It’s officially harvest season, and you know what that means… Time to get cooking with all that fresh produce! The CVG staff has collected some of our favorite recipes, and we’re sharing them with you. Bon Appetit!
It’s a scientific fact that a recipe tastes better when it’s made from fresh ingredients you grew yourself. (Okay, it may not be actual science… but we think it’s true!)
If you’re looking for fresh ideas for using your homegrown fruits, veggies, and herbs, here are some tasty recipes curated by our CVG team.
The Best Zucchini Bread
Courtesy of Holly Nilsson from Spend with Pennies, submitted by CVG employee K. Furrer
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups zucchini (grated/shredded)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts (chopped)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 ̊F. Line two 8×4 loaf pans with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the zucchini, oil, and vanilla. Mix together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Add the walnuts and mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly over the prepared pans, and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans for five minutes. Remove from the pans, and cool on a wire rack.
Crisp Coleslaw
Courtesy of CVG employee Joleen Alexander
Ingredients
Vegetable Mixture:
- One medium head of cabbage
- 3 stalks celery
- 1 green pepper
- ½ of an onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
Coleslaw Dressing:
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
Directions
- Chop up the cabbage. Sprinkle salt over cabbage. Let stand for one hour, then squeeze all the juice out of the cabbage. Discard juice.
- Chop up the remaining vegetables.
- Mix vegetables and cabbage together and let stand.
- In a saucepan, mix together the coleslaw dressing ingredients. Bring to a boil, and let boil for one minute. Let stand until cooled.
- Once the dressing has cooled, combine with the cabbage mixture.
Cucumber Salad
Courtesy of CVG employee Liz Tolbert
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers (peeled and sliced)
- 1 white onion or shallot (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup sour cream
- Garlic (minced)
- Fresh dill leaves (finely minced)
- White vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
Directions
- Combine sour cream, vinegar, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper. Pour over sliced cucumbers and onions.
- Stir together, cover, and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
Author’s Note
- This is a very simple recipe. I don’t measure – just taste.
Green Beans with Bacon
Courtesy of CVG employee Joleen Alexander
Ingredients
- Green Beans
- 3-4 pieces of bacon
- 1 tablespoon-¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Directions
- Fill a small colander with green beans. Wash beans and snap off the ends. Put the beans in a pot, and cover with water. Add a generous amount of salt to the pot. Boil beans until tender, about 6-12 minutes.
- While the beans are boiling, chop up the bacon into small pieces. Fry bacon to desired tenderness. Keep bacon in the drippings and set aside.
- When beans are done, drain all but ⅓ of the liquid off the beans. Reheat bacon and drippings. Pour beans and liquid in with the bacon and drippings.
- Add apple cider vinegar to taste. Depending on the amount of beans you have, the amount will vary. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot.
Author’s Note
- Any type of string bean will work with this recipe.
Liz’s Take on the Famous Charlie Bird Farro Salad
Courtesy of CVG employee Liz Tolbert
Ingredients
Farro:
- 1 cup farro (uncooked)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 bay leaf
Kale Salad Mix:
- 1-2 cups kale
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ½ cup fresh mint
- 4-5 radishes (sliced)
- 10-12 cherry tomatoes (halved)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
- Salt
- Shaved parmesan cheese
Directions
- Cook the farro according to instructions, substituting half the water with apple cider. Cook until done, remove bay leaf, and let cool.
- Destem and chop kale. Massage kale with a little olive oil, and work with your hands for about five minutes to soften it.
- Mix the olive oil and lemon juice together and add to the farro while it is still warm.
- Chop the herbs, slice the radishes, and halve the tomatoes. Mix together, and add salt to taste.
- On a platter, layer the chopped kale, then farro, then vegetables and herb mixture. Top with chopped pistachios and shaved parmesan.
Author’s Notes
- Use the larger side of a cheese grater to shred the zucchini. There is no need to peel it first, unless it is a very large garden zucchini with thick skin.
- If the zucchini is extra large (from the garden) you may need to scrape out some of the seeds.
- Do not squeeze the zucchini dry – the moisture is needed in this bread.
- You can keep zucchini bread on the counter for up to two days. It’s very moist, so if you’ll be keeping it longer you’ll want to freeze it.
Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup
Courtesy of Joanne Schweitzer from No Plate Like Home, submitted by CVG employee Martha Annis
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ pounds cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ tsp salt or to taste
- pepper to taste
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth (heated)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Add tomatoes, garlic, and oil to a baking dish. Toss to coat tomatoes.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before going onto the next step.
- Add tomatoes with oil from baking pan to a blender. Add broth, basil, salt, pepper and cream. Blend on low until smooth (30-60 seconds).
Author’s Notes
- If you choose to strain the tomato skin, do it before you add the cream, broth, basil, salt and pepper.
- Let cool and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Zucchini, Squash, and Tomatoes
Courtesy of Jaclyn from Cooking Classy, submitted by CVG employee Barb Kass
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini (cut into ½-inch thick slices)
- 2 small yellow squash (cut into ½-inch thick slices)
- 14 ounces Flavorino or small Campari tomatoes (halved)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (finely shredded)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh or dried parsley
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line an 18 x13 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Let rest 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to infuse into oil. Place zucchini, squash, and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Pour olive oil mixture over top, and gently toss with hands to evenly coat.
- Pour the vegetables onto the prepared baking dish, and spread into an even layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and the Parmesan is golden brown. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve warm.
Zucchini Coffee Cake
Courtesy of CVG employee K. Furrer
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter (softened)
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup mini cinnamon chips
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until combined.
- Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time and mix until combined.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix into wet ingredients.
- Stir in zucchini and vanilla.
- Pour into two loaf pans.
- Bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Bonus Tip: Freeze Your Extra Tomatoes
Courtesy of Lillian Anderson from Homemaking Tips, submitted by CVG employee Martha Annis
Ingredients
- Garden tomatoes
Directions
- Wash the tomatoes and remove the stems.
- Place in an airtight freezer bag, and label with the date.
Author’s Notes
- When you take the tomatoes out of the freezer, put them in the sink while still frozen, turn the hot water on, and the peelings will come off easily.
- You can cut the tomatoes up while still frozen and add to any recipe.
Is your mouth watering yet? Give these recipes a try… and let us know what you think!
For more tips on how to grow and use fresh produce in your garden, check out: The Art of Homestead Gardening, What to Do with Your Fall Fruits and Veggies, and A Ten-Step Guide to Growing Your Indoor Herb Garden.
To see what’s springing up around the greenhouse, sign up for our newsletter.
