Eat healthy foods for foundational support during seasonal stress – especially vegetables! This hot and sour soup recipe is easy to put together and easy to adapt to whatever vegetables you might have available, including any leafy greens. Serve it with some brown rice on the side (cooked in vegetable broth for more flavor) to make a satisfying meal. 

The vegetable ribbons feature root vegetables, including Black Spanish radishes and rutabaga. This thinly-sliced and baked preparation is a fun way to serve these nutritionally-valuable gifts from the garden. The ribbons might be intriguing enough to lure in otherwise uninterested vegetable samplers . . . .  Serve them with hummus or another favorite healthy spread for extra nutrition and texture.

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This week, we present a recipe that speaks volumes of simplicity and flavor, meat and potatoes (sort of). It is that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when we crave comfort foods; it is also a period of time where healthy meals tend to be put aside a little bit more than usual. In this weeks recipe we will combine the two (comfort and healthy food).  First, we have seared Pork loin with honey glazed roasted veggies and the ever incredible Applewood Smoked seasoning . A pork loin is said to be a relatively leaner meat than other pork cuts as well as carries a varied amount of vitamins and minerals. The applewood smoked seasoning (brought to our attention by Joel in the Wellness Department who deserves much credit for this recipe) is by far the most aromatic seasoning there is, it arises all senses but specifically smell, and you’d be hard pressed to not use it in every single meal once you have had the pleasure to taste it.

The other recipe is a healthier version of mashed potatoes, a parsnip and Asian pear mashed potatoes. It holds the essence of traditional mashed potatoes but along with it an added value of nutrition and sweetness. Parsnips being a bit sweeter than carrots also are richer in vitamins and minerals, particularly Potassium. An Asian pear is an unknown to many but with its sweetness and crispness as well as its added value of dietary fiber and vitamin C it is a pear that needs to be placed front and center for all to see.

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Holidays might include families, friends, fun and food. Of course, an occasional overindulgence may also tag along in the festivities. Long walks, fresh air, and herbal teas will all help you recover and maintain your energy throughout the holidays. Try adding a sprig of fresh mint, rosemary, oregano, and/or sage to warm water as a soothing drink. Lighter foods may also be in order, so the recipes this week feature cleansing herbs, grounding root vegetables, and plenty of color to nourish your body and mind. 

Golden Ginger-Parsnip Soup is a simple and comforting way to appease your sweet tooth and get your feet back on the ground. Ginger is a classic digestive herb that also warms you from within. Parsnips and carrots deliver a helpful dose of antioxidants. The light soup could be a side dish, or light lunch with a chunk of bread. Adding red lentils will offer protein and make the soup a heartier meal. 

Red cabbage is one of a handful of items in the produce department that still comes from a local farm. The recipe this week mixes red cabbage, red onion, and red cranberries that will give any meal a colorful punch. The recipe also features daikon radish, a long slender white root often used in Asian dishes.  Daikon is thought to have fat-dissolving properties and is valued as a cleansing food after over-eating. “Braised Red-Cabbage Relish” can be served over rice, or as a relish for meat or vegetables.

Having this relish on hand could be a perfect accompaniment for finishing off those turkey leftovers!

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With all the muted tones of mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, gravy and rolls, a couple highly colorful dishes can spark the visual and gastronomic impact of the holiday feast. Here are three ideas:

Roasted beets are wonderful on their own, but here they’re combined with sweet navel orange and edgy red onion to make a lively salad served over spinach greens. The beets and dressing can be prepped ahead, so salad assembly is quick. 

Every host needs a couple favorite cranberry recipes this time of year, and here are two that are distinct enough to be served side-by-side. The first is uncooked and zesty; the second is simmered and spicy. Both can be made a day in advance for extra convenience.

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Holiday meals can be an opportunity to pair tried-and-true recipes that guests expect with a couple new innovations to keep the cooks on their toes.

This week and next we’ll be offering 3 unique recipes featuring fresh cranberries.  First is a Cranberry Salsa that would be appropriate with a soft cheese and crackers while your guests mingle before the meal. With fresh lime juice, jalapeno pepper, honey, and cilantro, this is a fresh appetite-stimulant with excellent nutritional value. Fresh cranberries are in season and super-healthy, so don’t be limited to serving them just for a holiday meal!

You’ll also find simple instructions for roasting green beans, which may become your new preferred green bean preparation. We’ve combined the roasted beans with sun-dried tomatoes, tamari-roasted pumpkin seeds and goat cheese to make a chewy, flavor-and-nutrition-packed vegetable side.

Check into Produce Possibilities next week for two more fresh cranberry recipes!

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It’s that time of the season when you can marvel at a range of nature’s hues, whether it be the bright reds and oranges or the darker tones. You cannot help but think it is a vibrant painting at your fingertips. Much of the produce now being harvested also presents to us a warm fall color palette. Pumpkins, acorn and butternut squash, just to name a few, are visually appealing and delicious as are the lesser-known squash varieties.

This weeks recipes highlight the last of frost-kissed kale, as well as Fuyu Persimmons. Both bring complex flavors to the table and can be used as a course in your Thanksgiving meal or served as an appetizer. Though one of the lesser known variety than others, Blue Hubbard squash is perhaps the nuttiest and creamiest of fall season squash. Perhaps it will brighten your taste buds and become better known when utilized in your fall recipes.

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With November and cooler weather just around the corner, this week’s recipes feature oven-baked autumn produce. Spaghetti squash offers an interesting new texture that may spark a creative food adventure. The featured recipe uses the squash like pasta, smothered in a creamy green sauce. Along side sits a sweet and spicy salad of parsnips, pears, and watercress. 

Like other orange-colored winter squash, spaghetti squash is high in beta-carotenes, which are helpful for the eyes and skin. Spaghetti squash tends to have a milder flavor than other winter squash, so it pairs well with savory flavors.  Kids are often intrigued by the stringy texture and may just eat this particular squash with a pat of butter!  Besides the creamy sauce suggested this week, you might also try spaghetti squash tossed with peppers and onions, with a variety of herbs, or even a classic tomato sauce. 

Try parsnips! These curious carrot-cousins sweeten wonderfully when roasted in the oven or braised on the stovetop. The featured recipe combines these earthy-sweet morsels with sweet-tangy pears, and spicy watercress. Pears are an important dietary staple this time of year as they help moisten the body during dry autumn weather. If you find watercress too spicy, try introducing this green mixed with another lettuce.

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This week’s Produce Possibilities is in support of super-busy households that still value a nutritious home-cooked meal.

Trail no. 6 offers a variety of virtually instant soups and noodle dishes that can easily be fortified with additional fresh vegetables.  

The Twin Cities very own Lotus Restaurant is now selling their award winning stir-fry and dipping sauces retail, and we carry four flavors: Sweet and Sour Sauce, Sweet Ginger Sauce, Spicy Sweet and Sour Sauce, and Spicy Stir Fry Sauce. A bottle of sauce and a couple packages of pre-prepped stir fry vegetables make a delicious and super-easy supper.

Take advantage of the pre-washed and prepped vegetables and fruits in the produce ice display, which now include pot-roast vegetables as well as stir-fry ingredients!

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How about a gorgeous green soup and hearty, mouth-satisfying pilaf for dinner?

This week’s Produce Possibilties ushers a variety of harvest gems to the dinner table. Our Triple-Green Soup combines kale, spinach and broccoli with cashew butter in a pureed soup, lightly seasoned with nutmeg. 

The Harvest Pilaf brings together butternut squash, Bosc pears, dried cranberries, cashews and a colorful blend of rice varieties. This recipe calls for a cup of Lundberg’s Wild Blend, which combines long grain brown rice, sweet brown rice, wild rice bits, wehani and black japonica. We sell it in the bulk department, so you can purchase just exactly the amount that you need. 

The omelet spirals are a great trick to dress up any salad or hot dish, and add a little protein besides.

One of the many great things about Minnesota is the joyful sight of autumn marked by cool crisp air and the vibrant changing colors of fall leaves. Autumn also marks the time we start enjoying comfort foods, especially when we use recipes that call for fresh produce from this season’s harvest.

The availability of abundant, colorful varieties of winter squash is another reminder that our beautiful Minnesota autumn has arrived. This week’s Produce Possibilities recipes pair together our local squash and imported pomegranates for a fresh taste of fall crispness and comfort.

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