basil Tag

08 Aug

Posted at 10:28h in Recipes by
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The farm has been harvesting eggplants steadily since June. If you are looking for a fresh idea for what to do with this classic vegetable besides eggplant parm or grilled eggplant, this vegetarian dish is for you. Roasted and then combined with fresh onion, garlic, and basil- these “meatballs” are full of flavor.  They can be served alone or with a homemade tomato dipping sauce.

Eggplant “Meatballs”

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplant- peeled and cubed (approximately 5 cups once cut)
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup sweet onion- finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves- finely chopped
¼ cup fresh basil- finely chopped
1 egg
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs

  • Preheat oven to 375°
  • Prepare the eggplant and place in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over eggplant and toss to coat.
  • Spread cubed eggplant onto a large baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

  • Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Once cool, place the roasted eggplant, onion, garlic, and basil into a food processor. Pulse until eggplant is finely chopped and everything is well combined.
  • Add egg, parmesan cheese. salt, and pepper. Pulse again to mix all ingredients.
  • Remove mixture from food processor and place in a medium bowl. Add half of the breadcrumbs and mix well.  Slowly add the second half of the breadcrumbs, mixing well with each addition.
  • Roll into about 1-inch balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet. This makes about 2 dozen balls.

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

01 Aug

Posted at 10:25h in Recipes by
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A simple pasta salad is a great side to any grilled meal.  It also is a delicious addition to lunches or picnics.  This recipe is versatile and you can change the vegetables you use in the salad based on what is available at the farm.

Summer Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
12-16 ounces cooked pasta
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 kirby cucumbers peeled and sliced
2 cubanelle peppers, diced
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup avocado or olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp honey (optional)

  • Cook pasta according to instructions and allow to cool. Place in large bowl.
  • Once pasta is cooled, add tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and basil.
  • In small bowl, combine oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and honey (if using). Mix well.  Pour over pasta and vegetables.  Toss to coat.
  • Enjoy immediately or refrigerate and serve later.

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

 

25 Jul

Posted at 11:02h in Recipes by
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A light, refreshing potato salad pairs well with any protein.  This salad requires roasting the potatoes instead of the typical boiling and then is dressed with a vinaigrette and fresh herbs.  It can be served warm or cold.

Fresh Herb Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 lbs new potatoes
¼ cup olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp (divided)
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp lemon juice
½ tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
3-4 Tbsp fresh herbs of your choice, finely chopped (chives, parsley, thyme, basil, dill, marjoram, etc)

  • Wash and cut the potatoes into ½- ¾ inch pieces (if using fingerling potatoes, slice larger potatoes lengthwise than cut again into your ½-inch pieces). Place the cut potatoes into a bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp of olive oil.
  • Preheat oven to 400° Move the potatoes to a parchment lined baking sheet.

  • Bake for 40 minutes. Stir halfway through baking time.
  • In a small bowl, mix ¼ cup olive oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, and spices. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
  • Chop the fresh herbs and set aside.

  • Once the potatoes are done roasting, remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Add the vinaigrette and chopped fresh herbs.  Mix well.
  • Serve warm or refrigerate and enjoy chilled.

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

29 Jun

Posted at 10:08h in Recipes by
12 Likes

Fresh basil is such a wonderful addition to our CSA shares.  I wanted to use this fresh aromatic herb to create a flavorful dressing that could be used on salad, but also in a variety of other ways.  This dressing can be used as a sandwich spread, as a topping on baked potatoes, on top of your favorite protein, drizzled on roasted vegetables, or even used to dip bread or raw veggies into.

Creamy Basil Dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup basil leaves, loosely packed
1 large scallion
2 garlic scapes
5 oz plain yogurt
½ tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
¾ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey (optional)

  • Place basil leaves, scallion, and garlic scapes in food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.  Scrape sides and pulse again.
  • Add remaining ingredients to food processor. Mix for at least two minutes or until all ingredients are chopped and well combined.
  • Remove and place in glass container.
  • Store in refrigerator for up to a week. Shake well before using.
  • 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

11 Aug

Posted at 15:23h in Recipes by
6 Likes

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

21 Jul

Posted at 10:34h in Recipes by
8 Likes

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

09 Jun

Posted at 07:39h in Recipes by
12 Likes

Strawberry season always brings a smile to my face.  I love heading out to the fields and picking the amazing berries that our farmers work so hard to provide for us.  They are little bites of juicy, organic goodness.  While just snacking on them is perfect, the farm fresh strawberries also pair really well with the basil we get in our shares.  So, this week’s recipe combines the berries with some basil to create the perfect summer drink- Strawberry Basil Lemonade.

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups strawberries, washed and hulled
½ cup maple syrup or honey
4 cups water, divided
½ cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup ice
¾ cup lemon juice

Directions:

  • Place strawberries, maple syrup/honey, 1 cup water, and basil leaves in medium saucepan.

  • Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Place ice in blender. Add strawberry mixture.
  • Puree until well blended and then strain.
  • In large pitcher, combine 3 cups water and lemon juice.
  • Add in strained strawberry mixture and mix well.
  • Serve over ice. Garnish with a strawberry.
  • Store in refrigerator.

**Serve as is or spike with your favorite alcohol.

**Can also freeze to preserve for serving later in the summer.  You can even freeze just the strawberry syrup after pureeing.  Defrost when ready to use and combine with water and lemon juice.

**Want to make a fun, refreshing treat?  Pour the finished lemonade in these freezer pop bags.  Lay flat in the freezer overnight and the next day you will have delicious, homemade freezer pops.

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

17 Jun

Posted at 07:31h in Recipes by
10 Likes

It is always a treat when we get to head out to the fields and pick our own strawberries at the farm.  There really is nothing better than farm fresh organic strawberries.  This recipe combines these flavorful berries with some basil to create a tasty and refreshing popsicle.  Great for both adults and kids!  If you don’t want to use your whole quart of strawberries that you picked this week, feel free to half this recipe. You can also use frozen strawberries, just soften enough to be able to chop them and blend them really well. Recipe made 10 popsicles, but amount will vary depending on mold size.

Strawberry Basil Popsicles

Ingredients:
1 cup maple syrup
¼ cup packed, chopped basil leaves
½ cup water
1 quart strawberries (4 cups, divided), cleaned with stems removed

  • Combine maple syrup, basil, and water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

  • Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn burner off.  Cover and allow the mixture to infuse for an hour.
  • Chop ½ cup of berries into small pieces. Place the strawberry pieces into the bottoms of the popsicle mold.
  • Place remaining 3 ½ cups strawberries into the blender. Blend until a smooth puree is formed.
  • Add basil syrup into the blender with strawberry puree. Blend again to combine.  Continue blending until mixture is smooth and uniform.
  • Fill molds with puree.

  • Freeze overnight.
  • Carefully remove popsicles from molds and 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

26 Aug

Posted at 08:20h in Recipes by
10 Likes

Nothing says summer like a ripe juicy tomato!  Eating a handful of cherry tomatoes is one of my favorite snacks and fresh tomato salads are always a welcome addition to our dinner table.  But I wanted to create something different that showcased the beautiful tomatoes we receive in our CSA shares.  This tomato jam was enjoyed by our whole family- even the little ones that claim they don’t like tomatoes!

Tomato Jam

Ingredients
1 ½ lbs tomatoes**
½ medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh basil, packed
¼ cup honey
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp sea salt

  • Place all ingredients in food processor. Pulse to combine and break down.
  • Transfer tomato mixture to a large saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 8-10 minutes or until mixture reduces by half.  Be sure to stir often to prevent burning.
  • Reduce to simmer and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes until the mixture becomes the consistency of jam.
  • Let cool.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • Use the jam with cheese and crackers, on fish or chicken, on top of a burger, or even on a sandwich or grilled cheese.

**You can use any kind of tomato for this recipe- beefsteak, Roma, heirloom, or cherries.  Cook time will vary slightly due to the moisture content of the tomatoes.

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

05 Aug

Posted at 11:48h in Recipes by
15 Likes

Cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and beefsteak tomatoes… oh my!  There are so many amazing things we can do with tomatoes.  They can be the star of a meal or a delicious side.  Eat them as is, add them to salads, can them, make sauce, or create this delicious soup.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil Oil and Fried Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients:
3.5- 4 lbs fresh tomatoes
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 pepper (green bell or sweet cubanelle), halved and seeds removed
1 medium summer squash (zucchini or yellow squash), roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, with skin on
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
6 basil leaves
Basil oil (recipe below)
Fried zucchini spirals (recipe below)

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Slice tomatoes into quarters or eighths if they are really big.
  • Place tomatoes, onions, pepper, summer squash and garlic in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Toss to coat.
  • Place tomato mixture on baking sheet.

  • Roast for 25-30 minutes. Vegetables should be fork tender.
  • Allow to cool for a few minutes. Remove the skin from the garlic cloves.
  • Transfer mixture to blender, including juices on baking sheet. Add basil.  Process until smooth.  You may need to process in two batches.
  • Serve immediately or place in large saucepan and reheat later.
  • To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle on basil oil and top with fried zucchini spirals.
  • Soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. It also freezes well.

Basil Oil

Ingredients:
¼ cup basil leaves, packed
2 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch sea salt

  • Place boiling water in a bowl. Quickly blanch basil leaves (about 10 seconds) and then pat dry.
  • In food processor or blender, combine basil leaves, salt, and olive oil. Process well.

Fried Zucchini Spirals

Ingredients:
½ zucchini
½ cup avocado or coconut oil
Sea salt

  • Spiralize zucchini. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can thinly slice strips of zucchini.  Place between paper towels to remove some of the water.
  • Heat oil in small saucepan.
  • When oil is hot, fry zucchini. Place one spiral in the oil to make sure it is hot enough.  Process the spirals in small batches for about 6 minutes each.  When done, the zucchini spirals should be crunchy.
  • Lay on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt.

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