Recipe of the Week: Market Vegetable Fried Rice (via A Couple Cooks)

At the Indy Winter Farmers Market, we are lucky to be able to call the dynamic duo behind local food blog A Couple Cooks our friends. Sonja and Alex create beautiful and delicious recipes featuring fresh, whole foods. They frequently pick up their ingredients at the Indy Winter Farmers Market. Here is a recipe they have created for Market Vegetable Fried Rice. Make sure you check out their blog for more recipes, beautiful pictures and fun!

Market Vegetable Fried Rice

 

by: a Couple Cooks

Serves: 3 to 4

What You Need

• ½ yellow onion
• 1 large garlic clove
• 3 carrots
• 2 turnips
• ¼ small cabbage
• 4 small bok choy heads
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 4 cups cooked brown rice, at least one day old
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Black pepper

What To Do

1. Dice the onion, and mince the garlic. Peel the carrots and turnips, then dice them. Shred the cabbage. Chop off the bottoms of the bok choy, then thinly slice (chiffonade) the leaves.
2. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Saute the carrots, onion, and turnips 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and cabbage and saute for 2 minutes. Add the 2 eggs and scramble them in for 1 minute. Add the garlic, ½ cup peas, 4 cups rice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ½ to 1 tablespoon additional sesame oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Heat, stirring, until all rice is coated. Serve hot.

Recipe of the Week: Spring Salads (via A Couple Cooks)

Temperatures are warming, the sun is keeping the evening lighter for longer, and bulbs are peaking their tops out of the soil. It's spring! Here are few spring-inspired side dish recipes from local food bloggers, A Couple Cooks: Radish and Pea Salad with Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette and Grilled Carrots with Lime and Cilantro. If either of these recipes intrigue you, head on over to the Indy Winter Farmers Market on Saturday to pick up the necessary lettuce, radishes, fresh oregano, olive oil, carrots and cilantro. See you Saturday!

Radish and Pea Salad with Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette

 

by: a Couple Cooks

Serves: 4

What You Need

• 1 head lettuce
• 1 bunch radishes
• 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
• 1 lemon (zest and juice)
• 1 handful fresh oregano
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

What To Do

1. Wash and dry the lettuce; chop it into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the radishes. Zest the lemon.
2. If the peas are frozen, thaw them in some warm water. If the peas are fresh, boil some water, add the peas and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until tender and bright green, then remove them and rinse with cold water.
3. Chop the fresh oregano. In a canning jar, add the oregano, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper. Shake vigorously to combine. (Alternatively, whisk these ingredients together in a bowl.)
4. To serve, place the lettuce leaves in serving bowls or plates. Top with sliced radishes, peas, crumbled feta cheese, and lemon zest. Drizzle with vinaigrette and top with fresh ground pepper.

Grilled Carrots with Lime and Cilantro

 

by: a Couple Cooks

Serves: 4

What You Need

• 1 pound small carrots (or large carrots cut in half lengthwise)
• 1 lime
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
• A few pinches of cumin
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

What To Do

1. Preheat a grill to medium heat. (or, toss the carrots with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper, and roast at 400°F for 20 minutes.)
2. Wash the carrots and toss them with a bit of olive oil in a bowl. Place the carrots on the grill and cook until the carrots turn paler in color and a bit wrinkled; flip over and cook the same amount (around 8 minutes total for small carrots; the timing will depend on the thickness of the carrots). When fully cooked, the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork.
3. Roughly chop the cilantro.
4. When the carrots are done, place them in a bowl and toss them with juice from 1 lime, a few pinches kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, cilantro, and a few pinches of cumin.

Recipe of the Week: Superfood Salad (via A Couple Cooks)

Local food bloggers, A Couple Cooks, have created another recipe that delivers delicious flavor while also nourishing your body with nutrients: Superfood Salad. This healthy bowl features many ingredients patrons can find at the Indy Winter Farmers Market.

Superfood Salad

 

by: a Couple Cooks

Makes: 1

What You Need

• ⅓ cup cooked chopped sweet potato
• ½ cup cooked wild rice
• 1 raw beet
• 2 radishes
• ¼ cup shredded cucumber
• ½ avocado
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 handful mixed greens
• 1 tablespoon pepitas
• 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

What To Do

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Dice 1 large sweet potato; place it in a bowl and mix with enough olive oil to coat and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the sweet potatoes onto the sheet. Add fresh ground pepper and roast until tender, about 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the wild rice according to the package instructions.
4. Peel and thinly slice the beet. Thinly slice 2 radishes. Peel and grate ¼ cup cucumber. Slice ½ avocado. Chop 2 tablespoons cilantro.
5. To serve, place the salad greens in a bowl. Arrange small piles of each component. Drizzle with the juice of 1 lime and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Top with sunflower seeds or peptias.

Recipe of the Week: Radish and Egg Salad Sandwiches (via A Couple Cooks)

Local food bloggers Sonja and Alex Overhiser of A Couple Cooks have plenty of delicious recipes that feature fresh, whole foods. Here is an easy, delicious recipe for a fabulous lunch: Radish and Egg Salad Sandwiches. Recipe ingredients like eggs, radishes, bread and microgreens for a garnish can all be purchased at the Indy Winter Farmers Market.

Radish and Egg Salad Sandwiches

by: a Couple Cooks

Makes: 4

What You Need

• 8 eggs
• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 bunch chives
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Alfalfa sprouts
• 8 slices whole grain bread

What To Do

1. Boil the eggs, using the Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs method.
2. When the eggs are cooked and cooled, peel them and chop them roughly.
3. Wash the radishes, then cut them in half and thinly slice them. Thinly slice 3 tablespoons chives.
4. In a bowl, combine the eggs, radishes, and chives with ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Taste, then add more seasonings as desired.
5. To assemble, spread egg salad on one bread slice, then top with sprouts and another bread slice.

Recipe of the Week: Two-Potato Hash with Soft-Boiled Eggs (via A Couple Cooks)

Local food bloggers Sonja and Alex Overhiser of A Couple Cooks have created yet another IWFM inspired recipe. On the menu this time? Two-Potato Hash with Soft-Boiled Eggs. The ingredients for this brunch dish can all be found at the Indy Winter Farmers Market. The Overhisers used eggs and greens from Full Hand Farm and garnished their beautiful dish with microgreens from Growing Places Indy. 

To get the recipes for the full A Couple Cooks brunch spread, which includes Blood Orange and Quinoa Muffins with Crystalized Ginger-Thyme Butter and Blood Orange Rosemary Sparkling Water, visit their post here.

Two-Potato Hash with Soft-Boiled Eggs

by: a Couple Cooks

Makes: 4

What You Need

• 1 ¼ pound sweet potatoes
• 1 ¼ pound red skinned potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups tender greens
• Microgreens for garnish (optional)

What To Do

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Wash the red skinned and sweet potatoes, removing any bad spots but leaving the peels on.
3. Small dice the potatoes. In a bowl, mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper; mix thoroughly to combine. Pour the potatoes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes until slightly browned and cooked through, stirring once.
4. To prepare the soft boiled eggs, fill a saucepan with enough water to cover six eggs and bring to a boil. Once boiling, carefully lower the eggs into the water. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 6 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl with ice water. After 6 minutes, transfer the eggs to the bowl of water and allow to cool. Then gently peel the eggs.
6. When the potatoes are done, mix them with 2 cups greens and allow the heat to slightly wilt the greens.
7. To serve, place potatoes on a plate, then top with egg, a bit of kosher salt and pepper, and microgreens if desired.

Season Eating in Central Indiana, All Year Long

The December/January issue of Urban Times was delivered all over downtown Indianapolis neighborhoods last week. For those of you unaware, Growing Places Indy (the nonprofit behind IWFM) contributes an article each issue on a broad range of topics. Staying on topic for the holiday season, Liz Wertz, our social media strategist, wrote about the benefits of eating seasonal foods and how to prepare delicious, seasonal meals. Continue below to read the full article. A special thank you to A Couple Cooks, a local blog, for contributing one of their many delicious recipes to our piece.

Seasonal Eating in Central Indiana, All Year Long

As terms such as “locavore,” “foodie,” and “slow food” become more prevalent in everyday conversation, I think it is safe to say the trend of eating whole, fresh, locally sourced foods is on more and more people’s minds. After spending my summer as a Growing Places Indy apprentice and now as an employee, my grasp of the local food system and my love for sustainability has grown; however, this growing emphasis on eating local is not just for the crunchy, free spirited generation. There are plenty of reasons why we should all, as an urban community in an ever-improving Indianapolis, take a closer look at where our food comes from and explore the benefits of eating local, fresh foods.

Just think about the impact you can have on carbon emissions by eating food that is grown near you. When food travels tens of miles instead of thousands of miles on trucks, planes, or boats to get to your plate, carbon emissions are greatly reduced. Another reason to eat locally is the tremendously positive community impact created by sourcing local foods. Farmers market patrons develop relationships with growers and producers, which cycles money spent on food directly back into our own community.  Finally, when your food is grown near you, you know it is in season when you buy it!

Seasonal foods are picked at the peak of their freshness. This freshness provides higher nutritional content and flavor. Just ponder for a second, which tastes better: a deep red tomato picked from your backyard garden, still hot from the summer sun, or a hard, mealy tomato you pick up at a mass grocery store in the winter? Exactly: the juicy, summer tomatoes are the winners all the way! This is because in Central Indiana, garden- and farm-grown tomatoes hit their peak in the summer. Many people believe their options for eating seasonally year-round here in Indianapolis are too limited by the weather as the winter months blow in. A visit to the Indy Winter Farmers Market, though, should convince you otherwise and open up a whole new world of seasonal eating. Come peruse all the wonderful produce that our area farmers grow all winter long.

If better flavor, nutrients, and relationships still have not convinced you to eat seasonally, perhaps the fact that eating what is in season locally is better for your wallet and the local economy! If a crop is in season locally, that means there is more of the crop available. It is also important to note that buying local, seasonal food directly supports the growers and producers in our community. Instead of giving your money to big box stores, shopping for seasonal produce at farmers markets and other direct farm-to-consumer networks sends your money directly back into your own community.

Now that you are (hopefully) convinced to give seasonal eating a go this winter, here is a list of vegetables and fruits you can devour in the coming months and a few festive recipes to enjoy at

upcoming holiday parties:

• Beets
• Brussels sprouts
• Carrots
• Greens (arugula, cabbage, kale, lettuce mix, spinach, Swiss chard)
• Kohlrabi
• Micro-greens
• Potatoes
• Radishes
• Turnips
• Winter Squash

Growing Places Indy Farm Manager Tyler’s Easy & Festive Brussels Sprouts

• 2 c Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Pepper to taste 

1) Heat olive oil in skillet. Add onions, sauté for approximately 5 minutes.

2)  Add Brussels sprouts and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add soy sauce, stir and cover for 5 minutes.

4) Add pepper and serve!

Roasted Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pistachio Stuffing

*Recipe courtesy of A Couple Cooks, a local blog from writer and photographer husband and wife team, Sonja and Alex Overhiser.

•  4 acorn squash
• 1 ½ c wild rice
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 shallot
• 1 bunch kale
•  3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 c pistachios, chopped

1) Preheat oven to 450F.

2) In a medium pot, add 1 ½ c wild rice, 4 ½ c water, and a few pinches of kosher salt; bring to a boil, then simmer for about 45 minutes until tender. Drain any remaining liquid from the pot.

3)  Meanwhile, chop each of the acorn squash in half and then in quarters. Using a spoon, scrape out the guts and seeds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil on the cut sides; sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Turn cut side down on the sheet and roast until tender, about 40 minutes.

4) While squash roasts, finely dice garlic cloves and shallot. Cut the kale into thin strips (chiffonade). In a large skillet, heat 1 to 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil; add garlic and shallot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the shallots are soft. Then add the kale and sauté for about 2 to 3 additional minutes until the kale is tender and bright green. Turn off the heat and stir in the rice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

5)  To serve, place squash quarters on plate. Top with wild rice stuffing, then sprinkle with feta and chopped pistachios. (Alternatively, feta and pistachios can be mixed into the wild rice stuffing).

All of these seasonal crops, free-range, hormone free meats, and much more can be found at specialty groceries like Indy Food Co-op Pogue’s Run Grocers and the Indy Winter Farmers Market (IWFM). The IWFM runs Saturdays through April 25^th from 9 am-12:30 pm in the Platform, located in the west end of the Indianapolis City Market. Open up a wintery world of possibilities in your own kitchen this winter by making a commitment to seasonal eating! Happy holidays from everyone at Growing Places Indy!