Farmers Market Succotash Salad

Ingredients:

 2 ears fresh sweet corn
1 cup fresh lima beans
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 of an avocado, seeded, and peeled
1 tablespoon snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large head butterhead lettuce, torn
2 cups sliced grilled chicken breast**
6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup crumbled blue or feta cheese (2 oz.)

Directions:

1. Cut corn kernels from cobs; set kernels aside. Discard cobs. In a small saucepan bring 1 cup of lightly salted water to boiling. Add lima beans and simmer about 15 minutes or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add corn to saucepan. Simmer about 3 minutes or until tender; drain. Set aside.
2. For dressing, in a blender combine buttermilk, avocado, parsley, salt, onion powder, dry mustard, pepper, and garlic. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into a small pitcher.
3. Line a large platter or four serving plates with the lettuce. Arrange chicken, crumbled bacon, corn, lima beans, onion, and cheese in rows on lettuce. Serve with dressing.

**To grill chicken:

Lightly season 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. For a charcoal or gas grill, grill on the rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling.

Radish Salad with Anchovy Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch radishes
• 1 anchovy fillet
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled
• Salt
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped capers
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Trim tops and tails from the radishes. Scrub them well. Slice each radish into 4 wedges (if small) or 6 wedges (if large).
2. With a mortar and pestle (or in a mini food processor), mash the anchovy, garlic, and a pinch of salt to a paste. Mix in the lemon juice, then slowly blend in the oil, adding it in a thread-thin stream as you mix. Fold in the capers.
3. Add the sauce and parsley to the radishes and fold until well blended. Adjust lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve within 30 minutes.

Farmers Market Veggie Salad

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large
• a few celery stalks
• 1/2 bunch asparagus – Option, drizzle with olive oil & kosher salt and roast for 3 minutes at 400F
• 1/4-1/2 red onion
• 1/2 cucumber
• chopped parsley & cilantro
• avocado

Instructions

1. Season veggies with kosher salt before dressing. Wait to season on a bowl-by-bowl basis so the salt doesn’t draw out the moisture as the veggies sit.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Ingredients

• 12 cups of vegetables cut into similar size pieces. Use a combination of hard (root) and softer vegetables (carrots, red potatoes, red, yellow, orange peppers, onion wedges, whole garlic cloves, mushrooms, zucchini, green beans etc.)
• 3/4 cup olive oil

• 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce plus 1 Tbsp

• 1 1/2 Tbsp paprika

• 1 Tbsp garlic salt

Instructions

1. Cut vegetables into similar size pieces. Keep root vegetables separate from softer vegetables. Mix together olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and garlic salt. Pour over vegetables.
2. Place root vegetables on cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or until they begin to soften.
3. Add in softer vegetables and turn vegetables on sheet making sure they are all coated in liquid mixture.
4. Bake another 15 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender.

New Year’s Black-Eyed Peas with Fresh Herbs, Lime, Salsa + Sour Cream

 

·       16 oz./450 grams black-eyed peas, soaked overnight + drained

·       3-4 Tbsp. olive oil

·       2 bay leaves

·       3 cloves garlic, chopped

·       1 onion, chopped

·       1 tsp. dried oregano or mixed herbs

·       1 tsp. ground cumin

·       1/2 tsp. chili pepper

·       salt to taste

·       4-5 peeled and chopped tomatoes

Garnishes:  freshly chopped herbs – cilantro, oregano, parsley or your choice, fresh lime juice, freshly chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa

Directions: Put soaked and drained peas in a large pot and cover with water, add bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 hour or until soft. In a separate pan, add olive oil, chopped garlic and onions and cook for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Add herbs and spices, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, then add tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add tomato/onion/spice mixture to peas and salt to taste, continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes. Check and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve hot topped with your choice of garnishes. I love the combination of a bit of chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and a dollop of sour cream and fresh salsa.

 

Holiday Fruit Snowman! Great for sharing with family!

 

 

Fresh Fruit Christmas Tree – Enjoy a Christmas treat without the guilt. Shop for your fresh fruits at Denio’s this weekend and make your very own Christmas Fruit Tree!

 

 

 Sweet Potato Bake

 

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Let stand until cool to touch (about 20 minutes); peel and mash sweet potatoes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Beat mashed sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, and next 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.

Combine cornflakes cereal and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over casserole in diagonal rows 2 inches apart.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows in alternate rows between cornflake mixture; bake 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

 

Quinoa-Stuffed Roasted Squash

 

·       2 medium acorn squash (about 1 1/2 lb. each)

·       1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed, well drained

·       1 cup vegetable broth

·       1 tablespoon olive oil

·       1/3 cup sliced green onions

·       1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

·       1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

·       1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

·       1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

·       1/2 cup Progresso® cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (from 19-oz can)

·       1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

·       2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Cut each squash lengthwise in half; remove seeds and fibers. Cut 1/8-inch slice from bottom of each half so squash will sit flat in step 4. Place squash, cut sides down, in pan; bake 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat quinoa and broth to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

3. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions, garlic and sage in oil about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are crisp-tender; remove from heat. Add cranberries; stir until coated. Stir in cooked quinoa and all remaining ingredients except parsley until blended.

4. Remove squash from oven; turn squash, cut sides up. Divide quinoa mixture evenly among squash halves, pressing down on filling to form slight mound over cavity. Cover loosely with foil. Bake 30 minutes longer or until squash is tender and filling is thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with parsley.

 

Butternut Squash Soup

 

·       1 small onion

·       1 large stalk celery

·       1 medium carrot

·       2 medium starchy potatoes

·       1 medium butternut squash

·       Water or stock just to cover the veggies, approximately 4 cups

·       Salt and pepper to taste, plus any optional herbs, spices or flavorings

Directions: Remove seeds from the squash. Roughly chop the veggies and place in a large pot and cover with water or your favorite vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Once all the veggies are tender blend with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Transfer the soup back to the pot and season as desired, being sure to use enough salt as the potatoes in the recipe absorb a lot of it and all the different flavors will really come out once you use just enough salt.  Optionally, you can add so many different flavors to this simple soup. Some curry powder will taste delicious, as will a little bit of roasted garlic. The flavor of the soup is very mild so many different flavors will work well. Also, if you have more veggies than the recipe calls for, feel free to add them. More carrots, celery, or a larger than average squash will work just fine, even using a large onion instead of a small one will work just fine if you’ll enjoy a little more onion flavor. Just be aware of how different vegetables will change the flavor, adding much more celery will give your soup a very noticeable celery taste and much more carrots may make your soup sweeter than usual so adjust ingredients with that in mind.

 

Garden Tomato Soup

 

·       2 teaspoons olive oil

·       3/4 cup chopped onion

·       1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or basil

·       1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

·       2 garlic cloves, chopped

·       5 cups fresh farmers market tomatoes, diced (about 2 pounds)

·       1 1/2 cups water

·       2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

·       2 teaspoons sugar

·       1/4 teaspoon salt

·       1/4 teaspoon black pepper

·       Thinly sliced fresh basil (optional)

Directions:  Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, oregano, thyme, and garlic; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in tomato and next 5 ingredients (tomato through pepper). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Place half of soup in a blender or food processor; process until smooth, and pour into a bowl. Repeat procedure with the remaining soup. Serve warm or chilled. Sprinkle with fresh basil, if desired.

 

Mango Avocado Shrimp Salad

 

Ingredients

·       3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

·       2 tablespoons grape seed or vegetable oil

·       1 tablespoon sugar

·       2 large firm-ripe mangoes (2 lbs. total)

·       2 medium firm-ripe avocados (1 lb. total)

·       2/3 cup each thinly sliced green onion and chopped cilantro

·       1 tablespoon minced fresh hot red or green chili (or 1/2 tsp. dried red chili flakes)

·       1 pound (70 to 110 per lb.) peeled cooked shrimp

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, and sugar until sugar dissolves.

2. Dice mangoes and avocados into 3/4-in. cubes; add to bowl. Add green onion, cilantro, chili, and shrimp. Mix gently. Serve or cover and chill for up to 1 hour.

 

Spinoccoli Pizza

 

For the sauce:

·       1 Tbsp. butter

·       1 Tbsp. flour

·       1 clove garlic, minced

·       Fresh ground black pepper

·       Dash of nutmeg

·       6 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan

·       3/4 cup milk (I’ve used whole milk and skim with equally good results)

·       Salt

·       For assembly:

·       Your favorite pizza dough, ready to stretch and bake

·       Olive oil, for brushing

·       1/2 cup packed spinach-arugula mix, rough-chopped

·       1 cup small broccoli florets

·       2 oz. crumbled goat cheese

·       2 oz. shredded mozzarella

·       Handful of grated Parmesan

·       Flour, for dusting surface

·       Coarse cornmeal, for dusting surface

Directions:

1. Place a pizza stone in the top 1/3 of your oven and preheat your oven to 550 (500 if your oven doesn’t go that high), letting it hold at temperature for at least 30 minutes. (If you’re not using a pizza stone, just have your baking sheet ready.)
2. Heat butter and garlic in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
3. Whisk in flour, fresh black pepper, and a dash of nutmeg and let cook for 1 minute.
4. Slowly stream in the milk while whisking, until smooth. Cook until bubbly and thickened, 3-4 minutes more, whisking frequently.
5. Whisk in the Parmesan until melted and salt to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Dust a pizza peel or your baking sheet with generous pinches of flour and cornmeal.
7. Gently stretch the pizza dough in to a 12-14 inch round or divide into 3 portions and stretch, for individual sized pizzas.
8. Brush a ~1-inch border of olive oil around the edge of the pizza dough.
9. Spoon white sauce onto the pizza; spreading with a spoon almost to the edge of the dough (you’ll probably have a little sauce leftover).
10. Sprinkle the spinach leaves evenly over the white sauce, followed by the broccoli, mozzarella, goat cheese, and Parmesan.
11. Transfer your pizza from the pizza peel to baking stone (or place your baking sheet in the oven).
12. Bake for 7-9 minutes for a single large pizza (5-7 for individual pizzas), until the dough is blistered, the edges are golden brown and crispy, and the cheese starts to brown.
13. Remove from oven, slice, and serve.
14. Yields: 1 large pizza or 3 individual pizzas

 

Roasted Cumin-Lime Carrots

 

·       1 pound baby carrots with fresh green tops

·       1 tablespoon olive oil

·       Juice and fresh grated zest of 1 lime

·       1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey

·       1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

·       1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

·       1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

·       1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

·       2 green onions, thinly sliced

·       Small handful fresh mint leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim the tops off the carrots (you can use them in salads if you enjoy their flavor). Toss them on a baking sheet with the olive oil, lime juice and zest, agave, salt and spices.
3. Roast about 20 minutes, depending on size, until the carrots are just tender and beginning to color. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with the green onions and mint before tossing together and serving.

 

Penne with Chicken and Asparagus

 

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
2. Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until chicken is cooked through and browned, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to paper towels.
3. Pour chicken broth into the skillet. Then stir in asparagus, garlic, and a pinch more garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cover, and steam until the asparagus is just tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Return chicken to the skillet, and warm through.
4. Stir chicken mixture into pasta, and mix well. Let sit about 5 minutes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, stir again, and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

 

Sweet Sunflower Green Beans

 

Ingredients:

·       6 cups fresh green beans, trimmed

·       1 large red onion, thinly sliced

·       1 clove garlic, minced

·       1 tsp. Simply Organic Dried Thyme

·       1 tsp. Simply Organic Dried Basil

·       1 tsp. sea salt

·       1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

·       1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

·       2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

·       1/2 cup sunflower seeds

·       1/4 tsp. fresh lemon zest

 

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Steam green beans in large pot for 5 minutes or until crisp and bright green. Remove from heat and pat dry. Place in a casserole dish. In a large skillet, sauté onion, garlic, thyme, basil, sea salt and pepper in the olive oil until onions begin to caramelize, approximately 10 minutes. Add mixture to the green beans; mix well. Add lemon juice, sunflower seeds and lemon zest. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven; serve warm.

 

Healthy Potato Salad

 

Ingredients

·       2pounds small potatoes, preferably heirloom

·       1 cup chopped celery

·       2 ounces smoked ham, sliced into strips

·       1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

·       2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, or scallions

·       2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, or dill

·       3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk

·       1 tablespoon lemon juice

·       1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil

·       1/2 teaspoon salt

·       Freshly ground pepper to taste

·       2 large hard-boiled eggs, (see Tip), peeled and coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, partially covered, until just tender, 12 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. Drain and let cool for about 15 minutes.
2. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, taste a bit of potato skin—if it’s bitter or tough, peel the potatoes. Otherwise, leave the skins on. Cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces and put them in a large salad bowl.
3. Add celery, ham, parsley, chives (or scallions) and mint (or dill) to the potatoes. Toss to combine. Add buttermilk, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Gently stir in chopped egg. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Tips & Notes:  Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.  To hard-boil eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook at the barest simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water and cover the eggs with cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle before peeling.

 

Spicy egg salad

 

For 4 sandwiches

·       6 hard-boiled eggs

·       3 scallions, finely chopped

·       3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

·       4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

·       1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

·       1 – 2 tablespoons extra virgin Greek olive oil

·       ½ teaspoon cumin, or more to taste

·       ½ teaspoon curry powder, or more to taste

·       ½ teaspoon cayenne or Greek boukovo (red pepper flakes), or more to taste

·       Salt and pepper to taste

·       4 mini pita pocket breads, halved and slit open

Directions: Peel the hard-boiled eggs and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add the scallions, parsley, Greek yogurt, mustard, olive oil, cumin, curry, cayenne, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mash all together until very well combined. Add more yogurt or olive oil if you want it looser. Spoon equal amounts of the salad into each of the pita halves. Serve immediately.

 

Asparagus Spring Rolls

 

·       Ingredients

·       – lb. asparagus

·       3/4 cup fresh mint leaves

·       3/4 cup cilantro leaves

·       1 mango or papaya

·       fresh ginger, 2-inch piece

·       1/2 red bell pepper

·       1/2 cup dry roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

·       2 cups fresh bean sprouts

·       8-inch Vietnamese dried rice paper spring roll wrappers, 6 to 8 sheets

 

Dipping Sauce: 1/4 cup store-bought sweet chili sauce, juice of 1 lime

Directions:  Filling Blanche asparagus in boiling salted water until tender to the bite, to 5 minutes. Peel and julienne mango or papaya and ginger. Julienne bell pepper. Set aside with remaining filling ingredients. To assemble, fill a large bowl with hot water. Working with one wrapper at a time, slip rice paper wrapper into water until pliable, about 1 minute. Place wrapper on cutting board. In the center, put 3 to 4 asparagus spears with the tips coming off the end of the wrapper slightly, 3 to 4 mango or papaya slices, 3-4 pepper slices, tablespoons sprouts, 2 tablespoons herbs, sprinkling of ginger and peanuts. Roll the wrapper from the bottom up, tightly. Leaving the ends open. Set aside and cover with a damp towel. Finish with remaining wrappers. When ready to serve, slice wrappers into 3 segments each and stand upright on a serving platter. Mix chili sauce and lime juice together. Serve alongside the rolls as a dipping sauce.

 

Guilt Free Pancakes

 

·       1/2 cup old fashion oats

·       1/2 cup cottage cheese

·       1/2 cup liquid egg whites (or 3 egg whites)

·       1 teaspoon sugar

·       1 teaspoon cinnamon

·       1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat griddle. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Spray griddle with nonstick spray and pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Flip when pancakes start to bubble. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. Pour a tablespoon or 2 of maple syrup while they’re still warm.

For the Topping:

•          1 medium ripe banana

•          2 small eggs

•          1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

•          1 tablespoon cocoa powder

•          1 tablespoon maple syrup

Mix Greek yogurt, maple syrup and cocoa powder well and set aside. Preheat griddle. Mix banana and eggs in a blender until smooth. Spray nonstick spray on griddle and pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle for each pancake. Cook until golden brown. Top with yogurt and fresh raspberries.

 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

 

Ingredients:

·       1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower

·       1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

·       1 egg, beaten

·       1 tsp dried oregano

·       1/2 tsp crushed garlic

·       1/2 tsp garlic salt

·       olive oil (optional)

·       pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings*

Directions:
To “Rice” the Cauliflower:
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes (some microwaves are more powerful than others, so you may need to reduce this cooking time). There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.
One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, in a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9″ round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).

*Note that toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.

 

Grilled Kale Salad

 

·       4 small golden beets, peeled and cut into wedges

·       1/4 cup olive oil

·       2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

·       1 tsp. maple syrup

·       one bunch of kale, bottoms of the stems removed

·       12 fresh figs, stemmed and halved

·       1 generous cup of fresh ricotta

·       salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Toss the beet wedges with 1 Tbs. olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Spread them in a baking dish and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20-25 minutes.

2. Whisk together 2 Tbs. olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and the maple syrup. When the beets come out of the oven, toss them with the dressing.

3. Heat your grill and coat the kale with the remaining olive oil and a good sprinkling of salt. Spread the leaves out on the grill and cook them, turning each over once, until they have developed crispy edges and charred splotches, several minutes. Transfer the kale to a cutting board, remove the tough center stems if you wish and chop it coarsely

4. Put a spoonful of ricotta on each salad plate, then divide the kale between the plates. Divide the beets between the salads, and drizzle some of the dressing that is leftover from the beets over each of the salads. Finally, divide the figs between the salads, dollop the remaining ricotta over the salads, sprinkle each with salt and pepper, and serve.

 

Corn and Radish Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

 

·       3 tablespoons olive oil

·       2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

·       3 tablespoons chopped basil

·       4 cups fresh corn from the farmers market

·       1 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

·       2 cups arugula

·       Crumbled Goat Cheese

·       Salt & Pepper

Directions:  In a small bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, a pinch pepper, and 3 tablespoons chopped basil. In a large bowl combine 4 cups fresh corn kernels, 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced radishes, and 2 cups arugula. Drizzle salad with vinaigrette and gently toss. Sprinkle with 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese.

 

Veggie Root Recipe

 

·       5 pounds rutabaga, peeled and cut into 2×1/2 inch pieces

·       5 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into 2×1/2 inch pieces

·       5 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2×1/2 inch pieces

·       3/4 teaspoon salt

·       1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

·       1/4 cup dried basil

·       salt and ground black pepper to taste

·       1 1/4 cups chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Place the rutabaga in a pan and cover with water. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and cool completely. Repeat steps to cook the parsnips and carrots.
2. Place completely cooled vegetables in freezer bags. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month. To thaw the vegetables, refrigerate overnight and drain.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
4. Pour the vegetable oil into a rimmed baking dish. Place the vegetables into a large mixing bowl and toss with the basil, salt, and pepper. Place the pan in preheated oven to heat for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables and toss to coat with the oil.
5. Roast vegetables in preheated oven, turning every 10 minutes, until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

 

Super Awesome Sweet Potato Recipe

 

·       4 medium sweet potatoes (from Denio’s of course!), pricked all over with a fork

·       2 tablespoons olive oil

·       2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced crosswise

·       1 bunch kale (about 1 1/4 pounds), thick stems removed, leaves torn into large pieces and washed with water left clinging

·       Coarse salt and ground pepper

·       1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

·       1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

·       1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high. Add garlic; cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a paper towel to drain.
3. Add as much kale as will fit in the skillet; season with salt and pepper. Continue to add kale as the leaves cook down. Cook, tossing frequently until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and red-pepper flakes.
4. Open each potato; add salt and pepper. Top with ricotta, kale, and garlic.

 

Light & Fresh Blueberry Pancakes

 

•          1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

•          1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

•          1 teaspoon sugar

•          1 teaspoon baking powder

•          1/4 teaspoon baking soda

•          1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

•          3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

•          1 large egg

•          1 large egg white

•          1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

•          1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

•          1 tablespoon lemon juice

•          2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

•          3/4 cup fresh blueberries

 

Directions: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a small bowl. Whisk ricotta, egg, egg white, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Brush a large nonstick skillet with 1/2 teaspoon oil and place over medium heat until hot. Using a generous 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, pour the batter for 2 pancakes into the pan, sprinkle blueberries on each pancake and cook until the edges are dry and bubbles begin to form, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining oil, batter and berries, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning. 

 

Slow Cooker Stew

 

•          2 lbs of stewing beef, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes

•          1 tablespoon olive oil

•          2 medium sized onions, chopped into large pieces

•          2 ribs celery, chopped

•          4 carrots, chopped

•          about 20 mini-potatoes, cut large ones in half, leave smallest ones as is (no need to peel)

•          1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes

•          1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

•          3 cups beef broth, divided

•          2 bay leaves

•          1 cups peas

•          1/4 teaspoon salt

•          1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

•          1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then lightly brown the meat in batches. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.  Dump the tomatoes into the slow cooker (juice and all). Crush them with a potato masher or the back of a spoon. Add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the vegetables and then add the beef and any accumulated drippings. Pour 2 1/2 cups of the beef broth over the beef and vegetables. Give the mixture a quick stir. Add the bay leaves.  Cover and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours.  About 20 minutes before serving, add the peas, salt and pepper. In a small bowl whisk together the flour and remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth, creating a smooth paste. Stir into the stew. Replace the slow cooker cover and cook until thickened (about 15-20 minutes).Remove the bay leaves before serving. Enjoy