This week we blend great recipes with items that you can order from Farmers To You. We cover the Omnivore, Vegetarian and Vegans in our partnership. Using these tools as a guide, you can eat and cook healthier as well as make your food dollar go further. Of course, you can substitute as you need to, but these “food basket” guidelines can help you plan your weekly meals.
These recipes and lists are sorted by food type preference
OMNIVORE
- Fettuccine with Fresh Corn Pesto
- Tender and Crisp Chicken Legs with Sweet Tomatoes
- Black Bean Burgers with Bittman’s Tomato Jam
OMNIVORE SHOPPING LIST
- bacon $6.00
- corn $4.75
- garlic $4.70
- basil $3.5
- cherry tomatoes $5.40
- new potatoes $5.50
- 2 packages chicken leg quarters $14.80
- 2 packages black bean burgers $9.50
- 2 lbs. tomatoes $9.70
- jalapenos $3.35
total: $67.20
This will afford you leftover bacon, tomatoes, garlic, chicken and jalapenos. Two possibilities include BLT’s & homemade salsa served with grilled chicken.
VEGAN
TEMPEH HELPER
The kitschy name of this recipe is a take on the old Hamburger Helper from the “olden” days. Minimally adapted from the vegan blog Post Punk Kitchen.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz tempeh
- 3 cups water or your favorite veggie broth
- 6 oz small shell pasta, or about a cup
- A handful frozen peas, about 1/4 cup
For the seasoning mix:
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon broth powder (she uses Frontier chicken-style broth)
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot or corn starch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Have a lid at the ready because you’ll need to cover it at some point.
Drizzle the oil in the pan and tear the tempeh into bite sized pieces, adding them to the pan. Saute for about 5 minutes, until tempeh is lightly browned. In the meantime, mix the seasoning together in a mixing bowl.
Add a few tablespoons of water to the tempeh to deglaze the pan. Add the 3 cups of water and seasoning mix, giving a good stir to get it all mixed in. Add the pasta and cover. Bring the heat up to a boil. Once boiling, you can reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once. Remove the lid, and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened to your liking, usually about 3 minutes. Taste for salt.
Makes 4 one cup servings (serves 2 if you’re super hungry)
RUSTIC BREAD & EGGPLANT LASAGNA
Vegan Yum Yum
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 28 oz cans organic tomatoes, blended
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 teaspoons dried italian herbs
- olive oil, for drizzling
- 2-3 medium eggplants, peeled
- 8-10 large slices of Red Hen bread
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (or 2 more pieces of bread for toasting and food processing)
- 1-2 large, ripe tomatoes, fresh, for garnish
- basil, for garnish
In a very large skillet with high sides, or a sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sweat the garlic for 1-2 minutes, then add tomatoes, salt, and herbs. Cook for 30 minutes (bubbling), stirring occasionally. Invert a mesh strainer over the top of the pan to prevent splatter, if desired.
Preheat oven to 400.
Meanwhile, prep two baking sheets with parchment paper. Peel the eggplants by slicing off the top and bottom and using the cut edge to start your vegetable peeler. Holding the eggplant vertically, cut the eggplants into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange in one layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle liberally with olive oil.
Bake eggplant for 30-40 minutes at 400º, turning once, until very, very soft and browned in some places.
Brush(or spray) both sides of each slice of bread with oil and “grill” in a hot skillet until browned on both sides. You can also simply toast the bread, but I think you get more flavor with grilling.
In a large baking dish (a lasagna dish), spread 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce. Line the bottom of the dish with bread, filling as many as the gaps as possible without overlapping.
Place half of the eggplant on top of the bread, followed by another 1 to 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce. Add a second layer of bread. Add the second half of the eggplant, and all of the remaining sauce. Make sure that the bread is completely covered by sauce. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top.
Place fresh tomato slices on the top of the lasagna, sprinkled with salt and pepper.
Bake for 40 minutes at 400º F. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting.
Top with basil leaves and drizzle sweet and thick balsamic vinegar (or balsamic syrup) on the plate if desired. Enjoy!
BLACK BEAN BURGERS WITH BITTMAN’S TOMATO JAM
see recipe above, under OMNIVORE
VEGETARIAN
RATATOUILLE
Saveur
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried herbs de Provence
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 2 large yellow onions, quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 medium zucchini (about 1 1/4 lbs.), cut into 2″ pieces
- 1 medium eggplant (about 14 oz.), cut into 2″ pieces
- 2 bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
- 10 whole peeled tomatoes (can be canned if you’d rather not bother peeling fresh tomatoes)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat oven to 400˚. Heat oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat. Add herbes de Provence, garlic, onions, and bay leaf; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Increase heat to high; stir in the zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Uncover pot, transfer to the oven, and bake, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 1 1/2 hours.
Stir in basil and parsley, transfer ratatouille to a serving bowl, and serve warm or at room temperature. May be eaten as a side, served on baguette slices, or tossed with pasta.
Serves 6
TEMPEH FAJITAS
The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook
- one 8-ounce package tempeh, cut into thin strips
- 1 small lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or wheat-free tamari if gluten free
- 1 tablespoon Mexican seasoning
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, cut into strips
- 2 medium zucchini cut into strips
- 1 bell pepper (any color) cut into strips
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 ripe avocado, cut into strips
- shredded cheddar cheese, optional
- salsa
- fresh greens, such as arugula
- tortillas
Preheat the oven to 400. Place the tempeh slices in a small dish. In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, soy sauce/tamari, Mexican seasoning, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Pour this over the tempeh and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Longer marinating will produce a deeper flavor.
After the tempeh has marinated, heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the tempeh and saute on each side for 3 to 4 minutes.
In a 9×13 inch baking pan add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, red onion, zucchini, bell pepper, garlic and a dash of sea salt – mix well. Place pan in oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Fill each tortilla with a few strips of tempeh, some vegetables, avocado, fresh greens, salsa and cheese.
Serves 3 to 4
BLACK BEAN BURGERS WITH BITTMAN’S TOMATO JAM
see recipe above, under OMNIVORE
VEGAN SHOPPING LIST
- one package tempeh $2.90
- garlic $4.70
- 3 eggplants $7.05
- 2 pound loaf bread $7.90
- 2 lbs. tomatoes $9.70
- one bunch basil $3.50
- 2 packages black bean burgers $9.50
total: $45.25
This shopping list does not include any staples like bread, fruit or soy/rice milk. The leftover garlic is delicious roasted and spread on bread or whisked into a vinaigrette.
VEGETARIAN SHOPPING LIST
- garlic $4.70
- yellow onions $4.65
- 3 zucchini $7.50
- eggplant $2.35
- bell peppers $4.60
- 3 lbs. tomatoes $14.55
- basil $3.50
- parsley $2.75
- 1 package tempeh $2.90
- bell peppers $4.60
- cheddar cheese $8.50
- arugula $5.50
total: $66.10
This will afford you leftover staples like garlic, onions and cheese. Your leftover basil, garlic & parsley may be whirred into a pesto or simply chopped and added to an arugula salad.
EAT WELL AND BE WELL