make refreshingly tangy limeade! This homemade drink uses less sugar than store-bought and gets more real, sweet tart flavor.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups lime juice (9 to 10 limes)*
1 cup granulated sugar
7 cups water, divided
Ice
Fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Juice the limes.
Add the sugar and 1 cup warm water to a large pitcher and stir until it is dissolved.
Add 6 cups cold water and lime juice. Add ice and serve.
Menu # 3
Vegan Sweet potato Chili with Creamy Coconut Rice
A great way to warm up on a cold day. This was a State Fair Recipe winner.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chili, comfort food, sweet potato, vegan
Servings: 10
Calories: 311kcal
Ingredients
4 C diced sweetpotatoes
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic minced
1 large bell pepper
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can chili seasoned diced tomatoes
1 can black beans do not drain
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 t chili powder
2 C vegetable stock
1 C rice
2 C coconut milk
2 scallions/green onions chopped
2 T vegetable oil
Instructions
heat oil in a large dutch oven.
Sauté onion, garlic and bell pepper until tender, about 5 mins.
Add sweetpotatoes and cook until lightly browned.
Add taco seasoning and stir.
Add corn, beans, tomatoes, stock and chili powder.
Reduce heat to low and cook 25 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile:
Combine coconut milk and rice in a saucepan with tight fitted lid. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Cook for 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.
Serve chili topped with a scoop of chopped scallions.
Summer Squash Sauté (Vegan & Oil-Free)
Description
This Easy Vegan Summer Squash Sauté is healthy, delicious, and so easy to make. It’s made with yellow squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and vegan parmesan in one skillet. And, it’s completely oil-free.
Ingredients
1 large zucchini, chopped
1 large yellow squash, chopped
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
Once the pan is ready add the squash and zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally and add 1-2 Tbsp of water at a time if necessary to prevent sticking.
Add in the tomatoes and sprinkle with the garlic powder, oregano, and basil. If the pan is dry add a little more water to sauté, gently stir, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. You want to cook the dish until the zucchini and squash are tender and the tomatoes look like they’re about to pop.
Season with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle the top with Vegan Parmesan and a drizzle of Oil-Free Balsamic Dressing. Serve immediately.
garlicky lacinato kale
2 TB Earth Balance
1 TB olive oil
One whole head of garlic, peeled and separated
One bunch of lacinato kale, chopped
2 tsp soy sauce
1–2 TB sesame seeds
red chili pepper flakes, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt the Earth Balance in a large, flat-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat.
Smash each of the garlic cloves with the side of a broad knife and throw them into to melted vegan butter. Add in the olive oil and soften the garlic for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Once it is softened, remove the garlic from the skillet, but leave the remaining liquid.
Increase the heat to medium and place the kale into the skillet and cover. Allow to slightly wilt for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce.
To serve, sprinkle with the softened garlic, sesame seeds and chili pepper flakes.
ASIAN STUFFED NAPA CABBAGE ROLLS
AUTHOR: Aggie's Kitchen
YIELD: 4-6 servings 1x
CATEGORY: Ground Turkey
METHOD: Oven
CUISINE: Asian
A fun twist on cabbage rolls, these Asian Stuffed Napa Cabbage Rolls are a great addition to your family dinner rotation.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
2 carrots, shredded
1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa
4–5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons Nakano rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili or chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian section of your grocery store)
salt and pepper, to taste
leaves from 1 large head of Napa cabbage
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare your filling by gently combining uncooked beef (or turkey), shredded carrots, cooked rice (or quinoa), garlic, ginger, onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili sauce and a pinch of salt and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
To make your leaves easy to roll, use a rolling pin to flatten to make leaves more pliable. If you find that your leaves are on the smaller side, use two to roll, overlapping both ends to make one big leaf.
Spoon your filling to each leaf. Carefully roll each leaf tightly and place side by side in a large baking dish. Pour 1 cup of water over stuffed cabbage rolls and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until completely cooked through.
Serve with juices from baking dish and additional chili sauce.
Banana Ice Cream Recipe
How to make your own healthy vegan banana ice cream at home.
Total Time 5 minutes
Yield1 serving
Ingredients
1-2 overripe frozen bananas
optional milk of choice, if needed
pinch salt
cacao powder
fruit
Instructions
Start with bananas that are turning brown. Peel and cut into large pieces, then freeze in an airtight bag or container. (You can freeze a whole bunch at once so they’re ready whenever you want to make banana ice cream.) To make the ice cream, throw around 2-3 frozen bananas into a blender, food processor, or Vitamix—adding a pinch of salt and 2-4 tbsp milk of choice for smoother blending if desired—and blend until you achieve a soft-serve texture. You can serve immediately, or transfer to a container and freeze an additional 30 minutes, then scoop out with an ice cream scoop.