Summer Vegetable Crepes

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

⅓ cup reduced-fat sour cream
½ cup chopped fresh chives, divided, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped zucchini
1¼ cups chopped green beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear; see Tip)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 9-inch “ready-to-use” crepes, (see Tip)

Method

1. Stir sour cream, ¼ cup chives, milk, lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, the remaining ¼ cup chives, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. To roll crepes, place one on a piece of parchment or wax paper (or leave it on the piece of plastic separating the crepes in the package). Spoon one-fourth of the vegetable-cheese mixture (about ¾ cup) down the center of the crepe. Use the paper (or plastic) to help you gently roll the crepe around the filling. Place the crepe seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with the remaining crepes and filling. Serve each crepe topped with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and more chives, if desired.

Peach Salsa Recipe

Serving: 6-8

Ingredients
1 lb tomatoes, diced
1 bell pepper (4 oz), seeded and finely diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1½ lbs peaches, diced
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
1½ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Method

1. Chop tomatoes and transfer them to a large bowl.

2. Finely chop seeded bell pepper and jalapeños. Finely chop onion and transfer all your veggies to the bowl.

3. Dice the peaches. I liked the slightly larger dice for peaches to give them more of the center stage in this salsa. No need to peel them. You won't notice the peels and the color is prettier with the peel on. Transfer peaches to your bowl.

4. Add ½ bunch chopped cilantro, 2 Tbsp lime juice, 1½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired. Fold everything together until well mixed and enjoy!

Poutine with Mushroom Gravy

Serving: 6-8

Ingredients

24 ounces frozen shoe string fries
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
12 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup red wine
3 cups vegetable stock
10 fresh sage leaves (about 1 branch)
1/4 cup Gold Medal all purpose flour
1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces cheese curds

Method

1. Bake the fries according to the directions on the package.

2. While the fries cook, prepare the gravy: Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided saute pan. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, or until they soften. Add the garlic and peppercorns; cook 1 minute.

3. Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the vegetable stock and sage. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Whisk together the flour and water in a small dish. Whisk the flour mixture into the gravy. Simmer another 5 minutes. Strain the gravy through a mesh strainer to separate out the solids.Return the gravy to the pan and whisk in the butter. Add the fries to a bowl or serving dish. Toss with cheese curds. Pour gravy over top. If desired, top with some of the mushrooms and onions that were strained from the gravy.

BBQ Chicken with Peach and Feta Slaw

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh peaches (about 2 medium)
1 (12-oz.) pkg. broccoli slaw
3 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1-in. strips
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)
2 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Method

1. Combine 4 tablespoons oil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add peaches and slaw to vinegar mixture; toss gently to coat.

2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes or until done. Place chicken in a large bowl. Add barbecue sauce to bowl; toss.

3. Divide slaw mixture evenly among 4 plates; top evenly with chicken strips. Sprinkle with chives, feta, and bacon.

Apple Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Serves 1

Recipe courtesy of I am a Food Blog

Ingredients

Butter, at room temperature
2 slices of bread of choice (I used a thick white shokupan)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
Whole grain mustard, to taste
1/2 an apple, sliced thin

Method

1. Heat up a non-stick pan on medium-low heat.

2. Butter one slice of bread and place in the pan butter-side down.

3. Spread on some mustard to taste and top with half of the shredded cheddar and the sliced apple.

4. Add the remaining cheddar on top of the apple slices, making sure to get to the edges.

5. Butter the other slice of bread and place on top of the cheese, butter-side facing out.

6. Cook slowly on medium-low heat until golden brown and toasty. Most of your cheese should be melted when it’s time to flip. Carefully flip your sandwich and continue grilling. The second-side grills a bit faster, so turn the heat down to low and keep a close eye on it.

7. When toasty brown and perfect, remove from the pan, and enjoy hot!

Roasted Beet and Kale Salad With Maple Candied Walnuts

Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side

Ingredients

1.5 lb. beets, peeled and quartered (or cut into bite sized pieces if you're using large beets)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup walnut halves
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
4 packed cups of curly kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
Optional: ¼ cup goat or Boursin cheese (a diced avocado makes a great vegan alternative to creamy cheeses in salads!)

For the dressing:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove grated on a Microplane or very finely minced
A pinch of sea salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle the oil over top. Use your hands to toss them in the oil. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until they can be priced using some pressure with a fork.

While the beets are roasting prepare the rest of the salad

1. Add the walnut halves to a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Let them cook until they are fragrant and start to brown in places, shaking the pan frequently. Pour over the maple syrup and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Let them cook, stirring constantly, until the maple syrup has almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove the walnuts from the pan and place them on a piece of parchment paper, separating them from each other as much as possible.

2. Add the kale, optional cheese or avocado and the walnuts to a large bowl. When the beets come out of the oven let them cool slightly then add them to the bowl too. Pour the dressing over top and toss well so that everything is coated.

To make the dressing:

1. Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the oil in a medium sized bowl. Slowly add the oil in a thin steady stream while whisking the dressing constantly. If the oil starts to build up at all stop pouring it and whisk the dressing vigorously. It will take you about 1 minute to whisk in the oil. Taste the dressing and season it with extra salt, to taste.

Asian Pasta with Broccoli and Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound mushrooms (oyster mushrooms or regular ones), sliced
4 garlic cloves
1/2 head broccoli
2 tablespoons tamari sauce, wheat-free
1 or 2 tablespoons honey
1 or 2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 lb (half a pound) fettuccine pasta
cashew nuts (optional), partially whole, partially crushed

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add mushrooms and garlic, and saute for 2-3 minutes, regularly stirring with spatula. Sprinkle the mushrooms with a little bit of salt, cover with the lid and continue cooking the mushrooms for another 5-7 minutes, occasionally stirring. Having the lid on will allow mushrooms generate some moisture and not get burned. Mushrooms should be cooked for a total of 7-10 minutes. Cover the skillet and set aside.

2. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions (in my case, I cooked Tinkyada Brown Rice Fettuccine pasta like I would cook a regular pasta - by boiling it for about 8-10 minutes until the pasta achieved the right consistency).

3. As you cook pasta in boiling water, blanch the broccoli by dipping the broccoli head into pasta boiling water for 30 seconds, then draining it. The broccoli head will turn bright green color! Cut the broccoli head into flowerets and small bite-size pieces. Add broccoli pieces to the skillet with mushrooms.

4. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside

5. Add 2 tablespoons tamari sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet with mushrooms and broccoli, on medium heat. Stir to combine, to make sure the sauce coats the vegetables. Taste and add another tablespoon of honey and another teaspoon of sesame oil, if desired. On medium heat, add pasta to the skillet, mix well until the sauce coats the pasta, taste and season with salt, if desired. Keep in mind, that tamari sauce is not as salty as regular soy sauce, so you might have to add salt to your pasta. If you're using regular soy sauce, you will likely not need to salt your dish.

6. To serve, top each pasta serving with some whole cashew nuts and some finely crushed ones (use knife to crush them into smaller pieces).

Brown Butter Spaghetti With Baby Kale And Roasted Butternut Squash

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of The Little Epicurean

Ingredients

6 oz spaghetti
2 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes
1 or 2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 cloves of garlic, smashed or minced
2 small onions, sliced, about 2 cups
4 packed cups of baby kale
1/4 cup pecorino romano
1/4 cup parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
additional pecorino romano or parmesan, for serving
finely sliced chives, for serving

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a parchment lined baking sheet, spread out butternut squash. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Bake for 30-40 minutes until squash is soft and can be easily pierced with a fork or knife. Set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to al dente according to package details. When draining pasta, reserve a cup of pasta water.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter is melted, continue to cook over medium low heat until butter has browned and is fragrant (should smell nutty). Add minced garlic (I like to smash mine using a mortar and pestle) and sliced onions. Cook until onions are almost translucent. Add baby kale in two additions. Cook until kale begins to wilt. Remove from heat. Add pecorino romano, parmesan cheese, and roasted butternut squash. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked spaghetti and toss to coat pasta. Add 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water at a time until pasta is well coated with sauce. (I ended using 1/2 cup of pasta water).

4. Serve immediately with sliced chives and/or more cheese, if desired.

Goat Milk Fettuccine with Spicy Corn Fritters + Sweet Nectarine

Serves 4

Recipe Courtesy of Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients

Corn Fritters
1 jalapeno seeded + minced
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt + pepper
1/2 cup milk any % you prefer
1 1/4 cups sweet yellow corn about 2 ears
1/3 cup fresh basil chopped
canola oil for frying

Fettuccine
1 pound fettuccine
4 tablespoons butter
4 ounces cream cheese softened
4 ounces goats cheese
2-3 cups whole goats milk may also sub whole milk or cream in a pinch
1 cup manchego cheese shredded
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
2 ripe nectarines sliced thin, for topping (optional)
fresh cherry tomatoes basil and parsley, for serving

1. To make the corn fritters, add the flour, baking powder, chili powder, salt, pepper and milk to a bowl. Stir until combined. Fold in the corn and jalapeno. It should be the consistency of a very thick pancake batter, if needed add a tablespoon more of milk. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Add oil to a large saucepan and heat over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add about 1-2 teaspoons of batter to the pot. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel, then repeat with remaining batter. Keep the fritters warm in the oven until the pasta is ready.

3. To make the fettuccine, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and prepare according to directions. Drain and set aside. Heat a large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat, add the butter, goat's milk, cream cheese and goat's cheese. Bring to a boil and simmer until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the manchego cheese, basil, crushed red pepper, pepper, salt and nutmeg, whisking until the cheese has melted. Simmer the sauce 3-5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss well, cook another 1-2 minutes to warm through. Remove from the heat. The sauce with thicken and coat the pasta a bit easier as it cools. Serve warm with corn fritters, slices of nectarines, tomatoes, basil and more cheese! Dig in!