Category: Recipes

  • Produce Recipe of the Week: Buffalo Cauliflower

    Produce Recipe of the Week: Buffalo Cauliflower

    On sale this week (2/4-2/10): Organic Cauliflower $2.99 each!

    Can’t think of anything else to do with cauliflower other than roasting it? We got you covered! Try making some buffalo cauliflower- it’s super simple! Not only is it quick to make, but it’s delicious and healthy for you!

    Ingredients

    -Cauliflower

    -Cumin

    -Chili powder

    -Cilantro

    -Lime Juice

    -Black Pepper

    -Salt

    -Cayenne

    -Olive Oil

    -Sriracha

    -Lime (to garnish)

    Method:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

    2. Rinse and cut cauliflower into small florets.

    3. Mix olive oil, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, black pepper, and salt together in a bowl. Add cauliflower and mix until cauliflower is coated; spread onto a baking pan.

    4. Bake in the preheated oven until cauliflower is perfectly tender.

    5. Remove baking pan from oven and allow the cauliflower to slightly cool.

    6. Combine baked cauliflower, lime juice, cilantro, and sriracha together in a bowl.

    7. Garnish with lime slices and enjoy!

    Before you enjoy your delicious buffalo cauliflower, make sure you take a picture of your masterpiece! Post it on social media and tag your favorite produce market, Basil Bandwagon Natural Market! #basilbandwagon #producerecipeoftheweek

  • Fall Harvest Cooking with Christine Waltermyer

    Fall Harvest Cooking with

    Christine Waltermyer 

    Menu:

    Split Pea Soup with Toasted Pepitas

    Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

    Mixed Greens Salad with Roasted Pears and a Raspberry Dressing

    Sweet Squash Pie

     

    Split Pea Soup with Toasted Pepitas

    Serves 8

    Ingredients:

    2 1/4 cups dried split peas, sorted and rinsed 8 cups water (+ extra as needed)

    1 cup chopped onion (1 large)

    1 cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)

    1 1/2 cups chopped carrots (about 3)

    Sea salt and pepper

    Garnish: Fresh parsley, chopped + toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

    Instructions: Place split peas in a large soup pot and cover with the 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Continue to boil for 2 minutes then shut off heat. Let stand for 1 hour.

    Add the onion, celery and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer on low, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the peas are soft. You can keep the lid tilted slightly to avoid foam rising up and cooking over. Add additional water as needed to achieve desired consistency. You can puree half of the soup in a blender or using an immersion/ stick blender if you wish.

    Season with sea salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with toasted pepitas/pumpkin seeds and fresh parsley.

    Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

    Serves 4 as a side

    Ingredients:

    20 Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed

    1 bunch scallions

    1 lemon

    2 tablespoons maple syrup

    2 teaspoons mustard

    1/4 cup olive oil

    1/2 teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

    –

    Slice the Brussels sprouts in half. Place them in an even layer in a glass baking dish. –

    Slice the scallions and add to the Brussels sprouts. –

    Zest the lemon and set aside. Juice the lemon and remove any seeds. Reserve the juice to use at the very end. –

    In a small bowl whisk together the lemon ZEST (not juice), maple syrup, mustard, olive oil and sea salt. Pour this mixture over the Brussels sprouts and scallions. Stir or use your hands to evenly coat all of the vegetables with the lemon zest-maple syrup sauce. –

    Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes, or until the Brussels sprouts are fork-tender. –

    Add lemon juice, toss and serve.

    Mixed Greens Salad with Roasted Pears and a Raspberry Dressing

    Serves 4

    Ingredients:

    Salad:

    1 red pear

    1 bosc pear

    6 cups mixed baby lettuce greens

    1 fresh pomegranate (or 1/3 cup dried cranberries)

    Salad Dressing:

    1/2 cup fresh red raspberries

    2 teaspoons tahini

    1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

    1 tablespoon olive oil

    2 teaspoons maple syrup

    Sea salt to taste

    Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice and cored the pears. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

    Meanwhile place the salad greens in a large salad bowl. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate. Add pomegranate seeds to the salad.

    Make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a blender or mini food prep and processing until smooth. Adjust flavor to taste.

    Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving.

    Sweet Squash Pie

    Makes 1 pie

    Ingredients:

    3 Tbsp cornstarch

    1 cup plain nondairy milk

    1 8-inch or 9-inch unbaked pie crust (homemade or store bought)

    2 cups pureed pumpkin (or one 15-oz can)

    3/4 cup coconut sugar

    1/2 tsp sea salt

    1 tsp cinnamon

    1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

    To serve:

    Your favorite whipped topping + dash of nutmeg or cinnamon

    Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

    In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of the milk. Stir until smooth.

    In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch-milk mixture, pumpkin puree, remaining non- dairy milk, coconut sugar, sea salt, and spices. Mix with a whisk until smooth. Pour this mixture into the unbaked pastry shell. Bake for about 60 minutes. The pie will firm up as it cools. Cool completely before slicing and serving. Serve topped with your favorite whipped topping if desired, and a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon.

     

  • Whole 30: The Reset You Might Need

    Whole 30: The Reset You Might Need

    This blog post chronicles the experience of one of our brave produce team members, Cheryl, who recently experimented with the Whole30 diet.

    * * *

    Make sure your food is truly nourishing you.

    Being constantly inside during the winter can encourage poor habits, such as sedentary behavior and unhealthy food choices. Sometimes even when we think we are making good choices, our bodies still don’t feel well due to food sensitivities.  Foods that are labeled as nutritious, such as “whole grain,” “calcium-rich” or “vegan” may be causes for bloating, headaches, brain fog, low mood, aches, pains and a plethora of other symptoms.

    This is where eliminating these culprits is a great way to start off the spring. With this in mind, a guide to help you do this is essential. One method available that I recently used is the Whole30 plan, named for its thirty day span and menu of unprocessed whole foods. 

    This plan really needs preparation, but in spite of that, I did it spur of the moment. I woke up one morning, tired of feeling bad after years of feeling tired, foggy, bloated, having periodic headaches and trouble sleeping. I stopped eating questionable foods that day and had the good fortune to work in place that sells healthy food and the Whole30 book. The plan’s goal is to create a healthy relationship with food, boost sluggish metabolism, improve the digestive system, boost immunity and eliminate chronic inflammation, thereby eliminating numerous conditions. 

    My diet generally consists of organic foods, not a lot of refined sugar and all of the food groups–It’s no accident that I work in a health food store. The Whole30 requires that for thirty days you eliminate sugar, alcohol, grains, dairy and legumes. This includes peanuts. Which means peanut butter. Which would have been the deal breaker, if I wasn’t feeling so bad.

    The book has all of the information necessary and also gives you a day-by-day idea of symptoms may occur as you go through the month. I suffered many of these things and the knowledge made it a little more bearable. Even after three days I was fatigued and headachy from withdrawal–but not bloated. After that, there was no turning back.

    I don’t miss many of the things and the simple fact that I don’t want to feel that way again has made me resist the foods that make me unwell. I’ve been off the Whole30 for a few weeks now and feel much better overall. I was sure the moment I was done I would jump into a vat of peanut butter, but nope–I wanted rice. Just rice. With pepper. It was marvelous.

    So, give it a go. Start off Spring by eliminating food sensitivities and allowing the food you eat to do its job and nourish you! If you have any questions about the Whole30 or my experience, you can find me in the Flemington store produce aisle 🙂

    Cheryl shared this amazing chicken recipe to help you find success like she did!

    Cheryl & John’s  Whole30 Approved Chicken

    9 chicken thighs

    1 lb Niman All Natural Italian sausage links

    2 red peppers

    2 green peppers

    4 potatoes, quartered

    8 oz. mushrooms (baby ‘bella or button)

    1 large onion

    1/2 head Garlic

    1 large can Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes

    2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Parsley

    Oregano

    Basil

    Black pepper

    Frontier Poultry Seasoning

    1/2 cup white wine (optional)

    Preheat the oven to 350.

    Chop the peppers, onions, mushrooms and Garlic and add to a large roasting pan. Add the quartered potatoes, tomatoes, vinegar and wine (if using). Season to taste with the herbs and stir to combine. Nestle the sausage in the mixture. Season the chicken with poultry seasoning and arrange on top of the pan. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve.

  • Game Day Showdown!

    What better way to celebrate the big game than to honor the hometowns of the teams? In this weeks blog we give you two recipes- and a video that shows you some of our favorites for switching these up for food allergies and special diets!

     

    Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

    (Makes 4 Servings)
    Ingredients
    • 12 oz steak, trimmed of fat, sliced across grain into thin strips
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1 c sliced mushrooms
    • 1 medium onion, sliced thin
    • 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced thin
    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • 2 tsp minced garlic
    • 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
    • 1/2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce, coconut aminos
    • 2 tsp flour
    • 1/2 c milk
    • 1 oz provolone cheese
    • 2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
    • 1/4 tsp dry mustard
    • 4 rolls, toasted
    Instructions
    1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat
    2. Add 1 tsp oil, swirl to coat
    3. Add beef and sauté 2 minutes or until it looses its pink color
    4. Remove beef from pan, add remaining oil and onion, sauté 3 minutes
    5. Then add mushrooms, bell pepper and garlic and sauté 6 minutes
    6. Return beef to pan, stirring for 1 minute, then remove from heat
    7. Stir in worcestershire and soy sauces
    8. Place flour in a small saucepan, gradually adding milk, stirring with a whisk until blended
    9. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened
    10. Remove from heat, add in cheese and mustard, stirring until smooth
    11. Keep warm, it will thicken as it cools
    12. Hollow out top and bottom halves of rolls and divide beef mixture evenly
    13. Drizzle sauce over beef and replace top halves

    Here’s our favorite products for making this:

    Here’s what we suggest to make this Vegan:

    For an extra punch of nutrition, add in a serving of Nutritional Yeast:

    New England Clam Chowder

    (Serves 4)

     

    Ingredients

    1.5 c water

    12 large cherrystone or chowder clams (substitute with firm tofu for vegan dish)

    2 slices of bacon (substitute with tempeh strips for vegan dish)

    1 medium onion

    1 medium carrot

    1 stalk of celery

    2 tbsp all-purpose flour

    1 large potato

    2 c milk (substitute with cashew milk for vegan dish)

    1 tbsp snipped fresh chives

    ground pepper

     

    Instructions

    1. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat water to boiling on high

    2. Add clams, heat to boiling

    3. Heat water to boiling on high, add clams, resume boiling

    4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until clams open

    5. Transferring clams to bowl as they open, discard any unopened clams

    6. Into 4 c liquid measuring cup, strain clam broth through sieve lined with paper towel

    7. Add water to broth to equal 2.5 c total

    8. Rinse saucepan to remove any grit

    9. In same saucepan, cook bacon on medium until browned

    10. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain

    11. To bacon fat in pan, add onion, carrot, and celery and cook 9 to 10 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally

    12. Meanwhile, remove clams from shells and coarsely chop

    13. Stir in flour vegetable mixture and cook 1 minute, stirring

    14. Gradually stir in clam broth and add potato, then heat until boiling

    15. Cover and simmer on low about 10-12 minutes, or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally

    16. Stir in milk, clams, 1/8 tsp pepper and bacon, heating through (but do not boil)

    17. Sprinkle with chives to serve

     Here’s our favorite products to make this nutrient-dense:

    Here’s our suggestions for making this Vegan:

    For an extra nutritional boost add a serving of Vital Nutrients Marine Collagen:

  • Nourish Your Body: Recipes We LOVE!

    Nourish Your Body: Recipes We LOVE!

    You know there are better choices, but in the dreariness of winter, it can be hard to turn down comfort food.

    We’ve collected some inspiring recipes from around the internet that have our stomachs growling. These recipes will not only feed the craving, but NOURISH your body on several levels. Go for nutrient density in everything you eat!

    Lets start with a common craving: CHEESEBURGERS.

    Yes, I know- these are everywhere. You can get one in 5 minutes or LESS if you’re driving. You can throw one together easily at home with good ingredients, but theres a way to make it quick, tasty and full of good stuff. Put it all in a bowl!

    http://brihealthy.com/2017/01/cheeseburger-bowl/

    Next up- a easy comfort staple: NACHOS.

    How could these possibly be ok to eat? Well, you could load them up with veggies, of course, but there are some creative swaps on ingredients that turn this simple snack-y favorite into a meal.

    Paleo Chicken Skillet Nachos with Avocado Sauce

    A good old CASSEROLE.

    Maybe you hate them or maybe they remind you of your childhood. This recipe is creamy, satisfying and full of nutrients. (and Whole 30 approved- which is a plus!)

    https://paleoglutenfree.com/recipes/creamy-whole30-bacon-garlic-spaghetti-squash/

    ICE CREAM.

    We all love ice cream, but it doesn’t always love us. I’m sure you’ve heard of Nice Cream- but maybe you haven’t tried it yet. Here’s a nice little collection of variations that will tempt you to give this healthy alternative a shot.

    https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/08/22/banana-ice-cream-healthy/

  • Spaghetti Squash Fritters

    Spaghetti Squash Fritters

    Spaghetti Squash is another versatile seasonal favorite. It’s stringy texture lends itself well to anything that works with pasta, but this same texture also makes it perfect for fritters. No shredding necessary, the Spaghetti squash’s stringy flesh holds together nicely for crispy fritters.

     

     

    Spaghetti Squash Fritters

     

    3 cups of Spaghetti Squash, cooked and pulled

    1/3 cup Arrowroot Starch

    1/2 tsp. salt

    1 green onion

    3 eggs, beaten

    oil of your choice for frying

     

    1. Pull cooked Spaghetti Squash into a bowl, and squeeze out excess water
    2. Heat oil in pan
    3. Combine with starch, salt and onion
    4. Add beaten eggs
    5. Form into patties, and drop into oil, and brown on both sides.

     

  • Stuffed Delicata Squash

    Stuffed Delicata Squash

    We love Delicata Squash because it’s SO easy to prepare. No peeling- just slice in half and scoop out the seeds. It cooks fast and tastes similar to sweet corn- so even people who aren’t squash fans will enjoy it!

    We choose to stuff it with savory mushrooms, Italian chicken sausage and top it with parmesan cheese.

    Stuffed Delicata Squash

    • 4 large delicata squash, ends cut off, sliced vertically and deseeded
    • 1 package of Bilinski’s Organic Mild Italian Chicken Sausage
    • ½ small onion, diced
    • 3/4 cup of  chopped Crimini Mushrooms
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 4 stalks of celery, minced
    • 6 tbsp. of Organic Valley shredded Parmesan Cheese
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • your favorite fresh herbs to taste

     

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the cut sides of the squash with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place face down on a large baking sheet. Bake until tender and browned on the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes.

    Meanwhile, in a large saute pan cook sausage on medium heat, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks until the sausage is cooked through and is browned.

    We used a food processor to chop the sausage and mushrooms to get a uniform texture.

    Add the onion and celery; cook until celery is soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan, more salt and pepper if needed and cook, stirring 5 minutes, then cook covered for 2 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and cooked through.

    Divide (1/2 cup) between the squash, top with parmesan cheese and bake 10 minutes.

  • Honeynut Squash Hash

    Honeynut Squash Hash

    We love Butternut squash, but if you haven’t tried it’s smaller cousin, Honeynut, you’re missing out. This smaller, sweeter variety is adorable.

    Just like last last week’s recipe, this one starts with roasted squash, but we added spicy mustard greens wilted with chopped onions and garlic. We topped it with a poached egg- perfect for anytime of day and full of nutrition!

    Honeynut Squash Hash

     

    2 Honeynut Squashes, cubed and roasted

    1 bunch of Mustard Greens

    1/2 Onion, minced

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    seasoning salt to taste

    4 eggs

     

    • Cook onion until transparent in oil, adding garlic just before finishing.
    • Remove stems from greens and tear or chop leaves. Add into onion/garlic mix until wilted
    • Season to taste
    • Poach eggs, and top hash
    • Garnish with fresh herbs, salt & pepper
  • Butternut Squash Flatbread

    Butternut Squash Flatbread

    Dinnertime is never easy, especially after a long day at work. You have to eat SOMETHING, and you’d love for it to taste good AND be good for you. That can be a tall order.

    We’ve got a suggestion that uses a seasonal favorite: Butternut Squash. Butternut Squash is full of antioxidants and vitamins. It also plays nice with many different flavor profiles and it easy to roast up and keep on hand for recipes.

    Here’s a recipe that uses some of our favorite ingredients from around the store, including Milton’s Local Uncured Bacon Sausage, Cadia Pizza Dough and Whole in the Wall Pesto.

    Keeping roasted squash on hand makes easy work of recipes- throw it in salads, toss with pasta, serve it alone as a side.
     

    Butternut Squash Flatbread

     

    1 Butternut Squash, peeled, roasted, and diced

    1 bag Cadia Pizza Dough

    1 package of Milton’s Local Uncured Bacon Sausage

    1 container of Whole in the Wall Pesto

    1 package of shredded Mozzarella

    Olive Oil

    Salt & Pepper

    Preheat Oven to 450º

    • Pull pizza dough out fridge, remove from bag and let it warm to room temperature
    • Dice sausage and fry in pan with small amount of oil. Cook until caramelized and slightly crisp.
    • Either cut dough in half or use whole- roll out as thin as possible
    • Bake at 450º until soft but stiff enough to handle
    • Top flatbread with pesto, cheese, sausage, squash cubes and more cheese! Bake until bubbly!

     

  • Kombucha Spritzers made with Baba’s Brew

    Kombucha Spritzers made with Baba’s Brew

    Kombucha is not only one of our favorite gut-friendly foods, it makes a great base for refreshing cocktails! We offer Baba’s Brew on tap: grab a growler of the featured flavor and have some fun mixing up pretty drinks for summer parties! Baba’s Brew pairs well in cocktails- its mild and fizzy with carefully curated ingredients and flavors.

    Here’s how we like to dress up our Baba’s Brew:

     

    •Rub a lemon slice around the rim of your glass, then either sprinkle with raw sugar or dip glass into sugar in a bowl or plate.

    •We paired Baba’s Brew Flower Power with dried rose petals and lavender (we carry both in bulk), and a sprig of fresh mint. All it needs now is your favorite vodka!

    •Next we used Baba’s Brew Cherry Bomb and added fresh blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. •Try this combo with Rose or White wine.

    The combinations are endless- we’d love to hear what you come up with!