Last week, I did a tour of the farmers’ market with a fun group of Public Health employees from the SNAP Ed program. They had so much to share with me and one another about ways of preparing different veggies, family and cultural food traditions, and recipe ideas.
One of the things we talked about was veggies people may have eaten as a kid and didn’t like, and to this day may think they don’t like them – but just haven’t had them prepared deliciously. Beets are a great example: forced to eat the canned mush version as a kid, haven’t had them since. It would be hard to deny that a roasted beet is not yummy. Eggplant is another veg that can have a bad reputation. In my recipes this week, I included a few different ways to prepare this versatile, misunderstood beauty.
Eggplant
Roasted
Heat oven to 350°F. Slice or dice. Lightly coat with olive oil (about 1T per eggplant). Season with salt and pepper. Add fresh herbs (optional). Roast for about 30 minutes, or until tender.
Eggplant parmesan: Layer with lasagna noodles, spaghetti sauce and ricotta cheese in a 9×11” pan. Top with shredded parmesan cheese. Put back into the oven for about 30 minutes until hot.
Roasted veggie sandwiches: Roast bell peppers, onion, portabellas with the eggplant. Layer a couple pieces of each veggie between 2 slices of crusty bread. Add a slice of tomato and lettuce. Top with 1-ounce of goat cheese.
Side dish: Drizzle slices with honey.
Grilled
Heat grill. Slice eggplant into ½” slices. Lightly brush with canola oil. Place slices directly on grill grate, for about 2 minutes per side. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar
Grilled Peaches with Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar
Peaches
Fresh rosemary, chopped
Canola oil
Balsamic vinegar
Cut each peach in half and remove pits. Brush the cut surfaces lightly with canola oil. Oil the grates on the grill and pre-heat to medium high. Place peach halves with their cut sides facing down and grill for 5 minutes. Flip peaches over and grill for another 4 minutes. Remove from grill and drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and serve as a side dish, or as a simple dessert.
Recipe from TheFramedTable.com .
Lemony green beans
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed, whole
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1T olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add green beans and garlic, stir. Cover, stirring every minute or so until beans are bright green. Beans will take about 5 minutes to cook, depending on size. Add lemon juice and stir. Remove from heat. Serve.
Easy stir fry
Mix and match vegetables (sliced or diced):
Zucchini
Bell pepper
Onion
Carrots
Broccoli
Green beans
Baby bok choy
Choose a protein (sliced or diced) – optional:
Chicken
Shrimp
Beef
Tofu
Choose a sauce (mix all ingredients in a small bowl):
Ginger Hoisin
1½ teaspoons finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon peeled fresh ginger
½ teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 minced garlic clove
¾ teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
Coconut Ginger
½ teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 minced garlic clove
1 teaspoon Sriracha
2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon red curry paste
2 tablespoons light coconut milk
Peanut Sauce
1 tablespoon water
1½ teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chunky peanut butter
½ teaspoon Sriracha
1 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce
1½ teaspoons rice vinegar
- Heat 1T oil in a large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat. If using a meat, cook this first. Add to the heated oil and stir frequently until cooked. Remove from pan.
- Heat 1T of oil in pan. Add vegetables. Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes.
- Add cooked protein or tofu. Stir for 1 minute.
- Add sauce, stir for 1 minute.
- Serve on its own, or over brown rice or soba noodles.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.
Your peach recipe sounds amazing!