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Simple Solutions to the Dinner Dilemma

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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

Nine Pine Soup & Design shares the benefits of white pine

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By Madison Jackson

Nine Pine Soup & Design, photo by Pattie Garrett

On Wednesday afternoons under the shade of the south pavilion in High Rock Park, you can find Janine Stockin, also known as Jai, owner of Nine Pine Soup & Design, behind a table of thoughtfully displayed products.

Nine Pine Soup & Design, photo by Madison Jackson

Pine cones adorn a table with jars of white pine needles, teas, and oils. Homemade soup broth gently steams nearby. Tree branches, carefully woven with colorful yarn, are placed around the space. The art of decorating these branches is known as Ojo de Dios or God’s Eye; a traditional Mexican craft that symbolizes peace, protection, and prosperity. Jai handmakes each piece in various sizes and colors meant to inspire meditation and a sense of calmness.

The main focus of her business is the needles of the white pine tree, a conifer traditionally used for lumber and sap. In this case, Jai uses the pine needles to brew tea and oils rich in vitamins and antioxidants.

Jai sought a spot as a vendor with the Saratoga Farmers’ Market to share the many benefits of white pine needles with the community. She has been studying plants since age 14 and pursued an education, earning a degree in Botany and Earth Science. In January 2019, Jai became inspired by information on white pine from well-known herbalists like Susan Weed and Dina Falconi.

Nine Pine Soup & Design, photo by Pattie Garrett

White pine has a rich history with Iroquois roots and is known as the “Tree of Peace” for helping to end a conflict between the Five Nations. White pine needles are rich in compounds linked to better health, and, historically, they have had many uses as natural remedies. They are high in antioxidants, Vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.

Jai makes a healing massage oil infused with white pine oil and almond oil, which deeply conditions the skin. She notes the uplifting aromatherapy of the tea and oil, which soothes and nourishes the body. Jai also makes white pine broth and white pine iced tea.

Stop by the Wednesday market to speak with Jai about her products and sample her fresh white pine needle tea and broth. For more information on her products, contact Jai at 9pinedesigns@gmail.com.

This week’s recipe: Pine Needle Vegetarian Broth

Pine Needle Vegetarian Broth

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Recipe shared by Nine Pine Soup & Design

Photo provided by Nine Pine Soup & Design

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● ½ gallon water
● 2 cups fresh green pine needles*
● 1-2 tbsp Celtic sea salt

Optional Ingredients:
● 1 tbsp red onion*, chopped
● 2 tbsp jalapeno pepper*, chopped
● 1 small carrot*, sliced
● ½ cup Chinese cabbage*, chopped
● ¼ cup chopped potato*, chopped
● ¼ cup fresh corn*
● Or any mild-tasting in-season vegetables (zucchini, squash, green beans, kohlrabi, mushrooms)

Instructions
Boil the water. Pour boiling water into a pot with the pine needles and cover with a lid. Let it steep for ½ an hour. Remove the pine needles and add salt to taste. Add desired vegetables and cook until tender. Serve as an appetizer or morning elixir.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

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Shutterstock

Recipe courtesy of Diane Whitten, Food and Nutrition Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
● 2 large or 3 medium cucumbers*
● 2 cloves garlic
● 1-quart buttermilk* (see note below)
● ½ teaspoon cumin
● 1 tablespoon fresh dill*, chopped
● salt & pepper to taste
● Croutons for garnish (optional)

Instructions
Peel and slice the cucumbers and cut the slices into finger-thick chunks. Large cucumbers can have tough seeds that may be cut out. Put all ingredients except croutons into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate at least ½ hour before serving. Serve with croutons.

Note: If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute 1% milk plus ¼ cup lemon juice.

Spring Pitta Balancing Carrot Ginger Soup

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Carrot Ginger Soup, photo provided by Sarah Avery

Recipe provided by Sarah Avery, DPT, PYT, RYT-200, Founder of Moon Cycle Seed Company
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● ½ onion*
● 1 lb mushroom* of choice, stems removed and chopped
● 2-3 TBSP coconut oil
● 1 TBSP Golden Turmeric Moon Milk Powder*
● 4 carrots* peeled and sliced thin
● 1 lb collard greens* roughly chopped stems removed
● 1-2 Quarts water
● Garnish with goat cheese*
● Garish with parsley*

Instructions
1. In a soup pot saute onion and mushrooms in coconut oil. When they begin to brown add the golden Turmeric powder, stir until spices become fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add carrots and collard greens; stir to coat with the oil and spices.
2. Cover vegetables with water. Bring to a boil on high heat. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender.
3. Garnish with Goat Cheese and Parsley if desired.

Keep it simple with soups from scratch

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Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Madison Jackson

By Madison Jackson

Whether you spend your days working from home or out and about, these long winter months are hard on us all. What could be more comforting than a warm bowl of soup full of fresh and nourishing ingredients after a long day? Soups are generally healthful with benefits including high nutritional value and low fat. They are also easy to prepare, inexpensive, and delicious!

Kokinda Farm, photo by Madison Jackson

January is National Soup Month, so we encourage you to put together a simple soup by stocking up on vegetables, meats, and herbs at Saturdays’ farmers’ market. You will be all set to enjoy a satisfying meal on Sunday or a busy weeknight when you are low on time. Soups are easy to customize to your liking; make a simple soup a bit heartier with some noodles, beans, or rice. Or if you’re looking for something light, you can keep it basic with broth and vegetables. Just follow this introductory method and tailor it to your preferences and available ingredients.

Start with stock – preferably homemade, by simmering chicken or beef leftovers in water, or utilize vegetable parts like onion skins, root vegetables, and herbs. A good quality stock can make a good soup great! Then choose your aromatics such as carrots, celery, onion, garlic, leek, etc. For a little smokiness, add an item like a hambone or bacon. Saute your aromatics in a big stockpot with oil or butter until softened, then stir in herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. Bay leaves and thyme rarely goes wrong.

Shushan Valley Hydro Farms, photo by Emily Meagher

Add a carb if desired, like vermicelli or potatoes. And then, lots of vegetables to add nutrition and bulk to your soup. Seasonal vegetables to consider are kale, chard, and mushrooms. Add the stock and let simmer until ingredients are tender. You can optionally puree your soup after simmering for a silky smooth finish. Finally, add any extra meats, garnishes, and flavorings (like cream, lemon juice, or even hot sauce) for added fullness and flavor.

We’re sharing a recipe aptly called “Whatever Soup”, because it lets you use whatever you have in your pantry. It features produce from Gomez Veggie Ville’s “soup bags,” which you can pick up every Saturday at the farmers’ market. If you pick up a soup bag from the market, you’ll have several options, including carrots, onions, beets, potatoes, turnips, and cabbage.

This week’s recipe: Whatever Soup