Garden entries at the Davis County Fair and seems like everyone got a ribbon. I was hoping to see a giant tomato or enormous pumpkin, but instead pretty much looked like what you’d buy at the farmer’s market.
Tag: vegetables
Avocados
I love avocados. LOVE might be a better way to express my deep infatuation with this delicious and nutrient rich food. Thank you, God, for creating this fruit!
A few of my favorite ways to enjoy avocado:
1. Spread slices on lightly toasted bread.
2. Garnish on every Mexican dish you can think of!
3. Add to mashed black beans and wrap up in lettuce leaves.
Any way you slice, mash or cube it, enjoy some avocado today!
Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper and Steamed Asparagus
Healthy veggie based meal: stuffed bell pepper and steamed asparagus.
Ingredients:
4 yellow bell peppers, tops cut out and seeds rinsed out
1 package of saffron rice, prepared per package directions
1 roma tomato, small dice
1 zucchini, small dice
1 small yellow onion, small dice
3 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cook saffron rice per package directions
3. On medium heat, saute onion and zucchini in olive oil or water for 5 minutes, then add tomato and garlic and saute for 1 minute.
4. Add cooked rice, parsley to zucchini mixture and stir to combine. Using a tablespoon, scoop rice mixture into bell peppers.
Note: You can use other bell peppers, but I prefer the mild, sweeter flavor of yellow.
5. Place 4 stuffed bell peppers into 8×8 glass baking dish. Add water around the outside of peppers, 1/3 the way up the pepper.
Note: If you’re preparing ahead of time, store in refrigerator for up to 2 days, covered in plastic wrap. Add water when ready to bake.
6. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the skin of peppers begins to wrinkle. If your peppers are really thick, you may need 5-10 more minutes. Better to over bake than under bake.
7. Serve with steamed asparagus.
For a more robust meal, serve with crusty bread and large green salad.
I’ll see you at the table!
Asapargus
It’s that lovely time of year when asparagus is in season! Delicate but bursting with flavor, add asparagus to your menu. My local grocer (Winco) has it on sale for $0.98/pound!
Some asparagus dish ideas:
🍴Cream of asparagus soup
🍴Roasted asparagus with balsamic dressing for dipping
🍴Two-inch size pieces added to rice
🍴Steamed and added to veggie tortilla wrap
However you use it, indulge in this spring time delicious vegetable!
4th Street Farmer’s Market
Love the 4th Street Farmers Market… Takes me back to lots of good college memories. Now I get to share goodness with the hubs! 
Restaurant Review: Din Tai Fung University Village – Seattle
Love me some dumplings! Especially when I’m with friends like @saraheward and @timothyfunk
pork dumplings, vegetable dumplings, shrimp pork dumplings, marinated cucumber, pork buns, red bean buns, rice cake noodles with vegetables, spicy dumplings, boy choy with garlic… Basically a Chinese feast of goodness!
Restaurant Review: Chen’s Noodle House – Utah
Last time I went to Chen’s, I was a meat eater, so thought I’d give it another try… veggie style.
The Vegetable Soup was pretty good. But, I did have them add rice noodles because I wanted something Pho-like. The veggies were hot, crisp and flavorful. I used Hoisin and Sriracha for a little extra kick too-yummy!
I didn’t check out any of the other veggie dishes because I knew the soup would be enough by itself. I was right! Glad I didn’t order another dish as it would’ve been way too much food. I did notice they have other veggie stir fry options (with tofu) too.
Overall, thumbs up!
Recipe: My favorite hummus recipe
This is by far my most favorite hummus recipe – from the Fat Free Vegan website. I love this recipe because it is:
1) Easy to make.
2) Tastes great.
3) Makes the right amount to last for a week.
Of course, I have to Jennifer-ize every recipe, so below is my version, which is even easier than the first one. Keep in mind that I don’t like to use salt, so if you prefer add salt instead of the no-salt seasoning that I use… Several people have enjoyed my recipe and didn’t realize there wasn’t any salt.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, 1 drained
- 2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- Fresh lemon juice of one lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon organic no-salt seasoning
DIRECTIONS:
Dump all ingredients into a high-powered blender and purée and until smooth. On my BlendTec, that is two blendings using button #5. Scoop into a resealable container and store in the refrigerator. Best if used within one week (if it lasts that long!).
SERVING:
Serve with fresh cut-up veggies like celery sticks, sweet small peppers, carrot sticks. Pita chips have a lot of refined carbs, but pita chips are yummy! Instead of pita chips, perhaps use tortilla chips. Everyone loves this recipe, so make extra if serving at a party (left overs are a bonus for the chef!).
Recipe: Garden Vegetable Marinara
Overwhelmed with too many veggies in the garden? Try this recipe for enjoying a marinara today… and freeze to enjoy later in the year.
Ingredients:
2 lb. fresh garden tomatoes rough chop – I used yellow pear, cherry, Roma, early girls and heirloom varieties
2 bell peppers, diced
4 clove garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 zucchini, cubed
2 yellow crook neck squash, cubed (Note: Use any squash variety)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (Note: Omit if you don’t like spice)
Alternate ingredient: Add veggie sausage cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup water (Note: You may want to add more water. I prefer a chunkier marinara)
Directions:
On medium high heat, water sauté garlic and onion for 3 minutes. Turn heat down to medium, add veggies, 1 cup water and spices and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and use high-powered blender to rough chop 1/2 the marinara mixture. Return blended mixture to pot with bay leaves. Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Serve immediately over your favorite pasta – I used a rice quinoa pasta.
For freezing: Allow mixture to cool on stove top. On one-gallon sized bags, use marker to write down the marinara and date. (Note: Allow ink to dry before moving bags.) Fill bags half way and freeze. Defrost in fridge when ready… it’ll be a little bit of summer in winter later on and a great way to use the garden bounty today!