Recipes

Grilled Apricot Parfait

This light summer dessert combines grilled apricots with whipped cream and a quick crumbled almond cookie that can be made in advance. You can substitute peaches, or use some of each. Heat the oven to 350.  Toast 1/2 C. almonds … Continue reading →

Twice-Fried Green Beans & Peas with Garlic

In this variation on a classic Sichuan dish, you pre-fry the Green Beans, then cook the garlic, then fry the beans again with the Peas and garlic.  Cooking the beans this way makes them more tender and flavorful. Trim the … Continue reading →

Yaki-zoba

No, that’s not a  mispelling of Yakisoba, the classic Japanese dish of stir-fried soba noodles with onions and other vegetables.  This version uses julienned or spiralized Zucchini or other Summer Squash “Zoodles” instead of wheat noodles.  Fast, healthy and delicious … Continue reading →

Oven-Roasted Parsnips

Parboiling the parsnips first speeds up the roasting and lets you use less oil.  It also makes removing any tough cores easier if needed.  You can easily double this recipe by adding a pound of carrots, cut the same size.  … Continue reading →

Roasted Beets & Asparagus with Beet Greens and Feta

Oven-roasted beets are both crispy, chewy and sweet.  They match perfectly with the succulence of the asparagus.  This dish goes well with either couscous or quinoa. Preheat the oven to 375. Cut the roots off 1 bunch of Beets and … Continue reading →

Coconut Milk French Toast with Strawberries

For me, French Toast is just a vehicle to eat lots of strawberries.  This isn’t a vegan recipe, but it is dairy-free.  You can easily use cow milk instead of coconut. There are some important details in this recipe that I … Continue reading →

Pea and Carrot Salad with Cilantro Dressing

This salad is good on its own, or you can combine it with raw or sauteed marinated tofu in lettuce wraps for a tasty appetizer. Cut the tops off 1-2 spring onions.  Reserve the bulb for later use.  Finely mince … Continue reading →

Pea Risotto with Grilled Asparagus & Spring Onions

If it’s not grilling season yet where you live, you can either broil the vegetables in the oven or simply cook them in the risotto.  Either way, though, you should use leek or regular onion as the base for the … Continue reading →

Asparagus-Spinach-Mushroom Crepes

This is a quick and easy saute that goes into a crepe along with ricotta cheese.  Alternatively, you can make quesadillas and use jack cheese instead, or an omelette and use cheddar.  You can make the filling in advance. To … Continue reading →

Sesame Asparagus with Soba & Tofu

This is a riff on a favorite Korean Spinach Salad.  Quick, nutritious, delicious and filling. Cut 12 oz. tofu into thick matchsticks.  Drizzle with 1 t. sesame oil and 1 T. soy sauce.  Let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, soak … Continue reading →

Gnocchi with Asparagus and Green Garlic

Don’t worry, this isn’t a recipe for making gnocchi — just one for making cooking store-bought gnocchi with fresh spring vegetables.  Green Garlic is the star of this recipe so don’t skimp on it. Heat the oven to 400. Soak … Continue reading →

Orange-Roasted Carrots

This recipe roasts carrots with orange slices — including the peel — plus non-sweet spices.  This results in caramelized carrots that are tangy with a slight citrus bitterness.  You can remove the orange slices after cooking or leave them in … Continue reading →

Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup

Coconut milk stands in for cream here, but this is not an Asian recipe. Trim the tough ends of 1 bunch of asparagus.  Cut the tips off the spears and reserve.  Cut the stems into small pieces. Clean and dice … Continue reading →

Potato-Romaine Salad with Green Garlic Dressing

You can add asparagus to this recipe if you like, raw “shaved” or lightly blanched and sliced. Heat a pot of salted water and boil 1 lb. of potatoes until they are tender.  Remove and rinse well. Meanwhile, make the … Continue reading →

West African Vegetable Stew

It’s hard not to look at a pile of carrots, sweet potatoes, and cabbage and not think about making some sort of African-style peanut curry.  This recipe hews to the lighter brothier side of the spectrum and goes easy on … Continue reading →

Butternut Waffles, Two Ways

Butternut squash adds natural sweetness, moisture, flavor and nutrition to waffles without affecting the crispy texture that makes them so special.  Here’s a sweet version for breakfast and a savory version for lunch or dinner. Both recipes start by roasting … Continue reading →

Sauteed Spinach with Shitakes, Sesame & Chili Oil

If you aren’t sure what to do with the greens on your beets this week, you can add them to this recipe but be sure to remove the stems. Unlike spinach stems, which are tender and succulent, beet stems are … Continue reading →

Quinoa-Lentil Cabbage Dumplings

This is a vegetarian version of a traditional Eastern European dish.  If you’ve never made or eaten these before, you might be surprised how good they are. Rinse 3/4 C. of brown or green lentils.  Cook in 3 C. water … Continue reading →

Spaghetti Squash “Pad Thai”

This is a gluten-free and low-carb version of the classic Thai dish that is also quite tasty.  It has eggs and fish sauce, but no meat.  There are quite a few steps in this recipe but if you cook the … Continue reading →

Cauliflower-Spinach Dip (Vegan)

If you’re looking for a unique and healthy dip to bring along to your weekend Superbowl gathering, here’s a tasty vegan take on notoriously greasy and heavy spinach-artichoke dip.  Or is it a vegetable version of hummus? The recipe is … Continue reading →

Cabbage-Potato Curry/Braise

This recipe combines light curry spicing with a small amount of coconut milk to add flavor the vegetables without becoming too heavy. Heat salted water to a boil.  Add 4 medium potatoes, cut into 1″ cubes.  Simmer for 6-7 minutes, … Continue reading →

Sweet Potato Gratin with Chard & Kale

This recipe from Smitten Kitchen has the same homey appeal (and high calories) as Mac n’Cheese, but with a whole lot more nutrition.  When I cook chard and kale I usually discard the stems, but if you like them you … Continue reading →

Morrocan-Style Cauliflower Red Lentil Soup

This is a bright, summery-tasting soup that will warm you up on a rainy day and is filling enough to be a meal.   Clean and dice leeks and carrots to make 1 C. of each Saute in 3 T. olive oil … Continue reading →

Tofu Noodles with Spicy Cabbage

Last week, I discovered tofu noodles, also called Shirataki.  They have a nice, slightly chewy texture even when added to soups or cooked in stir-fries.  And they pair perfectly with shredded cabbage and leeks in a stir fry like this … Continue reading →

Winter Vegetable Lasagne

This vegetarian recipe incorporates vegetables in a way that provides enough liquid to cook the noodles during baking. For the sauce:  Rinse and dice 2 leeks and saute in 2 T. olive oil until tender.  Add 2 C. sliced portabello, … Continue reading →

Homemade Vegetable Broth

Broth makes almost any soup better, but you can’t make it fast.  By making a big batch and freezing it, you will have it available whenever you need it.  Celery leaves are a critical component of vegetable broth. Trim the … Continue reading →

Tofu-Lettuce Rolls with Carrot-Cilantro Slaw

This is a warm dish that uses a lot of lettuce.  The tofu is cooked and then wrapped in whole lettuce leaves along with the slaw.  Butter lettuce is the perfect texture for it. Cut one pound of firm tofu … Continue reading →

Fennel-Spinach Salad with Mandarins &Cranberries

If you’re making a salad for Thanksgiving, it is one area where you can get creative without too many protests from the culinary traditionalists. Wash 1/2 lb. spinach leaves by soaking and lifting the leaves out of the water.  Spin … Continue reading →

Butternut Squash Pie with Candied Squash Topping

No messing around here: this is the New York Times interpretation of the classic Thanksgiving dessert.  As they say, ” no vegetal tones or stodgy finish mar the radiance of this pie, which stops just short of a custard and glows … Continue reading →

Creamy Vegan Broccoli-Leek Soup

It was 35 degrees at the farm this morning, so I’m pulling out the first of the winter soup recipes.  This is a simple soup to prepare, but getting the most flavor out of it means taking the time to … Continue reading →

Potato Salad with Arugula and Leeks

The sharp flavor of the Arugula is the perfect contrast to the blandness of potatoes.  You may be surprised about using a mustard dressing with a mustardy green, but it works perfectly.   Trim 1 leek and slice in half … Continue reading →

Delicata Gratin with Leeks and Fennel

Putting sauteed leeks and fennel on the bottom of a baked gratin renders them down into a fragrantly savory caramel.  The moisture in the fennel helps the leeks cook without burning. The herbs in this dish are critical to balance … Continue reading →

Fuyu-Carrot Arugula Salad

The delicate flavor of Fuyu Persimmons makes them an ideal fruit for a savoy salad, while its texture also makes it a good addition to a vinagrette.  The slight pepperiness of the Arugula balances out the sweetness here.  Toasted pepitas … Continue reading →

Spicy Roasted Beet-Green Bean Tacos with Tangy Slaw

Roasting Beets and Green Beans makes them the perfect filling for vegetarian tacos: cripy, meaty and tender. Cut the tops off 1 bunch of beets.  Scrub the roots and rinse the tops well. Cut the beet roots into thick slices, … Continue reading →

Miso Delicata and Leek Rice Bowl

The squash and leeks are roasted while the spinach is cooked separately and then both are combined over sushi rice. Prepare 1 C. sushi rice or other short-grain rice according to the directions. (Try Robbins Rice Company Black Fox brand, … Continue reading →

Tomato-Kale Minestre

Celebrate the arrival of the Fall Equinox by making the traditional peasant soup combining the last vegetables of summer and the first of the fall.  If you have more time, you can roast the vegetables in the oven and then … Continue reading →

Roasted Acorn Squash and Quinoa Salad

This salad can be a meal in itself and includes crunchy raw peppers and wilted spinach. Peel and thinly slice 1/2 of a large onion or a whole medium onion. Cut an Acorn squash in half and scoop out the … Continue reading →

Sweet Potato-Green Bean Dry Curry

Heat the oven or grill to 425. Thinly slice 1 small Onion. Trim the ends off 1/2 lb. green beans. Cut in 2 inch pieces. Wash sweet potatoes and peel, then dice to make 3 C. Drain and rinse 1 … Continue reading →

Grilled Zucchini with Green Bean-Tomato Salad

Different flavors, textures and cooking techniques combine in this perfect end-of-summer dish Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  While the water is heating, trim 1/2 lb. whole green beans.   Toast 1/2 C. pumpkin seeds in the … Continue reading →

Calabrese-Style Potatoes and Peppers

This unusual take on an old standard has you thinly slice both the peppers and potatoes, changing both the texture and favor of the dish.  It also means the potatoes cook much more quickly than they would if diced or … Continue reading →

Refrigerator Dilly Beans

You can also make these with Painted Serpent Cukes, but let the pickling liquid cool first.  This recipe has no sugar in it — these pickles are tart and tangy.  It does not require any heat-treatment or other preservation method … Continue reading →

Trinidadian Corn & Green Bean Pie

There’s no crust on this savory pie, which is really more of a casserole. Shuck 4 ears of corn then cut the kernels off.  Trim green beans and cut into small pieces to make 2 C.  Peel 1 onion and … Continue reading →

Chickpea-Corn Curry with Basil and Tomatoes

This is a riff on a traditional South Asian curry.  You can use canned chickpeas or make your own from scratch.  Serve this curry with rice and drizzle with yogurt. Heat 1 T. high-heat oil in a small skillet and … Continue reading →

Blistered Green Beans with Almond-Tomato Pesto

Heat the grill or oven to 450. Quarter 3-4 tomatoes and toss with 1 whole Gypsy pepper and 1 t. olive oil, then arrange on a baking sheet.  Roast tomatoes and peppers until they are blistered and lightly charred, 15-20 … Continue reading →

Grilling Sweet Corn 101

We are more than halfway through Sweet Corn season at Terra Firma.  That means that the moths have finally found the ears and the caterpillars have been chewing on the tips of the corn.  If you are squeamish about them, … Continue reading →

Rustic Roasted Roma Sauce with Shishitos and Garlic

This simple and delicious sauce has concentrated flavors that makes it great for pizza.  You can prepare this recipe entirely on the grill, or in the oven, with a minimum of cookware and mess. Heat the grill or oven to … Continue reading →

Garlicky Green Beans in Tomato Vinagrette

Parboiled green beans are then sauteed with of garlic and finally tossed with raw tomatoes and carrots or cucumbers.  If you don’t love garlic, you can skip adding it to the vinagrette. Bring a large pot of salted water to … Continue reading →

Drunken “Noodles”

This Thai dish is traditonally made with wide rice noodles.  This version substitutes very thinly sliced or spiralized summer squash, which has a similar texture and absorbs the flavors just as well. This recipe is often made with chicken or … Continue reading →

Two-Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Carrots

This salad combines green and cooked white beans with crunchy carrots and juicy tomatoes for a light but nutritious summer dish. Soak 1 C. white beans (any type) overnight.  Drain and rinse, then cook in salted water until tender but … Continue reading →

Glass Noodle Veggie Stir Fry (Japchae)

Vegetables are not just a great substitute for noodles, but also a great pair with them.  In this recipe the beets and/or carrots are spiralized and then sauteed with glass noodles, which are made from mung beans or sweet potatoes … Continue reading →