Our FoodRx event on October 11, 2024 was a night of healthy cooking and learning about the positive impact plant-forward diets have on health and disease. Executive Chef Matt Palamara lead us in a lively hands-on cooking class and dinner. This evening’s theme was Mediterranean.
Farro and Chickpea Peperonata
3 c cooked chickpeas
3 c cooked farro
¼ c olive oil
1 ea onion, sliced thin
5 ea peppers (mixture of colors)
1 ½ small hot pepper (or ½- ¾ tsp chile flakes/crushed red pepper if desired)
6 ea garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbl capers
4-5 Tbl red wine vinegar
½ c basil leaves, sliced thin
¾ c parsley, minced
Salt and pepper
2-3 Tbl balsamic vinegar
Method:
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion, peppers, and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat in the olive oil and cook until softened
- Stir in the garlic and capers and cook another 3-4 minutes. Add red wine vinegar.
- Reduce heat a bit and let vinegar reduce some. Stir in chickpeas and farro and let heat until warm.
- Add basil, parsley, and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve with a few drops of balsamic vinegar (more or less depending on taste)
Vegetarian Moussaka
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Once all components are made, layer eggplant, potato and meat sauce together in a pan and top with béchamel. Top with bread crumbs and cheese and bake for 30-45 mins.
Ingredients for eggplant:
1.5 # eggplant, peeled, diced
1 Tbl salt
½ tsp chili flakes
½ c olive oil
Method:
- Toss eggplant in salt and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain.
- Heat oil in large sauté pan. Fry eggplant with chili flakes until lightly browned.
Ingredients for Tomato sauce:
¼ c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 ea onion, diced
2 ea garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 # cooked black lentils
2 Tbl tomato paste
2 c veg stock
2 Tbl salt
2 tsp pepper
1 c diced tomatoes
2 c mushrooms, sliced
½ c raisins
1 Tbl dry oregano
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
Method:
- Heat oil in a sauce pot and stir in the onion and cook until translucent
- Once translucent, add garlic and crushed pepper and cook until fragrant
- Add tomato paste and cook for another minute
- Stir in stock, lentils, and seasonings; cover and cook 30 minutes.
- Stir in mushrooms, diced tomatoes and raisins and let cook 30 more minutes
- Add water if necessary to keep lentils covered
Ingredients for cheese sauce:
1.5 oz oil
3 Tbl flour
3 c Soy milk
1 ea bay leaf
½ c onion, diced
pinch nutmeg
½ c vegan feta cheese
½ c vegan parmesan cheese
2 ½ Tbl water
1 Tbl flax seed meal
Method:
- Heat oil in small sauce pot. Saute onions until softened. Whisk in flour and cook until nutty.
- Stir in milk, bay leaf, and nutmeg and let simmer about 30 mins.
- While the sauce is simmering, mix flax seed and water together and let sit.
- When sauce is thickened, whisk in cheeses, flax seed mixture, and adjust seasoning.
Ingredients for Potatoes:
1.5 # golden potato, diced
1 gal water
¼ c salt
2 Tbl green onion, sliced thin
½ ea parsley bunches, chiffonade
1 Tbl Oregano, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Bring water and salt to a boil. Par cook potatoes then chill; season with salt, pepper, and herbs.
Shrimp and Pine Nut Greek Salad
3 # shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt, pepper, and creole seasoning as needed
Olive oil as needed
1 ea English cucumber, small dice
2 ea large red pepper, small dice
4 ea medium tomatoes, small dice
2 ea small red onion, small dice
½ c feta
1 c chives or green onions, minced
½ c fresh dill, mince
½ c fresh basil, mince
6 Tbl fresh mint, mince
1 c Pine nuts
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
Dressing Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1 Tbl dried oregano or 1 large handful fresh oregano finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ c lemon juice
1 Tbl red wine vinegar
3 ea garlic cloves pressed
Method:
- Heat a little olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Pat shrimp dry and season with salt, pepper, and creole seasoning.
- Add shrimp to pan and cook until done.
- Remove shrimp from the pan and let cool.
- While that is going on, make dressing by whisking all ingredients together
- Place remaining salad ingredients into a bowl, add the cooled shrimp, and toss with dressing.
“Meatballs” and Spicy Red Pesto
Meatball Ingredients:
4 Tbl bulgur wheat
8 ea cremini mushrooms
3 c canned cannellini beans
2/3 c breadcrumbs
6 Tbl cannellini bean water
2 Tbl flax seed meal
1 Tbl salt
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp nutmeg
Method:
- Preheat oven to 375ᵒF. While oven is preheating, bring ¼ c water to a boil and then add the bulger.
- Remove from heat and let sit 15 minutes.
- In a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until finely chopped with a few pea-sized pieces left
- Remove mushrooms, place in a bowl, and repeat with the chickpeas.
- Add the chickpeas to the mushroom bowl, then add remaining ingredients (including bulger).
- Mix well, scoop into 2 dozen meatballs (about 2 tsp each), place on greased cookie sheet and bake 18-20 minutes.
Red Pesto Ingredients:
1 1/3 c olive oil
1 c sundried tomatoes, rough chopped
1 c chopped walnuts
2/3 c tomato paste
6 ea garlic cloves
2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper as needed
1 c roasted red peppers
2 c parmesan cheese, grated
2 # whole wheat pasta
Method :
- Bring large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt.
- Heat 1 Tbl of olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Season with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant.
- Take off heat and let cool.
- Place roasted pepper, parmesan, and chilled tomato mixture into a food processor.
- Blend while adding olive oil until uniform in consistency. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Boil pasta until done, strain, toss with pesto, and serve with meatballs.
Lemon Basil Italian Ice
6 c water
1 ½ c agave syrup
1 c basil leaves, sliced thin
4 tsp lemon juice
4 Tbl lemon juice
Method:
- Place water and agave syrup in a pan and bring to a boil.
- Cook until syrup is dissolved, then take off the heat and let sit about 10 minutes.
- Stir in basil and let steep 30 minutes.
- Strain basil leaves out of syrup and stir in lemon zest and juice.
- Pour into a shallow pan and let freeze, scraping every 30 minutes until slushy like.
