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Simple solutions to the dinner dilemma

By

By Julia Howard

 

While there are usually easy meal solutions for breakfast and lunch, simple, healthy dinner ideas are challenging. Finding a recipe your family will enjoy is only a part of the struggle. We crave a quick fix for dinner, a wholesome meal that doesn’t take hours to prepare and cook and won’t require piles of dishes. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has meal motivation and locally sourced ingredients to get you through these dinner difficulties.

 

Sheet Pan Dinners

For an effortless, delicious meal with minimal cleanup, sheet pan dinners are one of our favorite approaches to dinner. Choose your favorite seasonal vegetable(s) and pair it with a protein like chicken, pork, or beef. Think steak with Brussels sprouts and potatoes, sausages with apples and carrots, or chicken with mushrooms and leeks. The internet has many ideas, and finding the right ingredients is super simple between your pantry and the farmers’ market.

Farmers’ Market Frittatas

Frittatas can be very easy to make and are a great way to clean out your refrigerator. Ingredients include eggs, vegetables, fresh herbs (optional, and returning to the market in Feb.), cheese, and bacon or sausage – or omit for a vegetarian option. Simply sautee the vegetables, add cooked bacon and herbs, pour whisked eggs over the mixture, top with cheese, and broil for 3-4 minutes. We love M&A Farm’s recipe, and remember that you can put just about anything in your frittata.

Carrot and ginger soup, photo by Pattie Garrett

Simple Soups

Soups are one of the most satisfying, healthy, and easy one-pot meals. Simply chop up your vegetables, sautee the aromatics (leeks, onions, carrots, garlic, but the list goes on), add chicken or vegetable stock and simmer, then puree or leave chunky depending on the soup and your preference of texture. Some ideas are vegetable soup, potato and leek soup, mushroom soup, and butternut squash soup.

Beef Stew

Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Meals

Slow cookers and Instant Pots have turned complicated, time-consuming meals into one-pot wonders. A quick Google search can reveal recipes from tacos to pot roasts to soups and stews. Once your ingredients are in the pot, you typically don’t need to pay attention to them until the meal is cooked and ready to serve. 

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Satisfying soups from scratch

By

By Julia Howard

 

The cold winter months call for hot, comforting foods, so just in time for National Soup Month, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market is showing some love for soup. There are infinite combinations of stocks, vegetables, and proteins that, when simmered together, create flavorful and lively liquids that make us feel nourished and satisfied.

Making soup from scratch can be a simple process with satisfying results. While there are culinary rules to follow for specific recipes, soups allow creativity in the kitchen and when shopping for ingredients. We recommend strolling through the farmers’ market for fresh, in-season ingredients.

First, let’s talk about aromatics – combinations of vegetables, herbs, and meats that are the foundation of your soup. Some options are onions, carrots, leeks, mushrooms, garlic, sweet potatoes, and squash. Vendors’ tables have even more stored vegetables. Chicken breast, veal, goat, and beef stew meat are excellent options for protein. Let your palette guide you, and build a soup with what you love.

Photo provided by SFMA

 

Sautée aromatics in fat like olive oil, coconut oil, or butter. If beef, goat, or veal are on your ingredients list, brown this first over medium-high heat and set aside. You may cook vegetables and herbs together, adding minced garlic once the vegetables soften. If using chicken breast, cook it along with the vegetables. Embrace the mouthwatering smells during this process.

Next, add stock and water and perhaps some diced hydroponic tomatoes. Bone broth is available at the farmers’ market, or use any broth of your choice. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 20-25 minutes. The vegetables should be tender, and the meat, if used, should be thoroughly cooked. At this point, you can adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

Shushan Valley Hydro Farms & Underwood’s Greenhouses, photo by Madison Jackson

How about some health-building greens like kale, chard, or Chinese cabbage? Greens pack flavor and nutrients into homemade soups and should be added in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking to soften but maintain their texture.

Building a soup can be fulfilling using what’s available from local farms at the farmers’ market. Perhaps you have something specific in mind, like your mom’s chicken noodle soup or a borscht recipe on your favorite food blog – visit the farmers’ market for all your soup-making needs.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Mexican Street Corn Soup

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Adapted from the recipe by Amanda Biddle at stripedspatula.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 8 ears of corn*, shucked and kernels cut from the cobs (save 6 cobs for simmering)
  • 1 yellow onion*, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon of ancho chili powder (you can add more or less depending on how spicy you like it also paprika and cumin work in a pinch)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 large garlic cloves*, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup grated dry/aged Cotija cheese (can sub parmesan or romano*)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro*, divided

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large nonstick pot. Add corn kernels, chopped onion, chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until onions are soft and corn is lightly charred in spots; this should be about 8-10 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Remove 1-1/2 cups of corn mixture from the pot and set aside in a small bowl. Stir broth and add 6 stripped corn cobs into the pot, scraping the brown bits on the bottom. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Using tongs, remove the corn cobs from the bowl and discard.
  4. Add the sour cream and cheese. After stirring it together, transfer the soup to a blender (you may have to do this in multiple batches) and blend until smooth.
  5. Transfer soup back into the pot, reheating it to your desired temperature. Stir in half the reserved corn, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of cilantro. You can now season the soup with salt, pepper, and chili powder (or if subbing, your cumin and paprika).
  6. In the small bowl, toss the remaining corn with lime zest and cilantro. Serve the soup, topped with extra cheese and corn mixture (I like to add sour cream as well!).

Cream of Asparagus Soup

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Adapted from the recipe by Erin Clarke of wellplated.com

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon*(optional)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion* or shallot
  • 2 medium yellow potatoes*, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 2 pounds asparagus*, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt*, plus additional for serving (do not use fat-free or it may curdle and the soup will not be as creamy)

Instructions

  1. If serving with bacon, prepare it by frying it in a skillet on the stovetop or baking it in the oven. Crumble or dice and set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or similar medium/large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth, asparagus, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. With an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. (You can also carefully transfer it to a blender or food processor in batches and blend it that way. Be careful as hot soup tends to splatter!) Return the blended soup to the pot and let cool a few minutes. Stir in the Greek yogurt, then season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Remember that if you are adding the bacon on top, it will also be salty, so be careful not to add too much.
  4. Serve hot, topped with crumbled bacon, a sprinkle of fresh chives, and an extra dollop of Greek yogurt as desired.

Notes

  • To make it vegetarian, omit the bacon. To make it vegan, omit the Greek yogurt or swap for non-dairy yogurt and omit the bacon.

 

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Whatever Soup

By

Recipe by Samin Nosrat, NYT, and shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 medium onions*, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves*, sliced
  • 6 to 8 cups diced vegetables*(carrots, celeriac, chard, mushrooms, cabbage, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, winter squash)
  • 1½ pounds raw boneless chicken
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Set a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat and add 4 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add onions and garlic.
  2. Reduce the heat to a medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 15 minutes.
  3. Place the chicken and vegetables in the pot. Add enough chicken stock to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  4. Cook until the flavors have come together and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more. Remove raw chicken from soup when cooked, allow it to cool enough to handle. Shred and return it to the soup.
  5. Add more hot liquid if needed.
  6. Serve hot.

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Simple Solutions to the Dinner Dilemma

By

By Julia Howard

While there are usually easy meal solutions for breakfast and lunch, simple, healthy dinner ideas are no easy feat. Finding a recipe that your family will enjoy is only a part of the struggle. We crave a quick fix for dinner, something that doesn’t take hours to prep and cook, and something that won’t take an hour to clean up. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market has meal motivation and locally sourced ingredients to get you through these dinner difficulties.

Photo from iStock.

Sheet Pan Dinners

For an effortless, delicious meal with minimal cleanup, sheet pan dinners are one of our favorite approaches to dinner. Choose your favorite seasonal vegetable(s) and pair it with a protein like chicken, pork, or beef. Think steak with Brussels sprouts and potatoes, sausages with apples and carrots, chicken with mushrooms and tomatoes (tomatoes will return to the market in Feb.). The internet has many ideas, and finding the right ingredients is super simple between your pantry and the farmers’ market.

Photo from iStock

Farmers’ Market Frittatas

Frittatas can be very easy to make and are a great way to clean out your refrigerator. Ingredients include eggs, vegetables, fresh herbs (optional, and returning to the market in Feb.), cheese, and bacon or sausage – or omit for a vegetarian option. Simply sautee the vegetables, add cooked bacon and herbs, pour whisked eggs over the mixture, top with cheese, and broil for 3-4 minutes. We love M&A Farm’s recipe and remember that you can put just about anything in your frittata.

Photo of carrot and ginger soup by Pattie Garrett.

Simple Soups

Soups are one of the most satisfying, healthy, and easy one-pot meals to make. Simply chop up your vegetables, sautee the aromatics (leeks, onions, carrots, garlic, but the list goes on), add chicken or vegetable stock and simmer, then puree or leave chunky depending on the soup and your preference. Some ideas are vegetable soup, potato and leek soup, mushroom soup, and butternut squash soup.

Photo from iStock.

Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Meals

Slow cookers and Instant Pots have turned complicated, time-consuming meals into one-pot wonders. A quick Google search can reveal recipes for anything from tacos to pot roast to soups and stews. Once your ingredients are in the pot, you typically don’t need to pay attention to them until the meal is cooked and ready to serve. 

This weeks recipe: Farmers’ Market Frittata