Looking for some Easter recipe ideas? We’ve pulled a few of our favourites from the past for you to check out!
Potato Ham Soup
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, chopped
1 medium sized carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 white potatoes, chopped to bite sized
½ head of cauliflower, roughly chopped to bite sized pieces
1 ham steak (or about 1 cup ham), chopped
6 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup cream
1 tsp thyme, ground
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and saute until tender. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Add the vegetable stock, and potatoes to the pot. Cook on low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and ham and continue to cook until cauliflower and potatoes are tender.
Add ground thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cream.
Serve hot.
Note: you can serve this topped with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, a dollop of sour cream, and sliced green onions for added freshness and flavour!
Root Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner
Sheet pan dinners are super easy and filling! You can omit the protein and use this as a side dish as well. Use any vegetables that you like and that you have on hand. This is a great way to use up those veggies that aren’t looking so fresh, but because we are roasting them, they are perfect for the job!
Ingredients: recommendations only
2 medium carrots, cut into wedges
1/2 onion (red/yellow/white, whatever you have!)
1 parsnip
½ beet, chopped (will change the colour of other vegetables on the pan)
5 mushrooms, cut into quarters
1 head of broccoli
2-3 potatoes (white, red, sweet, whatever you want!)
5-6 Brussels sprouts, halved
5 turkey sausages (if using as a meal)
2-3 generous tablespoons of olive oil or another
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut up all vegetables and slice turkey sausages. Lay out on a roasting pan.
Cover in oil, and seasonings.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.
Leek & Potato Gratin
Ingredients
Filling
2 leeks, washed thoroughly, cut in half, and sliced into half-rounds
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 head roasted garlic, cloves removed and puréed*
1 cup milk
½ cup Parmesan cheese
4 – 5 potatoes, washed and thinly sliced
¼ cup milk
Breadcrumb Topping
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Parmesan
1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Melt 2 tablespoons of salted butter in a cast iron pan, over medium heat.
Add the washed and sliced leeks and cook until softened and just starting to brown.
Add the thyme and paprika and stir until leeks are coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste (~1/4 teaspoon of each).
Add the pureed roasted garlic and flour and again stir until leeks coated. Roasted garlic may start to stick/burn, so quickly add a bit of milk once leeks are coated. If anything does stick, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck-on bits.
Slowly add the rest of the milk, using a spatula to stir and combine. Once all milk has been added, pour in the Parmesan and again mix until evenly combined. The mixture will be very thick. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as required.
Turn off the heat and remove ¾ of the leek and sauce mixture from the pan. Place in a small pan for use later on. Spread the remaining ¼ of the sauce evenly across the bottom of the pan.
Add a layer of sliced potatoes to the pan, until the bottom is fully covered.
Add ¼ of the mixture back to the pan, and spread out until potatoes are as covered as possible.
Repeat this process two more times. After the final leek mixture has been added, top the pan with the final ¼ cup of milk.
Next, add the breadcrumb mixture to the top of the pan.
To make the bread crumb topping melt 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave. Add the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and stir until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly overtop of the cast iron pan.
Place the prepared pan into the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until bubbly and potatoes are soft when poked with a fork.
Serve as a side with a protein and vegetable of your choice.
*To make roasted garlic, slice the top off of a whole bulb of garlic, and place on a large piece of tinfoil. Drizzle the garlic bulb with canola oil, and then tightly wrap up the foil. Place in the oven and bake at 425°F for ~45 minutes, until garlic cloves are caramelized and soft, and can be easily squeezed out of their papery outer layer.
Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD
New Potato and Spinach Curry with Halloumi
Ingredients
1 head spinach, washed and roughly chopped
1 pint new potatoes, washed and cut so that sizes are all roughly similar
¼ cup minced garlic scapes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon red chili powder (different than ‘regular’ chili powder – much more spice!)
2 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons water
½ cup cream
1 block halloumi, sliced
1 tablespoon canola oil
Instructions
Begin by prepping all ingredients: wash and chop your veggies, chop the halloumi, and measure out the spices, tomato paste, and cream. Having everything ready to add to the pan as needed will speed up the process!
Add canola oil to a large pan and turn on to medium-high heat. Cook until golden brown, then flip and repeat. This should take about 5 minutes per side. Once done, remove from the pan and set aside.
While the halloumi cooks, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add your prepared new potatoes and cook for 15 minutes.
While the potatoes cook, add the garlic scapes to the pan you cooked the halloumi in. Stir often and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Next, add spices and tomato paste to the pan. Cook for another minute or so, then add the water.
Add the spinach and stir and cook until wilted. Add the cream and stir until combined. Reduce heat to low at this time.
By now the new potatoes should be done cooking. Drain the water then add them to the pan with the spinach curry. Stir until potatoes are coated.
Finally, add the cooked halloumi slices to the pan as well.
Serve with a dollop of yogurt and enjoy!
Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD
Homemade Hashbrowns
*Makes ~8 hashbrowns
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes, about 1 pound
¼ - ½ an onion, diced (1/2 cup)
4 tablespoons cooking oil
Salt
Pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly, removing any eyes or spots. Leave the skin on otherwise though, for extra flavour and nutrients!
Once potatoes are prepped, shred them using a box shredder.
Transfer all potato shreds to a thin tea towel, and pull up the edges so they are contained within the cloth. Squeeze the tea towel, expressing as much liquid as possible from the potato shreds.
Place the drained potato shreds into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
Next, dice the onion, then add to the bowl with the potato shreds.
Finally, add the spices, salt, and pepper to the bowl then mix to combine.
Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a large frying pan, and heat over medium. Add one piece of diced onion to the pan to test the temperature of the oil. Once the onion starts to sizzle you know the pan is ready!
Use a large spring-loaded scoop to portion out the hashbrowns. Add one scoop at a time to the pan with preheated oil. You should be able to fit about 4 hasbrowns at a time. Use a spatula to flatten the scoop of hashbrowns. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and hashbrown holds its’ shape.
Carefully flip, press down, and cook for another 5 minutes, again until golden brown.
Transfer the cooked hashbrowns to a plate lined with papertowel and place in the oven to keep warm. I like to preheat the oven to approximately 180°F before doing this!
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the frying pan and repeat the process of making the final four hashbrowns.
Serve with a protein and vegetable for a delicious meal! Pictured here is crumbled tofu and roasted bell peppers but they would also pair well with a fried sunny side up egg, sausages, or grilled chicken. A side salad would make a great accompaniment as well!
Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
4 small-medium sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups kale or spinach, roughly chopped
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, omit if you don’t like spice)
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated + 2 additional tablespoons
1 cup protein of choice (we used a mix of shredded chicken & bacon!)
2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Poke holes in the sweet potatoes (using a knife or fork), then lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Transfer to the oven and roast until potatoes are soft, around 40 minutes.
Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and allow to cool slightly, for 10 minute or so.
While the potatoes cool, add canola oil to a pan over medium heat.
Add one piece of diced onion to the pan, and when it starts to sizzle you know the pan is hot enough!
Add the remaining onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until softened slightly.
Add the kale, garlic, and balsamic vinegar, and cook for an additional 5 minutes or so, until kale is wilted and softened, vinegar is evaporated, and garlic is nice & fragrant. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
By now the potatoes should be cool enough to touch.
Slice each potato in half, being careful to keep the skin intact.
Carefully scoop the potato out of the skin, and place in a large mixing bowl.
Reserve the potato skins and leave them on the baking tray.
Mash the sweet potato thoroughly, until smooth with just a few lumps here and there. If you prefer a very smooth texture you can blend with a hand mixer.
At this point you can remove about ½ cup of the potato and reserve for another use. I like to save for making soup or homemade dog treats! If you don’t remove some potato the recipe will still work, but you will likely have very full potatoes 😊
Add the cream cheese, and 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella to the sweet potato. Mix to combine, until cheeses are melted and evenly combined.
Add the kale mixture and protein and again mix to combine.
Season with salt and pepper and give the filling a final mix together.
Next transfer the sweet potato filling back into the potato skins, about 1 cup per potato.
Top each potato with a sprinkling of the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese.
Transfer the stuffed potatoes back to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned.
If you find the cheese isn’t browning quickly enough, throw the broiler on for a minute or so at the end!
Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD
Garlic Parmesan Butter Roasted Potatoes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes (or about 20 baby potatoes)
4 tbsp melted butter, set aside half for use later
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (shaker parmesan will also work)
2 tbsp minced garlic (or garlic powder)
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 ̊F
Microwave the whole potatoes for about 5 minutes or until they start to soften. Check with a fork.
Carefully transfer the potatoes to a roasting pan and using a flat tool (like a mallet or masher) smash the potatoes until they are about 1 inch thick. Bake for about 20 minutes.
Mix the parmesan, minced garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper together in a bowl.
Coat the potatoes in the melted butter and then in the seasoning mixture.
Bake again for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly crispy on the outside.
Serve as a warm side with your meal.
Cheesy Smashed New Potatoes & Garlic Scapes
Ingredients
12small to medium-sized new potatoes
10 garlic scapes
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
½ cup cheese of choice
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Instructions
Place new potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cook for8-10minutes, until they form small splits and are fork tender.
While they boil, preheat the oven to 425°F and make the garlic scape topping.
To make the scape topping, roughly chop the garlic scapes. Add to a blender along with ¼ cup water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until a rough, thick sauce forms.
Transfer boiled potatoes to a baking sheet lined with parchment and smash down using a flat-bottomed cup.
Top each potato with a dab of butter. Olive oil could work too! Next, top each potato with a teaspoon of the garlic scape sauce.
Finally, sprinkle the shredded cheese over top of the potatoes.
Place the prepared potatoes into the oven and bake for 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
While they bake, whisk together the hot sauce & Greek yogurt. Serve the smashed potatoes with your yogurt dip and enjoy!
Note: there will be leftover garlic scape sauce. Save this and use it for mixing into pasta or scrambled eggs or topping your burgers, sandwiches, or wraps.
Recipe developed and photographed by on-farm Registered Dietitian Alex Chesney
Smashed New Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
This week we are excited to share a delicious-looking recipe with you courtesy of our friends over at The Grateful Plate! These ladies are big supporters of our Farm Market & Pick-Your-Own Patch, and were generous enough to create a recipe using goodies found in our patch! We think this potato salad would be the perfect addition to your long weekend. You can pick just about all of the ingredients yourself from our veggie patch, or grab them pre-picked from our farm market if you’re running short on time. Either way, give it a shot, and let us know what you think!
*Serves 4-6
A big and bright salad that incorporates farm fresh radishes, peas and new potatoes. It tastes amazing when served while the potatoes are still warm. Serve with a side of protein of choice for an easy summer meal!
Ingredients
Salad mix:
2 pounds new potatoes, washed, either small ones or larger ones cut to equal pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 cups mixed spring greens, washed
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh shelled peas
1/2 small red onion, sliced
4 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
1 green onion top, thinly sliced
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment; set aside.
Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small jar and shake well; set aside.
In a large bowl mix the potatoes with the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Place on the sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender and crispy brown. Remove from the oven and use the bottom of a mug to gently smash the potato pieces. They should still remain intact, just smushed! Set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
On a large platter layer the salad ingredients: start with the greens on the bottom and scatter the sliced radishes, peas and onion on top. Cut the eggs in half and place on the salad. Tuck in the bits on warm golden potatoes and finish with a sprinkle of green onion.
Serve immediately with the dressing.
Renee Mackey-Burson
The Grateful Plate
Instagram - @the.grateful.plate
Facebook - @thegratefulplate.ca
Leek and Potato Soup
The weather has been unpredictable lately — snowy and cold one day then slushy and warm the next. Regardless of the temperature, one thing has remained constant, and that’s my desire for soup. The winter months have always made me crave this warm and comforting meal, and that hasn’t changed this year! Their ease and versatility are also a great selling point. I de!ided to start off 2019 with a classic: leek and potato!
Both leeks and potatoes are crops that keep well long after harvest. The farm has settled into a quiet rhythm for these next few months, but we do still have a few veggies kicking around the barn. I rescued a bundle of leeks and a handful of potatoes to pair with leftover veggies from my fridge and then hit the kitchen!
When preparing the potatoes, I washed them thoroughly then removed any eyes and marks, otherwise leaving the skin intact. As with many fruits and vegetables, the skin houses the majority of the nutrients, particularly the fibre! When it comes to leeks, many consumers are not aware of their nutrition content. Are you? Just in case, I’ll fill you in! Leeks contain an incredibly high amount of Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin that helps our bodies heal wounds, and maintain the health of blood vessels and bones. Because it’s fat-soluble, it’s best absorbed when paired with fat. In this recipe, both the butter and the milk/cream contribute fat. Pretty neat, hey?
Overall, this soup is flavourful, creamy, and satisfying. It makes the perfect lunch for a chilly weekend, or a quick and easy dinner for those busy weeknights. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
*Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon cooking oil or butter
3 large leeks*, white parts sliced into coins
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 large carrot, diced (or 1 cup frozen diced carrots)
2 stalks celery, diced
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
4 medium potatoes, cubed
½ cup milk or cream
Instructions
Heat oil or butter in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Add one small piece of leek and wait for it to start to sizzle.
Once sizzling, add the rest of the sliced leeks. Cook for 3 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until leeks are softened.
Add minced garlic and other diced vegetables. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, again stirring frequently.
Next, add herbs and spices, mixing until all vegetables are evenly coated. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock and the potatoes and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low (maintaining a gentle simmer) and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
Once potatoes are softened, remove soup from heat. Blend the soup using an immersion blender or upright blender until a creamy consistency is achieved. Add the milk or cream and stir to combine.
*Be sure to wash the leeks very thoroughly, as although they are pre-washed before being sold, dirt has a way of working its way inside of this tasty veggie!
Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD
Late Summer Chowder
Cooler weather is approaching, the official start of autumn is around the corner, and soup season has arrived! I’m looking forward to being able to comfortably use the stove and oven again and put them to work cooking up the tasty fall recipes I have in mind. To start us off we’ve got a hearty, delicious, and easy chowder. Flavour is built by cooking the vegetables in stages, and coating them with a lovely combination of spices. A low-sodium vegetable broth and just a dash of salt at the end will ensure a hearty-healthy final bowl, and all the wonderful vegetables featured make for a soup that is satisfying and filling. Take advantage of these still-in-season vegetables combined with comfortable cooking temperatures and try this recipe today. Let me know what you think!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeno, diced (more or less, depending on spice tolerance!)
2 bell peppers, diced
2 cobs sweetcorn, cooked & removed from the cob
1 zucchini, diced
5 small red potatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon paprika, oregano, and parsley (each)
½ teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup milk
Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat until hot. A handy trick to test the readiness of the pan is to toss in a small piece of diced onion along with the oil. When it starts to sizzle you know you’ve reached the right temperature!
Once hot, add all the onion to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until translucent and softened.
Add the garlic and peppers and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the corn, zucchini, spices, and flour. Mix until vegetables are evenly coated with the spices & flour.
Next, slowly add the vegetable broth, stirring constantly.
Once all the broth has been mixed in, add the potatoes. Lower the heat slightly and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are softened.
Add the milk and stir until hot.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Enjoy!
Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD
Sweet Potato (Squash) Soup
Sweet Potato (Squash) Soup
*Serves 4-6
This soup features a few of the many fall veggies we have on the farm – delicata squash (aka sweet potato squash), sweet potato, and onion. Both of the squash are small and easy to peel & chop. These powerhouse ingredients are chock full of not only delicious flavour, but also vitamins A and C! Blending the soup + adding some coconut milk provides an amazingly creamy texture and the cinnamon and nutmeg add some wintertime depth to the overall flavour.
Ingredients:
2 delicata squash (aka sweet potato squash), peeled and cubed
2 large sweet potato, peeled and cube
1 onion, diced
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
Place vegetable broth in a medium-sized pot and add the diced onion and peeled and cubed squash and sweet potato over medium-high heat.
Bring mixture to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until squash and sweet potato are tender.
Blend soup mixture using an immersion blender or a blender. If using a blender, allow soup to cool and then transfer in small batches.
Once soup is blended, mix in coconut milk and spices. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD
Freshened-up Potato Salad
Potato salad is a staple during the summer months, but has a reputation for being loaded with mayo. I was determined to come up with a fresh, lighter version that still maintained the delicious flavour and creaminess we all love. Check out my take on this classic, using lots of herbs, Greek yogurt, and some extra veggies. It will be the star of the show at your next barbecue!
Ingredients:
Salad
1 quart red potatoes (1.5lbs), washed well, cut into equal bite-sized pieces (If potatoes are mixed sizes, cut larger, leave smaller ones whole)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon basil
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
Dressing
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp mayonnaise
Herbs: basil, oregano, onion flakes, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper – a pinch of each
1 tsp honey Dijon mustard
¾ cup other veggies (ie. red pepper, carrots, celery) – leave them raw to give the salad some crunch & texture
Instructions
Add potatoes to a medium sized pot and cover with water. Season the water with ½ tsp salt (potatoes will absorb more flavour while cooking vs. after!) Bring the water to a boil and cook potatoes for 8-10 minutes, until you can easily poke with a fork.
Drain the potatoes then spread out on a cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with vinegar and spices (basil, oregano, paprika, garlic powder) and allow the potatoes to cool completely.
To make the dressing, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayo, mustard and spices.
Once the potatoes are cool, gently toss with the other veggies and add the dressing. Mix gently to coat evenly. At this point, the salad can be served, or refrigerated overnight. Allowing it to sit will help the flavour profiles develop more fully.
Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD
