
Ready to spice up your culinary skills?
Check out these delicious recipes Executive Chef Matt Palamara chose for our last FoodRx cooking class and dinner event.
Take a look into our hands-on cooking class led by Executive Chef, Matt Palamara, where we enjoyed the vibrant flavors of New Orleans with a healthy twist. Together, we created nutritious versions of classic Cajun and Creole dishes before sitting down to enjoy that delicious dinner. Our guest came together for a night of culinary education, flavorful food, and great company. We look forward to seeing you at the next one!
January 17, 2025 Cooking Class & Dinner Menu:
Vegan Jambalaya
Eggplant Pirogue with sauce piquant
Gumbo Z’Herbs (Greens Gumbo)
Maque Choux with Roasted Okra and Blackened Redfish (fish can be served on side)
Banana’s Foster with Whipped Yogurt and Praline Pecans

Gumbo Z’herbs
Material:
- 2 qt vegetable stock
- 4 c mustard greens
- 4 c collard greens
- 4 c turnip greens
- 2 c cabbage
- 2 c romaine
- 1 c spinach
- 2 c arugula
- 3 oz oil
- 3 oz flour
- ½ celery, diced
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- ¾ onion, diced
- 2 Tbl garlic, chopped
- 2 c okra, sliced thin
- 1 Tbl creole seasoning
- 1 ea bay leaves
- 1 tsp dry thyme
- 2 Tbl salt
- 1 Tbl black pepper
- ¼ ea lemon
- Pinch allspice
- 2 Tbl sassafras
- Rice and green onions for serving
Method:
- Place greens and vegetable stock in a pot together and bring to a simmer. Let cook about 15 minutes then strain greens, keeping the liquid. When greens are cooled, rough chop them.
- Heat in a dutch oven and whisk in flour. Cook, whisking, until dark roux forms. Do not let burn!
- Add onion, celery, peppers, garlic, and okra and cook until wilted.
- Whisk in reserved green stock, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer. Add creole seasoning, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, and reserved greens. Whisk frequently so no roux balls form.
- After about 20 minutes, check for green tenderness and seasoning.
- If it tastes done, season with sassafras and throw in lemon and allspice. Turn off the heat and let sit about 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with rice and green onions.

Eggplant Pirogue
Material:
- Olive oil
- 10 ea Japanese eggplant
- ½ onion, minced
- ¼ celery, minced
- ¼ bell pepper, minced
- 2 Tbl garlic, minced
- 12 oz tomato, peeled and chopped
- 5 c cooked quinoa
- 1 ea lemon, zest and juice
- ¼ c parsley, minced
- ¼ c green onions, minced
- 1.5 c walnuts, toasted
- 1 Tbl creole spice
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 c breadcrumbs
- 2 c vegan melty cheese
Method:
- Preheat oven to 425ᵒF. Rub Eggplant with a little olive oil and roast until softened (15-20 minutes).
- Slice eggplant in half and scoop out some of the eggplant pulp and mix it with the onions, peppers, celery, and garlic.
- Heat some more olive oil in a large saute pan until hot. Add eggplant mix to the pan and cook until lightly caramelized. Stir in seasonings and tomato and heat until tomatoes soften.
- Mix vegetables with quinoa, herbs, walnuts, and lemon. Taste to make sure seasoning is correct.
- Stuff mixture back into eggplants. Top with breadcrumbs, cheese, and a little more olive oil.
- Return to the oven until cheese is melty and breadcrumbs are browned.
Sauce Piquante
- 2 oz olive oil
- 3 oz carrots, rough chop
- 2 oz onion, rough chop
- 2 oz celery, rough chop
- 1 ea jalapeno
- 1 ea bay leaf
- 1 ea thyme sprig
- 3 tomatoes, fresh chopped
- 4 c vegetable stock
- 1 c white wine
- 1 ea garlic clove, chopped
- 1 Tbl salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
Method:
- Heat oil in a stainless steel stock pot
- Add mirepoix, bay leaf, thyme and fry to a light brown color.
- Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 mins. Puree and hold warm

Vegan Jambalaya
Material:
- 2 oz oil
- 1 vegan sausage, sliced
- 2 c onion, diced
- 1 c celery, diced
- 1 c bell peppers, diced
- ¼ c garlic, chopped
- 1 Impossible burger or other vegan ground meat
- 2 Tbl tomato paste
- 2 c diced tomatoes
- 2 ea bay leaf
- 4 ea thyme sprigs
- 1 Tbl oregano, dry
- 3 Tbl salt
- 2 Tbl black pepper
- 1 Tbl paprika
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 2 Tbl coconut aminos
- 4 c Brown rice, parcooked (simmer the brown rice in twice its amount of liquid with)
- 7 c vegetable stock, hot
- ½ c green onions, sliced thin
Method:
- Heat oil in large sauce pot over medium-high heat.
- When oil is hot stir in sausage and sauté until sausage is about halfway done.
- Add in onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic and let cook until lightly brown on the outside.
- Stir in Impossible meat and let cook until mostly done.
- Add tomato paste and tomatoes to the pot and let cook until rusty colored.
- Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to low simmer and cook covered for about 20 minutes.
- Turn off heat and let sit, fold in green onions and serve.

Maque Choux with Blackened Redfish
Ingredients:
- 1 oz oil
- 4 ea ears of corn
- 1 ea small onion, diced
- 1 ea celery stalk, diced
- 1 ea green bell pepper, diced
- 6 ea garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ea tomatoes, diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- pinch cayenne
- 3 ea thyme sprigs
- 1 ea bay leaf
- 2 qt vegetable stock
- ½ c vegan cream (1/2 c raw cashews soaked overnight then blended smooth)
Method:
- Shuck the corn. Then cut the kernels off the cob and place them in a bowl.
- Next, turn your knife sideways and scrape down the sides of the corn cob with the dull side, and collect all the “milk” that runs out.
- Place the corn cobs and stock in a pot and bring to a boil, then let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- While the stock is going, saute the onion, celery, bell peppers, and garlic over high heat until translucent.
- Add the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, corn, seasonings, and tomatoes, and cook until the tomatoes break down.
- Moisten pan with corn stock; cook until liquid is reduced and pan caramelizes a bit
- Do the last step again. Do it again. This process builds intense flavor.
- Turn off heat, add vegan cream, and adjust seasoning if needed
Blackened Redfish
Ingredients:
- 3-4 redfish fillet, blood line out
- 1 c blackening seasoning
- Avocado, grapeseed, or canola oil. (Olive oil will taste burnt here.)
Method:
- Heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat.
- Brush oil on redfish and sprinkle with seasonings.
- When cast iron is hot, carefully place redfish into pan, laying it down away from you.
- Let cook a few minutes on the first side to get good color.
- Flip fish over, reduce heat to medium, and let finish cooking. You could also transfer to an oven if you are afraid of burning.
To make Blackening seasoning mix 2 parts creole seasoning, 1 part paprika, and ½ part granulated garlic together.

Banana Fosters with Pecan Praline
Ingredients:
- 1 doz bananas
- Sugar
Method:
- Split bananas in half. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Brulee with blow torch!
Whipped “Cream”
Ingredients:
- 1 ea can of chickpea liquid
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¾ c powdered sugar
- 1 Tb vanilla extract
- 2 Tbl oil, if desired
Method:
- Place liquid in a bowl and add cream of tartar.
- Using a hand mixer, whip the liquid until frothy, then kick it up to high speed.
- Whip to stiff peaks. This can take up to 7-10 minutes.
- When stiff, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip on high to incorporate.
- If you want a richer texture, beat the oil in on high speed for about 5 seconds. Do not overmix.
- Serve immediately or freeze. Will deflate in the fridge if left too long.
Praline Pecans
Ingredients:
- 16 oz pecans
- Chick pea can liquid
- 3 oz brown sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp creole spice
Method
- Preheat oven to 250ᵒF. Toss nuts in aquafaba then drain. Toss with seasonings. Cook 10 mins, then 225ᵒF for 10 mins.
Whipped Yogurt
Ingredients:
- 2 c Greek yogurt
- ½ c heavy cream
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 Tbl honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
Method:
- Place all ingredients into a stand mixer or tabletop mixer and mix with the whisk attachment on low
- Once everything is incorporated, increase speed to high and let mix about 2 minutes.
- Scrape bowl, check for fluffiness, continue whipping if necessary.