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Simple Zucchini Sauté
By Sara Snow
Last weekend my mom came to visit and brought me goodies from her two large organic vegetable gardens. We made a delicious slaw from a cabbage the first night she was in town and we’ve been enjoying the cucumbers and other delights throughout the week. Last night I decided to sauté up a few zucchini to go along with a pasta dish I was serving.
The resulting zucchini sauté was fabulous! It was simple and crisp and full of flavor! I highly recommend you try it.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion
½ teaspoon salt
2 small zucchini
8 basil leaves
zest of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Method
In a sauté pan, heat olive oil and add one coarsely chopped onion and salt. Stir and halve then slice, on the diagonal, two zucchini. Once the onion has soften add the zucchini and basil. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about five minutes. Add the lemon zest and cayenne pepper. Stir and serve piping hot.
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*** We love to provide healthy, savory, happy recipes but remember we are not your doctor. Please follow the advice of your health-care provider about your diet and overall wellness and review labels for additional information on nutritional content.
Spicy Pea & Basil Soup
By Sara Snow
I made this soup during a week-long cleanse I was doing. It’s delicious and quickly became a favorite. This can also be made with broccoli and arugula.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small leek
2 cloves garlic
2 cups peas (fresh or frozen)
6 cups water
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Method
In a small soup pot, sauté the chopped leeks and garlic in olive oil along with the salt and pepper, until slightly tender. Add the peas and stir to cook for 2 minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
Allow to cool then pour soup mixture into a blender. Blend in the basil leaves.
Return the mixture to the pot and heat to serve.
*** We love to provide healthy, savory, happy recipes but remember we are not your doctor. Please follow the advice of your health-care provider about your diet and overall wellness and review labels for additional information on nutritional content.
Butternut Squash and Plantain Soup
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
2 Tsp. butter
2 butternut squash
2 plantains
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tsp. ground Allspice
1/2 tsp. ground anise seed
pinch ground clove
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
pinch ground cinnamon
1 tsp. chili powder
pinch ground nutmeg
5 quarts water
1 pint heavy cream
2/3 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 Tsp. salt
pinch cayenne
Method
Cut butternut squash in half length-wise and remove seeds. Put each half, cut-side down in a roasting pan with ½ inch of water and roast in a 350 degree oven until soft to the touch and browned on the outside. Approximately 1 hour.
While the squash is roasting cook plantain and onion in butter in a large pot for about 5 minutes.
Add all of the spices and the garlic to the pot and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Add water and brown sugar and simmer on low for 1 hour.
Peel the skin off of the roasted squash and add flesh to pot and cook for another 30 minutes.
Add Heavy cream, salt and cayenne and bring back to a boil.
In small batches puree soup in the blender. If your soup is too thick just add a little more water until you have reached the desired consistency. If your soup is too thin, bring back to a boil and simmer until it has thickened more.
Check the soup for seasonings and adjust by adding more salt or sugar depending on your preference.
*** We love to provide healthy, savory, happy recipes but remember we are not your doctor. Please follow the advice of your health-care provider about your diet and overall wellness and review labels for additional information on nutritional content.
Steve’s Root Mash
An awesome alternative to mashed potatoes, this root mash goes with everything. The recipe comes from our own Steve Root of our produce department. Steve is an avid farmer & fantastic cook as you’ll see when you make this mash!
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
6 medium –large cloves garlic
1/4 cup Persian Lime olive oil
1 lb. (approx.) rutabaga
1 lb. (approx.) parsnips
1 lb. (approx.) celery root
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup cooking liquid or vegetable stock
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
Method
To roast garlic: Peel the cloves & put into an oven-proof ramekin with the olive oil. Cover with foil & bake at 325 for 40 minutes or until soft. Mash oil & soft cloves together & set aside.
Steep rosemary & thyme in heavy cream over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, take out herbs. Put in the stick of butter so it can slowly melt & set aside.
Peel parsnips, celery root & rutabaga. Dice all into 1 inch cubes.
Put into a heavy pot with a lid, 1 inch of water & a 1/4 tsp. salt.
Steam until vegetables until tender. Drain but reserve any remaining cooking liquid.
Process the vegetables, cream & garlic with oil in a food processor. You can add the reserved cooking liquid if it seems to dry.
Add about 1/2 tsp. of sea salt & a generous grind of black pepper.
Taste & correct seasoning if necessary.
*** We love to provide healthy, savory, happy recipes but remember we are not your doctor. Please follow the advice of your health-care provider about your diet and overall wellness and review labels for additional information on nutritional content.
Alfalfa’s Classic Stuffing
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
3/4 lb. Alfalfa’s bulk breakfast sausage
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 bunch green onions, all but the top 2”, sliced
1 1/2 cups chopped celery, including leaves
2 large firm apples, chopped (optional)
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage 1/2 tsp. dried
2 tsp. Tbs. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
Pinch of ground cloves
1 box (12 oz.) Olivia’s Stuffing
4 eggs lightly beaten
3 cups broth, milk, or dry white wine (if you are baking the stuffing inside the turkey, omit 1 cup of the broth)
Method
Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When almost all the pink is gone, add the onion (& optional apple). Cook for 2-5 minutes until the onions start to soften.
Add the butter, celery, green onion, sage, thyme, celery seeds, cloves, salt & pepper. Remove from the heat & stir in the broth.
In a large bowl, toss the croutons with the sausage mixture & beaten egg. Let it rest a couple minutes & toss again. If you like smaller bread cubes you can break them apart with your hands at this point.
If cooking in a turkey, put the stuffing in the bird just before roasting. Pack the stuffing loosely, leaving enough room to fit your whole extended hand into the bird’s cavity. Cook the stuffing in the bird to 160º to 165ºF, checking with an instant-read thermometer. If the bird is done before the stuffing is, take the bird out of the oven, spoon the stuffing into a casserole dish, and continue to bake it while the turkey rests.
Put the stuffing in a buttered casserole dish, cover with foil or a lid. Bake until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.
*** We love to provide healthy, savory, happy recipes but remember we are not your doctor. Please follow the advice of your health-care provider about your diet and overall wellness and review labels for additional information on nutritional content.
Wild, Wild Rice Casserole
Vegetarian & gluten free this casserole can take the place of stuffing on the Thanksgiving table or work as a tasty meat-alternative.
Serves 6-8 as a side dish or 4-6 as a main course
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups wild rice
5 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick (4 oz.) butter
1/2 lb. fresh wild mushrooms, sliced (if none are available, substitute Crimini)
1 leek, just the white & light green parts, sliced & washed
2 stalks celery, chopped with leaves
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
Optional addition: 10 oz. bag of frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed dry.
Method
Cook wild rice in water with 1/2 tsp. salt in a heavy pan with a lid. It will take at least 30 minutes & some of the grains will start to pop. The rice will be firm but not hard when done. You may need to add additional water but drain off any extra at the end. Set aside to cool slightly when done.
Using a large heavy pan, sauté leeks in butter until for 2-3 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms & cook covered for a couple minutes then uncover & let them just start to brown. Add celery, salt, pepper & thyme. Sauté for 3 minutes then add sherry & cook till liquid evaporates. Remove from heat & cool slightly.
Beat eggs & cream in a large bowl. Add wild rice & mushroom mixture (& optional drained spinach) & stir to combine.
Butter a casserole dish (9 x 11 will work well). Place mixture in dish, and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until the center starts to puff slightly.
*** We love to provide healthy, savory, happy recipes but remember we are not your doctor. Please follow the advice of your health-care provider about your diet and overall wellness and review labels for additional information on nutritional content.
Farro Bean Salad
Serves 8 as a main course
Ingredients
4 cups water
2 cups farro beans
1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
1 cup raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 Tbs. best quality olive oil
Grated zest & juice of 1 orange
Salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
Crumbled Feta cheese, if desired
Method
In a heavy sauce pan with a lid bring water, farro & ½ tsp. salt to a boil.
Simmer until water is absorbed & farro is cooked but not mushy, 30-40 minutes should do it.
Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Add pecans, dried fruit, parsley, olive oil, orange zest, juice & pepper.
Toss thoroughly & add more salt & pepper if needed.
If using Feta, crumble & add just before serving.
*** We love to provide healthy, savory, happy recipes but remember we are not your doctor. Please follow the advice of your health-care provider about your diet and overall wellness and review labels for additional information on nutritional content.
Salsa Casareccia With Rigatoni by CARMELINA BRANDS
Servings 10-12
Ingredients
2 oz. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Garlic, Minced
1 lb. Ground Mild Italian Pork Sausage
1 Tbs. Fresh Thyme, Chopped
8 oz. Ricotta Cheese
3 oz. Parmesan Cheese, Grated
4 bottles of Carmelina San Marzano® Italian Passata (Tomato Puree)
1/2 oz. Fresh Basil, Chiffonade
White Wine
2 oz. Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1 lb. Rigatoni, Cooked
Method
In a large saucepan, gently heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the ground sausage and cook for 15 minutes, or until the bottom of the pan starts to dry out. Deglaze with white wine, stirring constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine evaporate for 1 minute. Add the fresh thyme and the Carmelina ‘e…San Marzano® Italian Passata (Tomato Puree). Bring to a boil over high heat and then add the salt, pepper, and ricotta cheese, and continue to cook until an aroma is present. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the sauce for about 30 minutes to combine the flavors. Following this, add the parmesan and basil as a final touch. Stir the sauce thoroughly and serve HOT tossed with Rigatoni.
*** We love to provide healthy, savory, happy recipes but remember we are not your doctor. Please follow the advice of your health-care provider about your diet and overall wellness and review labels for additional information on nutritional content.
