Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad

Looking to add a kick to your cukes? This simple salad highlights the sweet, refreshing coolness of summer cucumbers and adds a bang of ginger and chili paste to make a noteworthy side dish. Great with fish, on the side of a marinated meat, or added to a vegan rice bowl.

• 1 1/2 pounds slicing cucumbers (about 5 cups sliced)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4–5 scallions, finely sliced

• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acid or Coconut amino acid.

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey, or sugar)

• 1 teaspoon red chili paste (or sriracha, both optional) more to taste

• 1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Method:

1. Run a fork down the length of each cucumber a few times to lightly groove the skin (it helps the dressing stick, but you can skip this step if you’re short on time).

2. Thinly slice the cucumbers and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle it with salt and toss well. Let them sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients so they can release some water.

3. Drain the cucumbers in a fine-mesh strainer (don’t rinse), then transfer to a clean bowl. Add the scallions, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, and—if using—red chili paste and toasted sesame seeds. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

4. Taste and tweak: add a pinch more salt, a touch more sweetness, or extra chili paste for heat.

5. Chill until serving. Best the day it’s made, but it’ll keep up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge

Adapted from Feasting at Home

Easy Eggplant Parm

Cooking eggplant doesn’t have to be scary! Our eggplants are smaller and more tender than the usual store-bought ones, and don’t usually require any salting or pressing to make them chew-able. This twist on the classic parm recipe doesn’t even require all the battering and frying that traditional parm does, so that you can spend less time prepping and more time eating!

• 1 large or 3 small eggplant (our are usually on the smaller side!) sliced about ½”-¾” thick

• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided

• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

• 1 small onion (yellow, white, or red), thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

• 4 anchovy fillets (optional), plus more if you want

• 1 28 oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed (or 2-3 large Heirloom Toms from Sungrounded Farm, diced)

• ¾ cup panko bread crumbs

• 1/3 cup (about) grated parmesan

• 2–3 tablespoons capers, coarsely chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or marjoram (you can skip, or use half the amount of dried)

• ⅓ cup coarsely chopped parsley, divided

• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced or torn

Method:

1. Roast the eggplant. Heat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the eggplant with about half the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through. You’re aiming for eggplant that’s custardy inside and deeply browned on both sides—almost like it was fried. Don’t be shy with the color; the browning is where the magic is.

2. Make the tomato sauce. While the eggplant roasts, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft with browned edges, 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add red pepper flakes and anchovies (if using) and stir until the anchovies dissolve into the aromatics.

3. Add the tomato juices, then crush the tomatoes into the pot by hand, keeping them a bit chunky for texture. Season again and simmer gently 15–30 minutes, until slightly reduced and nicely thickened. When it tastes great, take it off the heat. 

4. Toast the breadcrumbs. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and toast—stirring and tossing often—until golden like toast, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Assemble. Spoon about half the sauce into the bottom of a 1-quart baking dish (or a 6-inch oven-safe skillet). Layer on half the eggplant, then half the parmesan, parsley, capers, and oregano. Sprinkle half the toasted breadcrumbs evenly over that, then add half the mozzarella. Repeat the layers, finishing with mozzarella. Add extra parmesan and black pepper if you feel like being a hero.

6. Bake. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is browned and the edges are bubbling, 15–20 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes, then serve with a spoon—this is more “scoopable comfort” than “neat slices”.

Serve on top of pasta or with just a side salad.

Adapted from Alison Roman

Garlic Chive Cream Cheese

Garlic chives can have a powerful flavor. It’s nice to mellow them while sprucing up your bagels and sammys by making a flavored cream cheese. This is also a nice way to preserve them, in this mixture they should stay good for 3 to 4 weeks. Use this recipe and interchange with any of your favorite fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, scallion or garlic.

• 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh garlic chives

• ¼ teaspoon onion powder

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt or ½ tablespoon milk, to soften (optional)

Method:

1. Start with softened cream cheese—it’ll save you a lumpy struggle later. Either leave it on the counter for about an hour, or do a quick microwave soften: set the block on a plate, heat 5 seconds, flip it, then heat 5 seconds more. If it’s still not pliable, keep going in tiny bursts (a few seconds at a time) so it doesn’t melt. 

2. Finely chop the chives. Stir the cream cheese and chives together in a bowl until smooth. If you want it lighter and easier to spread, mix in Greek yogurt, milk, or sour cream one tablespoon at a time (we liked 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt). Cover and refrigerate; it keeps for up to a week.

3. Whipped method: For an extra airy texture, whip the cream cheese with 1/2 tablespoon milk in a food processor or stand mixer until fluffy. Add the chopped herbs and pulse briefly to combine.

Adapted from A Couple Cooks

Garlic Scape Pesto

I love making pesto out of just about any green thing we grow here on the farm. It’s easy and delicious on any night of the week. Garlic scape pesto is a classic. The scapes must be trimmed off the garlic plants midsummer so that the plant will put its energy into the garlic bulb rather than trying to produce seeds. For a long time the scapes were simply discarded. Now we know just how tasty they are.

1 cup garlic scapes, cut into 1″ pieces

• 1 cup garlic scapes, cut into 1” pieces

• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

• 1/3 cup cashews

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

For Preparation Instructions Visit: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2016/07/garlic-scape-pesto-recipe.html

Italian Eggplant Gnocchi Bake

This is a great way to get the hearty, cheesy goodness of eggplant parm, but in half the time - no breading or frying needed. And the good news is, when you get your eggplant from Sungrounded Farm, you’re getting a smaller and fresher fruit than the ones you get at the grocery store - that means way less chance of spongey eggplant.

• 12 ounces frozen or fresh plain gnocchi

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 medium white onion, diced

• Kosher salt

• 2 small Italian eggplant (about 1 pound), diced

• 1 1/4 cups store-bought roasted garlic marinara sauce

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 1/2 ounces shredded provolone

• Sprigs fresh basil or oregano, for garnish, optional

For Instructions visit: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/italian-eggplant-gnocchi-bake-recipe-2121259

Thai Cabbage Slaw

For the Dressing

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (optional - I use it!)

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 1 large garlic clove, minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)

For the Slaw

• 1 small head shredded green, red, or napa cabbage (about 1 quart - I like to use both for color)

• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 cups)

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 cup sliced snap peas

• 2 medium scallions, finely sliced on a sharp bias

• 1/2 cup chopped or whole salted peanuts or almond slivers

• 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir until the peanut butter is dissolved. Set aside.

2. Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Let sit at least ten minutes so the vegetables have a chance to soak up the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or Sriracha sauce if necessary. Serve cold.

From the Kitchen of: Zanne Sheets

Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder with Fennel and Tomatoes

ingredients

• 1 (6-pound) bone-in pork shoulder

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced

• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut on the bias

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 3/4 cup dry white wine

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

• 1 Parmesan rind

• 1 1/2 pounds cooked pasta, such as penne or rigatoni

• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

For Cooking Instructions, CLICK Here

Dilly Bean Stew

Despite the misleading name, there are no green beans in this stew. What really steals the show here is, yes, the dill, and also the onions! Alison Roman’s method of “frizzling” onions is one of my favorite techniques; using a higher heat than a normal sauté makes a dark brown color and brings a lot of deep, savory flavor out of your onions. Unlike a lot of hearty winter stews, the fresh dill and generous use of vinegar lifts this recipe and will fill you up without weighing you down.

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more (optional) 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more 

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced 

• kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper 

• 2 15-ounce cans white beans such as navy, butter, cannellini, drained and rinsed 

• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (or 4 cups water and 1-2 tbsp Better Than Bouillon)

• ¼ of a head of cabbage, core removed, coarsely chopped (roughly 8–10 ounces)

• 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar or fresh lemon juice (lemon juice should be last resort– white distilled vinegar really should be the thing you use here) 

• 1 cup dill, coarsely chopped 

• Sour cream, if desired

For Cooking Instructions Visit:

https://www.alisoneroman.com/recipes/dilly-bean-stew-with-cabbage-and-frizzled-onions

Perfect Kale Chips

We eat kale so many ways but Kale Chips are always a delicious snack. The hard part is getting kale chips that are crispy but also not burnt. This recipe is the key to doing so!

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray

1 small bunch kale (about 1/2 pound)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

For Preparation Instructions visit:

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kale-chips-51186450

Buttered Radishes and Eggs

I’m kind of luke-warm on radishes. They’re flavorful, they’re crunchy… but I easily get a little bored of them.

But not anymore! This is my new favorite breakfast. I should have known, all they needed was a little butter. The result is both melty and juicy, and is like slathering your toast with butter except better. I use thinly sliced red radishes because that’s what we grow and have on hand.

2 bunches (12 to 14) French Breakfast Radishes

2 tablespoons good unsalted butter

6 scallions, diced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

pinch of salt

2 eggs

2 pieces of bread, toasted

Method:

1. Trim the radishes, cutting off the greens and root ends. Slice each one in half lengthwise and set aside.

2. Warm the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the scallions and cook until they start to soften, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the radishes, thyme, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook, giving it a stir once or twice, until the radishes are tender but still slightly crisp, about 5–6 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

3. While the radishes are cooking, poach the eggs (or swap in scrambled or hard-boiled if you prefer firmer yolks).

4. To serve, put toast on two plates, spoon the radish-scallion mixture over the top, and finish each plate with a poached egg.For Preparation Instructions Visit:

Adapted from Naturally Ella