Vegan Mac & Cheese

Vegan Mac & Cheese

Check out this creamy, cheesy Mac recipe. This recipe can be nut free if you decide to use a vegan cheese without nuts. Many vegan Mac & cheese recipes call for nutritional yeast, potatoes (for cream) and carrots (for color). This is simple and utilizes locally made vegan cheese!

This recipe has been adapted from the Crowded Kitchen recipe.

Ingredients

• Macaroni pasta: gluten free or regular macaroni both work fine.

• Vegan Butter

• Gluten free all purpose flour: or regular all purpose flour if you're not gluten free.

• Vegan milk: Opt for plain, unsweetened plant-based milk. (Be sure to check the ingredient label as some unsweetened nut milks still contain vanilla flavoring!) We prefer oat milk in this recipe for its neutral flavor.

• Salt

• Pepper (optional)

• Vegan cheese: we use shredded vegan cheddar cheese in this recipe. You can use a mix of cheddar and mozzarella, or one or the other. We've tried this recipe with a few different store-bought options and they've all worked well!

  • A few of our favorite brands for shredded vegan cheese that actually melts: VioLife, Daiya, and Follow Your Heart. *Note: some vegan cheeses contain nuts so be sure to read the label if you have an allergy.

  • You can use local brands such as cashew-based Cultured Kindness, which offers otions like Gouda or Havarti. These come in soft rounds, so its best to cut them into smaller pieces and mix in slowly.

Instructions

1. Get your macaroni cooking in salted water. We use 1 teaspoon of salt for every 4 cups of water. Cook until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, start the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once it's melted, add in the gluten free flour and whisk well until it forms a smooth paste.

3. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking while you add it, until no lumps remain. Let simmer for a few minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn.

4. Whisk in the salt, pepper and vegan cheese. Vegan cheese takes a bit longer to melt and fully incorporate, so be patient and keep stirring! After a few minutes of whisking over medium-low heat, you'll have a super smooth, creamy, velvety cheese sauce.

5. Add in the cooked macaroni and stir well until fully coated.

Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

The Lemon Bowl Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

Ingredients

• 1 head of garlic

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 3 parsnips (peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces)

• 2 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 3 in pieces)

• ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt

• ½ cup milk

• 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. To roast garlic, use a sharp knife to slice off the top of the bulb to expose the top of each clove. (Hold it at the base/stem which keeps everything together.) Place garlic head on a piece of tin foil and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Wrap foil on top of garlic and pinch to close. Roast in oven for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, place peeled parsnips and sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Strain and add back to warm pot.

4. Use a potato smasher to start mashing the parsnips and potatoes. Add yogurt, milk, butter and continue mashing.

5. Push out the roasted garlic from the cloves and add to pot; mash to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

19, S. T. N., 20, L. D. N., 27, C. M., & 28, L. D. M. (2022, April 27). Garlic mashed sweet potatoes. The Lemon Bowl®. https://thelemonbowl.com/garlic-mashed-sweet-potatoes/

Fall Harvest Salad

Fall Squash & Arugula Salad

By Mars Rubietta, Produce Keeper

This recipe was created to honour the wonderful produce we have in season in the fall, as well as be easy and adjustable to your needs. The following makes enough for two people to have a pretty hardy side salad. If you're making this as the main for one, I would make the entire recipe and consider adding lentils for extra protein.

If you find yourself thinking, "I don't have delicata, but I have butternut squash.." or, "the only nuts I have are everything seasoned from Trader Joe's...) go for it! Let your intuition guide you in this journey. These are guidelines that work well, and will make a delicious salad whether you follow them to a T or not.

Ingredients

• Arrugula

• 1/2 cup raw pecans or walnuts

• 3/4 pound delicata squash

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 pear (I used starkrimson)

• 1/4 cup crumbly cheese (I used violife feta)

  
  

  Dressing

  • 3 Tbs olive oil

  • 1 Tbs lemon juice

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1/2 tsp honey

  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/8 tsp ground pepper

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 350℉. Spread pecans on a sheet pan, and toast for 5-7 minutes, checking and stirring every two minutes. They will take on a slightly golden color and smell fragrant. Take them out, then raise oven temperature to 425℉. If your nuts are already roasted, skip that step.

2.  Prepare the squash: cut in half lengthwise & scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the halves into half-moon 1/2 inch slices. Add to a medium bowl, and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. 

3. Arrange onto sheet pan lined with parchment paper so that the pieces are not touching. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through with the fork. 

4.  While the squash is roasting, prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients in a jar and shaking vigorously, or in a small bowl whisking until well combined. Taste and adjust with salt or lemon juice to your liking. Slice the pear and crumble your cheese.

5.  Plate all your ingredients to your heart's desire. Optionally, enjoy while contemplating our gratitude for the warm weather over the summer; this transitional period; all the people that worked very hard to get this food to your plate; and/or how you felt while making this, and how you feel eating it.

Watermelon Feta Salad

Watermelon Feta Salad

by Christina Cherrier, Eatwell 101

Ingredients:

• 1 small seedless watermelon, diced

• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice

• Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

• Feta cheese, crumbled

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• (optional) pinch of cayenne or half a finely chopped jalapeno, to taste*

Recipe:

1. Soak sliced red onion in cold water for about 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. This will help get rid of the onion’s pungent flavor.

2. Mix oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper, and optional spice* in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to emulsify, taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Add watermelon to a salad bowl or a shallow serving plate. Top with crumbled feta and garnish with red onion and cilantro. Add a good drizzle of the lime dressing. Enjoy!

Corn Summer Salad

Corn Summer Salad

Thanks to Selene Jones, Member-Owner, for sharing this recipe.

Because we published Selene’s recipe, selene will receive a $25 gift card to the Co-op. You can win a gift card by sharing your recipe, too. If we publish it, we will give you a gift card! submit recipes to marketing@peoples.coop

Growing up, summer was always my favorite time of year. Summer meant no school, days spent in the public pool, sleepaway camp, and all my favorite fruits and veggies. I still love summer, except work doesn’t stop, I haven’t found an adult sleepaway camp, and I can’t spend every second at the pool. One thing that hasn’t changed is my excitement for all my favorite seasonal fruits and veggies finally being available at the farmers’ markets. 

Fresh corn is one of my absolute favorite summer foods. Whether grilled, steamed, or raw, I can’t get enough corn in the summer. When I was in high school, my mom’s best friend brought over this corn summer salad for one of our summer BBQs, and my mind was blown. It had fresh corn, tomatoes, another one of my favorite fruits, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. It was the perfect side dish for any summer meal. My mom’s friend gave us the recipe, and together, my mom and I made it almost every week all summer. 

When I think about corn salad, I think about community and how a simple dish can unite us. Last year I moved to a small house in South Tabor, to a quiet neighborhood where I didn’t know any of my neighbors. Slowly over the last couple of months, as the days got longer and hotter, I started to meet and connect with the little community on my block. Last weekend we had a block party, and I knew exactly what I wanted to bring. The corn salad was a hit and reminded me how food can play an essential part in bringing us together. 

There have been some tweaks to the recipe over the years, but the heart of it has stayed the same; corn and tomatoes with some olive oil and basil! I hope you share and enjoy this dish with your family and friends. It is perfect as a side for those summer potlucks and BBQs. Mix it with fresh spring mix to make it a more traditional salad. Or grill the corn before taking it off the cob to give it a smoky flavor. You can do so much with this recipe, so make it your own. 

Ingredients:

• 4 Large ears of fresh corn (shucked and sliced off the cob) 

• 1 basket of cherry tomatoes (halved)  

• 1 shallot (diced) (can substitute ½  red onion)

• 8-10 leaves of basil (roughly chopped) 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

• ½ teaspoon of salt 

• 1 lime or ½ lemon juice 

• Fresh pepper to taste 

• (Optional) Fresh mozzarella balls cut into bite-sized pieces 

• (Optional) One whole avocado (cut into small cubes) 

Recipe:

Shuck the corn and cut the corn off the cob into a bowl. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, diced shallot, roughly chopped basil leaves, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good mix. If you are adding mozzarella or avocado, throw those in the bowl and mix again. Serve and enjoy!

Romano Bean Salad

Romano Bean Salad

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

2 quarts water

2/3 lb Romano beans, trimmed & cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tsp kosher salt

1 garlic clove

2.5 Tbsp chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 tsp capers

2 tsp olive oil

3/4 tsp lemon zest

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cayenne (optional)

Instructions

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add beans, 2 teaspoons of salt, and garlic: cook for 8 minutes or until tender.

Drain and plunge beans into ice water. Drain again.

Place beans in a medium bowl. Finely chop garlic. Add garlic, parsley, and all remaining ingredients to the beans and combine. Season with salt to taste, and a light dust of cayenne if you want to add a little kick.

Radish, Pea and Asparagus Salad with Mint & Feta

I love this simple and quick recipe and think of this as my late spring/summer-time Greek salad. chunks of crunchy vegetables, spring onions, fresh herbs and feta, red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Serves 4

Variations:

Mix and match your vegetables

Delicious herbs that you can add to suit your taste are fresh oregano, parsley, tarragon, chervil, chives or any combo.

Substitute 1/3 cup toasted seeds or nuts for the feta.

Ingredients

1 bunch radishes, washed, trimmed and cut into chunks

2-3 Japanese salad turnips (Hakurei turnips), washed, trimmed and cut into chunks

1 spring onion or about 1/4 cup any onion you have, chopped

4-5 asparagus spears, washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 cup snap peas, strings removed and cut into thirds

Handful of mint leaves, chopped (see variations)

A little fresh or dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 ounces feta, crumbled (see variations)

 

Directions

Put all the ingredients, except the feta, in a bowl. Toss well, taste and adjust seasoning

with vinegar and/or salt or oil. Gently toss in feta and serve.

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Tagged: snacks, simple, Parties, vegetarian

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Spring Quinoa Salad w/ Herbs, Scallions & Lemony Vinaigrette

This is a very adaptable salad (template). Substitute vegetables and herbs as you wish just be sure to chop everything quite small. This is a good dinner salad on a warm night especially if you add cooked beans, cheese and/or toasted seeds or nuts or other proteins.

This makes a lot of salad so feel free halve the recipe. I load mine up with herbs, especially mint, parsley, cilantro, chives and thyme. The more the better!

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups quinoa

One bunch radishes, trimmed and chopped

3-4 carrots, scrubbed and thinly sliced or diced

2 cups bok choi stems, cut into small dice

2 cups mizuna or arugula or young mustard greens, fairly finely chopped

4 green onions (scallions) or 1 shallot or 1/2 a small onion, finely diced

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, basil, dill, sorrel, cilantro in any combination)

Salt

Dressing

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1 garlic scape or stalk of green garlic or 2 cloves garlic, minced

Grated zest of a lemon

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the quinoa in a fine meshed sieve under cold, running water for a minute. Quinoa has a natural coating (saponin) which is a bit bitter and the rinsing removes it. Put the rinsed quinoa in a pan and add 2 ¼ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil then cover and turn down to a simmer. Cook, for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender and all the water has been absorbed. Put in a large serving bowl and let cool while you prepare the vegetables.

In a small bowl whisk mustard, garlic, zest and vinegar until smooth. Slowly add oil while whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. This dressing needs to be salty and tart. The quinoa will absorb a lot. You’ll be surprised how much vinegar and salt you need especially if you don’t serve it right away.

Add the vegetables and herbs to the cooked and cooled quinoa and drizzle on most of the dressing and mix well and taste and adjust with more dressing and/or salt and pepper as needed.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

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What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Pumpkin Seed Butter Cookies

This recipe was chosen by our Bulk Co-Buyer, Zahra Salim. Zahra has been working on introducing new bulk products and revitalizing pre-pandemic offerings, including our alternative nut butter section! All of these ingredients can be found in our bulk section. Enjoy!

“These chocolate dipped pumpkin seed butter cookies are a delicious, allergy-friendly treat. They’re soft, chewy, and decadent yet nutritious. These cookies are nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, and grain-free. They’re kid-approved and perfect for school snacks.” - Jennifer Bell

Author: Jennifer Bell

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 57 minutes

Servings: 12

Check out the full recipe article with step by step photos here.

Equipment

• Sheet pan

• Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seed butter (with no added sugar or salt)

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• Optional topping: pumpkin seeds for sprinkling on top of the cookies

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Add the pumpkin seed butter, maple syrup, coconut flour, vanilla extract, vinegar or lemon juice, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix well until a dough is formed.

• Use your hands to roll the dough into 12 evenly sized balls and place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan.

• Use your fingers to press the cookie dough balls into flatter circles.

• Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes or until they look solid and slightly golden around the edges.

• When then cookies are finished baking, allow them to cool to room temperature.

• While the cookies are cooling, melt the dairy-free dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate), either in the microwave or on the stove. To melt it in the microwave, add the chocolate to a microwave safe bowl, then cook on high power for 20 seconds, stir, and repeat until it’s melted. To melt it on the stove, add the chocolate to a pot on the stove set to low heat and stir constantly until melted.

• Once the chocolate is melted and the cookies have cooled to room temperature, dip the cookies in chocolate so that half of each cookie is submerged in chocolate and the other half is not, then place them on a platter (or two dinner sized plates) lined with parchment paper (you can reuse the parchment paper that you baked the cookies on).

• Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds on the chocolate dipped sides of the cookies, then place the cookies in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden before serving.

Notes

• To make this recipe even quicker and easier, skip the step of dipping the baked cookies in melted chocolate. You can mix the chocolate into the raw cookie dough instead.

• Store these pumpkin seed butter cookies in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze them for up to six months.

Beet & Walnut Dip with Dill, Cilantro and Feta

This recipe is inspired by Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi. Use toasted bread to dip or dollop on hardboiled eggs or spread on a sandwich or in a wrap or eat it by the spoonful at the kitchen counter.

Yields about 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

About ½ lb cooked, trimmed beets (4-5 small-medium)

½ cup walnuts (toasted at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or until toasty smelling and a shade darker)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme

2 teaspoons chopped fresh or dried sage

Dried hot pepper, to taste (cayenne, chili flakes . . . start with a few pinches)

Salt, to taste

1 stalk green garlic or 2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons plain yogurt or sour cream

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice, more to taste

Garnish/topping:

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup dill, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, chopped

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Salt, to taste

Olive oil and lemon juice for finishing

Bread or crackers or vegetables for dipping (or serve it as suggested in headnote)

1. Boil the beets until tender. Peel and roughly chop. Put (cooled) walnuts, garlic, sage, thyme and hot pepper in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Add the beets, yogurt, syrup, salt and olive oil in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add lemon juice and/or salt if it needs brightening.

2. Put puree in a bowl and top with green onions, herbs and crumbled feta. Sprinkle with a little more salt and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Miso Butter

Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Miso Butter

Serves 4

•  1 medium head cabbage

• 2 teaspoons oil

• Salt 

Miso Butter:

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons white miso 

• 2 tablespoons mirin (rice cooking wine)

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

1. Slice cabbage in about 1-inch rounds, on the equator, starting at the top and slicing all the way to the root. The slices may fall apart a bit but it will all be delicious. Coat with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until the cabbage is tender and browning in places. 

2. While cabbage is roasting, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in miso, mirin and soy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with more mirin for zing or soy sauce for salt. If the butter looks too thick, stir in a teaspoon or two of water at a time.

3. Arrange cabbage on a platter and drizzle with miso butter. Serve warm.

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Roasted Pepper and Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Roasted Pepper and Tomatillo Salsa Verde

In late summer, early fall when peppers of all kinds are abundant I make a sauce like this when I have a few minutes to spare. I usually don’t have a specific plan for using it but it never lasts long. It makes a great (fairly spicy) dip but also a wonderful base for a salad dressing or topping for roasted vegetables or meats or is delicious stirred into eggs or beans or even spread on a sandwich.

This is quite similar to this tomatillo based  however the high percentage of Anaheim (Poblano would work too) peppers here gives it a richer flavor.  You can vary the ratio of peppers to tomatillos to suite your taste and/or what you have on hand. It’s a very flexible sauce that is a good template for most any pepper, sweet or hot.

Yields about 2 cups

• 3-4 Anaheim peppers (or other peppers, see headnote)

• 1 jalapeno or Czech Black pepper

• 6 medium tomatillos

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• Splash of olive oil

• Salt, to taste

Set your oven to broil. Put the tomatillos and peppers on a baking sheet and set under broiler. Check frequently and turn peppers to evenly blister. The smaller peppers will likely be done before the larger ones so remove as they are blistered and soft. Put roasted peppers and tomatillos in a bowl and cover with a towel or plate to steam for a few minutes.

When cool enough to handle, peel peppers and remove most of the seeds. Put peppers, tomatillos and garlic in a food processor and pulse until fairly finely chopped. Add salt and little olive oil, pulse again and taste and adjust seasoning. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

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 What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Cook-with-what-you-have Chana Masala

Cook-with-what-you-have Chana Masala

This delicious dish is ubiquitous in northern India. I always toss in various vegetables along with the chickpeas. This inauthentic version includes potatoes, kohlrabi and greens but you can add most any vegetable or combination you like.

The ingredient list looks long but if you have the spices on hand it’s really quite quick to make. It’s one of those dishes that in 35 minutes can taste like it’s been simmering for hours. If you have time to toast and grind whole cumin and coriander it will be extra fragrant.

–Inspired by 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

 Serves 4-6 (makes wonderful leftovers)

 Variations

• Substitute any combination of sweet and semi-spicy (anaheim, poblano) peppers for the kohlrabi and greens

• Make a greens heavy version with just chickpeas and mustard greens, chard, spinach or beet/turnip greens

2 tablespoons ghee or oil

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2-3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup chickpea cooking liquid or water

3 teaspoons ground coriander (toast whole seeds in a dry skillet for about 60 seconds, cool and grind if you have time)

1 teaspoon ground cumin (toast whole seeds and grind if you have time)

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne or other dried, ground red pepper (or more if you love heat!)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

3 cups chickpeas (home-cooked cooking liquid reserved or canned and drained)

2 medium/large potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small dice

1 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into small dice

1 small bunch mustard greens, spinach or chard (see headnote), washed and finely chopped including stems

3 cups water or chickpea cooking liquid

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup plain yogurt, for serving (optional, see variations)

• Put 1/3 cup water in a blender jar. Add the garlic and ginger and blend until smooth.

• Heat the ghee or oil over medium-high heat. Add the whole cumin seeds and cook for a few seconds. Add the blended garlic and ginger and fry for a few minutes until fragrant and thickened a little. Add the tomato paste, water and spices, lime juice and 1 cup water or chickpea cooking liquid and mix well. Simmer uncovered for 7-8 minutes until thickened a bit. Add the chickpeas, potatoes, kohlrabi, greens or whatever vegetables you’re using along with 3 cups water and the salt. Stir well, bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

• Stir in the cilantro, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or lime juice. Serve warm with naan, rice or as is. Top with yogurt if you’d like.

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What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail). Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Tomato Paella

Tomato Paella

This is a delicious, quick, inexpensive, vegetarian version of the classic rice and seafood dish. Mark Bittman published this recipe in the New York Times many years ago and I’ve been adapting it ever since. It’s best with really flavorful, juicy, ripe slicing tomatoes. If you have a few big beautiful heirloom tomatoes, this is the place for them. Unlike Bittman I cook the whole thing on the stove top instead of finishing it in the oven but with either method it’s a quick one-dish meal with a simple green salad on the side.

Note: It’s important to season the ingredients properly as you go. It’s a shame to under salt this dish as you can’t make up for it at the end. Taste your stock or bouillon to make sure it’s well seasoned.

Serves 4-6

• 3 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water 

• 1 1/2 pounds ripe, slicer/heirloom tomatoes (not sauce tomatoes), cored and cut into thick wedges (about 4 medium to large tomatoes)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium onion, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• Large pinch saffron threads

• 2 teaspoons Spanish pimentón (smoked paprika), or other paprika

• 2 cups Spanish or arborio or other short-grain rice (I use arborio)

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt (if the stock isn’t very salty or you’re using water–see Note)

• Fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

1. Warm stock or water in a saucepan. If using water, add a teaspoon of salt to the water. Put tomatoes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, and drizzle them with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat.

2. Put remaining oil in a 10- or 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in saffron if you are using it and pimentón and cook for a minute more.

3. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is shiny, another two to three minutes. Add hot stock or water and stir until just combined. It will bubble furiously.

4. Give the hot broth and rice a stir and then carefully arrange the tomato wedges on top of the rice and drizzle with juices that accumulated in bottom of bowl. Cook covered, over medium heat undisturbed, for 18 -20 minutes. Check to see if rice is dry and just tender. If not, keep cooking for another 5 minutes and remove lid if there is excess liquid.  If rice looks too dry but still is not quite done, add a small amount of stock or water. When rice is tender turn heat up to high and cook an additional few minutes to develop a crust on the bottom, then take off heat and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.

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Sweet, Sour & Hot Eggplant

Sweet, Sour & Hot Eggplant 

This is so good! I can eat the whole dish by myself. Serve it as a side or with rice.

 Serves 4

•  2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 -1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or fresh, minced Serrano, jalapeno or other hot pepper, to taste

• 2 medium eggplant (or several smaller ones—any kind of eggplant will work in this dish—the long slender Japanese ones, more common Italian, globe ones, . . .), skin on, cubed, about 6 cups worth

• 1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced (optional but very good)

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 3-4 tablespoons Thai basil, basil, or cilantro, roughly chopped

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.

In a large skillet or wok heat the oil and sauté onions and pepper (if using) over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add red pepper flakes (or fresh hot pepper) and eggplant and cook, covered, until it softens and browns a bit, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic and stir well and cook for 2 more minutes. Then add the sauce and stir well to mix and coat veggies. Cook over medium heat for a a minute or two until sauce thickens. Stir in the herbs, reserving a few for garnish. Taste and adjust with salt, if needed, which is unlikely thanks to the soy sauce. Serve hot over rice with remaining herbs.

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Quick Eggplant & Tomato Curry

Quick Eggplant & Tomato Curry

This is savory, complex and delicious and uses Thai red curry paste to create a lot of flavor quickly. You can serve it over potatoes instead of rice.

Variation

• Green beans would be a wonderful addition here. Add them at the same time you add the tomato sauce and coconut milk.

• If you don’t have time to make tomato sauce and have fresh tomatoes, add fresh, chopped tomatoes to the curry paste after you’ve fried it for a few minutes and let reduce a bit before adding the eggplant and remainder of the coconut milk.

• Use green curry paste if you don’t have red

Serves 4-6 

3 Japanese eggplants or globe or Italian eggplant, cut into 2 x 3″ chunks (about 8 cups)

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons red curry paste (or green, see Variations above)

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced or grated on a microplane (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 -1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

1 1/2 cups plain tomato sauce

1 can full-fat coconut milk

Cilantro and scallions, for garnish

Rice or potatoes (see headnote) for serving

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant chunks and 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté over fairly high heat, stirring often for about 5 minutes. Then cover the pan and cook until eggplant begins to collapse and brown in places, another 5 minutes or so. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Put solid/fat part of the coconut milk in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add curry paste, ginger, if using and spices and mix well. Fry this mixture for about 3 minutes then add the eggplant and combine well and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomato sauce and remaining coconut milk and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered for about 15 minutes until thickened a bit. Serve hot over rice or potatoes.

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Summer Cole Slaw (template)

A Summer Cole Slaw Template

This is my go-to, quick slaw to use with any kind of cabbage, even Napa. I vary the ingredients based on the season and how hearty I want it to be. Quantities are approximations so feel free to use what you have.

The dressing is delicious and good on most anything–a bowl of rice/quinoa and beans with herbs, on roasted vegetables, on a burger, in fish tacos. . . so double the recipe for the dressing and have it on hand to enliven other things.

Variations:

• For a heartier slaw, add chicken and toasted seeds

• For a creamy dressing add 1/3 cup plain, whole milk yogurt (you’ll have more dressing than you need for this salad but it’s good on many things)

• Add sliced sweet peppers or radishes or kohlrabi cut into matchsticks

• Swap parsley and/or mint for cilantro

• Add sweet onions, shallots, or other onion in place of green onions

• Add quick-pickled onions in addition to or instead of green onions

Serves 4-6

½ a small to medium cabbage (about 6 cups sliced), cut into thin strips

2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks grated on the large holes of a box grater or in the food processor

2 green onions, thinly sliced or 1 tablespoon quick-pickled red onions (thinly sliced onions soaked in red-wine vinegar)

Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

Handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped (optional)

1/2 cup toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds (optional)

Dressing

2 tablespoons apple cider  or wine vinegar, more to taste

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1 large clove garlic, minced and mashed

4-5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

Several pinches red pepper flakes or a small hot pepper like Serrano or Jalapeño, minced (or more if you like heat)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Shake dressing ingredient together in a small jar with tight-fitting lid or whisk together in a bowl.

2. Put slaw ingredients in a large serving bowl.

3. Pour about 2/3 of the dressing over vegetables. Mix well. Add more as desired. Reserve the rest for another use (see headnote). Let rest for 15 minutes to soften vegetables and let flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

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Corn & Cucumber Salad with Lime & Cilantro

Corn & Cucumber Salad with Lime & Cilantro

It’s hard to beat fresh corn, especially dressed with lime juice to balance the corn’s sweetness and tossed with cucumbers, cilantro and maybe a little tomato.

Serves 4

4-5 ears corn, husked and cooked in boiling water for 1 minute

1 small cucumber

1 green onion, white and green parts thinly sliced or 1 tablespoon any onion, finely diced

A little fresh jalapeno or serrano, minced, to taste

3 tablespoons cilantro, leaves and stems chopped

1 tomato, diced (optional)

1 tablespoon lime juice, more to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the kernels off the corn. I do this in a large bowl to keep the kernels from flying around everywhere.

2. Combine all ingredients in a serving boil and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning with lime juice, salt, hot pepper.

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Quick Bok Choy Stir-fry

Quick Bok Choy Stir-fry

This is a delicious way to prepare bok choy. And the sauce works beautifully for any other quick vegetable stir fries as well. The Sichuan peppercorns are pretty key here–it’s worth getting a jar of them and they keep well. They’re more floral and flavorful than black pepper though you could use 1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper corns in a pinch here.

Serves 3-4

1 large head bok choy, stalks separated and washed and stems and leaves cut into 1-inch or so ribbons/slices

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce:

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 scant tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger

3/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed a bit (see headnote)

2 whole star anise

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1 ½ tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine (Mirin) or dry sherry

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Steamed rice 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt lightly. 

2. Meanwhile heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the garlic, ginger, star anise and crushed pepper corns and sauté for a minute or two until very fragrant and just starting to brown, stirring often. Add the remainder of the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer and cook for about 4-5 minutes at a simmer. 

3. Scrape all of the sauce out of the sauce pan and transfer to a wok or large skillet though discard the star anise.

4. Drop the bok choy into the boiling water and cook for about 2-4 minutes—taste after 2 minutes. The length of time will depend on the size of your pot/amount of water and strength of burner. Drain the bok choy and add it to the sauce in the skillet. Cook over high heat for just 1 minute or so to combine well. Serve hot over rice.

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