“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” – Thomas Edison
Happy Tuesday friends!
Within the last couple of months, I have gotten involved with the City of Maricopa’s 2nd Saturday Market. Right from the beginning, I was very excited about this event because they were focusing on making healthy living accessible to everyone by bringing POW (Produce on Wheels) out to the community, offering free classes, and local businesses together for the cause. POW brings out rescued produce from farms who had overstocked and delivers the produce to communities that may not have access to inexpensive produce. In fact, they offer the residents of Maricopa 60 pounds of delicious fruits and veggies for only $10! I am not exaggerating. It is incredible! (Learn more about Produce on Wheels). I have gotten involved in this event by offering free yoga in the park at 9 am an
d my small business, Inspired by Sisters, sells natural body products and positive quote paintings. There are gluten free bakers, one of my favorite coffee shops (Bead & Berry), our local honey farmer, and so much more!
In addition to the yoga class and vendor booth, I have also offered to share some fun, unique, and healthy recipe ideas for the produce received at the market. Unfortunately, the market was cancelled this past Saturday due to a vehicle accident with the produce truck. On the bright side, the City of Maricopa has worked diligently to offer the missed market to its residents and has rescheduled the market to be hosted today! While I eat mostly vegetarian or vegan, I will share some additional recipes for you.
The following recipes are inspired by the produce received on January 12, 2016:
Oranges:
Of course, you can always eat an orange just as it is, but I love fresh orange juice! It is a great way to naturally introduce extra energy to your morning and it tastes amazing. You can hand squeeze your orange juice, use a citrus juicer, or a regular juicer. If you own a juicer, try adding some carrots to the juice. It tastes amazing and will add some beneficial nutrients. If you aren’t into juice, here are some other awesome recipes:
- “Orange Julius” Smoothie by Domesticate-Me (vegan)
- Cranberry Orange Bread by Emilie Eats (vegan)
- Orange Coconut Chia Pudding by Well Plated by Erin (vegan, gluten free, paleo)
- Orange Chicken with cauliflower rice by The Endless Meal (paleo)
Watermelon:
Just like the oranges, watermelon is totally scrumptious on its own. However, if you are looking for something creative, check out a couple of these recipes. I am a huge fan of the first salad:
- Watermelon & Feta Salad by Cooks with Cocktails (vegetarian)
- Watermelon “steak” by the Ravenous Couple (vegetarian)
- Watermelon Margarita by Recipe Diaries (vegan and delicious)
Mexican Grey Squash
Grey squash is very similar to zucchini and can typically be used in any recipe designed for zucchini. Some of my favorite ways to eat these kinds of squash are in a raw pasta or lasagna, ratatouille, or stew. Check out some other ideas here:
- Squash, Pepper, and Tomato Skillet by Barefeet in the Kitchen (vegan, use the grey squash for the yellow and pan squash)
- Quinoa & Black Bean stuffed Zucchini by the Creekside Cook (vegan, again replace the zucchini with the Mexican grey squash)
- Zucchini Fritters by Damn Delicious (vegetarian)
Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is one of the staple foods in my household. It stores well and there is so much you can do with it! Here are some of my favorite ways to eat it:
- Butternut Squash, Cranberry, and Apple bake by Cafe Johnsonia (vegan, I am obsessed!)
- Sweet & Spicy Butternut Squash by Bake Bellissima (vegan, sometimes I will pre-steam the squash in the microwave so I can roast it faster)
- Black Bean & Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole by Julia’s Album (vegetarian and gluten free)
Green Beans
Green beans are super yummy raw paired with some flavorful hummus or dip of your choice. However, there are tons of ways to eat green beans outside of the traditional Thanksgiving casserole:
- Oven Roasted Green Beans by Frugal Living Mom (vegan, the recipe calls for frozen bean, but raw works too. Try adding some balsamic vinegar)
- Green Bean Salad with Balsamic by Mel’s Kitchen (make it vegetarian or vegan by eliminating the bacon and cheese)
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole by the Minimalist Baker (vegan)
Green Bell Peppers
Again, these are super yummy raw with some hummus or in nearly any salad, breakfast scramble, etc. Here are other ideas:
- Stuffed Green Peppers with Italian Sausage by Kalyn’s Kitchen
- Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers by Damn Delicious (vegetarian, still yummy without cheese for the vegans out there)
- Bell Pepper Pizzas by Peas & Crayons (vegetarian)
Green Chile Peppers
I LOVE green chile. In my household, we roast a bunch in advance, remove the skins, and freeze the chile to be used year round. I dice it up small to add to nearly any Mexican dish, add to burgers (ahem, veggie burgers), and most soups. I hope you fall in love with them too. Visit the Yummy Life for more info on storing Green Chile.
- Chile Relleno Casserole by Yummy Healthy Easy (okay, maybe not super healthy, but definitely worth it!)
- Slow Cooker Green Chile Pork Posole by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen (you can definitely make it without the pork for the vegetarians)
Tomatoes
When I get a bunch of extra tomatoes, my favorite thing to do is make a big batch of vegetable marina sauce and freeze it (see my blog post on freezer meals). I’m also kind of strange because I love eating tomatoes plain, maybe with a little sea salt. Here are some other awesome tomato recipes:
- Slow Roasted Balsalmic Tomatoes by The Fit Fork (vegan)
- Caprese Quinoa Bake by Domesticate Me (vegetarian)
- Roasted Tomato Soup by Ceara’s Kitchen (vegan)
Well, there you have it! I hope you all enjoy your baskets and some of these recipes. I would LOVE to hear from you in the comments below. Which recipes did you try? What did you like or not like? What other recipes did you use with your baskets? I’m here to answer any questions you may have!
Live in Maricopa? Come out for free yoga next 2nd Saturday Market at 9 am and follow me on Facebook for updates on classes at Copper Sky, Maricopa Crossfit, and more!
Thanks everyone!
xoxo Taryn
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