Healthy Carbs
The variety of textures and flavors in ancient grains makes them interesting to eat and versatile for every meal period. Cook grains like kamut in the low & slow heat method, then mix in caramelized MFC Apples, strained yogurt, salt & pepper, toasted pecans, and rosemary-infused honey. Prepare an ancient grain salad with red quinoa, charred MFC Zucchini Squash, pickled raisins, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, coriander, and harissa vinaigrette. Put a spin on risotto by using bulgur wheat with sugar snap peas, preserved lemon butter, wilted sweet pea tendrils, and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Incorporating Ugly Produce to Reduce Waste
Markon has a line of products specifically for this use: Markon Essentials (ESS). For items like bell peppers, cauliflower, cucumbers, and citrus that are often chopped, juiced, and pureed, appearance isn’t first priority. I also like pickling the odds and ends or extras, like beets, beans, and carrots. And stems that are normally trashed can be used in dips like hummus or added to soups and stocks.
Using Za'atar
This spice mix consists of thyme, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. Add the dry mix to house-made bread dough, vegetable sautes, hummus and other dips or use as a poultry and seafood rub. Combine with olive oil and serve with pita!
Satisfying the Gluten-Free Crowd
It’s important to provide a balanced menu for all customers. Ensuring grain-free dishes packed with plenty of fresh vegetable options will cut back on gluten-oriented ingredients. RSS Cauli Creations is an ideal substitute when making fried rice, pizza crusts, and risotto.
Inspiring Kids' Menus
It’s important to increase offerings of fresh vegetables, both as chilled veggie sticks and/or grilled (more flavor) as alternatives to fried options.
Cabbage the New Cauliflower?
To fill the gluten-free niche, I like to wrap enchiladas with cabbage leaves instead of tortillas. The same works for lasagna—substitute large, overlapping leaves for the noodles. Another healthy idea is to bake smaller pieces and use for chips.
RSS Sweet Baby Broccoli
RSS Sweet Baby Broccoli can be used in the same ways one would prepare asparagus or broccoli. I like to roast it to bring out its inherent sweetness while creating smoky, charred bits. Sauteing with garlic and chopped hazelnuts is also easy and makes a delicious side for poultry and meats.
Using Texture in Recipes
Texture is so important—it can make or break a dish. I especially like when the same vegetable is used to create different textures. For instance, cauliflower can be smoked and left crunchy, pureed with some honey and apples for a sauce, and riced for a couscous texture all on one dish. Charring vegetables is another easy way to bring in added texture. You can char a carrot for smoky flavors, puree it for sweet notes, and use the tops to make a pesto. Produce as the star is going to continue to be the trend, so we must get the most out of every vegetable we are buying. Try dehydrating, roasting, making use of the peels, frying, etc. By getting more from less you create new and unusual/different combinations and textures that will elevate your dishes.
Mocktails
With warmer weather ahead of us, it’s time to start thinking about lighter drinks and spring time produce. Cucumber water with some fresh mint in it is a light beginning to a meal, but what about adding in some peach or raspberry and making a fantastic mojito mocktail? Use a little simple syrup, a splash of RSS Lime Juice, and top with sparkling water. The most important thing to keep in mind with mocktails is to make sure that you are using the best produce at the best time of year. Don't be afraid to add in some savory ingredients; beets or red bell pepper juice can give a punch to drinks, without being a “bloody Mary” rip off.
Cost-Effective Soups
I think that the ever-changing consumer palate is looking for something familiar, but with bold touches. I believe that matzo ball soup will be coming back with modern additions. This is a hearty memory-inducing dish with a flavor profile that generates a love for simplicity done well. Chicken and dumplings is another one of my favorite comfort recipes that could be adapted—say with vegan ingredients or Mexican flavorings.
Vegan Snacks
Vegans are a growing part of the foodie community. Eggplant adovada street tacos are by far my favorite vegan dish. It consists of eggplant braised in red chile sauce, then placed in a jicama shell with pickled onions, avocado puree, and topped with micro cilantro. It can satisfy anyone’s palate, vegan, vegetarian, or carnivore.
Using Ramps
St. Patrick's Day Menus
My personal favorite updated traditional Irish dish is shredded short rib Shepherd’s pie. I like to braise boneless short ribs overnight, shred them and add demi-glace instead of gravy, with finely chopped celery, carrots, and onions as well as peas. Then I like to top this dish with very cheesy mashed potatoes, baking it until the cheese has formed a yummy, crispy topping. I think these small changes take this very traditional comfort food and transforms it into a dish that will impress.
Seasonal Spring Items
I really enjoy working with radishes. The radish has a large variety of flavor profiles from mild to spicy and I think using fresh radish as a garnish for salad or tacos is the best way to brighten a spring dish.
MFC Broccoli Crowns
I really enjoy working with MFC Broccoli Crowns. I like to roast them for deep color and flavor. I also like to make Gruyere cheesy broccoli gratins—bake them in large ramekins until golden and crispy. This recipe is a profitable side to add to your menu for sure!
Pump Up the Protein
Utilize beans and legumes in purees and sauces. When incorporating protein in produce-based dishes, it’s important to provide the nine essential amino acids. This is achieved by combining a mix of ingredients: beans, lentils, grains, and plenty of produce.
Breakfast Anytime
When it comes to breakfast later in the day, I suggest using the traditional egg ingredient, but not as in the classic ways, like omelets or scrambles. Instead, I serve eggs roasted with asparagus, bread crumbs, and cheese as appetizers, poached eggs atop burgers, yolks over pizza, and a special bacon and eggs using pork belly in place of bacon.
Valentine's Day Dessert
A great Valentine’s Day dessert would be a fresh-baked strawberry tart with pistachio gelato on top.
Pasta with Produce
I love shrimp sautéed in olive oil with Sambal chile peppers and plenty of MFC Basil. Toss these ingredients with angel hair or fettucine and you have a flavor-packed dish.
RSS Better Burger Leaf Lettuce
I love RSS Better Burger Leaf Lettuce—it’s a time saver as well as a money saver. It’s a very consistent product that delivers strong positive results.
Winter Citrus
Try grilling or charring your grapefruit or orange segments. This intensifies the flavor and adds smoky layers to the dish. Pair these with beets, goat cheese, and RSS Urban Blend for a unique salad twist.
Healthy Dishes in the New Year
I always suggest serving simple roasted chicken with winter vegetables, vegetable casseroles like roasted cauliflower and red peppers with smoked gruyere cheese, farro with roasted squash and pickled onions, and “rice” bowls with couscous or quinoa. I also like to substitute farro for oatmeal with coconut milk and cran-raisins.
2019 Produce Item
I am looking forward to the day when the rutabaga gets its time to shine! I love them—they are extremely versatile. Try roasting, smashing, frying and pureeing. Plus, they are extremely healthy, full of potassium, fiber, and vitamins.
New Year's Eve Dishes
Pan-seared scallops with roasted baby carrots and a blood orange-Champagne beurre blanc and micro amaranth.
Winter Mash-Ups
I am a huge fan of parsnips and parsnip puree. They can be fibrous, so it’s best to puree them in a Vita-mix with a little cream, butter, and pure maple.
Holiday Dessert
Roasted pear and almond tart. The sweetness of a Comice pear roasted with cinnamon, vanilla, and almond reminds me of the holidays.
Vegetarian Holiday Entree
That would have to be sweet potato cakes with a candied walnut chutney, roasted parsnips and an arugula salad.
Hard Squashes
I love the flavor and textures of them all: Butternut, Kabocha, Acorn, Blue Hokkaido, Delicata, Hubbard, and more. I chop and slice them. I roast, saute, grill, and turn them into spaghetti. I smoke and puree them…the applications are truly infinite and they are so crave-worthy!
Cauliflower Crumbles
Because they are already chopped or crumbled finely, I like to use them like a bread crumb to coat different types of meat, which I then roast in butter and finally finish in the oven. This golden-brown crust adds incredible flavor—delicious!
Late Fall Leafy Greens
My absolute favorite is red chard. It has the texture of kale, but with more vibrant colors. I chop it and roast with autumn herbs and spices.
Holiday Side Dishes
I frequently use root vegetables such as winter squashes and beets. They can be grilled, roasted, or cooked sous vide. They work for the holidays because they are vibrant in color and rich in flavor—elevating your plate to a new level. I suggest putting these types of dishes in your regular winter menu rotation.
Using RSS Green Beans On the Menu
During the holidays, customers expect traditional applications like green bean casseroles, green beans almondine, and bundles with bacon. I serve these, but also offer fresh ideas such as blistered beans with red bell-almond pesto or sautéed beans tossed in black garlic.
Cold-Weather Soup Ideas
Ancient grains and legumes are healthy and on-trend. I use them in soups as often as I can to give them a hearty texture and more fiber. I add broccolini and house-made croutons to my mushroom-lentil soups—then top with a fried or soft-poached egg. Ramen is another easy-to-customize, popular menu item—I mix it up with different toppings such as Kabocha squash, black radishes, kimchi, enoki mushrooms, and piles of fresh herbs. Kale is a great addition to chilis and meat stews, while coconut milk adds a subtle difference to vegetable purees.
Fall Pumpkin Dishes
The sugary, sweet pumpkin-spiced coffee drinks that kicked off this massive trend have little to do with the healthy, delicious recipes I like to offer in the fall, but they do share the craveable ingredient, pumpkin. Once the weather cools, I like to add roasted chunks to a variety of menu items, such as oatmeal, chili, beef stews, potato gratins, tamales, mac & cheese, ravioli, quesadillas, and veggie tacos
Incorporating Produce Into Pasta Dishes
Pasta is an easy platform for creativity because the noodles (or shapes) themselves serve as a blank canvas for sauce, toppings, and cheeses. Although most Americans think Italian when craving pasta, it could also mean Asian noodles, or even fusion dishes. I like to cook regional specialties like pasta alla Norma with eggplant, tomatoes, and ricotta salata from Sicily or Cacio e pepe highlighted with asparagus or broccolini like they serve in Rome. I also like to add color to my homemade pasta recipes with vegetables such as beets, spinach, mushrooms, and carrots.
Grain-Based Salad Ideas
Farro is a grain that works well in many salads. It has a great texture and a nutty flavor. Farro pairs with roasted butternut squash cubes, cranberries, pomegranate arils, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Toss with some baby arugula and crumbled goat cheese, then dress with a honey-sherry vinaigrette for a delicious fall salad.
Ingredients with Complementary Textures
Brussels sprouts have great texture and can be used in many ways. They can be shredded into a salad, quartered and roasted then served with aioli as an appetizer, or roasted with cippolini onions and balsamic vinegar for a side dish. The crunchiness of the Brussels sprout contrasts well with the creamy soft texture of the roasted cippolini onions.
Savory Fall Apples
I like to mix diced apples in with large diced sweet potatoes and sweet onion. Toss it all with some olive oil and season with garlic, salt, and pepper. Place all in a cast iron skillet and roast until everything is cooked and slightly caramelized. This is a great accompaniment to pork or just as is.
Favorite Fall Vegetable
Fall is my favorite season—the time of year for earthy flavors. Braising and roasting are good ways to prepare cold-weather foods. Parsnips taste great cut into chunks and roasted with other root vegetables, sliced and mixed with au gratin potatoes, or added to mashed potatoes for a uniqueness most people just can’t put their finger on. I also like to boil, then puree parsnips very smooth in a high-power blender with some cream, butter, salt, and pepper. That silky-smooth richness adds great dimension to the plate.
Gluten-Free Vegetable Dishes
Shepherd’s pie is a great fall dish that is full of vegetables and warms customers on chilly fall days. Not only is it gluten-free but you can also make it low carb by replacing the mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. It’s amazing how well the cauliflower mash replaces the potato. You can use ground beef, ground lamb, or make a vegetarian version by replacing the meat with beans and diced mushrooms.
Summer Melons
Melons are ideal for healthy desserts like granitas and sorbets—sometimes I add spirits to make frozen beverages for the summer months. I also like to wrap slices of cantaloupe and honeydew with salty meats like Serrano ham and prosciutto. Watermelon works great in mock caprese salads or on kebabs.
Healthy Kids' Menu Items
Processed chicken nuggets and cheesy pastas are so 20th century! I prefer to upgrade the quality of my kids’ offerings by making healthy foods taste delicious. I include tacos made with plenty of produce and lean meats, creating in-house baked flatbreads loaded with chicken and broccoli, and rice bowls topped with avocados, grilled shrimp, and chopped mango.
Summer Corn
First, I like to grill whole ears of corn to get a nice char on the kernels. Sometimes I slather spicy mayo on the ears and sprinkle with grated Mexican cheeses (like Cotija) and cilantro—great with steaks and burgers. Other times I cut the kernels off and toss them with leafy greens or ancient grains to add a bite of summer to my salads.
Using Veggies in Burgers
The James Beard Foundation’s Blended Burger Project has brought awareness to how easy it is to add flavor and decrease fat and calories by mixing minced mushrooms into ground meat. I’ve had success in using other produce items in this way, including grated beets, carrots, and zucchini.
Summer Berries
Raw Tomatoes
Before becoming a chef, my sister Pam taught me to make a vinaigrette with olive oil, red wine vinegar, chopped garlic, fresh oregano, and salt and pepper. Splash this dressing on tomatoes and marinate before serving.
Creative Beverages
The holy trinity for me consists of strawberries, bananas, and mangoes. These three fruits marry together well in smoothies, with yogurt and ice cream, or in beverages like lemonade and iced tea.
Produce BBQ
I am big fan of grilled fruits to accompany BBQ meats, especially maple-glazed and grilled apricots served with chile lime pork chops or fire-roasted figs with garlic and mint alongside lamb sirloins.
Using Summer Fruit
Watermelon is a fun fruit to play with. Toss watermelon chunks, crumbled Feta cheese, sliced red onions and torn mint. This refreshing summer side dish tastes great on its own—no need for oils or vinegars…the salt of the Feta draws out the juice of the melon, creating a self-dressed dish that is delicious!
Summer Salad Recipe
My favorite is to mix farro with kale, mint, parsley, and dill. Who says the only greens you can put in salads are lettuces? I love adding fresh herbs to my salads. Toss it all together with a simple Champagne vinaigrette and top with pomegranate seeds.