Recipes

The fall is typically a time where we shift into new routines.  We juggle school, work, children’s activities, and sporting events.  As a family of 5, we often find ourselves moving in different directions, but still enjoy eating together at least a couple of times a week.  This meal is full of flavor and is fast and easy, so it’s perfect for a quick, but healthy dinner.  I actually like to double the recipe so that we have leftovers throughout the week for lunches.

Sheet Pan Fajitas

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 onions, sliced
4 peppers (green bell peppers or sweet peppers), stem/seeds removed and sliced
3 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground cumin

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Place sliced chicken, onions, and peppers in large bowl. Add oil and toss to coat.

  • In small bowl, mix all of the spices. Sprinkle over chicken and vegetables.  Mix well to evenly distribute.
  • Place on large baking sheet.
  • Bake for 25 minutes.

  • Serve in wraps or on top of rice. Top with homemade salsa (see recipe for End of Summer Salsa), guacamole (see recipe below), sour cream, and shredded cheese.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up a week.

 

Guacamole
4 ripe avocados
1 lime, juiced + 1 tsp zest
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ jalapeno, seeds/membranes removed and finely chopped
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium tomato, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

Scoop the avocado pulp into a large bowl.  Mash with a fork.  Add lime juice, lime zest, salt, and pepper.  Mix well.  In a small bowl, combine jalapeno, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and cilantro (if using).  Add to avocado mixture and fold in.  Serve with fajitas, tacos, nachos, or just with chips or veggies.

 

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

As we navigate through the month of September, we begin to see a shift in the harvest.  The last of the cherry tomatoes are being picked and the summer squash has been replaced by spaghetti squash.  Just as the farm shifts to the autumn bounty, at home we are shifting to new schedules and routines with the kids going back to school.

It’s the back to school shift that inspired this recipe.  It is one that can be made in advance and quickly cooked for a fast, but nutritious dinner.  For those kids (or adults) that hate to eat their greens, this recipe is a great way to disguise them.  These meatloaf muffins can be served alongside some roasted potatoes or a mix of roasted or grilled vegetables.

Meatloaf Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups greens, roughly chopped and inner rib removed (kale, collards, Swiss chard, etc.)
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp fresh herbs or 2 tsp dried herbs (chives, parsley, etc.)
2 lbs ground beef or turkey
2 eggs
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 cup breadcrumbs

Glaze-
½ cup ketchup
1 ½ tsp spicy mustard
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder

  • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
  • Place greens in water for 60 seconds and then remove with a slotted spoon.

  • Allow the greens to cool and squeeze excess liquid out.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Combine greens, onion, garlic, and fresh or dried herbs in food processor. Pulse to chop.  Scrape sides and pulse again.  Continue to do this until all ingredients are well combined and finely chopped.
  • Place meat, eggs, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce (if using) in large bowl. Add onion/greens mixture.  Mix well.  You can use a spoon, but I find it easier to just use my hands.
  • Add half of the breadcrumbs. Mix well.  Add the other half of breadcrumbs and mix well.
  • Grease muffin pan. Divide meat mixture into 12 servings and press into each muffin mold.  I found that a large ice cream scoop worked well for this job.
  • Place muffin pan on a cookie sheet in oven. This will catch any oil or grease that may run over and will save you clean up afterwards.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.

  • While muffins are cooking, make the glaze by mixing ketchup, mustard, and spices.
  • After the 20 minutes are up, remove the meatloafs from the oven and put the glaze on top of each muffin.
  • Return the muffin pan to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and serve while hot. Pairs well with roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, or roasted/grilled vegetables.
  • Enjoy!

TO FREEZE- Before cooking, place muffin pan in freezer for a few hours.  Remove uncooked meatloaf muffins and place in plastic bag.  Return to freezer.  When ready to use, place frozen muffins in muffin pan and place in fridge to defrost overnight.  Cook as directed in above recipe.

 

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

This time of year can be super busy as the kids go back to school and activities come back in full force.  It is always great to have recipes on hand that are quick and easy but full of flavor.  If they can be served as an after school snack, even better!  This recipe combines many of the share ingredients from this week- tomatoes, onions, garlic, sweet peppers, hot peppers, and shishito peppers.  Enjoy this end of summer blended salsa as a snack or as a topping for a Mexican inspired meal.

Easy End of Summer Salsa

Ingredients:
6 Roma tomatoes, quartered
2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
1 hot pepper, halved
2 sweet peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
3-5 shishito peppers, stem removed
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp fresh herbs (cilantro, oregano, chives, etc.)
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 ½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin

  • Combine all ingredients in food processor. You can process in batches if your food processor is smaller.
  • Pulse to finely chop and mix well.
  • Serve with chips, with tacos or fajitas, on a breakfast wrap, etc.
  • Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

It’s been a great season for Blooming Glen Farm onions, and as a result we’ve been receiving them steadily in our shares for a few weeks now.  The star of this recipe is sweet onions. Caramelizing the onions enhances their flavor and adds a wonderful component to this salad dressing. As many of us fall back into a school lunch routine, playing around with different salad dressings can keep salads fun and fresh. Check out the farm’s “Salad in a Jar” Recipe Formula PDF. Don’t limit this dressing to salads though- it’s also great on burgers, wraps or grilled veggies.

Caramelized Sweet Onion Dressing

Ingredients:
Caramelized Onions-
2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp avocado oil

Dressing-
1 ¼ cups avocado or olive oil
2/3 cup vinegar (white wine, apple cider, or white)
¼ cup water
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

  • Heat 2 Tbsp oil in pan on stovetop.
  • Add onions and stir. Cook for 15-20 minutes on medium to low heat.  Stir occasionally to evenly caramelize the onions.
  • Onions should be nice and golden when done.

  • Combine caramelized onions and dressing ingredients in large mason jar.
  • Using immersion blender, blend the dressing.

  • Enjoy on salad, burgers, etc.
  • Store in the refrigerator.

*Works well as the dressing for “Salad in a Jar”, a fun portable lunch option (click for the PDF Recipe Formula).

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

I have been dreaming of this recipe for a while and am so excited to finally be able to share it with you.  The sweet, juicy watermelon is combined with spicy jalapenos to create a perfect summertime punch!  It is a refreshing drink with a kick.  It can be made as is or spiked with your favorite alcohol.

Watermelon Punch

Ingredients:
4 cups watermelon cubes, seeds removed
8 Tbsp jalapeno simple syrup (recipe below)
4 Tbsp lime juice
1 cup club soda
Ice
Small watermelon cubes, for garnish
Candied jalapenos (recipe below), for garnish

  • Place watermelon cubes in blender. Blend until a juice is formed.
  • Strain to remove pulp. You should get about 2-2 ½ cups of juice when done.
  • Combine watermelon juice with lime juice and jalapeno simple syrup. Gently stir in club soda and serve over ice.  This makes about 4 large glasses.  Garnish with watermelon cubes and candied jalapenos.
  • To make one drink, combine ½ cup watermelon juice, 2 Tbsp jalapeno simple syrup, 1 Tbsp lime juice, and ¼ cup club soda.

**Feel free to spike this punch with your favorite alcohol!

Jalapeno Simple Syrup-
1 cup water
1 cup sugar*
3 jalapeno peppers

  • Slice jalapenos into circles about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.
  • Place water in small pot on stovetop. Bring to a boil.
  • Add sugar and sliced jalapenos. Return to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

  • Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let sit for 1 hour.
  • Strain and store in glass jar in the refrigerator. Save jalapeno slices for candied jalapenos (recipe below).

*You can use any kind of sugar you prefer.  White sugar, raw sugar, coconut sugar, maple sugar, etc.  If you use stevia or a sugar replacement, you may need to adjust the quantity.  Refer to package instructions for sugar conversions.

Candied Jalapenos-
Leftover jalapenos from simple syrup
4 Tbsp superfine sugar (you can take regular sugar and grind it up even more in a coffee grinder)

  • Line baking sheet with wax paper.
  • Place sugar in a small bowl.
  • Take one jalapeno at a time and place in bowl. Coat with sugar and then place on baking sheet.
  • Continue to do this until all jalapenos are coated.

  • Allow to dry for a few hours.
  • Use for garnish or as a snack!

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

This recipe is inspired by a salsa my son and I enjoyed this summer.  We were determined to recreate it.  The beautiful, big peaches in the fruit share from North Star Orchard are the stars in this recipe.  But the jalapenos, sweet peppers, sweet onions, garlic and cilantro from the farm enhance the flavor and combine to make a delicious, summer treat.

Peach Salsa

Ingredients:
1-2 jalapeno peppers (stem, seeds, and membranes removed)*
3 cloves garlic
½ sweet onion, roughly chopped
1 sweet pepper (stem, seeds, and membranes removed)
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro
4 cups peaches, diced (skin can be kept on)
½ lime
1 ½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp white vinegar

  • Place jalapeno, garlic, onion, sweet pepper, and cilantro in food processor. Pulse a few times and then scrape the sides.  Pulse again until well chopped and then place in a large bowl.
  • Add diced peaches to the bowl.**
  • Zest and juice the lime into the bowl.

  • Add salt, pepper, and vinegar to the bowl. Mix well.
  • Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving.
  • Can be served with chips or as a topping for a grilled protein. This salsa pairs really well with fish and pork.

*Use just one jalapeno if you want a mild salsa.  Go with two if you would like a spicier version.  For more spice, leave the seeds and membranes on! Or try a different hot pepper variety of your preference.

**You can also grill the peaches first for a sweeter roasted flavor! Just halve and brush with a little oil. Peach salsa is also delicious made with peaches and tomatoes. Experiment and see what you like!

 

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

This colorful bean salad is a great make-ahead dish for the summer days when you don’t want to cook.  It pairs well with grilled protein, is a great side dish for barbecues, and is always a hit at picnics.  This week’s harvest gives us the bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, and fresh herbs needed for this recipe.

Summer Bean Salad

Ingredients:
4 cups beans, cooked and drained (kidney, black beans, chickpeas, white beans, etc.)*
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup onion, diced (red, yellow or sweet onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped

Dressing:
8 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
½ tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

  • Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Mix together dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined and then pour over salad.
  • Toss to coat.
  • Enjoy!
  • Refrigerate any leftovers. This salad will keep for a few days in the fridge.

*You can use any variety of beans.  If you are using canned beans, drain and rinse them before adding to salad.  If you are using dried beans, they should be cooked and cooled before adding to salad.

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

Throughout the CSA season, we receive a lot of summer squash.  It is delicious just grilled or roasted as a side, but sometimes it is fun to do something different with it.  This recipe turns the summer squash into a delicious relish and also uses the Cubanelle peppers, red onion, and garlic from our shares.  The recipe calls for zucchini but you can substitute with any of the summer squash varieties.

Zucchini Relish

Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini, finely diced (equivalent to 2-2 ½ cups)
2 medium Cubanelle peppers, chopped (equivalent to about 1 cup)
½ red onion, finely diced (equivalent to about 1 cup)
½-1 jalapeno, finely diced with seeds removed (optional)
4 tsp sea salt, divided
¾ cup white vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced

  • Place zucchini, pepper, and onion in colander over a bowl. If you want to add a little spiciness to the relish, add the optional jalapeno to the chopped vegetables.

  • Sprinkle the chopped vegetables with 3 tsp salt. Mix well and let drain for 30 minutes.
  • Rinse and let stand for 10 minutes.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, honey, remaining 1 tsp salt, black pepper, and paprika.
  • Bring to a boil. Stir until all of the honey is dissolved.
  • Reduce to a simmer. Add vegetables and garlic.  Mix well and cook for 8 minutes.
  • Can serve hot or cold.
  • Store in fridge.
  • Enjoy! The relish is great on top of hot dogs or burgers!

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

Our farm shares this week have all of the ingredients to make the perfect bruschetta- vine ripened tomatoes, fresh onions, garlic, and fresh herbs (basil from last week’s share, or try other options like oregano or marjoram from the pick-your-own herb boxes).  This recipe showcases the freshness of these ingredients by keeping them in their raw form and allowing them to marinate in a blend of oil and vinegar.  You can keep it traditional by serving on toasted bread or get creative and serve on top of grilled summer squash instead.

Bruschetta

Ingredients:
Tomato mixture
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp sea salt
Pinch black pepper
5 smaller red tomatoes (equivalent to about 2 ½ cups once diced)
2 torpedo onions or ½ medium red onion
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp basil, cut into ribbons*

Toasted bread
1 loaf baguette or favorite bread
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic

  • Combine oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in small bowl.
  • Dice tomatoes. Place in fine mesh sieve to drain excess liquid.

  • Finely chop onions and garlic.
  • Place tomatoes, onions, garlic, and basil in large bowl. Mix well.
  • Pour marinade over tomato mixture and toss to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

  • While tomatoes are marinating, prepare toast. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Cut bread into ½ inch slices and place on baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, spread olive oil on both sides of the bread slices.

  • Place toast in oven and bake for 5 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Slice garlic clove in half and rub cut side on the top of each toasted bread slice. If you don’t want to waste this garlic after using on the toast, just finely chop and add it to the tomato mixture.
  • Top each slice of toast with a scoop of tomato mixture and serve.
  • Enjoy!

*To cut basil into ribbons- stack leaves on top of each other, roll, and thinly slice.  Basil easily bruises, so using a sharp knife is really important.

**For a low carb option, serve tomato mixture on grilled summer squash slices!  Or for a twist on the traditional bruschetta, add 1 cup of finely diced summer squash to the tomato mixture before marinating.

***Other optional add-ins: parmesan cheese or your favorite minced fresh herbs.

 

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

The beautiful carrots in our shares this week are the star of this recipe.  These pickled carrots are full of flavor and can be used on salads, on wraps, on rice bowls, in tacos, or eaten directly out of the jar.  The last option is my preferred way to enjoy these tasty treats!

Quick Pickled Carrots

Ingredients:
2-3 carrots
1 cup vinegar (white or apple cider)
1 cup water
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp honey
Optional add ins- fresh dill or other herbs, garlic, fresh ginger, jalapeno or other hot pepper, fresh turmeric, red pepper flakes, etc.
**pint jar (this recipe makes one jar, increase for more)

  • Wash carrots. Peeling them is optional.
  • You can cut the carrots a variety of ways depending on what you want. Julienne them into thin matchsticks, shred them, or slice them into rounds.

  • Decide what optional add ins you would like to add to the carrots. Prepare whatever add ins you choose.  Fresh ginger, garlic, and turmeric should be peeled and thinly sliced.  Herbs should be washed and roughly chopped.  Hot peppers can be thinly sliced or diced.
    • If you are making more than one batch, experiment with different add ins. I made one with fresh dill, another with sliced garlic cloves, and another with fresh ginger.
  • Place your carrots and optional add ins into the pint jar. The jar should be pretty full with about ½ an inch of head space on the top.

  • In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, salt, and honey. Bring to a boil.  Whisk all ingredients together and then remove from heat.
  • Pour the hot brine into the pint jar over the carrots. The brine should cover the carrots.
  • Allow the jar to come to room temperature, then place the lid on, and put in the refrigerator. If you are using a metal lid, place a piece of wax paper underneath it.  The vinegar can corrode the metal.
  • Refrigerate for at least an hour for best flavor. I actually try to make these with enough time for them to refrigerate overnight.
  • Enjoy!

 

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com