So if you saw my post yesterday, I came home with an ABUNDANCE of fresh produce yesterday morning. Since I just moved to Peoria, I don't know a lot of people here yet and so I've been occupying my free time doing one of my favorite things- cooking (eating is a close second--both hobbies are related). So, see below for an update on some new recipes, and some quick tips on how to make the most out of your farmers market finds. Most importantly, happy eating!
#quickTip: Keeping Herbs FRESH
So i got some awesome fresh herbs at the farmers market and I really want to make them last. Here's a storage tip. Take your herbs out of the packaging they came in, wrap in a paper towel, place in ziploc bag, and store in the fridge! I like to label and date my bag to keep on top of how fresh my herbs are.
Purple Potato and String Bean Salad
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So why purple potatoes, you might ask? Well there isn't necessarily a specific reason, however they did look amazing at the farmers market, and who doesn't love the fun color? One thing to keep in mind with these potatoes, or any produce, is that the deeper and richer the color, the more nutrients and health benefits that produce will have! Compared to white potatoes, purple potatoes happen to be very rich in antioxidant phytochemicals--similar to those found in other powerhouse foods such as blueberries. These antioxidants are most known for their immunity boosting and cancer fighting properties. The best part about the potatoes is that they taste remarkably similar to their white fleshed counterpart, so sub them into any recipe you would normally use regular potatoes for a fun variation that adds a pop of color.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb purple potatoes (or you could use red or yukon gold if you don't have purple)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb of multicolored string beans (or regular green beans)
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
2 tsp brown mustard
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chives, minced
1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 F and get a pot of water boiling.
Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt and cut into quarters, lengthwise. Mince the garlic and chop the oregano. Toss the potatoes in the olive oil, garlic, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes. Potatoes are done when they are fork tender.
While the potatoes roast, trim your green beans. Grab a steamer insert for your pot and put the green beans in that, then place over boiling water and steam for 3 minutes. You don't want mushy green beans so do not steam any longer than 3 minutes. Immediately after steaming the beans, shock them in a bowl of ice water to retain the bright color and nutrients of the beans.
Slice the red onion into very thin slices. Feel free to use a mandolin if you'd like. Chop up the fresh chive, cilantro, and flat leaf parsley.
To make the dressing, whisk mustard, lemon, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine 1/2 the dressing with the green beans and onions and allow the flavor to absorb.
When potatoes are done, combine everything together in a bowl and add a little more dressing. The potatoes will absorb the most flavor while they are still warm. Feel free to add all the dressing or just a little bit more. This can be done completely to taste! The last step is to toss in all those fresh herbs you chopped.
Enjoy a big bowl as a meal, or serve as a summer side dish with some grilled chicken or shrimp.
NUTRITION:
231 calories, 13.5 g fat, 27.5 g carbohydrate, 4.1 g fiber, 4.6 g protein
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb purple potatoes (or you could use red or yukon gold if you don't have purple)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb of multicolored string beans (or regular green beans)
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
2 tsp brown mustard
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chives, minced
1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 F and get a pot of water boiling.
Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt and cut into quarters, lengthwise. Mince the garlic and chop the oregano. Toss the potatoes in the olive oil, garlic, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes. Potatoes are done when they are fork tender.
While the potatoes roast, trim your green beans. Grab a steamer insert for your pot and put the green beans in that, then place over boiling water and steam for 3 minutes. You don't want mushy green beans so do not steam any longer than 3 minutes. Immediately after steaming the beans, shock them in a bowl of ice water to retain the bright color and nutrients of the beans.
Slice the red onion into very thin slices. Feel free to use a mandolin if you'd like. Chop up the fresh chive, cilantro, and flat leaf parsley.
To make the dressing, whisk mustard, lemon, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine 1/2 the dressing with the green beans and onions and allow the flavor to absorb.
When potatoes are done, combine everything together in a bowl and add a little more dressing. The potatoes will absorb the most flavor while they are still warm. Feel free to add all the dressing or just a little bit more. This can be done completely to taste! The last step is to toss in all those fresh herbs you chopped.
Enjoy a big bowl as a meal, or serve as a summer side dish with some grilled chicken or shrimp.
NUTRITION:
231 calories, 13.5 g fat, 27.5 g carbohydrate, 4.1 g fiber, 4.6 g protein
Zucchini Banana Muffins
| So yesterday at the farmers market, I purchased a HUGE zucchini (probably 8 lbs). Honestly, it was the size of a baby (and for those of you who were wondering, I named him Carl...). So far, I've used less than a third of the zucchini to make 4 batches of my zucchini banana muffins. These muffins are packed with spice and packed with flavor. There's cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger in addition to dark chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. For a little whole grain kick, I've used just a little bit of whole grain flour and the bananas add a little favor and tons of moistness to the recipe. Click here for the recipe! | 
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