It's time to harvest your home vegetable garden, but what do you do with all of those fruits, veggies and herbs before they go bad? Don't stress, YEA has you covered! Below are three yummy & healthy recipes for your next fresh meal.
Let's get started!
The garden creamy tomato basil & roasted bell pepper soup
No clue what to do with your fresh produce before it goes bad? Soups and stews are always a go to! They're so versatile and easy, not to mention last for days. You can add rice, meat, pasta or just about anything but the kitchen sink! If you've overdone the classic vegetable stew, why not mix it up with a creamy artesian tomato basil soup? I'm going to show you how you can spice up your classic tomato soup. Keep reading!
Everything you will need for your creamy deliciousness:
Vine ripened tomatoes/ everglades tomatoes/cherry tomatoes/grape tomatoes (whatever you're growing will work!)
1 red bell pepper
Heavy cream
Low sodium chicken stock (optional)
1 white onion
1 head of garlic cloves
1 tbsp Freshly ground peppercorn
Sea salt (optional)
Sweet basil sprigs
Olive oil
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Using the tomato of your choice cut them into fours, then cut your red bell pepper, you will only need half. Slice your 1/2 red bell pepper into thin slices. Then cut your head of garlic in half keeping the cloves inside the bulb and dice 1/4 cup of onions. *Note the number of tomatoes may vary depending on how many you grow, but this recipe generally calls for 5 whole tomatoes or a bushel of cherry tomatoes.
In a deep-dish baking pan, you will roast your bell pepper slices and as many tomatoes as you see fit. Place your halved garlic cloves (still in its bulb) and diced onions along with your tomatoes & peppers in your pan. Then drizzle with olive oil and add your freshly ground pepper and salt (optional). Then stick it in the oven for thirty minutes on 400.
After thirty minutes, take out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes. It should look as if everything has boiled down. Squeeze the cloves out their papery skin and discard the skin.
This next step is optional, depending on viscosity preference. For more of a bisque/stew like texture, you can leave out this step. However, if you prefer a classic liquid-based tomato soup, you'll want to try this next step.
Add your chicken stock, I like sodium free since we are already adding salt and garlic. Add about 2 cups of chicken stock into your deep-dish baking pan.
Blend. Using a portable drink mixer or a general blender, blend all your contents together. Then add your sweet basil and 1/3 cup of heavy cream, or more. Blend again until creamy smooth texture. Pour into a bowl.
Add a swirl of left-over heavy cream into your bowl of goodness, joined with a sprig of basil and pepper corn. Then enjoy! For the ultimate mouthwatering duo, try pairing it with a grilled gouda cheese on toasted sourdough! Yum!
Bon Appétit
Vine Ripened Tomato Bruschetta
It's summertime and those garden tomatoes & herbs have gotten unruly. It's probably time to harvest and prune. The aroma of fresh herbs now illuminates the house. It's too hot to cook anything but you're inspired to make something savory and delish! Here's a quick light bite you and your friends can enjoy before the dinner rush. These simple garden bruschetta snacks will leave you wanting more!
Ingredients for the perfect bite:
vine ripened tomatoes/whatever cherries you're growing
Block of Parmigiano Reggiano
Whatever herbs you've got in the garden
Spinach
Olive oil
Freshly ground peppercorn
Sea salt (optional)
Italian style round bread or Triscuits for yeast free version
*Herbs that work best: sweet basil, onion chives, garlic chives, Italian oregano & Cuban oregano.
First you will need to slice your bread into 1/2-to-1-inch slices. Slice your tomatoes into thin, small slices and cut up your spinach into small strips.
Add your spinach first, then your tomatoes onto your bread or Triscuit crackers. Sprinkle your herbs onto your bruschetta and then slice your parmesan cheese into fairly wide slices. Lay on top and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Of course, salt is always optional.
Next, you can eat it fresh, or toast in a toaster oven or conventional oven for 5 minutes on 350 degrees Fahrenheit till golden.
And voila! You've got the garden variety with these shareable snacks!
Blood Cleansing Beet Smoothie
Looking for a new refreshing & nutritious smoothie recipe? This Blood cleansing beet smoothie not only tastes divine but also smells like autumn. It possesses all of the antioxidants & nutritious qualities to detox your system while tasting equally delicious.
Ingredients you will need:
1 beet
1/2 cup of baby carrots or one whole Danvers carrot
1 apple
2 Tbsp. of cinnamon
water or milk (depending on preference)
First, cut the stems of the root of your beet. Boil your beet in pot of water for about thirty minutes. *Note, beware of the beet pigment, will stain fingers and clothes.
Once it has softened enough to cut, cut your beet into fours. Next, dice your carrots into small fine pieces. Slice your apple. Then stick everything into a fine blender. Add your 2 Tbsp. of cinnamon into your smoothies, then blend.
You will find your smoothie, is very thick and still a little chunky. You can add the beet water from your pot or milk based on your preference, to liquify your smoothie. The amount varies on your preference of viscosity. Blend again. Then pour into a glass and bob's your uncle!
This smoothie smells and tastes amazing, almost like a fall scented candle! Many wonder, why to add the cinnamon? Though it increases the taste, the purpose is actually to balance the sugar in the smoothie. Cinnamon is a great antioxidant just like beets, but these fruits and veggies are high in sugar, so the spice brings down your blood sugar keeping everything balanced.
Mangia
Cook's Tips: When cooking or eating tomatoes, it is recommended to remove as many seeds as possible. Tomato seeds, as well as other fruits and veggies in the night shade family, carry uric acid which can create inflammation in the body. If you deal with gout or are on a special diet free from seeds, nuts, etc., you may want to consider the effects before eating certain ingredients listed above.
Written & curated by:
Rachel Taylor
Comment down below if you try any of these recipes! We would love to hear from you!
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