Spring Asparagus Salad

Asparagus is one of the first vegetables in season in Illinois, and will be available at Farmer's Markets starting this month! This is a great recipe to enjoy some fresh spring asparagus!

Note: We even have dairy-free blue cheese available at the store for people with dairy-free and vegan diets.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 small tomatoes, cut into wedges

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon grated onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, optional

See the entire recipe and directions at Taste of Home.

Roasted Veggies!

This is barely a recipe, but I’m posting it because roasted vegetables are so easy to make, and are a wonderful and delicious way to add more fresh vegetables to your diet. They’re a perfect side dish, and are fantastic added to pasta or rice or even eaten on their own! You can easily customize it to your personal tastes (my favorites are cauliflower, red peppers, and mushrooms).

Any vegetables you like:

• Cauliflower

• Broccoli

• Peppers

• Mushrooms

• Green Beans

• Zucchini

You’ll also need:

• Olive Oil

• Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic Powder

• Italian Seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Chop vegetables into roughly similarly sized pieces (it doesn’t hugely matter, it’s just so they cook more uniformly). Also, keep in mind that they’ll shrink after roasting.

Toss chopped vegetables in a bowl with a generous pour of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 

Bake on an unlined cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 15-25 minutes (you may want to cook them longer or shorter depending on how soft you like your vegetables).

Enjoy immediately or refrigerate to add to upcoming meals.

After roasting, a bit of fresh lemon juice or parmesan cheese is delicious too!

Moroccan Carrot Salad

We all know that we should eat more vegetables but sometimes that’s hard. This salad makes it easy and it’s tasty.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 large carrots, finely grated (about 4 cups grated)

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

• 1/3 cup raisins

• juice of 2 lemons (~1/3 cup)

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon coriander

• pinch of cayenne pepper (~1/8 teaspoon)

• pinch of black pepper

See the entire recipe and directions at paleomg.

Aij (Colombian Salsa)

This is a recipe developed by Theresa, one of the owners at the store. It’s a Colombian or Peruvian sauce or salsa pronounced “ah-hee”. From the ingredient listing it sounds like it would be extremely spicy, but amazingly, it’s not, and is absolutely fabulous on watermelon, grilled veggies, and even chicken or fish.

INGREDIENTS:

10 Jalapeno peppers, seeds and membrane removed

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 cups chopped green onion, white and light green only

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 cup chopped fresh mint

1 large clove of crushed garlic

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. honey 

 DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Process ingredients for 1 to 2 minutes. Aji will be slightly chunky. Refrigerate at least 12 hours for ingredient flavors  to blend. Add water if desired for a thinner consistency.

This is a wonderful, fresh tasting condiment for a variety of foods, or even just for dipping with bread or chips. 

Sticky Sesame Vegan Cauliflower Wings (GF)

This is an amazing appetizer that most people won’t believe uses cauliflower! It’s absolutely delicious!

1 small head cauliflower

1/2 cup all purpose gluten free flour*

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (1/2 if you want it very spicy, leave out if you don't like spice)

1 cup crispy gluten free panko bread crumbs (seasoned with salt and pepper) OR toast your breadcrumbs slightly before using

Sauce

4 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons liquid aminos

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

chopped scallions & sesame seeds, for garnish

NOTE: If you aren’t gluten free, feel free to substitute for regular breadcrumbs and flour.

See the entire recipe and directions at Jessica in the Kitchen.

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

This is a delicious fall recipe that also looks beautiful on a Thanksgiving table! The vegetables listed in the recipe make a wonderful, unique combination, but can be substituted any favorite root vegetables you have on hand- sweet potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, carrots and more. The addition of fresh herbs like rosemary is another idea to customize this dish to your family’s tastes.

1 large butternut squash, (1 1/2 to 2 pounds) halved, seeded and peeled

3 large Yukon gold potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), scrubbed

1 bunch medium beets, (about 1 1/2 pounds), scrubbed and tops trimmed

1 medium red onion

2 large parsnips (about 8 ounces)

1 head garlic, cloves separated, and peeled (about 16)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

See the entire recipe and directions at The Food Network.

Pumpkin Apple Carrot Soup

This recipe is perfect for fall and is full of healthy vitamins and minerals. It’s delicately spiced and tastes very comforting on dreary fall days!

1 sugar or pie pumpkin

1 large carrot diced

2 small apples, chopped (100 grams each)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1" ginger, chopped (2 1/2 teaspoons chopped ginger)

1 small red onion chopped

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

salt to taste

1 cups vegetable broth (or water)

1/2 cup milk (or coconut milk)

See the entire recipe and directions at Tastes of Lizzy T.

Flourless Peanut Butter Zucchini Brownies

These brownies look absolutely decadent, but they're actually healthy brownies in disguise! These brownies make a wonderful (secretly healthy) dessert!

INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup natural peanut butter* (I used salted)
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 cup shredded zucchini (don't squeeze out water)
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp ground flaxseed**
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ cup chocolate chips (I like mini), plus more for sprinkling
Optional: splash vanilla extract, pinch of salt if using unsalted peanut butter

See the entire recipe and directions at Hummusapian.

Grilled Veggies with Lemon-Basil Dressing

This is an absolutely delicious recipe for a warm summer night, plus the leftover vegetables are amazing on sandwiches or in pasta!

2 sweet bell peppers, cut in half, cored and halves cut in half
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and sliced lengthwise in half or into thirds or sliced on a diagonal into ½-inch slices.
1 medium eggplant, trimmed and sliced crosswise into ½-inch slices
1 red onion, cut cross-wise into ¼-inch slices

Lemon-Basil Dressing: (this makes a lot of dressing, but if you cut it in half the blender doesn't have enough stuff to blend well):
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon sea salt
2 small garlic cloves
¾ cup basil leaves
½ cup unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
Unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Read the entire recipe and directions at Pamela Salzman's Blog.

Snap Pea and Lettuce Soup

Doesn't that recipe title sound crazy? This makes an absolutely delicious springtime soup!

Ingredients:

2 leeks, sliced (white and green parts only)
1/4 c. butter
8 c. chicken stock
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 lb. snap peas, trimmed
2 romaine hearts, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh tarragon
1/2 c. Buttermilk (or substitute non dairy milk with 1 1/2 tsp of lemon juice or vinegar added)
kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

See the entire recipe and directions at Country Living.

Roasted Green Beans, Mushrooms, and Onions

Forget the gross canned green bean casserole this Thanksgiving and wow your guests with these gourmet (and simple to make) green beans for a fresh take on the Thanksgiving staple!

1 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed
1 medium red onion, sliced into rings
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
8 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. fresh bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs (use gluten-free if desired)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

See the entire recipe and directions at Delish.

Zucchini Smoothie

If you grew zucchini in your garden this year, this is the time that it's likely your kitchen is overflowing with them! Here's a new way to use them! Although it may sound strange, zucchini's mild flavor is very nice and creamy in a smoothie recipe.

Ingredients:

1 organic banana, peeled
1 large organic apple, cored
1 organic zucchini, chopped
4 to 6 ounces of filtered water

See the full recipe and directions at Incredible Smoothies.

Also, here's a chocolate zucchini recipe that's really tasty too!

Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts

If you haven't eaten Brussels  sprouts recently, it's time to give them a try- they're full of vitamins and minerals as well as potent anti-cancer nutrients. Miso is a fermented soybean paste found in the refrigerated section at the health food store. It's delicious and gives this recipe a wonderful and unexpected savory flavor.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ tablespoons white miso paste
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon low sodium tamari or soy sauce
½ teaspoon Sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)

See the entire recipe and directions at The Foodie Physician. 

Quinoa Salad with Grilled Vegetables

This salad is the most gorgeous thing ever, and is fantastic for end of summer barbecues! Grilling the vegetables gives them such a delicious, smoky flavor, and quinoa is a wonderful, high protein grain.

Ingredients:

1 large red onion, peeled, trimmed, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise
1 medium eggplant, trimmed, sliced
2 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed
1 pound asparagus spears, ends trimmed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 ears of fresh corn, corn silk removed, husks on
3 cups cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Juice from 1 lemon
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Read the entire recipe and directions at The Gluten Free Goddess.

Dark Leafy Pesto

This is a fantastic twist on the standard pesto recipe that uses greens rather than basil leaves.  It's also very nutritionally dense and makes a healthy sauce to use on pasta or other grains.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. collard, kale, or mustard greens, tough stems trimmed
• ¼ cup pecans
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• ¼ cup sage leaves
• ⅔ cup olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt, optional
• ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Read the entire recipe and directions at Vegetarian Times.

This sauce is also a delicious part of this recipe: Penne and Dark Leafy Pesto and Roasted Squash.

Cheezy Kale Chips (dairy free)

These are a fantastic snack and are incredibly healthy! Kale is an amazing superfood, and nutritional yeast is full of B vitamins and gives these kale chips a nice, savory, "cheezy" flavor.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons refined coconut oil or vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsalted, raw cashews
1/2 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch curly kale, stems removed and broken up into 2-inch pieces

See the entire recipe and directions at Pop Sugar.

Clean Eating Green Bean Casserole

I love green bean casserole, but Campbell's cream of mushroom soup and canned fried onions aren't really the pinnacle of health.  This is a fantastic, fresh alternative that would be a welcome addition to any Thanksgiving feast (plus its gluten free and dairy free)!

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon coconut oil, or butter
2 cups parsnips, chopped
10 oz. mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 lb. fresh green beans

Read the entire recipe and directions at Detoxinista.

Crunchy Baked Asparagus

Asparagus is in season, and it's delicious!  Asparagus is full of vitamins, antioxidants, and is a great detoxifying vegetable.   This recipe makes a wonderful spring snack!

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
Pepper to taste

Read the full recipes and directions at To Simply Inspire.

Zucchini and Tomato "Pasta"

This is a delicious and low calorie raw food recipe!

Ingredients:

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

¼ cup toasted pistachios

2 tablespoons torn fresh basil, plus extra leaves for garnish

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar

1 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise, then cut into ¼ inch long strips

kosher salt

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Read the complete recipe and directions at blissfulbblog.com