The answer to snacking?

Sweet potato fries.

No explanation is necessary - one bite and you'll see why this combination of sweet, salty and spicy simply speaks for itself.  Plus, they're baked, which means they're a lot healthier (aka you can eat more of them!), and you can leave the skins on, which means less prep time!

Seriously, you'll be tempted to eat the whole tray.  So grab some friends and dig in!

Ingredients:

• 6 sweet potatoes, chopped into steak fries
• olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• garlic powder and cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Put cut fries into a large ziplock bag with the olive oil, salt, and spices.  Shake to coat.
3. Place fries onto baking sheet, leaving space in between fries.
4. Put into the oven for 10 minutes, then flip them over.  Leave in the oven for another 10 minutes.  (They should be soft in the inside and browned on the outside)
5. Let cool for 5 minutes and ENJOY!

Optional:  You can also try adding cajun seasonings like chili powder and cayenne!

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A warm treat for the whole family

Here's one recipe you won't need to push on the kids! And it's great for grown-ups too, not just in taste but you'll definitely get the most bang for your buck. Save money by making your own applesauce instead of paying someone else to mash it for you. All you need is 4 apples and 20 minutes. Here's what to do:

Homemade Applesauce :-)

1. Core and slice apples (you can peel them or leave the skins on)
2. Put apples in a pot with 1/2 cup water over medium heat.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are mushy.
4. Serve warm! (it'll taste like apple pie filling) or refrigerate and wait until it cools.

Optional: Add cinnamon and nutmeg for some spice.

No extra sugar is necessary - the apples have enough on their own! You can adjust the cooking time depending on how smooth or chunky you like your sauce. Enjoy!

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Roasted Cauliflower

Tired of the same old cauliflower routine? Cut up on a veggie platter, steamed with broccoli... It's time for cauliflower to make a name for itself - as the star of a dish sure to please the oldest and youngest members of the family.



(Wondering why this cauliflower is orange? We ran into some this week - it's a natural mutant found in Canada that actually provides 25 times the amount of beta carotene than the white variety!)


Roasted Cauliflower.
Roasting brings out a natural sweetness to the cauliflower, and the garlic cloves become creamy enough to spread on bread or just pop in your mouth.

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 16 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
  
• 1-2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
   
2. Mix oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper together.
3. Toss in cauliflower and place on a casserole dish on a single layer.
4. Roast for 20 minutes; give a toss and bake for 10 more minutes.

Don't have any rosemary? Feel free to replace it with other herbs of your liking.

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Autumn warmth

As we enter deeper into the autumn season and begin to transition into winter, this is definitely a recipe you'll want to take with you. This hearty soup is soothing and savory, with a tint of sweetness that will lure you back again and again.

And really, what could be better than fall apples and winter squash to see you through the cold?


Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs butternut squash
• 1 medium carrot, cut into eighths
• 1 medium onion, cut into eighths
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths (you can substitute other apples to achieve a sweeter taste)
• 3 (14.5 oz) cans of vegetable broth (or water)
• 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1.5 tsp fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel squash, scoop out seeds, cut in half lengthwise, and chop into eighths.
2. Place squash, carrot, and onion pieces in a single layer on a baking dish and drizzle with butter. Toss to coat.
3. Roast for 1 hour, stirring at 30 minutes.
4. Transfer vegetables to a large saucepan, and add apples, broth, and salt. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until apples are tender.
5. Add thyme and pepper.
6. Process soup in batches.
7. Garnish with more thyme if desired.

Want to know more about Butternut Squash?

• As a winter squash, butternut squash is more nutritious and richer in complex carbohydrates (and often beta carotene!) than summer squash.
• One cup of cooked butternut squash provides 7 grams of dietary fiber, almost 100% of daily beta carotene needs, and tons of vitamins C, B6 and E, iron, folate, thiamin, niacin, and magnesium!
• Winter squash is one of the best keeping vegetables. Uncut squash should last for 3 months or longer in a cool, dry place. Avoid refrigeration.
• Cut squash can last a week tightly wrapped in the fridge.

FUN FACT: One of our office cats at Capital District Community Gardens is named Butternut!


This skull was carved out of a butternut squash...

Happy Halloween!

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A new take on Veggie Pizza

Who needs dough and sauce when you have eggplants and tomatoes? This baked recipe is the perfect starting point for satisfying that pizza craving - you can also add onions, mushrooms, garlic... anything you please!


EGGPLANT & TOMATO DELUXE

Ingredients:

• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• italian seasonings like basil and oregano
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet.
2. Brush eggplant with olive oil. Arrange rounds on baking sheet and cover with parmesan and seasonings, then layer with tomato slices, and more parmesan and seasonings. Add other vegetables if you'd like.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

This is an especially great way to eat tomatoes because their key nutrient - lycopene - is fat soluble, so it's best absorbed with eaten with a little fat.

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Irresistible.

--That pretty much sums up this week's culinary creation. It's one of our favorite dishes here on the Veggie Mobile, and for good reason: The star players are Collard Greens and Apples.



Whaaaat?

Oh yeah, it's true. We combined one of the healthiest foods on this planet with the familiar taste of fall, and emerged with something so succulent, it just melts in your mouth. And with all that flavor comes dietary fiber, potassium, beta carotene, vitamins B6, C & E, folate, calcium, iron, and riboflavin.

So cut that fat from the meat usually paired with your greens -- it'll please carnivores and herbivores alike.


Collard Greens & Apples

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp butter
• 2 medium apples (we used Macouns), cored & sliced (leave skins on!)
• 1/3 cup frozen apple juice concentrate (plus a little bit of water to encourage steaming)
  
• 1 lb collard greens, rinsed and finely chopped
• a little bit of salt & pepper

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples and cook, stirring, until lightly browned.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Cook and cover, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender (This is a matter of preference, but don't be shy about cooking them for over 2 hrs - the consistency will begin to match the apples and it will become sweeter and less bitter).
4. Serve immediately and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!

*Many thanks to our local farmers for making this dish as fresh as possible*

Collard Greens from Roots and Wisdom
Apples from Indian Ladder Farms

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The Monster MASH!

Itching for a sneak peek at Thanksgiving? Well, we've got the perfect mashed potato substitute that tastes hearty and leaves you feeling full and satisfied. And for anyone second-guessing turnips, just give this a try... it's sure to smooth over any hard feelings.


Turnip & Carrot Mash

Ingredients:

• 1 lb carrots
• 1 lb turnips
• milk or cream
• butter
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Boil carrots and turnips separately (to speed up cooking time, cut into small pieces).
2. When soft, mash each separately using the milk, butter, and seasonings to your taste (you can use a hand masher, food processor or blender).
3. Just before serving, drain any liquid formed at the bottom of the bowls and gently combine them both.
4. You should be able to see both carrot and turnip pieces in the combined dish (you can make it as chunky or smooth as you'd like).
5. Depending on your preferences, the amounts of carrots vs. turnips can be regulated. Leftovers freeze well!

Optional: Some people have suggested making this into a sweeter dish by adding a little bit of honey, cinnamon and nutmeg. Let us know if you have any other ideas!


More about turnips...

Turnips are rich in complex carbohydrates, with good amounts of insoluble and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Many people peel them before cooking, but the sweet, crisp flesh contains protein and a decent amount of vitamin C.
And don't forget: Turnips CAN be eaten raw!

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