Sunchoke Soup

Sunchokes are a knobby but delicious root vegetable. Not to be confused with ginger, which is a common mistake, sunchokes offer a sweet and nutty crunch to your winter menus.

2 pounds sunchokes
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped leek (white and pale green parts only)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
7 cups (or more) vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Ground white pepper
Shelled and roasted pumpkin seeds

Rinse and scrub sunchokes to remove all soil. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, leek, and garlic; sprinkle with salt and sauté until soft and translucent, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Cut sunchokes into 1-inch pieces. Add to onion mixture and sauté 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until chokes are very tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth. Return to pot. Rewarm soup, adding more broth by 1/4 cups, if needed, to thin. Stir in cream and season to taste with salt and white pepper.

This soup can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm before serving. Divide soup among bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds; top with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil and some sautéed mushrooms, if desired.

Recipe adapted from epicurious.com.

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Posted on February 2, 2017

Beet Citrus Soup

Pair these sunny golden beets with lemon and grapefruit!

1 bunch beets, 1/2-inch cubed (about 5 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, roughly diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 apple, roughly diced
1 quart vegetable broth
Juice from 1/4 grapefruit slice
Juice from 1/4 lemon slice
Sour cream or plain yogurt for topping

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place beets in roasting pan and add olive oil and 14 teaspoon salt; mix until evenly coated. Cover and roast for 25 to 30 minutes.

Heat butter in pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add apples and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add beets, broth, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and remaining salt. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Allow soup to cool before pureeing with an immersion blender to a thick, smooth consistency. Top with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt.

We thank Virginia Newman for this recipe.

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Posted on January 31, 2017

Hush Puppies

Our cornmeal is not only grown and milled on the farm, it’s also GMO free!

Pair these with some of Nash’s hearty vegetables for a warm and filling winter meal.

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 (8 1/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1/2 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1/2 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil, for frying

Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Pulse buttermilk, butter, hot sauce, cream-style corn, jalapeño, red pepper, onion, and black pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir together until combined. Cover batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate 10 minutes.

Pour enough oil to reach a depth of 2″ in a 6-quart saucepan. Heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Using a 1-ounce scoop, drop 2 tablespoons batter into oil, making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook, flipping once, until golden and cooked through, 2–3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer hush puppies to paper towels to drain; season with salt.

We thank saveur.com for this recipe.

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Posted on January 19, 2017

Carrot Tahini Salad with Spiced Chickpeas

Nash’s carrots are BACK!

Serves 6

For the chickpeas:
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed & drained (or 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt and pepper

For the dressing:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Water to thin if necessary

For the salad:
3 cups shredded carrots (from 3 to 4 medium-sized carrots)
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the chickpeas with the oil, spices, salt, and pepper. Place on a prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until lightly browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Shake the pan several times throughout baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. In a large salad bowl, toss the shredded carrots, onion, raisins, and parsley with the dressing. Mix well. Season with a little salt and pepper. Right before serving, top with the chickpeas and enjoy.

We thank thekitchn.com for this recipe.

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Posted on September 15, 2016

Walnut Beet Patties

Sliced beets 1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
2 medium onions, finely diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice)
4 teaspoons dried oregano*
4 teaspoons dried basil*
4 teaspoons dried thyme*
2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 pound carrots (about 3 medium), grated
1 1/4 pounds (about 3-4 medium) beets, grated
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
3/4 pounds walnuts, chopped in food processor
Extra virgin coconut oil for frying

Rinse quinoa and place it in a small pot with the broth. Cover and bring to a boil; let simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 20 minutes. Allow to cool.

Sauté onions in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and herbs and sauté another 5 minutes. Grate the beets and carrots.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Form into 15 to 20 patties. Over medium heat, fry the patties in a little coconut oil until lightly brown, about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking tray and continue cooking in the oven for another 15 – 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm or let them cool. Got extra patties? They freeze well!

*If fresh herbs are available, you only need 1 1/2 teaspoons of the fresh herb.

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Posted on July 14, 2016

Kia’s Crock Pot Favas & Chicken

Fava beans are fun and delicious!

Slow-cooked favas are tender and pair effortlessly with anything else you want to toss in the pot. Skip the meat and add extra veggies and lots of herbs for a vegetarian meal.

1-2 cups shucked fava beans
Approx. 2 pounds chicken thighs/drumsticks/breast, or other meat
2 cups fresh or canned salsa
4 cups chopped celery, onions, peppers, zukes, carrots, potatoes, etc.
Approx. two cups water
Salt and pepper
Fresh or dried oregano, thyme, basil, cilantro, rosemary, etc.

Put all ingredients in crock pot with salt/pepper/herbs as desired. Cover and cook on medium heat overnight or 6-8 hours. Add a fresh bunch of roughly chopped spinach/kale/chard the last 30 min of cooking, as desired. Serve hot over rice/quinoa/pasta/shredded cabbage etc.

Fava Tip: Approx 1 pound fresh favas = 1 cup shucked beans.

We thank Nash’s own Kia for this recipe.

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Posted on June 30, 2016

Kidney Bean Sloppy Joes

We are rolling into picnic season, so we thought we’d offer a meatless version of this classic. It makes about 8 servings.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup dried Nash’s kidney beans, soaked for 12-24 hours, drained, and cooked
8 rolls of your choice

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and green pepper and sauté until tender. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, tomato paste, vinegar, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Prepare cooked kidney beans by roughly chopping before adding to the skillet. Once added, cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Spoon bean mixture evenly into rolls of your choice and serve immediately. Enjoy this childhood classic!

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.

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Posted on April 7, 2016

Hearty Vegetable and Red Lentil Soup

On some days, a bowl of warm soup can soothe your senses and bring comfort. This vegetable lentil soup recipe from Mercola.com reader Marina Korsakova-Kreyn does just that by providing a harmonious blend of different vegetables and spices for a mouthwatering experience.

3 cups red lentils
1 large onion
5 medium carrots
5 medium potatoes
1 large sweet potato
1 inch fresh ginger root
4 medium cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dry seaweed mix (optional)

Boil 3 quarts filtered water in an 8-quart pot. Add lentils. Add all vegetables (washed, uncut, and unpeeled) to the boiling water. Add ginger (peeled but uncut) and 3 cloves of garlic.

Add turmeric, curry powder, salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook vegetables, ginger and garlic until ready, about 30 minutes. Use a ladle to take them out on a big plate, and let them cool for about 20 minutes (while lentils continue simmering).

Blend cooled vegetables, ginger, and garlic in batches with generous amount of filtered water. Return to pot with now-cooked lentils and reheat. Add finely minced clove of garlic (add salt if needed).

Note: If using seaweed, reconstitute them in 2 cups of boiling water, let them cool, and then blend along with vegetables.

Prep and cook time: 2 hours
This recipe makes 20 servings.

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Posted on March 22, 2016

Moroccan Pork

2 lemons
2 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons paprika, preferably Hungarian
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger plus 1 pinch, divided
1 1/2 pounds pork loin, cubed
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup butternut squash, diced (1/2-inch cubes)
1 cup carrots, sliced (1/2 inch thick)
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons preserved lemon, chopped and rinsed (see note; optional)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground allspice

Zest and juice the lemon(s) to get 1 tablespoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice; reserve the zest. Combine the juice, 1/2 teaspoon oil, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon ginger in a medium bowl. Add pork; stir to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until no longer pink on the outside and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.

Add broth, squash, carrots, chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, preserved lemon (if using), tomato paste, garlic, hot sauce, cinnamon, allspice, the reserved lemon zest and the remaining pinch of ginger to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the pork, return to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the pork is just cooked through, 2 to 5 minutes more.

Note: Although entirely optional, preserved lemons make this ragu more authentic. A signature flavor in Moroccan dishes, lemons that are preserved in a salt-lemon juice mixture for at least 30 days have a salty, sweet taste and tender texture. Find them at specialty food stores or online at surlatable.com.

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Posted on March 8, 2016

Slow-Cooked Pork Shoulder

1 lean boneless pork shoulder
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
10 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place the sage, garlic, rosemary, ground pepper, salt, teriyaki sauce and brown sugar in a food mixer, and blend together until thick. While the mixer is still on, the add in the olive oil and white wine. Trim the fat off of the pork roast. Make several holes in the roast 1 inch deep. Place the mixed sauce into each hole and cover the roast with the rest. Cook with onions for 5 hours.

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Posted on March 8, 2016