Happy National Celery Month! Lori Taylor of The Produce Moms, joined us this morning with recipes to take with you into Spring!

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 ribs Dandy® Celery diced
• 1 white onion diced
• 2 Carrots peeled and diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 3/4 cup green beans
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups chicken stock *sub vegetable stock to make soup vegetarian
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed *can sub kidney beans
• 1 zucchini diced
• 1 cup ditalini pasta *can sub elbow macaroni
• shredded parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

1. Add celery, onion, carrots, garlic, green beans, Italian seasoning, tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and bay leaves to a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
2. Add in the cannellini beans, zucchini, and pasta and cook on high for 20 minutes.
3. Serve hot and top with parmesan cheese.
4. Note: If you are using frozen or canned green beans, add them in step two instead of step one. 

Rainbow Buddha Bowls with Nutritious Microgreens

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup brown rice (short or long grain) (for 1-person servings, try microwavable rice bowls)
• 1 ½ cup organic edamame, frozen/shelled
• 1 small cucumber, very thinly sliced
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, thinly sliced strips (wait to cut until just before serving)
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce (reduced-sodium), OR certified gluten-free Tamari
• Carrot ginger dressing
• Green onion, thinly sliced
• Lime wedges
• Toasted sesame oil
• Sesame seeds
• Salt & pepper

Bowl #1 toppings:

• 1 cup snap peas, trimmed, roughly chopped
• 1 cup red cabbage, chopped
• 1 cup kale
• 1 cup Micro Rainbow Mix
• Bowl #2 toppings:
• 1 cup snow peas, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1 cup spinach

Directions:

1. This recipe has can craft two different Buddha Bowls. Choose the one you like best or make both! Directions below will state #1 or #2!.

2. PREPARE YOUR RICE. This can be done many ways – with a rice cooker, boiling in water, or for convenience, microwaving ready-made bowls of rice. Microwavable rice is most convenient if you’re only making one serving! Choices include brown or white rice, long or short grain, it’s your choice! Set your rice aside.

3. Bring a large pot of water to boil (about 2 quarts water). Add the Edamame and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the Snap Peas for Bowl #1 and cook 2 more minutes. For Bowl #2, add the Snow Peas and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain well.

4. PREP YOUR VEGGIES: Depending on which Buddha Bowl you want to make, start with a cutting board and slice or chop your fav veggies. One cup of each is perfect!

5. Bowl #1: Chop the red cabbage and kale. Bowl #2: Chop the broccoli and spinach.

6. For either Bowl: Combine rice, edamame and peas. Then add desired veggies. Fold if you like or keep separate. Some like the raw veggies a little warm.

7. TIME for TOPPINGS: Arrange cucumber slices along the edge of the bowl, green onions, avocados and a lime wedge. Drizzle lightly with carrot ginger dressing and top with sliced green onion. Place a lime wedge or 2 in each bowl.

8. Season to taste with various dressings. Here, we’ve used a Carrot Ginger dressing in Bowl #1, and Tamari sauce in Bowl #2. Both Bowls are sprinkled with a drizzle of sesame oil and sesame seeds.

MICROGREENS: We’ve chosen 1 cup of Micro Rainbow Mix in Bowl #1 and our colorful, Micro Chef’s Blend in Bowl #2. Both are bright and tasty final touches to these bowls!

Recipe inspired by: cookieandkate.com

Oven Roasted Cabbage

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Slice the cabbage into 1″ thick rounds. Don’t worry about coring the cabbage – the core will get soft in the oven & you can either eat it or discard it after the cabbage rounds roast.
3. Spray a foil-lined baking sheet with olive oil or your nonstick spray of choice.
4. Brush the tops of the cabbage rounds with Olive Oil. Season with Salt & Pepper.
5. Roast at 400 degrees for approximately 35 minutes. Cabbage will be slightly browned when finished. And delicious!

Angel Food Cake with Homemade Lemon Curd and Edible Flowers

Watch the video above to see how Lori made the Angel Food Cake with Homemade Lemon Curd and Edible Flowers!

Cauliflower drop biscuits:

YIELD = 12 biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 1 T corn starch
• 1 T old bay seasoning or cajun seasoning of choice
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 T green onion, chopped
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Non-stick spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until it is a super fine texture (similar to snow). You will more than likely have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your food processor.

2. Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray. Add the cauliflower crumble into the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 1 T corn starch. Add the cauliflower & garlic from the skillet. Mix well. Add the Old Bay, Cheese, Green Onion and Salt & Pepper.

4. Use muffin liners to prepare a muffin pan (or use non-stick spray if you do not have the paper liners).  Using a spoon, evenly distribute the batter into the muffin pan.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Muffins can be served warm or cold. I prefer them cold/room temp.

For more information visit, theproducemoms.com.

While the weather outside may be frightful, the piping-hot stews indoors are so delightful. Registered dietitian and chef Michelle Dudash joined us today to share two vegetable stews from her upcoming The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook.

Comforting Vegetable Stews

Chickpea Vegetable Stew with Turmeric and Cumin

You probably have all of these ingredients on hand, and you can whip up this recipe in less than 30 minutes for a light lunch on a chilly day.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 medium carrot, diced (about 1⁄2 cup)
• 1⁄2 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 11⁄2 cups vegetable broth
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh herbs, coarsely chopped (like mint and Italian flat-leaf parsley)

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. Gently sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, and ginger, and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and simmer to evaporate most of the wine, a few minutes.

2. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with more olive oil, and sprinkle with herbs.

Suggestions and Variations

For a richer taste, use coconut milk in place of broth. Or add a couple tablespoons of coconut butter, along with the broth.

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES • YIELD: 4 SERVINGS, 1 GENEROUS CUP (250 G) EACH

PER SERVING: 212 CALORIES, 26 G CARBOHYDRATE (7 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 19 G NET CARBS), 7 G PROTEIN, 9 G FAT, 980 MG SODIUM.

By Michelle Dudash, RDN, from the book Clean Eating Kitchen: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health.

Hearty French Lentil Stew

This stew is so satisfying, with earthy flavors. Dried lentils require no soaking, compared to other legumes that do. French lentils have a heartier skin, and therefore hold their shape better than brown or green lentils do, but they still cook quickly in about 30 minutes. At just about ten cents per serving, lentils give you a big nutritional bang for your buck!

You may not find French lentils easily in mainstream grocery stores, but that’s okay: I’ve made this with brown lentils—still amazing.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1⁄2 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1⁄4 cups (240 g) dry French lentils (or use brown or green lentils), rinsed and drained
• 4 cups (940 ml) vegetable broth or chicken bone broth
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1-inch (2.5 cm) sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add the oil. When the oil starts shimmering, add the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. Gently sauté until tender, about 5 minutes, reducing the heat to medium-low as needed. Add the lentils, broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Simmer until the lentils are tender to the touch, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and add the vinegar.

2. Remove the bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. If any rosemary leaves fell off the stem, try and fetch those, too, as they can have an overpowering taste when left intact. Using an immersion blender, puree just one small section of the lentils in the pot, which thickens the stew. Ladle into wide, shallow bowls and drizzle with oil.

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 1 HOUR • YIELD: 4 SERVINGS, 1 CUP (230 G) EACH

PER SERVING: 304 CALORIES, 48 G CARBOHYDRATE (24 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 24 G NET CARBS), 17 G PROTEIN, 5 G FAT, 880 MG SODIUM.

By Michelle Dudash, RDN, from the book Clean Eating Kitchen: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health.

Get Michelle’s free Bonus Materials including a downloadable guide will help you get started eating the Mediterranean way!

Steps to get free materials:

1. Pre-order Michelle’s book on Amazon, or anywhere fine books are sold.
2. Email a screenshot of your receipt or order number for your proof of purchase to: low-carbmediterranean@quarto.com
3. This 6-page PDF will be emailed to you shortly. Packed with shopping lists, herbs and spices guide, smart swaps, and five seafood recipes.

For more information visit, DishWithDudash.com.